‘I am happy to remain your prisoner but at least put some distance between Leo and myself. Just give us some time to work out how best to handle this. I know you need time to let it all sink in.’
‘You want me to desert Gavriel and the king we’ve come back for, in order to protect the very man they have wanted to kill for the last decade?’
Loethar took a long breath. ‘When you put it like that it does seem rather a lot to ask. But yes, that is what I am asking of you.’
Elka walked away, turning her back on him.
‘There’s not much time.’
‘Be quiet!’ she ordered and he obediently fell silent. Moments later she turned back and hauled him to his feet.
‘Well?’ he asked.
‘Just get up and get moving,’ she instructed. ‘I’m going to hide you, and then I’m going to find out exactly what Gavriel and his king are plotting.’
‘Thank you, Elka.’
‘Shut up, Loethar. Have you any idea what a betrayal this is of Gavriel?’
‘It’s the right decision until you can be sure that theirs is best. If you do, then I’ll accept death. So you hold my life in your hands.’
‘Can you move?’
‘Not easily but yes, of course. I can ignore any amount of pain if it means survival.’
‘I will kill you myself if you try anything. Now grit your teeth and move!’
He did just that, setting his jaw, ignoring the pain jarring throughout his body, forever thankful that his legs could still work freely. And together, he and Elka headed deep into the higher part of the forest.
Gavriel spun around twice, confused and then shocked. ‘She’s gone,’ he said.
Leo let out a howl of anguish. ‘I knew it! I knew the Davarigon bitch couldn’t be trusted!’
Gavriel loomed before him. ‘Be careful, Leo. Be very careful. I’m sure Elka has an explanation for this.’
‘Explanation? Explanation? How about treachery? Or betrayal? That has a nice ring. Was it just my imagination or did you notice how friendly the two of them were? She protected his life with her own not so long ago. Now she’s taken him somewhere.’
‘You don’t know that!’
‘Open your eyes, for Gar’s sake, Gav! She’s gone. And so is he. It doesn’t matter how it came about. It makes no difference whether he charmed her or overwhelmed her or simply persuaded her with reason, but she must be helping him. Or at least one of them would be here where we left them not so long ago.’
‘But why? Give me a reason why she would do this?’
Leo shook his head. ‘What does it matter?’
‘It matters. Elka does nothing without rationale. She thinks everything through. I think the last truly spontaneous act that woman made was interfering in my life and wresting me back from those barbarian soldiers.’
‘Well, here’s her latest rash act. She’s chosen the emperor over you.’
‘That’s ridiculous. Elka and I …’
‘What?’ Leo demanded, his tone full of derision.
Gavriel paused and ran his hand through his hair. ‘Well, we’ve been close friends for a decade. She hardly knows him. And she’s disgusted by the death he’s wreaked on the Set.’
‘And now she’s met him and he’s convinced her to get him away from us. Now more than ever I need the protection of an aegis. Until now I’ve had the disguise of anonymity, the cover of Loethar’s belief that I was killed a long time ago. That is all shattered now. You have to help me. We have to get Faris trammelled.’
‘I have to go after her. Make her see reason, understand why she did this. She could have been startled. Maybe she saw other enemies and got him away for all the right reasons?’ Gavriel tried.
‘Then where are these intruders? We’d see some evidence. And who is going to be travelling this high up, this deep into the forest, by chance?’
Gavriel shook his head. ‘I just want to know why.’
‘First we must return to Faris. I’m now so vulnerable we can’t waste another moment on recriminations. Let’s get the protectionwe need and then worry about Loethar. He’s injured. He can’t get that far, even on her back,’ Leo said with immense disgust. Turning, he headed back through the woods towards where they’d left Kilt.
Gavriel followed, his mind in a daze of confusion.
He glanced over at her. ‘Are you all right?’
She gave a tight, nervous smile. ‘Yes. Just a bit overwhelmed, I suppose.’
‘Just move as though you mean it, Lily,’ Kirin counselled. ‘Freath told me this many times over the last ten anni. Half the battle with any form of guise is confidence. Talk like you mean it, walk like you mean it, is what he used to say. If we can convince the first few people we meet, you’ll blend into the palace with ease. I have rooms well away from any of the people you need to fear.’
She nodded. ‘I trust you, Kirin.’
‘I’m glad. Just act the role, Lily; no one’s got any reason to disbelieve it. We’ve gone over our story so many times I almost believe it.’
‘Well, we’re not lying, we are married,’ she said as she held up her hand. They both looked at the ring on her finger. Lily’s expression was a study in disbelief.
Kirin made his voice as gentle as he could. ‘Come on, Mrs Felt, let me show off what a beautiful wife I’ve caught on my travels.’
‘After you, Master Felt,’ she said, nodding.
Kirin led the way towards the great palace gates, slowing his horse as the guards stepped out. He recognised three of them.
‘You’re back,’ said a young man whose name, Kirin recalled, was Jert. ‘People have been worried about you.’
‘Worried?’ Kirin frowned. ‘Why? Surely Master Freath told everyone I was on a sabbatical?’
‘Erm, well, we’ve had bad news from the north,’ Jert said, pointing him through the gates.
Kirin’s anxiety deepened. ‘What kind of bad news?’ he asked as he got off his horse to lead it through.
The young man shook his head. ‘We’re not sure what it means — not much detail filters down to us. But the news this morning is that General Stracker is headed back to Brighthelmstone today… alone. He should be here shortly. The runner came by almost exactly on the last bell.’
‘Alone? Without whom?’ Kirin asked, shaking his head, confused as another familiar soldier joined them, an older man. ‘Hello, Kain.’
‘Master Kirin. Good to see you back safe and sound.’
Kirin found a grin. ‘I’ve been a little busy finding myself a wife,’ he said, gesturing to Lily as he handed over his reins to a young stableboy.
His two companions laughed and Kirin snuck a glance at Lily. She was smiling, but he could tell she was uncomfortable with the men’s attention. Clearing his throat, he said hastily, ‘I suppose I should have sent word but I presumed Freath would advise all who needed to know. Anyway, who did you expect should be accompanying the general?’
‘The