Luciena Taranger stared at her husband in shock. They were alone in their bedroom in the guest wing of Krakandar Palace, but that didn’t seem to ease her husband’s mind as he furtively outlined the plans he’d been making behind her back with Starros and the Thieves’ Guild.
“You’ve arranged to do what?”
“Not so loudly!” Xanda exclaimed, looking around the room.
“When?” she demanded, albeit in a significantly lower voice.
“Soon,” he informed her. “Maybe a couple of weeks. We figured if we do it the evening before a Restday, it won’t be quite as obvious.”
“And you’re planning to evacuate the whole city?” she gasped. “In one night?”
He shook his head. “It’ll take all night, all day and all the next night, I suspect, and even then I’ll be surprised if we get everyone away. But even if we don’t manage to get everybody through the sewers, with so many people out of the city, it’ll mean those who are left will have much less chance of starving to death before help arrives.”
“By help, I assume you mean Damin coming home?”
“That would be useful.”
“But we have no way of knowing how the war’s going,” she reminded him. “For all you know, he’s lying dead on a battlefield somewhere.”
Xanda put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her. “I know you’re normally the pessimistic one, Luci, but could you try not to think the worst, every once in a while. For me?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, putting her head on his shoulder. “I really don’t mean to be the harbinger of doom all the time. It’s just … it’s a very ambitious plan, Xanda. If Mahkas got wind of it …”
“We’d all be doomed,” he finished for her, holding her close. “I do understand that, my love. But we have to do something.”
She leaned back in his arms and looked at him. “So you recruited the Thieves’ Guild to your cause? Not quite what I had in mind, dear.”
“Actually, it was the other way around. They recruited me. And it’s not just the Thieves’ Guild. There’s a lot of empty bellies out there. We’ve got most of the other guilds working with us now. They’re all willing to help get their people to safety.”
“And what prompted this remarkable act of civic generosity by the guilds? Are you sure this isn’t an elaborate ruse to empty the city so the Thieves’ Guild has a free hand emptying all those soon-to-be-abandoned houses of their valuables?”
He shrugged. “It has something to do with Starros being healed by the God of Thieves after Mahkas tortured him. Apparently he’s now required to honour his god in a fairly substantial way to return the favour.”
She raised a suspicious brow at him. “Emptying all those soon-to-be-abandoned houses of their valuables would achieve that goal rather impressively, don’t you think?”
“It’s not like that, Luci. I’ve spoken to Starros a number of times. He’s not planning anything underhanded.”
“He’s joined the Thieves’ Guild, Xanda. By definition, any plan they come up with is going to be underhanded. But even if I believe Starros is driven by the noblest of motives, evacuating Krakandar honours Dacendaran how, exactly?”
He grinned at her. “By stealing the population from Mahkas.”
Luciena thought about it and then shrugged, thinking there was actually a twisted sort of logic in there somewhere. “I see. And while you and Starros are stealing the population of Krakandar for the greater glory of the God of Thieves, what will I be doing?”
“You’ll be among the first out through the sewers,” he informed her in that tone he used when he wasn’t willing to negotiate. “You, our children, the Lionsclaw boys, Aleesha, and whatever help you need getting them out of the city. We’ve already had Thieves’ Guild messengers going through the tunnels carrying dispatches and checking the route. Not that he can do much if he’s in the middle of a war, but I’ve sent word to Damin about what’s happening, and to my brother in Walsark. Travin’s with us. He’ll be waiting for you on the other side. Once the children are safe, you’ll need his help to get the rest of the people away.”
“And you?”
“I’m staying here to help organise the evacuation.”
“What happens if the Raiders try to stop you?”
“More than half the troops in the city are with us, Luciena. The rest of them … well … we’ve made arrangements …”
She frowned. “What does that mean? You’re not going to kill them, are you?”
“Not if we can avoid it. But they will need to be confined. We can’t risk Mahkas discovering what’s going on and having him call up the remaining loyal troops to put a stop to it.”
“Loyal?” Luciena wondered grimly. “Or afraid of him?”
Her husband shrugged. “If the end result is the same, what difference does it make?”
“This is absurdly dangerous, Xanda.”
“So is every day we spend in this palace,” he pointed out. “As you so frequently remind me.”
Luciena brushed the hair from his forehead. “So you decided to do something insanely heroic to stop me nagging you? Is that what you’re telling me?”
Xanda kissed her lightly. “Greater deeds have been done for lesser reason, you know.”
“I can’t think of any off the top of my head,” she replied. “And I’m not leaving you here to face that maniac alone when he realises what’s happened, either. You must come with us, Xanda. Mahkas will kill you.”
“Why would Uncle Mahkas kill Papa?”
Both Luciena and Xanda jumped with fright.
“Emilie!” Luciena scolded, her heart pounding, as she wondered how much her daughter had overheard. “How did you get in here?”
“Through the slaveways,” she informed them, her face creased with concern. “Is Uncle Mahkas mad at Papa about something?”
“No, darling,” she assured the child. “Of course not. What do you want?”
“But you just said—”
“What do you want, Emilie?” Luciena cut in. “Your father and I are busy.”
“Um …” Emilie stammered, her confidence waning in the face of her mother’s growing impatience. “I’ve just been to visit Uncle Mahkas …”
“I thought we told you to leave Uncle Mahkas alone?” Xanda reminded her. He let Luciena go and squatted down in front of their daughter, his expression serious. Luciena marvelled at Xanda’s patience with their children. She wasn’t nearly so tolerant when they defied her. “Uncle Mahkas isn’t well, Em,” he explained. “You know that. You really should leave him alone so he can get better.”
“But he says he likes having me around. He says I remind him of Leila.”
Before she could utter a sound, Xanda turned to glare at Luciena, warning her to silence. He then turned back to his daughter. “I’m sure you do remind him of Leila, sweetheart, but that’s part of the problem. Leila’s death still hurts Uncle Mahkas a great deal. Sometimes it’s painful to remind somebody of people they’re still grieving for.”
“But I feel so sorry for him, Papa. His eyes are so sad. And he’s really sick.”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” Luciena muttered. She understood why Xanda was dealing with Emilie this way. At the same time, she wished she could just yell and scream and confine the child to her room in order to keep her safe from her dangerously insane uncle.
“I know, Em,” Xanda agreed, “But in time …”
“No,” Emilie objected. “I mean he’s really sick. That’s what I came to tell you. He’s in his office and he’s all hot and sweaty and mumbling stuff I don’t understand and his arm’s all swollen and burning …”
Xanda glanced up at Luciena. “Don’t look at me. I have no idea what she’s talking about.”
“I tried telling Aunt Bylinda, Mama,” Emilie added, “but she just said something about the gods and about making people keep their oaths. I didn’t really understand what she was saying, either. But Uncle Mahkas is really sick, Papa. I think he needs a physician.”
Xanda nodded and stood up. “And we’ll see he gets one, Em. Now how about you get back to the nursery, eh? Aleesha will be panicking about you being lost again. Don’t you worry about anything. Your mother and I will see to Uncle Mahkas.”
“He’s not going to die, is he?”
“Probably not,” Luciena assured her daughter. Then she added sourly under her breath, “More’s the pity.”
Emilie looked up at her curiously. “What do you mean, Mama?”
“Your mother doesn’t mean anything,” Xanda assured her, with a look of stem disapproval in Luciena’s direction. “Now back to the nursery with you, my girl, so we can see to Uncle Mahkas.”
Without any further objections, Emilie did as her father ordered, leaving Luciena and Xanda alone again. He turned to Luciena with a frown. “You shouldn’t be so hard on her.”
“You shouldn’t be so lenient. Do you think Mahkas is really ill?”
He shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me. He’s been complaining about his arm being sore for years and he worries at
it like a dog with a rag doll when he’s upset. Maybe it’s infected. I suppose we’d better check on him.”
Luciena sighed wistfully. “Sure you don’t want to wait a little while? You know … until it’s too late to save him?”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do,” she assured him with conviction.
He pulled her close, offering her what comfort he could in his arms. “It’ll all be over soon, Luciena, I promise.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“When?”
She looked up at him. “Our wedding night?”
He frowned at her. “You really think you’re hilarious, don’t you?”
“I’m teetering on the very edge of hysteria here, Xanda. Allow me a little leeway.”
He hugged her even tighter. “You’ll be safe soon, Luciena, I promise.”
“But what about you?”
He kissed the top of her head. “I spent two years in the High Prince’s Palace Guard with Cyrus Eaglespike as my captain. If I can survive that, I can survive anything.” He held her for a moment or two longer and then gently pushed her away. “I’d better check on Mahkas.”
Luciena slid her arm around his neck again and kissed him soundly, while her other hand ventured further south. “Are you sure you wouldn’t stay here with me for a while longer?” she teased.
Xanda pushed her away again, smiling at her suggestion. “You are shameless, Luciena. Unfair delaying tactics aren’t going to work on me.”
“Go then,” she ordered, feigning disdain. “See to your precious uncle. I’ll just have to find a court’esa to keep me entertained while you’re gone, if you’re too busy to do your husbandly duty.”
“You do that,” he said. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek again, and promised, “I’ll let you know what’s happening as soon as I know.”
Luciena nodded to reassure him she understood, watching him leave the bedroom with a heavy heart. She wished he had stayed and made love to her almost as much as she wished they didn’t have to keep Mahkas alive.
“I’m not shameless, Xanda,” she murmured as he closed the door behind him. “I’m afraid.”