"Under escort," said Ludovoco.
Gailus chuckled again. "It so happens we're also riding to the palace. We'll accompany you."
"Of course," said Ludovoco. The look he gave Gailus said, Since we both know I can't stop you.
As Gailus fell in beside us, I noticed how his men exchanged hard looks with Ludovoco's. What enmity had we stumbled into now? I saw from Alvantes's face that he recognised this Gailus, but nothing gave me the impression they were friends or allies. This day was worsening by the minute — and it had hardly started well.
That conclusion had barely crossed my mind when Gailus proved it beyond doubt. Turning to Alvantes, he said, "I'm sure you appreciate that Commander Ludovoco is merely doing what he deems necessary."
"I've no doubt," said Alvantes. He even managed to sound like he meant it. Ludovoco, meanwhile, stared straight ahead. The only indication he was following the exchange was a nerve ticking rhythmically in the corner of his eye.
"The fact is," continued Gailus, "these last days have seen a dearth of information from across the border… no news even from our dear Prince Panchetto. Commander Ludovoco has been waiting in Aspira Nero, so I hear, to try and gather information."
"So I understand," Alvantes agreed.
"Until now, he's only been able to send back rumours, all disturbing. If his behaviour seems heavy-handed, I'd ask you to bear that in mind."
Ludovoco had had enough. The nerve in his eye gave one more compulsive shudder and he said, his voice like frosted iron, "If I may, Senator, Guard-Captain Alvantes will be thoroughly debriefed once we reach our destination."
"A polite way of telling an old man to mind his own business."
"I would never tell the senator what is or isn't his business. I'd only ask that he be careful how he speaks of mine."
Gailus chuckled once again. "I'll say no more."
After what I'd seen, I doubted very much that Gailus would be able to keep his word. It seemed I'd under estimated him, however. He trotted alongside us, his men to his left, and his only lapses from silence were to give one of his characteristic gurgles of mirth, as though his mind was still digesting whatever aspects of his conversation with Ludovoco had so amused him.
With the show apparently over, at least for the moment, I turned my attention back to the marvels of Pasaeda.
At the point we'd reached, a barricade of temples cut off the residential districts from the palace, just as in Altapasaeda. Though these were infinitely grander, their decoration was fundamentally the same. Festooned with flowers, perfumed with incense, hung with birdcages and strung together by arches, they formed an immense hive of worship that must have traversed an entire quarter of the city. Statues representing the gods loomed in every recess and burst forth from every prominence. Weird minglings of men and women with animals, birds and fish, which held the most unlikely things: a child's rattle here, a bucket or a three-pronged sword there. Some I recognised from Altapasaeda, many more were new to me; all were bizarre and terrifying.
It was a relief when we eventually broke through to the district of the palace — at least until I got my first proper look at it. Nestled deep in the crook of the mountains, its monolithic grandeur was the final move in Pasaeda's game of architectural one-upmanship.
The palace struck an unlikely compromise between splendour and defence. Somehow, it managed to be half plaster and glass confectionary, half unassailable fortress. In contrast to the rest of the city, it was also a riot of garish colour. Every window was stained glass, every roof a mosaic, every wall illuminated with bright curlicues or murals or clutters of interlocking geometry.
It should have been chaotic — and it was. Yet it didn't seem to matter that nothing matched when every column and balustrade was a masterpiece in its own right. The palace crept — in layers of roof and archway and balcony, through endless juts of tower and spire and cupola — up the sheer face of the cliffs, like an ornate beetle clambering to safety.
All told, it made the palace in Altapasaeda look like a dung-collector's cottage. I'd never wanted to steal anything so badly in my life.
As we drew close, however, the fortress aspect of its character grew more apparent, and by the time we entered the palace grounds I felt more intimidated than impressed. We were ushered through a gatehouse in the outermost layer of defences, across a courtyard as big as many a Castovalian village, through another gatehouse, down a wide street bordered by tiers of exquisite garden, into yet another gatehouse in yet another set of walls into yet another courtyard — where Gailus left us, drifting off towards the stables with a jovial "Goodbye!" — and up a flight of marble stairs, through enormous double doors… until I found myself, at last, within the palace itself.
By then, I'd had my fill of marvels. My head ached to match my feet, and I barely glanced at the colossal hall we'd ended up in. I chose to stare at the floor instead, which was mercifully plain, at least in comparison with everything else.
It seemed too much to ask that someone would offer us lunch, or at least a cup of wine. Minutes passed, punctuated with low-whispered conversations between Ludovoco and the palace staff. Just as I was sure I'd topple over, he ushered us on towards a small, draped archway.
Before we could pass through, however, a voice called, "There you are!"
It was Gailus — and I couldn't escape the feeling that he'd been waiting for this moment, though I hadn't seen him. He trotted over at a leisurely pace, to Ludovoco's obvious frustration.
"Off to the reception hall?" Gailus asked. "Why don't I take over from here?"
Ludovoco tensed. "Take over?"
"I'm a friend of young Alvantes's father, as you're no doubt aware. Since I agreed to hold my tongue on affairs of state, mightn't it be reasonable to ask for a minute to discuss affairs of family?"
"Alvantes is in my custody," said Ludovoco.
"He must pose quite a threat if you daren't leave him alone for even a minute."
"Not so far as I know."
"Or else be determined to escape?"
"There are… protocols."
"One minute, Commander, is all I ask. Your men can stay close to ensure our friend the guard-captain does nothing uncharacteristically treasonous."
Ludovoco froze. It was clear he wasn't used to being talked to this way. I suspected a part of his brain was already busy plotting harsh reprisals.
The rest of him, however, seemed paralysed by the unfamiliar prospect of conceding defeat. Eventually, he tipped his head. Without a word, he led us through the curtain, down one long corridor and another, and off into a much smaller room, which I took from its sparse furnishings to be some sort of antechamber.
"Wait here," he told Alvantes. Gailus he carefully ignored. He motioned his men to one side of the room and disappeared through the drape that hung across the room's only other exit.
Scowling at Ludovoco's men, Gailus beckoned Alvantes and me towards the farther corner. "With all due respect to the Crown Guard," he intoned loudly, "I'm sure your father would prefer his private affairs to stay that way." When we were as far away from our black-clad escorts as the space allowed, he dropped his voice and added, "We don't have long."
In that moment, his manner was unrecognisable. Gone was the cheerful, buffoonish figure who'd ridden beside us through Pasaeda.
"How is my father?" asked Alvantes. He seemed just as thrown by Gailus's changed tone as I was.
"Anxious for news. He thought you might try to come here. One of our men on the walls was ordered to send signal if there was any sign of you."
"Our men?"
"The faction of which your father is a part — as I am also. He thought it would be more discreet if I met you in his place."
"I don't know anything about factions," Alvantes said, sounding unexpectedly defensive. "I've come here in service to the King."