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I came to the wing that held Olan's room and I slowed. I walked cautiously down the hall, making sure I was not being followed and that no one else was in the hall. Seeing no one, I drew the Dagger of Mystics from my hip as I approached the door. Within, I could make out voices, muffled and soft, but audible to my sensitive feline ears. I couldn't wait. I dared not to wait. I had to do something now, regardless of who Olan was with. I formulated a plan that would keep his companion off-guard, and knocked softly on the door.Olan answered, his green eyes looking at me, "Yes?"
"C'n I be gettin' anythin' fer ye, milord?" I drawled.
"No, miss..." he began, but my Dagger was instantly at his throat. His green eyes went wide and he backed off at my insistence.
"Silence!" I hissed, pushing him still farther back into the room, "Now..."
My dagger was suddenly knocked down away from Olan's throat, though narrowly missing slicing his chest. I felt an invisible presence nearby as I felt the rush of air coming towards my cheek. I ducked, looking up into the empty air. I caught a familiar scent, reminding me of far away places and friends.
"Krolaun," I stated, "I swear if you hit me..."
I rose, banishing the glamorie as I closed the door. Olan looked at me in surprise, "Katja?! Bast's Blood, what in the name of the Twinstars did you think you were doing?!"
I shrugged, "I didn't expect you to have company."
Rather abruptly, Krolaun came into view, his grey eyes regarding me in astonishment, "Kat?!"
I glanced at him and returned my gaze to my brother, "I see you've found the missing elf."
"Missing elf?" Olan mumbled, puzzled, "What are you talking about?"
"I was wondering how long it would take them to realize I was no longer in the prison," the elf interjected.
"That's unusual," my brother said thoughtfully, "usually I am among the first to know."
Krolaun glanced at me, "Kat, if he doesn't know, then...?"
I looked into those grey eyes, "Only a select few know..."
"The Welcomer, that Arvend fellow?"
I rolled my eyes, "Arvend wouldn't know his tail from his nose. Think, Krol. There is only one person we know of that is capable of deception of this magnitude."
Those grey eyes blazed blue for a moment, "She is here then."
"Her, and her agents. I'm not sure if she's actually here or not," I replied.
"Are they giving a description out?" He pressed.
"A very brief one, but only so much information can be learned by a serving girl."
"How about a Lord?"
I looked at him in confusion, "One of our own?"
"No," he replied, pausing a moment as those grey eyes glanced up, "Me."
"They won't tell you a thing."
Olan nodded in agreement, "Aye. They do not tend to include Outsiders on matters of the Nation, be they emissaries or not."
"They will if they do not intend to die..."
"Emissary?" I interrupted, looking at the elf in surprise, "When did you become an emissary?"
He smiled, but his eyes darkened, revealing a sudden sadness, "When you were away..."
My eyes darkened in rememberance of those nightmarish days I had spent away, but this was neither the time nor the place for such memories. I shoved them forcibly to the back of my mind as I turned to my brother, "So what is the plan?"
"I've a plan," Krolaun input, "It will take myself, the Queen, a Mindmelder, and Sharidia all in the same room at the same time."
"Good luck," Olan muttered, "That's like trying to get the Sects of Bast and Sekhmet to agree on something."
For a moment, Olan's face went blank, but almost as instantly his eyes refocused and he looked at both of us in concern, "That was just a message from Starflight. They're doing a Magescan of the entire capital; some elder priest got awakened from his nap by some surge of some foreign power in the area. They'll be going district-by-district at sundown."
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© 1999 E. Angeli Mansfield