As they walked to the huge building that was Stardock, the man the King had sent to administer the island of magicians said, ‘Something mundane. Our lookout saw you from up there.’ He pointed to one of the windows in a high tower. ‘He sent word to me.’
‘Must be one of my students,’ said Nakor, nodding.
Inside the building, they traversed a long hall and moved toward what Nakor knew would be Arutha’s office. It was the same one he had taken when he had been placed in charge of the island by Calis. ‘Are Chalmes, Kalied, and the others giving you any trouble?’ asked Nakor.
At mention of the Keshian-born traditionalist who resisted the idea of this island’s being subject to the King’s law, Arutha shook his head and said, ‘None worth mentioning. They grouse a bit now and again, but as long as they’re free to teach and do their research, they don’t complain too much about my administration.’
Nakor said, ‘I suspect they’re plotting.’
‘No doubt,’ agreed Arutha as they reached his office, ‘but I think it won’t amount to much without outside help. They’re too spineless to attempt to secede from the Kingdom without a strong ally.’
Once inside the office, Arutha closed the door. ‘And we’re prepared for that,’ said the Earl as he took the packet of documents his father had sent. ‘Excuse me a moment,’ he said, and broke the seal on the first of those, a personal message from the Duke.
As he read, Nakor studied the Earl. He was as tall as his father, but looked more like his mother, with fine features and an almost delicate mouth. His eyes, though, thought Nakor, were his father’s; they were dangerous. His hair was like his father’s, too, as it had been when James was a young man: tight dark brown curls.
After a moment, Arutha said, ‘Do you know what’s in here?’
‘No,’ said Nakor, ‘but I can guess. Erland has just returned from Kesh. Did he pass this way?’
Arutha laughed. ‘Not much gets by you, does it?’
‘When you’ve lived by your wits as long as I have,’ said Nakor, ‘you learn to pay attention to everything.’
‘Yes, Erland stopped for one night on his way home.’
‘Then you’ve made a deal with Kesh.’
Arutha said, ‘Let’s say we’ve come to an understanding.’
If Sho Pi was lost in the conversation, he gave no sign, seemingly content to let his master and the Earl speak uninterrupted.
Nakor laughed. ‘Your father is the most evil, dangerous man I’ve ever met. It’s a good thing he’s on our side.’
Arutha looked rueful. ‘You’ll get no argument from me in that regard. My life has never been my own.’
Nakor took the message as Arutha handed it across the desk. ‘You don’t seem particularly bothered by this,’ observed the gambler.
Arutha shrugged. ‘I had the usual rebellious nature most young men possess, but truth to tell, most of what my father had me do was interesting; challenging even. My sons, as you may have gathered, were a completely different case. My wife is quite a bit more forgiving of “adventuresome” natures than my mother was.’ He stood up as Nakor read the Duke’s message. ‘I have often thought what Father’s life must have been like, to be literally raised a thief in the sewers of Krondor.’ He glanced out a small window that overlooked the shoreline. ‘I’ve heard enough “Jimmy the Hand” stories to last a lifetime.’
‘I didn’t think your father was much on bragging,’ observed Sho Pi as Nakor continued to read.
‘Not from Father, but from others,’ said Arutha. ‘Father has changed the history of the Kingdom.’ He fell into a thoughtful silence. ‘It can be a difficult thing to be the son of a great man.’
Nakor said, ‘People expect much of a great man’s son.’ He put the document on the desk. ‘You want me to stay?’
‘For a while,’ said Arutha. ‘I need someone trustworthy here when this all breaks out. I need some reassurance that Chalmes and the others don’t react badly.’
‘Oh, they’ll react badly enough when they see what your father and Prince Erland have cooked up,’ said Nakor with a small laugh, ‘but I’ll make sure no one gets hurt.’
‘Good. I’ll leave next week, after I’ve seen to a few more necessary details.’
‘You need to return to Krondor?’ asked Nakor.
Arutha nodded. ‘I know my father.’
Nakor sighed. ‘I understand.’
Arutha said, ‘You have the same rooms as before, so rest and I’ll see you at dinner.’
Sensing they were being dismissed, Sho Pi rose and opened the door for Nakor.
After they had left the Earl’s office, Sho Pi said, ‘Master, what did you mean by asking Lord Arutha if he needed to return?’
‘His father ordered him to Rillanon, on a thin pretext of carrying messages to the King,’ said Nakor as they turned a comer leading to the suite of rooms set aside for them. Climbing a flight of stairs, Nakor continued, ‘Arutha knows his father is unlikely to leave Krondor when the fighting starts. He wants to see that his sons don’t stay with their grandfather.’