Page 40 of Rune Assassin

“Do you know what they say?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “Not all of them but I know enough to say these aren’t friendly.”

“Toward whom?”

“Toward anyone connected to the trials,” he revealed as his walking returned him to my side. “We’ll have to get Clara to look at these. She may be able to read them. For now, let’s rebury them so they looked as they did.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

We madequick work of that chore and soon stepped back to admire our job. Everything was as it had been before our arrival.

A thought struck me and I looked up at Tegan. “Could Clara have put them out there?”

A smile touched the corners of his lips. “Do you think she could lift those stones?”

I shrugged. “Maybe she used magic to put them there.”

“Perhaps, but she hasn’t exhibited that kind of magic,” he pointed out as he led me toward the road.

“What kind of magichasshe exhibited?” I asked him.

“Potions like Cordelia can create,” he reminded me as he stared ahead. “Though we should look through the trial archives to see what else she’s created for our host.”

We returned to the house and discovered chaos on the front lawn. Dozens of servants were scouring the area looking under bushes and in trees. Lusio stood a few yards from the front door with the meek Miles in front of him.

Our host’s face was as red as a tomato and he stabbed a finger at the expansive property. “Find her! Find her immediately!”

“What seems to be the problem?” Tegan spoke up as we reached the man.

Lusio shut his eyes and gritted his teeth before he turned his fitful face on us. “Do you have something to do with this new trouble?”

“You’ll have to tell us what that is before we can answer,” Tegan countered.

“Then I’ll tell you,” Lusio snapped as he spun around to fully face us. “The witch is missing and I can’t finish these trials without her help.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Clara’s gone?”

“That’s what I just said!” he roared as he stomped a foot against the ground. There was no earthquake, but there may as well have been with the way all the servants winced. “Now I must waste valuable time and money searching for her sorry wrinkled hide!”

The servants double-timed their search efforts and scattered to the four corners of the villa grounds for any signs of the witch. Tegan caught Lusio’s wild eyes. “When did she disappear?”

Lusio threw up his hands. “How should I know? Sometime between last night’s trial and a few minutes ago when Miles went to fetch her!”

“Where does she live?” Tegan questioned him.

Lusio shot him a look of death. “You and your damned questions!” He took a step toward us and wagged a finger in our direction. “No trouble like this has ever happened before you two came here!”

“The trouble would have arrived whether we were here or not,” Tegan countered as he folded his arms over his chest. “And if you want our help then we’ll need to see the location where she was probably kidnapped.”

“See it all you want!” Lusio ranted before he whipped his head to Miles who stood off to one side. “Show them her hut and then come back here to help search!”

Miles bowed his head. “Yes, sir. If you will come this way.”

The order was directed at us and Miles didn’t waste any time hurrying in the direction of the beach. We followed and soon found ourselves scrambling across the sand in the direction of our first stroll. Miles scurried as fast as his legs could take him and was soon winded by the effort, allowing us to pump him for information.

“Why were you fetching her?” Tegan questioned him.

“The. . .the master wished for her to make the final preparations for the. . .for the trial,” Miles wheezed.

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