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

by Annie Douglass Lima

  Back out in the courtyard, Anya blinked furiously in the pale sunshine, determined not to cry. Now they just had to wait for Sir Edmend, who was to accompany them on their journey. The advisor would be running an errand for Prince Jaymin, delivering an invitation to the upcoming coronation to Prince Korram and the Malornian royal family. He had offered to let Anya and Arvalon travel with him and his soldier escort for safety, and they had gratefully accepted, which was why they had to leave this morning.

  “I’m going to go say goodbye to Eleya and Tonnis,” Anya told her brother. “I’ll be back in a moment.” She ran across the courtyard, slipping once or twice on the frosty cobblestones.

  The clinic door was unlocked, as she had known it would be. Dal stood behind a brand-new desk that sat sturdily in one corner of the front room, larger and shinier than the one Talifus had broken. He was talking to an Alasian soldier, explaining something about a jar of medicine he was giving the man, and both of them turned and smiled at Anya as she entered.

  “Good morning,” Dal greeted her. “If you’re here to see Eleya, she’s in the back.”

  Beyond the doorway, a cheerful fire crackled in the hearth. Eleya was bending over the sink, scrubbing out the kettle. “Anya!” she exclaimed, straightening up with a welcoming smile. “I knew you’d stop by before you left.” She dried her hands on a towel and spread her arms wide, and Anya ran into them. They shared a long, comforting hug, and Anya felt a little of the sadness drain out of her.

  “I’m going to miss you,” Eleya confided, when at last they let go. “I’ve always wanted a daughter, and having you living with us for the last few weeks has been the next best thing. I’m sorry it had to happen under such awful circumstances, but Tonnis and I are thankful to have had the chance to know you. Whenever you come back to visit your father, I hope you’ll stop by the clinic and say hello.”

  “Of course I will,” Anya assured her. “I’m going to miss you both too.”

  “And if you need a place to stay overnight, you’re always welcome under our roof,” Tonnis added, clumping down the stairs behind her at that moment. “Any time you like.”

  “Thank you.” Anya turned and hugged him as well. “And thank you both for everything you did for me.” She sighed. “Part of me wishes I could just stay here and live with you like you offered yesterday, instead of moving to Malorn.” Most of me, actually.

  “Oh, but life in Malorn will be a wonderful new adventure for you,” Eleya assured her. “Like something from one of those stories you like to talk about. A new start; a chance to get to know your relatives better, to make new friends, to experience life in a different part of the world. And this apprenticeship you told us your uncle is arranging. Isn’t that just what you’ve always wanted?”

  “I guess so. And it will be exciting to start a new life,” Anya admitted. She knew she would miss her friends here in Almar, but it was always fun to make new ones. And whether the tailor was any good or not, at least she would have more time to practice sewing.

  She thought about that as she trudged back across the courtyard toward the cart, beside which she could now see grooms saddling horses for Sir Edmend and the four Alasian soldiers who waited nearby. I’ll get to spend almost all day, every day, sewing. And her apprenticeship would keep her busy, so she probably wouldn’t have much time to think about Father or to miss him. She supposed that was good, in a way. But I’ll still write to him at least once a week, she promised herself, and draw pictures to show him all the new clothes I make.

  Anya clambered up to the driver’s bench beside her brother and watched while a guard pulled the gate open. “Ready?” Sir Edmend called to the two of them as he and the soldiers pulled themselves up into their saddles.

  “Ready,” Arvalon replied.

  “Well, this is it,” he added, almost to himself. “Off we go.”

  “I wish we could stay in Almar,” Anya confided as her brother shook the reins and the horses started toward the open gates.

  “Sazellia won’t be so bad,” Arvalon told her encouragingly, though she suspected he was trying to convince himself too. “Aunt Jenzie is really looking forward to our moving in.” He glanced over at her with a smile. “And there’s something Father didn’t tell you about your apprenticeship. He didn’t want to get your hopes up in case it doesn’t work out, but Uncle seemed certain it would, so I’m going to tell you. Farlen, the tailor he’s arranging it with, is one of the best in Sazellia. I’m told he even makes clothes for Queen Aleris and Princess Kalendria sometimes.”

  “Farlen? As in Farlen’s Fashions and Fabrics?”

  “That’s the place.”

  Anya gasped. “Farlen’s makes the finest clothes in Malorn! I’m going to get to sew for royalty!”

  That changed everything. She would learn the fanciest techniques, like making lace. She would have access to the finest materials – satin and silk and velvet, gold and silver thread, pearl buttons, real gems. And she would probably meet the queen and princess and other important people, maybe even on a regular basis. Anya could hardly believe her good fortune. This was exactly the sort of opportunity she had always dreamed of but secretly assumed was too good to ever happen to her.

  Arvalon grinned. “Feel better about moving to Sazellia now?”

  “Yes!” Anya’s whole world had suddenly brightened.

  As the cart rumbled over the wooden drawbridge, Anya turned back for one last glimpse of the palace where she had spent the most memorable month of her life. She wondered what Prince Jaymin, soon to be King Jaymin, was doing right now. Wherever he was, she knew Erik was probably with him. Would she ever have the chance to see them again? Most likely, when she came back to visit Father. And perhaps they would travel to Malorn now and then to visit Prince Korram, soon to be King Korram. Anya might see them there, too. Maybe next time she would have a chance to watch Erik in action.

  Slowly the heavy gates swung shut behind them. Further down the road she would be able to look back and see the palace rising above the rest of the city, but here, so close to the tall gates, it was hidden from sight for the moment. It was as though the weeks she had spent in the enemy’s service had been shut out behind her, along with the clinic and its memories, Eleya and Tonnis, Wennish, and Dannel, who she hoped would never show up to claim the favor she owed him. A door had closed on that part of her life. And on Father, too, alone in the dungeon. Anya swallowed down the lump that insisted on clogging her throat at the thought of him. But he is alive, she reminded herself. I helped save his life.

  Ahead of them, the road through Almar stretched wide and straight. The horses’ hooves clopped on the cobblestones, the cart creaking noisily along behind. Ahead lay the city, then the hills, then an open road through countryside and villages. They hadn’t left early enough – and the loaded cart would be too slow – to make it to their destination today. But they would stop for the night at a comfortable inn in Mosra, the only major city between Almar and the border. Tomorrow they would eat a picnic lunch somewhere along the dirt road, and in the afternoon they would take the ferry over the Grenn, at which point they would be in Malorn. From there, Sazellia was just a couple of miles on. They would be at Uncle Kindrin’s house before suppertime.

  How soon would she get to start her new apprenticeship? The day after tomorrow, perhaps? Anya could hardly wait. With a sigh of mingled nostalgia and excitement, she reached under the seat for her sewing bag and pulled out the coat she was working on, the one she had started before the soldiers had dragged her away. She had better get busy so she would have something with which to impress the tailor. Her new life was about to begin.

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  In the Enemy’s Service

  Copyright © 2012 by Annie Douglass Lima

  All Rights Reserved

  About the Author

  Anni
e Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published ten books (one YA action and adventure novel, four fantasies, a puppet script, and four anthologies of her students’ poetry). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

  Discover Other Titles by Annie Douglass Lima:

  Prince of Alasia

  Twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin, heir to the throne of Alasia, barely escapes with his life when invaders from neighboring Malorn attack. Accompanied by Erik, his young bodyguard and friend, Jaymin flees to a nearby town to live in hiding. There, coming face to face with the hardships suffered by the poor, he determines to improve his people’s lives someday when he takes the throne, assuming he can reclaim his kingdom.

  In his struggle to retain his identity and yet blend in with children in the local school, Jaymin’s life depends on his ability to protect his secret from both enemy troops and unsuspecting townsfolk. Meanwhile, Erik must resort to his skills in unarmed combat to defend Jaymin against everyone from a gang of schoolyard bullies to the Malornian soldiers who regularly patrol the streets looking for trouble – and for the missing prince.

  As the search intensifies and his enemies’ suspicions grow, Jaymin seeks desperately for a way to save his kingdom and himself. Then he stumbles upon a startling discovery that will challenge his assumptions and forever change his view of Malorn and of the events that altered his life.

  Buy Prince of Alasia in paperback: https://www.createspace.com/3631413

  Buy Prince of Alasia for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/PrinceofAlasia

  Prince of Malorn

  One major obstacle stands between seventeen-year-old Prince Korram and the throne that is his birthright: Regent Rampus. Temporary ruler of Malorn, Rampus has no intention of giving up his position when the crown prince comes of age – or of allowing the prince to live long enough to reach that age.

  Desperate to build an army of his own to stand against the regent, Korram treks into the Impassable Mountains to try to recruit the one segment of Malornian society not under Rampus’s control. But can he lead a band of untrained hunters and gatherers to victory against the full might of the Malornian military? Or will they all be crushed by the grasping hand of the regent before the prince can claim his rightful throne?

  Buy Prince of Malorn in Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/3972554

  Buy Prince of Malorn for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/PrinceofMalorn

  Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews

  “I never thought I’d have to dress in rags or sleep on the floor. But hiding my identity as the Prince of Alasia is better than being killed.”

  “Information? Manipulation? Assassination? I have lots of talents! How can I help you?”

  “They said it wouldn’t hurt anything. They said no harm would come of it. They said my troubles would be over the moment I did them that one tiny favor. What other choice was I supposed to make after everything started going wrong?”

  An orphaned prince desperate to keep his identity a secret. A double agent happy to offer a variety of services … for a price. A well-meaning merchant who may have just caused the biggest disaster in his kingdom’s history. Meet the citizens of Alasia and Malorn and prepare to be drawn into a tangled web of war and intrigue.

  This collection of twenty-four character interviews is designed to complement the first three books in the Annals of Alasia but can also be enjoyed on its own.

  Buy Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/AlasiaInterviews

  The Collar and the Cavvarach

  Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?

  Buy The Collar and the Cavvarach for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/cavvarach

  Squawky Learns About Love

  In this humorous puppet skit, Squawky the parrot helps children memorize I Corinthians 13:4 and learn what the Bible has to say about loving others God’s way.

  Performance time: approximately 7 minutes

  Buy Squawky Learns About Love for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/Squawkylove

  A Boom in the Room

  From naughty children to Navy SEALS, gooey bacteria to Greek triremes, crunchy cars to annoying alarm clocks, these poems are filled with imagination and fun. Experience the excitement of world travel, from the sounds and smells of a Korean winter to an outdoor scene in Soltau, Germany, pausing along the way to explore the wilderness of Africa and take in a Texan rodeo. Ready for a break? Sit down and watch a soccer game, listen to the forest orchestra, or dig up some worms and go fishing. When you get hungry, stop by the noodle shop across the street and then catch one of those falling pies for dessert. Just remember to watch out for playful dragons, sharp sharks, and thieving monkeys!

  Created by fifth grade students, A Boom in the Room features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to tanka and haiku. Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Watoto Childcare Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides food, medical care, and education to needy children and their families in East Africa.

  Buy A Boom in the Room for Kindle: http://bit.ly/BoomInRoom

  Sunshine Leaking

  In the mood for adventure? Step inside these pages and experience crazy coasters and soaring stunt planes, a terrifying tsunami and an atomic bomb. You’ll meet characters ranging from heroic Jedi to monsters of all varieties; sprinting soccer stars to a malicious doctor who eats his patient (who happens to be a chicken). Join us for a trip around the world: listen to nature singing in harmony in the peaceful countryside of Ostfriesland, Germany; run barefoot across a beach in Busan, Korea; dodge the noisy traffic of a street in Vietnam; sample a soft pineapple mooncake in Hsinchu, Taiwan; and wrap yourself in the dangers and charms of New York City. Prepare to mourn the tragic deaths of a lovely butterfly and a lonely wolf; then console yourself with music as relaxing as blankets and comforting as pillows. Along the way, watch out for wayward Frisbees and the sun about to crash into the earth. Hold your breath as you’re blasted with ash from that erupting volcano and sprayed with the seeds of an evil tomato. But who needs a shower when you have liquid sunshine leaking over you?

  Created by fifth-grade students, Sunshine Leaking features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to diamond poetry, tanka, and haiku. Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Josie’s Angels, a nonprofit organization that provides food, education, and a secure living environment for impoverished, abused, and at-risk girls in the Philippines.

  Buy Sunshine Leaking for Kindle: http://bit.ly/SunshineLeaking

  Better than Cotton Candy

  Are you ready for a world tour? Within these pages you can watch a Chinese New Year dragon dance, go snowboarding at Mountain High in California, experience Christmas in the Philippines, spend money on fun in a video game center in Odaiba, Japan; catch shrimp in Australia, and play soccer at Sacramento’s Don Nottoli Park. Step into the Amazon rainforest to hear a croaking frog as loud as a car engine and onto the streets of Taiwan to be serenaded by a putrid-smelling trash truck that plays Beethoven’s “Für Elise”.

  You’ll have the opportunity to sample such delicacies as spiky giant crabs, milk tea, tiramisu, spicy curry, dried squid, and fizzy melon soda. Here you can visit a garden to meet zombie-fighting plants and see for yourself how war can be like a broken ATM. Take a break by an icy lake that reflects the stars’ smiles like a sheet of glass. While you�
�re waiting for the morning sun, wrap yourself in the night, the most beautiful blanket in the world; but don’t let your dad’s raucous snoring ruin your sleep. Finally, beware of insubordinate monkeys, the horrors that lurk in a messy desk, and that house-crushing hailstorm. See the journey through to the end and you’ll discover the one substance on earth that is better than cotton candy!

  Proceeds from the sale of Better than Cotton Candy will benefit Taiwan Sunshine, a nonprofit organization that provides support and encouragement for families of disabled children in Taiwan.

  Buy Better than Cotton Candy for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/cottoncandy

  What's That Noise?

  What’s that noise?

  It’s the laughter of friends, the boink of a cute kangaroo, the click of umbrellas opening as we splash home through the rain. It’s the piercing whistle of Chinese New Year fireworks, a clarinet as loud as a siren, waves from the endless teal ocean crashing on Dundrive Beach. It’s a squeaking hamster, the beeeep of a whistle announcing a victorious end to a basketball game, and jazzy music welcoming us to the lobby of a ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan.