Would Roberto still be alive?
§
When Roberto crested the peak, no one was manning the lookout towers. He couldn’t figure it out—not a single tharuk was around. Something was up, but he was too exhausted and sore to care. He slid and tumbled down the slushy hillside, leaving streaks of soot and blood in the snow. Anyone could track him.
He pressed on. They’d be after him soon enough.
Emptiness gnawed in his gut. Was he walking away from Ezaara or toward her? He cast his mind out, trying to meld with her or Erob. Nothing. But he wouldn’t give up.
Late in the morning, he entered Great Spanglewood Forest. Weaving between the trees, he came to a stream, scooping up a drink. His limbs throbbed, his back ached and his body was screaming, but if he rested, he’d never get up again. So he staggered on, the day wearing into afternoon.
One step. Another. And another …
Shards, he had to get to … where was he going? Why was his head throbbing and his back searing?
Left, right. Keep going. Another step. Through that puddle … over that log …
Roberto tripped, landing in a snow drift. He groaned and tried to push himself up, but his hands sunk into the snow. He tried to roll, but his stubborn body wouldn’t budge. With one last desperate attempt, he sent out a mental cry for help before he collapsed.
§
Marlies poured Tonio a cup of tea. This would be tricky, but she had to try.
“Thank you, Marlies.” Tonio eyed the brew warily.
“It’s just soppleberry, nothing sinister.” Marlies chuckled. “Come on, Tonio, I’m not about to poison my old spymaster.”
He sniffed it, then took a sip. “Tasty, thank you.” He flashed a wan smile—a tatty remnant of their former friendship—and had another sip. “What did you want to see me about?”
Marlies took a deep breath. “I don’t think anyone else has the courage to tell you, so I will. You’ve changed, Tonio, and it’s not for the better.”
He bristled. “It’s my job to be mistrustful. Whoever heard of a trusting, gullible spymaster?” Tonio snorted. “Huh!”
“That’s always been your job, Tonio,” she said gently. “Even when I knew you before. Remember how we checked every fact and rumor, and hunted down treachery? There wasn’t a truth we didn’t examine. Or a lie. Remember that Naobian merchant?”
“The one we caught smuggling dragonets?”
Marlies smiled. “That was a tricky situation, but we handled it impeccably.”
Now, Tonio’s grin was genuine. “You were brilliant. I never even knew you could play the gittern until that moment.”
“And I didn’t know you could juggle. Although I still think we should’ve left the merchant his gold.”
“He wasn’t much the poorer for losing that purse. Besides, that was justice for him trading in dragons.”
“Yes,” said Marlies. “You always were one for justice, weren’t you?”
Tonio’s brow drew into a thunderous scowl. “So that’s what this is about,” he snapped. “You want me to be lenient on Roberto for your daughter’s sake.” He stood, shoving his chair back.
“No, Tonio, that’s not it.” Marlies sipped, locking her eyes on his.
“Then what?” Tonio perched on the edge of his chair. “Don’t fool with me, Marlies. I’m too shrewd for that.”
He was. “No, this is about you, Tonio. You’ve become a bitter man, chasing vendettas. When I knew you, you were tough, ruthless when getting a job done, but you were fair.”
“When my wife, Rosita—”
“She was already dead when I met you, so that’s no excuse.” Marlies cradled her tea in both hands, leaning over the table. “What happened, Tonio?” she asked softly.
His face crumpled. “You did,” he whispered hoarsely.
She gasped, gut-smacked. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” He tapped his nails on the table in woodpecker staccato. “Murdering that dragonet and forsaking us all. My best spy, my closest friend, gone.”
Was that moisture glinting in his eyes? She’d missed them all, of course, but she’d had no choice. “I couldn’t really come back to say hello.”
“Why did you kill that dragonet?”
“I didn’t,” Marlies whispered—once again, seeing the fragile purple dragonet writhing in its translucent golden shell. “He gave his life to bless me with fertility. That’s how I had the twins. For years, I felt guilty, until Maazini told me that the dragonet had seen a vision that I would give birth to an heir who would be Queen’s Rider. He sensed I wasn’t fertile and wanted to help.”
Tonio’s eyes flew wide, shock rippling over his face. “So, you didn’t murder one of the last royal dragonets?”
“I thought I had, so I fled.”
“I searched for you for years, attending every incident further afield than Montanara.” Elbows on the table, Tonio put his head in his hands. “I’d sealed my heart after my Rosita’s death, but I trusted you. My only friend. And you betrayed me, sabotaging the realm and slaughtering the Queen’s royal progeny.”
Marlies gripped his hand—harder than she’d intended. “I’m sorry, Tonio,” she murmured. They’d been close, the best of friends—as spies had to be, to work well together. Her leaving had destroyed his trust in people—the last thing she’d wanted.
“These crystals, Marlies. I’ve been thinking …” His gaze was frank. “Is it possible that Zens used one on Amato?”
“Yes, it’s possible.” Marlies nodded. “So, Zens could’ve been driving Amato’s behavior all along.”
Tonio’s shoulders slumped. “Oh gods, what have I done to Roberto?”
Marlies’ heart tugged, as she’d known it would when he finally saw sense, but she had to drive the lesson home. “If we’re going to win this war, we should be fighting with mages. We need to heal rifts, not create them.”
A mask snapped over his face. “Lucky we have healers, then, isn’t it?” He stood without a smile and walked to the door.
That
