Shireen continued to glare at him. “What about the Advocate and whatever House he belonged to?”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten them. For now, let them skulk in the shadows. They got their heads handed to them, so I think they’ll stay out of sight, licking their wounds. But when I get back, they’re the first priority.”
“And Jamshir?”
Solomon shrugged. “He is who he is. We’ll deal with him too, through cooperation with the other Houses. He won’t be the first ruler of the Greenweald to lose his throne.”
Shireen sat back, her face softening, and Solomon could see that she was coming around to acceptance. “When?” she asked quietly.
“Right away. Tomorrow morning.”
“That soon? Fine. How long will you be?”
Solomon shrugged again. “I’ve no idea. I don’t even know where she is, but I’ll find her. Then I’ll come back as quickly as I can.”
To his surprise, Shireen’s eyes were bright with unshed tears. “Don’t be long,” she said, looking directly at him. “You just came back.”
Solomon smiled, trying to dispel her worries. “Yeah,” he said, “but this time, I remember everything.”
♦ ♦ ♦
He left Shireen there, in the office that she would use while he was away. It was good for her to take the time to get comfortable in it, although, he had to admit that he hadn’t in the weeks since he took over. It was still Jediah’s, not his. Perhaps when he came back he’d move his office somewhere else, let that room sit empty, at least for a while.
Besides, he didn’t see himself sitting behind a desk much. Jediah was a leader who led from the front, and Solomon had no intention of changing that practice. If anything, he would be even more restless.
“How’d she take it?” Orlando fell into step with him as he walked toward his bedchambers.
“About like we thought. Not happy, but she knows her duty. She always did.”
“Yeah, and she’s going to kill me when she finds out that I already knew you were leaving and didn’t tell her.”
“Tell her I asked you to let me break the news to her,” Solomon said. “It’s the truth, after all.”
“And if it were anyone but you, she’d still kill me.”
Solomon laughed quietly. “Maybe so. Keep close to her, though. She doesn’t have the faith in herself that she should.”
“Of course. And you are right, she’ll do fine.”
The two old friends walked through the massive tree that housed the administrative functions of House Towering Oaks. There weren’t many personal apartments there, other than that of the Head of House. All the better to be close to where he was needed.
Shireen and Orlando would take up residence here now, as well. Rooms had been readied for them, and Solomon made sure they were of the highest quality. If he was asking someone to take on his burden, even for a short time, it was the least he could do.
“So, tomorrow morning?” Orlando asked.
“Yep.”
“Any idea where you’re headed?”
“The pool, of course.”
“Well, yeah, obviously, but I meant after that?”
Solomon shook his head. “No. But wherever it is, I’ll get back as quickly as I can.”
They reached the door to his bedchambers and Orlando held out his hand. Solomon took it in a firm grasp.
“I can go, you know,” Orlando said. “Shireen and I talked about it. We’d both feel more comfortable if one of us were with you."
“No,” Solomon smiled. “Thank you. And thank her for me, again. This is something I need to do. Besides, I’d rather have you here with her. Keep her from getting too annoyed at some of the minutiae.”
“Be careful,” Orlando said, his voice growing serious. “We can’t lose you again after you just got back.”
“Been hearing that a lot today,” Solomon grinned.
♦ ♦ ♦
The night passed as they all did, ever since he came back to the Greenweald in time to witness the slaughter of so many of his people and the horror of the Soul Gaunts. Sleep didn’t come easy, and when it did, his dreams were full of white fire and the screams of the wounded.
He lied in his bed, letting the warm air move over him, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling. Finally, when he gave in to the fact that there would be no rest for him this night, he rose and walked to the window.
Towering Oaks was laid out with military precision. Everything in rows, all equidistant apart, including the gardens and fountains that occupied space in every House in the Greenweald. There were times that he thought he might like a little less regiment, something more organic like at Whispering Pines.
Still, there was a certain beauty here as well. An orderliness that was comforting and that he hated to leave behind.
Then, his thoughts turned back to Celia, and the fact that she was gone, who-knew-where, enduring who-knew-what. The water spirit who took her was vague, to say the least, but it hadn’t sounded like she put her anywhere pleasant.
It was time to go. He turned from the window and found his clothes, then buckled on his sword belt. He hung a filled scabbard from each side of it, trying to ignore the inconvenience and awkwardness of wearing two swords.
One of those was normal, sharp and deadly in his hands, yet normal nevertheless. The other was Justice, that sword of power and magic that granted unreal power at a horrible price.
He stowed several things into a pack, including the lantern that Jediah had used to save them all, and slung it on his back. Then, with one last look around, he quietly opened his door and went down the hall to the main stairs. Down a few levels, and out the door, into the summer night.
The pool of the water
