by C. J. Archer
Max shot to his feet, his lips twisted with a sneer. "How can I be honorable when I was a thief?"
"Not that kind of honorable," Jenny muttered. "The other kind."
"What other kind? There is no other kind! Either I respected people's property and person or I did not. It seems to be the latter."
Theodore rose too and said, "You had a difficult childhood. You were poor and grew up without a good role model. It's only natural you turned to theft to survive. Don't be so hard on yourself."
"Don't make excuses for me," Max spat. "Or for them."
Vance watched the exchange with apparent indifference. But his heavy-lidded gaze hid only so much from the world. The twitch of muscle in his jaw told a different story. Max's disgust bothered him.
"Tell me." Max's voice was a strained, strangled rasp. "Did we ever hurt anyone in the process of stealing from them?"
Vance looked away.
Max's nostrils flared. "Did we beat people up?"
Dillon and Drew swallowed heavily and they too looked away.
Max's face paled and he closed his hands into fists at his sides, as if stealing himself for what was to come. "Did I kill anyone?"
Chapter 14
The resulting silence was broken by the chair Max had vacated crashing onto the stone floor. Jenny had kicked it. She stood and jabbed her finger at him. "Listen to yourself. You've turned into a self-righteous, do-gooding snob, and I hate you!"
"Jenny!" Vance barked.
She glared at Max, her face flushed and her eyes flashing. "We thought you were dead. We mourned you. We had a ceremony to say goodbye, for Merdu's sake! Then you suddenly turn up with a bunch of new friends and start acting all superior. The way you look at us is the same way rich folk look at us. Like we don't matter. Like we're scum. How do you think we feel seeing the man we thought of as our brother, who we assumed was executed for escaping prison, turn up in our lair and treat us like we're nothing to him?" She kicked his chair again, sending it skidding across the floor. "You didn't trust us enough to come here and ask for our help after your escape, and I hate you for that. I hate you for leaving us without a word. But I hate you more for coming back and looking down your nose at us."
"That's enough, Jenny!" Vance picked up the chair and righted it. "Max is our brother. No matter what has happened, he always will be. Everything will be fine when he remembers his past."
"And when will that be?"
"Perhaps it will come to him with a little more information," Dane said. "You say you thought he escaped from prison. Are you referring to the escape from the prison mine near Gull's Wing?" Dane's pretense of ignorance was a signal for the rest of us to follow suit. We would not reveal everything to these people, only as much as necessary.
"You know of it?" Vance asked.
"News of the escape reached Mull, but not the subsequent execution. Weren't all the escapees caught again and executed for murdering the guards?"
"So the ministers say."
"You have reason to doubt them?"
Vance indicated Max. "No reason except that he's standing here now."
“Why was he thrown into a prison mine this time?” Dane asked. “What was his crime?”
"A witness saw him leaving the scene of a fire where two bodies were found."
So the drunkards in Priests End were telling the truth.
Max sat heavily on the chair with a groan. "I killed them," he muttered. "I'm a murderer."
"No," Theodore said earnestly. "If you were a murderer, they would have executed you. But you were imprisoned."
Max made no indication he'd heard him. Meg blinked hard, her teeth nibbling her lower lip. I wished she'd go to him, comfort him. It might help them both.
"What was he doing in the building in the first place?" Dane asked Vance.
"He went into the goldsmith's shop to…relieve the shopkeeper of some items that hadn't sold in a while. He insisted on going alone. He'd been watching it for weeks and knew every movement the goldsmith and his wife made. He was confident of a particular time when they wouldn't be home. That's when he broke in. None of us know what happened after that. There was a fire, the bodies of the goldsmith and his wife were retrieved from the burning building, and Max just disappeared. Some weeks later we heard from an acquaintance that he'd been seen down at the docks, trying to get on a ship. We asked around and a sailor told us he'd worked with a man matching Max's description.”
“We didn’t believe him at first,” Drew said to Max. “You hate the water. You can’t swim.”
"I know," Max said drily. "I found out the hard way."
Gillon whooped with laughter, and Drew soon joined in. Quentin, Kitty and Theodore chuckled too. Meg eyed Max carefully, but when he smiled, she returned it with a measure of relief.
“The sailor told us that Max got as far as Gull's Wing where he was forcibly removed from the ship by constables,” Vance went on. “He was arrested for causing the fire, but not the murders of the goldsmith and his wife. They were killed before the fire the sheriff reckoned. He couldn’t prove you’d killed them.”
“Their throats had been cut,” Gillon said. “You wouldn't do that, Max. "
"See," Meg suddenly blurted out. "It wasn't you." Realizing everyone's attention had turned to her, she shrank back into herself and tilted her head again to hide her birthmark.
"When you were arrested, you told the sheriff you'd seen someone leaving the building before you entered. The magistrate believed you."
"You learned all this from the Noxford sheriff?" Max asked. "I thought he hated you."
Vance shook his head. "I went to Gull's Wing where your trial was carried out. It was there that I learned you'd been sentenced to the prison mine for arson as well as all your other crimes over the years. But not the murders. The Noxford sheriff communicated with the Gull's Wing authorities, but it was the Gull's Wing sheriff I spoke to. He didn't know me."
"The Noxford sheriff’s been looking for all of us for years," Gillon said. "That's why we didn't want to bring any newcomers here." He nodded at us. "We've got to be careful. If we're not, we could end up in one of them prison mines too."
Jenny shuddered. "I hear what they do to the women there. It's cruel."
"When we heard about the escape, we were relieved," Vance said. "Don't listen to Jenny. We hoped you wouldn't come back here to Noxford. It was too dangerous for you. Glancia was probably the best place for you to go."
"We're real glad you got away," Drew said quietly. "Real glad."
Jenny swallowed heavily. Tears filled her eyes, threatening to overflow. She sniffed and looked down at her feet.
"You have to leave the city again," Vance said. "I know you want to stay to find out more about yourself, but it's too dangerous here. If the sheriff hears you're back, he might come for you again and re-arrest you."
Jenny sniffed again and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "But the official word is that all escapees were rounded up and executed. They won't like admitting they missed one. They'll just let him go and pretend he doesn’t exist."
"It's not worth taking that risk." Vance blew out a measured breath then held out his hand to Max. "At least this time I get to say goodbye. But just for a short while. Maybe I'll come looking for you in Glancia, one day. Mull, did you say?"
Max nodded. He blinked rapidly as he shook Vance's hand, then Drew's and Gillon's. When it came time to shake Jenny's, she folded her arms and looked away. So Max leaned down and hugged her where she sat.
She burst into tears and threw her arms around him. "You big, stupid fool. I'm going to miss you the most."
"I may have only known you all for a short while, but I'm going to miss you too." He pulled away and smiled gently at her. "I'm going to miss my family."
Jenny's lower lip wobbled. Gillon rested a hand on her shoulder and she turned into his chest. He kissed the top of her head as she cried.
Vance walked us to the door where Max shook the doorman's hand. Vance or
dered him to return our weapons then check outside. "You'll leave Noxford immediately, won't you?" This he addressed to Dane.
Dane slid his sword into the scabbard. "First thing in the morning."
I stiffened but did not admonish him in front of the others. I waited until the lair was well behind us. "We can't leave until we've learned more about your past, Dane."
"I might not even be from here," he said.
"What about Balthazar? Something important drove him to leave Tilting and come to Freedland without informing anyone. We should find out what that is."
He hesitated before saying, "It's too dangerous for Max in Noxford, and probably for the rest of us too. Vance is right. If we're recognized by the wrong people, the authorities might come looking for us. They lied to the citizens about rounding up and executing the prisoners, and they won't want that lie exposed. Our appearance undermines their authority."
As one, all the men flipped up their hoods. I cast wary glances up and down the street, alert for constables. While Dane was right, and the city could prove dangerous, if he left now, he might never learn the answers he sought.
We had to rely on their memories returning to find out more about his past and that of the others. But without the gem or wishes, none of them would ever remember anything from before their time at the palace.
We collected Balthazar from the inn before heading out again to find the Zemayan named Taaj. Quentin filled him in on Max's news as we walked, making sure to remind Balthazar why he needed to keep his hood up and his face averted. By the time he finished the tale, Balthazar was aware of Max's past, the reason for his arrest, and Quentin's opinion of each of Max's friends.
Balthazar said nothing, however. He merely plodded along, carefully placing the end of his walking stick between each cobblestone for added stability. It seemed to be taking all of his concentration, until finally he broke the silence.
"I should not have come with you this afternoon," he finally said.
"Why not?" I asked. "You want to speak to Taaj."
"You're all capable of doing that without me, and I am a liability. If we're recognized as escapees from the prison mine, I can't run."
"That's why you're wearing hoods."
"Promise me you will all run off if it comes to that."
When no one answered, he poked Dane in the back with the end of his walking stick. "Promise me."
"No one will recognize us," Dane said over his shoulder.
Theodore hooked his arm through Balthazar's. "No one will be left behind."
Balthazar appealed to me. "Josie, talk some sense into them."
I put my hands up in surrender and continued on.
"Meg, you're the sensible one," Balthazar said. "You understand the need for them to escape."
Meg merely shrugged.
Kitty was the only one to respond. "She's the sensible one? Well, I am rather offended, Bal. I'm quite sensible too."
Quentin scoffed. "You wanted to waste money on a sedan chair this morning."
Kitty made a miffed sound through her nose. "You're impertinent."
"This is true," Erik said with a serious nod.
"You don't even know what impertinent means," Quentin said.
"Do you?"
Quentin grunted. "Just keep a look out for constables."
The only constables we spotted were watching a small gathering of people protesting about the high prices of basic necessities. A man wearing the robes of the high minister's office stood on a crate and tried to make himself heard. The crowd jeered loudly but they weren’t violent.
We found Taaj's shop squeezed between a chandler’s and baker's shops. Unlike Tam's stall in Mull, Taaj's larger shop sold more than just spices and herbs. Colorful swathes of silk hung from the rafters like curtains while there were silk hats and bags propped up on the tables. The tang of incense smoke mingled with the spicy and herbal smells in a riot of scents that were quite overwhelming. Kitty sneezed and Quentin's eyes began to water. He offered to wait outside and was soon joined by Erik.
We assumed the man who greeted us from behind the counter must be Taaj or one of his Zemayan relatives. The distinct dark skin was a giveaway, as was the long black hair braided with ribbon. The bells attached to the ribbons tinkled as he looked up at us and smiled.
"Good afternoon," he said with only the faint hint of an accent. "You have traveled far to be here, I see. The ladies are from Glancia?"
"Yes," I said with a smile. "We all are, although not all of us are from there originally."
"It's a long time since I was in your fair land. A very long time." While he wasn't as old as Balthazar, I guessed him to be beyond middle-age going by the fine lines across his forehead and around his lips. "What news do you bring from there?"
"King Leon is dead," Max said bluntly.
Taaj's lips formed an O of surprise. Vance and the others hadn't known about Leon's death, either. It had occurred several weeks ago, and yet the news had not reached Noxford, or at least, not widely. It was a reminder that Freedland was very remote and trade infrequent between the two nations. It was also an indication that perhaps the Freedlandians didn't care what happened in a distant kingdom. Not only were they geographically distant but ideologically as well.
"What do you wish to buy today?" Taaj asked. "Spices? Silk?"
"Information." Dane dropped a pouch of coins on the counter. We had agreed to the sum on the way, although Max and Kitty thought the Zemayan should only be offered payment if he was reluctant to talk. Dane had argued that Taaj had no reason to be reluctant, but it was only polite to offer something in return since we weren't going to buy anything. Max became convinced but Kitty did not. She was overruled.
Taaj eyed the pouch but did not touch it. "I am just a humble spice and silk merchant from Zemaya. What information could I give such well traveled folk as yourselves?"
"We want to ask some questions about magic," Dane said.
Taaj busied himself with the bags of spices, shuffling them and inspecting them as if their contents had been moved. "You think because I am Zemayan that I know about magic?" He shook his head. "Few Zemayans believe, nowadays. Many of the ancient stories about the sorcerer have been lost, while others have been turned into children's tales to frighten them into good behavior. Magic is an ancient, mostly forgotten, belief."
Balthazar rested both hands on the head of his walking stick in front of him. "You haven't forgotten."
Taaj peered at Balthazar through his dark lashes. "You seem certain of yourself."
"Is your name Taaj?"
Taaj nodded.
"Then I am certain."
Taaj stepped back from the counter and regarded Balthazar warily, as if he were the sorcerer. "How so?"
"May I sit? We have traveled a long way to find you. My legs are tired.”
Taaj hesitated before rounding the counter carrying a stool. He waited for Balathazar to sit then prompted him to answer. He was almost twitching with the effort of containing his anticipation.
"You went to the prison mine in Gull's Wing," Balthazar said. "You showed an interest in the story of the prisoners' escape and subsequent disappearance."
"They were later caught."
"You asked the tour guide, a former guard, if any of the prisoners had unearthed something in the mine just before their disappearance."
"So?" Taaj asked on a breath.
"So we think you wanted to know if one of the prisoners dug up a gemstone containing the sorcerer's magic."
Taaj returned to the other side of the counter, his steps slow, as if he were delaying his response. When he finally turned to us again, the wariness in his gaze was still there. "I have a minor curiosity about magic, that is all."
Balthazar muttered something under his breath and stamped the end of his walking stick into the floor. It was the most cantankerous display he'd shown in weeks. Despite the length of our journey, and its arduous nature, he had not once complained nor wished it to end. He had not
tried to hurry us to Noxford or to this point. But now that we were so close to answers, yet being denied them, he was letting his frustrations out.
"We need to tell him everything," I said. "Now is not the time to hold anything back."
"Agreed," Dane said. The others nodded too, even Balthazar.
Dane told Taaj all we knew about their memory loss, Leon's admission just before his death, the information we'd received from Lord Barborough, and finally what we'd discovered so far on this journey.
Taaj listened intently without interruption, although he nodded at the mention of Lord Barborough, as if he knew him or knew of him, and he looked surprised when Dane admitted they were most likely the escaped prisoners from Gull’s Wing.
After a lengthy silence, Dane added, "We understand if you don't want to tell us anything knowing we are prisoners."
Meg stamped her hands on her hips and glared at Dane. "No, we do not understand. There is some evidence they were imprisoned on wrongful charges. They are good, decent folk, or the three of us would not be here still." She indicated Kitty, me and herself. "We would not care as much as we do about these men if they were terrible people. Now, we have paid you, and we will give you more if you wish it, but we have little more to give. Please, we are begging you, tell us how they can get their memories back."
Taaj blinked in surprise. "But you know how. He has already mentioned it." He nodded at Dane.
As one, we all leaned in a little. "We require the gem and wishes," Theodore said. "Is that correct?"
Taaj nodded. "The guard who killed the king—"
"Brant," I said.
"Brant told you the truth. He has the remaining wishes. He would have gained them when he killed the king."
I looked to Dane but his face remained passive.
Max, however, swore under his breath. "We should have imprisoned him when we had the chance so we know where to find him."
Taaj's eyes widened in alarm.
"Brant is not a nice man," I assured him. "But none of us would have imprisoned him."
Taaj didn't look convinced. "He cannot use the wishes without holding the gem. This you also know."