The King's Traitor (Kingfountain #3)(35)

“No he hasn’t,” Etayne said softly.

That caught Owen’s interest. “What do you mean?”

“His men were guarding the forest we passed on our way to the castle. I came in disguise to see the place, but for all my tricks, I could not get past the sentries. They were vigilant. What are they keeping from us? I wonder.”

Owen looked at her, his brow furrowing. “You’re sure it was the marshal?”

Etayne nodded. “I didn’t see him, but one of the sentries let it slip that he was there in person.”

“He knew you were coming,” Owen said angrily. “He always seems to know!” He slammed his fist onto the table, his frustration spilling over. “The offense he feigned was a ruse, a trick. I should have seen this. He must have left for the woods the very night we arrived.” Another memory struck Owen like an arrow shaft. “Hold on a moment.”

“What?” she pressed, her eyes full of eagerness, the pile of correspondence momentarily forgotten.

“This was years ago, after the mayor of Averanche surrendered the city to me. Some visitors came to find me in the North. One of Roux’s knights—he was a giant of a man. And also a lawyer from Averanche.” Owen started pacing, his mind working furiously to recall the moment. He snapped his fingers quickly. “There was something about disputes. Border disputes about the hunting forests. The knight sought reassurance that I didn’t intend to encroach on Brythonica’s boundaries. Especially the forests. I thought nothing of it at the time. I’m not all that fond of hunting and hawking, nor do I have the time!” He turned and looked at her. “Roux doesn’t want us to see whatever’s in those woods. I’m not sure Sinia knows what it is.” He shook his head. “Or maybe that’s an errant presumption. She is far more clever than her demeanor suggests.”

“How so?” Etayne asked, walking toward him.

“So many times during our conversation today she hinted at things. Like she was trying to prompt me to ask certain questions. The Wizr set, for example,” he said, naming one of the instances. “I challenged her to a game of Wizr, and she gave me this strange look and said that I needed to provide the set.”

Etayne’s face darkened. “You think she meant the one you hid in the fountain of St. Penryn?”

Owen held up his hands. “That is exactly what I suspected. But her words were so innocuous she could have meant anything. I feel as if a game is being played around me. This feeling has been nagging at me for years, and I’m frustrated that I haven’t learned the rules yet.”

“You could ask the duchess directly,” Etayne suggested, giving him an arch look.

“How does one have that conversation?” Owen said with a laugh. “I sense you’re hiding something from me, my lady. Would you please confess while I keep my own secrets?” He tapped his mouth. “No, I’m going to ferret this out. I have to find out what makes that forest so powerful with the Fountain. What we need is a way to get past the guards. What we need are . . .” He stopped, his eyes widening. “Disguises.”

He gave Etayne a serious look. “Your power might be exactly what we need. Being a local didn’t help you get through. But if you looked and sounded like Sinia, they wouldn’t stop you. I’ve spent time with her today. You can use my memories like you’ve done in the past.”

Etayne’s eyes flashed with mischievous intent. “And what if I were to disguise you as well?”

He stared at her. “Do you think you can do that?”

“Let me try,” she said. “Hold still a moment. I’ve been wondering if I could change others and not just myself, and this would be a perfect opportunity to test it. Roux would be able to sense the power, but if he’s stationed by the forest, where there is already so much Fountain magic, he may not be able to figure it out. Here, I think I need to touch you for this to work.” She reached out and took his arm at the elbow, then opened herself to the Fountain. He sensed it immediately and, not for the first time, marveled at how much her strength in it had grown over the years.

He felt the magic wash over him in warm, gentle waves. Once again, he felt part of him resist it, a certain feeling of rebelliousness that balked from letting another change him. But he allowed the magic to suffuse him, taking care to keep the core of himself intact.

“Look at yourself,” Etayne breathed excitedly, her eyes delighted. Still gripping his arm, she steered him over to a large mirror so that he could see his own reflection.

He was almost startled to see Lord Roux staring back at him. The image seemed to flicker under his scrutiny, but he allowed Etayne’s spell to cling to him. His powers from the Fountain made him impermeable to the powers of others who were Fountain-blessed. As far as he knew, his abilities were unique. No one else would have cause to doubt his disguise. Owen raised his hand to touch his chin and watched the doppelganger mimic his motion.

“You can do it,” Owen breathed. “Can you still change yourself? Or must you hold your focus on me?”

Suddenly the duchess was standing at his side, her hand resting on his arm as if they were attending guests at a ball. “For me,” she told him, “the magic is like carrying a weight on my shoulders. It’s a weight that grows heavier the longer I use it. Over the years, I’ve been pushing and training myself. But it helps when other things contribute to the disguise. See how I’ve made your tunic into the standard of the raven? That requires concentration. If I stole you a tunic, it would lessen my burden. I’m strong in the magic now, Owen. I can hold this illusion for some time, and we’ll only need it to get past the sentries. Of course, it won’t work if Roux is still among them.”