Statues. It is a gallery?
In the centre a huge, elongated shape rose towards the ceiling. A faint light from somewhere above revealed arms and a chest draped in cloth, but the doors did not allow her to see any more.
She did not want to risk damaging the doors by trying to open them. The gallery was wide and she could see more doors further along the corridor. Walking to the next pair, she found one hanging awkwardly from a single hinge, leaving a good-sized gap to slip through.
The soft-soled shoes she had been given to wear in the palace made only a whispery scrape on the dusty floor. The illumination within the room came from a deep fissure, the square sides polished to reflect light down from the surface far above. The top of the huge statue was revealed and her heart skipped a beat as she recognised the face.
Well, who else would it be?
Someone laughed. Someone male. She froze and cast about, trying to locate the source. Fainter voices drew her attention to the far side of the room. The statues there were illuminated by a lower, warmer source of light than the one above the statue of Valhan.
Another familiar voice joined the first.
“So why not?” the one who’d laughed asked.
“I don’t know,” a familiar voice replied. Dahli sounded weary. “Despite what they say, he doesn’t tell me everything.”
“That’s the first time you’ve admitted that! Well, to me anyway.”
“Perhaps I did but you weren’t paying attention, Atorl,” Dahli replied. “Just as you couldn’t have been when I told you not to come here.”
“You told me not to come. I don’t follow your orders.”
“They were Valhan’s orders. I made that clear.”
“So you say. But we’ve not seen you with him since he returned. How are we to know you are still his most loyal?”
“Because I am here, and you are not.” Dahli’s tone was firm. “Stay if you wish. It is not my order you are disobeying.”
The stranger paused. “He won’t mind that much, will he?”
Dahli didn’t reply.
“You don’t have to tell him.”
“I have as much choice as you, or any other person in all the worlds.”
The stranger paused again. “Is that a light?”
Rielle froze as she realised it was her light the man had seen. Just pretend you were approaching, not standing here listening, she told herself, and began walking slowly towards the voices.
“Dahli?” she called.
“Rielle.” Dahli sounded relieved, as if he had feared it was someone else. “What are you doing here?”
“Exploring.” She stopped as he came into view. A thin, stooped man peered at her. “You have company? Should I leave?”
“No.” Dahli’s shoulders rose and fell. “Come here. I may as well introduce you.”
As she drew closer she examined the stranger, who returned her scrutiny with equal interest. He was young and would have been a head taller than Dahli if he hadn’t been hunching his shoulders. Pale, short bristling hair covered his scalp, and his lips were so thin that he might as well have had none.
“Rielle, this is Atorl, one of the Raen’s allies. Atorl, this is Rielle, who I am training.”
He looked her up and down. “Really?” he said, in what she doubted was a formal greeting in anyone’s culture. “For whom?”
“Valhan,” she replied.
His thin, prickly eyebrows rose. “Indeed. For what purpose?”
She looked at Dahli. His lips twitched with amusement, but he said nothing.
“I see.” Atorl’s eyebrows rose higher.
Dahli shrugged. The smile he directed at Rielle was a little strained. “You may continue exploring,” he told her, then gestured around the room. “There is much in this part of the palace to marvel at, but remember how easy it is to lose track of time here. Lessons begin after the middle meal.”
She nodded and took a step back. “Honoured to meet you, Atorl.” The thin man snorted as if this amused him, and turned his attention back to Dahli.
Rude man, Rielle thought as she walked away. From behind her she heard the stranger’s laugh again.
“A plain one but I’m sure that will be rectified soon enough. Since he’s not teaching her as a favour to anyone, is he…?”
“No.”
“What a relief for you. It would sting, after all this time. Actually, I’d wager it was you she—”
“And you’d lose,” Dahli interrupted.
Atorl laughed. “How frustrating would that be, for all three of you?”
“It is time you left, Atorl.”
The other man made a low retort, then his laugh was abruptly cut off. Rielle glanced back, wondering if Dahli had something to do with that, but only her teacher stood there. He glanced at her, his face in shadow, then vanished.