The Traitor Queen

out, “It’s just me!”

They could have the wine and the luxuries. All he wanted now was a warm fire and a comfortable bed. And for those he loved to be safe.

The loved ones of a Thief are never safe.

A stab of pain went through him, savage despite its familiarity. For a moment all he could see was a memory of his wife’s and sons’ bodies, but he closed his eyes and willed the vision away. Will I ever stop remembering? Or will it stop hurting to remember? Guilt rose at the thought. I shouldn’t want to, but I can’t do anything to change their deaths and I won’t be able to protect Anyi if I let grief and anger distract and control me. He sighed. And I’d rather remember them whole and happy than... than that.

The source of the light entered the room. Dazzled, Cery looked away from the globe of magical light to the young woman standing below it. Lilia smiled at him and held out a basket.

“I told Jonna that Anyi might be visiting. She brought some extra food. I took a bottle of Sonea’s wine – not from the expensive ones. Well, not the really expensive ones.”

Anyi leapt to her feet, kissed Lilia on the cheek and grabbed the basket.

“You’re a treasure, Lilia,” she said, sitting down on one of the wooden boxes and rifling through. “Buns! Meat-filled and sweet ones.” Then her nose wrinkled. “Urgh. Fruit.”

“It’s good for you and easy to carry,” Lilia told her, but she was looking at Gol. “You look better.”

Cery turned to see his friend sitting up, nodding and stretching. A thoughtful look crossed Gol’s face. “Still tired, though.”

She nodded. “My books says your body will take a couple of days to replenish the blood you lost. Depends how much you bled. If you do start feeling sick again let me know. It might be some poison was left. I should be able to Heal you if there is.”

“A few days.” Anyi looked at Cery. “Is that going to be a problem?”

Cery held out a hand for a meat-filled bun, took a bite and chewed as he considered. He still had loyal people out there. They would start to worry if he didn’t contact them. They might even assume he, Gol and Anyi were dead. What would happen if they did? Cery had no illusions that they’d stand up to Skellin. Most likely the rogue Thief would take control of Cery’s territory. Not personally. He’d arrange for an ally to take over.

“Let them think we’re dead,” Gol said.

Cery looked at his friend in surprise. He hadn’t expected this. What had I expected? That Gol would try to get up and pretend to be healthier than he is, rather than be the reason I lost my territory? Or that he’d tell me to abandon him here? All very noble. Am I so vain that I expect my friends to sacrifice themselves for me? Cery frowned. No, it isn’t that. It’s that I didn’t expect Gol to give up before I did.

“Next time you won’t get away,” Gol said. “We were lucky this time. I’ve been lying here trying to decide who told Skellin’s people you were at Cadia’s house. Who betrayed us? Did they have any choice? You can’t stop Skellin blackmailing and bribing your own people. He’s got too many allies, too much money. You’ve already...”

“... already lost your own territory,” Cery finished. He felt bitterness rising. But it was an emotion too familiar and worn out to do more than make him feel tired. It had crept in after Selia and the boys had been murdered, and he had grown used to it.

“Let them think you’re dead. Maybe Skellin will get smug, let his guard down. Maybe with nobody else fighting him, other people will try. Maybe they’ll set him up. Betray him to the Guild.”

It was tempting. Very tempting.

“You want to stay here?” Cery asked, pretending disbelief.

“Yes.” Gol looked at Anyi and Lilia. “What do you think?”

Anyi shrugged. “We can block off the entrance to the Guild passages – collapse them if you think it’s safer. There are passages that come out in the forest, so we have escape routes. Well, ones that don’t lead into the Guild buildings, that is.” Anyi glanced at Lilia. “We’ll work out ways to get food and water down here.”

Lilia nodded. “I’m sure Sonea would help.”

“No, we can’t tell her.” Cery paused, surprised at the conviction in his own voice. Why don’t I want Sonea’s help? “She won’t like it. She’ll want to smuggle us out of the city. She’ll tell Kallen.” He didn’t entirely trust Kallen, and it wasn’t only because the man was a roet addict.

“She wouldn’t,” Lilia said, though her voice lacked conviction.

“Cery’s right,” Gol said. “Sonea’s leaving for Sachaka. She’ll either want someone else high up in the Guild to know we’re here, or she’ll move us out.”

“So... if you don’t want Kallen to know either,” Anyi said, “then you won’t be able to work with him any more.”

“No.” Cery turned to Lilia. “But he doesn’t need us to tell him that. We can say it’s safer if we communicate through messages, which Lilia will send.”

“We won’t have anything useful to tell him if we stay here and have no contact with your people,” Anyi pointed out.

“No, but he’ll keep us informed as to what’s going on out there,” Cery replied, “before he gives up on us as a source of information. And hopefully we will find a way to be useful again – which we won’t if Sonea sends us away.”

The four of them exchanged looks, then nodded.

“Well, first Lilia and I need to find solutions for the most basic needs, like food and water,” Anyi said decisively, straightening. “And then to make things safer and more comfortable down here.”

Cery smiled at the determined look on her face. If he let her, she would take charge of them all. “No,” he disagreed. “That’s not what we’ll do first.”

She looked at him, frowning in puzzlement. “No?”

He nodded at the basket. “First we eat.”

* * *

If there was a code of etiquette that allowed Sachakans to refuse entry to an unwanted guest, Dannyl wished he knew what it was. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see the Ashaki who was coming down the entrance passage of the Guild House. He yearned to see the man. But he suspected that the visitor was here in his official capacity, and that was something Dannyl was not looking forward to.

Being friends with the enemy certainly complicates matters.

As Achati entered the room, Dannyl searched the man’s face for some hint of good news, despite knowing the chances were slim. He was surprised when he saw regret and apology there. He’d expected a carefully maintained neutral expression.

“Welcome back to the Guild House, Ashaki Achati,” Dannyl said, falling back on Kyralian manners.

“I wish it were under more amicable circumstances,” Achati replied. “This is an official visit, but I also wish it to be an informal one between friends, if that is still possible.”

Dannyl invited Achati to sit, taking the main chair for himself. “That depends on how the official part goes,” he replied wryly.

“Then let’s get the official part over with first.” Achati paused to regard Dannyl. “King Amakira wants you to persuade Lorkin to answer all questions regarding the Traitors.”

“I doubt I would succeed.”

“Would he refuse if you ordered him to?”

“Yes.”

“And this is acceptable?”

“It isn’t his choice, or mine.”

“But he is your subordinate. He should follow your orders.”

“That depends on the orders.” Dannyl shrugged. “We do not have a... a custom of unquestioning obedience in the Guild, or even outside it. Except in the case of royalty, but even then advisers have the right to advise – to give their opinion and recommendation without reprisal – though they still must obey orders even if they disagree with them.”