The King of Talbos (The Eastern Slave Series Book 6)

by Victor Poole

  Ajalia realized that she did not want to see Philas, or the house he had taken. She thought about going into the house, and hearing the greetings of the slaves who had been left behind. I was thinking of the slaves who have already left, Ajalia told herself. She had been thinking of seeing Darien, her Eastern boy, and Barat, and Erai. Leed had told her some of the slaves who had gone back East in the returning caravan, and she felt a deflating bubble burst in her middle.

  "I don't want to go and see Philas," Ajalia said suddenly. Delmar, who was arguing with Savage about the ethics of children punching each other, looked up. Ajalia thought that she saw a hopeful spark in Delmar's eyes. Savage looked around at her as well. "Isn't there anywhere else we can go in Talbos, besides the palace of death?" she asked. Delmar grinned at her. He held out a hand.

  "Come and sit behind me on the horse," Delmar said to her. "I know a place." Mop uttered a stuttering snore, and Savage shifted the boy on his shoulder.

  "I don't want to leave Savage behind," Ajalia said. She felt exposed, and as if she were negotiating some kind of a truce with Delmar. For the first time since she had known him, she found herself contemplating the idea of trusting him, and not watching him assiduously every moment, to see if he would betray her.

  "I wasn't going to leave Savage," Delmar said, but Ajalia didn't believe him.

  "You're just saying that because I said I didn't want to leave him behind," she said.

  "Well, Savage doesn't mind being left behind," Delmar said reasonably.

  "That is very thoughtless," Ajalia told Delmar. "He's mine, and I'm keeping him."

  "Then of course I will wait for Savage," Delmar said, but Ajalia heard a slight edge at the bottom of Delmar's voice.

  "Now you don't even want me to sit with you on the horse," Ajalia said. Savage began to laugh, and both Delmar and Ajalia turned to him.

  "I am not a bargaining chip," Savage said. "I will follow behind if you tell me where to go." Delmar looked down at Ajalia with triumph in his eyes, and Ajalia frowned.

  "But that is not fair," Ajalia told Savage. "I want to take care of you, and make you a part of whatever happens."

  "And this is exactly why Philas desires you," Savage pointed out. "You think of others more than you think of yourself. You say that Philas will be the king of Saroyan," Savage told her, "but how much of your time will you spend, to make this so? And Philas is a liar, and a trickster. You admit that he is not steady."

  "Well," Ajalia said, feeling rather foolish.

  "What will happen to Philas, if you never think of him again?" Savage asked. Delmar said Ajalia's name, and held out his hand. Ajalia took it, and Delmar pulled her up onto the back of the horse. Ajalia settled herself behind Delmar, and put her arms around his waist. She felt one of Delmar's hands close firmly around her wrist.

  "I don't know," Ajalia admitted. "Maybe he would hang around in Talbos."

  "Why will he not go back to his master in the East?" Savage asked. Savage, Ajalia thought, was being awfully patient.

  "Why do you keep talking to me about Philas?" Ajalia asked. The night air was chilly, and a stiff breeze blew in from the sea. Talbos, Ajalia told herself, was colder than Slavithe was. "Do you know why he keeps talking to me about Philas?" Ajalia asked Delmar.

  "You know how you like to work on people, and ask them questions?" Delmar asked Ajalia.

  "Yes," she said.

  "He's doing that to you," Delmar said. Ajalia blinked.

  "Why are you doing that to me?" Ajalia asked Savage. Savage looked reticent.

  "I don't want to say," Savage said.

  "Why? Because I'll be angry?" Ajalia asked. Savage shrugged.

  "Probably," he said. Ajalia thought for a moment.

  "Do you think I'll be angry if you keep asking me questions until I agree with you?" she asked.

  "No," Savage said.

  "Then finish asking me questions," Ajalia said, and she leaned her cheek against Delmar's shoulder. She felt partially invisible in the darkness; she would never have snuggled Delmar like this in the sunlight, but she felt alone in the deep night, and a drowsy relaxation was stealing up her back, now that she was sitting astride the horse, whose long strides made her body rock. Delmar's back was warm, and leaning against him felt like home. Ajalia did not think that she was in danger of falling asleep, but she blinked, and wiggled her arms, to make sure. I am awake, Ajalia told herself, and she hardly noticed the yawn that crept over her.

  "So why does Philas stay here, instead of going to the East, or going himself to Saroyan?" Savage asked. Ajalia blinked, and a quiet comfort snuck into her eyes.

  "I asked him that myself," Ajalia said. "I think I asked him more than once. He thinks he's going to get me to go away with him, I think. But I won't."

  "Does he know that?" Savage asked. Ajalia laughed.

  "No," she said. "Philas never listens to me. He listens to Leed, now. He hears what Leed says, more than he ever listened to me."

  "And who is Leed?" Savage asked. Ajalia yawned again, and shook herself.

  "Leed is a little spy from Talbos," Ajalia said. "He is like me. He has become like a general in Slavithe. Leed says that he will do for Philas in Saroyan what I did for Delmar in Slavithe."

  Savage was quiet for some time.

  "And have you got more questions for me now?" Ajalia asked. She was amused by the seriousness with which Savage questioned her. She thought that both Savage and Delmar were trying to turn the tables on her, and to be more knowledgeable and practical than she was. She thought that her competence irritated them.

  "Do you approve of Leed doing this?" Savage asked finally.

  "It is none of my business, what Leed does," Ajalia said. "He will have a future in Saroyan, and Leed cannot be the Thief Lord here, or the Thief Lord's wife." She laughed. "I will be the Thief Lord's wife," she added. "I think that Leed knows he cannot grow into power in Slavithe, or in Tablos. Leed has eyes, and can see."

  "I see that I was wrong," Savage said. "I apologize for my forwardness, mistress." Savage bowed respectfully towards the horse. "I have misjudged your wisdom. You are greater than I." Ajalia laughed, and sat up on the horse.

  "Just now you were trying to trap me, weren't you?" she asked. Delmar did not say anything, but Ajalia thought she could sense a wave of light indignation sweeping out of his shoulders.

  "I was not trying to trap you," Savage said, "but I thought you had made an error."

  "You thought I was being indiscreet, in talking to Philas," Ajalia said. She sighed, and leaned against Delmar. "I do not make that kind of error," she told Savage.

  The clopping of the black horse's hooves changed; the road smoothed, and began to be formed of fitted cobblestones.

  "Were you hoping that Savage would beat me down with words?" Ajalia asked Delmar.

  "I don't know," Delmar said. "I don't like talking about all these things. It seems nicer to me to ignore them." Ajalia laughed, and tightened her grip around Delmar's waist.

  "Weren't you trying to worship Delmar up there on the mountain?" Ajalia asked Savage. "How is that different to what Philas did to me?" Savage did not say anything for a while.

  "That is different," Savage said finally.

  "How?" Delmar asked.

  "Now you are interested," Ajalia pointed out. Delmar squeezed her wrist.

  "Well, I think I am very interesting," Delmar said with dignity, and Ajalia laughed again.

  "I think that you are a god," Savage said to Delmar. "It is not wrong to worship a god."

  Savage's statement was met with a drawn-out silence.

  "I don't think I'm a god," Delmar said finally. "Do you think I'm a god?" he asked Ajalia.

  "No," Ajalia said. "I don't really believe that there are any gods, though. I don't know if I get to have an opinion."

  "I think you're right about everything," Delmar said, "so I will agree with you about there being no gods." Ajalia laughed again.

  "Doesn't that kind of statement require some k
ind of long reflection?" she asked him. Delmar shrugged.

  "You have not been wrong about anything yet, have you?" Delmar asked.

  "Well," Ajalia said, "no, but I might be wrong about something. I might be wrong about this."

  "But you haven't been wrong," Delmar insisted. "Tell me one time that you have been wrong."

  Ajalia thought about this.

  "I thought the king here in Talbos would be sensible," she said. "I was wrong about that."

  "But you hadn't ever met him," Delmar said. "And you figured out all about him after you met him, didn't you? We're turning here," Delmar said, and directed the horse down a road that curved away from the mountain path.

  "Where are we going to?" Ajalia asked.

  "Relatives," Delmar said. He must have sensed the angry disapproval that surged out of Ajalia's whole body, because he laughed. "Nice relatives," Delmar said. "They hated Fernos, and have been living in some retirement on the other side of the mountain for years."

  "Are they the second family of the old king?" Savage asked, sounding interested.

  "Old king Talbos?" Delmar asked. "I guess you could call them a second family," he said. "They don't think of themselves as a second family."

  "Who are these people?" Ajalia asked.

  "No, I will not be distracted," Delmar said, sounding determined. "I asked you if you had ever been wrong so far."

  "I don't think that's a fair thing to say," Ajalia said. "I've probably been wrong about several things."

  "You were not wrong about my mother, or my father," Delmar said. "You were right to let Denai join us again, after he told you what you wanted to hear. You were right about Philas being possibly decent inside, even though I didn't think he possibly could be. I mean, I still don't like him, but he doesn't sulk around and stare at you anymore."

  "That is true," Ajalia said.

  "And you've got all nice boys," Delmar said, "and everyone thinks the dragon temple is the nicest place to live now, even though you were the only one who wanted the building. Chad told me about that," Delmar told her with a smile. "And you were right about Chad," Delmar added. He let out a reluctant sigh. "And you're probably right about all those witches wanting to get married someday. Ajalia says she'll send Chad East with a witch for a wife," Delmar told Savage, "to set a precedent. I've banned marriage to known witches, and Ajalia says those young women will want to get married, and, anyway, you're always right so far."

  "Well, I don't think it's my fault that I'm right," Ajalia said. "And what about Savage thinking that you're a god?" Delmar turned on the horse to look at her.

  "What does that have to do with anything?" he asked.

  "I was trying to distract you," Ajalia said. "You're making me feel uncomfortable."

  "Well, I think you're always right," Delmar said. "So if you say there aren't any gods, there aren't. And if there aren't any gods," Delmar told Savage, a note of triumph in his voice, "then I can't be a god. So there." Ajalia was thinking again of the way Rane had looked at her, with awe in his eyes, when she had openly done magic in Ocher's house, and of the way Rane had turned and tried to attack her later.

  "Delmar," Ajalia said.

  "Yes," Delmar said. Savage was still walking beside them, carrying the sleeping Mop.

  "Do you think Savage reminds you at all of Rane?"

  Delmar pulled back on the reins of the horse in surprise, and the black horse stopped. Delmar stared down through the darkness at Savage, who halted, and looked around at them.

  "I see that I will have to explain," Savage said. Ajalia felt as though she were about to find out the heart of some great and deep mystery; she hoped that she would hear from Savage something that would explain to her why Rane had turned against her so suddenly, and without any warning.

  "Well, that's ominous," Delmar said. "What secret thing have you got going on with people like Rane?"

  "Yes, I'd like to hear about that as well," Ajalia said. "And is this why you were so eager to follow me around, and be loyal?"

  She could not see Savage's eyes very well, but she could see that the man's mouth was turned down in a grim line. Savage looked up at them for a long time, and then he began once again to walk along the road.

  "Where are you going?" Delmar asked. He nudged at the horse. Savage walked along the road for some time without speaking. When the former priest opened his mouth, his voice was low, and solemn.

  "You will not believe what I say," Savage said. "And you will not like what I have to say about Rane, or Beyrl."

  "Okay," Ajalia said. "Tell us anyway." Savage laughed.

  "I have warned you," Savage said. "If you try to kill me, when you have heard, I warn you that I will defend myself."

  "In that case," Ajalia said, "we can have a killing festival on the road, and I will weep movingly over Delmar's bleeding body before expiring myself." She settled her arms more firmly around Delmar's waist, and snuggled him. His hand found her wrist again, and he stroked her arm. "Are you planning on one of us killing you?" Ajalia asked. Savage laughed.

  "You do not believe me," Savage said. "I told you that people would kill me, if they saw my soul."

  "Yes, and I didn't try to kill you," Ajalia said. "I don't know anything about this sky god of yours. Maybe you are overreacting."

  "And maybe you will try to kill me, when you know," Savage said. Ajalia, who thought the whole situation was becoming ridiculous, sat up on the horse.

  "I will tell you the most outrageous thing I can think of," she said, "based on the bits of legend and religion that I have picked up from the people of Slavithe and of Talbos. I am your sky goddess, and you priests are all depending on me to lead some kind of restoration of your ancient ways. Because I am from the East, those who are ambitious among you, like yourself, and Rane, have decided that I am unlikely to cooperate with your sweeping plans. Rane decided to kidnap me, and to isolate me somewhere in the mountains with your priests, where you all hoped to coerce me into leading the people of Talbos into some kind of utopia in the clouds. Was I going to make a fleet of flying horses?" Ajalia asked Savage, "Or were you thinking I would lift up the whole city at once on a cloud of magic?"

  Savage looked mildly discomfited. Delmar smiled, when he saw the disgruntled expression that developed on Savage's face.

  "Ajalia has that effect on people," Delmar told Savage. "She used to make me feel that way."

  "If Rane had come to me as an honest man," Ajalia said, "and told me what he wanted, I would have talked it over with him. I might have tried to do what he asked, if it sounded reasonable. Instead, Rane sent a Talbos spy who was disguised as a Slavithe guard, and gave me an urgent message. He also mentioned Philas to lure me out. When I went to Simon's house, where I was told the Talbos spies had gathered together to meet me, Rane was waiting. I thought at the time that Rane was planning to hold me captive to gain some kind of leverage over Delmar, but I think this religious nonsense makes his actions clearer. Is this what Rane was doing?" Ajalia asked.

  Savage looked distinctly uncomfortable.

  "You are supposed to be disgusted, and outraged," Savage pointed out. Ajalia shrugged.

  "Rane was a fool about it," she said. "Please don't do something similar to Delmar." Delmar looked around, an expression of chagrin on his face.

  "What? Do what? What are you going to do with me? And don't do whatever it is," Delmar added quickly.

  "He's thinking, in the back of his mind, of making you his prisoner, and forcing you to be a figure of worship to the people of Talbos," Ajalia said.

  "That's ridiculous," Savage said. His voice had gone wild.

  "I see what you mean, about showing emotion," Delmar told Ajalia.

  "You're going to wake up Mop," Ajalia pointed out. Savage was panting now, and his whole body was braced, as if against a strong wind.

  "Were you really thinking of kidnapping me?" Delmar asked, sounding intrigued. "I've never been kidnapped before," Delmar told Ajalia.

  "I think your ca
lmness is upsetting Savage," Ajalia told Delmar. Savage, who was now uttering inarticulate squeaks and snorts of emotion, stumbled back against the stony ground. Savage seemed suddenly to remember that he was holding the child, Mop, over his shoulder. The former priest froze, as if captured in the grip of indecision, and then his face turned, with tortured eyes to Ajalia.

  "I would run away," Savage whispered loudly to Ajalia, "but I don't want to drop the boy."

  "Delmar is not angry with you," Ajalia pointed out. Savage was looking only at Ajalia. The man's body seemed to have become stretched in a kind of threshing frame; his whole face was tormented with conflicting emotion.

  "He will destroy me, lady," Savage said. His voice was hoarse with shame and terror.

  "Delmar doesn't destroy people," Ajalia said easily. "Do you, Delmar?" she asked, but she kept her eyes fixed on Savage, who was looking up at her as though clasping to a life-giving rope.

  "No," Delmar said. "I don't destroy people. I killed my father," Delmar added, "and I had to kill that woman, Ullar, but she was trying to stab Denai. And it took Ajalia a lot of time to get me to kill my father," he added. "I wouldn't mind roughing up Philas a little," Delmar said brightly, "but that's very small-minded of me."

  "Why don't you give Savage an important job to do, Delmar?" Ajalia asked quietly. Savage was still glaring up at her with emotional eyes. His mouth was open, and the breath that heaved in and out of him was like water seeping through a torn bag. Savage looked utterly devastated.

  "Do you think a job would help Savage feel better?" Delmar asked, looking down at the man. Savage, Ajalia saw, did not dare move.

  "I think it would help, yes," Ajalia said firmly.

  "Well, then," Delmar said. "Savage, as your king and spiritual figure, I have a command for you. Will you follow it?"

  Savage blinked rapidly, and a great sob of air came into his body. Ajalia saw that Savage was very near tears.