Part 38 (1/2)
Of course, any dealings with Manrin, a warlock, might be dangerous, Hanner thought; maybe they should go to the Wizards' Quarter to buy the Spell of Sustenance.
It would be far more efficient to have it done when collecting Alris, though. Besides, High Street was so much closer.
And if the overlord did decide to throw them out of the Palace they would probably be living in the house on High Street for a while anyway.
For now, though, they would eat like anyone else. Hanner looked down at his hand and realized he had not yet eaten his own breakfast. He took a bite of pork and chewed dutifully.
People wandered in and out of the kitchens as they ate, all going about their business in so familiar a fas.h.i.+on that Hanner's heart ached to see it. Faran's death had not disrupted anything here, nor had the warlocks, nor the destruction in the great audience chamber. The only visible change was Hinda's absence-a sixnight ago she would have been all over the kitchens, running errands for the cooks.
No one spoke to Hanner and Nerra, though; they finished their meal in silence, brushed crumbs from their clothes, and made their way through the familiar stairways and corridors back to their apartments ...
Where they found Bern, Alris, and two burly guardsmen waiting for them in the corridor.
”What's going on?” Hanner asked as he ambled along the pa.s.sage toward them.
Alris glanced up at one of the guards who said, ”Lady Alris brought this person into the Palace with her, and we didn't want to leave them unattended.”
”He might be a warlock who put a spell on her,” the other guard offered.
”Bern? Bern's not a warlock,” Hanner said. ”He's my uncle's housekeeper.”
”Itold them that!” Alris said angrily.
”Yes, you did, my lady, but we had to be careful, with all this trouble we've had the past few days.”
The other guard started to speak, then hesitated. ”What is it?” Hanner asked him. ”My lord,” the soldier said awkwardly, ”is it true your uncle is dead? That's what we heard, but you know how rumors are.”
”I do know how it is,” Hanner agreed, ”but this one is true. Lord Faran is dead.”
”The wizards killed him?” ”Yes.”
”I'm very sorry, my lord.” He sounded quite sincere. Hanner could feel his throat tightening as he replied, ”Thank you.” He blinked, just to make sure no tears would escape, and said, ”Might I ask you a question in return?” ”Of course, my lord.”
”Just what is the situation here? A couple of days ago the overlord wasn't allowinganyone into the Palace, for fear warlocks would get in, but here you've let Al... Lady Alris and Bern in. Has the order been rescinded?”
”Yes, it has,” the guard said. ”Last night. After all, those warlocks made it pretty clear yesterday that if they wanted to get in we couldn't stop them, and if we're going to have workmen in to repair the damage, and magicians in to make sure it doesn't happen again, well, we can't keepeveryone out. So we're back to the old rules-anyone with business in the Palace, or who knows the pa.s.sword, is allowed in.”
Hanner nodded. ”That makes sense,” he said. He resisted the temptation to add that that made it all the more surprising Lord Azrad had agreed to it. ”If you heard about my uncle's death, did you hear anything about who is to replace him as the overlord's chief advisor?”
The two soldiers glanced at each other. ”There's talk that Lord Ildirin will be promoted,” one said.
”Or Lord Karannin,” the other added.
”Or even Lord Azrad the Younger,” said the first.
”So he intends to keep it in the family, then?”
”I don't think he trusts anyone else anymore.”
”Except us, of course, but we aren't courtiers.”
Hanner grimaced. ”Of course,” he agreed. ”And do you know what Lord Azrad intends to do about the warlocks?”
The soldiers looked at each other again.
”I don't think we can talk about that,” one said. ”After all, you were with those warlocks, and they might be listening in with their magic.”
Hanner smiled. ”Warlocks can't do that,” he said. ”Their magic doesn't work that way.”
The guardsman turned up a palm. ”I wouldn't know, my lord. I'm not sureanyone really knows what a warlock can and can't do, when they're so new.”
”Better to be safe,” the other added. ”Has anyone said anything about me?”
”Not that I've heard, my lord.”
The other didn't answer with words, but raised an empty hand.
”Well, thank you,” Hanner said. He could see Alris looking angrily impatient, and Bern looking worried.
He pointed at Bern. ”I can attest that this man is Lord Faran's housekeeper, and at least as of yesterday he wasn't a warlock. Unless someone turned him into one overnight, I a.s.sume he still isn't.”
”Thank you, my lord.” The guard glanced at his companion. ”I suppose we'll be going, then.”
”Good enough,” Hanner said. ”Thank you for escorting them here.”
The two soldiers both essayed quick little bows, then turned and marched off while Hanner unlocked the door to the family's rooms.
”You heard about Uncle Faran?” Nerra asked.
”Yes,” Alris said. ”It soundshorrible! Poor Uncle Faran!”
”It was quick,” Hanner said as he swung the door open and stood aside to let the others in.
When they were all inside, and the door closed, Hanner said, ”I a.s.sume you're here, Alris, simply because you wanted to come home-but, Bern, why areyou here? Are the warlocks throwing out everyone who isn't one of them?”
Alris and Bern exchanged glances. ”No, my lord,” Bern said. ”I'm afraid we're here with bad news, and ... well, we need your advice.”
Hanner's stomach began to hurt. ”More bad news?” he said. ”It isn't enough that Uncle Faran and Rudhira and Varrin are all gone?”
”It's about the wizard,” Alris said as she settled onto a chair.
”Ithinia?”
”No, no,” Bern said quickly. ”Manrin the Mage.”
”What about him?”
”We found him dead in his bed this morning,” Bern said. ”That apprentice wizard, Ulpen, says that he was killed by wizardry for refusing an order from the masters of the Wizards' Guild.”
Hanner considered this for a moment, then asked, ”And how does Ulpen know this?”