“I hope so too, Lord Gaur, but the king did say it was urgent.”
“It was definitely urgent. Thank you. If I have any further questions, I’ll send for you—but not before tomorrow morning. Please get some rest. I may have a reply. Are you done in, or do you think you might possibly make it back to Havivenica in another twenty-seven days?”
Tired as he obviously was, the young man grinned. “Depends on the horses you could let me have, lord. I could try.”
Talon Commander Ianan finished the letter and began to give it back to Lord Aras, who shook his head and signed for him to give it to me instead. I did not listen to whatever Lord Aras told the courier, but began immediately to read the letter, skimming past the titles in red and gold and looking for anything about the borderlands. But my eye caught quickly on something important near the beginning.
Come at once, the king had written.
I went back and read that part. There was something about the country of the Son of the Sun, most of which I did not follow. But then the king wrote: So you see the Lakasha-erra are proving recalcitrant, and recalcitrant in a way that I’m certain portends something worse than their ordinary intransigence. I’m pulling troops out of Sohenas and away from Dolora, and I see no choice but to draw down my forces in Laharas as well, though I’d rather cut off a finger than let the nonsense there smolder along until it bursts back into flame just in time for Sekaran to have to deal with it; that’s not a legacy I want to leave any son of mine. If you need to call up Gaur’s remaining talons to reinforce our northern border, do it; if you need to order up every last soldier belonging to Evalea as well, you have full authority. Use it. But you’re going to have to delegate the problems there to someone else because I need you here. Whatever you’ve found, whatever you’re dealing with, delegate everything and come at once.
Then, later, the king wrote: The good news, the only good news, is that Tasmakat-an has identified and dealt definitively with our Problem. It was a man in service to Amara, and he’s dead. Tasmakat-an believes he was working on his own, so that whole problem and everything connected to it should start to pull loose now that we’ve gotten the end and given it a tug. I have many close questions to ask Lord Amara, but I don’t actually care about the answers as long as I can push it all off and deal with it later . . .
I read that part twice. Then I looked up. The courier had gone. No one else was in the tent now but Lord Aras and his talon commanders. I said, “Your king thinks the sorcerer was a different man, not a lord of the borderlands, and that he is dead?”
“Yes,” Lord Aras agreed. “Or so that letter says.” He was frowning. “Unfortunately, I’m afraid a sorcerer has definitely interfered with young Erinet’s memory. I can’t tell who it was, but Erinet didn’t leave those four guardsmen at Tamaudan. They were killed there. His entire memory of Tamaudan is clear, detailed, and completely false.”
There was a deadly pause while everyone stared at Lord Aras.
Then Talon Commander Harana asked, “Well, who wrote that gods-hated letter, then? Can we tell?”
Almost at the same time, Talon Commander Ianan said, “So whoever altered that young man’s memory and then sent him to you can’t be aware you’re a sorcerer.”
I had not thought of either of those things, though I should have. I said what I had thought, which was, “If a sorcerer made the courier remember things that are false, does that mean the sorcerer is in the south? Or could there be two sorcerers?”
“Unfortunately, none of that’s entirely clear,” Lord Aras said to all of us. “I certainly hope there’s only one sorcerer, but we can’t be sure of that. The badge worn by the men who killed those guardsmen was not Amara’s badge, but Marotau’s. Yet from everything we’ve learned, Lord Marotau was lost with his house guard just prior to the attack on Erem Sen. But perhaps that belief is false. Our enemy’s been busy all along the border, so it’s hard for me to parse out what truly happened compared to what people think happened.”
“You cannot determine which memories are false?” This did not make sense to me, as he clearly had been able to tell that the courier’s memory was false.
Lord Aras sighed. “It’s not quite that straightforward, unfortunately. For weeks, everyone’s been busily telling everyone else rumors, and now it’s not clear which rumors might have originated in true events and which might have begun as someone’s false memory.” He turned to Harana. “This entire letter is exactly in the style I’d expect from Soretes. But if I wanted to write a false letter in the same style, I could do it. I’m sure others could as well. I don’t trust anything in it. But there are certain problems with assuming it’s false.”
Harana scowled at him. “Starting with, the trouble on our other border might be real, and in that case, then the king’s command to you could be, and if that’s so, then not only does he genuinely need you, if you ignore this command, that’d be treason.”
“Yes,” Lord Aras said, his tone dry. “Those are the problems I had in mind.”
“Considering your uncle would never in a thousand years put you up for treason, I don’t see that any of that outweighs the obvious problems with rushing off to the south as though you believed every word in it! You’d certainly be riding directly into a trap! You’d never get to your uncle—unless you went far around to the east, maybe—”
“Yes, I have that in mind as well. However, Nikoles is quite correct.” Lord Aras gave Talon Commander Ianan a small nod. “Our enemy fortunately still does not seem to realize I’m a sorcerer myself, or he’d have known he couldn’t slip this kind of egregious falsehood by me. I certainly don’t want to enlighten him. If I believed the letter was genuine, I’d certainly rush off to the south. I think I may be compelled to do that regardless.” Lord Aras turned his scepter over in his hands. “Let’s all take a little while to think about this. Karoles, Nikoles, please start with the assumption that I may be required to leave one or the other of you to manage everything in the borderlands for some little while, with every possibility that you’ll be facing a sorcerer’s interference. Let’s reconvene ... shall we say, an hour after dusk? Ryo, please remain.” He stepped to the entry flap, unpegged it, and tossed it back. “Troop Leader Geras, if I could see you and your team for a moment.”
He waited for the talon commanders to leave. Then he pegged the entry shut again and looked thoughtfully at my guards. “Wait a moment, please.”
Going to the chest at the foot of his cot, he opened this and shuffled through the papers within. Taking some out, he looked through them. Then he sat down at that table, took out another leaf of paper, and wrote quickly. Then another leaf, while the ink dried on the first one. Then a third. He wrote quickly and neatly. We all waited, but it was not very long before he put these papers with the others. He slid them all into a leather envelope, lit a candle with a glance in the way I still disliked, heated wax, and sealed the envelope. Then he came back and faced not Geras, but Esau. He said without any other preface, “You’re a good man in a brawl, I hear, Trooper Esau.”
“Well, Lord Gaur, I can be,” Esau answered, with no appearance of surprise.
“How many times have you been on report for brawling?”
“Five times, my lord.”
“How many times have you gotten away with it with no report?”
“I don’t know. More than five.” After a slight pause, Esau added, “More than ten.”
Lord Aras nodded. “You’ve been file leader for some time. Your file’s behavior is not always exemplary in camp, but it’s unshakable in the line. Your commander tells me your file is the backbone of his entire division. You’ve been up for troop leader twice, but immediately broken back to trooper both times, once for brawling and once for disrespect. You have no desire for rank. You have considerable skill at getting away with ... quite a variety of forbidden activities, now and again, I suspect. If you were going to pick one man to join you in a dangerous mission, who would that be?”
Esau had list
ened to all this without any noticeable reaction. Now he said at once, “Troop Leader Ates, my lord, if you could spare him.”
“I hate to lose him, but I agree he’s probably a good choice, if you feel you could work with him. You don’t consider the difference in rank a potential problem.”
“No, my lord.”
Lord Aras nodded. “Then I concur with your choice. Shortly I’m going to send couriers in various directions. One or two will be tasked to carry an urgent message for Talon Commander Samaura. If these couriers fail, for whatever reason, to reach Talon Commander Samaura, it is absolutely essential that this packet reach him.” He handed the leather envelope to Esau, who took it without comment and without glancing at Geras, or at me.
“You are not to read those papers,” Lord Aras said firmly. “Unless you have no choice. For example, if it seemed you might have to destroy these papers in order to prevent someone ... anyone ... taking them from you. In that case, if you possibly can, read them before you destroy them. Then get to Talon Commander Samaura. It’s much more important that the information in this dispatch reach my nephew than that secrecy be maintained. However, if you do read these papers, your life will inevitably become . . .” he paused, considering how to finish that sentence.
“Shorter?” suggested Esau.
Geras flinched. Suyet choked. I laughed.
The corner of Lord Aras’ mouth crooked up. He said, “I hope not, Trooper Esau. Let’s say, complicated. If the necessity should arise, the last page contains specific instructions for you. If you’re pressed for time, read that one first.”
“Yes, my lord,” Esau acknowledged.
“Coin,” Lord Aras said next, handing over a heavy pouch. “This should be plenty. If it’s not, you will unfortunately not be able to requisition supplies using either your own name or mine. Use any means necessary to complete your mission. Please make a reasonable effort to avoid unnecessary mayhem. However, should a pardon be required for any act you might find necessary, one will be forthcoming. If I’m not available to provide for that contingency, appeal directly to my uncle. He will, I promise you, sort out any problems that may have arisen in connection with this matter.”
Esau opened his mouth, closed it again, and tucked the pouch out of sight.
“Speak to Ates at your earliest convenience. Depart quietly when you find an opportunity. I doubt I have to suggest you make every effort to avoid notice—”
“No,” said Esau. “I think I got that part.” He paused. “I apologize for the ‘shorter’ comment, my lord.”
“No need. I value your naturally untrusting disposition,” Lord Aras assured him without the hint of a smile. “I’m aware you wouldn’t have said it if you actually thought I might do anything of the kind. But in fact, during the whole of this assignment, I encourage you to exercise that aspect of your character to the fullest degree.”
“Right.” Esau looked thoughtful. “All right, then. Ates and me, we’ll do our best, my lord.”
“I’m most definitely counting on it, Trooper Esau. Possibly this assignment will prove trivial. However, if it proves important, it will be absolutely crucial.”
“Yes, I got that part too.”
“I’m sure you did. At your earliest convenience, Trooper Esau.”
Esau nodded. He glanced at me, then back at Lord Aras. “Laraut’d do,” he said.
“I shall take that under advisement, Trooper, in consultation with Troop Leader Geras. Thank you for your suggestion.”
“Yes, my lord.” Esau added to me, “Give Laraut a chance. He can’t put me in the dirt very often, but I bet he can beat you two falls out of three. Tell him I’ll set next month’s wages on it, so he better prove me right.” Then he said to Geras, “Keep an eye on our Ugaro for me.” And finally, to Suyet, “Don’t be too trusting, boy, and if you’re going to play sestaket with my file, don’t rely on bluffing—learn to count.” He unpegged the tent flap, went out, and let it fall behind him without waiting for any of us to answer.
Lord Aras sighed slightly. Then he turned to Geras. “Laraut will do, if you consider he would suit you, Troop Leader.” He paused. Then he added, “I’ll warn you, Ryo may feel honor-bound to attempt to cross the river tonight. You may wish to take personal oversight of that detail.” He looked at me. “Although given more recent developments, is that actually still a concern, Ryo?”
“I do not know,” I admitted. So many things had happened so quickly, I no longer had any clear idea what honor might require.
“I see.” Lord Aras turned to Geras. “If Ryo should make that choice, the consequences would probably be highly undesirable, especially for him, so you must not permit anything of the kind to happen. Take any steps that seem advisable. Requisition additional personnel if you consider that wise. I’m sure you’ll manage.”
“Yes, my lord,” agreed Geras.
“I’ll see you shortly after dawn tomorrow,” Lord Aras told me. “By then I hope we’ll have some clear idea of the next few steps we’ll be taking. I expect I’ll be up all night, so if you should suddenly realize you need to speak to me, I’ll be awake.”
He meant he would be watching my thoughts. He would not forget or fail to pay attention. If I decided honor compelled me to break my oath, he would know it. The certainty came as a relief. If I knew I could not do such a thing, I would not have to try, and since even the attempt might be considered to break my oath, I was glad of that. I would hardly say so, but he must know that too.
“Yes,” he said. “Try to get some rest. One of us should. Troop Leader Geras, if you would please have Ryo here half an hour after dawn.”
“Yes, my lord,” said Geras, and held the tent flap for me. Lord Aras did not watch us go. He had already turned back to his papers and maps. He was studying the letter that might or might not have come from his king; I could see the gold ink of the signature from where I stood. I could not interpret his expression, but I thought he looked tired already.
Once we were out of the tent, Geras paused to look at me. “There a problem between you and Lord Gaur, Ryo? Same kind of problem as last time?”
“It is not the same,” I told him. “There is not that kind of problem. I do not wish to make trouble for you, Geras, but I do not know what I should do, so I cannot promise anything.”
“You gave your oath to Lord Gaur.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “I do not at all wish to break it.”
“All right.” Gripping my arm, he gave me a little shake. “Don’t think you can slip away. Lord Gaur’s not the only one who’s going to be awake all night.”
He meant this kindly, I knew perfectly well. I could not resent it.
The day passed slowly for me. Laraut came to join us, though the rest of the file was busy at other tasks. Like Esau, Laraut was the kind of man who moved slowly and spoke slowly and saw more than he said. Anyone could see he was a man to respect. I did not dislike him, I did not dislike anyone of Esau’s file, but I missed Esau already.
I sat a little apart, trying to think. I wished I could go to Lord Aras and ask what the sorcerer was trying to do and why, and how he meant to use my people. Many questions came to me, now that he had sent me away and I could not ask them. I wanted to get up and pace, but that would have made my guards unhappy. I wanted to ride down to the river and look at the winter lands, but that was impossible.
I looked up as a shadow fell across me. I had been upset enough I had not known anyone approached, which was embarrassing, but it was only Lalani, the talon wife of Esau’s tent. I was surprised because this was not a time of day when she would ordinarily have come to the tent. She looked at me with her eyes a little wide. She was not afraid of me, so that could not be the trouble. If she had any kind of concern, she would have gone to an older woman, I assumed, or if it was not that kind of problem, to one of the soldiers of her tent. Still, I said, “Lalani, is there some trouble?”
She dropped to sit on her heels near me, careful of her dress, which was pale b
lue today. She had added a bangle with blue beads to the copper ones she always wore, and her earrings today were long twisted strands of copper threaded with more of the blue beads. She looked young and delicate, but the way she met my eyes showed determination and purpose. She said, “I don’t know, Ryo, but I thought you might. Esau’s gone somewhere, hasn’t he? Do you know about that? It’s dangerous, isn’t it, whatever it is?”
I thought of the things Lord Aras had said to Esau. She asked me because no one else would tell her, but she thought I might. I said after a moment, “It is either not very dangerous at all, or it is perhaps very dangerous. I am certain Esau is cunning in a raid. If there is danger, he will overcome it and win more honor in the task.”
“No one is more cunning than Esau Karuma,” she agreed at once. “But I wish I knew how much to worry!”
I wished I knew that too. I did not say so. I said, “I think it would be better if you pretended you had not noticed he is not here.”
She nodded impatiently. “You don’t have to tell me that! I know that! That makes me worry more, not less!”
I was not certain what I should say. Finally I asked, “You worry for one man, though you have seven others? Is Esau the one you prefer? If I am wrong to ask, do not answer. I do not mean to be impolite.”
“You couldn’t be impolite if you tried, Ryo.” Lalani still sounded impatient, but she smiled. Then she looked at me for a little, the smile fading. Finally she said, “Men always wonder, but they mostly want a pretty lie. Esau doesn’t, though. He likes a woman to be honest. He doesn’t just say that. He doesn’t say it at all. But that’s what he likes. Maybe that’s why he’s my favorite.”
I nodded.
But Lalani went on, “Laraut is the kindest. He thinks of nice things to do for people. Oh, that’s not right. He does nice things without thinking about it. That’s why he’s my favorite.”
Ah. I nodded again.
“Tomat is the funniest, so that’s why he’s my favorite. Sehoras is so vain, he loves to show off, but that’s funny too. He has a temper, but not with me. Sometimes he’s my favorite.”
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