Authors: Shay West
Anali and Lucian were waiting when he entered the solar. Senda avoided eye contact and focused solely on arranging the breakfast plates and getting Lucian's tea ready.
Soon, there was nothing more to occupy his attention. He took his plate and walked toward the balcony.
“Too good to eat with us, eh?”
Senda glanced at Anali, too afraid to meet his eyes for long. “The weather is turning and I thought it might be nice to eat outside today.” Without waiting for an answer, Senda walked out onto the balcony.
Lord Lucian's chambers were situated so they overlooked the lush gardens. There were exotic species from all over both continents. He had insisted they be brought to the island in their native soil in large barrels, along with barrels of more soil.
His island home was mainly rock and shrub. Lucian hated it. And his wife Malorie had hated it even more so. Together, the pair transformed the barren landscape into a lush paradise. Malorie had spent countless hours in the gardens, pruning and plucking and weeding. Lucian had accompanied her unless his duties required otherwise.
Since Malorie's death, Lucian had hired a man to tend to the gardens.
Butterflies and fat nectar bees buzzed and flitted among the flowers. Birds of every kind darted in and out of the trees, singing songs of their love of spring. Senda often wished he could spread his wings and soar amongst the clouds.
His predicament dampened his enjoyment of the morning. He was not sure he could keep up the facade.
I must speak to Suasor
.
“Lucian wishes to meet the petitioners today.”
Senda yelped as the Mystic's voice sounded right behind him. “Shall I lay out his clothing, then?”
“That
is
part of your duties, isn't it?”
Senda placed his cup on the table and stood. “As my
Lord
wishes.” He walked calmly to Lucian's wardrobe with Anali's chuckle following close behind.
* * *
“My Lord Lucian!” Suasor stood abruptly as Lucian and Anali strode into the audience chamber. The man and woman kneeling before him stood and gaped at Lucian and the Mystic.
“Praise the good Sprits!” Suasor kneeled before his Lord. As he stood, he took Anali's hand. “You have brought our Lord back to us. We are forever in your debt.”
Anali took his hand from the man's grasp, contempt flashing across his soft features. “It was my honor. But as you can see, Lucian is quite capable of returning to his duties.”
“Yes, of course.” Suasor stammered.
Lucian took his place in the large wooden chair. It was a replica of his throne. Lucian hated addressing people from the throne room; he enjoyed being more at eye level with his subjects rather than towering over them.
Anali snapped his fingers, signaling a servant standing nearby to have a chair brought for him.
“Here is the list of petitioners, my Lord.” Suasor handed Lucian the parchment with the list of names of those needing to speak to Lucian. “There is also a message that arrived this morning from Laevanya. He says you have yet to pay him your ten percent for the month.”
Lucian's face twisted in fury. “I thought
you
were supposed to be looking out for things while I was indisposed!”
“My Lord, I sent the payment weeks ago. However, there has been no word from the driver. It is possible he was ambushed.”
“We must send someone to look for the man.”
“I will see to it at once.” Suasor bowed and turned to leave.
“Perhaps you should send Suasor himself to find the missing driver. You need someone you can trust for this mission.”
Suasor's neck creaked as he turned. Anali was seated at Lucian's right hand, whispering, but talking loudly enough so that Suasor could hear.
Lucian nodded. “I
do
need someone I can trust. Suasor, I want you ready to leave within the hour.”
“As you wish, my Lord.” Suasor strode quickly out of the room.
* * *
Senda hurried through the castle, brushing past the myriad of servants and maids rushing about their duties, ignoring their cries and angry shouts as he raced to the front gates.
This can't be happening!
The panic mounted as he flew through the raised portcullis and out into the bright morning light.
“Is there something I can do for you?”
Senda looked up at the man sitting on a large destrier. “I was hoping to catch Lord Suasor before he left. Where is he going?”
“On business for Lord Lucian. He was packed for a long journey.”
Senda's shoulders slumped as he tried to catch his breath.
Where could he possibly be going?
The manservant rushed off to ask the man's wife. He only had a short break before he would be expected to bring Lucian's lunch.
Suasor's modest manor sat on a low hill overlooking the Sea of Solace. The minor Lord didn't have the income to afford a gardener so his land was bleak and stark. However, Lady Jaenet had made the inside of the manor comfortable and homey. The stone walls were covered with colorful tapestries, the floors with rich rugs, and she had all manner of trinkets and knick-knacks scattered throughout the house. Their children were grown and gone. Jaenet surrounded herself with the children of the nearby villages. They were allowed to drop by whenever they wished, and she always made sure to have plenty of sweet treats for them.
Senda found Lady Jaenet playing a game of Catch Me if You Can with several youngsters. He stopped and watched for a moment, unwilling to interrupt their game. One boy stood alone with a blindfold on his eyes, while the others ran about him, calling out “Catch me if you can!” and leaping backwards if the boy got too close.
Jaenet was in their midst, giggling and laughing like a girl half her age. Her face was covered with a sheen of sweat and tendrils of hair were stuck to her face. She spotted Senda waiting and called a pause to the game.
“It's only for a moment children! You may continue while I speak with Lord Lucian's manservant.” She laughed at their disappointed whining. Her chambermaid handed her a cloth to wipe the sweat from her face.
“What can I do for you, Senda?”
Senda bowed, taking a moment to gather his racing thoughts. “It is good to see you, Jaenet.”
“Is it true what they are saying about Lucian? Has the Mystic cured him?”
“So it would seem.”
“What are you not telling me?”
Senda grinned ruefully. Jaenet was shrewd. “He has changed, Jaenet. He isn't the same man he was before he became ill.” Jaenet merely looked at him so he continued, the words coming in a rush. “He is cruel. Lucian has always been just, but never cruel! He is suspicious and listens to Anali more than he should. I overheard Anali ask Lucian to dismiss me. The Mystic also convinced Lucian that Suasor has designs to rule the island.”
“Have you spoken to anyone else about this?”
“Only you. I wished to speak to Suasor, perhaps warn him or something.”
“Lucian sent Suasor after the driver who brings the tenth to Laevanya. The Patriarch is claiming he never received the chest of gold.” Jaenet began pacing. “Perhaps there is more to this journey than meets the eye.”
“What can we do? Do you have someone you can send after Suasor to warn him?”
“I can send Patrik. Come.” She hurried into the manor, calling out for someone to get Patrik.
“You mustn't tell anyone what you overheard. Until we can get word to Suasor, we must act as though the very walls had ears.” She hurriedly scribbled a note on a piece of parchment and sealed it with a dab of hot wax and Suasor's ring. “Trust no one.”
Patrik arrived. Jaenet gave him the note, telling him that he must deliver that note into his Lord's hands as quickly as possible. “Ride hard and you should catch him before nightfall. You must not fail.”
Patrik bowed and left for the stables.
“When he gets the note, Suasor will return. He will know what to do.”
“I hope so, Jaenet. I fear what may happen if the Mystic gets his claws any deeper into Lucian.”
FOUR
SENDA LEFT SUASOR'S MANOR, making his way through throngs of people. Most pulled carts laden with wares they wished to hawk. Some were servants on errands for their masters. As Senda approached Lucian's castle, he felt a weight pressing between his shoulder blades. He glanced up. Anali stood on a balcony, staring at him. Just before Senda passed out of sight, Anali made a slicing gesture across his throat.
He knows I was visiting jaenet!
His heart sank as he made his way to the kitchens. His chest was tight, and his mouth was dry. His hands shook so badly. It was known throughout Astra that those that inhabited the Forbidden Territories had access to toxins and poisons that could kill a man either so quickly he wouldn't even know he had departed this world or so slowly that he would beg for death before it embraced him.
How will he do it, I wonder?
Senda looked suspiciously at the food laid out on the tray.
Poisoning perhaps?
He shook his head.
He couldn't have gotten down here that fast
. Neli and several kitchen scullions gave him strange looks. He grabbed the tray, almost spilling its contents on the floor.
“If you drop that tray, you'll be cookin' the next meal, you hear?” The head cook stood with her hands on her ample hips.
Senda tried to steady his trembling arms as he trudged down the hall. The smells wafting from the tray made him nauseous. Normally, Neli's cooking would cause his stomach to grumble. But the mounting tension was making him feel anything but hungry.
Senda forced his steps to slow, wanting to delay entering the solar as long as possible. Would Anali be waiting, dagger in hand to slash his throat? Would the Mystic somehow find a way to poison his drink? Senda tried to stop these morbid thoughts but they wouldn't leave. He imagined dying with his blood flowing from a ruined neck, or being unable to suck in a breath of air because the evil Mystic was using a silk scarf to crush his windpipe, or falling to the ground as the poison burned its way through his veins.
The same guard was there and grunted at Senda as he opened the door. He didn't seem to notice the manservant's abject terror.
No one was there to meet Senda. Frowning, he walked into the bedchamber. It was deserted and the bed had already been made.
Where could they have gone? Was he supposed to meet someone that I didn't know about?
Lucian often met with his various minor Lords and Ladies that lived here under his protection.
Senda ate his share of the meal. He barely made a dent in the enormous amount of food piled on the tray. He gulped some water, passing on the sweet wine. He needed to have his wits about him.
He couldn't put it off any longer. He placed the lid back on the tray to keep the food warm and went in search of Lucian and Anali.
* * *
“I saw ‘em just a bit ago. They was headed that way.” The man pointed toward Suasor's house.
Senda's throat closed, and he bolted for the manor, fearing he now knew what Anali had meant with the gesture. There was a large gathering outside the home, crying and wailing.
“What happened here?” Senda grabbed a male servant who seemed to have some control of his faculties.
“No one is sure. Lady Jaenet ordered her lunch and said she wanted to eat alone. When her chambermaid went to take the dishes away, they found her dead in her solar. There was a large bulge in her throat so it's likely she choked to death.”
Senda closed his eyes, his mind conjuring the image of Anali pulling his finger across his throat.
It's my fault!
He turned and headed
back to the castle, unwilling to stay and see her body as it was brought out. The guilt weighed him down, so much so that he had a hard time putting one foot in front of the other.
I should have stayed away. Suasor will never forgive me
. Suasor. Senda realized the man's life was in danger now if he came back from the task Lucian has sent him on.
If he isn't dead already
.
Senda went to one of the storage rooms and shut the door, laying his head on the wood, trying to slow the beating of his heart. He didn't know what to do. His only ally was dead. And her husband would surely be next. Senda has no means of getting a message to Suasor. Any messenger leaving would have to be cleared through the guards, and that would alert Anali.
As he stood there, the sound of footfalls reached his ears. They stopped right in front of the door. He backed up when the person standing outside didn't knock.
It's the Mystic
.
Suddenly, the door burst in, and Senda cried out and flung his hands up to protect his face from flying wood splinters. He fell backward and back-pedaled as Anali walked calmly into the room, his face pale, eyes flashing madness and glee.
“I tried to get the lady to talk before I had to kill her. She refused to tell me what you two spoke about.” Anali placed his hands behind his back as he stared down at Senda. “Perhaps I will get what I want from you.”
“What are you doing?” said a voice coming from behind the Mystic.
Senda looked around Anali to see Lucian standing in the doorway to the storeroom, face drawn into a scowl. This scowl was one that Lucian wore when he thought someone was being wronged somehow. Senda felt a rush of hope.
“Just having a conversation with your manservant about what he was doing at Jaenet's home earlier today.”
“I told you I would handle this.”
“Just trying to help, my Lord.” Anali turned and brushed past Lucian.
Senda got up when the Mystic was gone. He kept his eyes averted.
I have never been afraid of Lucian before
.
“I had to take steps to stop what she was planning. You understand that, right?” Lucian pleaded. “I can't let Suasor gain support and take my kingdom from me.”
“The man is loyal to you. He has no desire for the throne.”
“He
does
! The scheming son of a rat has had his eye on my throne for some time. Anali opened my eyes to the man's treachery.”
“What proof does Anali have? If Suasor wanted to overthrow you, he could have done it while you were ill. Have the other Lords come forward accusing him of deceit?”