She had cleared half the passage when Aliam opened his door suddenly. “What’s going—” He stopped, staring at the webs.
“My lord, don’t touch them; I’m clearing them. I’ll tell you what happened when this is done.”
“Will a torch help?” Aliam reached back into his room and brought one to the door.
Paks had forgotten about torches. “It will indeed,” she said. “Just be sure not to let it touch you.” With his help and Estil’s, that passage was quickly cleared of web. But they found it was not the only one. All the passages were trapped with it, though not as heavily.
“How quickly can they spin this?” asked Aliam, as they finished. “That thing must have worked since we went to sleep!”
Paks shook her head. “I don’t think so; I wakened knowing evil was near. I believe it was done very quickly indeed.”
“And why didn’t I waken? Or one of the guards—Falk guard us—the guards!” Aliam darted off to the main doors.
“Wait!” Paks yelled. “Don’t call an alarm—if others are trapped, they’ll blunder into the webs.”
“But I must—”
“Garris, go with him; you know the steading. Go quietly, my lord, along the guard posts—be ready to destroy any web. My lady, take Esceriel, and go through the kitchens and storerooms—be particularly careful of places where a person might hide. I will pray, my lord, and see if any evil stays near us.”
They moved off as Paks directed; she could feel no evil as strong as that which had left. But she and the others checked each separate room in the main part of the building, in case web had been left to trap sleepers. Aliam and Garris returned soon; the guards had been asleep but unharmed.
“They were spelled,” said Paks, when Aliam would have scolded them. “As we were in Aarenis, when Siniava came out—remember? Thank the gods it was no worse than this. My lord, we bring peril on you—we must go.”
“But into that?” Aliam stared. “What will you do, beyond the walls?”
“Go swiftly. It was to keep us here, to threaten you and tempt me to delay, for the care of you and yours, that such evil invaded. My lord, I will not tell you exactly where we go—although you surely know, in the main—and I suggest that you tell no one what you know so. Ward this place well; don’t let the children wander—”
His face whitened at that. “Falk, no! Not another—”
“Watch them well. Keep together, keep faith. Ask the rangers—perhaps the elves will help you, since they value your aid in the past. I wish I could stay to guard you, but I think the danger will be less when I am gone.”
He nodded; Estil, who had come down the stairs, longbow in hand, came up beside him.
“Paksenarrion, surely you can stay until dawn—”
“By nightfall, my lady, I would be far from here—very far.”
“As you wish. Is there anything—? I have plenty of stores—”
“Thank you. Suriya, Garris—if you’ll pack, I have a few words to say to the Halverics.” Her squires moved away, toward the kitchens, where Paks heard the stirring of servants and cooks. The Halverics came near, and they stood together at one side of the hall. “If you recall anything else—anything at all—about the Duke’s past, please tell me now.”
Aliam rubbed his head. “After this? Let me think—”
“Anything that would tell us where he was, those lost years?”
“No—not really. Why? You know where he is now.”
Paks sighed. “I know. It’s just—I’m not sure how to go from here. If I take the King’s Squires into Tsaia—”
Aliam relaxed. “Oh, that. I can help you there.” He grinned at her expression. “Diplomacy . . . I’ve been marching foreign troops through Tsaia for years, haven’t I? You’re right, you can’t take Lyonyan King’s Squires through Tsaia on a quest without causing lasting trouble. You’ll have to go to Vérella first—”
“But the Duke—if someone realizes, and goes for him—”
“If the gods want Kieri on this throne, they’ll watch out for him that much. He’s in the midst of his own people, safer there than anywhere. After the trouble you’ve told us about, do you think they’ll fail to watch out for him? And not because he’s a prince, either.” He shook his head. “You go to Vérella. Tell the Regency Council about your quest. You needn’t name Kieri, not then. Tell them you must consult him about the sword: that’s true, and logical since you found it in his Hall, and his wife used it.”
Paks nodded slowly. This felt right, far better than trying to reach the Duke secretly.
“Paksenarrion,” said Aliam, touching her arm. “If you are killed, what then? Shall I try to tell Kieri, and hope that good comes?”
“My lord, if I am killed on this quest, then my advice is not worth much. I can tell you nothing you could not think of yourself—and you have the advantage of me in experience. Your land will go ill until an able ruler holds the throne; I believe the Duke is able. In the meantime—” Paks found herself reaching out to both of them; for a few moments they embraced. “Guard yourselves; try to hold the kingdom together until I return with him.”
“You fear trouble here, as well?”
“My lord Halveric, you saw what tangled in your halls this night. If that one is spinning webs of distrust in the kingdom, how long will that patched-up regency council satisfy everyone? Too many people know something bad about the Duke; it will be easy to convince the fearful that he is grim and terrible. Were I you, I would be ready to aid Sier Halveric and the council at need.”
“I will be ready,” said Aliam.
Paks looked around and saw that her squires were ready to ride; Lieth and Esceriel had saddled the horses and had them by the door, while Garris and Suriya packed all their gear and food. She bowed; the Halverics bowed in response.
“My lord—my lady. Gird’s grace be on this house, and the High Lord’s power protect it.” At those words, her light came, and blazed through the Hall as she and the squires walked out into a cold night. She did not damp it there, deeming it wise to maintain that protection.
So they rode off, in the turning hours of night. Paks, looking back for an instant at the gate, saw two small heads at one window, and wondered if they would remember, in older years, the night they saw a paladin ride away, light glittering on the snow.
23
Dawn found them far north and west of Aliam Halveric’s steading. Paks had chosen the direction, which took them across a low rolling ridge of forest toward the Tsaian border. As they rode, she tried to think which path north would bring them to Vérella with the least interference. She thought of going through Brewersbridge again—the Kuakgan might know more of the Duke than he’d said, might know if he could be healed. But Achrya knew she had been there before, knew where her friends were. She could not bring that danger to Brewersbridge. There would be blood in plenty before this was done; she would not start there. In first light, with the low sun throwing long blue shadows across the snow, she turned north.
“Lady?” Garris turned to her. “Are you sure? Where are we bound?”
She rode on some little time before answering. No one hurried her. Finally she halted; they formed a close group around her. “You all saw what we faced last night,” she began. They nodded. “It will have occurred to you that evil powers prefer that the true prince not be found. I had hoped we would be further with the quest before they noticed us; but paladins are not the spies of the gods, but their champions. I do not bring peace with me.”
“I understand,” said Suriya quickly, then blushed as the others looked at her. Paks smiled.
“Suriya, I believe you. I, too, before this—I would have said the same. Now let me go on. I have not told you all I know—nor will I. Believe that it is not my lack of trust in you, but the command of the gods I serve, that prevents me.”