Page 95 of The Summer Pass

“What? I didn’t do anything.” Had he done anything? It had been such a long day, he couldn’t remember what Vanu was referring to.

“Standing beside me in front of everyone. I know it took courage.”

“That was nothing! I … ” But it had been difficult. He’d had to tell himself that it was really necessary, that it would help for everyone to see him. “It was His Highness’s idea. I don’t feel deserving of a place by your side, but I thought everyone probably needed to see me to make the whole thing convincing.” He wrinkled his nose. “Mainly I wished I’d had better clothes on.”

Vanu laughed softly. “You looked perfect.”

A new group of people was coming in through the main door of the hall, and Lill spotted two familiar faces.

“Look, it’s Barda and Tirtu. They figured out we’re in here and not the wine cellar anymore—good for them.”

Vanu raised an eyebrow. “Maybe. I sent Firuduna to make sure they knew.”

The gathering in the great house was turning into a full-fledged feast, with music and dancing. While Lill was asleep, the men at the main gate had succeeded in setting the Zashians’ ram on fire, which would have warranted celebration by itself. Vanu’s banner was flying from the towers, and they were revelling loudly—really loudly, with some kind of strident wind instruments and full-throated singing—to make sure the enemy knew they were unworried. All that made sense to Lill. And he was tired and could easily have gone back to sleep on the couch in the hall, but he couldn’t help feeling that he should be doing something to make himself useful instead.

He understood why the celebrating was strategically necessary and that Vanu needed to be at the centre of it, being Vanu. It made sense, strategically, for Vanu to be showing off his skill at the burira, that solo dance that he’d done the day after his wedding, in front of everyone gathered in the hall, clapping and cheering. He’d always used his personal charms to draw his people to him. It made sense, and so of course Lill was not feeling jealous or wishing that people weren’t blocking his view. Or that he could get up and join in one of the group dances, take Vanu’s strong hand and be whirled around the floor, bask in Vanu’s smile … No, of course he was feeling all of those things; why pretend otherwise?

He got some food and spoke to some of the men from Tsuruva while he ate. He discovered that Vanu had been making excuses for him, and several people appreciatively repeated the line, “Of course he didn’t tell you about himself. Spies don’t tell you about themselves—it’s the whole point.”

A new dance began, this one involving pairs of men and women. Gurti and Tirtu were dancing together. Vanu had disappeared somewhere. Lill got himself a cup of wine and walked around the outside of the hall, looking for Prince Artayarasha. He would offer to take over translating for him, he thought, or rescue him from Halza and his family, if they were making pests of themselves again.

But Halza and Auxshna were in the dance, blundering around and bumping into people, and Maraz was dancing, much more competently, with Firuduna. Lill found Artayarasha, eventually, sitting alone in a shadowed corner outside the great house. He didn’t know much about court protocol, but it couldn’t be usual to leave a prince sitting by himself. He wondered if Artayarasha was enjoying the novelty; he must have come out here on purpose.

“Lill,” said Artayarasha, looking up and seeing him a moment before Lill was about to leave him alone. “Come, join me.”

Lill sat down on the bench beside the prince. The music from inside was pleasantly muted. A new tune had begun, with a lot of clapping. Lill took a swallow of wine from his cup, wondering if Vanu was dancing again.

“I know it is important to secure the trust of everyone in the fortress,” Artayarasha remarked, “but I can’t help being slightly impatient with the need for feasting and dancing just now.”

“I know,” said Lill, more emphatically than he had intended. “I mean, strategically … ”

“Oh, yes, absolutely. I’m sure it is the right thing to do.” Artayarasha raised his own cup and drank. “But it makes me anxious. We need to act before Pantaresh discovers Vanu’s troops on the mountain.”

“They’re well hidden—I don’t think we have to worry about that. And he’ll deliver the ransom demand for you first thing in the morning. I know it looks like he’s carousing in there, but he’s actually drinking water. And he set a double watch on the walls before the feast started—he promised everyone who has to go back on duty that they’ll get to drink tomorrow night. I know you were there for that part, but I don’t know if anyone explained that’s what they were cheering about.”

Artayarasha nodded. “I did suspect it had something to do with drinking.” He swirled the wine in his cup. “This is quite good. Sukiyan, I think.”

“Probably. They say the local wine is very bad.”

“We do need to send that ransom demand,” Artayarasha said, after a moment. “If I let my troops come down and engage Pantaresh’s army, I will set myself against my brother once and for all … ”

Lill wasn’t sure what those things had to do with one another.

“But if Pantaresh refuses to ransom you, won’t that indicate that … your brother … is already set against you?” It felt transgressive to talk about the Great King that way, but he thought it had to be said.

Artayarasha’s expression was wry. “Certainly. But that is nothing new. I have let him do worse before without retaliating. He has the power that comes with the throne. If I make this move, if I set myself against him now … ” He shook his head. “I need to know that Pantaresh would really refuse to ransom me.”

Lill was silent, thinking about that. No one, as far as he knew, had suggested that Artayarasha didn’t need to know that. Had they? It sounded like this was a conversation the prince was having with himself.

“What if he agrees?” Lill said. “Will you go back to your troops and leave us here?”

Artayarasha looked at him, his expression briefly startled. “You could come with me. I would not abandon you.”

“No, you know I’m staying with Vanu, and he’s staying in Tagra Degra. He’s retaken his fortress and will defend it.”

“Pantaresh might agree to lift the siege … ”

“Vanu doesn’t think he will. You don’t think he will. He knows you’re in here—he could have proposed something already if he was actually concerned about getting you back.”