The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [51]
"Oh," Giogi murmured listlessly. He thought that if he hadn't been wasting his time saving Steele's miserable hide, he might have been with Uncle Drone.
"Oh? Is that all you can say?" Frefford asked. "Giogi, did you know about that?" he asked, suspicious.
"Uncle Drone told me last night," the noble admitted, "but lie wouldn't tell me why he misled us all. He said I was supposed to go down to keep up the charade, and tell him later everything that happened."
"Well, when Uncle Drone told us this morning," Freflord said, "he claimed it was some sort of ruse to see what Steele would do. Aunt Dorath hit the ceiling. She demanded Uncle Drone return the spur. Uncle Drone swore he didn't have it and didn't know where it was. Aunt Dorath said he had darn well better find out. Uncle Drone said he darn well would. Then he went stomping up to his lab with orders that he was not to be disturbed-that it would be dangerous to interrupt him."
Frefford took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then continued his grim tale. "When he didn't come down for morning tea, Aunt Dorath sent me after him. Both doors to his lab were locked and bolted. Aunt Dorath insisted I force one of them. It looked like there'd been a fight when we got inside. Papers were scattered about. Furniture was overturned. Then we found the ashes beneath his robes and hat."
Frefford's word hung on the cold air with the vapor of his breath. Then he asked his cousin, "Giogi, did you talk to the guardian? Did she say anything?"
"Freffie, I'd really rather not talk about her right now," Giogi replied.
Frefford put his hand on his cousin's shoulder again. "Giogi, it could be important," the Wyvernspur lord insisted, giving Giogi's shoulder a squeeze. "You know you're the only one she communicates with."
Giogi kicked at a rock on the path. The guardian spoke to only one member of each generation of Wyvernspurs. Giogi wished she would have picked someone else-someone like Steele. Steele didn't believe in her. He had teased Giogi about her since they were children, when Giogi had first admitted hearing her voice.
Frefford believed, though. And he was right, it could be important. Giogi said, "I asked her why she didn't stop the thief, and she said that she's supposed to let Wyvernspurs pass unslain. I asked her who had taken the spur, and she said she couldn't tell-that we're all alike-except me."
"Nothing about the curse?" Frefford asked.
"Freffie, that's just superstition," Giogi said.
"Aunt Dorath doesn't seem to think so," Frefford said softly "Maybe she's right. Uncle Drone and Steele both risked their lives because of it, and Uncle Drone-" Frefford broke off his sentence. There was no need to say it again.
They reached the bottom of the hill and stepped out onto the road, where Frefford's carriage waited. A wedding gift from Gaylyn's father, the carriage's gilded surface still sparkled, even in the gray light. Giogi and Frefford transferred Steele from Cat's magical disk to the carriage's back seat.
"Steele must see a healing cleric right away," Frefford said, "but I can drive you into town, at least."
Giogi excused himself, using Birdie as an excuse. Cat explained she had business with Giogi.
"Stop by later and see the baby," Frefford invited as he climbed into the carriage, beside his wounded cousin. Steele moaned softly in his sleep.
"Thanks. I will," Giogi promised.
Frefford signaled his driver, who clucked the horses into motion. As the carriage rattled down the road, Giogi felt a sense of relief. He didn't want to be around when Steele fully recovered and found out Uncle Drone had deceived them. Frefford could handle Steele's rage far better than Giogi could.
"Perhaps I'd better leave," Cat suggested, "now that your uncle is no longer here to aid you."
Good idea, Olive thought,