The Love of a Wielder (Book Two of The Wielders Trilogy)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Trackers were back and with more people that time. They set up a barricade blocking the military. The military could send for reinforcements, but for the moment they were trapped.

Maren listened as attentively as she could to the soldier's report. They had gathered in the parlor for bandages and brandy while the military removed the bodies of the dead from the house. In addition to the butler and the Tracker Maren killed, seven other Trackers were killed. A few soldiers were wounded, but none died.

If they were skeptical about either the amount of blood or the fused lock, they did not comment on it. Everyone was too distracted by the presence of the new princess.

Maren sat in the parlor while a soldier bandaged her and tried to look regal. She was so tired, she felt like she might collapse. Adrenaline had been the only thing keeping her conscious after healing Alec, and it was fading rapidly.

Alec was getting a bandage on his forehead but kept glancing back at her. She knew he was worried, but all she needed was sleep.

There was one thing she had to do first.

"Your Grace," she called, once her arm was done. "A word."

"Yes, Your Highness," Jonathan said and came to bend his ear towards her.

"How long does it take to get here from the Capitol if you drive straight through?" she asked quietly.

"About eighteen hours," he said. He was looking at her a bit strangely, possibly because they had discussed that multiple times over the last week.

She looked him dead in the eyes.

"Then that's how long we have to get out of here before Kieran comes."

He nodded.

"Jonathan, I'm no match for him," she said. She held his gaze, desperate for him to understand the severity of the situation.

"I understand. We'll get out. But it will take time. You must sleep," he said.

She nodded. "I will not argue with you on that."

He rose and barked an order, "I want four men to escort the Princess to her room and stand guard there."

He offered a hand to help her up and she took it.

Her mother also rose to walk with her.

When Maren gave her a questioning look, she said, "You'll need help getting cleaned up, and I know you won't want to trouble the staff."

Maren gave her mother a small and tired smile. "Thank you, Mother."

She really did need help. She was so tired she could barely sit up long enough to let her mother clean the blood off her once she reached her room.

Her mother was brushing her hair when she said, "I didn't know you could do all that."

"Mmm? Do what?"

"Your...ah...powers."

"Oh, well, I know you don't like to talk about it," Maren said.

"I think maybe that's been a mistake."

Maren was surprised but too tired to say more than, "Thank you, Mama."

Her mother helped her change into a clean nightgown and get into bed. Maren was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

--

Alec felt like his head had barely touched the pillow when there was an urgent knock on his bedroom door.