Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends 3)

She nodded and pulled back. Maiko was there, on the dais, and she hugged them both as well, gripping Moria with a fiercer embrace than Moria would have expected of the concubine. When Tyrus and Moria finally pulled away from both his parents, Moria looked . . . and saw an empty blood pool where Gavril had lain.

"Where--?" she began.

"They've taken him," Maiko murmured. "He'll be tended to."

"I want to see him."

"I know. Someone will lead you there. Both of you."

Moria stepped back. Then she saw Daigo, and she broke from Tyrus, leaping off the dais and running to her wildcat. As soon as she touched him, his eyes opened.

"Ashyn," she whispered to Daigo. "We must find Ashyn and Tova."

Tyrus was already there, helping her up, his sword back in place. "We'll go now. Daigo? Are you well enough--?"

The wildcat was on his feet before Tyrus could finish. They all started for the door, everyone falling out of their way.

"Moria!"

She stopped short and turned to see her sister racing in a side exit, Tova and Ronan at her heels. Moria ran to her and caught her up in a hug.

"We were locked outside with Sabre and the Okamis," Ashyn said. "We only just got in. You're . . ." She pulled back, staring down at Moria's blood-soaked clothing. "What happened? Are you hurt? Where are you--?"

"It's not mine. Gavril . . ." She swallowed, the pain surging again. "He . . . he . . ."

"Moria is fine," Tyrus said softly. "Alvar Kitsune is dead."

"And Gavril?"

Moria met her sister's gaze and shook her head. That was all she cou

ld manage. A head shake. It was enough. Ashyn pulled Moria into her arms and they both began to weep.

FIFTY-EIGHT

Gavril had been taken away for his body to be prepared. It took time to find him, and Moria grew angry, even Tyrus's patience fraying until finally he snapped at the woman in charge of preparations, when she admitted she wasn't sure where the young warrior lay.

"He's . . . still in the palace," she said. "In one of the rooms there. His body . . . it was not in good . . . they did not wish to move him far."

Moria saw the sword falling on Gavril again, slicing into his back, and she teetered, shaking her head when Ashyn and Tyrus both reached for her and leaning on Daigo instead for support.

When they turned to head back to the palace, the woman hurried into their path. "You ought to wait--"

"No," Tyrus said, and brushed her aside.

They found the room easily then, in the rear of the palace. Easily because two guards raced past them on the way, and there were two young healers outside the room babbling to a older man so fast Moria couldn't catch more than a word or two of what they said.

Tyrus broke into a run, Moria behind him.

"What's going on here?" he said. He looked at the closed door. "Is that where Gavril Kitsune lies?"

The older man stepped in front of the door. It was one of the senior household stewards, looking as shaken and frightened as a newly appointed clerk.

"Y-yes, your highness," the steward said. "But you ought not to go in there. The body . . . it is not in any condition . . ."

"We were at his side when he died," Tyrus said. "We bound him. We know exactly what condition he was in. Now step aside."

"T-there is a problem," the steward said. He bowed awkwardly, sweat dripping from his brow. "I beg deepest forgiveness, your highness, but I must ask you to wait. Your imperial father has been summoned--"