He waited. As one, the riders put their hands to the saddles and did handstands. Some of the angry shouts for blood turned to cheers. It was then that Emel realized what the ridemaster was doing. He was putting on a show, the show of his life—or at least the show of the coachman’s life.

He sheathed his sword, breathed a little easier. He turned back to take the coachman into custody but found the man was gone. He had slipped away and no one had seen him go—or so Emel thought.

As he looked around, he saw two men struggling near the tree line. One was trying to flee into the trees; the other was trying to keep him from doing so. Emel walked over to them as the ridesmen continued their show. By now the angry shouts for blood had all but faded away.

“I’ll take it from here,” Emel called out to the huntsman.

Huntsman Faylin Gerowin grinned sheepishly as he replied, “I thought as much.” He didn’t release his grip on the coachman though. He waited for Emel to secure the man’s hands, which Emel did with a thick rope. “Never trust one such as this, and never put your life in danger to save such. He’ll not thank you. Isn’t that so, Jossel?”

The coachman spit at Faylin.

Emel tripped the coachman, made sure the man fell on his backside. “Enough, or I’ll turn you back to the mob.”

Faylin said, “The masters aren’t partisan.”

“So you’ve said.”

“Ridemaster Hindell didn’t have to rouse his men to a diversion and I—”

Emel put a hand on Faylin’s shoulder. “Forgive me, I know. You didn’t have to help me save face and neither did the ridemaster. I am a great fool for thinking I could—”

“A man who guides fools is not himself a fool unless he lets himself become one. Do you think I achieved by luck and chance alone? Your father helped me no few times and I promised to look out for you as he looked out for me.”

Emel with Faylin’s help pulled Jossel to his feet. They started walking back to the road. “You know my father?”

“Most of the masters here are beholden to your father in one way or another. None more so than the caravanmaster.”

Emel opened the hold wagon, pushed Jossel up and in. After he locked the thick door, he turned back to Faylin. He studied the huntsman as if seeing past the man’s hawk-like eyes for the first time. “My father has his ghosts, does he not?”

“No more so than any man. You are very much like him, you know.”

Emel’s expression showed disagreement. The two were quiet for a time as they walked. The early afternoon sun came out from behind the clouds, bringing sudden, welcome warmth. “Does this business worry you?”

Faylin gestured at the air and the men returning to their duties as if to say don’t let any of it bother you. Before the two said anything further the caravanmaster called an official halt. It was close enough to the midday meal to warrant the stop. With any luck the sun would dry the road and harden the last of the mud holes before they started up again.

“Not this,” Emel said as he whistled to Ebony; the black stallion racing to him at his call.

“It is not my place to worry. Good advice to you, I think.”

“But we waited two days at the crossing of the East-West road for nothing and there’s been no explanation to any—”

“Nor will there be. Some things are best left unsaid. Our duty remains the same.”

“Beyond the Stygian Palisade, to Zapad and beyond.”

“Nothing’s changed, Emel, of this I’m sure. We will go to the ends of the earth, see what few Kingdomers have ever seen, and with luck we will live to tell our children about the greatest adventure of our lives.”

* * *

As they couldn’t wait until the Seventh day as was customary, a service was scheduled for the morning following the grim discovery of Father Tenuus’ death. Father Jacob conducted the service with a short remembrance spoken by Chancellor Yi at King Andrew’s request. Then Father Tenuus was laid to rest. Tears streamed down Adrina’s cheeks the entire time. She had never been kind to Father Tenuus. He annoyed her. She had always hated his invocations, regretted now that she had.

Accordingly, the departure was pushed back two days. Two of the longest days of Valam’s life. Waiting seemed to play out hard on him. He was one to move, to act, not to wait. During those ensuing days Seth and Adrina spent much of their time together, much more time than they ever had previously.

When the long-awaited moment finally came it was wrapped in a grey dawn, and overcast skies mixed with a light monotonous drizzle. Only King Andrew and a few others watched as the group departed, saying nothing more than a few goodbyes.

Adrina watched from the balcony above the garden, her heart filled with despair. She sulked all that day, skipping the evening meal, which somehow wasn’t the same without Father Tenuus to give the mealtime prayer. She spent that day wandering the garden or staring at it from the balcony, always alone, always wading through memories that ceaselessly flooded her thoughts.

Something had transpired between her and Seth those last few days. It seemed they were drawn together by an unseen force, and perhaps they were. The last remnants of the struggling girl in the young princess had ebbed. Odd feelings and unknown emotions had touched her mind. Thoughts she never would have had before.

Father Tenuus’s untimely death played heavily on her mind. Suddenly, the world had become a dark place with only one source of light.

She had been sitting on the edge of her bed, feeling desperately alone and crying when he had come to her. He had approached her without saying a word and embraced her. He had just held her and comforted her for a long, long time. She longed for him to be with her now even though she knew that it could not be. She wondered how he fared, knowing soon he would be leaving for East Reach. That he might never return.

The sounds of morning filtered in through a nearby window. The rains continued.

She went to the bath house, disrobed quickly. Myrial had just finished preparing her bath. The warm water felt so good as she descended into the bathing pool. Her thoughts slowed. For a brief time she slipped away from the cares of the world.

Some time later the call of a songbird roused her, but only for a moment. She took morning tea in the pool. Nibbled on toast as she soaked. Servants came and went. Myrial watched her from across the room.

She stood from the waters and wrapped a soft robe around her as Myrial handed it to her. The call of the songbird came again as she stepped out of the pool. Her eyes wandered up to the window. Her thoughts drifted. She thought of Emel, Valam, and Seth. Wondered why the men in her life always went away.

As she wrapped her hair in a towel she turned about, looking for Myrial. Myrial was gone. In the place she had occupied moments before stood another. Her eyes went wide. She took in the tall, broad shouldered figure. “How?” she asked.

Valam put a finger to his lips, hurriedly escorted her from the bathing pool. “Not a word,” he whispered in her ear. Her heart skipped. He led her through her room, out through the secret door in the wall. Once in the back hallway, he stopped, threw his arms around her. “Speak in quiet tones,” he said in her ear. “These halls should be clear. Better to be safe.”

“Clear of what?” Adrina heard herself say. She was still trying to accept the fact that Valam was in Imtal, not on the road—and if he was in Imtal… “Seth? Is he—”

“Safe,” Valam said, “Don’t worry. Everything we’ve done these last few days has been for the benefit of the whisperers.”

“Whisperers?”

Valam put a hand to her mouth, said softly in her ear. “Everything will be clear soon. They are close to revealing themselves. You must play along. Remember, you know nothing.”

“Valam, you must tell me something more. I don’t understand what’s happening?”

“Revolution,” Valam muttered under his breath. “Revolution. If you don’t want our family to end as King Frederick II’s, you’ll do everything I say and ask no more questions.”

“Impossible,” Adrina replied, her voice becoming shrill.

“Possible, believe me.”

“And the plight of the elves?”

Valam held her at arm’s length. “How can you ask such a thing at a time like this? Seth has become like a brother to me. We will find a way to turn this around, to rally support, but first we must expose the chief whisperer. If we don’t there will be no kingdom.”