Page 127 of Lake of Sorrow

She tensed, afraid she would have to again flee the castle. Intense weariness weighed down on her at the thought of spending another week in the countryside, hiding from the authorities. She’d helped the kingdom. Again. Couldn’t these people pardon her?

“Stand down, Sergeant,” Vlerion said coolly, stepping close to Kaylina.

He’d also noticed the guards and their reaction to her.

“Lord Vlerion, that girl is?—”

“An ally to the kingdom and a ranger in training.”

The guard shook his head, but before he could say anything else, the elder taybarri female who’d been communicating with them all along padded into the center of the courtyard and lifted her head. I am Queen Seerathi, representing the taybarri of the Northern Tribes, and I have come to speak to the rulers of the Zaldor Kingdom. She looked toward the captured diplomatic party. I will also address the representatives of the Kar’ruk Confederation.

34

I prefer to face an enemy who attacks me with a blade; the enemy within is insidious and sneakier in his assault.

~ Ranger Founder Saruk

After the taybarri’s announcement—the telepathic words apparently conveying to all present—the guards who’d been contemplating arresting Kaylina stood back to wait. A messenger ran into the castle. Vlerion remained at Kaylina’s side, his sword in hand, his dangerous gaze promising dire consequences if anyone approached her.

Targon and the rangers had come over to stand beside Vlerion, but they’d sheathed their weapons. Targon stood with his arms folded over his chest.

After greeting their elders, the ranger taybarri had joined the herd, standing almost like bodyguards for their queen. Their queen who hadn’t mentioned her rank at any point during their journey, at least not that Kaylina had heard. She couldn’t tell if Vlerion had been surprised. He was busy looming beside her and looking fierce.

Would King Gavatorin or Queen Petalira come in person to greet Seerathi? They’d allowed the Kar’ruk diplomatic party to stay in the castle, so there had to be some royal rules about receiving representatives from other nations and treating them cordially. Far too cordially, in the case of the Kar’ruk.

While they waited, Kaylina glanced often at the guards and wondered if she should try to slip away when they weren’t looking.

“Should have saved some of that powder for me,” she murmured.

“You will not be attacked while I and these rangers are present,” Vlerion said, but his face was grim. He had to acknowledge that if the king or queen ordered the rangers to stand down and let Kaylina be taken, he would be bound by his oath to do so.

Targon tapped a pocket in his uniform, pulled out a folded paper, and handed it to one of his men. Kaylina couldn’t hear what he said, but the ranger trotted through the double doors and into the castle.

Soon, upper doors opened, and guards stepped out onto a balcony overlooking the courtyard. They carried raised swords, but their stances appeared more ceremonial than battle-ready. However, their uniforms were rumpled and askew, so they clearly hadn’t escaped the attack unscathed. By now, everyone in the castle looked frazzled.

Queen Petalira and King Gavatorin stepped out onto the balcony. Their hair was combed, their clothing straight, but they also looked rattled by the morning’s events.

Nonetheless, Petalira’s gaze skimmed alertly over the taybarri. Gavatorin’s eyes were more confused as he peered down at them. He glanced at the rangers, then looked toward a man standing in the shadows near the guards keeping the Kar’ruk restrained.

Since Kaylina had only seen Spymaster Sabor through a crack in Targon’s office, it took her a moment to recognize him. He nodded at the king, who nodded back while looking a touch relieved.

“One of his keepers,” Vlerion murmured, “though I understand there are a number of people running things now that he’s gone senile.”

Kaylina started to answer, but the queen’s gaze had shifted to the rangers, and she frowned when she spotted Kaylina near them. Her eyes narrowed.

“She hasn’t forgotten you,” Targon noted mildly.

“It’s my perky personality,” Kaylina said. “People remember it.”

Targon glanced at her chest. “Perky something.”

Vlerion glared at him, and was that the faintest growl?

“Easy, boy,” Targon told him. “Your savage side is showing.”

The taybarri queen started speaking telepathically, and that pulled Petalira’s gaze back to the furred visitors.

After repeating her name and introducing the other taybarri elders, Seerathi said, We have come at the request of Lord Vlerion and Kaylina Korbian. She came deep into the mountains to seek us out, requesting that we help Zaldor in this fraught time.

---