"Come no closer."

She froze. Archer hadn't been kidding when he said the queen was mature for her age. Catriona's voice alone scared the bejesus out of her. "Okay."

"Explain yourself."

Talia decided that she would have to stand up and not be intimidated. "I'm

Eleri's daughter. My name is Talia."

There was total silence.

Talia forged ahead. "I understand she served your father before she left your

kingdom under threat to her life."

"And you are only now coming forward? I find that suspicious in the extreme."

"I didn't know about her past until recently."

"Where is your mother now?"

"She was killed in an accident when I was a child."

Since the moment Talia had stepped into the room she'd had to work at

resisting making a connection with the queen. She fought against the urge,

mainly for the sake of self-preservation. Until she understood more about where she was and what was really going on, she wasn't going to make herself vulnerable in any way, and that included inviting an a.s.sault of any kind against herself.

"You say your mother never told you of her position in this court?"

Talia shook her head. "She told me many tales as a child, tales I grew up believing were nothing more than bedtime stories. Only now I realize she was

telling me where she was from. She died before she could tell me the whole truth. I suppose I wasn't old enough to understand."

"You have an accent. American?"

"Yes. I've lived in the U.S. all my life."

Again silence. This time Talia took the initiative. It helped her focus against

the increasing demand to reach out. The need all but hummed inside her. "I

was never trained as a healer. I'm an empath, but that is as much as I know."

The fight to keep from reaching out suddenly took on mammoth proportions.

Talia had to use all of her focus to keep the feelings out. Which made no sense. Why such a strong bond with someone she'd never met? Then she realized. She was born to serve the royal family. The daughter of the royal healer. For the first time she felt a tiny shred of hope. Maybe there was a real connection after all!

"You have no healing powers?""I-I haven't had much time to explore the extent of my... gift.""And yet you came willingly.""Yes, ma'am. Your Highness, I mean."There was a long, very uncomfortable pause. "I see," she said at length.

Talia didn't have a clue what that meant. This entire meeting was nerve-

racking.

"You have given me much to think on," the queen said, sounding dismissive.

Then abruptly, she asked, "How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight," Talia replied, caught off guard. When the silence grew long, she finally said, "I know you were counting on my mum to help you. I don't know if I can do anything. I wasn't able to learn much from Baleweg-"

"The Old One?" The queen seemed stunned. "You actually found him? Eleri was rumored to have a strong affection for him. My father searched far and wide for him after her disappearance. How did you find him, Mr. Archer?" she demanded.

Archer stepped into the pool of light beside Talia. "Trade secret."

"I do not find your arrogance amusing. Explain how you found him. And where, exactly, she hid herself and her daughter. Obviously you were not the only one to uncover Eleri's secret, so either you tell me or I will summon the High Parliamentarian directly. I believe he was likely the one responsible for

commanding the actions of both Mr. Anteri and Mr. Dideon. Am I not correct?"

Archer swore. "What do you know of that?"

There was a pause and Talia was surprised to hear the queen answer his

question. "My sources tell me Chamberlain was actively working against your cause and had sent agents of his own to thwart you. But where, when, and how they planned to do so, I was unable to determine."

"Did you question him? Or Dideon? Anteri?"

There was a frosty pause that made it clear the queen was not happy being interrogated, yet she responded again. "I did not. Not directly. I have no

tangible proof of his mutiny and I do not wish to force a confrontation until I am certain of a swift victory."

"So you knew nothing about Talia?"

There was a brief pause. "No," she answered, her voice strangely tight. There was a pause, then her tone hardened once again. "I was only aware that his agents had been sent to halt your efforts and had returned unsuccessful. We hadn't learned more than that when you arrived. Now explain to me how you located the Old One."

Archer blew out a sigh. "In my research, I discovered Baleweg was the last

one to have contact with Eleri."

"This was not a secret. He has been the subject of many investigations, but no one has ever found him."

"He made himself available to me."

"Why now? He must have known when others looked for him in years past."

"He knew Eleri's daughter was in danger. He only came forward to aid her."

Another pause, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop twenty

degrees.

Talia tried not to fidget. She was certain the queen was not thrilled to hear that Baleweg's allegiance was to her mother first and not his queen.

Then the queen asked, or rather demanded, "Where is the Old One now?"

Archer smiled. "You sorely underestimate me if you think I will give you that

information. Or that he would remain in that location if I did. He isn't given to suffering the predatory nature of court. Besides, there is nothing more he can do."

There was an impatient sigh.

Now Archer's expression hardened, as well. "I did my job. Your part of the

bargain was to ask no questions.

"A part I am now regretting. But you are right. I am, however, interested in finding out what you know of Anteri's and Dideon's activities. You have the Old One. Who is helping Chamberlain?"

Archer paused, then said, "There is one other like Baleweg. Someone with...

peculiar powers like his. Perhaps even stronger. He is the one helping Chamberlain."

"The Dark One," she murmured. "I never really believed-" She broke off.

"How did you circ.u.mvent them?"

"Wait a minute. You knew of him?" Archer's temper visibly spiked. "Didn't you think this information might have aided me?"

"His existence was as much a myth to me as the Old One was. I had no idea either was involved in this. In what manner did he aid Chamberlain?"

"He is the one who helped get the agents in to monitor Talia."

"Then he already knew of her existence?"

Archer nodded. "Chamberlain was simply having her monitored. Baleweg thinks he intended to use her skills against you somehow. When we showed up, the stakes changed. That is when he sent Anteri. I was able to prevent him from completing his mission and we brought Talia here immediately after- ward."