“Xaphista’s far too busy to answer, you know.”
Mikel looked up and discovered a boy of about fifteen sitting on the top rail of the corral. He was dressed in an odd collection of clothes that looked like cast-offs from some bygone era. Mikel was not aware that he had spoken aloud.
“You should not speak the name of Xaphista. You’re an unbeliever.”
“Not at all! I know Xaphista personally! Can’t say that I speak to him much myself, mind you, but he does exist.”
Mikel straightened and stared at the youth, a little surprised to hear such an admission from an atheist. He supposed the boy was one of the workers erecting the shelters.
“What do you want?”
“Nothing.”
“Then leave me alone.” He grabbed the twine holding the bale together and grunted with the effort of dragging it over the rough ground towards the corral.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
The fair-haired youth laughed. “That bale is near as big as you are!”
“Then why don’t you help me?”
“Ah, now that would mean work. I don’t do work.”
Mikel let go of the bale and glared at him. “What do you do, then?”
“I’m a thief.”
The news did not surprise Mikel. The lad looked dishonest. “Thievery is a sin.”
“Don’t be absurd! Who told you that? Ah! Xaphista did, I suppose. Cheeky sod.”
“You shouldn’t blaspheme! That’s a sin too!”
“There is no such thing as sin... what’s your name?”
“Mikel.”
“Well, Mikel, let me put your mind at ease. There is no such thing as sin. A thief is not doing something wrong, he is honouring Dacendaran, the God of Thieves.”
“There is only one true god!” Mikel insisted.
The boy frowned and jumped off the rail. “You really believe that, don’t you? Are all Kariens like you?”
“Yes! Now go away and leave me alone!” Mikel made to reach for the bale, but the youth sat himself down on it and looked at him closely.
“Mikel, the only reason Xaphista invented the concept of sin was to stop his believers honouring the other gods.”
“There are no other gods!”
“I can see I’m going to have to educate you, young man.” The youth sighed heavily, then suddenly brightened. “I know, I shall become your new best friend and lead you to the truth about the Primal gods!”
“I already know the truth. Xaphista is the Overlord.”
“Xaphista is a pompous old windbag, actually, and I shall delight in stealing you from him.”
“Come on, boy! We’ll still be here at midnight at this rate! Get a move on!”
Mikel started as Monthay yelled at him. He turned back to the boy sitting on the bale and was even more startled to discover he was gone.
“Don’t just stand there talking to yourself like a fool,” Monthay scolded as he drew near. “Go get some soup, but be quick about it.”
Mikel ran towards the fire and the enticing smell of the hot soup, wondering where the youth had gone so abruptly. Then he remembered his rash prayer and hoped that the Overlord had not heard his request about the dysentery.
Mid-afternoon, two Defenders appeared in the corrals and told Monthay that Captain Tenragan wanted to see the Karien boy. Monthay muttered a curse and surrendered him reluctantly, glancing at the hay still to be distributed. The two Defenders took Mikel into custody and walked him back toward the Keep. They said nothing, even to each other, leaving Mikel plenty of time to imagine the worst.
When they reached the old keep, they took him into the main hall where Tarja was waiting near the huge fireplace. Damin Wolfblade was sitting at the table, stabbing the tabletop with his dagger as if something vexed him. Captain Almodavar stood near Tarja and next to him, to Mikel’s astonishment, was his brother.
“Jaymes!”
Mikel ran the length of the hall, skidding to a halt a few steps from his brother, taking a quick inventory to check he had all his fingers. Jaymes grinned and crossed the small distance between them, hugging his younger brother warmly.
“They told me you were back, but I wanted to see for myself!”
“Oh Jaymes! I’ve been so worried about you! Are you well? Have they harmed you?”
“Of course not!” Jaymes laughed. “I’m the one who’s been worrying about you! What happened when you went back to Lord Laetho?”
Mikel glanced at the men and then back at Jaymes. His brother was taller, as if he had grown from a boy into a young man while in captivity. He looked well; much too well for a prisoner. “I’ll tell you later.”
“There won’t be a later, lad,” Almodavar warned. “Jaymes has work to do.”
“He’s right. I have to get back. My training keeps me pretty busy. But I’ll try to see you now and then, if I can get away.”
“Training?”
“I’m learning to be a soldier.”
Mikel took a step backwards. “With the Hythrun?”
“Of course, with the Hythrun.”
“You’re a traitor?”
“I warned you,” Damin muttered to no one in particular, stabbing the table to punctuate his words.
Jaymes sighed. “It’s not like that, Mikel...”
“Have you turned from the Overlord, too? Do you worship the Primal gods now? How could you?”
“The Overlord? What do I care about the Overlord! I want to be a soldier, Mikel! I can’t ever be a knight in Karien. I’m a commoner. Good for nothing but a pikeman. But the Hythrun don’t care about that. They judge men by their ability, not who their father is.”
“Our father is the Duke of Kirkland’s Third Steward!”
“Which is worth shit, and you know it!”
Tears of anger and betrayal clouded Mikel’s vision. He could not believe what he was hearing.
“What have you done to him?” he demanded of Tarja, although the Medalonian had not had charge of his brother. Tarja had, however, been responsible for most of his woes these past few months so it seemed reasonable to blame him for this, too.
“Your brother made his own choice, boy.”
“You’ve done something to him! Jaymes would never betray Karien! He would never renounce the Overlord!”
“Grow up, Mikel,” Jaymes sighed. “The Overlord doesn’t care about the likes of you and me. He’s the God of Lords and Princes. All he ever did for us was make us work for them. You believe in his generosity if you must, but I plan to follow those who can teach me what I want to learn.” Jaymes turned to the Warlord and bowed. “May I be excused, now, my Lord?”
“You can go.”
Jaymes glanced at Mikel and shook his head. “I’m sorry, little brother...”
Mikel refused to look at him. “I have no brother.”
“Maybe when you’re older, Mikel, you’ll understand.”
He turned his back as Jaymes and the Hythrun captain walked the length of the hall. When he heard the door shut, he wiped his eyes and looked up at Tarja.
“Can I go, too?”
“No, you may not. You’re going to tell us about the princess.”
Jaymes’ betrayal was suddenly forgotten. He glared at Tarja, drawing himself up to his full height. “If you have harmed one hair on her head...”
“Oh for the god’s sake, child, settle down!” Damin snapped. “Your precious princess is fine.”
“I shall not betray my Lady!”
“Nobody is asking you to,” Tarja pointed out reasonably. “We just want to know how you came to be in her company.”