Darksong Rising (34 page)

corridor, Anna found herself in the largest guest suite, one with an oversize and netted four

poster bed and a separate bathing chamber—with the tub already filled. Jecks had the adjoining

chamber on one side, and Jimbob on the other. I suppose Jimbob will be irked that he doesn't

have the chamber of honor, too. Careful... he might not be thinking that at all. Right...

Anna glanced at the bolt on the dark-stained oak door, then set the lutar on the bench at the foot

of the bed, beside the mirror and the saddlebags.

While she bathed, Anna sang a set of vocalises to warm up her voice. Then, after dressing in the

single all-purpose green gown she carried everywhere, Anna took out the lutar and tuned it.

Setting it aside, she went to the door of the second-floor guest chamber and opened it.

“Kerhor... if you would, could you see if someone could find Lord Jecks for me?”

“Yes, Lady Anna."

Anna walked back into the chamber and extracted the lutar, running her fingers over the wood so

carefully crafted by young Daffyd. She shook her head. Poor Daffyd. All he’d wanted was

revenge for his father’s death, and yet he’d changed all Defalk by summoning Anna, and never

lived to see all the changes.

“Lady Anna?” Jecks’ voice followed the thump on her door. “Come in.” Anna laid the lutar on

the bench and uncased the traveling mirror, propping it up on the straight-backed chair before

reclaiming the lutar.

“You summoned me?” Jecks wore the blue tunic and white shirt beneath, the outfit in which he

appeared so handsome.

“I didn’t summon you.” Anna smiled. “I hoped you’d be free. I didn’t like the way Pamr felt this

afternoon.”

She took out the lutar and began to tune it. “I wanted you to watch the mirror with me.”

Jecks nodded. “You continue to fret about the chandler.”

“There’s a lot to fret about.” Anna finished tuning the instrument and turned to face the mirror,

clearing her throat before starting the spell.

Mirror, mirror, now let us see,

young Farsenn as he may be,

within the chandlery....

The mirror remained blank.

“He’s not in the chandlery, then.”

“Can you see that chamber?” asked Jecks.

“I’ll need to change the spell for that.” Anna thought, then strummed the lutar and sang.

Mirror, mirror, now let us see,

 
the chandlery’s place of sorcery,

 
where Farsenn and the drums did bring....

The back room of the chandlery was empty. Even the clay statue had vanished, as had the set of

drums.

“They’re afraid of you,” Jecks said.

“Not afraid enough,” Anna replied. “They took everything, and that means that they’re still

planning something." She lifted the lutar once more.

Mirror, mirror, let us now see

Farsenn the chandler where he may be.

Show the image bright and clear...

Farsenn appeared, along with his brother, in a cellar of some sort, with the clay statue set in a

dim corner. The two men appeared to be arguing, with strong gestures.

Anna and Jecks watched, but the argument continued, and Anna sang a release couplet. Then she

tried three other spells to see if she could locate the pair. The first image revealed square house

set on a dusty road. Anna sighed. They’d passed dozens of dwellings virtually identical.

The second image showed farmlands and the Chean River, but the location could have been

anywhere in a hundred deks to either side of Pamr. The third image was blank.

Anna swayed.

Jecks caught her, and eased her into the chair that did not hold the mirror. “You can do no more.”

Anna sat quietly for a moment, then leaned forward and laid the lutar on the bench at the foot of

the bed. “Now... what do I do? I can’t think of any better way to find him, and he can wait longer

than we can.”

“He cannot believe he can stand against you, not if he fled so precipitously,” Jecks pointed out.

“Best you deal with your task at Mencha and then determine what you must do.”

“You’re not excited about going into Ebra, are you?”

“No, my lady, but I was not eager to enter Dumar, or for you to attack Vult, either.” Jecks

laughed sardonically. “You managed well despite my fears.”

“I only made it through Dumar because of you,” she pointed out, finally standing. “We need to

eat, and I shouldn’t keep everyone waiting any longer.”

The two waiked down the corridor, Rickel following, Kerhor remaining to guard her chamber.

Lady Gatrune stood at the door to the long hall on the second level. Beside her in the hallway

waited Jimbob, Kinor, Kyrun, Fins, Liende, and Himar, as well as two men and a woman who

were unfamiliar to Anna.

The Lady of Pamr extended an arm toward the three strangers. “Lady Anna, might I present Lord

Kysar’s younger sister Je’elasia and her consort Dvoyal, and Dvoyal’s brother Zybar? They are

returning to Arien.”

“I’m so pleased to meet you.” Anna smiled. Are they related to Anientta, Secca’s mother? With

Anientta’s father the lord of Arien, that would be just your luck.

“And we you, Lady Anna,” replied Dvoyal smoothly, so smoothly that Anna felt her guard

rising.

“Indeed,” added Je’elasia.

“I apologize for delaying supper.” Anna felt herself flushing as she inclined her head to Gatrune.

“There was a pressing mat-ter... involving...” She shook her head. “I’ll explain after everyone

gets a chance to eat.”

“Then let us eat.” Lady Gatrune nodded toward Anna. Anna led the way into the dining hall, and,

once more, Anna found herself at the head of the table, with Gatrune on her right, and Jecks on

her left. Jimbob sat beside Gatrune, and Je’elasia beside Jecks. Zybar sat beside Jimbob, and

Dvoyal beside his consort. Then came Kyrun, Liende, Himar, Firis, and Kinor. Anna almost felt

sorry for the redheaded student at the bottom of the table, except that he was across from Firis,

who was always animated.

The dinner was simple—a heavy lamb stew laden with potatoes and vegetables, accompanied by

dark rye bread. Anna took her normal huge helping, ignoring the glances from Dvoyal and

Zybar.

Gatrune poured an amber wine into Anna’s goblet, and then Jecks’, before passing the pitcher

down the table. Once the wine had reached Kinor, the Lady of Pamr lifted her goblet, “To the

Regent, and a good dinner."

“To the Regent.”

Anna, feeling slightly light-headed, ate several mouthfuls of stew before stopping and looking at

Gatrune, and speaking to the lady, directly and softly, under the louder voices from the lower end

of the table. “I mentioned... sorcerous work. You remember the chandler? He and his brother fled

the town after we rode through. He’s been working Darksong, and one of the reasons why we

came to Pamr was to look into what he was doing... except he’s disappeared.”

“You cannot scry him with your sorcery?” murmured Gatrune.

“I can, but all the mirror shows is a simple house like dozens of others. I’ll try more later...."

Anna shrugged apologetically. “He is working Darksong. I’d have Firis strengthen your walls

and gates.”

Gatrune nodded. “I will talk to him.”

Anna lifted her voice toward the three from Arien. “Perhaps you could tell me something about

Arien. I haven’t had the chance to visit there.”

Dvoyal and Zybar exchanged glances before Dvoyal. who appeared to be the older sibling,

replied, “Arien lies in the most fertile valley to the west and north of where the Ostfels turn west

toward Synope. Lord Tybel has worked long and hard to ensure that peace and prosperity are the

lot of the people of Arien.”

“Are you related to Lord Tybel?" asked Anna with what she hoped was apparent ingenuousness.

“Forgive my ignorance, but, as you must know, I do not come from Liedwahr.”

“Lord Tybel is our uncle.”

"Oh... so your mother or father is related to Lady Anientta of Flossbend.”

“Anientta is our father’s younger sister.”

Anna nodded politely. “And your father is?”

“Beltyr,” replied Zybar.

“It sounds as though your father and Lord Tybel are close.”

“Indeed they are, as brothers should be,” emphasized Dvoyal. Tybel’s requests to consolidate his

holdings with those of Anientta made a great deal more sense. “Brothers should be close and

respect each other. They do not, always, unfortuuately, even in Defalk.”

Dvoyal frowned, almost quizzically, while Zybar looked as though he were about to nod before

catching himself.

Interesting difference between the brothers. “You two are brothers, but do you always agree?"

asked Anna.

“Family must always agree,” answered Dvoyal smoothly, but quickly. “If we do not, there will

always be others who would put us at each other.”

Zybar gave a slightly ironic smile that vanished quickly.

“I don’t know that outsiders are always the problem. I’ve already been requested to deal with

problems involving brothers and their inheritances." Anna smiled faintly. “So it’s good to hear

that your father and Lord Tybel get along well. Who might be Lord Tybel’s heirs? You might

know that if they’re younger, I’d be pleased to invite them to Falcor.”

“He has two sons,” answered Dvoyal. “Altyr is near-on thirty, but Reralt is but fourteen.”

“Well... there are a number of fosterlings at Falcor, and your uncle might well consider the