"Very adult handling of that situation," Reisz chided as they walked the streets, trying to come up with a plan of action. The afternoon sun waned as storm clouds gathered.
"We have escorts," Myrmeen said, ignoring his comment and indicating the guardsmen who followed in a less than subtle manner.
"That means that if we try to rouse the people's attention, we will be slapped in chains before we have accomplished anything," Reisz added.
They walked a few blocks, and Myrmeen fumed over the old ruler's comparison of her to a child. Krystin stopped suddenly, clutching at the glass window of a nearby shop as realization struck her like a fist.
"The children," Krystin said. "It's the children they're going to want, just like they did last time."
Myrmeen blanched at the girl's words. "Why?" she whispered softly as she touched Krystin's shoulder.
"I don't know why," Krystin said, shrugging off the soothing touch as she hugged herself.
Myrmeen saw a sidewalk eatery with tables just ahead. She led her companions to a table and sat down hard, gesturing for the guardsmen to join them. The hard-looking men stood at a respectful distance, about a hundred feet away, and did not acknowledge the invitation. Myrmeen ordered a round of the strongest ale on the menu as she thought about the danger to Calimport's children.
"I don't know what to do," Myrmeen said. "If we knock on doors and walk around with signs, we'll be laughed at or thrown out of town. The council doesn't believe us."
"Perhaps this is why Lord Sixx let us live," Reisz said, "to let us face the humiliation of failure, to watch the suffering and not be able to stop it." The swarthy-skinned man shook his head. "We're going to need help. If we can't do anything to stop the festival, then we're going to have to be prepared to fight-"
"Six thousand," Myrmeen reminded him. "How can we fight that many?"
"Shandower did it," Krystin said quietly. Everyone stared at her. "Erin took the apparatus. It's something they need. You saw the way they reacted."
"Are you saying we should steal it back?" Ord asked.
"Or destroy it," the girl replied.
"Shandower must have tried," Myrmeen said. "With his wealth, he would have tried everything, every form of magic available."
"There are mages who aren't for hire," Reisz said. "Elmin-ster, for one."
"I thought you said he was an old nag," Ord remarked.
"That aside," Reisz said with a grin.
"We don't have time to reach the Dales," Myrmeen said. "The festival is long overdue. They're not going to deky any longer. I wouldn't be surprised if preparations were already underway by the ones who were left behind."
"No," Reisz said, "Lord Sixx wouldn't have wanted the humiliation if he returned empty-handed. We have some time."
"What do you suggest?" Myrmeen asked.
"I have a friend who owes me a favor in Teshburl," Reisz said. "It's not far from here."
Ord rolled his eyes. "Vitendi? You would call upon that lout, after the way he treated you, after he threatened you in front of us all?"
"That's just his way," Reisz said, dismissing him.
"Really?" Ord said. "That's like saying that a mass murderer who consumes his victims' flesh is not a bad person- that's just his way!"
"Why are you so against this?" Krystin asked.
Ord ran his hand over his face. "It's going to be a waste of time. Vitendi will never-"
Reisz leaned over and cupped his hand over Ord's ear as he whispered to the nineteen-year-old. Ord's expression changed, and he nearly laughed.
"Admiral Mond Vitendi has his own fleet, a marvelous navy that rarely gets a chance to fight anyone," Ord said in a complete turnabout. "Excellent choice."
Myrmeen wondered what Reisz had on the man, then shook her head. "So how do you intend to get to him?"
With a smile Reisz said, "Do you have any more gold?"
Several hours later, at twilight, Myrmeen, Krystin, and Ord stood beside Reisz near the docks. He had chartered a small vessel and was preparing to depart. Two new guardsmen made their presence known without engaging the group. "They're charging us a fortune," he said. "They tell me there's a storm on the approach, a bad one."
A mass of clouds had gathered over the city. Myrmeen forced away memories of the night she had lost her child.
Reisz shrugged. "Of course, the interesting thing will be the Djenispools' reaction when Vitendi's ships arrive in their port."
"They'll probably welcome them as tourists," Myrmeen said. "Keep the men on the ships, or their discipline will be corrupted by this city within an hour of landfall."
"Provided they'll come," Reisz said with a wink to Ord.
"There are no guarantees."
Ord looked away, grinning.
"I'll see you soon," Reisz said as he turned.
Myrmeen glanced at the child who might have been her daughter. "Reisz, I want you to take Krystin."
"Absolutely not," Krystin said.
A single eyebrow rose on Reisz's worn face. "I'm not going to drag a prisoner behind me. Krystin, do you want to come with me or stay behind to face the night people?"
"I'm not stupid," she said. "I don't want to die, but the couple who adopted me is in the city, looking for me. I have to get them to safety first."
Myrmeen felt a heavy weight rise from her heart, lodging deeply in her throat.
"Then I'm going to tell them I want to return to Arabel with Myrmeen," Krystin said, "if she will have me."
Staring at the girl in total surprise, Myrmeen whispered, "Of course I will. But I still need to know what happened to my daughter."
"I understand," Krystin said, taking the conversation no further. Reisz nodded and walked down the pier.
"Wait," Myrmeen called, running after him. She stopped before Reisz, her chest heaving. "I just-I don't know. You've been so good to me over the years, Reisz."
"I know," he said. "I'm a wonderful man."
Her shoulders sagged.
"Let's not beat it into the ground," he said. "You know how I feel about you. Nothing's changed."
Reisz leaned in, kissed her, then turned and walked away. Myrmeen was speechless as she watched his receding form become swallowed by the shadows. Krystin and Ord came to her side.
"Do you think he'll make it?" Krystin asked.
"I hope so," Myrmeen said, but she knew why the girl was concerned. The storm promised to be terrible.
Night was almost upon them. Watch fires burned along the dock. Myrmeen was about to leave when she sensed a familiar presence. Someone was watching her. As if answering an unspoken summons, a woman eased from the shadows. It was Tamara. Myrmeen spun, blade in hand, as Ord and Krystin readied themselves for battle. The guardsmen who had been watching them had vanished.
"He seems like a good man," Tamara said.
Myrmeen's heart raced, but she could tell from the dark woman's relaxed manner that no attack was pending. Tamara held out her hands to show that she carried no weapons.
"I thought we should talk," Tamara said. "You see, the time you thought was yours is gone. The festival will commence tonight."
"No," Myrmeen said. She was certain she had a span of days ahead of her, time enough to fulfill Krystin's mission and send the girl away to safety; time enough to do something for the children who were in danger.
"W; returned much earlier than you," she said. "Listen. The opening movements of our grand composition have begun."
From above Myrmeen heard the roll of thunder. Tamara spread her arms wide as she spun like a child, her head thrown back with a rapturous smile as the heavy wind blowing from the coast lifted her hair and ran through it with invisible fingers.