Abducted [W&W Book 3]

Chapter 52

When Maxine returned they continued working. She would not say what had happened when she talked to Missus White no matter how much Ildri pestered her. As they worked, Ildri noticed that Anya had her own skilled and efficient potion making style that was different from Maxine's. Next to both of them Ildri felt like a clumsy toddler.

Much like Keziah, who seemed to be a naughty toddler inside her head and a filthy seaman through her mouth. It was sort of annoying when the rabbits and Sabin were so well behaved in comparison.

Not that Ildri had much time to worry about it. They made potions for a few hours quite steadily, until there was a knock on the door.

"Anya? Are you there?"

Anya rushed to the outer door and opened it. "Jim," she said, pulling him into Ildri's main room. Ildri wiped her hands on her dress and walked with Maxine out of her workroom to listen.

"He's calling an assembly in the small dining room shortly, and he would like you three to attend as well," Jim explained.

Damani's head popped out of the door. "What about me? I want to—"

"No, Damani," both Anya and Jim said at the same time.

"I'm sure that Anya will tell us when it is all over," Kallie said, but sounded disappointed too.

"We'd better go," Maxine said.

* * * * *

In a few minutes, Ildri found herself in the small dining room. Keziah had thrown a tantrum that Ildri wanted to leave without her and was now sitting in her cage beside Ildri's bed.

It was odd how her life had changed. She had been in many of the rooms in the castle before but it had always been as a servant. Now she was sitting in one of the seats that had been designed for guests. Not as a servant, but as a... She did not know what she was.

But she was there at the exquisite table now, and she supposed it did not matter in what capacity because before long, everything might be different.

Everyone who had a hand in protecting or running Wildwood seemed to be there, talking in hushed, solemn voices. She could see Missus White sitting rigidly in her chair beside chef and her husband. Allan was sitting next to Maxine and they were talking quietly. She could not help but notice that Ty was almost directly across from her and it was all she could do to not stare at him. Yet it seemed she had every detail of his face etched in her memory though his appearance was so new to her.

Then she realized that he was watching her. She sighed. A part of her just wanted to try to talk to him and tell him how much she missed him, but she did not think that it would change anything. And there were more important things happening, that was why she was here. Not for ridiculous girlish fantasies.

Finally she saw Lord Wildwood walk into the room. Lady Theresa was with him, and she looked upset. Lillie was nowhere sight, she must have been with the nanny. Ildri wondered what it was and wished Anya had just told her to spare her the trepidation.

Lord Wildwood went to the head of the table but did not sit in the ornate chair that waited there. Instead he stood in front of everyone. Ildri would not have known he was not calm but for the way he stood stiffly—his father had the same habit.

"My trusted friends, I would like to thank you all for your time and services here at Wildwood, be it months or be it years. You are all here tonight because I and my father before me have valued your contributions greatly and I feel that the time has come to speak plainly."

Ildri could almost feel the alertness of the crowd in the silence. "We've all heard the rumours of the war. The rumours are dire and I wish that I could tell you that the reality of the situation was less so. But I cannot. There is a great chance that Edelland is no more. The forces of Scelus have taken the capital."