Conspiracy by Kate Gordon Page A

Gregor, putting a hand on his arms, and suddenly we were in a large, open room and people were running toward us to help. Gregor laid the king on a bed while two men went to work on him.
    Mallorie was crying hysterically and tried to get closer to the king, but Eimile held her back, murmuring words of comfort. Suddenly, she turned to Gregor. “What about Alisha? She went for a walk on the grounds. We have to find her!”
    “Wasn’t she with you, Gregor?” I asked.
    “No, I arrived just in time to see you sift to the Olc and kill him.” Gregor looked at me appraisingly. “It seems you’ve been holding out on me, Heather.”
    I was stunned and Gregor could see than I was confused. “I sifted ?”
    “I saw you. You didn’t know you were doing it?”
    “Of course not. I’ve been holding nothing back from you, Gregor. That was the first time something like that has happened. If I did, I’m as surprised as you. But I did see Alisha walking in the woods and she met someone. I assumed it was you.”
    “I’ll sift back and get her, and find out what happened to my men,” Gregor said.
    Eimile spoke up before he could leave. “Gregor, where are we?”
    I had assumed we were in the Eastern Realm, forgetting that it was being held by rebel forces. Gregor hesitated. “I’ll explain everything when I get back. Please trust me, and I’ll return as quickly as I can.”
    Eimile nodded in agreement, and with one last look at me, Gregor was gone.
    Our attention turned to the king. The healers stood on either side of the bed, their hands on his body. It was apparent from their faces that the job they were attempting was taxing their limits. Sweat beaded on their brows, and the man closest to me was shaking. After a few minutes, they opened their eyes, and after a glance at each other, they removed their hands. The king lay lifeless on the bed.
    Mallorie watched as they pulled a sheet over his face and she ran to the closest healer. “Please, isn’t there anything more you can do? He’s the king of the Eastern Realm! Surely you have more healers?”
    “No, my lady. He was gone before he arrived here. We were attempting to find his spirit, but his soul is gone.”
    Mallorie cried on Eimile’s shoulder as mother held daughter in a loving embrace. They had just reunited after sixty years, but the tragedy of the moment removed any barriers that might have existed.
    I stood by awkwardly until I heard a familiar voice. “ Heather!”
    I turned to see Reagan rushing toward me down the hallway. I ran to her, hugging her tightly.  “King Aegir is dead, Reagan. There was an attack on the cabin and Gregor returned just in time to save us, but by then it was too late for the king.”
    Reagan took in the scene of Mallorie and Eimile standing by the shrouded figure and pulled me to the hallway. “Let’s give them some time together. There’s a lot going on right now, and I think the best thing for us to do is take a walk.”
    “A walk?” I was surprised that Reagan didn’t want to be in the action as usual.
    “Believe me, Heather. This house is about to be rocked and lifelong beliefs shattered. As the only humans here, I say we just remove ourselves for a while.”
    “I have a few revelations of my own.”

Chapter Eleven
    The Southern Realm
    King Orleon would not live to see the Realms united, but today was a momentous occasion. In the grand chambers of the Southern Realm, located immediately behind the royal residence, he presided over a gathering of current and future rulers of the Eastern and Western Realms.
    The other major event that had taken place earlier that morning was the reunion of Queen Mallorie and her son, Antonio Castillo. Tony had been four months old when agents of King Aegir had placed the boy with the Castillo family in New Mexico. Neither Elven parent had seen their son since that time. The first meeting had been brief and rather formal, quite unlike the reunion between Mallorie and her mother. Tony knew