The Traitor Queen

“You are also an Ambassador – and not just a Guild Ambassador. Until Ambassador Tayend arrived, you spoke for all the Allied Lands, too. Though you no longer speak for Elyne, you still represent the rest.”

“Yes, I speak for them.” Dannyl spread his hands. “But I cannot make decisions for them.”

“So you are saying that only one of the monarchs of the Allied Lands could order Lorkin to answer questions?”

“Only the Kyralian king. Monarchs of other lands and non-ruling royals cannot give orders to Kyralian magicians.”

Achati’s eyebrows were high. “How do you maintain order?”

Dannyl smiled. “Most of us are smart enough to know that disorder would lead to a loss of freedom and prosperity. Those who don’t... well, the rest of us keep them in line. Like the general rule against magicians involving themselves in politics. Though it’s not strictly enforced, maintaining the appearance that it is being followed restricts the more ambitious of us.”

As Achati paused to ponder this, Dannyl took the opportunity to ask a question.

“Has King Amakira considered that Lorkin may not have any information to give? After all, why would the Traitors have let him return to Arvice if he knew anything that might harm them?”

Achati looked up. “Why doesn’t he answer our questions, then?”

“Perhaps it is a test.”

“Of what? Lorkin’s loyalty to the Traitors?”

Dannyl frowned at the suggestion that Lorkin had changed his loyalties. “Or to Kyralia. Or perhaps it is not a test of Lorkin at all.”

Achati’s eyes narrowed. “It is a test of King Amakira?”

Dannyl spread his hands. “And the Guild, King Merin and the Allied Lands.”

“Put us in a position of conflict and see what happens?” Achati nodded. “We have considered that.”

“Though perhaps Lorkin believed that he could return to Kyralia via Arvice, because he didn’t think King Amakira would break his agreement that all Guild magicians would remain free and unharmed in Sachaka.”

Achati’s expression hardened. “So long as they did not seek to harm Sachaka.” He looked at Dannyl directly. “Do you honestly believe Lorkin’s withholding of knowledge about the Traitors will not harm my country?”

Dannyl held his friend’s gaze but, not prepared for such a direct question, he felt the mix of guilt and suspicion that the question roused shift something in his own expression. Achati would have seen it. He would know if Dannyl lied. So best to answer with a different truth.

“I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “Lorkin has only discussed what he knows with Administrator Osen.”

Achati frowned. “Did he tell you why he returned?”

Dannyl nodded and felt himself relax a little. “To go home. He particularly wants to see his mother. Of course, we did not know if he would ever return, so after months of worry she is anxious to be reunited with him as well.”

“I imagine she is,” Achati replied, standing up. He sounded sympathetic, but his expression was a mix of amusement and defiance. “The sooner Lorkin answers our questions, the sooner that will be.”

Dannyl rose. “What will King Amakira do if he doesn’t?”

Achati paused to consider his answer. “I don’t know,” he replied, his apparent honesty and helplessness a mirror of Dannyl’s.

“The Allied Lands will view the reading of Lorkin’s mind as an act of aggression,” Dannyl warned.

“But hardly something to go to war over,” Achati replied. “Sachaka has prospered for centuries without trade with the lands to the west, thanks to our links with lands over the eastern sea. Without training for all in higher magic, your magicians are hardly a threat. We don’t need you. We don’t fear you. You were only ever an opportunity we wanted to explore.”

Dannyl nodded. “Thank you for your honesty, Ashaki Achati.”

Achati waved a hand dismissively. “I said nothing that wasn’t already obvious.” He sighed. “Personally, I hope we can resolve this in a way that does not ruin our friendship. Now I must go.”

“I, too,” Dannyl replied. The friendship between us, or our countries? Or both? “Goodbye for now.”

The Ashaki nodded, then disappeared down the corridor leading to the Guild House entrance. Dannyl sat down again and considered the conversation. ‘We don’t need you. We don’t fear you.’ Why had anybody ever thought Sachaka would want to join the Allied Lands?

“How’d it go?”

Looking up, Dannyl saw that Tayend was hovering in the doorway. He sighed and beckoned. His former lover hurried across the room and sat down, leaning forward with almost childlike eagerness. But Tayend’s gaze was sharp and his curiosity was as much from his need as an ambassador to stay up to date on political matters as from a love of gossip.

He is genuinely concerned about Lorkin, too, Dannyl reminded himself. A memory rose unexpectedly of Tayend playing with Sonea’s son as a small child, back when he and Dannyl used to make social visits to the Guild more often. Tayend had had a knack of keeping children occupied and entertained. He found himself wondering if Tayend had ever wished he had children of his own. Dannyl had never wanted them, though he...

“So?” Tayend urged.

Dannyl brought his attention back to the present and, taking care not to give away anything the Guild wanted concealed, began to tell his fellow Ambassador what Achati had asked, and revealed.

Chapter 4 Preparations

A full day had passed since the news of Lorkin’s imprisonment. That alone had made sleeping difficult, but the sudden shift to a daytime routine also did not help. After a restless night, Sonea felt muzzy-headed and had to draw a little magic to soothe away a nagging weariness. But one benefit of her new routine, Sonea discovered, was that when she emerged from her bedroom Lilia was still in the main room, eating a morning meal.

“Black Magician Sonea,” the girl said, clearly surprised to see Sonea.

“Good morning, Lilia,” Sonea replied. “How are you? Did Black Magician Kallen track you down yesterday?”

The girl nodded. “Well. And yes.”

Sonea moved to the side table and began making herself a cup of raka. “How are your lessons going?”

Lilia winced, but then put on a cheerful expression. “Good. I think Black Magician Kallen wishes I was doing better, though. I told him I wasn’t good at Warrior skills, but I don’t think he guessed how ‘not good’ a novice can be.”

Sonea chuckled sympathetically. “I wasn’t very good at them, either.”

The girl’s eyes widened. “You... but you...”

“Won a formal challenge and defeated invading Sachakans. It’s amazing what you can learn when you have to. Still, I did have a wonderful teacher.”

“You won...?” Lilia blinked and straightened. “Which teacher was that?”

Taking her raka to the main table, Sonea sat down and helped herself to a sweet bun from a platter. “Lord Yikmo. He died in the invasion.”

“Oh.” Lilia’s shoulders dropped. Then she looked up again. “A formal challenge?”

Sonea smiled. “A fellow novice who was making life difficult for me.”

“He accepted a challenge from a black magician?”

“It happened before then. I don’t recommend it as a way of dealing with annoying novices. Only as a last resort, and if you’re confident of winning.” She paused as a thought occurred to her. “Are any novices giving you a hard time?”