Brian McClellan - Forsworn

“Do you think it was the powder mage?” Erika asked.

“Perhaps.”

She could feel the blood thumping in her ears. “Where did it happen?”

“To the southeast.”

Erika put her hand to her chest. “That’s the king’s highway! Santiole and I were just hunting down there yesterday. Could it have been bandits?” She dabbed at her forehead. “Pit, we were just there. We could have been attacked!”

Nikslaus seemed taken aback. “Well. I’m glad it was my men, and not you and your bodyguard.”

“That’s…that’s just horrible. Grandfather, I demand you send someone down there to root them out.”

Grandfather pursed his lips. “I’ll talk with Santiole. We can’t have bandits operating in my forest. I’ll see that the culprits are brought to justice.”

“Very well,” Nikslaus said slowly. “Thank you for that.” He eyed Erika, then said, “I do hope you have a safe journey.”

Nikslaus left, and they were soon heading north into the mountain roads that would take them through the lowest passes to Norport.

Erika watched the forest roll by, the trees naked but for the last stubborn leaves clinging to bare branches, the only sound the creak of the carriage wheels and the clop of their small escort.

“You played a dangerous game there,” grandfather said when they were some ways from the manor. “Admitting that you had been hunting in the area.”

Erika nodded. If grandfather had disapproved, he would have spoken up earlier.

“But well done,” he said. “You threw him off balance. Be careful with Nikslaus. He’s young, and as Privileged go he’s not actually very powerful, but he makes up for it with cunning. Don’t provoke him into doing something stupid.”

“Isn’t that what I should be doing?”

“Not if that stupid thing is trying to kill you. Because mark my words: he will succeed. You can look into his eyes and see a man who doesn’t balk at murder.” Grandfather shrugged. “After all. This is Kez. And he’s a duke.”

“So are you.”

“Have I balked at murder?”

Erika tilted her head, taken aback. “I…don’t know.”

“I may be grandfather to you, my dear, but…well, men have learned to fear me. And they will learn to fear you, by the time you inherit my title and lands.”

Erika watched her grandfather-the wizened old man who used to bring her flowers and berries from his gardens-and wondered just of what he was capable. Was he as ruthless as Nikslaus? Had he learned to hide it better? Would she be that ruthless some day? The question bothered her all through the afternoon and into the evening to when they stopped to change horses before continuing on through the night.

They were joined the next morning by Santiole and Norrine. Erika couldn’t help but give a sigh of relief at the sight of the girl. Norrine wore an old pair of Erika’s riding boots and a white chemise with green trim under a long fox fur jacket. She also wore a scarf to cover the brand on her neck.

Their new additions brought the company up to seven. Lord Leora made it clear he did not like the idea of so many people with knowledge of the girl they were smuggling out of the country, but also that he trusted his two men-at-arms and the driver implicitly. Each had been with him longer than Erika had been alive.

They were in Norport just four days later. Santiole once again disappeared with Norrine, taking her to an inn where they could stay inconspicuously, and Erika proceeded to the hotel with her grandfather. Erika was able to get her first good night’s sleep in almost a week, and she woke up in the morning with a lightness to her step and the smell of fish and the damp odor of the Adsea in her nostrils.

She was almost there. Grandfather’s driver had booked her passage on a schooner heading to Adopest. Santiole would book herself and Norrine passage on the same schooner and in just two days they would be far beyond the reach of the Kez Longdogs. Norrine would be gone when Erika returned to Kez in a few months, and there would be no evidence to tie her to the fugitive powder mage. She couldn’t believe they had done it.

Grandfather asked her to join him for breakfast in the hotel dining room. Only one other pair dined in the large room, which suited Erika fine. They were seated and their breakfast of partridge eggs, toast, and calf liver was brought out to them just a few minutes later. Erika set into the meal, feeling like she hadn’t eaten in months. Grandfather lifted his fork and pointed it to the doorway behind Erika. “Your friend is here,” he said, his voice flat.

“My friend? Who?”

Erika turned in her seat. Several men stood speaking with the hotel owner in the grand hall. They wore the tan uniforms with green trim of Kez soldiers, with white sashes across their chests. Another member of the group wore a black suit and a pair of runed Privileged gloves.

Duke Nikslaus.

Erika felt the blood drain from her face and turned to face her breakfast. She stared at her plate for several moments, trying to control her breathing. He was here. And if he was here, it meant he was here for them. Within moments he and his Longdogs would come through the door and arrest her and grandfather.

She had brought grandfather in on this. It was all her fault. Maybe she could convince them he had nothing to do with it?

“Eat up,” grandfather said. “You’ll need your strength.” He was already sipping at his morning tea.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Eat,” he urged again.

“My lady! My Lord Leora! How good to see you both again!” Nikslaus entered the room and came around the side of the table. Grandfather stood to shake the duke’s hand, and Erika allowed him to kiss the back of hers.

Surely he could hear her heart pounding away. Surely the trap would spring any moment.

“What brings you to Norport?” Erika asked, her voice sounding faint even to her.

“Still hunting, still hunting,” Nikslaus made a motion like a wheel going around and fell into one of the chairs. “We have to range all over when we’re hunting like this. You know how it is. A fugitive could be anywhere.”

“Surely not here,” Erika said.

“We don’t know. I’ve sent men in every direction, of course.”

“Of course,” she echoed, waiting for the other shoe to fall. Was he toying with her?

“When I discovered you were here, I thought I’d come and give you the courtesy of telling you myself.”

“Oh?” Erika asked. She looked toward grandfather, but the old man sipped his tea and took a bite of his toast as if this conversation were perfectly ordinary.

Nikslaus went on. “I’ve had to close the port. I’m so sorry. I know you were returning to Adro today. But with the powder mage still loose I have to take every precaution.”

Erika set her fork beside her plate so that he wouldn’t see how it trembled. “Oh. I see. How long will the port be closed?”

“A week. Maybe two? A month at the longest, I’m sure. I’ve asked for reinforcements and we’re going to make a thorough search of the city before I can allow the port to open again.”

“That’ll be very poor for trade on the Adsea,” grandfather said after a bite of poached eggs. “The Adrans won’t be happy.”

“The king is worried not a whit as to the happiness of Adro when it concerns these damned powder mages. No offense, my lady,” Nikslaus lay a hand gently on Erika’s arm. “I know you’re half Adran yourself, but you must understand.”

And a powder mage . She swallowed hard. “Certainly, my lord.”

“I do have good news,” Nikslaus said. “I’ve just been sent something wonderful by the men at the royal armory. Duglas!”

The tall master mage hunter entered the room a moment later, wearing one of the green on tan uniforms with his long gray hair tied back and his mustache gleaming with wax. He had a long package slung over one shoulder, wrapped in oil cloth. At a gesture from Nikslaus, he thumped it on the table. Erika jumped as a plate shattered beneath it. Duglas didn’t seem to notice.