Nightrunners 03 - Traitor's Moon (72 page)

"I haven't done this in a while," Seregil said, balancing precariously on the rail to grasp the rope.

"I never have," Alec muttered, forcing himself not to look down into the narrow, surging channel between the two ships. Following Seregil's lead, he clutched the rope high, wrapped its loose end around the ankle of his good leg, and pushed bravely off, letting the motion of the other vessel help swing him across to the far deck. He even managed to land on his feet once he got there.

Alec had seen Prince Korathan only from a distance a few times, but there was no mistaking the man. He was plain and fair-skinned like his sister and mother, and had the same sharp, appraising eyes. His black coat and close-fitting trousers were of military cut, but he wore the heavy gold chain of the vicegerent on his breast.

A wizard stood with the prince. He was a

portly, balding man, unremarkable except for the pinned-up sleeve of his ornate green robe.

"Wydonis?" Alec whispered.

Seregil nodded.

"Seregil? Sakor's Flame, man, what are you doing here?" the prince demanded, sounding none too pleased.

Perhaps Seregil had overestimated the man's fond memories of their younger days after all, Alec thought uneasily.

Seregil managed a courtly bow despite his bruises and filthy clothes. "We've gone to considerable trouble to reach you, my lord. The news we bring must be shared in private."

Korathan raked them both with a bleak glare, then gestured curtly for them to follow.

"Who's this?" he asked, jerking a thumb at Alec as they entered his cabin.

"Alec of Ivywell. A friend, my lord," Seregil told him.

"Ah, yes." Korathan spared Alec a second glance. "I thought he was blond."

Seregil's lips twitched the tiniest bit. "He usually is, my lord."

The cabin was as austere as the man who occupied it. Korathan seated himself at a small table and motioned curtly for Seregil to take the room's only other chair. Alec settled on the lid of a sea chest.

"All right, then, out with it," said Korathan.

"I know why you're here," Seregil told him, no less blunt. "I thought you were a wiser gambler than that. This is a fool's errand."

The prince's pale eyes narrowed, "Don't presume too much on our past association."

"It's for the sake of that, and my love for your family, that I'm here at all," Seregil retorted. "This plan to capture Gedre can only end in disaster. And not just for Klia and the rest of us trapped there. For Skala as well. It's insane! You must know that."

To Alec's surprise, Korathan appeared to consider Seregil's harsh words. "How do you know my mission?"

"Your sister's not the only one with spies in other camps," Seregil replied.

"Old Magyana, was it?"

Seregil said nothing.

Korathan tapped a finger on the tabletop. "All right then, we'll sort that out later. Phoria has the backing of the generals in this venture. As vicegerent, I'm obligated to obey."

"Clearly, the generals don't know what the Aurenfaie are capable of if they feel sufficiently threatened or insulted," Seregil replied, earnest now. "They trusted your mother, and many of them still trust Klia. She's a skillful diplomat, this half-sister of yours. She'd already swayed some of the opposing clans to our favor before news arrived of Idrilain's death. Phoria is another matter, though. Within days of the news, the Viresse were spreading the story that she'd betrayed her own mother and collaborated with the Lerans. Ulan i Sathil has the documents to prove it. Did you know of this?"

The prince eyed him levelly. "You seem to know quite a lot of things you shouldn't. How does that happen?"

"Do you recognize this?" Seregil held out his hand, showing him the ring.

"So you have it!"

"A gift from your mother, for certain services rendered. Alec and I both know the whole story, never mind how for the moment. Ulan i Sathil cast the whole business in the most damning light to a number of other khirnari—men and women he wanted to sway to his side. To the Aurenfaie, such an act demonstrates a shocking lack of honor. Even khirnari who were set to vote in Skala's favor are having second thoughts. If you cap it with this ill-considered raid, the next Skalans they deal with will call you ancestor."

"It's suicide, my lord," Alec added, tired of being ignored. "You'll get us all killed and accomplish nothing."

Korathan threw him an annoyed look. "I have my orders—"

"Orders be damned!" Seregil said. "You must have advised her against this?"

"She's queen now, Seregil." Korathan frowned down at his folded hands. "You know Phoria; you're either her ally or her enemy. There's no middle ground. That goes for me as much as anyone else."

"I don't doubt it, but I believe we can offer you a way out with honor served on all sides," Seregil told him.

"And what would that be?"

"Play the injured party and put honor on your side. Is Phoria aware that Klia and Torsin were poisoned by someone in Sarikali?"

"No, by the Flame! They're dead?"

"He is. Klia was hanging on when we left three nights ago, but she's deathly ill. You can use this, Korathan. When we left, no one

else in Aurenen appeared to know that you're coming. If they've learned of it since, then we can argue that they had the purpose wrong. Sail into Gedre tomorrow with all flags flying and send word announcing that you've come seeking justice against the murderers. Play injured honor to the hilt and demand entrance to Sarikali."

"Who are these assassins?" asked Korathan. "Surely the Iia'sidra hasn't brushed such an act off lightly?"

"No, my lord, they haven't."

With Alec's assistance, Seregil explained the events of the past few days. They showed him the Akhendi sen'gai they'd found, and the bottle containing the bracelet. By the time they were finished, Korathan was staring at Seregil again.

"So you're not the wastrel you pretend to be. I wonder now if you ever were."

Seregil had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Anything I have done, my lord, I've done for the good of Skala—though there are few enough left who can vouch for my good character, and fewer still whom you have reason to trust. Your mother knew of some of my efforts on her behalf, as this ring attests. So did Nysander. If you have a truth knower among your wizards, Alec and I will happily submit ourselves to the test."

"A brave claim, Lord Seregil, but you always were a daring gambler," Korathan said with a sly smile. Raising his voice, he called out, "Doriska, what do you say to that?"

A side door opened and a woman in Oreska robes came in. "They speak the truth, my prince."

Korathan raised an eyebrow at them. "And a good thing, too. You've brought yourself close to a charge of treason just by coming here."

"Nothing could be further from our minds, my lord. Your mother sent me along to advise Klia on Aurenfaie customs. Let me do the same for you.

"Honor and family are everything here. You're well within your rights to land and demand Klia's return. If we play our cards right, I may even be able to salvage something of her mission here. But be warned; you'll accomplish nothing by force. If anyone guesses that you've come with an attacking force, your ships will be in flames before you sight land. So you see, we may well be saving your life, as well."

"So you mean to negotiate on my behalf, do you?"

"In Gedre, at least. I think Riagil's a man we can trust. He may

be able to get you admitted to Sarikali, but he doesn't have the power you heed to deal with the Iia'sidra, and no one is going to listen to me, after what I've done. You'll need Adzriel for that."

"I can damn well speak for myself," Korathan growled. "I'm the Vicegerent of Skala, and blood kin to the woman they tried to murder."

"Without a claim to Bokthersan kinship, none of that will matter," Seregil told him. "That blood tie is your trump card, my lord, and Klia's. Let Adzriel help you use it to your best advantage. Of course, they may not allow you in at all. Whatever happens, though, Alec and I have to get to Sarikali and present the evidence we've found against Akhendi."

"They'll listen to you, but not to me?" asked Korathan. "Is this another of your risky gambles?"

"Yes, my lord, it is," Alec interjected. "He could face a death sentence by going back. If you still have any doubts as to our loyalties—"

Seregil cut him short with a warning look. "I think who our evidence clears and who it implicates will be proof enough of our good faith, my lord."

Korathan gave Alec another of those dismissive glances, making it clear he considered him little more than a servant, and one who would do well to hold his tongue. "I know of the terms of your return, Seregil, and what it meant to defy them. It strikes me as quite a sacrifice for a man to make for a country he abandoned two years ago, and for a queen he clearly does not trust."

Seregil bowed. "Meaning no disrespect, my lord, but we're doing this for Klia's sake, and for our own. And if Alec and I had abandoned Skala, as you put it, we wouldn't have undertaken this mission in the first place. Just so we understand one another."

"We do," Korathan replied with a tight smile that sent a ripple of unease up Alec's back. "Your declaration of loyalty is most appreciated."

"I don't trust him," Alec whispered when they were safely above decks again and out of the prince's hearing. "And you weren't much help. You practically insulted the queen to his face!"

"That truth knower of his was still lurking outside the door. Besides, I doubt I told him anything he hasn't already guessed. He

knew it was foolish to try an attack; I've shown him a way to come out of this a winner."

"If we can get back to the city," muttered Alec, ticking his doubts off on his fingers. "If the Gedre or Akhendi don't execute you on Haman's behalf before we get there. If the Iia'sidra believes us, and if we're right about the Akhendi at all."

Seregil draped an arm over Alec's shoulders. "One problem at a time, tali. We've gotten this far, haven't we?"

48

An Uneasy Truce

Beka waited for nightfall before coming out onto the main road again. Cold, hungry, and footsore, she hummed ballads under her breath to keep her spirits up and her mind clear of questions she had no answers for.

Just before midnight she reached a village and helped herself to a horse. She hadn't seen a dog since she'd arrived in Aurenen.
A good thing, now that I'm turning thief,
she thought, grinning wryly to herself as she led the horse away.

When she was out of earshot, or at least bowshot, she mounted it bareback, wrapped her hands in the mane, and urged it into a trot, hoping it would respond to leg pressure since she had no reins. When it did, she kicked it into a gallop, laughing with relief.

Further down the road, she snagged a clean tunic and sen'gai from a washline and attempted to make herself a bit less conspicuous, binding her long red hair out of sight and making the best job of the sen'gai that she could.

By dawn she guessed she might be within a day's ride of the city, barring trouble. It was a

chancy thing, staying on the road, but a growing sense of urgency drove her on. Her place was at Klia's side.

The bay mare was as good as any she'd ever ridden. Horse thieving would be a profitable profession here, she thought, if every nag stolen hastily in the dark proved as fine as one you'd have to raid a noble's stable for in Skala.

She encountered more people on the road as the morning wore on, but most were intent on business of their own and didn't waste a second glance on a poor, barefoot stranger. When there were more than a few people together, she turned aside and waited behind the shelter of the trees for them to pass. She kept a lookout to the rear, as well, but no one seemed in any hurry to overtake her.

This plan worked well enough until just past midday, when she struck a stretch of road that wended through a deep cut. Rounding a bend, she found herself faced with a pack of armed riders less than a hundred yards away, coming on at a canter. There was nowhere to go but back, and that was bound to attract notice.

At least they wore the colors of Akhendi, she noted with relief. Keeping to the side of the road, she continued on at a steady pace, praying that they'd go single file and keep their distance.

She was nearly past when one of them suddenly reached out and snatched the sen'gai from her head. Her red hair tumbled down over her shoulders, damning as any uniform.

"It's the Skalan!" the man shouted. Dropping the sen'gai, he drew his sword and raised it to strike.

Ducking low over her horse's neck, Beka grasped its mane and kicked hard. The mare bolted forward, then reared as two horsemen angled to block her escape.

Hands snatched at her tunic. For an instant all she could see was a circle of leering faces and glinting steel. Another man struck at her with a cudgel, bruising her arm through her mail shirt.

Suddenly a fierce yell sounded from somewhere overhead, followed by the sound of falling rock. Still wheeling her horse, Beka caught a glimpse of another horseman plunging down the steep slope to her right. Then he was among the Akhendi, laying about with the flat of his sword.