Chapter 7

Eve closed her eyes momentarily, trying to focus. She could hear the words clearly, but they seemed to slip away before she could string one up with another and understand its meaning. “Say that again, please?” She asked.

“I said, he’s not here.” Doctor Merrill repeated. He too seemed to be having a hard time concentrating, rubbing his eyes and looking in a confused fashion at the empty bed.

“I can see that. Where is he?”

“I -- I can’t explain it. I was in the next room, reading, and I must have dozed off…” the doctor said unevenly, “But even so, I’m normally a very light sleeper, I should have heard even the least noise…”

Eve took a deep breath, Father, what now? What am I to do? Her fingers idly ran over the small silver chain around her neck as she considered the dazed man in front of her. Suddenly she gave a little gasp, “Doctor, look at me!” Eve sat on the bed and put a hand under his chin. Raising his eyes to hers, she studied them for a short moment. “It’s the same,” she whispered at last, “Oh, we’ve been great fools, you and I.”

“What is it? What is the matter?”

“Doctor, did you examine any of the sentries that were on duty the night before last, at the time of the attack?”

“I did. It was I who first determined they were under an enchantment.”

“And how did you determine this?”

“The pupil of the eye was enlarged to almost twice its normal size. Very typical of black magic sleep spells. I’d studied them years ago, but I’d never actually seen it in practice before.”

Eve motioned to a gold-framed mirror mounted on the opposite wall, “Have a look at your own eyes, Doctor. I think you’ll find the condition not quite as pronounced. It must have been a shorter spell, nevertheless, I’m certain you were put to sleep. Get your coat, we’re going to need to return to the palace and consult with Jeed immediately.”

The doctor’s hands shook, “I, enchanted? No, no, my dear, the idea is ludicrous. A man of my -- my intellectual ability—“

“Do you really mean to suggest that you are too clever for black magic?”

Doctor Merrill paused only a moment, then swallowed, “Right. Let’s be off then.”