Part 12 (2/2)
”Any chance of a drop of aquavit? I'm frozen.” Kilian went over to the grate to warm his hands at the blaze. She poured a gla.s.s and handed it to him. He took a sip and nodded. ”Ahh; that's better. Did you know that our agents have just learned of an intriguing turn of events? Lord Nagarian has escaped from Arnskammar Asylum.” He took another slow sip.
Celestine caught Jagu's startled glance. ”Does that mean that the Drakhaoul of Azhkendir has returned to protect its first master?” she said. ”Was that where it was going when we saw it in the Straits?”
”Who knows?” replied Kilian with a wry smile. ”Except that Arnskammar is supposed to be impregnable. No one has ever escaped from there before-and lived to tell the tale. Imagine the Emperor's expression when he was told the news...”
She left the two old school friends to reminisce and went to check on their royal guest, who was receiving the attentions of the local barber.
The barber had washed and cut Andrei's wild, salt-stiffened tangle of dark hair and was tr.i.m.m.i.n.g his beard to an elegant style suitable for a man-about-town.
”The barber's done a good job,” she said as Andrei looked critically at his reflection in a hand gla.s.s. ”You look quite respectable now.”
”Though I hear the n.o.bles of the imperial court are going cleanshaven these days, like the Emperor.”
”But the beard helps to preserve your anonymity,” she reminded him.
He suddenly put the mirror down and got up, pacing the room like a caged animal. ”All this waiting around is making me restless.”
”Jagu's still occupied with the amba.s.sador's business,” she said. ”Perhaps you could escort me about town?” It was important to keep Andrei busy in case, in his frustration, he did something rash and spoiled their plans. ”With all these foreign sailors in port, I confess I'm a little nervous to venture out alone.” How odd that false declaration sounded to her ears; hadn't she just traveled to Azhkendir and back disguised as a boy? She was glad that Jagu was not present to hear her play the role of the defenseless woman.
”I'm glad to be of use,” Andrei said eagerly.
*#x00A0;*#x00A0;*#x00A0; ”Spring comes so much later in the north,” Celestine said to Andrei, as the cherry blossom petals came fluttering down, blanketing the street with a covering of delicate pink snow. The squall had finally blown away and thin, misty clouds were parting to reveal blue sky behind.
A stroll was just the excuse she needed to draw more information from Andrei. Something in his story had been troubling her. ”That spirit we saw. It was terrifying. A daemon.” She chose her words with care; at present he knew her only as a singer, not as a member of an elite team of exorcists. ”Yet you say it healed you of your injuries and restored your memory. That doesn't seem like the action of an evil spirit.”
”It gave me courage. Confidence in myself.” He stopped, gazing up into the clearing sky as if unconsciously searching for a lingering trace of its presence. ”When it made itself a... a part of me, I felt so strong. As if I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. Now that it's gone, I feel... empty.”
He could almost be describing what she had experienced when the Faie had left her body to return to the book. She looked at him with fresh sympathy. He had been possessed by the Drakhaoul, a daemon spirit that had wreaked unimaginable destruction, and yet it had used him kindly. Was there some kins.h.i.+p between the Faie and the Drakhaouls?
”Forgive me for unburdening myself to you. I've had so much on my mind since...” Andrei glanced at her, with the hint of an intimate smile.
His eyes are so warm when he smiles. ”You must have been so lonely, all those long months after your memories returned.” It was difficult not to feel sympathy for his current predicament. ”You must have been so lonely, all those long months after your memories returned.” It was difficult not to feel sympathy for his current predicament.
”Not so lonely as when I returned to Mirom and walked the streets of my home as a stranger. It's a very peculiar sensation to stand in front of your own memorial and see your name engraved there with the dates of your short, insignificant life beside those of your dead friends and crewmates...” The haunted look had clouded his eyes again. ”I felt like a ghost.”
”Well, will you look over there!” Kilian nudged Jagu, pointing across the square. ”Isn't that your charming partner?” Jagu looked and saw Celestine walking along the gravel path beneath the cherry trees with Andrei Orlov, one hand resting on his arm. The two seemed absorbed in their conversation, Celestine's golden head raised so that she could gaze attentively up at him.
”They seem to be getting on rather well, wouldn't you say?” There was an all-too-familiar hint of malice in Kilian's words. Jagu decided to ignore the sly dig, designed, he knew, to provoke him.
”Our orders are to gain as much information from him as possible. Celestine has a talent for putting people at their ease...” How lame it sounded. He couldn't even convince himself. ”I'm content just to be with her. Near her. I don't ask for more.”
”Such admirable self-restraint. Such a n.o.ble lack of self-interest. Most people would say that you're deluding yourself.”
What possible satisfaction could Kilian get out of goading him, like this? Jagu wondered. ”Must you always see things from your own peculiarly warped perspective?” Jagu wondered. ”Must you always see things from your own peculiarly warped perspective?”
”Only a d.a.m.ned fool would let himself be tormented day after day by a love that can never be fulfilled.”
Was there more of an edge to Kilian's words than usual? Or did they seem sharper because of the raw wind off the Straits that suddenly stirred the cherry branches, dislodging the last tender blossoms?
”What, precisely, do you mean by-” Jagu began, but Kilian interrupted him.
”My s.h.i.+p leaves tomorrow on the dawn tide. I need those reports for the Maistre from you both-even if you have to stay up into the small hours to complete them.”
Jagu went down to the docks in the dark before dawn to see Kilian off. It seemed odd to be handing Sergius's Staff into his care after so many months. It had made him feel strangely secure, as if the saint's presence had been protecting and guiding them.
”I fear the Maistre will be disappointed,” Jagu said as they approached the harbor.
”Did you really think those old monks would give up their sacred treasure to a rival order?”
Jagu shook his head.
”It was a valuable reconnaissance mission. You mapped the coastline. You found the pilgrim trails through the forest to the monastery. Now we know what we're up against.” There was no hint of jesting in Kilian's tone anymore.
”So we're not giving up?”
”It's the king's will,” Kilian said. ”Enguerrand has some grand project in mind. You may find yourself on the way back to Azhkendir very soon.”
Jagu groaned. ”I don't think I could endure the smell of herring again.”
As they walked on, a crowd of Tielen sailors went hurrying past, moving in the direction of the naval dockyards.
”Something's up,” said Kilian.
”Kilian! Jagu!” Celestine came running after them. ”Have you heard the news? There's been a big sea battle off the coast of Smarna. It sounds as if Eugene's Southern Fleet has suffered a significant defeat.”
”But the Smarnans have only a handful of wars.h.i.+ps,” said Jagu. ”How could so few overcome such a powerful navy?”
”Who knows?” said Kilian. ”As long as they don't fire on my s.h.i.+p home, I couldn't give a d.a.m.n. And here she is, the Azenor.” Azenor.” He stopped alongside the three-master, which was bustling with crewmen, making ready for the crossing to Francia. He stopped alongside the three-master, which was bustling with crewmen, making ready for the crossing to Francia.
”G.o.dspeed, then, and an uneventful voyage.” Jagu gave Kilian a hug and placed the metal Staff in his hands. ”And take good care of the Staff.”
”You know you can rely on me,” said Kilian.
”Tell the Maistre,” added Celestine, ”that we're going after the big fish, big fish, as he instructed; we may need extra support.” as he instructed; we may need extra support.”
”By all the saints, you're formidable when you set your mind on something, Celestine. I'd hate to be on the opposing side!” Kilian feigned a shudder, a teasing light glinting in his green eyes.
”My Southern Fleet has been attacked by the Drakhaoul of Azh kendir.” Eugene paced the Magus's laboratory, his hands clasped behind his back. Linnaius said nothing; it was best, he had learned from experience, to let the Emperor vent his rage first before offering any kind of counsel. ”What will Lord Gavril attack next? Swanholm? We must make our move now, Linnaius.” Eugene stopped and stabbed his finger at the chart that lay open on the table. ”We must go to Ty Nagar and find this legendary Serpent Gate. I will summon a Drakhaoul of my own.”
”Are you certain this is the only solution?” Bringing a second Drakhaoul into the world seemed to Linnaius too drastic a response.
”Why wait any longer? I have the key, the Eye of Nagar.” ”But if you succeed in opening the Serpent Gate, can you be certain that only one Drakhaoul will come to your call?”
Eugene looked up at him, a gleam in his eyes. ”I can't. But should such a thing happen, I shall be relying on you, Kaspar, to close the Serpent Gate before the others can escape.”
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