The Prince and I - 20

Sadron looked up when we walked into his office, motioning for us to have a seat on the sofa at the far side of the room. He finished whatever he was doing and came over, taking a chair opposite us.

“Now, in detail, I want to know about the two men who tried to capture you, Connor.”

Connor told him everything he could remember, with me putting in my two cents worth when he missed a detail or two about the second attempt. When I mentioned that the two men had spoken some foreign language Sadron frowned, asking if I knew which one.

“I know it wasn’t Spanish or Italian but that’s it.”

“Languages you know I take it.” When I nodded he seemed to file the information away then asked, “Did it sound like this?” before rattling off something in what I figured had to be Elven.

I nodded. “I guess. I wasn’t really paying that much attention since I was running away at the time. But yeah that’s close.”

“Then it’s as I suspected, at least one of them is elven.” He turned his attention back to Connor. “When they tried to capture you in the alley did they say anything at all?”

“That I had, no, that I was something they wanted.”

Sadron’s face darkened. “I’m quite certain you were. With you as their prisoner they’d have a strong hold over me to make me do whatever they wished. I suppose I should be glad you stole the amulet. At least it gave you fair warning they were around, although I suspect you ignored it the first time.”

“The warmth was very faint,” Connor protested. “I really thought it was my imagination until they were too close to avoid. After that I knew better.”

“Thankfully.” Sadron leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers together. “The slender man, the elf, did either of you notice the color of his eyes?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, I was too interested in saving my skin to stop and take a look.”

“They were gray with green flecks which is quite rare for us.”

“Yes it is,” Connor’s uncle agreed. “And it does narrow down who he might be. Your idea that he might have been using birds as a way to find you also helps, if indeed he was.”

“How would he know Connor had run away and was out on his own?”

“Now that is a very good question, Richie. Only a few people were aware he’d left. Arthur who I trust implicitly, his son and of course the servants and guards.”

“Well obviously this guy you’re worried about knows you’re here. Could he have bribed one of the servants to let him know what’s going on?”

Sadron’s scowl could have frozen ice as he jumped to his feet and left the office.

“Not a happy camper right now,” I commented.

Connor nodded in agreement. “Definitely not. Someone’s head will roll.”

“Not literally I hope.”

“With my uncle you never know. In our world he’s a force to be reckoned with and he hates betrayal more than almost anything else.”