by Guy Antibes
“We all travel with the army until we reach North Salvan. Why sneak through miles of enemy territory when we can be escorted to the border?” Shro said, with a smug smile on her face. “Can we convince Beastwell to go to the camp?”
Pol nodded. “Leave that to me. I’m certain I can convince him…without mind-control.”
Horker’s face darkened. “That leaves how we get him out.”
“Leave that to us,” Shro said. “Make yourself conspicuous while we break him out tonight. Can you do that?”
“I guess I can ask to see Manda, but I don’t see the point.”
“You already have,” Shro said, rubbing her own eye.
“Do you know anyone else in the castle?” Pol said. “Access to the library? Spend the night at the castle infirmary?”
“The infirmary sounds like the safest to me. I’ll leave now. If they won’t let me stay, I’ll think of something, maybe get drunk and spend the night in the assembly kitchen. There is always a cook on call.”
Pol didn’t like any of Horker’s options, but the Captain needed to be someplace else. Shro and Pol wouldn’t be expected to rescue Kelso, but it shouldn’t be too hard with Pol’s invisibility and Shro’s camouflage technique.
Pol and Shro left Horker locking his door and heading to the infirmary.
“We’ll need black clothes,” Pol said.
“Surely you can change their color.”
That brought a smile to Pol’s lips. “I never thought of doing that. See? I am inexperienced.”
She smiled back and put her hand on Pol’s shoulder. “Stay with me and you’ll learn a lot that you don’t know.” She patted his face and went out to find the washroom.
Pol touched where Shro patted as he sat down on his bed. He wondered what kind of an invitation she had given him. He shook his head and grunted. Pol had no experience with girls, and with Shro’s disguise, he acknowledged that he was totally confused.
~
Hours later, both clad in black, Pol led Shro through the castle to the dungeons in stocking feet. They both decided that it would be better not to use their magic unless an emergency arose.
The guards were inattentive, it being so late, making it easy for Pol to cast invisibility for both of them, and they slid past three guard stations. No guards walked down the corridor leading to Kelso’s cell.
Pol made quick work of the lock. He opened the door.
A figure slumped in the corner. Pol lit a magician’s light. Horker smiled wryly.
“Welcome. King Astor has a certain reticence on using a truth spell on Beastwell, but he has no such restriction on a Tesnan monk.”
Pol turned around as Shro collided into him, and the door clanged shut.
“Sleep tight. We will have an interesting conversation with each of you in the morning,” Manda said.
Pol listened to the footsteps fade down the corridor. He used his location sense to find two guards stationed outside their door. One other occupant shared the dungeon level with them, presumably Kelso.
“How much do they know?” Pol said.
Horker looked up at them reluctantly. “A healer sent a message to Manda, who woke me up in the infirmary. He asked me about Onkar, who was seen leaving the castle.”
“Then came the truth spell?”
“I told them that you were going to attempt to rescue Beastwell. That seemed to be all he wanted to know. He still thinks you two are who you say. I’ve already vouched for your ability as a Seeker.”
“So the guards just ignored us?”
Horker nodded. “If you blatantly walked past them, the guards would have let you pass. They were told to do nothing. Manda was in a nearby cell, sitting and sipping wine or something with a few other guards, waiting to hear your voices.”
“Stupid,” Pol said.
Horker nodded.
“What happens next?” Pol asked.
“I suppose we’ll find out in the morning.”
Shro looked around the cell. “How will we know it’s morning?” She wrapped herself in her arms.
“We won’t,” Pol said quietly. He laid a hand on Horker’s head. “No compulsion, no mind-control. Well, I learned something tonight. Mind-control shields do not stop truth spells.”
“So they could have used a truth spell on Kelso?” Shro asked.
“They probably did before we got here. Manda wanted to catch Horker using a truth spell. Now I would guess they’ll just lie about it.”
“They’ll have to because we will still be leaving tonight, except this time all of us leave Covial together,” Pol said, his voice nearly a whisper.
“What about the guards?” Horker said.
Pol looked at Shro. She nodded back.
“What guards?” Pol said. He walked up to the cell and tweaked the lock. “Shall we see if Kelso is in that cell?”
The guards were frozen in place.
Pol looked through the tiny window into the other cell. Kelso huddled around a single candle.
“Kelso?”
“Who’s there?”
Pol looked at Horker. “Give me a minute. He’ll come with us willingly.”
After unlocking Kelso’s cell, Pol walked up to him. “You’re coming with us.”
“Why would I go with you? Manda caught you easily enough.”
Pol had to agree with him. “But I’m here. I want you to watch my face change, but don’t cry out. Can you promise me?”
First, Pol checked to see if Kelso’s mind was clear. The shields were still in place. “Here goes.” He changed his face into Pol Cissert.
“My Prince,” Kelso whispered.
“It hurts to change,” Pol said. He winced as his facial structure changed again. “Now will you come with us?”
“Willingly. Where are we going?”
“First of all, we are going to join the other enemy force.”
“There are two?” Kelso said.
Pol nodded. “There probably are three. We’ll be joining the Tesnan forces. King Astor has pledged to join them, but there are power struggles. We can talk about it later.”
“You look really fit.” Kelso stood and put his hands on Pol’s upper arms. “It’s really good to see you.”
“I am Nater Grainell to everyone else. Make sure you don’t trip up.”
Kelso nodded and made a little salute. “Let’s go.”
“Stay close. I’ll be tweaking invisibility.”
“You can do that?”
“I’ve learned a lot at Deftnis and elsewhere. I’ll tell you later.”
Pol led Kelso across the corridor. The former Captain looked at the frozen guards and nodded his head.
“This is Kelso Beastwell,” Pol said. “You can call him Kelso. This is Captain Horker, but he’s one of us, and this is Shro.”
“Shinkyan, eh? I haven’t seen too many of you.”
“I’m all you need to see,” Shro said.
Pol winced. She was talking more and more like a female.
Kelso just shook his head and smiled.
“Let’s go. Stay close to me. Shro will trail Horker and Kelso.”
The guards were still frozen when Pol locked both cells back up. That might cause some confusion and consternation. They walked past each guard post, and then Pol led them out along a corridor close to their rooms.
“I’ll have to retrieve our possessions. I’ll not leave my arms behind,” he said, and then looked at the Shinkyan. “Shro?”
She nodded and nearly disappeared. They continued to their rooms. Horker’s had already been cleaned out, and two women were in the process of doing the same to Pol’s room. He nodded at Shro, who froze them in place.
“We take our weapons and leave most of our clothes. Can you handle that?” Pol said.
“I can.”
They quickly retrieved their personal treasures. Pol didn’t know what extra things Shro carried in her bag, but Pol took the Shinkyan sword and long knife. He shoved the Tesnan books in his own bag, along with the box of knive
s and his cloak.
“We should change our clothes back to their original colors,” Shro said.
Pol nodded, and then they walked out of their rooms to the alcove where Kelso and Horker waited.
“It’s time to leave,” Pol said. He used his location spell and found ten dots moving their way from the direction of the kitchens.
Pol looked back at the corridor that they had used. They couldn’t go back where guards might be waking up.
“I won’t go back,” Horker said. “I suggest we surrender gracefully.”
Pol shook his head. “I won’t go back. It’s forward and out of the castle or not at all.” Only Shro and he had weapons, but Pol knew he was better with a sword than Kelso now.
“We’ll have to fight.” Pol checked the dots that were just a few turns in the corridor away. He tossed his Shinkyan sword to Kelso and his long knife to Horker. “You’ll have to make do. It’s too late.”
Kelso held the Shinkyan sword in one hand and the scabbard in the other. Horker looked at Kelso and did the same.
“I’ve never used one of these before,” Horker said.
Kelso said, “Learn quickly or you’ll never use a sword again.”
“But Pol?”
Pol held throwing knives in hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my part.”
The advancing dots finally turned the corner.
~~~
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
~
“QUEEN ISA,” POL SAID. ALL OF THE DOTS WERE WOMEN.
“Kelso, I see I won’t have to rescue you.” She looked at Pol. “Who are you to know my name?”
“We were introduced once some time ago. I didn’t think you would recognize me.”
“Well, I don’t. What foolishness Astor foists upon us all. I only found out tonight that he wanted all of you dead. He didn’t even consult Manda.” She looked at Kelso. “I’m sorry you had to be falsely accused. Astor killed Gartor in a jealous pique. At least he had the sense not to do it in my presence.” She looked up at the ceiling. “The trials he has put me through, playing his stupid little games with Kelso and you Tesnans. And now I no longer have to pretend that Bythia was my daughter, horrid child.”
“She’s dead,” Pol said. His thoughts were jumbled, and he fought to understand what had just happened.
“Of course, she is. Whoever killed her did the world a service. I know the true story, no matter what swill Astor has fed to any of you.” Queen Isa looked at Kelso. “Take me with you. I refuse to live in this castle a moment longer.”
Kelso bowed. “As you wish, My Queen.”
Pol noticed that the women wore serviceable clothes and carried bags.
“But—”
The Queen waved away Horker’s objection before he voiced it.
“Quickly, I have carriages outside. It will be a tight squeeze. A few of my ladies have chosen to remain in this madhouse.”
Pol saw a few women blush and bow their heads.
“We must move quickly,” Shro said. “Please lead the way.”
“No bare blades, if you please,” Queen Isa said.
Horker and Kelso shoved Pol’s weapons at him, now sheathed.
“Follow me, and look as if you are part of my retinue,” she chuckled, “because you now are.”
Pol put his cloak over Kelso’s shoulders. It barely fit, but Kelso wasn’t very presentable after his stint in the dungeon cell.
The Queen stopped and looked at the four of them. “This won’t do. You all look like criminals.” She clapped her hands. “Quickly now, give them dresses and bonnets to wear.”
The wardrobe change happened quickly, and the ladies that were going to stay bowed before Queen Isa and took their leave.
“Slump! Bow your heads! You are all too tall, except for the Shinkyan boy,” Isa said. She crooked her finger and walked purposefully down the hall.”
“Now we can act normal,” Pol said to Horker.
“This? This is normal?” The Captain shook his head and then bowed it again as they walked in the midst of Queen Isa’s entourage.
Pol didn’t mind dressing as a woman to escape. It was a much better outcome than he had envisioned moments before. Val might enjoy the recounting. He looked over at Shro walking next to him.
“Is this more comfortable for you?” Pol whispered.
She hit him in the arm. “I hate dresses.”
Pol had hit a nerve in the Shinkyan. He’d have to remember in the future, if there was a future.
Queen Isa led them to a corridor that Pol had never walked and out doors Pol had never passed through into a castle courtyard. Three carriages were lined up. They piled in, four to a carriage.
Isa looked at Pol and Shro. “You two and Kelso in mine.” Horker looked at them with a hopeless expression as he joined three strange women in the last carriage.
“Now, you, sir will be wearing a mourning veil.” She pulled one out of her own little bag. “I had to wear this for a month when we learned of Bythia’s death.” She made a face and gave it to Kelso. “Now the discomfort is all yours, friend.”
Pol looked at Kelso and at the Queen.
“We are cousins. My mother and his were sisters.” She gave Kelso a little grin. “He was visiting, poking around for Colvin, pretending to prepare for the arrival of an ambassador when the unfortunate event occurred.” The Queen glared at Shro, who was hanging on every new revelation. “Yes, Lord Gartor and I had a relationship. Astor is…” she waved her hand, “you know.” She gave her head a tiny shake.
Pol thought he knew what the King was, but he didn’t say anything in case he was wrong. It would have been rude, in any case.
“Are these boys to be trusted?” Isa looked at Kelso as she yelled to the driver to head on the west road out of town.
“Him, I trust with my life,” Kelso said, pointing to Pol with his head.
“Why is that?”
“It’s a secret,” Pol said. The Queen was the only one in the carriage who didn’t know Pol’s identity, but it wasn’t time to tell her. No one said a thing until the carriages clattered on the cobbles of Covial heading out of the city. Pol didn’t waste any time in shedding the dress that he wore.
The Queen leaned out the window. “Now north and out along the Northwest Road.”
“There. We will be free once we leave this cursed place,” Queen Isa said.
“You seem different from when I last saw you,” Pol said.
“And where was that?”
“It’s a secret.” He said to the Queen’s laughter.
“You’d think you were royalty in hiding. Are you related to Lord Gartor?”
Pol shook his head and stopped when he realized that Queen Isa baited him. “Not that I know of, but you know the habits of royalty.”
The Queen’s eyes bulged. “You are out of your place, young man.” She laughed at Pol’s shocked face.
Pol colored when she teased him. This was a different woman than the one he had met at Borstall Castle. He didn’t dislike her then because she seemed to be friends with his mother, Queen Molissa. Her mother would never be so, so boisterous, he thought. He liked Queen Isa better this way.
He glanced at Shro, who sat beside him, with her hands folded demurely in her lap. She looked like she was holding back a smile.
Kelso looked intently at Shro. “You perform your role quite well, as a woman,” he said.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Shro said, nearly breathlessly.
The Queen patted Shro on the knee. “Your secret is safe with me.” She gave Shro a wink, and then she tapped Kelso’s knee. “So observant, Cousin.”
Shro looked cornered and gazed with pleading eyes at Pol.
“I’ve shared quarters with Shro since he arrived at Tesna. I assure you he is quite capable as a monk.”
The Queen looked at Shro with lidded eyes and smiled, swaying to the rhythm of the carriage.
The guards at the gate poked their heads in either side of the carriage and recog
nized the Queen.
“I am going to my sister, Lady Blossom. She is about to give birth. Quickly, let us pass!”
“Of course, My Queen. I would have expected an escort.”
She threw her hand at the guard. “My word, no time for that. Let us pass!”
The guard nodded, and soon they were on the road to the Tesnan camp.
“The Tesnans are on this road,” Pol said.
Queen Isa laughed. “Of course, they are. That’s where we will be staying the night. Onkar has arranged everything.”
“General Onkar?” Shro said.
She nodded. “He told me about Manda’s plot to take over both armies and gave me the strength to leave. Astor played his own game.”
Pol closed his eyes and saw a light film of mind-control on the Queen’s mind. Pol removed it, although it cost him some strength tweaking at such a distance.
“What did you do, young man?”
Pol bowed. “I hope you will forgive me, but someone influenced you with a spell. I removed it.”
Queen Isa sighed. “Now I can tell you. Onkar spelled me to give me the strength to do what I’ve always wanted to do tonight.”
“You agreed to the mind-control?”
She looked at Pol. “How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
“Precocious. Just like Poldon Fairfield was.” She looked at him more intently.
“Are you wearing a disguise?” She squinted her eyes. “I’ll bet you are. Reveal yourself. That’s your secret. Are you Poldon?”
Pol took a deep breath. “I won’t change my features, but you have caught me where others haven’t.” He heard Shro snort. “Few others haven’t.” He looked at the Shinkyan.
“I heard you were there when Bythia died. Landon said he confronted you, but you ran away.”
“She killed herself,” Pol said.
“Bythia? That little girl would never have done herself in.”
Pol pursed his lips. “I switched the poison…remotely when she wasn’t watching. I used my magic. Otherwise she would have killed Landon. I was in the room the entire time.”
“I thought you hated your older brother. He hated the disinherited prince, I can tell you.”
Pol shook his head slightly. “In the end, I couldn’t let him die. There were other circumstances that night. I let Bythia die and saved Landon’s life, twice.”