A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,47
affected them, and I need to know what it is.”
Audrey didn’t look entirely convinced, and I had to admit I understood her hesitation. But I also understood Gabe’s determination. He had a responsibility to Talinos that she did not.
“I wasn’t thinking that you would come along, Audrey,” he assured her. “We just wanted to inform someone of our intentions.” He turned to me. “But, in fact, there’s no reason for you to come either, Adelaide. It would no doubt be safest for me to go alone.”
I frowned and pulled out my paper. He might have deluded himself into thinking he was safe in Leander’s Keep, but he couldn’t possibly think he would be safer alone while scouting a pack of unnaturally aggressive wolves through a forest known to contain at least one pocket of enchantment. He was trying to protect me. But while I might not have his skill with a bow, I did come with some advantages. My wedge of aerial scouts being the main one.
Various arguments and recriminations filled my mind, and I considered how best to condense them down to the most efficient number of words. In the end, I gave up and kept it to two words.
I trusted in my glare to convey the rest of my feelings on the matter, and to my relief, it must have been a speaking one because he didn’t attempt to argue further. I then switched subjects.
“Perhaps.” Gabe’s voice suggested he wasn’t greatly concerned. “But it also presents us with the perfect opportunity to get inside the Keep.”
“Yes, but Lord Leander will know we’re there,” Audrey said, “which is a major difference. I think it would be much better if we snuck in.” She looked quite agitated as she continued to enumerate her arguments. “Plus, there’s no way he’s throwing everyone a party out of the goodness of his heart.” She looked between us. “If it fits with his plan to have us all inside his Keep in a week’s time, then surely we need to get ahead of him. You’ve said you think this is about more than Adelaide—that he might have enchanted the whole kingdom—so who knows what he’s planning?” She was working herself up into a crescendo now. “Perhaps he even means to use the party as an opportunity to assassinate you, Your Highness!”
Gabe looked like he was about to laugh until he saw my face.
“You can’t really think that’s a danger?” he asked.
I bit my lip and slowly shrugged. I didn’t know what to think. But it was certainly something I feared—and something he would do better to have a healthy fear of as well.
“But if he wanted to do that,” Gabe argued, “why throw a party and invite the whole town? It seems like he would have far better opportunities. I did show up at his gate and invite myself in, after all.”
Audrey peered at my words and nodded vigorously, grasping onto my thoughts and taking them further.
“He won’t want to risk the guilt falling on him. He probably intends to have a whole host of witnesses to your accidental death.”
Gabe didn’t look entirely convinced. “As you both already know, I have no qualms about gaining illicit entry to Leander’s Keep, but we have yet to work out a way to achieve such entry. And, in the meantime, I must go after those wolves. The swans managed to locate them, but we have no way of knowing how long they will remain in one place. We have to move quickly or risk losing them.”
I nodded. I agreed we needed to leave—and soon. But an idea had struck me.
Audrey gasped, her eyes growing round. “It’s perfect! He said he has to take samples, so I’m sure he intends to drive in with his wagon. We could be hiding in the back!”
Gabe arched an eyebrow. “And Ash would be amenable to the three of us turning up and asking to secrete ourselves among his baked goods?”
Audrey grinned. “From what I’ve seen this morning, not much has changed in the six months I’ve been away. Ash is sweet on my sister, and I bet she could convince him to do anything.”
“I don’t like the idea of putting him at risk,” Gabe said slowly.