The Traitor Queen

“Is the meal not to your liking, master?” she asked.

Dannyl glanced at the plate in his hands, the food barely touched. He sighed and raised the barrier of silence again.

“I’ve been summoned to the palace,” he told her. “We have to come to a decision about the fate of the king’s spy. What would you have us do?”

She grimaced. “Well... swapping clothes is definitely not going to work this time.”

Tayend straightened abruptly. “Ah!”

All eyes turned to him. “What?” Dannyl asked.

The Elyne raised a hand, palm-outward. “Wait. Give me a moment. I have an idea...” He closed his eyes and his lips moved, then he nodded. He looked around at them, then at Savi. “Tell me if this will work: could you get away with being one of the carriage slaves, despite it not being your usual work, and that you’re a woman?”

She frowned. “If it worked for Ashaki Achati, it might for me.”

“Is there a safe place on the way to the palace that Dannyl could drop you off?”

Her eyes brightened. “Yes.”

Tayend looked at Dannyl. “I think this is our best option. If we can get Savi out of harm’s way, there’s no need to kill the abductor.”

Dannyl nodded, his heart lightening with relief until he remembered that a live abductor was also going to reveal more than that Savi was a Traitor. The king isn’t going to admit publicly the man was his spy, though. Which will be very, very annoying after all we’ve been through. Unless...

“We’ll take him with us,” he decided.

Merria’s eyes widened, but Tayend only chuckled. “You’re going to tell the king everything.”

“Except how Lorkin got away.”

“Then I’m coming too. I have to see this.”

“Tayend—”

“No, Dannyl. I have to see this. My king would be most disappointed if I didn’t.”

Dannyl could not argue against that. It will be better if there are witnesses other than myself, Osen and the Sachakan court, too. He dropped the barrier of silence.

“Merria, go with Savi and fetch the spy. Kai!” The man dashed into the room. “Have the carriage brought to the front.”

As Savi and Merria hurried away and Kai disappeared, Dannyl restored the shield again. Tayend rubbed his hands together. Then he stopped and his grin faded. “I hope Achati’s involvement won’t be discovered.”

Something inside Dannyl swooped downwards. He sighed and set his plate on the floor. The previous night he’d lain awake, either worrying that Achati would turn Lorkin over or anxious at the risk Achati was taking by helping Lorkin escape.

Tayend’s spoke in low tones, despite the barrier of silence. “It occurred to me last night... What if the king orders Achati to wear one of his blood rings? They allow the creator to read the thoughts of the wearer, right? I’m sure Achati was communicating with the king during their journey to Duna. I doubt the king would wear anyone else’s blood ring and risk them reading his mind, so Achati must have been wearing one of his. Will Achati now refuse to wear a ring?”

“I don’t know.” Dannyl shook his head. “Achati knew what he was doing.”

“Well... I hope it wasn’t sacrificing himself for us. He turned out better than I expected. I like him.”

Dannyl looked at Tayend in surprise and gratitude. Tayend liking Achati makes me like Tayend better, he realised. Tayend’s good opinion also makes me like Achati better, too. All because Achati had helped Lorkin. But at what cost?

Footsteps heralded the return of Savi. She was pushing the spy, bound and gagged, before her. The man was staggering as if exhausted, Dannyl noted. No doubt she’d drained his power again.

A grim silence fell between them all as they filed down the corridor to the front entrance. The carriage was not waiting, but before long the doors to the stable swung open and the horses and vehicle emerged. Dannyl ordered Savi to climb up onto the back to cling on beside the usual carriage slave, then hauled the spy up into the cabin. He climbed in after, and Tayend followed.

“Good luck,” Merria said quietly, then pushed the door closed.

At Dannyl’s order, the carriage left the Guild House. He did not speak and Tayend stayed silent. They couldn’t discuss what they were planning to do in front of the spy, and it was hardly a situation for small talk. The spy huddled opposite Tayend and Dannyl, his frightened gaze flickering from one to the other, which was disconcerting enough. When the driver suddenly shouted they all jumped.

The carriage began to slow. Dannyl opened the window and leaned out.

“What is it?”

“The slave, master. She jumped off and ran.”

Dannyl paused and looked behind, but Savi had already disappeared.

“We can’t stop,” he told the man. “Continue to the palace.”

Perhaps it was the mention of the palace, but the abductor had stopped staring at them. Relieved, Dannyl spent the rest of the journey considering and refining his plan, and gathering his courage. When they arrived, he dragged the man out after him. Leaving Tayend to hurry after, he forced the spy before him and marched into the palace.

The guards watched intently, but didn’t stop him. Once in the hall, Dannyl was pleased to see the king had arranged for a large audience of Ashaki to watch the meeting, including a few who, Merria had learned, disagreed with Lorkin’s treatment. Perfect. Achati stood near the throne, to Dannyl’s relief looking unconcerned.

The monarch’s eyebrows rose as Dannyl pushed the spy to the floor. Following protocol, Dannyl knelt and Tayend, hurrying up beside him, bowed.

“Rise Ambassador Dannyl.” The king looked at the spy. “What is this?”

“Just returning what I am told is your spy, your majesty,” Dannyl replied as he straightened.

The king’s gaze snapped to his. “My spy.”

“Yes, your majesty. Last night this man tried to abduct my former assistant, Lord Lorkin. A Traitor prevented it. She also read his mind and learned that the man was hired by you.” Dannyl looked around at the Ashaki, who looked amused but not shocked. “I request that someone here read his mind to confirm it.”

Heads turned back and forth. Glances were exchanged. A few words were muttered. The king ignored everyone and continued to regard Dannyl.

“Very well. Ashaki Rokaro, would you grant Ambassador Dannyl’s request and tell us if this accusation is true.”

No protest came from the gathering as a man with grey in his hair stepped forward. All watched as the spy’s mind was read. The Ashaki appeared to be doing a thorough and careful mind-read, as it was taking longer than Dannyl had seen one take before. When he let the spy go, the man sagged to the floor again, reaching out to the king like a slave pleading for forgiveness.

“Well, Ashaki Rokaro?” the king prompted.

The Ashaki looked from the spy, to Dannyl, then to the assembled Ashaki.

“It is true,” he said.

Dannyl felt a mild surprise. He’d expected the Ashaki to deny it, or say that the man believed it but had no proof his orders had come from the king. Looking up at the king, Dannyl saw no concern or guilt and felt his stomach sink.

“You say a Traitor helped you,” the king asked.

Dannyl hesitated, a warning chill going through him. “We could hardly refuse.”

“Where is she now?”

“I don’t know. Not in the Guild House.”

“And Lorkin?”

“Gone.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. With the Traitors, I imagine.”