by Brandon Fox
What should I say? He saw Thane watching him. The mage had already guessed what he was doing and gave a small nod. His mind began to work again. Treat the captain like a customer at Lady Tay’s. Keep him distracted. He squinted as if remembering, then nodded vigorously.
“Yes, the sun was down. It was well past dinner. And the lights, they moved like serpents! Writhing and twisting. But with colors like flaming brands! At first I feared some of the trees were on fire.”
The captain came closer, intent on the words. “Did you see anybody else in the forest?”
After pausing thoughtfully, Ander slowly shook his head. “No, there was nobody else. No people, anyway. But I heard something really strange. Like a moan, only… kind of strangled. Or maybe like it was coming from deep underwater, faint and low.” He shivered, starting to get into the spirit of his story, and lowered his voice to a whisper. “But then, after that sound, was when it really got strange.”
The officer and his aide were within arm’s reach, reeking of sweat and horse. Ander could see the captain thought their long chase was nearing its end. “Go on,” the man urged. “What happened next?”
“Everything began to spin around. Like a whirlwind! And my throat got as dry as a man lost in the desert.” His eyes flicked to the goblet Thane was holding.
“It makes me thirsty just thinking about it. Could I have a sip of that wine, Thane? Just a little one?” He began to sway slightly, and Thane picked up on the cue.
Thane placed the goblet on the table, then crossed his arms and looked at Ander sternly. “You know better than to ask. And in front of Lady Anna, even.” He turned to Anna and held his arms out in a gesture of exasperation. “He promised to stay in his room after we finished the dishes last night. I can’t watch him all the time, Lady. Even servants have to sleep.”
A low growl came from the captain’s throat. “What’re you talking about, boy? Why would you be watching him?”
Anna stepped forward, coming between the captain and Ander. She grabbed Ander’s left ear and twisted it sharply.
“Did you sneak down to the wine cellar last night? Answer, or you’ll be doing dishes the rest of your life.”
Groaning, Ander turned his head to relieve the pain she was inflicting. “Please, Lady. I didn’t have anything to drink. You know I’ve been good.”
She twisted his ear again, playing her part to the hilt.
“Nothing at all? You’re sure? If you’re lying, I’ll punish Thane along with you.”
Ander moaned, then glanced sideways at Thane and sighed. “Well, maybe I had one glass of wine. Just to settle my stomach. So I could sleep, and be ready to get a lot of work done in the morning.”
Thane shook his head mournfully. “Just one? You’re sure?”
“Well, maybe two. Or three. I… I don’t remember very clearly. Perhaps I lost count.”
The captain let his breath out in an odorous snort. He pushed Lady Anna aside and cuffed Ander on the side of his face. Blood flowed from a split lip as he rocked back from the blow’s impact.
“You drunkard! What are you doing wasting my time like this? I ought to have you drawn and quartered.”
Ander fell to his knees and groveled at the officer’s feet. “Please, sir, I was only wanting to help. I meant no harm.”
Thane looked at the officer imploringly. “Have mercy, sir. He can’t help himself. I failed him. It’s my job to keep him out of the wine, but he got by me.”
The captain stepped back, his mouth twisting with disgust. “Another backwater awash with drunks and simpletons. By Yataghan’s sword, I swear I’ll puke if I have to stay out in the provinces much longer.” He turned to his aide. “Have the rest of the buildings been searched?”
The man nodded. “There’s not much to see, except for a lot of plants. They said it’s for perfume. They make it—”
“I know about the damned perfume,” the captain snarled. “Get the men back to the courtyard. We’re leaving.”
The aide raised a clenched fist before hurrying from the room.
The captain stalked to the door, then turned and pointed a finger at Anna. “You’re to send word to the prefect at Fochelis if you hear of anything unusual. And you’ll be held personally responsible if you waste the prefect’s time. Be thankful I’m too busy to stay and discipline your household.”
Anna nodded meekly, not giving the officer any excuse to linger. He spun on his heel and left the room. The crash of the door as he went into the courtyard was oddly comforting.
Thane and Ander got to their feet and joined Anna at the window overlooking the courtyard. The patrol was already starting to mount, hastened by the captain’s curses.
Thane used the back of his hand to gently wipe blood from Ander’s chin. The split lip was swollen, but the injury was minor. “I was right about you,” he said. “Beauty is only the beginning. You’ve brought us resourcefulness as well.”
Anna snorted. “Luck’s more like it. I half expected the captain to lop off his head, then continue the search.”
Ander shrugged. “It was worth a try. But you’re right—we were lucky. We’d best not rely on luck the next time.”
Sorel entered the library just as the cuirassier column rode out the castle gate. “They made a mess,” he reported. “But they didn’t discover anything.”
Thane nodded wearily, and Ander’s heart went out to him. Despite his immense native intelligence and wisdom accumulated during the thirty years of his life, Thane still had the body and spirit of a youth just entering manhood. Responsibilities weighed heavily on him.
Thane rubbed his eyes, then lifted his head with his usual determination. “All right. Anna, would you check on the initiates and see if any of them managed to learn anything?” After she left, he took a seat on the sofa facing the fire. Ander sat at his side, and Sorel took a chair.
“Let’s start with what we know,” Thane said. “Cuirassiers are scouring the countryside looking for us. Sorcerers are doing the same thing in the kei. Anything else?”
“I’d say they’re doing more than searching in the kei,” Sorel ventured. “They seemed to be attempting an attack. If it hadn’t been for Ander’s premonition, who knows what would have happened? I think they were in the process of manifesting something physical when we interrupted them.”
Thane put an arm around Ander’s shoulder and squeezed. “It’s a good thing we were the ones using the art when it happened. I don’t know why, but you felt more than anybody else around here would have.”
The warmth in his voice made Ander glow, but the words were troubling. Should I tell him I had help? It was tempting, but his pledge to keep Lucian’s ghost a secret was solemn. Lucian wanted to free Thane from the past, not ensnare him in it. He decided to trust the shade’s judgment. He leaned against Thane, putting an arm around his waist and hugging back. “Maybe it’s just because I’m so new to it,” he said. “I might notice things you ignore.”
“Maybe so. We’ll find out soon.” Thane released him and sprang to his feet. When he got involved with a problem, he was tenacious as a hungry lion. “I’m going to the workroom. We have to find a way to enter the kei without being detected. You two, think about the zamindar’s tactics. We can’t afford to be taken by surprise again.”
“We’ll do what we can,” Ander said. He watched Thane leave the room, wishing he could stay with him, but he knew it wasn’t the right time. There was work to be done. He turned to Sorel, who was watching him closely.
While Sorel was a loyal friend, he possessed an unrelenting curiosity and his perceptiveness was uncanny. He was the son of a wealthy merchant and had learned while still a child how to detect evasion. Ander blushed under his friend’s scrutiny.
A corner of Sorel’s mouth lifted in a sly smile. “You have a charming lack of guile. I’ll regret the day you learn how to control that blush.”
Should I tell him? He already suspects something. Caution overcame his desire to speak. He shook his head, hoping
Sorel would respect his wish not to be pressed.
“Let me know if you ever want to talk about it, Ander. You know you can trust me. I’m willing to trust you too. If you have reason to hold something back, you must think it’s important.”
“I’m grateful for the offer. I’m not as sure about it as I’d like, but I think that speaking might harm Thane. He suffered so much already. I don’t want to risk it.”
Sorel reached over and touched one of his hands. “We all share your concern for him. I’m grateful you’re trying to protect him. But remember, we live in dangerous times. Pain is sometimes the price for survival.”
“I’ll remember. And… thank you for trusting me. It means a lot.”
Sorel gave his hand a quick squeeze. “It’s more than trust. We’ve already begun to form a bond. I know your heart. Now, let’s get to work.”
Chapter 4
ANDER marveled at the change a few weeks could bring. Snow still covered the ground, but the journey was completely unlike the last time he had ridden the trail between Thane’s estate and Pella. This time he wore warm clothes, and no cuirassiers pursued them. Best of all, he had spent the night in a warm tent and warmer embraces.
Thinking back to their campsite brought a smile. Thane and Nicolai were excellent traveling companions. Their high spirits and lurid stories had kept him laughing as they huddled around the campfire, and their tender passion when they finally took refuge in the tent had left him exhausted. He had slept nestled between them, filled with contentment.
Thane rode at his side while Nicolai took a turn breaking the trail. “You look like a cat who found a warm hearth,” he said. “I thought you didn’t like snow.”
“I was thinking about last night. The only way it could have been better was if we had used the art.”
“True,” Thane agreed. “But you’ll need skill at sex without the art too. Your partners won’t always be initiates.”
“Like when Sorel and Nicolai were going to test me at Lady Tayanita’s house?” Ander nodded. “I remember. They had me so excited, I almost couldn’t talk.”
The reminder of their destination changed the direction of Thane’s thoughts. “I’m still nervous about this plan,” he said. “We know Lady Tayanita escaped from the citadel in Fochelis, but are you sure she’ll go back to her brothel?”
“I’m certain. She built her house into Pella’s finest. And her companions are her family. She’ll go back.”
Thane nodded. “And you say she has customers high in the empire. You’re right—she’s in a good position to hear gossip. I just hope she’s willing to help us.”
“She will,” Ander said confidently. “Customers like to impress their companions. Especially when they’re with someone as smart as Lady Tay. You’ll be surprised at what she hears.” He hoped he was right. Lucian’s brief warning had mentioned Pella, and Ander was convinced the clue was vital. Persuading Thane to go there without revealing the ghostly warning had been a challenge.
“We’ll soon find out,” Nicolai said, dropping back to join them. He pointed a short distance ahead. “A real road. We’re getting close.”
They left the forest trail and found themselves on a dirt road along a riverbank. The road soon widened, and they were able to ride abreast as they passed through the fields on Pella’s outskirts. The city’s stone walls loomed before them as stars began to glimmer in the indigo sky.
Ander led the way to Lady Tayanita’s House of Companionship, a sturdy structure on two levels with exposed timber beams and a steeply sloped roof. They left their horses in the adjacent stable and entered the brothel through the kitchen door. The portly cook’s eyes went wide when she saw Ander. She dropped her ladle and grinned widely, showing several missing teeth.
Ander gestured toward his companions. “These are my friends, Floy. I’ll introduce you later. But first I want to surprise Lady Tay. Is she here?”
“Aye, she hasn’t gone out tonight. Welcome back, lad!”
A knot of tension dissolved in the back of his neck. While he knew Lady Tay had escaped the dungeons in Fochelis by contacting one of her many loyal customers, he hadn’t known for certain that she’d made it back home. He opened the kitchen door and peeked into the main room.
A large fieldstone fireplace filled the cavernous room with warmth. Customers and their companions occupied cushions and sofas, sharing drink and conversing in hushed voices. Above, hidden in shadow, a balcony ran along three walls and provided access to private rooms on the second floor. Like many older buildings in Pella, no attempt had been made to cover the log walls or the huge wooden beams supporting the roof.
He felt a pang of homesickness as he watched the companions mingle with their customers. While he had rarely bedded guests, he had sat near the fireplace and played the guitar nearly every night. Lady Tay and her companions were the closest thing he’d had to a family while growing up. He saw Lady Tayanita near the brothel’s entrance and was flooded with warmth. She was as beautiful as ever: an elegant woman of indeterminate age, graced with deep red hair and high cheekbones. She wore a green velvet gown and a necklace of finely made glass beads.
“Wait here,” Ander said. He crossed the room quickly, coming up behind Lady Tayanita, and touched her lightly on the shoulder. “Lady Tay. I’ve missed you.”
She whirled around and wrapped him in a fierce hug. After a few seconds, she pushed him back and held him firmly. “You rascal! Where have you been? I feared the cuirassiers had caught you.”
“It’s a long story. One you need to hear in private.” He glanced over his shoulder. Several people were looking their way, mostly companions who had noticed Ander. “Can we use your parlor? Two of my friends are here. They can explain.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I can always tell when you’re up to something. And I’ve got that feeling now.” She glanced across the room. “Those are your friends? I recognize the blond beauty. Nicolai, isn’t it? He helped you escape the seraskier.”
Ander nodded. “Yes. The other is Thane.”
Lady Tay nodded knowingly. “I might have guessed you’d find the best-looking boys in the kingdom to disappear with. I think I know what you’ve been up to.”
Ander shook his head, blushing. “No. Well, yes. But there’s more than you’re thinking. I can’t say much about it. Thane will tell you, if he thinks it’s a good idea.”
She lifted an eyebrow, glancing in Thane’s direction. “He’s your other friend? His looks impress, but he’s no older than you. Why do you think he’s so wise?”
“Please, Lady. It’s important. It’s his decision.”
Releasing Ander, she raised a hand to beckon Thane and Nicolai. They crossed the room, and she showed them into her private parlor. Ander made introductions, and they settled into chairs around a small mahogany table inlaid with ebony.
Lady Tay served brandy from a crystal decanter, then settled back and fixed her gaze on Ander. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”
“Well, you know that Nicolai and Sorel helped me get away after Seraskier Reincken fell and broke his arm. I’ve been with them ever since. They’re both friends of Thane’s.”
“I’m not likely to forget Seraskier Reincken,” Lady Tay said, scowling. “He hasn’t darkened our door since that night, but he still made trouble for us. He even had me arrested for treason. A difficult charge to dispose of.”
“I know. We heard about it. Nicolai and I went to Fochelis to try to rescue you, but you’d already gotten away.”
Lady Tay bowed slightly toward Nicolai. “Thank you, both of you. But what were you thinking, trying to rescue a prisoner from the prefect’s dungeons? No offense, but it would take more than the two of you to do the job. Far more.”
Ander squirmed, pledged to silence but understanding her skepticism. He looked at Thane for guidance.
The mage had been sitting quietly. When he leaned forward, his gray eyes gleamed like silver in the soft light. “Ander has told me a lot about you, Lady Tayanita.
I’m honored to meet you. I think we share some common goals.”
Lady Tay sipped her brandy, regarding Thane with open curiosity. “What goals might those be?”
He paused before answering, his expression serious. When he continued, he spoke in a soft but determined voice. “We feel the same way about the zamindar’s tyranny. It must end.”
Lady Tayanita sighed. “Spoken with the brashness of youth. But brave words can’t defeat the zamindar’s army.” She turned to Ander. “Do you know what you’re doing? You’ve worked here. You know that judgment is passion’s first victim.”
Ander blushed but didn’t look away. “You’re right, Lady. I love him. I’d never deny it. But it’s not just talk. Thane and his friends are the kingdom’s best hope against the zamindar.”
Lady Tay shook her head. “I’m sorry. I believe you mean well, but I don’t see how you can challenge the zamindar. You’re all so young. You probably have no idea what you’re up against.”
Thane sat motionless, his jaw clenched. Ander could tell he was beginning to doubt the wisdom of coming here.
Nicolai shifted uncomfortably. Despite his physical prowess, he disliked confrontations. “Perhaps we should leave,” he suggested. “We all need time to think.”
Ander surged from his seat, aching with frustration. “Wait, not yet.” He knelt beside Lady Tay’s chair and took one of her hands between his. “You’re right to be cautious. So is Thane. You both understand the danger. But you don’t have to trust each other, not yet. Trust me, for a first step.”
Lady Tayanita’s stare was unwavering, but she finally turned to Thane. “Tell me why you’re here. I’ll listen.”
Thane gave Ander a grateful nod, then met her gaze. “Ander says you hear gossip from customers. That you’ve got friends everywhere, like that officer who helped you escape from the dungeons in Fochelis. We need to learn what the zamindar is doing.”
Lady Tayanita frowned. “You don’t need friends in high places to know he’s ripping the kingdom apart, looking for something. I’ve never seen it so bad. So many people being seized for questioning, so many searches. I’d almost think they were expecting an invasion.”