The Ambassador’s Mission: Book One of the Traitor Spy Trilogy (29 page)

Achati sighed and nodded. “If this Tyvara does know higher magic, it is likely she is no true slave. She must be a spy.”

“A spy for whom?” Dannyl asked.

“I don’t know.” Achati grimaced. “Not the king’s, as he would have warned me about her. But if whoever sent her wanted Lorkin dead, he
would
be. If they have taken him from here alive, they must have a purpose for him.”

“What purpose?”

“Blackmail, perhaps?” Achati looked thoughtful. “The question is, is the target King Amakira, or the Guild – or both?”

Dannyl smiled wryly. “Must be the Guild. If they sought to embarrass the king, they’d have abducted me. A kidnapped Ambassador has more embarrassment value than a mere assistant.”

“But he’s not a mere assistant,” Achati said, his eyebrows rising. “You didn’t believe we were unaware of his parentage, did you?”

Dannyl sighed. “I guess it was too much to hope you hadn’t noticed.”

“If it eases your mind, we did not think he would be in any danger because of it. In truth, we believed the prospect of his mother taking her rightful revenge if he was harmed was enough to deter foolish acts like this. Though …” He stopped, turned back to the dead woman, and frowned as if he’d thought of something.

“Yes?” Dannyl prompted.

The Sachakan shook his head. “There is another group known for abducting people, but they have nothing to gain from taking him and he is not their usual sort of target. No. We will go to Ashaki Tikako’s house. If we are in luck your assistant will be found there and be returned to the Guild House before the day is done.” He paused. “Though you may want to get rid of the slave’s body before then.”

Dannyl nodded in agreement. “Not exactly a pleasant welcome home gift. If you are done examining her, I’ll get the slaves to do with her whatever they do with their dead.”

Since they did not need the new hideout as a trap for the Thief Hunter, Cery had ordered the place to be sealed up. He and Gol had moved back to his storeroom apartment next to the old city wall.

Cery hadn’t said anything to Gol about his conversation with Sonea until the morning. Her response to his news had been so different to what he’d been expecting that he’d needed time to think, to reconsider his plans, and to wonder if he’d regret what he’d agreed to.

“Why isn’t she going after the rogue herself?” Gol asked again.

Cery sighed and lifted his shoulders. “She said she wasn’t free to go running around the city these days. She can go to the hospice, but not anywhere else without asking first.”

Gol scowled. “Ungrateful sods. After all she did to save the city.”

Yes, but most Kyralians are scared of her
, Cery thought.
They’ve got her as locked away as well they can without actually putting her in a prison. They don’t want to take any risks they don’t have to. I can understand that. But it makes things a bit inconvenient for me.

“So we’re going to work with the Guild?”

“We have to.” Cery grimaced. “Nobody but us can recognise the rogue. And maybe we can help stop them making a complete mess of things.”

Gol’s expression told Cery how little he believed that. “What about Skellin? You going to tell him?”

“We still don’t have proof the woman is the Thief Hunter, only that she uses magic.”

“Which is why you’re calling her ‘the rogue’ now,” Gol observed.

“Yes. Until we know for sure she is the Thief Hunter.”

Gol crossed his arms. “You’re afraid you’ll make a fool of yourself.”

Cery looked at his friend reproachfully. “I don’t want to waste Skellin’s time. Or owe him any favours when I don’t have to.”

“But you said he wasn’t what you thought he’d be.”

“No.” Cery grimaced. “But he’s still a Thief and a rot importer. Better men than me and you have done bad things for reasons they believed were good.”

“They’re the dangerous ones,” Gol agreed. “Use family or the pride of a House or protecting the country and anything is excusable.”

Cery nodded. “I’d rather be honest with myself when it comes to business. I wanted to be better off than most dwells. Don’t want to die a beggar. I’m not pretending I got higher purposes than that.”

“So you need money. And to get money you need to be powerful. And unless you’re from the Houses, there’s no way you’re growing powerful by any honest trade.”

“It’s all about surviving. Which is what I think Skellin is doing. He said he tried importing rot as a way to establish himself as a Thief.”

“It worked.”

Cery sighed. “It did. And his conscience isn’t so bothered that he’s got himself out of the trade.”

“He said he would, though.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it. Rot’s made him one of the most powerful men in the city. He’s got most of the Thieves working for him or owing him favours. I don’t think he’d give that up too quick.” He shook his head. “I’m not going to risk getting caught up in that if I don’t have to.”

Gol snorted. “You’re too smart to let him talk you into anything, Cery.”

Cery looked at his friend and bodyguard. “You think I should tell him?”

The big man pursed his lips. “If somethin’s telling you not to, then don’t. But if we have trouble finding the Rogue I reckon it’d be interesting to see what Skellin’s capable of.” He shrugged. “Maybe not much. Or maybe he’d reveal how powerful he really is.”

D
espite spending several hours in the room, Lorkin’s eyes still smarted. The air was thick with the smell of the urine stored in open vats to one side. Tyvara had told him to breathe shallowly to avoid burning his lungs, and to keep his eyes closed. She had also told him, before she slipped away again, that only slaves would enter the room, and to stay quiet.

Time passes very slowly when your every breath sets your throat burning with sour fumes. It also made fleeing into the night far less of an exciting adventure than it had first promised.

Not that I did it for the thrill of it. I do believe it was my only choice. That I was in danger. And still could be.

Was he a fool to believe Tyvara? The only evidence he had that she was telling the truth was the reaction of the slave woman she’d killed.

“You! But … he has to die. You … You are a traitor to your people.”

From that he knew three things: the slave had recognised Tyvara, believed he should be killed, and thought Tyvara a traitor. What had Tyvara said in reply?

“I told you I would not let you kill him. You should have taken the warning and left.”

From that he could assume Tyvara had known of the woman’s intent and given the slave a chance to abandon her mission.
Or she said it in the hope I’d believe that.
But what reason might she have to deceive him?
Maybe to convince me she had given the woman a chance to leave. That she wasn’t as merciless a killer as she seemed.

One thing was clear. If Tyvara had wanted to kill him, she would have. After all, she knew black magic. She could easily be many times stronger than him, magically.

But what he wasn’t sure about was whether it was necessary for him to flee with her. Surely once Dannyl learned what had happened he’d have arranged better protection for them.
But how would he do that? It will take several days for any Guild magicians to get here, and none of them are as strong as most Sachakan magicians. If Mother or Kallen were sent, they would have to strengthen themselves with black magic before they left and that would take more time. As for the Sachakan magicians … would any deign to act as bodyguard to a Guild Ambassador’s assistant? How could we know they hadn’t sent Riva to kill me to begin with?

As for who wanted him dead, his best guess was the families of the Sachakans his parents had killed during the Ichani Invasion. His mother must be right. Their families must still feel obliged to seek revenge for their relations, despite the fact those relations had been outcasts.

The Higher Magicians were sure there was no danger of that. So were Lord Maron and the other Guild Ambassadors who had lived here. Did those families hide their intentions in the hope that Mother or I would one day travel to Sachaka?

He thought of the ring in his pocket.
Should I try to contact my mother again?
Slaves had been coming in and out of the room constantly. They didn’t seem surprised to see him there. The first time, he’d been about to use his mother’s blood ring, and had stuffed it into the spine of his notebook just in time. If they saw it would they suspect he was trying to betray them, and take it away?

What would she say to me? Probably to go back to the Guild House and let Dannyl take care of everything. She’ll have no trouble talking the Guild into ordering me home now.
He felt a surge of rebellion, but it faded quickly.
She was right
, he reminded himself.
It was too dangerous for me to come here. Yet something tells me going back to the Guild House isn’t a safe option right now. If Tyvara saved my life she wants me alive, and clearly that’s not where she thinks I should—

The door to the room opened abruptly, making Lorkin jump. But it was Tyvara standing in the opening. He could not help thinking, as he had done every time he’d seen her previously, that she was alluringly mysterious and exotic. Now, however, she did not stand with her head bowed and gaze lowered. Nor did she throw herself on the floor. Instead she regarded him with amusement, her pose confident and relaxed.

Which is a definite improvement
, he decided.

“How are you doing?” she asked, grimacing at the smell.

“Still breathing,” he replied. “Though I almost wish I wasn’t. Are you going to explain all this to me now?”

She smiled faintly. “Yes. Come out.”

He followed her out into the big workroom beyond. Four slave women sat at a large table, watching him with undisguised curiosity but no hint of friendliness. Two were around Tyvara’s age, the others were older but it was hard to guess whether their wrinkles were from hard work and sunlight or advancing years. As he looked at them, they glanced away, then straightened and brought their attention back to him.
As if habit made them avoid meeting my gaze at first. Tyvara, though, has to pretend to be a slave. I think … I think these women were raised as slaves, while Tyvara was born a free woman.

“Sit,” Tyvara invited, indicating a stool beside the table. As he did, she perched on the edge of another. “I’d introduce everyone but it is always safer to avoid sharing names. I can tell you we are safe with these women.”

Lorkin nodded politely at them. “Then I thank you for your help.”

The four said nothing, but their eyebrows had risen and they exchanged a few quick looks.

“We are a people known as the Traitors,” Tyvara told him. “Several hundred years ago, after Sachaka was conquered by the Kyralians, free women joined with female slaves and escaped to a remote and hidden place. There they built a home where none are slaves and all are equal.”

Lorkin frowned. “A society entirely of women? But how do you—”

“Not entirely women.” Tyvara smiled. “There are men there, too. But they are not in charge of everything, as they are everywhere else in the world.”

How fascinating
. Lorkin looked at Tyvara closely.
Of course. It’s not just that she was born a free woman. She’s used to having authority over others.
Then he realised something else. She had always reminded him of someone and now he knew who it was.

My mother!
At that thought he felt his stomach sink.
That might not be a good thought to have slip into my mind if we ever … no, don’t think about it.

“Any questions?” she asked.

“Why do you call yourselves ‘the Traitors’?”

“Apparently we were named after a Sachakan princess who was killed by her father for being raped by one of his allies. He called her a traitor, and women of the time began calling themselves the same in sympathy.”

Lorkin thought about what the dying slave had said.
“You are a traitor to your people.”
Did she mean “Traitor”? No, that didn’t make any sense. But if Riva had known Tyvara was a spy …

“Did Riva know you were a Traitor?”

“Yes.”

“Why did she say you were a traitor to your people?”

Tyvara’s mouth twitched into a wry smile. “I’m afraid the fact that we don’t follow the emperor or the law, and have a habit of interfering in Sachakan politics, means most Sachakans consider us traitors.”

“How do you keep Sachakan magicians from finding you all? Surely they have only to read your minds?”

“We have a way of keeping our thoughts hidden from them. They will only see what we want them to see. It means we can have people in the households of powerful Ashaki all through the country.”

Lorkin’s heart skipped.
Magic I’ve never heard of!

“Can you tell me how?”

She shook her head. “We Traitors don’t give up our secrets easily.”

He nodded.
Something that protects the mind from being read – much like blood gems prevent mental communication between magicians being heard by other magicians.

“Is it like a blood gem ring?” he asked.

One of the other women laughed. Her eyes met his briefly, then she looked at Tyvara. “This one’s smart. You’ll have to watch every word.”

Tyvara snorted softly. “I know.” Then her amusement faded. She sighed, then turned back to Lorkin. “We have to move on from here. This place is too close to the Guild House and some of the slaves there know I had contacts here. You’re going to have to give up those pretty clothes and disguise yourself as a slave. Can you do that?”

Lorkin looked down at his robes and suppressed a sigh. “If I have to.”

“His face is too pale,” one of the younger slave women said. “We’ll have to stain it. And we’ll need to cut his hair.”

An older one looked him up and down. “He’s skinny for a Sachakan. But that’s better than fat. Don’t get many fat slaves.” She rose. “I’ll get some clothes.”

“You’ll need a slave name, too,” Tyvara said. “How about Ork? It’s close enough to your real name that if I call it by mistake people might not notice.”