Scepters (62 page)

One
of the wagons carried the pay chests for the entire coming spring season for
the Northern Guard, as well as a chest for supplies, possibly because Marshal
Frynkel had seen the advantage of escorting so much gold with three companies.
Another carried barrels of dried southern fruit—a gift of sorts to Fifth
Company and the Northern Guard from the Lord-Protector’s consort.

Alucius
was looking forward to seeing Wendra, although he had no idea when that might
be, not when he had to relieve Colonel Weslyn. He had no doubt that delivering
that dispatch from the Lord-Protector would be anything but pleasant. In the
past, however, the colonel had always been courteous—then had acted covertly in
one fashion or another. Given Weslyn’s closeness to the traders of Dekhron,
Alucius could be certain that once the colonel left the Guard, Alucius would
face all manner of difficulties with a number of the traders, if not with all
of them. That excessive influence of the traders was just another reason why he
wanted to move Northern Guard headquarters to Iron Stem.

He
had finally received a letter from Wendra just before he’d left Tempre,
assuring him that both she and Alendra were doing well, as was the stead. She’d
also mentioned obliquely that the additional coins he had arranged for—the
bonus paid to her—had gone to purchase a ram and a ewe from her cousin Kyrtus’s
flock. Knowing Wendra, she’d probably played on her cousin’s fondness for her
to get a good price. Along the way, he’d sent her several letters saying that
he was headed back, but that he might have to spend a few days in Dekhron
debriefing Colonel Weslyn, since, as she knew, that had been requested, along
with other details, by the Lord-Protector. That was as much as he dared put in
ink.

And…
in the days before he had ridden out of Tempre, he’d had meetings, with
Frynkel, with the supply chief of the Southern Guard, and with his own
officers. Both captains and Feran had hardly seemed surprised at the
Lord-Protector’s decision to make Alucius commander of the Northern Guard, but
the captains had been surprised at the decision for them to accompany Alucius
to Dekhron. Neither was that unhappy, because it ensured that they would not be
posted to Southgate or the west any sooner than early summer and perhaps even
much later.

Twice
on the ride back to Dekhron, he’d had the dream of the walls closing in on him.
Was that the feeling that being the head of the Northern Guard was a trap? But
why, then, were the walls those of an ifrit palace?

The
one good thing about the length of the ride was that, for the most part,
Alucius felt almost back to normal as he neared Dekhron.

Feran
rode beside Alucius. “How do you want to handle telling Weslyn?”

“I
think it ought to be quick, and that we ought to take charge of everything
pretty much as quickly as possible.”

“Close
the gates?”

“No…
but have the companies set up to control the post. I suppose a few men ought to
come in with me, armed and ready. I can’t believe he’d try something, but…”
Alucius shrugged.

“He’s
a sandsnake, and I’ll have a squad ready.”

Alucius
nodded. “Then, after I deliver the Lord-Protector’s dispatch, just gather the
officers. After that, we’ll figure out how to tell all the lancers. We’ll have
to send dispatches to all the posts and companies. For now, you’re going to be
my assistant. Then you’re going to be deputy.”

“You
didn’t ask me, sir.”

“I
didn’t. I’m not giving you the chance to say no.” Alucius grinned. “Besides, it
means a bigger stipend.”

“If
I live to collect it.”

“You
will.”

The
wind grew more and more chill, and stronger, as they rode through Salaan. Once
they crossed the ancient eternastone bridge and entered Dekhron, the patches of
ice and the dirty granular snow that had blown into side yards, alleys, and
shaded areas beside houses and buildings confirmed that they were in the north
and that it was winter. As Alucius turned the chestnut westward off the high
road and onto the avenue leading to Northern Guard headquarters, he glanced
northward, where dark clouds obscured the Aerial Plateau. With the wind out of
the northeast, Dekhron would see more snow by late afternoon, certainly by
nightfall.

“Forgot
how cold it was, even this far south,” observed Feran.

Alucius
smiled. He didn’t mind the cold, not nearly so much as the heat of the south.

“You
herders. Must have fires in your blood.” Feran glanced ahead, toward the open
gates of the post. “Better get ready.” He turned in the saddle. “Fifth Company,
rifles ready.”

“Rifles
ready!” The command echoed back along the column.

The
two sentries at the gates looked up as they saw the uniforms of Fifth Company.
Those eyes widened as they saw the uncased rifles and the two companies of
Southern Guards that followed.

“Colonel
Alucius, returning from Tempre,” Alucius announced.

“Yes,
sir.”

Once
inside, the commands continued. “Fifth squad. Cordon off the armory!”

“Yes,
sir. Fifth squad!” Zerdial’s voice rang out. “To the armory.”

“…
Twenty-eighth Company… cordon the barracks!”

“Twenty-eighth
Company! By squads…”

Feran
motioned to Faisyn, then leaned over closer to the squad leader and spoke in a
low voice for a time. Alucius wondered, but he was tired and didn’t want to
expend the Talent-effort. Besides, he trusted them both, and they’d both saved
his life at different times.

“First
four, you’ll accompany me and the colonel,” Faisyn ordered, dismounting and
tying his mount. “With rifles.”

Alucius
gave Feran a weary smile.

“It’s
safer that way,” replied the overcaptain.

Alucius
dismounted and walked up the steps into the headquarters building, carrying the
orders and dispatches from the Lord-Protector.

Faisyn
and four lancers from first squad followed, carrying rifles.

The
ranker at the table outside the colonel’s study looked up. He swallowed as he
saw Alucius. “Majer… we hadn’t heard.”

Alucius
smiled. “It’s Colonel, now.”

The
man paled.

“Is
Colonel Weslyn in his study?”

“Ah…
yes, sir. But… well… he and Majer Imealt…”

“That’s
fine.” Alucius walked to Weslyn’s door and eased it open.

Both
officers were seated, Weslyn behind his desk, Imealt in front of it, and both
turned.

“I’d
asked not—” Weslyn broke off as Alucius stepped into the study, leaving the
door open.

Alucius
extended the sealed envelope to the silver-haired colonel. “It’s from the
Lord-Protector. He asked that it be the first thing I deliver on my return.”

“Oh
…
?” Weslyn did not rise as he took the envelope.
Belatedly, his eyes flicked to the insignia on Alucius’s collar. “Greetings,
and congratulations, Colonel.”

“It
might be best if you read the Lord-Protector’s dispatch,” Alucius said.

“When
I get a moment… right now… Majer Imealt and I…”

“Now.”
Alucius smiled politely.

“I
am your commander—”

“No,
Colonel. The Lord-Protector has accepted your resignation.”

Alucius
could hear the door opening wider behind him, but he could sense that Faisyn
had been the one to ease the door fully open.

Imealt
paled, his eyes darting to the door. “There are armed lancers out there,
Colonel.”

“Just
a precaution,” Alucius said. “There are also two companies of Southern Guards
out there, as well as Fifth Company.”

Weslyn
looked at the seals on the envelope. “Were it anyone but you, Colonel, I’d have
doubts about the seals. You wouldn’t stoop to that.” There was the slightest
edge to his words. “Might I ask why?”

Alucius
smiled wanly. “It was his idea.”

At
that, Weslyn laughed, a low laugh, half-rueful, and half-bitter. “It would be,
wouldn’t it?” He opened the envelope, carefully avoiding the seals, and
extracted the single ornate sheet. He read it, slowly, carefully. Then he
looked up. “Congratulations, Colonel. You’re in command. It’s not what it
seems, or what you think.”

Alucius
nodded. “I’ve known that for years.”

“Nothing
is. Nightsilk doesn’t protect what it doesn’t cover, Colonel.” Weslyn held a
pistol, clearly aimed at Alucius’s head.

There
was also a pistol in Imealt’s left hand.

Alucius
stepped back, as if in astonishment, but also to his left.

“Fire!”
he snapped, throwing himself sideways and down, and flinging up his left arm
across his face.

Something
hammered into his upper arm.

Shots
smashed past Alucius, one after the other.

Neither
Imealt nor Weslyn even had the time to look astonished. Both pitched forward.

Then
Faisyn and two lancers were in the study.

“Sir?”

Alucius
rose, slowly. He could barely move his left arm, but nothing was broken. He
could tell that. He stepped forward and looked at the two dead officers. “My upper
arm is going to be sore for a time.” He wanted to shake his head or bang his
head against the wall. He’d known that Weslyn hadn’t been trustworthy, as he
had known Fedosyr had been untrustworthy. He’d even taken steps to protect
himself. Yet… when he’d walked into the study, he hadn’t quite believed that
Weslyn would try treachery immediately. He’d really expected it later. Not with
pistols at the moment. He should have, but he supposed that he’d thought that
there were some depths to which officers could not sink. He’d been wrong.

Feran
appeared in the doorway. “Sir? Are you all right?”

“I’ll
be fine. I just… I still couldn’t believe…” Alucius used his right arm to
gesture to the two dead officers. “They pulled pistols and tried to shoot me.”

“They
did shoot him, sir,” offered Faisyn. “Without the nightsilk…”

“I’d
still be alive, but my upper arm wouldn’t be in good shape,” Alucius admitted. “It
won’t be much use for days, anyway.” After dusting himself off with his right
hand, awkwardly, he looked at the two bodies. “Leave them where they are for
now.” He turned and walked out of the study. The ranker who had been sitting at
the desk was standing against the wall with two lancers watching him.

“We
thought he might be like the other two snakes,” Faisyn said.

“What’s
your name, lancer?” Alucius asked.

“Nadalt,
sir.” The round-faced man kept looking from Alucius to the lancers with rifles.

“What
was the colonel so afraid of that he carried a pistol and tried to shoot me?”

“I
don’t know, sir.”

The
apprehension behind the man’s voice and his feelings prompted Alucius to
rephrase the question. “What is your best thought as to what the colonel
feared, Nadalt?”

“He…
he… I really don’t know for sure, sir…”

“I
didn’t ask for certainty. Or do you want to be court-martialed for being part
of this mutiny?”

“Mutiny?
No, sir.”

Alucius
waited.

“I
don’t know, sir… except… well… in the last couple of years, he never stayed in
the commander’s quarters upstairs, and he has a big house on the west end of
town, and… his wife, she died more ‘n three years ago, and he had to borrow
money to settle things, and then two years ago… he bought the house when the
trader Ostar died… used to be Ostar’s house…”

“What
other officers are here in Dekhron?”

“Well,
sir, there’s Captain Yusalt. He’s in charge of Seventh Company—that’s the only
company here these days. Overcaptain Shalgyr is the Guard quartermaster, but… I
think I saw him hurry out the back gate just a few moments after… after you met
with the colonel…” Nadalt paused. “Overcaptain Sanasus, he runs the dispatch
riders and messengers, and all the wagons and teams—and the mounts here. He
arranges for the pay chests to be sent to the outposts. Oh… and Undercaptain
Komur. He’s in charge of all the maintenance and equipment here at the post,
and I guess everything else that no one else does.”

As
he made a mental note of the names, Alucius had the definite feeling that he
wouldn’t be seeing Overcaptain Shalgyr anytime soon. The overcaptain had used
the foot gate, the one that led to the Red Ram, among other places in Dekhron.

“Sir…
?” Feran glanced toward Nadalt.

“Confine
him somewhere until we get things sorted out,” Alucius said tiredly. “We might
as well call in the officers, those who are left here… right now, and tell them
all what happened.” He looked at Feran. “You’re the acting deputy commander.”

“You
aren’t giving me a choice?”

“Not
right now,” Alucius said. “I wasn’t given one, as I recall.”

Feran
barked a laugh. “Faisyn… have Egyl find some squad leaders, and have them request
the officers join the colonel here immediately.”

“Yes,
sir.”

Nadalt
glanced from Alucius to Feran. The ranker’s shoulders seemed to droop.

“Where’s
the roster of all lancers stationed here?” Alucius asked Nadalt.

“It’s
there… the black folder on the right, sir. The first pages are headquarters.
The others are listed by post after that.”

Alucius
walked to the narrow desk and lifted the folder, opening it and beginning to
read the names, counting as he did. The officer’s names on the roster agreed
with what Nadalt had said. He skimmed through the pages, frowning as he reached
the end. “Only eighteen companies?”

“Yes,
sir. The colonel disbanded Nineteenth and Twentieth Companies in early fall. He
said we didn’t have the coins to supply and pay them. But… no one was released,
not really. They were just transferred to other companies, and the officers
replaced others.”

“Did
the colonel inform Marshal Frynkel or the Lord-Protector?”

“I…
ah… I wouldn’t know, sir.”

“Do
you know of any messages or dispatches that he sent making that known?”