He stood up, bowed and backed out. At the door, he hesitated.
'Ask,' the abbot said.
'It was Galestorm, who shot the bird, not Beartooth.'
'I know. Sixty years in the abbey have taught me to recognise a bully and a liar. I don't have to be a mystics master to see the truth.'
Fyn blinked. 'They why…'
The abbot sighed. 'Galestorm and his companions are backed by powerful masters, who seek to cripple me through you. Do you understand?'
Fyn nodded, though he wasn't sure he did, wasn't really sure why the abbot was telling him this.
'I could not clear you of the accusation without a confession. Feldspar's revelation made it abundantly clear what sort of person you are. Anyone who gives up power because he thinks he does not deserve it would not wantonly harm a defenceless creature.'
Fyn swallowed. 'What will happen to Galestorm and the others?'
The abbot smiled. 'Their penance is to serve the livestock master. They are currently mucking out the stables.'
A laugh escaped Fyn.
The abbot grinned. 'I believe the punishment must fit the crime.'
Fyn discovered he liked the abbot. He bowed and backed out into the hall. No wonder the abbot and Master Wintertide were fast friends, they saw the world in the same way.
It was a pity he had to let them both down.
The thought made him feel heart-sick, again. If the abbot knew the true extent of Fyn's crime, what punishment would he assign him? Deeply saddened, for he had several true friends in the abbey who he would be sorry to disappoint, Fyn headed back to the acolytes' sleeping chamber.
He had until spring cusp to plan his escape.
With a start he realised he would miss his parents' Jubilee. Worse, Piro would think he'd deserted her.
Piro tickled the foenix's chest. 'How's my pretty?'
His chest scales were becoming more pronounced. Eventually they would be hard as armour to protect him in mating fights. She wasn't sure how long it took for a foenix to mature but she hoped they would be able to capture a female for him.
'Here he is, Temor,' her mother said, her voice carrying in the quiet of the menagerie.
Piro came to her feet, creeping between the hothouse plants. What was her mother doing here with the captain? Had Byren come back?
They had entered through the far door and now they stood in front of the unistag enclosure. The creature had a stall, fresh hay and space to wander but Piro had always felt sorry for him. He should have been wandering the high mountains, lithe as a mountain goat. Instead he'd spent all his life here, after being captured as a new-born by her grandfather, founder of 'Mad King Byren's menagerie.'
Temor lifted a horse's halter and stepped through the gate, advancing on the unistag making soft noises. It would have worked with a horse, but this was an Affinity beast, never meant to wear a halter.
The unistag reared, spinning on its rear legs, cantering off to the far side of the enclosure.
Her mother opened the gate and entered. 'I'll herd it towards you.'
'That will never work,' Piro told them, climbing onto the top rail of the fence. Her foenix flew up to land next to her.
Both Temor and her mother gave a guilty start, which intrigued Piro.
'You can't capture a unistag, you must woo him.' She jumped down. 'Go back and let me show you.'
It was only when they latched the gate that she realised how dangerous this was. The unistag had been one of her friends for years, but more recently it had become very fond of her because she let it absorb the excess Affinity from her skin by licking her fingers. This had helped her limit her use of dreamless-sleep. She hated the way the drug made her feel thick-headed and stupid. Since she'd begun feeding the unistag her unwanted Affinity, the beast's coat had improved and its spiral horn gleamed again.
It trotted over, intelligent silvery eyes fixed hopefully on her, velvet muzzle quivering, but she didn't want to betray her Affinity in front of the others. She gathered her will to halt the build-up, finding it harder than she'd anticipated. It had become habit, and habit was hard to break. Too late, her fingers tingled with unwanted Affinity and the unistag snuffled eagerly. She put her back to her mother and Temor in the hope that this would hide what she was doing. The exchange worked on touch, so it was very isolated. She prayed that unless someone was looking for Affinity, they would not notice.
The rasping tongue of the unistag tickled and she smiled as she stroked his muzzle.
'There, see,' she called over her shoulder. 'He's friendly really. You just have to know the way to go about it. Why do you want to put a halter on him anyway?'
When she turned to face them, the unistag nuzzled her neck giving her goose bumps.
Temor and her mother exchanged glances.
'Could Captain Temor lead the unistag across the Dividing Mountains?' her mother asked.
Piro laughed. 'He couldn't lead him out of the enclosure.'
'But the unistag will follow you?' her mother prompted.
Piro nodded.
Temor sighed. 'We'll have to tell her. It won't work without Piro.'
'She'll have to go with you,' her mother agreed, not sounding pleased at all.
'Go where?' Piro asked, consumed with curiosity.
'But that means she will have to stay with the unistag as long as it is needed,' Temor countered.
'She'll need a disguise,' her mother said. 'I'm sure I can rig something to make her look like a goatherd from Unistag Spar. We've plenty of props in our stage craft chest.'
'I'm going to meet up with Byren?' Piro pounced on this eagerly.
Temor cleared his throat. 'It will be dangerous. Warlord Steerden is a ruthless man and even if this works, Lady Unace still has to take back the stronghold.'
'I'm going to help Byren win the warlord of Unistag's loyalty?' Piro guessed.
Her mother fixed on her. 'You'll have to obey your brother implicitly.'
Piro nodded. She could do whatever she liked. Byren always forgave her.
'No running off on escapades of your own.'
She shook her head. Only ones that would help Byren.
'You'll have to keep your mouth shut,' Temor warned, 'or your accent will give you away.'
'Arrh, but you're wrong there,' Piro countered.
A surprised laugh escaped Temor.
Her mother smiled. 'You always were a quick study.'
Piro basked in her mother's approval for a change.
'Very well,' the queen said. 'Temor, get Seela to pack enough food for the journey. No one must know you've been here. You'll leave as soon as possible.'
He hurried off.
Piro couldn't stand still, could hardly believe her luck.
'Come here,' her mother beckoned.
She darted over, stepping through the gate as her mother opened it. The queen snatched Piro's hand and lifted it to her face to inhale.
Piro froze. Could her mother sense the Affinity she'd used to lure the unistag?
Queen Myrella's eyes widened and Piro's heart missed a beat.
'You reek of Affinity. Why didn't you tell me, Piro?'
'Seela said — '
'Seela knew?'
Piro nodded. 'She told me not to tell you because you would be disappointed.'
The queen let her hand drop. She looked pale and her fingers trembled visibly. 'Oh, Piro. I am so sorry. Your father will be devastated.'
'We don't have to tell him. We can hide it,' Piro insisted. 'After all, you've been hiding yours for years!'
'Seela told you about me?' Her mother went even paler.
Piro nodded. 'I've been careful, just like you.'
'You just gave yourself away!'
'But only because you knew what to look for,' Piro insisted.
'The abbey mystics know. Our Affinity warders will guess — '