In the Enemy's Service (Annals of Alasia Book 2)

by Annie Douglass Lima

  “What’s happened to Anya?” Eleya demanded, invisible now among the men surrounding her.

  “The same thing that’s about to happen to you,” came Lasden’s grim voice from behind them.

  Tonnis’s heart sank. His worst fears had been realized. The poor child! They had all known this could happen – would probably happen, even – but he didn’t feel any better prepared for knowing.

  Their captors dragged them out to the center of the courtyard, to the very spot where eight people had been beheaded just a few hours ago. Probably nine, now. Soon to be eleven. Tonnis licked his dry lips. Everyone’s got to die sometime, he told himself, trying to work up a little more courage. I just hope it will be quick and not too painful. If only he could somehow protect Eleya, he wouldn’t be so afraid for himself.

  More soldiers had appeared from out of the barracks, several holding torches, and they formed up into a large ring around the prisoners. Some Alasians had appeared too, attracted by all the commotion, watching warily from doorways and windows. Their faces showed distress and sympathy, and Tonnis, frightened though he was, hoped none of them would attempt any sort of rescue. They would never succeed, and they’d probably be executed, themselves, for trying.

  “You were warned about what would happen to anyone who tries to harm one of us,” Lasden called out, his voice loud enough for all the spectators to hear. “We thought you had all learned your lesson after the executions earlier, but apparently not. I hope this will be the last time such a demonstration is necessary.”

  “Please, Lieutenant, it isn’t like you think,” Eleya began desperately, but her words were cut off as Talifus clamped his hand over her mouth.

  Tonnis squeezed his eyes shut, his throat tightening in terrified anticipation. Make it quick, make it quick, he pleaded silently.

  “Lieutenant Talifus, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Captain Almanian,” Lasden continued, his voice ringing through the silent courtyard.

  Yes, we know. You said that part already – wait. Startled, Tonnis opened his eyes. Talifus? Attempted murder?

  The hands that had been gripping him had let go. The soldiers were no longer clustered around him and Eleya. They had stepped away, and Tonnis saw that they were now surrounding Talifus, swords pointed at the startled traitor.

  “Drop your weapon,” Lasden ordered sternly.

  “What?” Talifus stared around him in confusion. “What’s going on?”

  “I told you, you’re under arrest for attempting to poison the captain. You’re to be held in the dungeon until Regent Rampus can decide on your sentence. Now drop your weapon.”

  “No. No! This can’t be happening!” Talifus spun in a circle, staring at the armed soldiers silently closing in around him. “I didn’t do it. It wasn’t me. Whatever the girl told you, it’s a lie. I’ve always been loyal to Malorn. Get away from me!”

  The circle tightened. Two of the soldiers seized his arms from behind, and another wrenched the sword from his hand. Cursing and kicking and still shouting protests, Talifus was dragged away across the courtyard.

  “Are you two all right?” Lieutenant Lasden inquired from beside Tonnis.

  Tonnis turned and stared dumbly at him, his heart pounding and his mind still awhirl from what seemed his near brush with the grave. Beside him, his wife scowled indignantly. “Did you have to scare us like that, Lieutenant?”

  A small figure appeared from out of the shadows and dashed toward them, lacy skirts rustling as she ran. “Eleya! Tonnis!”

  “Anya!” Eleya exclaimed in delighted relief, and Tonnis felt his heart lift. She was safe, too.

  “I’m so glad you’re all right!” Anya called, half sobbing as she ran. “I was scared Talifus might kill you as soon as Lasden came in.” She flung herself into Eleya’s outstretched arms.

  With a sigh, Tonnis wrapped his arms around his wife and the child, half-leaning on the two of them in the weakness of his relief. They were alive, and Talifus couldn’t cause them any more trouble now. They might just survive the Malornian occupation after all.

  Chapter 10

  Over the next few days, Anya noticed a change in Lieutenant Lasden. He looked as gloomy as she had started to feel, though she didn’t understand why he would. He had chosen to join the army, after all, so it was his own fault if he didn’t like what was happening. It was Anya who was here against her will, missing her home and family and regular life. She should have been at school starting Fifth Year with her friends this week, but instead she was a slave. It wasn’t fair.

  “You’re doing a good job in the clinic,” Eleya tried to encourage her one evening as the two of them tidied up the back room together. “It’s impressive, how much you’ve learned since you came. You could have a good career in medicine someday.”

  “I don’t want a career in medicine.” Anya sighed dejectedly as she rinsed out her dusting rag under the pump. “I want a career designing beautiful clothes for rich people.” But in spite of everything, she had to admit – reluctantly – that things could be worse. At least most people here were kind to her. And she did enjoy learning about herbs and medicines and how to make people better. Yesterday Tonnis had even allowed her to help – just a tiny bit – when he stitched up a soldier with a gash on his arm. Sewing human flesh had been one of the most interesting experiences Anya had ever had.

  Lasden, on the other hand, didn’t seem to enjoy anything anymore. Anya hadn’t seen him smile since the incident with Talifus. He limped into the clinic two or three times a day to get medicine for the pain in his leg, or for Tonnis to change the bandage and apply a new dressing, but he never said much. He seemed tired, discouraged; and sometimes he would sit on the examining table for ten or fifteen minutes after his treatment was over, just staring at nothing, before heaving himself to his feet and limping slowly out again.

  At least once a day, Captain Almanian would send a soldier to the clinic to tell Anya to bring him his medicine. The first couple of times, he drank it quickly and dismissed her before she had a chance to learn anything useful. But on the third evening after the executions, no one answered when Anya knocked on his office door. She paused, wondering what to do, and then knocked again, louder this time. Still no answer.

  Hesitantly, Anya turned the handle and peered inside. The room was empty, but the lamp was lighted, so perhaps he had just stepped away for a moment. “Captain Almanian?” she called, venturing inside. There was no response, so she peeked through the other doorway, the one that led to his bedroom. It was empty, but there was enough lamplight streaming through the open door for her to see the stack of books on the nightstand beside the bed. Abruptly, she remembered the one that had escaped her notice the other day. Had the captain ever found it?

  Casting a quick, guilty glance over her shoulder, Anya darted into the room and examined the stack. Sure enough, there were seven books there: the same seven she had originally seen. Alasian Law and Government sat at the top of the pile. So he had found it, probably under the bed. Had he assumed it had slid off on its own? At any rate, he had never said anything to her about it, so he couldn’t possibly suspect what had really happened. She had been lucky.

  Anya hurried out of the bedroom and back into the office. If she lingered too long someone was bound to catch her in there, and then her good luck would be over. She looked around, wondering where Almanian had gone. He must have been called away right after he had sent the messenger to the clinic. Should she leave the cup here for him and go, or wait out in the hallway until he got back?

  The sight of a sheet of parchment full of the captain’s writing decided her. It lay on the desk in plain sight, practically begging her to read it. Anya hurried back to the open door, glanced down the hallway to make sure there was no one in sight, and quietly closed the door. Then she darted back to the desk, where she set the cup down and picked up the parchment.

  It was a letter, and the captain must have just finished writing it, because the ink in his signature a
t the bottom didn’t look quite dry. It was addressed to someone she had never heard of, but she soon realized who he must be.

  Dear Colonel Parlien,

  By now you may have heard that Lieutenant Lasden was wounded a few days ago during a skirmish here in town. Though not life-threatening, his injury makes the carrying out of his responsibilities difficult, and I have written to Headquarters to recommend a temporary transfer back to the home front. I expect my request will soon be approved and his replacement dispatched, but I thought I ought to brief you on the situation in the meantime.

  I am bringing this to your attention because I have observed a disturbing change in Lieutenant Lasden. He seems to have lost motivation, and I fear that he is taking to heart the difficulties he sees in the lives of the Alasians around us. I have known such things to happen to soldiers before, but Lieutenant Lasden has always been a faithful officer, above reproach in the carrying out of his duties to the letter, as in his loyalty to Malorn. For this reason, I hesitate to inform my superiors, knowing how little such attitudes are tolerated during wartime. I thought you might choose to use your influence to obtain him a position away from the front lines, where he could be reminded of the reasons behind what we are doing and perhaps be re-inspired.

  As I have said, until recently he has been an excellent soldier in every way, and though I know you will not wish to show signs of favoritism, I am certain you must want your son to have every opportunity to continue to prove himself in the service of our kingdom.

  I remain, sir, yours respectfully,

  Captain Almanian

  So the captain had noticed the change in Lasden too. And Lasden would be leaving soon. That was a pity. None of the other soldiers were as understanding as he was or treated the Alasians as fairly. Anya wondered what his replacement would be like. Would he be cruel, like Talifus? It was one more thing to worry about.

  She glanced across the desk, wondering if she might find any information about her father. But there was only an inkstand, a pen, the map, and a stack of blank parchment – she thumbed through the sheets to make sure – along with the letter she had just read. In the drawer, then. Anya pulled open the second drawer on the right, the one in which she had seen all the letters before. There were more of them in there than she remembered, and she seized one at random and pulled it out, scanning it quickly in the lamplight. But no, it was from last week, announcing that officers from around Alasia would be coming to the palace to look at Prince Jaymin’s portrait. She dropped it back in the drawer and picked up another. No, this one seemed to be a reply from Regent Rampus to a routine report Almanian had apparently sent about his soldiers and the Alasian traitors. Surely there must be something about Father. Where was the original letter she had seen on Almanian’s desk? Maybe at the bottom, since it had come near the beginning of the captain’s time here. Anya dug under the other parchment, determined to find it.

  At that moment she heard voices just outside the door – the captain and someone else. Anya froze, crouching behind the desk, her heart lurching in panic. What should she do? Try to hide? Quickly she glanced around, but just as quickly she rejected the idea. Hiding would be silly. She would certainly be found eventually, and then she would really be in trouble. Instead, she slid the door shut and straightened up, making sure the letter about Lasden was back in the exact spot where she had found it, and walked casually toward the door. It opened just as she was reaching for the handle.

  “You and your platoon will assist the lieutenant in dealing with them in the morning, Sergeant,” the captain was saying to the soldier beside him. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t see this as quite the same kind of issue as last week’s uprising.” Then he turned and saw Anya standing before him. Surprise and indignation washed over his features, but Anya spoke up before he could demand to know what she was doing in his office.

  “Oh, there you are, Captain.” She kept her voice cheerful and innocent, careful not to let it betray her nervousness. “A soldier came and told me you wanted your medicine, but you weren’t here. So I thought I should leave it on your desk for you.” She turned and pointed to the cup she had set there.

  The captain and the sergeant both frowned at her suspiciously. “You shouldn’t have come in when I was out,” Almanian admonished, glancing around the room as though to make sure she hadn’t damaged anything.

  Anya made herself look surprised. “Really? Sorry. Should I leave the cup outside the door next time?”

  Without answering, Captain Almanian strode past her and went straight to his desk, where he ran his hands over the parchment and other items on top as though to make sure nothing had been tampered with. Then he opened the drawers and shuffled quickly through whatever was in each of them. Anya was relieved that he spent no extra time in the one she had riffled through. Apparently her rummaging didn’t show.

  “Empty your pockets,” the captain ordered, marching back to stand before her.

  Thankful she hadn’t tried to take any letters to read later, Anya stared up at him, putting on a shocked, hurt expression. “You think I’ve stolen something from you? Is that what kind of person you think I am?” She turned the pockets of her dress inside out so he could see they were empty as she made tears well up in her eyes. “I’m not a thief. My father raised me better than that.” Of course, Father might have something to say about the lies I’ve told you. But they were for a good cause, she reminded herself. Father would understand. Surely he would.

  “I’ve tried and tried to do my best at all my work here,” she went on, putting a little quiver into her voice. “Even when I’m tired and lonely and just want to go home; and I told you when Lieutenant Talifus wanted to kill you, and you still think I’m the kind of person who would steal from you?” She sniffed. “Haven’t I been trustworthy?” No.

  “You have.” The captain’s voice softened, and Anya knew that her instinct had been right: stern though he was, he was still the kind of grownup who hated to see children cry. That could come in handy.

  “You’re right,” he told her, almost apologetically. “You’ve never given me reason to distrust you. Don’t take it personally; it’s only that things have been so dangerous around here lately, and I just received word that more angry citizens might be planning trouble out on the streets tomorrow. You never know who’s working for whom, and I can’t afford to get careless. But I do know you’re not dishonest, so don’t cry.” He patted her shoulder. “You work hard, for a little girl of eight. Come and take a sip from the cup, then you can go back to the clinic and to bed. And next time, wait for me outside in the corridor.”

  Her heart still pounding from the close call and her tongue tingling from the bitter taste of the medicine, Anya wiped away her tears with her sleeve as she slipped out. In the hallway, the sergeant smiled sympathetically as she hurried past him, still sniffling.

  “It isn’t healing very fast,” Tonnis told Lasden two mornings later when the lieutenant limped in to have the dressing on his calf changed as usual. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe you’ve really rested your leg at all.”

  “Not really,” Lasden agreed emotionlessly. “I told you I wouldn’t be able to. But it seems I soon will after all.”

  Anya pricked up her ears. Was this related to the letter she had read? Behind the soldier’s back, Eleya and Tonnis exchanged glances, doubtless wondering the same thing. She had told them and Wennish about the letter that night after she had returned from the captain’s office, and the four of them had speculated about how the news might change life for the rest of them in the palace.

  “Why do you think you’ll soon be able to rest?” Eleya asked Lasden, as though she had no idea, handing her husband a fresh bandage and tossing the old one into the fireplace.

  For a moment Anya thought the lieutenant wasn’t going to answer, and she saw him give a barely perceptible sigh. “I’m being transferred back to Sazellia,” he replied finally. “The captain recommended I be put on lighter dut
y.” The way he said it, it sounded like a punishment.

  “Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Anya prompted. “Now your wound can get better.”

  “I suppose.” Lasden sighed again, more noticeably this time. “I don’t think that’s his real reason, though. The captain wants me away from the Alasian front. He doesn’t think I’m the right person for this job anymore.” The lieutenant was staring at the wall, not looking at any of them, speaking almost to himself. From his expression, Anya thought perhaps Lasden couldn’t quite decide whether to be discouraged or relieved or simply not to care. “And he’s probably right.”

  Eleya opened her mouth to ask another question but then shut it again, perhaps sensing that the lieutenant needed to process his thoughts on his own.

  “When are you leaving?” Anya wanted to know.

  “Later this morning. As soon as Captain Almanian has time to finish the report he’s writing and gets some things ready to send to Headquarters with me.”

  “Then what will happen to us?” Tonnis wondered aloud, his voice worried.

  “They’re sending another lieutenant out from Sazellia to replace me. I don’t know who yet.”

  “I hope he won’t be like Lieutenant Talifus,” Anya murmured, frowning. Though Talifus was safely locked in the dungeon now, the thought of him still made her nervous.

  “I hope not, too. I’m leaving written instructions about the position and how things work here, but of course he won’t be under any obligation to follow them. He’ll oversee the work force in his own way, and as long as he gets the proper results, Captain Almanian will leave him to it. That’s how things are done in the Malornian military.”

  Tonnis’s shoulders slumped. “I never thought I’d say this to one of you people, but I’m sorry you’re leaving. You’ve treated us fairly, and you’re a decent person, all things considered. We appreciate everything you’ve done for us Alasians.”