Wish and mercy, p.35
Wish and Mercy, page 35
part #1 of Nightwalker Series
Lilu shifted into a fighting stance. “Fine. Don’t let me be the one to tell you that you’re a talentless prima donna. Do whatever you want, whatever you can. We don’t fight for skill. We fight to survive because that’s how you get strong.”
***
The day was bright and cool with passing clouds when Ashbel finally arrived in Suradia through the Southern Gate. The guards had been told to expect him and his companions and escorted them to House Hallenar with awe and excitement. It had been a long time since anyone noteworthy had come into Suradia, or so the guards said. Allanis was typically the one visiting Anavelia; very rarely had it been the other way around.
The prince was tired and wanted a nap desperately but kept his class about him. He wasn’t here to nap and whine like a child, he told himself. He was here to work.
“Prince Ashbel, you made it!”
Allanis was overjoyed when she came down the steps of House Hallenar to greet him. She looked just as tired as he did.
“We made it, yes. The storm made things a little tricky, but I can’t be easily stopped.” He let only the tiniest grin show.
“I’m glad to hear it.” Allanis gave him a hug. “I’ve had a villa cleaned and prepared for all of you if you didn’t want to stay at House Hallenar, but we do have the room if you’re interested.”
“I hate to sound like a spoiled brat, but the villa sounds wonderful. Thank you, Allanis.”
He was shown to a villa he’d be sharing with Titha and Jurdeir. It was a short walk from the manor and Athen was already inside, waiting for them with bottles of wine and a plate of fruits and cheeses.
“Settle in,” Allanis told them. “Unpack your things, have a little food and drink, rest up. I will be in the Council room when you’re ready. Athen will be posted in the main hall and can show you the way when you’re ready.”
Jurdeir showed the queen a too-deep bow. “Thank you for the hospitality, Your Grace!”
When Allanis and Athen left, Ashbel wasted no time in unwinding. Titha sat beside him at a polished walnut table and picked at a slice of plum.
“I thought you said you were going to jump right in as soon as we got here,” she said.
“I changed my mind.”
Jurdeir took a tiny fork from the plate and picked at a cube of soft white cheese with honey. “There’s not much to this town, is there?”
“It is a little quaint,” Ashbel said, stretching out on a burgundy-upholstered chaise. It smelled dusty. “But that just means there’s a lot of potential to work with. Let’s not forget why we’re here. Allanis needs our help to turn Suradia into a force to be reckoned with.”
After falling asleep five minutes later, he got the nap he’d wanted. He dreamt about Jade and his room and the red porcelain bowls at dinner. He knew he was getting homesick. He hoped Suradia would be interesting enough to distract him from his slowly breaking heart.
An hour later, he made his way to House Hallenar, Jurdeir and Titha in tow. He’d never seen it before, but he liked it the moment he stepped inside. It was big, but not grand or lavish like Lovell Keep. In fact, aside from the crimson and black eagle banners, there was barely any decoration at all. It was empty. Empty and quiet and welcoming.
As promised, Athen was waiting for him. “Hello, Prince Ashbel. Hello, others I haven’t met yet.”
“We’re going to be working together, Athen. If you’d like, you can just call me Ash. No need to be so formal.”
“Are you sure? I’m trying really hard to get this right.”
“Yes. My sister doesn’t rule here. Yours does. If anything, I should be calling you Prince Athen.”
“Please don’t do that.”
“Very well, my lord.” Ashbel was grinning, and Athen was clearly uncomfortable. He found it amusing how Athen was so easily disarmed by a twelve-year-old.
They walked, and Ashbel told him about his thoughts and reservations, and Ashbel told him about Titha and Jurdeir, and Ashbel told him about many other things that Athen lost track of. As they walked the winding halls, Ashbel’s voice trailed off, and he took in as much as he could, seeing opportunities for House Hallenar with every step he took. He almost hoped Allanis hadn’t come up with any ideas of her own.
The Council room had acquired more chairs and a vase with fresh white flowers since it had last been used. Allanis sat at the table with an empty seat to her right, and Lora was in the seat to her left. Three others who Ashbel had not met yet sat at the table, too.
“Allanis, err, Your Grace—” Athen coughed nervously. “I would like to—”
“Cut it out, Athen,” she grumbled. “Don’t be afraid of Ash. You can speak plainly.”
“Better do as your queen says!” Jurdeir honked.
Athen cleared his throat and began again. “Fine. Allanis, Council, I would like to announce Prince Ashbel Lovell, Titha Russo, and Master Knight Jurdeir Jashi.” He then gestured to the table. “Present at our first official Council meeting is Master Battle Mage Gavin Castillo, Master of Dusk Ravina Songo, Master Advisor Lazarus Hallenar, Left Hand Lora Sheikh, Right Hand, uh, me, and Her Majesty the Queen Allanis Byland-Hallenar.”
Ashbel cocked his head to the side as Athen took the empty seat next to Allanis. “Left Hand?”
Looking as prim and pretty as she ever had, Lora gazed over at him with disinterest while inspecting her nails. “What?”
“I’ve never heard of a seat for a Left Hand before.”
“I thought it made sense,” Allanis said. “There’s a Right Hand. What about the other one? Shouldn’t both hands be doing something?”
“Very well. It is your Council after all.” He tucked a long lock of his dark hair behind his ear. “Where on your Council shall I sit, if you’ll have me, Your Grace?”
Allanis tapped her chin. “Hm, let me think. It won’t be necessary for you to take on the Treasury; I’ve taken that responsibility myself. And a Chamberlain seems like a waste of your abilities. Well, Ash, what do you think? Where are your strengths?”
“I feel strongly that I could be your Master Cobalt.”
She hadn’t thought about that position yet. The Master Cobalt—named after the investigative guild of Hanarn-worshippers simply referred to as The Cobalts—dealt with everyday law in town. The Master Cobalt acted as a judge for the people and organized the Watch and the Militia.
“I am exceptionally well-versed in the role. I have studied law and the Codes of Watch. It would give me the ability to see the inner workings of your town up close, to organize the way the Watch works, and to make connections with the people. The position has been empty in Suradia for almost eighteen years, so no doubt there is a lot slipping through the cracks.”
“Ash, Master Cobalt is a lot of work,” Allanis told him.
“I am well aware. I’ve sat at hundreds of court sessions in Saunterton, and I’ve seen what gets brought to the table for our Master Cobalt. I’ve been dying to take over his job for the last two years. The man’s an idiot, but of course Ana couldn’t have handed the seat over to a ten-year-old.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m twelve now, Allanis. I am more than prepared for this.”
She shrugged, smiling a little at the typical overconfidence of a child playing grownup. It was adorable. But if there was anyone who could do it, she knew it was Ashbel.
“Alright, but I’m warning you now: The Watch and Militia are a mess, but we’re depending on them to provide the foundation for our army. That’s actually our first line of business for today. Oh, you know what? I’ve changed my mind!”
Ashbel tried not to laugh when he saw Lazarus’s jaw tense.
“Titha Russo—” Allanis waved to her and all her silver bangles clinked together. “I understand you are to accompany Ashbel at all times.”
The woman blushed, not used to the attention. “Unless he tells me otherwise. He’s a young man in an adult’s world, and I am a trained assassin who makes sure he is safe in it.”
“I like her,” Lora mumbled.
“Well, we’re a little short-staffed around here these days, Titha, Ash.” Allanis rubbed her eyes. “Until we have some trustworthy picks for a doorguard, may I offer a shift to Titha when she is not with you, Ash? Titha?”
“I’d hate to part from you, my lord, but I know you’re entirely capable of protecting yourself and you only keep me around because I make good tea.”
“A partially accurate statement, Titha. I am capable, and you do in fact make great tea, but I keep you around because I like your company. But I will allow it, Allanis!”
“Phenomenal! One problem with a temporary solution. Look at that, everyone! That’s what progress looks like.”
Ashbel and Jurdeir pulled up chairs, and they continued with business as planned. Allanis had scoped out land to build training barracks, one for the Master Battle Mage to run and one for the Master Knight to run.
“And you have the funds to commission these?” Ashbel asked.
“Yes. Money will be a problem in the future. Presently, it’s not. But I’m worried about how everything is going to stay balanced once this gets off the ground and starts growing. We could see a lot of movement from other cities, and with a higher population comes more crime and a heavier burden on our food stores. I don’t know how to handle a food shortage, other than to beg for help.”
“You couldn’t even do that,” Lazarus said. “You don’t have fealty from any city. Any. Anavelia would probably help you because you two are friends, but she certainly is under no obligation.”
“How about we make a pledge not to ask her for anything while I’m here?” Ashbel grumbled. “I want her to think I can handle this. Because I can.”
Ravina cleared her throat. “Winter’s right around the corner. It would be a bad time to see expansion unless you were to rely on the starkfin season in the Undina Loch and Roe River. In an emergency, it could save us.”
“Starkfin season?” Allanis asked.
“It’s a pain in the ass for traders coming in through the river from Death Pass Sea or the Equenhol Ocean. Starkfin surge to the Undina Loch during the winter for nesting. The last week of fall is the most dangerous time of year for the land by the riverbanks. It’ll be crawling with predators readying for hibernation and of course hyper-aggressive greenkind. Starkfin is a mean, dangerous fish, but it’s meaty and fatty. It’d be a great food source if we see a shortage in our stores. Plus, thinning out a food source for the predators and greenkind could make the riverbanks safer as long as it doesn’t drive them inland toward civilization.”
Allanis scribbled down notes. “Holy Hells, Ravina, am I glad to have you. I’m adding to the list. Build fisher’s wharf in the Undina Loch. Make small fleet of boats to fish in late fall for starkfin. This is great.”
“Our own boats?” Lazarus leaned back in his seat. “We could save funds if we hire captains who already have a boat and a crew. I’m sure we could find a small fleet’s worth at the Undina Loch who would work for the crown’s coin.”
“That’s a better idea.” Allanis scratched it out and made new notes.
Jurdeir leaned back in his seat too. “Now that we have potential food issues taken care of, where are my young knights hailing from? Is there good stock in Suradia?”
“We’ll meet with the public for a few days,” Allanis said. “You’ll be able to scope it out from there. We’ll probably see people from the Militia, from the streets, from farms, who knows? They’ll come out of the woodwork, and hopefully you’ll have enough to work with when the barracks are complete. Gods, I hope that doesn’t take too long.”
“And weapons. Do we know who is making my weapons?”
“All in due time, Jurdeir, I promise.”
Ashbel had never sat in on such an exciting Council meeting.
***
“We’re lost.”
“We’re not lost.”
At every break, Tryphaena had been listening to Rhett and Sinisia argue. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. During this argument, Tryphaena learned that Rhett had no faith in anyone but himself and Sinisia wasn’t as skilled at navigation as she claimed to be.
“I know exactly where we are,” the old woman said sourly. “The fly fern only grows in one area of the Bogwood. See? They’re right there.” She pointed. “We’re about five miles from the edge of the Wistwilds.”
They had only made it away from the hovel in the Wistwilds with four of the eleven original Hunters. Lilu had slaughtered the rest. Either that or they had fled. One of them stepped up to Rhett, looking back at his companions as he planned his words.
“We’re not from these parts,” he said. “I have to ask: Are we headed to Saunterton still?”
“Saunterton? Why would we be going to Saunterton?”
“That’s what she said.” The Hunter motioned to Sinisia.
“That’s where we should go!” she snapped. “We’re in a vulnerable position right now since everything went to shit! We need protection!”
“And you think your queen is going to give you that when she finds out what happened?” Rhett laughed. “She’ll have your head.”
“Only because you lied to me!” Sinisia shook as she jabbed her finger at him. “The queen told me to bring her Aleth Hallenar, alive, and you said you could do that.”
He smirked. “I said I could. Not that I would.”
“Settle down, you children,” Tryphaena grunted. “What is the plan, exactly?”
“We should head to Davrkton,” Rhett said. “It’s crawling with Vandroyan spies. We can get word of the poison to the Lord-Hunter in no time at all. Before you know it, someone will be here to buy.”
The woman glared at him. “Yes, but it isn’t finished yet, and if Davrkton was your goal, we’ve been going the wrong direction since we left! We’re nearly out of provisions. If we’re going to turn back now, we’ll have to find an inn and hope we don’t get spotted.”
The Hunter who had spoken returned to his group. They watched the three continue to deliberate, keeping their eyes on Rhett.
“The queen’s bitch is the only one who has to worry about being spotted,” he said smugly. “I may have my name to worry about, but no one knows my face. And Phae is a nobody.”
“That’s enough of that. You can all find your own way to Davrkton,” Tryphaena said. “This nobody has better things to do.” She didn’t wait for any objections; she mounted her horse and took off down through the trees.
Sinisia called after her, “Wait, Tryphaena! Please wait!”
“We can find Davrkton without her,” Rhett said. “Because that is where we’re going.”
There was cold-blooded murder in her eyes when she turned around and stared at him. “You’d better watch yourself, daemon-lover. Those Hunters at your back are going to target you next if you’re not careful.”
Rhett looked back at his horse, which was grazing without a care in the world. Then he turned back to Sinisia with a terrifying calmness.
“We should talk. How about you follow me somewhere quiet?”
She folded her arms and followed him into the woods. It struck her for a moment as unwise, but then she buried the thought. He was the one who should be afraid of being alone with her, not the other way around.
“What do you want?” she asked, her violet eyes heavy with anger.
His grin was wicked. “I’ve got information for you to take to your queen. It would change everything.”
“Is this a trick?”
“Not a trick. But it won’t come free of charge.”
“Why would the queen want this information? How can I trust it would even be true? You’ve already lied to me once.”
Rhett looked into the distance and scratched his chin. “Back there with my brother, you left before things got interesting. There’s so much you didn’t get to see with your own eyes.” Maybe it was for the best, he thought. If she found out and told Anavelia, the fallout and the witch hunt would be a disaster, and he would no doubt be caught in the middle.
“Like what? You stuck the boy with a needle and tried to kill him.”
“Why do you think my brother has all of these answers? Everyone wants him. What do you think makes him so fucking special?”
She couldn’t deny that it was a good point. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”
“It matters. There’s something about Aleth and Tizzy that your queen would die to know. You should have stuck around.”
“Fine. What’s it going to cost?”
He came closer, and even though every scrap of her soul wanted to step back, she didn’t move a muscle. She stood her ground, even when he was inches away. She would not show weakness.
“Depends what you’re willing to give me. I’ve no use for money, you know. And I’ve got a lot to tell.”
She could feel her stomach churning as he ran a finger along her jaw and looked down at her with the infamous Hallenar charm. His blue eyes were incredible. “Please tell me you’re fucking joking.”
“You’d enjoy yourself.”
“Fuck you! I can figure out your secrets on my own.” She shoved him away and stormed back onto the road.
“It was worth a try.”
It was for the best, he decided. She didn’t need to know that his brother and sister were nightwalkers. He could do more if the information stayed in his hands.
Sinisia mounted her horse and took off in the opposite direction. When Rhett came back to the Hunters, he wore a look of satisfaction.
“It’s good that they’re both gone,” he told them. “Things were going to get ugly.”
“What about the poison, my lord?”
He chewed the inside of his lip for a moment. “I’ve got my sister’s copy of the original formula; we won’t need Phae. The esteemed Poison Mother couldn’t even kill my brother with her new one. She must’ve watered it down. I don’t understand how he survived.”
“Maybe he’s stronger than we thought.”
Rhett sized up the Hunter who’d spoken and then materialized his staff.
“My lord, what are you doing?”
“It almost sounded like you were suggesting my brother is too strong for me to handle.”
