Page 79 of A Wayward Movement

“Can you get it off?” Aunt Diana asked.

“The prince won’t be experimented on by this child,” one of the guards said sternly. “We need to get a message to the rest of our team as soon as possible.”

“By all means, take a message,” Aunt Diana said in irritation. “I won’t be sending any of my family members out to brave the kidnappers.”

Xavier flapped his hands impatiently, the imperious stare he was directing at Robbie almost comical given his state.

Squaring his shoulders, the boy yanked open a drawer and pulled out a contraption that consisted of a wooden ball on the end of a string. He held the string between finger and thumb, twitching it this way and that until the ball was swinging nicely. He screwed up his eyes and, try as she might to rest all her senses, Alina could feel the trickle of power being harnessed to her young cousin.

“It’s not the best source of movement,” Robbie grunted. “I’m tryna pull it off him, but the magic isn’t quite the right shape. It’s fighting m—aha!” He opened his eyes, satisfied. “I think that’s done it.”

“Alina.” The murmur came from Xavier, who’d turned to her at once. “Are you going to be all right?”

She nodded, resting her head back against the settee. “Yes. It wasn’t pleasant, but it’s passing. This isn’t like the night-long shield. It was a short burst of magic use, it’s just that my starting point was too depleted to safely attempt it at all. I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t want to let them take me.”

A shudder went over him, and his hand found her arm again. “When I saw you lying on the ground, with them looming over you…” His whisper was hoarse, trailing off into silence. He seemed unable to find words.

“I’m grateful you were there,” Alina whispered.

“Why were you there?” he said in a tone of reproach. “You shouldn’t have been wandering around alone. I thought you were going to stay with your family.”

“That’s my fault,” Aunt Diana said remorsefully, wringing her hands. “She was taking something to my husband for me, but I should never have let her—”

“It’s not your fault,” Alina said firmly. “I can’t understand it at all. They found me so quickly, but they can’t have been watching me. I’m not from around here, and I’ve been taking care not to use magic while we’re in the city. I thought surely the presence of the investigating team would make them lie low, anyway.”

“Their boldness is disturbing,” Xavier agreed grimly. “But even more disturbing is how close they came to getting away with it.”

“Your Highness,” one of the guards cut in. “We must contact the captain.”

“I have an idea about that,” Xavier said. “It may be a long shot, but I think it’s worth a try.”

He walked to the front door, the guards anxiously hovering at his side. Xavier opened the front door and called softly into the night.

“Zuzu!”

Alina couldn’t see outside, but judging by the way Xavier held out his arm, the anzu had flapped out of the darkness. A moment later, Xavier turned, giving her a view of the anzu now perched on his forearm.

“Can you go back to the inn?” Xavier asked, gesturing with his free hand. “Harass Captain Mitchell until he follows you? You led them to us in the desert, can you do that again?”

It was impossible to tell if Zuzu understood. Her feline orbs stared unblinkingly into Xavier’s face, then she abruptly opened her mouth and hiccuped, a small spurt of water catching Xavier squarely in the face.

The prince spluttered, wiping drops out of his eyes. “No, you unnatural creature, I don’t want water like in the desert, I want you to—”

His words cut off as Zuzu took flight. The anzu was out of Alina’s sight now, so she couldn’t tell if Zuzu had even gone the right way.

“Do anzus have a good sense of direction?” she asked doubtfully, when Xavier returned to the group.

A hint of his usual smile crossed Xavier’s features. “I guess we’ll find out.”

It was only another half an hour—throughout which time Alina dozed uncomfortably—before Zuzu was vindicated. One of the guards had stationed himself outside, and he called to his fellow when half a dozen of their group appeared on the street outside. The two guards hurried out, holding a brief conference in the yard before the newcomers burst into the house, Captain Mitchell at their head.

“Your Highness.” His eyes raked over Xavier, swiftly assessing the prince’s state.

“I’m not harmed,” Xavier assured him. “I was struck by some kind of silencing enchantment, but it’s been lifted. Alina, though, was forced to use magic to defend herself, and it’s set her back.”

“If depleted energy is the only ailment, it seems she was fortunate,” the captain said tightly.

“There’s also a lump on her head,” Pippa announced. She’d been solicitously helping Alina clean the dirt off her face from when she’d lain on the street. “Looks tender.”