From her pack she pulled one of the meals, in a neatly sewn bag. She tore it open and found salted fish, a preserved egg with a green look to it, a bit of hard bread, walnuts, and a pickle. Just as she had once devoured the pork stew Hadrian and Royce had given her the first night she had traveled with them, she consumed this meal, and when finished, she searched the bag for any remaining crumbs. Sadly, she found only two more walnuts at the bottom. She considered opening another bag, but reason fought against the idea. Partially sated, her hunger lost its edge and gave up.
Most of the group found seats along the edge of the shelf and lined up like birds on a fence, their legs dangling at various rates of swing. Royce was the last to settle. As in the past, he spent some time exploring ahead and checking behind. Degan and Magnus sat together some distance from the rest, speaking together softly.
“Blessed Maribor, am I starved!” Mauvin declared as he tore open a bag of his own. His expression showed his disappointment, but he was not discouraged. After he tasted the contents, a smile returned. “That Ibis is a genius. This fish is wonderful!”
“I-have-the pork,” Alric managed to get out around the food in his mouth. “Good.”
“I feel as if I am back on a ship,” Wyatt mentioned, but did not pause to explain why as he tore his bread with his teeth.
Myron negotiated a trade with Elden over walnuts-a discussion held without words. The little monk looked exhausted but managed to smile warmly at the giant as they debated with hand gestures and nods. Elden grinned back, delighted by the game.
After eating, Arista looked around for a place to sleep. It was not like bedding down in a forest, where you looked for a flat area clear of roots and stones. Here everything was rock. One place was as good as another, and all appeared to offer little in the way of comfort. With her pack in hand, she wandered toward the center of the shelf, thinking that at the very least she did not want to roll off. She spotted Hadrian far down at the low end of the rock. He was lying on his back, his knees up, his head on his blanket, which he had rolled into a pillow.
“Something wrong?” she asked, approaching cautiously.
He turned on his side and looked up. “Hmm? No.”
“No?” She got down on her knees beside him. “Why are you all the way over here?”
He shrugged. “Just looking for some privacy.”
“Oh, then I’m probably bothering you.” She got up.
“No-you’re not.” He stopped her. “I mean…” He sighed. “Never mind.”
He sounded upset, frustrated, maybe even angry. She stood hovering over him, unsure of what to do. She hoped he would say something, or at least smile at her. Instead, he refused to look her way. His eyes focused on the darkness across the cavern. The miserable, bitter sound of the words never mind echoed in her head.
“I’m going to sleep,” she said at last.
“That’s a good idea,” he replied, still not bothering to look at her.
She walked slowly back to the center of the table, glancing at him over her shoulder. He continued to lie staring at nothing. It bothered her. If it were Royce, she would not give it a second thought, but this was not like him. She spread out her blankets and lay down, feeling suddenly awful, as if she had lost something valuable. She just was not sure what.
Her robe was dark. She had not noticed until that moment and could not recall when it had faded. They were all tired, even the robe. She looked up at the glowworms. They did look like stars. There must be hundreds of thousands.
The boy was pale, ghostly, his eyes sallow. His mouth hung slightly agape as if perpetually on the verge of asking a question, only he could no longer form words. She guessed it took all his mental capacity to keep from screaming. Jerish stood next to him. The fighter towered over the lad with a look that reminded her of a cornered mother bear. They were both dressed in common clothes, his armor and emblems left at the palace. He appeared to be a poor merchant or tradesman, perhaps, except for the long sword slung to his back, the pommel rising over his left shoulder as if keeping watch.
“Grinder,” the boy said as she entered the station.
“Nary,” she greeted him, and it took effort not to bow. He looked so much like his father-the same lines, the same clarity in his eyes, the cut of his mouth-the lineage of the emperor so obvious.
“Were you followed?” Jerish asked.
She smirked.
“A Cenzar cannot be followed?”
“No,” she said bluntly. “Everyone still thinks I am loyal to the cause. Now we have to be quick. Here.” She held out the necklaces. “This one is for you, Nary, and this is Jerish’s. Put them on and never take them off. Do you understand me? Never take them off. They will hide you from magical eyes, protect you from enchantments, allow me to find you when the time is safe, and even provide you with a bit of luck.”
“You intend to fight them?”
“I will do what I can.” She looked at the boy. Her efforts had to be for him now, for his safety and his return.
“You cannot save Nareion,” Jerish told her bluntly. She looked at the boy and saw his lips tremble.
“I will save what is dearer to him, his son and his empire. It may take time-a long time, perhaps-but I swear I will see the empire restored even if it costs me my life.” She watched as they slipped the necklaces on. “Be sure to hide him well. Take him into the country, assume the life of a commoner. Do nothing to draw attention, and await my call.”
“Will these really protect us from your associates?”
“I will have no associates after today.”
“Even old Yolric?”
She hesitated. “Yolric is very powerful, but wise.”
“If he is so wise, why is he with them? Is it not wisdom to preserve the empire and show loyalty to the emperor?”
“I am not certain Yolric is with them. He has always remained an island. Even the emperors do not influence him. Yolric does as he wishes. I cannot say what he will do. I hope he will join with me, but should he side with Venlin…” She shook her head sadly. “We must hope.”
Jerish nodded. “I trust you to watch our backs. I never thought I would ever say that-not to a Cenzar… not to you.”
“And I entrust you with the future of the empire and ultimately the fate of mankind-I certainly did not expect to be saying that to you.”
Jerish tore off his glove and held out his hand. “Goodbye, Brother.”
She took his hand in hers. This was the last time she would ever shake anyone’s hand.
How do I know that?
“Goodbye, Nary,” she told the boy. At the sound of her voice, Nevrik rushed forward and threw his arms about her. She hugged him back.
“I’m scared,” he said.
“You must be brave. Remember, you are the son of Nareion, the emperor of Apeladorn, the descendant of Novron, the savior of our race. Know that the time will come when the blood descendant of Novron must protect us again-your descendant, Nary. It may take many years for me to defeat the evil that has risen today, so you must not wait. If you find a girl who makes your heart smile, make her your wife. Remember, Persephone was a mere farmer’s daughter and she mothered a line of emperors. You must find a girl like that and have a family. Give your child your necklace and stay safe. Do what Jerish says. After this day, there will be no warrior greater than he. I will see to that as well.” She noticed a dark look come over Jerish. “It is necessary,” she told him, surprised at the ice in her own voice.