to the Lord Protector himself. He's got nothing better to do, but I have a holding to run. As for an heir, Jarrett knows he's it when I'm gone except for Toran's fair share. He just wants it all now."
That was possible. Tam whispered to the Guardian, "My lady, may I ask you questions?"
"You'd be a fool if you didn't," she murmured back.
"My lady, has Lord Honnold cared for his land and his wife's land well? Has he paid his Tenth without hurting the people who depend on him?" he asked.
The Guardian nodded. "Yes, he has. In fact, he's also cared for the land of his wife's family since they disappeared."
How convenient. Maybe Honnold had done away with all of them to keep the land for himself. Tameron noticed that Jarrett looked ready to fight. I have a few questions for you, too . "Thank you, Lord Honnold," he said in a tone that meant he was done for now. "Ser Jarrett," he continued, doing his best to be polite, "why has this taken so long? How many years has it been since you met your cousin's wife?"
The younger man looked sullen. "Five...maybe six. I left the place with nothing but the clothes on my back, and I couldn't just drag her off to the woods. Her parents didn't like me. So I hired on as a guard for an expedition Outside. It took a long time to get back. I tried to send messages, but I doubt they got through."
Honnold looked smug, so Tam thought that was likely true. "Did you appeal to the mage in Bogatay?" he asked.
"He's in my cousin's left pocket! Oh, I went through the motions, but what do you think he said? Why should he lose a position where he can collect from all sides? Besides, Honnold didn't mind keeping his lover with him. What gives him the right to tell his wife what to do? You've got to find her! She might not even be alive!"
Tameron didn't know what to do, or whom to believe. He asked the Guardian to provide truthspell for the next few questions. She agreed, and prepared two bowls of water. Then she had Honnold and Jarrett place their hands in one basin each, and warned them that the liquid would change color whenever they told a lie.
Tam took a deep breath. "Lord Honnold, did you kill your wife?" Honnold denied it. The water stayed clear. "Lord Honnold, do you plan to harm her if she returns?"
The older man started to speak, then changed his tale as the water began turning black. "Yes. She must be punished. How dare she take my son from me!"
Jarrett looked angry. "It is better we know now," the Guardian said.
Tameron continued asking questions. "Did you hire anybody to hurt Marysalian, the boy, or any members of her family?" Honnold denied it truthfully. "Is there anyone who believes he'll gain your favor if he disposes of them?"
Honnold sighed. "Toran's urged me to hunt them down several times, but I've always told him no."
"What about your pet mage?" Jarrett said angrily.
"I stay out of his way and he stays out of mine," Honnold said. The water began to darken. "All right, maybe he does favor me. He favors anyone with gold." The liquid cleared.
Tam shook inside, and hoped no one could see it. No wonder Jarrett had been so insistent on seeing the Guardian. Mages were supposed to seek justice, not their own personal gain. Still, something didn't ring true in the younger man's story. "Why did it take so long for you to seek her out?" he asked.
"I couldn't help it," Jarrett said. His own bowl changed color. He stared down at it and frowned. "I didn't think he'd really hurt her. She said he didn't care what she did as long as she gave him a child."
That was more like the truth, Tameron saw. He asked both of them if they knew where Marysalian or her family might be. They both claimed to have no idea, and the water in both bowls stayed clear. Tam didn't know what to do then. He took a deep breath. "We have several problems here. Where are Marysalian, her son, and the rest of her family? Are they alive? Who is the father of her child? Jarrett, you left without a thought for her. Did you
That was possible. Tam whispered to the Guardian, "My lady, may I ask you questions?"
"You'd be a fool if you didn't," she murmured back.
"My lady, has Lord Honnold cared for his land and his wife's land well? Has he paid his Tenth without hurting the people who depend on him?" he asked.
The Guardian nodded. "Yes, he has. In fact, he's also cared for the land of his wife's family since they disappeared."
How convenient. Maybe Honnold had done away with all of them to keep the land for himself. Tameron noticed that Jarrett looked ready to fight. I have a few questions for you, too . "Thank you, Lord Honnold," he said in a tone that meant he was done for now. "Ser Jarrett," he continued, doing his best to be polite, "why has this taken so long? How many years has it been since you met your cousin's wife?"
The younger man looked sullen. "Five...maybe six. I left the place with nothing but the clothes on my back, and I couldn't just drag her off to the woods. Her parents didn't like me. So I hired on as a guard for an expedition Outside. It took a long time to get back. I tried to send messages, but I doubt they got through."
Honnold looked smug, so Tam thought that was likely true. "Did you appeal to the mage in Bogatay?" he asked.
"He's in my cousin's left pocket! Oh, I went through the motions, but what do you think he said? Why should he lose a position where he can collect from all sides? Besides, Honnold didn't mind keeping his lover with him. What gives him the right to tell his wife what to do? You've got to find her! She might not even be alive!"
Tameron didn't know what to do, or whom to believe. He asked the Guardian to provide truthspell for the next few questions. She agreed, and prepared two bowls of water. Then she had Honnold and Jarrett place their hands in one basin each, and warned them that the liquid would change color whenever they told a lie.
Tam took a deep breath. "Lord Honnold, did you kill your wife?" Honnold denied it. The water stayed clear. "Lord Honnold, do you plan to harm her if she returns?"
The older man started to speak, then changed his tale as the water began turning black. "Yes. She must be punished. How dare she take my son from me!"
Jarrett looked angry. "It is better we know now," the Guardian said.
Tameron continued asking questions. "Did you hire anybody to hurt Marysalian, the boy, or any members of her family?" Honnold denied it truthfully. "Is there anyone who believes he'll gain your favor if he disposes of them?"
Honnold sighed. "Toran's urged me to hunt them down several times, but I've always told him no."
"What about your pet mage?" Jarrett said angrily.
"I stay out of his way and he stays out of mine," Honnold said. The water began to darken. "All right, maybe he does favor me. He favors anyone with gold." The liquid cleared.
Tam shook inside, and hoped no one could see it. No wonder Jarrett had been so insistent on seeing the Guardian. Mages were supposed to seek justice, not their own personal gain. Still, something didn't ring true in the younger man's story. "Why did it take so long for you to seek her out?" he asked.
"I couldn't help it," Jarrett said. His own bowl changed color. He stared down at it and frowned. "I didn't think he'd really hurt her. She said he didn't care what she did as long as she gave him a child."
That was more like the truth, Tameron saw. He asked both of them if they knew where Marysalian or her family might be. They both claimed to have no idea, and the water in both bowls stayed clear. Tam didn't know what to do then. He took a deep breath. "We have several problems here. Where are Marysalian, her son, and the rest of her family? Are they alive? Who is the father of her child? Jarrett, you left without a thought for her. Did you
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