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  “You have tried to have us killed,” repliedMillet. “You’ve destroyed temples and the Gods only knowwhat you’ve done to the clergy. Whatever your motivations arefor letting us go, I suspect they are part of some grander design.You allow us to leave because it serves your needs to do so, though,I don’t yet know what they are.”

  “The attempts on the lives of you and your friendswere unfortunate,” he said. “The people responsible havebeen dealt with. Of course, I don’t expect you to believe that,and frankly, it doesn’t matter. You will think my master isyour enemy until the very end. But when that end comes, you will seethe truth.”

  “I see the truth now,” Millet shot back.“And unless you force me to do so, I will hear no more of yourlies.”

  “As you wish,” said Brandis. “Mysoldiers and I will wait outside.” He spun on his heels andleft the house. Markus and the soldiers followed close behind.

  “Do you think they actually intend to let us justwalk out of here?” asked Maybell.

  “Millet was correct,” said Malstisos. “Ifit serves their objectives they will. This may be a deception, but Icannot divine the purpose. If they want us, they have us.”

  “We’ll know soon enough,” said Millet.

  Two hours later, the door opened, and Brandis entered.Behind him was a tall, thin youth, no more than twenty, with lightbrown hair that fell in loose curls to his shoulders. He was dressedin tan leathers and boots, and carried a pack over his shoulders. Hisface was strikingly like Lee’s except a bit more rounded at thechin, and his eyes were deep green and more widely set.

  “I give you Jacob Nal’Thain,” saidBrandis.

  Millet looked Jacob over for several moments. “Howdo we know this is Jacob?”

  “Who else would I be?” Jacob sneered. “Andwho are you?”

  “I am Millet Gristall, the personal assistant toLee Nal’Thain.”

  “My father?” said Jacob. “So this iswhat you brought me here for? You drag me from my cell for this?”

  Millet cocked his head. “Your cell?”

  “Young Jacob has been somewhat of atrouble-maker,” Brandis explained. “We have had to lockhim away for the good of the city.”

  “I see,” said Millet. He turned to Jacob.“Where is your mother?”

  Jacob glared. “This dog knows where she is. InAngraal, where they took her.”

  “How many times must you be told?” askedBrandis. “She went of her own free will.”

  “I’ll never believe that. And if you expectme to go willingly with these people just so they can kill me whenwe're out of sight, then you’re mistaken. Kill me now, for allto see.”

  Brandis sighed. “For the last time, if we wantedto kill you we would have done so long before now. You will either gowith these people or leave on your own. Either way, I tire of you andwill no longer tolerate your presence.”

  “You will come with us,” said Millet. “Iwas sent to retrieve you and your mother. Being that your mother isnot here, I will at least retrieve you.”

  “Why should I believe you?” asked Jacob.“What’s to prevent you from killing me the moment we’reout of sight?”

  “As much as I hate to admit it,” repliedMillet. “Brandis is correct. If they wanted you dead, theywouldn’t need such an elaborate deception. In fact, we are inmore danger from you, than you are from us.”

  Jacob thought for a moment. “Very well, I will gowith you, for now.”

  “Good decision,” said Brandis. “I’llleave you to it then.” He started to the door. “Pleasetell Lord Nal’Thain that we will allow him to see his wife anytime he wishes. And as for Gewey Stedding, the Reborn King stillwants his friendship. Please convey the message to both of them, ifyou would.”

  “I’ll tell them,” replied Millet.

  “Good,” he said. “You will not behindered when you leave. I’ll wait outside until you’reready.” He turned and left.

  “I’m not sure what your game is,” saidJacob. “But if you wish me harm, even your friend the elf mayfind that difficult.”

  Malstisos stepped forward. “If I wanted you dead,I would have killed you the second that door closed. It is not wethat need prove our intentions.”

  “I agree,” said Millet. “You look likemy lord, but I have no way of knowing for sure.”

  “What do we do?” said Maybell. “Certainlywe cannot trust that this is not a deception.”

  “We won’t,” said Millet. “Thereis one way of finding the truth. But in order to do so I must contactLord Starfinder.”

  “I’ve heard that name before,” saidJacob.

  “Of course you have,” he replied. “Thatwas the name of your father before you were born, and it is the namehe goes by now. I’m sure your mother has mentioned it.”

  “No,” he said. “I heard it when I wasin prison. The Dark One wants him. They mean to kill him.”

  “They’ve already tried,” said Milletwith a wicked smile. “So far they’ve failed miserably.”

  “Enough talk,” said Malstisos. “Weneed to leave while we still can.”

  “Agreed,” said Millet. “We’llhead west for now.”

  “Then what?” asked Maybell. “We can’tbring him back with us. At least not until we know with certainty heis who he says he is.”

  “I have no intention of being taken anywhere,”said Jacob. “As soon as I’m able, I’ll be going myown way.”

  Millet looked irritably at the boy. “I suggest youaccept our company for the time being. At least until we’reaway from here.”

  Jacob looked disgusted and walked to the door. “I’llbe outside when you’re ready.” He slammed the door behindhim.

  Chapter Two

  Millet, Maybell and Malstisos gathered their gear andleft the house. Jacob sat on the front steps, fiddling with a smallknife. Their horses were ready and waiting. Brandis stood a few feetaway along with two guards.

  “Here are your weapons,” said Brandis. Hemotioned to one of the guards who handed them over. “I trustyou will not need them any time soon. And we have provided youngJacob with a sword as well as a mount. If you wish an escort, one canbe provided, but I suspect you do not.”

  “No escort is necessary,” replied Millet.“We know the way.”

  “In that case I wish you a safe journey,”said Brandis. He nodded to the guards who followed him, and hedisappeared down the street.

  Millet led them through the village to the west road.The street was conspicuously empty.

  “Do you think they plan to ambush us?” askedMaybell as they mounted their horses.

  “I doubt it,” answered Millet. “Theycould have killed us if they wanted. Malstisos was the only one whomight have escaped. No, whatever their plan is, it involves usremoving Jacob from Hazrah.” He looked suspiciously at the boy.

  They continued until dusk and made camp along the road.Along the way, they had passed a patrol, but the soldiers ignoredthem.

  “It would seem that Brandis intends to let usleave without incident,” said Malstisos.

  Millet stared at the fire and rubbed his hands together.“So it would seem.” He watched as Jacob checked his horseand unpacked his gear. “We must find a way to contact Leewithout giving away his location. Until then, I’m afraid wehave no way to trust the lad.”

  “I have exceptional hearing,” said Jacob.“From my father’s side of the family, I assume. Contacthim if you must. As for me I’m headed for Baltria once we’resafely away from here.”

  “You intend to abandon your mother?” askedMillet.

  Jacob glowered. “There’s nothing I can dofor her.” He placed his blanket near the fire. “Theywon’t send for her, I don’t care what they told you. Idoubt she’s even alive.”

  “They let you live, didn’t they?” saidMalstisos.

  “That may be. But I’m in Hazrah, and mymother is not. The house Nal’Thain still has a good name amongthe people. To kill me without scandal or reprisal, they would needto do it away from the city.”

  “We were t
old that you helped Angraaltake control,” said Maybell huddled close to the fire, sippingelf brandy.

  “That’s a lie,” spat Jacob. “Idid everything I could to stop them.”

  “That may be,” said Maybell. “But ifthe people believe it, I doubt your death would cause much of ascandal.”

  Jacob pulled his blanket close and stared into the fire.

  “What didhappen?” asked Malstisos. “From what we have seen itdidn’t take much of an effort for Angraal to seizecontrol.”

  Jacob scowled. “It was the King,” hemuttered in disgust. “He sold us out.”

  “You’re not making sense,” saidMillet. “Even the King couldn’t simply hand over controlof the land to a foreign power without resistance from the nobles.”

  “That’s not what happened,” repliedJacob. “They were far more subtle. A year ago an ambassadorarrived at court with a message of friendship. He said he was from akingdom in the north and desired to establish relations and trade.Naturally, the lords were skeptical. All the old tales of thenorthern kingdoms are of terror and war, but the ambassador assuredus of his good intentions and suggested that we send an envoy to meetwith his lord. After much deliberation, the King agreed. I wanted tobe the one to go, but mother wouldn’t allow it.”

  “Wise woman,” said Millet.

  “In this case she was.” Jacob nodded inagreement. “The King sent his second cousin to gauge the truthof matters. Sadly, though loved dearly by the King, he has no skillwith diplomacy. He returned two months later accompanied by a fullentourage of representatives from Angraal, enough to occupya proper diplomatic embassy. At first, the King protested, but hiscousin convinced him that relations and trade would be in the bestinterest for the kingdom. Before long they had bought a building nearthe palace and had established themselves as the embassy to the“ Reborn King of Angraal.”

  “That didn’t send up warning flags?”asked Millet. “The “Reborn King” can only bereferring to the Demon King, Ratsterfel. Surely the templesintervened when they heard this?” He retrieved a loaf of breadand dried meat from his pack and passed it around.

  “I believe the temples had been infiltrated longbefore the arrival of the ambassador,” replied Jacob.

  “Why would you think that?” asked Maybell,trying to contain her irritation.

  “From the moment they arrived they showed theircontempt for the Gods. They refused to have their embassy blessed,and turned away any offer of friendship the temples made. On thestreets they openly mocked the Gods, and said that anyone thattrusted in them was a fool. A few of the temples were evenvandalized. Everyone knew who did it, but there was no proof. Morethan that, the temples did little to stop it.”

  “All this and the King did nothing?” saidMillet.

  “There was nothing to do,” said Jacob. “Thetemples made no complaint. Not to the King or anyone else. In fact,it was widely known that many of the high priestesses and seniormonks had dealings with them on a regular basis. I myself saw thechief librarian of the Temple of Gerath riding with the ambassador,talking and laughing as friends.”

  “That means nothing,” said Maybell. “Youcan’t know why they were speaking.”

  “True,” he answered. “But the next daythe library was robbed and nearly every important text stolen. Theculprits were never found despite the fact that I told the magistratewhat I had seen. Of course, after that life became more difficult formy mother and me. Several of our trade caravans were attacked, andour interests in the copper mine were suddenly audited. I went to themagistrate to complain, but I fear he had already been bought. Thechief finance minister manufactured reasons for our mining assets tobe stripped away. Of course they were sold to an unknown party, andby unknown I mean Angraal.”

  “Was anyone else attacked like this?” askedMillet.

  “Oh, yes, I was not the only Lord of Hazrah withthe courage to stand up to these interlopers. But our resistance wasshort lived. With the King and the temples against us, we werereduced to simple acts of defiance and petty acts of vandalism.Unfortunately, in my case they found my weakness.”

  “And what might that have been?” askedMalstisos.

  “My mother. As I became more brazen in myresistance, they threatened to kill her if I didn’t fall inline. My first reaction was to send her away. We have friends inBaltria, and I thought she’d be safe there, but they got to herbefore I could make the arrangements. I was told that she hadvolunteered to attend court in Angraal as the personalrepresentative of the King, but the truth is they are using her asleverage against me. It was a week after she left when the firstAngraal troops arrived. The King announced that there was agrowing threat from the southern kingdoms, and they were only thereto assist in our defense, but it was soon clear that it was anoccupation.”

  “It’s difficult to imagine all this,”said Millet. “The people of Hazrah would have risen up andfought in my day.”

  “Some tried,” he said. “But any whotook up arms were slaughtered and called a traitor to the throne.Most were arrested before they could organize and be send north.”

  “Is that how you ended up in prison?” askedMaybell.

  Jacob nodded slowly. “At first they said I wasbeing held for questioning about a raid on a grain shipment. Therewas, of course, no such raid. It was clear I was framed to get me outof the way. They made it seem as if I was cooperating in order tocoerce me into furthering their goals, but I refused. I think theonly reason I’ve kept my head is that my mother has agreed towork with them.”

  “I can’t believe Lady Nal’Thain wouldside with the Dark Knight over her own people,” said Millet.“She would rather die.”

  “You’re right,” said Jacob. “Butit was my life and not hers she was protecting. That’s whatthey do. They use the people you care for against you.”

  “How long have you been in prison?” askedMaybell.

  “Six months,” he replied. “I wasreleased once but immediately rearrested. When I was jailed the firsttime, troops were just arriving. Now they are at least two-thousandstrong.”

  “What do you intend to do?” asked Millet.“If you go back you’ll be imprisoned…or worse.”

  “Like I said earlier,” said Jacob. “I’mheading to Baltria. I have friends there who can help me. Then I’mgoing to get my mother out of Angraal.”

  Millet thought for a moment. “I’ll go withyou.” He turned to Malstisos. “You and Maybell go backand tell Lord Starfinder what has happened.”

  “I don’t need you slowing me down,”said Jacob.

  Millet laughed. “If you are who you say you arethen you will need my help. I traveled with your father for manyyears and am far more capable than you might think.”

  Malstisos smiled. “You should listen to yourelders, young one. Millet is far more traveled than you. Besides, Idoubt they left you with any coin. How do you intend to eat andlodge?”

  “I can hunt,” said Jacob stubbornly. “I’velearned to survive on my own.”

  “That may be,” said Millet. “But Iserve the house Nal’Thain and have an obligation to see to yourwell-being.”

  Jacob met Millet’s eyes. “You serve myfather, not the house Nal’Thain. He gave up his right to usethat name when he abandoned us.”

  “You speak from ignorance,” said Millet.“But now is not for me to enlighten you.” Milletstraightened out his bedroll. “I amgoing with you. We’ll take the road east to Manisalia. There isa crossroads a few days from the city. We’ll split up there.”

  Maybell’s eyes lit up. “Perhaps we shouldsee the Oracle.”

  “You can try,” said Millet. “But Iwould not tarry long. If she will not see you right away you shouldmove on.”

  “I would relish the chance to see the Oracle,”said Malstisos. “She is well known to my people.”

  “I think you will be disappointed,” saidJacob. “The rumor is she has left Manisalia to escape thearmies of Angraal. I even heard that she is dead.”

  “I hope you’re wrong,” said Maybell,settling i
nto her blanket. “It would be a great loss to theworld. Her wisdom has helped guide the world away from destructionfor many decades.”

  “Decades?” said Malstisos. “My peoplehave tales of her that go back before the Great War. I have alwaysassumed her to be more than one person, the title passed down butperhaps not.”

  “You think she is that old?” asked Maybell.“She is human, after all.”

  “Are you so certain of that? Our stories alwaysdescribe the same person, always looking the same way. That in itselfmeans nothing, but I’ve also heard human tales of her. Recentones. They are too similar in her description to think it acoincidence. At least it seems that way to me.”

  “Maybe you can ask her if she is still there.”Millet pulled his blanket over his chest and yawned. “We stillhave a long journey ahead. We can continue this discussion tomorrow.”

  Chapter Three

  The next day they rode in silence. At mid-day, theystopped to eat and rest the horses. Several groups of soldiers and afew local farmers passed, but all ignored their presence. Thetemperature had dropped substantially, and a strong north wind cutstraight through the party’s clothing. It wasn’t longafter they were underway again when it became clear that they wouldneed to risk a town and an inn.

  “No need for us to hide at this point.”Millet’s voice trembled from the cold. “Whatever theirplan, it’s obvious they do not intend to hinder our departure.”

  “I agree,” said Malstisos. He glanced overat Maybell who rode in silence, her eyes down. He couldn’t helpbut worry. Despite remarkable resilience for a woman of her advancedyears, he knew the elements must be taking their toll. “In factI intend to remain in plain sight for as long as possible.”

  Jacob chuckled and slowly shook his head. “Itwould do no good to run. They have trackers from Angraalfollowing us even now. Of that, I have no doubt. Where we go, theywill follow.”

  Millet grunted with displeasure. “When we split upthey may have a harder time of it. I have a feeling that it is youand I they will be following, and my skills in evasion should not beunderestimated.”