Krondor: The Betrayal

• CHAPTER TWO •

Deception

THE SOLDIER WAVED THEM IN.

‘You may enter,’ he informed Locklear.

Locklear led his companions into the guardroom of the castle.

They had approached the castle on foot, after an early-morning climb up a long, winding road from the city. He was doubly glad they had chosen to spend the night in the city. His ribs still hurt, but after a night’s sleep in a relatively warm bed and two meals he was feeling twice as fit as he had the day before.

The captain of the castle guard looked up as they entered and said, ‘Squire Locklear, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, Captain Belford,’ said Locklear, accepting the captain’s hand. ‘We met when I passed through on my way north a few months back.’

‘I remember,’ said the captain with a half-hidden grin. Locklear knew the captain must have heard the rumour of the reason for his banishment to the north. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘I’d like to see the Earl, if he has the time.’

‘I’m sure he’d love to see you again, sir, but the Earl’s not here,’ said the seasoned old fighter. ‘He’s off on some errand with a troop of men – all Tsurani-bred – leaving me here to take care of things.’

‘The Countess?’ asked Locklear, inquiring after Kasumi’s wife.

‘Down in the city, actually. Shopping and visiting with her family.’ Earl Kasumi had married the daughter of one of LaMut’s more prosperous merchants. ‘If you need something official, you can wait until one of them gets back or ask me, squire. As long as you don’t need an armed escort somewhere.’

Locklear grimaced. ‘I had been thinking about asking for some men to accompany us down to Ylith.’

‘Wish I could oblige, squire, and if you’ve the Prince’s warrant with you, I’d scrape together a dozen swords for you, but as it is, the Earl’s off training recruits, I’ve got my usual patrols along the frontier, and the rest of the lads are out looking for a bunch of Tsurani renegades.’

Owyn said, ‘Renegades?’ Locklear had mentioned nothing of the Tsurani grey warriors to his companions.

‘I heard some rumours,’ was all Locklear said.

The captain motioned for the three of them to sit. Owyn was left standing when Gorath and Locklear took the only two free chairs in the office. ‘I wish it was only rumours,’ said Belford. ‘You know that Tsurani magician, Makala?’

‘By reputation only,’ said Locklear. ‘He was due to arrive in Krondor a few weeks after I departed some months ago. The other Tsurani Great Ones spoke of him, but as they weren’t the most sociable bunch, I only gathered a few things about him. He’s very influential in their Assembly of Magicians, is keen to foster trade and what I believe the Prince is calling “cultural exchanges” between the Empire of Tsuranuanni and the Kingdom, and he was personally coming for a visit.’

‘Well, he did that,’ said the captain. ‘He arrived here a few days ago and called on the Earl. Every Tsurani of any rank does that, as the Earl’s father is very important on the Tsurani home world. So it’s a duty thing.’ The old captain rubbed his beard-stubbled chin with a gloved hand. ‘The Tsurani are very deep into “duty”, I have learned in my time with the Earl. Anyway, they were here for a couple of days, Makala, some other Black Robes, and honour guards and bearers and the bunch, and it seems some of the bearers weren’t really bearers, but were some kind of dishonoured warriors from the Empire.’

‘Grey warriors,’ said Locklear. ‘I heard.’ That would explain how the grey warriors got through the rift, thought Locklear, disguised as bearers.

‘That’s who my lads are looking for. Rumour is they fled east. If they get over the mountains and into the Dimwood, we’ll never find them.’

‘Why the fuss?’ asked Owyn. ‘Are they slaves or indentured?’

‘Squire?’ said the captain pointedly.

‘He’s the son of the Baron of Timons,’ explained Locklear.

‘Well, young sir,’ said the captain, ‘these men are something like outlaws on their own world, which by itself isn’t enough to have me chasing after them, but here they stole something of value to this Makala – a ruby of some rarity, I gather – and he’s making enough of a fuss about it that you’d think the gods themselves lent it to him and he’s got to take it back in a week. So the Earl, some because he’s polite, and some because he’s Tsurani and used to jumping whenever one of those Black Robes barks, he’s got us combing the hills looking for those bastards.’

Locklear smiled at Owyn, as if asking if that was explanation enough. The captain looked at Gorath, as if expecting him to say something. Gorath remained silent. Locklear didn’t know if the captain recognized the moredhel for what he was or thought him an elf, and didn’t see the need to explain things to him. The captain said, ‘What would you need an escort for, if I may make so bold as to ask?’

‘We’ve had some problems,’ said Locklear. ‘Someone’s hired Quegan swords to keep us from reaching Krondor.’

The captain stroked his chin again and remained silent a long moment as he thought. ‘Here’s one thing I can do,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to run a patrol out to the border with the Free Cities. I can have you travel with it until it turns westward, almost half-way between LaMut and Zu-n. That’ll get you part of the way in safety.’

Locklear was silent a moment, then said, ‘I have a better idea.’

‘What?’ asked Captain Belford.

‘If you can pick three men to play our parts, and ride conspicuously out the south city gate, we’ll head east and slip over the mountains and head south to Krondor along the east mountain highway, where we won’t be expected.’

‘A ruse?’ asked the captain.

‘One I learned from the Prince,’ said Locklear. ‘He used it to good effect in the Riftwar. If you can lead away those looking for us, long enough for us to reach the far side of the mountains, we should be safe.’

‘I can arrange that.’ He glanced at Owyn and Gorath. ‘I’ve got some men who can pass for you, if we keep the hood up on the one playing your elf friend, here.’ He stood up. ‘Let me arrange to have the evening patrol stop by your lodgings …?’ He looked at them questioningly.

‘The Inn of the Blue Wheel.’

Belford smiled. ‘Sumani’s place. Don’t let his smiling countenance fool you; he’s a tough boot. If you get the time, have him show you some of his fighting tricks. He’ll make time for a few coins. His decision not to stay in service was our loss.’

The captain left and returned a short time later. ‘It’s taken care of. Head back to the city and let anyone who might be following you see you return. Lie low in the inn until tonight and I’ll have three horses waiting for you in the inn’s stable.’ He handed Locklear a piece of parchment. ‘Here’s a pass. If one of our lads on the road to the east stops you, this will set him right.’

Locklear rose. ‘Thank you, captain. You’ve been a great help. If there’s anything I can do for you when you’re next in Krondor, please tell me.’

The old captain smiled. Rubbing his chin once more he said, ‘Well, you could introduce me to that merchant’s young wife I hear got you run up this way in the first place.’

Owyn grinned and Gorath remained impassive as Locklear blushed and grimaced. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’ They rose and departed the office.

Owyn said, ‘We walk?’

‘We walk,’ said Locklear as they headed for the main gate of the castle. ‘But at least it’s downhill.’

Gorath said, ‘That is actually more tiring.’

Locklear swore. ‘It was a joke.’

Gorath said, ‘Really?’ His tone was so dry it took a moment for Owyn to realize he was twitting Locklear. Owyn kept his own mirth in check and they started back toward the city.

Locklear slipped through the door into their room. Gorath looked up without alarm, but Owyn jumped off the bed. ‘Where have you been?’

‘Nosing around. Sitting up here might be smarter, but I’ve got this itch to scratch.’

Gorath looked on, but still said nothing.

Owyn said, ‘Itch?’

Locklear smiled. ‘Too many years of keeping the wrong sort of company, I suppose, but the reports of those grey warriors and the theft of some sort of rich item dear to a Tsurani Great One had me thinking. If I stole something on a different world, how would I dispose of it?’

‘Depends on what it is, I guess,’ offered Owyn.

Gorath gave a slight nod, but still said nothing.

‘There would have to be a local contact, someone who knew where one disposes of something of value.’

‘And you expect to discover this person in the midst of the throng of this city and use him to trace this band of thieves?’ asked Gorath.

‘No,’ said Locklear waving away the comment. ‘The captain said the stolen item is a gem, which being from Kelewan isn’t a shock. There isn’t much on that world of value that’s also easy to transport that would fetch a high value here. So my thinking is that the best way to find this missing gem is to learn where it’s most likely to end up.’

‘A fence?’ asked Owyn.

‘No, for if as I suspect the value of the ruby is enough to give a band of desperate men a new start on a strange world, it would have to be the sort of man who has a legitimate enterprise, one likely to mask the movement of this item.’

‘You seem to understand this sort of business better than a noble of your race should,’ observed Gorath.

‘I said I kept the wrong sort of company. After buying a few drinks, I discovered there’s a merchant with less than a stellar reputation who deals in gems, jewellery, and other luxury items. He’s a man named Kiefer Alescook.’

‘Who told you this?’ asked Owyn.

‘Our host, actually,’ said Locklear, motioning it was time for them to depart. They rose and gathered their gear, and moved out down the stairs to the common room. With a wave goodbye to Sumani, they moved through the door. Once outside the inn, Locklear motioned for them to walk around the corner to the stabling yard next to the inn. They moved inside the door and found three men waiting for them, each holding two horses.

One said, ‘Switch cloaks, quickly!’

Each was of a like height with Locklear and his companions and the exchange was made. If the man playing the part of Gorath had any notion of whom he was impersonating, he kept such thoughts to himself, merely handing Gorath a large blue cloak, taking the dark grey one worn by the moredhel. The others switched cloaks and Locklear took the reins of one of the horses.

By the time the three impostors were mounted, the sound of hooves on the stones announced the arrival of the patrol that would head down toward Zu-n this evening. From outside the gate of the stabling yard, a sergeant shouted, ‘We’re here to escort you south, Squire Locklear!’

Locklear took his cue and shouted back, ‘We’re ready!’ He nodded to the three men impersonating them who rode off and joined the van of the column. Locklear waited and after a few minutes said, ‘Owyn, you ride out, turn left and head straight out the gate. Ride a mile, then wait. Gorath and I will be behind you by a few minutes.’

Gorath grunted his approval. ‘So should anyone linger, he won’t see three riders.’

Locklear nodded and Owyn said, ‘Hold this, please.’ He handed his quarterstaff to Locklear, climbed into the saddle, then took the long oaken pole back. With a deft movement, he slung it over his shoulder, through his belt, then twisted it, so it hung across his shoulders and back, not encumbering him or the horse too much.

Gorath easily mounted, though he looked slightly ill at ease.

‘Don’t ride much?’ asked Locklear as Owyn departed.

‘Not really. It’s been a while, thirty or so years.’

‘Not a lot of horses in the Northlands?’

Without bitterness, Gorath said, ‘Not a lot of anything in the Northlands.’

Locklear said, ‘I remember.’

Gorath nodded. ‘We bled at Armengar.’

Locklear said, ‘Not enough. It didn’t keep you from coming through Highcastle.’

Gorath pointed with his chin. ‘We should go now.’ He didn’t wait for Locklear, but put heels to the sides of his horse and rode out.

Locklear hesitated a moment, then followed after. He overtook the dark elf as he rode easily through the foot traffic of the city. Men hurried home for evening meals while shops closed on every side. Travellers fresh in from the highway hurried toward the inn, eager to wash away the day’s trail dust with an ale, and women of the night began to appear on street corners.

Locklear and Gorath rode out the gate, ignored by the guards, and set their horses to cantering. A few minutes later they spied Owyn sitting on the side of the road.

When they reached him, he turned and said, ‘Now what?’

Locklear pointed toward a stand of woods a short distance away. ‘A cold camp, unfortunately, but at first light we ride north a few miles. There’s a mine road to the east that leads over the mountains. We’ll take that, then turn south on the other side. With luck we’ll avoid those seeking our friend here and make our way safely to the King’s Highway south of Quester’s View.’

Owyn said, ‘That means we’re going to come out near Loriel, right?’

‘Yes,’ said Locklear, with a smile. ‘Which means we’ll have the chance to visit one Kiefer Alescook along the way.’

‘Why involve ourselves in this matter?’ asked Gorath. ‘We need to hurry to Krondor.’

‘We are, and a few minutes’ conversation with Master Alescook may yield us a benefit. Should we discover the whereabouts of this missing gem, we win credit with Prince Arutha, for I am certain he wishes to be a gracious host to the visiting magicians from Kelewan.’

‘And if we don’t?’ asked Owyn as they rode toward the woods.

‘Then I still have to come up with a compelling reason why I left Tyr-Sog without his leave and returned with only this moredhel and an unlikely story.’

Owyn sighed aloud. ‘Well, you think of one to tell my father when I get back home and I’ll try to come up with something to tell the Prince.’

Gorath chuckled at this.

Owyn and Locklear exchanged glances. Locklear shook his head in the evening gloom. He had never considered the dark elves might have a sense of humour.

The wind was cold in the passes, for as winter was coming, in the elevations above them snow already clung tenaciously to the rocks and ice lurked in depressions in the road, making the footing dangerous.

They rode slowly, Locklear and Owyn both with their cloaks pulled tightly around them. Gorath kept his hood up, but rode without apparent discomfort.

‘How much longer?’ asked Owyn, his teeth chattering.

‘A half-hour less than the last time you asked,’ said Locklear.

‘Squire,’ said Owyn. ‘I’m freezing.’

Locklear said, ‘Really. How unusual.’

Gorath held up his hand. ‘Quiet,’ he said softly, with just enough authority and volume to carry to his companions, but no farther. He pointed up ahead. ‘In the rocks,’ he whispered.

‘What?’ asked Locklear in hushed tones.

Gorath only pointed. He held up four fingers.

‘Maybe they’re bandits,’ whispered Owyn.

‘They’re speaking my tongue,’ said Gorath.

Locklear sighed. ‘They’re covering all the roads, then.’

‘How do we proceed?’ asked Owyn.

Pulling his sword, Gorath said, ‘We kill them.’ He spurred his horse forward, with Locklear hesitating only an instant before following.

Owyn reached up and quickly pulled out his staff, tucking it under his arm like a lance, then urging his horse forward. He heard a shout as he rounded a turn in the trail and entered a widening in the road where one dark elf lay dying in the road as Gorath sped past him.

The other three were not so quickly taken, but rather hurried up into higher rocks where the horses couldn’t follow. Locklear didn’t hesitate and in a move that startled Owyn, the squire jumped up on his saddle and leaped off the running horse’s back, knocking a moredhel from the rock he was climbing.

On his right Owyn saw another one turn, rapidly stringing his bow, then reaching in a hip quiver for an arrow. Owyn urged his horse forward, and swept his staff, striking the bowman below the knee. The bowman went down, his feet shooting out from under him, and struck the rocks with the back of his head.

Owyn’s mount shied from the sudden motion near his head and suddenly Owyn found himself falling backwards. ‘Ahhhh!’ he cried, and then he struck something softer than the rocks. A stunned ‘oof’ accompanied the impact, and a groan told him he had landed atop the already injured dark elf.

As if scorched by the touch of a flame, Owyn turned over and sat up, scrambling backwards. Suddenly he was struck from behind by his horse as the animal turned and sped down the trail. ‘Hey!’ Owyn shouted, as if he could order the animal to stop.

He then realized there was a struggle going on, and the twice-struck moredhel was attempting to rise. Owyn looked around for a weapon and saw the fallen archer’s bow. Owyn grabbed it, and using it like a club, struck the moredhel in the head with as much strength as he could muster. The bow shattered and the warrior’s head snapped back. Owyn was certain he wouldn’t rise again.

The young magician turned to see Locklear standing away from a now dead dark elf, while Gorath likewise stood over a fallen foe. The moredhel turned and looked in all directions, as if seeking another foe. After a moment, he put up his sword and said, ‘They are alone.’

‘How can you tell?’ asked Locklear.

‘These are my people,’ said Gorath without apparent bitterness. ‘It is unusual for even this many to travel together this far south of our lands.’ He motioned toward a small fire. ‘They didn’t expect to encounter us.’

‘Then what were they doing here?’ asked Locklear.

‘Waiting for someone?’

‘Who?’ asked Owyn.

Gorath looked around in the late-afternoon light as if seeing something in the distant peaks, or through the rocks on either side of the trail. ‘I don’t know. But they were waiting here.’

Locklear said, ‘Where is your horse, Owyn?’

Owyn looked over his shoulder and said, ‘Back down there somewhere. I fell off.’

Gorath smiled. ‘I saw you land on that one over there.’ He indicated the body.

Locklear said, ‘Hurry back down the trail and see if you can find him. If he’s heading back toward LaMut, we’ll have to ride in rotation. I don’t want to be slowed any more than necessary.’

As Owyn ran off, Gorath said, ‘Why don’t you leave him behind?’

Locklear studied the moredhel’s expression as if trying to read him, then at last he said, ‘It’s not our way.’

Gorath laughed mockingly. ‘My experience with your kind tells me otherwise.’

Locklear said, ‘Then it’s not my way.’

Gorath shrugged. ‘I can accept that.’ He set to examining the corpse at Locklear’s feet and after a moment said, ‘This is interesting.’ He held out an object for Locklear’s examination.

‘What is this?’ asked Locklear, looking at a multi-faceted stone of an odd blue hue.

‘A snow sapphire.’

‘Sapphire!’ said Locklear. ‘It’s as big as an egg!’

‘It’s not a particularly valuable stone,’ said Gorath. ‘They are common north of the Teeth of the World.’

‘So it’s, what? A keepsake?’

‘Perhaps, but when a war party leaves our homeland, we travel light. Weapons, rations, extra bowstrings, and little else. We easily live by forage.’

‘Maybe this isn’t a war party,’ suggested Locklear. ‘Maybe they live around here?’

Gorath shook his head. ‘The last of my people south of the Teeth of the World lived in the Grey Towers and they fled to the Northlands with the coming of the Tsurani. None of my race has lived this near the Bitter Sea since before the Kingdom came to these mountains. No, while not of my clan, these are from the Northlands.’ He put the gem in his belt pouch and continued to examine the bodies.

Time passed and finally Owyn put in an appearance, leading his horse. ‘Damn all horses,’ he swore. ‘He made me chase him until he got bored.’

Locklear smiled. ‘Next time, don’t fall off.’

‘I didn’t plan on it this time,’ said Owyn.

Gorath said, ‘We need to hide these.’ He pointed to the four dead moredhel. He picked up one and carried it a short way down the trail then unceremoniously threw the corpse over the side of a ravine.

Owyn looked at Locklear, and the young magician tied his horse’s reins to a nearby bush. He picked up the feet of the nearest corpse while Locklear lifted the creature under the shoulders.

Soon all four bodies were consigned to the ravine hundreds of feet below. Locklear mounted as did Gorath and Owyn. Leaving for the time being the mystery of why these moredhel were waiting at this lonely spot on a rarely used trail, they rode on.

Loriel appeared before them, a small city – really a large town – nestled into the large valley which ran eastward. Another valley intersected from the south.

Gorath said, ‘We need food.’

‘A fact of which my stomach is well aware,’ answered Locklear.

Owyn said, ‘Not that I’m in a hurry to face my father, but this is turning into a roundabout journey, squire.’

Locklear pointed to the southern valley. ‘There’s a road through there that’s a very straight course to Hawk’s Hollow. From there we have our choice of routes, south along a narrow ridge trail, or southwest back to the King’s Highway.’

Gorath said, ‘And then to Krondor?’

‘And then to Krondor,’ agreed Locklear. ‘Something in all this is making what my friend Jimmy calls his “bump of trouble” itch like I’ve been attacked there by fleas.

‘Gorath, this stolen ruby, the Tsurani magicians, all of it is somehow … more than coincidence.’

‘How?’ asked Owyn.

‘If I knew,’ said Locklear, ‘we wouldn’t be stopping off to visit Mr Alescook. He may know something or know someone who knows what it’s about, but the more I think on this mystery, the more it bothers me that I don’t know what’s behind all this.

‘But we’re going to find out or die trying.’

Owyn didn’t look happy at the second choice, but said nothing. Gorath just looked out over the town as they rode down towards a small guard post that sat beside the trail.

A town constable of advancing years and considerable girth held up his hand and said, ‘Halt!’

The three reined in and Locklear inquired, ‘What is it?’

‘We’ve had a rash of renegades around here, lately, m’lad, so state your business.’

‘We’re travelling south and stopping for provisions,’ said Locklear.

‘And who might you be, to be riding down out of the mountains?’

Locklear produced the paper given him by Captain Belford and said, ‘This should explain as much as you need to know, constable.’

The man took the document and squinted at it. Locklear realized he couldn’t read, but he made a show of studying it. Finally, convinced by the large embossment at the bottom, the constable handed back the paper and said, ‘You may pass, sir. Just be wary if you’re out after dark.’

‘Why?’ asked Locklear.

‘As I said, sir, lots of ruffians and bandits passing by lately, and not too few of those murderous Brothers of the Dark Path. Look a bit like your elf friend there, but with long black nails and red eyes which shine in the night.’