Zorian caught hold of Rory and swung him up over his shoulder like a bag of grain. He tried to protest, but he still couldn't breathe. Zorian moved at a good clip and had outdistanced the others so that they came to the next gateway well ahead of the rest, even though they were moving faster as well. Rory supposed that seeing the two mages rushing away probably inspired them to move as fast as they could.
Zorian put him down and pushed him against the nearest wall. Rory could breathe now.
"What the hell --" Rory began.
"A part of her realm but made into an illusion to fit into this one. I didn't expect you to be so susceptible to the power."
"But you weren't," Rory replied. He looked back as the others neared.
"Aien and I have a history. You figured that out." Zorian looked back to see the others near. "We'll discuss it later, just the two of us."
Rory didn't argue. He wasn't sure he wanted to know at all. They again took their place in the procession, and no one asked anything. Not even Andora, who looked as if she might take the first chance she got to escape from this madness.
However, that feeling of magic eased as they crossed the next open ground and headed for a magnificent set of towers. Guards- all female- stood at the top of another set of stairs and watched at a pair of ornate doors.
Junal moved on ahead of them in this place she so obviously knew. She signaled for the rest of us to hold the fifth step, and everyone froze in place. Rory glanced around slightly, trying to count the number of guards they might have to fight through to get back out. This didn't feel like a confrontation, but nothing felt right during this trip.
Junal spoke quietly to the guards. One stepped inside the partially opened door and talked to someone else, a shadow that moved off quickly.
Then they all just waited.
It wasn't long before they had word from the inside, and the doors opened wide to let them inside. Rory tried not to feel overawed by the glorious interior. It made him feel like a barbarian out of the north. He didn't think he liked that feeling very much, so he shoved it aside along with the growing headache that just put them in a bad mood.
Several more guards let them along the short corridor into another set of huge doors. One of the guards lifted the knocker and hit the door three times. It opened from the inside.
And then they went, despite the Rory thought this was a terrible idea. The aisles were filled with people, both men, and women. They couldn't see past the people in front of him, but he was aware of three high-placed thrones. The few people ahead of his group moved to the right or left as directed and finally brought Rory, Andora, and Zorian to the front of the line and facing the Queens.
Yes, three of them. The woman in the middle, slightly older than the one to the left, had to be the queen of Schiwen, Wendara. To her left sat Queen Intensia of Euriday. He recognized her from paintings at the palace.
To the right sat Rory's queen, Calladona.
Rory was so surprised that he barely bowed his head to all three women and let Andorra pull him off to the side with Zorian. He looked around at the others, and even Prince Palkin looked shocked to find his mother here.
Only Generals Junal and Unanik looked, if anything, relieved rather than surprised. They had expected to find the three women here. But why?
It took very little for the room to settle into near silence again. Rory only hoped they found some answers here because they had already gone a long way.
It was Queen Calladona who leaned forward and pointed straight at Rory. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"As soon I heard that the king had died, I went to get the ambassador. His family and clerks were already dead. I have tried to get home since then, but all the universe has seemed to work against me, except for my few companions. Temple Master Pryida is working with the New Order of Man."
"That is not good news," Calladona replied.
"Maybe the universe pushed Rory to be here since this is where you are," Zorian replied. "Something wants the two of you together. And Rory came by accident into my hands. Stop frowning, my friend. I'm not saying that you couldn't have gotten here alone. It is more likely that we were all supposed to be here."
That wasn't a thought Rory had considered. He would have thought Aien was behind this gathering, but it didn't feel right. Nothing had fallen together for him. He hoped they were here long enough to rest and find some answers.
"Then there is no doubt my husband is dead?" Queen Intesia asked.
"Not so far as we could tell," Jamison answered for him.
"I am sorry to bring such news, my dear," Unanik added.
Those were not the words any of them and expected in the reaction ran all through the building. Rory dared to glance at Jamison, but he looked no less shocked. Even the other two queens glanced her way with raised eyebrows.
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