Selena had made up her mind before she even reached her bedroom.
In a matter of minutes, she had scattered several items on her bed—a jacket, her spell components, and the ancient spell book Lydia Spade had tricked her into buying.
She removed her robe and donned the most ordinary looking shirt and trousers she owned. Placing the red mass of cloth in the burlap sack along with the rest of her things, Selena walked to the door and took a final look around the room.
For good or for ill, she had spent so much of her life there. Now it was time to leave. She was not a Nelesti. Her true name was Selena Kemyss, and she did not belong at the castle. Not bothering to close the door behind her, she walked away.
The last time she had run away from Castle Nelesti, she had sneaked out using the invisibility enchantment. But there would be no cabbage wagon this time. She would take one of the horses in the stable—a final handout from her false family.
And this time, she had a destination.
Unfortunately, fetching a horse introduced the possibility of running into the man who had taught her to ride in the first place. She had caught sight of Lucas through a window once or twice since they had ended their relationship. She hoped to avoid him today—not because she bore him any ill will, but because she wanted nothing to slow her down.
Alger White rounded the corner so suddenly Selena nearly crashed into him.
“Pardon me,” she said, but when she made to move around him, the Knight stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
“And where are you headed in such a hurry? Not running away again, I hope.” The old man’s smile added even more grooves to his heavily wrinkled face.
“I am not running away,” she replied coolly. “I am going to visit my…my father at Castle Borrom.”
Alger’s gaze shot down to the bag she was toting and then back up at her. “I am afraid you and I must have a chat first.”
Selena had no idea what the elderly Knight had to say to her. Neither did she want to waste time finding out. She had no quarrel with Alger White, and so she tried to keep her tone civil.
“I am afraid I must decline—”
Old Alger’s hand came up so swiftly it looked like a blur. Selena staggered back, stunned as much by the pain as the notion that the Knight had just backhanded her across the face. Before she could do anything but stare incredulously at him, he lunged forward, grabbed her by the neck, and pinned her against the wall.
“I know what you are about, Selena,” he said in a low, gravelly voice. “But I do not know everything. What have you told your father?”
Selena hesitated. How did Alger White know her mother’s secret? The Knight squeezed tighter, persuading her to answer without further delay.
“I have not told him anything yet. I am only now on my way—”
“Nonsense!” Alger barked.
His hands were so tightly wrapped around her throat that a black fog had started to well up from the fringes of her vision. “You have been creeping in and out of this castle for years. I know about your dalliances with the stable boy. Yet that was just a ruse, I think.
“Your midnight meeting with Ambassador Theta proved as much. After I exposed you for a witch, I thought you would be tossed out. But, alas, your father went on to prove what I suspected all along…his morals have degraded beyond measure.”
Selena could not make sense of anything he said. The one thought that managed to permeate the dull haze in her brain was that it had been Old Alger, not Amelia Brown, who had spotted her the night she visited Theta in his guestroom.
The Knight had also found her spell book and handed it over to her parents.
“Delincas Theta is one of the chief advocates of the Alliance of Nations. Your father has told me as much,” Alger added, as though he had proven a very significant point.
Selena’s voice came out as wheeze. “I have not seen Lucas…or Theta…in years.”
Alger’s countenance twisted into a sneer. “What about the letter you recently sent to the ambassador? Anyway, how would I know if you visit the stable anymore, witch? You can lurk wherever you please and not be seen.
“Yet my ears are still sharp. I have heard you following me at night. I know you know what I am. And now I find you here, packed up and ready to go to your father and the king…to tell them everything…”
“You are mad!”
A menacing shadow passed over the Knight’s face. “No,” he growled. “No, it is your father who is mad…your father and all of those who would sully Superius’s splendor by diluting it with the lesser cultures of the world. Imagine dwarves, elves, and even ogres living among us. Aldrake the Great is surely turning in his grave!”
Selena tried to remember everything she could about the Alliance of Nations and the work her father was attending to. She had overheard Godfrey and Alger talking about treaties with the elves and dwarves, but no mention had been made of ogres.
And what did any of it have to do with Alger’s fingers around her neck?
“I am no traitor.” Alger’s grip eased up along with his voice. “It is men like Edward Borrom and your father who have turned their backs on Superius. But there are still moral and patriotic men in the realm…men who would undermine their king for the good of the kingdom.”
The ends justify the means, Selena thought.
“You are a rebel.”
“Such a harsh word,” the Knight mocked. “I prefer insurgent. I wonder, though, how much do you know about the Renegade movement?”
“Nothing!”
Alger squeezed harder, perhaps out of frustration or merely to keep her quiet. “Your wizard friend is not here to protect you anymore,” he whispered in her ear. “Since it would appear the jig is up, I will take you with me. You will be of much value to the Renegades as a hostage.
“Death threats have been getting us nowhere, but maybe once we send the Duke a lock of your hair…or an ear…he will listen to reason.”
Selena tried to pull his hands away, but the Knight’s fingers were as sturdy as the boughs of an old hickory. She squirmed and writhed and attempted to knee Alger in the groin, but the Knight was quick to twist his body out of the way. Her breaths came in painful gulps, and she could barely see Alger anymore due to the blossoms of colored light marring her vision.
Conscious thought evaporated, and instinct took over.
“What?” the Knight demanded. “What are you saying?”
Alger’s voice was nothing more than a rumbling baritone to Selena. She was falling…falling…
And then she was sitting on the floor, drawing in huge swallows of air and staring at the prostrate form of Alger White. The Knight’s eyes were closed. His chest expanded and withdrew slowly. By all appearances, the old seneschal was taking a nap—which, Selena realized with a start, was exactly what he was doing.
She had managed to croak out the words to the first spell she had taught herself. Alger might not sleep for a week, as the black cat had, but he would not wake up for hours.
Selena pulled herself to her feet, using the wall for support. Looking down at the slumbering Knight, Selena felt something twist inside her gut. He had always seemed like such a kind man. But like so many others at Castle Nelesti, he had his secrets. She might have kicked the traitor in the head, except she did not want to risk breaking the enchantment.
Her throat was sore, and she imagined there were bruises where Alger’s fingertips had dug into her neck. Nevertheless, she dared not change her mind. Rededicating herself to her mission, she hurried away from Old Alger, who had already begun to snore.