took his usual quarters in Amlis' suite. I think he
wanted me to stay with the Prince, too, but Justis insisted that I stay with
him—he'd been given a suite next to Amlis'. Ardis and Dena took a suite next to
Omina's, while Kaldill and Daragar had temporary rooms at the top of the
castle.
I resolved to visit them when I could—I'd never been to the
upper levels of the castle, after all; Tamblin kept them closed off to all.
Berel chose to stay with his guards on the flagship; Wolter and Deeds went with
the Queen to provide a guard for her.
Sophie and Yissy had also gone with the Queen; I had a feeling
that Sophie would find herself named as dressmaker to the Queen and
maid-in-waiting before two days had passed.
I had no idea who was running the kitchens now that Wolter had
taken another position, but food was provided according to a regular plan. A
delivery of food and supplies had already come from the Kondari ships—the castle
cooks had never seen packaged food before and had to be shown what to do with
it.
The Kondari language also escaped the kitchen staff;
therefore, three Kondari were dispatched with the supplies to assist in food
preparations. I doubted they'd ever seen such archaic methods of cooking, but
they mimed much to make themselves understood by the kitchen help.
I knew, too, that things were deteriorating in Vhrist, but
dithered over whom to approach first with the news. Rath was still alive but
that wouldn't be true for much longer. "The airchoppers are flying toward
Avii Castle, with Orik and three others aboard," Berel said after he
arrived and flopped onto a settee near the window.
I'd stared, unseeing, through a suite window while considering
the problems facing us. If Tamblin were a rational man, and were Yevil even
half as evil as he was, we could come together and discuss the greater problems
facing Siriaa.
As it was, neither of those things were true. While Rath might
be a womanizing noble at times, he still recognized the danger Fyris was in and
knew that sending an invading fleet toward an unknown country was more than
foolish.
"The Queen's brother is in a dungeon in Vhrist—on the
northern border of Fyris," I turned to Berel, then. "Yevil and the
King promised him thirty days while they awaited a response from Amlis. I fear
they may void their promise and execute him anyway."
"Does the Queen know?" Berel sat up straighter and
studied me with interest.
"No. Neither does Amlis or Rodrik. Rath is Rodrik's
father, and I worry that if I tell any of them, they'll race toward Vhrist,
only to get caught in Yevil's net."
"What's this?" Justis stalked in. He'd overheard
part of my conversation with Berel. Hoping he'd react in a rational manner, I
explained what I knew.
Chapter 4
Lironis
Quin
"Airchoppers will make too much noise," Berel
pointed out. "They'll know we're coming. My concern, of course, is that
innocents may die attacking Kondari troops, who have body armor and advanced
weapons. I want no deaths," he added.
"I want Yevil's death," Amlis hissed. Rodrik kept his
silence as he sat next to the Prince, but his face revealed a terrible anger.
As much as he and his father disagreed, he still loved him.
"Riding horseback will get us there far too late,"
Deeds offered. Amlis nodded his agreement.
"The waters surrounding Vhrist are very shallow,"
Daragar offered. "A ship cannot get close enough to facilitate an escape.
You'd be dependent upon the airchoppers again, and that, as young Berel has so
aptly pointed out, will result in unnecessary deaths."
"Fly in," Dena suggested. "We have six black-wing
guards, a Yellow Wing, a Green Wing, a Blue Wing and the White Wing. Surely we
can get in and out silently enough and carry away one man."
"Black Wings only," Justis began.
"You will waste time searching for the proper cell,"
I said. "I will go as a guide."
Kaldill and Daragar exchanged glances when I spoke, but
neither offered comment. "How long will it take to fly from
wanted me to stay with the Prince, too, but Justis insisted that I stay with
him—he'd been given a suite next to Amlis'. Ardis and Dena took a suite next to
Omina's, while Kaldill and Daragar had temporary rooms at the top of the
castle.
I resolved to visit them when I could—I'd never been to the
upper levels of the castle, after all; Tamblin kept them closed off to all.
Berel chose to stay with his guards on the flagship; Wolter and Deeds went with
the Queen to provide a guard for her.
Sophie and Yissy had also gone with the Queen; I had a feeling
that Sophie would find herself named as dressmaker to the Queen and
maid-in-waiting before two days had passed.
I had no idea who was running the kitchens now that Wolter had
taken another position, but food was provided according to a regular plan. A
delivery of food and supplies had already come from the Kondari ships—the castle
cooks had never seen packaged food before and had to be shown what to do with
it.
The Kondari language also escaped the kitchen staff;
therefore, three Kondari were dispatched with the supplies to assist in food
preparations. I doubted they'd ever seen such archaic methods of cooking, but
they mimed much to make themselves understood by the kitchen help.
I knew, too, that things were deteriorating in Vhrist, but
dithered over whom to approach first with the news. Rath was still alive but
that wouldn't be true for much longer. "The airchoppers are flying toward
Avii Castle, with Orik and three others aboard," Berel said after he
arrived and flopped onto a settee near the window.
I'd stared, unseeing, through a suite window while considering
the problems facing us. If Tamblin were a rational man, and were Yevil even
half as evil as he was, we could come together and discuss the greater problems
facing Siriaa.
As it was, neither of those things were true. While Rath might
be a womanizing noble at times, he still recognized the danger Fyris was in and
knew that sending an invading fleet toward an unknown country was more than
foolish.
"The Queen's brother is in a dungeon in Vhrist—on the
northern border of Fyris," I turned to Berel, then. "Yevil and the
King promised him thirty days while they awaited a response from Amlis. I fear
they may void their promise and execute him anyway."
"Does the Queen know?" Berel sat up straighter and
studied me with interest.
"No. Neither does Amlis or Rodrik. Rath is Rodrik's
father, and I worry that if I tell any of them, they'll race toward Vhrist,
only to get caught in Yevil's net."
"What's this?" Justis stalked in. He'd overheard
part of my conversation with Berel. Hoping he'd react in a rational manner, I
explained what I knew.
Chapter 4
Lironis
Quin
"Airchoppers will make too much noise," Berel
pointed out. "They'll know we're coming. My concern, of course, is that
innocents may die attacking Kondari troops, who have body armor and advanced
weapons. I want no deaths," he added.
"I want Yevil's death," Amlis hissed. Rodrik kept his
silence as he sat next to the Prince, but his face revealed a terrible anger.
As much as he and his father disagreed, he still loved him.
"Riding horseback will get us there far too late,"
Deeds offered. Amlis nodded his agreement.
"The waters surrounding Vhrist are very shallow,"
Daragar offered. "A ship cannot get close enough to facilitate an escape.
You'd be dependent upon the airchoppers again, and that, as young Berel has so
aptly pointed out, will result in unnecessary deaths."
"Fly in," Dena suggested. "We have six black-wing
guards, a Yellow Wing, a Green Wing, a Blue Wing and the White Wing. Surely we
can get in and out silently enough and carry away one man."
"Black Wings only," Justis began.
"You will waste time searching for the proper cell,"
I said. "I will go as a guide."
Kaldill and Daragar exchanged glances when I spoke, but
neither offered comment. "How long will it take to fly from
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