The Gods of Amyrantha (14 page)

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The King's Spymaster was a tall man, almost as tall as Warlock, and he walked like a fighter, or as if he expected to get into a fight at any moment. He was — in Tiji's opinion — symmetrical, the highest compliment she was willing to pay any creature suffering the indignity of hair, or who lacked scales or the ability to change their skin tone at will. She knew human women probably found him attractive, but had always suspected it had as much to do with his job as it did his physical appearance. Human women in particular were attracted to men of power. And human females, Tiji had observed, seemed to like a bit of mystery and danger, as well.

Declan Hawkes reeked of both.

Tiji had first met him in Senestra when she was barely more than a hatchling, a prisoner in a travelling carnival where her freakish gift for camouflage was worth five coppers a peek. Of course, Declan wasn't the Glaeban King's Spymaster back then, but with the help of Markun Far Jisa, he'd managed to cajole or intimidate her owner (Tiji was never sure which) into selling her to them. Although she remained a slave on paper, since being purchased by the Glaeban human she'd never felt like one. Starved, beaten and treated worse than an animal in the carnival, her change of fortune still felt a little surreal, at times.

It was more than six years since Declan — taking a chance on the likelihood that being a chameleon also meant she was a Scard — had recruited her into both the king's service and secretly, into the Cabal of the Tarot. On the day she met Declan Hawkes, Tiji had gone from a circus freak to a noble warrior in the war to save Amyrantha from the Tide Lords.

She had a purpose in life now. A reason to live.

For that alone, Tiji would have willingly taken a sword in the belly for him.

When he arrived later that night he smiled when he saw her, obviously relieved she was unharmed. To her surprise, however, he didn't seem in a hurry to

question her. He seemed more interested in Warlock's arrival than her own, which struck her as a little odd. Admittedly, he'd been sent here to work in the palace, but Tiji was certain the information she carried outweighed the employment prospects of some big, dumb canine. She made herself comfortable on the scrubbed wooden table, crossing her legs beneath her in the position she favoured, listening to the conversation with interest. For Declan to want to speak to Warlock before he grilled her on the news she carried from Caelum meant this was likely to be very interesting indeed.

'I'm very glad you're here, Warlock,' Declan said, once they'd exchanged greetings. They met in Lady Ponting's kitchen, the room illuminated by several lamps on the walls and the red glow of the banked cooking fires. 'I've got a job for you.'

'So Lord Ponting informed me,' the big canine agreed, although to Tiji, he sounded a little uncertain.

'How do you feel about being a slave again?'

Warlock shrugged. 'I'm not at all certain I've gotten used to being free, Master Hawkes. But provided I'm back in Hidden Valley in time for the birth of my pups, I suppose I can handle it.'

Declan nodded. 'I'll see what I can arrange. In the meantime, I want to give you away as a belated wedding present. To the Crown Princess Kylia from Lady Tilly Ponting.'

'I am trained for such a role.'

The spymaster shook his head. 'Nobody is trained for this role, Warlock. We're pretty sure Princess Kylia is actually the immortal, Diala.'

Tiji stared up at Declan in shock. 'You're kidding!'

Declan glanced at Tiji. 'She popped up a few months ago in Lebec posing as the Duke of Lebec's long-lost niece. The crown prince arrived for a visit a few weeks later, and the rest — as they say — is history. Poor Mathu didn't stand a chance.'

'Tides, Declan! Who else knows about this?'

'Only the Cabal, at present,' Declan replied. 'But given the Tide is on the turn, I don't imagine we've got long before either Diala or Jaxyn makes their move and the whole world discovers the Tide Lords aren't a myth.'

'I saw Syrolee in Caelum,' she reminded him. Aleki had sent word on ahead about the news she carried. Not the details, of course, but enough to make certain Declan was here in Herino when she arrived. Given this news, however, Tiji thought it unlikely he was planning to go anywhere for a time.

'You want me to spy for you in the palace,' Warlock concluded. 'In the service of the Sorceress.'

Tiji was impressed. He might look dumb as an ox, but when it came down to it, this canine didn't lack for intelligence.

'Didn't you say Cayal told you her own kind call her the Minion Maker?' Tiji reminded him.

Warlock nodded. 'Cayal also called her a slut. She was the one who made him immortal.'

Tiji grinned. 'You know, for an immortal, Cayal does seem to be an excellent judge of character, doesn't he?'

Declan didn't seem nearly as amused as she was. He looked at Warlock, frowning. 'What I'm asking of you isn't going to be easy,' he warned.

'I
am
trained to serve in a high-born household, Master Hawkes.'

'That's not what I mean. Jaxyn and Diala are both understandably wary of Scards and with the Tide on the turn they're in no mood to tolerate them. To ensure all the slaves they've surrounded themselves with are loyal, they've taken to randomly testing any Crash they've got in service.'

Warlock's tail dipped a little. 'Testing them
bow,
exactly?'

'The last one I heard of, Jaxyn had one Crasii kill

another member of Princess Kylia's staff who'd misbehaved.'

Tiji shook her head in disgust. 'Bastards.'

'I know,' Declan agreed, 'but they're smart bastards, and you both need to remember that. And you,' he added, fixing his gaze on Warlock, 'are going to have to do whatever they ask. You
must
pass their test, or we're all done for.'

'I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at.'

'Do you remember the Duchess of Lebec?'

The question puzzled Tiji because she couldn't see what Arkady Desean had to do with the matter at hand.
Unless Declan is just so obsessed with his legendary duchess he's managed to find a way to work her into every single conversation.
Tiji smiled to herself, wondering if she should suggest such a thing, then decided against it. Declan didn't seem to be in a very jokey mood.

'Of course I remember Lady Desean,' Warlock replied, glaring at Declan as if he was offended the spymaster thought he might
not
remember her.

Declan crossed his arms, leaning against the edge of the counter opposite the table. 'Jaxyn had a canine from Lebec slit his own throat in front of her to prove how loyal the Crash are, Warlock. I can't impress upon you enough the danger you'll be in until the immortals are convinced you're loyal.'

Warlock was silent for a time, digesting that information.

'You do understand what Declan's telling you, don't you?' Tiji asked, not at all certain that even with Declan's dire warning, Warlock fully appreciated the threat he faced once he reached the palace. He may have spent a couple of months across the hall from the Immortal Prince, but, by all accounts, Cayal had been on his best behaviour during his incarceration. Besides,' Cayal wasn't known for his wanton cruelty. Except in Torlenia where he was universally reviled, the

Immortal Prince was mostly famous for his exploits with the opposite sex, and the dire consequences of his various dalliances. Although as ruthless and self-obsessed as any other immortal when he had to be, it seemed the Immortal Prince just wanted to die. He didn't care enough about lording it over humanity, as a rule, to cause the sort of trouble the Tide Lords like Jaxyn and Diala did.

'I understand,' Warlock said, nodding his head. 'You want me to behave like a Crash. To obey the orders of the immortals, even if it means killing an innocent Crash.'

'Even if it means killing ten of them,' Declan corrected, the firelight from the stoves adding a demonic cast to his features that Tiji suspected would do little to reassure Warlock. 'We must find out what they're planning. That's only going to happen if we have someone in the palace who can get close enough to Jaxyn and Diala to find out what's going on.
That
won't happen unless you pass Jaxyn's test.'

Tiji guessed he was trying to give the impression it didn't bother him, but Warlock couldn't completely hide his horrified expression. 'You expect me to accede to such a request? Without objecting?'

'Worse. If you take on this job, I expect you to do it without so much as blinking,' the spymaster told him. 'The slightest hesitation and you're blown, my friend. The Tide Lords will know you're a Scard, and they'll kill you. Then they'll wonder why Lady Ponting sent them a Scard as a wedding present and they'll kill her. Then they'll trace your movements back to Aleki and the rest of your brethren in Hidden Valley and kill all of them, too, including your mate and your unborn pups. Do you get the picture?'

Warlock nodded, looking decidedly unhappy.

'I need to be very sure you can do this, Warlock,' Declan added, eyeing the big canine warily. Tiji could tell Declan was doubtful. Nor was she surprised by his

doubts. What the spymaster was asking of this Scard was no easy thing.

'If you don't think you can do this, we won't hold it against you,' she said, hoping to reassure him. 'This is a dreadful thing to ask of any creature, human or Crash. Declan will understand if you're not sure you can handle killing in cold blood just to satisfy a wretched Tide Lord that you really are totally subservient to his will,
won't
you, Declan?'

The spymaster nodded, a little miffed, perhaps, at her implication that he was forcing Warlock into something against his will. 'Of course, I'll understand. And Tiji's' right. Nobody will think any less of you for not wanting to kill your own kind.'

Warlock's gaze swivelled between them. 'Is there nobody else who can do this thing for you? No other way?'

'Qualified Scards are pretty thin on the ground, Warlock. Tides,
Scards
are pretty thin on the ground, for that matter.' Declan shook his head apologetically. 'You're it, I'm afraid.'

'Not that he's trying to
pressure
you, or anything,' Tiji added, giving Declan a look that spoke volumes. She was beginning to think this was a very bad idea. Warlock was big and scary to look at, sure enough, but after a week on the road with him, she'd begun to realise he was quite a gentle creature at heart. She wasn't sure the canine possessed the ruthlessness required to be a really effective spy.

'May I think about it?'

'If you want,' Declan agreed. 'I'd like a decision soon, though. Every day the Tide comes back a little stronger. We don't have long.'

'And you'll make sure I'm back in Hidden Valley in time for the birth of my pups?'

'I'll certainly try,' Declan agreed.

Warlock nodded, his expression grim. 'Then I'll let you know my decision tomorrow. May I be excused?'

'You're free, Warlock,' Tiji reminded him. 'You don't need his permission to leave the room.'

'Old habits are hard to break, Tiji,' the canine replied. 'Will you excuse me, Master Hawkes? I have a lot to consider.'

'By all means. I'll speak to you tomorrow.'

The canine bowed with court-bred grace and turned away. Neither Declan nor Tiji spoke until he'd closed the kitchen door behind him.

'Well, you were big help. Thanks,' the spymaster said, once they were alone.

She smiled at him brightly. 'Any time.'

'What do you think?'

'About Warlock? I think you're nuts, Declan. He'll get himself killed the first time someone looks at him sideways. He's no spy.'

'Which is why he should do well, I think.'

She cocked her head at him, amazed at the ability of humans to justify anything unpalatable with such ridiculous logic. 'There's an interesting rationalisation. And you appear to have thought it up on the spot. I'm impressed.'

Declan shrugged. 'I mean he's the real thing. He'll not be trying to pretend to be a steward whilst really being a spy.'

'No, he'll be pretending to be a spy whilst really being a steward. That's
so
much safer.'

Declan smiled at her. 'Think you'd make a better spymaster than me, Slinky? Be my guest.'

'No, thanks.' Tiji didn't react to being called by her slave name. This man had saved her from a lifetime of pain and humiliation and even when he was teasing her, she never felt belittled. In fact, Declan Hawkes was probably the only living creature on Amyrantha who could call her 'Slinky' and get away with it. 'The King's Spymaster has to work for that pompous idiot, King Enteny, the pay stinks, and the hours are terrible ...'

'But you do get to send innocent people to their deaths, on occasion,' Declan reminded her. 'Not to mention the opportunity to torture enemies of the state all you want, and the odd invitation to a ball at the palace.'

'Well ... if it includes balls at the palace,' Tiji mused, rubbing her chin as she feigned deep thought on the matter. 'That's a different story. I might have to consider deposing you, after all.'

Declan's good humour faded as he asked his next question. 'Well, while you're thinking about it, tell me what happened in Cycrane.'