Royal Exile (18 page)

‘Shut up!’ he roared above the dying man’s guttural noises. ‘I had intended to go easy on you so don’t make this any more complicated for yourselves. Go quietly. You have no choice. You have tried to pretend you have skills, or your claim to sentient skills are of no use to us. Either way, we do not need you.’

‘Turn us loose,’ a woman begged, clutching the arm of a man next to her. ‘We can’t hurt anyone.’

Stracker smiled. ‘But you have insulted me. Did you think we from the Steppes are such imbeciles as to be taken in by your pathetic attempts to present yourselves as empowered?’ He paced before them. ‘Each of you,’ he said, ‘offered yourselves to us.’ He pointed behind him. ‘The group over there, and the group that have gone, were all named by others as having powers that can’t be explained. You are all irrelevant but you have sold yourselves as important. You took the risk, you gave it a good go, but you have failed. I have no use for you and I certainly don’t want to feed your hungry bellies.’

‘Please,’ voices begged him.

Clovis was trying desperately not to look up from the ground where his gaze had been firmly directed but he glanced up helplessly and saw the fatally wounded man keel over, saw the desperate expressions on the doomed faces, and was reminded that this was how Leah and Corin must have sounded, pleading for their lives from the same brute. He gagged. Though he didn’t want to vomit, he couldn’t help himself retching and he raced to bend over in a corner, losing the pathetic bread and thin gruel they’d been given this morning.

The squeals intensified as the guards corralled the group into another courtyard and Clovis blocked his ears, unable to bear listening to their cries. He felt a steadying hand on his back.

‘Be calm.’ It was a woman’s voice. Clovis wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked up. ‘You can do nothing but pray for a speedy despatch for them.’

‘How can you be so heartless?’

‘Heartless? My husband of nine years is with them,’ she said, giving him a hard, unblinking look. ‘I can’t save him. I can’t even say goodbye to him. Do you think screaming, clawing at him, begging that animal will change anything?’ Clovis shook his head dumbly as he straightened, glancing briefly at Kirin, who was staying well out of this exchange. ‘So I’m using every ounce of my body to force myself to stay calm, as you must. We will only fight back if we keep our minds clear and on one goal only.’

Clovis closed his eyes. Another rebel!

‘I am Reuth,’ she said. ‘And I will have my revenge.’ She looked up and he saw her convey a message with her eyes as the last of the group was finally shuffled away. He could see the deep sorrow in one man’s face; he had to be the husband.

Clovis turned back to the woman. ‘I’m sorry, please forgive me. I too lost my wife and child to the same brute. My wounds are still too raw. Are you the one with visions?’

She nodded and he saw her eyes were wet. Clovis couldn’t imagine what it was costing her to be so brave, knowing the man she loved was about to be slaughtered. He should console her, he thought, but he did nothing, said nothing, and she continued, ‘Not that they believe me and it’s a very contrary skill. It chooses when and where, how and why. But it may save my life. We must stay alive, as best we can.’

‘I’m not as brave as you,’ he said.

Kirin joined them. ‘Then we’ll all be brave for each other.’ Everyone else could hear their discussion and murmured agreement although every face looked as pale and traumatised as the other.

Fresh screams began outside. Reuth visibly tensed and reached for someone, anyone. It was Kirin who hugged her, pressing her face close to his chest to stifle any sobs. Clovis felt sick for being unable to offer any comfort to this courageous woman.

‘What will he do to the boy?’ someone asked.

‘He will use him to feed his perverted sexual appetite,’ Kirin replied. ‘At least until he gets too bored with the boy.’

‘How do you know?’ Reuth asked, wincing at the shrieks.

Kirin shrugged hastily. ‘I have to get out of here,’ he said, not answering her.

‘It will stop soon,’ Reuth said to him quietly. ‘And then we will know what they plan for us. Let us say a prayer for them.’

Obediently, everyone joined hands, though each kept his prayers private.

‘It is over now,’ Kirin finally said ominously, and Clovis began to believe in his friend’s abilities for the cries stopped upon his last word.

Stracker strode in, sheathing his sword. ‘What are you lot talking about?’ Then he grinned maliciously. ‘As if I couldn’t guess.’ Everyone straightened.

It was Kirin who spoke. Clovis had to wonder from where the young man drew his confidence. ‘We were wondering what you had in mind for us, sir.’

‘Come with me and you shall find out,’ Stracker replied. ‘Single line, hands on each other’s shoulders.’

Clovis shuffled behind Kirin. He could feel Reuth’s hands on his shoulders and could smell the blood in the air as they headed to their fate.

10

Gavriel had no choice but to risk it. Leo needed food. On cue, his own hunger pangs gave a low grind, reminding him that the situation was urgent.

How clever, he thought, as he dragged his hand softly against the various areas of the wall that were false. To all intents it looked like any other thick stone slab but the false panels’ cunning design allowed voices to be heard clearly and spy holes to be drilled with ease.

At first he’d thought there were only a couple but Leo had shown him that many areas of the wall facing into the king’s salon were indeed fake, giving them this ability to eavesdrop.

Leo was currently distracted, drawing up a rough map for Gavriel to show him the network of corridors as Leo understood them. The chalked maze that had taken shape on the wall astounded Gavriel, despite its amateurish scrawl.

‘This many?’ he said, impressed by just how many corridors there were.

‘These are the ones I know, the ones father allowed me to play in now and then.’

‘Your mother doesn’t know about them?’

Leo shook his head. ‘I told you, Valisar fathers and sons only. Piven came in with me a few times but …’ The king shrugged.

‘I know,’ Gavriel said, feeling an intense sympathy for the boy. He knew what it was like to have a brother to play with. Gavriel looked up at the drawing. ‘This is impressive, Leo.’

‘Father insisted I memorise my way around this region of the ingress. I really don’t know the rest at all or even how extensive it is.’

‘So he was teaching you?’ Gavriel suddenly understood the convenient chalk.

‘Yes, we’d come in here, the three of us, and father would get me to walk through the ingress with him. Then he’d test me, getting me to scribble on the walls. He’d rub it off though so that I could memorise my way. He was planning to take me much further when …’

Gavriel saw the young king’s face darken.

‘Yes, well, he’d be so proud of you now,’ Gavriel quickly said. ‘Because it’s doing just what it was intended for.’

‘It was intended as a means of spying,’ Leo said.

‘I don’t doubt it but I’ll stake my life on the fact that Cormoron built it as a final secret means of escape.’

‘I’m hungry, Gav. I’m feeling sick I’m so empty.’

‘Right, that was what I was going to suggest I do next,’ Gavriel said brightly.

‘I’ll show you,’ Leo said, immediately putting down his chalk and wiping his hands on his clothes.

‘No, Leo. That’s too dangerous now. You are now king and my father and your father — Lo keep their souls — made me your keeper.’

‘My champion,’ Leo corrected.

‘That’s right. I am your protector and guardian.’

‘They picked the right twin, then, because you are the better fighter, aren’t you?’

Gavriel smiled. ‘Not sure Corb would agree with you there but I do. He was never good enough to best me and I know it galled him, although he didn’t say much.’

‘Where is Corbel, anyway?’

This was the question Gavriel had been dreading. ‘Er, I’m not sure. He was sent on a task before the barbarians arrived. Hopefully he’s had the good sense to get away completely.’ Returning to the matter at hand, he said firmly, ‘Right, food. I’m going to follow your map to the kitchen and Leo, you’ve got to be prepared to eat whatever I find. You can’t be fussy and it could be raw.’

‘Not raw meat?’

‘Probably not meat at all. I’m hoping to find some bread, perhaps some cheese.’

‘That’s fine. Get some milk if you can. Hopefully someone’s remembered to milk the cows. Oh and —’

‘Don’t even mention honeycakes,’ Gavriel warned, winning a grin from the king.

‘I suspect after last night’s dish, no one will want to use the oven again,’ Leo said and Gavriel thought him brave to even mention it. He knew he should say something about the former king but was lost for appropriate words.

‘If I see them and can balance them, they’re yours, I promise,’ he said instead. ‘So, down this corridor, past four openings, then the one on the right, turn left …’ Gavriel screwed up his face, thinking hard, before saying, ‘left again?’

‘Right,’ Leo corrected with a sigh. ‘Don’t get lost. Here, shall I give you the string that father used to teach me with? It’s somewhere back here where he left the chalk and other things.’

‘No, I need to remember and I’ve got it straight now. Past four, right, left, right.’

Leo nodded. ‘How long before I should be worried?’

‘Don’t worry at all. I have no idea how long it’s going to take, especially if I have to wait for someone to turn his back or leave the kitchen.’

‘Let me at least come part of the way with you,’ Leo begged.

‘No. This way if anything goes wrong, you have a chance to get out. If you hear voices, Leo, run. Make your way around the ingress as you know how and go to the opening you’ve spoken about. Take whatever chances you have to but get out of here if the ingress is discovered. All right?’ Leo nodded. ‘No, you have to promise me aloud.’

‘I promise.’

‘Right. Keep an eye on Loethar. I have no idea what the time of day is but I reckon it’s got to be close to dawn, if not already, and he’s bound to make an appearance. Listen to what he says to the damn bird. He talks to it as if it’s going to talk back!’

‘I think he talks to Vyk because he’s not going to answer back,’ Leo said, frowning. ‘Perhaps the raven is the only creature he truly trusts.’

‘I’ll be back soon,’ Gavriel, said, shaking his head at Leo’s fanciful thought. ‘Talking to a bird,’ he muttered with disdain as he loped off.

It was almost dawn and Clovis found himself standing in what looked to be an unused yet simply furnished chamber alongside his companions. Understandably there was tension in the room and specifically a sudden wariness about each other. He stole a glance at Kirin, who was ignoring everyone, staring out of a tiny window, and then looked toward Reuth, who sat quietly on the floor, her arms wrapped about her knees. In fact even the few whisperings had ceased and all were immersed in their own thoughts, a grim silence hovering around each.

Apart from Kirin, about whom no one knew anything anyway, Clovis was sure that all of them were only mildly Vested. The truly Vested of the land didn’t often admit to it. Seeking fame and fortune from sentient power seemed to be the realm of the mildly afflicted only. He smiled ruefully as he acknowledged that he fitted this description adequately.

The door suddenly creaked open, disturbing his thoughts. People stood warily, unsure of what was going to happen. Clovis melted back to join Kirin at the window.

‘Here goes nothing,’ he whispered, immediately nervous.

Kirin looked bored. ‘Stay calm, stay true. You become instantly more interesting by being silent, unruffled. Watch the others’ anxious expressions and keen desire to please. It can work against them in this situation.’

‘What are you, some sort of oracle?’

For some reason — perhaps it was their internal distress — they both found Clovis’s comment amusing and actually laughed quietly with each other.

‘You two! At the back. Yes, you jokers.’ Stracker’s voice interrupted their humour. They straightened their expressions. ‘What’s so funny?’

‘Nothing much at all,’ Kirin answered, ‘but I’ve found keeping a sense of humour — even about impending death — is probably wise when you don’t have any control.’

‘And so you’re laughing at me?’

‘Not you,’ Kirin added. ‘Just our own wretched bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

‘And to be Set people, rather than from the Steppes,’ Clovis added, desperately trying to mimic Kirin’s manner.

He wasn’t sure he’d managed it but he did notice that the stranger who had arrived behind Stracker twitched what might have been a suppressed smile.

Stracker glared at them both, then turned to the stranger. ‘All yours, for what they’re worth. Take your time, they aren’t going anywhere fast.’

The stranger nodded. ‘In here?’

‘Where else?’

‘Interview them in front of each other?’

‘Keeps them honest,’ Stracker said, grinning maliciously. ‘Anyone gives you lip or trouble, have the guard take them out. They’ll have their throats slit immediately — Vested or otherwise. Do you all understand?’ he asked, suddenly taking them all in with a fresh scowl.

People nodded or mumbled their assent.

Stracker pushed a scroll of parchment into the stranger’s hand. ‘Here, you’ll need this,’ he said, before striding out. The man who’d been left behind turned to face them all, slightly bemused.

‘Well, it seems we’re to be in each other’s company for a short while. Let’s see what it says here.’ He walked over to a table where a single chair had been placed. No one had dared sit but the man did so now. ‘Er, everyone is welcome to make himself as comfortable as he can. Let’s begin with the two “jokers” at the back, shall we?’

Kirin pulled a wry expression as Clovis glanced his way.

‘Us, sir?’ Clovis asked.

‘Yes,’ the man said, evenly. ‘Over here, perhaps, so that we don’t have to talk across everyone else.’

They joined him at the table, standing before him.

‘Names?’