Chapter 32 #2
“So did Ivy,” Stavros says dryly. Despite his tone, he lifts his hand to rest it on my back long enough to set my skin tingling, guiding me toward the table.
“It sounds as though we’ve all been busy.
Let’s sit, and our Lady Thief can start by telling us what madness the Order of the Wild has pursued this time. ”
I settle into one of the chairs, my stomach knotting. But now my mind is clear enough that I can give a cohesive account of last night’s events.
As I lay out everything from meeting with the other candidates to our journey across the river to the drugged drink we were given, the men’s expressions turn increasingly tense.
They barely speak other than sounds of sympathy or protest. But when I describe the young man who also came from the college, Casimir knits his brow.
“I might know him. That sounds like one of the newer students in the companionship division—he’s specializing in poetry.”
“See if you can arrange to point him out to Ivy in the dining hall or elsewhere so she can confirm,” Stavros suggests with his commander’s airs, and motions to me. “Where were they taking you?”
My gut only gets heavier as I tell them about the ritual in the clearing. Alek’s stance goes rigid when I mention Ster. Torstem killing the false king, and Casimir pales at my description of the burning effigy and the remarks the law professor made.
“They’ve all but stated outright that they intend to see the royal family dead,” I finish.
“I don’t know how soon they plan on making a move or how they’ll do it, but I think we should warn the king of how passionate they are about that goal.
And that might not even be the worst of it.
I went looking for the body of the false king while the bonfire was still going…
but what I found was a bunch of clay shards. ”
I have the sense that Alek’s forehead has furrowed behind his mask. “They killed several of their conjured beasts too?”
I wet my lips. “I don’t think so. I think the man was conjured out of a sculpture. That must be how they got him to look fairly similar to King Konram. And why they didn’t have any qualms about killing him just for a trial.”
Stavros’s eyes have widened. “Bringing small animals to life is shocking enough. This was a totally convincing person?”
I grimace. “Yes. I mean, he didn’t say anything, so I have no idea how much of a mind he had. But I had no suspicion he was anything other than an actual human being until I found the mess of clay.”
“Great God help us,” Alek says faintly. “If they could be making a horde of supporters…”
Stavros pushes back his chair with a rasp of the legs against the floor. “I think I’d better inform the king of all this as quickly as he can see me.” He pauses. “I’ve already had some other news from the Crown’s Watch.”
My heart lurches at his tone. “What?”
The former general’s eyes have gone stormy. “Benedikt’s body was found yesterday evening. In the harbor, made to look like he was wandering amid the boats after having too much to drink, fell in and hit his head and drowned.”
He catches my gaze. “He had his locket on him, probably because the conspirators didn’t know the significance and wanted to avoid the death looking like a crime by involving robbery.”
That’s what he meant when he said we didn’t need to worry about signaling the men.
Oh, Benny, Julita murmurs.
I hug myself, queasiness bubbling up through my chest even though I expected an outcome like this. “At least… At least he can’t harm the royal family now. I hope it was a quick death.”
Casimir taps his fingers down his front in the gesture of the divinities, his expression downcast. “However much of a scoundrel he decided to be in the end, I hope the same for him too.”
Alek stiffens. “You don’t think—if the scourge sorcerers can make people out of clay—could everything with him have been a trick?”
I stare at him, my stomach flipping over. Could it be true…?
But in the first instant I consider the idea, as much as part of me welcomes it, a conflicting certainty rises up.
“I don’t see how. The replica of the king only sort of looked like him—it doesn’t seem the scourge sorcerers can make exact copies.
And how would they have known I’ve got any connection to Benedikt for it to make sense as a trick?
Unless they figured out I’m working against them, I guess, in which case they’d have already killed me. ”
“Not to mention that in every account we’ve had of the conjurings so far, they’ve changed back into clay at death,” Stavros adds. He pauses, his tone turning even more solemn. “I saw his body myself to confirm. The poor prick.”
Alek bows his head. A moment of silence passes between us—the last thing we can offer the colleague who betrayed us.
Then Stavros stands with a nod to Casimir. “Have you discovered anything I should bring up with King Konram as well?”
The courtesan makes an apologetic expression. “No. I’m still chasing down leads that I hope will turn up more concrete information.”
“Then I’ll make my report now.” Stavros pauses. “Ivy, wait here until the next bell. If I’m able to speak to the king right away, he may want to hear more details directly from you.”
A shiver runs through my nerves at the thought of facing the king, but I bob my head in agreement. Stavros strides to his ring without hesitation.
When he’s gone, Casimir tugs his chair closer to mine and reaches to caress the side of my face. “Every time those fiends call on you, they ask something horrible of you.”
I smile tightly. “We knew it’d probably be that way when we came up with the plan. I’m surviving.”
Alek makes a face. “You should be able to do more than just survive.”
When I look at him, I find I can smile more openly. “I have been, though. Mostly thanks to the two of you.”
The scholar’s piercing eyes soften. He touches my jaw and leans in for a kiss.
At the brush of Alek’s lips against mine, Julita lets out a disgruntled sound. Well, there’s my cue to remove myself again.
I jerk back, meaning to reassure her, but I can already feel that the tingle of her presence has faded to almost nothing in the back of my head.
“What’s wrong?” Alek asks.
“It’s not you,” I assure him quickly. “It’s…”
All Julita’s remarks over the past few weeks bubble up to the surface. An ache wraps around my heart, but I know the right thing to do.
I grip Alek’s hand to try to soften the blow.
“Julita’s been feeling discarded now that we’ve gotten so close.
I think she’s regretting chances she didn’t take when she was alive and having trouble coming to terms with the fact that she won’t get to take any chances like that again. It hurts her, seeing us together.”
Casimir knits his brow. “That isn’t your fault, Kindness.”
“No. But if I’m going to live up to that nickname…
we should tone down the physical closeness, at least. For now.
” I don’t even know how much longer she’ll end up staying with me.
“She feels like she has to pull away every time we get at all intimate, and it sounds like she’s stuck in this vague dark space when she does that… ”
Alek twines his fingers with mine. “You know you haven’t done anything wrong, don’t you? None of us were involved with Julita that way.”
He glances at Casimir, who inclines his head in confirmation. “She never engaged my ‘services’ as a client or as a friend. Occasional flirtation isn’t any kind of claim, even if she were still alive.”
“I know.” I swallow thickly. “But she’s the first real friend I’ve had.
She’s helped me through so many of the things I’ve faced here.
And I wouldn’t have met you at all if she hadn’t trusted me with her mission.
I don’t want to make her last days here, however few they might be, totally miserable. ”
From the way she talked during the last trial, she’s started to feel as if even I don’t really want or need her around.
Casimir offers me a tender smile. “And that’s why you do deserve the nickname. We can hold off on the physical displays of affection for the time being. As long as you know it’s not for lack of interest.” A sly glint enters his eyes.
I laugh. “If I start to doubt that, I’ll give you the opportunity to remind me.”
Alek still looks pensive. “I know this would be a difficult situation to bring up with her, but at some point you’ll need to talk about—”
A flash of light blazes from the mirror in the corner, and his mouth snaps shut. I get to my feet, my pulse thumping faster.
The light must have been some kind of alert that the mirror’s magical purpose was activated. It fades away to reveal an image of the king, standing in what looks to be the same room as when we spoke to him right after the attack on the city.
King Konram studies me for a moment in silence. My skin crawls under his scrutiny, but I hold my posture straight and clasp my hands in front of me to stop them from fidgeting.
“Ster. Stavros has informed me of your continuing work infiltrating the scourge sorcerer group,” he says abruptly. “From what he describes, they’ve shown a particular animosity toward me.”
I give a slight bow. “I’d say that’s accurate, Your Highness.”
“I’d like you to give me your full account of the recent ceremony that included my likeness. Leave out no details.”
“Yes, of course.”
I drag in a breath and go through the story again, pausing here and there to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. When I get to the most violent aspects of last night’s events, my lungs constrict, but King Konram doesn’t do anything more than frown.
The most reaction I get is when I mention my attempts to uncover his eldest son’s fate. His stance stiffens slightly.
He makes a gesture to stop me. “You shouldn’t pursue that line of questioning any further. I’ve confirmed that scourge sorcery had nothing to do with Dunstam’s death.”
How did he manage to confirm anything about a death several years ago?
But it’s hardly my place to debate with the king. I continue on to the end of my account.
“They continue to conceal and obscure everything they can,” Konram says when I’m finished. “You still haven’t heard any specific plans they intend to carry out?”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.
I’m not considered a real part of their ‘order’ yet—I suppose they don’t trust me enough.
But now that they’re meeting in larger groups, there’ll be more chances for me to identify people.
Or, if soldiers could reach us after I send a signal, to take several into custody to interrogate. ”
The king gives a pensive hum. “From what you’ve said, they’ve become very skilled at evading discovery.
Given the magic they can wield, I’m not sure any of my people could slip past their sentries unnoticed in order to apprehend the others—especially a large enough squadron to be sure of overpowering them. ”
My stomach sinks. And what magic might the scourge sorcerers have ready to throw at those soldiers if they did make it close enough to attack?
“I’ll try to learn more about their defenses as well,” I promise.
“Well, perhaps it’s better this way. Even if we could apprehend them, they’re far more likely to open up to a supposed ally than an officer of the law, don’t you think?”
“That’s why we took this course to begin with.”
“Then I think we should continue it. We can’t even be sure yet how far the conspiracy reaches. I have plenty of guards to see to my immediate protection.” King Konram peers at me more closely. “Do you feel you’re in any significant danger if you stay the course?”
I hesitate, startled by the question.
The king goes on before I need to speak. “My loyal general appears to be rather concerned about your well-being. Do you have any concerns about pushing onward with your mission?”
Gods smite me, has Stavros been trying to appeal to the king on my behalf?
Of course, it’ll be as much to ensure I don’t fall apart and lose all control over my powers as about my personal safety.
My stomach lurches, but I bob in a slight curtsey. “I’m glad that I can serve the royal family and my country in this way. Also, it would likely be at least as dangerous for me to attempt to withdraw at this point as to stay the course.”
King Konram’s lips curve into a thin smile.
“I appreciate your commitment. It is vital that I know their strategies to fully defend myself, my family, and our country. Do whatever you can to find out what definite actions the miscreants intend to carry out. The risks you’re taking will be rewarded. ”