“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“The Emperor’s Champion thought you might need assistance escaping from her bindings,” the hordling replied.I scowled. Of course Ankhelina would find a way to turn releasing me into an insult, but damn it if she wasn’t right. I would have loved to throw her ‘kindness’ back into her face, but I was honestly worried I might lose my hands if I remained tied up much longer, so I nodded. The hordling swiftly undid the knots holding me. Blood flowed back into my extremities with an excruciating rush of needles in my veins.
“Please, sir, use my shoulder to help yourself back on your feet.” The hordling offered me said shoulder. By the time I’d winced my way to an upright posture, the hordling was holding a pair of small objects in his hands.
“What are these?” I asked.
“The information Count Zukov promised you, sir,” the hordling replied, handing me a small data drive. “It should interface with any Commonwealth computer, sir.”
“And this?” I asked as I took a small vial from the short, scaly humanoid.
“An Imperial stimulant, sir.” I raised my eyebrow. “We thought you might wish to review the information contained there instead of sleep. Now, if you’ll please follow me, sir.”
“Where are we going?” I asked as I set off after him.
“Back to your chambers, sir. You need some privacy before the day begins.”
I tried my best not to limp after him, my gait growing smoother as feeling returned to my limbs. “So whose side are you on?” I asked.
“Side, sir?” the hordling asked.
“Are you for the Empire, or the Emperor?” I clarified.
“I see no difference between the two, sir,” the hordling replied. Internally, I applauded his servile diplomacy, but I would have preferred a clear answer.
I expected the hordling to take me to the Commonwealth suite, but instead he took me through a pair of wide glassdoors onto an open balcony. “What are we doing here?” I asked.
“Returning you to your chambers in a way which avoids most of the prying eyes watching for you,” the hordling answered. He gave a small whistle through his teeth, and Tilly descended from the sky to hover before me.
“Tilly, what are you doing here?” I asked.
Tilly gave a quiet, cheerful chirp. The hordling coughed behind me. “I spoke to your steed earlier, sir, and asked for her assistance in this manner.”
“And she let you?” I asked, incredulous.
“It did take some convincing, sir, but once I informed her of your need, we managed to reach an accord,” the hordling said. Tilly waved her aerovanes expectantly. At her urging, I climbed into the saddle.
Before the hordling could send me away, I asked, “What is your name?”
The hordling looked at me with pursed lips and raised eyebrows, as if he did not know how to take my question. “Does it matter, sir?”
“It does to me. Anyone who can convince Tilly to do anything is somebody whose name I should know,” I said.
The hordling bowed his head slightly. “Very well, sir. If you must, you may request my personal services by asking for Ingvar.”
“Who should I ask to find you?” I asked.
“Just ask for Ingvar, sir. I will hear.” The hordling named Ingvar nearly smiled, then he gave Tilly a gentle push, and I sailed into the night air.
I did not know how to get to my chambers from the outside, but Tilly must have been paying better attention to my position than I’d expected, as she threaded through the crystalline towers and rose to a specific window with unerringaccuracy. As we approached, the decorative pane swung open to reveal Wiktor, still in his royal livery.
“Wiktor, what are you doing here?” I asked, feeling especially repetitive.
“Waiting for you, sir,” Wiktor replied, reaching out to help me climb inside.
“How did you know I was coming?” I asked as I stepped from Tilly’s back through the window.
Wiktor gave me a knowing smile. “We servants must work together. It’s the only way we can hope to keep up with our charges’ variances.”
