I was two-thirds through the bottle by the time Mounteban returned. I’d half expected him to bring Alvantes, but I supposed that someone was needed to keep our other invading enemies on their side of the walls; it would be embarrassing for everyone if the King were to arrive mid-meeting. Then again, it was just as likely that Mounteban had deliberately withheld this latest news from his co-commander — a thought I filed away as a small first step in my vendetta against the fat filcher.
Mounteban did however have a couple of the local lords in tow, as well as representatives of the criminal types he liked to keep close at hand. I noted that the smallest faction in his conclave, the Shoanish warriors left over from Moaradrid’s scattered army, were unrepresented; presumably Mounteban had felt it wise not to remind Kalyxis of her son’s recent visit or of its final, fatal outcome.
Either way, there were now even less people in the room I wanted to be around. I settled towards the back and tried my best to look inconspicuous, while still keeping my bottle close at hand.
Mounteban had also brought a few assorted lackeys with him, and they hurried to construct a makeshift stage out of planks and crates brought in from the yard. That done, he clambered up and surveyed his nearest audience: the lords and crooks he’d brought along, Estrada, Kalyxis and two Shoanish I took for bodyguards.
“Gathered dignitaries of Altapasaeda,” Mounteban began, “I know I express all our sentiments by declaring my honour in having Kalyxis of Shoan here today. My only regret is that the circumstances aren’t more favourable — for surely there was never a better time for unity between Castoval and Shoan. With that in mind, lady, will you take the stage and state the reasons for your presence, so that we may resolve your concerns without further delay.”
As Kalyxis moved to take her place, I noticed Mounteban make a small nod in my direction. It certainly wasn’t me he was signalling; more likely, I realised, it had been meant for the two burly thugs who’d materialised, one at each of my elbows. I could hardly say I was surprised, but I wished Estrada were closer. I’d have been intrigued to hear her explain just how she intended to protect me now.
I looked back to the stage, where Kalyxis now stood beside Mounteban. Though he dwarfed her by more than a head, she somehow managed to look every bit as tall as him — and certainly she was a dozen times more impressive. “Since I despise repeating myself,” she said, “I will be brief. There is a thief here who came to me under a flag of truce, only to steal a valued possession and kidnap my grandson. Unless both are returned to me, I shall have no choice but to recover them by force.”
“For those who don’t know Easie Damasco,” put in Mounteban quickly, “he’s a lowbred guttersnipe who has somehow managed to play a disproportionate part in recent, significant events — primarily by stealing important items from some very important people. However, since Damasco was acting in concert with others of far nobler character,” he added, with a conciliatory glance towards Estrada, “it may be that we should give him the benefit of the doubt on this occasion. Marina, do you have anything you’d like to contribute?”
It was obvious where this conversation was heading, and I wanted no part of it. Yet there was no escaping the fact that my fate was high on the list of topics — and hadn’t I vowed mere minutes ago that I’d do anything I could to undermine Mounteban? Well, here was an opportunity I’d never have again.
So before Estrada could speak, I said loudly, “Hold on a moment,” and in case that wasn’t enough to draw all eyes in my direction, dramatically cleared my throat. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Castilio. But do you think I could take the floor, just briefly? I think I might have something constructive to add. I mean, if that’s all right with you.”
Mounteban gave me a look that was suspicious and murderous in equal parts. I’d never called him Castilio in his life and that if nothing else should have tipped him off. “Please be brief, Damasco,” he said. “I’m sure we’d all hate to see you talk yourself onto an early funeral pyre.”
“Ha!” I offered him my widest grin. “How kind of you to think of me. And truly, you made some interesting points there… I particularly liked ‘lowbred guttersnipe’.” I dropped his gaze and turned my attentions to Kalyxis, trying not to shudder as her pale eyes met mine. “But the fact is, neither of you know what you’re talking about.”
I’d hoped for an awed sigh from my audience, but the thick silence, which at least seemed to qualify as stunned, would have to suffice. In any case, it was what I said next that would really put the dog amongst the rats — because what I’d finally come to accept was that no lie was going to serve me quite as well as the truth.
“I didn’t kidnap Malekrin — who, since he prefers it, I’ll refer to as Mal henceforward. In fact it’s truer to say that Mal kidnapped me. He told me he was sick of being a pawn in other people’s battles; that he’d rather be a vagrant in the Castoval than a prince in Shoan. Which, come to think of it, is probably why he snuck away while you were chasing us. Oh, and lest I forget, if you were wondering how I could have stolen that object Mounteban had me smuggle into your hands when I was chained in a tent… well, you might want to give some thought to your light-fingered grandson on that count, too.”
There it was, all of it out, like burning tinder dropped into a haystack. I could feel Kalyxis eyes burning into me, through me, cutting clean circles of fire through the back of my skull. “You seem to know a great deal about my grandson,” she said.
I gulped, tried to steady my pummelling heart. Showing fear beneath that hawkish gaze could kill me just as surely as an arrow to the head. “Perhaps I came to know him a little better than you do,” I said.
“In the space of a mere few days?”
“Unlikely, I know. Then again… do you even know what he calls his boat?”
A faint tremor tugged at Kalyxis’s mouth then. It was the first sign of anything that might be construed as emotion I’d seen her show, and that made it almost more unnerving that her usual stern intensity. “Malekrin has no boat,” she said.
“Mal,” I told her. “As I mentioned, he likes to be called Mal. And, I suppose you’re right… I very much doubt it survived you trying to kill us all. But before that, for reasons that undoubtedly have a lot to do with his age, he called his boat Seadagger.”
“You seem to know my grandson… Mal… very well,” Kalyxis said once more. “And to have struck up a friendship of sorts.”
On that point, at least, I wasn’t sure the truth would help matters. “That’s fair to say,” I replied.
“And you were with him when he disappeared.”
“I suppose I must have been.”
“So it only makes sense that you should be the one to find him.”
“Well, if you mean that I’d stand a better chance than fifty armed men charging around the Castovalian countryside and… Wait, what?”
“Since you know this land,” Kalyxis said, “and since you know Mal. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I wouldn’t. I didn’t. But I could see now with perfect clarity the corner I’d backed myself into. “That, as it happens,” I said, “is exactly what I was about to propose myself.”
As had happened so often in recent weeks, my choices had dwindled to nothing; fate, ill-fortune and the malice of others had set me on a course not of my choosing, and what could I do but follow?
Well, there was one thing I had a say in, one thing I wouldn’t be denied, whatever anyone else thought. With a little negotiation and with Mounteban’s two thugs acting as both guides and guards, it was agreed that I could be allowed a couple more hours of freedom before my hopeless mission began.