‘That may not be as simple as you might think.’ She frowned.
‘We can discuss that on the way.’ Dev urged them all towards the door. ‘Come on, Velle. Don’t you want to command some magic again?’
‘We had better go out armoured, Dev, otherwise half the guard will insist on coming along to defend me. Go and get our hauberks.’ Kheda pulled a sheet of paper towards him and flipped open an inkwell.
The wizard groaned. ‘When we get back to Hadrumal, Velle, I’m never going to wear so much as a gold chain around my neck.’ He disappeared down the stairs.
‘If I’m not to get any rest before we go on, I take it I can at least use the privy?’ Velindre enquired icily. ‘At the bottom of the tower,’ Kheda said shortly.
‘Do you suppose she’ll forgive me?’ asked Risala a little shakily as she watched the magewoman depart. ‘Or will we be repaid for all this with some revenge once her power returns?’
That’s an unwelcome thought. Though wouldn’t we deserve such a fate, for bringing magic into the domain? Will it truly make any difference that our motives have always been pure? Or am Ito see Chazen saved from this beast only to have my own duplicity revealed for all to see? Is that how the ledger will be balanced?
‘Dev’s been assuring me she’ll see this through, so she can go back and settle some scores among their kind.’ Kheda hesitated over his writing before setting his pen down and folding the letter in three. ‘Let’s hope that’s more important than balancing her ledger with you. Besides, she’ll know that all you did was at my behest. If she wishes to take any revenge, let her take it on me.’ He took up a stick of wax and, removing the glass of the lamp, melted the end, catching the drop on the folded letter.
No, we’re in this together.’ Risala’s voice was muffled as she bent to pick up her bag and Velindre’s. ‘We always have been. You wouldn’t have found Dev without me.’
No, I wouldn’t have.’ Kheda pressed the seal of his ring into the pliant wax. ‘But you would never have been caught up in magic without me.’ He looked at her. ‘Can you forgive me?’
‘I’d rather risk magic to be with you than be without you.’ Risala smiled slowly in the golden lamplight. ‘If we can rid Chazen of this dragon and all this magic—’ The sound of voices rising from the bottom of the stairs interrupted Kheda.
He hurried down the spiral, Risala at his heels. To his relief, Tasu’s door was firmly closed. The two of them picked their way quietly down the few further steps to the silent vestibule where a small lamp burned dimly in a tiled alcove. Velindre was waiting there, arms folded, face unreadable. ‘Kheda?’ A soft voice spoke in the dark shadows of the colonnade.
‘Itrac?’ Kheda went through the arch out into the black and silent garden. The rain that had persisted for most of the afternoon and evening had finally stopped. He took a deep breath of the cool, reviving air, redolent with the richness of the damp earth.
Velindre and Risala retreated into the vestibule of the observatory tower as unobtrusively as they could. ‘Jevin was waiting to see when you came to bed.’ Itrac stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Kheda’s face. ‘He said Dev was collecting your armour and swords. You’re going somewhere, now, tonight?’ Unseen herbs rustled in a stray breath of wind and a few drops of water pattered on the invisible leaves of the wax-flower trees. All was quiet. There were no lights stirring in the steward’s quarters on the far side of the garden. ‘Risala has brought lore from the north, as I hoped.’ Kheda looked at Itrac. Her wide, dark eyes were free of cosmetics, her neck and wrists bare of gold or silver. All she wore was a white silk chamber robe, loosely tied. The fabric was so fine that he could see her warm brown nakedness beneath. He crushed the letter he had just written for her in his hand. ‘We may be able to rid Chazen of this dragon and the last of the wild men. We must go now, tonight. The moons—’
‘I don’t want to know,’ Itrac interrupted sharply. ‘I don’t need to know, my husband,’ she amended, less shrill. ‘Is there anything you need from me before you go? More jewels arrived from Daish today—’ Kheda saw that Itrac also had a letter held tight in one ringless hand.
Is that Janne’s writing? What questions has she been asking, as she tries to find out what I am up to? What subtle poison flows along with her ink for you to breathe in without realising? Will any of that matter, once this is resolved one way or the other?
He turned to Velindre. ‘Do we need gems?’
Velindre shut her mouth resolutely on further explanation.
Kheda turned back to Itrac. We’re done with pacifying the dragon. We will be rid of it, my wife, if it’s the last thing I do for Chazen.’
‘Don’t risk such a wager with the future.’ She stepped forward, reaching out to him. ‘Just make an end of this nightmare and come back safe to me.’
‘I’ll do my very best,’ he assured her fervently as he took her hands. ‘There is something you can do for me. This is a time for stealth, not force of arms. I must leave as discreetly as possible.’
‘What ship are you taking?’ Her eyes searched his face, confused. ‘What do I tell the household?’
‘Don’t say anything until you have to. Let everyone think I’m still here for as long as you can. Then pretend appropriate surprise that anyone needs to ask and say I’ve taken that new skiff I had built on a search for important plants that the wild men destroyed.’ Kheda nodded towards the unseen physic garden. ‘The rains will bring the usual ailments, after all. And say I’ll be searching out some unusual things at the behest of that zamorin scholar who’s presently under my protection.’ He jerked his head backwards towards Velindre and Risala. ‘The zamorin is from the north. You remember it was northern lore helped us against the savage wizards last year? Trust me, Itrac’
‘Always, my lord and husband.’ Itrac sounded apprehensive all the same. ‘When will you be back?’
‘I don’t know,’ Kheda said honestly. ‘As soon as possible, I’ll promise you that.’
Itrac’s mouth trembled and she stepped forward to press herself against him, sliding her hands around his waist and burying her face in his neck. Kheda held her, helpless, feeling her warm tears on his skin. ‘We should go.’ Risala spoke softly behind him. ‘Before someone hears voices and comes to see what’s amiss,’ Dev’s voice agreed in the darkness beyond Itrac. ‘Good night.’ Itrac pulled away abruptly. She skirted past Dev and vanished without another word. Jevin followed, a black shadow passing across the fading white of her robe.
Kheda stood looking after her.
Can you do this, left all alone? Can you keep the household together and the domain beyond, proof against all the rumours and fear? You are bound to Chazen in a way I will never be. Let’s hope those bonds are strong enough. ‘We need to go, my lord,’ said Dev forcefully. Kheda nodded. ‘Then let’s.’
‘What’s it called?’ Risala’s face was unreadable in the strange shadows cast by the subdued light of the lamp she took from the vestibule to guide their way through the darkened residence. ‘The boat, I mean.’
‘I haven’t decided yet.’ Kheda led the way through the colonnade to the doorway into the wide anteroom between the warlord’s inner garden and the outer tower. A lamp glowed golden on the far side of the room. The sentries guarding the double doors out to the courtyard stiffened, their hands resting lightly on their sword hilts.
‘Open to your lord Chazen Kheda.’ Dev stepped forward to stand at his right hand, voice authoritative.
Both youths bowed low, doing their best to conceal lively curiosity. One pulled at the heavy bar sealing the door against assault and his companion pushed it open with another bow.
‘Thank you.’ Kheda walked through without slowing his pace or turning his head. Risala followed, two paces behind Dev, Velindre lagging a little further behind. Kheda walked briskly through the outer colonnade. Unseen in the darkness, the roses filled the night with their perfume. He paused to breathe in their heady fragrance.