Apparently Morgsten was satisfied with Jan’s response to the situation and bid his farewells shortly after Rhys arrived to escort Talon away, but it was too late. The damage was done. It almost seemed as though the entire point of Morgsten’s visit was to drive a wedge between Talon and the Arbiters.
Jan gasped. That did make sense. Without Talon’s cooperation, the Arbiters would have little information on the Coruscalli. She could not say it aloud though, not now. Too many eyes and ears around as a small group of Arbiters arrived to help move a shackled Talon to the dungeon. Jan could not speak her thoughts, but she could not bear to watch as Talon was led away without saying a word.
“Why did you do it?” she said instead. “What were you doing in my office in the first place, Talon?”
Talon met Jan’s gaze openly, and said, “I overheard Morgsten request a private meeting with you. In light of recent events, I thought it best if you were not left unguarded, even for a moment.”
Jan knew what Talon really meant, although she could not say it in front of the Kalvat Arbiters. Any one of them could be Morgsten’s spy. When Morgsten requested to speak to Jan alone, Talon suspected him of malicious intent. When he began speaking of Astraeyu Nouvi as the true enemy, Talon could remain silent no longer. Jan felt even more awful for having to arrest Talon when she only wanted to help, but there was nothing she could do. Not yet, anyway.
Once again, Talon was to be placed in a dungeon, this time by people she had come to view as allies. Jan was torn at having to give the order, but Morgsten had a high standing in Kalvatin. One word from him could make Jan very unwelcome in Orsela, as well as place further strain on Kalvatin’s relations with the rest of Lythril. That was probably exactly what Morgsten wanted, for the whole world to turn on its neighbors while the Coruscalli was left to their own devices. Jan wasn’t about to step into that trap. She only hoped that Talon would understand and someday find it in her heart to forgive her.
Chapter Sixteen
TALON WAS NOT sure precisely what happened. When she heard that Morgsten was at the Vermillion Temple to speak with Jan, she suspected Morgsten of making another attempt at Jan’s life and decided to eavesdrop on their conversation. So, she snuck into Jan’s office ahead of them and hid inside an armoire. It was never her intention to make her presence known unless she was needed, but she could not stand idly aside and say nothing while Morgsten tried to convince Jan that Astraeyu Nouvi was the true enemy. She supposed she should have tried to better control her temper. Locked in a dungeon as she now was, she was little help to anyone.
It was still difficult for Talon to believe that Jan had actually given the order for her arrest. She had come to trust the woman. She even believed that the glowing chest wound was Astraeyu’s Light. When Talon considered the details of the situation, she supposed Jan had no choice but to place her under arrest. Morgsten was a powerful figure in Kalvatin, and Talon had threatened his life. With a few words, Morgsten could make life in Kalvatin miserable for Jan and the others. If Jan had not given in to his demands and tried to appease him, the Arbiters’ investigation in Orsela would have been over. Again, Talon gave herself a harsh reprimand. She lost her temper and nearly fouled up everything, not just for herself, but for the Arbiters, as well.
Talon was beginning to rely too much upon others, and she did not like it. She needed to get away from the Arbiters, away from Jan and her strange scar. Having to play by other people’s rules was only complicating things for Talon, and if she continued to stay with the Arbiters, she feared her presence would become more of a hindrance than an asset. Astraeyu Nouvins were not well loved in the Four Kingdoms. If Morgsten went public with his information regarding the Ancients creating the Firebringer to burn their enemies from the world, the Mainland would become Astraeyu Nouvi’s enemy, and Talon’s enemy, and not even the Grand Arbiter would be able to protect her then. In fact, Jan’s reputation would be sullied if she defended an Astraeyu Nouvin. The best that Talon could do was to sever her ties with the Arbiters.
Fortunately, Talon’s training had prepared her for the possibility that she might someday find herself captured. Even chained to the wall as she was, escaping should be no problem. The fact that the Arbiters seemed to underestimate her abilities would only help in securing her escape.
Perhaps the Arbiters did not underestimate her. Talon had been traveling with them since Sonastra. Jan was more than aware of her skills as a warrior. So why, then, were there no guards on duty outside of her cell? The only reason Talon was unable to make her escape in Sonastra was because of the dungeon being heavily guarded. Did Jan want Talon to slip away? Maybe the situation was direr than Talon realized.
She wondered if Morgsten could demand to have her executed for threatening him. The Arbiters’ authority was more limited here in Kalvatin than it was in the rest of the Mainland. If Morgsten did demand her life, there was a possibility that the Arbiters would have to comply. It was all the more reason for her to make her escape quickly.
Talon decided to wait until nightfall, when the Temple was less active and she could slip away under the cover of shadow. She would remain in Orsela, hidden of course. Talon would follow Jan’s wishes and continue to watch Morgsten, for now, but as soon as he made contact with the Coruscalli and proved his involvement with the cult, she would take action. Perhaps it was not too late for her to put a stop to the Coruscalli’s plans, and regain at least a shred of her pride and dignity in the process.
Chapter Seventeen
JAN WANTED TO go see Talon. In fact, after the incident with Morgsten, she needed to speak to Talon. There was so much she wanted to discuss. The only problem was that it would not reflect well if the Grand Arbiter was seen fraternizing with the prisoner. The topics Jan wanted to discuss with Talon required secrecy. She would simply have to avoid being seen heading down to the dungeon. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. In a building as busy as the Vermillion Temple, it was difficult to do anything without being seen by the Arbiters on patrol. Jan had an idea on how to accomplish her goal. She only hoped it worked.
Jan assigned Rhys with guard duty in the dungeon that night. Unlike the Kalvat Arbiters, Rhys was completely loyal to the Order, and to Jan. She didn’t like suspecting the Kalvats of being spies, but the fact that an assassin had managed to make it as far as the Temple dungeon meant that there was one or more double agent among them.
Jan waited until well after midnight, when most of the Arbiters retired for the day, to make her visit to the dungeon. Only a few patrols were on duty, making their rounds and securing the Temple against any future breaches. Jan waited until the patrols finished their sweep of the area and crept silently to the stairs leading to the dungeon. She felt like she was being overly cautious, behaving more like a common criminal than the Grand Arbiter, but she couldn’t afford to take any chances. Too much had happened already. If she was seen having a secret meeting with the prisoner in the middle of the night, she could be accused of conspiring with the enemy. Morgsten would undoubtedly love that.
Jan checked to make sure that no one was watching one last time, and then descended the staircase and disappeared in the shadows without a sound.
Something was amiss in the dungeon. Jan became aware of it before she ever reached the bottom of the staircase. She paused and scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary. It took her only a moment to realize that Rhys wasn’t on duty at the guard station located at the dungeon’s entrance. It was completely unlike Rhys to shirk his duties, even ones as menial as standing guard in a quiet dungeon.
Jan had a bad feeling about Rhys’s absence. She began to search the nearby area for him, but her attention was suddenly drawn to a commotion in one of the cells. Was that the clang of metal on metal? She realized she was unarmed except for the dagger she always wore beneath her coat, and searched the guard station for weapons. Jan picked up a short sword and continued cautiously toward the row of holding cells.
By now J
an could hear the distinct sounds of a struggle, but who was fighting? Perhaps that explained why Rhys was not guarding his post. Jan’s mind went immediately to the assassin who was murdered in this very dungeon. What if that same assassin was on the move again, only this time the objective was to remove Talon from the picture? Jan stalked along the corridor more swiftly, doubting anyone could hear her footfalls over the sounds of fighting.
Rhys was still nowhere to be seen. As Jan reached the source of the unnerving noises, she stopped in her tracks, shocked at the sight that awaited her.
Talon was fending off the would-be assassin, a slim figure dressed from head to toe in black. Somehow Talon had managed to free one hand and was using the chain meant to hold her as a means of defense. As usual, Talon’s tenacity never ceased to amaze Jan, but the assassin could prove too much for Talon to handle in her current situation. Still partially chained to the wall, Talon’s movements were greatly restricted, and she was more accustomed to fighting with swords than chains.
Jan gave a shout that rang out in the dungeon. The noise succeeded in drawing the assassin’s attention for an instant. This was enough time for Talon to land a solid blow with the shackle to the back of the assassin’s head. Jan used the brief opening to act. Instead of challenging the assassin herself, she tossed the sword she’d picked up to Talon. The blade soared through the air between them. Talon easily caught the sword in her free hand.
The assassin regained composure and whirled around to face Talon before she could get in a good strike with the sword, easily parrying her one-handed attack. Talon was trained in the twosword style of the Astraeyu Nouvins, and because of this was accustomed to wielding a blade with one hand just as easily as with the other. She was a formidable opponent, even with one hand still chained to the wall.
As Jan watched the swordplay in dazed fascination, she heard a low moan from somewhere behind her. She turned, half expecting another assassin to strike from the shadows. When she located the source, she gave a sigh of relief. Rhys lay a short distance away, bound by a length of rope, out of the way. While the assassin’s attention was focused on Talon, Jan snuck over and untied Rhys.
“Glad to see you’re all right,” Jan said as she worked at the knot binding Rhys’s hands. “When I noticed you weren’t at your post, I started to worry.”
“I heard a noise,” Rhys said. “I went to investigate and that’s the last thing I remember.” He shook his head. “My head is ringing.”
“The assassin must have hit you while your back was turned,” Jan said.
“Assassin?” For the first time, Rhys looked beyond Jan, to where the assassin was still battling with the chained Talon. “By Lyth’s golden arrow, it is an assassin! Our friend seems to be getting the best of him, even with one hand and both feet shackled to the wall.”
“I don’t know how much longer Talon can keep it up. Being locked in a duel with a skilled swordsman while chained to the wall must be a new experience, even for her.” Jan watched as Talon parried another attack by the assassin. “We have to help her.”
Rhys picked up his sword. Jan pulled the dagger from beneath her coat. It wouldn’t be of much use against a skilled assassin, but she would fight if she had to.
“Drop that sword, you fiend,” Rhys said.
The assassin turned toward them. Although his face was concealed, Jan could read the surprise in his movements. Apparently, the assassin expected to be done with the job and be long gone before Rhys regained consciousness. Suddenly outnumbered, the assassin gave up the idea of murdering Talon and focused instead on making a hasty retreat.
“Not so fast,” Rhys said, moving to block the only exit from the row of holding cells. “Did you honestly think you could come here and make a fool of us and get away with it? Don’t underestimate the Arbitrary Order of Lyth.”
The assassin said nothing. Jan wondered what could be going through the person’s mind, but she certainly didn’t trust the silence. This was likely the same assassin who killed the man captured at the masquerade. The assassin was not to be underestimated.
Slowly, the assassin knelt to place the sword on the floor. Jan kept her eyes pinned on him at all times, not trusting that such a dangerous person would give up so easily. As closely as Jan watched the assassin, she did not expect that he could make a move without giving her ample time to defend against it. Unarmed, the assassin rose from a crouched position next to the surrendered sword, both arms raised. Rhys moved forward slowly to retrieve the sword. In that instant, the assassin swung one arm. In the next instant, the tight passageway was filled with a cloud of smoke that stung Jan’s eyes and obscured her vision.
From several feet away, she heard the sounds of a scuffle. There was a muffled grunt and a heavy thud as something hit the floor.
“Rhys!” Jan called. Then it dawned on her that with the odds somewhat evened, the assassin might try to finish the job. She tried to find her way to Talon in the thick haze, but she wasn’t even sure where precisely she was in the dungeon. The smoke burned her eyes and throat and made her cough.
After several more agonizing and confusing minutes of fumbling blindly, the smoke began to dissipate. Jan could now make out shapes in the hazy light from the sconces. She was relieved to find that Rhys and Talon were both fine, but the assassin had used the smoke screen to slip away.
“Damn it all!” Rhys said. “We nearly had him this time. I should have restrained him instead of going for the sword.”
“It’s not your fault,” Jan said. “The logical course of action was to disarm the assassin before confining him to a cell. One as crafty as this assassin would probably use everything at his disposal to escape. Which reminds me—” Jan turned her attention to Talon. “Why is it that one of your hands happens to be free?”
Talon met Jan’s gaze openly. She still clung tightly to the sword with her free hand, but it now hung limply at her side.
“I will make no excuses, Jan,” she said. “I meant to escape from this dungeon tonight and would have succeeded if not for the untimely arrival of the assassin.”
Jan suspected as much. She didn’t think there was a prison cell in the Four Kingdoms that was strong enough to hold Talon for very long.
“You don’t seem very surprised, Jan.” A wry smile appeared on Talon’s face. “Is that why you’re here at such a late hour? Did you expect the prisoner to attempt an escape if left unguarded?”
“Why I am here isn’t important right now.” Jan was glad she decided to meet with Talon when she did. Another hour or so, and Talon might have fallen victim to the assassin. Rhys had regained consciousness before the assassin completed the job, but tied up as he was, Talon would have been left to fight the assassin alone, unarmed. Jan doubted that even Talon was capable of winning a battle under such circumstances.
“What is important,” she continued, “is that the assassin is still at large in Orsela. We can’t keep Talon here in the dungeon, chained up so that she can barely move.”
“Do you think the assassin will come for her again?” Rhys asked.
“I’m certain of it.” Jan thought for a moment. It was too much of a risk to let Talon go free. If Morgsten got wind of it, he would be furious, and he would take that fury out on the Arbiters. “We can’t leave Talon here, but we can’t let her wander around as she pleases, either. If Morgsten finds out that Talon isn’t really a prisoner, he will be sure to find some way to accuse the Arbiters of conspiring with the enemy.”
“Forgive me for interrupting, Arbiter Sterling,” Rhys said, “but I think I might have a solution to the problem. In the west wing of the Vermillion Temple there is an entire section housing an old chapel. The Repentance Dormitory, I’ve heard it called. During our time here, I’ve noticed that the area is rarely visited.”
“Is the area secure?”
“From what I’ve seen, it appears to be fortified with an arcane device at all points of entry. Although no one has any reason to visit
the Repentance Dormitory, it’s clear that whatever is stored within is of great importance. It would also make an excellent place to hide a secret prisoner.”
“Those arcane devices could be a problem.” Jan wondered how they could bypass the arcane defenses without assistance from the Kalvat Arbiters. She wanted to involve as few people as possible in Talon’s relocation. “Beatrix should be able to help us with the locks,” she said after a moment of thought.
“Is the Arcane Advisor familiar with Kalvat magic?” Rhys asked.
“If she isn’t already, it will not take her long to become acquainted with it.” Jan knew Beatrix would enjoy the challenge of unraveling the configuration of the Kalvat locking mechanisms. “Someone will have to remain on duty here in the dungeon, to keep from rousing suspicion. Are the warriors we brought from Fort Solitude trustworthy enough for this task, Knight-Commander?”
“Your worship, they are the most reliable warriors I know.”
“That’s good to hear. We need as many trustworthy people as we can find, and unfortunately I can’t say that I fully trust the Kalvat Arbiters.” It saddened Jan to say that she couldn’t trust the people she was sworn to lead, but it was true. Someone within the Vermillion Temple had betrayed them already. She could not place Talon’s safety in the hands of people she did not trust. “Knight-Commander, you and Beatrix will have to stand guard in the Repentance Dormitory. I don’t think anyone will catch on to our little arrangement, but I need my most trusted people in place.”
Jan did not say it aloud, but she also wanted Talon to be more closely guarded so that she did not plot another escape attempt. After Morgsten so blatantly tried to establish the Astraeyu Nouvins as the real enemy, Talon would be sure to go for him if she did manage to escape. Jan had no doubt that Talon could successfully eliminate Morgsten before anyone knew what happened, but she was no longer sure removing Morgsten from the picture would be enough to stop the Coruscalli. In order to prevent the Prophecy of Fire from coming to pass, they might have to destroy or disable the Firebringer. If they could learn what it was or where to find it.
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