Part 20 (1/2)
”Not and live after.”
”Vree! Soldiers! Riding up from the road!”
”I see them.” Her heart slammed against her ribs and the large breakfast she'd just finished turned to stone in her stomach. ”First Army. Nothing to do with us.” Couldn't be anything to do with them.
”If Emo talked or they found Arro's body...”
She dried her palms against her thighs. ”Then we can expect a dagger in the night, you said that yourself.”
”Sure, but first they have to find us, and all armies must a.s.sist an a.s.sa.s.sin loosed at a target.”
”First Army guards the Emperor. Even if Marshal Chela sent a courier-and that courier rode by without us noticing-the First Army is not going to leave His Imperial Majesty to search for us.”
”Yeah? Well, they're heading this way and they look p.i.s.sed.”
Vree stepped back behind a stone lattice and called herself several kinds of fool for leaving Gyhard alone in the inn. While she could easily slip off the small terrace, down the lane to the stables and away, five armed and armored soldiers of the First Army now stood between her and Bannon's body.
”s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t.”
”Bannon, shut up.”
The captain dismounted. ”If any of the honored guests try to leave,” she barked, dropping her reins to trail on the ground. ”Take them alive.” Lips set in a thin line she straight-armed her way through the carved doors and into the inn.
Four left. If it came to it, she could kill two easily. The two remaining would be warned and moving. Not so easy but not impossible either. Trouble was, that left the captain in the inn with...
”Vree, listen!”
Like most expensive inns the Zepher Garden was set well back from the South Road, a row of lindens blocking the sounds and smells of common travelers from the delicate sensibilities of its wealthy clientele. Wafting through the trees came the unmistakable sound of bellowed orders and civilian shouts of outrage.
”You're right, sister-mine. There's something bigger going on than us.” She allowed Bannon to turn her back around to face the four soldiers waiting by the inn door. ”They don't want to be here. They want to be out cracking skulls with their buddies. Whatever's going down, they don't think it has anything to do with this place.”
Every impatient scowl, every unnecessary jerk at the reins clearly said they wanted to be elsewhere. ”The one on the right looks like he dressed in the dark, his tunic's on inside out. And all three men need a shave.”
”Why would the Emperor send the First Army out of the Capital in the middle of the night?”
”Looks like we're about to find out.”
”Captain, I a.s.sure you of my complete cooperation and I am of course shocked and horrified by this attack against the most gracious Imperial Family, but I also a.s.sure you that no one involved in such a distressing incident would ever dare to come here.” The Zepher Garden's portly owner patted the silver brooch that secured the folds of his mantle on one rounded shoulder with a plump, white hand. ”My loyalty to the Emperor is well known. Why, Senator Eraco, who as I'm sure you are aware is very close to the Emperor, keeps a suite of rooms here.”
A senator. A member of the Emperor's council. Rumor suggested that the people of the Empire chose the senators they felt would best represent them, but Vree had never chosen one or known anyone who had so it was a rumor she discounted. The presence of the senator did, however, explain the presence of the captain; rank demanded rank.
”I am aware of your loyalty, citizen.” A muscle jumped in the captain's jaw as she ushered the innkeeper out onto the terrace. ”But I still must speak with those of your people who live in the town and spent the night at their homes.”
”None of my people would be involved in such a...”
”Of course not. But they might have heard something or seen something and my orders were to speak with them.” The captain's tone held a clear opinion of those orders and Vree almost smiled.
”This establishment is, of course, too far from the road for any of my guests to have heard anything.”
”I know.” Her reply was as blunt and uncompromising as a blow to the head and the innkeeper subsided into a petulant silence.
”Captain...”
Vree's pulse began to pound again as her brother walked out of the inn, Gyhard banished by the familiar voice calling out as it had a hundred, a thousand times over the years.
”... if the stablehands could bring our horses when they come for questioning, my sister and I could be on our way and out of yours.”
What is he so furious about? she wondered. Anger radiated off of him in almost visible waves.
Surprisingly, the captain seemed to approve of the emotional excess. ”Go ahead.” She jerked her head at the innkeeper who rolled his eyes but padded off to find his major domo and send the order to the stable. ”You said your sister was out here?” she continued.
Head jerking from side to side, grace lost in his rage, Gyhard glanced around. Vree froze, trusting the pattern of shadow to keep her hidden.
”Vireyda!”
It was a summons meant to be obeyed.
”What is going on?” Bannon demanded.
”How the slaughter should I know?” Hands carefully away from her body, she stepped out onto the terrace and crossed to Gyhard's side. Fully aware that her accent would deny whatever story ”her brother” had spun, she merely raised a questioning brow.
Gyhard's eyes blazed as he turned to face her and his fingers kept curling and uncurling as though he were squeezing a captive throat. ”Prince Otavas,” he growled, ”has been kidnapped.”
Thumbs shoved behind the thick leather of her sword belt, the captain watched the brother and sister trot their horse down the lane to the South Road. While she had no doubt of their uninvolvement-his anger had been too slaughtering real- there was something about the woman she didn't like. Something familiar in the way she moved touched an icy finger to the captain's spine.
The resemblance chewed at the edges of memory.
Who do I know who moves like that? Whoever it was, she didn't feel good about the similarities. Perhaps it might be best to ask them a few more questions. She opened her mouth to call them back.
”Captain? The servants are gathered.”
Jiir take it anyway. She spun on one heel and scowled at the whispering knots of men and women crowded onto the the terrace. It's not like I don't have enough on my slaughtering plate. Dragging off her helm, she rubbed her other hand over the sweat-damp bristles of her hair. ”All right, which of you lot lives along the road?”
”That's all she told you?”
”What was I supposed to do,” Gyhard ground out through clenched teeth, ”torture her for more information? The prince was kidnapped by three men-two young, one old-late last night. That's all I know.” He snorted. ”It looks like I'll be wearing this body for a while longer.”
”I guess we don't die right away, sister-mine.”
A trickle of sweat rolling down her side, Vree clutched at Bannon's comment. It could be the perfect explanation for the sudden surge of relief so intense she could barely breathe around it.
”So what do we do?” She hadn't intended to speak aloud.
a.s.suming the question was meant for him, Gyhard's muscles tightened across his back. ”I don't know.” He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so angry. His gelding, responding to his mood, began to buck.
”He's taking this personally, isn't he?” Bannon snickered as Gyhard fought to control his horse. ”Like someone kidnapped Prince Otavas just to p.i.s.s him off.”