“No. Best to keep the boy in the dark until the last possible moment,” Gran advised. “His self-control is not the best.”
“Fadili and I will come with the wagon late in the day to show it to Mistress de Guera,” Magnes said. “We’ll stretch things out until it’s time for the evening meal. Since we sometimes stay and eat, no one should get suspicious. The most dangerous part is getting you,” he looked at Ashinji, “and Seijon into the secret compartment below the storage bins. If anyone sees you…”
“No need to finish those words,” Ashinji replied grimly.
“Once you two are in, Fadili and I will simply drive out of the yard.”
“What will you do, Gran?” Ashinji asked.
“Don’t worry about me,” Gran answered. Her impassive face gave away none of the secrets Magnes knew lay behind her pale eyes. “I can come and go as I please. No one will challenge me.” The rain fell steadily now, though not in torrents like it had earlier in the season; even so, the yard soon became a watery expanse across which people and the occasional goat stoically sloshed.
Magnes studied the two elves. Both stared out into the rain, their angular faces pensive. He knew the two of them shared a terrible burden-a task they must perform once they made it back to Alasiri, something neither one wanted to do, but had to, just the same. Gran had only hinted at its nature; what little she had revealed, Magnes had not fully understood, but that did not really matter. He was determined to see them safely to the border so they could return in time to accomplish what they must.
Once that’s done, I’ll go home and face Thessalina.
“I’d better get back to work,” he said. “Day after tomorrow, then.”
“Day after tomorrow,” Gran repeated.
Ashinji held out his hand and Magnes clasped it.
“Thank you, my friend,” Ashinji said. “Thank you for everything.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Ashi. We are family, after all,” Magnes replied.
Ashinji smiled. “Yes…we are.”
Two days later, Magnes stood with Fadili beside the infirmary wagon while Mistress de Guera admired what her funds had made possible.
“Why, this is wonderful!” she exclaimed. “You’ll be able to do so much good work with this infirmary.” She made another circuit of the wagon, nodding in approval. Corvin and Aruk-cho stood close by, both with crossed arms and neutral faces. A crowd of curious yard dwellers had gathered around at a respectful distance, whispering and pointing.
“It is gratifying to know my money is being put to such good use. When you first came to me with your proposal, Brother Tilo, I’ll admit I was a little reluctant, but now that I see the infirmary…”
“You’ll agree to fund it for the foreseeable future, I hope,” Magnes interjected, his voice dripping with charm. From the corner of his eye, he could see Corvin frowning. Mistress de Guera opened her mouth to respond, but Magnes forged boldly ahead. “We’ve estimated that it will take a mere ten to fifteen imperials a month to keep it fully stocked. Surely, such a small sum will hardly be missed from your coffers, Mistress, and you will get the satisfaction of knowing that so many people will be helped by your generosity.”
“You missed your calling, Brother. You should have sought employment at the palace. You’d have made a fine courtier,” the mistress commented wryly, one carefully tweezed eyebrow raised high. “Very well. I’ll agree to fund your infirmary…for the foreseeable future.” Magnes bowed his head in thanks.
I hope she doesn’t withdraw her patronage when she learns I won’t be coming back, he thought. Well, I’ve done my best. The future of the project lies in Fadili’s hands now.
“I know you have much work to do, so I’ll let you get to it,” the mistress stated. She motioned to Corvin with a terse flick of her finger, and the two headed back in the direction of her residence. The onlookers began to disperse. Magnes stood watching until he felt Aruk-cho’s massive presence loom at his back. He turned to face the yardmaster.
“Gran has told me about tonight,” Aruk-cho rumbled softly. “I will be ready.” Magnes nodded, his eyes shying away from the akuta’s craggy face. He did not want Aruk-cho to see his fear.
Despite how carefully we’ve planned this, something might still go wrong!
He stared at the yardmaster’s draft-horse sized hooves and imagined how easily they could crush a man’s skull.
He felt very glad Aruk-cho could be counted as an ally.
He had never been especially devout, but on this night, Magnes found himself offering prayers to any god who would listen. His entreaties must have been heard, for the night sky clouded over and hid the face of the moon, shrouding the earth below in almost total darkness.
As planned, Magnes and Fadili took their supper with Gran, Ashinji, and Seijon in the fighters’ mess, along with many of the other slaves. A cheerful mood prevailed, for tomorrow the entire yard would enjoy a day of rest. Generous rations of beer and wine helped the humor to flow, ribald and lusty.
Magnes kept a watchful eye on Ashinji, aware that his friend’s wounds still hurt him much more than he would admit. Even so, Ashinji gamely joined in the banter, knowing the five of them must all be seen behaving normally tonight. When the female slave named Leeta sidled up and sat next to him, pressing close and whispering in his ear, Ashinji made no effort to evade her.
Gran appeared interested only in her dinner, but Magnes could tell she, too, kept a careful watch, mainly on Seijon. The boy struggled to remain calm, but anyone who took the time to look would see his agitation.
Magnes leaned close to Fadili. “I’m worried about the boy,” he said in a low voice.
Fadili glanced casually at Seijon, then back to Magnes. He nodded almost imperceptibly. “Shall I take him outside now?” he whispered.
“I think that’d be best.”
Fadili made a show of finishing his meal, then stood up and approached Seijon, who sat to Ashinji’s left.
“Come, boy. I’ll look at that rash of yours now,” he said, loud enough that several others sitting close by overheard. Leeta snickered and someone else guffawed.
Seijon looked up in surprise. “I don’t…” he began, but Ashinji quickly interrupted.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Little Brother. Go with Fadili.” He flashed the boy a reassuring smile. Seijon opened his mouth again as if to protest, but Magnes could see comprehension dawning in his golden eyes. Fadili beckoned with a tilt of his head, and wordlessly, Seijon got up and followed him out of the mess hall, the hoots and catcalls of the others ushering him away.
Ashinji’s eyes briefly locked with Magnes’ before he returned to his dinner and the seductive attentions of the gorgeous, red-haired Leeta. Drink had made her bolder, and Ashinji had a tough time keeping her at bay. Brazenly, her hand advanced along Ashinji’s thigh until he seized it in his to halt its upward progress. Magnes sighed and shook his head. Leeta exuded sexual energy like an intoxicating perfume. Magnes marveled at Ashinji’s self-control, but his friend had far more important things on his mind this night.
Magnes finished the last of his food, then stood.
“It’s time I was getting back to the temple,” he announced. “Gran, Ashinji, I’ll not be back for awhile. Fadili and I are taking the infirmary wagon out of the city for a couple of weeks.”
“We’ll miss you, Tilo,” Gran said.
“If the One is merciful, I’ll be here when you get back,” Ashinji added.
“Take care of yourselves.” Magnes waved and exited the mess. Quickly, he strode to where the infirmary wagon stood parked near the weapons shed, all but invisible in the darkness. As he approached, a deeper patch of shadow detached itself from the gloom and glided toward him.