bushes, stunned. All thoughts of killing Sir Reginald had momentarily vanished from her mind.
Something big was happening tonight.
And right now, she was the only one who knew about it.
Chapter 7
“Well,” said Maklavir with a pleased grin, “all in all I’d say it’s been a pleasant couple of days.”
Kendril glanced back at the ballroom as the guests began to gradually disperse out the doors into the hallway. Coaches were arriving outside, pulling up and taking their occupants away into the night.
“Yes,” he said absentmindedly, “very pleasant.”
Joseph walked up. He glanced back at the orchestra, which had just finished the last piece for the evening and was busy packing up. “So,” he said with as he looked over at Kendril, “I just saw Serentha head upstairs. Looks like things are wrapping up here.”
The Ghostwalker grunted, but said nothing. His eyes watched the crowd filtering out to the main hall.
Maklavir cleared his throat. “That reminds me. I noticed you dancing with the princess earlier, Kendril. I must say you made a handsome couple.”
Kendril shot the diplomat a nasty glare.
“So where’s your date, Maklavir?” asked Joseph as he surveyed the ballroom. “I never got the chance to meet her.”
Maklavir stretched his arms. “Unfortunately Palora had to accompany the princess upstairs for the time being. Though,” he added with a knowing wink, “I am hoping to see her again later.”
“That’s delightful, Maklavir,” said Kendril sardonically. “Excuse me a moment.” He walked quickly away, grabbing a servant who was cleaning the tables and asking him something in a low tone.
A few seconds later Kendril came back over with a troubled look on his face.
“Well, this party looks about over,” said Maklavir casually. “Anyone up for a hand of cards in the billiards room?”
“You two go on,” said Kendril with a brooding glance towards the ballroom doors. “I have a couple things to attend to.”
Joseph gestured his head toward the servant Kendril had been talking to. “What did you ask him?”
“Just needed to find a room,” said Kendril brusquely. He brushed past Maklavir and Joseph and headed for the door to the main hall. “I’ll see you both tomorrow. Keep your eyes and ears open.”
Maklavir groaned. “Not more conspiracy theories?”
The Ghostwalker ignored the comment. He pulled his hood up over his head. “Just be on your guard,” he said. “Oh, and you owe me five coppers, Joseph.” He turned towards the ballroom doors.
Maklavir gave Joseph a confused look. “Five coppers?”
The scout sighed. “Palora’s one of Serentha’s handmaidens, right?”
The finely-dressed man gave a cautious nod. “Yes--”
Joseph chuckled. “Five coppers, then.”
The ballroom was almost empty. The last lights were all being extinguished and the servants were clearing the tables.
“So how about that hand of cards?” asked Maklavir.
Joseph pondered for a moment. “Sure, why not? The night’s still young.”
They left the ballroom and headed down the main corridor. The front doors to the palace were open, letting in the cool night breeze. White uniformed guards stood at the bottom of the steps leading toward the second floor. Most of the aristocrats were gone, the last coaches clattering off towards the front gate.
Maklavir opened up one of the doors leading to a side hallway. “The billiards room is down here,” he said. “To the right, if I remember correctly.”
Joseph smiled as they stepped into the dimly lit hallway. “You seem to have found that in a hurry.”
The diplomat grinned in response. “I was having a friendly game there this morning with—”
A shadow flitted across the hall.
Joseph’s hand moved instantly toward the hilt of his rapier.
In the flash of an eye a cloaked figure was behind him, holding a knife blade to his throat.
Joseph slowly moved his hand away from his sword. “What do you want?” he asked in a
Something big was happening tonight.
And right now, she was the only one who knew about it.
Chapter 7
“Well,” said Maklavir with a pleased grin, “all in all I’d say it’s been a pleasant couple of days.”
Kendril glanced back at the ballroom as the guests began to gradually disperse out the doors into the hallway. Coaches were arriving outside, pulling up and taking their occupants away into the night.
“Yes,” he said absentmindedly, “very pleasant.”
Joseph walked up. He glanced back at the orchestra, which had just finished the last piece for the evening and was busy packing up. “So,” he said with as he looked over at Kendril, “I just saw Serentha head upstairs. Looks like things are wrapping up here.”
The Ghostwalker grunted, but said nothing. His eyes watched the crowd filtering out to the main hall.
Maklavir cleared his throat. “That reminds me. I noticed you dancing with the princess earlier, Kendril. I must say you made a handsome couple.”
Kendril shot the diplomat a nasty glare.
“So where’s your date, Maklavir?” asked Joseph as he surveyed the ballroom. “I never got the chance to meet her.”
Maklavir stretched his arms. “Unfortunately Palora had to accompany the princess upstairs for the time being. Though,” he added with a knowing wink, “I am hoping to see her again later.”
“That’s delightful, Maklavir,” said Kendril sardonically. “Excuse me a moment.” He walked quickly away, grabbing a servant who was cleaning the tables and asking him something in a low tone.
A few seconds later Kendril came back over with a troubled look on his face.
“Well, this party looks about over,” said Maklavir casually. “Anyone up for a hand of cards in the billiards room?”
“You two go on,” said Kendril with a brooding glance towards the ballroom doors. “I have a couple things to attend to.”
Joseph gestured his head toward the servant Kendril had been talking to. “What did you ask him?”
“Just needed to find a room,” said Kendril brusquely. He brushed past Maklavir and Joseph and headed for the door to the main hall. “I’ll see you both tomorrow. Keep your eyes and ears open.”
Maklavir groaned. “Not more conspiracy theories?”
The Ghostwalker ignored the comment. He pulled his hood up over his head. “Just be on your guard,” he said. “Oh, and you owe me five coppers, Joseph.” He turned towards the ballroom doors.
Maklavir gave Joseph a confused look. “Five coppers?”
The scout sighed. “Palora’s one of Serentha’s handmaidens, right?”
The finely-dressed man gave a cautious nod. “Yes--”
Joseph chuckled. “Five coppers, then.”
The ballroom was almost empty. The last lights were all being extinguished and the servants were clearing the tables.
“So how about that hand of cards?” asked Maklavir.
Joseph pondered for a moment. “Sure, why not? The night’s still young.”
They left the ballroom and headed down the main corridor. The front doors to the palace were open, letting in the cool night breeze. White uniformed guards stood at the bottom of the steps leading toward the second floor. Most of the aristocrats were gone, the last coaches clattering off towards the front gate.
Maklavir opened up one of the doors leading to a side hallway. “The billiards room is down here,” he said. “To the right, if I remember correctly.”
Joseph smiled as they stepped into the dimly lit hallway. “You seem to have found that in a hurry.”
The diplomat grinned in response. “I was having a friendly game there this morning with—”
A shadow flitted across the hall.
Joseph’s hand moved instantly toward the hilt of his rapier.
In the flash of an eye a cloaked figure was behind him, holding a knife blade to his throat.
Joseph slowly moved his hand away from his sword. “What do you want?” he asked in a
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