I’d never spent much time with Dlyenko, my half-brother and the youngest of the first queen’s children, but as I walked across the chamber and peered out the thick glass of the window on the far side of the wall, I was suddenly jealous.I opened the door next to the window and stepped out onto the small balcony jutting out of the rock.Looking down, I had a clear view of the ocean waves crashing against the rocks below.If I squinted, I could see the rotting masts of the great shipwreck.When the red vein disease had come, some of our people had tried to escape on a large trading vessel.But the sailors had been killed and eaten, and those who piled on the ship were not seafarers.They wrecked the ship on a sandbar and had to swim back to shore, where Hollows waited for them.
“This water is loud,” came a voice.I turned to see Taio emerge behind me.
“Most people find the sound of the ocean soothing.”
He raised his brows, a gesture I was beginning to understand meant he thought something strange but was too polite to say it outright.I glanced at the position of the sun in the sky and sighed.It was already late afternoon.We did not have much time.“We’d better make our plans,” I said, pushing past him.I crossed the center of the room and went to the door, but Yung stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“No!”Yung said followed by a stream of words I didn’t understand.
Taio closed the balcony door, listened to Yung then turned to me.“Where are you going?”
“The library.I want to consult the maps and plan our route.”
“That is good, but we will not leave this chamber.Send a servant to bring the maps.”
“Fine.”I went to the bell pull and yanked it then looked about the room until I spotted a table near the hearth.An inkwell and parchment sat on one corner of the table.I crossed to it, sat, immediately regretted that, and rose stiffly to write out the list of books I wanted.Taio looked over my shoulder.I’d written no more than three words when he plucked the quill out of my hand.
“What—”
“No writing.You say the names of the books.”
“Why?It’s faster to write the titles down.”
He folded his arms over his chest, an indication he would not budge on this.
“Taio,” I said, pointing to the window.“The hour grows later, and you want to leave at first light.We are running out of time.”
“Then speak quickly.”
I opened my mouth to argue, when I remembered that he’d had that parchment in the royal language.Mayhap he worried I would write in that language or there were others I knew that he didn’t.All our problems came back to trust—rather, the lack of trust.He didn’t trust that I wouldn’t write something to betray him.
“Fine,” I said.The door opened, but instead of a servant, Gaz and Nize stood in the doorway.Gaz’s eyes went to me and widened.I realized Taio and I were standing close together, and I took a step away from him.Omira and Kintle moved forward in defensive postures.Clearly, they hadn’t expected two soldiers to appear at the door.I saw Gaz reach for his weapon, and I started across the chamber to place myself between the two groups.I’d taken one step before Taio grabbed my shoulders and hauled me back against his chest.I was so surprised I did nothing for several seconds.
“Hurt them,” Taio said, “and I hurt her.”He ran a hand down my arm, and I flicked my elbow to dislodge him.I did not like being his insurance.His words had an effect, though.Gaz lifted his hand away from his sword and resorted to glaring at Taio.
“You summoned us,” Gaz said, his gaze slipping to mine.In his expression I saw pain.My own heart ached in sympathy.I didn’t want to lose him, but I no longer had a choice.
“Mara summoned servants,” Taio answered.
“The servants are busy elsewhere,” Nize said.“What do you need?”
The king had most likely asked for soldiers to guard the Zulenii chamber.I prayed to the gods Papa hadn’t concocted some sort of plan to rescue me from Taio.I didn’t want anyone else hurt—on either side.
“I need maps,” I said, straining to make my bruised voice heard across the chamber.“I thought perhaps Bothkin’s Atlas might show the western border.”
Gaz looked at Taio and then me.“You want to map out your path from here to Zulen.”Gaz’s tone was one of resignation.
I nodded.Perhaps it was fortunate that Gaz had answered my summons.He would know the sort of information I needed.
“I will fetch you Bothkin’s Atlas and the historical maps of the area.”He glanced at Nize.“Who has been on the western-most patrol?”
“Jolen was on patrol in the west a few years ago,” Nize said, speaking of Finnrey’s brother.I met Gaz’s eyes.I remembered that patrol returning.Half the soldiers had been lost to Hollows.We kept a patrol on the perimeter of the western side of the kingdom now, but we didn’t venture further than necessary to defend the outermost farms and settlements—if any had even survived.This was one reason Taio had passed into Earsleh undetected until he was only a couple of days from Highcastle.
“Could you see if Jolen will consult with me?”I asked.Nize nodded.
“Anything else?”Gaz asked, his gaze on mine.
Taio answered.“We require food and water for bathing.My bride”—his hand settled heavy on my shoulder—“is hungry and dusty.”
