“Liar!” cried Wojin, capturing the attention of the crowd again. “This girl tells you falsehoods!”
“Oh?” said Loren. She reached into one of the many pockets of her new vest and drew forth Jun’s ring of office. Its ruby glinted in the sun as she held it up. “Then where did I get this?”
The crowd’s murmur swelled as they beheld the ring. Wojin’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Loren smiled. Then a woman jumped up on the base of the statue in the square’s center. She threw a fist in the air and cried out.
“Long live King Jun! Down with the usurper!”
“Down with the usurper!” yelled someone else. Loren could not see who it was, but soon a few others took up the call.
Wyle’s agents, she thought. Bless that smuggler.
Wojin rallied himself at last. “My people!” he cried. “Do not listen to this woman. Who is she? A foreigner, and a liar! Jun is dead, murdered by assassins of the false High King! For all we know, this girl is the one who killed him! That is how she got the ring!”
Damaris’ face went a shade paler, and Loren laughed out loud in what felt like a moment of madness. The laugh seemed to shock Wojin, for he fell silent again. Loren, murder Jun? She had never willingly taken a life. Wojin could not know that, but Damaris would.
Loren’s laughter died, and she shook her head. “I am no murderer, Wojin. Not like you. I am a simple woman of Selvan.” The crowd muttered, and she lowered her gaze to address them once more. “Yes. My kingdom has no great love for yours. But the petty differences of kings are as nothing now. Before I am a woman of Selvan, I am first a citizen of Underrealm. A servant of the High King. I did not kill Jun—I spoke with him only last night. And I will not rest until the High King’s justice finds this false king—him, and the woman by his side who holds his strings. He calls me a foreign meddler? What of her? Ask yourselves, people of Danfon: why would a merchant of the family Yerrin support a man who killed his own nephew in a mad quest for power?”
Wojin was muttering to his guards and making sharp gestures towards Loren, but they had no bows with which to shoot her. Loren looked at Damaris again. The merchant’s face had gone dark, and there was an evil glint in her eyes. She looked right back at Loren, her expression holding a grim promise.
I will find you, Nightblade. And I will end you.
The crowd was chanting now. “Long live King Jun! Down with the usurper! All hail the Nightblade!” That caught Loren’s attention. She had not proclaimed herself to be the Nightblade at all. Wyle must have taken liberties when he gave orders to his agents.
She almost opened her mouth to speak again, but she felt a sharp tug on her pant leg and glanced down. Gem was lying flat so that the crowd could not see him, but every so often he had poked his head over the roof’s edge to peer at the throng.
“The guards are close,” said Gem. “It is time we left.”
Loren looked and saw he was right. The guards had neared the bottom of the building where they stood. They would soon find a way up, and she did not want Uzo and Shiun to be drawn into a fight as they tried to protect her.
One last time, she turned to the crowd. “Ready yourselves for King Jun’s return!” she cried. “It will be soon, and he will be wroth. For Underrealm and the High King!”
She threw a fist into the air, and many in the square cried out as they did the same. Then Loren turned with a whirl of her cloak and scampered away across the rooftop. Gem and Chet slithered away from the roof’s edge, then rose to follow her.
“That was the single most glorious thing I have ever seen,” said Gem with excitement. “And considering the leagues we have ridden together, that is saying a great deal.”
“Oh, be silent, Gem,” said Loren sharply. But she could not wipe the grin from her own face—even when she saw that Chet kept his gaze low, his eyes troubled. She ignored him. Mayhap she did indeed trip from one disaster into the next. But now, for the first time in a long time, it felt like she had finally gotten one thing right.
THEY DARED NOT RETURN TO Yushan’s manor straight away, in case someone spotted them. Therefore they spent some time wandering in back alleys and deserted streets, constantly searching to make sure no one had followed them. By the time they finally reached the manor, the sun was low in the sky.
In the basement, they reported the day’s events to King Jun. Their news was met with celebration. Senlin’s eyes shone as Gem told them of Loren’s speech—Loren had not thought it necessary to give them details, but Gem insisted—and Jun wore a fierce smile. Yushan herself actually clapped her hands when they were done, and immediately she beckoned for servants to bring them food, as well as some of her finest wines.
“A good day’s work,” said Jo. The bodyguard pulled at his close-trimmed beard, and though his face was characteristically dour, there was an uncommon energy in the movement.
“How many would you say spoke in support?” said Prince Senlin.
“Very many,” said Gem quickly, before Loren could answer. He bounded up to the prince and bowed low. “I half thought the crowd would rise up on the spot and storm Wojin’s manor. Mayhap they did, after we left.”
“They did not,” said Uzo. “It took us a while to withdraw from the press. Wojin departed almost immediately, and the crowd dispersed soon after.”
Gem looked crestfallen, but Senlin smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. “That is no matter,” said the prince. “The important thing is that they know we are alive. You have performed a great service—not only to us, but also to the High King herself.”
This time Gem not only beamed, but blushed as well. “I suppose it is not the first time we have done so. But I thank you nonetheless, Your Excellency.”
The servant arrived with a tray holding three bottles of wine. Yushan quickly unstopped one and poured a glass, which Loren accepted gratefully. But she paused as she caught King Jun’s eye. He studied her with pursed lips and a furrowed brow.
“Today was a good start,” he said slowly. “Yes. A good start. But only the start. We will not retake the kingdom on the strength of one victory.”
The room went quiet. Loren’s mood dampened at once as she recognized the truth in his words. But after he had let the gravity of it settle for a moment, Jun took another glass from Yushan and filled it himself. He raised it slightly in toast to Loren.
“Then again, mayhap even a small victory deserves some acknowledgement.”
Jo grunted a laugh at that, and Loren’s smile returned. She touched her glass to Jun’s, and the two of them drank deep.
Jun turned to speak with Senlin in a low voice, and Loren studied them for a moment. She still had little love for the Dorsean king and the wars he had brought to Selvan. But she had to admit—if only to herself—that he was not so simple a man as she had imagined him to be, back when she had been younger and had seen so little of the world.
What would I have thought a year ago in the Birchwood, to see myself drinking with a king? she thought. Indeed, he is not even the first king I have shared wine with.
They all made merry in Yushan’s basement for a short time, but Loren soon ordered her party to return to their quarters. Jun had been right on one count: they still had much to do, and the sooner they began, the better. They spent the day resting, and retired early. Loren spent a dreamless night in sleep and woke before the sun, rising to break her fast in the common room with the others. But before she had finished eating, an urgent knock came at the door, and a messenger summoned her to Jun’s side.
Annis had risen, and together the two of them made their way to the basement. There they found Jun ready to receive them—indeed, he and Senlin scarcely seemed to have moved from where they had been the night before. If they had not been wearing different clothing, Loren might have thought they had slept in their chairs. For a moment she was struck by the ludicrousness of the king and his son and their little court in this basement. Beside them, Yushan looked like a court scribe ready to take notes of the king’s pr
oclamations. But such thoughts fled her mind as Jun looked up at her gravely.
“We have received a message, relayed through many ears,” he said. “Someone in the city wishes to meet with me.”
Loren balked and shot a quick glance at Jo. The bodyguard’s face was grave. Beside Loren, Annis spoke carefully. “That does not seem wise, Your Grace.”
“Of course His Grace will not take the risk,” said Jo.
Senlin glanced at the bodyguard. “Yet neither can we allow this opportunity to pass us by.”
Loren held up a hand. “Pardon me, Your Grace. But who wishes to meet with you?”
Jun shifted in his seat. “Her name is Duris, of the family Fei. She is a senator, and she is my kin, though somewhat distant.”
Annis arched an eyebrow. “And Wojin has allowed her to remain free? Why would he do that, unless she is loyal to him?”
“I have thought much the same thing,” said Jun. “Yet Wojin could hardly have had time to thoroughly test the loyalty of every senator. Most likely, he hopes that they will accept his new position because it would be too difficult to resist him. The senate’s purpose is to provide a check on the power of the king in domestic matters, but that power has not been strongly tested in many years. And Dorsea has not seen anything like Wojin’s treachery in centuries. If he is willing to assassinate me to take the throne, would he hesitate to kill a senator? He hopes they will obey him out of fear of being replaced, or worse.”
“Yet that fear may bind them to our side instead,” said Jo. “They have their own states’ armies, but they would not risk using them against Wojin—unless, mayhap, they think they can win. It is not the most honorable course, but it is prudent.”
“And this woman Duris?” said Loren. “Is she the sort of woman who would act with such … prudence?”
“We do not know for certain,” said Jun. “She does not normally reside in the capital, and we have had few reasons to meet each other. She only happened to be here on state business when Wojin took control. Normally she serves in the southeastern reaches alongside that state’s other senator—Shen, my cousin, and a good man. But he fell in the Battle of Wellmont.”
Jun abruptly stopped talking, and his eyes flashed as he looked at Loren. He must have wondered whether it was wise to mention that battle in her presence. But Loren’s thoughts went elsewhere—to something in her dream she had scarcely remembered until Jun’s words brought it to the fore.
Do not forget what happened at Wellmont.
Did Damaris’ words refer to the death of this senator? But how could they? How could Loren forget Shen’s death, when she had never heard of it before this moment?
Her thoughts had begun to wander, and she reined them in. “It seems clear what we must do,” she said. “A meeting must be arranged with Duris, though His Grace cannot attend it.”
“I will go,” said Senlin. “I know enough, I think, to act on my father’s behalf.”
“Absolutely not,” said Jun. “I fear for your life more than mine. If anything were to happen to me, you would be the last of our line—except Wojin himself, and that does not bear thinking about.”
“It should be me, of course,” said Loren. She spread her hands. “Is that not why you have summoned me here?”
Jun lifted his chin for a moment, studying her. Loren had the feeling that he had not expected her bluntness. “It is,” he said at last. “I would consider it a great service.”
“I have already pledged myself to helping you reclaim the throne,” said Loren. “This seems but one small step on that road.”
Annis pursed her lips. “It could be dangerous, Loren. If it is a trap, this Duris may well spring it on you instead. She will think she can pry the king’s location from you through torture.”
“Then I will not let her catch me,” said Loren. “If there is one skill I possess, it is the ability to escape the traps my enemies set for me.”
She meant it as a jest, but Annis’ frown only deepened. “That is what the tales say about you. Take care that you do not believe too strongly in your own myth.”
Loren nodded gravely. “I will not. It was a poor jest, for I know only too well how dangerous our enemies are.” She turned back to Jun. “What should I seek to gain from this meeting, Your Grace?”
“That depends very much on what Duris plans to offer,” said Jun. “For now, meet with her and hear what she has to say. As I have mentioned, I know little of her directly. I hope she means to pledge her loyalty and offer help. But we must be cautious. She may seek to turn me over to Wojin, thereby earning his favor.”
Annis perked up. “I should go with you,” she said. “If Duris wishes to negotiate—or to plan—you will need me.”
Loren’s mouth twisted. “I would prefer to have you by my side, certainly. Yet it seems too dangerous. If Duris is working with Wojin, she is also working with your mother. If Duris should bring word of your presence back to her, that would be disastrous.”
And she fought back a thought: unless Damaris already knows you are here, as she said in my dream.
No. You do not see the future. Auntie was proof enough of that.
Annis shook her head at Loren’s words. “I need to be there. Forgive me, Loren, but you are simply not qualified. When it comes to a fight or to gathering information, of course you are the right choice. But not when it comes to negotiation.”
“That seems to make you an even more valuable asset,” said Prince Senlin, frowning. “Mayhap the Nightblade is right, and you should remain here.”
Frowning, Annis thought for a moment. Then she brightened. “We will take extra precautions. We will arrange the meeting at the safest location we can manage. At the beginning, someone will meet with Duris alone while others of our party scour the surrounding area, searching for any sign of an ambush. If they find nothing, they will alert Loren, and Loren will fetch me to handle the details.”
They all paused. Even Loren thought that idea had some merit. “Very well,” said Jun. He turned to Yushan. “Have you any idea where such a meeting might be arranged?”
Yushan thought for a moment. “I may know a place,” she said at last. “It is a warehouse owned by the family Jinso. Their trade has fallen in recent months, and the warehouse has seen little use. There will be no one around to snoop about and expose us.”
“We should tell her to meet us somewhere else,” said Annis quickly. “Mayhap a tavern—not too close to the warehouse, but not across the city, either. We will send an agent to meet her there and then lead her to the warehouse. That way Duris will have no chance to set a trap, if that is indeed her intention.”
Jun paused for a moment, looking at Jo. The bodyguard nodded slowly before turning to his liege. “It seems wise to me, Your Grace.”
“Very well,” said Jun. He clapped his hands to settle the matter, and Yushan scuttled off to send the message wending its way back to Duris. When the merchant had gone, Jun turned back to Loren. “Now let us determine what your goals in the meeting should be.”
“I thought I was to hear Duris out,” said Loren.
“That, certainly,” said Jun. “The best we can hope for is that Duris wishes to help me reclaim the throne. If that is the case, the most important thing we need is the support of as many senators as we can muster.”
“Agreed,” said Annis.
“And I will need their full-fledged support once I have taken the palace,” said Jun. “It will do me no good to reclaim the throne if I do not have the senate ready to act on my behalf.”
“Forgive me, Your Grace,” said Loren. “But that seems a weak method of persuasion. Right now, Wojin holds all the power. Would the nobility not be wiser to pledge their strength to him?”
Jun smiled. It was a grim expression, fell and cold, and Loren had to hide a shiver. “Not necessarily,” he said, his voice tight. “Anyone who takes a throne by force must first rally support—just as we are doing now. How do they gain that support? By promising rewards. And where do
they get the rewards?”
Loren frowned. After a moment’s silence, Annis answered. “They eliminate possible opponents,” the girl said quietly. “Then they divide the spoils of conquest up between those who supported them in their rebellion.”
“Just so,” said Jun. “Until Wojin is removed from power, every senator who did not directly aid him is at risk. Duris will likely know this, Nightblade. But if she does not, you must remind her.”
“I will, Your Grace,” said Loren.
“Then go. Sky keep you safe.”
Loren bowed, and then she and Annis returned to their quarters upstairs. The others were just rising—all but Gem, who had to be roused from bed as usual. But as the rest of them woke and broke their fast, Loren sat in her own armchair in the corner and stared into the low fire burning on the hearth, her thoughts far away.
THE MEETING WAS ARRANGED FOR the next day—at midday, the time when their enemies would have the most trouble pursuing Loren through crowded streets, if it should come to flight. This time Loren’s whole party came, and once again Kerri guided them. She was curiously quiet as she took them through the streets, following the directions Yushan had relayed to her. At last she glanced over at Loren.
“Do you think this will work?” she said, too quietly for the others to hear.
Loren looked at her in surprise. “You were not there when we made our plans. How do you know what we mean to do?”
“Prince Senlin told me,” said Kerri. “He trusts me, and he confides in me when he has some doubt about his father’s course of action.”
“And does he doubt this one?”
Kerri shrugged. “He is not sure. But I did not ask about the prince. I asked about you.”
Loren replied with a shrug of her own. “I do not know if it will work, but it is what we must try.”
Yerrin: A Book of Underrealm (The Nightblade Epic 6) Page 17
