He sat back with a satisfied smile. “Good, good. I thought that might be the case, I just wanted confirmation. I shall send the word along then that they can go. Where should they report in?”
“The Trasdee Evondit Orra in Del’Hain. They usually meet in the Academy for All Magic.”
“Understood. Well.” Putting his hands on the arms of the chair, he slowly pushed himself up and onto his feet. “I shall get all the wheels in motion. Garth, my boy, you’re welcome to stay longer and visit if you wish.”
“I haven’t the time I’m afraid,” I answered a tad regretfully. “Vonlorisen is eager to hear the news about whether you’ll accept his wife, and I promised to update Chatta today about everything that was happening.” And I still had to talk to her father…but I was trying not to think about that just now.
“I understand,” Raile answered. “Well, next time, then.”
“Next time,” I promised.
~*~
It should take five minutes to meet up with Vonlorisen and tell him. Or at least, I thought that until I actually arrived at the Palace.
I admit it. It was all my fault. I’m so accustomed to popping in and out to speak with Guin that I instinctively went directly to where Vonlorisen was standing, not considering
where
he might be standing. As it turned out, he was on his throne in the main court, hearing out petitions, when I literally popped into the room.
People scattered in every direction, climbing over each other to get away from me. They were milling about like panicked sheep, pushing and shoving at each other ruthlessly to get to an entrance—any entrance. Several people took advantage of the floor-length windows and clambered out of those. There was a lot of screaming going on. I looked at the chaos my entrance had caused and winced. Oops.
The only one not ruffled was Vonlorisen. He sat on his throne, dressed in the full official robes of the ruling King. I felt a twinge of sympathy seeing them—I counted three layers of thick, rich velvet from a tight coat to a longer overcoat to the mantle that spread out all around him. All of it in that deep black-purple that Chahiran royalty had always worn. I thought
Mage
robes were uncomfortable…it’s a miracle he didn’t swelter in that getup. Vonlorisen coolly watched people panicking. Then he turned an utterly bland look on me. “Greetings, Magus.”
I bowed to him. “Greetings, Your Majesty. I apologize for my abrupt arrival.”
“Not at all. They’ll get used to it.” That last statement rang through the air, command in every syllable. Most of the room stopped dead, eyeing their King warily. Those closest to the doors escaped while the option was still there.
Queen Vonkaraan was staring at me with bulging eyes. It was the first time I had ever gotten a good look at the woman. I wasn’t terribly impressed. She was probably in her sixties, with a bulky figure and colorless hair. Even her skin seemed colorless although unnaturally stretched with who-knew-what beauty treatments. The manner of her body language spoke of unparalleled arrogance, slightly marred by the wide eyes she had fixed on me. Aside from the velvet dress and jewels, there was nothing distinctive about her appearance.
“Loris!” she hissed at her husband. “What is that man doing here?”
“Hopefully telling me good news,” Vonlorisen replied through gritted teeth. “Magus?” he prompted.
Since his queen was sitting right at his elbow, I kept my response as cryptic as possible. “I spoke with them this morning. They have agreed. Everything will be prepared in three day’s time.”
He let out a long breath of relief. “Understood. Thank you. Did they mention anything about the transportation arrangements?”
“What
are
you talking about?” Vonkaraan demanded irately. Her voice was reaching tones that a stepped on cat couldn’t reproduce. It hurt my ears just listening to it.
I ignored her, focusing on Vonlorisen. “I’ll handle that, Your Majesty. Just be ready in three days.”
He nodded grimly. “I will be. And the other matter?”
“It is being researched even as we talk. I have faith that a good solution will be found soon.”
“Very good. Thank you, Magus.”
Taking that as a dismissal, I gave him another bow and disappeared back into the earth.
Only then, safely away from everyone’s eyes, did I smack myself on the forehead for being such an idiot. Had I left my brain back in Hain? Really, what was I going to do for an encore? Crack the foundations on Chatta’s house?
Actually, come to think of it, didn’t Vonlorisen normally have a Star Order Priest lurking in his court? I hadn’t seen anyone in the silver robes present today. Maybe I’m a lucky idiot for my timing after all.
I took more care than was probably necessary in going to Chatta’s house. One stupid stunt was enough for today. Still, I made the trip without any problems. I could feel her and her mother twenty miles away. Well, really, this wasn’t surprising. I was so used to Chatta and the feel of her magic I could find her even
without
using my magical senses.
Ten minutes outside of Hain, Night contacted me.
“
Garth, Xiaolang’s awake. He’s come out of his coma!
”
I stumbled over a root and had to sit down for a moment. My knees felt too weak to support me. A tension I didn’t know I had been carrying lifted from my neck, making me feel lighter.
Thank the guardians. And he’s doing okay?
“
The doctors say he’s doing better. The swelling has gone down and his ribs are healing nicely. He’ll be able to move to your parents’ house in a day or so.”
That’s great news.
Chatta probably wouldn’t expect me for hours yet. I made a snap decision and switched directions, spinning about to the hospital instead.
I’m coming down to see him.
“Now?”
Night asked, voice sounding startled.
Yes.
There was a long hesitation, no doubt because Night picked up some of the turmoil in roiling about in my head, and then he responded, “
I’ll let them know you’re coming.”
Thanks, Night.
As I had already been halfway through Hain when Night contacted me, it took no time at all to reach the heart of Del’Hain and the hospital. I rose off to the side of the main entrance, not wanting to interfere with the flow of traffic through the doors that I could feel. When I entered through the doors, the same massive and somewhat crotchety nurse manned the front desk. She looked up at me, but this time didn’t drill me on my attentions. She nodded instead down the hallway. “Room 212.”
I stuck with the safe response. “Thank you.”
The hospital hallways seemed jammed with people rushing to and fro, sometimes helping a patient along, sometimes with arms full of medical supplies. I had to dodge people as I made my way to Xiaolang’s room.
When I turned into his doorway, the door was open, giving me a clear view inside. It was a typical hospital room, with only a bed, a small table, and a chair to occupy the narrow area. Xiaolang was propped up with pillows, half-covered in bandages. His eyes were as sharp as ever, though, and he greeted me with a smile.
I tried to smile back, but the effort felt forced. From the very first moment I met Xiaolang, I had known him to be a very strong, powerful man. Not just in terms of fighting strength, but in every aspect. To see him lying in a hospital bed like this tore at my heart.
Xiaolang winced slightly. “Good guardians, Garth! Have you been carrying around this kind of guilt the entire time?”
My eyes widened slightly when his words penetrated.
Empath
. Shrieking hinges, I’d forgotten—I probably radiated to him. Swearing mentally, I tried to shut off my emotions.
“That’s not going to help either,” he informed me with that penetrating look he had that could unnerve a man. “Sit down. Apparently Night is right, I do need to talk to you.”
Do I really want to know what a telepath and empath have been discussing behind my back? Reluctantly, I walked forward and gingerly took the chair next to his bedside.
I think that if the motion wouldn’t jar his broken ribs, Xiaolang would have grabbed me by the shoulders and delivered a shake or two. As it stood, he just leaned forward a little, pinning me in place with those crystal blue eyes.
“Garth, you
went on my order
. Whatever the outcome is, when I give an order,
I
bear the responsibility of its consequences.
Not
you.”
I rubbed both palms over my eyes, partially to get away from that penetrating stare. “I’ve already gone over this with Shad. I
know
that this isn’t my fault. It doesn’t make me feel any better. Xiaolang, if I had been there, none of you would have gotten hurt this badly! So yes, logically I understand that I couldn’t have known, none of us could, and this whole situation isn’t anyone’s fault.”
The blankets shifted against each other in a soft whisper of sound as he sat back. “Garth, there is a part of you that bears the responsibility for other people’s wellbeing. This isn’t necessarily a bad trait—you’d never have helped as many people as you have if you were different. Still, there are times when you take upon yourself too much responsibility.
You
are not at fault for our injuries.
The Star Order is
. Instead of being angry at yourself, why don’t you be angry with the right people?”
At that, I dropped my hands so I could look at him. “Angry?”
“That’s all guilt really is,” he responded, splaying his hands in shrug. “Anger at yourself for not doing the right thing.”
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that he had a point. Still. “I arrogantly assumed that I knew all the dangers that magic could pose, and that I could detect all of them. Everyone paid for my arrogance. That’s what grates at me.”
A soft smile lifted the corners of Xiaolang’s mouth and shone in his eyes. “Count us lucky, Garth. Most of the time, we get killed in the learning process. This time, we survived the lesson. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?”
Is that really the way soldiers think? No wonder they’re crazy. “I’d rather not get hurt at all, thanks.”
His grin widened at that. “Alright, so what have you been doing while I slept? Every time I asked, the only response they could give me was that you were doing something important. No one really seemed to know what, though.”
“A lot of things have been happening while you were sleeping,” I answered with a helpless shrug. “And somehow, I turned into the messenger for most of it. But first, how are you doing?”
“Very well,” he assured me. “The doctor tells me that I’ll be able to leave here tomorrow and recuperate at your parent’s house. He’s also heaped dire threats on my head if I try to get back into the field in the next three weeks. Apparently even with magic, it takes time to come back up to full strength.”
I nodded in confirmation. “Yes. Magic can only aid the body in healing; trying to rush a full healing will do more damage than good. Or so Chatta tells me. She’s the healing expert, not me.” Seeing him like this, I felt like a weight had lifted off of me. Xiaolang would be all right. The realization balanced my world a bit more.
“So what have you been doing?”
I filled him in on all of the events of the past few days, ending up with the Remnant’s agreement in taking the Chahiran queen into exile. He nodded thoughtfully when I ended the report.
“This is a good sign of Vonlorisen’s sincerity. I knew he truly cared about his grandson and carried a great deal of worry, but I wasn’t sure how much of a spine the man had.” Xiaolang rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. “This shows he has the strength of character to deal with the Star Order.”
“A two hundred year old organization is not going to be easy to take down,” I said slowly, thinking about all of the repercussions. Thank the guardians its Vonlorisen’s job to deal with them and not mine.
“Thankfully it’s not our job,” Xiaolang said as if agreeing to something that I had said aloud. “Alright. Aren’t you due to be at Chatta’s about now?”
Actually, I am. “I should probably go. Is there anything you need before I leave?”
He waved me away. “Your sisters come in and check on me. I’m fine.”
My sisters do? As soon as I thought it, I felt like smacking myself in the head for being an idiot. Of course the woman in my family would see to the team and already have the logistics of this worked out. “Good. Then I will no doubt see you tomorrow.”
“Have fun at Chatta’s.”
If her father is home, I seriously doubt I’ll be able to.
~*~
When I arrived at Chatta’s house, some liveried man I didn’t recognize opened the door at my knock. “I’m Rhebengarthen,” I told him.
His eyes went big, expression saying, Oh, it’s
him
! “Come in, Magus. You’re expected.”
“Thank you.” I walked into the foyer, automatically glancing up toward the second level stairway when I felt Chatta in front of me. She was…er, floating? There were no crutches in her hands, just a wand, and she was gliding down the stairs without one toe touching a step. In the comfort of her own home, she forwent anything that looked like the formal robes and instead had on a light green dress that swirled slightly around her legs with each downward glide.
“Garth!” she greeted in delight. “You’re back earlier than I expected. I didn’t think you’d make it back here before evening.”
“I was able to find everyone when I wanted to,” I explained absently. “Er, Chatta? Don’t people with broken legs normally use crutches to get around?”
She shot me an indignant frown. “I’m a Witch. I can levitate.”
“Obviously so,” I drawled, trying not to smile. “Oh, did you hear? Xiaolang has woken up. “
“Really? That’s wonderful news!” Chatta beamed. “And he’s doing all right?”
“I just came from seeing him and he’s doing just fine. Should be able to relocate in a couple of days.”
“Good. That’s just plain good to hear.”
I agreed. I waited until she was within arm’s reach, and then extended a hand to her as if we were walking into some formal ball. “Will you deign to float with me, my lady?”