Authors: Fiona McIntosh
‘Thank you, my king,’ she said and kissed his hand playfully.
She had no idea what that did to Leo. For a period after the kiss he could say nothing. He knew his cheeks were burning, and his mind was racing down pathways it shouldn’t. He suddenly really minded Gavriel’s easy-going manner and even easier conversation with Lily.
‘… after all, we have now shared a bed,’ he heard Gavriel say as he came out of his thoughts.
Leo stopped walking. ‘What?’
‘Pay him no heed,’ Lily soothed. ‘He’s delusional.’
Gavriel grinned broadly. Leo suddenly became aware, perhaps for the first time, how helplessly handsome Gavriel was. Leo knew girls had always found Gavriel irresistible but that knowledge had never interrupted the fun he’d shared with the De Vis twins. Now he felt he was competing against Gavriel — and that he had absolutely no chance in the contest. ‘I was not delusional when I awoke to find you naked and next to me this morning, Lily,’ Gavriel continued, playfully.
Leo thought he was either going to be sick or he was going to punch Gavriel. He stomped ahead.
‘Shut up,’ Lily said, grinning at Gavriel, unaware of how their fun injured him. ‘He jests, Leo, ignore him. I climbed into the bed only when we heard the men arrive so I could pretend we were husband and wife.’
‘Why?’ Leo rounded on them.
Gavriel must have sensed Leo’s unease, for he stopped leering at Lily. ‘Because they were obviously searching for two people who fitted our description. We must have been spotted somehow. And even if they hadn’t found you, they might have grabbed me for simply looking like the fellow they were seeking,’ he explained, frowning at Leo. ‘Are you all right?’
Leo didn’t want to feel angry with Gavriel, especially after all they had shared, but he couldn’t quite resolve how he was feeling. ‘Yes, of course,’ he said, backing down. ‘I had no idea what you’d all gone through when I was hiding below ground.’ He sighed, changed the subject. ‘I think I’m hungry.’
‘No time to stop, your majesty,’ Lily said. ‘Come on, let’s speed up. We’ve got a journey ahead of us.’
‘How long, do you think?’ Gavriel asked.
Lily’s expression turned unsure. ‘I don’t really know. All I can do is keep heading us north.’
Leo rallied. It would not do to create a difficult atmosphere between the three of them. ‘Please, no more calling me “majesty”. Not even Leo if you want to protect me.’ They both nodded, although Gavriel had long ago given up titles. ‘On my father’s maps the forest was roughly six miles from Brighthelm to its northen point.’
‘And how do you know Faris is north?’ Lily asked.
‘Father once showed me on the map where he thought the main outlaw hiding area was. It was almost at the northern tip of the forest.’
‘Then as the crow flies we’ve got at least another four miles of this rougher terrain to travel,’ she confirmed.
‘Speaking of crows, you didn’t happen to see a huge raven around the time that we came along, did you?’ asked Gavriel.
Lily stopped walking. ‘What an odd thing for you to say.’
‘It’s just that we were sure a raven was moving through the trees with us when we were making our escape.’
‘He’s big,’ Leo added.
‘I’m really staggered,’ Lily said and sounded it. ‘I did see a raven. He was very still but I was extremely aware of his presence. Huge black bird he was. I didn’t see a mate, or a nest, either, and he wasn’t acting territorially. He seemed rather tame, in fact. He certainly wasn’t scared of me — he even flew down to the ground and hopped around, making lots of clicking and clacking sounds.’
‘Then what?’ Gavriel demanded.
She shrugged. ‘Then nothing. I followed him a short while before I lost sight of him. Next thing I knew I had stumbled upon you two letting my trapped hare go.’
Gavriel and Leo shared a glance.
‘Why? What does that mean?’ she asked, noticing it.
‘Nothing,’ Gavriel replied. ‘Nothing important.’ He shrugged. ‘We’d convinced ourselves he was following us.’
‘I doubt it. Ravens are intelligent but not that cunning,’ Lily said airily. But Leo knew better and he suspected Gavriel felt the same way. He was sure they would agree that Vyk had not only followed them but had led Lily to them.
Why?
Freath nodded as he poured wine into Loethar’s goblet. ‘I do think it’s the best solution, sire. I can read the census and I can also offer insightful information to your brother if he needs it.’
‘Half-brother,’ Loethar corrected. Freath acknowledged the correction with a dip of his head. ‘I wouldn’t have thought witnessing killing was quite up your alley, though, Freath. You realise what you will have to watch?’
‘I don’t have to watch it though, my lord. My aim is to ensure it is carried out precisely to the letter, that we do indeed select the right sons from the census. I shall take only one of my Vested, so I shall be no burden on Warrior Stracker.’
‘He wishes to be known as general.’
‘Are you comfortable with this, my lord?’
‘Every emperor needs his general, Freath. Stracker is mine.’ Loethar sipped his wine and nodded his approval.
Freath noted that Loethar didn’t precisely answer his question but couldn’t care less. He prayed one day the brothers — half or otherwise — would come to blows and fight it out for supremacy. So long as they killed each other, he’d be happy. For the time being he kept his expression composed, blank. ‘As you wish, my lord.’
‘I will need to send one of our tribe with you for your own protection. Stracker can be unpredictable.’
‘He’s already on his way to the first town — Devden, correct?’ Loethar nodded. ‘I will need to leave quickly.’
‘I shall brief a runner to accompany you.’
‘My lord, I hope you will not take offence at my question, but I wonder whether this mass murder is in your best interest?’
‘I know what you’re saying, Freath, but you seem to think that I care about diplomacy — about the way that you perhaps might ingratiate me into Set life. I don’t share your vision. I don’t care if people don’t like me at the outset. I care only that we do integrate at some stage. For now I have but one request to keep me happy — that all Valisars be destroyed.’
‘Then may I make an equally simple suggestion?’
‘Go ahead.’ He drained the goblet as he listened.
‘As soon as the boy is found, stop the killing. The people from the Set will hate you for taking their sons, but I think we can achieve some measure of unspoken respect if you do halt the killing the moment you find your prey. Though General Stracker, I fear, may not approve of this plan.’
Loethar studied Freath. ‘You have us well measured, Freath. No, he will not stop unless I insist. But your suggestion is a good one. When the child is found — and we know he can’t be that far away yet — the slaughter ends.’
Freath schooled his expression to look unimpressed. He didn’t want Loethar to think he cared one way or the other. ‘Very good, my lord. What would you like me to arrange for Crown Princess Valya?’
‘In what way?’
‘For the wedding, my lord.’
‘In our culture we leave that to the women, Freath. I just turn up.’
‘So we’ll be following a Steppes ceremony, my lord?’
Loethar looked irritated. Freath could tell he didn’t enjoy administrative life. And being imprisoned in the palace must be hard on him, too. ‘What do you think?’
‘Well, your bride is Drostean, after all. I think some western influence is important to show good faith to her family. Perhaps we run concurrent rituals.’
Loethar nodded wearily. ‘Fine. Whatever she wants.’
‘Very well. Now, I’ve heard you wish to bring servants back into the palace. We’ve certainly been operating on the slightest number of staff — I know help would be appreciated, help in the kitchens and Genrie definitely needs more help in housekeeping. The gardens and orchards —’
‘Freath, stop! Are you doing this deliberately?’
‘What, my lord?’
‘Boring me senseless with your tedium.’
‘In order to run the palace for you, I need your orders. Forgive me, sire. Perhaps I should discuss this with the crown princess?’
‘How did Brennus operate?’
Freath gave a soft shrug. ‘The former king left us all mostly to our own devices. We had our duties, and we knew how to run the palace, sire. Iselda took charge of the household. Brennus worried about politics and running the realm.’
‘So include Valya. It will give her something to do.’
‘And perhaps Dara Negev also — unless that will cause disruptions between them?’
‘Oh, you are certainly sharp, Freath,’ Loethar said, as much admiration as weariness in his voice.
‘I have to ask, sire. We’re bound to have problems if the two senior women in the palace are vying for position, especially if your servants don’t fully understand the hierarchy. How would it work in Steppes society?’
‘My mother would be in charge.’
‘Shall we keep it that way, then?’
‘Yes, yes, whatever you think is best.’ He held out the goblet to be replenished.
‘I’m sorry to test your patience, sire.’
‘Just find me the boy and all will be well.’
Freath feigned a smile. ‘And there’s one more thing, my lord. I would like to hire you a taster. I could have poisoned you just now.’ Freath registered the sound of the goblet clattering across the floor before he realised the barbarian had him by the throat.
‘What is that supposed to mean?’
Freath couldn’t answer. He gasped for air but couldn’t seem to take a breath. Loethar pushed him and the older man stumbled back against the wall, banging his head. ‘See what happens when I’m angered, Freath? Next time I’ll choke the last breath out of you.’
Freath was seeing stars. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had manhandled him in this way.
It must have been back in
my childhood
, he thought idiotically, his head swimming. Suddenly he felt himself being hauled to his feet, Loethar’s fist at his shirtfront. ‘Are you all right?’ the barbarian asked.
‘I’m not sure, my lord. I can’t focus properly.’
‘Take a drink.’
‘No, I’ll just lean against the wall a moment. Er, forgive me my indiscretion. I meant only …’ He had to think for a moment about what it was that he had intended to say. ‘I had meant only to warn you against assassins. If you are to bring in new servants, you may care to take some precautions with yourself, my lord.’
Loethar looked contrite but Freath didn’t expect him to back down or apologise. ‘I’ll leave that to you to organise if you’re so keen on looking out for my health.’
‘Thank you, my lord,’ Freath said. The man was suspicious of everyone, everything. He would have to keep working at gaining his trust. ‘Er, your raven is noticeably absent,’ he added.
‘Vyk, yes. I have no idea where he has gone. But he is contrary like this.’
‘How did you come by him?’ Freath asked, massaging his throat.
Loethar had turned away to pour himself a fresh goblet of wine. ‘That’s an interesting tale. I found him as a baby in the very old forests in the far north where the plains end and mountains threaten. He’d fallen out of his nest and although I could hear his parents calling to him from the pines they refused to come to the ground. I raised him on the plains, and he adapted well enough, though he’s never forgotten the forest. That’s probably where he’s flown off to now. I was a young warrior then, so Vyk has to be three hundred moons old now.’
‘Three decades! That’s a wise old raven, my lord.’
‘Indeed.’ Loethar actually smiled. ‘No. He and I are more like brothers than Stracker and I could ever be. Vyk understands me.’ Freath was surprised that Loethar was being so candid. It was unnerving but he didn’t want to stop the barbarian talking. ‘Of course, he agrees with everything I do,’ he went on, before pausing and adding, ‘because he never answers back.’ Freath wasn’t sure whether he was supposed to chortle at what he presumed was a jest. He smiled benignly instead.
‘The odd thing is,’ Loethar continued, sipping his wine and moving to the window as though expecting to see the raven in the distance approaching, ‘our people are suspicious of any bird associated with crows. They consider the crow a creature who straddles the worlds of the living and the dead. A shaman once warned me against him. Said he was dangerous.’
‘Why? He’s just a bird.’
‘Well, shamans see more than the ordinary man, Freath. You and I are ordinary men. But the shaman never did explain his caution, if that’s what you meant.’
‘But still you keep him.’
‘If Vyk is my enemy — and I have no reason to doubt him after all these years together — well, I still believe in keeping my enemies close.’
‘Is that why you allow your half-brother to remain next to you, sire?’
Loethar turned and Freath believed for one heartbeat that his life was forfeit, that he’d overstepped Loethar’s tolerance for his sharp observances. But the barbarian simply stared at him coldly. ‘You are like my raven, Freath. I am unconvinced whether you are friend or foe. Though I am usually a reasonable judge of character, I cannot quite take your measure. You show incredible insight and everything you say appears to be for my benefit, but somehow I just cannot decide whether to trust you.’
‘Then I shall have to continue proving myself until I have earned your trust, my lord. I have told you that I have no loyalties to the Valisars. The truth is, I have no loyalty to anyone. But I might as well take my chances now with the new regime. I am your man, Emperor Loethar. As long as you continue to reward me, I will work tirelessly for your benefit alone.’
‘So allowing you to live is not simply enough any more?’ It was a facetious comment.
‘There’s no point in living if you can’t enjoy it, my lord. I want money, I want status, I want respect. I am prepared to earn those things, to prove my value to you.’
‘You’ve done well so far, Freath. You’ll have to ignore my previous indiscretion.’
They both glanced at the wine spilled on the floor. It looked like blood to Freath and he thanked Lo that his life had been spared … this time.