“Now, do you have anyone in mind to take as your assist ant?”
Forcing her mind back to her new task, she considered the question, and nodded.
Everything was illuminated by lamplight. As the Inava drew level with the wharf, slaves on the deck tossed ropes to those waiting below. Staying out of the way, Dannyl looked out at the city. There wasn’t much to see. Since the majority of the buildings in Arvice were single storey, the view was a rather boring stretch of similar rooftops.
“Ah, look,” Achati said. “The Guild House carriage has arrived. I would have taken you home in mine.”
Dannyl looked at the Sachakan and frowned in concern. “Perhaps it is better that you go straight home. You still look tired.”
Achati smiled. “I am a little, but not from the overuse of power. Travel wears me more than it used to. As you know, I didn’t sleep much last night.”
A glint of amusement had entered his gaze. Dannyl smiled and looked away. The day the storm had passed, the ship had pulled in at an estate belonging to a friend of Achati’s. They had collapsed onto the offered beds and slept late into the next day, then decided to leave early the next morning to avoid sailing at night. Even so, unfavourable winds meant they had arrived at Arvice late.
The estate had been luxurious. Dannyl wasn’t surprised when, Tayend having picked up on the possibility that their host might have goods to trade with Elyne, insisted Achati help him with all discussions on the matter, which went late into the night.
“Looks like we will be going our separate ways from here,” Tayend said as he emerged from the hatch and took in his surroundings. He turned to Achati and smiled. “Thank you, Ashaki Achati, for arranging and guiding us on this adventure.”
Achati inclined his head in the Kyralian way. “A pleasure and an honour,” he said.
“Will we see you at the Guild House soon?”
“I hope so,” Achati replied. “I will report to my king and deal with any matters that have accumulated in my absence first, of course. Unless one of those matters concerns one or both of you, I will be sure to make a social visit as soon as I am free to.”
The captain approached to tell them the ship was secure and safe for them to depart. They went through more formalities as their trunks were carried off, then they followed their luggage to their respective vehicles.
Once inside the Guild House carriage, Tayend was uncharacteristically quiet. Dannyl considered striking up a conversation as the vehicle rolled through the streets, but the Elyne looked lost in thought. They both watched the walls of Arvice pass by in silence.
When they finally turned through the Guild House gates, Tayend drew in a deep breath and sighed. He looked at Dannyl and smiled.
“Well, that was certainly an interesting adventure. I can say I’ve visited six lands now, though I suppose Duna isn’t technically a country in its own right.”
Dannyl shook his head. “No, but I suspect it may as well be. I can’t see the Ashaki ever truly controlling it – or even wanting to, if they are sensible.”
Pushing open the door, Tayend climbed out. Dannyl followed, noting the slaves lying prone on the ground.
“Stand up,” he ordered wearily. “Go back to your duties.”
The door slave hurried to the entrance and led them inside. They emerged from the end of the entry corridor into the Master’s Room. Healer Merria was waiting for them … and another magician. Dannyl looked at the Alchemist and gaped in astonishment.
“Lorkin!”
The young magician smiled. “Ambassador. You have no idea how relieved I am to see you. How was your journey?”
Dannyl walked forward and grasped Lorkin’s arm in greeting. “Nothing compared to yours, I’m sure. You have no idea how relieved I am to see you.”
Lorkin grinned. “Oh, I’m pretty sure I can guess. Would you like to wash and eat before I give you the news?”
Moving to one of the stools, Dannyl sat down. Lorkin chuckled.
“I gather that’s a ‘no’.”
“If you don’t mind,” Tayend said. “I’d like to wash and eat. I’m sure you can fill me in later.”
“Of course,” Dannyl said. “Tell the slaves to prepare something for us both.”
The Elyne hurried down the corridor to his room. As Lorkin and Merria sat down, Dannyl noted that both wore worried expressions.
“So is this good news or bad?”
Lorkin smiled wryly. “Both. The bad is this …”
He handed Dannyl a letter. Noting the Sachakan king’s seal, already broken, Dannyl opened the letter and read. He felt a chill run down his spine.
“So,” he said. “He forbids you to leave and informs you that he will summon you to meet with him once I have returned. It makes sense. You’ve spent months with the rebels so the king obviously wants to know everything you’ve learned.”
“You don’t expect me to tell him, do you?”
“Not unless the Guild – no, our king – orders you to.”
Lorkin looked worried. “Can he stop me leaving? Do I have to meet with him?”
“That depends how much he’s willing to test the peace between our lands.” Dannyl frowned. “The fact that you left to live with the rebels probably tested that peace quite a bit already. If we ignore this and send you home, it will be an even greater insult.”
“So what do we do?”
“You cooperate. You stay here. You meet him. You tell him nothing, respectfully and politely. We – myself, the Guild and king, and anyone else we can persuade to help us – work at persuading him to let you go.”
“It might take a long time.”
Dannyl nodded. “That’s very likely.”
Lorkin looked even more anxious now. He glanced at Merria, then at the door Tayend had disappeared through.
“There is … something else. I gather, since you were surprised to see me here, that you haven’t been in contact with Osen?”
Another chill ran down Dannyl’s spine. “No. There was a storm and … I’ve been too preoccupied to put on the ring.” He cursed silently. The blood rings were so useful and yet so limited. If only he’d been allowed to make a blood ring and leave it with the Administrator. Then Osen could have contacted him directly.
Lorkin met Dannyl’s eyes, his expression serious. He suddenly looked much older than he was – or than Dannyl was used to regarding him.
“I can’t discuss anything aloud in case we’re overheard. You need to contact Osen,” Lorkin said. “Now.”
EPILOGUE
A noise down the passage alerted Cery before he saw the light. Relieved, he stood up and waited for Anyi to reach him. As she neared him he saw her smile and he sighed with relief.
It was good to see her so happy. Good that she had a friend. Being cooped up in the hideout did not suit her, and no matter how many practice sessions he and Gol put her through they wouldn’t be able to curb her restless nature.
The only real danger in these visits to Lilia is the stability of the passages under the Guild. No Thief has dared to occupy them. The Slig, the slum children who had built themselves homes in parts of the Thieves’ Road, were said to instinctively know and avoid unstable areas. Anyi had taken Lilia down into the tunnels and they’d both started to make repairs. He hoped they knew what they were doing.
“You don’t have to wait for me,” Anyi said, and not for the first time.
Cery shrugged. “I don’t mind.”
“I was gone for hours.”
He looked at Gol. “We kept ourselves occupied.”