Kharl could sense Jeka and Demyst at the table, and he could hear that they were talking. He paused, then eased the sight shield around himself as he moved toward the archway into the breakfast room.
“Lands and all … why’d he come here?” asked Jeka.
“Lord Ghrant asked him to.”
“Did he have to?”
“I doubt any man could make Lord Kharl do what he felt was wrong.”
Kharl appreciated Demyst’s words, but doubted their accuracy.
“We in trouble here?”
“That we are. There is no help for that, I fear.”
“He’s staying here and going to let it happen?”
Kharl winced at Jeka’s question.
“In Austra, I questioned his actions. I was wrong. When he acts, there is none braver …”
Kharl heard steps above. Where he was standing in the narrow archway, one way or another, he was likely to be discovered. He released the sight shield, then coughed before he made his way into the breakfast room.
″Don′t believe that business about bravery,″ Kharl said, with a smile. “He was far braver to accompany someone who rides badly and knew little about fighting.”
“He is also modest,” Demyst said to Jeka, standing as he did. “I fear I talked too long. I need to spend some time with Sestalt, and I am awaiting another man who may do as a guard.” He nodded to Kharl. “Ser?”
“Do what you have to. At the moment, you’re getting more done than I am. How are you doing with finding guards?”
“Not so well as I’d like. Sestalt will do, and so will Sharlak.”
“Take them on, if they’ll start today. Can you talk to Mantar, or Fundal, and see if we can get some more mounts and riding gear?”
A sheepish expression appeared on the undercaptain’s face. “I wasgoing to talk to you about that, ser. Already been scouting. We can pick up four pretty good mounts, but they’d be three to four golds each.”
“Do it. I’ll get you the golds after I eat.” Kharl was glad that he’d thought about the need for golds and gone to the Factors’ Exchange earlier, especially since it appeared that the summer-end rains had arrived. “What about sabres, or crossbows?”
“We have enough in the armory here. Fundal had them stowed out of sight.” Demyst laughed. “He’s most cautious.”
“About everything.”
With a smile, Demyst inclined his head, then slipped out of the breakfast room.
Kharl settled himself at the circular breakfast table. As he did, Khelaya appeared with a platter on which were cheesed eggs, thick ham slices, and a basket of bread. “Erdyl said you’d be leaving soon.”
“I’ll be at the Hall of Justice.”
“No good comes from there,” replied the cook.
“Not often,” Kharl agreed. “Has to be a first time, though.”
“When the hot springs of Kayol freeze, maybe.”
Kharl laughed.
Khelaya shook her head, then glanced at Jeka. “You want more?”
“No.” After a moment, Jeka added. “Thank you.”
Because he wasn’t sure what he could say to Jeka, Kharl took several mouthfuls of the eggs, then a swallow of the cider, tart, as early summer cider always seemed to be.
“Why are you going to the Hall of Justice? Thought you’d seen enough of that.”
“Werwal … he’s before Reynol today.”
“You going to bust in there with horses, too?”
“No. I’ll do what I can-if I can do anything. While I’m gone, you can use the library. Practice reading.” Kharl kept eating. He didn′t want to be late to the Hall.
“That’s harder than weaving.”
“Or you can talk to Enelya. I’d wager that she’s still upset about Selda. I won′t be back for a while.”
“Like last time …″ muttered Jeka.
Kharl winced. “I didn’t have much choice, did I?”
“Suppose not.”
“I did come back.”
“For your boy.”
“And for you.”
Jeka looked down. “Your boy? Undercaptain said you went south … graves there.”
“Egen and his men. They killed Merayni and Dowsyl, all the children and Warrl.” He looked at Jeka, waiting until she met his eyes. “I couldn’t let that happen to you.”
Jeka looked back across the table at Kharl. “Wouldn’t. You didn’t have-″
“I was supposed to leave you?” asked Kharl. “Let Egen find you?”
“I could have hid.” “For how long?”
“I was a good weaver.”
“You are a good weaver. You stayed with Gharan, and you might have been a dead one.”
“What about Gharan and Amyla?” demanded Jeka.
“I told him that if he ran into any trouble to get out of there and come here. If he can’t find me, to get a ship to Austra and go to Cantyl. I gave him some golds.”
“You only gave me silvers.” Her face was deadpan.
It took Kharl a moment to catch the hidden humor. “That was all I had then. I gave you half of all I had.” He forced a grin. “Do you think you were worth it?”
Surprisingly, to Kharl, Jeka looked down at the table for a moment. Kharl didn’t know what to say. Finally, he stammered. “I’m sorry.”
“No need for that. You’re a lord.”
He felt like pounding the table. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Jeka. “Being a lord-it doesn’t mean you hurt people. I don’t want to be like Egen.”
“Never be like that pissprick.” Jeka looked up. “You’re going to the Hall. What if Egen sees you?”
“He won′t know I’m the same person. I don’t think he’ll believe a cooper could come back as a lord.”
“Mean bastard. Doesn’t forget much.”
“Even if he does, he’s not going to do anything in the Hall of Justice.”
“Better be real careful when you leave.”
“He might not be there.”
“Why you’re going, isn’t it? See if he’s there?”
“That, and Werwal.”
“You really got lands in Austra?”
Kharl nodded. “I didn’t expect it, but that was how it turned out. You’ll like them.” He tried to keep his expression pleasant as he realized just what he’d said.
“You think I’m going? Didn’t ask me.”
“You’re coming to Austra. You’ll be safe there. You can’t stay here.”
“Says who?”
Kharl took a deep breath. “I do.”
“You been right about stuff.” Jeka didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Still doesn’t change things.”
“It might be a while,” Kharl added. “Things could be dangerous here.”
“No worse than hidin’ from Egen between walls.”
“No,” Kharl agreed, although he wasn’t so sure about that. He finished the last bit of ham and took a swallow of the cider. Then he stood. “I need to get to the Hall.”
“Guess I’ll talk to Enelya first.”
“She can come with us to Cantyl, if she wants.”
“You givin′ her a choice, but not me?”
Kharl did catch the attempt at humor this time. “That’s right.” He grinned.
After a moment, Jeka returned the grin, although hers was shaky. “You be careful.”
“I will.” He turned and hurried up to his chamber, where he washed quickly, donned his black jacket, then hastened down to the strong room to get more golds for Demyst. Then he locked up the chests and the strong room, and made his way up to the front portico and the waiting carriage beyond. Demyst stepped out into the rain and opened the door. He slipped inside after Kharl.
On the way to the Hall, Kharl gave Demyst the golds for the mounts. Then he studied the streets, and, when he could see it through the rain, the harbor. There were two iron-hulled warships moored at the outermost piers, and several wagons on the piers themselves. Kharl could barely make out the ensign on one-mostly blue. Although he did not recognize the design, he had no doubts that the vessels were Sarronnese, and that Luryessa, Jemelya, and the rest of the Sarronnese at the envoy’s residence would be boarding those ships-if they had not already.
“Sarronnese ships,” suggested Demyst, looking past Kharl.