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Chapter Eleven
"Relieve our unexpected guests of their weapons," Daegan told his guards who hurried to comply. They weren't particularly happy about having to do so since they all recognized Lord Torr.
Daegan looked from his cousin to the open door on the suspended cage to the large jagged hole in the tower wall. His gaze slid over Justin. He was so angry, he hardly knew where to begin.
"You have let a rare and priceless creature escape. One that I owned - "
"The firebird belongs to no one," Lord Torr said, in a mild tone.
"You have blown a hole in the wall of my castle - how did you do that, by the way?"
"Technically Drachenfels and its holdings belong to me as the head of the family, but don't trouble yourself, I have no desire to live here," Lord Torr said.
"You have brought knights and snuck up the back way past castle defenses - " Here Daegan turned narrowed eyes toward Nerian. "You said it would be no problem to stop them," he said to the man in an accusatory way. "I'll be anxious to hear your explanation later. I'm sure you'll make it a good one."
The sorcerer looked a little uneasy. He wasn't sure what had gone wrong. Wait. He looked at Lancelot. Wasn't this man a knight? He wore no chain mail, but he looked in peak condition, and he had a sword such as a knight might carry. He began to realize his mistake. Nerian looked up. Lord Torr was smiling pleasantly at him.
"The three of you - " Daegan continued with his tirade.
Three? thought Lord Torr, startled. He barely stopped himself from turning around and looking up at the suspended cage. He felt Justin jerk beside him, and he knew the man had likewise stopped himself. Lancelot was standing slightly behind him. He felt it unwise to turn and look at him.
"- snuck up here past my guards - how did you manage that? I have men posted around the corner on both ends of the corridor." Daegan looked closely at his cousin's clothing. "Is that a spider web? You're usually more fastidious in your grooming, cousin."
Lionel plucked at the sticky silk strands on his shoulder with his fingers, a teeny bit annoyed with himself. He had been careless.
Daegan eyed him suspiciously. "Is there possibly a secret passage that I know nothing about? Would you care to share that information, Lionel?"
Lord Torr smiled unperturbed at his cousin, infuriating him further. Daegan swore to himself he was going to wipe that smug look off Lionel's face if it was the last thing he did. Wait. His gaze fell on Justin. He wasn't thinking. He did have leverage. He turned to the guards.
"Please escort my dear cousin to one of the guest rooms and post guards on the door. Also -" He indicated Lancelot, unsure of his name. "Oh, and Justin will be coming with me." Daegan put one hand on Justin's arm. He was gratified to see the smile disappear from the noble's face.
"No, he won't," Lionel said firmly, grabbing Justin's other arm. He wasn't sure how, but Daegan seemed to know of his relationship to Justin.
The artisan, accustomed his entire life to being ignored by his father's side of the family, found himself in the very strange position of being fought over by his father and his cousin.
Lying in the center of the suspended cage, Merlin wished the two feuding cousins would quit snipping at each other. He was feeling cramped and claustrophobic. The firebird was free, the hated bracelet was off his wrist, the quest was successful. He just wanted to collect Lancelot and the two of them to get the hell out of this place and back to Gwaine and Arthur. Why did things have to get complicated?
In the end, Lord Torr had little to say in the matter; he was both unarmed and outnumbered. He and Lancelot shortly found themselves sitting in one of the guest rooms, escorted there by several very unhappy guards. The guards were painfully aware that Drachenfels belonged to the noble whether he chose to live there or not.
Elsewhere, a bit later
"You told Lionel that I had the firebird?" Daegan asked his newly found relative.
"It was the king actually, and I didn't know for sure." For the second time in two days, Justin found himself being waited on by servants. "Thank you," he said politely to the man refilling his wine goblet. He and Daegan were eating breakfast alone in the dining hall.
"But Lionel freed the firebird," Daegan said, not understanding. What was the point?
"Oh, the king didn't want to keep it. He just needed it freed." He told his cousin about the infertility curse.
Daegan sank back in his chair, astonished. "And your father didn't think to just tell me this?"
"I guess not," Justin replied, uncomfortably. "I don't know him very well."
"Did Lionel visit you a lot when you were growing up?" Daegan asked, curious.
"No. I just met him a few days ago."
Daegan stared at him in silence for a moment. "I suppose it was that wife of his who stopped him," he said, musing out loud. "She was strong-willed and demanding. I think even Lionel was hesitant to cross her."
"Maybe he just didn't want to be my father." Justin kept his gaze lowered.
"No, that wasn't it," Daegan said, smiling a bit. He might loath his noble cousin, but he'd give the devil his due.
"Um, you are letting Lancelot and my father go?"
"Eventually," he said, sardonically. "Let him stew for a while. He thinks I'm busy murdering you."
Justin couldn't think of a single thing to reply to that. He took another swallow of his wine.
Back to the tower
Merlin had waited until the last echo of footsteps had faded before jumping down from the cage, using a bit of magic to slow his descent. Exulting from the return of his magic, he felt euphoric. He was going to blast the two golems into rubble. No, sand. He was going to pulverize them. He had happily started down the corridor when he pulled himself up, saner thoughts prevailing. It was daylight now. He should know; he had just watched the sun come up. He would be using his magic in full view of Arthur and the knights. He sighed, disappointed. Okay. New plan. Find his friend and get the hell out of this place.