The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Sixteen

I clutched at my stomach and took a deep breath to fight the urge to vomit. A dizzy spell made my legs weak, and Luke gathered me up into his arms.

Luis approached Luke accusingly. "She's sick. I think you hurt her. Give her to me; I'll take care of her."

Luke refused to hand me over. "It was not my intention; I was trying to melt the surrounding ice. You had a block of it around you, and I am astonished that we all survived. The entire castle was freezing under this power." 

I pushed on Luis's chest when he lunged forward. I didn't need him to start a battle with Luke. That would not get us out of this mess, and I was too sick to put up a fight.

My three banmuinen had returned to find the pandemonium in the dungeon. Beth approached Erick and laid a hand on his arm. "What happened?".

"We believe someone tried to assassinate Madeline from the outside, and her powers activated in self-preservation." Erick frowned down at her. "It's too dangerous down here, Beth. Go back upstairs."

She laid a hand on his cheek. "I want to stay here with you."

Erick glanced at me, and I stared at the floor as I tried to pull the shreds of my dignity together. This had to be the woman whom he betrayed me for. When I found out for sure... I'd... do something, that's for sure. I made a choking sound and leaned my head against Luke's shoulder.  No use sticking myself with an old knife.

I felt a sudden flash of emotion like the release of doves at a magic show. Within me, I recognized the feeling as surprise. Luke was surprised that I'd sought comfort from him and I was surprised too.

"Are you certain about the attack, Luke?" Elsie asked. She'd come along beside Luke and me and was stroking my head. It felt nice. Elsie reminded me of a mom, and I was all for it.

"No, but I heard you upset Lady Emerlee, and she is an ice naga, one of the most powerful in the land." Erick was still easily touching Beth's back to direct her out. It made my mouth pucker with disgust. He glanced at me sharply and snatched his hands away from her as he looked at me with shock. Shock felt like ice cubes down my back, and I didn't like it. I found myself clinging more as I shivered.

"Let us go to the healer," Luke said, then he carried me up the stairs.

Once I was moving, relief spread through me. The thinning oxygen in the crowded, narrow dungeon had made me dizzier. Why did my mother have dungeons beneath the mansion, anyway? I puzzled over that until I remembered my grandfather had ordered my death as a baby. I guess dungeons were an excellent accessory for infanticide-wishing grandpas.

Luis supported my elbow as we exited the dungeon. Klick and Klack returned to my shoulders, and I was glad they hadn't been around during the mysterious event that connected me with five no.. seven people. I wouldn't have wanted this injured.

It attached me to the unlikeliest of seven men.  If this were a reverse-harem novel, it would have attached me to men with swoon-worthy faces and abs galore. We'd do lots of smoldering together, and all run towards a perfect sunset arm in arm at the end. I lucked out with three platonic friends, one traitor, and a tyrant. Yay. Who knew what the other two were going to be like?

Luke gave them a narrow-eyed glance, but he shook his head and kept moving until he'd brought me to his study. The guards went back to their stations, and the banmuinen were asked to stay outside as there was no more room.

Luke put me into a chair, and I leaned forward as that helped with nausea. Soon enough, a healer came in and laid her hand on my back before tending to the rest of us. When she'd touched me, I flinched, worried that her touch might cause that weird chain reaction again. I was happy when all that happened was instant relief. She made to leave after she'd seen us all, but Luke stopped her.