“What does it matter?” I asked. I hated how pitiful I sounded, but I couldn’t help it. The plan hinged on my father’s help, and if he didn’t give it, we were done for. “He... He... doesn’t care if I live or die.”
I collapsed on a chair and watched, unable to look away, as Rasslor began to turn purple.
“Okay,” he said between gasps, hitting at Tavlor’s hands. “Okay.”
Tavlor dropped him to the ground. Rasslor coughed and spluttered, crumpled in a heap.
“He’s in a meeting,” he managed to say, clawing at his throat and trying to breathe again. “He doesn’t even know you’re here.”
“And I suppose that meeting will keep him busy all day?” Tavlor asked, his tone threatening.
“Of course.” Rasslor sneered up at Tavlor. “And you’ll never get to him.” He got to his knees with a feral grin on his face. “Once you’re gone, Matlock can refocus on his duties to the Council, and we can choose his next successor from our own families.”
I clambered to my feet. “So that is the plan! You want me out of the way so you can choose your own High Warlock.” Hope sprung anew in my chest. “That means my father hasn’t abandoned me.”
Before I could continue, the inner door burst open.
I spun around to face it as the High Warlock stormed into the room.
Chapter 19.
I never expected to be SO happy to see my father, but a brilliant smile crossed my face the second I saw him. I wanted to run to him, to hug him.
His eyes filled with relief, and he stepped forward. I didn’t want to hope, but it almost seemed as though he had the same thought I did.
We wanted to hug each other. We wanted to be glad the other was all right.
But then his eyes dropped to Rasslor on the ground and his gaze narrowed.
He came to a halt.
“What is the meaning of this?” He pointed his finger at Rasslor. Though it seemed like a dramatic gesture, the fact that one word from Matlock could cause magic to jump from that finger and kill Rasslor was enough for even Rasslor to stiffen underneath it.
What’s he going to do...?
Without warning, Rasslor flew into the air, held captive by my father’s magic.
I blinked. I hadn’t even seen or heard my father do anything. It had happened so fast, it was difficult for me to believe what I just witnessed had actually happened at all.
I gaped at my father. Now, that’s pretty cool. I’d have to ask him how to do that.
If, of course, he was willing to teach me in the first place.
Something slammed into the wall, drawing my attention away from my father and Rasslor. There was a commotion going on just beyond the open door.
I threw my magic that way, closing the door and clicking the lock into place.
Hopefully that would be enough to hold them, whoever was out there.
I wasn’t up to fighting the whole Council today. Not unless I had to.
I made my way to my father’s side. He still has Rasslor with his magic, but he shifted his gaze so he could look at me.
“You came,” I said.
“Of course, I did.” His reply seemed firm, almost as though he was shocked I thought anything else. “As soon as I worked out something suspicious was going on.” He paused. “You didn’t doubt it, did you?”
“Well... you let me go to jail and...” I shrugged. What else was I supposed to expect from this man? He couldn’t even acknowledge my presence once he found out about me. I couldn’t trust what he was going to do.