Blade of Memories

by Tina Hunter

  Lynn dug into her small suitcase and pulled out the accessories for her different personas. One was a jewel-covered blade for Empathy she wore when she wanted people to think she was an upper-class Iridan. The jewels were fake, just bits of colored glass, but if she removed a few, it would pass nicely as a modest blade worthy of carrying everywhere without worrying about it being stolen.

  She put the jeweled blade on the bed next to her mother’s blade and got to work. It wouldn’t be as easy as transferring the jewels from one blade handle to the other. She had to remove them from the hilt carefully, make the adjustments to the jewels and then reattach them. Then with a careful hand, she painted the master seal onto the plain hilt, which was now on the empathy blade. Now she had two blades from the same master craftsman and he didn’t even know it. Her work was far from perfect, but it would pass for now. She put her mother’s blade into the nicer sheath and tied it to her waist in the traditional Empire fashion. The little mirror in her room couldn’t show her what she looked like, but it felt good. It felt like it was supposed to be on her hip.

  Her stomach growled, a sure reminder of her meeting with Declan downstairs. She smiled to herself, wondering what his reaction to her new look would be.

  Downstairs the hall was only half full but lunch was cooking, filling the room with delicious smells. She spotted Dorothy sitting with the boys. She caught the girl’s eye, who gave her a small shake of the head. Either she was telling her that the boys were talking about her again, or she wasn’t ready for her to sit with them. Either way was fine. She chose a seat near the door so she’d see Declan the moment he walked in. She was nervous. She needed to talk to someone about what was going on with Benjamin, but she wasn’t sure how Declan could help even if she wanted him to. They had begun serving food by the time he arrived.

  He let in a waft of cold air when he entered. He appeared very polished, like the prince’s son he was. When his eyes settled on her, his eyebrows rose in surprise but his face remained stony. That didn’t bode well.

  “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting,” he said, every bit the gentleman that his dress alluded to. This was not how he acted around her, ever.

  “A bit,” she said with a smile, trying to break him out of whatever persona he was in. Where was his easy smile?

  “My apologies then,” Declan said, sitting down.

  “Ok. What’s wrong?” She leaned forward over the table, “You aren’t acting like yourself.”

  He sighed, deep and heavy. He pulled out a piece of paper from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to her. She expected to see something that would explain his mood. Instead, she saw a map just like the ones at her uncle’s. Hallways, guard stations, doors and windows, everything she would need. It even had a note about two keys being used to unlock and lock the vault door.

  “This is perfect,” she said, “It even has information I didn’t know. Thank you. I am sorry that I didn’t get the note to you sooner. Is that why you are upset?”

  “No... A bit...” He sighed again and ran his hand over his face. When his hand came down, his face might have looked the same to an outsider but his eyes conveyed a different story to her. He was angry and sad.

  “I’m so sorry that you duplicated work, but honestly having my own map will be incredibly useful.” She smiled warmly and reached out to take one of his hands on the table. He jerked it away before she could touch him. What was going on?

  “It might be useful, but you have single-handedly given my father exactly what he has been looking for from me for years. I even had to tell Malack the truth,” he said, looking out the window instead of at her. Declan’s voice was steady and low but dripped with anger. What had changed between them since last night?

  “Malack?... and your father wanted...?” She was thoroughly confused. He told Malack? When? How did he react? And what was it that his father wanted that she had given him?

  However, Declan refused to answer, just shook his head and continued to stare out the window. As if a dragon or something else remarkably interesting was out that window, though she refused to take her eyes off him and check.

  She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. “Explain.” She could wait him out. He had promised to explain his behavior last night, and she would hold him to that promise.

  A waitress came by and asked if they were hungry. Declan waved her off not even asking if Lynn might like something. The waitress gave her a look of sympathy before she wandered over to the next table.

  “I am sorry, you know,” he said, gaze locked outside.

  “For what exactly?”

  He sighed and finally looked at her, eyes as full of sadness as she’d ever seen them. “Everything. For what happened between us last year. For what happened last night. For every chance I could have taken but didn’t even though I knew you felt for me the way I...” he swallowed hard and stared out the window again. “The Empire has been looking for a way to secure a trade relationship with the Belalto for years. We can’t rely on Aguara for everything, you know. The mountains make it nearly impossible to get through to them by force or secrecy. And their musical magic is unique.” He gulped air as if his shirt collar was too tight. “I wish you hadn’t asked me to deceive her.”

  The way he said it...

  “Oh, gods above,” she gasped. “You’re meant to secure the trade deal?”

  “It was my father’s idea years ago, I didn’t know she would remember. That she would...” He turned to Lynn. “I’m sorry if I have to marry her, but I am who I am. And I wanted you to know that I’m sorry.”

  Her heart shattered again. Rage from this morning pouring into her veins, this time directed at the stupid elf who would take what should have been hers.

  “If you knew this was coming why would you... last night?” she said, unable to form her words properly.

  “One last thing to remember you by,” he said with a little smile.

  “Something to remember me by?” Lynn was beyond angry now. How dare he play with her heart? Again and again, and she always fell for it. She could feel the tears threatening to well up and she took deep breaths to control her emotions. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

  “Well, if that’s everything you need from me,” he said standing up, “I’ll take my leave.”

  Shock quickly replaced her rage. “Where are you...? You’re leaving now?”

  He nodded. “I’m to travel home with her. She’s waiting for me.” He stared out the window and this time Lynn turned to look.

  Outside the inn was a carriage of standard style but the woman chatting and talking with the drivers was anything but standard. Her skin was a golden brown and her dark eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke. But it was her ears that Lynn noticed right away. Long and pointed at the tip and covered in tiny pink jewels on chains of gold. Her clothes looked to be made out of a single bolt of fabric wrapped around and flung over her shoulder. The cloth had ridiculous patterns and colors, and her hair was so thick the braid seemed as big around as her neck. The Goa Elf held herself with confidence and ease, and Lynn hated her more with every second.

  “Goodbye, Lynn.” Declan’s voice was quiet and soft.

  She glared at him. “Don’t you dare walk away from me right now... Dechen!” Lynn had kept her voice low when using his real name but he reacted as if she had slapped him. It was his turn to glare at her.

  “This is all your own fault, Evelynn. And don’t think for a moment I won’t call in that favor you owe me.”

  And then he was walking away, his stride gave away nothing but confidence. Lynn felt her lip quiver and bit it hard. She kept watching at the window as he met the princess at her carriage, helping her down from the front driver seat and having her slide into his arms. Lynn’s nails dug into the flesh of her palms, her fists tight to keep herself from crying. Declan escorted the princess inside the carriage and within moments they were rolling away.

  He didn’t look back once.

&nbs
p; Lynn took a deep breath and waited until she could breathe normally before turning to look into the hall once more. No one seemed to notice her. No one had noticed anything out of the ordinary, it seemed. Perhaps that was a good thing, but right now what she wanted more than anything was for someone to care. She winced as she flexed her fingers open and looked at the damage. Three little crescent moons of blood dotted both her palms. They would heal quickly enough, perhaps they wouldn’t even leave a scar. Nothing to remember him by. She noticed the comforting weight of the blade on her hip and stood up. Perhaps they would let her take her food in her room so she could spend some time with her mother. That seemed preferable to staying in the present.

  “Excuse me?” A young man approached her, and Lynn nodded her head in the boy’s direction. She didn’t trust herself to speak yet.

  “Are you Miss Lynn Burkley?” That was her uncle’s fake last name. She nodded her head though she allowed her confusion to appear on her face. What now?

  “I have a message for you,” the boy said, handing her a letter sealed with a wax stamp she didn’t recognize. She thanked the boy and waited until he had left the inn before stuffing it into her pocket alongside the map of the fort from Declan.

  She walked into the kitchen and took a few sticky buns and a bowl of soup, no doubt prepared for someone else in mind, and headed up to her room. The old rules still applied. Act like you belong there and have something important to do, and people will mostly let you be. The truth was, she did have something important to do. Once in her room, she set her soup bowl on the side table and bit into a sticky bun. No one could tell her not to have dessert first. Besides, the soup needed to cool. Licking her fingers clean, she pulled out the letter and broke the seal. It was from her uncle.

  “Dearest Lynn,

  The attached letter is going out this afternoon to all of my friends. I hope you will meet me at the Mermaid’s Kiss just after dinner in your attire from yesterday. Love.

  Uncle Benjamin.”

  She quickly read the second letter.

  “My friends,

  The time for justice has arrived. Fill your bellies with a fine meal then join me at the Mermaid’s Kiss. Tonight we shall remind Aguara what Blades really are.

  B”

  So they were doing it tonight before the fort was fully ready for them. It was a good plan. It also meant that she would need more help to execute her plan. How was she going to pull this off? Why did all the men in her life have to be so heartless?

  Dorjee had seen Declan leave and seen Lynn watching him leave. Something was wrong. Lynn had seemed happy this morning. Now she was not. And then that boy gave her a letter, and she left.

  Dorjee excused herself from the table. The guys were ok, not as interesting as the women in the brothel, but nice in their own way. Once she had told them she planned to stay with the Morendi, they seemed to relax around her more. And now that she had decided she just had to let Lynn know. She was pretty sure this wasn’t the right time, but even if they had fought she still liked Lynn. Dorjee wanted to make sure she was ok.

  Dorjee stopped outside their shared room and listened to make sure Lynn was alone. She didn’t hear voices. She did, however, hear muffled sobs. The kind you would hear if someone was crying into a pillow. Something was wrong.

  She knocked on the door and waited, giving Lynn time to compose herself.

  “Come in,” Lynn shouted through the door. Dorjee entered and would never have known Lynn had just been crying. Except that perhaps her eyes were a little more red than usual. But otherwise, she seemed like her regular self.

  “How was lunch?” Lynn asked, her smile just a little forced. Wow, she was a good actor.

  “How was yours?” Dorjee asked in return, “I saw Declan leaving. Looked like the conversation didn’t go well between the two of you.”

  Lynn’s smile grew sad, but also more genuine. “Declan is leaving. Off to marry a Belalto princess.”

  Dorjee’s mouth dropped open, and she had to stop herself from yelling ‘what?’ at the top of her lungs. She couldn’t believe she had spent time with someone who was about to become a prince. It was amazing... but it was also awful for Lynn because now Dorjee understood why she was crying. She must have loved him or something. Dorjee shut her mouth with a snap. Well, she would just have to support Lynn.

  “What a horrible man. How dare he do that to you?”

  Lynn snorted. Then covered her face in surprise that such a sound had come out of her. It was such a funny sound though that Dorjee couldn’t help but giggle. Lynn laughed along with her but the mood wasn’t joyous enough to sustain it for long. Soon they calmed down to a comfortable silence. Dorjee really didn’t want to break it, but she needed to.

  “So... I’ve come to a decision,” Dorjee said, looking at her toes.

  Lynn put her hand gently on her shoulder. “You’re going to stay with the Morendi, aren’t you?”

  Dorjee looked at Lynn. Her eyes were clear and comforting, none of the anger from yesterday was there. She hoped Lynn wasn’t acting. She nodded.

  Lynn squeezed her shoulder and then turned away. “They’ll take care of you. I know that. I was just overwhelmed by everything yesterday. There is so much going on, and then to meet my grandfather... I’m sorry I took it out on you.”

  “I forgive you,” Dorjee said forcefully. She didn’t want to be fighting with Lynn anymore. Lynn smiled at her.

  “Oh,” said Dorjee, “I almost forgot. Teodor mentioned that the guards are transferring all the prisoners either to the fort, or releasing them early.” She leaned in close. “Simon made it seem like that was proof that your plan wouldn't work.”

  Lynn rolled her eyes. “He would think that... But actually, it might just be the very thing we need.”

  Lynn sat back on the bed thinking. Dorjee could see her eyes and head move like she was talking to herself, but her mouth never moved. Finally, she turned to her with a smile.

  “I have a plan.”

  Dorjee glanced around Brutus’ room. Simon and Teodor where standing off to the side while Brutus and Dorjee sat on the bed. Lynn stood at the door, dressed as a man, and stared at them all after telling them the plan. Simon was furious.

  “I refuse to be used as bait. And I will not be arrested again. I refuse!” Simon puffed up like he was trying to make himself bigger than he was.

  “You are not my first choice either but beggars can’t be choosers, and your uncle sent you.”

  “You can’t make me. Not even this can make me do it,” he said pulling up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a contract bracelet. She’d seen one on Lynn’s arm when she undressed, along with the other bracelet of beads, but Lynn hadn’t mentioned that everyone had been contracted.

  “You are deliberately hindering my ability to get this job done,” Lynn shouted. Simon pulled his arm into his chest and whimpered. So apparently he had agreed not to do that.

  “What about your cousin? The big one?” Brutus said.

  Lynn shook her head. “There is no way he would agree to it,” she said, but she didn’t sound too sure of that.

  “Looks like Simon’s a meater so you ain’t got much choice, do ya?” Teodor said.

  “What did you call me?” Simon yelled, getting close to Teodor’s face.

  “I called you a lily-livered meater,” Teodor said, grinning down at Simon who was a full head shorter.

  “Boys, enough,” Lynn shouted. “I will ask my cousin but if he declines, Simon, I will throw you into a soldier’s arms myself if I have to.”

  Simon crossed his arms and slunk back against the wall. It confused Dorjee why he would try to get around his contract? Her father had worked with contracts a lot and mentioned that sometimes people liked to find loopholes in the way they were worded. She wondered what reason Simon would have to do that.

  “So, besides who will get in with the prisoner transfer to the fort, I think we all know what we need to do, right?” Lynn continued. Dorjee looked around aga
in. There was a mood in the room. Grim seemed to fit it. Besides getting arrested, Simon was supposed to bribe the ship captain or any workers he could find. Teodor and Brutus would head across the river with a collapsible wagon and hide in the forest until they got the signal. And Dorjee would head to the Morendi community before dinner. Just a few hours from now.

  It was moving fast, but she supposed that it was for the best.

  “Good,” Lynn said. “I’ll see you all later, then.” And with that, she left the room. Simon swore as soon as she was out, and Teodor pushed him lightly, which meant Simon hit the wall.

  “Watch your tongue. We still have company,” Teodor said.

  Simon glared at Dorjee and she knew she wasn’t wanted, but she also knew they were about to say something important.

  “I should go pack, anyway.” She waved goodbye and slipped out the door. She was wearing her boy boots again, they made a lovely stomping sound as she walked towards her shared room with Lynn. But just outside the door she slipped off the boots and crept back to the door. Those boys were always keeping secrets from Lynn.

  “... do what?” Teodor yelled through the door. The voices hushed to whispers and Dorjee had to put her ear on the door to hear even that. She waited. Soon enough Simon raised his voice just loud enough for her to hear.

  “Why do you think we’ve been trying so hard to make her fail? You think I want to kill anybody? I’m not like Brutus here.”

  “Watch your tone,” Brutus said. Dorjee didn’t move a muscle. Surely she had misunderstood. They wouldn’t actually try to kill anyone, would they? Lynn said they weren’t like that.

  “And Darkan would really do this just to get out of paying her?” Teodor asked.

  Brutus gave a humorless snort.

  “My uncle is the master of loopholes,” Simon said. “Besides, no one leaves his employment.”

  Dorjee could feel panic welling up in her throat. She hadn’t misunderstood at all, and what was worse, the person they were going to kill was Lynn.