by Matthew Ward
"This is worse than I thought," I murmured.
He shot a look at the gate. "Getting to Skyhaven is that important?"
"I have to know if Arianwyn knew about the alliance's annulment." My heart told me she hadn't, but the possibility of that betrayal, on top of everything I'd learned about Calda, gnawed at me. "At the very least I have to say goodbye. Who knows, maybe I can convince Karov to change his mind?"
Jamar nodded. "Do I have your promise that you'll return home as soon as your business on Skyhaven is complete? Not a prince's promise, but a friend's?"
I narrowed my eyes. Where was this going? "You do. I don't see that I have a choice any longer."
He smiled, then clasped a fist to his chest in salute. "Good. I'm glad that's settled. Find a way to have me released later."
Jamar turned smoothly, and took one step towards the stepping gate. Then he slammed his fist into the nearest praetorian's face.
I doubted that the Tressian even saw the blow coming. He'd see nothing more for a few hours afterwards either, as the impact struck his senses clean away. Despite his size, Jamar moved uncommonly quick when he wanted to.
It was the last thing the others had expected. Whilst they stood stupefied, Jamar bore another to the ground. Jarred to action at last, the rest of the praetorians entered the fight, their swords thankfully still scabbarded, and the stepping gate the least of their concerns.
A heartbeat later, I was through the stepping gate and in Skyhaven.
*******
I half-expected to be pursued onto Skyhaven, but it seemed the praetorians were either too occupied with Jamar, or had orders not to pass through the gate. Before long, I found Arianwyn and Karov in a chamber near the base of the Courts of Heaven.
"Why have you dissolved the alliance?"
I'd hoped for a guilty reaction, something to justify my anger, but Karov didn't so much as twitch. "Ah, Ambassador," he said smoothly. "I do wonder if now is the proper time? Lady Trelan is helping me finalise the details of..."
"He's done what?" Arianwyn rounded on Karov.
"Not I, Lady Trelan, but the council. We decided it was in Tressia's best interests. You'd have heard all the arguments, had you been there, but I believe you've been spending much of your time here of late, have you not? I don't believe we've seen you in council for more than a week."
Arianwyn swallowed and glanced away. How much time had she been spending here? She opened her mouth to speak, but Karov wasn't yet done making his point.
"I have, on at least two occasions, had heralds seek you out, precisely so you'd have the opportunity to speak on the matter. I was under no obligation to make the attempt, so please do me the kindness of not suggesting that I somehow excluded you."
I was both relieved and worried by Karov's assertion: relieved, because it proved Arianwyn hadn't been involved in keeping the decision from me; worried because of just how much time she'd been spending with Azyra. I'd worried before that they'd seemed too friendly. Now, I was certain of it.
"Did the serathiel ask this of you?" I asked Karov.
"Certainly not," he replied, offended. "We merely decided we'd been too hasty in offering the hand of friendship, and had done so out of fear. Which is not to say it won't be extended again in future."
"None of which explains why you ordered your praetorians to stop me coming to Skyhaven,"
"Ambassador. Edric." Karov paused. "I understand you're most upset. I know the alliance meant a very great deal to you personally, and I sought not to burden you with this knowledge until you were fully recovered. Perhaps I should have said something sooner. No. I most definitely should, and you have my profound apology for that misjudgement. I did not, however, give orders that you be barred from the stepping gate. I gave orders that the guard be tightened, certainly, after that grey ne'er-do-well slunk through, but..."
"Wait," Arianwyn interrupted, a look of puzzlement on her face. "When did that happen?"
"According to the serathiel, late last night," Karov said warily. "She told us both, not more than two hours ago. You were here."
"I assure you I was not."
"You were," Karov insisted, growing irritated himself. "It was after one of your lessons. You were fatigued, but definitely present – you even seemed to recognise the man when he was brought before us."
"Mikel, listen to me..." Arianwyn began.
"No," Karov interrupted. "I know you're both under certain pressures at the moment, but I will not be told the evidence of my own eyes and ears is incorrect. There was an intruder last night, Arianwyn. I suggest you visit the gaol if you do not believe me – perhaps the sight of him will spur your memory." He turned to me. "And Ambassador, why would I attempt to bar your access? The serathi would overrule me in a moment. Or perhaps that's why you're so angry about it. Perhaps you're worried they wouldn't. Now if you'll both excuse me?" His expression thunderous, Karov left the room.
Arianwyn, her anger bleeding quickly away, crossed to my side. "I'm sorry about the alliance. I'd no idea. I have been avoiding council meetings of late. Coming here seemed more important."
"That's the least of my problems, believe me." I glanced around and noticed a drudge standing silently beside the door. It was slightly worrying that I'd overlooked him. Was I growing as accustomed to them as the serathi? "Leave us, please."
[[At once.]] He bowed and departed.
"What is it, Edric?" Arianwyn asked, her face tight with concern.
"I have to go home." I recounted Jamar's news.
"I don't know what to say," Arianwyn breathed when I'd finished.
"Say you'll join me in Tregard, as soon as you can," I said. "I'll need your strength and certainty before this is done with, but most of all... I need you at my side. I'll find things impossible otherwise."
"Of course." She took my hands in hers. "I'm surprised you even needed to ask."
"You told me I couldn't make this decision based on what you wanted."
"And you haven't." She smiled. "Must you leave soon?"
"There's no sense in putting things off, but must at least try to speak to Azyra before I depart."
"And father, of course," Arianwyn insisted.
"If there's time, certainly." A thought struck me. "I'll need you to do something in your official capacity."
"Oh yes?" she asked, not-quite warily. "What would that be?"
"The praetorians at the stepping gate; I'm only here because Jamar..."
She held up her hands. "I don't need to know the details. He'll need releasing from somewhere, I assume."
"Yes."
"I'll see to it. Was it really necessary?"
"I think so." I pinched my brow. "Maybe Karov didn't give the order, but the praetorians were adamant that I not be allowed through."
"He's behaving strangely though," Arianwyn pointed out. "If someone came here without permission, I certainly didn't meet them."
"This ne'er-do-well of his?"
"Yes. I'd remember something like that."
"Perhaps we should take up Karov's suggestion of visiting the gaol?"
"Why not?" Arianwyn agreed. "Father's in the south gardens. We can see what Mikel was prattling about on the way."
The gaol was just as I remembered it: the corridor at the foot of a spiral stair, the leaded window along one wall, and the row of bleak cells on the other. Unlike my previous visit, there was a single male drudge in the room, presumably set as a guard, or to see to the prisoner's needs.
There was only one prisoner. He was in the endmost cell, nearest the stairway by which we entered. As I'd already suspected, I did indeed know him. Morecet. Apparently he'd decided to try his luck on Skyhaven after all. He sat on the floor of his cell, pushing dust around with the point of one finger, but stood up as we approached.
"Ah, Edric and Lady Trelan," he said expansively. "It's good of you to visit. Alas, I'm somewhat limited in the hospitality I can offer."
"I warned you about coming here," I said.
&nb
sp; "But you've such a terribly cautious nature, Edric. It practically screams at me to do the opposite of anything that you say." He offered Arianwyn a mocking bow. "Lady Trelan I've seen in this place before, of course, though she scarcely acknowledged me."
"I haven't seen you in months," Arianwyn said firmly. "Not since we defeated Malgyne."
"You stood no further from me then than you do now, whilst one of the serathi demanded to know if you or Lord Karov had brought me here." Morecet frowned. "No? Not stirring any memories?"
She scowled. "I wish people would stop trying to convince me to remember things that didn't happen."
"She and Karov have already argued about this," I warned.
"Oh, I see." Morecet stepped back and pressing a finger to his lips. "I understand, of course I do. You're worried about being associated with me. Either that, or you just look like Lady Trelan, which I'm sure Edric would picked up on by now, wouldn't you Edric?" He grinned insolently, then went serious, as if something had suddenly occurred to him. "That room at the end. You know it's for, don't you? That's where they turn inconvenient prisoners into their little slaves."
I exchanged a glance with Arianwyn. "I know that. But I'm surprised to hear that you do as well."
"You'd be surprised what I know about the serathi. It's just a shame you'll never find out."
"And why's that?" Arianwyn asked acidly.
"Because this time tomorrow, I'll be serving you your food, or slopping out the latrines, or perhaps just standing around, waiting for my next command. I doubt I'll be very talkative."
"You think they're going to turn you into a drudge?" I asked.
"I know they are. The one in charge – the tall one whose smile never touches her eyes – she told me as much."
It was a fair description of Azyra. "That does seem a little harsh."
"Don't tell me," Morecet bit out. "Tell the serathi."
"You still haven't explained why you came here," said Arianwyn.
Morecet scowled. "My employer asked me to have a look around. He thought there might be... opportunities."
"To steal things?"
"You wound me, Lady Trelan."
She shook her head. "I don't think so."
"I swear I've done nothing to harm the serathi. You can't let them do this to me just because I was curious." He sighed. "Look, you both owe me for helping with Malgyne..."
"For which you were well paid," Arianwyn said coldly.
Morecet ignored her. "...but if you get me out of here, I'll owe you, no question." He came closer to the bars. "I'm a good person to have as a friend, believe me. Like I said, you'd be surprised by what I know of the serathi." There was a definite note of desperation in his voice now.
A thought struck me. "Was it you who left that book in my room?"
He frowned. "What book?"
"The Great Powers of the World. Someone entered the embassy and left it at my bedside. I don't think many people could have done that without trace, but I imagine you're one of them."
"I daresay," he allowed, "but it wasn't me. I don't leave things lying around for other people. I'm more for taking things other people have left lying around. When justified, of course. Not that I've done anything of the sort on Skyhaven," he added hastily. "For all the good it's done."
Arianwyn sighed. "I suppose I could talk to Azyra on your behalf."
"Very kind, I'm sure, but it won't do any good," Morecet insisted. "Dawn tomorrow, she said. You'll be able to see her before then, will you? And convince her?" It was plain he didn't hold out a lot of hope.
To be honest, nor did I. Changing the serathiel's mind was no easy task. "It's the best we can do."
I'd expected Morecet to grow angry, or to plead. He did neither, but slumped against the bars with an air of defeat, which was in its way far worse to look upon. He said nothing as Arianwyn and I left, but just stared at his feet, a man certain of his fate.
I didn't say much as we walked away from the gaol. Partly, I was thinking about Arianwyn. Karov and Morecet's stories aligned perfectly, and they had little reason to lie – about this, at least. Why had she forgotten seeing him the first time? I supposed it was the stress from Azyra's lessons, but knowing that didn't help. It just raised the possibility that Arianwyn was doing herself lasting harm. Were Karov and Morecet trying to trick Arianwyn into believing she was forgetting things? Why would they go to so much trouble?
Mostly, though, I wondered about Morecet himself. Could I leave him to be turned into a drudge? That he'd come for more than a simple 'look around' Skyhaven, I was quite sure, but I was equally certain Karov would have mentioned if he'd killed one of the serathi, or performed some other crime worthy of the punishment.
I thought of Constans, and the nightmares his death had brought. Could I bear to have my sleep interrupted by guilt at Morecet's fate? Granted, he'd brought this well and truly on himself, but the fact remained that he'd once risked his life to save me, and that debt demanded I not abandon him now.
I halted. Arianwyn took a few paces more, then looked back at me. "What is it?"
"I need to go back."
I expected a lecture, or at least a stern look, but received neither. "I was wondering when you'd work it out for yourself."
"Am I that predictable?"
"On occasion. I'll come with you."
I shook my head. "No. There's no sense you provoking the serathiel too – you need her to finish your lessons." I wasn't sure about the last part, but I needed to give Arianwyn a reason to stay away.
She didn't look convinced. "Are you sure about this?"
"Absolutely," I lied, and kissed her. "Go and find your father. I'll come to you afterwards."
*******
Much to my surprise, I experienced no faltering of resolve as I headed back towards the gaol. I knew I was about to harm my standing with the serathi, but I was counting on my twin statuses as emissary and royal heir to protect me from the worst of it. Of course, I'd probably lose my status as emissary, but as no one seemed to be interested in anything I said or did in that capacity, I couldn't bring myself to mourn its loss.
Morecet looked up immediately as I stepped from the spiral stairway. "Edric? Dare I hope my roguish charm has won you over?"
"Be quiet. I can just as easily leave you here."
"Of course. Sorry."
I peered at the cage's lock. I didn't have the key. I didn't have any lock picks. All I had was an idea.
I turned to the drudge. "Do you know who I am?"
[[You are Ambassador Saran.]]
That was a stroke of luck. It would have otherwise been a hard thing to prove. "So you know that I'm the serathiel's emissary?"
[[Indeed.]]
"What are your instructions?"
[[To ensure that the prisoner does not harm himself.]]
The serathi clearly didn't want Morecet evading the fate they planned for him. "You've not been commanded to stop him from leaving?"
[[No.]]
"Good." I took a deep breath. If this didn't work, I could do nothing more for Morecet. If it did, I was sure to find myself in trouble very soon. "I want you to open the cell door."
The drudge didn't refuse, not quite. [[I do not have the key.]]
"Then who does?"
[[The serathiel.]]
"Fantastic plan," Morecet muttered. "I somehow don't think she's going to hand it over to you if you ask nicely. Perhaps you could seduce her, and whisk it away before the sweet nothings have faded?"
"I told you to be quiet," I snarled. "I won't tell you again." I turned my attention back to the drudge. "I didn't ask you to unlock the cage, I told you to open it. So open it."
For what seemed entirely too long a span, the drudge stared back at me. I was wagering that my unusual status of 'emissary' gave me enough authority to command a drudge to do anything short of causing obvious harm, or going against one of the serathi's stated wishes, but I was a long way from being certain.
[[Yes, Ambassador,]] the d
rudge said at last.
"I'd move clear, if I were you," I told Morecet.
The drudge locked its hands around the bars of the door. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with an ear-splitting screech, the heavy hinges at last gave way, and the drudge hauled the door free.
[[Is that what you wished for?]]
"It was indeed, thank you." I waved at Morecet. "Come on."
He was as my side a heartbeat later, ostentatiously brushing himself down. "So all I had to do was ask that drudge nicely, and it would have let me out?" He sounded aggrieved. "I feel rather foolish."
"It wouldn't have worked for you," I said. "Can you find your way back to the stepping gate?"
His face twisted. "I think so."
I shook my head. "Not good enough. I'll take you."
"Not that I'm ungrateful, but are you sure you want to put yourself to further risk by being seen with me?"
I didn't, but it was too late now. "All the serathi have to do to find out that I helped you is ask our stone friend over there. I'd like to make sure that you actually escape, now that I've gone to all this trouble."
Morecet grinned. "I shan't argue. Your sacrifice is graciously accepted. Lead on."
*******
Getting from the gaol to the stepping gate proved much easier than I'd expected. It the sun was already low beneath the clouds, leaving Skyhaven in the murk of dusk. We stayed close to the shadows offered by the buildings and trees. We didn't run. There were still occasional serathi flying overhead – nothing would have drawn their attention quicker than two mortals sprinting their way through the streets.
Despite these precautions, I was worried we'd be intercepted long before we reached our destination. I came to love and fear every shadow, which could just have easily contained a watchful grace as it offered concealment to Morecet and I. Fortunately, no such peril lurked in the darkness. We did, however, disturb the slumbers of a white cat, which yowled with anger and shot away when one of Morecet's boots inadvertently grazed its flank. Already on edge, the sudden noise and the blur of movement startled me quite badly, though I was relieved to see Morecet had been similarly afflicted.
"Wretched animal," he muttered.