The Godspeaker Trilogy (82 page)

He nodded. “ Zho . I’m fine, Zandakar. You?”

Zandakar shrugged. Said something in his own tongue. It sounded … derisive. Perhaps: What do you think?

It was a good question. What do I think, Zandakar? I think Helfred was right. You did want to kill him. You want to kill anyone you see as a threat. And what that will mean for us … I’m not sure. Not yet .

Zandakar tipped his head to one side. The faintest of blue sheens gleamed on his skull. He’d need to shave his head again soon or risk looking more outlandish than he did already. “Dexterity?”

He looked up. “Yes?”

Vivid thoughts and feelings paraded across Zandakar’s face. For the first time Dexterity thought he could read the ex-slave’s inner self. Fear. Caution. Exhausted patience and a growing frustration. Aieee, I want to speak with him!

“I know, Zandakar,” he said, and smiled. “I want to speak properly with you, too.” I want to know who you are and if, after everything, we should be afraid .

“Tcha!” said Zandakar, rolling his eyes.

“Sleep now, my strange friend.” He reached for the lamp and turned its wick down. The van’s interior plunged into darkness. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

Five minutes later, Helfred started to snore.

They woke to a pink dawn gauzed with cloud. After a breakfast of more bread and cheese, Dexterity gave the others the news he’d been dreading to share.

“What do you mean, not go by river?” said Rhian, staring. Her face looked subtly older with her hair cut so short. Curls crowded closely, outlining the elegant shape of her head. Her eyes stood out sharply, and her high cheekbones. She’d been beautiful before. Now she looked exotic, a young queen out of myth and legend, slender as whipcord … and about as yielding.

“Jones,” sighed Ursa. “I think it’s time you told her.”

“Told me what ?” demanded Rhian. “What’s going on here? I want to know. I won’t have secrets kept from me. Not any more.”

The interior of the peddler’s van really was too small for so many people. Standing with his back to the hinged door, Dexterity bit his lip. “I understand, Highness. It’s just … well… there’s no way I can explain without sounding like a madman.”

“Try,” said Rhian grimly. “Because I’m losing my temper. And as Helfred will tell you it’s not a pretty sight.”

Seated beside her on the bottom sleeping-shelf Ursa shrugged, her eyebrows high. “What have you got to lose, Jones?”

More things than he cared to think about. Oh, Hettie, Hettie. You should be explaining this instead of me! Tentatively, he cleared his throat. “Your Highness, do you remember when I came to you in the privy palace gardens?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“And you were amazed by how I knew what I knew when by all rights I should’ve known nothing?”

“I’m still amazed.”

“Yes. Well.” He took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh. Let his gaze drift to Helfred, still crammed in his corner and pretending not to listen. Then he looked at Zandakar, leaning against the wall. The man’s expression was intent, as though he could understand every word. “I used to be married a long time ago. To a woman named Hettie. I loved her very much … but she died.”

Rhian’s severe expression softened. “I’m sorry. I never knew that.”

“Of course you didn’t. Why would you? You weren’t born when I lost her.”

“I’m still sorry. But—and forgive me—what does her death have to do with us not travelling to duchy Linfoi by river?”

He felt his insides strangle tight. “Hettie said not to.”

“ Hettie said …” Rhian stood, hands fisted at her sides. “Mr Jones, is this some kind of joke ?”

“No, Your Highness. Not unless it’s being played on me. Hettie tells me things. Things that turn out to be true. Last night she said we can’t travel by river, that we should stay on the road.”

From the look on her face Rhian didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or scream. “Mr Jones, do you hear yourself?”

He nodded. “Sadly, I do.”

In his sulky corner Helfred stirred. His eyes were alight with renewed vigour. “It’s a demonic visitation,” he pronounced, standing. “Princess Rhian, we must depart. To stay in this place is to imperil our souls.”

For the first time Rhian looked at her chaplain without thinly veiled anger and deep dislike. “Demonic?”

“Absolutely!” said Helfred promptly, and pointed at Zandakar. “That—that— man —is its fleshly incarnation!”

“Oh, bilge!” said Ursa in disgust. “That man is a man, nothing more, nothing less. I dragged him kicking and screaming from death’s threshold, Chaplain, so I think I should know. And there’s nothing demonic about what’s happening here. I’ll lay you good money Hettie is God’s messenger in this.” She turned. “Come along, Jones! Don’t just stand there like one of your puppets! Tell the girl what else Hettie said!”

He focused on the princess, trying to blot out the sight of Helfred’s appalled, self-righteous face and the watchful wariness in Zandakar’s eyes. “Rhian, it was Hettie who told me that Ethrea is in danger. About the prolate trying to marry you to the wrong man for the wrong reasons. I came to see you, to offer you my help, because she said I must. I don’t begin to understand what’s going on but I know she’s not a demon .” He flicked Helfred a hot glance. “There’s no such thing as demons. That’s just superstitious nonsense to frighten children.”

“Blasphemy!” gasped Helfred. “You are an unbeliever!”

“I don’t know what I am,” he said crossly. “I only know that when Hettie lived she was the sweetest, kindest, gentlest woman in the world … and all she cares about now is protecting Ethrea and saving the princess.”

“This is very confusing,” Rhian muttered, and rubbed a hand across her eyes. “I’m not in the habit of taking counsel from men who talk to ghosts.”

“And I assure you, Highness, I’m not in the habit of talking to them,” he said. “If it hadn’t been Hettie I’d have called it indigestion. But denying what’s happened since the first time she came to me would be like going outside and saying the sky isn’t blue.”

The faintest of smiles touched Rhian’s face. “Put my fears at ease, Mr Jones. Poke your head out of the van and look up, would you? Just to make sure?”

He smiled back at her as the knots in his chest began to ease. “It was blue ten minutes ago. I don’t think it’s changed since.”

“Then I envy the sky,” she said. “My life has changed so much I can scarcely recognise it …”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Did Hettie say why we mustn’t travel by barge?”

“Your Highness!” said Helfred, scandalised. “You can’t give this blasphemy credence! You can’t mean to remain with these—these— people !”

Rhian scorched him with a look. “Be quiet, Helfred. Mr Jones?”

The knots tightened again. “No, she didn’t, Your Highness. But I believe her. She’s my wife.”

“Your wife is dead, Mr Jones,” said Helfred. “And this is outrageous . You endanger our souls by—”

“I said be quiet, Helfred!” Rhian snapped. “Mr Jones endangers nothing. He saved me. How could he do that without divine guidance? Are you denying the existence of miracles?”

“Of course not!” said Helfred, hotly. “But this toymaker is no Rollin!”

“You don’t know that! You don’t know anything! You’re nothing but a toady for your precious uncle! Do you even believe in God?”

Helfred spluttered incoherently, his face so red he looked in danger of his life. Dexterity exchanged a look with Ursa, who reached out and patted Rhian on the arm.

“That’s enough, Your Highness. You’ve made your point.”

“I don’t think I have,” Rhian said. “From the moment he was forced on me this horrible little man has thrown God in my face at every opportunity. And yet, when you get right down to it, how can any of us be certain God even exists? Has anyone seen him? Spoken to him? Heard his voice?”

“No,” said Ursa. “That’s where faith comes in.”

“ Exactly! And Mr Jones has faith in Hettie. Faith that’s been borne out because she was right. Do we have to see her to believe she’s on our side? Isn’t it enough that Mr Jones can see her?”

“No!” declared Helfred. “Faith in God cannot be compared to faith in an apparition whose provenance is unproved!”

“ You say!” spat Rhian. “But I say you’re wrong and God’s sent us a miracle. What a good thing you weren’t around in Rollin’s day, Helfred! Given the chance I bet you’d have shot the first arrow!”

Helfred was shaking. “That is a monstrous accusation! You wicked girl, how dare you—”

Zandakar stepped forward, his expression menacing. Rhian pointed at him. “You stay where you are! This is between me and my chaplain!”

As Zandakar stopped, understanding Rhian’s tone and gesture at least, Dexterity cleared his throat. If I don’t do something we’ll tear ourselves to pieces, and what will happen to Ethrea then? “Chaplain Helfred, I’d like to ask you a question. If you don’t mind.”

A moment of silence, as Helfred and Rhian battled for self-control. Then Helfred nodded. “Of course, Mr Jones.”

“Why did you leave the clerica with us? Why not stay behind and raise the alarm?”

Helfred laughed, an angry sound. He looked nothing like a chaplain, not out of his habit. In plain trousers and shirt he looked more like a ledger keeper or some other breed of persnickety indoors man.

“As if you and your tame heathen would have let me! If I’d tried to call out you’d have—you’d have—”

“We wouldn’t have hurt you,” said Rhian, contemptuous.

“Perhaps not,” said Helfred, glaring. “But you’d have dragged me off with you against my will. Do you deny it?”

Rhian stared at the floor. “No.”

“But the point is we didn’t have to,” said Dexterity, quickly. “You came with us of your own accord, Chaplain. Because you know the prolate is wrong. You know something is gravely awry in Ethrea. And you know Princess Rhian is the only one who can put it right.”

“And if I’d known you consort with apparitions I’d have shouted till the clerica fell down around our ears!”

“Why are you so convinced Hettie’s evil, Helfred?” said Rhian. “Can it only be a miracle if God speaks to you ?”

The question seemed to knock the wind right out of him. He sat down, slowly. The silence stretched on. Dexterity opened his mouth but Ursa shook her head at him, so he looked at Zandakar instead. The menace was gone, sunk back beneath his surface. He was watchful again. How much did he understand?

I wish I could ask him. I wish I knew who he was.

Rhian was staring at Helfred. The fury had died out of her face. She looked almost … sympathetic . “Chaplain, you were right about one thing last night, at least. If you don’t wish to stay with us I can’t compel you. I’m your queen, I’m not a gaoler. I’m not Marlan, ruling by coercion. If you truly believe I’m tainted by evil, that we are God’s sworn enemies, then return to your uncle. Tell him everything that’s happened. Help him track me down, drag me back to Kingseat and force me into marriage with Lord Rulf, whom he would make his puppet. If you think that’s God’s will, Helfred … who am I to thwart it?” She flicked a glance sideways. “Mr Jones?”

Heart pounding, sweat trickling even though it was a cool morning, Dexterity stepped away from the hinged door, flipped up its latches and swung both halves wide.

Beyond the van freedom beckoned. Disaster taunted. The waking world held its pale, cool breath. Groaning, Helfred turned his face to the wall. “I am a wretched, tormented creature! You know I can’t leave you, Highness. I took an oath to succour your soul. Would you have me forsworn? Would you have me forsake you? Is that your low opinion of me?”

As Rhian went to him, Dexterity shook his head at Ursa then looked at Zandakar. “Come on,” he said. “This isn’t our business. You can help me with the horses. It’s time this van returned to the road.”

S
he wants more time?” Lord Harley looked around the council table, incredulous. “What’s wrong with the girl? It’s not as though she’s got one hundred men to choose from. Is she losing her wits?”

Henrik Linfoi cleared his throat. “Mind now, Harley. Remember you’re speaking of our future queen.”

“She’s not our queen until she marries!” retorted Harley, his face florid. “And if this nonsense is allowed to go on much longer my infant granddaughter will be wedded before Rhian takes her vows!”

Marlan kept his expression blandly neutral as his fellow councillors shifted and muttered and nodded in agreement.

Niall drummed his fingers on the table. “I’m sure we’re all sensitive to the princess’ feelings. But I agree, there is a limit to our forbearance. The foreign ambassadors are—”

“Not a part of this government,” said Marlan pleasantly. “They are guests of the realm granted certain patents and privileges … at our discretion . My lords, in the midst of our grief and concern for the kingdom I think we’ve allowed ourselves to lose sight of an important fact. These ambassadors’ masters need us far more than we need them. If we closed our harbour to their ships tomorrow international trade as we know it would cease. This is why they agitate so strenuously. They don’t care a whit for us, they care only for their own positions. I think it’s time they remembered we’re aware of that.”

“And I think you’ve stayed out in the sun too long!” snapped Porpont. “Marlan, we are bound by international treaties. We can’t just dismiss the ambassadors’ concerns as though—”

“Of course we can. The treaties have to do with access to the harbour, with secure confidential banking facilities, with guaranteed neutrality in the case of external conflicts and other matters of a similar nature. How the kingdom functions is none of their business. All that matters is that it does. And I think you’ll agree, gentlemen, that under our guidance it is functioning perfectly. Yes, there was a short time where feelings ran high in the streets of Kingseat, when fear and uncertainty threatened self-control, but that time has passed. Thanks to the efforts of my chaplains and venerables, with God’s grace the populace’s confidence has been restored.”

Around the table, acknowledging nods.

“And now what do we see?” he continued. “We see that life has returned to normal. Ships come and ships go. The harbour is never empty. Tariffs flow into the Treasury. Merchants’ purses fill with coin. Ethrea’s many and varied exportable commodities continue to be exported without restraint. Civil order is maintained. With the shock of Eberg’s death largely passed, the people go about their lives cheerfully and in good order.” He smiled. “Indeed, I think this council is to be congratulated.”