Heroes' Reward (13 page)

“Here,” said
Taro, and he held out his purse. “It’s not much, I’m afraid. I haven’t been in
the mood for gambling, recently.”

“Anything will
help,” said Tarce’s disembodied voice. “I’ll go through some of the settlements
I stopped at during my way here. Someone will remember I’m Lord Tarce. I’ll
tell them I was robbed and promise them Fiona will honour my debts. How do I
end this … this cast?”

“Just rub the
powder off your forehead,” I told him.

“All right.
Thank you. Truly. I thought I was dead.”

“We couldn’t
have done anything else,” Taro told him.

“I hope you
don’t suffer for it.”

“We won’t,” Taro
said with a confidence we all knew he didn’t actually feel.

“All right,”
Tarce repeated.

I heard him
leave, heard a slight creak as he squeezed through the gap in the gate.

Taro and I ran
back to the palace wall, and found many more Guards milling about the place.
But they were talking a lot, loudly, about the riot. They couldn’t see us, and
they were making too much noise to hear us. We climbed over the wall.

It hurt even
more than it had the first time.

We got back into
the palace the same way we’d left: through the kitchen. The sleeping staff had
gone, possibly roused to protect the Emperor or control the guests in the
palace. The door had been left unlocked. Apparently no one had thought to check
it, possibly assuming it was still locked after whatever night time procedures
they normally observed.

The hall to our
room was very active, too, but not just with servants. Many were members of the
court granted the favour of living in the palace, demanding to know what had
happened and complaining about having been awakened in the middle of the night.
Taro and I had to dodge around to avoid the moving bodies, but no one seemed to
notice us slip through our barely opened door.

Once the door
was closed behind us, and we stood in the darkness of our chambers, I started
shaking. I couldn’t believe we’d just freed Tarce from under the nose of the
Emperor.

We scrubbed the
powder off our foreheads and reappeared.

“We should get
into bed,” Taro suggested. “Just wait until tomorrow, pretend to get up in the
morning, and act like we have no idea what happened.”

“I don’t know if
I’m a good enough actor for that,” I muttered.

I hated this. So
much.

As I started
taking off my tunic, I found it sticking to my arms. I had to peel it off. What
the hell? I rubbed the fabric between my fingers. It felt damp, but not with
water. I sniffed it. It smelled like blood. “Something’s wrong.”

We took the risk
of lighting some candles – surely people would think it reasonable that we were
up and about, with all the noise just outside our door? – and that was the
first time we realised we were both spattered with blood.

Now that I knew
about it, I could feel it drying on my skin, drying through my clothing. I
could smell it. I could taste it. I felt sick.

“Are you all
right?” Taro asked.

“It’s not mine.
You?”

“Just the blood
of people hacked to pieces in my immediate vicinity.”

I didn’t think
I’d ever be able to drive the visions out of my head.

Taro plucked at
his sleeve. “We’ll have to clean these. We can’t let anyone else see the blood.
The maids will get suspicious and report us to someone.”

“We don’t have
the means to launder them,” I pointed out. “Not well enough to get all the
blood out. And nothing would get the stains out of my braid, no matter what we
did. We’ll have to burn them.”

We stripped off
and threw the clothing in the fireplace in our bedchamber. We piled upon them
every scrap of kindling we had and added some lantern oil as well. The scent of
the resulting fire was nasty, so we opened the window and hoped that would
clear out the room.

Then I realised,
“I don’t think we can burn our boots down to nothing.”

“Washing and
polishing them should do the trick.”

I sniffed one of
them. They weren’t soaked, and though they did smell of blood, I agreed that
the scent of polish would probably hide the odour. I felt the sole. It was dry,
possibly wiped clean by all the running around we did with Tarce after we’d
gotten out of the prison. Some blood flaked off from between the treads,
though.

We scrubbed the
boots and then ourselves. All with cold water, because we didn’t have the means
to quickly heat it. Our abulations demanded effort I was almost too sickened and
exhausted to expend. Washing our hair out was positively painful. But at least
we had a huge supply of water – the plumbing in the castle was confusing but
efficient – and a drain to carry the evidence away.

My heart
literally stopped – it must have – at the loud pounding on our door. Bang bang
bang bang bang!

“Source Karish!
Shield Mallorough!”

I didn’t
recognize the voice.

We swore and ran
to our bed, scrambling for our nightgowns.

Bang bang bang
bang bang! “Karish! Mallorough!”

I nearly
strangled myself with the collar of my nightgown, pulling it down just before
Taro opened the door to the corridor. I closed the door to the bedchamber as I
left it.

A Guard stood on
the other side, carrying a lantern. He looked at Taro, from top to bottom, and
then me, from top to bottom. “My apologies, Source, Shield.” He didn’t sound
apologetic at all. “I was wondering if you were here.”

“Where else
would we be?” Taro asked.

“Everyone else
has been in the halls asking questions. Are you saying you slept through it all?
You didn’t hear anything?”

“No, we heard.
Of course.”

“But you weren’t
curious about it?”

“Not really.”
Taro frowned. “It’s none of our business.”

“Never knew that
to stop anyone from asking questions.”

Taro shrugged.
“We’re Triple S. If it’s not an event, it’s not relevant.”

I thought Taro
might have been pushing the portrayal of indifference just a little far, with
that.

“It’s not
relevant,” the Guard echoed slowly.

“Unless you
think it is. Is there something you think we should be doing? Has the Emperor
sent for us?”

“No.”

After a few
moments, Taro said, “Oh,” with the tone of someone who thought the conversation
should be over but was too polite to say so.

“Don’t wander
out for a while yet,” the Guard warned us. “There are some uncanny happenings
tonight, and you don’t want to get mixed up with the wrong people.”

Tarce’s trial
had certainly taught us the dangers of that. “No, certainly not. Thank you.”

The Guard gave
us each another thorough look, then nodded. “Good night, then.”

He hadn’t
noticed our wet hair. Perhaps it had looked only messy in the dim light of the
lantern.

Really, right
then, I didn’t care. “Damn it, I’m freezing.” I ran to the bedchamber and
jumped on the bed, diving under the sheets and blankets. Which were frigid. I
swore and threw back the bedding. “I’m sitting by the fire.” It wasn’t as
though I’d actually be able to sleep.

All those
people, trying to kill each other.

It wasn’t
supposed to be like this.

Chapter Fifteen

The following
day, we weren’t allowed out of our chambers. From the shouted objections we
could hear from the halls, I assumed no one else was allowed out, either. No
one came in, so there was no opportunity to get food or drink. Not that I was
hungry. My stomach was too tight with tension to accommodate food.

We couldn’t burn
the book. We’d used all of our wood destroying our clothes. We couldn’t burn
the keys, either. So we stuck it all up the chimney. It was all we could think
to do.

In time, I
slept. I had nightmares.

I dreaded
getting the news of what had happened at the prison. The number of casualties
would be frightful. Any surviving rioters would no doubt be arrested
themselves, given a perfunctory trial, and promptly executed. And the Emperor’s
paranoia would be revived, possibly intensified. We might get our own personal
escort again.

The day after
that, we were fed just before being summoned to the throne room, where Gifford,
Green, servants, and a large collection of titleholders and Council members had
been gathered.

There were no
polite greetings.

“Lord Tarce
escaped from Findon Prison last night,” the Emperor informed Taro. “This is a
cause for some annoyance.”

“I can only
imagine, Your Majesty,” Taro responded.

“You are aware
of this, then?”

Oops.

“People were
speaking of it in the corridor outside our suite.”

The Emperor
seemed to find the explanation reasonable. “Lord Tarce was your cousin.”

The use of the
past tense was disturbing. Tarce had gotten away, hadn’t he? No one had caught
up with him, had they?

“Yes, Your
Majesty.”

“One might
understand if you felt perturbed by the sentence given to Lord Tarce after his
trial.”

“Of course, Your
Majesty, but the crimes committed by my cousin against Your Majesty were most
foul.”

I held back a
cough. Claw back on the poetry, my love.

Taro continued,
“No one can expect to evade responsibility for their illegal actions, including
my kin. I understand that.”

“And if Lady
Westsea should be found responsible for any crime? You would accept her
punishment, as well?”

Was the Emperor
thinking of laying complaints against her?

Taro didn’t even
hesitate. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

“You showed
great loyalty to her during your stay at Flown Raven. You followed her orders.”

“I was required
to obey the highest nearby titleholder.”

There was a sort
of satisfaction in being able to throw another person’s words back in his face.

“Did you pay
someone to arrange Lord Tarce’s escape from prison?”

Taro looked
shocked. “I have no money, Your Majesty. Sources never have any coin.”

“Did you promise
someone anything else?”

“I have nothing
of value to give anyone, Your Majesty.”

“Except your
face and form.”

I stared at the
floor to prevent myself from glaring at Gifford.

“I am getting
older, Your Majesty. Things don’t come as easily to me as they once did.”

“Ah.” The
Emperor paused to think a moment.

Lady Green put a
hand on his wrist.

This seemed to
prompt him to speak. “We understand it is unlikely that you would violate your
own oath to us. You’re known to be an honourable man. For the most part.”

For the most
part? What did that mean?

“We know you
were not in a position to make arrangements for the assault on the prison.”

Then why were we
there?

“You were in
your chambers while the riot was ongoing.”

Yes, things
would no doubt have gotten nasty if our chambers had been found empty.

“At this time We
are, unfortunately, unable to spare people to hunt for Lord Tarce beyond the
city limits,” the Emperor went on. “If you see Lord Tarce within the city, you
will not speak to him. You will inform the Imperial Guard immediately. Do you
understand?”

“Of course, Your
Majesty.”

So we were going
to be allowed out of the palace again. Excellent. I was finding the walls
suffocating.

But far more
important, Gifford wasn’t going to exert any resources to find Tarce, despite
the ludicrous list of allegations for which he had been found responsible. That
didn’t seem a decision characteristic of Gifford, just letting something slide
like that. Had Green influenced him in some way?

“Of course, if
Lord Tarce is found, he will be thoroughly questioned in order to determine the
details of his escape.”

And a nice
little threat just to add some spice to the conversation.

“Your words have
reassured Us.”

Thank Zaire.

“However, We
have many more We must speak with on this matter, many in whom We can’t afford
to show such confidence.”

If he was
talking about everyone involved, it would be hundreds, I imagined. Did the
Emperor intend to speak with all of them? That would take, I didn’t know,
weeks, maybe. Did the Emperor not have any work to do?

“We will need
you to attend.”

Why? Must we? I
didn’t know if I could bear listening to the Emperor twist the words of every
accused into illogical interpretations.

That was
cowardly. We had been spared. The very least we could do was watch … other
people get rolled over? Was that really any better? I had no idea.

Didn’t matter.
We didn’t have a choice.

Gifford gestured
at Taro. “Now be so good as to bring Ourselves and Lady Green servings of Snow
Drop wine. We know you’re aware of where to procure it. You assisted Our mother
in this fashion.”

There were a
dozen servants in the room who could have been sent to perform this task. It
was what they were paid for. But the Emperor wanted to make sure Taro knew his
place.

Taro strode over
to what I assumed was the appropriate door, appearing happy to fulfill
Gifford’s order.

Stare at the
floor, stare at the floor, stare at the floor.

The next several
moments were awkward. No one said anything. I was stuck standing in the middle
of the floor. I was out in the open and everyone was ignoring me.

Not that I
wanted anyone’s attention. I would have loved to be able to slither off to the
side of the room.

Taro returned
shortly, carrying a silver tray with a decanter of wine and two goblets. A maid
walked in behind him with a small table. The maid set the table beside the
Emperor’s throne and Taro placed the tray upon it. He poured the wine into one
goblet and offered it to the Emperor with a bow. “Your Majesty.”

When he
presented the other goblet to Lady Green, his bow wasn’t as deep. This was appropriate
according to protocol, but I had the feeling Lady Green was displeased with it.

“You may
remain,” the Emperor said, gesturing beside his throne. “In case We require
further service. Order your Shield to join you.”

And that was
meant to put me in
my
place. Taro didn’t actually give me an order, of
course. I just stepped up beside him.

“Lord Escan
Flane,” the Emperor announced.

Two Guards left
the room briefly, dragging an older gentleman in when they returned. It was
clear that he had been beaten.

What followed
was heartbreaking.

Flane was
questioned about his possible participation in the riot at the prison. This he
denied. Gifford claimed disbelief, due to the fact that Flane had an
acquaintence in the prison, awaiting execution. Flane was found cupable of
treason, murder, and destruction of Crown property. He was sentenced to be
executed and his estate was repossessed by the Crown.

This was not a
trial. Had the Emperor decided they just weren’t necessary anymore?

Flane offered no
resistance to the Guards when they pulled him out of the room. He appeared
resigned.

“Lady Rivernet,”
the Emperor called.

When the young
woman was hauled in, I recognized her as one who had renewed her oaths of
loyalty. She had been given the post of Minister of Height Licensing. There had
already been a Minister of Construction Licensing, which would include
regulating the height of new buildings. I was pretty sure the post had been
made up on the spot, and had no actual power.

Instead of the
grilling Flane had received, Rivernet was asked a handful of questions, and
none of her answers appeared to be doubted. At the end of her very brief
interview, she was declared innocent of any illegal activity and was rewarded
with the estate that had formerly been Flane’s.

Had she really
been suspected of any offence, or was this display meant to make a point?

As the slew of
victims was subjected to the Emperor’s attention, the pattern became apparent.
Those who had sworn the recent oaths were lobbed a few easy questions and
released. Those who hadn’t were subject to a list of leaps of wild illogic and
found responsible for whatever crime the Emperor thought of at the moment, then
sentenced to execution. It was horrible.

The assets of
those who were found culpable were usually given to those who were not.

When, finally,
the last person was dismissed, the Emperor turned to Taro. “We appreciate your
participation as a witness to these proceedings. We are confident you will
provide an excellent recounting of events when required.”

Yes we would. An
accurate recounting. To the Triple S and anyone else we could find who was
sane.

“Erstwhile
Source Karish,” Gifford continued. “Given the loyalty you have shown since your
arrival, the oath you swore, your honest contribution to Lord Tarce’s trial,
and your resistence to the temptation – which must have been strong – to
attempt to assist Lord Tarce in his escape, We feel confident you will
honourably perform the task for which you were truly summoned. Erstwhile Source
Karish, you will instruct Our Pairs in those unique skills We have heard so
much about. Erstwhile Shield Mallorough, you will instruct Our casters. We must
and will have Pairs and casters superior to those of the Triple S, to
demonstrate our superior inborn might.”

On the one hand,
the idea of teaching those people anything made me ill. On the other, we would
learn what they could do, and perhaps find ways to make sure they didn’t
progress.

“You may go.”

My feet and legs
were so stiff and sore I stumbled with my first step and nearly fell on my
face. My instinctive reaction to recover my balance was one I almost regretted.
Perhaps if I had demonstrated such a ridiculous display of clumsiness, the
Emperor would have decided I was just too incompetent to be instructing his
casters, and let Taro and me go home.