Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(118)

The wagons were enclosed, so as to keep passengers out of the weather and out of sight of prying eyes. They resembled the wagons used by clan traders to transport their goods—something rarely seen in the empire these days.

The first family was climbing into the first wagon. The driver was muffled in a scarf and coat that seemed too heavy for the weather. He’d placed a step next to the wagon to make it easier to climb in. As each one passed, he handed him or her a wrapped bundle and a deerskin flask—the promised water.

As each wagon filled, it pulled away, rolling down the farm lane and disappearing into the trees.

“This doesn’t look familiar,” Hal said, touching Robert’s arm. “Do you know where we are?”

Robert shrugged. “We should be on our way to Temple Church to join Father and the others. So I’m guessing we’re somewhere north of the city.”

“Maybe,” Hal said. “But I’ve been up and down the North Road between Ardenscourt and Delphi way too many times. I don’t remember seeing a stretch this remote.” He squinted up at the sky, but between the sodden clouds and the canopy of trees he couldn’t get a fix on their location. The rain seemed to muffle sounds, the mist lending an air of risk and mystery.

“Well,” Robert said. “We wouldn’t want to come up too close to the road, would we? It’s probably just that—”

Hal put his hand up. “Hang on. Isn’t that the last of the wagons?”

Robert stared as the wagon rounded the curve and disappeared. “Hey!” he said, running a few steps after it until he must have realized it was no use.

Hal turned to find Barrowhill striding toward them. “That’s the last of them,” she said. “The queen and the princess are with them. Let’s hope they don’t run into any trouble along the way.”

“We were supposed to go with them,” Hal said. “Isn’t that what we agreed on?”

“My agreement is with Lieutenant Karn,” Barrowhill said, brow furrowed. “I thought he’d have filled you in.”

“No,” Hal said through gritted teeth. “He did not fill us in.”

“You mean you got into this without really knowing the plan?” Barrowhill shook her head. “That’s never a good idea.”

Automatically, Hal thrust out an arm to prevent Robert from leaping forward and throttling her. “What is the plan?” he said.

“Well.” Barrowhill looked from Hal to Robert. “It’s not really my place to— Look! Here he is now.”

Destin Karn materialized from among the trees like a black-clad wraith.





48


DOUBLE DOUBLE-CROSS


In his blackbird cloak, Karn looked sharp and deadly as an obsidian blade. Hal was feeling fairly deadly himself.

“I met the wagons on the road, so I’m glad to see that our guests are on their way,” the spymaster said. “A good night’s work, and the only casualty was poor Granger. I was so impressed by young Lady Harper. If she ever expresses an interest in—”

“Where have you been?” Hal demanded. “Where are my mother and sister and the rest of the families? Robert and I were supposed to escort them to White Oaks.”

“They’re not going directly to White Oaks,” Karn said. “But, don’t worry, they will be safe and comfortable—and out of the king’s hands. That will free everyone to negotiate in good faith.”

“If you meant to double-cross us, why not just leave us to rot in Newgate?” Robert said, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

At that particular moment, mage or no mage, Hal was ready to draw his own sword and make the spymaster bleed, to the Breaker with the consequences.

“How have I double-crossed you?” Karn said, with a puzzled frown. “We had a common goal—to take the hostages out of the hands of Jarat Montaigne, and we have done that. No doubt he’ll be more amenable to striking a deal with the thanes with his bargaining power diminished.”

“It seems to me that your goal was to take the hostages out of the king’s hands and take custody of them yourself,” Hal said. “For what purpose, I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”

“That’s easy enough,” Karn said. “I’ll tell you. But first, let me ask you a question. What is likely to happen if the hostage families are returned to the thanes?”

We’ll all live happily ever after? Hal thought. I can take an army north?

“Will your father and his allies be more likely to come to the table?” Karn persisted.

Hal wanted to say yes, but he knew in his bones that wasn’t true. He shook his head. “Freed of worry about the hostages, the thanes will march on Ardenscourt and depose the king sooner rather than later.”

“Won’t that be nice? Maybe your father will be crowned king. King Arschel,” Karn said, as if savoring the phrase. “You and Robert can be princes. Though Matelon had better watch his back. I happen to know that the DeLacroix family is moving behind the scenes to make sure that it’s King Pascal. In fact, an attack on the capital could be the starting point for a new civil war. Meanwhile, the empress is marching. As things stand, I suspect whoever wins will have a very short reign.”

Hal thought of the harbor at Chalk Cliffs, full of the empress’s ships, of the beaches teeming with horse soldiers, and he had to agree.