5 #2
Eh, why?
Oswald almost snapped at her to shut up, then visibly caught himself before the words could fly out of his mouth. Which was wise, because Prince Donovan really, really wanted to punch him.
“Of course you’re only here because Mother made you.” William gave this bone-deep, weary sigh, and it was filled with resignation. “I won’t help you get out of trouble with her anymore. You’re on your own from now on. Frankly, I hope she finally throws you out of the house.”
Oswald stared at his son, so aghast the sea breeze almost knocked him right over. “How could you possibly say that?! Like this has nothing to do with you!”
“It doesn’t. I left your family. I won’t even use your surname. Truly, just…leave. Leave and try to figure out why everyone in your life hates you. That’s a better use of your time than staying here.”
“You don’t get to stay here,” Prince Donovan denied. “Oswald, your permission to stay in this country is revoked. Be on a boat tonight if you know what’s good for you. In fact, Borrowman, make sure he gets on that boat.”
Borrowman gave a serious nod, grabbed Oswald by the shoulder, and then started hauling him along.
“I’m a peer of the realm, you can’t treat me like this!” Oswald blustered. He fought Borrowman, or tried, but the man was stronger and kept hauling Oswald along like a dirty coat that was trying to fight back.
Prince Donovan blew out a breath. “Stupid. So stupid. He broke at least three laws and an extradition agreement. William, Alladora, you’re both all right? Did he actually do anything?”
“He was mostly yelling,” William explained, rubbing at his face. “Although he tried to hit my wife, and that’s when it got ugly. Officer Borrowman heard the commotion and stepped in. We’re very thankful to him for that. I’m surprised my father thought it a good idea to even mess with my wife.”
“He thinks of her as below him,” I explained with a shrug. “He gives her the same attention as you would a rose in a pot. Pretty, there for decoration, with no real lasting value.”
Alladora regarded me thoughtfully. “I’ve always felt that way, but it’s nice to have someone actually put it into words. Who are you, by the way?”
I had failed to introduce myself, hadn’t I? “I’m Jon. I just became a citizen yesterday.”
“And already making waves.” She looked me over, dark brown eyes crinkling up in a pretty smile. “You’re insanely powerful—I feel warmer just standing next to you—and a Reader, unless I miss my guess?”
“Correct. You’re a Tracer.”
“I am. I’m not surprised you can see that.”
It was rather obvious in a glance. A Tracer could find anyone, any living being, from their energy. She was quite powerful herself, and I’d bet there wasn’t anyone who could evade her. Not without fleeing the planet.
“Thank you for stepping in. Saying what you did cleared the air to the true heart of the problem.” William offered a hand. “And if you need assistance, just let us know.”
“I will.” I almost didn’t say it, but I felt I had to. “Um, you do know your daughter is also a Tracer?”
Alladora lit right up. “Is she?!”
“I can see it in her lines. She won’t manifest yet, obviously, she’s too young. But it’s there.”
“You just made me very, very happy.” Alladora beamed at her husband, who looked poleaxed but happy.
“Your family is doubly blessed,” Prince Donovan noted with pride. “I can’t wait to work with her in the future.”
We said our goodbyes and the little family turned and headed for home. I watched them go and couldn’t help but ask questions. I needed context.
“Why was this so important, nationally speaking?”
Donovan groaned, head dropping for a second. “Two reasons. One, Alladora, as you know, is a Tracer, so she’s automatically protected by the government.”
All right, made sense.
“Two, she’s a national hero.”
I blinked up at him, gobsmacked. “I beg your finest pardon?”
He offered a hand to me. “Let’s get a cool drink from the vendor as I tell you the story.”
It was hot and a drink sounded nice, so I put my hand in his.
We walked to the vendor and placed an order for a diffused citrus water with a side of watermelon, and let me tell you, on a warm day like this, that sounded like heaven. I was eager to take both bowl and cup. We settled with our treat at a small round table and stools not far away.
After drinking down a healthy swallow, Prince Donovan let out a sigh.
“Perfect. I felt parched. Anyway, six years ago, we had a horrible landslide. They happen sometimes in the more arid parts of the desert, as there’re no trees or vegetation to keep the soil stable.
If we get a flash flood—which seasonally happens every twenty years or so—then the roads wash out and it’s very, very dangerous to get caught in it.
Unfortunately, the incident happened at the height of festival season, so we had a huge caravan of people on the road when the flooding hit.
Hundreds of people were washed in every direction, some for miles.
We deployed the military to track them down, but honestly, we wouldn’t have found half of them if not for our psychics.
Alladora, as Tracer, was the most valuable.
She was able to pick up on people’s energy even if they were stuck under rocks, and we were able to dig them out.
She was up for three days straight, taking only cat naps, refusing to quit until we found every living soul.
I can’t remember the exact number, but I think she was instrumental in saving a hundred and twenty people.
People who would be very dead without her. ”
“Holy shit,” I breathed, stunned. “No wonder you and Borrowman acted like Oswald was attacking a friend.”
“She’s a friend of the nation, in a sense.
I don’t know her well, personally, but she’s always the first to help if something goes wrong.
I adore her for it. She’s saved many, many people because of her ability.
” Prince Donovan speared a piece of watermelon, grinning.
“Hearing her daughter is just like her? Ahh, this day can’t get any better. ”
I bet he was happy to hear that. “So when William said his father was breaking massive laws trying to take him back, is that because William is Alladora’s anchor?”
“Correct.”
“Was he part of that thing? The flash flooding?”
“He was, in fact. They’d just started dating when it hit, I think. He’s also a workhorse and not one to quit when things need to happen.”
I absorbed this information. So really, Oswald had run across several blockades.
He’d tried to break apart an anchor and psychic, he’d insulted a national heroine, and he’d insulted psychics in general, which this culture had no tolerance for.
Wow, yeah, I didn’t know how he could have done a worse job.
Not only was he likely banned from this country for life after this point, if he ever showed up again, it’d likely lead to his funeral.
Couldn’t say I was too broken up over the thought.
Prince Donovan asked simply, “What do you want to do next?”
“Show me the city.” I wanted to get a better sense of the place since I’d live here. “And on the way back to the palace, I want to stop by Garrett’s store again.”
“That’s fine. For what?”
“Stationery, to start with, so I can write my sister.” As well as a few other things.
I was not getting caught without oil again, let’s just say that.