Color Mage (Book 1)

by Anne Marie Lutz

  “No,” Callo said. “This is not a pleasure trip, Hon Kirian.”

  “I realize that. I have only two choices, as I see it. I can remain here—in an inn—or find employment somewhere, but not as a Healer for a while, so that if Lord Arias is seeking me, his men will not find me. Or I can join you.”

  “Then you have only one choice,” Callo said.

  “Hon Kirian,” Chiss interjected, “This will be a dangerous journey. We have no experience of Ha’las, other than to know the ku’an are hazardous. Our return is uncertain. It is not safe. Why by the Unknown God would you want to come to Ha’las?”

  She shrugged. “A sense of adventure. I don’t know.”

  “You can return to Sugetre,” Callo told her.

  “I don’t think so. Remember I am thought to have aided someone who threatened the nobility. The righ will seek me everywhere, and they may demand aid from the King. Sugetre is unsafe.”

  “The righ don’t care about you,” Callo said. “You exaggerate your importance in all of this. And Arias would not have you slain.”

  “And Lady Mia Lon, and her husband who was the target of their attempt at murder?”

  “I suppose I can’t speak for them. Tilonar is a fool, always was.” Callo thought a moment. Clearly he would not convince her that her life was not at risk. He wondered what the other Healer had told her, to make her so afraid. “Then if you must hide, hide here. What about staying with this herb seller?”

  “I have met him only once. I have been thinking that it is very likely he will turn me over to Lord Arias’ men for a reward.”

  “Then you must hide elsewhere.”

  “I suppose that is what I must do.” Her hand was at her belt, unfastening her purse. There was a jingle of coins. She was counting. “I see I have sufficient money to stay in Two Merkhan for some time. I will say farewell then, my lord, and take my leave in the morning. Thank you for listening.” She pushed back her chair and rose.

  “Wait.” Callo frowned. “How much money do you have?”

  “That’s not a problem, my lord. I can easily support myself for a sennight or two.”

  He felt his temper flicker. “That’s not what I asked.”

  “It’s not your concern.”

  “Chiss, will you get my purse, please? I want to give Kirian some additional funds.”

  “I will not accept it,” Kirian said.

  “Because you have enough, as you have said.” He rose and began pacing to discharge some of his tension. The woman was as irritating as sand in the eye. Why could she not accept a little money? What if she starved here, stubborn as an ox until the end?

  She eyed him. “I am sorry you are upset. Look, I’ll show you.” She took the purse and spilled the coins into her palm, then onto the table. Ten silver kels rolled onto the table top.

  Chiss coughed.

  Callo said, “Ten kels?”

  “My savings. This is really quite a sufficient amount. I will be fine, as you see.”

  “Kirian. You cannot think you can feed and house yourself in Two Merkhan for—several sennights—on ten kels?”

  “I am certain I can, Lord Callo,” she replied with some surprise. “Not here, of course.” She gestured at their comfortable surroundings and the remains of their meal. “But this will feed me for quite a while. But now that you have put the idea in my head, I may just try to buy passage to Ha’las for myself.”

  “Ghosian wouldn’t take you. It’s illegal.”

  “You must think he’s willing to circumvent the law, or you would not be here.”

  “Can you not go somewhere else—anywhere else?” Callo snapped.

  Chiss added, “There are many places in Righar that might be safe for you. Have you no family—no friends elsewhere?”

  “None. I am alone. How much do you suppose passage to Ha’las would be?”

  “Jashan’s eyes!” swore Callo. “You try me. All right, then. You have beaten me down. Come with us to Ha’las, then, if you must. At least you will not starve in the streets.”

  Her face lit up. “Really?”

  “I said so,” he said, knowing he was glowering at her.

  She made a quick instinctive motion, almost as if she wanted to put her arms around him then stopped herself. Her smile brightened the room. In spite of himself, he felt his shoulders losing their tension.

  “I can’t wait!” she said.

  Chiss made a motion of protest.

  “Chiss?”

  “If you will forgive me, Hon Kirian. You should not approach this as a vacation. It is possible that none of us may live through this adventure.”

  “Oh, I know that, Chiss. But right now, with this terrible day behind me, and a journey ahead of me to Ha’las, of all places—I’m thrilled. It’s much more exciting than sitting in some inn hoping to be overlooked for a few sennights.”

  “You said you have no family to miss you. Have you no one to wonder where you are?”

  “No one. This is the first time I have ever been glad of it, since they cannot forbid me.” She smiled at Callo again. He was charmed, his tension gone. He smiled back. Perhaps she would be a good companion on this journey.

  Then she yawned, and watching her, he did as well. Chiss’ narrow face creased in a smile. “If I may, my lord,” he said, “I will order you both to your beds.”

  “I will help clean up,” Kirian offered. “There is no reason Chiss should have to stay working while we sleep.”

  This had never occurred to Callo; Chiss was a manservant after all, and paid well to do exactly that. But he could not allow Kirian to stay cleaning up the room while he retired. He was not sure why, since she was in fact of common birth and, as a Healer, was used to physical work. But whatever the reason, he could not. He began to set his bowl onto the waiting tray when Chiss said: “The house servants will do that, my lord. I am off to rest. I bid you good night.” Chiss bowed and retreated to the room he would share with Callo, where he would sleep on a servant’s cot near the door.

  “Good evening,” Callo said. Kirian covered another yawn and bid him a polite good night, vanishing into her room. Callo returned to his room and changed into the sleeping clothes Chiss had packed, feeling the day’s stresses melt into weariness. He lay on the bed, almost asleep already, aware, through his exhaustion, of Chiss fidgeting with their packs, searching for something. Then he sighed and sleep took him before he could even acknowledge Chiss’ good night.

  Chapter Seven

  Daylight reached its pale fingers under the shutters. Kirian curled tighter under her wool blanket. She listened hard; there was no sound from the adjoining bedchamber.

  She smiled. In spite of everything, she felt good, charged with anticipation at the adventure ahead. It had taken no small amount of persuasion to convince Lord Callo to allow her to go with them to Ha’las. Showing him her savings had been a stroke of genius. Ten kels would have kept her in relative comfort for a sennight or two until she could find a way out of Two Merkhan; but he was accustomed to a different style of living, and she had guessed it would look insufficient to him.

  She stretched and grinned. She couldn’t account for it herself, but after Callo’s brief statement of his destination she felt a powerful urge to go with him. The thought of Ha’las, dark and dangerous, had taken possession of her. For the first time in her life, she would do something on her own, without being directed to it or expected to do it because she was a charity student.

  The thought of betraying her oath was shrugged aside with barely a thought. There were people in Ha’las who could use the services of a Healer. She could serve the sick wherever she went. There was no need to abandon her Healer’s oath simply because she was leaving Righar.

  A muffled sound in the next room told her someone was awake and moving around. She threw off the blanket and hurried into the spare set of clothing Ruthan had stuffed into her Healer’s bag. She dragged a comb through her hair—thank the Gods for short hair that required no time at all to
make presentable. A brisk swish of lukewarm water from the washing jug served for her teeth since she was in a hurry. Stuffing her old clothes back into her bag and donning her cloak, she was ready to go. She intended to dog their steps today until they were all safely on board the trader. Given a chance, Lord Callo might leave her here after all, and she didn’t intend to give them a chance to get out of her sight.

  She peered into the hall twice, but saw no sign that her companions were up and about. By the time she heard a tap on the door she had re-brushed her teeth properly, opened the shutters to let in the cold morning sunshine, and been bored for a while. Once, she imagined that they had departed without her, and she was about to leave a whole kel on the nightstand for payment and take off after them. She wrenched open the door to see Chiss, who held a tray with a steaming cup of tea.

  “Good morning, Healer. Would you like some tea?”

  She stared at him for a confused moment while she rearranged her expectations. A corner of Chiss’ mouth twitched. He said, “My lord is still asleep, Hon Kirian. He will not leave without you, now that he has agreed to take you with us.”

  Kirian sighed. “I have not been raised to expect honor from the nobility, Hon Chiss.”

  “Indeed. You can believe me in this, however. Have some tea while you can. The servants will bring up breakfast in a few minutes.”

  “Thank you.” Kirian took the mug and inhaled the sweet aroma. The first sip scalded her tongue. She said, “Have you a moment to have some tea yourself?”

  “I will wait for breakfast, thank you. I must go awaken Lord Callo.”

  “When do we leave? Do you know?”

  “I assume we will visit the ship this morning. Lord Callo will want to wait until the emissaries have gone. I have no idea when her captain will plan to leave port.”

  “How do we know they are going to Ha’las?”

  “I know of this ship, and her captain. They frequently make secret runs to Ha’las from here, since we are the closest port to Las’ash.” He paused, looking at her. “That is the capital of Ha’las, and the only port of any size.”

  “Thank you.”

  After Chiss left, Kirian took some time to go through her bag. Ruthan clearly expected her to stay away from the village for a while. The old woman had packed a change of clothes, tooth powder, a comb, a cake of soap. There was a crumbly oat cake and some dried fruit wrapped in a dish cloth at the bottom of the bag. As expected, there were her Healer’s supplies: bandages, a few essential herbs in pouches, and the precious Healer’s knife which had been presented to her at graduation. Kirian packed everything away again, blessing Ruthan. She hoped the old woman would not worry.

  Kirian took the bag with her to breakfast. As she entered the parlor, Chiss was reading something by the light of the window. It appeared to be a message, scrawled on quality paper. He started and stuffed the paper away in his pocket as she came in. Kirian gave him another good morning and settled in to eat. There were boiled eggs, and bread with cheese, and more tea, as well as a jar of ale. On a plate sat three huge pastries, filled with gooey sugar and butter and cinnamon. She smelled them across the room. After yesterday’s cold, hungry walk, it seemed a feast.

  “Where is Lord Callo?”

  “I believe he went out to look around.” Chiss sipped his tea. There was only an egg and some fruit on his plate.

  Kirian rose and went to the tiny window. She looked down at the street, watching the passers-by. A carter drove his horse toward the back of the inn; his cart held hay for the inn stables. “At least I know he will be back, since he left you here.”

  “He will not leave without you, Hon Kirian, even if perhaps he should.”

  She shrugged. “He doesn’t want to take me. If he’s like every other nobleman I’ve met, he won’t let a silly thing like a promise stand in the way of his wishes.”

  “You have met so many of the righ?”

  “Second or third sons and daughters, at the College. Sometimes family, come to visit. They were not promising examples of their class.”

  “Maybe they felt they had something to prove—since their families sent them away, and as Healers they could no longer lay claim to righ status.”

  “Very likely,” she said. “It was still no excuse for treating others like the dirt beneath their feet.”

  Chiss nodded. The rest of the meal passed in silence. After she finished eating, Kirian walked down the hall to the inn stairway and was about to descend to the public rooms when Lord Callo’s deep voice stopped her.

  “That’s not a good idea if, in fact, Arias’ men are looking for you. I have no way to control who comes to this inn or what they might tell others.” Callo wore a plain, dark tunic and breeches, unadorned with any decorations of rank. His cloak, slung over one arm, was trimmed with valus fur. His fair hair was caught back in its tail. He looked every inch the nobleman.

  “I understand,” she said. “When do we leave?”

  “Chiss has ordered the horses. Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” She hoisted her bag. She did not tell him that she had been ready for hours.

  There were three horses waiting in the yard. Kirian sighed in relief; she was grateful for last night’s shared ride, but she was not used to being in such close contact with a man. Miri nickered at Callo, and he smiled. Kirian turned her attention to her own horse, and found herself looking at a little lady’s mare, slender of leg and bright of eye. What a beauty, she thought.

  Kirian remembered the docks from her trip to Two Merkhan with Kin and Rashiri. Then, she had sat on deck while they sold their catch, and ventured onto the docks only long enough to buy a meat pie for lunch and to meet Ruthan’s herb seller by the gate. Now she was amazed by the press of people. There were men who slung huge sacks over their shoulders, carrying them from ship to shore. Other men, on board ship, slid crates down an ingeniously-made, slippery ramp to a cart on the dock. There were food vendors, trinket sellers, and women, always accompanied by other women, carrying baskets as they shopped amid the wares laid out on blankets. A spicy, meaty smell hung in the air as they passed the sausage vendor; next to her a sagging table was loaded with fruit, imported on one of these ships during this season, the dead of winter, in Righar. Two men in the furs of mountain herders argued with raised voices. A merchant in a fur-trimmed, red cloak walked past, accompanied by a young man with a ledger. Kirian was so fascinated by all the activity that she almost forgot that Lord Arias’ men were seeking her—and Lord Callo as well.

  Watching for signs that anyone was interested in their progress, she nearly kept going when Miri stopped. Lord Callo dismounted at the foot of a sort of swinging, wooden walkway that led to a ship. With Callo halfway up the walkway, she turned to Chiss. “Aren’t we being very public about this?” she asked. “Lord Arias’ men are looking for all of us—surely they will know exactly where we have gone?”

  “Hon Kirian, there is no use asking my lord to be secretive about this. I believe he would draw more attention if he were to try to sneak aboard.”

  She sighed, scanning the docks now for guardsmen who might be suspicious of her. “I hope they do not come for me before this ship sails.”

  “There are no Seagard men here to see us, and the people on the docks are pretty close-mouthed,” Chiss said, starting up the walkway after Lord Callo. “Once we do sail, no one will follow us to Ha’las.”

  Kirian grimaced, hoping he knew what he was talking about. She gave the rein to the boy Callo paid to hold their horses, and followed Chiss and Callo up the walkway and onto the deck of the trader.

  The ship’s name was painted on her bow: the Fortune. An excellent name for a ship that would carry her away from everything she knew. A dark-skinned man wearing not one, but two earrings in his right ear directed them to the captain’s cabin. They entered, stooping under the low lintel to find a heavyset, dark-eyed man seated at a wooden table. The man stood as they entered; he wore a rich blue tunic over another of red, and black seamen’s tr
ows. There was a ring in his nostril, and a huge red stone in a ring on his thumb.

  “My Lord!” he said instantly. “Welcome to the Fortune. You are too late for the emissaries; they went with Lord Alkiran’s men at first light.” He grinned, and his teeth shone white in his sunburned face.

  Callo looked around for a seat; the ceiling was too low for his height. He sat on a trunk, and Chiss gestured to Kirian to sit beside him, but she shook her head.

  “Captain Ghosian, well met,” Callo said. “I am not here to meet the emissaries.”

  “Indeed I guessed not. Do you have business for me? Does one of your companions require passage?”

  “Your next port?”

  “Since it is you, my lord, I will tell you. It is Ha’las, of course. We depart for Las’ash at evening.” Ghosian looked round his cabin. “Refreshments? Smoke?”

  “Neither, thank you. Ghosian, I require passage for all three of us to Las’ash.”

  Ghosian’s eyes narrowed. “Ah! Lord Callo, I will be honored. We have space—just barely, but space enough. I am sure we can come to some accommodation. But what shall I say when Lord Alkiran’s men come galloping back—or even King Martan’s, on my next call here at Two Merkhan—and ask why the Royal Bastard has flown to Ha’las?”

  “They are more likely to be seeking an escaped slave and a young Healer of noble descent, one Inmay, who are fleeing Fortress Mount’s justice.”

  “They have already mentioned this Inmay.” Ghosian paused. Kirian watched the captain scan each of them with those large, calculating eyes. She wondered what he made of her.

  “The woman,” Ghosian said with a polite nod at Kirian. “She will be with you in Las’ash?”

  Lord Callo nodded.

  “She may be a problem,” Ghosian said. “They guard their women against the ku’an. Unmarried women must be accompanied by a male relative, or some other woman. Otherwise, she may be taken from you by their priests.”

  Kirian stared at him. This sounded very unpleasant. She wondered why it was necessary to guard young women against the ku’an in particular. She was about to speak when Lord Callo said, “She is a Healer.”