by Kel Kade
Aaslo stepped past the captain. “I’m not going back to the palace.”
Lopin and Teza both followed at his sides. “It is not advisable to reject the queen.”
“She told me what she really wants. I am doing it.”
“What do you expect me to tell her?”
“Tell her the truth. Tell her I already left. Tell her I’ll see her once she’s safe again. Tell her I’m a scoundrel that ran off with another woman. Tell her whatever you want. I’m leaving in the morning, and I’ll likely not survive to deal with the consequences. For your sake, you’d best tell her something pleasing.”
“Wait,” said Teza. “Are we talking about the Queen of Uyan? Why does she want to see you?”
Aaslo glanced at her and muttered, “She hopes I’ll complete a task for her.”
“Oh, that’s why you want to go to the citadel. I’m sure she could have provided you with a guide.”
“Perhaps, but not one that could be trusted to resist stabbing me in the back.”
“I’m not sure this one won’t.”
Teza smiled. “I would never do that. If I stabbed someone, I’d want them to see it coming.”
“You attract bloodthirsty people, Aaslo.”
Lopin stopped when Aaslo and Teza arrived at the gate of the Forester’s Haven. He said, “For what it’s worth, I respect your decision to act, as misguided as it is. I think you’ll do more harm than good, though. The king will do what’s best for our people. I also think you’re an idiot for rejecting the queen, but at least I know you’re not using her for your own gain.” The man shook his head with disappointment, then rejoined his men and left.
Teza turned to Aaslo as he opened the gate. “What exactly is your relationship with the queen?”
“It’s not important,” he said. “When can I expect you in the morning?”
“When you wake me up, I guess. I’ll warn you, I’m not a morning person. Be prepared to get a fist to the face if you try to wake me before sunrise.”
Aaslo paused. “You think you’re staying here?”
“Where else am I supposed to stay?”
“I don’t know—wherever you live? Don’t you need to get your things?”
“I was staying in the attic above the tavern where you got me fired, and everything I own is in this bag. All my belongings from the academy were either sent directly to my parents’ home or stolen by the cad who brought me here.”
“Picking up another stray? You feed them once…”
Aaslo said, “First of all, I did not get you fired. Secondly, this is not an inn.”
“Good,” she said as she walked past him. “You know how I hate people.”
CHAPTER 14
Myropa followed Aaslo and the failed mage into the Forester’s Haven. The girl was a mess, and Myropa once again cursed the Fates for their devious plots. She knew it was no coincidence that Aaslo and the girl had met. The tavern had not even been Aaslo’s first choice. Myropa wondered if the man from the first would have needed to die if Aaslo hadn’t initially chosen that tavern. The Fates were cutting strings and tying them together, and Myropa could not begin to understand their designs, but she was sure it had to do with the prophecy. Had they decided to use the forester to bring it to fruition? She admired him for his determination in the face of certain failure, but she wished he would just go back to his forest and spend his remaining days with his father. She was also disturbed by the fact that he continued to carry his friend’s head. He seemed to think he needed it, but she worried it represented a touch of madness.
She wondered why Aaslo hadn’t gone to the queen. She knew they had enjoyed each other’s company the previous night, having accidentally popped in on him at an inopportune time. She had then spent the rest of the night trying to forget the image as she paced outside the chamber, keeping an eye out for vights. Myropa cared little for the queen, since she had set her sights on Aaslo, but she liked this wreck of a woman even less. Was he attracted to Teza? Had he stayed for her, or was he worried that she would run off and he’d lose his guide? Myropa figured the young woman was likely to hang around for a few days and then rob him blind.
“Sir Forester, I am glad to see you have returned in time for dinner,” said Galobar upon opening the door, “and you brought another guest! This is wonderful. My Maralee would have been pleased to have so many visitors. Your young friends are in the back. I knew they wouldn’t abandon you. They’re seeing to your horse and replanting my herbs. I found him—the horse, I mean—munching on the plants this afternoon. I have plenty more than I need, though. I often sell the surplus at the market. Oh, listen to me rambling again. I do apologize, Sir Forester. I’ve become addled in my age and forgotten my training.”
“It’s fine, Galobar. You’re a gracious host,” said Aaslo.
Myropa smiled. Despite Aaslo’s gruff nature, he had learned some manners.
“Host, Sir Forester? No, no. This is your home—well, yours and the other foresters’. I am only happy to serve.”
Teza turned to Aaslo with her fists on her hips. Myropa bristled. The girl was going to berate him again. Teza said, “You don’t seem the kind of man to have servants, and I wouldn’t have pegged you as someone to be revered.”
Aaslo frowned at the girl. Myropa wasn’t sure if he was at a loss for words or just choosing them carefully. Finally, he said, “I’m not.” Then he turned toward the stairs and took them two at a time.
Galobar turned back to Teza. “Mistress…?”
Teza’s glare shot daggers at Aaslo’s retreating form, but she smiled pleasantly when she turned to the old man. “My name is Teza. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Galobar.”
“No, no,” he said with a wag of his finger. “Galobar will be fine. Will you be staying with us, Mistress Teza?”
Teza dropped her bag on the floor, then plopped onto the seat at the table. “Yep, I’m traveling with Aaslo. We’re leaving in the morning, I think.”
Galobar’s mouth twisted, and he looked out the window toward the courtyard just as Peck and Mory came tromping through the door. “Please, wipe your feet on the mat, if you don’t mind!”
Both thieves looked surprised but slowly backed across the threshold to do as the man said. Myropa had witnessed Aaslo’s meeting with these young men and found them to be quite entertaining. The older one, Peck, swaggered into the kitchen as if he were the master of the house. He straightened his velvety jacket and smoothed back his hair, then leaned one elbow on the table next to Teza. His smile was illuminating. Myropa liked the young man. “Greetings, lovely lady. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Teza smiled sweetly, then shoved Peck’s elbow off the table, causing him to stumble and strike his shoulder on its edge. She said, “What makes you think I’m lovely? You don’t know anything about me, and I’ll be perfectly happy for it to stay that way.”
Peck straightened and rubbed his bruised shoulder. He looked at Teza with surprise and an overly dramatic sense of hurt. “My lady, whatever did I do to earn your ire? Please tell me so that I may make amends.”
Teza’s smirk turned to a pout—or was it a frown? Myropa wasn’t sure. She begrudgingly admitted to herself that the girl was pretty no matter her expression. Teza said, “I know your type, and I’d like to keep my purse, thank you very much.”
Peck glanced at Mory, who was still standing in the doorway with his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pockets. Mory shrugged and gave Teza a half-hearted smile. Peck swallowed and said, “All right, fair enough, but that’s not who we are anymore—not unless Aaslo wants us to be. We’re his men now.”
Teza turned to face them both, crossed her arms, and said, “So you didn’t steal anything today? Not one thing?”
Peck and Mory shared a glance, and Peck rubbed the back of his head. “Well, we got hungry at midday.…”
From out of nowhere, Galobar smacked Peck. “I’ll have none of that, now. You serve the forester, and you’ll do so honestly. He’s a r
eputable man. There is plenty of food here in the kitchen. And if you think to steal anything from the Forester’s Haven, you’ll be dealing with worse than a knock to the noggin. There’s enchantments in this place that’ll put a curse on you.”
Mory whimpered. “I don’t wanna be cursed, Peck!”
Peck frowned at the young man. Then his expression softened, and he patted Mory’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about that. We haven’t taken anything that wasn’t offered, and we don’t plan to, all right?”
Mory nodded, then looked at Teza as if seeking approval. Teza rolled her eyes and huffed as she returned to her seat. She turned to Galobar and said, “So where am I staying?”
Myropa turned as Aaslo tromped down the stairs gripping a piece of paper, a pen, and an inkwell. He had a map tube hanging from a strap over his shoulder. She shivered when he walked through her while crossing to the table, not because she felt anything but because she still found the experience creepy.
“All right,” he said. “Where is the citadel?”
Teza laughed. “If I tell you how to get there, you’ll leave without me.”
Aaslo sighed. “Well, at least give me the general direction and how long it’ll take. We require supplies, and I need to know what kind.”
She pursed her lips and crossed her arms as she sat back in her seat. “It’s east.”
“I know that,” said Aaslo, “but how far east?”
Teza shrugged. “I don’t know. I came here by evergate.”
Aaslo slapped a hand on the table. “You said you could tell me how to get there.”
With a smile and a nod, Teza said, “I can—once we get to Copedrian. That’s in Pashtigon.”
“So, it’s near Copedrian?”
“No, but I know how to get there from Copedrian. How long will it take to get there?”
After a questioning glance at the others, Aaslo pulled the map from the tube, then rolled it out on the table. Myropa peered over his shoulder at the map. It looked like it was probably very nice, but aside from her fateful move to the city, she hadn’t been much of a traveler in life, and she hadn’t needed maps in death.
“It looks like it’ll probably be a few weeks’ ride,” said Aaslo.
Teza said, “Since neither of us knows the land, it might be worth joining a caravan. It’d be safer.”
Myropa would have agreed if she didn’t know what was coming.
“No,” said Aaslo. “We’ll ride alone. Considering my task, I think it would be safer.”
Teza tilted her head and looked at him curiously. “Is it dangerous, this task of yours?”
Aaslo met Teza’s gaze. “Perhaps not at the moment, but it may become dangerous.” Although she respected him for it, Myropa thought it a mistake for him to warn the girl. Teza nodded, seemingly unaffected by the news. Aaslo abruptly mumbled, “Will you please be quiet? I’m trying to think.”
“Sir Forester! I must protest,” said Galobar. “That is no way to speak to a young woman.”
Teza laughed. “It’s okay. He’s not talking to me.”
Galobar and the thieves shared a look of confusion, since no one else had been speaking. Myropa realized what Teza had already known. Aaslo was speaking to Mathias again. A chill swirled in her stomach. She had a sinking feeling that Aaslo was losing his mind.
After a few minutes of silence, Peck ventured, “So, we’re going somewhere?”
Aaslo looked up at the young man. “No, she and I are going. You two are staying in Tyellí—or don’t. It’s up to you, so long as you don’t go with us.”
Peck appeared genuinely hurt, and Mory looked scared. “But we’re your men,” said Peck.
“Look, I don’t want to attract attention. A single man and a woman traveling together are no one important, and they probably don’t have anything worth stealing. Two more and it looks like we have guards.”
Peck nodded. “I guess I get that. We could follow you, though. It wouldn’t look like we’re together.”
“Look at yourselves. If you saw the two of you riding alone cross-country, would you think yourselves targets? We’ve already established that you’re not good at protecting yourselves. It’s too dangerous.”
Mory’s voice shook as he said, “But, if you leave, Jago will come after us.”
Teza lurched to her feet and shoved her hands onto her hips. “You two work for Jago?” Then she turned on Aaslo. “You should make them leave. Jago’s bad news.”
“I already took care of Jago,” said Aaslo. He glanced toward Galobar. “How would you feel about taking on a couple of apprentices?”
Galobar raised his brow and then looked at the two thieves. “Yes, I suppose that would do. I should have taken one on long ago but never got around to it.” To the thieves, he said, “There’s much to learn about foresters. I’ll take you in if you’re willing to learn and work. You must vow to carry on the calling once I’ve passed.”
“So, we’ll be serving Aaslo?” said Peck.
Galobar said, “Not just Aaslo but all the foresters.”
Aaslo grunted. “You’ll likely never meet another, so it should be an easy job.”
Myropa felt a tug at her core. She sighed just as the luminescent tether snapped into place. Somewhere not far from the Forester’s Haven, someone needed to be collected.
* * *
Aaslo rubbed the soft fabric between his fingers. He had no use for such fine clothes, especially while traveling. The master of the wardrobe could have easily adjusted them to fit another man, and they could have been delivered by any servant or runner. Aaslo knew that these were not just clothes, though. They were a gift from the queen. He knew she carried no love for him. Any attraction or desire she felt was born of desperation. At least he would have something decent to wear to the Council of Magi. He ran his finger over the embroidered edge, then shoved the pile into his travel pack.
After surveying the room one last time, he turned toward the stairs and then vacated the building. Galobar had prepared a hearty breakfast and said his farewells long before dawn, and Peck and Mory were still abed. Teza made her distaste for rising at the early hour quite clear when she smacked him in the head with her pillow for waking her.
Aaslo reached the end of the walkway leading from the haven to the road and could tell by Teza’s stormy visage that she was fuming again. He stopped in front of her, and she did not leave him waiting.
“A donkey?” she growled. “You want me to ride a donkey?”
“Mages ride donkeys,” Aaslo said.
“No, we don’t. Whatever gave you that idea?”
Aaslo shrugged as he strapped his belongings to the pack mule that was already laden with other supplies. “I don’t know. I must’ve read it in a story.”
“Well, I don’t want to ride a donkey.”
He turned to her. “Look, there weren’t any horses for sale at a decent price. We’re in Tyellí. Workers use mules and donkeys. The horses in this city are bred for show. Besides, we’ll probably be riding over rough terrain. The donkey will be better.”
Teza pursed her lips into a pout and eyed the donkey. “I guess she’s not that much smaller than your horse. And, she’s kind of attractive for a donkey. Fine, but I get to name her.”
Aaslo tipped his chin and said, “Thank you for being reasonable.”
Teza’s short curls bobbed as she shook her head. “I’m always reasonable.” She turned and mounted the donkey with ease as she said, “I think I’ll name her Aaslina.”
“She named her donkey after you.”
Aaslo said, “I don’t know if I should be offended or flattered.”
Teza smirked, then leaned over the donkey’s mane to stage-whisper into her large ear. “Don’t take it personally, Aaslina. He’s just surly because his horse is so ugly.”
Aaslo mounted Dolt and said, “I don’t care if he’s ugly. It’s his idiocy that grates on me.” Dolt must have been listening, because he seemed to think it was the perfect time to lie on the ground.
Teza laughed and said, “You can’t blame him. He’s just a horse.”
“He does it on purpose,” Aaslo grumbled as he tugged on Dolt’s bridle until the horse relented and stood.
“You’re finally developing an imagination.”
“I’m not imagining it. There’s something off about him.”
Teza nudged Aaslina closer and said, “I believe you, but I’m pretty sure the source is his rider.”
Aaslo ignored Mathias’s hoot of laughter as he mounted again and tried to turn Dolt down the road. Dolt refused to turn left again and instead spun to the right, becoming entangled in the mule’s lead line. Teza laughed heartily as Aaslo dismounted and worked to free the beasts. She and Mathias echoed each other’s taunts, but Aaslo chose not to heed anything they said. Instead, he listened to the noises of the city, mentally transforming them into forest sounds. The creaking of carts morphed into the crashing of boughs, shouting workers were the warning and mating calls of wild animals, and the city’s underlying drone became the rustle of wind and water. It was a task, but he eventually settled into a peaceful place, albeit a smelly one. He briefly wondered why the mages didn’t purify the air better, then realized most of them were probably used to the putridity.
The air was more pleasant outside the city, although the bold sweetness of evergreens and cool earthiness of rich, moist soil to which Aaslo was accustomed had been replaced by the spice of dried grass and delicate nectar of wildflowers. Aaslo and Teza rode in silence through the morning. They broke for lunch under the shade of a lone tree.
“So, why’d you leave the forest?” said Teza as she lounged against the tree’s trunk.
“A friend of mine had business in Tyellí. He couldn’t go, so I went in his stead.”
“The friend you lost? He must have been some friend. I didn’t think foresters ever left the forest.” A heavy stone dropped in the pit of Aaslo’s stomach. She said, “Actually, I never thought about foresters having friends—besides other foresters, I suppose. It sounded to me like you’re a bunch of recluses.” Aaslo took a swig from his waterskin but said nothing. “If there’s trouble, can you protect us?”