Patrol 2: Lost & Found

Chapter 27

Vania rushed out the room, Eddin quickly catching up to her.

"Vania. I know you want to help, but what exactly do you think you can do?" Eddin grabbed Vania's arm, forcing her to slow. "Bergin already has a group of enforcers heading to the bakery—they'll get something of Cianna's to try a trace spell..."

"And how long will that take, Eddin?" Vania demanded. "How long will that monster have Cianna before we find him? No one's been able to track him, and we have his blood." She yanked her arm free and hurried farther down the hallway.

Catching up quickly once more, Eddin matched her pace as he said, "I understand you want to help—I do, too. But, searching blind will get us nothing but frustration."

"I cannot stay here any longer, Eddin! I need to go out and do what I can. Don't bother trying to stop me."

"I'm not trying to stop you," Eddin replied. They stopped at the end of the corridor, standing at the edge of the foyer. Laria played happily with Earl and a puppy on the rug in the middle of the room, her mother smiling as she sat in one of the chairs by the door. "I'm going to come with you. On our way through the yard, we'll gather a few extra allies; maybe their senses will prove keener than ours."

As they paused, Prant chittered loudly as he ran from behind them, then scampered up Eddin's leg and stood tall on the shoulder opposite the hawk, the ferret grabbing Eddin's large ear as the rodent balanced on his hind legs, chittering at Vania.

Eddin chuckled softly, then replied quietly, "Prant, we were in a hurry. You caught up just fine. And, yes, of course, you're coming."

Laria glanced up, then stood, walked over to the pair of enforcers, and looked up solemnly at Vania; "Are you gonna go rescue the baby now?"

"Yes," Vania replied, slightly taken aback at the serious look on the child's face. "Yes, we are going to go rescue both the baby and the little girl the wizard just stole."

"He took another little girl now?" Laria's mother asked. She stood and walked over to her daughter and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. She asked in a whisper as her fingers gripped tighter on Laria's shoulders, "When will this end?"

"Soon. We should've had him when we rescued Laria. We won't let him escape again," Vania vowed.

"I wanna come to the ship with yellow flags, too," Laria said. "I wanna help you rescue the baby."

"No," Laria's mother said.

"No, Laria," Vania replied.

Eddin dropped down into a crouch, becoming eye level with Laria. "You need to stay here, Laria. Keep an eye on everyone here for us."

"But I wanna help... I gotta help..."

"The best way you can help us is to be like Sir Andvar and guard everyone here," Eddin replied solemnly. "Earl and Sir Adari can help you."

Laria sighed, "Okay. You go be Mallea and Quorkin and save the day." She looked down for a moment, then looked back up to Vania. "But you gotta make sure to save the baby this time. I think he might get seasick."

"Laria... what makes you think the baby is on a ship?" Vania asked.

The young girl shrugged as she walked back to the lion and puppy waiting on the rug. "I dunno. I just... know."

Vania swallowed and turned to Laria's mother; "Has she ever had any sort of premonitions or prescient dreams or uncanny hunches or anything?"

"No, but Adar did, sometimes," Laria's mother replied quietly. "Maybe she... is getting some of his gifts."

Vania nodded, then turned to Eddin, "Okay. We're looking for a ship."

"A ship with yellow flags," Laria added. "Yellow flags with ugly red x's on. The waves make it roll and sway; I think the baby might get seasick."

"Yellow flags with red x's," Vania repeated. She glanced over at Eddin, noting the concern on his face. "If it's rolling in the waves, it must be anchored offshore... He has to be nearby, at least for now. Cianna was just snatched this morning. We can still catch him before his ship leaves port."

"What's this I hear about another kidnapping victim?" Lady Buccareth asked as she entered the room. "D'merdon. What is going on?"

"The murderer took a young girl this morning."

"And you think he's on a ship?"

"The last anyone was able to sense his essence, he was in the port area," Eddin replied quietly. He swallowed as he added, "And our young guest, here, with budding prophetic abilities, has said he's on a ship."

"Then we shall gather our forces and head to port immediately." Lady Buccareth looked to T'kanna, who stood at her side. "You will continue to maintain our household and keep our guests here safe. I shall accompany D'merdon and Enforcer Nahalora to find this murderer."

"Mother. Really, you—" Eddin began.

"D'merdon," Lady Buccareth interrupted, "I am coming. Let's go. We will bring Sarin, Ducard, and Eluri with us, as well as Taric and Prant, of course. Come. We must get to the stable and then to the port."

"D—" Eddin stared at his mother, "Ducard? Are you sure?"

A'lei'iana looked at him levelly and replied coolly, "Yes. I think apprehending a murderous wizard warrants a serious retinue. Ducard is a formidable ally."

"In a forest, yes," Eddin agreed. "But on a ship? Maybe...Penttik would be better?"

"That ridiculous lizard?" Lady Buccareth scoffed.

"At least he would fit in a ship's hallways! We don't know where on the ship we will find the wizard. Ducard would just be a roadblock!"

"He would be an excellent shield against the wizard's magic. Especially for your coworker, who happens to be tydring."

"He's also a huge nuisance to work with, and impossible to manage in close quarters."

"I will be handling him, D'merdon, not you. If you want to bring Penttik as well, fine."

Vania cleared her throat. "Look. You two can argue about this all day, but there's a wizard to catch and a child to rescue. I'm going. You two can catch up once you've settled your dispute over animal traits." She quickly turned from the arguing pair and took a step toward the door.

"Enforcer Nahalora is correct, D'merdon. We should be going. Gather whoever you will of your menagerie and I shall choose from mine." She stepped forward, long stride easily passing Vania, and threw open the door. As she and Vania stepped outside, she called over her shoulder, "D'merdon, aren't you coming?"