The Diplomat (21 page)

“I’m afraid I’ll have to delay you a little more.” Rema frowned at the servants moving around them, their hands filled with food and utensils. “We need to speak in private, Yorin.”

“Well, that’s easily done.” Yorin clapped his hands. “Get out of here, all of you! And don’t come back in until I say so!” The servants milled for a moment in confusion before filing through the doors, looking with curiosity at Rema as they went. “Why walk to a private location when you can make one?”

“I wish there were more stewards with your practicality.” Though the room was now empty, Rema still pitched her voice low. “Calan intends to kill everyone tonight. Me, Elise, Loric, the King and Queen. Everyone except you, as it happens, so I suppose your hard work does have its rewards.”

Yorin’s eyebrows curled. “Are you certain? I knew he was vicious, but that’s wholesale slaughter. How did you find out?”

“Never mind that. I have a plan, but I need you to arrange it. Get Muhan and Cedrin to come to my chamber just before midnight. Explain to Cedrin what I’ve told you. You also need to find Elise and ask her not to sleep in her tower tonight. Invent a reason if you have to. It’s your palace, remember.”

“What are you planning? Don’t keep secrets from me, Rema.”

“Calan intends to kill Elise in her sleep. I want Cedrin to see what kind of man his eldest son really is. I’ll take Elise’s place, and Cedrin will witness everything.”

“Shouldn’t I post some guards?” Yorin’s cheeks had grown ashen. “You can’t be counting on Muhan to subdue him. Both you and the King will be in grave danger.”

“It’ll work out as I intend, don’t worry. Just make these arrangements and quickly.”

“God above, and here I was thinking the worst was behind us. Yes, yes, I’ll arrange it. I trust you. I just hope Elise listens. She was in quite a sulk after the fight in the throne room.”

“If not, I’ll talk to her. Don’t worry, this will soon be over.”

“We should just arrest him now—no, you’re right, they’d never believe it without evidence. They don’t even believe that he beats Elise. Damn it all.” Shaking his head, Yorin hurried out of the room.

Rema tried to steady her thoughts. Her body throbbed with the day’s exertions. If she didn’t take the opportunity to rest for a few more hours, she’d be incapable of doing anything by the time midnight arrived. According to the large, dirty clock that hung in the kitchen, it was eight hours past noon—maybe. An accurate sense of time was among the many things she missed about the imperial palace, the halls of which breathed with the ticking of precise clocks crafted by the Arann’s finest tinkers.

Upon returning to her chamber, she froze, her chest constricting. Elise was sitting at the end of the bed with a bundle in her lap. “Don’t just stand there staring at me,” she said. “It’s your room. Come in.”

Rema closed the door behind her. She sat on the edge of the bed and scrutinized Elise, whose clear expression suggested no signs of sulking. “I’ve brought you some more medicine,” said Elise as she raised a little bottle from the bedside table. “To ease your pain and soothe your head. I also brought you back this wreck of a coat. I was touched to see you were carrying my most recent letter in your pocket.”

“It’s not a very happy letter. And yes, I did feel something reading it.”

“But you won’t admit what that feeling was.” Elise sidled closer. “You’re so coy. What are you afraid of?”

“If Ormun learns we might be more than friends, then we’d both have plenty to fear.”

“Rema, dearest! Was that a confession?”

“You have an overactive imagination.” Rema rested her fingertips lightly on Elise’s knee. “Elsie, I have to ask you not to sleep in your tower tonight. It’s better if you don’t know why.”

“Tell me it’s because you want me to sleep here with you instead.”

Rema laughed. Even this short time in Elise’s presence had lifted her spirits and chased the shadows from her soul. “There’s that imagination again.”

Elise pursed her lips. “I suppose this is something to do with Calan. Well, it’s about time I became accustomed to not sleeping in my tower. Fine.” She waved the bottle. “Come on, drink your medicine.”

Rema took the bottle, uncorked it and sipped it dry. The warmth drifted through her body and dissolved the pain. “That helped.”

“Of course it helped. I’m very good at healing. And other things.” Elise’s smile radiated mischief. “So, when do you plan on dragging me away?”

“The ship that brought me here should still be around for another three days. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get aid to your people.”

“I have so many belongings up in my tower. Books and other things priceless to me. What will become of them?”

“We’ll take it all. Anything that doesn’t fit, you can put in my cabin.”

“Your cabin? Can’t we share a cabin?”

“The sailors would gossip, and in Arann gossip has a habit of spreading all the way to the palace itself.”

“So, let me get this clear. You do want to share a cabin with me, but you won’t because you’re afraid of getting caught?”

Rema smiled. “I’m not saying anything. You’re the one talking about cabins when I’m trying to keep our attention on serious matters.”

“Very well! You win, wily diplomat. I won’t sleep in my tower. But tell me the truth, are you putting yourself at risk for me again?”

“I always put myself at risk. It’s part of my job.”

“Rema.” Elise shifted closer still. “Loric told me about the night you spent in my stairwell. He couldn’t understand how you could do that for me yet still take me away to Arann.”

Rema tried to meet Elise’s eyes, but an uncooperative force drew her gaze instead to the seductive curves of Elise’s mouth. “He no doubt exaggerated. I was only on the stairs for an hour or so. I didn’t sleep there.”

“You’re such a liar.” Elise hesitated, and her cheeks flared red. “What else have you done for me that I don’t know about? Be honest. Do you love me?”

“I really should rest.” Rema looked away, her heart hammering a disorderly beat. “I’m wounded, as you know, and I have some business to attend to later.”

Elise sighed. “If you want me, you’d better say so before it’s too late.” She stood and brushed several fallen hairs from the bed. “I fear you’re so used to playing games that you’ve lost sight of what you’re gambling with. Our hearts are entirely alike in conviction, both committed to righteousness and compassion. It’s only proper they be together.”

Rema chewed on her lower lip, not daring to respond. Elise paused in the doorway, a hand on her hip. “I love you, and I want you to be careful tonight.”

“I will be.” A memory jolted Rema from her longing reverie. “By the way, did you make that prisoner unable to talk?”

Elise gave a deep, satisfied laugh. “If you’re going to keep secrets from me, I’m going to keep secrets from you.” She left the room, drawing the door shut behind her. Rema stretched on her side, closed her eyes and inhaled the lingering sensuality of Elise’s perfume.

Chapter Fifteen

Rema was woken by a low, insistent tapping. She brushed the hair away from her eyes before opening the door. Muhan was waiting in the corridor with a lamp. His face was tense, and his eyes were black under the lamplight. Cedrin stood behind him. Despite his bulk, he seemed somehow diminished, and he played nervously with a gold ring on his finger.

“Your Grace,” Rema said. “Muhan. Did Yorin explain why I called for you?”

Cedrin nodded, still turning the ring. “I can’t quite believe it. Why would my boy plan something like this?”

“You know why. He doesn’t want this war to end, and once word of our agreement reaches Lyorn, they may concede even before the first ship lands on your shores. He has no time to act but now.”

“If you are correct, you have saved my kingdom twice over.” Cedrin squared his shoulders and frowned at her, a shade of defiance returning to his eyes. “If you are not, then I will expect you to leave and not return here again.”

“I understand. Muhan, I suppose you know what I need you to do.”

“Juggle?” said Muhan, his teeth tinted by the lamplight.

Rema joined the men in the corridor. “Let’s not waste any time.” They walked through the hall and into the front court, where the night had transformed the familiar space into something foreboding. Silver luminescence lit the walls, and thin fingers of shadow lay between the benches and the flagstones. The shimmering pall of moonlight recalled Elise’s eyes, and Rema permitted herself a smile. Nowadays, everything reminded her of Elise.

The trio ascended to the palace’s top floor, Rema and Muhan treading lightly and Cedrin struggling behind them. Darkness enveloped the hallways, a gloom pierced rarely by the weak sputtering of a torch. After several minutes of travel, Muhan’s lamplight caught a familiar archway, and the group stopped before the stairwell to Elise’s tower.

Rema climbed first, her fingers brushing against the curved stone wall. Cedrin wheezed from the effort, and he exhaled in relief as they reached the top. Rema opened the unlocked door and ushered them through. Starlight shone over the arcane clutter of Elise’s room.

“Your Grace, if you would seat yourself in the corner,” Rema said, closing the door behind them. The chair was in a pool of darkness, and when Cedrin settled himself on it, only someone looking closely could detect the way the shadows bent against his large body.

Rema turned to Muhan, whose colorful robes were washed pale by the silver light. “Muhan, if you stand beside the door, you’ll be in a perfect position to surprise Calan.” Muhan nodded as he stood sentinel. His tall, lean body was a reassuring presence. Contemptible worm or not, Calan was a physically daunting man, and this little adventure carried real dangers.

Rema pulled back Elise’s blankets. “And I will take my place in the bed.”

“You’re using yourself as bait?” said Muhan. “Dear daughter of traders, are you afraid of nothing?”

“I’m afraid of only one man, and he’s in Arann.” Rema lay on the bed and drew the blanket over her face. The mattress was cool, and Elise’s fragrance permeated the sheets. Rema took a deep breath to dissolve her tension before pressing her cheek to the pillow. Elise had promised to spend the night in one of the guest chambers, and it was a pleasant distraction to imagine her sitting awake, wondering what was taking place in her tower.

Rema waited for so long—entertaining herself with thoughts of Elise—that she might have fallen asleep if not for the anxiety clawing up the sides of her stomach. The stretch of time became immeasurable in the darkness, and visions formed and fell apart in the recesses of her mind. Finally the door opened, and a heavy step was followed by another. Her skin crawled—a dagger might be seconds from her heart.

She rose, casting off the blankets. Calan stood poised in the incriminating light of the moon. He held not a dagger but a shortsword, and his face was pale against the black of his tunic. His look of lethal composure slipped, and his mouth fell open. “You?”

“So it’s true,” said Cedrin. Calan started, and he looked about the room before locking his eyes on the shadowed form of the king. “Why are you doing this, son?”

“Why?” Calan laughed with an edge of hysteria. “Where do I begin? This is the kingdom I am intended to inherit, and by the time it passes to me it will be little more than a whipped dog. If we do not revenge ourselves on Lyorn, rip their lands asunder and take their wealth, then we will remain weak, backward, impotent!”

Calan brandished his sword at Rema. “This bitch knows I’m right. To her, Danosha is a joke. She sees us as provincial, unimaginative swineherds, happy to rule a pit of mud until the end of our days. A traitor you may think me now, Father, but like you, I want to improve the lot of our people. With the wealth and lands of Lyorn, we could improve the towns, enrich our farms and open up new ports of trade. The great powers would finally take us seriously. No longer would diplomats like her laugh at us as if we were still children building towers with rocks.”

A strident plea entered his voice. “Father, listen. This woman intends to neuter us. Ormun isn’t offering us anything but irrelevance. The terms you signed talk of parity between us and Lyorn, as if there were only our two nations in this world and not a host of other enemies already swelling in size and power! If we let Ormun hobble us, we will fall prey to Dantium, Kalanis, perhaps even the Empire of the Pale Plains itself.” His voice grew steadier. “Think to our legacy. I chose to act as I did because I believed, yes, truly believed, that you were not ruling in the interests of the kingdom. Your death would have brought me no pleasure, but once it became clear you had ignored my counsel, I could see no other way. You would have died for Danosha.”

An impressive speech, wasted in the service of savagery. “Perhaps you would have lamented killing your father and mother, though I doubt it,” said Rema. “But Elise—I’ve no doubt you would have relished her murder. You imagined you’d finally triumph over the woman who has never shown you the fear and submission you crave. Instead, here you stand, bested utterly by the sex you so despise.”

Calan steadied the shortsword. “My consolation in the grave will be that I took you with me.”

Before Calan could move more than a step, Muhan lunged from concealment and caught him around the waist. As Calan grunted and struggled, Muhan turned his narrow shoulders, and they both spiraled to the ground, Calan landing with Muhan’s knee pressed into his stomach.

“She will live a thousand years while you will die the death of traitors,” said Muhan as he gripped Calan’s arm and forced it behind his head. “Rema, he cannot move now until I choose to let him.”

Rema stood above Calan. As he struggled, his eyes twitched, and his muscles worked in pointless exertion. She could taunt him with impunity now, but what was the point? “I believe we should fetch the guards.”

“No need.” Yorin entered the room with two colossal guardsmen behind him. “Don’t look so startled. I had Calan trailed, and when I knew that he was in the tower I brought the guards with me.”

Did this irrepressible steward have to be involved in everything? “Yorin, really! I told you to let me take care of it.”