Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(119)

“I know your father has a policy against giving in to the demands of hostage-takers,” Karn said. “He won’t accept an unsatisfactory deal on account of them. And Jarat would never offer a reasonable deal as long as he held the hostages. It will be my job to convince Jarat to offer terms that the thanes can accept. The fact that his mother and sister are with the hostages might help that case. It will be your job to persuade the thanes to sign on.”

“I’m a soldier,” Hal protested, “not a diplomat.”

“Who better to convince an old warrior like your father?” Karn said.

“That’s not going to happen,” Hal said. “It doesn’t matter who’s holding the hostages. It just means that he’ll be even more determined to hold you accountable.”

“Perhaps some of the other thanes will be more receptive,” Karn said. “To be honest, I am not close to the young king. As spymaster for the kingdom, it will be my fault that the hostages escaped. By the time Jarat realizes that he needs me—or, at least someone smarter than Granger—I’ll have taken my bow on Executioner’s Hill.”

“Do you really think so?” Hal said skeptically. “Surely General Karn would intervene to—”

Karn laughed. “You have been away from court a while, haven’t you? My father will do everything in his power to pin it on me. If he intervenes, it will be to put the noose around my neck.”

“If the thanes take the city before then—”

“Then they will be fighting each other for the honor of executing me,” Karn said. “You see? No matter what happens, I will need leverage to protect myself and those who are important to me.”

Hal was mystified. Who was the spymaster trying to protect—other than himself?

“If what you’re saying is true, the thanes are smelling blood in the water,” Hal said. “Even if King Jarat offers improved terms, they will not be in the mood for negotiation.”

“I realize that this is a desperate plan, but such are the kind made by desperate men. I will do everything in my power to prevent the empress from claiming the west as well as the east.”

Hal and Robert exchanged glances. Hal had his own reasons for wanting to march against the empress, but what drove Karn? He seemed the type that would land on his feet no matter what. It brought to Hal’s mind his own conversation with Lyssa Gray, when he assured her that her life wouldn’t change much under Arden’s rule.

This spymaster has secrets, too, he thought. Hal needed to buy time, to consider what move to make next.

“All right,” he said, as if giving in. “The thanes will want to know who’s holding our families now. What am I supposed to tell them?”

Karn frowned, thinking.

“The queen in the north?” Barrowhill suggested, leaning against a tree and using the blade of a dagger to strip dirt from under her nails.

“If I tell them it’s the queen in the north, I know exactly what will happen,” Hal said. “My lord father already thinks I’ve been bewitched by the wolf queen. If I told him I helped put our families into the enemy’s hands, he would know it for sure. He’d clap me in irons and send in the priests.”

“Oh!” Barrowhill said, looking up from her work. “Damn, that’s too bad.”

Something in the way she said it caused them all to turn and look at her.

“What do you mean?” Karn said.

“I mean that I’m serious,” Barrowhill said. “They are on their way to the queen in the north.”

“You sent Harper and Mother to the witch in the north?” Robert practically shouted.

Hal put his hand on his brother’s arm and shook his head.

Karn’s hand crept to his amulet. “Explain yourself,” he said in a flat, deadly voice.

“There’s this other part of the plan that I didn’t go over yet,” the smuggler said. “While the thanes and your spoiled boy king dither over who gets what manor house and title, the empress is on the march. I need things to move a little faster.”

“Go on,” Karn said, a muscle working in his jaw.

“You see, I have family in every port on the east coast,” said Barrowhill. “The empress has already taken Chalk Cliffs, and Spiritgate will be under attack before long. If you think she’ll stay north of the border, I have some genuine clan-made goods to sell you. My family depends on the sea for a living.”

“So,” Karn said. “You betrayed us. And probably collected a pretty price from the queen for doing it.”

“Betrayed is such a negative word,” Barrowhill said. “I think we’re all agreed on the final goal. I just want to move things along a little faster.”

“I see,” Karn said. “And what’s this final goal? Barrowhill makes a fortune? I don’t remember signing on to that.”

Barrowhill shook her head, looking a little hurt. “We all want to send the empress Celestine back east. That’s what we agree on. When word reaches King Jarat that Spiritgate is under attack, he’ll wake up to the danger. But if the thanes have their way, he’ll be dead by then.”

Karn took a step toward her. “Tell me where they are, or you’ll wish you had.”

Barrowhill’s dagger came up so quickly that he took a step back again.