probably settle for killing her. That would do. Would probably be a mercy by then.
Wasn't that what Snow had said about Nadira? That she wanted to die?
Do you know how many dragons fly at the command of King Valmeyan, Kemir? I know that you do not, but I see the answer in the thoughts of this rider. Four hundred and then more, Kemir. Knowledge that is useful. We have taken but three today. Do not waste your thoughts on that which you cannot change. Dwell on that which you can. Think on that, Kemir. Three is a beginning, nothing more.
We. She had said 'we' again. Kemir tried to think about the town, about Nadira, but the memories kept sliding away. He looked left and right at the three dragons flying alongside Snow, one a mustard yellow, another a sooty grey who reminded him of a dragon he'd seen somewhere before, and Sunset, a gleaming ruddy brown. Yes, it was a beginning. A beginning of what, though?
As he wondered, unease settled deep into his bones. Am I becoming like her? Or was I always this way?
35
Jehal leaned into his walking staff. At least he could walk now, even if one of his legs was still next to useless and every step made him wince. Jeiros wanted him back in bed, numb with Dreamleaf, but Jehal had had enough of both. He hauled himself out of the Tower of Dusk and found no guards on the doors to stop him. No Adamantine Men in sight at all except for a few up on the walls. He stopped at the doors, half afraid to step out into the Gateyard. The sunlight was overwhelming. So bright.
This won't do. He forced himself out into the light. Someone finally noticed him. They ran away. Presumably off to tell someone else. Maybe I'm still a prisoner after all. Well I might as well stay here and see who comes. I'm hardly about to run off anywhere.
He wasn't disappointed. After he'd sat in the sun for ten minutes, idly watching the men on the walls, the Night Watchman himself strode into the Gateyard. He looked haggard and a lot older than a few weeks ago. He stopped in front of Jehal and bowed.
'Forgive me if I don't rise, Night Watchman.' Jehal smiled as pleasantly as he could bear. 'I seem to be inconvenienced in that respect.'
'I wish you a full and speedy recovery, Your Highness.' Vale's face was as flat and unreadable as it always was.
'I'm sure you do. You know what? I think I might get up anyway. I think I might like to take in the view from the Gatehouse.' And why did I say that? Now I have to walk across a quarter of the palace and climb more than a hundred steps, which I'm clearly not capable of doing.
Vale offered his hand. Jehal waved it away and struggled to his feet on his own. The Night Watchman's face didn't change. 'If you like, I can put one of my men at your disposal to help you.'
Bastard. 'No, thank you, Night Watchman. It is not as bad as it seems.' And now I have to get to the Gatehouse all on my own. Still, it is going to be worth it.
Vale gave a deferential shrug. 'I am inclined to applaud, Your Highness. It is wise to exercise an injury as soon as it is ready.'
'I do not require your applause, Night Watchman. If you wish to help in that regard, you can send some of your very fine whores to my bed.'
'Ah, that I could, but Speaker Zafir has commented more than once that overexertion may simply mean you take longer to heal, Your Highness. In that particular regard, I have heard rumour that Prince Tichane is looking after your interests and doing so very well. I won't pretend to understand what that is supposed to mean.'
'Really?' Vishmir's cock you don't. But you don't know that I'm watching her. You don't know about my little mechanical dragons. In fact there's rather a lot you don't know…
Vale gave a nonchalant shrug. 'Perhaps that means he will be supplying ladies to your bed when you are well enough to enjoy them.' He smiled faintly. 'Or perhaps you used to have some whore and now he's looking after her for you. Such things are hardly my concern so I give them no thought.'
Jehal fumed. 'Night Watchman, if I ordered you to be still so I could hobble over and break your nose, I suppose you'd comply without hesitation?'
'My nose is of little value to the realms and has been broken many times before. Consider it yours.'
'Then I shall treasure it like a gem.' And cut it off one day. 'If I'm a prisoner, I shall simply return to my tower. I wouldn't wish to embarrass you.' His eyes narrowed and he watched the Night Watchman carefully. Tra sure I seem harmless enough, but you never know quite what might happen if you allow one of your prisoners to roam. I might roam to your brothel and overexert myself or something equally terrible. Who knows – I might push someone off a balcony.'
The smallest flicker of a shadow crossed Vale's face. That was enough. Inside, Jehal smiled.
Vale turned away. 'The speaker has not withdrawn her order regarding your confinement, but she has since ordered Jeiros and the alchemists to care for you as best they can. We shall call this exercise a part of your rehabilitation. I shall escort you myself.'
'Very kind of you.' Jehal found he couldn't resist. 'But are you sure you can spare the time? You look like you've just got out of bed.'
'I apologise if my appearance troubles you, Your Highness.' They began to walk towards the Gatehouse. 'The tension in the realms has grown a great deal of late. I have been busy.'
Walking across the Gateyard and climbing the steps to the top of the Gatehouse ought to have taken a few minutes. By the time Jehal got there, he'd spent the hardest half-hour he could remember. He was soaked in sweat, his leg was in silent shrieking agony and he was ready to collapse. The Night Watchman didn't say a word, didn't offer to help. It was almost as though he understood the necessity of what Jehal was doing.
He smelled Shezira before he saw her. The cages where she and Valgar hung were not far from the gates, suspended from huge poles. There wasn't much left of either of them but it was a warm day and the wind wasn't in the mood to spare Jehal's nose. By the time he reached the top, he was ready to retch. He made himself stand and stare at them both anyway. Somehow he found it satisfying. In a sort of I'm-alive-and-you're-not kind of way.
There was a third cage too. The man inside was… Ancestors! He's still alive. Barely. 'I see you've strung up another one. What did this one do?'
Vale pursed his lips. 'Hasn't Jeiros told you? That's Prince Sakabian. He lost twenty-five of the speaker's dragons to the traitor queen and had the audacity to survive. Then he was witless enough to return with his tale.'
Jehal's lip curled. 'Zafir would prefer he'd died or never returned, and her twenty-five dragons had simply disappeared into the mountains without a trace, would she?' Twenty-five! What a blow! She must be desperate! He tried to hide his glee. Desperate was good. Desperate was very good. 'And Almiri did that? Good for her. If a bit stupid. Let me guess, she's demanding a trade. The dragons Zafir seized on the Night of the Knives for the ones Almiri now holds at Evenspire.'
'I wouldn't know.' Vale's brow furrowed. 'Why did you come up here, Prince Jehal?' He seemed genuinely surprised, even a little pitying. You're slipping, Vale. At least now I know how things stand.
'You think I'm going to be out there in a cage of my own soon, do you?'
'I cannot read the speaker's mind, Your Highness. I simply obey the orders I am given.' Oh but you want me out there, don't you? Just like you wanted Shezira out there. You're going to be in for such a disappointment.
'Actually, I didn't much want to come here. I wanted you to come here. I wanted to watch you here, seeing this. That's why I came up here.' Yes. Such a disappointment. And now the fun starts.
'I see this every day, Your Highness.'
'And you'll see it every day for weeks to come and I'm sure there will be more. But from tomorrow you'll see it in a different light. I know why you wanted Shezira dead. I know you let her go to Hyram to try and make some sort of peace with him when you should have confined her to her tower.'
Vale didn't flinch. 'Shezira had already gone to Speaker Hyram when my men reached her tower.'
Jehal cocked his head. 'That is a lie, Night Watchman.'
