Farseer 1 – Assassin’s Apprentice

He shook his head. So they had taken my poison cache. I would have liked to prepare another dagger, or even a powder to fling. Burrich could not be always beside me to protect me, and I certainly couldn’t fend off an attacker, or run away in my present condition. But my trade tools were gone. I would have to hope I wouldn’t need them. I suspected Rowd was the one who had been here and wondered if this had been his last act. Jonqui returned with water and food and then excused herself. Burrich and I shared wash water and with some help I managed to change into clean, if simple, clothes. Burrich ate an apple. My stomach quailed at the mere thought of food, but I drank the water, cold from the well, that Jonqui had brought me. Getting my throat muscles to swallow still took conscious effort, and I felt like the water sloshed unpleasantly inside me. But I suspected it was good for me.

And I felt each moment ticking by, and wondered when Galen would make his move.

The screen slid aside. I looked up, expecting Jonqui again, but August entered on a wave of contempt. He spoke immediately, anxious to do his errand and depart. “I do not come here of my own volition. I come at the bidding of the King-in-Waiting, Verity, to speak his words for him. This is his message, exactly. He is grieved beyond telling by-”

“You Skilled to him? Today? Was he well?”

August seethed at my question. “He was scarcely well. He is grieved beyond telling at Rurisk’s death, and at your betrayal. He bids you draw strength from those around you loyal to you, for you will need it to face him.”

“Is that all?” I asked.

“From the King-in-Waiting, Verity, it is. Prince Regal bids you attend upon him, and swiftly, for the time of the ceremony is only hours away, and he must be attired for it. And your cowardly poison, no doubt meant for Regal, has found poor Sevrens and Rowd. Now Regal must do with an untrained valet. It will take him longer to dress. So do not keep him waiting. He is in the steams, to try to restore himself. You may find him there.”

“How tragic for him. An untrained valet,” Burrich said acidly.

August puffed up like a toad. “It is scarcely humorous. Have not you lost Cob as well to this scoundrel? How can you bear to aid him?”

“If your ignorance were not protecting you, August, I might dispel it.” Burrich stood, looking dangerous.

“You, too, will face charges,” August warned him as he retreated. “I am to say to you, Burrich, that King-in-Waiting Verity is not unaware of how you attempted to help the bastard escape, serving him as if he were your king instead of Verity. You will be judged.”

“Did Verity say so?” Burrich asked curiously.

“He did. He said you were once the best of king’s men to Chivalry, but apparently you had forgotten how to aid those who truly serve the King. Recall it, he bids you, and assures you of his great wrath if you do not return to stand before him and receive what your deeds merit.”

“I recall it only too well. I will bring Fitz to Regal.”

“Now?”

“As soon as he has eaten.”

August glowered at him and left. Screens cannot be effectively slammed, but he tried.

“I have no stomach to eat, Burrich,” I protested.

“I know that. But we need time for this. I marked Verity’s choice of words, and found more in them than August did. Did you?”

I nodded, feeling defeated. “I understood also. But it is beyond me.”

“Are you sure? Verity does not think so, and he knows of such things. And you told me that was why Cob tried to kill me, because they suspected you of drawing on my strength. So Galen believes you can do it, too.” Burrich crossed to me and went down stiffly on one knee. His bad leg stretched awkwardly behind him. He took my lax hand and placed it on his shoulder. “I was king’s man to Chivalry,” he told me quietly. “Verity knew it. I have no Skill myself, you understand. But Chivalry gave me to understand that for such a taking, it was not as important as the friendship between us. I have strength, and there were some few times that he needed it, and I gave it willingly. So I have withstood this before, in worse circumstances. Try, boy. If we fail, we fail, but at least we will have tried.”

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208

Leave a Reply 0

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *