Panic bunched inside her. Her tone grew tart. I've grown quite fond of your warhorse, Big. Will you give her to me?
He stared at her with about as much incredulity as such a question, posed to the army's commander on the eve of battle, rightly deserved. And now Fire was laughing, and the sudden, unexpected lightness soothed her aching brain. All right, all right. I was only testing that you were awake and in your right mind. The sight of you taking a nap against the bookshelf doesn't inspire confidence.
He was still looking at her as if she might be half-crazy, but he flexed his hand and rested it on his sword hilt, pushing himself upright, ready to go wherever she told him to. He cocked his head at the doorway leading to Nash's other rooms, where Fire's guard, a group of messengers, and a small army of soldiers were waiting to assist however they were needed.
Fire stood. The others stopped their chatter and looked to her.
"Levels seven and eight," she said to Brigan, "the far northern wing. The rooms overlooking the smallest courtyard. At this moment it's the emptiest part of the palace, and it has been all day, so that's where I'll take Gentian and Gunner. You and Clara go there now. Find whatever empty room you can, on whichever level is easiest to get to without being seen, and I'll try to lead them as close to you as I can. If you need my help getting through the halls, or if Murgda's tails give you trouble, call for me."
Brigan nodded and went to the side rooms to collect his soldiers. Fire sat back down and dropped her head again into the palms of her hands. Every stage of this process required focus. Right now she must monitor Brigan and Clara and their soldiers and their tails and everyone who noticed any one of them. While keeping stock of Gentian, Gunner, and Murgda, of course, and perhaps sending Gentian and Gunner occasional blips of helpless desire; and holding on to a sense of the palace as a whole, in case anything anywhere, at any time, should feel wrong for any reason.
She breathed through a mild headache forming above her temples. She stretched out with her mind.
Fifteen minutes later, Clara, Brigan, and a number of soldiers had found their way to an unoccupied suite of rooms on level eight in the far northern wing. Three of Murgda's spies and three of Gentian's were with them also, several unconscious, and the conscious ones boiling with fury, presumably at the indignity of being bound and gagged and shoved into closets.
Brigan sent assurance that all was well. "All right," Fire said to Nash and Garan. All right, she thought to all those involved throughout the palace. I'm beginning.
She hunched in her chair and closed her eyes. She touched Gentian's mind and then entered it. She touched on Gunner and decided that he was not oblivious enough for sneakery.
Gunner, she thought to him, warm and flirtatious, gushing herself at him – and then thrusting herself into the cracks that opened with his involuntary rush of pleasure. Gunner. I want you to come to me. I need to see you. Can I trust you to be kind to me?
Suspicion washed along the edges of his gladness, but Fire murmured at it, lulled it, and took harder hold. You must go where I direct you and tell no one, she told both him and Gentian. Now, leave the courtyard through the main arch and climb the central stairway to level three, as if you were returning to your rooms. I'll lead you to a place that's safe for all of us, far away from the king and his tiresome guards.
Gentian began to move, and then, more reluctantly, Gunner. Their five henchmen moved with them and Fire expanded her reach, stepping into each of their minds. The seven proceeded toward the exit and Fire skimmed the rest of the courtyard. It didn't matter who noticed, but it did matter very much who followed.
Three consciousnesses separated themselves casually from the dancing and fell in behind Gentian's guard. Fire recognised two as Murgda's spies and the other as a minor lord she'd identified earlier as a probable Murgda sympathiser. She touched their minds, tested, and decided that they were too guarded for her to enter without them noticing. She would have to lead the others and trust these three to follow.
Ten men. She thought she could handle that while holding the floor plan and thousands of moving figures in her mind.
How her power had grown, with practice. She could not have done this a year ago. Only last spring, the First Branch had utterly overwhelmed her.
Her party of ten ascended the steps to the third level. Now move down the hallway and turn into the corridor containing your rooms, Fire thought to Gentian and Gunner. Her mind raced ahead to that very corridor and found it alarmingly full of people. She sped some up, slowed some down, and sent some into their rooms, forcefully in the case of the strong-minded, for there was no time to take the proper care. When Gentian, Gunner, and their five attendants turned the corner to their rooms, the hallway stretched emptily before them.
The hallway was still empty moments later when Gentian and Gunner came abreast of their rooms. Stop there, she told them. She switched to the minds of the soldiers hiding in the suites around Gentian's. When Murgda's men rounded the corner, she sent the soldiers a message: Go now. Soldiers piled into the hallway and set about capturing Gentian's five guards and Murgda's three spies.
Run! Fire screamed at Gentian and Gunner, perhaps unnecessarily, as they seemed already to be running. They're onto us! Run! Run! Down the hallway! Turn left at the lantern! Now, down that corridor! Look for the green door on the left! Through the green door and you're safe! Yes, you're safe. Now up, up. Climb the stairs. Quiet, slow. Slow down. Stop, she thought. Stop for a minute.
Gentian and Gunner stopped, baffled, frantic, and alone, on a spiral stairway somewhere between levels five and six. Fire kept a finger on them, petted and soothed them, and stretched back to the hallway where the short, nasty scuffle had taken place. Did you get everyone? she asked the soldier in charge. Did anyone see you?
The soldier communicated that all had gone well.
Thank you, Fire said. Well done. If you have any trouble, call for me. She took a long, steadying breath and returned to Gentian and Gunner on the stairway.
I'm sorry, she murmured soothingly. Are you all right? I'm sorry. I'll take care of you.
Gunner was in no good humour, breaking loose a bit from her hold. He was angry about the loss of his guards, angry to be huddled in a narrow stairway, furious with himself for allowing a monster to commandeer his intentions and put him in danger. Fire flooded him, overwhelming him with heat and with feelings and suggestions designed to stop him thinking. Then she sent him a steely and certain message. You knowingly put yourself in danger when you came traipsing into the palace of the king. But you have nothing to fear. I've chosen you, and I am stronger than the king. Take hold of yourself. Think how much easier it'll be to injure him with me on your side.
Simultaneously Fire checked the corridors to which this spiral stairway led. Gala guests walked and mingled in the corridor of level eight. Level seven was empty.
Brigan was on level eight. But Fire's mind was growing sluggish with fatigue.
Brigan, she thought, too weary to concern herself with manners. I'm taking them to level seven, to the unoccupied rooms just below you. When the time comes, you may have to climb down by the balcony.