Sonea reached into her robe for Osen’s ring. “I don’t know.”
“You haven’t contacted Osen yet?”
“I did earlier. Nothing was happening. I didn’t want to keep the ring on in case someone came up the stairs and I was too distracted to notice.”
“No need to worry about that now. I can keep watch.” He chuckled. “See? You do need me.”
Biting back a retort, she felt her fingers close on the ring. She drew it out, slipped it on her finger and sought Osen and Dannyl’s minds.
Peering around the corner of the building, Dannyl searched the street and was relieved to see it was empty. Beckoning to Tayend and Merria, he stepped out and hurried forward. Their footsteps and breathing told him they followed close behind.
So far the only people they’d seen roaming the city were slaves and a carriage driven by a man too well dressed to be a slave. All had been in a hurry. All had been moving away from the centre of the city, whereas Dannyl and his companions were moving inward.
Unfortunately, what made Ashaki’s home attractive also made it dangerous: its proximity to the wide parade leading to the palace. Getting close enough to see the battle also meant getting close to the very people he’d been warned to stay away from.
But we should be fine, once we get there. Once we’re inside and out of sight.
He’d always been aware of the prestigious location of Achati’s house, but had never been in any rooms on the parade side. Master’s Rooms and private suites were usually central, and did not have windows. Sachakans preferred privacy and to be away from the heat of the summer sun over nice views.
He reached a larger thoroughfare – one that joined to the parade. Achati’s house was on the corner. After checking that the street was empty, he led the others around the corner. Keeping close to the wall on one side, he tried to walk softly and quickly. Even so, the rap of his and Merria’s boots echoed in the street.
Tayend’s shoes made little more than a soft tap, he noted. As if to make up for that, the buttons and clasps of his elaborate courtier garb clinked and chimed as he moved. The noise would normally be unnoticeable, but in the eerie quiet it sounded like... He frowned as he tried to think of a comparable racket. Like the rattle of roughly handled cutlery.
A door across the street opened and he froze. He heard Merria stop and out of the corner of his eye he saw Tayend casting about for somewhere to hide, but it was too late. A man emerged, looked up and, as he saw them, he stopped.
Ashaki. Dannyl’s heart pounded. The man stared at them, then he straightened and started toward them.
“Run?” Merria asked quietly.
Dannyl shook his head. To run would make them look guilty. To show fear would make it obvious they had reason to. Warrior lessons from long ago repeated in his mind. You can’t tell how strong another magician is, nor he you. A confident attitude will give your adversary reason to doubt he is stronger, even if all evidence points to him being so. Following the other man’s lead, he straightened his back and walked forward to meet him.
The man was about sixty, Dannyl estimated. Grey streaked his hair and the typical Sachakan broadness was well softened by fat.
“You are the Ambassadors from the Guild House?” the man asked briskly. He was tense, Dannyl noticed. In a hurry. Perhaps I can use that to my advantage.
“We are,” Dannyl said slowly and with formality. “I am Guild Ambassador Dannyl.” He gestured to Tayend. “This is Elyne Ambassador Tayend. And this—” he turned to Merria.
The man cut him off. “Why are you not at the Guild House? You do know what is about to occur? You may be heading toward a magical battle.”
“I have been appraised of the situation,” Dannyl assured him. “I assure you, we do not intend to get in the—”
“Then why are you here?”
“We were offered a safer alternative to the Guild House.” That much was true. Achati had told him there was a ship waiting.
The man frowned. “Here? Close to the palace. How can here be safer?”
Dannyl shrugged. “The Traitors are unlikely to get this far.”
That had the desired effect. The man’s chin lifted. “Yes. Of course. Well, then. It is not far to the palace and I am heading that way. I will escort you there.”
Uh, oh. The last place Dannyl wanted to be was among the Ashaki, if they started to lose and were desperate for more power. He ducked his head in apology.
“I’m afraid we aren’t going to the palace. Both of our rulers are keen to avoid any impression of interference by the Guild.” Then, knowing the man was not going to let them wander off without knowing their destination, especially after mentioning the possibility of interference, he added: “We are going to Ashaki Achati’s house.”
The man’s eyebrows rose, then he nodded. “I will take you to the door.”
He strode away, his strides long and fast. Dannyl followed, relying on the sound of Merria’s footsteps and Tayend’s noisy buttons to tell him they were keeping up. The temptation to look back and meet Tayend’s eyes was strong, but he resisted. Looking confident meant also looking as though he was in charge.
Peering over the Ashaki’s shoulder, he saw movement. A crowd large enough to block the broad street had gathered, and probably filled the parade beyond. Men in trousers and short coats stood watching something within the parade that Dannyl couldn’t see. Precious stones glittered in the sunlight. Ashaki. Many, many Ashaki. At any moment one is going to look up, see us and draw the attention of the others to us. What will happen then? He could not help imagining a horde of them coming at him, ready to harvest power from the three foreigners.
But none did. As the self-appointed escort neared the door of Achati’s house the crowd began to move. The Ashaki army was leaving. Dannyl hoped this would persuade the escort to abandon them, but the man only scowled and stepped up to the door. He rapped on it.
A long silence followed. The Ashaki rapped again. As time stretched, Dannyl felt his heart beating fast. Achati would be with the king. The slaves had probably gone. What would the escort do when it became clear nobody was going to answer? The man knocked a third time, waited, sighed, then turned to face Dannyl.
Then, as his mouth opened to speak, the door swung inward. A slave peered out.
“Ambassador Dannyl.”
Tayend let out an in-held breath and Merria sighed. The Ashaki turned to look back at the slave, then at Dannyl, then towards the parade. Following his gaze, Dannyl saw the last of the Ashaki stride out of sight behind the building opposite.
“Thank you, Ashaki...”
The man didn’t offer his name. He took a step back. “Stay out of sight,” he advised, then he turned and broke into a run.
Dannyl looked at Tayend and Merria. Their eyes were wide as they stared back at him. “Let’s get inside.”
The slave didn’t protest as they pushed through the door. Once all were in the Master’s Room he threw himself on the floor. Hearing a movement, Dannyl saw another slave on the floor near another corridor. He looked from one to the other and frowned. Why were these two still here?
“Stand up,” he ordered. The pair obeyed. “What are your names?”
“Lak.”
“Vata.”
“Why haven’t you left with the rest of the city’s slaves?”
Lak glanced at Vata. “He may need us,” he said.
“He” must be Achati. Dannyl felt a wry admiration for their loyalty.
“What’s the best place we can see the parade from?” Tayend asked.