by Gin Hollan
"That is good, I think. I would rather make my own impression of him. When I go back to my homeland, I would hate for him to be misrepresented."
She was suddenly grateful she had a sidearm with her. If they had to make an escape of any sort, now was probably the time. The problem was Melanie. With Melanie stuck in that room with Gregor, who was desperate for some relief, Arabeth doubted she could talk Melanie into going anytime before the king showed up. They might have to do a midnight escape, when she eventually got a break.
"I don't doubt that you're from another place. But your friend is far too valuable to simply walk out of here. I am not saying this as a threat. I am giving you a gentle warning."
"Where would I find the man we were traveling with?" Arabeth thought it best to change the subject. She needed to talk to Sam, anyway.
Bernice seemed taken aback for a moment, then shrugged. "At the stables, being just as disagreeable as you are."
Arabeth couldn't tell if Bernice was irritated or sulking, but either way, she hadn't made a friend here.
"And where might that be?" Arabeth asked.
"Go outside. Follow the wall. You'll find it, eventually."
Arabeth went to look for Sam, trying not to let Bernice's personality switch bother her. He was near the paddock Davin stood in, watching as she munched on a fresh stack of hay.
"I was wondering when you'd come down. Care to explain what's going on here?" he said, looking concerned.
"It's strange—they think we're Melanie's servants because she's something called a Seer. They have her sequestered in a black glass tube, doing I don't know what. 'Seeing,' if that's a term." She leaned forward, crossing her arms along the rail in front of her. "Their king arrives sometime tomorrow, I'm told."
"And they have Melanie using this distance vision ability?"
"She's been guilted into it pretty thoroughly."
"So, we're in another hard spot. Where is Kennen?"
"I haven't seen him since our arrival."
"That's curious. Maybe we'd better go track him down before he gets us in real trouble," Sam suggested.
Arabeth leaned away, her uneasiness growing with each conversation. "Right. One hurdle at a time. Good thinking."
// Chapter 25 //
IT WASN'T LONG before Arabeth regretted her decision to find Kennen. He was debating philosophy with the resident priest, and it was a long conversation. Arabeth stood away from the wall she'd been leaning against, and tried to think of another way to pass the time while Melanie worked. She was still in the tube ten hours later.
Gregor had long since gone to catch up on sleep. The only time anyone had seen Melanie was when she stuck her head out to ask for food. Maybe it was time to take her a snack.
The kitchen staff was hurriedly preparing for the king's arrival, but they were happy to hear Arabeth was taking care of their unexpected guests and hurriedly threw a tray of cheese and crackers together. Arabeth added food and saucers to the tray and asked for a pitcher of water with glasses, saying she would also take some down Sam and Kennen, snacking on it herself as she walked. It was a feat, juggling it all, but as bored as she was, the temporary challenge was welcome.
Kennen was still debating with the priest, albeit cheerfully, and accepted the food and water with a nod. Arabeth listened for a moment, then realized philosophical theory would not be able to distract her right now. She needed something more practical. She was headed down to see Sam, anyway. Assuming he was still in the stable, she could look around to see if they had a wagon like the one that had come with Davin.
She found Sam asleep in one of the stalls. He was propped up in a corner with Davin grazing off to one side. Chuckling, Arabeth rattled one of the cups against the plate. When Sam didn't rouse, she walked in, closing the door behind her and sat down near him.
"Sam, I brought food and water. Are you hungry?"
Sitting may have been a bad idea, she realized. She'd been on her feet constantly from the moment they got off the train, and this little break made her keenly aware of her weariness. Marble climbed up onto her lap and curled into a comfortable position. There was no moving now, Arabeth chuckled.
She pushed herself to stay awake, nudging Sam so that he would wake up. They could sleep after that.
It was dark when she woke up next. Their food was gone, so she figured he must've eaten, unless Davin liked cheese. She didn't feel hungry, and hoped she hadn't eaten the whole tray herself. She reached out and tapped Sam on the shoulder.
"Hey, sleepyhead. Shouldn't we find out if they have beds for us?"
Sam sat up, grumbling a little to himself.
"We have to go," Sam said, standing and stretching. "Is Melanie done yet?"
Arabeth stood up, grabbing the dishes. "I have no idea. I fell asleep."
"Well, let's get her and go. If she's tired she can ride Davin again."
"You're getting a general sense of foreboding, right?" She had been as well, but didn't want to admit it. Not to herself. Not to anyone.
As they walked, they saw people sleeping in random locations. It was as though these people had simply fallen down, exhausted.
Up on the second floor in the Seer's room, it was pitch black. Arabeth switched the light on and walked over to the tube. Melanie was still inside. Gregor was still asleep over on the cot. Arabeth knocked on the glass, then went around the back to open the door.
When Melanie turned to meet her, she looked tired, but happy.
"Arabeth, perfect. You and Sam need to go as soon as possible. Sebastian is accusing you of stealing the crystals and wants you arrested. Since the king is one of his sponsors, you need to be gone before he gets here," Melanie said.
"What about you and Kennan? I'm not leaving without you."
"Yes.... Yes, you are. I need to stay and do this job. I can make a difference on this planet now. I’ve found my place. You and Sam have to go warn our leaders that they should not interfere with change in roles and leadership that are coming here, regardless of treaties and agreements. If they do, the war that we've all been fearing will happen. I am so tired of war looming over our heads all the time. Tell them this is a guarantee, not a potential."
"What about Kennan? Why is he staying? Isn't he a wanted man, too?"
"He is of minor concern to them, and as long as he stands around debating philosophy, he's in no danger."
Arabeth picked at her satchel a moment. She didn't want to leave either of them behind.
"Hey, maybe you can tell me—why are people lying around everywhere, asleep? It's kind of weird. Are they just working them that hard?"
Melanie turned around and looked at a panel inside, then gasped. "Oh nuts—I forgot to wake everyone up." She pulled the door shut behind her. Within moments Arabeth could hear random noises starting up around the castle. The door opened again. "I am going to be in so much trouble. I forgot to warn everyone to get to bed on time."
"What do you mean?"
Melanie looked uncomfortable for a moment, glancing at Gregor's sleeping form.
"This booth enables me to suggest behaviours and actions to people, as well as communicate with other Seers. It's kind of like hypnosis—if you're not already susceptible to it, it won't affect you. You have to want what I'm suggesting.
“For example, when you leave, I am going to strongly suggest that people help you pack and let you go quickly. I can send messages to you through other Seers. Just tell them I am in booth LBA738. They will get your message to me and I can relay back." She glanced at Gregor again, biting her lip.
"This really is a new world for you. You'll have to tell me more about it someday." Arabeth knew this was goodbye. She reached out and pulled her friend into a brief hug before stepping back. "Please, don't be a stranger. I think us staying hidden behind that mountain may be doing more harm than good, so I'm going to suggest we find a way to open transportation up. Even if that doesn't work, use the shuttle since there are no Seers on the other side."
"There
really should be. Just a pair working a simple booth, like this one, would be brilliant." Melanie smiled as she stepped back. "I had better get back to work. Gregor will be up soon and I have some notes to write out, still. I'll suggest everyone ignore you and Sam, except to give you a large lunch bag including chicken for Marble, and treats for Davin. I'm going to miss you, but we'll be in touch. I'm sure of it."
Something about the moment felt oddly final. "You're sure you'll be happy?" she whispered.
"You're worried they won't trust me, but you are my only tie to Blastborn and I'll miss you but there isn't another living soul that even cares." Melanie took a deep breath. "And after what they did to me, starting at the police storage lockers and after—" She quickly glanced twice at Gregor, then winked at Arabeth, but her tone didn't change. "After being knocked out and experimented on, I owe them nothing. The crystals healed me, and that's who— That's what I owe my allegiance to."
Arabeth smiled. Clever, changing the story to blame Blastborn, instead of the people they were looking for. Hopefully Melanie wouldn't be found out.
"I'll wait for word from you, and if you get homesick, let me know. Emotion doesn't always make sense. At the least, Sam and I can come visit." She took one of Melanie's hands and patted the back.
An alarm in the booth sounded, drawing Melanie away. "Sorry, I have to take this. You guys go. Have a safe trip."
Melanie shut the door, leaving Arabeth standing a little dumbstruck. There were a couple things in what Melanie had said that would need decoding … but first, she had to tell Sam and Kennen.
As she shut the door behind her, heading down the hallway, a short young woman with an obvious limp started following.
"Pardon me, ma'am. I am here to help you get organized for your departure. Prince Andun will be here any moment now, so we may have to go out the back way."
Arabeth turned and smiled at the girl, surprised to see someone so young out here. "You are the only person under the age of forty I have seen in this place."
The girl suddenly went red in the face. "My brother is the heir apparent. He likes me out of sight."
"Is that why you're helping me? Because I also need to keep out of sight?"
She nodded.
"Why does everyone seem bent on keeping me from meeting him, I wonder?" she said, pretending to talk to herself.
"Probably so your opinion of our country doesn't go down," the girl muttered.
Laughing, Arabeth nodded. "He's that kind of royal, is he?"
"No, but he is impulsive. Quick, we'll go down this way." She ducked to one side, entering a steep stone stairwell.
As the girl led the way, Arabeth noticed a slight blue glow over one of her ears, slightly under her skin. She'd have to ask Melanie what that was ... someday.
Sam met them at the bottom of the stairs with Marble, Davin, and a new horse. "We get to ride this time." He smiled. "Another great escape, right?"
Arabeth laughed, recalling a few of their crazier moments while she worked in bail enforcement. It felt like a hundred years ago now.
"Don't remind me," she said.
"Where is Melanie?" Sam looked up the stairs behind Arabeth.
"I'll explain later. Right now we need to go."
"And Kennen isn't coming, is he?" Sam looked at Arabeth, confused.
She shook her head. "There’s something compelling them to stay here. A sense of purpose, I think. That's what it is for Melanie, at least."
He shrugged. "There's no disputing that, when it happens. Where are we going now?"
"Over here," the girl said. "We have to go out the back."
Marble looked up at Arabeth and whimpered. This trip had been hard on her, Arabeth knew. Mealtimes were inconsistent, and the little fox was nowhere near her comfort zone. Arabeth picked her up, deciding to make it up to her somehow.
They followed the girl past the stables until she stopped in front of a narrow dirt path. "Go out this way. If you see anyone, swing wide and look for a place to hide. Believe me—you don't want to meet my brother."
Arabeth chuckled. When she phrased it like that, it was almost worth tracking him down on purpose. He sounded interesting.
"You're on your own again. If you go straight that way," she pointed toward an unmarked point on a flat horizon, "you will find a cabin you can use for shelter tonight."
Arabeth wished she knew how to use a compass for navigation. Or the stars. If she had a sextant, that would be ideal. The next time she saw one for sale, she would have to get it and learn how to use it.
Arabeth waited for Sam to mount up before passing Marble to him. Only moments later, they were out on the road again. This time their mission was from Melanie; it felt a little odd. Good, but odd. Cross the border and tell the powers that be in the capital to turn a blind eye to everything that was about to happen over here.
That would probably be hard for most people, never mind those who think it is their right or duty to intervene with how people live their lives. Government was known for that. She wondered if they would listen.
// Chapter 26 //
"STEP AWAY FROM my horse, boy," Arabeth said as she stepped outside and saw someone in their mid-teens going through the saddlebags.
"I don't think so. I need a horse. My group was attacked and we got separated. I need to catch up." He was oddly well dressed for the location, making him more out of place than even Melanie would be in her city clothes. He stopped his search and turned to face her.
"We shoot horse thieves where I'm from," she lied.
"Judging by your accent, you're a long way from home. We don't do that here." He spoke with an oddly confident authority. Arabeth ignored her intuition.
"I warned you, boy." Arabeth pulled out her pistol and aimed it at him. "And I am not kidding."
He laughed and climbed up. Arabeth shook her head. She needed to move fast, before the horse was in motion, or she risked him falling onto his head. "You can't say I didn't warn you." She only wanted him to take her seriously. She aimed at his arm, thinking that a shot would put it out of use for a day and that would temper his attitude.
The youth went to kick the horse, pulling the other rein. Just then Sam came around the corner and saw what was going on. Arabeth pulled the trigger and the boy went limp, threatening to fall off the far side. Sam got there just before the boy came completely off and eased him to the ground.
"Well, that didn't go according to plan. I meant to hit his arm," Arabeth said.
"At least we don't have to hide a body.” Sam grinned.
She tucked the pistol away again.
"What do we do with him now?"
"We can leave him in the cabin. He'll be safe in there, and there's food and water."
Arabeth looked out across the horizon, hoping to see some sign of the people the boy had planned to chase after. There was nothing but the same barren landscape they'd faced since leaving the king's mansion.
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable leaving him out here by himself. He may be a brat, but abandoning him feels wrong." She sighed.
Sam chuckled. "All right. Let's find a way to transport him now. Should we sling a blanket between the two horses?"
"That won't work. Your horse is way too spirited to put up with that for long."
"I don't want us to be stuck here until he wakes up, but we might have to consider that as an option," Sam said.
The sound of clattering metal and hoof beats echoed suddenly, loud and close. Turning, Arabeth and Sam saw a group of well-armoured men riding behind another man in a covered wagon.
"Quick, let's get him inside."
They moved the boy into the cabin and set him to rest on a thin couch, barely long enough or wide enough to hold him. He wouldn't roll until he tried to wake up, if Arabeth remembered right. The woman they’d had in the wagon certainly didn't.
"Do you suppose those are his friends?" Arabeth asked.
"Not likely. Let's go see what these ones want. If they want this kid, the good news
is we wouldn't be abandoning him anymore. The bad news is, you shot him," Sam replied.
"Yes, thank you. I had almost forgotten that." Arabeth rolled her eyes. "Time to go meet my doom."
They stepped out the door and were instantly surrounded. The man sitting at the front of the covered wagon climbed down. He was dressed in a suit, causing Arabeth to frown. Who travelled in the near-desert in a suit?
"Have you seen the king?" the man asked. "We've become separated, and he needs to be found."
"And I thought you were the master of saying nothing while speaking in full sentences," Arabeth joked with Sam.
The man scowled back at her. "This is a serious matter, ma'am."
"What does your king look like? We’ve seen a lot of people lately," Sam said.
"He's about my height, blond, and fifteen years old."
Now that Arabeth realized who she'd shot, her heart sped up. The connections suddenly met. Melanie wanted her to leave before the king arrived, not because he was arriving, but because she wanted Arabeth to meet him outside the mansion. And his little sister had sent them right here.
Why was the king attempting to escape his own guards? The new realization caused her to feel protective of him. Feigning light-headedness, she reached out, taking Sam’s sleeve in a fist and leaning toward him.
"We can't let them in," she whispered. What had Melanie thrown them into the middle of? And why hadn't the king tried to use his position or title to take one of the horses?
He was escaping these men? If these men weren't legitimately with him, that made them kidnappers. What if they were supposed to be with him? Somehow that seemed worse. She looked at the man in the three-piece suit.
She wrapped an arm across her midsection and whimpered once, hoping she wasn't over-doing the acting. "Sorry, all of our travel has left me weak. We only stopped here to rest," she said.
A look flashed across the man's face that was a combination of pity and disgust. She must've looked convincing.
"Check the house." He pointed to the nearest guard and waved him in.