“Obviously you didn’t have enough room left to keep everything in,” remarked the squire with a chuckle. “Maybe you should wait until you’ve had a chance to digest your food properly before you engage in more acrobatics?”
Smoothing her features, Darla ignored them and proceeded to the door. “I’ll resume my watch,” she told them.
Tiny lifted one leg slightly and made a voluminous contribution to the fetor that Darla had started. “Don’t be like that,” said the big man. “See? You aren’t the only one!”
She shut the door with a firm and resounding thud, and the two men began giggling like small boys. After a moment Will went to the window and threw it open to help clear the air. “That really is foul!” he gasped.
“Not my fault,” said Tiny with an air of self-righteousness. “My portion was rose-scented.”
Will laughed, then caught himself in a yawn. He was tired. The excitement, along with all the odd hours of the past few days, was working to wear him down, even though it hadn’t been sixteen hours since his last rest. I’m not used to being up over the middle of the night, he told himself.
But he had a lot to accomplish. Turning back, he took a few minutes to explain the rough details of his plan to Tiny.
“So you need to go back to the college and find some of your teachers?”
Will nodded.
“They’re most likely asleep,” said the big man.
“Then I’ll rouse them.”
His friend scrutinized him carefully. “You’re tired. Get some sleep. Rest for tonight. You can get up early and brace them when they’re also rested and ready to face the day. Everyone will be smarter and better able to think.”
As usual, Tiny’s words made a lot of sense. With a nod, he went to the door. “We’re going to get some sleep. Why don’t you come sleep in the bedroom with Laina?”
“I’ll keep watch,” insisted the former assassin.
“We can bar the door. You need rest, and it won’t matter if the king’s men eavesdrop on us sleeping.”
She thought about it, then relented. “Perhaps you are right.”
Darla made a show of sleeping on the floor in the bedroom, though Will wondered how long that would last once the door was closed. Then again, I really have no idea how their relationship works, he reminded himself. The Arkeshi was a strange person, and it was entirely possible she insisted on such privations except for well-circumscribed moments of intimacy. It wasn’t his place to pry or interfere.
Will and Tiny bedded down in the front room, borrowing pillows and cushions from the furniture. Will had a few blankets stored in the limnthal, so he summoned two of them and handed one to his friend. It was almost like their days in the army together, except they’d never had such neat and level ground to lie on back then. The palace rugs weren’t quite enough to soften the hard stone floors, but they went a long way in that regard.
Neither of them had trouble falling asleep.
When he awoke after some unknown time, the sky was still dark in the window, but his back felt uncommonly warm. Tiny was sprawled out across the room in front of him, and he was lying on his side a few feet from one wall, so that didn’t make much sense. Turning his head carefully, Will saw the back of Laina’s head. She had snuck in at some point and worked her way in between him and the wall, putting her back against his and pulling her knees up to her chest.
She had to be cold and uncomfortable, with no pillow or cover. Reaching out, he snatched a small cushion from a nearby chair before carefully turning over so he could ease it under her head. If the movement woke her, she gave no sign of it. Resuming his former position, back-to-back, he shifted his blanket and tossed half over Laina, then he went back to sleep.
Sometime later Tiny shook him awake. “It’s almost dawn.”
Groggy, Will looked around. Laina was gone. “Where are the others?”
“Darla’s outside the door again. I don’t think Miss Nerrow is awake yet.”
Will was willing to bet that she was awake, since she’d started sleeping before the rest of them, but he wasn’t about to say that. It was obvious that Laina hadn’t wanted anyone to know she had switched sleeping spots during the night. She was probably having nightmares, not that I can blame her.
He knocked on the door to the bedroom. “Are you dressed?”
Laina pulled it open immediately. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It’s just a common courtesy to ask,” he replied, noting the grease on her cheek. “You have some duck stuck to your face.”
She wiped it on her sleeve without the slightest bit of self-consciousness. “Are we about to leave?”
He nodded.
Laina waved at Tiny, then tugged on Will’s shirt. “Can we talk for a moment first?”
“Sure.” He followed her into the room and waited while she shut the door.
“It’s about last night, er, this night—is it dawn yet?” she asked irritably.
“The sun is just coming up.”
Laina walked over and took a seat on the edge of the bed, then stood again, too nervous to remain in one place. “I kept waking up, hoping it had been a nightmare.”
“I’m sorry for putting you to sleep—” he began.
“Honestly, it was a relief. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Those men…”
Will blanched, then looked away.
“I understand what you were trying to do, but it was still almost as bad. I’m glad I didn’t have to do it, but now I feel guilty, because you took the burden on in my place. Again.” She paused and stared at him steadily for several seconds. “You didn’t even hesitate.”
He felt the accusation in her eyes. He was a killer. He’d started with Darrowans in his home village, moved on to killing sentries, then Dennis in a duel—he wasn’t even sure anymore how many occasions he had been forced to kill, though the worst was his memory of sacrificing Arlen Arenata. Looking down, he stared at his feet. It was only natural she would find him disturbing after what she had seen.
Laina’s arm went around his midsection as she hugged him tightly, her cheek against his chest. “Thank you, but don’t do it again. You’ve got enough bad stuff to remember. Don’t add any more because of me again.” She pushed him away and stepped back.
“I can’t promise that.”
“Do it again and I’ll put a knot on your head,” she warned, showing him her fist. Laina smiled for a moment, but then her features darkened again. “How did he do that to me?”
“It’s a long story, but the essence of it is that the graduation seal you received is actually a heart-stone enchantment, except you’re not on the controlling end of it, King Lognion is.” Her face went blank, and Will watched quietly while a variety of realizations passed through her mind. Then he added, “That’s where elementals come from. Someday, when you die, the enchantment will continue to bind your soul, and Lognion or whoever his successor is, will use it to transform you into a new elemental.”
She sat down suddenly, still numb. Rather than bombard her with more, Will stood silent, waiting for the inevitable questions. “That’s why you refused the elementals?”
He gave a single nod. “When I interrupted Selene’s wedding to Count Spry, something similar happened, and she learned the truth. Afterward, she released her elementals and went into hiding, partly so she could relearn magic, and partly to avoid letting her father control her again.”
“She knew he would use her against you.” Her eyes widened. “What did he say after I went to sleep? Did he make you swear to some awful bargain? Is he using me the same way now?”
“No, but I did make a bargain. He offered to free one of you. In exchange, I told him I’d get rid of the vampire problem.”
“That’s ridiculous.” When he didn’t laugh, she grew worried. “You’re serious?”
Will frowned, “Don’t you want to know who I chose?”
She shook her head. “That’s a stupid question. Besides, you chose Selene, right?”
He sighed. “No, I decided she was already safe, so I chose you, but unfortunately he was thinking the same way, so he freed Selene to spite me.”
Laina smiled. “That’s good. Now she can come back.”
“You’re still trapped—” he began, but then her words replayed themselves in his mind. Now she can come back. A surge of happiness ran through him with that realization. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself?”
“I’m too young to worry about something that’s going to happen decades from now. Besides, I’ll figure out a way to stop him before then,” she said confidently.
He wasn’t sure he believed her bravado, but it felt necessary, so he didn’t argue. Instead he asked, “Why did you come to my house that night?”
“To find Selene.”
“But why?”
She gave him an odd look. “Can I trust you?”
“Really? After everything we’ve been—”
“Relax, I’m joking. I had two reasons. One was business. Someone I trusted stole a large amount of money from the donations to our charity. I didn’t want to make it public, or accuse the man openly, since he’s well known in lofty circles. I hoped that Selene, as a princess, could apply quiet pressure and force him to admit his wrongdoing, or at least return the money while avoiding a national scandal.”
“What was the other reason?”
“I was mad. I’ve been mad since she married you, then she disappeared without even giving me an explanation.”
Will frowned. “It was unusual, but she probably thought you’d understand that she fell in love. It’s not the most unbelievable thing in the world, after all.”
“But we had been friends most of my life. It was too sudden. It felt like a betrayal. I was closer to her. If it had been anyone…” She stopped there, her cheeks coloring. “Forget it.”
A few days prior and he would never have understood, but after spending time in her body, with her soul, the knowledge leapt out at him. “You were in love with her.”
The look on Laina’s face was one of pure panic. “Absolutely not.”
“You were jealous.”
“Will you stop?” There was a thundercloud brewing beneath her lowered brows, with red cheeks on the horizons.
“It’s all right,” he said calmly. “I was jealous of you too.”
That made her pause. “How so?”
“Your family,” he said simply. “It’s the same thing really. Being jealous of someone else’s love. Well, except yours involves kissing and naughty bits, while I was only jealous in a more innocent fashi—hey!” A pillow had struck him in the face.
Laina still held the weapon in her hand, and she was ready to use it again. Will stared at her then slowly puckered his lips. “Oh, Selene…!” Whop! He hopped away as she began beating him steadily with the pillow.
That pillow gave up after several heavy blows, and down feathers exploded across the room. Not deterred at all, Laina grabbed a larger cushion and resumed the chase while he laughed and ran across the bed to escape her. “By the way,” he hooted, “did you know that this bed is the very first place where we…” He stopped and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Laina shrieked and threw her pillow at his head. “You’re dead. You’re absolutely dead!” But she was beginning to laugh even as she yelled at him. It was a sort of hysterical release, a confession, a battle, followed by understanding—all facilitated through the medium of pillows.
Will ducked, continuing to taunt her, when the door opened and Tiny caught the pillow with his face. It slid off, then dropped to the floor, while the big man stared at them with an odd expression.
Will and Laina both stopped, red-faced and panting, as they tried to adopt a more somber demeanor. He glanced at his sister and saw a sliver of fear in her eyes, but he shook his head. I wouldn’t tell anyone. “She wouldn’t wake up,” he lied to his friend.
“And you wouldn’t leave me alone, so I had to defend myself,” added Laina pointing awkwardly at the pillow at Tiny’s feet.
Tiny said nothing for several seconds, then backed out and slowly closed the door.
“It wasn’t anything strange!” called Laina, but the door clicked shut on her words.
From the other room they could hear Darla ask, “What was all that about?”
“Just a pillow fight.”
Chapter 49
The city seemed to be holding its breath as they walked back to Wurthaven, as though it feared that even the sun wouldn’t bring safety. The northern part of the city, which they didn’t quite enter, was sullen and quiet, lacking its normal sounds of bustling activity as the people began starting their days.
Will felt guilty, though it wasn’t his fault that vampires had taken so many from their beds. His remorse was for the portion of the city that had been utterly destroyed. They couldn’t see it from the lane they walked down, but he knew it was there, just a few blocks over, hidden from view, a violent scar across the face of Cerria.
Back in Wurthaven, they walked to his home first. He intended to leave immediately and begin seeking advice, but a piece of parchment was pinned to his new front door. Will felt a sense of foreboding as he pulled it down and turned it over. It was Rob’s handwriting.
You must leave, for they won’t let us escape. We are kept here, even though they know what the king has planned. We are merely decoys. No matter what the outcome tomorrow night, Terabinia loses.
Leave, or I may kill you. Please.
Will folded the paper carefully and slipped it into his pouch. He had a lot to think about and little time. He would have to consider Rob’s words while he worked on other things. We are merely decoys, the words repeated in his head.
The door opened before he could knock, and Janice stood within, looking distinctly unhappy. Will was relieved to see that her gaze focused primarily on Laina. Blake stood behind her, and he waved to Will with an expression of helplessness.
Laina lifted her chin, ready to face the challenge, until a deep voice boomed from down the hall. She visibly wilted as she recognized the owner. “Is that her?” demanded Mark Nerrow.
Janice gave the baron’s elder daughter a smug look. “Your father waits on you inside, Miss Nerrow.” She glanced down and saw Will squeeze his sister’s hand briefly, and a questioning frown flickered across her features.
“Don’t worry, Laina. You survived the king; your father won’t be half as bad,” said Will.
She squeezed back. “You’d better get moving or you’ll get caught up in all this.” Taking a deep breath, she went inside. Janice and Blake came outside.
Tiny spoke first. “We had no idea she would show up last night.” He spoke as though he had done something wrong, which Will simply couldn’t understand.
“It’s all right, Tiny. I know you didn’t mean to ditch me and bring her along instead,” said Janice, then she glanced at Will. “What was that?”
“What?” he asked, feigning innocence.
She took his hand and squeezed. “That. What was that?”
“You could pretend to be a little less observant once in a while, you know,” suggested Will. “In fact, I should tell you my latest revelation about truth, trust, and lies.”
“Is this an attempt to distract me? That’s even more suspicious,” she observed.
“No, honestly, listen. Lies are clothes, and sometimes we wear them because the truth causes us to lose our…” He paused. “Wait, that’s not how I said it before. Truth is an invasion of privacy, but lies are clothes that we don’t want to see through because…”
“Because you might have to pee when you wake up?” said Janice pointedly. Tiny and Blake both snickered. “I don’t think philosophy is your forte, so just fess up.”
Tiny couldn’t take it any longer. “Last night Will was inside Laina and now they’re friends.”
Janice glanced at Tiny and slow-blinked. Then she put one finger against his lips. “You are not helping.”
Meanwhile Will
was glaring at his friend. Tiny was generally well spoken, but for some reason he seemed to have lost his facility with words. While Janice’s eyes were elsewhere, Will mouthed, Don’t help me anymore, to Tiny. Off to one side, Blake continued to silently enjoy the show.
“Well?” asked Janice.
“What Tiny said wasn’t technically wrong, it just sounded wrong. I was possessed by Ethelgren’s relic and then I escaped, but there was nowhere for me to go…” The quick explanation took ten minutes, and at the end Janice was still asking more questions. “Listen, we need to find Professor Dulaney,” said Will. “I have a ritual to prepare, otherwise the king is going to raze the city tomorrow.”
Blake stepped up as they started to leave. “Um, should I come with you, sir?”
Will could hear the argument brewing in the house. Baron Nerrow’s voice was carrying well beyond the walls. He had no mercy for Blake, however. “Wait here. I may need the baron’s assistance when I get back later.”
The manservant’s face fell, but he turned back to the house. The rest of them walked toward the central part of the campus. “Does Dulaney have classes this morning?” asked Will.
“That shows how out-of-touch you are. Classes were canceled yesterday. Hundreds of people in the city are missing, and after last night that number is probably thousands. The entire city is on the verge of panic,” said Janice. “It doesn’t help that the king has closed the gates and is refusing to let anyone in or out of the city.”
Will couldn’t really blame them. “How will we find Professor Dulaney then?”
“I’m pretty sure there’s a lot going on at the main Administration building. At the very least there will be someone who can tell us where to go,” she responded.
They followed her suggestion, though as they walked Will noticed Tiny was acting strangely. “Why do you keep touching your lips like that?” he asked.
“I wasn’t,” declared Tiny as his arm swept out and nearly knocked Will to the ground. His face shaded to pink. “Sorry, I’m a little tense this morning.”
Scholar of Magic Page 49