A look of surprise and then realisation crossed Anyi’s face, then she cursed and smacked her palm onto her forehead.
“What is it? You just gave something away, didn’t you?” Lilia considered Anyi’s words. “You’ve known Cery since you were a child.” No wonder Anyi was so loyal. Except that she had once wanted to spite him. As if … “He’s your father!”
Letting out a groan, Anyi nodded. “I am clearly much better at being a bodyguard than keeping secrets.”
“What’s the problem with people knowing your father’s a Thief?”
Anyi grimaced. “Skellin had Cery’s second wife and my half-brothers murdered. Well, we think it was him.”
“Oh.” All Lilia’s satisfaction at guessing the truth melted away. “So you’re afraid that, if he finds out you’re Cery’s daughter, he’ll try to kill you, too.”
Anyi shrugged. “He’d kill me anyway if he had the chance, because I’m Cery’s bodyguard. It’s more likely he’d do something to me to hurt or blackmail Cery, if he found out we’re related.”
“Well … your secret’s safe with me. Though if Sonea or Kallen ever read my mind—”
“Sonea knows. Kallen, on the other hand …” Anyi frowned, then regarded Lilia with one eyebrow raised. “I don’t suppose you feel like running away with me? With Cery’s help, I can take you somewhere the Guild will never find you.”
Lilia’s heart flipped over. “No. It’s tempting, but staying is … the right thing to do. I never really cared much about that, but I do now.”
“Even if they put you back in the Lookout? How is that right? It would be a waste.”
“No.” Lilia shook her head. “I broke a law, and my vow. I did it out of stupidity, not malice, but I need to be seen to be punished so that novices like Naki don’t do the things she did.” She shivered. “The last thing the Guild needs is to waste time and magic looking for me when it should be finding Skellin and Lorandra.”
But if I did go, Lilia suddenly thought, I could help protect Anyi. And Cery. It would be like returning the favour they gave me …
Anyi nodded slowly. “Well, it’s your decision.” She placed a hand on Lilia’s and squeezed. “I hope they don’t lock you up, because I’ve got rather fond of you. I’d like to see you again.”
Lilia smiled in gratitude. “I’d like to see you again, too.”
A tap at the door drew their attention. Anyi let go of Lilia’s hand and stood up as Sonea entered.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Sonea said. She looked at Anyi. “A rather cryptic message just arrived from Cery.” She handed over a small slip of paper. “I think he wants you to return.”
Anyi read it and nodded. “He wants me to pick up some sweet buns on the way.” Anyi turned back to Lilia and smiled. “Good luck.”
To Lilia’s amusement, Sonea beckoned and took her into a small bedroom, closing the door.
“This is where you’ll sleep,” Sonea told her. She bent to the door, obviously listening. “Cery always has another way of getting into the room than the corridor and I assume Anyi used the same method,” she explained. “I don’t want to know how, in case my mind is ever read.”
Lilia heard a dull thud. It must have been a signal, for Sonea turned the handle and opened the door. The guest room was now empty. Sonea turned to regard Lilia.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.” Lilia nodded. Though learning of Naki’s execution had been a shock, she felt better than she had expected. Not happy, but accepting of how things had turned out and hopeful that the future would be better.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Thanks. Thanks for letting me stay here.”
Sonea smiled. “Hopefully we’ll have a more permanent home for you soon. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable.”
Lorkin woke with a jolt.
Looking around, he made out his “rescuers” and fellow travel companions in the dim light of the carriage interior. All were asleep. He sighed in relief.
Since he had first joined them, the three Masters had pestered him for stories of his time among the Traitors. He’d refused to answer questions about even the most trivial details of Traitor life, saying that he dare not say anything until he had permission to from Ambassador Dannyl. Fortunately, their continuing attempts to worm something out of him were in a spirit of trying their luck. His silence on the subject was a challenge to them, but they did not want to risk the censure of those higher up in the Sachakan hierarchy – especially not the king.
The three men were determined to take Lorkin back to Arvice as quickly as possible. Lorkin hoped their motive was a desire to be credited with his rescue and safe return, rather than an expectation that the king would be eager to get hold of him and extract information. Master Akami had ordered the slaves to drive the carriage as fast as could be managed without ruining the horses, stopping off to change to fresh ones at estates along the way. The slaves took it in turns to drive, those who were resting binding themselves to the exterior seat at the back of the carriage so that they didn’t fall off while they dozed or slept.
It had grown unpleasantly fragrant in the cabin, not helped by the pungent odour of the hunter’s clothes Lorkin was wearing. They’d insisted he ditch the cape, but when they’d offered him typical Sachakan garb he’d declined, saying it was more appropriate that the next change of clothes he made was into Guild robes.
Looking out of the carriage window, he saw that everywhere was bathed in a pale light. It illuminated walls on either side of the road, and that could only mean one thing.
Arvice! We have reached the city! In just two days and nights.
It seemed incredible, considering how long it had taken him to get from the city to the mountains, but he and Tyvara had been on foot, not in carriages travelling at their fastest, with a change of horses whenever they tired.
“We’re back,” a voice said. Lorkin looked up to see that Master Akami was awake, stretching his arms and legs, and yawning simultaneously. The young Sachakan smiled at Lorkin, then tapped on the roof. “To the Palace,” he said.
Lorkin felt a chill run down his spine.
“Straight to the Palace?” he asked.
Akami nodded. “We should get you delivered as soon as possible.”
“But … I need to go the Guild House first. It would be better if I had a bath and changed into robes before I presented myself to the king.” Lorkin grimaced. “It’s early, and if I were the king I wouldn’t want to be woken up only to be greeted by a filthy Kyralian magician.”
Akami frowned as he considered this.
“He’s right.”
Lorkin turned to see that Master Chatiko was awake, rubbing at his eyes. “The Palace will need to be told Lord Lorkin has returned, but they don’t need him hanging about waiting for the king to emerge.” Chatiko yawned. “And it’s likely to be a waste of everyone’s time, since Lord Lorkin is probably obliged to consult with the Ambassador before speaking to the king.”
Akami looked thoughtful. He nudged Master Voriko with a foot, and the young Sachakan roused himself reluctantly.
“What do you think, Vori? Take Lorkin to the Palace or the Guild House?”
Voriko had to be asked three times before he was awake enough to understand. He looked from Lorkin back to Akami, his eyebrows raised in an expression that suggested his friend was an idiot.
“Take him to the Guild House, of course. They won’t even let him in the Palace, in that state. They mightn’t even recognise him.”
Akami shrugged, then nodded. He tapped on the roof again. “Take us to the Guild House.”