Quest SMASH

by Joseph Lallo

  “Are you married, Lucius?” Lysara said.

  He looked at her in sudden alarm.

  Purcell watched with a slowly widening grin.

  * * *

  Part VI

  51 ~ Truth

  A tenday after Jihan’s victory over his father, Julia and Keverin were in her room discussing the legion approaching through Camorin. One of the first things that Jihan had done as Lord of Malcor, was send scouts to watch the border. She often caught people looking that way, as if they could see the legion approaching, despite the curtain wall. Everyone feared the return of the scouts with bad news.

  “You don’t want to be under siege for weeks,” Julia protested for the third time, and Keverin frowned. “Sorry. A week is seven days.”

  Keverin raised an eyebrow at the idea. “Of course I don’t want that, but we have no choice. Jihan is right about our lack of men. After turning out all the bandits his father brought in, he has just about five thousand men left under arms. He’ll have to leave at least half of them here to protect Malcor. We’ll be facing an entire legion—that’s ten thousand highly trained soldiers. My five hundred won’t make that much difference.”

  She acknowledged his point, but she still thought waiting was a bad idea. “I’m sorry I failed to find them for you. I just can’t get the hang of scrying.”

  “It doesn’t matter, my lady.”

  She frowned at the obvious lie, but also at his use of the possessive. She did love him, or thought she did, or could... hell! She wasn’t sure of anything anymore! Keverin had thrown himself into a fireball to protect her, all the while knowing he would die! She had to love him, didn’t she? So what if it hadn’t been necessary. He hadn’t known that she’d figured out a shield spell when he did it. When she’d seen him fall, it had been like the death of her parents all over again.

  She shifted uncomfortably at the thought.

  He might be twice her age, but she wasn’t looking for a father figure. She felt... she didn’t know what she felt! Back home, her work had been everything to her. There’d been no time for relationships, but now everything was different, and there was Keverin. She’d never had a boyfriend like him before. He was strong, and he had a sense of duty. His duty and honour defined him as a man. Boyfriend didn’t do him justice; he hadn’t been a boy in a long time.

  She glanced at him. He was sitting silently in the armchair, sipping his wine, mesmerised by the flames in the fireplace. How was she going to convince him to talk to her about their relationship? She had the perfect opportunity here, but what had she been doing? Talking about the Hasians!

  “Kev, that day in the armoury. You never did answer me.”

  “Lady Julia I’m—”

  She winced at his formality, knowing she wouldn’t like what he was going to say.

  “—too old for you.”

  “You’re not old, you’re only forty!”

  “Yes, and you’re what, fifteen?”

  “Nineteen,” she said, and flushed at his scepticism. “It’s true! I can’t help being short. Besides, you’re only using that as an excuse. Why won’t you at least talk to me?”

  Keverin sighed. “I decided before the invasion to adopt an heir for Athione’s future. I have my duty, I need nothing else.”

  She was watching his eyes. “You’re lying, not about adopting an heir, but you lied about the rest. If you don’t want me, just say it.”

  “I do love you, lady, for all you’ve done. The men do as well. You know you’re beautiful, and I admire your courage, but when you leave us, I’ll be alone again. I don’t want to love you, but the God help me I do.”

  He finally said it! Yes, yes, yes!

  “I can’t leave, so it’s all right!” she said happily. “We can be together. Oh, Jessica will be so happy for us. I can hardly wait to tell her.”

  She noted again how the fire made shadows dance on his face. The evening had arrived while they sat together. She thought of lighting the lamps with her magic, but her thoughts were suddenly sent into turmoil by what he said next.

  “You can go back,” Keverin said so quietly that she almost didn’t hear him. “How do you think Darius opened the gate to bring you here?”

  “I don’t know, but what has that—”

  “I taught him. I have a book in the vault at Athione that shows how it’s done.”

  She stared at him in uncomprehending silence. He knew how to send her home? He knew how to… All the time she’d spent searching for the answer in the library, and he’d already known how to send her home! How could he do that? Why did he do it?

  How could you betray me!

  “You must believe me,” Keverin said desperately. “Darius died from the spell. I don’t want you to die!”

  “Liar, liar, liar!” she shrieked. “How could you betray me? You used me. I killed thousands,” she said with tears welling in her eyes. As they spilled over her cheeks, she screamed at him, “All for you!”

  “Please understand, lady. Darius died using that book to bring you here. I don’t want you to die. I love you!”

  Shaking, she screamed at him. “Get out!”

  He stood. “Julia I—”

  She snatched for her magic—

  Whump! Crunch!

  —and reduced her door to kindling.

  “Get. Out,” she spat.

  He hesitated briefly, but then he bowed, and walked through the shattered remains of the door.

  She watched him go trying to stifle her wails of grief. She didn’t know what to do, where to go. Everything was different. How could things change so fast? She should just ride away and never come back, but Jihan needed her. She couldn’t leave him in the lurch, but she had to get away for awhile.

  She dried her tears, and changed clothes. Her riding dress and boots were all she really needed. Looking around for anything she’d forgotten, she ignored the commotion outside her room, to snatch up her mirror and cloak. In the corridor, the shocked stares of Ahnao and the woman of Malcor confronted her.

  “Are you all right?”

  Not really. “I’m fine, Ahnao. I had a little accident with my door. Will you ask the master wood-crafter to make a new one for me?”

  “Of course.”

  She nodded her thanks. With a weak smile for her friend, she walked away with her cloak billowing behind her.

  When she couldn’t find anyone in the stables to help her, she tried to ready Yeetah herself, and managed the bridle without getting bitten, but the saddle was harder. She could lift it well enough, but Yeetah was too tall. Trying not to scream with frustration must have taken her attention, because she didn’t realise that Mathius had arrived. His hands appeared from behind her to lift the saddle into place.

  “Lord Keverin said you were upset,” he said, not looking at her while he buckled the girth. “I felt you use magic. What did you do to him? He looked like a troop of cavalry had ridden over him.”

  “I did nothing to him. If he looks bad, it’s probably his guilty conscience.”

  He finished with Yeetah, and started saddling his mare.

  “You’re not coming!”

  “I have to, lady. Please don’t confuse matters by ordering different. Lord Keverin holds my oath. He ordered a few of us to escort you.”

  “Who—” she began, but she could guess. In the end, she didn’t have to because Brian and Udall walked in and started saddling their horses.

  This bodyguard business was beyond irritating. She couldn’t move without being followed anymore, and now Mathius was getting in on the game. She had to find a way to take control of her life!

  “Would you stay if I ordered it?”

  “You’re stronger than I, lady, but please don’t order me to break my oath. It would mean my dishonour.”

  She turned to Udall. “And your orders are?”

  “To accompany you, lady.”

  “And if I say we ride to Athione, what then?”
r />   “Then we ride. Lord Keverin said to take your orders.”

  He did, did he?

  “Fine!” she snapped, giving up. “Let’s go.”

  She felt much better once she’d left Malcor behind, and calmed down enough to appreciate the company. She was still determined to find a way to shed the bodyguards, but it would be stupid to try while on the road.

  After riding for a while, she realised that she had no idea where she was going. “What’s to the north except more of these hills?”

  Mathius put on his lecturing voice. “Camorin. The plains cover most of the land. You’re not thinking of going that way are you? We certainly won’t be welcomed by the clans.”

  “The clans?” she said. “I think you’ve mentioned them before.”

  “We might not come across anyone. The clans are tribes of nomads. We used to meet them at a place called Denpasser to trade for horses, but no one goes that way anymore.”

  “Why wouldn’t we be welcomed? Are they enemies of Deva too?” It wouldn’t surprise her. Everyone seemed to be.

  “Not exactly enemies, no. An occasional raid across the border doesn’t make them such. They like to fight, but it’s more a sport for them than real warfare. The idea is to gain honour by making off with various goods without being caught. They rarely kill unless pushed to it.”

  She nodded and judged the height of the sun. “Sunset isn’t far away. Can we reach Malcor before full dark? The town I mean.”

  “If we continue as we are, yes.”

  They entered the outskirts of the town well after dark. Julia hadn’t taken the unfamiliar ground into consideration, and they’d ridden slowly to protect the horses. Malcor Town was walled, but the gates were in disrepair. They hadn’t been shut in years. The town was a decent size, not quite as large as Kev’s East Town.

  She looked around with interest as they rode along the empty street. “How many live here do you think, maybe fifteen thousand?”

  “That’s about right,” Mathius said.

  “Does Jihan rule the town as well as the fortress?”

  “Not directly. The town council answers to him of course, and he is the sole judge in criminal cases, but the council runs the town day to day. The same system is used throughout Deva.”

  That arrangement sounded as good as any to her, but it did rely on good leadership. Athlone had been a traitor, but even he hadn’t upset the town’s circumstances too badly.

  “Do you know a good place to stay?”

  “Jihan mentioned the Ram’s Horn,” Mathius said, and nodded toward the square just ahead.

  She nodded, but she was silently fuming about the men in her life trying to run it for her. First Keverin using her for his own ends, and now Jihan was making sure he knew where to find her. She decided yet again to take charge of her own life from now on.

  * * *

  52 ~ Taking Control

  The Ram’s Horn seemed well cared for, at least on the outside. It was a three story building. The lower walls were made of red bricks and a pale coloured mortar, while the upper two floors were white-painted wood. The roof seemed tiled with slate, but the light was bad, and Julia couldn’t be sure. Faint voices came from inside, and light shone through gaps in the already shuttered windows. Brian and Udall took charge of the horses, and led them away to the stables at the back, allowing Mathius to escort her into the common room.

  She paused just inside to look around. The inn was busy with patrons eating, drinking, and listening to a man playing a fiddle. The tune was a jaunty one, making her want to tap a toe in time with it. Mathius interrupted her enjoyment by pointing out the innkeeper. She nodded, and they went to speak with him.

  “Have you four rooms for rent?” she said, raising her voice over the music.

  Some of the patrons looked at her in annoyance for spoiling their enjoyment, but then did a double-take. They must know people working at the fortress, because they obviously recognised her. The innkeeper’s eyes widened when he realised that Mathius was a mage. His robe was a dead giveaway.

  “I have but three left, lady, and they ain’t my best, but they be good rooms when all is said.”

  “I’m sure they’ll be fine. How much?”

  The innkeeper’s eyes narrowed as he judged her manner of dress, and calculated her worth. “You can have all three for six silvers a day, or five golds if you stay a tenday.”

  There were ten silvers in a gold, but she didn’t know if six silvers per day was too much or not. Glancing at Mathius from the corner of her eye, she thought she saw him shake his head slightly.

  “Daylight robbery,” she said coldly. “Three silvers a day would be closer.”

  The man’s eyes popped wide in outrage. “Three! You’ll put me out of business! I couldn’t take less than five.” He looked about to have a seizure by his colour.

  “Fine then, four silvers a day it is, but I want a nice dinner for all of us... over there.” She pointed to a table she’d just chosen. There were four empty seats around it, and a clay jug in the centre.

  The innkeeper sighed. “All right four, but not a copper less!”

  She had no money, and no way of earning any, but Mathius had a large pouch of coin. He paid for a tenday in advance. They settled at the table, and Julia poured herself a mug of water. She drank half.

  “Thanks for paying, Mathius. I’ll get it back to you.”

  “Ah, you see... that is…” Mathius broke off, his face flaming. “Lord Keverin gave me this to hold for you.”

  “Feeling guilty was he? Just out of interest, how much is in there?” she said, trying to peek into the pouch.

  “Two thousand silver.”

  “Two thous—that’s two hundred gold. Is that a lot?”

  “It’s a fortune,” Mathius said with a careless shrug. “You paid too much for the rooms. Two or three silvers would’ve been about right, assuming they’re good ones. A meal should be a copper each, maybe two if exceptionally good. A horse like Yeetah, would cost you anything from ten golds up, and a good warhorse like Lord Keverin’s Cavell, would bring twenty golds easily. With a pouch like this one, you could buy two dozen Camorin horses and double your money on market day.”

  “Keverin was generous,” she said, sarcastically. Trying to buy his way into her good graces wouldn’t work.

  “Perhaps, but he could give this much away every day, and never notice the loss.”

  That put a different complexion on things, and made her feel better about taking his charity. She’d known Keverin was wealthy; he had to be to keep something the size of Athione from ruin, but now she realised he must be the equivalent of a billionaire back home.

  Brian and Udall chose that moment to wander in, and she called them over. They sat with her and Mathius in time for a serving girl to take their orders. Mathius chose the lamb roast, and rather than take a chance on something else, she ordered the same. Brian agreed with their choice, but Udall preferred the beef.

  “Three lamb, and one beef,” the girl said. “And what to drink?”

  “Beer,” Mathius said, and the others agreed.

  “You have wine?” Julia said, and Mathius looked quickly away. Oh, bother it! “Or milk?” she added glumly, and Mathius smiled his approval.

  “Milk!” the waitress choked. “I mean yes, lady. I’m sure I can be finding some.”

  “Milk then, please.”

  The serving girl left, shaking her head in bemusement.

  “Thank you,” Julia called to the woman’s retreating back, her face flaming.

  She glared at Mathius, but he just nodded his approval again. He’d been badgering her about her drinking for a while now. Heavy drinking and magic don’t go together blah blah. It makes it harder to concentrate blah yawn blah. She sighed. So much for not letting others run her life.

  The serving girl returned with plates piled high with roast meat and vegetables. Potatoes were potatoes anywhere, but the orange things
weren’t carrots. Mathius called them darella root. She took a bite and found them delicious. It tasted like a cross between a carrot and a parsnip.

  She took a sip of her milk, frowning at its unfamiliar flavour. “If a woman wanted to pay her own way in Deva, how would she earn the money?”

  The three men exchanged glances, but they didn’t answer her. Mathius took up the challenge. “If you learned some practical magic, and by that I mean cheap everyday spells that you can sell to commoners, you could pay your way with them quite easily. My father used to do that. Finding water and digging a well would earn you five silvers, for example, and it doesn’t take very long. A farmer would be digging for many days. He’d definitely prefer to pay someone.”

  Brian and Udall muttered their agreement.

  “Okay, wells. Anything else?”

  “There are lots of little things, but you’re a really good healer, lady, and they’re always in demand. You’ll have no problem earning a living.”

  “I know one other thing you must be good at—a lord’s whore!”

  Brian and Udall jumped to their feet, kicking their chairs away to draw steel. Julia hadn’t noticed the man approaching at her back. She turned to look as the inn patrons scrambled out of the way.

  “Stop!” she shouted, and stood to confront her detractor.

  “But, lady!” Brian said, spluttering in outrage. “Your honour!”

  “Is mine. It’s my right to choose a champion, isn’t it?”

  He nodded reluctantly.

  “Then put up your swords both of you, and step aside. I choose myself.”

  They looked rebellious, but she glared them into submission. They reluctantly sheathed their blades. Mathius, she noticed, hadn’t objected. He knew better.

  “Do you have something to say to me?” she said sweetly.

  “I think you heard me the first time, whore! You let the traitor into the fortress after m’lord Athlone accepted you as a guest!”

  “You’re one of the traitor’s men then. How can you walk among these people without shame?” She turned to the spectators, and explained in case some of them hadn’t heard the news. “Athlone was a traitor. He was working with the sorcerers to bring an army through the northern border, and your town would have been the first of many to fall. It still might. Lord Jihan will be fighting for your freedom soon, and he’s outnumbered. Men like this would see you all enslaved.”