Page 14 of Rune Assassin

“Point taken.”

We hurried through the doors and into the house. The chandeliers twinkled brighter in the dusky light and the house was as quiet as the outside. We found our host in the front parlor seated with Cordelia and Conor the young Clasp. I couldn’t help but look over someone who, like me, was connected to another via magic. It was so surreal knowing we were on opposing sides. For his part, the young man cut short what he had been saying and frowned at us.

“Continue what you were saying, young man,” Lusio encouraged him.

Conor stood and shook his head. “I would like to be excused, sir, if you would allow me.”

Lusio frowned. “I will not allow it, sir. There is no need for you to leave merely because they have entered the room.”

Conor bowed his head. “My apologies, sir, but there is no kindness between our groups.”

“Whatever qualms you have with them, they are nothing during the tournament. You will set aside such troubles until the games have finished and you have left my estate. Do you understand?”

The young Clasp pursed his lips but again bowed his head. “Yes, sir.”

Lusio smiled and gestured to the chair beneath Conor. “Then resume your seat and your story. I’m interested to know what happened to your companion and you during your fight against the rebels.” The mention of rebels made my heart skip a beat and I looked up at Tegan. His expression was impassive but I detected a tension at the corners of his lips.

Conor reluctantly resumed his seat and cleared his throat. “Yes, well, the rebels were holed up in a secret room in the ruined castle. Quinn cast his winds through the cracks and detected their location.”

It was at that point in the story I realized he wasn’t talking about Tegan and me, but other ‘rebels.’ I wasn’t relieved to listen to the tale of others who hadn’t been as lucky as Tegan and I in escaping the clutches of the Keys.

“The Key and Clasp attempted to block the walls using their earth magic but we had a fire user who blew the stones apart and knocked them unconscious,” Conor finished as he puffed out his chest a little. “We captured them and convinced the pair to join us.”

I spoke before I thought. “I’m sure that’s what happened. . .”

Conor glared up at me and I received a disapproving look from our host. “Miss, I will not have you insult any of the other guests. If you choose to be uncivil then you are free to leave my estate at any time.”

I was sorely tempted to take him up on his offer but a strange tingling sensation ran through me. It wasn’t the pleasure of excitement but like being pricked by a thousand tiny needles. I winced and Tegan took up the reply. “Our sincerest apologies, Mr. Lusio. We meant no disrespect to you or your guests. If you’ll excuse us.”

Tegan took my hand and led me out of the room. We didn’t stop until we’d reached the third floor where irritation and exhaustion combined to make me stop.

“One second,” I pleaded as I leaned against the nearest wall and clutched my hand over my heart. “I’m still not used to that many stairs. Isn’t he rich enough to buy an escalator?”

Tegan lifted an eyebrow. “A what?”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Just a modern marvel I’m missing a lot right now.” I glanced down the winding steps and frowned. “Unlike all the trouble down there.”

Tegan followed my gave and nodded. “Unfortunately. Domini is certainly testing us with this assignment.”

There was something in his words that caught my attention. “What do you mean?”

He returned his attention to me. “We should finish this discussion in our room.”

I unhappily obeyed and in a few moments, I had plopped myself on the bed while Tegan worked at building a fire against the chill night brought by the sea air. “So what’s that about Domini making this hard for us?”

Tegan tossed a lot into the hole and lit his hand with a fireball. “I doubt he wasn’t aware of who the contestants were and he’s most certainly not unaware of our history with them.” He tossed the flame onto the fire and the wood caught immediately.

“You mean more than just Morrigan and the others,” I mused as my thoughts wandered to a certain voluptuous individual. “How well do you know Cordelia?”

“Intimately,” came the reply.

I lifted an eyebrow. “Inallthe ways?”

He looked over his shoulder and grinned at me. “You aren’t jealous, are you?”

I shrugged. “I just need to know if you’ll be sleeping out in the hall or not.”

Tegan stood and his eyes twinkled as he took a seat beside me. He clasped my hand in his and raised one finger from the others. “Only you bare my ring, dear Kate.”

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