Wonder (Wonderfall #3)

Chapter 1

“My king, the Guards will arrive with the prince this afternoon.” I put my right fist against my chest and gave a half-bow.

Some of the tension in his face eased. “Thank you, Sìomon. Sending him to Canada during the war was the correct decision for his safety, but I have missed my son. Even so, I’ll be relieved when he is in saoghal breith with his mother.”

I doubted Prince Nicol felt the same way. He’d lived on Earth all twelve years of his young life, since the king and queen had not wished to be separated from him, though the human war had caused that to happen anyway.

But Earth had become too dangerous for people from our dimension, so the king had made the decision to permanently close the portal between the two worlds.

Over the next few months the Elves, plus myself and the Royal Guards, along with any Wonders who wished to accompany us, were heading home to saoghal breith.

The queen, pregnant with Nicol’s younger sibling, had already left, but King Domhnull and his advisors would stay to make sure everyone who wanted to go home got through the portal before it was closed.

“Your Majesty, here is the final list of Wonders who have asked to cross.” Adair, King Domhnull’s dèideag dìon and closest advisor, handed him a short stack of typed pages.

The king thanked him before turning to me. “Sìomon, please bring the prince here as soon as he arrives.” He made a wry face. “I have no doubt he’ll want to express his opinion regarding leaving Earth, and I’d rather have it out with him here before he causes his mother undue stress at home.”

I smiled. “Being a parent is not for the faint of heart. I will bring him to you straight away.” I bowed again and turned to leave the receiving room.

Before I’d taken two steps, the king cried out, and I whirled around, claws at ready, looking for the threat. King Domhnull clutched his chest, his face ashen.

“My king!” Adair and I rushed forward as he started to collapse, but I didn’t reach him.

My magical core recoiled as my connections to several of the Guards were cut, and I doubled over myself.

“The Guards with the prince!” I staggered upright even as more connections were ripped away.

Desperately I clung to my connection with Ciorsdan, determining her location before she too was killed.

My colleagues, my team. Some of them my friends.

I clamped down on my grief and anger. When I could speak, I addressed King Domhnull, “They were approximately twenty miles north of Glasgow. I will be on my way as soon as I can gather a team of Guards.” He knelt on the ground, his face in his hands.

I dared to reach out and touch his shoulder.

“I will find out who did this. It will not go unanswered.”