Page 77 of MidKnight
I took a deep breath and reminded myself not to sigh in public. Guards surrounded us and no doubt courtiers were running this way. Isla’s entourage was still packing to leave. Every single one of my provinces had a duchess or duke here.
“He volunteered to be your new assistant.”
Cerena’s nostrils flared and I could sense a fit of rage coming on. I let go of Connor and quickly walked over.
I grabbed Cerena hands, guiding her around several haphazard stones in the floor that had been displaced by the quake. I led her away from Donaloo toward a window.
“He’s a wizard,” I whispered. “A true wizard. We found him living in the clouds—”
“His head’s certainly there.”
“Literally. His house was levitated into the clouds and he’s three hundred, or so we believe—”
“Ew! Three hundred! He pinched my ass,” Cerena looked horrified.
“I’m not joking.”
“Neither am I.”
I tilted my head and stared, silently reproaching her. “He can help. He offered to help us with the dragon that took my sister.”
“You honestly trust this witless fool?” she gestured at the wizard.
Donaloo was fingering the yellow blooms and the vine started glowing. A crowd gathered behind him. Suddenly, the vine shivered and let out an ear-piercing shriek. We all covered our ears.
Donaloo shushed the flower, but I had to blast it with peace before it settled down.
When I did that, Donaloo accidentally stepped into the green light. That made him go limp, which made him trip. That meant he fell right into a magenta flower that started to smolder. As did Donaloo’s sleeve. He yelped and jumped, and the smolder on his arm was fed with air, turning into a bright flame.
Declan held out his hand, lighting the room up in a blaze of yellow. Water splashed down on all of us, soaking our clothes. As usual, Declan overdid it with his power. We stood in a good two inches of water afterward. My slippers were soaked.
Cerena turned to look at me, pushing her sodden hair out of her face. “Are you sure you want him here?”
I rubbed the water from my eyes. “No. But, we need the help.”
She gritted her teeth. “He asked me about the prisoner.”
I widened my eyes. “We hadn’t mentioned that.”
She glanced behind me and suddenly Quinn was next to me.
I looked at Quinn.He knows about Abbas. I told him we had a problem with a djinni. But I didn’t tell him we had one imprisoned.
Quinn put a comforting hand on my back and thought,He can be trusted.
My eyes wandered toward the flood and the Donaloo’s burnt sleeve meaningfully.
Quinn shook his head.I promise.His thoughts are all good. Ask Connor.
I waved Connor over.
“Have you sensed any deception from Donaloo?” I whispered.
Connor shook his head. “No. But are we worried about deception or competence here?”
I sighed.
Quinn reiterated,His thoughts are clear. Not muddled like his actions.
