Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
L eofric followed Alexios back to the villa, and spent two days as his silent shadow. Auro had remained at the Domus with his brother, and Leofric could already see his absence weighing on the prince.
The King of Papia was in dire straits. He was bedridden, barely able to open his eyes for more than a few minutes at a time, and was lucid for even less. His condition didn’t seem to worsen, but certainly did not improve over the two days they spent without leaving the side of his sickbed. Leofric immediately suspected Kato, or one of the other strangers that had arrived in Queen Dafina’s entourage, but Alexios wouldn’t hear of it. “What have they to gain?” His Highness asked a dozen times.
Leofric was the first to admit he didn’t truly know—especially considering His Grace did not appear to be dying. And, if he did perish, it would do nothing to diminish Alexios’s power—it would augment it.
In one of his rare lucid moments, His Grace seemed certain that the assailant hailed from órnio. “We are Sokol’s allies,” he said. “And with our power spread thin to assist Neossós, they move to weaken us further.”
Leofric did see the wisdom in that, despite King Nelios’s fever. In the next breath, he demanded they remove his hands and feet because they had transformed into fish. They did not remove His Grace’s appendages, but they did dispatch spies to órnio.
“Even if you are correct, Leofric, it would be unwise to only pursue one lead, when two present themselves.”
“So, you are going to pursue the other?”
Alexios narrowed his eyes. “Of course, I am,” he snapped. “I am not the innocent fool everyone thinks I am.”
Leofric winced. He knew then he’d gone too far, and he must pull back his familiarity with His Highness, lest he overstep and ruin his chance to care for Hamalcar’s family entirely.
Of one thing Leofric was certain: there was no way that His Highness could leave Papia City at all. He must be there to rule beside his mother, to take on the duties the king could not perform in his current state, and of course, he must be there to bolster the treaty with Neossós and his intended bride. If órnio truly were making moves against Papia, that alliance was more crucial than ever. It was as if Leofric watched the same realization dawning on Alexios’s face as he sat beside his mother, staring as his father muttered feverishly in his sleep.
He wondered what would become of their quest, of the deal he and Alexios had made. It was selfish, perhaps, but he couldn’t help it. After a few days, when it became clear that the king was not immediately about to die, Alexios begged his mother’s pardon. “I must see Gaius Ursus,” he told her. “A matter regarding the roads.”
“Yes,” said Queen Clio vaguely, and Leofric could tell she barely heard him. Her eyes were only for her husband, as if by the strength of her gaze alone she could return him to health. This troubled Leofric. He’d had dealings with Prince Alexios’s parents, and found them a near indominable team. The queen, especially, was steady, level headed, and competent in her governance of Papia. The woman seated before him now was nearly unrecognizable.
Alexios did not speak until they had reached the royal stables. They mounted up and set a hard pace toward the city. “Your Highness,” Leofric began, when they were well away.
“Before you ask, I have no idea,” said Alexios grimly. “But I must speak with Auro.”
Leofric nodded and urged Lyra to run faster. Despite longing for the comfort of Auro’s arms, he knew Alexios would not wish to linger away from his father’s side. They would most likely make the reverse journey tonight. As they continued along the central road of Papia, Leofric made plans in his head, as he always did when he felt the threat of encroaching unknown. He would most likely leave Lyra there, stabled at the domus, and His Highness would most like do the same with Xanthos. It would not do for them to blow either mount when the journey was of such importance. They could trade out their horses for others housed in the city and return for Lyra and Xanthos later. It was hardly the most thrilling chain of thoughts, but that was the point. Creating plans in advance soothed him greatly, settled his nerves and his worry about the king.
Auro waited for them in the small stable at the Domus, as Leofric had known he would. Alexios wasted no time putting up his horse before striding across the room and pulling Auro into a crushing embrace. Auro wrapped his arms around the prince’s middle, giving him a squeeze. Of the freckled nuisance, there was no sign. Leofric found himself wondering if Cosmo had grown bored and fled, or if he were out cavorting at some brothel or other.
To his surprise, Cosmo waited for them in the dining chamber, setting out a platter of baked fish and fresh bread for supper. The four of them sat, and for a while, none spoke. Alexios seemed reluctant to part from Auro’s touch, keeping one hand firmly anchored in both of Auro’s own while he ate. Auro ate nothing, but watched Alexios through the entire meal, concern on his round face.
“This changes things,” said Cosmo bluntly. “No?”
The other three looked at him, and Leofric was privately grateful that he’d broken the oppressive silence, though he’d never admit it.
“Indeed,” said Alexios, his voice heavy. He had not slept in days. Leofric knew this because he also had not, keeping his post by Alexios’s side and refusing to be relieved by any of the other men. This whole thing could very well be some trap, meant to lure his Highness into some new danger.
“Alexios,” said Auro quietly. “You cannot leave Papia City.”
“I know,” Alexios agreed. “What are we going to do?”
“Excuse me,” said Cosmo. “I am unencumbered by any sort of royal obligation. I can continue on with our plan alone.”
“Cosmo, no!” said Auro. “It’s far too dangerous for you to go alone.”
Cosmo narrowed his eyes, for some reason insulted by his brother’s concern. “I have done things on my own for four hundred years.”
“And that’s gone very well for you,” Leofric said, before he could stop himself.
“ Leofric. ” Alexios’s voice cut like a knife, and Leofric flinched. He should know better than to speak so out of turn, but he was exhausted and frayed.
“So haven’t we all,” said Auro to his brother, sidestepping the uncomfortable moment. “It was not the way.”
“What choice do we have?” Cosmo shot back. “Unless you’d have us give up this mad notion.”
“There is no one else we can trust with this,” said Auro fearfully. “Janus already knows that we are searching for items of power—he nearly made off with Cedras’s grace.”
Cosmo wrinkled his nose. “And what could he do with a god’s power, mortal that he is?”
“Nothing good,” said Alexios flatly.
The three of them turned toward Leofric.
Leofric’s gaze flitted to each face in turn. “You can all see how this changes everything,” he said, setting down his wine.
“No, it doesn’t. This changes nothing,” said Alexios. “The three of you must still go.”
“What? Your Highness?—”
Alexios held up a hand. “I promised Auro I would help him in any way I could,” he said. “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend you on the mission, but I can send Leofric.”
“Highness, no,” said Leofric. “This whole thing could be a ruse, meant to leave you vulnerable.”
“Maybe,” said Alexios, “Or maybe not. Janus is not the only enemy of Papia. Part of my goal in remaining here is to discover the truth of that. We cannot defend against a threat we do not know.”
“Alexios,” said Auro. “I fear your mother the queen would find it highly suspect if you sent Leofric away during this time.”
“We might wait until next year,” Leofric said suddenly.
The other three turned toward him once again. “Pardon?” Said Alexios.
“Auro is awake,” he said. “He will remain awake, to my understanding. In the autumn, he will be able to restore…”
“…Cedras—”
“Cedras, yes. He will be able to restore Cedras to power, and it is my understanding that Cedras will restore Auro’s own, yes?”
“I believe so,” said Auro.
“Then we simply wait. Cosmo will return to sleep, and by next summer we will be more strongly placed to attempt the quest, and we need to not risk such a venture now, when things are not settled.”
Alexios and Auro shared a look, and Leofric took pains to avoid Cosmo’s gaze. His plan was sound, logical, and the safer course, but still he felt a surge of guilt.
“You all dragged me out of my life to do this, if you recall,” Cosmo said irritably. “If we were going to end here, I would rather have been left alone.”
“Cosmo—” said Auro, the pain evident in his voice.
“There is another way,” Cosmo interrupted him. He took a long, deep sip from his goblet. Leofric watched, annoyed, as the apple of his throat bobbed. It was plain he was extending the pause to heighten its dramatic affect.
“And what is that?” Alexios prompted.
“Well,” said Cosmo, and Leofric could sense a trap closing in around him. “If we wish to break the curse this year, and you obviously don’t trust me to carry out my mission alone?—”
“Cosmo, that’s not?—”
“And there’s no one else we can trust,” he went on, loudly, and at his next words, Leofric felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. “You could dismiss Leofric from your service.”
Cosmo took another sip of his wine to conceal his smile. The outrage on Leofric’s face was payment enough for making the suggestion even if eventually dismissed; he was nearly purple with sputtering rage. Cosmo let his suggestion land over the room like a heavy blanket. If they disagreed, he would go alone, Cosmo decided. They would expect him to give up, to return to his life of excess and debauchery, and he derived savage pleasure from doing the opposite of what everyone expected. He would retrieve Kryos’s grace, return here triumphant, to spite them all.
Leofric and Alexios left the room to discuss Cosmo’s idea, and Cosmo returned to his meal.
“That was unkind of you,” Auro chided him.
“What?” Asked Cosmo innocently.
“Taunting poor Leofric like that. He’s going to burst a blood vessel.”
Cosmo looked up, startled, to see Auro grinning, a gleam of mischief in his eye despite everything. He couldn’t help mirroring Auro’s smile. “Does the man ever unclench?”
“Not that I’ve witnessed,” said Auro.
“Someone ought to remove the spear from his ass,” Cosmo observed.
“Yes,” said Auro mildly. “ Someone. ”
Cosmo frowned. “What?”
“Oh, please,” said Auro. “I know you.”
Cosmo’s mirth vanished almost as soon as it had arrived. “Once, perhaps.”
Auro’s smile soured, too. “Yes,” he said. “Once.”
They stared at their plates. Cosmo cast around for a change of topic. “Would you join me?” He blurted. “When I go?”
Auro chewed his lip. “I had intended it to be so,” he said. “I wanted for us to…well. Things have changed now.”
Cosmo tracked Auro’s gaze, how it bored into the door separating him from Alexios. He’d never seen such an intense expression on Auro’s face. Such fierce longing. It was as if a part of Auro was on the other side of that door. Cosmo looked away, like he was intruding on something very private. Perhaps he was. “You do not wish to leave him.”
Auro tore his eyes away from the door to meet Cosmo’s. “Have you ever been in love?”
“Many times.”
Auro threw a roll at him. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” He paused. “No,” he said, after some thought. “No, I don’t believe I have.”
“I wondered,” said Auro. “When I first met Alexios. I returned to the temple and looked at all of your faces and wondered if any of you had ever felt this way.”
Cosmo weighed the question. The more he saw of this new sort of pain on Auro’s face the more certain he became. “Definitely not,” he decided. After a short hesitation, he said, “You should stay.”
“What?”
“You should stay, with Alexios. He needs you.”
“But—”
“I’ll be fine with Captain Tight-ass, and unless he strangles me in my sleep, I’ll return with Kryos’s Grace, the conquering hero!”
Auro gave him a tiny, nervous smile. “Oh, surely.”
“Besides, if you remain here with your princeling, perhaps you can do some more searching.”
“Searching?”
“In the books, those dreadful scrolls and histories. All we have done so far is guesswork, based on what happened to you. Perhaps you’d be able to find something more concrete in the queen’s library.”
“That’s so,” said Auro, considering.
In truth, Cosmo doubted it, but Auro plainly wished to stay. If Cosmo could offer him a plausible reason to do so, Auro would feel less guilty. Before Cosmo could come up with any other reasons to bolster his argument, the door flung open, banging against the stone wall opposite. Both Auro and Cosmo jumped.
Leofric stood framed in the door, scowling something fierce. He pointed a threatening finger at Cosmo. “You’d best be ready to depart at first light.”
He stormed through the dining room and out the door opposite without turning back.
“Joy,” said Cosmo sardonically.
Leofric paced back and forth in the small stable. Lyra stood patiently, saddled and bridled, her tail swishing as she watched him storming about. Leofric’s stomach tied in knots, and he fussed with the straps on his saddle, double checked the security of the saddle bags across Lyra’s flanks, which contained precious cargo: the gold from Prince Alexios. As he waited for Cosmo, Leofric touched the leather cuff beneath the bracer on his sword-arm. There was concealed inside it a secret pocket, in which a sheet of vellum, signed and sealed by His Highness, Prince Alexios Velius Papinus, crown prince of Papia. The paper was of equal value to the bags of golden coins strapped to his horse. It promised Leofric—under care of Imperator Hamate should Leofric fall during this fool’s quest—a staggering sum of gold to be presented to him upon return of the letter to Papia.
It also relieved him of the stain upon his oath. It was my plan to dispatch Leofric, Captain of my personal guard, on a mission for the crown of vital importance. His dismissal was a ruse, and he as always remained loyal to his sworn oath. Should he return to Papia, he should be restored of his office and titles immediately. Leofric had read the words so many times last night, tossing and turning in his bed, that he had them memorized. Eventually, he’d given up on sleep, gathered his supplies for the journey, and walked down to the stables. Alexios had insisted the gold he promised we be enough to retire, but Leofric had told him he’d prefer to resume his post. What was he, if not a soldier? Besides, Laela and Sorex had their life, mother and son, a family. He wasn’t certain he had a place in that life, despite what he’d sworn to his brother. Leofric touched the saddle bag again, hefting its weight. The coin would be enough, he decided. Hamalcar’s shade could rest easy, knowing his wife and son wanted for nothing. Leofric could always retire later, but he’d rather have his position secure for his return, and the mark of a dishonorable discharge stricken from his history.
He wondered if Cosmo would be late. He’d told him first light, but who knew how deep into the night he’d stayed up, drinking and carousing. Leofric assumed he’d have to go hunting for him through the domus. He’d been given a spacious bed chamber, but Leofric didn’t fail to note that Cosmo was more likely to fall asleep in the sitting room on a settle or even down beside the oven in the kitchens. It seemed the man couldn’t keep to one bed, even to sleep. Leofric had just finished perfecting the tongue lashing he’d give Cosmo for being tardy when he strolled into the stable, dressed, packed and ready to go.
And, right on time. “Good morning, Captain,” he said, giving another mocking salute.
Leofric snorted, stymied. With Cosmo showing up on time, he could not let fly his diatribe. It was as if Cosmo anticipated this, and showed up in a timely manner simply to throw Leofric off his axis. He seemed to live to disrupt, to disturb plans and expectations. And now he was Leofric’s only companion on a mission of vital importance to His Highness.
He and Cosmo would travel to Hiru City, the metropolis that had sprung up near the base of the mountain, by way of Sokol. As they passed through Sokol, they would stop briefly at Leofric’s home to drop off the gold. It was not the most direct route, but the journey wasn’t overlong and they had all summer. Leofric hoped that perhaps he could stay a few days with his family, to ensure they were doing well. He did miss them, Laela and Sorex. Deeply. It would be sweet to see them again. Perhaps he could leave the missive from his Highness there in Laela’s care, as well. She would be able to keep it safer than he could on the road, and it would be an excuse to stop by again, on their return journey to Papia. Laela and Leofric may not have chosen one another, but he still loved her dearly, as a sister. And Sorex was the closest thing to a son Leofric was ever likely to have.
“Captain?”
Leofric shook his head, returning his thoughts to the present. “Pardon?”
Cosmo cocked his head to the side. “I said, ‘shouldn’t we be setting out’?”
“Yes,” he snapped, annoyed to realize Cosmo was already ahorse. He sat confidently in the saddle, a natural horseman. Well, he’s had four centuries to practice, Leofric thought savagely. “Let us ride.”
It was going to be a long journey.