Page 99 of Kingdom of Locks

Amell shook his head. “Nonsense,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m fine. You can patch up anything.”

“Incorrect,” Bartholomew said dryly. “You’re no longer in danger, and my magic has certainly accelerated the healing, but I can’t fix something this big all at once. You needrest.”

“I’ll rest once I know Aurelia is safe,” said Amell firmly. Wincing, he pulled on his boots, then pushed himself to his feet.

Finding he was unable to dissuade the prince, the old enchanter followed him, fussing around him like an agitated hen. Or so Amell told him.

The pair was only halfway to the king’s audience hall when a flash of bright purple hurtled across their path, latching on to Amell’s good arm.

“Amell!” Tora cried, her voice frantic.

“Ouch,” Amell complained. “I have a hole in my shoulder, Tora, careful.”

“Sorry,” she gasped. She looked him over, then gave him a tentative hug on the other side. “I’m glad you’re all right. But what’s going on? Why is Furn locked up?”

“What?” Amell demanded. “What lunatic would lock Furn up?”

“Our king and father,” said Tora dryly. Her face was unusually pale as she searched Amell’s eyes. “Is this because of me, Amell? Did someone find out how I feel, and…and cause mischief for—”

“Of course not,” Amell scoffed. “I’m sure it’s nothing to do with that.” He frowned. “Is he really in the dungeons?”

Tora shook her head. “Not as drastic as that. He’s detained in the guard’s barracks. I mean, he’s free to move around them, just not free to leave.”

“That’s not quite locked up,” Amell said dryly. “Come on. I’m going to find Father, so I can get to the bottom of this.”

Tora fell into step beside him, but she cast a doubtful glance over him as he began to walk again, at about half his usual speed. “Are you sure you should be up?”

“Yes,” said Amell.

“No,” Bartholomew contradicted at the same time.

Tora sighed. “Sounds about right.”

They reached the audience hall to find that, although it was far from full, there were a decent number of spectators already in attendance. Their father appeared to have just taken his seat on the small dais at one end. At the sight of his children, he rose quickly to his feet, however.

“Amell! You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’m fine,” Amell said, wincing as he said it. “Father, there’s been some mistake.”

“Amell!” The queen had entered through an antechamber, and she hurried to her son in a rustle of silk. “You were shot! You shouldn’t be up.”

“I’m all right,” said Amell impatiently. “Father, you’ve got the wrong end of the—”

At that moment, the door to the audience hall swung open. Furn entered, looking tense, and accompanied by a pair of guards who weren’t actually laying a hand on him. Behind him came another contingent of guards. They were leading one copper haired woman with a tight, angry expression, and one much younger woman, with unevenly chopped dark hair, a gag around her mouth, and hands that were still covered in Amell’s dried blood bound in front of her.

Horror rose up in him at her state. With her mangled hair and blood-encrusted hands, she looked worse than he would have believed possible for such a beautiful woman. Not that it was her appearance that distressed him. The restraints on her wrists and the guards at her side told him that unlike Furn, she had been properly locked up. The thought that his own people had thrown her back into captivity the moment she escaped her prison of seventeen years was unendurable. What must she think of them all? He could only imagine what she’d been through during the long hours of his unconsciousness.

“Aurelia!” Amell cried, genuinely forgetting his injury for a moment as he sprinted across the room. “Release her at once, you fools! What are you doing?”

“Aurelia?” the king repeated, startled. “Amell, who is this? I was informed she was an escaped prisoner who was somehow involved in your injury.”

“You weremisinformed,” Amell growled, pulling the gag off Aurelia with his own hands. Snatching a small blade from the belt of the nearest guard, he sliced first Aurelia’s bonds, then those on her mother.

“Are you all right?” he asked Aurelia softly, tilting her chin up with his hand.

Her eyes were filled with moisture as she met his gaze. “I don’t know if I’d say all right,” she said, and his heart broke at the pain in her voice. This whole situation was about as far as it could possibly be from what he would wish for her first experience of the world outside her tower.

Before he could find the words to apologize for everything she’d suffered, her face was softened by a tremulous smile.

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