Treachery of Kings

by Neal Barrett Jr

  “You got out before it… Damn me, I never thought of that. Who are you, what's your name, then?”

  “Devius Lux. What of it?”

  “Devius Lux. I heard of you somewheres.”

  “I expect you have. Devius Lux, purveyor of antiquities and such. Ancient brushes, curries, combs. Items for those who take an interest in hair care of the past. My shop is next to Gaxiun-Froon, the seer who sells plain water and swears it'll turn any female into a savage of desire.”

  Devius frowned. “Who in hell you be, sir? I expect you best tell me that.”

  “Bucerius. A merchant like yourself. I be dealin’ in, ah—a number of things. It was the filthy Bowsers what brought you down, not me.”

  “They got us too,” Finn added. “We're lucky to be alive ourselves. I feel our fall was cushioned by chickens. Otherwise, we would not have fared as well.”

  Devius Lux looked dubious, not wholly convinced.

  “You know who I am, all right. That doesn't prove a thing, and I never heard of you. You could be in league with those Bowser kind. No offense, but you're a Newlie yourself.”

  “Damn you, then!” Bucerius’ chest began to heave, like an enormous bellows, intent on stirring up a fire.

  “Patience,” Finn said again, “those Wesley-Groven-halters can do a great deal of damage, even to a fellow your size.”

  “Pistols or no, I won't be insulted by a dried up old man sellin’ combs.”

  “They are not everyday combs, they're combs from ancient times.”

  “A comb is a comb to me!”

  “Stop it, both of you.” Finn stepped between the two, facing the brace of pistols himself.

  “Bigotry and bile have no place here. You are both tradesmen, and quite aware that commerce goes beyond racial and political bounds. It's foolish to stand here and argue while a pack of ruffians is very likely on our trail. This is a time when we must all—”

  “Get out of my way, or I'll blast you and the beastie both!”

  “Wait, now listen, please!” Finn felt his heart leap up in his throat, felt his mouth go dry as toast. Knew, in an instant, from the light in the old man's greatly magnified eyes, that he wasn't listening at all, didn't give a flop about race, religion or anything else.

  What he wanted to do was shoot someone, anyone at all, with his brand-new Wesley-Grovenhalters, for what's the good of costly, quality arms, if you keep them in a drawer with your socks somewhere?

  “Put those down or I'll have your head for it,” Bucerius said. “I won't be askin’ you again.”

  “Sticks and Bricks,” Finn said, “that's not the way to handle this at all. We're all civilized here.”

  “He's not,” the old man said, taking a bead on the Bullie's head. “He's a creature, nothing more than that.”

  “—and so am I, Devius Lux, and you harm either one of those two, especially the man I love, and you'll answer to me!”

  “Letitia?”

  Finn drew in a breath, certain that a vision, a fine hallucination, had appeared before his eyes. “Is that really you, or am I in a bizarre and happy dream—”

  Before he could finish, Letitia stepped out of shadow and rushed into his arms. Tears of joy stung his cheeks, and they weren't all his alone…

  EIGHTEEN

  DEVIUS LUX, WHO DIDN'T LIKE SURPRISES AT all, especially those that included any form of bliss, stared in wonder and disgust at the joyous scene. Stared, but only for an instant, until a glitter, a gleam, an errant flash of silver in the shadows caught his eyes.

  A shiver crawled up the old man's spine, crawled up and raised the half dozen hairs on his head. A monster, a demon, an unholy thing scuttled out of the alley, clacking its teeth and winking its ruby eyes.

  “Gibido, Fibido, something-something Blik!” he said in a quavering tone, too frightened to remember the spell for such events.

  Instead, he took careful aim, raised his pistols, and fired them both at once.

  Twin explosions shook the street. Gouts of fire burst from the barrels, followed by a pall of black smoke. Devius Lux staggered back, stunned, his arms going numb. Bucerius grabbed the empty weapons, and cursed beneath his breath.

  “Julia!”

  Finn and Letitia shouted as one, loosing their grips on one another and rushing to the lizard's aid.

  Finn gagged, waving smoke aside, certain he would find a horrid sight, a lizard blown to nature's basic bits, iron, copper, silver and tin, scattered about like dust. Ghostly hints of cogs, springs and golden gears.

  “Julia,” he cried, with wonder and relief, “why, you're all right, you're perfectly intact!”

  “On the outside, yes,” Julia said with a rusty croak. “Inside, I'm a'quiver, a total nervous wreck.”

  “You don't have any nerves. That's all in your head.”

  “Now you don't know that,” Letitia said. “I expect she's upset quite a bit.”

  “I made her, my dear. I know what's inside. There aren't any nerves to quiver, just a bunch of wires, hardly the nervous system of a creature of flesh and blood. The animal brain has some activity, yes, but there are no nerves that extend any farther than that.”

  “I feel better already,” Julia said, scratching a copper scale. “It's helpful to have someone who knows everything.”

  “That old bastard couldn't be shootin’ hisself in the foot,” Bucerius said, bending down to stare at Julia Jessica Slagg. “You did a fine job on that fellow what bothered the Missy here in the Prince's courtyard. Like to see you have a go at one of them Bowsers sometime.”

  “I think,” Finn said, knowing how flattery turned Julia's head, “I think we'd best be getting out of here. That noise could bring the yappers on again.

  “Letitia, love, there's much we need to talk about. I left you and Julia safely on Garpenny Street. Now I find you wandering about Heldessia with a crazed old coot. I am eager to hear how this came about.”

  “As you so wisely said, I don't think we have the time for that. I'll be happy to explain when I can. Perhaps you'll forgive my rash decision when you understand why I came.”

  “Did I get it, did I kill that evil thing?”

  Devius Lux peered around Bucerius’ enormous form, his face no more pleasing covered with flecks of black powder than it had been before.

  “I'll have those weapons back, fellow, you've no right to take a man's arms—Great Stars, the horror's still there, somebody stomp on the thing!”

  “I'd be taking a care, old man,” the Bullie said. “Us beasts has got primitive ways. Isn't no tellin’ what might set us on a spree… “

  I GOT FRIGHTENED, IS ALL, I TRULY DID. YOU WEREN'T gone a minute ‘fore I got to thinking about the Prince and his sly and lowly ways. What might he do? Would he dare molest me while you were gone?

  “You know how he looked at me, dear, you heard what he said. And he is the Prince. I suppose he can do whatever comes into his head. At any rate, I recalled Miz Hammiter-Prin? The lady on Rattlebone Street who runs the little shop, the Doorstop Exchange? I knew she had a cousin who'd married a trader in Thistles and Weeds, and he sent goods by balloon all the time… “

  “… And he just happened to know an old coot who carried cargo to Heldessia,” Finn added, “and, luckily, was leaving at dawn, with the rest of the merchant fleet. What a remarkable coincidence, Letitia. Not only to recall Miz Hammiter-Prin's relations, but to meet such a kindly, good-natured fellow as Devius Lux, who'd be most pleased to carry a lovely Mycer girl and a lizard in his balloon.”

  “Well, it wasn't exactly like that, I don't suppose,” Letitia said, glancing off at the darkened sky.

  “Not exactly.”

  “No. Very close, though.”

  “How close, indeed?”

  “Not as close as that, I have to say. You know, of course, from his somewhat violent reaction that I failed to mention Julia was stowed safely in my satchel during the trip.”

  “One might gather that. And the rest of it, love?”

  “Th
e rest is simply that I, ah—slipped away a moment after we returned from the palace, and began my arrangements then.”

  “I see.”

  “Yes, I feel you do.”

  “You didn't waste a lot of time.”

  “I didn't have a lot of time, dear Finn. And it was, truly, only good fortune and the hand of Fate that I was able to bring it all about.

  “Oh, don't you see? I simply couldn't let you go on such a perilous voyage alone. I had to be with you. I had a most terrible feeling that if I didn't follow on your heels, I'd never see you again.”

  Finn, though still not appeased by Letitia's tale, could not resist the tenderness, the caring in her voice, the very real concern in her dark and iridescent eyes.

  “You could have been killed yourself. I could have lost you, Letitia. You must have witnessed the same tragedy and horror I did.”

  “I did, yes.”

  “I don't know what to say. Of course I'm glad you're with me, but I fear for your safety here.”

  “Don't, love. Nothing will happen to me. We have shared adversity before. If need be, we shall share it in this far land as well.”

  “Yes, well. I suppose we will.”

  Letitia gave a grateful sigh and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “I must tell you, I thought I had taken this voyage in vain, when our airship fell dizzily into the street. Devius Lux did get me out before the thing caught fire, do give him credit for that.

  “Then, when we heard someone approaching, we thought it was those terrible Bowsers, and the old fellow made me retreat into the alley, so he could fight them off. When I heard your voice—”

  Letitia could say no more. Finn held her close, and had no desire to let her go…

  BUCERIUS AND DEVIUS LUX STOOD BENEATH THE high stone arch of a house a mere hundred paces from the entry to King Llowenkeef-Grymm's palace—a great, looming structure that betrayed no more light than the rest of this city in the small hours of the night.

  It was Devius who had guided them the long way around the palace walls, avoiding the Bridge Gate, the Royal Gate, and a number of lesser gates, as well. And, finally, to a stout wooden door that sat within the base of a sentry wall.

  It was not through any concern that he had done this deed, but his great desire to hold his precious weapons again. Bucerius had sworn he would grind them to dust beneath his boots if the old man couldn't think of some way to redeem himself.

  Now, the two waited, without exchanging a word, while a guardsman went to wake a friend who had done a bit of business with Devius before. What sort of business, the oldster wasn't prepared to say.

  AT LEAST, FINN THOUGHT, STANDING WITH LETITIA some distance away, it was easier to see, now, why his love had shown less concern than he'd hoped for as they'd parted back in Ulster-East. Why, she could hardly say she'd miss him greatly, could she, when she knew she would be riding the very same Easterly winds across the swamp of Bleak Demise to Heldessia Land.

  The thought brought a moment of relief, followed quickly by a pang of shame at his selfish need, when Letitia had shown her love in a clear, uncluttered manner by risking her very life to be at his side.

  And, more shameful still, a thought he hurriedly banished from his mind, he wondered how many gold and silver coins Letitia had given the fellow to take her aboard.

  I'm damned if I'll ask, he thought to himself, and it's better for future bliss I never know…

  NINETEEN

  IT SEEMED A SMALL ETERNITY BEFORE THE STOUT door opened again. Finally, a nondescript fellow, a man of no certain weight or height, appeared and thrust a lamp into the dark. It was hard to guess his age, for his features were most ordinary, neither flushed with youth nor withered by the years.

  It looked, to Finn, as if some being wore the costume of a man, dressed for a festive event. From this very first glance, Finn felt wary, on edge, plainly discontent. Letitia, at his side, grew suddenly tense as well. No surprise to Finn, for the Mycer folk had a far keener insight into things unseen than humankind.

  “Well, what is it?” the man of no distinction said. He spotted Devius then and turned the fellow's way.

  “Do we have business, Lux? I don't recall we do. And these others, are they with you?”

  “They are, sir. And I have nothing to show you at this time, though I am expecting some very fine items, which should arrive from the Venomous Coast in a fortnight or so. There is one article, said to be used in ancient times to curl a maiden's hair—”

  “Then we shall talk about that at the time,” the man said, raising a hand to halt Lux.

  “I am Dostagio, First Servant to His Majesty, King Llowenkeef-Grymm,” he said, looking vaguely at Finn, glancing past Letitia and the giant at her side. “What do you want of me?”

  “I am Finn of Fyxedia, sir. And this is my—house servant, Mistress Letitia Louise. This fellow is Master Bucerius, Trader and Balloonist, who guided us here.”

  “You know me, Dostagio,” Bucerius said, “though I doubt you'd recall. I been to your court on business before.”

  “Yes, well, I'm sure,” Dostagio said, paying the Bullie no heed at all. “You. Finn, is it? Must I ask you again? What are you doing here?”

  “I came on the orders of Prince Aghen Aghenfleck of Fyxedia. I bring a gift from my Prince to your King.”

  “From the Prince? I don't expect His Grace will want it, but you may leave it here.”

  “No, sir, with all respect, I cannot.”

  “You cannot?”

  “I cannot. I have express orders from the Prince to deliver the package you see here into the hands of the King himself.”

  “Yes, well. Come back in the morning. Go to the main gate in front. Leave your name with the Chamberlain Fourth Class. It will be added to a list. The list will be forwarded to an official in the palace, as it is every morning at nine.”

  “And may I ask which official is that?”

  “That would be me. I will look at the list, scratch off all the names, and send it back to the gate again.”

  Finn looked greatly alarmed. “What, then, is the point in getting on the list, if you scratch everyone off?”

  “I couldn't say. I believe it was your idea to come here, not mine.

  “Devius Lux, when you have an item of particular interest, do come and see me then. Please, all of you, step away from the door, and go back wherever you belong.”

  “Wait. I'm not finished!”

  “Yes, sir, you are.”

  The drab fellow stepped back. The guard appeared again and began to close the great door. Bucerius pushed Finn away and thrust his enormous foot inside.

  The guard looked startled. He blinked at the Bullie's boot, staggered back and went for his blade.

  “Don't,” Bucerius told him, poking a big finger in the fellow's chest. “It be a bad idea, puttin’ your hand on that.”

  “What is this, now? Remove your foot and leave at once!”

  Some errant emotion tried to make its way to the First Servant's face. Struggled there a moment, and gracefully went away.

  “Take this,” Bucerius said, drawing something from the packet at his belt. “I shoulda give it to you ‘fore we be talking at all. Doesn't nothing get through to your kind, all you got is rules.”

  The fellow scarcely looked at the Bullie. He took the item and withdrew a step into the light. Finn saw it was a very small scroll, sealed with a smear of purple wax.

  “What's that, what did you give him there?”

  “Royal Warrant. It's what you use to be getting past stuffy fools like him.”

  “You've got a Royal Warrant? From Aghen Ag-henfleck himself?”

  “Your hearing be all right, human person? Just said I did. All them noble types, they be despising each other, but they got to do business like war and peace and such.

  “I be carrying a sack of these things from princes, kings, sheiks, nabobs an’ tyrants you never heard of before. Can't get nothin’ done in my trade, you don't be having one of these.”
>
  “Why didn't the Prince simply give it to me?” Finn asked, somewhat taken aback. “I could have presented it as easily as you.”

  “Oh, now, he couldn't do that.” Bucerius granted Finn a kindly smile that galled him no end, a smile reserved for infants and others too dense to comprehend.

  “You could be havin’ one of these, but wouldn't do you no good.”

  “Oh, and why is that? I think I have my wits about me, much of the time.”

  “Surely you do. What you don't know, ‘cause you never be in the trade like me, is how many gold crowns you got to be stuffin’ inside that scroll.”

  Devius Lux gave a hearty cackle at that, and drew a frown from Finn.

  “I don't know why I should be surprised to hear this. There's no one more venal, more eaten up with greed, than the toadies at a royal court.”

  “None, as a fact. Unless it be the royals theyselves.”

  At that moment, Dostagio stepped into the entryway again. If he had heard the talk between Bucerius and Finn, he gave no indication of it now.

  “Master Finn, I know I express the feelings of His Grace, Llowenkeef-Grymm, his esteemed family, and the royal court itself, when I welcome you to Heldessia Land.

  “If you and your, ah, serving creature, will kindly follow me, I will see you to comfortable quarters now.”

  Bucerius hid a grin behind his big hand.

  “I be seeing you again,” he told Finn. “Have a care, friend. These fellows is all of noble blood, but all your nobles be thieves. That's how they get to be princes and kings.”

  Again, Dostagio seemed to have a deaf ear to anything spoken in his presence. Before Finn could bid the Bullie and the old man farewell, the door closed behind him, and he and Letitia Louise were within the walls of Heldessia's King.

  Julia Jessica Slagg was there, too, but she was curled tightly against Finn's shoulders, under his heavy cloak. For once, she had kept her silence for a while, and Finn was most grateful for that. Getting in the palace was trouble enough. Explaining a golden lizard with silver jaws and ruby eyes was something else again