The Traitor Queen

The Speaker looked down. “I know how you feel about Kalia, but...”

Savara scowled and shook her head. “I don’t trust her.”

“You don’t have to. Just let her do what she is trained to do.”

Lorkin held his breath as Savara regarded the Speaker. The queen could not reveal Kalia’s guilt to the Traitors without also revealing his ability to read surface thoughts. Then I guess I’d better brace myself for the consequences.

“Bring her here,” she said.

When Shaiya’s footsteps had faded out of hearing, Savara turned to him.

“This ability of yours could prove very useful to me, Lorkin. Are you willing to use it in the service of the Traitors?”

He blinked at her in surprise. “I... I guess so. Do you want me to use it on Kalia? I can’t promise I will be able to tell you much.”

Savara smiled. “Just tell me if you detect her lying. Don’t say how. Do not mention your ability to anyone unless I tell you to.”

The sound of Shaiya’s footsteps returned, along with another’s. As Kalia entered she looked up at Savara, then her gaze dropped to the floor. She placed a hand over her heart.

“Leave us, Shaiya.”

The Speaker paused, then nodded and left. Rising to her feet, Savara walked slowly over to stand in front of Kalia. The woman did not look up. Her eyes were wide and her breathing fast. Lorkin concentrated on her until he felt a familiar presence, and guilt.

“I know what you did,” Savara told her. She glanced at Lorkin and Tyvara. “We know what you did.”

From Kalia came a surge of fear and shame.

“What I don’t understand is: why Halana?” Savara continued. “Everyone loved her. She had no enemies.” She shook her head. “The experience and understanding of stone-making she had. The talent. Even if you hated her, how could you take that from us?”

“I didn’t hate her,” Kalia protested. “I...” She looked up, then quickly down again.

“You what?”

“I didn’t intend for her to get killed.”

“Just us.” Savara moved back to her chair. “I have no proof of that, but I can prove you had something to do with Halana’s death. If you can convince me it was an accident I...” She sighed. “Much as I hate to say it, we need you Kalia. Convince me, and see to the injured, and I won’t distract and demoralise our people at this crucial time with accusations of attempted murder against one of their own.”

Kalia swallowed, then nodded. “When you were on the roof last night,” she began. “I saw you were alone with...” Her eyes flickered toward Lorkin and Tyvara. “Nobody else would be harmed if you were attacked. I just had to draw attention to you. So I slipped out of a slave entrance, found some Ashaki, and led them back. They saw you, but as I ran to the slave entrance Halana stepped out of another. I think she was setting shield stones. She... didn’t see them. She...” A sob escaped her. “I tried to warn her but it happened so fast. I didn’t mean for her to be killed.”

Savara glanced at him. He shook his head. Everything Kalia had said was true. The queen turned back to stare at Kalia She looked as if she had taken a bite of something especially vile. But it wasn’t just revulsion at Kalia’s actions. She wants to punish Kalia, but she won’t. If I was Savara, I’d have her locked up and send me to heal the injured. Kalia’s healing skills weren’t unique. Then he felt a bolt of realisation. But my mind-reading abilities are.

“Then swear you will never speak of it, to anyone, unless on my orders,” the queen said. “And swear you will never attempt to cause me, Tyvara and Lorkin harm again.”

Kalia bowed her head. “I swear.”

“Go. Shaiya will direct you to the mansion housing the injured.”

As the woman hurried away, Savara rubbed her hands on her knees as if wiping them clean.

“Well, at least we have something to use to keep her in line from now on.”

Footsteps hurried down the corridor, but this time Speaker Lanna entered the room.

“Are you ready to see the Kyralians yet?”

Savara drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “Am I?” she asked herself.

Lanna frowned. “There’s something I should tell you first.”

“Oh?”

The Speaker’s lips thinned into a forced smile. “When I found Black Magician Sonea she was fending off a pair of Ashaki. Tayvla and Call, the pair who found them, told me that the Ashaki had attacked them first. Sonea intervened, allowing them to get away.”

Lorkin turned to look at Savara and was puzzled to see she was frowning at this news. The queen glanced at him, then snorted softly.

“Well, that spoiled my plans.” She turned to Lorkin and uncrossed her arms. “Your mother disobeyed an order to stay where her escort left her. I was looking forward to raising that with her, and seeing if I could get something out of her by way of apology.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I doubt you’d succeed.”

“How do you suggest I go about persuading her to grant us a favour, then?”

“I am the last person who can tell you. She knows me far too well.”

“But you are her son. Perhaps I should use that.”

Lorkin winced. “Only if you’re feeling particularly brave. I, ah, advise you to learn more about her before you push her too far.”

Savara pursed her lips and considered him, then nodded. “You would like to see her, and your homeland, again one day.”

“Eventually. I’d like to take Tyvara with me, so it would be nice if Sachaka and the Allied Lands stayed on good terms.”

Savara turned back to Lanna. “Send in the Kyralians. And the Elyne, too.”

Lorkin felt his heart begin to beat a little faster. Mother and Dannyl and everyone else cannot have any doubts where my loyalties lie now. I guess I’m about to find out how they feel about that.

His mother led the others into the room. They lined up before Savara, then knelt. A silence followed, full of surprise and a tinge of embarrassment. Lorkin felt an odd little shiver go down his spine. To Kyralians and Elynes, this was the traditional genuflection made to a ruler, but to Traitors it was far more than was expected.

“Rise,” Savara said, her voice subdued. As the five foreigners stood, she smiled. “Later, Lorkin will tell you the Traitor way of greeting a leader.” Her gaze moved along the line. “I am Queen Savara and this is Tyvara and Lorkin. Please introduce yourselves.”

“I am, as you know from our previous meeting, Black Magician Sonea of the Magicians’ Guild of Kyralia,” his mother began. She then introduced the others according to status, beginning with Dannyl.

Dannyl looks... not uncomfortable but like he’s trying to conceal discomfort, thought Lorkin. Is he injured? No, it is something else. Perhaps merely the unease of having just seen these people kill a whole lot of people he... A heavy feeling dragged at his stomach as he realised that Dannyl, Tayend and Merria had formed friendships with the Sachakan elite. They’ve possibly just seen their friends killed.

As his mother spoke Regin’s name, Lorkin remembered Tyvara’s suggestion that he was more than Sonea’s source and assistant. Regin’s expression was solemn. His gaze shifted to Lorkin’s and he inclined his head slightly. Lorkin returned the nod. That didn’t tell me anything, he concluded.

“So,” Savara said, rising from her seat. She moved to stand before Dannyl. “Do you intend to stay in Sachaka, Ambassador Dannyl? I imagine we’ll need a Guild representative here, once the Healers arrive.”

Lorkin noticed his mother’s brows lower a fraction. As the figure of greatest authority, among the Guild magicians, she ought to have been asked the question. Perhaps, by posing the question to Dannyl, Savara was indicating that she preferred him as a representative of the Guild over Sonea.

“If the Guild allows it, and you approve, your majesty.” Dannyl replied.