exhaled slowly. He stared down at the desk, smoothed out the parchment with the king’s letter and handed it back to Kormak. “Of course not. It shall be as you say. But if you get yourself killed, you will be signing my death warrant. Prince Taran is not a forgiving man.”
“I’d best not get myself killed then,” said Kormak.
“And I’d best go with you to make sure you get back. If you don’t, I might as well not myself.”
“Thank you,” said Kormak.
Zamara smiled. “My last adventure with you left me a wealthy man. Let’s hope this one affects my fortunes in the same way.”
He sounded as if he doubted it.
* * *
“ Y ou heard what ?” Orson Waters asked. He kept his voice down to a low rumble. The rest of the ship were asleep, but that was no reason not to take precautions against eavesdroppers. The creature in front of him was proof enough of that. He was almost glad that Urag stood guard outside the cabin; at least Balthazar’s lackey was a potential ally in this situation.
“The Guardian is seeking the source of Vorkhul’s coffin. That is his mission in Terra Nova.”
“You are sure?”
The changeling’s smile remained in place. “I listened at the door. My hearing is very good. The guardian and the admiral argued. Sir Kormak produced a warrant from the king and a royal signet ring and forced the admiral to obey him.”
“Now that is interesting. A man with such a signet and such a warrant could do almost anything in the name of the king.”
“Perhaps only if he looked like the guardian,” said the changeling. His tone was insinuating. His features flowed and his form lengthened until he looked like Kormak’s twin. “We do not know exactly what it says on the parchment—maybe it says only to obey Sir Kormak.”
Orson Waters lounged back in his chair and poured himself some fortified wine. He turned over the possibilities in his head. “Could you carry off the imposture?”
“Yes. I have studied him.” His voice was a perfect copy of Kormak’s, right down to the faint Aquilean burr in his Sunlander accent. When he moved, he managed a perfect facsimile of the guardian’s lethal grace.
“You would need his sword and his amulets.”
“Yes.”
“And someone who knows him well might be a problem.”
“The merwoman?”
Orson Waters nodded.
“She can be removed at the same time as he is. A tragic accident perhaps.”
“How? We can’t exactly drop her over the side of the ship. She would just swim back.”
“Unless I miss my guess, she and the Guardian will be going back to the island tomorrow. We should go with them.”
“That might be dangerous. I do not like the sound of what has happened there.”
“It is a risk worth taking. You need not go. I can infiltrate the group myself if you wish.”
“You must be very confident in your abilities. The guardian is amongst the deadliest swordsmen in the world.”
“Anyone can be killed if they are taken by surprise.”
“You will need to kill him in secret. And the two of them are always together.”
“There are ways of doing such things.”
Orson Waters stroked his chin. “I do not like it. What if something goes wrong? What if you are discovered?”
“That will not happen.”
“But if it does?”
“You will just disclaim all knowledge of me. A changeling infiltrated the retinue of the richest man in Siderea. It is quite plausible the ruse was aimed at you.”
“Is it?”
“If I wanted to replace you, I would already have done so.”
Orson Water’s face blanched. “You will find I am not so easy to kill.”
The changeling smiled, and features flowed around that smile until he was Burk once more. He eyed his supposed master complacently. “Of course, Goodman Waters. Of course.”
“I will let Urag know about your plan. I am sure he would be only too happy to help you. He is not fond of the Solar religion. He’ll need to know what you are though.”
“He’s tight-lipped enough,” said
“I’d best not get myself killed then,” said Kormak.
“And I’d best go with you to make sure you get back. If you don’t, I might as well not myself.”
“Thank you,” said Kormak.
Zamara smiled. “My last adventure with you left me a wealthy man. Let’s hope this one affects my fortunes in the same way.”
He sounded as if he doubted it.
* * *
“ Y ou heard what ?” Orson Waters asked. He kept his voice down to a low rumble. The rest of the ship were asleep, but that was no reason not to take precautions against eavesdroppers. The creature in front of him was proof enough of that. He was almost glad that Urag stood guard outside the cabin; at least Balthazar’s lackey was a potential ally in this situation.
“The Guardian is seeking the source of Vorkhul’s coffin. That is his mission in Terra Nova.”
“You are sure?”
The changeling’s smile remained in place. “I listened at the door. My hearing is very good. The guardian and the admiral argued. Sir Kormak produced a warrant from the king and a royal signet ring and forced the admiral to obey him.”
“Now that is interesting. A man with such a signet and such a warrant could do almost anything in the name of the king.”
“Perhaps only if he looked like the guardian,” said the changeling. His tone was insinuating. His features flowed and his form lengthened until he looked like Kormak’s twin. “We do not know exactly what it says on the parchment—maybe it says only to obey Sir Kormak.”
Orson Waters lounged back in his chair and poured himself some fortified wine. He turned over the possibilities in his head. “Could you carry off the imposture?”
“Yes. I have studied him.” His voice was a perfect copy of Kormak’s, right down to the faint Aquilean burr in his Sunlander accent. When he moved, he managed a perfect facsimile of the guardian’s lethal grace.
“You would need his sword and his amulets.”
“Yes.”
“And someone who knows him well might be a problem.”
“The merwoman?”
Orson Waters nodded.
“She can be removed at the same time as he is. A tragic accident perhaps.”
“How? We can’t exactly drop her over the side of the ship. She would just swim back.”
“Unless I miss my guess, she and the Guardian will be going back to the island tomorrow. We should go with them.”
“That might be dangerous. I do not like the sound of what has happened there.”
“It is a risk worth taking. You need not go. I can infiltrate the group myself if you wish.”
“You must be very confident in your abilities. The guardian is amongst the deadliest swordsmen in the world.”
“Anyone can be killed if they are taken by surprise.”
“You will need to kill him in secret. And the two of them are always together.”
“There are ways of doing such things.”
Orson Waters stroked his chin. “I do not like it. What if something goes wrong? What if you are discovered?”
“That will not happen.”
“But if it does?”
“You will just disclaim all knowledge of me. A changeling infiltrated the retinue of the richest man in Siderea. It is quite plausible the ruse was aimed at you.”
“Is it?”
“If I wanted to replace you, I would already have done so.”
Orson Water’s face blanched. “You will find I am not so easy to kill.”
The changeling smiled, and features flowed around that smile until he was Burk once more. He eyed his supposed master complacently. “Of course, Goodman Waters. Of course.”
“I will let Urag know about your plan. I am sure he would be only too happy to help you. He is not fond of the Solar religion. He’ll need to know what you are though.”
“He’s tight-lipped enough,” said
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