The Flames of Deception - A Horizon of Storms: Book 1 (64 page)

“
You will wait
here
,” he instructed Josephine tersely and then
stepped inside the room.

“
Who
does he think he’s
talking
to?” Thadius growled. “He should address
you properly princess.”

“
I
can’t say I care much for him,” Josephine responded.

“
Listen,” Matthias said hurriedly. “Before you
speak of anything to the protector, think about what information
you are giving over to him. From what I have heard, he will
bend
anything
to suit his own needs. We can’t trust
him.”

Josephine sighed. “Matthias, it is fair to say
that over the last few weeks, knowing
who
to trust and who
not
to has grown
increasingly
more difficult. Never before in my
life have the lines between good and bad been so blurred. So I will
rely on my instinct, because it is all I have left to point my
moral compass in the right direction.”

Matthias nodded. “As you wish. But just… be
careful
.”

The
door opened and Nicholas reappeared.

“
Protector Balzan will see you now,” he preened.

“
You are
most
kind,” Josephine smiled, and slipped into the
room.

“
Cocky little
penguin
,” Thadius mumbled under his breath as he
followed.

Balzan was bent over his desk, his grey sleeves spilling over
its expansive top. He was scribbling feverishly with a quill as
they approached, seemingly ignorant of their arrival in the room.
He was an aged man, with mottled skin and a hooked nose. Bags of
skin fell from his eyes giving his face a drawn expression. He wore
a coarse, grey cloak that covered him from head to foot and around
his neck he wore a pendant like Matthias’s. It looked much older
though, as worn and battered as the man himself.

“
Ahem!
” Josephine coughed after a pause, and planted her
hands in front of her.

The
protector finally looked up and studied them all. He set the pen
aside in its inkwell and clasped his hands together in front of
him, surveying them all for a moment, his eyes resting on Matthias
a second longer than the others, before he opened his mouth to
speak.

“
A most
unexpected
encounter,” he said in a florid tone. His accent
was a mixture of Mahalian and Olindian. “The princess of Aralia
appearing on our soil, as if from
nowhere
. Most unexpected
indeed
.”

“
Protector,” Josephine acknowledged and nodded her head. “I am
grateful to you for meeting with me.”

“
Talk of Princess Josephine of Aralia requesting a
meeting
demands
acceptance,” he said, with a smile that somehow never went
further than his lips. He stood, leaving the confines of his desk
and walked around to greet them. He sank to the floor to kiss
Josephine’s hand and then rose again. He took in her appearance and
his face creased. She was still pale and gaunt from the effects of
the poison and her dress was dirty and muddied.

“
Are you quite
well?
” he asked. “You seem a little worse for
wear.”

Josephine nodded. “I assure you I am alright. It
has simply been a
long
journey.”

He nodded slowly. “I
see
.” He turned his attention to
Matthias.

“
My, my, they
do
train them young nowadays,” he smiled. “Tell me, what
is
your
name?”

“
Matthias Greenwald, protector,” Matthias said
assertively. “And
young
may be stretching things a little.”

“
Well, when you have lived as long as
I
have, seen
so
many
generations of people come and pass, age becomes a bit of
a
blur
,” he replied staunchly. He turned away from Matthias and
back to the princess. “As surprised I was to hear of
your
appearance in our
city, your highness, I was
dumfounded
when I heard of the entourage with which you have
surrounded yourself,” he said.

“
How
so?” Josephine asked as Balzan indicated a seat for her to sit in.
She did so, keeping her back straight and delicately set her hands
on her lap as the man returned to his own chair.

“
The last I knew your people had about as much love
of wizards as they do for the
helspawn
demons that plague your borders. I wasn’t aware
that wizards now formed a part of your
court
. Nor to the point, that your people knew
any ansuwan, who are so
rare
in these parts to be considered
fiction
by
most.”

“
I
believe the company I choose is my own business, protector,”
Josephine responded curtly. The man smiled thinly and
nodded.

“
Indeed
.” He folded his arms. “Well, as I see this line
of questioning is unwelcome and unproductive, let us move on.
Princess, we are of
course
honoured by your presence.”

“
Curious, for I have yet to see
any
of the Olindian hospitality which I
fondly recall from my
last
visit,” she said bluntly.

Balzan paused a moment, staring at her as if
analysing her every facet. “To see the world through the eyes of
a
child
,” he mused. “Things were
so
much simpler in those old days.” Then a smile
broadened across his face. “How curious it is that one looks back
upon a time with such fondness, when in actuality, things were just
as complicated then as they are today.” He shook his head. “I am
sorry you do not feel we have welcomed you in the manner you are
accustomed. Perhaps we can correct that error from this point on,
hmm?”

“
I
should like that, protector,” she nodded.

The
man bowed his head and moved slowly to the far wall, where he
passed his mottled hand over the large, grey, stone brick level
with his chest. The brick split into a dozen smaller bricks and
then folded outwards as if crawling of their own volition out of
the wall, revealing a hollow in which several glass bottles sat on
a purple velvet cloth. He selected one that was more than half
depleted and clasping a small glass from the alcove, placed it on
his desk and pulled the stopper from the bottle.

“
I never keep the good stuff anywhere
obvious
,” he said as he poured a small amount of the blue liquid
into the glass and handed it to Josephine.

“
What is it?” she asked, staring warily at the
contents.

“
A beverage from across the North Sea. The peel of
the laraha fruit, dyed with the blue of the butterfly pea. I’ve had
it for years - so
many
in fact, that I can’t even recall
how
it came to be in my possession. But it is
quite nice in small quantities and has a unique taste.” He filled
his own small glass and raised it. “To your good
health.”

Josephine raised her own glass and lifted it to
her lips, sipping at the drink. “It tastes a little like oranges,”
she said, nodding and supping a little more. “A little
bitter
for my tastes
though.” She replaced the glass on the protector’s desk. “Thank you
all the same.”

The
old man nodded. “I hope you will not take it as a further affront
to your privacy if I ask what exactly it is that brings you all the
way here? And in such an unusual manner.”

“
I believe that is one question I
am
willing to answer,
at least in part. I have urgent matters I need to discuss with
Regent Caldur that concern my realm and Olindia
equally.”

Balzan’s sharp eyes regarded her carefully. “What matters
could you have to discuss with the regent that would so heavily
involve the realm of the east?” he asked slowly, glaring at
Matthias.

“
I
believe that is our business to discuss with the Regent,” Matthias
interjected.

Balzan lingered on him a moment, his gaze
implacable, but then, with an abrupt nod, he conceded. “Very well
young wizard, you have made your point. Matthias Greenwald?” He
mulled over the words. “Yes, I remember
hearing
your name, many years ago. Back then
you were just an apprentice of course. It seems you
have
come
far.”

“
As
some people rise others fall,” Matthias responded. “Is that not the
way of the world we live in?”

Balzan smiled thinly. “Perhaps. Though I would
never pity those who fall from grace, Matthias. They are the ones
who keep their ears closer to the ground and see the world from a
whole
new
perspective.” He stood abruptly and took a breath. “I will
speak with the regent your highness. But he is a very busy man. I
cannot say how long it will be until he can see
you.”

“
Surely he can make time for the princess?” Thadius
poised.

“
Possibly. In the meantime I will arrange for you
to convene somewhere more comfortable than these
cold
chambers.”

“
As you wish protector,” Josephine acquiesced,
maintaining her composure as Balzan indicated for her to stand.
“But I
must
speak with the regent as soon as possible.
Please
, I would
implore
you to impress upon him the urgency of my
request.”

Balzan nodded thoughtfully. “With the greatest
respect your highness, it is surprising how one reassesses what is
urgent the older they get, when one is forced to carry
heavier
burdens,” he
posited. “What may be of dire importance to you is not necessarily
so to the regent, especially in these times. Whilst I will not
again attempt to impart from you the specifics of your being here,
for fear of setting off the apprehensions of your wizardly
companion again, might I at
least
enquire as to the prevailing subject of that which
you wish to
discuss
with him?”

Josephine turned to Matthias behind her, hoping for some kind
reassurance or advice to be passed silently in their gaze. From the
intensity of his stare, she sensed that dropping the name of the
dragon into the conversation at this point was not a move he would
suggest.

“
I
will only say that I need to speak with him without delay. To
linger would invite great danger to Olindia.”

Balzan stared at her, weighing her words. “Were
one to take those words literally, one could infer in them a
threat
, your highness.”

“
The only threat is
time
, protector. I suggest we do not waste any
more
of it
here
.”

He
took a breath and nodded. “Very well.” He pulled the door open and
clicked his fingers. Nicholas popped his head through the gap, and
Balzan gave instructions to him. “I will visit the regent now. If
you will follow Nicholas he will take you to the guest chambers. I
will return shortly.”

“
Thank you protector,” Josephine said. Then with a sweep of
his long cloak, Balzan vanished down the corridor.

When
he had gone, they followed Nicholas down the corridor in silence,
ascending up a wooden staircase and turning into another, before
the man skittered to a halt and opened up a large, mahogany
door.

“
These are your chambers,” he said without emotion. “I will
have food and drink brought to you shortly.”

“
Thank you,” Josephine replied, as he motioned them into the
room.

“
Please do not leave this room,” he instructed, and with a bow
of his head, shut the door behind himself.

“
I really
don’t
like that man,” Thadius
muttered.

Luccius chuckled. “If it is any comfort, I don’t
think he likes
you
either.”

“
Or
any
of us,” Matthias added.

Josephine sat down on one of the chairs in the
room and sighed. “Well that encounter was not
quite
as awful as I had expected it to be,”
she said. “From what you told us of the protector I half expected
him to pin me to the wall with the earth power and wring my
neck!
”