The Breton Boys

Chapter Fourteen: The Queen | 2

Reid's eyes darted from the Captain to the Queen to Oliver, who was looking a little hurt, and to his mother, who had gone as white as the bark of the birch trees lining the path to the castle.

Steeling herself, the Queen continued.

"Tsorsha knows that Reid is back. We have reason to believe that she wants him dead."

Strangely, Reid's first thought was that Queen Elevaine had not delivered this grave information very tactfully. It was a moment before he truly realized that she was talking about him.

"How do you know?" Adaline countered, her tone verging on accusatory.

"Tsorsha is not the only one with rangers," Queen Elevaine said. "It seems she feels that Reid's return has undermined her power. She seeks retribution."

Adaline exhaled sharply, as if she'd taken a physical blow to the chest. Oliver stared at Reid with eyes as wide as the silver plates that littered the table. But Reid felt surprisingly numb, as if he was watching the scene unfold from above and they were talking about someone else, someone he didn't know.

As if from a distance, Reid heard Pitchblende explain that a two-soldier guard would be posted outside the Breton house at all hours, and two more soldiers would escort Oliver and Reid to and from the Academy each day. Queen Elevaine told Mrs. Breton not to worry, that her sons were in good hands.

Reid leaned back in his chair as a thick silence descended over the table. Avia's eyes flitted towards Reid as if she was trying to furtively gauge his reaction to the damning news, but Reid's face remained blank. It didn't feel real.

In a sudden and strained attempt to break the tension, Queen Elevaine asked with a touch too much enthusiasm, "Shall we take a tour of the castle, then?"

There was a forced hum of agreement from the guests but Captain Pitchblende said, "It will have to be brief. We can't stay much longer if we hope to make it back to Waterleaf at a reasonable hour. The boys have training in the morning, after all."

They filed into the corridor and followed Queen Elevaine down so many flights of stairs that by the time they reached the bottom there were no longer windows letting in sunshine. The passage that opened before them was damp and dungeon-like, with torches bracketed to the walls to provide flickering orange firelight. Perhaps he was imagining it, but Reid thought he could hear the faintest scream echoing from deep below them.

"You'll like this, lads," the Queen said to Oliver, Duncan, and Reid as they approached a nondescript door halfway down the hall. Queen Elevaine swung it open by the metal ring that served as a handle and led them inside.

It took a moment for Reid to understand where they were; the shiny silver glare issuing from every wall was overwhelming at first. But then his eyes adjusted and he realized they were standing in a vast armory - at least twice the size of the one at the Academy - with swords, shields, armor, chainmail, helmets, spears, bows, arrows, and all other manner of weaponry lining the stone from floor to ceiling.