He took them and examined them. “Wow, these are perfect. Where did you find these?”
Duke was eyeing the two tools, too, but he had a different look. Damn, he knows what they are from. “Yes, Ticca. Where did you get those lock picks?”
“From the Knife that attacked me by the Llino Guildhouse.”
Lebuin looked at Duke and shrugged. “They’ll work perfectly.”
“Of course, they will. This is what they are designed for. Ticca, if you have the full set, do not get caught with it.”
She nodded.
Duke and Lebuin turned their attention back to the door. After about two minutes, the key hole snapped open, accompanied by the clear sound of locks being pulled back. “Push on it.”
Lebuin pushed. The door swung inward silently, and the panel snapped shut again without a trace. The key hole remained open. Just inside, on the floor were four Dolphin-style door keys, three bluish and one silver, resting on two sealed envelopes. Lebuin handed the tools back to Ticca and stepped in to pick up the keys and the envelopes. His eyes went wide and his hands trembled as he examined the letters. “Ah… Duke, one is addressed to you, and the other is addressed to me.”
Duke sat down, then stood back up. “Lebuin, please hold onto those. Ticca, set the sliders to a new combination and let’s go inside.”
Ticca stepped up and moved the sliders to the same combination she used at the Dolphin.
Duke examined the setting and nodded, then said, “Take one of the blue keys, put it in the lock, and turn it all the way to the left, then pull it out.”
Lebuin handed her a blue key and she stuck it in the lock, turning it to the left. A series of clicks came from the door, and the sound of a series of snaps being closed. Turning the key back to center, she pulled it out. The sliders all moved to the far left and the key hole snapped closed.
Duke motioned everyone in with his head. “Okay, that is the new door combination. You each get a blue key. Now, everyone get in and go through the first door on the right.”
Stepping through the door, Ticca heard Duke closing the door behind them. She wasn’t surprised to find that Duke had them going into a comfortable sitting room with all the expected comforts: fireplace, large chairs, and even a pile of pillows which Duke flopped onto. The room was lit by a series of mounted chandeliers that burned too evenly for candles or oil lamps.
Duke looked around. “Well, it looks about the same as the last time I was here. All right, we are now as safe from scrying as we can possibly be. Please get comfortable and let’s see what Vestul has to say. Lebuin, would you please read the one to me first?”
Lebuin broke the seal and unfolded the paper.
“Hello Old Wolf,
By now, I am dead and you are screaming at everyone and tearing apart the world for answers. I am very sorry it has come to this. If it makes you feel better, you, Lebuin, Ditani, and I have made several dramatic attempts to stop what is coming. We failed. What is unfolding now is unique and I do not know if it is enough. I am attempting to do what you described to me once as lateral thinking. In other words, instead of attacking the problem head-on, and thus, failing again, I have arranged it so you are coming at it sideways. We are out of options and time. Either you succeed or you don’t, and perhaps all is lost or it isn’t. I cannot say, because I am dead before the end.
I loved you as if you were my father and later, as a brother. If you should ever manage to die, I hope to meet you in the next realm.
Vestul”
They sat silently. Then Lebuin took the letter addressed to him and broke the seal. His voice sounded very far away as he read.
“Hello Turtle,
I know that doesn’t mean much to you now, but it did once, and it still does to me. I was proud to teach you and work with you as you grew to a magnificent man and demi-god hero. Know that I was, am, and shall ever be your friend and mentor, and am proud to have known you.
As Ditani will never accept my residence, I leave it to you. I have moved all the great books and valuables into the tower, in case something happens. The house was burned down a couple of times before. I don’t see the harm in doing this, although Argos wouldn’t agree, but I don’t answer to him.
It should make you feel better to know that you were raised and trained by the best many times before. This time, you were misguided and left ignorant for reasons that will become clear later, if you survive long enough. I wish I could tell you what, where, and who the enemy is, but we really have no idea. The agencies at work have hidden the focal point too well, and we cannot pierce their secrecy.
Lebuin, you must find your way and choose your allies on your own.
I leave you three keys to the tower. The fourth was lost a long time ago in an accident, so no need to worry about that. I also leave you a silver key, which is not complete, as it is too dangerous to leave assembled. If you need it, you will figure out where the other pieces are. To use it, remember your birth and your sister’s birth.
Vestul”
Duke’s teeth ground loudly as Lebuin finished reading the letters. “Damn it, that bastard was screwing with time! No wonder, he was so damned secretive. If I had found out about it, I would have chewed on him for as long as it took to get him to stop.”
They looked at Duke, who growled, got up, and paced back and forth. “Did you even pay attention? He said ‘many times,’ ‘the house burned a couple of times before,’ ‘we tried and failed.’ Damn it. Didn’t know this was coming. Of course, not! The stupid fool died! And he knew it was coming, so it was really on purpose, to get us engaged! GOD DAMN IT, I HATE MARTYRS!”
Lebuin was studying the letter to him. “Duke, it says Argos wouldn’t approve. That means Argos didn’t know about some of this. What does he mean, he doesn’t answer to Argos? All Guild Magi are sealed to his service.”
Duke stopped pacing and sat down, then stood and started pacing again. “Damn it! Argos knew some of this. Of course, he did, which means Lothia is in it, too. She is in all the way up to her neck! That is why she was here; she has been watching, but staying out of the way. Vestul said this was a ‘unique path’ and Lothia hinted that a disaster was coming. ‘Do what your heart says.’ That is what she said.”
Ticca felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising and her stomach was taking a dive. “He never mentioned me, and he called Lebuin only a demi-god hero. But according to Ditani, Vestul knew of my family, so he wasn’t expecting me. He certainly didn’t know Lebuin would become a full God.”
Lebuin, his brows so furrowed as to be almost one dense line shading his eyes, looked up from his letter to Duke. “Seriously, Duke, stop and tell me how Magus Vestul can operate without Argos’s knowledge? This is really important.”
Duke was chewing the air again in frustration, but he stopped pacing and chewing to look at Lebuin. Duke’s brows were twitching back and forth as he thought it through. “Well, Vestul is one of the Magi who decided to not join the Guild when it was formed. He eventually became a trusted member, but he never took the oath and was never bound to Argos. He was old enough to have figured out a lot of truths. Still, he followed the rules until this mess!” Then Duke’s eyes lit up and he smiled a toothy grin. “At least, I still have permission to hunt down those little bastards and make them pay for all this.”
Ticca’s guts were dancing because she felt deep down that hunting with Duke was a bad idea. “So you hunt. And do you expect us to join you?”
Duke looked at her, still smiling, “No, Ticca. You do what your heart says, which is what?”
She didn’t even have to think about it. “Find whatever the Nhia-Samri were after and destroy it, or use it to destroy whatever is endangering the realms.”
Lebuin and Ditani nodded in agreement.
Duke’s smile never wavered. “So you three head off and take care of that while I go make myself a large, noisy target. The Nhia-Samri might be the focal point, or maybe they are working for whomever is the real threat. You have
to find out the real truth and how to stop the disaster.”
They sat for a while before Duke stood and said, “Now that you have access to this place, you can determine your next moves and get rolling. But I need you to wait a few days, because I want most of the observers to pay attention to me. Tomorrow, I am going to make a big show of getting most of the Daggers and army ready to roll for Gracia to make this a real war. We’ll leave in three days’ time.”
A knot formed in Ticca’s belly, and she looked at Duke. “What do you mean, most of the Daggers?”
“You need back-up.”
The knot tightened as some adrenaline started surging into her system. “You mean protection! I don’t need protection. The four of us are capable.”
“Yes, well, that is what back-up generally implies. Yes, you do, and naturally. But still, some solid back-up Daggers could enable certain actions. Besides, it’s likely you will take a shining to one of them.”
Crossing her arms, she stood and walked back out, trying not to pout. Damn it, he’s right. As she stepped out of the tent past the guards, she recalled Duke’s final words, which caused the knot to become a full-blown cramp. Wait, what did he mean, ‘a shining’?
The cart bumped and swayed as it moved over the cobblestones with its heavy load of supplies. Everything they needed, they had, except for one thing. Illa looked out across the market, teaming with people full of that precious magical energy she had to acquire. All these people, and I can’t recruit one of them. I know Lebuin needs more followers, and there are not enough Daggers to get him even adequate power. Now Duke is going to leave in less than two days, taking most of the Daggers with him. We need more power, or else he might fail. She clenched her hand at the thought that her God might fail because she failed to find him enough energy. She punched the leather-padded bench seat as she tried to find a way around or through the laws she had to comply with to help Lebuin.
The cart jumped, and with the sound of something snapping in two, the cart tilted sideways with a lot of force. Illa was thrown to the ground. She flung her hands out, trying to control her fall, but without the time needed to react. The world blazed white as the sound of someone’s head being hit by a club came to her. Everything seemed to spin, and she felt dizzy as her cheek rested on the warm, rough cobblestones.
Why am I lying down in a street? Illa’s mind refused to provide an answer. Well, at least, it is warm. As she lay there, trying to figure out where she was, she could smell the pleasant, soft scent of dirt and stone. Something warmer than the stone was getting the street under her cheek wet. Her cheek also started feeling wet. A salty scent was added to that of the dirt and stone. Her thoughts circled around, identifying the sound she had heard as not a club to the head, but her head hitting the street. Her heart rate picked up as her mind identified the smell as blood and told her it was likely her own. Too disoriented to move, she tried to regain some mental control.
A lot of people were hollering as the supplies on the cart started to bounce around her on the street. A pair of strong hands grabbed her and pulled her away from the cart as an anvil hit with a loud ring, right where she had been lying.
“Oye, lady, are you okay?”
She tried to focus, but her vision was blurred from the fall. She lifted her hand to her head and felt the large bump there. Her hair felt sticky and wet. Pulling her hand back in front of her face, she saw it was covered with blood. She couldn’t assemble her thoughts clearly enough to understand what happened, so she stared at her bloody hand. Where did all this blood come from?
Nigan appeared, kneeling in front of her, his hands on her shoulders, his brows furrowed, and his eyes looking into hers. He said, “Illa, do you know who I am?”
She nodded and the pain that caused made her yelp, sucking in air in with a gulp. With pure will, she forced her eyes to focus on Nigan’s worried face. “I… Nigan… I’m... What…?”
Nigan’s brows unfurled and he smiled, yet his eyes remained concerned. “The cart wheel hit a hole, and the axle broke with all the weight we had it loaded with. I am really sorry I didn’t see the hole, and it was a big one. You were thrown onto the stones. This baker saved your life by pulling you clear before the anvil hit you.”
The gentle, alto voice of the baker said, “Lord knows, it was close. Worthy Dagger, I can tend to her in my shop right here while you help with the confusion.”
Nigan looked behind her and nodded. He stood, and with the help of the baker, helped her into the warm, sweet-smelling shop. The baker sat her in a chair next to a table by the front window. The shop was empty of other patrons. Nigan touched her shoulder, concerned. Her thoughts were moving better. I’m okay. Go take care of everyone else. Her mouth didn’t echo her thoughts, but she was able to wave him out with her non-bloody hand. Her thoughts were starting to flow again. I landed on my head. I must have a concussion. First, take care of the bleeding. Then maybe something cold.
Once Nigan was gone, the baker produced a pile of towels and a bowl of warm water. He cleaned her head and wrapped it with towels. He then helped her get comfortable and made a pillow with the remaining towels, which he placed behind her head. He laid a cloth with some ice in it on her forehead. The coolness felt marvelous and eased some of the pain. The chair leaned back pleasantly, and she let her head rest on the towel pillow. The smells of the bakery drifted over her in waves of warm air that felt wonderful and added to her drowsiness, so she closed her eyes, letting herself drift off, knowing she was safe.
As she dozed, she felt the comforting energy flowing into her from her God, easing her aches. Her mind tried to block it. No, my Lord, don’t waste your energies on me. I’ll heal. We need to gather power, not waste it. Lebuin either wasn’t listening, or more likely, didn’t agree. His energies continued to come to her. Her heart swelled at the touch of such love and care.
Movement around the shop roused her and she heard someone talking softly. Without opening her eyes, she concentrated and heard the baker say, “Had to break the axle. It was the only way to get her out of sight fast enough, and if needed, we could heal her quickly.”
Another voice, female, soft, with a distinctly rich tonal quality, but deep with concern said, “We cannot be directly involved.”
“Her father is just down the road. If he saw her, too much could be discovered.”
At the mention of her father, she opened her eyes and tried to focus on the street. Through the dusty panes of glass, she spotted him. Runa-Emry was standing, almost on guard, at the lead of six Nhia-Samri dressed in plain clothes. Even at this distance, she could see that her father and all his men were upset about something. Her father was facing a tall and heavily muscled man dressed as a well-to-do traveling merchant with dirty boots.
The large man turned and looked in her direction. She froze, her heart pounding and her brain screaming at her to run. But her whole body was rigid and unresponsive. Still, her mind did respond. She opened herself to her God, and thought at him, “LORD, WARLORD MARU-ASHUA IS HERE!”
She felt Lebuin’s calming presence in her mind. ‘Illa, I hear you. Are you safe?’
‘Yes, my Lord. But my father and a band of Nhia-Samri are with Warlord Maru-Ashua. They are in disguise.’
‘May I look through you?’
‘You need never ask, my Lord. I am yours.’
‘Yes, I do need to ask.’ She felt Lebuin’s presence fully enter her mind, and he became concerned about her wounds. Lebuin wasted precious moments examining her head wound. She felt him look with her eyes on the scene. ‘You are more wounded than I thought. What happened?’
She let her memories flow to Lebuin. ‘Please do not worry about me, Lord. You need to protect yourself.’
‘Yes, I see them. I am also curious about this baker and the conversation you heard.’
Down the street, the warlord indicated something she couldn’t see and strode off out of her sight. Her father gave the fall-in signal and followed the warlord. His men also followed in a
loose, but obvious, if you knew what to look for, rearguard formation. Lebuin noted her observation. ‘It seems the baker succeeded in keeping you out of sight. I am safe in the tower. I’ll stay here and try to track them with Daggers through Ticca. You are to stay safe and have Nigan take you, and a couple of others as guards, to that inn you and Ticca shared. Stay safe and stay hidden. I feel the baker is right; we cannot let the Nhia-Samri discover what I am.’
Lebuin’s presence slipped from her. She looked around and found that the bakery was empty. Nigan walked in and looked around, confused. “Where did the baker go?”
She looked at him. “Nigan, we must hide. I’ll explain later. Send someone to secure some rooms at the Three Green Doves Inn, and get me an enclosed carriage, preferably a two-seated brougham, to take me there. Send only two Daggers back with the supplies.”
Nigan’s mouth tightened as he understood something dangerous was afoot. He was prudent, as well as being an excellent Dagger. He nodded and went back out to issue orders.
On the table next to her, Illa noticed there was a pile of freshly baked sweet rolls and a tall glass of milk. Otherwise, the bakery was empty. Somehow, she knew that the baker and the woman wouldn’t be back. They had exposed themselves to keep her hidden from her father and the warlord.
Her head throbbed and she took one of the sweet rolls and drank some milk while eating it. As she ate, she felt better and better, and her head started to clear. Sniffing the milk, she detected the scent of a temple healing draught.
Well, it seems we have allies in this. But how did they know who I was? For that matter, how did they even know who my father was?
Nigan came in after she finished the milk and half of the sweet rolls. He had a hooded cloak, which he helped her slip into, and then walked her out to the waiting four-wheeler. Once inside, the carriage moved off, and Nigan drew all the drapes closed.
Thread Strands (Golden Threads Trilogy) Page 14