Chapter 20

Nedley sat down heavily on a pile of half-rotted roofing timbers he’d stacked outside his little cottage.

“But you’re sure he’s not a red-eye?” he asked. Razai had just told him his brother was under a demonic compulsion spell. Two years ago, Nedley wouldn’t have known what that meant. Now he knew too much.

“I’ve never met a red-eye, but ... yes, I’m sure,” Razai said. “His eyes weren’t red, for one. He could speak to me, he knew who you were, and he asked me to wish you good luck. That doesn’t change things, though. Someone’s still controlling him.”

“Couldn’t you have tried to save him?” Nedley asked.

A flicker of annoyance crossed her face, but it faded when she saw his expression. “No, Ned. I’m sorry. I was surrounded by Rusol’s mercenaries, and your brother wasn’t the only one under the spell. Even if I could have gotten him away from the others, I didn’t have a way to free him from the compulsion. You’ll need Treya for that, and I doubt Corec will want her going to Telfort.”

“Leena...” Nedley started, then trailed off.

Razai sighed. “Ask the others if you want. Who knows? They can be stupid sometimes. But think about it—do you really want to send two women to face all of Rusol’s mercenaries? Or were you planning to ask Corec? Do you think he can stop Rusol, his bondmates, and the entire Larsonian army? There’s a reason why we’re here, and not there. What’s coming is going to be bad enough as it is. Don’t make it worse.”

Nedley didn’t reply. She was right, but if he said it out loud, he’d be admitting that his brother was lost.

“Anyway, I thought you should hear it from me before I headed out,” Razai said.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes, finally. I’ve got my pay, and there’s nothing left to do here. I’m thinking about Deece—maybe renting a place on one of the islands for a year or two. Do me a favor, will you? When you talk to Ditte, call her Your Highness. She’ll like that.”

Nedley wrinkled his brow. “Uh, all right?”

“Maybe I’ll see you around someday,” Razai said, then strolled off, leaving Nedley alone.

He was still sitting on the wood pile when Kimi arrived.

“Hey, I found you!” she said with a grin. “I hope you weren’t waiting too long.” She paused. “What’s wrong?”

“I just got some bad news about my brother.”

“Oh no! What happened?”

He could see the concern in Kimi’s eyes, but how could he tell her the truth about Bertram without telling her the worst things about himself? That he’d chased down wild animals and eaten them raw, drinking their blood, so that he and the other red-eyes didn’t have to stop to make camp. That he’d murdered innocent people just because they were in the way.

It didn’t matter that he hadn’t been in control of his own actions, or even fully aware of them. Kimi was so innocent. Her life involved studying and doing chores, not magic spells and evil kings. If he told her the truth, she would never look at him the same way again.

“He decided to stay in Larso,” Nedley said. “I was hoping he’d come east, but he didn’t want to leave.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Kimi said. “Maybe he’ll change his mind.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

She glanced at the cottage. “Is this it?” she asked.

Nedley stood, putting a fake smile on his face. “It’s small, but it’s sturdy,” he said, patting the stone wall. “The houses were getting picked fast that first day. By the time I thought about it, there weren’t a lot of choices left, but I like it.”

“There’s no roof.”

“It collapsed, and I don’t know how to build one,” Nedley admitted. The new settlers had made good progress on rebuilding the rest of the village while he’d been away, but Nedley had grown up in the city. He’d never had to build anything before. “I’ll have to hire someone. Do you want to see inside?”

“Sure!”

He showed her into the empty building, which only had two rooms. The main living area was open to the kitchen, so the heat from the cooking fire would warm the rest of the house. The kitchen didn’t have a modern stove, of course, but it did have a chimney. The smaller room at the back of the cottage was obviously intended as a bedroom.

Kimi trailed her fingers along the wall, peering up at the open sky above. “Maybe you can add a second floor,” she said.

“What?”

She gave him a mischievous grin. “You can’t put your wife and your mistress in the same room, you know.”

Nedley blinked. “Wife?”

“Of course. That is the proper order of things. And what if you have children someday?”

“I didn’t think about that. I don’t know if I can add a second floor.” It seemed like taking a concubine might be more expensive than he’d anticipated. Was she suggesting he had to be married first?

“We should find someone and ask!” she said. “With another floor, you could fit three or four more rooms. Is there a cellar?”

“No, the ground is too rocky to dig down,” Nedley said. Corec had suggested the hill was artificial, designed to make it difficult for an opposing army to tunnel under the walls.

“Then an attic, too, for storage!”

“That seems like a lot,” Nedley said. A three-story house? He didn’t want to seem like he was putting on airs.

Kimi’s expression turned serious. “If you’re an officer, you have to show it. People will trust you more if you look the part. That includes your home.”

“Oh.”

Her smile returned. “Do you have something to draw on? Where should the stairs go?”

Kimi’s enthusiasm was contagious, and Nedley’s mood improved—just a bit—as they discussed plans for the future. She was careful to never suggest she’d be living in the house with him, but he doubted she’d be so interested if she was just humoring him. And she’d stayed even after seeing he wouldn’t be living a rich lifestyle.

Now he just had to figure out what to do about it.

She couldn’t really mean he had to get married first, could she?

“I must welcome you back to Sanvara City, Warden Yelena,” Empress Shereen said. “Or do you prefer the name Carise?”

Yelena stiffened and Leena tensed, preparing to Travel. She and Pavan stood behind Shereen’s chair, in the same tea room where Leena had first met the empress. If Yelena were to attack, Pavan would attempt to teleport her into a warded holding cell while Leena took Shereen to safety. Five wizards and three dozen Imperial Guards were waiting in the surrounding rooms in case they were needed, but Leena and Pavan were the first line of defense.

The moment passed and Yelena relaxed, leaning forward to pour tea into the two waiting cups. “You are well informed, Your Majesty, but Carise died a long time ago,” she said. “I am Yelena. For now.”

Shereen nodded. “Of course. How was your trip from Tyrsall?”

“Uneventful, though I forgot just how bright the sun can be this far south. But something tells me you didn’t invite me here for a polite chat about sailing ships and weather.”

“To the point, then?” the empress asked. “Very well. We’ll get the tedious bits out of the way first. I trust you won’t interfere in my government or the functioning of the empire?”

Yelena raised an eyebrow. “That’s your only request?”

“I’m pleased you’ve chosen to make your home in Sanvar once again, Lady Yelena. I won’t hold you to a different standard than any other citizen. But perhaps there’s something we can do for each other.”

“Oh?”

“A year ago, you were looking for the services of a Traveler. Are you still?”

Yelena stared at her. “I’m curious as to how you get your information, Your Majesty. I haven’t made any attempts to recruit in Sanvar—I’ve no desire to interfere with your people.”

“I appreciate that. Yet, the warden bond offers certain advantages. Perhaps those benefits can be shared.”

“What did you have in mind?” Yelena asked.

“You’ll have to forgive me,” Shereen said. “I’m not an expert on wardens or their abilities. If I understand correctly, the warden bond is best used with weaker mages, helping them to achieve much higher potential?”

Yelena shrugged. “That’s how it works, but it’s not something I’ve ever taken into consideration. There are more important factors.”

“Such as whether the mage fits a need you have?”

“Yes.”

“And do you still have that need?”

Yelena leaned back in her chair. “That would depend on the terms.”

“I’ll help you identify a candidate with the gift but who lacks the strength to use it. This Traveler would then split his or her time between the Travelers’ Posts here in Sanvar and your own interests—with appropriate compensation and working conditions from both sides, of course.”

“I’m not sure I can agree to that,” Yelena said. “There are reasons why wardens don’t announce themselves. I’m not in the habit of giving the bond away to mages with other priorities. My friends and I have duties to take care of.”

“Duties that require travel?” Shereen asked. “You could have been in Sanvara City in the blink of an eye rather than spending weeks aboard ship. And I imagine someone with your business dealings has need for messages to be delivered around the continent.”

Yelena inclined her head. “I can’t deny that.”

“Even just a portion of a Traveler’s time is a powerful tool, and should be more than enough to meet your needs.” The empress raised a finger. “But we must have measures in place to protect the mage in question. The Zidari are not warriors.”

“What do you suggest?” Yelena asked.

“A cooperative effort. In Sanvar, Travelers have safe locations to which they can teleport. They don’t need to be concerned about being ambushed by their employer’s rivals, or by those who might be jealous of their powers. Leena, here,” the empress gestured, “has begun those efforts in the north. Help us to complete that plan and you’ll have what you want—access to the entire Travelers’ network, both north and south, as well as a contract with the Traveler you bond, to cover more immediate needs.”

Yelena considered that for a moment, then looked up. “Leena? I’ve heard that name before.”

Leena gave her a respectful nod. “Yes, Warden. Sarlo told me of your offer. I was on my way to Tyrsall to seek your help when I was pulled away by something else.” She allowed the rune on her forehead to flare.

Yelena narrowed her gaze. “Corec. That’s how you knew who I was.”

Shereen shook her head. “Leena told us of your interest in Travelers after your friend—Sarlo?—contacted her, but the imperial diplomatic service has known of you for a very long time.”

Leena wasn’t certain if the empress was lying about that last part, or if she simply meant her spies had already been aware of Yelena’s previous identity. Shereen herself hadn’t known about wardens when Leena had first spoken to her.

“I see,” Yelena said flatly. “Assuming I’m willing to negotiate, there’s another factor you haven’t considered. I won’t cast the binding spell on just any mage you suggest. I need to be sure of them first.”