Ian narrowed his eyes. Ulli had conveniently dropped Ian’s title now that he was choosing to disagree with him. Ian much preferred to be seen as an equal, though, especially by someone he had grown to respect. “Because Robin said to?” he asked.
“She did not have to,” Ulli replied.
Ian accepted this, though he still wanted to know if Robin had specifically asked Ulli to protect him or if Ulli was doing it of his own accord. Regardless, Ian appreciated the help, pleased to accept it from either of them.
Ulli reached back out to grasp the door handle, looking to Ian before he opened it.
Nodding, Ian looked from Ulli to Onric. His mouth curved into a dire smile despite the gravity of the situation. “Let us raid, then.”
Inside the large hall, a multi-tiered balcony ran around the four walls of the room. It made for an excellent vantage point of the central dais below during large social or political functions. Ian had often spent those functions jealous of his younger brothers, who escaped up to balconies while he often felt duty bound to remain below.
The balcony around them was empty, but Ian could see movement below. He stepped slowly forward, looking over the rail to see Gareth on the central dais. He hovered over the unmoving body of King Frederich.
Ian’s stomach dropped. Perhaps they were already too late. Was his father already dead? There was no sign of his mother.
Ian looked over to Onric. His brother’s face was white despite the constant exertion of the last hour.
“Backup plan,” Ian whispered. “Onric, go find Mother and Ashlin. Ulli, get that door open. Any door.”
Onric nodded.
Ulli did not. “I cannot leave you—”
“I am just going to stall him until you can get the others in here. He is less likely to engage if it is just one of us,” Ian said, cutting him off. “Opening a door is the best way to ensure my safety.”
“Tell that to Robin if you end up dead,” Ulli said.
“I will.” Ian moved forward, quickly and silently making his way toward the open staircase leading down to the main floor.
Below him, several soldiers in Chendas purple stood around the dais, guarding Gareth and watching every entrance to the room—every entrance on the main floor, that was.
Onric and Ulli remained on the balcony level, hugging the back wall to stay out of sight as they made their way to one of the many side doors on the upper level.
Ian counted ten men surrounding the dais. But, he noted that they were taller and larger than the average human. These were the stronger beast-men that Gareth had kept for his own personal guard.
Ian winced at the memory of the beast-man who had thrown him across the beach. They had no chance fighting against ten of them—no, twelve, as there were two more guarding the side doors of the room—without the help of the Majis. Onric would need to work fast to get a door open.
Ian needed to distract Gareth and his guards long enough for that to happen.
His chance of surviving this fight once again careened back to looking grim.
Ian stopped at the top of the stairs. Gareth was still leaning over his father’s body, but the body was not lifeless! Frederich twitched, his muscles moving as though in pain, but no sound left his father’s mouth.
“Gareth!” Ian shouted, drawing the man’s attention away from his father.
Gareth stood, turning frantically toward the sound of Ian’s shout.
Ian thought he detected a brief purple flash connecting his father’s chest with Gareth’s hand.
For a man who had just lost the battle in the courtyard, the face that Gareth turned up at Ian looked far too pleased, even from a distance.
“You have lost,” Ian said. His voice sounded oddly hushed in the heavy air of the mostly empty room.
Several of the large men guarding Gareth raised their hands. Ian could see shiny reflections sparkling off strings of glass beads in their hands. The beast-man on the shore had not fought with magic, but it was good to note that even they required a store of magic to draw from.
Gareth lifted his hand to stop them from attacking.
Ian walked slowly down the staircase, knowing that every eye was on him. He trailed his hand along the railing as he moved. He wanted to run to his father, relieve him from pain, and take him far away from Gareth. But he was too vastly outnumbered to make a sudden move.
