by Sharon Green
"We're going to pretend we are that stupid," Driffin said with a smile of approval for the boy's very proper outlook. "We're going to be all innocent and trusting while we let them train us, we're going to find out as much as we can about what they mean to do with us afterward, and then we're going to disappear and make use of what we learned - about everything. There's got to be gold in this somewhere for them, and I want a good chunk of that gold to be ours."
"So where do we sign up?" Tildis asked with a laugh, the other boys chuckling their agreement. "I'm ready to cooperate."
"You and the others are ready for school," Driffin corrected dryly, glancing around at the eager group. "I've already signed up for the first class, and I'll find out how to get the rest of you signed up as well. In the meantime, you all have a duty to this family to learn as much as you can before you take yourself out of the reach of the gold-grabbers. The more we know, the more useful we'll all be."
One or two of the boys began to grumble at that, but Driffin just smiled. Not everyone was made for taking advantage of school learning, but he insisted that they all try. He hadn't been very eager for school himself at one time, at least until he realized just what was being offered…
The boys knew themselves that it was time to leave for school, so they went to put away their cudgels and collect the girls. By ones and twos they would all leave by the back door, and Tildis would lock and bar the door after them. Once they were gone Tildis would leave by the secret way, and afterward would pretend that he'd gone out a hidden window. It didn't pay to have too many people know about your secrets, not when some people just couldn't keep from telling what they knew if silver or threats were offered…
Driffin sighed as he walked toward his private part of the warehouse. He'd rescued Tildis from the streets just as the boy's drunken father had tried to reclaim him, knowing from personal experience what the boy was going through. It had taken some time to gain Tildis's trust, but once he had he knew the boy himself could be trusted as far as anyone could be.
But then circumstance - and Tildis - had made Driffin start to pick up the other kids, all of whom really needed looking after. Before he knew it, Driffin had a larger family than the one he'd originally come from, all of them looking to him for guidance and support. It hadn't been easy for Driffin - or for them - to survive, but for some of the kids who had been out on the street it would have been impossible. And the kids did brighten Driffin's world, even if he felt he couldn't trust all of them. In this world, some people were always stronger than others.
Stronger. Driffin smiled bitterly as he reached his private area of the warehouse and silently let himself into the bedchamber. Idresia lay asleep in the bed, her labored breathing making it sound as if she ran instead of slept, but Driffin had already done all he could for her. There was something inside her that didn't work quite right, but Driffin had no idea how to fix that something. Maybe this was another thing those classes could help him with. If they did, he would give eternal thanks to the Highest Aspect…
Tears formed themselves in Driffin's eyes, and for once he made no effort to stop them. Idresia was the woman he'd fallen in love with, for her courage, for her humor, and for the love she gave in return. He really wanted to tell her about the good fortune he'd had, but she'd started to have so much trouble getting to sleep that he didn't dare wake her. She needed the sleep desperately if she was to survive, and she had to survive. If she didn't…
If she didn't then Driffin might not survive either, but there were too many people depending on him. If she died then he might not be able to follow after her, and the thought of being left all alone added soundless sobs to the tears trailing down Driffin's face. He would figure out something to help Idresia, he had to …!
Chapter 18
Jovvi dismounted with Lorand at the palace, and gave the reins of her horse to the stable boy who hurried over. Lorand did the same, and then they were free to enter the palace. Happily, their guard captain was nowhere in sight, which ought to mean he had no idea that she and Lorand had gone out without an escort.
"I think we may be home free," Lorand murmured as he also looked around, apparently reading her thoughts. "As long as no one knows we went out alone, we ought to get away without a scolding."
"I've been spending some time trying to understand why some people are willing to do just about anything to be in our position," Jovvi answered with a sigh. "Everyone expects us to do things their way, and we can't even go out alone without sneaking out. Talk about being treated like a prisoner."
"But at least we've found a way around one corner of the coverage," Lorand said with a little-boy grin. "Or at least you found the way, and it works really well. Now we have to decide whether or not to tell the others."
"Since our escape method can't be used without me, I don't see why we can't tell the others," Jovvi pointed out. "I'd be willing to oblige them, of course, but there isn't that much time left before we leave the city. Tamma may hate me for not taking her along this morning, but the indignation shouldn't last more than a moment or two."
"Probably not, since we'll all be getting out from under in just a little while," Lorand agreed with a nod. "If there wasn't an army heading for the city, I wonder what it would take to get us out of here in the same way."
"It's going to take a change in standard policy, and outright battle would probably be easier," Jovvi answered, resisting the urge to sigh again. "Unlike those who used to be called Seated Blending, our group can take care of itself under most circumstances even without Blending. And since we don't have the urge to stand high above the common masses, keeping ourselves away from ordinary people is nonsensical."
"Not to mention the fact that standing aloof is just asking for trouble," Lorand pointed out, still looking around as they hurried up the corridor. "That man Tolten Meerk can't possibly be the only one with the urge to take advantage, and the next one may not be so obvious about it. We have to stay in touch with everything, or before we know it we'll be back to having a ruling nobility."
"At least Wilant Gorl and his Blending have been warned about that," Jovvi said, doing her own checking of the rooms to either side of the corridor. Most of them were empty, and those that weren't seemed to contain cleaning people… "I really do want to get away from this city for a while, but I also hate the idea of leaving just when our new projects are getting started. If we get back to find them ruined in some way…"
"If we get back to find our projects ruined, Wilant Gorl and his people will either be dead or in hiding," Lorand pointed out dryly. "Every one of them knows how we feel about the training classes and the new placement agency that should be opening in a few days. If we come back to find that the projects aren't running smoothly, the ones responsible for making trouble will have to face us."
"Or, to be more accurate, they'll have to face Tamma," Jovvi said with a laugh. "Since I can't think of anyone who knows her who's willing to do that, I have the suspicion that our projects will go smoothly no matter what anyone has to do to make it happen."
"Yes, you and I are pushovers, but Tamrissa isn't," Lorand said with his own laugh. "And if, by any stretch of the imagination, she happens to need help, Vallant isn't much of a pushover either. Naran tends to be softhearted like us, but Rion has become a definite force to be reckoned with. No, all in all I think our projects are safe."
Jovvi would have preferred to be in the city to be sure of that, but the conclusion couldn't be argued. The new projects were safe, but when it came to that army the same couldn't be said of the city. And it was their job to take care of the army, even with other Blendings available…
"I have a feeling we've been betrayed by one of our own," Lorand muttered, and Jovvi looked up to see their four Blendingmates standing together in the area just in front of the entrances to the various wings. Tamma stood with her arms folded, and Vallant looked less than pleased. "It would be too much of a coincidence for everyone to be here just as we're coming back, so Naran
must have Seen something."
"And told the others about it," Jovvi agreed, flinching inwardly over the waves of heavy disapproval and worry coming from the four. "We'd better tell them quickly that we weren't in any danger."
"Good idea," Lorand muttered, and then he raised his voice. "Hey, everyone, we've just been trying out something new, and we're pleased to report that it works. Let's go into one of the wings and get comfortable, and we'll tell you all about it."
"Why would we want to hear about the newest way to get killed?" Tamma countered immediately, her tone icy. "We already know about the best one, and that's going out without the rest of us or a damned strong escort. Oh, but you already know about that one, don't you?"
"Tamrissa, we weren't in any danger," Lorand assured her with a sigh. "We weren't sure about how large an area the effect would cover, and that's why we kept the excursion limited to two. Now we know that all of us could have gone - as long as we stayed really close together."
"What effect are you referring to?" Rion asked before Tamma could begin scolding again. "And why would it be necessary for all of us to stay close together?"
"The effect I'm talking about is something Jovvi thought of," Lorand answered, obviously pretending he didn't see Tamma's continuing anger. "She thought it might be possible to … project what amounts to invisibility, by using her talent to make people believe they weren't seeing us. She spread the belief as far as she could, and everything worked fine until someone literally ran into us. After that we made sure to get out of the way in time, and so didn't have the problem again."
"And that's why we would have to stay close," Vallant said with a nod, his mind bright with interest. "To keep from gettin' in everybody's way by spreadin' out. And you had no other trouble?"
"None at all," Jovvi confirmed, deciding it was time to support Lorand with more than her simple presence. "We went to look in on how the registration for training classes was going, and were delighted to see quite a lot of people even this early."
"And most of those who came this early were asking for the evening classes," Lorand put in, turning to look at Tamrissa. "It's a good thing you thought of offering them, Tamrissa. I'd overlooked the fact that people who work for a living can't take time off to attend a class."
"We all overlooked the point," Tamma grudged, still not very happy. "If I hadn't talked to one of the servants in my wing and offered him a place in one of the classes, we'd still probably be where we were. When he said he couldn't attend the class because he had work to do… Well, that rang a very loud bell."
"In case you hadn't noticed, none of the rest of us talked to our people about it," Jovvi pointed out firmly, eager to change the subject. "That makes the idea yours without contention, and the credit as well. So, are all of our people ready to leave after lunch? And have we made sure that we're taking along a really good cook?"
"Everyone's ready, and we've in fact chosen two good cooks," Rion assured her with a smile, following along as Jovvi began to walk toward the entrance to her wing. "But aside from them, only we and the other three Blendings and our various link groups will be going. Oh, yes, and ten guardsmen and ten Astindans, to handle any nobles we come across or anything in general that doesn't require our attention."
"I like the way you said 'only,'" Jovvi commented ruefully. "That's more than two hundred and fifty people, not just we six alone. Some holiday outing."
"I wish it was just a holiday outin'," Vallant answered in a tone just as rueful as Jovvi's as he also followed along. "But it's an army we're goin' out after, so we have to do it right. But there is one bright spot: Startin' tomorrow, we and one of the other Blendin's will be travelin' three or four hours ahead of the other two and their people, at least until we get within reach of the army. That will make huntin' and campin' a bit easier, not to mention movin'."
"I think what does need mentioning is the visitor I had this morning," Naran put in with a quick smile of apology for Vallant. "Master Ristor Ardanis came to call, along with additional members of his Sight magic people. He explained that he'd come to replace those members of my link groups that had joined one or another of the other Blendings. Somehow he knew the exact number to bring."
Naran's words had turned very dry, and Jovvi could understand that.
"How interesting that the man showed up just at a time when the only two members of the Blending equipped to tell truth from lie weren't here," Jovvi couldn't help pointing out. "It must surely have been a coincidence."
"Oh, yes, definitely," Naran agreed, the words as dry as her previous ones. "To think that he timed his visit carefully would be to assume that the man was hiding something. And you should have heard his apology for not having provided me the teachers he said he would. He assured me that trying any training now would have been a waste of effort, with everything in a flux around us at this time. But as soon as we get back from taking care of the army, we'll get right to the training."
"Of course you will," Rion said in the same tone Naran had used, but one with a slightly sharper edge. "But if there's another delay then, we'll all have a little talk with Master Ristor Ardanis. I may have thought of a way to track him down."
"But that isn't possible, my love," Naran said with a small laugh as she turned to Rion. They'd reached a sitting room in Jovvi's wing, one with a tea service that Jovvi headed for. Not having tea whenever she wanted some was one of the things Jovvi would definitely miss on the road…
"You can't track down someone with Sight magic, Rion," Naran continued with a smile. "Master Ardanis would always know when we were coming, and would make sure to be somewhere else."
"But that, my love, is the key to finding him," Rion disagreed with a smile of his own. "If enough people are looking all at the same time, won't the possibilities get so complex and muddied that he'll have difficulty knowing the best steps to take? If we can confuse the future badly enough, we'll find him standing in one place like the donkey between two haystacks, frozen by the need to decide which way to go."
"You know, that just might work," Naran said slowly, her brows high as she considered the idea. "Something else would also have to be done, I think, something I can't see yet, but I'll try to come up with what we're missing. Even if we never use the method, it will still be handy to have it available."
"That's for certain," Lorand agreed, standing behind Jovvi as he waited for his turn at the tea. "Vallant, did you explain to Pagin Holter and his people why it wasn't them we decided to leave in Gan Garee?"
"Yes, and they agree with our thinkin'," Vallant answered from where he stood next to Tamma. "Our two Blendin's, bein' the strongest and most mature, need to explore what they can do together. We can't do much explorin' if we're miles and miles apart, and with them comin' with us we might also be able to practice on that army."
"Maybe we'll find another, easier way to take them over," Tamma put in, no longer looking or sounding angry. "And while we're out there, let's not forget that we'll be looking around for any members of the nobility who weren't here in Gan Garee in time to be arrested. We'll be sending them back to Gan Garee with the Astindans and with the rescued army segments."
"Which will save us time and effort later," Rion said with a nod of agreement. "We'll need to send people all over the empire eventually, letting the more distant areas know about the changes and taking in any members of the former nobility. If we leave them wherever they're hiding, they're bound to make trouble sooner or later."
"And that we certainly don't need," Tamma agreed, then she turned back to Jovvi and Lorand. "Lavrit Mohr also came by this morning, to tell us that the food shipments have started to come in as of last night. In another few days things will be able to start getting back to normal.”
"Better than normal," Lorand qualified with a smile. "People will now be running their businesses for themselves rather than as slaves to the nobility. And we're almost ready to tell anyone who's interested that they can relocate to and farm any unclaimed land they like.
The one thing we don't yet have a handle on is Holdis Ayl and his renegade Guild people."
"One of the Blendings staying behind intends to look into that," Naran put in with a quick smile. "Master Ardanis told me that the group now has its own Sight magic user, and he and his people will help out as best they can. I had the impression that they weren't going to help too much, but only because the Blending won't need much help. All the remaining Guild members have been looked at, and the three who stayed behind as spies have been identified but not arrested. As soon as any of the three get in touch with someone, they'll follow the contact back to Ayl."
"We hope," Lorand said with a sigh, then he seemed to throw off the dark mood. "No, I'm going to believe that they'll be successful. When we get back to Gan Garee, there won't be anyone left who hates us."
"What are they puttin' in the tea in this wing?" Vallant asked with a laugh while everyone else smiled. "If you think there won't be anyone around to hate us even with Ayl and his people gone, brother, you'd better brace yourself for a shock. There's always someone who hates you, if only because you have somethin' they can't get. All we can do is learn to live with it."
"There may be something else we can do," Jovvi mused, having considered the matter before. "If we can help them find something they consider better than what we have, they won't have a reason to hate any longer. Our new placement service may be one of the things we can use to accomplish that end."
"Along with other things," Naran agreed with a distant look in her eyes, surprising Jovvi. "Yes, the probabilities are definitely there, so we'll have to investigate them when we get back."
"And on that note, I think it's time we separated to make our final preparations for leaving," Tamma pronounced as she straightened where she stood. "I also want a cup of tea, but if I have it here I'll be rushed later. If anyone isn't ready when it's time to do what's necessary, we'll just have to start without them."