no longer possessed the powers or tools to do his job effectively.
“Be careful what you wish for. There are always unforeseen consequences.”
He could not just walk away from what might be coming.
...
Babeltausque murmured, “What did he say?” He no longer understood anything Tang Shan said.
Carrie wiggled like she wanted to snuggle closer, though the fire was huge and she was damned near inside his clothing already. She had been creeped out by the donkey drover from the moment the man used sign and broken Wesson to beg leave to share the fire.
She breathed, “He said this is the man who murdered the King of Hammad al Nakir.”
“Oh.”
There had been a lot of talk about that in Fangdred because Megelin’s parents were underfoot. Babeltausque had paid attention only because there was nothing to do but monitor the gossip getting kicked around in the few languages he understood.
“Your heart just started beating faster, Bee Boss.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful. He’s deadlier than a cobra.” And sensitive to personal danger. He knew the instant the attitude of his companions changed from indifferent to calculating.
“What?” Babeltausque asked after Tang Shan added something.
“He says Shinsan could earn a debt of gratitude from both sides in Hammad al Nakir by delivering this monster.”
“I know I wouldn’t want to be in his boots. I don’t know about the Lady Yasmid but that King Without a Throne ain’t a very nice guy.”
“He needs delivering, Bee.”
The drover casual y thanked them for sharing their fire.
Carrie thanked him for having provided tea. Babeltausque donned his “handling a Greyfel s in a fury” bland face. He felt the kil er calculate his chances and dislike them—even unaware that he had fal en in with sorcerers.
Babeltausque was not that sure of the easterners himself.
He chose to assume that Tang Shan and Lein She were at least his equals.
He said, “Sit down. You won’t be leaving us.” Carrie added, “We know who you are. Don’t make it hard on…”
Babeltausque snickered.
“Bee Boss, you aren’t twelve.”
The kil er was not amused. He fixed on Lein She now. Lein She had donned his mask. He was just a Candidate. His mask was simple but it was what it was. The kil er knew what it meant. This would be an excel ent time for that devil who saved him from the hunger in that desert tower to pop up again, to keep the scheme he wanted played out from aborting.
“Sit,” Babeltausque said again, gesturing.
The man understood. He sat. His options were few.
Carrie asked, “What’s the plan?”
“Hunh?” He did not have one.
“Be a lot of money on those donkeys.”
“Temptation, you’re saying.”
“Big time, Bee. Big time.”
“Carrie, this wil sound bad. It might not even make you happy.”
“Surprise me, love.”
“The last temptation I gave in to was you. I’m not interested in anything else anymore. I’m especial y not interested in grabbing some money and trying to outrun a lot of people who want to take it away.”
Carrie giggled and pretended to tickle his chest. “You lie like a dog, Bee. You’d be al over Haida Heltkler if you ever got the chance.”
His heartbeat increased. She would feel it. But it was not the pounding that would proclaim him a liar. “I don’t think so.
I’m happy with what I have. Real y. You and my job as the Queen’s wizard. That’s al I want. It’s al I need.”
“Wow. Al righty, then. Know something, Bee? I can live with that.”
Tang Shan said something the sorcerer had no need to fol ow closely. He wanted the love stuff shelved. He was hungry. It was cold out. It was time to move on. The boys from the Tower were up and bouncing, getting their blood flowing. They could stay warm by jogging.
Babeltausque looked down. His bel y was a specter of its former glory but it had not gone away completely. He would do no jogging anywhere.
Lein She understood prisoners management. He lashed the kil er’s right hand to a donkey pack, added a cantrip that would keep the knot from untying til he told it to let go.
Then the cold march began.
Chapter Thirty-One:
Nathan Wolf leaned into the Queen’s sitting chamber.
His breath misted. “The sorcerer just turned up, Majesty.” Inger pul ed her hands back from the brazier that was the best even Kavelin’s Queen could afford.
“Babeltausque?” Unable to believe. “Yes, ma’am.” Ma’am? Nathan must be thoroughly rattled.
“But… How…?”
“Ask him yourself. I came as soon as I heard. It’s him and his girlfriend,
some Shinsaners and a couple of others, plus about twenty donkeys and horses. They strol ed in a couple minutes ago with their butts frozen off.”
“But… How…?” Oh. Yes. Ask Babeltausque. “Al right.
Let me grab another wrap and some gloves.” She strode so briskly that Nathan had trouble keeping up.
Everyone in the castle was headed in the same direction.
Inger almost trampled Dr. Wachtel and Toby.
Josiah was there already, with blankets and hot tea. The constant babble eased briefly on the Queen’s arrival, then redoubled. Even the easterners seemed compel ed to talk to her.
She watched a desert man be led away, his hands bound behind him. The sorcerer’s sex toy quieted the foreigners while her lover explained to his sovereign.
She, of course, heard only, “The entire treasury of Royalist Hammad al Nakir,” and nothing about the Star Rider or deadly attacks.
“No. He cached some a few places before he banged into us. You should probably get that gleam out of your eye.” Greyfel s blood would tel . The moment she knew there was money to be had she thought that anyone who knew of its provenance ought to be silenced.
Babeltausque told her, “These people are Tervola. They’re alert. They won’t cooperate. And neither wil I.”
“Excuse me?”
“I won’t be used as a black sorcerer anymore. Majesty. I’l be the royal wizard, but not the kind that does dirty deeds. I have responsibilities, now.” He looked at his baby whore.
She looked back with adoration that Inger feared was real.
“Good heavens,” the Queen said. “Good heavens.” Kristen, with Fulk and Bragi swirling around her, asked
