“Falder told me that you needed to see Hallic immediately, my lord,” he told the king. “What has happened?”
Both the mage and the rogue watched Shandon attentively as he looked across the room at Falder.
“Immediately? You didn't have to make things sound quite so urgent, you know,” he said to the seneschal.
Falder raised an eyebrow.
“How can we know if the situation is or is not urgent, my lord?” he replied. “Better to respond quickly and be wrong, don't you think?”
“He's got you there,” Jergen chortled.
“Aye, well, that's true enough. Very well, gentlemen,” Shandon said to his visitors. “Allow me to tell you what happened this morning and then you can give me your opinion on its urgency.”
He began describing the audience that he had had with Duke Corse and Baroness Entissa, and Larin and Hallic listened closely. Part way through the conversation, kitchen staff entered the lounge with covered trays that Falder directed them to leave on one of the empty tables.
The king stopped speaking and waited until the staff members had deposited their trays and left the room. He noticed the many curious looks from the young dwarves who worked in the kitchen and smiled at their wide-eyed stares at Larin and Hallic.
When they had left, Shandon stood up and gestured for everyone to join him as he began taking the lids off of the trays.
“I think better on a full stomach,” he told them. “Come on over and help yourselves.”
Once the group had filled their plates with hot meats, steamed vegetables and fresh rolls, they sat down again and began to eat. Shandon started speaking again between bites and explained his suspicions of the motives of Baroness Entissa and, perhaps, other nobles as well.
Larin listened intently, his expression becoming ever more grim as the king spoke. He ignored the food on his plate and then sat back in his seat once Shandon had finished speaking.
“What do you know of this woman, my lord?” he asked the king. “I admit that I have little knowledge of palace intrigues and the doings of the nobles at court.”
Shandon looked over his shoulder at Falder and the seneschal stepped forward.
“Tell us about her, please,” the king asked him. “You know more about these people than anyone else in the palace.”
Falder smiled at the compliment and then turned to address the mage.
“I may know more about the nobles than his majesty does,” he explained. “But what I know is mostly learned by listening to what others have said about them. Servants, minor nobles, distant relatives and the like. They all gossip and I just pick things up from them and from others who pass along the information to me because of my position here.”
Larin seemed amused by Falder's explanation.
“You keep your ears and eyes open, obviously,” he replied. “And that serves the crown admirably, I am sure. So what have you heard about this baroness?”
“That she is cruel,” the seneschal stated flatly.
Shandon looked at him with surprise.
“Cruel? In what way? I've never heard you use that word about another person before.”
Falder shrugged.
“I am only repeating what I have been told, my lord. The baroness treats those beneath her very badly. She is intolerant, short-tempered and believes that, within her own sphere of influence, she is not to be questioned.”
He glanced at Hallic, who sat silently but listened closely to every word.
“I have heard that she has servants beaten when they make mistakes. She is said to have trouble keeping staff and hiring new people,” the seneschal added.
“You don't say,” the rogue said, his voice tinged with acid. “She sounds like a lovely person.”
Shandon wiped his lips with a napkin and tossed it on to his plate.
“Hallic, I'm worried about the baroness and her real motives in suggesting that I send the mage families to Cindercore. After what happened there to Mel and your people, I am very suspicious. There is no reason to send the mages so far away, out of reach of my protection. I am quite sure that there are empty houses here in Kingstone that could be used by them if Entissa and the other nobles really were honestly concerned about them and their situation.”
“As am I,” Hallic replied. “So what would you have me do?”
“Contact your guild in Cindercore and have them check on these properties owned by the baroness. Perhaps investigate them and see if there is any reason to be suspicious of her motives in this.”
“And if they find nothing out of the ordinary?” the rogue asked him. “Will you send the families there?”
Shandon smiled at Larin, who was watching him anxiously.
“Never. I have taken them in to protect them and I will not relinquish that duty. Here they are and here they will stay, until their homes are rebuilt.”
The mage sighed in relief and Shandon chuckled.
“Have a little faith in me, Larin,” he said. “Your people are my people and I take that responsibility very seriously.”
“I knew that, my lord, but it is reassuring to hear you say it out loud. But like you, I need to know what is behind the baroness's offer.”
“Hallic?”
The rogue nodded at the king.
“I'll get on it immediately,” he told Shandon. “Larin, would you take me back to the guild? And I am going to need your magic to contact Annia in Cindercore. Once we get her report, you can pass that information along to the king.”
“Happy to do it.”
They both stood up and moved to the middle of the room.
“Contact me the moment you have some news,” Shandon told them. “If there really is a conspiracy amongst the nobles, I need to know about it as soon as possible.”
Hallic nodded and Larin began casting a Gate spell. A moment later the two of them disappeared with a thump of imploding air.
“I'll never get used to that,” Jergen muttered.
Shandon laughed as he stood up.
“Neither will I,” he said as he walked over to the bar. “Ale?”
“Aye. After this morning, I could use some.”
Chapter 21
The rogues guild was buzzing with activity when Hallic and Larin appeared just up the wide ramp leading down toward the new guildmaster's office. With Hallic's steady hand guiding them, the rogues of Kingstone seemed to have found a new energy and purpose and the headquarters reflected that.
A young, blond-haired dwarf stood next to the office doorway, leaning on the wall and idly whistling as she stared off into space. When she noticed Hallic and Larin walking toward her, she sprang up and tried to look alert as she smoothed wrinkles out of her white tunic.
“At ease,” Hallic said with a grin. “You're the runner on duty?”
“Yes, Guildmaster,” the young woman responded, her voice squeaking nervously. “May I help you?”
“No, thank you. I assume my daughter is inside?”
“She is, sir.”
“Excellent.”
Hallic led the mage into his office. They found Mel sitting behind the desk, taking notes as two young dwarves excitedly seemed to be competing to pass along their reports.
“Will you two take turns, please?” she asked them without looking up from her papers. She sounded exasperated. “Talking over each other just means that all I am hearing is gibberish. Dodd, you go first.”
One of the messengers, who was literally hopping from one foot to the other in his excitement, gave the other dwarf a triumphant look and began passing along some information.
Hallic motioned for Larin to follow him back outside and the two of them left the office quietly before they were noticed.
The mage chuckled once they were out of earshot of the office and of the runner who was watching them curiously.
“Were we ever that young and eager to please?” he asked Hallic.
The rogue smiled back at him.
“I suppose so. It's been so long
that I can't really remember.”
They walked over to the railing and looked down into the depths. The unending darkness below seemed to go on forever.
“From what I just heard, it sounds like new contracts are rolling into the guild,” Hallic mused. “I wonder why there's this sudden influx of business?”
Larin stared into the abyss. After a moment he shuddered and turned his back on it.
“Isn't it obvious?” he replied. “Word has gotten out that the renowned Hallic Barston is now the leader of the rogues guild and people are excited. Your relationship with the king is well known and potential clients are probably reassured by that fact.”
Hallic grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Do you realize how uncomfortable it makes someone like me to know that others know who I am? A rogue needs anonymity to do his job and I no longer have that.”
“But you are no longer just a simple rogue,” Larin reminded him. “You are now their leader. The need for anonymity, at least for you, has passed. Don't you agree?”
At that moment, the two messengers hurried out of the office and ran up the ramp together. They seemed to be arguing with each other in a good-natured fashion and didn't notice Hallic or Larin as they went.
“No, I don't agree. But I know that you're right. I just don't like it.”
The two of them walked back to the office entrance.
“Times change, my friend,” Larin told him with a sympathetic smile. “And we must change with them.”
Hallic gave the runner a wink, which made her smile, and then led the way inside.
Mel looked up from her notes.
“Before you say anything, Father,” she said quickly. “I noticed the two of you coming in earlier. So please, no lectures about not being observant enough.”
Hallic laughed, his sour mood changing instantly.
“I wasn't going to lecture you, Mel,” he replied as he waved Larin toward one of the chairs in front of the desk. “I had no doubt that you saw us. I'm rather disappointed that those two youngsters didn't, though.”
Mel nodded as she pushed an errant strand of hair off of her forehead.
“So am I. I've made a note to speak to both of their mentors about their training. Such a lack of basic observational skills is unacceptable, even in such young apprentices.”
“Good. We can't allow our standards to slip, especially during extraordinary times like these,” Hallic said as he sat down next to Larin. “So, anything to report?”
His daughter looked at him in surprise.
“Report? You've only been gone for an hour or so. Did you expect something to change in that short amount of time?”
“You never know.”
Hallic stretched, twisting in his seat to loosen up his back.
“We spoke to Shandon,” he continued as he settled more comfortably into his chair.
“And?”
“He wants us to contact Annia in Cindercore. Apparently a certain noble at court, Baroness Entissa by name, offered to house Larin's people on properties that she owns in that city. For a price, of course,” he added wryly.
“Of course,” Mel said with a shake of her head. “Nobles. They'll never change. So the king thinks that this woman is motivated by more than greed?”
“Perhaps.”
He glanced at Larin.
“You and Mel were both in Cindercore and were involved in what happened there,” he said to the mage. “Would you contact Annia for me? I want her to check on Entissa's holdings and find out what is really going on.”
“Certainly,” Larin replied. “Even more than you, I want to know if there is some plan to harm my people. Cindra is angry now and that makes someone as powerful and mercurial as she is very unpredictable. But she's also clever. She may be planning to strike back at my people by using this noblewoman.”
“That was my thought as well,” Hallic replied.
He tented his fingers together and stared at the mage with narrowed eyes.
“And if that is the case, Cindra is much more evil than even I believed she could be. To attack innocents, especially children? That is a level of viciousness that I don't think I've ever encountered before.”
Larin's expression was grave.
“She has fallen so far,” he said with a catch in his voice. “I still remember the child that she was, once upon a time. She was impetuous and headstrong, of course, but she was more mischievous than she was bad. And she certainly wasn't evil. When the magic turned on her, it twisted not just her body but her mind and spirit as well. The little girl that she once was died that day.”
Mel listened sympathetically.
“Larin, that child that you knew now threatens the children that are under your protection today,” she told him gently. “Please remember that. When the time comes to strike back at Cindra, do not hesitate because of a memory.”
The mage's face changed and he sat up and looked back at her.
“I won't,” he stated firmly. “I promise you that.”
He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small rectangular mirror. He murmured a few words and waved his left hand over it.
While Larin worked, Hallic leaned toward Mel and spoke quietly.
“What did those two youngsters want anyway?” he asked her.
She glanced down at her notes and smiled with satisfaction.
“They were passing along requests for contracts,” she said. “We have suddenly become relevant again, surprisingly, and a wealthy business owner and a minor noble both would like to hire us for our expertise.”
“No killings,” Hallic warned her. “I know that Darlheim would occasionally bend the rules for a lucrative contract, but while I am guildmaster, we will not be used as assassins.”
Mel frowned at him.
“I know that, Father,” she said primly. “And I've sent out a few of our more respected members to spread that message. Don't worry about it.”
Before Hallic could reply, Larin began speaking into his mirror.
“Annia? It's Larin. Can you hear me?”
Both rogues looked at him and listened intently.
“Larin? Well now, this is a surprise,” came the reply. It was Annia's voice. “What can I do for you?”
“One moment, please. I believe that Hallic would like to speak with you.”
The mage handed the mirror to Hallic, who accepted it gingerly. He looked into it and saw Annia sitting in her office. Like Mel, she was at her desk, notes piled high in front of her.
“Good day, Annia,” he said to her. “Sorry to interrupt you, but we need your help.”
“Of course, Guildmaster,” she replied quickly. “Whatever you need. Just ask.”
Hallic resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was still getting used to his new title and felt uncomfortable when someone used it in his presence.
Mel grinned at him, noticing his discomfort, and he smiled ruefully back at her.
“Thank you,” he said to Annia. “We have reason to suspect that one of the nobles at court may be planning to do harm to the mages and their families. You've heard about the fire in their quarter a few days ago and what's happened since?”
“I have. A guild messenger came through yesterday and gave me the details.”
“Good. Well, this noble suggested to the king that the mages be sent to her properties in Cindercore, 'for their own good' supposedly. Shandon suspects that there was more than just greed behind that offer.”
“Here? Really?” Annia said with surprise. “We're a long way from the capital. What an odd suggestion. Who is this noblewoman?”
“Her name is Baroness Entissa and...”
Hallic was cut off as Annia cursed sharply.
“Entissa? That creature?” she exclaimed with disgust. “The king is right to suspect her motives, Guildmaster. That woman has never done anything to benefit anyone but herself.”
Hallic glanced at Larin and Mel. Both of them looked startled by Annia's r
esponse.
“Not fond of Entissa, I take it?” he asked Annia lightly.
“Not in the least,” she replied coolly. “I've turned down requests for contracts from her before. Mostly she wanted some rival either maimed or killed. Ice runs through the veins of that one.”
“Maimed or killed?” Larin said, sounding horrified. “What kind of a monster is this woman?”
“The worst kind, sir mage,” Annia replied, apparently hearing his comment even though she couldn't see him. “I would sooner trust a dragon than the baroness. It is suspected that she murdered her husband because she wanted his money and estates. When they were married, the baron was quite elderly and Entissa was young and ambitious. She was a commoner, you see. The whole thing was quite a scandal at the time.”
“Well, that tells us a little bit more about the character of the baroness,” Mel said to her father. “A woman like that is insatiable, for money, for power. You name it. If Cindra approached her, or Corbin, which is more likely, and offered her something she wanted badly, I don't think that she'd blink an eye if it meant the deaths of a hundred people. Even if those people included children.”
Both she and Larin watched Hallic as he stared into the mirror.
“Considering your news, Annia, then I think it is even more urgent that we get to the bottom of this. Would you send someone to check on those properties and report anything suspicious?”
Annia shook her head.
“No, I will go myself, Guildmaster,” she stated. “Time is of the essence and waiting for someone else to scout out the location would take too long.”
She reached into a drawer of her desk and pulled out a small oval stone.
“I have one of Larin's lodestones. I will use it to signal you once I have some information. Does the mage still have the mate to this one with him?”
“I do, Annia,” Larin replied loudly so that she could hear him.
“Good.”
She stood up and slipped the stone into a pocket.
“This should take less than an hour,” she said. “Please contact me again when I send the signal.”
“We will,” Hallic replied. “Watch yourself, Annia. You could be walking into a trap.”
The Dwarven Rebellion Page 27