by Jackie Dana
As they passed the musicians, he hung his head back and began to hum along with the ballad being performed. She rolled her eyes, a bit embarrassed for him, but figured it would end as they stepped out of the room. To her complete astonishment, however, he didn’t leave.
Instead, just short of the double doors, he stopped and turned around to the remaining Bhagali in the hall... and burst out into song.
In a loud voice that was slightly out of tune, he offered up a set of off-color lyrics that no one in the hall was likely forget. Mortified, Kate stepped to the side, her eyes averted, and she could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment. This was so unlike the man she had traveled with that it was becoming impossible to reconcile the two personas. Had the rigors of travel made him seem more serious and responsible than he really was? Were Rynar and Tashin and all the others actually right about him? She didn’t have to endure his singing for long, however, for the musicians brought the travesty to a rapid conclusion.
In the silence that followed, those in the room simply stared, dumbstruck. He grasped her hand and spun her around, and then led her from the hall, humming again as they departed.
Then everything changed.
As soon as the servants pulled the doors shut behind them, Arric straightened up and grew quiet. When he next spoke, he lowered his voice, which just moments before had been sloppy and loud. “Bhara Kate, I trust you had a pleasant evening?”
“Uh… I guess.” She tried to pull away from his touch but he clutched her shoulder so she couldn’t bolt from him. “You certainly seemed to enjoy yourself,” she added sarcastically. With all the wine she had consumed, the doubts Rynar had planted had already taken root, and in her present state of mind, her annoyance was difficult to conceal.
“Oh, it was tolerable, I suppose.” Perhaps it was the alcohol, but he didn’t seem to notice her sharp tone, or if he did, he didn’t remark upon it.
“Only tolerable? You seemed to be having the time of your life in there tonight.”
“Ah,” he exclaimed lightly, twisting his mouth, as if thinking how to answer her. “Aye, perhaps I did enjoy myself, eventually.”
Was that a dig against her? She was about to reply in kind, but instead held her tongue, choosing not to make a scene, particularly with him as inebriated as he was. So she just walked with him in angry silence as they crested the stairs.
Near her own quarters, he suddenly glanced down the hallway in either direction and then pulled her to a bench under a window overlooking the courtyard.
What was he doing now? Fearing the wine had taken control, she tried to resist, but he shook his head and raised a finger to his lips. She was trying to decide how to best escape to her room when he smiled at her warmly. “What are you doing?” she asked him quietly as he reached inside his vest. “You’re drunk…”
Very quietly, he replied with laughter in his voice, as he pulled something from his vest and hid it in his palm. “Nay, not in the slightest. I’ve had nothing but weak wine all evening.”
What? With a start, she noticed his eyes betrayed a sober mind. It wasn’t possible. “I don’t understand. Earlier, you smelled of havar, and everyone noticed—well, it was impossible not to notice. You drank heavily all night, more than even your brother. And the way you were acting…” she squinted to get a better look at him in the dim light of the hallway. “You had to be—I mean, I could have sworn you were completely drunk.”
“Aye?” He had not stopped smiling, and it was the grin of a child who had gotten away with a great prank. “So you believed it, then?”
“Yeah, who wouldn’t have? You were being ridiculous.” She stared at him with disbelief. “So you’re telling me it was all an act?”
“Aye, Kate, of course it was. I feared that my behavior might distress you, but I thought it best that I convince my brother and all the rest of the Council that the only things I’m interested in these days are drinking and the ladies.”
Really? She was impressed. “Well, if that was your goal, I think you succeeded,” she confirmed. “Was Merel a part of your plan, then?”
His smile faded immediately. “Nay. She knows nothing about it.”
She stared at the rug under her feet, following the pattern of the golden scrollwork with her eyes. She felt like a complete idiot sitting next to him, and wanted nothing more than to run into her quarters and bury her head under the blankets. “Oh.” It wasn’t a very profound response.
“I do hope that one day she will forgive me for how I acted, but I must not worry about that now.” His voice was low, and unexpectedly solemn. “Kate, there are other matters that I hoped to discuss with you tonight.” A couple of charnok rounded the corner just then, and he grabbed her hand and slumped his shoulders forward, pretending to sway slightly as they passed by. The boys were impeccably polite, but she could tell that Arric’s behavior had not gained him any respect, and in their curt greeting to him, she recognized their disdain.
“The Vosira asked me why I returned with you yesterday,” Kate said softly, “and Rynar says I shouldn’t trust you. They both seem really concerned about you and your trip to Bhoren.”
He frowned. “Indeed. I was worried about that.” He dropped her hand, and sat up straight. “It confirms what I’m about to tell you.” Again he scanned the hallways, making sure no one was nearby. “There is more afoot here in Loraden than I had anticipated. Worse, I appear to have sorely misjudged the situation, and underestimated my brother’s intentions.” He had the edginess of a fugitive as he spoke. “Lest you think me mad, there was actually an important reason I wanted to escort you tonight.”
At those words, she looked at him carefully, her curiosity raging, but she kept her expression as bland as possible as he continued. “You see, I must ask a favor of you, and I could not discuss it with you earlier with Lillia there.” He opened his fingers to show her a small pouch of deep blue velvet, cinched with a silk cord. “For eight years I have carried this, but now I fear that it may fall into the wrong hands.” After tugging the drawstring open, he indicated that she should hold out her hand. As she did so, he turned the pouch over, allowing a heavy glysar ring to tumble into her palm. “It was my father’s,” he explained, in a voice barely more than a breath, as he folded her fingers over it. “I need you to keep it for me, safe and out of sight. No one must know you have it.”
She nodded readily as she uncurled her fingers a little, and turned the ring over with her thumb. It was a wide, flat band of the silver metal, polished to a shiny chrome finish and bearing no further embellishments. “Sure, but why?” She examined it as well as she could in the dim glow of wall torches and candlelight. To her eyes it appeared wholly unremarkable; certainly there was nothing about it that suggested it was worth all this trouble. “What’s so special about it?”
Once more he looked up the hallway, and down to the other end. With a sigh and a swallow, he said simply, “at this time, its significance matters not. Just promise me one thing: if anything happens to me, you will take the ring to the Sarnoc, and tell them that my father gave it to me before he died. You must do this yourself, and entrust no one to do this in your place.” He sought her eyes, as if to seal a contract. “Trust no one else, do you understand? Only you can know about this.”
She looked back, into his eyes, dark and deadly sober. Now she was scared. This conversation had taken an entirely new direction. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” She considered what Rynar had told her. “I heard that some people think you were involved in your father’s murder.”
The comment surprised him. “What do you know about that?”
“Not much,” she admitted. “Rynar—I mean, the Aldrish mentioned it, and warned me about spending time with you. And given how you’re acting—”
He relaxed. “Ah. Well, it’s true that they never caught the bastard, but they were quick to lay blame.” He looked right into her eyes. “ I had nothing to do with it. I loved my father, and if I ever find out what really happen
ed, I’ll be the first in line to deal with the guilty party.”
Reassured, she nodded, but then asked, “Are they trying to blame you for it?”
Arric shrugged, and licked his lips. “Aye, it’s a possibility.” After a night of dancing his neat braid had frayed, and he pushed stray hair from his eyes. “I don’t know what is going on here, but something smells rotten to me. That is the reason for giving you the ring. Should something happen to me, I need to be able to trust someone with it. While I loathe having to impose this on you, as we scarcely know one another, there is no one else I can turn to.”
“What about Merel?”
“Ah, her again.” He tossed his head back. “So you know about her, do you?” he asked.
“Yeah. I met her today, and she told me that you were going to marry her. After seeing you with her tonight, you obviously still care about her.”
“Aye, that’s true enough, on both counts. Eight years ago, I was in love with her, and perhaps there’s still something between us, but it’s been a long time.” As he explained it, he sounded a bit wistful, as if regretting what might have been. “We’ve both changed, and I don’t know where things stand with her.”
“So you can’t trust her with this?” She held up the closed fist that held his ring.
“Nay, not her.”
“But if you wanted to marry her—”
He sighed. “It’s not as simple as that. If it looks as though I am sick with love for Merel, it could buy me some time. It helps that her father, Gevinsin, is one of the wealthiest men in Sarducia, and his lands produce most of our glysar.” He cupped his hand over her fist. “This matter is different. It has been eight years, and I don’t know if I can trust her. You, however, are different. I believe I can trust you with this, because Nyvas trusts you. That’s enough for me.”
“Nyvas? What does he have to do with it?”
He smiled. “Let’s just say I have faith in his instincts.” He squeezed her hand. “Is it a promise, then? You’ll keep this for me?”
It seemed like a very small favor indeed. Even with everything Rynar had told her—things she wish she could forget, now—what could it hurt to hold his ring? “Sure, I’ll do my best. Is it all I can do to help you, though?”
No trace of inebriation marked his expression as he nodded. “It’s enough.”
Chapter 32
The soldier stiffly led Kate into the large room used for the Council Vosidari sessions.
Given the late hour, the room was dimly lit with a handful of candles on the table, and the fire in the hearth looked as though it had just been started a short time before. Two men sat at a long table of richly-polished wood, with goblets in front of both of them. Rynar immediately stood as she entered, while the Vosira, simply waved for her to approach. “Good evening, Bhara Kate,” he said solemnly.
“Good evening to you, Vosira,” she said politely, but remained standing, unsure what was expected of her. She noticed that the other seats at the table were empty.
“Ah, yes, very well. Please, lady, take a seat. We do not have all day.” At that cue, one of the Senvosra stepped forward and led her to a chair across from Rynar.
Vosira Bedoric, meanwhile, wasted no time. Before she could even sit down, he demanded, in a stern and unkind voice, “tell me who you met in Bhoren.” All of the flirtatious personality he once showed towards her was gone. No longer did he seem to be a slightly inept buffoon, and suddenly she understood Rynar’s warning not to underestimate him.
As a result, she was at a loss for words, and stood frozen, her hands gripping the back of the heavy chair. She glanced at Rynar, but he used the moment to return to his seat. Like at the dance the night before, he did not look at her.
“Shall I phrase it another way? Who were you with while you were there?”
She shrugged, simultaneously shaking her head. It was an impossible question to answer. Even if Arric was guilty of something of which she was unaware, she decided right then and there that her loyalty was to him, not the Vosira or the Aldrish, and she wasn’t going to confirm anything that could put the nail in Arric’s coffin—which, she realized might well not be a metaphor. Regardless of what Rynar had told her, she had been through far too much with Arric for her to betray him now. She absently ran her fingers across her chest, where Arric’s ring now was hidden, suspended from a thin glysar chain under her gown. If the Vosira wanted more information about his brother, he would have to get it from someone else.
Bedoric uncrossed his arms, and leaning forward, put his elbows on the table. “Come now, Bhara. Do not try to hide things from me. Just tell me the truth about where you were, and who you were with, and this will be over. If you don’t, then things will quickly become more difficult for you.”
She rapidly looked from one man to the other, expecting Rynar to speak up for her, but although he was frowning, he remained silent. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she bluffed. “I told you last night where I went.”
“Nay, Bhara. Had you had told me the truth, we would not need to discuss this again, would we?”
She stared back at the Vosira, knowing strength and confidence was conveyed through eye contact. She felt neither quality right now, but if she could pretend otherwise, maybe she could buy herself some time. “I still don’t see why it matters to you.”
“Bhara, do not play games with me.”
“My lord Vosira, please calm yourself,” Rynar finally said. “Bhara Kate is just scared. She does not understand the ways of Sarducia. She doesn’t feel safe—”
Bedoric slammed his fist on the table. “Aldrish, I am not stupid, nor do I care if she feels safe at my court.” He had raised his voice, and his face had flushed red almost immediately. “In fact, if she’s found dead in an alley tomorrow it would mean nothing to me. My only concern with this woman right now is that she is trying to meddle in my affairs, and has apparently decided to join forces with the traitor I have for a brother.”
Already frightened by the outburst, now she was shocked by his words. Rather boldly, she asked, “since when is he a traitor?”
With a barely perceptible gesture, Rynar shook his head, warning her not to challenge the Vosira further.
“Ah, well, we will get to that in due time, Bhara, I promise you that. As soon as the others arrive, these things will become clear. For now, you have one more chance to revise your story about meeting my brother just outside the city walls.” It was not a request, regardless of how it was phrased. “We all know your current story is a false one. Tell me the truth about what really happened after you left Loraden, or I promise, you shall pay the price for your insolence.”
She blinked. Something must be terribly wrong. Rynar already knew Arric had been seeking out a Sarnoc—surely there was no point in demanding that she tell them herself. They must be fishing for something else. Without understanding the game at hand, all she could do was shake her head in refusal.
“Kate,” Rynar addressed her, his voice calm but missing its usual confident polish. “I know that you innocently entered the Dosedra’s company and had no knowledge of his intentions, but Vosira Bedoric remains skeptical. Anything you can offer to demonstrate your innocence would be good to share with us now.” When she looked up at him, she realized he was pale and looked slightly desperate.
So she wasn’t there for them to collect information on Arric; it was all about her own activities. The Vosira wanted to gauge her own guilt or innocence. “There isn’t anything else to say,” she countered, speaking honestly. “I only met the Dosedra a few days ago, and I don’t know him well enough to be involved in anything. You might think that I know more than I—”
She was saved from having to continue when the door to the chamber opened again, and Bhagal Tashin entered. He took a seat beside Aldrish Rynar, so both men now faced her. The attendant behind Bedoric brought Tashin a goblet, and refilled the ones in front of Rynar and the Vosira. Nothing was offered to her.
“So we
are almost all here now,” the Vosira announced, tapping his fingers impatiently. “Naturally, the last to arrive will be my worthless brother.”
At this, she caught her breath. She wasn’t sure if it was good or bad news that Arric was joining them, but the Vosira’s choice of words to describe his brother was not in the least bit comforting. Something must have happened during the day today, and she wished she knew what it was.
“Bhagal Tashin,” Vosira Bedoric said, his voice demonstrating none of the bitterness he had just used on her, “we were just giving Bhara Kate one final chance to explain why she was with my brother, and who they visited in Bhoren. Oddly, she claims that never happened, and she also claims that she just met him a few days ago, but of course we know all of these things are lies.”
Tashin, whose thinning hair was askew, must have been interrupted from some other activity. Although he had not had a chance to prepare himself for the meeting at hand, he showed no discomfort at the sudden summons. Instead, he made a tight-lipped smile. “My lord Vosira, I tend to believe her.” She was shocked. This man was supporting her position? Maybe she had misjudged him. “While I expect she still has information we shall find useful,” he continued, “I have no reason to believe she was involved in these matters with the Dosedra, which of course go back many years. She has not been in Sarducia long enough to have been able to make alliances of such import.”
“Unless she has been working for Tylnea,” Bedoric reminded him. “She could have been in Hansar all this time, waiting for the Dosedra to return.”
Tashin shook his head. “Vosira, Kate has neither the appearance nor the accent of someone from Hansar.” He turned to glare at her. “And she is just a woman, after all.”
“We shall see.” Bedoric turned his head to the guard at the door. “Go see what is keeping my brother. I am anxious to get started.” With these words he grinned with delicious anticipation.