The Traitor Queen (14 page)

Not yet
.

She sighed and finished her glass of wine. “Then I hope you don’t snore, because I’m used to working night shifts and wake
up easily. If I don’t get a full night’s sleep I’m going to be cranky.”

He rose and started toward the bed on the other side of the screen. “Ah, Sonea. You ask for the one thing I can’t promise.”

Later that night she did find herself awake and listening to the sound of his breathing. It was not loud, but it was strange
to be hearing someone else sleeping nearby.

And unexpectedly soothing
, she realised.

Ever since the first time she had climbed down the hidden chimney between the panelling of Sonea’s main room and the outer
wall of the Magicians’ Quarters, Lilia had wondered what its original purpose had been. All of the rooms had them, though
she suspected none of the occupants knew of their existence. Bricks protruded at regular intervals up the narrow space, too
convenient not to be intended as a kind of ladder.

Cery’s guesses included garbage chutes and latrine outlets. Fortunately, there was no sign that the gap had been used for
either purpose for a long time, if ever. Lilia thought of them as chimneys, despite there being no sign of soot on the bricks
or mortar.

Reaching the top, she peered through the spy hole Cery had drilled long ago. Sonea’s main room was unoccupied.

Where is Jonna?

Perhaps the servant had gone into one of the other rooms. Perhaps she had been called away. Lilia reached out to the latch,
then hesitated. It was still possible that Jonna was in one of the bedrooms with a visitor, though Lilia could not think of
any good reason a stranger would be in there with
her … except a few scandalous ones that Lilia could not imagine Jonna indulging in.

She tapped on the panelling lightly, in a random pattern that anyone who didn’t know there was gap behind the wood might think
was a bug scuttling across the surface. A moment later, Jonna hurried into the room, her eyes focusing on the hatch. Though
she couldn’t see Lilia, she nodded and beckoned with one hand.

The latch slid open without a sound, then the door swung inward silently. Jonna stepped forward to help Lilia out. The hatch
was slightly higher in the wall than was comfortable to step down from, not helped by the fact that she had to fold double
to get through it.

“How are they all?” Jonna asked.

“Fine,” Lilia told her. “Grateful for your help. Is Black Magician Kallen back yet?”

“Yes, about ten minutes ago.”

Lilia headed for her bedroom to change back into her robes. “I’d better hurry up, then, or I’ll catch him in his bedclothes.”

Jonna made a small noise of amusement. “That would be an odd sight.”

Lilia grinned. “It sure would be.”

The simple trousers and shirt Jonna had found for her to wear when visiting Cery and Anyi were much easier to climb in, and
she felt a wave of gratitude as she saw the scuffs and stains she’d gained that night. Better she spoil these than her robes.

Changing quickly, she returned to the main room.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” she said to Jonna. “You don’t have to hang around now. I’ll come straight back after talking
to Kallen.”

Jonna shrugged. “I don’t mind staying.” She straightened and placed her hands on her hips. “I promised Sonea I’d keep an eye
on you, and I won’t sleep right unless I know you’re back here in your bed at a decent hour.”

Lilia rolled her eyes and sighed. “Nobody ever worried about that when I was staying in the Novices’ Quarters.” But she didn’t
mind. It was nice that someone cared enough to look out for her.
I don’t want to take any longer with Kallen than I need to, anyway
.

Slipping out of the main door into the corridor, she walked to Kallen’s rooms and knocked. A short pause later the door swung
inward. At once she smelled the faint scent of roet smoke, but it was stale and faded as if emanating from the furnishings.
Kallen was sitting in a large chair, a book in his hand and a look of mild surprise on his face.

“Lady Lilia,” he said. “Come in.”

She stepped inside, pushed the door closed and bowed. “Black Magician Kallen.”

“How can I help you?” he asked.

He had the patient expression of a teacher interrupted at a bad time by a novice. She resisted a smile. She was acting as
messenger, not a novice, and the content was far more important than mere lessons.

“You know I occasionally meet Anyi, my friend and bodyguard of the Thief Cery,” she began, sitting down on another chair.
“Without leaving Guild grounds,” she added quickly.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“I’ve already told you that Cery is in hiding, and can’t maintain his …” She waved a hand, searching for the right term. “Business
arrangements and … contacts.”

“Everyone in the city thinks he is dead.”

“It’s likely Skellin won’t believe Cery is dead unless he sees a body.”

Kallen nodded. “Or sufficient time passes.”

“This makes Cery the ideal bait to lure Skellin with. Which is his own idea,” she reassured him. “He said to tell you he is
prepared to do it and proposes you meet with him to work out a place and time.”

“Hmm.” Kallen frowned and looked away. “That is a very generous and brave offer. One that I admire and appreciate and I’m
sure the rest of the Guild would too, if they knew of it. One that we might take up.” He shook his head. “But not right now.
We’re exploring another avenue. I can’t tell you the details yet, but if it succeeds we will not need to risk Cery’s life
at all.”

Lilia felt a brief disappointment, then relief, followed by anxiety. “How long until you know? Cery’s hiding place is … well,
it’s his last safe place. If Skellin discovers it, Cery won’t have anywhere else to go.”

“What we’re doing can’t be hurried. It may take weeks, or months. How long does Cery believe he can remain hidden?” Kallen
asked.

Weeks! Months!
Anger flared inside her, but when she looked at Kallen she saw genuine concern in his eyes. The anger ebbed away.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t know. Skellin could find him tonight, he could find him in a few weeks. Getting food without being
seen is difficult. Each time they go out it’s a risk.”

Kallen reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder briefly.

“I understand. We are doing everything we can, Lilia. Tell Cery we appreciate his offer, and may take it up if our other
plans fail. In the meantime, he should do all he can to stay hidden.”

Lilia nodded, and sighed. “I’ll tell him. He won’t like it, though.”

“I don’t expect he will.” He gave her a sympathetic look, but it suddenly changed to a frown. “He won’t do anything foolish
out of impatience, will he?”

She swallowed a bitter laugh. “I don’t think so, but he’s a Thief. He’s used to being in charge of his life.” Seeing Kallen’s
eyebrows lower further, she shook her head. “Anyi and I will do all we can to talk him out of it, if he tries. And Gol is
used to talking sense to Cery, I suspect.”

Kallen nodded. “Good.”

Getting to her feet, Lilia smoothed her robes. “I had better be going. Goodnight, Black Magician Kallen. I hope your plans
are successful.”

He nodded. “Thank you. Goodnight Lady Lilia.”

As she turned toward the door it swung open. Stepping out into the corridor, she breathed the cleaner air outside with relief.
Then her mood darkened again.

Cery isn’t going to like this. But I think he trusts … no, it’s more that he respects Kallen than trusts him … enough to wait
and see if these other plans work
. That wasn’t the main problem, though.
How am I going to keep them fed and undiscovered for weeks – perhaps even months? Someone’s bound to notice something eventually
.

She could only hope that, with Jonna’s help, they could prevent that, or for Kallen’s “other avenue” to succeed.

“D
o you think we should wait until Lilia is with us?” Anyi said as she eyed the roof of the tunnel. Cery lifted his lamp. “It
doesn’t look like it’s about to cave in this very moment.” The tunnel was long and Anyi had set a brisk pace. Too brisk. He’d
taken advantage of the sagging roof to pause and catch his breath, hoping the others would think he was being cautious. “But
then, how do you tell?”

“I don’t know,” Anyi admitted. “I figure it won’t collapse so long as we don’t touch anything. But we shouldn’t hang about.”

Gol made a low noise that suggested they were both crazy. He was regarding the tree roots hanging from the ceiling and matted
over the sides of the tunnel with a frown. As he took a step toward it, Cery realised it wasn’t a frown of disapproval but
of interest.

Then he saw what Gol had noticed. Light didn’t penetrate beyond some of the roots as it should have. Behind lurked a stubborn
darkness. He moved closer then hooked his fingers in the cascade of white roots and pulled gently. They swung forward with
no resistance.

They’re not attached to anything. There’s a hole behind here
.

“Remember what I said about not touching any …” Anyi began as he pulled the roots aside. “Oh.”

The entrance to another tunnel opened before them. The same deteriorated brickwork held back the earth and supported the roof.
He glanced at her and smiled as she came closer and peered inside, eyes bright.

“Now that’s a bit of luck,” she remarked. “If we have to make a run for it, we can slip through here. So long as whoever was
chasing us didn’t see us do it they’d never know where we’d gone.”

“Want to explore?” Cery asked.

“Of course.”

Cery looked back at Gol. “Stay here. You hear anything like a cave-in, go get Lilia.”

Gol looked like he was about to argue, but then heaved a heavy sigh and nodded. Cery held back the roots so that Anyi could
slip through. She moved slowly, lifting her lamp to examine the walls, roof and floor. The passage was in no worse condition
than the one they had been following. Parts had deteriorated, but most still looked solid.

As they made their way along it, Cery wondered how Lilia’s conversation with Kallen had gone. They wouldn’t hear from her
until the morning. Cery had decided that they should spend the night exploring the passages and considering where they might
set their trap for Skellin. Anyi believed they should lure Skellin to the underground rooms near the University, so they could
escape to the building. The rooms were the ones Cery had found Anyi and Lilia in. He felt his face warm as he remembered.
In the whorehouse he’d grown up in, he’d known women who sought other women’s affections, some forming bonds that lasted many
years. It had been one more of many
ways that he’d seen people seek pleasure, companionship and love. Yet he also came to realise that he was living in a particularly
tolerant world. Outside it were people who did not approve of anything different from their own experience and tastes. And
not just people from the higher classes. The underworld was no better or worse.

I wonder if her mother knows. Vesta always enjoyed feeling that she was better than others. She was always looking for something
to disapprove of in other people. Sometimes I think the only reason she wanted me was because I was a Thief. It made her feel
more important than most other people. Well, it did for a while
.

The last thing he wanted Anyi to feel was disapproved of. He certainly didn’t mind her being with Lilia but … He felt a small
pang of envy.
I once loved a Guild magician, but the only kind of love I got in return was friendship
. He shook his head.
That sounds peevish. Sonea’s friendship is no small thing, and I did find love elsewhere
.

He wondered if Anyi had had many previous lovers, then remembered her story of the one who had betrayed her.
Aha. That must be why I never found him. It wasn’t a “him”, it was a “her
”.

Anyi gave a little gasp. “Look!” she whispered.

The tunnel ended at a brick wall, but it was no ordinary wall. A familiar mechanism had been attached to the brickwork – the
workings of a hidden door. Cery located a brass spy hole cover. It was stiff and green with age, but he was able to force
it open. Looking through, he saw only darkness.

“Can’t see anything,” he said.

“Do you want to try opening it?” Anyi asked.

Cery considered. If he let his imagination go where it pleased, it conjured up dangerous prisoners or incarcerated monsters
waiting for the chance to be free – killing anything that stood in their path.

More likely it’s another old storeroom. Besides, there’s no lock preventing anyone opening the door from the other side, as
far as I can see
.

He nodded.

Anyi took the lever and hauled on it, but the door did not budge. Looking closely at the mechanism, Cery saw that it wasn’t
rusted. There were black lumps around the joins. He poked at them. They were soft. Probably old oil or grease grown thick
with time and dust. Cery took a turn pulling the lever, then they both put their strength into it, but with no effect.

“Go fetch Gol,” Cery said.

He peered through the spy hole again – even tried holding up the lamp and looking through at the same time, but saw nothing
but darkness beyond the door. It occurred to him then that maybe the hole was blocked. Digging a pick out of his coat, he
poked it through and confirmed there was a void on the other side.

Maybe it’s a trap, set up by Akkarin or someone else long ago. Perhaps for the same reason we want to set traps: to fool and
stop pursuers. Who knows what reasons the Guild had, in the past, to dig these tunnels
.

The sound of two sets of footsteps approached behind him and he turned. Gol rolled his eyes as he saw the door.

“Can’t leave a mystery unsolved, can you?” he rumbled.

Cery shrugged. With a roll of his eyes, Gol moved to the door and grasped the handle. He pulled once, paused to examine the
mechanism, then took the handle again.

“Be careful: you don’t want to pull that wound open,” Anyi said.

Gol stepped back from the lever, then cast about. He moved back down the passage for a short distance and picked something
up. As he returned, Cery saw that it was a brick.

“That’ll make a lot of—”

The clang that filled the passage as Gol struck the mechanism was painfully loud.

“—noise,” Anyi finished.

But the shock appeared to have done what Gol intended: break the seal of the old oil. The lever now flexed under his hand.
Cery felt his heart beat a little faster as the door swung open. It was heavy: the other side was covered with thin bricks
and mortar. The door formed the back of an alcove.

As the light of the lamps penetrated the darkness it illuminated old wooden cupboards and tables. Cery felt his heart sink
with disappointment. He wasn’t sure what he had been hoping to see. Hidden treasure, maybe? A better place to hide?

They moved inside the room. As the light of all three lamps filled the space, Cery felt apprehension replace his earlier anticipation.
The room was clean. There was no dust or rubble. He moved to one of the tables. It was covered in small pots. Each contained
earth and a tiny plant.

“Are we at the fa—” Gol began.

“Quiet!” Anyi gasped.

Cery and Gol turned to see that she was peering up a narrow staircase, holding her lamp away from the well so that its light
wouldn’t penetrate. They moved closer and, as they joined her, heard voices above. There was the creak of a handle being turned.

Without another word, they fled into the tunnel, Gol pulling the door closed behind him. Cery’s heart was beating so quickly
his chest hurt. Anyi put her eye to the spy hole and Gol set
his ear to the door. Amused, Cery gently pulled a silently protesting Anyi aside and took her place at the spy hole.

The room beyond was no longer dark. Something bright was moving down the stairwell. He felt a wry relief as he saw a magical
globe of light appear, then two magicians descend into view. One was an old woman, the other a young man.

“What’s happening,” Anyi murmured.

“Magicians. They’re looking around the room. Can you hear them, Gol?”

“Faintly.” The big man replied. “One said he thought he heard something. The other agreed.”

The two magicians shook their heads and walked toward the tables. The male one picked up a plant, then put it down with obvious
careless anger.

“The old woman asked something. The young one says he’s sure,” Gol reported. He paused, and Cery could hear the faint sound
of voices. He signalled for silence, then pressed his ear to the door.

“So we’ve been tricked,” the woman said. She didn’t sound surprised.

“Yes, as you suspected we would be,” the younger magician replied. “If you smoked this … this common garden weed, you’d get
nothing but a headache.”

“Well, we knew getting hold of roet would not be easy.”

Roet?
Cery felt something hot race through his veins.
The Guild wants to grow roet?

“We’ll just have to keep trying,” the woman continued. “Skellin must be growing it somewhere – and growing a lot. Eventually
someone will betray him, if we offer enough money.”

“All we need are a few seeds.”

“I wish that we didn’t need any.”

The voices were growing quieter. Cery put his eye to the spy hole again and watched them ascend the stairs, the magic light
rising ahead of them. When all light disappeared abruptly, he guessed that the door above the stairs had been closed. He pulled
away from the spy hole, closing its cover, and described what he’d heard to Anyi and Gol.

“What does the Guild want roet for?” Anyi asked, scowling at the door.

“Maybe it has potential as a cure,” Gol suggested.

“Maybe,” Cery echoed. “Maybe more than a few Guild magicians are addicted to it now, and they want to take control of their
supply out of Skellin’s hands.”

“Perhaps they want to put Skellin out of business,” Gol said. “Then when they control all trade, stop growing it.”

Anyi turned to stare at him, horrified. “What about all the common people who are addicted to it? It would be … people would
go mad!”

“The Guild has never stopped the underworld acquiring anything it wanted,” Cery reminded her.

His daughter did not look reassured. “It’s never going away, is it?” she said, her eyes wide with realisation. “We’re stuck
with roet forever.”

“Probably,” Cery agreed.

Gol nodded. “But maybe if the Guild gets hold of some, and studies it, they’ll find a way to stop it being so addictive.”

Anyi still looked glum. “I guess, as an escape route, this is no better than fleeing into the University”

Cery looked at the door. “We don’t know if whatever is above that cellar is occupied by magicians all the time. It will probably
be guarded by someone, if they get more seeds and try again, but that could be just a servant or two.”

“Skellin is more likely to follow us through there than into the University,” Gol added. “So it might be a good play to lay
our trap.”

“Might be. But let’s not tell the Guild we know they’re trying to grow rot until we have to.”

“Bad memories?”

Sonea looked at Regin in surprise.
Was it that obvious?
Since the carriage had begun its slow ascent into the mountains she had been pushing aside dark and gloomy feelings. At first
she’d dismissed it as weariness and worry, but then she would see some feature – a tree or rock – and feel sure she’d noticed
it the last time she had travelled this road. But surely her mind was playing tricks on her.
My memory can’t be
that
good
.

Not sure how to answer Regin’s question, she shrugged. He nodded and looked away. She’d thought at first that their conversations
had dwindled to silence because he was distracted by the view outside. Unlike her, he had never travelled this road before.
Now she wondered if the silence was her fault. She hadn’t felt like talking for some time now.

Is that the place we stopped?
A gap had opened in the trees, revealing fields and roads stretching into the distance, divided by rivers, roads and other
human-made boundaries. The trees seemed small, however. Surely they would have grown taller in the last twenty years.
But objects tend to be larger in our memories. Though … I thought that only applied to objects remembered from childhood,
because we were smaller then
.

“What is it?” Regin asked.

She realised she had been leaning forward, craning her neck to better see the outside. Leaning back in her seat, she shrugged.

“I thought I recognised something.” She shook her head. “A place we stopped, last time.”

“Did … something happen there?”

“Not really. Nobody said much during that journey.” She couldn’t help a smile. “Akkarin wouldn’t talk to me.”
But I kept finding him looking at me
. “He was angry with me.”

Regin’s eyebrows rose. “For what?”

“For making sure they sent me into exile with him.”

“Why would he be angry at that?”

“His plan – or so I thought at the time – was to get himself captured by Ichani and communicate the result to all magicians.”

Regin’s eyes widened slightly. “A brave decision.”

“Oh, very honourable,” she said drily. “Shock the Guild into realising the danger it faced while sacrificing the only person
who could do anything about it.”

His eyebrows rose. “But he wasn’t. There was you.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t know enough. I didn’t even know how to make blood rings. We wouldn’t have beaten the Ichani
if he hadn’t survived.”
But that wasn’t why you followed him
, she reminded herself.
You did so because you couldn’t let Akkarin die. Love is selfish
. “By forcing him to keep me alive, I forced him to keep himself alive.”

“Those weeks must have been terrifying.”