Chapter 9

When Evil-Lyn walked into his cell the next morning, Adam scrambled to his feet, not feeling at his best. He hadn't slept much, and what little sleep he'd gotten hadn't been restful. And the last time he'd been this close to Evil-Lyn, she'd been egging Skeletor on to kill him. Furthermore that strange incident last night had made him as skittish of her as Cringer.

"Well, Prince Adam, you do look a mess," she said, stopping in the doorway, one hand on her staff, the other on her hip. He glared at her, making no response. She smiled silkily at him, and walked toward him, making as though to move around behind him. Unwilling to have her out of sight, he turned with her movements.

Her smile twisted into a reproving look. She stepped close to him and reached out to smooth his hair. "I just wanted to help you make yourself presentable."

"I'm fine," he said, backing into the wall. She ran her fingers through his hair, combing it back out of his face. Then she straightened the collar of his jacket and looked at him approvingly. "You really are a handsome young man. Quite nice for your age, and I imagine you'll fill out beautifully as you mature." Adam shuddered. Being in the same room with her was too close. He certainly didn't want her touching him . . . or complimenting him.

She smiled at his unease, and place her free hand flat on his chest, stroking his shirt under the leather band. "I miss –" Wanting her away from him, Adam hauled off and punched her in the jaw. She stumbled backward, landing on her derriere, and Adam launched himself toward the door, yanking on the handle. It was locked and wouldn't budge. He whirled to find her staring up at him, hand clutched to her chin.

"You really are a foolish boy," she exclaimed, using her staff to help her to her feet.

"Sorry," Adam said sarcastically. "People keep telling me not to antagonize my captors, but it just doesn't come naturally."

She let out an amused laugh, and Adam glared at her. "I could kidnap you periodically so you can work on that, if you like."

He blinked at her incredulously. "Gee, thanks, that's considerate of you, but – NO!"

Raising her eyebrows, she leveled her staff at him. "Emphatic, aren't we, boy?" He glared defiantly at her, pleased to see that her jaw was turning red and swelling. "Now, do I have to put you on a leash, or will you come along quietly?"

"You're just as sick as your stupid apprentice, you know?" he said without thinking.

"Am I?" she asked with a dangerous glint in her eye.

"So, did you teach him how to be a human branding iron?"

"Branding iron? Oh, you mean the burns." She shook her head, still not lowering the staff. Adam was pleased by the thought that he had alarmed her. "No, that's not one of mine. He knew that when he came here. I don't believe that punishments should leave scars."

"That's reassuring, especially given who you work for. We are talking about the man who threw magical acid at my father."

She shrugged. "That's Skeletor. But that's enough chatter." A blast of power from her staff hit him and he slammed back against the door. "Turn around and put your hands behind your back. Or do you want me to knock you unconscious?"

Irritated, but not wanting to be unconscious in front of her again, he turned around and did as he was told. Power surged around his hands, coalescing as some kind of restraint. As soon as his hands were bound, he turned back to face her, only to find her far closer than he expected. He slid sideways, trying to get to a point where he could move away from the wall, but she followed him. He wound up in a corner with her inches away from him. She put her right hand on his face and stroked his cheek.

"I'm glad we didn't kill you. You are really quite decorative, Adam darling. Have you ever considered an older woman?" He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She was smiling at him mockingly. "I could just hang you on my wall. Perhaps I should make a collection of all the handsome men of the Eternian court, and display them like tapestries around my bedchamber."

"I guess we'd make good insulation," Adam said anemically. He was not prepared for her reaction. She laughed so hard that she seemed to lose her balance slightly and leaned against him pressing her forehead against his. He tried to cringe back, but he was already as far back as he could go.

Finally, she stood up straight and backed off again. "I begin to see why Duncan is so charmed by you." Adam was perplexed. What could she possibly mean? "Which reminds me, you have an appointment with that worthy gentleman. Come along, or I will leash you." She took his arm and led him out of the cell. This was bizarre. Since when did Evil-Lyn talk about Duncan as if she knew him? What had been happening here?

Duncan watched the events unfold in the image Evil-Lyn had left for him. She was really trying to make sure he knew just how far she was willing to go, and it was working. When she backed Adam into the corner, he was terribly afraid she was going to kiss him. Adam was so very young, so innocent. Randor kept saying he was sweet-natured, and no matter how much it irritated Adam to be thought of that way, it was true.

When the image dissipated, Duncan knew that they would be arriving shortly. Evil-Lyn had explained the procedure he was to follow that morning, and had dressed him carefully. He was wearing black leather pants and a silk shirt of the deep crimson she seemed to favor for him. His hair hung loose about his face, which made him feel ridiculous, and he wore shiny black leather boots, the first shoes he'd worn since he'd arrived here. There was no trace of a leash or chains or any sign of restraint. Adam was to be persuaded that Duncan had changed his allegiance. He didn't bother explaining to her that he knew Adam would never believe it. Even if he bought that Duncan thought he wanted to stay, he'd assume it was a spell.

The door opened and Evil-Lyn shoved Adam inside. Duncan looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. Adam ran forward a few steps, then stopped as the ambience struck him. "Duncan?" he said in a confused voice.

"Adam, hello," Duncan said casually, watching Adam's face turn from worry to bewilderment. "What are you doing here? I'm sure your father's worried sick."

Adam opened his mouth but didn't speak for several seconds. Finally, he said, "I guess. Duncan, what's going on?" Evil-Lyn walked over at that moment and sat on the arm of his chair, draping her arm across his shoulders. Adam's eyes widened, and his eyes darted to Duncan's face.

Duncan could almost hear Evil-Lyn's instructions. Be convincing. He glanced up at Evil-Lyn and smiled, taking her hand in his. "Isn't it obvious, Adam?"

The boy shook his head, his face a study in perpexity. "No. Maybe you'd better explain it to me."

Duncan sighed. Adam would be difficult. "I've discovered that I have strong feelings for Evil-Lyn, and that Lyn returns those feelings. Teela is almost an adult now, she'll be fine without me. Your father doesn't really need me, and so I've decided to stay here."

"What? But, Duncan, that's crazy! Besides, I need you. And you're wrong about Teela. She needs you, too."

"You're both close enough to maturity that you need to break your dependence on me anyway." He stroked the back of Evil-Lyn's hand with his thumb. "I need to do something for myself." Adam just gaped at him. "Now, I've persuaded Lyn to send you home, so you're going to go like a good boy. And apologize to your father for worrying him."

"But Duncan, you can't! This is –"

"Adam, do as I say for once." The anger in his voice was unfeigned. He needed Adam out of here, and soon. "Go home. I'm not coming with you."

Adam stared at him for a long minute, his eyes wide with worry and concern. Duncan wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but with Evil-Lyn beside him, stroking his arm, he thought he had better not. What this must look like to the boy, Duncan didn't want to consider. But once Adam was back home, he'd be able to go and tell Randor that something distinctly odd was going on.

And that Duncan himself was still alive and somewhat sane.

Adam clapped his mouth shut and gave him a look through narrowed eyes. "Well, fine, then," he said in petulant tones. Duncan thought it sounded a little forced, but he couldn't be sure. He hoped Evil-Lyn didn't notice anything. "Can I at least have my sword back?"

Duncan blinked. His mind must be asleep. That was a solution he hadn't even considered. Taking care not to change expression unduly, he glanced up at Evil-Lyn. "That seems fair. Lyn, what do you think?"

Evil-Lyn shook her head. "Skeletor would miss it, and I don't want to have to explain where it went. Sorry, boy, you'll have to do without your sword."

Adam's eyes locked with his for a moment and Duncan gave a small shrug. "I see your point, my dear," Duncan said, stroking her hand again. Adam looked vaguely sick at the caress and the sound of the endearment. "Maybe I can work something out later."

"So, what should I tell Teela?" Adam asked.

Duncan took a deep breath as his emotions threatened his mask. "Tell her I love her, and I will miss her, but that here is the place for me now." Evil-Lyn's nails dug in slightly, warningly, as he spoke, but she relaxed when he added, "Here with Lyn."

"Evil-Lyn," Adam said, glaring at her. "Fine. I'll tell Teela, and I'll tell my father."

"Good. Lyn, take him home."

Evil-Lyn gave him a pleased look under her lashes. "Certainly, lover." Duncan managed not to flinch at that loathed nickname. Adam, however, looked queasy. Evil-Lyn stood, then bent to kiss him.

Duncan shook his head. "Not in front of the boy, Lyn, you'll embarrass him." Duncan kept his eyes on her, not daring to look at Adam, not sure he wanted to see the boy's reaction.

Evil-Lyn raised an eyebrow at him, glanced at Adam, then shrugged and took Adam's arm. "I'll be back soon." Raising her staff, she spoke a few words and they winked out. As soon as they were gone, the image came back, and he could see them appearing on the plain near the palace.

When Adam opened his eyes, he could see the palace a little ways off. He turned and glared at Evil-Lyn. "Are you really sending me home?" he demanded.

"Yes, Prince Adam. Duncan insisted."

"What did you do to him? What kind of love spell do you have on him?"

"No love spell, my prince," she said, tweaking his nose. Adam took a step back and she smiled at him. "Why would I force what he will give freely?"

Adam glared at her. There was no way Duncan was himself back there. Lover? He shuddered. Evil-Lyn seemed to be scrutinizing the sky. "What are you looking for?" he asked.

"That." She pointed her staff up at a wind raider that had come into view, firing off a bolt of energy next to it. When Adam realized what she was doing, he threw himself at her, tackling her to the ground. He looked up to see if she'd hit them, but the raider veered sharply, then zoomed down for a better view.

Evil-Lyn shoved him off and stood up. "And there's my cue to leave." She waved her staff and vanished from sight, leaving Adam's arms still bound behind him. The wind raider landed a few moments later and Teela emerged, running over to him.

"What happened?" she demanded. "We've been looking everywhere." Adam looked into Teela's worried eyes and wondered just how he was going to explain this to her.

"I need to talk to my father first," he said, temporizing. Teela, the competent soldier, the rule follower, nodded once and start to untie his hands. She exclaimed in alarm and disgust as the bindings fell away into a cold mist. He climbed into the wind raider with her and resisted Mekanek and Ram-Man's questions.

Maybe his father would know how to tell Teela.

Duncan watched, sighing with relief as the wind raider took off with Adam and Teela aboard. He was safe, she was safe, and he was heading back to tell Randor. Evil-Lyn appeared suddenly beside him and he looked up at her, unable to frame any kind of comment.

"That went well, don't you think?" Evil-Lyn said.

Duncan snorted, suddenly understanding the desire to laugh like a maniac. Shaking his head, stifling the hysterical laughter that would overwhelm him if he let it out, he said, "I suppose it's time for work, now."

"Unfortunately." He stood up and waited for her. She walked over to him and stroked his upper arm. "I wanted to reward you for your excellent performance. I almost believed it myself."

"Evil-Lyn, I –"

She put a finger to his lips. "I liked you calling me Lyn." He blinked at her. "But only when we're alone." He shook his head helplessly. She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. "Come along, lover. The sooner we get you to work, the sooner we can come back." A whoosh of energy transformed his garb back to something approximately his own clothes, and his hair was back out of his face again. He wished she'd give him some warning before changing his garments. She tugged on the newly attached leash and he followed her, trying not to feel like a well-trained hound.

When Adam walked into his father's office, his father siezed him by the arms and hugged him fiercely. Then he pushed him away and glared down at him. "What did you think you were doing?" he demanded. "And where's Orko?" His mother hovered hehind the king, looking both anxious and furious.

"Orko?" Adam asked. "But, I left him – he was supposed to come back and tell you what happened to me."

Marlena pushed her husband aside and hugged her son. "Orko hasn't been seen since you left, Adam," she said.

Randor looked up at Teela and the masters who'd come into the office with Adam. "Go, look for him." Teela nodded, throwing a glance Adam's direction and left the office. Adam found himself staring at the floor. If something had happened to Orko – if he were hurt or – or worse, it would be his fault. His mother lifted his chin and looked worriedly into his eyes. He tried smiling at her, but he couldn't.

"Adam, what happened to you?" his father demanded, pulling Adam out of his guilt. "And do you know what happened to Orko?"

"No, Father. He was fine when I last saw him."

"Adam, what happened? How were you taken again?"

"It's kind of hard to explain," Adam said, shifting his feet uncomfortably.

"Adam, I need to know precisely how you came to be missing."

"Tell your father what happened, dear," his mother said, putting her hand on his cheek.

"Um. . ." Adam glanced around the room. Stratos was here, and so was Sy-Klone. "I need to talk to you by yourself – in your study preferably." Randor stood straighter, his eyes going dark with worry. The study was the one room in the palace where the king was never interrupted, and people didn't ask to go there for business lightly.

Randor nodded sharply and turned back to the masters. "See if you can help the others locate Orko, we'll continue this later."

Once they were in his father's study and his parents were looking expectantly at him, Adam found he didn't know where to begin.

"Now, Adam. You must tell me what happened."

Adam looked at the floor again. "It's difficult – I – you see, I thought –"

"Adam?" his father said in a very deep, angry voice. "Did you leave the palace voluntarily?"

Adam looked into his father's face. "Yes. I got Orko to help me." Randor eyes flashed angrily, and he gestured for him to go on. "We went to Snake Mountain, where Orko cast a spell that made me look like Tri-Klops. I figured I could sneak inside, find Duncan, and no one would question it if Tri-Klops took him somewhere."

His father's expression softened slightly, from anger to mingled pride, worry and exasperation. "You took a a terrible risk, son. Did you get caught?" Adam opened his mouth but couldn't find words. This part seemed somehow unimportant, but his father wasn't going to let him tell him about Duncan until he'd finshed telling him how he got caught. "The call letting us know they'd found you said there was a blast of magical energy that drew their attention to you."

Sighing, Adam nodded. "I guess Evil-Lyn could see through the illusion. She caught me late last night. I think I was really close to where Duncan was. If it wasn't for Evil-Lyn, it might have worked."

"We'll leave a discussion of the merits of your plan for a later date, Adam," his father said dismissively. "What happened? How did you get away?"

Adam walked over to the window and sat down on the sill. "That's the weird part. Father, I saw Duncan." Randor's eyes widened. "I actually talked to him. It was really strange. Evil-Lyn put me in a cell last night and left me there – she didn't really do anything to me, just scared me a little, right?" His father nodded. "So then, this morning, she came in and – and she started – I think she was – I don't know, she was acting like some of the court girls do. 'Oh how handsome you are, Prince Adam,' you know."

His mother took his father's hand suddenly, and Adam hated to see her so worried. "What did she do?" Randor demanded, squeezing her hand.

"It wasn't anything, really," Adam hastened to say, trying to calm their alarm. "She just leaned in real close, asked me if I'd ever thought about older women, and called me 'decorative.'" Adam shuddered. "Really, that wasn't the strange part."

Raising his eyebrows, the king said, "That wasn't the strange part?"

"No. It was Duncan. She took me to a bedroom, I think it was her bedroom –" His father got up abruptly, releasing his mother's hand and turning away. His mother made a strange little sound and rushed over to him, putting her hand beneath his chin.

"What happened, Adam? What did she do?"

Adam shook his head. "No, it – she didn't do anything. Duncan was there, sitting in a chair, acting like he wanted to be there."

His father turned back, thunderstruck. "What? That's impossible."

"That's what I thought," Adam said. His mother was still kneeling in front of him, and he looked down at her, then up at his father. "Let me finish, please." His mother rose and stepped back, taking his father's hand. The king gestured for Adam to go on. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Adam bit his lip. "He told me that he had feelings for Evil-Lyn, only he called her Lyn. She was leaning on him, stroking his arm and he took her hand." Randor's eyes widened, and Adam could see that his father was deeply disturbed by this news. "He told me that he was going to stay with her, that Teela was old enough to do without him, that you didn't really need him – it was crazy stuff he was saying!"

"What has she done to him?" Randor asked quietly, his eyes distant.

"I don't know, but she called him 'lover.'" Adam saw his father's shudder of revulsion. His mother took Adam's hand and squeezed, looking troubled. "And she tried to kiss him, but he said it would embarrass me. I asked her what kind of spell she'd put on him and she said that she didn't have to force what he gave willingly." Adam shook his head. "Either he's under some kind of spell or he's lost his mind. We have got to get him out of there."

Randor nodded. "I've got something in the works, Adam, that you nearly scuttled with your heroics. Though the intelligence – but, wait! You still haven't explained how you got away."

"I didn't," Adam admitted in a small voice.

"What?"

"Evil-Lyn let me go. She said Duncan insisted. He told me to go home and apologize for worrying you. It was really weird. It was like he was him, and then like he wasn't."

His father came and stood behind his mother, looking down at Adam. "She let you go? But she fired on the wind raider."

"I don't get it, Father. It doesn't make any sense."

The king looked perturbed. "All right. Now, go to Dorgan and let him check you over. Your mother will accompany you. I need to –"

Orko came zooming in through the window and flew right up to the king. "Your highness, your highness! Evil-Lyn – Adam – Snake Mountain –"

"I'm all right, Orko," Adam said, and the Trollan whirled.

"Adam! You're safe! Evil-Lyn found me and she cast a spell on me. I only just woke up. How long has it been?"

"Only overnight, Orko," Randor said. "Adam, go with your mother. I need to have a talk with Orko."

Adam gave Orko a sympathetic look. It was his fault that Orko was going to get yelled at, too. But it could have worked. Even if he couldn't have gotten Duncan, he could have found his sword. He was sure of it. He left the study with his mother and submitted to yet another examination by the healer.

What was wrong with Duncan, though? He'd mentioned the Power Sword, and he could swear that Duncan wanted him to have it. The look on his face when he'd said that something 'could be arranged' made Adam wonder what Man-At-Arms was up to. He wanted his sword, and he wanted to get rid of everyone at Snake Mountain. Dorgan commented on his sour expression and Adam just sighed.

"I'm fine, Dorgan, just depressed."