Destiny (2 page)

"How did the three 'victims' take being interfered with?" Issini asked, a small frown creasing her brow. "They couldn't have been happy to have their little act ruined."

"They
weren't
happy, but there wasn't much they could do," Idresia replied with a headshake. "A hothead from one of the groups seemed to be ready to beat up on our man who interrupted whatever they were trying, but luckily there were off-duty members of the guard present. When the guard members got to their feet and stepped forward, the hothead changed his mind and simply stalked out of the tavern. Our man left by the tavern's back door, just in case the hothead was waiting outside for him."

"I believe
I
know what they were trying, but I have a question first," Edmin said, his expression thoughtful. "Did the groups return then to where they came from, or did they make another attempt elsewhere?"

"Actually, they did try their acts a second time," Idresia confirmed, looking at Edmin curiously. "My people switched places, so the groups weren't interfered with by the same man or woman. But they
were
interfered with again, so none of them tried a third time. They were so frustrated that they simply went back where they came from, probably to report and ask for new instructions. So now tell us, what do you think they were after?"

"In my opinion, they were trying to make people believe that the new government isn't as helpful and benign as everyone now thinks," Edmin said, looking around at all of them. "Noll has most likely decided to spread rumors that will circulate throughout the entire city, rumors calculated to cause unrest and doubt. Once the rumors and accusations have spread far enough, he undoubtedly plans to have rabble-rousers go out and fire up the populace to the point where they can be led in attack against some important point, like the palace. His own people will be hidden among the innocent, directing the attack without anyone being aware of it. Once the important point is taken, it will be
his
men who hold it."

"And that's something we can't let happen," Driff said, agreeing completely with what Edmin had told them. "There would have been trouble stopping a frenzied mob even with the help of Highs, but without them… If we don't want innocent people on all sides getting hurt, we have to stop Noll's plan as quickly and thoroughly as we can."

"I think I may know how we can do that," Issini said slowly, her gaze thoughtful and inward. "It all depends on how many people Har can produce, and how brave they are."

"Actually, I now have more than fifty men and women who are willing to help," Idresia said, her brows high. "Some of them are in it for the silver, but the rest just want to help us all keep what we have now. Most of them are as brave as they need to be, but only a few can be considered good enough fighters to hold their own against the renegade's men. I'm sorry, Ran, but sometimes bravery just isn't enough."

"Fighting ability will have very little to do with my plan," Issini said, her hand gesturing dismissal as she smiled. "I just realized that our best defense against what the renegade is trying will be the worst thing you can do to a man. As soon as I get a few more details ironed out, I'll tell everyone what I have in mind. In the meantime, what was the other thing that man told you?"

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot about that," Idresia said with a small start. "I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I have people watching the various approaches into the city. The renegade lost a lot of men when more than half of his force deserted him, and I didn't want to get caught unawares if he managed to replace those men."

"That was really good thinking, Idresia," Driff said with his brows high. "I hate to admit it, but the thought never would have occurred to me. I'll have to remember to give myself a commendation for putting you in charge of our spy force, but first I'd like to know how many more men the renegade now has."

"So far he doesn't have
any
more men, Driff," Idresia answered with faintly embarrassed amusement. "My people were watching for reinforcements, but instead they witnessed the arrival of two members of the nobility. It was a man and a woman on horseback looking somewhat worse for wear, but my people were certain about their origins. Forgive me, Edmin, but there's no mistaking the unconscious arrogance that members of the former nobility carry themselves with even when they're dirty and tired."

"No apology necessary, Idresia," Edmin answered with his own amusement. "Issini and I were both aware of the problem, which is why I agreed to that disguise as an old man. Shuffling along bent over was the only way to disguise my usual … thrust through life's unimportances. I take it that you're going to have the two people watched?"

"Actually, I arranged to have them intercepted and brought here," Idresia replied, a trace of uncertainty now in her gaze. "We can't afford to assume that they won't make trouble, not now with everything else going on, and if they happen to join the renegade and his family he'll have the worst kind of reinforcement: more and possibly better thinkers and planners. That would be worse for us than his getting more men."

"Yes, I'm forced to agree," Driff said after thinking about Idresia's decision for a moment. "At first I was going to say that we can't just arrest and detain those people when they haven't done anything illegal, but that rule applied before we lost all our High talents. No one can argue that we're in a state of emergency now, and if we're going to hold things together we'll have to bend a few of the rules."

"Bend the rules, yes, but not break them completely," Idresia said, her gaze now showing more certainty. "If those people have no interest in making trouble either alone or with the renegade, I mean to turn them loose again. I hope you two men will be able to tell me whether or not that's a good idea."

Driff exchanged a glance with Edmin, seeing the former noble's brief startlement before pleased pride took its place. It was fairly obvious that Edmin still wasn't used to being trusted, but his reaction clearly said that he
intended
to get used to that state of affairs.

"Well, Edmin and I aren't much when it comes to talent, but we'll certainly do our best," Driff said to Idresia in as pitiful a way as he could manage before turning to the other man. "Isn't that right, Edmin? We'll do our pitiful best?"

"Yes, we certainly will, Driff," Edmin agreed, apparently trying to sound as humble as Driff had. The problem was Edmin didn't know
how
to sound humble, so all his effort produced among the group was laughter.

"As long as you two meager talents are willing to try," Idresia said with amusement while Issini laughed aloud. "We do have to work with what we have, you know."

"Speaking of what we have to work with, we still haven't told Har our news," Issini pointed out then. "We don't want her thinking we're holding out on her, do we?"

"Aha, so you
are
holding out on me!" Idresia pounced with a mock frown so fierce that the rest of them chuckled. "Well, come on, out with it."

"You'd better brace yourself," Driff warned Idresia, only partially joking. "While you were getting your report on outside doings, those of us in here learned that Edmin can … shield his working with talent in some way. He's going to try to remember what he did to gain the shield, and then he's going to tell
us
how to do it."

"That sounds like a very useful thing to know," Idresia said, her brows still high even though she had stopped staring at Edmin with her mouth open. "Can we do anything to help you remember faster, Edmin?"

"I think I'll need a time of undisturbed quiet," Edmin answered, his amusement tinged with very faint embarrassment. "I considered asking for the help of another Spirit magic user, but I think we must first decide whether or not we want word of a shield to get out. Until things settle down and we have the High talents back again…"

"Until then we'll need all the help - and secret weapons - we can get," Driff agreed with a sigh. "I think your caution isn't overdone, Edmin, so let's - "

A knock came at the door to interrupt Driff, and Idresia rose to go and answer it. Driff quickly finished the last of the food on his plate, and only just in time.

"Our two newly arrived nobles weren't far from here when my people went to get them," Idresia said, still standing by the open door. "They'll be here in another moment, so let's get all meager talents ready, shall we?"

Driff joined the others in nodding agreement, even Issini losing her usual friendly and easy-going manner. Edmin was the only one among them who hadn't been to a training class, but he
had
had training in life when it came to dealing with the nobility. Now it was time to see if any of their training had been wasted.

In no more than the specified moment, two people were escorted into the room. They both looked dirty and very tired, but the man looked considerably more worried than the woman did. The woman held a large bundle close against her body, and the man's arm circled her protectively. The man took a quick look around, and then he glared at Idresia and Driff and the others.

"What's the meaning of this?" the man demanded, his voice harsh with fear-tinged outrage. "You people aren't the authorities, so I demand that you release us immediately."

Yes
, Driff thought with a sigh.
Definitely members of the old nobility. Just what we needed…

Chapter Two

Kail Engreath looked around at the outskirts of Gan Garee as he and Asri rode into the city. It was the same city he remembered so well - along with its bad memories - and he couldn't decide how he felt about returning to it. He wasn't the same man who had left this city, and hopefully that would produce more pleasant events to have memory of in the future.

"I suddenly feel very odd, Kail," Asri said from where she rode to his left, her infant son Dereth held close against her right side. "As soon as you suggested that we return here to Gan Garee, I somehow felt that that was what we
had
to do. Now the feeling has intensified in some way, as if something very important to us is about to happen."

"I hope the something turns out to be a place where we can live our lives in peace," Kail told her with a smile, reaching out to touch her arm. Day by day during their trip from Astinda, Asri had begun to share more and more of her thoughts and feelings with him. From time to time her "feelings" had kept them from running into people who might ask the wrong questions, so Kail had come to rely on her opinion.

"Now that you mention it, I have the strangest feeling that something
is
going to happen that will affect our lives," Asri told him, her gaze a bit unfocussed the way it became from time to time. "Whatever it is might not be pleasant at first, but it's definitely necessary."

Kail made a sound of agreement and interest, the only thing he could do when Asri made comments the way she just had. She didn't do it often, happily, but Kail wondered if it would be possible to find help for her somewhere in the city. Kail had decided that Asri's cryptic statements were attempts to make herself useful in some way, a definite reaction to not having any talent. He knew he'd have to work harder to make her believe that her lack of talent was unimportant to him, otherwise her inner anxiety could well get out of hand…

"I think we need to look in the poorer neighborhoods for a place to stay," Asri said after a moment, the distraction mostly gone from her gaze. "People in the better neighborhoods might recognize us for what we are - what we
were
- and that would bring nothing but trouble."

"You're right, and I'm glad you thought of it," Kail said with a smile, already having had the same thought himself. "We still have most of the gold we brought with us, so we shouldn't have trouble surviving until I can take a good look around for something to do to earn a living. Do you have any preferences in the way of a poorer neighborhood?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Asri answered with a smile, echoing Kail's own smile. "I like the idea of going
that
way."

Asri had pointed to a street to the left, and since it made very little difference Kail immediately agreed. There were really too many people around on the street they now rode, so turning off was a good idea.

The street they turned off into was a narrower one than the street they'd come from, but it was still possible for them to ride side by side. After a few minutes the worn old houses they'd been passing were replaced with large buildings that must be warehouses of some sort. Most of the warehouses looked really rundown, and Kail was about to suggest that they turn back to where actual houses could be found when people suddenly materialized around them.

"Just take it easy, no one's going to hurt you," the man who held Kail's bridle said quickly and soothingly as Kail got ready to defend himself and his woman. "There are some important people who want to talk to you, just talk. You aren't going to force us to do something unnecessary, are you?"

The man's glance touched Asri briefly, letting Kail know how things stood. Four of the people around them were Water magic users just as he was, and all four were Middle talents and touching the power. If Kail started a fight he would find himself outnumbered, and there was a good chance that Asri might be hurt. Since he couldn't allow the woman he loved to be hurt, Kail had no choice but to surrender.

"All right, you win," Kail growled, hating having to back down. "Who is it who wants to talk to us, and where are they?"