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BEHIND THE GUARD, ADALLIA gasped. It was the smallest sound, but it was enough to grab the guard’s attention. He turned his head slightly. “You know my sister?”
There was no point in pretending ignorance now. Before Adallia could say anything, I spoke up. “Yes, we both do.” I nodded my head toward Adallia. “She was with me when I met Juneyen. Juneyen was quite fond of her.”
“She’s a darling child,” Adallia said, her tone placating and slightly defensive.
The guard snorted. “‘Darling’ isn’t the word I’d use for her. She must have been on her best behavior when she met you two.”
My expression must have betrayed my thoughts, because the guard said, “No?”
“It was a rather memorable meeting,” I said.
The guard laughed. “Knowing my sister, I can imagine how things might have gone.” Releasing my wrist, he turned his grip into a handshake. “I’m Jondan. But then, you probably already knew that.”
“Well met, Jondan,” I said. “I’m Kaernan. My companion is Lady Adallia Pahame.”
Jondan’s eyebrows shot up at “Lady,” but he merely took Adallia’s hand and bowed over it.
I slipped the leather bracelet off my wrist and held it out to Jondan. He stared hard at it for a moment, his eyes bright. He then reached out and took it from my outstretched fingers, pushing the bracelet over his hand and onto his wrist with a sad smile. He backed up a step so he could look at both Adallia and me. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” I said. Next to me, Adallia nodded her head slightly in acknowledgment.
Jondan peered behind us, to his fellow guard on the opposite wall. The other guard was still asleep, his snores echoing loudly against the stone walls. Jondan shook his head in amusement.
“Well, for once Bertan’s bad habits are useful,” he said. He lowered his voice as a precaution, even though it seemed unlikely Bertan would wake up anytime soon. “So, I’m guessing you’re not really servants.” It was more a statement than a question. “You came here only to deliver this bracelet to me?”
When neither Adallia nor I answered immediately, Jondan said, “I thought as much. Will you say what your true purpose is, then?”
Adallia looked at me as if to say, If you think it’s best, go ahead.
“You know we’re trustworthy.” I indicated Jondan’s bracelet. “How do we know the same of you?”
“You don’t,” he admitted. “Just my thanks and my word that I won’t turn you both in.”
“No offense, but it doesn’t seem like much to go on.”
“I know. But I’m glad you’ve come. You’ve given me back my resolve. I’ve been trying to figure out how to leave this place. Perhaps, with your help, I can finally escape.”
Adallia breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, good, that makes things much easier.”
Jondan gave her a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”
There was nothing for it, I reasoned. He already knew enough to expose us, so I figured we might as well tell him everything.
“We’re here to free one of the prisoners,” I said. “The girl in the cell at the end of the hall.”
“Oh?” Jondan said.
“My daughter,” Adallia said.
“Oh.” Jondan nodded in understanding.
“We’re also here to find and free someone else,” I added. “A man named Baxley. He’d be a bit older, closer to ... ah ... close to ...”
“Close to my age,” Adallia said. An amused smile played on her lips as she looked at me. “You’re welcome.”
“My apologies, my lady.” I said sheepishly.
“No apologies are necessary.”
Jondan frowned. “I don’t know anyone here by that name. I’ve only been here a few weeks, but I’ve met everyone who lives or works here. In general, the Family prefers to have the same servants in their employ all the time, and they either pay handsomely for that privilege, or their ironclad indentures ensure the same.”
“Yes, I know,” I said, thinking of the servants we had bribed just outside of Rothschan.
If my hunch was wrong and Baxley wasn’t here, then we’d have to return to Orchwell for more money before setting out again. Or give up the commission entirely. Although Adallia wanted to find Baxley, from the things she mentioned, her funds would be limited. As well, Adallia and Delphine couldn’t return to Orchwell, unless we could clear Delphine of any charges against her. But who knew what state of affairs they had left behind when they fled?
Well. I would just have to trust my Seeker instincts. And hope they wouldn’t fail me. Although if Baxley wasn’t a prisoner, then he must be hidden by strong magic. I had no other explanation for why he kept eluding me.
“Will you help us?” Adallia said to Jondan. “Can you release my daughter? If you’re coming with us anyway ...”
But Jondan shook his head. “No, I can’t. The cells are locked twice over. Once by physical means —” he indicated the key ring at his belt “— and then by magical means. I lack the magical ability to undo the spell on the cells.” He nodded toward his snoring companion. “So does he, or anyone else except the Hauduare. It’s done that way on purpose. These prisoners have fetched a high price for the Family, but they won't get full payment until the commission is complete. The Family wouldn’t want anything to jeopardize that.”
Adallia looked as if she might cry. “Then nothing can be done to save my daughter?”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Jondan said. “It will be tough, but it’s possible we could free your daughter during the Ceremony.”