The Traitor Queen (The Traitor Spy Trilogy #3)(138)

“If the Guild allows it, and you approve, your majesty.” Dannyl replied.

Savara nodded. “You’ll do for now.” She moved to face Tayend. “And you, Ambassador Tayend – will you continue to represent Elyne?”

“I have already received instruction from my king to request my continuation in the role, your majesty,” Tayend replied. “In fact, he gave me a short message to memorise and deliver to you, to stand in for a later, longer missive.”

“He has? Then relay it.”

Tayend bent in a courtly bow. “King Lerend of Elyne congratulates you on the successful conquest of Sachaka. He hopes he will have an opportunity to meet you and discuss the many ways our lands may engage in mutually beneficial relations. May a peaceful and prosperous future await you.”

Savara smiled. “Convey my appreciation of his good wishes next time you communicate. I look forward to his longer missive. I see no reason you should not stay on as ambassador.” She moved past Merria and Regin, and stopped.

Lorkin watched his mother’s face as the queen turned to face her. He saw the familiar shift in her expression, from the usual slightly pained, thoughtful look she wore most of the time to the still, all-knowing stare that he’d never been able to hold for long.

“Black Magician Sonea,” Savara said, her tone no longer friendly, but not cold either. “You disobeyed my order to stay in the house where your escort left you.”

“I did, your majesty.”

“I was not pleased to learn that.”

“I did not expect you to be.”

“Why did you disobey?”

“Ambassadors Dannyl and Tayend, and Lady Merria believed themselves to be in some danger. Saral and Temi had left, so I could not seek permission to go to the aid of my colleagues, or request that they be protected. I kept to your earlier condition that I would not side with the Ashaki, and to the Allied Lands’ wishes that we should not intervene in the battle.”

“Yet you did intervene, later.”

Sonea’s eyebrows rose. “Should I have not?”

Savara’s head tilted a little to one side. “How do the Allied Lands regard it?”

“I haven’t had the opportunity to ask them, yet. They know some decisions must be made quickly. The battle was already won and they do want to be sure our Healers will be safe here.”

“They will be.” Savara took a step backwards, and returned to her seat. “The Healers are a full day’s ride away, however. In the meantime, would you and the other Guild magicians here tend the worst injuries?”

Sonea’s chin rose and a light entered her eyes that Lorkin knew only too well. He caught his breath, then let it out in a quiet sigh.

“Of course,” she replied.

Savara nodded. “Lorkin will escort you to the mansion where the sick and injured are being housed, after I speak with him privately. You may go.”

Lorkin watched his mother, former colleagues and friends leave. As they disappeared into the corridor, Savara turned to him.

“Was asking them to Heal unwise?”

So she’d heard his reaction. He shrugged. “Mother set up the hospices in Imardin. Give her this work to do and she may never go home.”

Savara frowned. “And I thought you would be the reason she’d try to stay. I did not mean to make your task more difficult.”

“My task?”

“To persuade or arrange for your mother to go home. It’s nothing personal, and I don’t think ill of her, but I suspect she is someone I will not like having around.”

“No,” he agreed. He paused to think. “The way to get Mother to go home is to have Dannyl recommend it to the Guild. He may agree to do so if I can convince him it is a good idea, or perhaps as a favour to me. But I suspect just trying will make him suspect my motives. Though … there’s something else we can offer him to prove our intentions are peaceful, if you’ll agree to it.”

Savara leaned forward. “And what is that?”

As Lorkin led them out of the mansion, Sonea examined him critically. He looked thinner, though it might only be the Traitor style of clothing that gave the impression. Magician robes tended to conceal a lot, emphasising the shoulders and waist but hiding the rest. The close-fitting Traitor vest hugged his body. The fabric of his tunic and pants was rustic and undyed. In contrast to this humble garb, his fingers were clustered with rings, which would normally have given the impression of indulgence and wealth if she hadn’t guessed the stones were magical.

He started out towards the other side of the parade. His walk was relaxed and confident, she noted, but he was also constantly alert, his gaze roving over their surroundings. He feels secure in his place among the Traitors and has nothing to fear from the Guild except, perhaps, disapproval, but he knows the city isn’t completely safe yet.

Glancing back at her, he slowed until he was walking beside her.

“I wanted to contact you before the battle,” he said. “But everything happened so fast. We were making plans one moment and rushing out to meet the Ashaki the next.”

“What did you do with my blood ring?”

He grimaced in apology. “I have it with me. I should have hid it, but—”

“No, I would rather you had it with you to use if you needed.”