by Kel Kade
“Yes, perhaps,” he drawled. Enduring a marriage that would not be recognized outside of Lon Lerésh was one thing, but he was not prepared to be magically bonded to the woman in any way.
Erisial said, “Do you wish to have witnesses present?”
Rezkin had no desire to be present, much less have witnesses, but this was one situation in which he was sure to need backup. This kind of scenario had been a terrible lesson during his training, and now he was expected to revisit that lesson with possible hostiles in the room. He suddenly wished Kai were there—or any of the strikers. He might even accept Farson, only because he knew Farson had no love for the Leréshi. As a royal guard, Yserria would be his next choice, but he did not think she would appreciate being present for this. Besides that, the other occupants of the room were mages, Serunius a battle mage. Either through some nefarious plot or simply out of jealousy, he might attack while Rezkin was distracted by his duties. He needed Wesson. The journeyman was not going to like this assignment, but at least if a magical bond did form, Wesson could witness the event and perhaps design a spell to counteract it.
“Journeyman Wesson will stand as witness.”
Chapter 12
Wesson opened the door to the suite, and Rezkin followed him into the sitting room, heading straight for the bathing chamber. After wandering over to the sofa to lay down for a few minutes, Wesson noticed that it was already occupied. Celise’s head popped up as he peered down at her.
“Oh, you are here!” she said. “This is so great honor. My consort taken to be witness of queen’s marry night. I am sad you are not here, but is good for house.”
Wesson squinted as he tried to figure out her words. He was too tired to interpret poorly spoken Ashaiian at that moment.
He rubbed his tired eyes and said, “Why are you here, Celise?”
She smiled. “You are my consort.”
He sighed heavily. “I understand that you claimed me, but why are you here? Why did you not go back to wherever you live and sleep in your own bed?”
Her smile slipped as she worked through his words. Finally, she said, “You are not in my bed. I come here for you, but you are in queen’s bed.”
“No!” he blurted and then lowered his voice. “No, I mean. I was not in the queen’s bed.”
She thought about her words again and said, “You are in queen’s bedchamber?”
He ran a hand over his tired face and said, “Yes, that is true.”
He sunk into a high-backed chair and was just dozing off when one of the other doors swung open to emit Reaylin.
“You’re back! How was it? What happened?” she said as she rushed over and knelt beside his chair.
Wesson groaned. “I do not want to talk about it. Ever. I want to leave Lon Lerésh and pretend none of this ever happened.”
“No, Wess! You have to tell me something,” she said as she tugged at his arm.
Just then, Rezkin strode out of the bathing chamber wearing nothing but a drying cloth wrapped about his waist. His chest and back bore scratch and bite marks that reminded Wesson of the horrors he had witnessed all, night, long.
Rezkin closed his door behind him, and Reaylin turned back to Wesson with a questioning gaze.
He waved a hand toward Rezkin’s door in frustration and said, “Was that not enough? Please, Reaylin. I am tired. We are leaving in an hour. Let me rest.”
Celise popped up from the couch and said, “I go put things in bags and trunk.”
Wesson was suddenly more alert than he had been for the past six hours. “What? Why?”
Celise looked back at him as she opened the door. “We leave. I take the clothes.”
“What, no! You are staying here. Leréshi claims are not recognized outside of Lon Lerésh. You can stay here and claim a dozen men, and I am leaving.”
She shook her head and smiled. “My Wesson.” She came over to kneel at his other side and said, “I have finish all training for lessons in love making. I am very good. You will like. I will teach you. You are my consort. I leave with you.”
Then, she got up and left without a backward glance.
Once she was gone, Reaylin punched Wesson in the arm. “Hey, Wess, you got yourself a girlfriend.”
“Do you think I can convince Rezkin to leave a bit early? Maybe before she comes back?”
Reaylin said, “Come on. She’s cute, and it sounds like she really wants to make you happy.” This last she said with a wink.
“I know. I am sure she is great, but I want someone else.”
Reaylin nodded. “I heard, but you also said she is probably already married. Might as well move on.”
Reaylin returned to her room, presumably to pack, and Wesson fell asleep even before her door shut.
The ride back to the ship was tense. With the addition of Celise and Oledia, they required two carriages. Queen Erisial and her consort did not make an appearance that morning, and everyone was glad of that. Oledia was quiet. She looked much like her mother, with darker hair but the same honey-colored eyes. She had dressed in a long frock that would be considered acceptable in most places outside of Lon Lerésh. Celise had not. She was wearing a green bustier, a short, black skirt that barely reached her knees, and gold sandals with straps that wrapped around her ankles. Since Wesson refused to wear the red ribbon she had presented, she wore it for him, together with the green one for her mother’s house. She maintained that she was not yet ready to establish her own house.
It was obvious that Oledia and Celise had somehow developed a sisterly relationship, despite the difference in the way they were treated in their mother’s house. They chatted amicably, although Wesson did not understand a word of it. From their frequent glances his way, he assumed much of it was about him. Oledia was otherwise quiet and preferred to stare out the window in deep contemplation over engaging in conversation. To Wesson, she seemed more like a librarian than an assassin for the Adana’Ro.
Rezkin dismounted and turned to assist his companions from the carriages. Frisha would not take his hand nor would she look at him, and the other women seemed distant as they, too, avoided his gaze. He and Wesson had an unspoken agreement to never acknowledge the previous night, but Celise wanted everyone to know that her consort had served as witness to the queen’s matrimonial consummation.
Once everyone was free of the carriages and the ship’s crewmen had collected their bags and trunks, Rezkin bade Wesson and Yserria to wait with him and Oledia on the docks. Shezar strode down the gangplank to join them, and Rezkin was grateful for the striker’s professionalism. At least he would wait until information was offered, rather than pester him with needless questions. Reaylin convinced Celise to board the ship with them, and she seemed happy to have found acceptance with the other women. After the parade of soldiers and guards finally departed, those hidden in the shadows emerged into the light.
The blue-eyed secrelé smiled beneath her mask as she approached. Her comrades hurried forward to collect Oledia and her belongings, all of which were quickly ushered aboard a small cutter docked beside Stargazer. Despite the presence of the others, or perhaps because of it, the secrelé spoke in Ferélli. “You went to great lengths to bring us the daughter of the queen, First King of Lon Lerésh. I am impressed. You spent an entire night with a Leréshi queen and survived.”
Rezkin was having none of the woman’s flirtations that morning. He said, “You have the girl. Give me the sword as agreed.”
The woman tisked. “Testy this morning. Perhaps you are grumpy because you were forced to leave your matrimonial bed so soon.” She lost her playful demeanor. “We do not have the sword. The deal was for us to tell you where it is.”
“And?” Rezkin snapped.
“King Moldovan has it. It was he who paid us to take it in the first place.”
Rezkin eyed her suspiciously. “Moldovan hates you.”
She shrugged. “Yes, but it does not stop him from using our services when it suits him. If you want the sword, you wil
l have to take it up with him.”
Once the woman had departed, Yserria said, “What did she say? Where is the sword?”
“We go back to Ferélle. We must meet with another monarch.”
Chapter 13
“Please, do not be angry with me more.”
Tieran was trying to pretend to read through the papers on the desk, but he had only managed to shuffle them into disarray. He finally gave up and looked at her.
“Ilanet, you effectively kidnapped our future queen.”
She shook her head vigorously. “No, no! She is with the king. She went to him with will.”
“Willingly,” he said.
“Yes, willingly.”
“Except that it does not appear that she went willingly. She did not walk aboard the ship and bed down in a cozy bunk. Where is she, Ilanet?”
“Um, she is surely with him now. They are weeks gone.”
He slammed his fist onto the desk. “She was wrapped in an illusion that you made and locked in a warded trunk! If you had learned anything about your power, you would know that an illusion spell can have disastrous consequences on a person if not made correctly. But you, a novice just come into her powers, put an illusion on the queen! He might never be able to find her!”
“But Lus—”
“Let us both hope he is as trustworthy as you claim.”
Her doubtful expression was not encouraging.
“Please, Lord Tieran, I do not wish to be placed in my room more.”
“You are remanded to your room until Frisha has returned safely. This is the problem. We have all be treating you like a grown woman, but you are still only a child.”
Having remained silent to this point, Brandt said, “Perhaps you should take that into consideration. She is still a child, and she is Frisha’s friend. She thought she was helping. Frisha is the one to blame.”
Tieran ground his teeth. “Why would she do it?”
Ilanet said, “Because she loves him?”
He glanced at her. Tieran knew that Frisha was a romantic, but she had been having doubts about the union with Rezkin. “That is difficult to accept. I think you know more than you are saying.”
Ilanet bit her lip. “She-she says she does not think he is truth with her.”
He wearily ran a hand down his face. “Truthful.”
“Yes, I am saying truth.”
“No, the word is—never mind. You are saying that she went to spy on him.”
Brandt said, “That does sound like something she would do.”
Tieran nodded and sighed heavily. After glancing at Brandt, he returned his gaze to the princess. “Very well. You may leave your quarters, but you are under strict orders not to use your powers except under the supervision and direction of a mage.”
Ilanet beamed. “Thank you, Lord Tieran. I will be very good. I will make no trouble.”
“You are an illusionist. Your purpose in life is to make trouble.”
The heavy pounding on the door had the signature of Kai. The striker opened the door from the outside to permit Captain Jimson and Healer Jespia.
“You have returned. Please tell me you were successful.”
Jimson saluted and said, “Lord Tieran, we were unable to find him.”
Tieran’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean, you were unable to find him?”
“We waited in his room for over a week. We surveyed all the local establishments and questioned the locals. He has disappeared. Millins and Mage Yerlin stayed behind in case he returns.”
Ilanet said, “You are speaking of Tam? Tam is missing?”
Tieran waved to Brandt. “Take Ilanet—somewhere. Out of here.”
“Wait, no! I wish to know of Tam. Please, what of Tam?”
Brandt pulled her by her elbow through the door, and Kai stepped in before shutting it.
“We will need to put together a real search party,” said the striker.
Tieran looked at Jespia. “What is the prognosis?”
Jespia frowned. “This should never have been done in the first place. By the time we find him, it may already be too late. The human mind was not designed to receive information in this way.”
Kai said, “We had no idea, at the time, that the healer who suggested it was a demon.”
“You knew the dangers,” she said.
“The king wanted Tam to be prepared. Tam wanted to be involved, but he did not have the skills necessary to carry out the tasks without getting himself killed.”
“Well, that is exactly how he is going to end up now.”
“We will find him,” said Tieran. “We have to. Rezkin’s number one priority is his friends, and two have gone missing on my watch.”
“Bah, Frisha is with Rezkin,” said Kai. “She could not have remained hidden from him for long. She is fine. Our focus should be on Tam.”
“Agreed,” said Jespia. “If we find him quickly, we may be able to minimize the damage enough to save his life; but, he will never be the same.”
Kai said, “I can go.”
Tieran shook his head. “With the other strikers gone, we need you here.” He tapped the desk as he considered his options. He swallowed hard and then looked to Kai. “Send for Connovan.”
Farson glared at Rezkin as he boarded the ship. He said, “I hear there was a wedding.” Rezkin met his gaze and kept walking. Both strikers followed. “She is upset,” said Farson. “I believe she is in her berth crying at this very moment.”
“Who?”
“Who do you think? Frisha, the woman you were to marry until two days ago.”
“What does it matter? She called it off. Besides, you were the most outspoken against the union. I would think you would be pleased.”
“I am not pleased about you marrying the Leréshi queen.”
Shezar said, “The marriage is not recognized outside of Lon Lerésh.”
“Yes,” said Rezkin as he ducked through the small doorway to his cabin. “Nothing has changed, except that I now have an entire army and sizeable navy at my disposal.”
“I will grant you that,” said Farson. “This will not help matters with Privoth.”
“Privoth will get what he wants—only, it will take a bit longer.”
“What now?”
“Moldovan has the sword.”
Shezar said, “Knowing how much he hates Privoth and that prophecy, he has probably already had it melted down and made into dinnerware.”
“Let us hope that is not the case,” said Rezkin. “Moldovan is a mage. He knows the prophecy is a farce and is unlikely to feel threatened by it. Gendishen takes it seriously, though, so Moldovan is probably holding the sword for ransom.”
Captain Estadd strode through the open doorway and saluted. “Your Majesty, a man is requesting permission to board the ship. It looks as though he intends to stay, but he travels light.”
“I will see to it,” said Shezar.
Rezkin said, “You stay. Farson, see the man aboard. Bring him here.”
Farson glanced between them before leaving. Shezar said, “Do we have a problem?”
Rezkin shook his head. “Not you. Them. Neither should be trusted, yet they are both valuable. Keep an eye on them.”
“Them? Who is coming aboard?”
The dark-haired man ducked into the room, followed by Farson. He wore a servant’s coat but had dropped the air of subjugation. He glanced around the room and nodded “Shezar.”
Shezar appeared surprised. “Akris. It has been some time.”
“Too long,” Akris grumbled. “Who is this?” he said with a nod toward Farson.
“This is Striker Farson.”
“Farson? I do not recognize you, and you are too old to be a new recruit. The name sounds familiar, though.”
“You have likely read it in the histories,” said Rezkin. He looked at Farson. “The accounting of the dead.” The remark elicited a scowl from the surly striker.
“Another long-lost brother, then?” He looked at She
zar. “What of me? Am I dead, too, or just forgotten?”
“Do not lay blame at our feet, Akris. You were to remain at your post on Caydean’s orders, as were all the deployed strikers.”
Akris gave a start. “Some were in far more sensitive positions. It would mean capture or death for them to stay too long.”
“Indeed,” Shezar said, with a hint of sadness. “Roark has gone to recruit those who survive.”
“It is true, then.” He motioned to Rezkin, who had taken a seat at his desk. “You and Roark serve him now. How many others does he have?”
Farson said, “You do not sound as if you are eager to join us, and you ask many questions.”
“I am here, am I not?”
“You could be a spy,” said Shezar.
Akris glanced at Rezkin. “I saw his proof. By the looks of him, I would say there is much he has not disclosed. I saw him put down the queen’s guard in the practice yard, and now he bears the title of First King of Lon Lerésh. I am beginning to believe the rumors. He spreads destruction everywhere he goes, yet those who should be fighting him are staunchly loyal. I would not be fit to be called striker if I were not wary.”
Rezkin said, “I think you overestimate their loyalty. Most of my allies would kill me if the opportunity arose. The rest are more interested in unseating Caydean at the moment. My appeal ends with his reign.”
Akris glanced at the two strikers and then looked back at him. “You are not what I expected. At the palace, you seemed to think yourself quite deserving.”
“No one deserves to be king, and those who desire it do not fully understand the position.”
Akris nodded but appeared suspicious. “You do not seem to think highly of your followers and allies. You believe they will betray you. It speaks of the same madness that is said to possess Caydean.”
