Chapter 62
IT WAS EARLY MORNING, but no one had slept all night. Magnolia jumped when the doors to Daniel's office flew open. Henry walked into the room, horrified.
"Why the bloody hell didn't you call for me?" He glared at Daniel.
"Because it was your wedding night, you fool," Daniel shot back at him. "You should not be here."
"You're wrong, this is exactly where I need to be right now."
"Daniel is right, Henry," Magnolia uttered with an exhausted voice. "You should not have left Florence."
Henry clenched his jaw, doing his best not to snap back. "Well, I am here now. Do we have any updates?" But before Daniel could answer, the doors opened again. It was Laya this time.
"Is it true?" she burst out. But no one had to answer, Magnolia's grim face and her dry tears said it all.
"We have no confirmation yet, but I believe it has something to do with the Barons Faction," Daniel explained.
"Those bastards," Henry mumbled.
"Apparently, Lady Green was working with them." Both Laya and Henry were shocked by the information. "We have eyes in Bergen, that's where the dogs lost Geoffrey's scent. They are probably hiding somewhere in town."
"What if they're not?" Laya asked.
"I have ordered for posters to be hung everywhere. For the amount of coins I am offering, someone will come forward with information." Henry nodded. "But now that you're here," Daniel locked eyes with the mage. "I want you to use a location spell to find him."
"Of course," Laya accepted immediately. "I need a map and something of Geoffrey's."
Henry left the office quickly only to reappear a minute later, holding a map in one hand and Geoffrey's plush in the other.
"Will this work?" the assistant asked.
"Yes, this is perfect." Laya laid the map on the table and placed the teddy bear on the side of it.
She used her nail to cut her left palm while mumbling words in a different tongue. Her blood dripped into the center of the map and formed a small pool. Laya closed her eyes and continued casting her spell.
Magnolia and Daniel were standing closer now, their fingers laced together. They both prayed to the Gods silently.
They watched as Laya drew more blood and her tone changed. They could tell she was getting frustrated.
"Damn it," she finally cursed. "It's not working."
"Why not?" Magnolia yelled.
"They must be using a blockage spell," Laya answered.
"How can that be? If the Barons Faction is behind this, they cannot use magic." Magnolia's hand shook against Daniel's.
"Spells of the sort are sold in the black market, ready to be used, even by people who have no powers," the mage explained.
Magnolia felt like an ice bucket was just poured on her. Both she and Daniel had hoped that having a mage around would make finding Geoffrey easier and faster, but all their hopes were just crushed in a single try.
A knock drew their attention to the door. "Your Grace." Victor bowed when he entered. "You have received a package. There is no sender on it." The commander brought the box to Daniel who took it immediately.
Everyone in the room knew that it was probably from the kidnappers. The office fell into a chilling silence except for Daniel's fingers rustling to open the package.
The duke found a piece of white cloth inside. When he unfolded it, he saw a few locks of blond hair. He could tell it was Geoffrey's.
Magnolia extended her arm to him and he placed the cloth in her palm. She gently caressed the locks as a lump formed in the back of her throat.
Daniel picked up the piece of paper in the bottom of the box. "There is a message." He opened it and read,
"Dear Duke,
We have your son, he is safe for now. However, if you do not cooperate, we will cut more than just his hair next time.
We need you to approve the bill that is up for voting in two days. We know that many nobles trust and support you and thus will vote as you do. The bill better passes if you want to see your son again.
Sincerely,
BF"
"BF? Barons Faction?" Laya asked.
"Yes."
"Well, that confirms our speculations," she said.
"What is this bill they are speaking of?" Magnolia turned to face Daniel after she calmly placed the hair locks on the table.
"They want the barons to be able to vote in parliament. Right now, only nobles are allowed to vote, or even attend the meetings for that matter."
"Then, let them vote," she said. "Make sure the bill passes and tell them to bring Geoffrey back." Daniel was silent for a moment, which made Magnolia's anxiety rise. "Daniel?"
"We have two days till the meeting, we can find him before that," he finally said.
"That is too dangerous, Daniel." Henry shook his head. "What if they find out and get hostile?"
"For once, I agree with little Henry," Laya added, the nickname she used earned her a glare from Henry.
"Approving that bill is out of the question." Daniel's words made Magnolia's eyes widen.
"What do you mean?" Her voice was a bit louder than she had intended.
"Do you understand what it means to let barons have a voice in parliament?" the duke asked, raking his fingers through his hair. "It's going against the very foundation of our nation. Their titles are only ceremonial, and they should stay that way."
"Maybe if they had rights they wouldn't have hated and rebelled against nobility," Magnolia shot back.
The face of Baron Croix, her late husband, came to her mind. He hated magic and nobility, probably not for the same reasons as the Barons Faction, but he would have killed any noble if he could get away with it.
"Magnolia, Queen Magtig left us a legacy, we are responsible to keep alive the traditions she created."
"And how are you going to do that when the king dies and his crown prince, who has no magical powers, takes over? Is that not the most important of your traditions?"
Daniel had no words to argue against that, Magnolia was right.
"I don't give a damn about the Barons Faction," the duchess continued. "Or the royal family, or the damn traditions you are speaking of if it means harm might come to my son. So, you either do the right thing to save Geoffrey, or I will." Magnolia stormed out of the office, leaving everyone in the room even more anxious.