Chapter Seven

~Compiled by Catherine~

Audra and Nikolai arrive to open the Midsummer Festival and learn of the Flame's death. Audra sends guards to find the culprit while she and the warlock continue to the podium, where they are joined by Madeline and Vanya, summoned from her room at the castle. Vanya identifies Warren as the Flame's killer, then promptly faints. While Nikolai arranges for a guard to remove the girl to the castle, Maddie sends her Welsh bodyguard Gwynfor after Warren, whom they have spied running across the fairgrounds with Alexa.

With the money Warren gave them, Bantam and Nicholas go to the fair, only to have their enjoyment spoiled by some louts who persist in harassing Nicholas about the pink hair-ribbon Bantam has purchased for him. They shove the young lad into the archery tournament; his easy win doesn't stop their taunting. Upset, Nicholas takes off. Unable to follow his brother through the crowds, Bantam gives up and plunks himself miserably on a log, where Warren and Alexa find him. Nicholas, recovered from his distress, joins them shortly.

At this moment, Gwynfor approaches Warren with the Countess's "congratulations" and several guards. In response, Warren disappears, leaving the children to Audra's not-so-tender mercies.

Away from the fairgrounds, Simon, Maeve, and Lysander decide to go to the Seventh Stranger, since Maeve has finished the marketing. A harried Xanax meets them and tells the healer she's needed: a badly-injured Mallory has stumbled into the inn and lies bleeding in Barbarella's room. Maeve rushes back, Simon and Lysander in tow.

Ninnocha, having parted ways with Andy, also goes to the inn. She meets Simon hurrying downstairs to fetch hot water for his sister, and she offers her assistance. Maeve enlists Simon and the Elven priestess to work some strong healing magic, without which Mallory will surely die. They succeed, though the effort drains Maeve.

With Mallory resting comfortably, Simon, Maeve, Lysander, and Ninnocha troop downstairs for a drink and a chat. Simon realises after a bit that he must return to Audra if he wants to remain in her good graces, so he takes his leave, promising his sister he'll return later.

Ignoring Rowena's warnings, Gemile attends the fair, where she meets Adam and sees Nikolai. Disturbed by the warlock's presence, she accepts the gypsy leader's invitation to the Seventh Stranger. Simon encounters the pair and, intrigued by what he senses, he peeks into Gemile's mind. He finds some tantalising images, but hurries on his way back to Audra. He arrives just as Audra begins questioning Alexa, Bantam, and Nicholas. Dissatisfied with their answers, Audra orders the children to the dungeon. Maddie, seeing her fun spoiled, sets her sights on Simon and asks him to escort her around the fair, which he does. She shoots him a few lewd images, and the pair of them return to her chambers for some fun and games.

Back at the Seventh Stranger, Adam engages Gemile in conversation. She admits to being the sole survivor of the gypsy troupe Nikolai had slaughtered in Arcadia years ago. They then check on Nigel and Khanada. After meeting the twins, Gemile abruptly excuses herself and hurries back to inform Rowena of Nikolai's presence in Ashby. Adam decides to follow her and takes the twins along.

Ninnocha, having decided she can trust Maeve and Lysander, asks if either knows Brother John and explains her vision to them. Maeve leaves the table to check on Mallory. While upstairs, she finds the scroll John lost the previous night and tucks it away for safekeeping. Returning downstairs, she's summoned by Barbarella, who gives her some money and asks her to go to the fair to speak to Terenia, a fortune-teller who may be able to shed some light on the fates of the inn and of Mallory. Maeve agrees, since she's noticed that Ninnocha and Lysander are bonding and she doesn't want to disturb them.

Terenia refuses to read the cards for the absent Barbarella, but offers to do so for Maeve herself. Maeve admits to worrying about Simon; Terenia assures her that their relationship is still strong. Maeve then asks the fortune-teller to identify the owner of the scroll she found--she's reasonably sure it's John's, but she wants to be certain; Terenia tells her it was last held by a monk.

Hanging around the tents and stalls of the fair is a young woman disguised as a boy, looking for something to steal. Cat has fled from the Thieves' Guild in Arcadia because of the danger the new Guildmaster posed to her. Her single attempt at robbery ends with her being pursued down the North Road by guards.

After parting from Ninnocha, Andy heads for the church. He gets his orders from the Guild via Father Patrick and collects his supplies from a barn at the edge of town, after returning briefly to the Rum Runner and leaving a small golden charm as a gift for Ninnocha. Changing clothes and belting on his new sword, Andy leaves town by the North Road. Along the way, he's set upon by a band of outlaws, whom he dispatches easily. Afterwards, he settles down to examine the scroll among his new belongings, only to be interrupted by Cat looking for refuge in a nearby tree. They recognise each other as fellow thieves by their Guild-marks, and Andy hoists Cat into the tree just ahead of the guards.

Far from the crowds, Rowena and Brother John discuss Nick's appearance, Mallory's tale, and Lysander's plight. Alerted by his mistress's distress, Faran joins them. Rowena recognises the crest Lysander bears on his pendant as that of Furnier, the Earl of Romsey's family.

John then tells Rowena he's found a scroll containing the map of a secret tunnel from St. Julian's to Ashby Castle. He reaches into his pocket and discovers the scroll is missing. Faran, eager to get in on the conversation, forces a telepathic link with Rowena and reveals himself as the First in the Temple of Equus. He advises Rowena to use her magic to find the scroll, which Brother John describes to her for the purpose. Using magic taught her by her mother, Rowena devises a spell to locate the scroll in Maeve's possession. She also has a disturbing vision of John tortured in Audra's dungeon.

In the dungeon, Nicholas reveals another of his powers--glowing. While the children introduce themselves to each other and discuss possible escape, a pale-haired woman appears in their midst. By means of signs and writing, since she has no voice, the woman introduces herself as Simone, from modern-day Earth.

Audra and Nikolai arrive to interrogate the children further and are surprised by Simone's presence. Audra decides to bring her along to the torture chamber anyhow. She separates Nicholas in a cage, causing the boy to speak for the first time in many years--a desperate cry for Bantam.

Upstairs in her chamber, Vanya decides to leave, believing Nikolai has cursed her with a slow and bloody death. She escapes out a window, then collapses in exhaustion. Minuet, who has sensed Nicholas's presence at the castle, discovers her and spirits her to Rowena's cottage in the Hidden Village.

<< Back to the Introduction <<Chapter One <<Chapter Two <<Chapter Three <<Chapter Four
<<Chapter Five <<Chapter Six Chapter Seven >>Chapter Eight >>Chapter Nine >>Chapter Ten >>Chapter Eleven
>>Chapter Twelve >>Chapter Thirteen >>Chapter Fourteen >>Chapter Fifteen >>Chapter Sixteen >>Chapter Seventeen
>>Chapter Eighteen >>Chapter Nineteen >>Chapter Twenty

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