‘Certainly not here,’ agreed Macros. ‘And we could use an expert on certain lore from the Order of Ishap.’
‘Which means we need to go to Sarth,’ said Pug.
Macros yawned. ‘Very well, but I could use a nap first.’
Nakor got up. ‘I’ll take you to my apartment. It has extra bedrooms in it.’
Pug stood as well. ‘Don’t let him keep you up all night,’ he said to Macros, and he and Nakor left.
Pug turned to Miranda. ‘Well, it seems we’re finally getting to the heart of things.’
Miranda said, ‘Maybe. My father is a self-confessed liar, remember?’
‘And you?’
‘I’ve never lied to you,’ she said defensively.
‘But you’ve hidden things from me.’
‘What about you?’ she said, her tone accusatory. ‘You still haven’t told me why you don’t just fly across the water and sink the Queen’s fleet. I saw what you did. I couldn’t believe the power you control.’
Pug said, ‘I can explain that, but not until we’re someplace safe.’
‘Safe from what?’
‘I can’t explain that until then, either.’
Miranda shook her head. ‘You irritate me at times. Pug.’
Pug laughed. ‘I expect I do. You’re not exactly without edges yourself.’
She stood up and crossed to stand before him. Putting her arms around him, she said, ‘One truth: I love you.’
He said, ‘I love you, too . . . And I never thought I’d hear myself say that to another woman after Katala died.’
‘Well, it’s about time,’ she said.
Pug hesitated. ‘What about Calis?’
‘I love him, as well.’ When she felt Pug go tense, she said, ‘But in a different way. He’s a friend and very special to me. And he needs a great deal and asks for so very little. If we live through this, I think I can help him find happiness.’
Pug said, ‘Does that mean you’re choosing him?’
Miranda drew back slightly so she could look Pug in the eyes. ‘No, stupid. It means I think I know a few things about him and what he truly needs.’
‘Like what?’
‘Let’s all live through this, first, then I’ll tell you.’ He smiled and kissed her. They lingered in their embrace, then she hugged him tight and, whispering in his ear, she added, ‘Maybe.’ He slapped her on the bottom and she laughed. Then he kissed her again.
NINE - Plots
Erik shifted his weight.
His dress uniform was uncomfortable, and his head still hurt from the blow he had taken the previous week. Now it was merely a dull throb when he turned too quickly or when he was exerting himself, which was every day.
The Novindus mercenaries who had agreed to come over to the King’s service were proving an interesting training problem for Jadow Shati and the other sergeants. Alfred had been promoted to Sergeant, so Erik was depending on a new bully in his company, a Corporal Harper.
As Erik rubbed absently at the back of his head, Calis said, ‘Still hurts?’
Erik said, ‘Less each day, but you were right about that Saaur’s blow. Two inches more and I’d have been cut in half.’
Calis nodded as the Prince and his retinue entered the room. Patrick said, ‘Let’s get this meeting underway.’
Nicholas, uncle to the Prince of Krondor and Admiral in command of the Western Fleet of the Kingdom, said, ‘Our latest intelligence tells us they will absolutely be coming this way: a quick strike through Krondor and over the mountains to Sethanon.’
Patrick nodded. ‘I agree, though my father is still concerned about the possibility we’re being intentionally fed false reports and the fleet will end up sailing around the world to Salador, in an attempt to reach Sethanon from the east.’
‘That was a possibility, but always very unlikely,’ said Calis. ‘Now we know it’s not remotely probable.’
Erik studied the others at the conference, feeling far out of his depth. Sitting next to the Prince was James, Duke of Krondor, and on the Prince’s other side William, Knight-Marshal of Krondor. Owen Greylock, former Swordmaster at Darkmoor and now a Knight-Captain of the King’s Army, sat next to William. Nicholas sat next to James, and Calis between Erik and Nicholas. On Owen’s other side sat a man unknown to Erik, a scribe who wrote down whatever was said in an odd script unlike anything Erik had seen before.
Calis said, ‘Our enemy is many things, but subtle is not one of them. They tried subtle once, when they abducted your cousin Margaret and the others from Crydee.’
Patrick snorted. ‘Sacking the Far Coast wasn’t exactly my idea of subtle.’
‘That’s the point,’ said Calis. ‘Had they abducted a few commoners here and there, and let their infected duplicates wander through Krondor . . .’