The Traitor Queen (The Traitor Spy Trilogy #3)(116)

“No,” Sonea agreed. “It would be rather disconcerting having to fight an Ashaki while naked.”

In the corner of her eye, she saw Regin cover his mouth. Saral hesitated, then looked away. “And it has only one entrance,” she said.

Sonea could not see if the woman was smiling, or hear amusement in her voice. Too close to battle to maintain a sense of humour. They went to the kitchen next, where Saral helped herself to food and told Sonea and Regin to do the same.

“You’re not worried the slaves might have poisoned it in the hope of weakening the Ashaki?”

Saral shook her head. “If they had, they’d have left a warning. A glyph our spies use. Now, I’m going up to the tower. You can stay here if you like.”

“I’ll come with you,” Sonea said firmly. “I want to see where we are.”

Saral looked as if she might argue, then shook her head. “Follow me, then.”

A short journey followed. The tower was reached through what must have been the Ashaki’s suite of rooms. Sonea noted female clothing along with male.

“I wonder where his wife is.”

“Sent away somewhere safer, most likely,” Saral replied. “We are on the outskirts. A more central location would be easier to defend.”

The outskirts, Sonea mused. So we have reached the city.

At the top of a spiral staircase was a small, round room.

“Stay to one side of the windows so nobody out there will see your shape,” Saral instructed. She approached one from the left, peering around the edge. Sonea looked out from the other side. Rooftops spread before her. Somewhere several hundred paces to the left a building was on fire. A greater number of two-storey buildings stood directly ahead, and what looked like domes rose behind them.

“Welcome to Arvice,” Saral said. “Savara has communicated orders that we stay here until she summons us. Unless, of course, we are forced to leave. What are your orders?”

Nothing so specific, Sonea thought. But since she had the courtesy to ask … “I will check.”

Reaching into her robe pocket, she drew out Osen’s ring and slipped it on her finger.

—Osen?

—Sonea.

—We’ve arrived at the city and are hiding in an empty estate belonging to Ashaki Tovira, who is most likely in the king’s army. Our Traitor escort says we must stay here until Queen Savara summons us.

—No doubt they want to ensure you don’t interfere.

—What should we do?

—What she says.

—I won’t be able to see the fighting from here. Which meant she would not see what happened to Lorkin, or be able to help him.

—Hmm. If you and Dannyl both wear my blood rings, you may be able to see what he communicates to me. Though I have told him to stay in the Guild House. Maybe I should ask him to find a vantage point from which to watch the battle instead.

—So long as he doesn’t put himself at risk doing so.

—There is always risk, being close to a magical battle. The Guild needs to know what the outcome is. Our Healer volunteers left this morning. We don’t want them walking into a dangerous situation.

—Are you sure you want us to stay put?

—Yes. As a figure of greater authority than Dannyl, and as a black magician, you are more likely to be seen as a threat by both sides. If it weren’t for Lorkin, we would have ordered you home.

—Ah. Well. I’m grateful that you didn’t.

—Those of us in favour of you remaining in Sachaka argued that, when the conflict is over, you may persuade Lorkin to return or at least ensure the Traitors uphold their side of the exchange.

—Let’s hope they don’t use up all their stones in the battle, then. I must go. Saral is waiting for my answer.

—Take care, Sonea.

—I will. Sonea slipped off the ring and pocketed it.

“We’re to stay here for now,” she told Saral.

The woman nodded, then led the way back down to the kitchen. Temi had arrived and was chatting to Regin. Seeing the two men together, their differences were more obvious. Regin was taller, Temi was leaner. But Temi was not much darker than Regin. The Traitor’s skin tone was lighter than the usual Sachakan, and Regin had gained a tan while travelling. It suits him. They fell silent as Sonea and Saral entered the room. When Temi offered to keep a watch for the first half of the night, Regin offered to keep him company.

“No,” Saral said. “I will take the first watch. Alone.”

Regin shrugged. “Then where should we sleep?”

“The second suite. If Tovira returns in the middle of the night, he’ll probably head straight for his bedroom.”

Regin nodded, then looked at Sonea and headed for the door. She followed, amused that he had taken the lead, when in most instances since the Traitors had joined them he had waited for her decisions.

The second suite had beds in three of the rooms. Sonea picked one at random and sat down on the bed. Looking around, she noticed smaller versions of Ashaki clothing hanging on a hook. A jewelled jacket overlapping plain trousers …

“What did Osen say?”

She looked up to see Regin standing in the doorway.

“How’d you know I contacted him?”

He shrugged. “An easy guess.”

“Saral said we must stay here until Savara summons us, then asked if that was okay. Osen said it was fine. They want to be sure we don’t interfere.”