Search for Audric (24 page)

"Monte is from Caroom," answered the prince. "He is the greatest archer I have ever seen. The tall one is Talot. He is from Lom where we were caught trespassing. I have been invited never to return, and the one who looks like Prince Zinan is Jared. We stumbled across him in Salacia. There is something special about him, father. I can't explain it, but there is some bond between us."

"Just looking at him gave me an ill feeling," frowned the king as he pulled a paper from his desk and held it so the prince could see it. It was the same drawing of himself that Prince Antion had seen before. "Have you seen anything like this?"

"I have," nodded Prince Antion. "The dark prince has been spreading them everywhere. Still, no one has connected me to the drawing. I guess the beard is good enough to fool most people."

"Most people," cautioned the king, "but not everyone."

"How did you recognize Umal?" asked Prince Antion.

"It helped that I knew he was missing," replied King Caedmon. "I also half expected him to be in your party. I did not mean to slight him today, but I thought getting you alone was all I could accomplish without raising eyebrows."

"He will understand," responded the prince. "Derri told me that the Borundans now know I am the one they are seeking. That does not surprise me. It is precisely why I have kept my identity as secret as possible. What concerns me more is the information about my sister. I do not want her hurt."

"Nor do I," sighed the king. "I kept her fairly ignorant about what you were up to and why you left. I suppose in hindsight, I should have confided in her. She inadvertently let that knowledge slip to the prince from Caroom."

"I understand," Prince Antion smiled sympathetically. "What information are you waiting on from Caroom?"

"I sent a man to investigate Prince Calitar," answered the king. "I wanted to know if the man was even a Caroomite. He was a minor prince with no claim to the throne, and I could find no one in Anatar who had ever met him. I guess it matters little now. The man murdered one of our soldiers and escaped the city."

"Monte is from Caxon," suggested Prince Antion. "Perhaps he will know of this Prince Calitar. Why not have someone question him tonight?"

"I will arrange that tomorrow," replied the king. "There is no sense in disturbing your party tonight. They must be tired from their travels."

"We will be leaving in the morning," Prince Antion shook his head. "Have him questioned tonight."

"You are not leaving Anatar," the king shook his head. "It is too dangerous."

"I must, father," sighed Prince Antion. "I know this will not come easy for you, but hear me out. I have spent a great deal of time thinking about this conversation, and I know how hard it is going to be for both of us, but I also know you to be a wise and reasonable man."

"Such kind words," King Caedmon said softly as he sank into his chair. "Now I know a fight is just over the horizon. Speak your piece, Son."

"We know that something special exists inside me," Prince Antion began. "We have struggled to figure out what it is, but we have failed. When I met Jared, I almost killed him because of his looks, but my own body refused to obey my commands. My sword halted inches from his body in the middle of a swing."

"The lad is magical?" asked the king.

"He is," nodded Prince Antion, "but he is not aware of it. I know what you are thinking, that he used magic to stop my swing, but that is not how it happened. Jared was in fear for his life. He froze and was incapable of doing anything. We ended up carrying him to bed so that he could recover."

"Interesting," pondered the king. "Can one use the Talent without being aware of it?"

"I don't know," admitted the prince, "but there is more. Whenever I touch him, I feel a surge of power pass between us. It appears to be based on emotions. When I was angry with him, the surge was quite powerful; at other times I could barely feel it, but it is always there, and no one else can feel it."

"Because you have this well of the Talent inside you," nodded King Caedmon, "but what does this have to do with you leaving Anatar?"

"Jared knows nothing about the Talent," explained the Arin prince. "He thinks all magic is evil, and he learned this attitude from his father. His father was a man who was hunted ever since Jared could remember. That is a long time to hold a grudge, and I think such a grudge would force them to kill Jared as well."

"We will offer our protection to Jared as well then," offered the king. "In fact, I will offer our protection to your whole group."

"Jared's father was killed a year ago in Capri," the prince continued, ignoring his father's offer. "Seeing as I cannot ask Jared or his father about the Talent inside Jared, I must find out who killed his father and why. Those are the only clues that can lead me to understanding of what is going on inside me."

"You're going to go to Capri to investigate the death of a man that occurred over a year ago?" balked the king. "Do not be absurd. Do you expect the murderer to come forth and offer a confession? Be reasonable, son. You can make up better excuses than that. If you want, I will send men into Capri to investigate the man's death, but do not expect them to find anything."

Prince Antion sighed heavily and walked to the window. He gazed out on the streets of Anatar, and he felt homesick, but his inner feelings were urging him onward to Capri.

"Many times I have heard your stories about your gut feelings," the prince said softly, "and I have always been amazed how your inner feelings protected you. I have those feelings inside of me now, father. I hear your words of wisdom, and I respect you greatly, but my gut is demanding that I go to Capri and fulfill this quest. Answer me truthfully. If this was your gut feeling, what would you do?"

The king's face paled as he thought of his answer. He shook his head and his hands clenched into fists, but his voice remained calm.

"This is not about me," the king replied. "I know that my gut feeling has always been right. Can you say the same for yours?"

"My gut told me to leave Anatar once before," answered the prince. "I am still alive. Can you guarantee that I would still be alive today had I been in the palace when Prince Calitar was here?"

Silence fell over the king's office, as both father and son knew the answer to the question. Prince Calitar had not hesitated to kill when it was in his best interests, and it was obvious whom that prince would have liked to kill.

"There is something that you must know about the death of the soldier," King Caedmon said softly. "His death was not caused by any means the wisper could determine. She indicated that she thought it must have been a magical death. Do you understand what you are getting involved in, son?"

"I have no choice, father," replied the prince. "I must follow the trail wherever it leads. Will you give me your support?"

"You have my full support, Antion," King Caedmon said as he rose and embraced his son, "but you will remain in Anatar for three full days before you leave."

"So you can get your soldiers ready to follow me again?" questioned the prince.

"General Fergus did that on his own," chuckled the king. "He was annoyed that you had so easily evaded his men, but it secretly made me proud of you. No, Antion, I will not try to deceive you. I will send men before you, but they are not to follow you. I would not betray your identity for such a foolish mission. I just want my men to check out the forests of western Capri before your little party departs. They will not know why I am ordering them to do so, but it will give me some modicum of peace to have it done. Besides, your party should be well rested. Capri is not a friendly country for small parties."

"I have no problem with your condition," replied Prince Antion, "but how am I to explain the delay to my traveling partners without arousing suspicions?"

"There I can help," smiled King Caedmon. "There are two traveling with you who know your identity. The three of you can express a desire to rest for a few days. As for the merchant, I will make him a profitable offer to move things around the city for me. If he is truly a merchant, he will not refuse."

"You are devious," chuckled Prince Antion. "When will I learn to think like that?"

"You already have," laughed the king. "Find an excuse to be on your own tomorrow. I want you to spend some time with the family."

"How will I get into the palace?" asked the prince.

"Through the small gate into the graveyard," answered the king. "The guards will be missing during the first hour of the day. There will also be a drill requiring the wall guards to leave their posts. I can only guarantee an hour, so do not be late."

The Rim and Spoke Inn was a favorite stopping place for Kerzi whenever he came to Anatar. It was located in the northeast quarter of the city and had enough room around it for wagons to park without a lot of effort. The rooms were clean and the innkeeper friendly. In the common room, Kerzi's party gathered for the evening meal, and their spirits were bright.

"I have always loved this city," smiled the merchant, "because everyone is so friendly, but I never imagined that I would meet the king face-to-face. He is a most agreeable man. Isn't that how you read him, Gunnar?"

"Very much so," smiled the prince of Arin.

"What did he talk to you about?" asked Kerzi. "Was he as friendly in private as he was when we both talked to him?"

"He was very friendly," agreed Gunnar. "He knows that hard times are coming to the Land of the Nine Kingdoms, and he wanted information about our travels and what we encountered. He was quite interested in Monte."

"Me?" asked Monte. "Why would he be interested in me?"

"He asked who my fellow travelers were and I told him," explained Gunnar. "When he learned that a Caroomite was among us, he was anxious for some of his people to talk to you. It seems that a Prince Calitar recently visited Anatar, but no one knows for sure if the man was who he said he was. Do you know him?"

"I do know of him," Monte nodded, "but not on personal terms. I will, of course, be of whatever help I can be to the authorities."

"You will get your chance rather soon," Talot said softly as two officers entered the common room. "I suspect the king might be rather anxious for whatever you can tell them."

The officers scanned the common room and immediately marched over to Kerzi's table. Kerzi stood and smiled as he recognized the officer who had paid him for the shipment from Kyland.

"Sit, Kerzi," smiled the officer. "There is no reason to stand on my account."

"I trust there was no problem with my delivery?" Kerzi asked as he sat down.

"On the contrary," smiled the officer. "Arin is very pleased with your service. In fact, I have need of your services to transport goods within the city, if that is acceptable to you."

"Within the city?" echoed the merchant. "I would be most pleased to help out in any way that I can, but can it wait until morning? It has been a long day for us."

"I would not think of dragging a merchant away from his meal," replied the officer. "The job I need done is likely to take two to three days, and it pays rather well. Starting in the morning is what I had in mind."

Kerzi's eyes brightened. Arin had been most generous in their payment for the delivery from Kyland, and a couple of days of driving around the city would be a break from his normal routine.

"I am at your service," grinned the old man.

"Excellent," smiled the officer. "I will send instructions to you in time for the morning meal."

The officer turned and left, but the second officer remained. His eyes wavered over the party and settled on Kerzi.

"I am told that your party includes a warrior from Caroom," stated the second officer. "Is that correct?"

"I am from Caroom," volunteered Monte.

"Can you describe Prince Calitar to me?" inquired the officer.

"He is an average looking fellow in terms of height and girth," began Monte. "He dresses quite elegantly and has black hair. One distinguishing thing about the prince is a nasty scar upon his left cheek."

"You mean his right cheek?" interrupted the officer.

"No," Monte shook his head. "The scar is on his left cheek."

"Surely, you are mistaken," frowned the officer as he took a piece of paper from his pouch and unfolded it. He handed the drawing to Monte. "Is this not the man?"

Monte stared at the picture and shook his head. "Only if one were looking in a mirror," declared the Caroomite. "The scar is on the wrong side of his face."

"Are you positive?" pushed the officer.

"Absolutely," Monte nodded vigorously. "I saw the accident happen; just about everyone in the marketplace did. We were both young at the time, but I can still picture him falling off that wall. His cheek was a bloody mess when the men ran to help him. It is a sight that I will never forget. It reinforced my father's words to obey my elders. Young Calitar was making a fool of himself that day, and many men shouted for him to get off the wall, but he thought himself invincible, as most boys do I guess. His fall is etched into my mind for all time. This is not a picture of Prince Calitar unless your artist was looking in a mirror."

The soldier folded the paper and put it back in his pouch. "Thank you," he nodded to Monte and then he left the common room.

"Are you truly sure of what you told the soldier?" asked Gunnar.

"I am positive," replied Monte. "The likeness was very good, but a scar does not jump from cheek to cheek."

"You seem disturbed by this," Kerzi frowned at Gunnar. "Does this have anything to do with the Borundans chasing you?"

"I am not sure," admitted Gunnar. "The king told me that this prince from Caroom was inside the palace and spending time with the princess. They believed him to be a spy for Borunda."

"The king told you this?" gasped Monte.

"Not exactly," Gunnar replied hesitantly, "but I did ask why they were so interested in a man from Caroom being in our party."

"So we have another day or two in Anatar," interrupted Horst as he tried to save his friend from saying something that he would later regret. "What shall we do with them? Shall we take turns helping Kerzi so that we each can enjoy some free time?"

Gunnar was glad to have the topic of conversation changed. He sighed with relief and nodded to his friend in thanks for saving him.

"I will help out tomorrow," offered Talot. "What better way to see the city than to be driven around by someone who has been here before?"

"I will take the day after," volunteered Gunnar. "I want to spend some time tomorrow exploring alone on foot."

Horst knew something was afoot, but the Arin prince had not confided in him. Whatever Antion was up to, Jared had to be kept away from him.

"I think I will take Jared to the marketplace," offered the horseman. "What say you, Monte? Will it be the marketplace with me and Jared, or the wagon with Talot and Kerzi?"

"I will wait for the instructions in the morning to make up my mind," answered Monte. "If it looks like Talot and Kerzi will need help, I will go with them; otherwise the marketplace is fine."

The following morning, Gunnar slipped out of the inn to find Horst waiting outside. The Odessian grinned at Gunnar's surprise.

"You know me too well," chuckled the Arin prince. "Thank you for your help last night at the evening meal. I sometimes forget that I am playing a role."

"That is why I am with you," smiled Horst. "Do you need someone to watch your back while you sneak off to the palace?"

"How did you know?" frowned Gunnar.

"Your family suffers from the lack of you," shrugged Horst. "What is there to understand? I would have been more surprised if that was not your destination."

Gunnar nodded thoughtfully. "I am glad that you are with me," he smiled, "but everything has already been prepared. I will be fine."

"Alright," nodded Horst. "Have a good day, and offer my respects to your family."

"I shall," agreed the Arin prince.

Gunnar slipped off into the predawn haze. The Arin prince knew the city of Anatar well, and he made his way to the small gate in the palace wall just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. He slipped the key, which his father had given him, out of his pouch and moved swiftly to the wall. He unlocked the gate and moved quickly into the cemetery and relocked the gate.

It felt eerie to the Arin prince to see no soldiers guarding the palace. He ran to the nearest door leading into the palace and found it slightly ajar. With one last look around the cemetery, he slid inside and closed the door. The corridor was dark, the torches extinguished. As he made his way along the dark corridor, he sensed another presence ahead of him. He was not sure if he had heard something, or saw movement, but he knew that he was not alone.

"Hurry along, son," came his father's voice. "I do not want to chance a soldier disobeying his assignment. The men of the palace are very concerned with security, and I am sure that my orders raised more than one eyebrow."

Prince Antion moved swiftly and his father turned and led the way through a jumble of passageways that was not a direct path to the chambers of the royal family. Neither of the men spoke until they were safely in the chambers.

"That was a rather chaotic path to the chambers," frowned Prince Antion. "Why?"

"I have the patrols timed," grinned the king. "It is a minor flaw in the security that I will address immediately after you leave."

"I hope so," replied the prince. "It gave me an ill feeling sneaking into the palace. What if others could do so?"

"We have a group who tries once a week," answered the king. "They are fairly good at discovering our weak spots. We will always need improvement, but we are fairly secure now."

"How will I get out?" asked Prince Antion.

"There is a secret passage leading into the city," smiled King Caedmon.

"A secret passage?" echoed the prince. "How is that possible? Surely others must know."

"Only the king's advisor and I know of it," replied the king. "It is a passageway that was built when this palace was erected hundreds of years ago. The king's advisor is privy to its existence only to enable him to protect the royal family and to pass it down to the next king. It has been that way since the time of its completion. You will use it to leave the palace tonight. You must hold this secret as your most guarded possession to preserve its use for future generations."

"I will, father," promised Prince Antion. "Have you received the report about the conversation with Monte?"

"Less than an hour after he spoke to the officer," nodded the king. "It was a busy night here in the palace last night. Do you think Monte remembered correctly?"

"I do," replied Prince Antion. "I think the event made its mark on his young, impressionable mind. Are you sure that your artist did not make an error?"

"Positive," sighed King Caedmon. "The drawing is not just based on your sister's memory, but many others. Many people saw Prince Calitar, or whoever he really was. The drawing is accurate."

"How can that be?" pondered the prince.

"The question of the day," responded the king. "I had meetings last night with several wispers. They were divided over the question of the possibility of the Talent allowing such a deception. I tend to believe that magic was used to alter the spy's appearance. The soldier died a magical death after all, so we know the spy had the Talent within him."

"That is not something that I would wish to be true," frowned Prince Antion, "but I agree with you. Even if we are wrong, we must assume that such a capability exists and plan to defend against it."

"Well spoken," smiled King Caedmon. "We also received a messenger from Tarent late last night."

"Tarent?" frowned Prince Antion. "What do they want?"

"We have been invited to a coronation," replied the king. "It appears that Naveena's regency is to be short lived. Garrick is to be crowned king at the end of the month."

"The end of the month?" echoed the prince. "That is quick. There will be barely enough time for the farthest capitals to respond. What will you do?"

"I have not talked with King Hector yet," answered the king, "but I will not be attending, nor will any member of my family."

"They will take that as a slight," noted Prince Antion. "Is that the wisest course of action?"

"Now you sound much like Evan," smiled King Caedmon. "It will be a slight to the kingdom of Borunda, but I cannot help feeling threatened by them. I am not about to put my family under their control. I am pondering the option of sending someone to represent Arin, but there is no choice that I can think of that would satisfy them."

"They would be inclined to abuse whoever you send," sighed Prince Antion. "Then they could use your justifiable reaction as a prelude to war. There is no winning position in this challenge."

"Your thoughts are those of a man who understands his enemy well," smiled King Caedmon. "You have grown a great deal, and I am proud to call you my son. What do you think King Hector will do?"

"I have not spoken to the Salacian king in some time," mused Prince Antion, "but if he reacts as Derri would, he will join you in boycotting the ceremony. You two are like brothers. To attack one is to attack the other."

"Quite true," agreed the king, "but he must also think of his people. They do come before his feelings. Why is Prince Derri not with you?"

"I thought it unsafe for him to join with us," answered Prince Antion. "In fact, I have had little choice in who joined with me. Jared is the only one I asked to come with me. Horst and Talot insisted, and Monte was seeking a life of adventure. As bold as I sound when I plead my case with you, father, I am well aware that my travels may well be the end of me, and anyone who is with me at the time."

"I understand," nodded the king, "and I am glad to see competent people around you, but Prince Derri is also the best tracker that I have ever seen. His skills would be put to good use in Capri, and he is quite capable of defending himself."

"You think I was wrong to exclude him?" asked the prince.

"No," answered the king. "I do think it is wrong to base all of your decisions on the fear of others getting hurt. Prince Derri may well escort his father to Tarent later this month and die because of that journey. None of us can forecast the future, son. If I made my decisions based solely on fear, you would not be leaving this palace."

"That is something for me to consider," nodded Prince Antion, "but it is not pertinent now in any event. Our journey is well past Kyland. Do you really think there is danger for the Salacians in Tarent?"

"I truly don't know," admitted King Caedmon. "The Borundans have made it clear that they think nothing of offending Arin, but Salacia is another matter. I wish I knew exactly what Garrick was up to. I even contemplated going to the coronation in an attempt to discover the truth, but I came to my senses. Any nation that would send a mage into my home to spy is not a nation that I would trust."