Chapter 29
The doctor nodded, “her body is fighting it.”
I looked at Romulus, he was in agreement. “I’ve never seen a person remove something like that without using magic to counteract it.”
“It is remarkable.” The doctor said.
“So, her body is fighting it like it’s a cold or something?” Alona sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Yes.” The doctor closed his bag. “I imagine in an hour it will be like it never happened.”
Troy turned to the mage, “you’re certain he couldn’t trace her here?”
Romulus gave a nervous nod, “no spell or tracker of any kind works inside the ward.” He looked at Clairee, then back to him, “we’ve tested it extensively.”
Troy crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Chase. “Question is why would he want to track a random person?”
“She just appeared in his little circle.” Paisley said glancing up from her phone.
“I guess it’s a good thing your body knew the mate’s tattoo was meant to be there.” Bethany said with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve never felt ill before, not like that.” I looked around at the others, “I’ll be quite happy to never feel it again.”
Elder Nodin walked into the room carrying a thick book with him. It was old and worn. “Your majesties.” He bowed his head and waited.
“You’ve found something?” Michael went over and looked in the book when the elder held it open. “That’s him the man Reagan saw.”
Romulus went over and looked at it as well. “He looked just like that?”
I got up off the bed, waving Quinton off when he gave me a look asking if I should get up. I went over and looked at the book. It was a sketch of three people, the middle one was the man from the circle. “That’s him.” I gave the elder a curious look, “how long ago was that done?”
“Before all of our time.” He said quietly.
“It’s Arwan.” Romulus said. “He looked that young?” He turned to me.
I studied the picture, “close to that.”
Romulus exhaled slowly. “We’re lucky all of Alterealm isn’t a wasteland.”
Daxx frowned, “I don’t get it. Why suck the life out of the realm you want to take over?”
“I don’t think he wanted this one.” Kara said. “I think he convinced Willis Hubert they could take over this one, but Arwan’s sights were set on much more.”
“Many more realms.” Victor stated in a thoughtful tone.
“We need a camera inside his little hideout.” Paisley said.
Arius looked at her for a moment, then turned to Troy, “she’s right. We need to know when he’s there and when he isn’t.”
Chase turned to Romulus. “Can you make your own trap? A portal or something to keep him in one place?”
Romulus stood motionless for a moment. “It will take many mages, and other magical abilities to do that—and with the amount of power he’s stockpiled, I can’t guarantee it would be effective.”
“Can we do something like that so he doesn’t sense it?” Clairee asked.
Romulus looked at Troy, then to Chase. “I will need time to research this.” He nodded slowly, “done incorrectly and it could give Arwan a trail back to all those involved in its making.”
The doctor, standing motionless to the side of the room, stepped to the end of the bed. “Good, that will give me time to perform the tests on Prince Quinton.” He looked around at a few of the others, “as well as the rest of you.” He nodded, “you’ve been too close to too many oddities and magical forces as of late,” he inclined his head to Chase, “I would be remiss if I didn’t ensure the health of our royals.”
“Tests?” Daxx frowned.
Troy gave her a quick appraisal. “It can’t hurt.” He looked at Clairee, “to make sure we’re all healthy with no trackers on us.”
Clairee nodded. “I can have someone at the medical facility during the doctor’s testing.”
Crissy’s head popped up from her notebook. “No needles.”
The doctor gave Victor a careful look. “No needles, Princess.” He said quietly.
Arius pointed at Romulus, “get in touch with Princess Aireese’s people and make sure your casting is perfect.”
Romulus inclined his head. “I will, my prince.” He gave Clairee and nervous look, then walked quickly from the room.
“Twenty-four hours.” Troy said in a commanding tone. “Get the doctor to check you out, then get some rest, we’re taking a twenty-four-hour break, then we’re going to get Arwan.”
~
I leaned forward in the chair and glanced out the door. Troy stood there with his arms crossed, Chase in an identical pose. Arius paced a few feet in one direction, then stopped and looked at the door before pacing the other way. Rafael was perched on the desk, his leg jiggling constantly with impatience. I sat back and looked at Alona, “I think I know why he never told all of you.”
Alona glanced around, “smothered in concern.” She agreed quietly.
“I’m glad the rest of us checked out okay.” Bethany said.
Paisley nodded, “I just want Quinton to be at one hundred percent so I can remind him for a few centuries that he’s an idiot.”
Daxx nodded, “at least a few.” She frowned, “I can’t believe I’m thinking in centuries now.”
“Took you long enough.” Leone smirked at her.
Emil leaned against the wall. He looked at his phone and shook his head, then put it in his pocket.
“Trouble?” Autumn asked.
“No,” he tilted his head to the side, “parental woes.” He grimaced. “Rena is dead set on coming over tomorrow, regardless of what’s happening.”
Autumn nodded, “she can’t look at the same walls any longer.” She shrugged, “I don’t blame her, I would have lost it months ago.”
Emil sighed again. “I know, I just—” he flicked his hand in the air, “worry.”
“The palace and underground chambers are secure now.” Rafael told him. “She’ll be safe.”
“And be able to wander much larger areas.” Kara offered.
“I know, I just,” he looked at Rafael, “did you know her guard was on that island with her?”
Rafael nodded. “We gave her options, she chose Kinsley, brother.”
Emil straightened from the wall. “I don’t like it.” He frowned, “I know the guard risked her life being there, but she also didn’t…”
“There was no way she could safely help each woman trapped there.” Alona stated.
“I’m aware, it’s just,” He heaved another loud sigh, “won’t it make it harder for her to be around another woman that was there? The constant reminder.”
Autumn got up and stretched, “it’s not like she’ll ever forget it, Emil.” She shook her head, “the baby growing inside her is a reminder every second.”
Emil nodded. “I know.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “I just worry.”
Michael stepped into the doorway. “They placed a camera at the hideout and one by the stone portal as well as the wasteland circle…”
“How did they hide a camera in the middle of the wastelands?” Paisley asked.
Michael shrugged, “I didn’t ask.” He nodded to her, “but your tracker idea was a good one.”
“Tracker?” Daxx glanced at the closed door, then to him.
“Yes, a microscopic electronic tracker.” He looked at Bethany, “untraceable by magic, has been placed so that he will unknowingly be carrying it with him.”
Bethany frowned, “did they put it in his underwear?”
Michael smirked, “I didn’t ask. I was just assured that next trip to his hideout he’d leave with it.”
Kara leaned back in her chair, “this is good, right?” She looked around at the rest of us, “that we can find him?” She turned to Bethany, “I doubt he’d check for modern electronics.”
“Romulus was pretty sure he’d know any magic used, so hopefully he’s not techy.” She said giving the closed door an anxious look.
“I can’t wait.” Daxx stood up and crossed her arms over her chest. “Good twelve-hour nap, then we go track him down and end this.”
“I’m all for that.” Rafael said, then jumped to his feet when the doctor’s office door opened.
Quinton came out, followed by the doctor. He lifted his hands slowly, a somber expression on his face. “Picture of health.” He grinned.
There was several audible sighs and mumbled words of thanks.
“Had us worried.” Leone grinned.
Quinton looked around, then waved his hands in a circle, “This, right here, is why I told none of you.”
“We deduced as much while we sat here waiting.” Alona stood up. She smiled at the doctor. “The entire royal family are fit as fiddles.”
He smiled back. “May it always be so.” He bowed his head.
“I’m starving.” Leone nodded and held his hand out to Bethany. “I’m going to stuff my face then sleep for ten hours.”
Bethany got up and took his hand. “That sounds wonderful.”
They disappeared.
I stood slowly, watching Quinton, whose eyes were only for me in that moment. I felt like a giddy schoolgirl when he smiled at me, knowing full well how I was feeling.
He came over and put his arm around me. “Anyone bugs us before the twelve hours is up, does so at their own peril.” He gave his brothers a quick grin and then we were no longer standing in the doctor’s office.