“I do know that, Dreus,” she said as she spotted Chief Elder Cestrum watching them from across the way. “But others don’t. Did you tell anyone about the test? One of your ladies?”
“My ladies, as you call them, aren’t interested in talk, sister. If they were I’d be doing it wrong and further . . . ” Andreus frowned.
“What?”
He turned and looked up at the orb, then took Carys by the arm and led her inside the tower. While the walls protected her from the cold, Carys couldn’t shake the chill running through her. Her brother checked the stairs and whispered, “All right. There is one person I told. Max’s family used to tell him that the Xhelozi came in the dark to take the children that were deformed or sickly. I told him the Xhelozi would never come for him. I thought he’d finally feel safe if he understood how it all worked.”
Max. The little boy Andreus had rescued. “You told him about your new wire?”
Andreus sighed. “And the test, after he asked when the castle would start using it. But he wouldn’t have said anything to anyone. I was just trying to reassure him by letting him know that the lights will always shine. The boy was scared. I know what it’s like to live with that kind of fear.”
“I know you do, Dreus.” Too well. “But you have to be careful. Everyone has been talking about the boy.”
“Because I saved him.”
“Dreus, the boy doesn’t understand life in the castle or the games the court plays. He doesn’t know that one innocent word about you can cause us problems. You have to find out if he spoke to anyone. We have to know who is behind this. If Father thinks you’ve deliberately acted against him, you will be ordered into service with the guard.”
If that happened, it was only a matter of time before Andreus’s affliction made itself known, and unlike the other times, she would not be able to distract everyone before they realized what was happening.
“I’ll talk with him. He’s a curious boy and is probably nosing around here somewhere.” Andreus turned to her and took her cold hand in his. “You should go down to the Hall of Virtues. Make sure everyone knows we aren’t under attack and the world is not going to end. I’ll meet you down there as soon as I have answers. Then we’ll figure out our next move.”
“Next move, Prince Andreus?”
Chief Elder Cestrum stood in the doorway. Carys felt her breath catch as the Elder carefully studied them both.
Smoothly, her brother said, “In assuring everyone that the city is safe and that the almost immediate restoration of the lights demonstrates that we are more than prepared for the cold months ahead. The last thing the King would want is to find unrest when he returns.”
“Which is why I’m going down to circulate among the members of the court now. They need to know that I have seen the Masters of Light at work, that the wind is blowing strong, and that all is as it should be,” Carys said. She smiled at the Chief Elder and added, “Would you care to join me, my lord? As you are the most respected member of the Council, your voice would go a long way to assuaging any residual fears.”
Chief Elder Cestrum stepped forward and stroked the tip of his white beard with a gloved hand. “I would be happy to join you, Princess, since I’m sure your brother wants to check in with the Masters before he goes inside.” He turned toward Andreus and smiled. “I hear we have you to thank for the quick fix to tonight’s problem. The King might not respect those who favor brains over brawn, but the Council does. You have the thanks of the Elders, Prince Andreus.”
He bowed to her brother, who took the opportunity to stride out of the door and back into the cold and wind. Elder Cestrum looked at Carys and held out his right arm. “Shall we, Your Highness?” Carys placed her hand on top of the iron claw and gathered her skirts with the other hand, then she started down the stone steps.
“Your brother is handling this crisis well,” Elder Cestrum said with a small smile. “As are you, Princess. Perhaps the King and Queen have been too cautious in involving you both in more serious matters of our kingdom and court.”
The chill of his metal claw beneath her fingers made her shiver as they reached the landing and continued down the next set of steps. Carys chose her words carefully as she tried to determine what Elder Cestrum wanted. “The King has reasons for the things he does, my lord.”
“Yes.” Elder Cestrum looked at her and nodded. “He does have reasons. Good ones. But those reasons, from what I can tell, no longer exist. From the whispers I hear from the court, you have overcome your small weakness.”
Small weakness. Perhaps he thought he was being kind to make it sound so minor. Or maybe he was trying to see if she would admit to how great a vice held her in its iron grip. Even now she could feel it squeezing.
“I cannot control the whispers of the court or the will of my king, Lord Cestrum, which is good since I don’t have any desire to try.”
“And it doesn’t bother you, Princess, to be given so little respect?”
She laughed. “Are you kidding, my lord? The less I am involved in the politics of the kingdom, the less time the leaders of the Seven Districts and their minions spend trying to wrap me up in their idiotic plots to gain power. If you’re thinking I care about their respect, you have misjudged your company.”
Elder Cestrum gave her a hard, calculating look before nodding. “You’re wise beyond your years, Princess.”
“Since I only recently turned seventeen,” she countered as they reached the next landing, “I would say that isn’t a significant accomplishment.”
Elder Cestrum laughed as they stepped out into the hallway and headed toward the Hall of Virtues, where the court would be waiting for news of what had happened to the wind power. No doubt tales of Xhelozi attacks had already been told. If nothing else, those were easy rumors to dispatch. If only the rest of the web being woven tonight was as obvious as—
A gong echoed in the halls, and Carys and Elder Cestrum stopped walking. Another gong sounded, followed by several more.
“The King has returned,” Elder Cestrum said, starting down the hall that was already filling with people hurrying to witness his arrival. “Come, Princess. Let us greet your father.”