“Because I think he’s at the heart of sedition brewing in Kaichakahn. Many people in the south still resent being a part of Pelinon.”

  “But they were brought into the fold more than a hundred years ago.”

  “These people have a long memory when it comes to what they think is treachery.”

  “There’s something you should know,” Rellen said. The pieces were starting to fall into place. “Toreth is a Nissran, and I think he may be possessed.”

  Jaquinn’s jaw muscles tightened. “I’d suspected as much, but I couldn’t prove it.”

  “Why’d you suspect the Nissrans?”

  “Some months ago, there was a series of murders in Kaichakahn—all gutter trash. No bodies were found, and the investigation was quietly buried. The duke had no knowledge it was even happening, and the soldiers involved in the cover-up have all since turned up dead of one cause or another. I’d narrowed it down to three people who could manipulate things so thoroughly and keep them from the duke. Toreth was one of them. Nothing made sense until the king sent out a message to watch for Nissrans.”

  “Calamath,” Rellen said.

  Jaquinn nodded. “And I doubt that was the only one, and certainly not the last.” He met Rellen’s gaze with worry in his eyes. “What we don’t know gives me grave concerns.”

  Rellen nodded. The implications were clear. There could be any number of Pelinese cities similarly under siege.

  “If the grand vizier is a possessed Nissran, then he’d be in a perfect position to either kill or control the duke, assuming the duke hadn’t already been subverted by the Nissrans. With a resentful populace—which much of it is—it wouldn’t be hard to manipulate them into a revolt against the king.” He locked angry, burning eyes with Rellen. “We should go take him right now.”

  “We can’t,” Rellen said, a twinge of worry coursing through him. He was about to go against a senior Guardian.

  “It is my call, and you know it, Nine.” There was no missing the warning tone in the Second Guardian’s voice. “No matter who your brother is.”

  Rellen swallowed. “I know that, but there’s more going on here than either of us fully comprehends.” Rellen drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was about to betray a confidence—two of them actually. But he didn’t have a choice. He couldn’t trust even Miranda with what he was about to say, but this was the Second Guardian of Pelinon. “Have you heard of the Klymrukaar?”

  Jaquinn’s eyes narrowed, and he stiffened. “I know something of them from conversations I overheard between both kings and Saleeria, although I also know I’m not supposed to. Why?”

  “Because they’re involved too.”

  “What?” Jaquinn blurted, his face a mask of confusion.

  “A group of them tried to take that artifact—that key—from Javyk back in Sylverwynd. I’d been hired as a bodyguard, and we fought. When I recognized the emblem on their armor, I managed to get away without killing any of them. And then, in Jabono, I encountered the Delver leader again, this time in Chancellor Kag’Atrall’s study. That’s when I learned about the plunnokum and that the Delver wants that door opened so they can find out what’s on the other side. He also said I needed to stop Javyk—and Toreth—from going through. I was going to kill them there and take the key back to Saleeria so she can figure out what the blazes is going on.”

  “Which means we can’t take them now,” Jaquinn said, frustration filling his voice.

  Rellen nodded slowly. “I could use your help, but there’s no way I’d be able to convince them that I just happened to run into another bounty hunter looking for work.”

  “It’s not a problem. I’ve already booked passage on that ship under an assumed name. From here on out, we’ll avoid each other, but I’ll follow you when you go to the nuraghi. They won’t see me until it’s too late.”

  Rellen let out a sigh of relief. “I’m not embarrassed to tell you, that makes me feel better about this whole thing. Miranda I trust, and she’s deadly in a fight, but we have no idea what we’re getting into. Mygal is a good erkurios and talented with that sword of his, but I have no idea what he’s capable of when things get really rough.”

  “Don’t worry,” Jaquinn said. “I’ll be there no matter what. Now, catch up with your comrades before you are missed. I’ll board shortly.”

  Rellen placed his hand on Jaquinn’s shoulder and met his gaze. “For the Honor of Pelinon,” he said.

  “For the Honor of Pelinon. And be careful. You know better than most that the Nissrans are not to be taken lightly.”

  “I’m always careful,” Rellen replied as he stepped out from behind the crates and paused to make sure there wasn’t anyone nearby.

  “That’s not what your brother told me…”

  Rellen shot Jaquinn a rude gesture over his shoulder, prompting the big man to chuckle, and stepped out into the street. He walked over to the young attendant, took Shaddeth’s reigns from the lad, and mounted up. He spotted Miranda and the others at the far end of the pier. He hastened Shaddeth into a trot, the horse’s massive hooves clomping heavily across the weathered planks.

  When he reached the wide, heavy gangplank for livestock, he dismounted, pulled off his saddlebags and the stack of spell books he always carried with him. He’d trust the handlers with his bedroll and saddle, but nothing else.

  A crewman stepped up away from the gangplank and held out his hand for Shaddeth’s reins.

  Rellen held them out and then pulled back slightly.

  “You’d be well advised to treat this one with care and respect, or he’ll stomp your brains in.”

  “Yes, sir,” the crewman said.

  Rellen locked eyes with the crewman. “And if I find a mark on him when we disembark, I’ll stomp your brains in. Understood?”

  “Perfectly sir,” the crewman said with a good deal of respect. “I’ll treat him like he was my own.”

  “You do that,” Rellen said. He then hefted his gear over a shoulder and patted Shaddeth’s shoulder. “Don’t give them any trouble unless they ask for it.”

  Shaddeth snorted and seemed to stare intently at the crewman, almost as if he were daring the man to mistreat him.

  The crewman’s eyes shifted between Shaddeth and Rellen several times, and then he swallowed hard. “Like he was my own, sir.”

  Rellen walked away chuckling. He made his way down to the passenger gangplank and strode up it, eyeing the soldiers at the top. They both wore the king’s livery, which made him feel a bit better. Looking from stem to stern, he spotted a number of the king’s men on watch. Despite being on a ship with two murdering Nissrans, he might just be able to relax a bit on the journey to Kaichakahn.

  He topped the gangplank and spotted Miranda, Mygal, and Tavyn aft, just in front of steps leading down into the ship. They all had their gear over their shoulders and were speaking to a man in the king’s livery who, Rellen assumed, was a steward for the voyage.

  Miranda looked at Rellen expectantly.

  Rellen nodded, it was all he could do, for now, but it let her know there hadn’t been a problem.

  “Good evening, sir,” the steward said. “As I was just saying, your cabins have been prepared. You and your wife are on the first deck below us, last door on the port side. Your associates here will be sharing a cabin one deck below, first cabin on the starboard side, just at the bottom of the stairs. Privies are fore and aft on all decks.” He handed a key to Miranda and one to Mygal. “We’ll be departing just after the sun sets. The galley is generally open, so you may eat when you like. We’ll reach Kaichakahn in three days.” He bowed once. “If there is anything else you need, please find me or one of the other stewards. It is our pleasure to serve.”

  “Thank you…” Rellen started.

  “Jakeen,” the man said.

  “Thank you, Jakeen.” Rellen pulled out three sepiks and handed them over.

  “Thank you, sir,” the steward said, and then he hurried off toward an older, affluent couple coming up the gangplank.

  “Let’s get a look at our cabins,” Rellen said.

  They made their way below. Mygal and Tavyn continued down the next flight of stairs. Rellen and Miranda moved forward to the last cabin on the port side and entered a nicely appointed cabin with a writing desk on one side and a large feather bed in the center. Both were bolted to the floor, and the desk sat below a large, circular porthole with a heavy latch. Rellen set his gear on the floor just inside the door and went over to the window. He twisted the latch and pushed the porthole open without any difficulty. Once the sun went down, Xilly would have no problem coming in, and she could curl up beneath his saddle should anyone need to come into the room.

  “So?” Miranda asked, closing the door. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

  Rellen hesitated for a few heartbeats, worry battering against his thoughts like a besieging army.

  Turning around, he told her nearly everything, and with each word, her dismay grew. He left out only two details. He didn’t mention the Klymrukaar at all, and he left out the fact that Jaquinn was a Guardian, calling him just an old contact that happened to spot Rellen riding through town. Those were secrets he wasn’t prepared to share with her just yet. He hated it, but it was necessary.

  * * *

  Rellen and Miranda stood upon the forecastle of Yl Jabbathene beneath a starry, cloudless sky as tropical winds tussled their hair. The rush of the ocean flowing past the hull beneath their feet filled the air. They’d eaten a good meal with Mygal and Tavyn, although the conversation had been—by way of necessity—banal.

  As the meal had progressed, however, something started to bother Rellen. He’d seen no sign of Toreth, Javyk, Dancer, or even Jaquinn since they’d come aboard. As a result, he felt both relief and worry.

  After dinner, he’d brought back a napkin full of roast meat for Xilly, who had come in through the portal without any incident. She’d immediately crawled under his saddle and gone to sleep. He knew she’d gobble up what he’d brought her the moment she woke up. With his companion taken care of, he and Miranda had gone up to the main deck to enjoy the breeze and talk quietly.

  As the waves surged against the bow, the sails filled by a wind controlled by a gekurios at the stern, Rellen worried over their situation like a dog with a bone. The more he thought about it, the more he leaned toward relief that he hadn’t seen the others. Seeing them would mean conversation, and any conversation at this point held the greatest risk. If he could get three quiet days before he had to deal with whatever Toreth had in store for them, he’d feel much better about everything.

  Footsteps creaked on the stairs leading to the forecastle. Rellen and Miranda both instinctively placed their hands on their weapons.

  “It’s just me,” Mygal’s voice floated out of the darkness as he reached the top and stepped up beside them.

  “Where’s Tygeth?” Rellen asked.

  “In his bunk,” Mygal replied. “He said that meal put him to sleep.”

  “He certainly ate enough,” Miranda observed.

  Rellen turned to Mygal and locked eyes with him. “What do you think of him?”

  Mygal looked around. They were alone on the forecastle. “Against my better judgment,” Mygal started slowly, “I’ve come to like him. He’s good company, and, impossibly, I’m starting to trust him.”

  Rellen thought about that. “But not a hundred percent.”

  “Certainly not,” Mygal said. He looked to Miranda. “No offense, but Rellen is the only one I trust completely.”

  “None taken,” Miranda assured him. “Nature of the business.”

  Rellen drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Has he done anything at all that gives you pause?”

  Mygal seemed to mull the question over. “I don’t know… maybe there is one thing… but it may just be paranoia.”

  “Don’t worry,” Rellen said. “I’ve been fighting with my own paranoia for a couple weeks now.”

  “Have you ever liked someone too much? Liked them when your better judgment told you to keep your distance, but you ignored it?”

  Rellen tried not to smile. He’d been having the same problem with Mygal. He didn’t want to like the young Guardian, but that hadn’t worked out at all like he’d intended.

  “Yes,” he said flatly. “I’ve experienced that.”

  “That’s what it’s like with Tavyn. I know he’s just an informant from a city on my patrol route. We needed him to get us this far, and it should have ended there. I’ll be honest, I was surprised when he agreed to set foot on this ship. I would have bet a sack of gold dakkaris he’d go home the moment things turned out like they did.”

  “I thought the same thing,” Rellen said. “It’s the main reason I asked you the question. Could a really good erkurios have held you at bay all this time?”

  “The short answer is yes. A really good one could have pulled that off.” Mygal stared off into the distance, his eyes shifting as he thought about the question. “I’ve delved into his feelings more than once since we left Svennival, and there’s been nothing that gave me cause for alarm. I have to say, though, that I didn’t dig deep. Going that deep would alert even someone without majea. I didn’t want him to take offense, because we needed him.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “It’s always a balancing act.”

  “Are you worried he’s working for the enemy?” Miranda asked.

  “If he is, then it means we’ve all been led here from the very beginning,” Rellen said. “And I find that hard to believe. I know someone who could have pulled something like that off. She’s a truly gifted clikurios, but if it were someone like her, then it would have had to start even before I arrived in Svennival.” Rellen’s mind raced down that Vuoda hole. “Bah!” he blurted, slamming his fist down on the railing. “Short of tying Tavyn down and reaming out his brains, there’s no way to know for certain.”

  “Here’s the thing,” Mygal said thoughtfully, “if he was or is working for someone, would it change what we’re doing right now?”

  “No,” Rellen said immediately. “We’d still be standing right here, with or without him.”

  “And since I have a good feeling about him and don’t plan on turning my back on him, we have a pretty good chance of seeing something coming, if it even exists, correct?”

  “Correct,” Rellen said, nodding his head slowly. He had to admit, Mygal had a sharp mind.

  “Then I’ll see if I can’t dig a little deeper into his emotions as all this unfolds. If he’s really gifted, I won’t find out anything until he makes a move. If he’s not, and there is something odd, then I have at least a slim chance of finding out. The odds are I won’t be able to do better than I’ve done, short of, like you said, pinning him down and digging into his head. I don’t see us doing that here.”

  “That’s right,” Rellen said, letting out a weary breath. “Right back where we started.”

  “It does mean one thing though,” Miranda offered in a lighter tone.

  “What’s that?” Rellen turned suspicious eyes toward her.

  “It means that, barring getting attacked, we get to just relax for the next few days.” She stared out over the ocean, drawing a deep breath of air and letting it out slowly. “I, for one, intend to enjoy it.” She glanced at Rellen. “I mean, it’s not like Toreth can do anything with all of these guards and passengers around, can he? And if we do eventually end up on a slab, then these next few will be the best we’ve had in quite a while.”

  “That,” Rellen said, relaxing his shoulders a bit, “is pure genius.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Shifting Webs

  Tavyn waited for Mygal to shut the door and walk up the stairs before he closed his eyes. He focused his will upon the black stone, reaching out for the connection, which came almost immediately.

  Milord, he called.

  I hear you.

  We’ve been retained. We’re aboard a sailing ship, headed for Kaichakahn.

  Then it is Stukelladios they’re after.

  Stukelladios? Tavyn had never heard the word before.

  It doesn’t matter, his employer said dismissively, but Tavyn felt a swell of excitement bloom in the man’s emotions. There was something about that one word, something ominous that was of tremendous importance. When last we spoke, his employer continued, you said Rellen expected you all would have to follow them surreptitiously. What has changed?

  We met Javyk’s employer, or whatever he is. Rellen believes he’s high up in the Nissran organization. He told us that he’d initially intended to pay us and send us on our way, but when he saw Rellen—Rellen specifically—he became keenly interested. That’s when he offered to have us join them on the next leg of their journey and left it open that there might be more work down the road.

  Did this superior give his name?

  Toreth sun’Harrai, Tavyn replied. He struck me as nobility, but I’ve never heard of him before.

  Grand Vizier Toreth sun’Harrai?

  Tavyn felt his employer’s excitement shift to concern… even worry. In fact, the name had elicited something close to dread.

  He never said.

  Tell me, what did he look like?

  About five-foot-ten, maybe one-sixty. Black hair, brown eyes. He had a black goatee and darker skin like most of the people this far south. Dark blue silken robes with bright yellow trim. Gold rings, hoop earrings, and red turban secured with a large ruby surrounded by diamonds.

  That certainly does sound like him.

  Tavyn could feel his employer’s anxiety growing.

  What is it? Tavyn asked. What’s wrong?

  There was a long pause.

  It’s nothing you can do anything about right now, but you must be even more cautious from here on out. If it is who I think it is, then he will have tremendous resources and power. If he discovers who any of you are, the consequences will be more than severe.

  Rellen said the same thing, Tavyn replied. He asked me if I was certain I wanted to go along with them. I only did so because of our arrangement, but I must tell you, I’m not certain our original bargain covers what this is turning into.