Page 89 of To Save a Kingdom

Jalius snorted. “While I suspect with several weeks or months they could be adjusted to target a specific race, we do not have the time to get so precise.” His eyes danced from Elessan to Zadé. “Especially if the Arcane Inquisitor has invaded the castle. However…” His voice drifted off as he turned, grabbing a metal tool that resembled a cross between a cherry pitter and a wrench. With a grunt, he grabbed one end of the cylinder with the device and twisted. Something clicked inside the canister as a teal light flashed over the runes inscribed along the borders. “I think we can tweak them to reduce their output, so to speak. Enough to knock everyone out instead of killing them.”

“Interesting.” Elessan leaned forward, studying the unfamiliar inscriptions covering the tube. An unconscious Brooks would allow him to be imprisoned, to await trial and sentencing. And, for fun, he could pry that Abaddon-cursed magestone from the inquisitor’s forehead. Separated from his source of magic, the man would be a much less formidable opponent.

“How many ‘o these do yeh have?” Zadé asked. “‘N how many can be made this way, quick-like?”

Elessan pulled his thoughts away from his glorious plans of revenge and back to the present. “And do we have any idea what their reach will be once adjusted?”

Jalius stepped back, hands up as though he was being held at sword-point. “Hang on, hang on. One question at a time.” Turning his attention to Zadé, he said, “We only have the one you see here, and it’s already been done.”

Holding it to the light so she could examine it, Zadé nodded. “And since yeh only had the one…”

“There’s been no opportunity to test its range,” Jalius finished.

Valek. Well, it was more than Elessan had hoped for, at least. “We’ll just have to get it as close as we can before we activate it.” And hope Aliya had been able to distribute ear plugs to the captives, though if the Whisperer only knocked them out instead of killing them, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. They could deal with a dozen comatose hostages.

“Any idea how long they’ll be unconscious?”

Jalius shook his head. “If we’d had more Whisperers, we could’ve tested—”

Waving his hand, Elessan squeezed the bridge of his nose. If only…

“Well,” Zadé said, tucking the remaining cylinder into her satchel, “let’s go rescue Princess, shall we?”

Jalius glanced back and forth between them. “Oh, has the Arcane Inquisitor taken one of the royals hostage?”

The edges of Elessan’s lips pinched. “Not just anyone—he has Aliya.”

Jalius’ skin paled. “I—I see.”

“Excellent work.” Elessan met the gnome’s eyes. “I thank you for your service to the crown. So does the queen.” Not like he had any authority to speak on her behalf. Not since he’d married into the sun elf royal family and broken off his relationship with her. Something inside him twisted, sending a sharp pang beneath his ribs that hurt as much as any blade. How had he let things go so wrong?

All he could do was rescue Aliya and hope she found it in her heart to allow him to explain and, perhaps one day, forgive him.

Catching Zadé’s eye, he spun on his heel and headed for the door, Zadé hot on his heels. Another set of footsteps followed and Elessan paused, peeking over his shoulder.

Jalius was shrugging into a lightweight cloak.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Elessan asked.

Jalius jerked his head back, giving him an incredulous glare. “Why, with you, of course. I’m going to help Her Majesty.”

Elessan narrowed his eyes. What he wouldn’t give for the ability to read the gnome’s mind right now.

“She can’t very well allocate me the land we want for the new Mage College if she’s dead or captured, now, can she?”

Growling in the back of his throat, Elessan twisted the doorknob harder than necessary.

A light hand landed on his shoulder as Zadé leaned close. “Let ‘im come,” she whispered in Elven. “At least he’s motivated. Might be we need all the help we can get.”

Flaring his nostrils and taking a deep breath, Elessan nodded. “Fine,” he said to the gnome. “But we’ll be traveling fast. You’ll have to keep up.”

The castle was unnervingly silent when they returned. Roland must have pulled his soldiers back to the Council Chamber or wherever he’d decided to stage his base of operations. No doubt he’d chosen a location well outside whatever he felt the range of Brooks’ Whisperers were.

Another thought occurred to Elessan, making his blood chill. What if Brooks had set one off while he and Zadé had been distracted with Tsara?

He’d intended to march straight to the library but that thought brought him up short. They needed an update on anything that may have happened, and the best place to get it would be the sun elf king.

Bracing himself for what was sure to be a battle, he switched direction.