“You seem to know a lot about what I can and cannot do.”
Thealos could feel the mocking tone in his voice. “How did you get into the city then?”
“That’s really not important. What’s important is what they are saying about you in Avisahn right now. Nordain has kept your disappearance as hushed as possible, but everyone is talking about what you said in the council chambers.”
Thealos cringed.
“You were wise to head south. They started looking for you in Dos-Aralon first, searching the places you might stop for money.” He gave Thealos a wink. “It was clever of you to prepare so well in advance. But I already knew where you left and I had an idea where you were going. It didn’t take very long to catch up to you. By then, of course, you had blundered into those renegade soldiers. The dregs of Dos-Aralon’s army.” He clucked his tongue again. “That wasn’t clever. That was very foolish, Thealos. They could have killed you and left you for dead. If they had brought you back to Dos-Aralon right away, Nordain would have had you for certain. But,” he added admiringly, “you handled yourself well until it came time to escape.”
“Then Nordain is still looking for me?”
“Insurrection, Thealos. The Shae won’t tolerate it. They’ve sent the Crimson Wolfsmen to bring you back. They’re tracking us. Right now.”
“I did not intend to start this,” Thealos said defensively. He walked a little faster, digging his hands against his sides. “Sweet hate, I’m not going to be able to go back there for a Silvan year at the least.” He glanced up at Jaerod. “And so what you are really saying, Jaerod, is that if I had not chosen to come with you, the Crimson Wolfsmen would have found me?”
Jaerod shrugged and kept walking. “Would that have been my fault? I’m confident we can reach Sol before they find us. And by stopping at Sol first, we confuse the trail. They might expect you to go by ship to another land or city. They’ll certainly be watching the river for you. And if we head straight to Landmoor, they’ll catch us before we make it to the Shadows Wood.” He glanced at Thealos. “I can help protect you, Thealos. If you went on without me, the Wolfsmen might catch you at any rate no matter where you went. And then you’d be brought back to Avisahn for treason.”
Thealos grit his teeth. “That banned Nordain goaded me.”
“You shouldn’t have let him.” He gave Thealos a sidelong look. “Certainly not a Shae with your family name.”
“The only thing Quickfellow means in Avisahn is gold,” Thealos snapped. “I’m the son of a barter, and only distantly related…”
“Distantly,” Jaerod chuckled. “You could be the crown heir of Shampanelle with less noble blood than yours.” He shook his head, irritated. “Save me your pathetic Shae humility. You know who your father is, where the Quickfellow family came from. Your father and his fathers have protected themselves by obscuring their name in Vannier’s faith. Until you,” he added, giving Thealos a sidelong look. “The Silverbornes have been watching your family for several generations. You were allowed prominence and station, but weren’t officially considered royalty. All for a reason, Thealos. All for a reason. And now Laisha Silverborne thinks you’re out to raise a rebellion against her right to rule. I tell you, she’s a clever girl. I don’t think she’ll let you get away with it…”
Thealos looked aghast. “But that’s not what I…”
“Not what you intended?” Jaerod cut him off. He turned and gave Thealos a hard stare. “Then why else did you leave Avisahn in such an uproar, Thealos?”
“Because I wanted to learn about this land for myself,” he replied defensively. “I don’t trust her advisors or what they are saying. And she has never been outside of Avisahn in her life! But I have.” He folded his arms angrily. “If we keep ourselves behind the river, the time will come when the humans will be strong enough to cross. If we wait to get involved until then, it will be too late.”
“So what you are really saying is that you came to help start a war on this side of the river?” Jaerod’s gray eyes glittered.
It was then that Thealos realized that once again he’d said too much.
XI