Tal and Amafi were heading to a house that had been rented through one of Kaspar’s agents in Salador. He was not acting in any official capacity for the Duke on this journey. There were no envoys, no diplomatic tasks, no representing Olasko in the palace of the Duke of Salador. No one was to know he was Kaspar’s agent, or of his installation as a court baron of Olasko. To everyone in Salador, he would continue to be Squire Tal Hawkins, returning to a city he had resided in years ago.
He had a plan, and he knew what was expected of him, and what his fate would be if he was caught or if he failed. Still, he forced himself to reexamine the plan again, for he always felt as if somehow he was missing something. For the first time since taking Kaspar’s service, he felt uncertainty. Tal knew every detail of his plan, yet he was constantly distracted.
And he had been since the night he had seen Eye of the Blue-Winged Teal in the citadel.
Amafi had discovered only a little, that a trader named Bowart was the man called upon to occasionally haul away the dead from the citadel. He disposed of the bodies, and no one knew where. Amafi also discovered that he ran a gang of knackers, men who carried away dead animals, horses and cattle for the most part, that had died in traces or in the field. It was rumored he also had connections to the slave trade down in Kesh, and smugglers down in the Southern Islands.
If Eye of the Blue-Winged Teal had been sold to him by the raiders in Raven’s party, then there might be others who had also survived. Tal understood why Eye of the Blue-Winged Teal might have been spared; she was a striking girl of rare beauty. He also understood why she might be reduced to the most menial service, for while she might survive rape, she would fight with every bit of strength she possessed, as would any woman of the Orosini, and she would never submit to working in a brothel. A slaver who had purchased her from Raven’s gang for that reason would be sadly disappointed.
The frustration of knowing that she, and possibly others, had survived turned Tal’s world on its ear. Since the day of the raid he had assumed he was the last of his people, for no word of any other Orosini had reached Kendrick’s or any other place he had visited in the region. That would make sense if whoever survived had been immediately marched back to Olasko after the raids. But Tal had no way of knowing that, and he had based his entire existence since then on the notion that no one else among his people had lived past that day. No one to care about. No one to live for.
His course was clear, but for the first time since taking the road of vengeance he now had a reason to live. Until the moment he saw Eye of the Blue-Winged Teal, he didn’t care if he survived as long as he avenged his people. Now he must survive. He must destroy Captain Havrevulen and Duke Kaspar, and survive so he could find Eye of the Blue-Winged Teal and any others who might have survived, and perhaps someday return to the mountains of home and rekindle the spark of the Orosini, no matter how faintly.
Amafi sensed a change in Tal, and on several occasions had asked his master if something was amiss. Tal had deflected the questions with vague answers that he was concerned with Kaspar’s orders.
Tal constantly reminded himself that no matter what had changed, one thing remained constant; to survive, he must do Kaspar’s bidding until such time as Kaspar could be destroyed, and until then, Tal must be his loyal servant.
The carriage reached the house Tal was renting, and a footman opened its door. Tal exited with Amafi behind him, and Tal walked up to the house and knocked on the door.
A girl opened it, and said, “Yes, sir?”
“I am Squire Hawkins.”
She stepped aside. “Welcome to your home, Squire. I am Magary.”
As he entered, Tal said, “My manservant is Amafi. He will be majordomo. Who else is here?”
“The cook, sir. Well, he’s not here, but he’s on the staff. He is at the market; we just got word of your arrival yesterday from the owners of the house. I can make tea, if you care for some.”
“That will be fine. Anyone else?”
“No one else, sir. When the house is not occupied, I keep it clean, and Lucien cooks for the two of us. We never know quite what is needed until the tenant arrives.”
Tal could see a drawing room in front and a hall that no doubt led to the kitchen. Another room’s door could be seen on the right side of the hall, behind the drawing room. Tal asked, “What’s in there?”
“The pantry, sir.”
“No dining room?”
“Upstairs, sir. It’s a bit of an odd house, but it’s a nice enough place, once you’re used to it.”