In Which Isidro Dismisses the Reasons

April 17, 1180

"Still nothing?"

Isidro shook his head. His father-in-law didn't sound surprised, or even disappointed, though he was not quite resigned either. It didn't make much immediate sense given the circumstances, but perhaps anger and its sub-emotions were most effective when bided, and for all he might have failed, Isidro was hardly the most appropriate target. "There were a few reports of a man matching Remiel's description throughout the shire, but however he's getting around, he's moving too quickly for us. The most recent witness said he was heading in the direction of Armion, so I sent some of the faster riders to alert the knights there."

"Is one of them en route to Sir Ovrean's castle?"

"The fastest of them."

"Good." Lord Severin glanced over at Jadin, who swallowed. He was dressed for an excursion, his father must have put his foot down, and not without reason. With even the method of Remiel's escape still a mystery, there were too many unknowns for any of Laveria's descendents to think about venturing far from their heavily-guarded strongholds; hell, Isidro had called in every guard on his payroll and he still wasn't sure if they were sufficient protection for his family, especially with Riona's pregnancy not going as smoothly as anyone would have hoped. What if Remiel could get past all those men and every lock, like he'd somehow done in the dungeons? And what if some added energy of the baby made her a more appealing target?

"If we have any forces to spare, send them to Celina. If this isn't a ruse and Remiel really has gone to Armion, he's likely to be after Farilon." Jadin's hand clenched into a fist; his father looked at him and nodded toward the door. "I won't let anything happen to your in-laws. Go to your wife; tell her what's happening, and tell her that as well."

Nodding, Jadin fled the front room without so much as a parting glance for Isidro. But he understood. Jadin wasn't the only one who wanted nothing more than to get back to his wife. Pity that his duties to her sometimes demanded he leave her side. "What should I do after I send the men?"

"Send a message to Octavius and ask if he can send a couple of his knights over to help out. Send some of mine over there too, but don't go yourself." His father-in-law sighed. "Of all my children, Remiel seems to have a particular obsession with Riona. I want you by her side whenever you can be until he's back in custody."

If ever was an order he could follow whole-heartedly. "I'll have his head if he so much as looks at her again."

"You'd better."

Lord Severin tilted his head to the side, staring over Isidro's shoulder. Isidro turned around to see Rifden Wythleit in the doorway, panting somewhat, a grave look about him. A pang of alarm welled in Isidro's gut and shot up through his chest. Rifden might have been here for any number of reasons--shire-wide manhunts didn't mark an end to business as usual, and Rifden was Lord Severin's brother-in-law twice over besides--but one glimpse of the man's eyes was enough to know that whatever it was, it was not something to be ignored, set aside for after things had calm down. Something was happening now.

Lord Severin seemed to pick up on it too. "I'm not going to want to hear this, am I?"

NEXT CHAPTER: