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

Chapter Thirty

"Are you all right?" Alec's father asked him.

It was mid-afternoon. They had been driving as close to nonstop as possible, only stopping briefly to change batteries and drivers. They knew they were still at least two or three hours behind the Trackers who had Maren, though. Alec wasn't sure exactly what they were going to do once they arrived at the Capital. He supposed it depended on what had happened to Donovan.

"Is anyone?" Alec asked.

Alec knew he was not all right. He was desperately worried about Maren and Donovan, concerned that Kieran was seizing power, trying to cope with nearly dying, and feeling extremely betrayed by someone who had been his friend. Alec would not be all right for some time.

But, Maren's parents were devastated. Maren's mother slept some after crying herself to the point of exhaustion. Her father was trying to be stoic, but his eyes had been red since they left Worthingham. Alec's father was doing a good job of keeping himself together, but he knew it was a facade. Alec had only seen his father more upset on one occasion: when Alec's stepmother died.

"Fair enough," his father said.

They were all sitting together in one extended speeder driven by one of the soldiers. Conversation had been minimal; no one had much to say. The only thing to talk about was how terrible everything was, or to speculate on what might be happening elsewhere. Neither subject was appealing.

As much as Alec didn't want to, he couldn't stop thinking about Carstairs. Just hours before, Alec had told him that he wanted to be with him. He could hardly believe how quickly everything had changed.

His final conversation with Carstairs had not gone well.

Their group had stopped at the fort to collect supplies and equipment for their trip to the Capital. Alec's father asked him to ensure they got adequate medical supplies. One of the soldiers was a medic, but he wasn't very experienced and neither Alec nor his father trusted him fully.

Unfortunately, Carstairs had cornered Alec in a medical supply room.

"Alec-" Carstairs began.

Alec gritted his teeth as he packed bandages. He didn't even turn to look at Seb.

"I really don't have time to talk, Captain."

"It's my career. I had to," Carstairs said.

He sounded genuinely sorry, and maybe he even was. But that wasn't good enough for Alec. He glared at Carstairs coldly.

"You didn't. You saw more than a dozen men choose otherwise," Alec snapped.

"But she's a witch! You know she is!"

"And?" Alec snarled. "What does it matter?"

"They're dangerous."

Alec wanted to punch him. Instead, he added more morphine to the supplies he was bringing.

"Funny, the only time I ever know of her using her powers was to save people or in self-defense. Doesn't sound particularly dangerous," Alec snapped.

He closed the supply bags.

Carstairs was unconvinced. "Don't you understand? People need someone to hate. If they don't hate witches, they might hate-"

Carstairs stopped, presumably because he saw Alec's rage as he realized what Carstairs was arguing.

"Say it," Alec ordered.

Carstairs sighed. "People might hate us."

Alec growled. He didn't frequently use Donovan's signature expression of rage, but when he did, he was furious.