danger should Arontala hear the tale. Harrtuck sat beside him by the fire, saying nothing, yet by his presence, reassuring him that the events of the night had not in any way compromised his loyalties. Sweet Lady, it can’t help but change the way they see me, Tris thought as the brandy burned its way down his throat. I don’t know what it means myself.
The brandy did its work, and Tris found that he could barely keep his eyes open. He fended off more offers of bread and dried fruits, protesting that the grateful family had already done quite enough as he stumbled up the stairs to bed.
79
CHAPTER FOUR
Back Table of Contents Next
A day later, when they left the innkeeper and his unhaunted tavern behind them, Tris sat with the others around a small fire at a makeshift campsite, surrounded by the noises of wild things and the darkness of the forest. He was still sweating from a thorough bout of sword practice with Soterius and Harrtuck, and he smiled to himself, recalling their praise at his growing skill.
Tonight, the travelers roasted what game they had snared and sat in silence, watching the flames. They were still a day’s ride from Ghorbal, a bustling trade city on a tributary of the Nu River, upstream from where that swift current grew to its mighty rush toward the sea.
Finally, Tris looked up at Harrtuck. “Tell me again what happened, out in the barracks,” he said, and although effort made his voice flat, he guessed that Harrtuck could easily read the emotion in his eyes. Tris clasped his hands, staring at the flames, hoping he could maintain his composure.
“Everyone knew that there was bad blood between Jared and your father,” Harrtuck began quietly, looking into the fire. “Your brother made no secret of it in the barracks, and those of us loyal to your father tried to warn Bricen. But many of the soldiers liked Jared,” Harrtuck continued, “because he had simple ideas they could follow.
“After a while, some of the soldiers started to like the idea of having a young fighting man to lead the kingdom, as I’m sure Jared always intended.” He paused. “Although I’m not sure the idea was completely theirs,” he added, with a watchful look at Tris.
“Arontala,” Tris muttered the name of the mage like a curse. “I should have guessed.”
“One of Jared’s men burst into the barracks and announced that the king was dead,” Harrtuck 80
went on. “A dozen of us who were loyal to the king headed for the palace, hoping that we could save you and the Queen and Kait, but we failed—except for you, my liege.”
“And the others you came with?” Tris asked softly.
“All dead,” Harrtuck reported. “As I would have been. You know the rest.”
“Thank you,” Tris said in a voice just above a whisper. He stared into the flames, trying to push away the memories. It was no use. They haunted his dreams and lingered behind every conscious thought. If only I had found a way to get father to listen, he thought miserably, clenching his fists. I should have done more, tried harder to get him to see how dangerous Arontala was, to see what Jared was really like. His nails dug into his palms until he drew blood.
But then, father wouldn’t listen to Kait and me when we tried to tell him how Jared beat the servants… or us. Mother tried. He wouldn’t hear her either. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough, often enough. I could have done more. And now, because I didn’t, Kait and mother are dead.
“Tris,” Carroway said softly, and Tris realized that the other had been addressing him without response for several minutes. “Don’t blame yourself. You did all anyone could do.”
Tris started to his feet like a snapped spring. “If I had done everything I could, we wouldn’t be here,” he said thickly. “Mother and Kait wouldn’t be dead. I should have made father see. I should have challenged Jared. By the Whore, if I’m a mage, I should have tried to stop Arontala when he first came. He
The brandy did its work, and Tris found that he could barely keep his eyes open. He fended off more offers of bread and dried fruits, protesting that the grateful family had already done quite enough as he stumbled up the stairs to bed.
79
CHAPTER FOUR
Back Table of Contents Next
A day later, when they left the innkeeper and his unhaunted tavern behind them, Tris sat with the others around a small fire at a makeshift campsite, surrounded by the noises of wild things and the darkness of the forest. He was still sweating from a thorough bout of sword practice with Soterius and Harrtuck, and he smiled to himself, recalling their praise at his growing skill.
Tonight, the travelers roasted what game they had snared and sat in silence, watching the flames. They were still a day’s ride from Ghorbal, a bustling trade city on a tributary of the Nu River, upstream from where that swift current grew to its mighty rush toward the sea.
Finally, Tris looked up at Harrtuck. “Tell me again what happened, out in the barracks,” he said, and although effort made his voice flat, he guessed that Harrtuck could easily read the emotion in his eyes. Tris clasped his hands, staring at the flames, hoping he could maintain his composure.
“Everyone knew that there was bad blood between Jared and your father,” Harrtuck began quietly, looking into the fire. “Your brother made no secret of it in the barracks, and those of us loyal to your father tried to warn Bricen. But many of the soldiers liked Jared,” Harrtuck continued, “because he had simple ideas they could follow.
“After a while, some of the soldiers started to like the idea of having a young fighting man to lead the kingdom, as I’m sure Jared always intended.” He paused. “Although I’m not sure the idea was completely theirs,” he added, with a watchful look at Tris.
“Arontala,” Tris muttered the name of the mage like a curse. “I should have guessed.”
“One of Jared’s men burst into the barracks and announced that the king was dead,” Harrtuck 80
went on. “A dozen of us who were loyal to the king headed for the palace, hoping that we could save you and the Queen and Kait, but we failed—except for you, my liege.”
“And the others you came with?” Tris asked softly.
“All dead,” Harrtuck reported. “As I would have been. You know the rest.”
“Thank you,” Tris said in a voice just above a whisper. He stared into the flames, trying to push away the memories. It was no use. They haunted his dreams and lingered behind every conscious thought. If only I had found a way to get father to listen, he thought miserably, clenching his fists. I should have done more, tried harder to get him to see how dangerous Arontala was, to see what Jared was really like. His nails dug into his palms until he drew blood.
But then, father wouldn’t listen to Kait and me when we tried to tell him how Jared beat the servants… or us. Mother tried. He wouldn’t hear her either. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough, often enough. I could have done more. And now, because I didn’t, Kait and mother are dead.
“Tris,” Carroway said softly, and Tris realized that the other had been addressing him without response for several minutes. “Don’t blame yourself. You did all anyone could do.”
Tris started to his feet like a snapped spring. “If I had done everything I could, we wouldn’t be here,” he said thickly. “Mother and Kait wouldn’t be dead. I should have made father see. I should have challenged Jared. By the Whore, if I’m a mage, I should have tried to stop Arontala when he first came. He
Similar Books
