The Traitor Queen

Perhaps she would find out, on this journey. Not that their time together would qualify as “private”. The purpose was too important, and would still be so even if Lorkin wasn’t a prisoner.

“I can now tell you the reason for the journey,” she said. Regin’s head lifted and his gaze snapped to hers. “Tomorrow everyone will be told. Lorkin returned to Arvice. Before he could leave for Kyralia, King Amakira summoned him and, when Lorkin would not answer questions about the Traitors, he imprisoned him.”

Regin’s eyes widened. “Oh, I am sorry to hear that, Sonea.” He grimaced in sympathy. “They’re sending you to negotiate his release, then? You must be impatient to leave.” He took a small step toward her. “I will do everything I can to help.”

His expression was so earnest that the familiar anxiety that came every time she thought of Lorkin began to return. She looked down and pushed the feeling away.

“Thank you. I know you will.”

“If we are leaving tomorrow... we have barely begun the process of adding to your strength. Do you want me to give you power now?”

Something within her clenched, and she felt her face warming. She glanced at him and away.

“No,” she replied quickly. “Tomorrow there’ll be a Meet, and Osen is going to ask for volunteers. Wait until then.”

“What is Osen going to tell everyone?”

“Only what I’ve told you.”

“Only?” Regin let out a soft sigh. “Be careful, Sonea.”

She looked up at him, then realised her mistake. She had given away to him that there was more to the journey than Lorkin’s imprisonment. That tiny piece of information might endanger both of their lives, should a Sachakan magician read it from his mind.

Too late now. I must be more careful in future.

But the frightening truth was, if Regin wound up in the hands of a Sachakan magician who wasn’t prevented by politics and diplomacy from reading his mind, there was a good chance Sonea would be too. Though Naki’s ring would prevent her own mind from being read, she did not know how long she would hold out against someone determined to torture information out of her.

Especially if they used Lorkin to persuade her.

* * *

Though nothing had happened he hadn’t expected, Dannyl still felt anger and humiliation simmering inside. He hoped that it hadn’t shown. He’d endeavoured to remain calm and polite throughout his short visit to the palace, but he could never tell if he was successful or if his true feelings were somehow obvious – or that his feigned calm was taken as an indicator he’d been successfully ticked off.

Ironically, the decision he’d made to call off the search for Lorkin, which had cost him respect among the Sachakan elite, was making it harder to protect the young magician now. There had been more than a few smirks on the faces of those who’d witnessed the denial of his request to see Lorkin.

If I’d let the search continue, the chances are I and the Ashaki who’d helped me would have been killed by the Traitors. Lorkin would have had no help at all when he returned to the Guild House.

But that wasn’t entirely true. The Guild would have sent a replacement Ambassador. One whose reputation hadn’t been besmirched by cowardice. Which might have been better for Lorkin’s predicament.

No. If the Traitors had been forced to kill a Guild magician, Lorkin may not have returned to the Guild House at all. He may not have even been allowed into Sanctuary for fear that he’d seek revenge for my death.

Though... the idea of anybody seeking revenge for his death felt unlikely and ridiculous to Dannyl.

A faint rhythm of bare heels on the floor came from the direction of the Guild House entrance. Dannyl stopped pacing the Master’s Room and turned to face the sound. The door slave, Tav, emerged from the passage and threw himself on the floor with his usual overly dramatic flair – a habit that Tayend had noted about the man a few weeks before.

“The Elyne Ambassador has returned,” Tav gasped.

Dannyl nodded and waved to indicate the slave could get up and go and do whatever door slaves did when not announcing arrivals.

The sound of a door closing reached him, then footsteps. Tayend smiled briefly as he emerged from the passage, then shook his head.

“No luck,” he said.

Dannyl let out the breath he’d been holding. “Well, thanks for trying.”

Tayend sighed. “It’s early days,” he said. “If we are persistent, perhaps he’ll relent. I pointed out that you can hardly persuade Lorkin to speak if you never get to talk to him.”

Dannyl frowned. “Is that wise? Hinting that we might consider it could be dangerous.”

“Not if I say it. And I was only pointing out the fault in his logic.”

“I’m sure he’ll be so pleased you pointed out his weak logic in front of everyone.”

“Oh, there was nobody else there to hear – and he seemed to enjoy it.”

Dannyl felt his heart sink even further. “You gained a private audience with him?”

“Now, now. Don’t be jealous.” The Elyne smirked, then waved a hand. “Let’s have some wine and something to eat, eh?” He turned, beckoned to a slave, and began to give the man specific instructions.

Moving over to the stools, Dannyl sat down. Tayend might not have been able to see Lorkin, but the king had made the effort to see him personally. Maybe it’s because Tayend is an Ambassador who speaks for his king and country, while I am mainly a mouthpiece for the Guild.

He doubted that made a lot of difference. When it came down to it, King Amakira was annoyed with Kyralia and the Guild, not Elyne. It made sense he’d treat Tayend with the same respect as he always had.

“Ah. Wine,” Tayend said as a slave hurried in with a bottle and goblets. He sat down next to Dannyl and waited until the slave had served them and left before leaning closer to him.

“Merria told me this morning, after you left, that she has discussed the situation with her female friends. They are going to stir up objections to this dangerous treatment of a foreign magician,” he murmured.

Dannyl felt his mood lighten a little. “And... the other contacts?”

“Will pass on our message. They aren’t unaware of Lorkin’s predicament, apparently, but they didn’t say whether they could do anything about it.”

“I hate to think what they would do, if they could.” Dannyl shuddered and sipped at the wine. “They might kill Lorkin to ensure he won’t talk.”

“They won’t,” Tayend assured him. “They must have known there was a chance this would happen. They would not have sent him here if it would be disastrous for them.”

“Perhaps because they had people in place to kill him if it did happen. He might be dead already.”

Tayend shook his head. “The king assured me Lorkin is being well cared for.”

“He could be lying.”

“Yes, he could.” Tayend sighed. “We can only hope he isn’t.” The Elyne’s brows creased. “I keep thinking about one possibility, though I can’t see any advantage in it for the Traitors, so I suspect I’m seeing conspiracies where there are none.”

“What is that?”

“That the Traitors knew Lorkin would be imprisoned by the king. That they meant for it to happen.”

“Why would they do that?”

Tayend looked at Dannyl and shook his head. “That’s what I can’t work out. Except... maybe they want the peace between Kyralia and Sachaka strained. Maybe they want to ensure our countries don’t make any promises to help Sachaka defend itself against them.”

Dannyl felt a shiver run down his spine. “You think they might be planning something bigger and more direct than spying and assassination?”