"How did you find this place?" Zia asked the King, speaking for the first time since entering the tent.
"I've been searching for the location of your Headquarters for months- years, really." Donathan admitted. "We only found it when we got wind that...
Jay turned just in time to see a dark, shadowy figure run and leap over the battlements. Jay raced to the edge and peered over, hoping to see some evidence of his friend's attacker, but there was none. He had disappeared into the darkness.
Cursing, Jay ran back to the edge of the battlements' platform and peered over, his heart pounded nervously. What he saw made his stomach clench.
Percival's limp form was lying face-down in the courtyard, his dead, unblinking eyes staring into nothing.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Percival?" Zia said the name, but her throat was dry and it came out hoarse.
Heath nodded gravely. "Jay saw the entire thing; he was with him."
They were in her room prison, Zia once more safely in bed. Her leg was throbbing painfully, but she tried to keep her face clear of any sign of pain. This task was made easier by the surprise news of Percival's murder and treachery.
"But who did it?" Zia demanded. "Who would do such a thing?"
"I have one theory." Jay was standing in the doorway, his face sullen and his eyes red. He was pale and his usual handsome features were etched with sadness and hurt. "Archibald," he said spitefully as he joined Heath on the foot of Zia's bed.
"Archibald?" Zia repeated.
Jay nodded, a look of hatred and anger in his eyes. He recounted the story to them, Percival's wife, his betrayal. Heath and Zia soaked in every word.
"The King refused to help Percival's wife?" Zia asked quietly in disbelief.
Jay nodded. "Don't judge the King too harshly. You don't know what it was like back then, Zia. People sought an audience with the King all the time to petition him for the use of his healer. At first he agreed and sent the physician to treat every ailment that came to his people. But then they started to ask for the royal court physician to help cure a violent case of the hiccups. The war threatening at the time, and King Donathan decided that his generosity to his people was being abused, and he started to turn down all those who came to him seeking the help of his physician- no exceptions."
Zia nodded. She could understand not wanted to waste precious resources on things they did not have to be wasted on. But she couldn't help but think of poor Percival's wife.
"And you say Percival struck a deal with Daxtor to dethrone the King?" Heath asked.
Jay nodded in confirmation.
"And he was killed just as you were saying that him and Archibald meant jeopardized our quest in the Pass?"
"Have you seen Archibald since then?" Heath asked, and Jay shook his head.
"I've looked all over the castle and the courtyard," he said. "He is nowhere to be found."
"This is all my fault," Zia said quietly. "I was speaking to him when you left with Percival, and then he excused himself and followed you. I didn't think anything of it. I could have prevented this."
