by Robin Hobb
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‘Wouldn’t be only him and Heeby. Kalo’s hot to take vengeance on them. Fente wants to go, as do Baliper, Sestican and Dortean. Ranculos, too. And Tintaglia, of course. She says that once she’s fed up a bit, she’s taking her wrath to them. ’
‘Mercor?’ she asked faintly. She suspected that if the golden went, all of the others would follow.
‘He’s keeping his own counsel, so far. I don’t know what he thinks. But Rapskal keeps stirring up the keepers. You know about that armoury they found?’
‘I do. ’ Not even to Leftrin had she mentioned that she had discovered it a long time ago but never mentioned it to Rapskal. Her discovery of it had further changed her image of Elderlings. And dragons. The battle gear for the dragons had been mostly decorative, with rings where perhaps riders had once secured themselves. Sintara’s assertion that dragons had never been ridden by humans had seemed disproven to Alise, but the blue queen had insisted that carrying an Elderling into battle was not the same as being ridden like a donkey. The thought she had conveyed was that, in that instance, the dragon was using the Elderling as a sort of auxiliary weapon rather than serving him as a charger.
There had been armour for Elderlings hung neatly on hooks on the stone walls. It mimicked the scaling of dragons in how the fine plates overlapped one another as well as in colours. The wooden shafts of the spears were long gone, bows and quivers of arrows faint outlines of dust on the floor. But the arrow-points and spearheads had survived. There were other devices there, of green-coated brass and iron infused with Silver, ones she did not recognize even as she guessed their martial uses.
‘Those young men tried on that armour and helms like Jerd trying on jewellery,’ Leftrin complained. ‘They have no idea of what it means. But if Rapskal and Kalo and Tintaglia keep urging them on, I think they’ll soon find out. ’
She shied away from thinking about it. ‘So. If you were choosing captains for those two ships, who would you train?’
‘Harrikin, I’m thinking. He’s steady. Maybe Alum. Lad seems capable and smart. ’
She lowered her face to hide a grin at that. She suspected he could not imagine Skelly with a man who didn’t know how to run a boat. His next words surprised her. ‘But it might not be a keeper who steps up, you know. Dragons keep them pretty tied up. Could be Hennesey stepping up to take a command. Or Skelly, when she’s a bit more seasoned. ’
‘So many changes,’ she mused. ‘There will have to be regular freight runs until Kelsingra can support itself. And after that, maybe we’ll be selling meat and grain to the Rain Wilds. New settlers coming to Kelsingra. They’ll have to understand what they’re risking, of course, but I think Tillamon is right. There will be people who are willing to come and start fresh here. And we’ll need what they know. Farmers and smiths, bakers and potters and carpenters … but they’ll come. It’s not often that people are offered the chance to just begin anew. ’
‘Not often,’ he agreed. He was silent, mulling something. Then, ‘Be my wife,’ he said suddenly.
She stared at him, startled by the sudden change in topic. ‘I can’t, Leftrin. Until my marriage contract is formally annulled, I’m still marri—’
‘Don’t say you’re married to him! Please don’t. I hate to hear those words come from your mouth. ’ He reached across the table and set his fingertips on her lips. He looked at her with earnest grey eyes. ‘I don’t care what they say in Bingtown or anywhere else in the world. He broke his contract a long time ago. He never even meant to honour it, so how could you ever have been his wife? Be mine, Alise. I’m already yours. I want to call myself your husband. Marry me here, in Kelsingra. Start a new life with me here. Forget Bingtown and its rules and contracts. ’
She tilted her head. ‘You don’t want a marriage contract?’
‘I don’t need one. If you want one, you can draw up anything you want and I’ll sign it. I won’t bother reading it because anything you want to say about how it is going to be will be fine with me. I don’t need a paper or a contract or any of that. Just you. ’
‘What brought all this on?’ Alise felt flustered.
He shook his head. ‘I knew Hest existed. I knew you’d been his. There were times when I felt like a thief. There was a day when Sedric took me on about it, saying that I was going to ruin your whole life by loving you. Made me feel selfish and low for wanting you. ’
‘It seems a lifetime ago. ’ She smiled at him. ‘We used to worry about such peculiar things. ’
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‘It doesn’t bother you now? What Hest might say when he goes back to Bingtown?’
‘After Sedric spoke up? No. I think he will say as little as he possibly can and hope others do the same. Before he leaves, I will speak to him and ask him to give me my nullification. We can draw it up, and there are plenty of possible witnesses. It will happen quietly here. I will send my explanations to my family, and he will have to deal with his. ’ She took a breath and met his gaze with clear eyes. ‘I’ve finished with him, Leftrin. Did you doubt it?’
He dropped his gaze. ‘Worst thing I ever heard in my life was him calling you “my darling”. I wanted to rip the tongue out of his mouth. Wanted to tear him into pieces with my hands and feed the bits to Spit. ’
He spoke with a low vehemence she had never heard before from him. ‘My dear!’ she exclaimed, torn between shock and laughter.
‘He was frightening you. I could see that, I could feel it. I wanted to destroy anything that could scare you like that. ’
‘I was scaring myself. Giving him power he didn’t really have. Just like I used to do. ’ She smiled almost sadly. ‘It’s done, Leftrin. All done. ’ She stood up and walked around the galley table to stand behind him. She leaned forward to embrace him and spoke by his ear. ‘I’m looking forward to sailing away with you. ’
‘Won’t be much privacy aboard for a time until we off-load all those intruders in Trehaug. ’ He shook his head. ‘I’ll be glad to give over the judging of the Chalcedeans to someone else. Poor bastards, caught between the mortar and the pestle. Doubt there’s anything left for them to go home to. But I’m not looking forward to having a whole boatload of them all the way to Trehaug. ’
She gave him a quick kiss and as he pulled her closer, she said, ‘So perhaps we should use this quiet time well, now. ’
‘I can’t be gone long. I’m off watch now, but my uncle will have more work for me. As always. ’
‘Keeps you busy, does he?’ Hest was amused. ‘Probably thinks you are too young to manage your own life. That’s often the case with men who take on the care of young boys. They don’t see when they’ve become young men, ready to take wing on their own. ’
Davvie’s eyes flickered to Hest’s, neither confirming nor denying that he resented Carson’s control of him. He cleared his throat. ‘I’m surprised you haven’t gone up the tower yourself to take a look around. It’s allowed to any of you. We decided that at the meeting. ’
‘Indeed,’ Hest agreed. ‘But looking around from a tower isn’t the same as having someone explain the layout of the city. ’ He was letting the lad do most of the talking, and he was talking himself into far more than Hest had thought he could persuade him to. Today, a visit to the tower together. Tomorrow, perhaps, a brief stroll outside. The boy preceded him up the stairs and he had a fine view of the lad’s hips and legs. He was young, younger even than Sedric had been, and even more green to the ways of the world. He’d break easily, Hest decided. Entice him with elegant and sophisticated pleasures he had never even imagined. Tempt his young hunger for adventure and worldliness. Make him see that only Hest could introduce him to that wonderful world.
‘Let me catch my breath, Davvie. An old man like me doesn’t take these stairs as easily as you do. ’
The young Elderling halted obediently on the next landing. ‘There’s a fine view from here if the steps are taxing you,’ he o
ffered. ‘You needn’t climb the whole way to the tower top. ’
Hest stepped to the window and looked out over the city silently. He had expected the boy quickly to refute the notion that he was an old man. It pricked his vanity that he had not. Don’t let it show. He looked out of the window to feign interest but as his eyes took in the full extent of the city, even his worldly soul was amazed. The view from the river was no way to comprehend the vastness of Kelsingra. From this vantage, the city spread out in every direction. He saw a few collapsed buildings and scattered areas of damage but for the most part, the city seemed intact and unplundered. He could not begin to imagine the riches of the place. His eye marked half a dozen statues presiding over empty fountains. He knew a collector in Jamaillia who would beggar himself to add even one of them to his collection. He ran his fingers along the tiles that framed the windows. Each featured a dragon in a different posture. The lad saw him admiring them.
‘Oh, those are great fun. Watch!’
The boy ran his hand along the line of dragons and they cavorted at his touch. When he stopped, they froze as they were.
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‘Amazing!’ Hest exclaimed. ‘May I try?’
‘Of course. ’ Davvie had become the guide now, tolerant and amused by Hest’s amazement. Excellent. Hest assayed a clumsy attempt to activate the dragons as the boy had. He missed half of them. He tried again, with as little success. He drew his hand back in disgust. ‘I haven’t the knack for it,’ he exclaimed in disappointment.
‘It’s easy. Like this. ’ Davvie took Hest’s hand in his own and ran it over the dragons. This time, they leapt and pranced for him.
‘One more time,’ Hest suggested and set his free hand to Davvie’s shoulder to allow the boy to control his hand more surely. Davvie was intent on his dragon-play. As he drew Hest’s hand once again over the tiles, the man leaned forward and kissed him warmly on the side of his neck.
Davvie sprang back with an exclamation of shock, but Hest managed to maintain his touch on the boy’s shoulder. ‘You are so handsome,’ he said throatily. ‘So exotic. How could you think your scaling ugly?’ He breathed out through his mouth, a sigh of desire, and then caught his breath raggedly. Davvie was staring at him, his mouth slightly ajar. Hest imagined sealing those lips with his own and his feigned passion was suddenly real. He moved toward the Elderling, and when Davvie backed into the wall, Hest pressed his body against him.
‘This is not … I don’t …’ Davvie stuttered. Searing curiosity and fear battled in his dark eyes.
Excellent. Hest risked that he was the sort aroused by danger and the forbidden. He pressed himself against the youngster and spoke by his ear. ‘Sedric broke my heart. I’m alone. You’ve been discarded. What harm do we do anyone if, for a short time, we forget those pains?’ He leaned his weight hard on the youth, and the hands that he put on him were purposeful and demanding. ‘There is so much I can teach you. Ask me to teach you. ’ One hand suddenly moved, to grip Davvie’s throat. ‘Say “please”,’ Hest suggested pleasantly.
‘I’m not going to wait on him forever,’ Carson said over his shoulder. ‘He said he wanted to go hunting, and I waited for his guard shift to be over. ’ Sedric was trailing Carson as he strode into the baths. The hunter opened the doors to the soaking room and a cloud of humid air engulfed them. Kalo, his eyes closed to slits in pleasure, was dozing in the water. ‘Davvie?’ he called, but there was no response. Sylve looked up from scrubbing Mercor and shook her head.
They were halfway to the dining hall when they heard a commotion from the stairwell. There was a wordless yell, anger mixed with outrage, followed by a muffled stream of words.
‘That’s Davvie!’ Carson exclaimed and spun toward the steps. The hunter went up them at a run and Sedric followed, his heart in his mouth. Davvie and Lecter had been quarrelling lately. Both had been sullen and unpredictable, but as far as he knew, they hadn’t come to blows. Yet the unmistakable sounds of a physical struggle were in progress.
Sedric reached the landing a half-step behind Carson and halted in shock. Hest was there. He had not seen him since he had faced him down in the street; had not wanted to see him, ever again. Yet there he stood, a hand to his cheek as a rumpled-looking Davvie tugged his tunic straight. At the sight of Carson and Sedric, Davvie flushed a deep scarlet. Hest only smiled knowingly. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms on his chest.
Carson’s eyes darted from Hest to Davvie and back again. Breath shuddered in and out of him, and possibly Hest did not know how furious he was as he asked Davvie, ‘What’s going on here?’
‘Nothing,’ he declared sullenly, and Sedric saw Carson’s shoulders swell. ‘Whatever it was, it’s my business. I’m old enough to take care of myself,’ the boy added defiantly.
Carson seemed barely able to contain himself as he looked from Hest to Davvie. ‘Looks like you’re doing a fine job of that,’ he growled. Fury put sparks in his eyes as he added, ‘Boy, you go from one bad decision to another! How could you be so stupid as to take up—’ He strangled on his anger.
Davvie’s eyes went wild. ‘You never even give me a chance to explain! And I don’t need you trying to protect me. ’
He spun back to Hest when the Bingtowner snickered. Davvie’s fists were clenched as he gritted out, ‘I don’t play your sort of games, old man. I don’t need to pretend I’m being forced. I’ve chosen to be who I am. ’
Sedric barely managed to dodge out of his way as Davvie stamped away down the stairs.
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‘Well. A misunderstanding, on all parts, I see. ’ Hest seemed completely unruffled. He smoothed the hair back from his brow and smiled at them both. ‘You shouldn’t blame your boy, Carson. ’ He smiled at Sedric as he added, ‘He’s not the first youngster to find me attractive. Though I did misjudge how ready he was for me. Moved a bit fast for him, I suppose. ’ He tugged his cuffs straight.
For the first time, Sedric noted the red spot on Hest’s left cheekbone. So. The boy had landed one on him.
Hest seemed to feel his gaze. He lifted his eyes to meet Sedric’s and added, ‘Not like Sedric. He needed the game. And he was very, very ready for me. ’
Sedric found his voice. His words were soft. ‘You’re right, Hest. I was ready. Ready for you, or any other predator. Just as naïve as Davvie. ’
‘Predator?’ Hest lifted one sculpted brow. He transferred his gaze to Carson. ‘Is this his new pretence, perhaps for you? Nothing was his decision, I “preyed” on him? Ridiculous. He was only too enthused to put himself into my control. He relished every moment of it, and was a very apt student. I trust you’ve enjoyed all I taught him?’
Carson made a small sound. Sedric shot his hand out to rest on the hunter’s chest. He felt oddly calm as he said, ‘Davvie was right about one thing, Carson. You didn’t need to protect him. And you don’t have to protect me, either. ’
The hunter looked at him with unreadable eyes. ‘Please go,’ Sedric added quietly.
Consternation and then hurt showed in Carson’s dark eyes. ‘I need to do this,’ Sedric said even more softly. ‘Trust me. ’
Carson’s gaze searched Sedric’s soul. Then he gave one slow nod and moved stoically away down the stairs.
‘Well, well. ’ Hest turned away from Sedric. He ran his hand along the tiles and set the dragons to dancing. He didn’t turn to look at him. ‘Are you ready to come to your senses and return to Bingtown with me?’
‘No. ’
‘Oh, come. You’ve made your point. You left me and I will tell you that I quickly discovered just how hard it was to replace you. I shouldn’t have mocked your plan for us. I still think trafficking in dragon parts was a foolish venture, and I think events have proven me right. Am I correct in guessing that your current friends know nothing of what your original intent was?’
Sedric found his heart thumping against his ribs. Why? Why was this
so hard? He cleared his throat. ‘I doubt there is anything you could tell him that he doesn’t already know about me. He’s not like you, Hest. He listens when I talk. ’
‘I should have listened, I’ll admit that. ’ Hest turned to look at him. The damn boy had landed two good blows to his ribs. They still hurt, but the epithet ‘old man’ that he had thrown had hurt even more. At least Sedric seemed to be coming to his senses. He’d sent his forest man away. Hest sensed what he wanted. Just enough sentiment to allow him to come back to Hest. And a touch of the old mastery to remind him how much he’d enjoyed it. Had he felt a moment of jealousy when he came upon Hest and the flustered boy? Hest thought so. He’d noticed how Sedric’s eyes had lingered on his face.
‘It’s not too late for us,’ Hest said. He let his voice go deep on the words and was secretly delighted with the look of incredulity that blossomed on Sedric’s face. He liked the scaling, he decided. Showing off Sedric’s changed appearance in Bingtown would definitely add a fillip of triumph to his return. He was fairly confident that if he returned with Sedric’s share of the wealth of Kelsingra to set at his father’s feet, the old man would forgive the absence of his wife. His mother would certainly understand that Alise had become completely unsuitable to share their name. He’d tell her what he’d seen, and then beg her mercy and discretion in letting him quietly annul his marriage to Alise. He wouldn’t marry again. Let his father name who he wanted as his heir. With Sedric’s share of Kelsingra, he wouldn’t need the family money to live very well indeed.
It could all be managed. All of it. Beginning with Sedric. ‘You were right. I admit it, and I apologize for doubting you. You gambled yourself and won us a fortune. I can’t even calculate the value of what you’ve won for us. It isn’t just in what we can take out of the city. People will want to come here, to visit. To have country homes, perhaps. Everything you dreamed for us can come true. Here, we can live openly, in luxury, as we wish. And when we go back to Bingtown, we can enjoy the best of everything the civilized world has to offer. Sedric, my boy, you’ve done it. ’
