The Traitor Queen

and why. If I speak to save her, many, many more will die. If she is a Traitor, she won’t want me to betray her people. He swallowed hard.

The knife did not slice across her throat. Instead the interrogator slid it under one shoulder of her shift and cut through the cloth. He took hold of the other shoulder and pulled, and the slave garment slid away, leaving her naked but for a loin cloth. Her expression didn’t change.

The Ashaki sheathed his knife, looked over her shoulder at Lorkin, and smiled.

“Any time you want to talk, go right ahead,” he said, flexing his fingers and curling them into a fist. The assistant chuckled.

And then the Ashaki set to work.

Chapter 8 Coming to an Understanding

Putting down the book she had been failing to concentrate on, Lilia looked around Sonea’s guest room and sighed. Though Sonea had been absent or asleep most of the time, her rooms felt strangely empty now that she had left for Sachaka. Lilia was suddenly more conscious of being alone, and that nobody – no magician, at least – was likely to visit.

Well, none except Kallen if I don’t turn up to classes on time, but it’s not like he makes social visits.

Anyi might still slip in at night via the secret opening in the room’s wall panelling but now that she, Cery and Gol were living under the Guild it was safer for Lilia to visit them. There had always been a risk that someone would discover Anyi in Sonea’s rooms and realise they hadn’t seen her enter or leave by the door.

The only other person who visited Lilia on a regular basis was Jonna, Sonea’s servant and aunt. Jonna visited twice a day to deliver meals. But she must also come here after I’ve left for classes to clean, too, Lilia thought, remembering how she usually returned to find everything tidy. While Jonna usually slipped into Sonea’s bedroom after the evening meal to change the bed linen and gather robes to wash, that was only because Sonea had worked night shift at the hospices.

Looking over at the open door of her room, Lilia regarded the bag she used to carry textbooks and notes around. It held the food she’d taken from the Foodhall that day, some soap, and clean wash cloths from the Baths, ready to take to her friends. She also had news from Kallen to deliver, but until Jonna arrived with the evening meal, Lilia wouldn’t be able to slip away.

In the meantime she tried to study. She looked down at the book in her hands. She’d never really caught up with the lessons she’d missed while a prisoner in the Lookout. Teachers would notice if she slipped even further behind.

Once Cery, Anyi and Gol have settled in, I’ll be able to get back to my studies, she told herself. Maybe I’ll study all next Freeday. If my plan works tonight at least there’ll be one less thing to worry about.

Her thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. She stood up in case it was a magician, and opened the door with magic. To her relief, Jonna bustled in. Though burdened with a lacquered box and a large jug, the woman managed to bow before placing it on the table.

“Good evening, Lady Lilia.”

“Good... evening.” Lilia hesitated as she opened the box and saw, to her disappointment, that it held one bowl of a thick soup and a single bread roll, as well as a creamy dessert. Of course. She won’t be bringing more than one person can eat now. Which made it even more important that Lilia’s plan worked.

“What’s wrong?” Jonna asked.

“I... I was hoping Anyi would visit tonight.”

Lilia had been surprised to discover Jonna already knew Anyi was Cery’s daughter, and of the secret entrance to Sonea’s rooms, until she learned that Jonna was Sonea’s aunt. It certainly explained the way Jonna bossed Sonea around in private, with no fear and little regard for status.

Jonna smiled as she moved the food from the tray to the table. “She drops by a lot these days.”

Lilia nodded. “At least she’s safe when she’s here.”

“And she can get a decent meal,” Jonna added. She straightened. “I’ll go find something for her. Something that will still be nice even if it has gone cold, so she can take it away with her if she has already eaten.”

“Could you...?” Lilia grimaced. “Could you bring something every night? Even if she doesn’t eat it, there are others she’d like to help. I’d like to help. And... can you bring lamp oil so she doesn’t have to find her way here in the dark?”

Jonna looked sympathetic as she nodded. “Of course.”

“And... I don’t suppose... if it’s not asking too much... What does the Guild do with old bedding and broken furniture?”

The servant’s eyebrows rose. “Most furniture here doesn’t break often. It’s so well made it lasts for hundreds of years. If anything does break, we fix it, and if it’s no longer good enough for magicians it goes to the servants.” She shrugged. “Same with old bedding. When it’s too worn for servants it becomes rags.” She looked at Lilia. “But there’s more old bedding about than furniture. Let me see if I can get my hands on some.”

Lilia nodded. “Thank you. I’d buy some things for her, but I’m not allowed to leave the grounds to go shopping.”

“I could get them for you,” Jonna offered, “if you write down what you want.”

“Do you have time? You must be busy.”

“Not as busy as you’d think, especially now Sonea’s not here. Fetching things for you is part of my job.”

“Well... thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

Jonna gestured at the bowl. “Now, you start on that before it goes cold and I’ll go fetch something for Anyi.”

As the door closed behind the servant, Lilia sighed in relief and triumph. Her plan had worked, though she felt a little guilty at suggesting that what she had asked for was going to needy people when it was only going to Cery, Gol and Anyi. But they do need it.

Looking down at the meal Jonna had brought, she decided to eat it and give the food she’d taken from the Foodhall to Cery and Gol. Soup was much too hard to transport, and the dessert was as likely to spill. At least if Jonna saw evidence that Lilia was eating some of the food she’d brought, she wouldn’t worry over Lilia eating enough – or giving it all away.

As she ate, she thought about how such small, everyday things could become so important. Cery and his friend and daughter were safer in the Guild passages, especially with the passage connecting them to the Thieves’ Road destroyed, yet something as trivial as getting food to them was a daily difficulty and risk. If Lilia didn’t have to constantly find them something to eat, it would be much easier to hide their presence from the Guild.

I want to do better than bring them food, too, she thought. I want them to be comfortable. I can’t ask Jonna to buy anything luxurious, or she’ll grow suspicious. Unless... I could say it’s for me...

Finishing the soup, she got up and gathered paper, pen and ink and began writing a list.

* * *

As Sonea blinked awake she marvelled that she had slept at all in the rocking carriage. Looking across at Regin, she saw that he was conscious and watching her. He smiled faintly and politely looked away.

How long was I asleep? She pulled aside the screen covering the window over the carriage door. Green hills surrounded them, tainted with the gold of a late-afternoon sun. Quite a while. Poor Regin. He’s probably been awake and bored for most of the day.

For the first few hours of their journey the previous night, their conversation had revolved around the