Betrayals (20 page)

“That all depends on how frightened the others are of them—and how well they’ve planned for the time after the competition.” Rion shook his head, hating the feeling of ambivalence now touching him. “It’s difficult to decide which group to pin my hopes of victory to: the group which used and betrayed us, or the people who betray everyone as a matter of course, but are now being forced to support that first group.”

“I know exactly how you feel,” Tamrissa agreed with a smile which Naran echoed. “I can’t—Wait, there’s Alsin.”

Rion turned to look toward the doorway behind him, and saw a large, rugged-appearing man striding toward them. An air of competence and authority surrounded him, and when he reached their table he nodded to them.

“We’re all set,” he announced without preamble. “The coach is in an alley two streets from here, and there’s a wagon unloading downstairs right now that will take you to the coach without your being seen. The alley is actually a minor through street, so we’ll be able to set off without the notice that backing out and turning around might bring. Are your belongings ready to be loaded?”

“As far as I know, none of us has unpacked anything,” Tamrissa replied, looking to Naran and Rion himself for confirmation. “Their nods tell me I’m right, so that won’t be a problem. What is, though, is Valiant. How is he supposed to walk through these corridors to reach the wagon downstairs? And even if he does, what about whatever you plan to do to disguise our presence in that wagon? Will he be able to stand it?”

“Since you’ll be completely covered up, probably not,” the man Alsin replied, now looking thoughtful. “Your friend will probably be best off going out through that window in his dormitory, using the pulley rope to reach the ground. Do you think he’s up to it?”

“I’m sure he is,” Rion put in at once when Tamrissa hesitated. “What’s more, I’ve decided to join him in that. The ladies and our baggage can be taken out in the wagon, but Valiant and I will walk.”

“I’ll send someone to steady the rope for you, and then he’ll guide you to the coach,” Alsin agreed with a nod, eyeing Rion’s clothing. “That outfit is plain enough so that no one ought to notice it, but if I recall correctly your friend is wearing the same white shirt and gray trousers. One of you ought to change the shirt at the very least, to keep you two from looking as though you’re in uniform. If you agree I can supply a shirt from my own possessions, which I’m now on the way to pack.”

“Does that mean you’re going with us?” Tamrissa asked, looking surprised. “What about your family and your work here in the city?”

“My real work here in the city consists of trying to find a way to loosen the grip the nobles have around our throats,” the man answered candidly. “Since the best way to accomplish that is to help your group, I certainly am going with you. And as far as a family goes, I don’t have one. Would you like to come with me now, Dom Mardimil?”

“Certainly,” Rion answered, rising to his feet after giving Naran’s hand a parting kiss. “Valiant and I will see you ladies in just a little while.”

Both Tamrissa and Naran nodded, so Rion followed Alsin out of the eating area. The direction they took was the one in which Valiant’s room lay, but Rion’s guide stopped at a door only half a corridor away from the eating area. Leading the way inside, Alsin went directly to a small, plain wardrobe and opened it, reached to the bottom of it, then turned with what he held.

“Try this on,” he suggested, handing over the silver-blue shirt he’d chosen. “I’ve never quite found the occasion to wear it, so it can’t be considered used. It should distract any observer from noticing that you and Dom Ro are wearing the same sort of trousers.”

“Are there likely to be a large number of people riding or walking about looking for us?” Rion asked as he began to remove his own shirt. “Tamrissa and I each made an effort to discourage my mother from sending anyone in pursuit of me, but I’m not certain how successful we were. The noble who held Tamrissa should certainly have been found by now, and we were told that Valiant’s absence has already been noted. How much of a pursuit does that make?”

“Less than you apparently think,” Alsin replied as he busied himself with putting clothing and toilet articles in a large leather bag. “We’ve had observers at your mother’s house and at Lord Lanir’s, specifically to let us know when to expect the pursuit you mentioned, but so far there hasn’t been any. As of an hour ago no one has left either place, nor have guardsmen been called there.”

“But that doesn’t hold true in Valiant’s case,” Rion said as he settled the new shirt on his frame. It fit much better than he’d been expecting it to, and the fabric was finer than the plain cotton he’d been wearing.

“Actually, there hasn’t even been a flurry of activity connected with Dom Ro,” Alsin replied, turning to look at Rion now that his packing was apparently done. “The man I questioned was convinced that Lady Eltrina had simply decided not to release Dom Ro, and that was what he’d reported to his superior. The superior decided to handle Lady Eltrina himself, so the man I questioned had dismissed the entire matter. And as far as that man himself is concerned … once he walks back to the city from where my men are now taking him, he may decide not to report the incident to save himself embarrassment.”

“You should be warned that anger and vindictiveness may well overcome possible feelings of embarrassment,” Rion said after tucking the shirt into his trousers. “All members of the nobility are constantly encouraged to report even the slightest indication of disrespect on the part of commoners, and being kidnapped after being threatened and questioned is a good deal more serious. But hopefully we’ll be gone from the city by the time he returns and makes his report. And thank you for this shirt. I appreciate your parting with something this fine.”

“Clothing is meant to be worn, not to lie about gathering dust,” Alsin returned with a deprecating gesture. “I’ll take the shirt you removed along with my own things, and return it to you once we’re out of the city. If you know your way back to Dom Ro’s dormitory, I’ll go and find someone to hold the pulley rope and guide the two of you to the coach.”

Rion assured him that he did indeed know the way to Valiant, so they left the room together and parted company. Alsin returned the way they’d come while Rion continued along the corridor, and a few moments later he reached the proper door. A knock brought no response, so Rion opened the door and went in.

“We’ll be leaving here in a short while,” Rion said to a Valiant who still lay on the cot by the window, pretending there was nothing wrong with the man. “Jovvi and Lorand are indeed being taken somewhere away from this city, and we’re prepared to follow and free them.”

“How will we do that?” Valiant asked slowly and with difficulty, obviously fighting to pull himself out of the depths. “And why would you need me along? I can’t even face the idea of leavin’ this window, never mind walkin’ that corridor outside or doin’ somethin’ to help. I’m the one who needs help, but I’m not likely to get it.”

“We won’t be leaving this place by the corridor, but by that window you’ve become so attached to,” Rion responded lightly, ignoring the rest of what had been said. “We’ll slide down that rope, which, I’m told, is as easy as falling off a log. That analogy may prove to be a shade too accurate, but escaped criminals such as we are should be fearless. Simply because I’ve never done anything remotely like this before is no reason to picture myself broken and bloody on the ground below.”

“It really isn’t as hard as it sounds,” Valiant offered, finally struggling to a sitting position as he stared at Rion. “But you don’t have to do this, you know. You have no reason to use a window instead of leavin’ the way you came.”

“But of course I have a reason,” Rion disagreed, walking to the window to watch for the one who would come to assist them. “My good friend has an adventure before him, and I wish to share that adventure. Never having been allowed such a thing before makes the undertaking even more special, and I eagerly look forward to it.”

Valiant made no reply to that, but peripherally Rion was able to see a peculiar expression fleet across the man’s face. Then Valiant had forced himself to his feet, to shake his head hard before running his hands through his hair.

“I could use some bathin’,” he muttered as he rubbed his face. “Not to mention a shave. Just how soon are we leavin’, and where are we goin’?”

“We’re leaving as soon as someone arrives to hold the rope for us, and we’re going to the coach which is waiting to take us west, after the convoy carrying Jovvi and Lorand. On the way, you might like to join us in trying to think of a way to rescue our groupmates without needing to kill every guardsman and driver and noble in the convoy. So far Tamrissa and I haven’t been able to formulate such a plan.”

“If Jovvi and Lorand were with us, we could put them all to sleep,” Valiant said, moving heavily to join Rion at the window. “Or at least the rest of you could do that… Does Tamrissa know what’s happened to me?”

“I broke it to her as gently as possible, but she was still shocked,” Rion responded, turning his head to study Valiant. “Naran recalled your comment about being pitiful and helpless, but none of us was able to imagine who would regard you in such a way. I think that if Tamrissa hadn’t been so shaken, she would have been furious at the idea of someone discounting you so easily.”

“Really?” Valiant asked, blinking in obvious confusion. “She would have been furious? But that—that’s not possible. I didn’t get to rescue her, she had to rescue me. How could a woman feel anythin’ but contempt for a man who has to be rescued?”

“Are you saying that both Naran and Tamrissa feel contempt for me as well?” Rion countered, refusing to look away from his brother’s misery. “If so, I’m forced to disagree with you most strongly, as it’s perfectly clear that they feel no such thing. All living beings need assistance at one time or another, and who better to give it than those who love you? And why would it be acceptable for you to do the rescuing, while Tamrissa’s doing it is unacceptable?”

“You… weren’t raised like most men are,” Valiant groped, his confusion clearly having increased. “It’s somethin’ the rest of us were taught, that the man has to be the strong one … But if she doesn’t despise me, why wasn’t she here when I woke up? I’ll bet Naran spent the night next to you.”

“Yes, she did,” Rion agreed at once. “But perhaps that was because I made no effort to cut her dead when I was helped into the coach. As I was there at the time, I can assure you that the same cannot be said for your behavior with Tamrissa.”

“I… was feelin’ raw and humiliated,” Valiant said, rubbing his face with one hand again as he avoided Rion’s gaze. “You have no idea what was bein’ done to me when Tamrissa walked into the room… Was I really that hard on her?”

“I had the impression that you blamed her for having freed you,” Rion told him frankly. “If she received the same impression, is it any wonder that she spent the night elsewhere than beside you?”

“No, no it isn’t,” Valiant admitted, now sounding and looking totally defeated. “As usual, all the trouble is my fault—but maybe this time it’s for the best. The last thing she needs is a cripple who was once a whole man.”

“Why don’t you let her decide what she does and doesn’t need?” Rion returned, definitely becoming annoyed. “Making the decision for her is downright insulting, a foolish thing to do in any event. Doing it to someone with her strength and ability in Fire magic …”

Rion let the rest of the thought go unspoken, but Valiant clearly picked up on it anyway. The man’s head came up as he remembered Tamrissa’s temper, along with the fact that he was unable to protect himself with Water magic.

“And we’ve decided that Lorand can probably do something to cure your problem,” Rion added casually, to give Valiant another point to occupy his thoughts. “If we ever manage to free him, that is…”

This second point struck home even more strongly, Rion was pleased to see. It should galvanize Valiant into making the effort to free himself from depression, and possibly even to repair his error with Tamrissa. And although Rion hadn’t mentioned it, there would be no trouble at all with going down the rope. His Air magic would see to that, both for him as well as for Valiant. As long as no one saw them walking to the coach, their departure would be easy and uneventful.

But what in blazes were they going to do to free Jovvi and Lorand—not to mention the rest of the captives? And once freed, what in the world would they do with them all… ?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Eltrina Razas was more than simply annoyed. She paced back and forth in her husband’s study, trying to figure out a way to report the outrage which had been committed without getting herself into hot water. Her appropriation of that Ro commoner hadn’t precisely been proper, even though a man would have gotten away with it without the least effort. It simply wasn’t fair, especially since she’d spent hours thinking and hadn’t had a single idea….

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, even though she’d specifically left orders not to be disturbed. Her first urge was to ignore the knock, but she was far too angry for that. She needed to blister someone’s hide, and whichever servant had dared to disobey her would do nicely for the purpose. So she strode to the door and yanked it open, and—

“Your pardon, Lady Eltrina, but this gentleman insisted that you be disturbed despite your instructions,” the servant said with visible disapproval. “Shall I summon others of the staff and have him put out forcibly?”

“Ah … no, Jomsin, it’s all right, I’ll see him,” Eltrina managed to say after a moment. The caller was Lord Rimen Howser, a man who was soon to be made a High Lord. Everyone who was anyone at least knew of the man, only a certain lucky few actually knowing him personally. Once the shock had passed Eltrina could think of at least a dozen ways in which the man might be used to her benefit, so she wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip out of her hands.

“Do come in, Lord Rimen,” she purred, giving him her most attractive smile. “May I have the servant bring you something? Would you care to stay to lunch?”