by Victor Poole
"You're wrong about me," Denai said. Denai seemed to have forgotten how secretive he had decided to be. It was as if Ajalia had primed the pump, and the words spilled out of his mouth without him being fully aware of what he said. Ajalia thought that he was like Sharo had been, so full of secrets that he had never confided to anyone, that the barest touch of understanding set off his need to talk.
Delmar, Ajalia saw, was walking carefully behind the horse trader, his hands closed tightly around Denai's wrists, and she saw that Delmar was being sure not to jostle Denai, or to wake him from the confessional state he had fallen into.
"I was just going to watch Ullar," Denai said into the darkness. He looked like a man who is alone, and who talks to himself. "They lost control of Bain, after a little while. That's why I wanted to know how they did it," Denai added. "The priests haven't made any shadow children yet. They are talking of finding a witch, and taking her prisoner, and forcing her to make a child for them, but the priests are so afraid of the witches, and have so little defense against them, that they cannot think of how to start. Thell had the idea," Denai said, and his voice was becoming stronger, and more free, "years and years ago, before I ever got involved. I was only a spy then, and I had nothing to do with this other business. Rane knew about the shadow children, and he told the king of Talbos about them, but when they were all destroyed but Bain, he started to suspect that Beryl was helping the other witches conceal the boy. He started asking her questions, and she told him a very long story about magic, and about the corruption of Delmar's parents. Beryl wanted us to remove the Thief Lord, and Rane thought we would be able to establish a kind of second kingdom, under the dominion of the king of Talbos. Rane had been here, you know," Denai said, "when Simon became the Thief Lord. I think Rane hoped to do something similar."
Ajalia saw that Delmar wanted to ask Denai questions, but she caught his eye when he glanced at her, and she shook her head sharply. Delmar pressed his lips together, and continued to listen.
"I told him that it wouldn't work," Denai said meditatively. "I told him, Ajalia is too clever for you. He didn't think I was right, I guess. I didn't know he was actually going to attack you, though," Denai said, contradicting his earlier statement. He seemed to notice his own discrepancy, because he added, "I thought Rane was just talking, like he did sometimes. He would tell me things, because he thought I wasn't very bright. He would talk through plans, and then only use a part of one. So he told me he had thought of taking you, and hurting you just enough so you would talk, and tell your plan, and then he would be able to take secrets to Delmar about you."
"That's stupid," Delmar said harshly. Ajalia saw that Delmar could not restrain himself, and she smiled. She liked that Delmar found the idea of her being hurt repugnant. Ajalia had not realized until just now how little she was used to other people being angry at the idea of her being hurt.
Denai looked over at Delmar.
"Well, I told Rane that," Denai said. "I told him it was stupid. I told him, if you go and hurt Ajalia, Delmar will kill you. I thought he listened to me then, but I guess he didn't."
"Why are you telling us this now?" Ajalia asked. Denai shrugged.
"If you really are going to go into my stable, you'll find things," he said. "If you take some of them to Ullar, she'll tell you everything."
"Good," Ajalia said. "Come on, Delmar," she said, and turned back towards the dragon temple. Delmar stopped, and looked at her.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Home," Ajalia said.
"But what about imprisoning Denai?" Delmar asked, looking at the horse trader.
"He's given up," Ajalia said. "He realizes now the futility of his position. He won't go to the priests now, will you?" she asked the horse trader. Denai made a face.
"I probably wouldn't have gone in the first place," Denai said.
"That's a lie," Ajalia said. "Think about Chad for a moment," she told Delmar. She saw Delmar thinking of Chad. "Think of how little sense Chad has often exhibited." Delmar frowned, and then nodded. "Is it Chad's fault that his parents are monsters?" Ajalia asked. Delmar shook his head. "Is it really Chad's entire fault that he's been an empty-headed nincompoop for most of his life?" she asked.
"No," Delmar admitted.
"Well," Ajalia said, "Denai has shown himself to be an empty-headed nincompoop, but when it comes down to the actual situation, he has not been evil. He has been foolish," Ajalia said, "and he has been pretty stupid to fight us, but now he's given up. I think we can let him be now."
"But he has to be punished, or something," Delmar said. He sounded annoyed at letting Denai go, and Ajalia thought that Delmar was thinking of the struggle he had had to restrain the horse trader.
"Delmar," Ajalia said. Delmar heard the tone in her voice, and he grimaced.
"You're going to say something humiliating to me," Delmar said. Denai was standing quite still, and watching this exchange with avid attention. Ajalia told herself that Denai had probably never witnessed two people being completely honest with each other before. The experience, she thought, would be beneficial for the horse trader.
Delmar sighed, and lifted his chin.
"Go ahead," he said, sounding resigned.
"You did a lot of very rude and sometimes stupid things to me," Ajalia said, without malice.
"But I never threatened to beat you up," Delmar said quickly. Ajalia leveled a cold eye at Delmar, who had the grace to blush. "Well," Delmar said in a strangled voice, "I didn't mean it, at the time."
Denai had now the look in his face of a child who watches his parents argue over the dinner table. Ajalia thought that she could almost see the horse trader taking notes.
"Do I try to punish you for these things?" Ajalia asked, speaking in as unemotional a way as possible. Delmar's whole mouth was screwed up into a look of deep reluctance and irritation.
"No," Delmar said through gritted teeth. "But you are bringing it up now," he added severely.
"Denai," Ajalia said. Denai jumped a little, and stared at her. "Will you collect Ullar," Ajalia asked the horse trader, "and bring her to the dragon temple, without telling her why she is coming?"
"Yes," Denai said instantly. He struggled against Delmar's restraining hold, but this time he was trying to get away so that he could do Ajalia's bidding.
"And will you organize a thorough report of all your and Rane's doings in Slavithe?" Ajalia asked.
Denai nodded eagerly. He glanced at Delmar, who was watching him through narrowed eyes.
"And will you now give Delmar a complete list of your contacts among the priests, and tell us who the real husband of Ullar is?" Ajalia asked.
"Thell, the priest, is the father of Bain," Denai said, the words tumbling out of his mouth almost faster than he could form them. "Thell has told no one this, but Beryl knew. It is how we have taken leverage over him. Thell and three of his young men have sought to have their own children. They wish to make an army of shadow children."
"Have any of these other priests fathered children?" Ajalia asked. Denai looked at her eagerly, as though she were holding out a life-saving raft.
"No," Denai said. "No woman will entertain a priest. Thell was not a priest when he fathered Bain. He became a priest later, and Ullar has concealed their connection ever since, out of shame."
"What are the names of your other contacts?" Ajalia asked.
"I spoke mostly to Murdo," Denai said. "He was an assistant to Thell, and brother to Ofar, one of the three young men."
"What were the other two young men called?" Ajalia asked. Delmar was watching this exchange as though he thought Denai had become possessed; Ajalia told herself that Delmar, once he got the hang of seeing people's lies for what they were, would become thoroughly adept at this kind of information collection himself.
"Vole and Jash were the other two," Denai said. "May I go?" the horse trader asked, glancing at Delmar. "I will not go to the priests. I will do as you have said."
"Brin
g Ullar to me," Ajalia said, "and bring proof of Rane's duplicity."
"I will write down the names of all those priests I have seen or spoken to," Denai said, tugging at Delmar.
"Let him go," Ajalia said. Delmar frowned.
"I don't want to let him go," Delmar said.
"Well, think of it this way," Ajalia suggested. "If Denai runs away to the priests, and turns on us, you will be able to hold this over my head forever, and feel right and victorious." Delmar thought about this.
"I think you're manipulating me," Delmar said, but there was a smile in his eyes.
"Yes, I think that I am," Ajalia agreed. "What did you think of my black horse?" she asked Denai. Denai, who had quite overcome his fear, grinned.
"He's a great beast of a horse," Denai said, "but he's the best mover I've ever seen. We will found a new breed with him." Ajalia was smiling, and now Delmar was watching the two of them with a look of mild distaste in the curl of his mouth.
"Are you talking about horses now?" Delmar complained. Denai looked at him.
"Yes," Denai said. "Will you let go of me now?"
"I was very sorry to lose you," Ajalia told Denai. "Don't be stupid again."
"Yes," Denai said, nodding. "Or no, I won't be. Yes, I'm sorry too. Can I please go?" he asked Delmar, who was obstinately holding his wrists, and looking thunderous.
"If you turn on me," Delmar began, his eyes dark.
"Yes, yes," Denai said hurriedly. "You'll kill me, and it will be painful. I know." Delmar's eyes narrowed, but the trace of a smile tugged at his lips.
"Fine," Delmar said. "I hope you're right," he told Ajalia.
"She's always right, aren't you?" Denai said to Ajalia, and then he turned and ran into the darkness. Delmar watched him go, his face struggling between annoyance and pleasure.
"That did not go at all how I thought it would," Delmar admitted finally. Ajalia put her hand into his, and went back towards the dragon temple. "Why was the temple glowing?" he asked. "And my father's house?"
"I put magic in the walls," Ajalia said. "Apparently that makes the white stone light up."
"Oh," Delmar said. His fingers were closed around her hand, and Ajalia, who wanted to stop and kiss Delmar, bit her lips.
"We should have seen the glow of your father's house," Ajalia said. "I could see it from some distance, before."
"Maybe it wears off," Delmar suggested. Ajalia drew the old book out of her bag, and checked to see if it was hers. It was; she put it back in, and got out the other one. "There are two?" Delmar asked, his eyebrows lifting.
"I told them I found it with Tree's things," Ajalia reminded him. She handed the book over, and Delmar, who looked a little bit as though she had handed him his firstborn child, held it tenderly. "Now we both have one," she added, smiling.
"Do you think they're the same?" Delmar asked. He looked as though he didn't dare open the book. "I haven't got anywhere to put it yet," he added, giving it reluctantly back to Ajalia. Ajalia tucked the book into her back, and drew out the dagger. "What is that?" he asked, looking at the blackened sheath.
"I thought for sure you would know," Ajalia said, drawing the blade out of the old sheath. When the white blade was revealed, Delmar stopped stock still in the street.
"Is that the falcon's dagger?" he asked. Ajalia handed it to him. He lifted it reverently, and examined the shimmering bits of light that clung to the blade.
"Can you see the lights in the blade?" Ajalia asked him. Delmar nodded.
"I can see them a little," he said. "Now that I know you can see things, I can see bits, here and there. I think it's a matter of thinking that I can see."
"Leed can show you how to see," Ajalia told him. "Everyone in my house can see the lights now, and work them into magic." Delmar, who had begun to walk, stopped again.
THE
LOST PRINCE
"What do you mean?" Delmar demanded. "When did Leed come back?"
"Just the other day," Ajalia said. "He ran away, and his uncle caught him, and beat him. I'm going to get that man," she added thoughtfully.
"How does Leed know how to do magic?" Delmar demanded. He sounded indignant that the boy should know things that he didn't.
"I gave him my old book to read," Ajalia said. "When he'd read it, I had him teach my other boys. Chad is quite good at magic," she added. Delmar looked furious.
"Chad, too?" he asked.
"And Ocher," Ajalia said. "Oh, I don't know if he told you, but Ocher's going to be married soon, to my girl, Clare."
Delmar looked as though his head was slowly imploding. He came along behind Ajalia, his feet moving as if through deep water.
"I was only gone for a couple of days," Delmar said slowly. "And not that much happened to me." He eyed Ajalia suspiciously. "Maybe I will never leave you again."
"The priests came and attacked the dragon temple," Ajalia said helpfully, "and several witches were killed, some by the priests, and some by me. I flew a little. A great ugly black snake showed up, and I killed it. We have magical stones that will glow and give off light now," she said. "I was thinking we could open a sort of business, selling them. I'm not going to let them go, or tell anyone about them, until I hear more about my master's plans. And," she added, glancing at Delmar, who still looked shocked, "Philas has come back to beg for money."
Delmar looked furious again
"He's asking for money because he needed to buy horses for the caravan to return East," Ajalia said, before the diatribe that was clearly brewing in Delmar burst forth. "He's a mess, and he wanted to bully me, but I wasn't having it. Barat, that young man who was working with Denai, and taking care of the yurl, is heading up the caravan, and Philas has kept back a few slaves to set up house in Talbos. Philas is under the impression that master will stay in Talbos, if he comes, though he seemed to be changing his mind when he saw how I live. I have distracted Philas with my girl, Sun, who has instructions not to let him kiss her, but to distract him from mooning after me. I kept Cross with Sun," Ajalia added, "and told him to kick Philas, if Philas got ugly."
Delmar, who had now settled into an indignant silence, said nothing. Ajalia thought back over what had happened since Delmar had gone away.
"Coren is in my house," she said, "oh, and he told me where Wall was hiding with Yelin."
"He'll be at my father's secret cave," Delmar said. "I knew that. I've sent a few men to pick him up."
"Oh," Ajalia said. "Also, I missed you," she said. Delmar made a slight scoffing noise. "I did!" Ajalia said. "Ocher was visiting Clare when the priests attacked, and he came and helped me head them off, but then he was frightened of my magic, and ran away. I wished you had been there," she said. "The witches had come to kidnap Coren. Coren is nice now," she added.
Ajalia thought for a moment.
"Ossa is a witch," she said, "but she says her mother was a good witch, and that she is a good witch as well. I have forbidden her from doing magic on people, but I don't know if she'll listen. And I have a cook now. I hope she'll work out." Ajalia looked sideways at Delmar. Delmar looked somewhat sullen. Ajalia tugged at Delmar's hand, but Delmar said nothing. She pushed herself up against his chin, and kissed him. He was somewhat stony at first, but when she had snuggled up against him, he melted.
"It sounds like everything happened while I was gone," Delmar said. "I don't like things happening while I'm gone."
"I love you," Ajalia said.
"Harumph," Delmar said, but he was no longer glowering. "I suppose that will teach me to go and do important things without you," he said, smiling. He kissed her again. The falcon's dagger was still in his hand, and it pressed a little against Ajalia's side.
"The blade isn't sharp," she told him, "and we'll need to have a new sheath made for it."
"It's wonderful," Delmar said.
"You're wonderful," Ajalia said.
"What are the chances that Philas will have gone away?" Delmar asked. They had drawn near the dragon temple now; Delmar's father's h
ouse was as still and dark as all the other buildings surrounding it. Ajalia thought of the night she had climbed the outer wall to rescue Delmar from his horrible parents. It had only been a little while ago, but Ajalia felt as though months had passed between that night and this one.
"We'll have to stay out to meet Denai," Ajalia reminded Delmar. He put an arm around her waist, and snugged her close against his body. There was a deep hunger in the feeling of his arm. "Maybe Denai will not be able to find Ullar right away," she suggested. Delmar growled. She poked him, and he laughed at her.
"Can I hurt Philas, if he's rude?" Delmar murmured. Ajalia pushed at him.
"Only if he tries to corner me again," Ajalia said. Saying this reminded her of Hal, and she frowned. "You know Hal?" she asked.
"Yes," Delmar said.
"Well," Ajalia said. "I don't really want to tell you this, because I think you'll take it the wrong way, but he tried to kiss me. I scared him pretty badly, and I think he needs some guidance in the kissing and courting department."
"Hal did that?" Delmar asked. Ajalia nodded, and Delmar sighed. "I'm sorry," Delmar said. "I'll talk to him."
"Why don't you want to rough Hal up?" Ajalia asked, curious.
"Well," Delmar said, his mouth twisting to the side. "Hal has always been a little lost and sad. Philas is rotten. Hal is pathetic. I'm guessing you got away without being kissed?" Delmar asked, and Ajalia fought back a smile.
"He was crying," she said. "I felt almost sorry for him."
"Now if only Philas would do the same thing," Delmar said, a glint in his eye.
"Hopefully his ardor will have transferred to Sun by now," Ajalia said. "Sun is young and silly, but she wants very badly to be married."
"You weren't going to let her marry Philas!" Delmar exclaimed, sounding thoroughly shocked. Ajalia smiled at the expression on his face.