Patrick said, ‘Let them.’
A door opened and a squire in the livery of the palace entered, carrying a document to Duke James. He opened it and read. ‘They’ve sailed!’
Patrick said, ‘We’re certain?’
Duke James nodded to Calis, who said, ‘We left a few agents behind after the fall of the City of the Serpent River. It’s been more difficult to get intelligence out of that region, but we left behind one fast ship, and our best crew, in a safe location. It took a messenger two days by fast horse to reach our ship, then the ship left at once. We know it’s faster than anything the Queen has, and they’re moving at the speed of the slowest ship in the flotilla.’ He calculated, then looked around the table. They will be at the Straits just before Midsummer’s Day.’
James said, ‘That leaves us three months to prepare.’
Patrick said, ‘Do what you must, and let me know the details of this Quegan plot of yours as soon as possible.’ He stood and the others in the room rose. This meeting is adjourned.’
Duke James motioned Erik over to his side. ‘Sir?’ said Erik.
‘Send a note to that friend of yours and tell him to get here as soon as possible. I think I need Mr Avery to run an errand for me.’
Erik nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’
After Erik had left, James beckoned to William. ‘It’s time to tell young von Darkmoor the truth, I think.’
Owen Greylock, who had followed William to the Duke’s side, said, ‘He won’t like it.’
‘But he’ll follow orders,’ said William. ‘He’s the best.’
James smiled. ‘He is that, isn’t he? We’re lucky to have him.’ James’s smile faded after a moment. ‘I wish others could be as lucky as that.’
William said, ‘If there were any other way . . .’
James held up his hand. ‘I believe we shall see more pain and destruction in the next half year than the Kingdom has known in its history. But when the smoke settles, there will still be a Kingdom. And a world. And those who survive will be the luckiest of all.’
‘I hope we may be among them,’ said Greylock.
With a bitter note, James said, ‘Don’t count on it, my friend. Don’t count on it.’ Without further words, the Duke departed.
‘Again?’ said Roo. ‘Why?’
‘Because I need you to buy more Quegan fire oil.’
‘But, Your Grace,’ said Roo, as he sat uncomfortably before the Duke of Krondor. ‘I can send a message to Lord Vasarius -’
‘No, I think you need to go in person.’
Roo’s eyes narrowed. ‘You’re not going to tell me what this is about, are you?’
‘What you don’t know can’t be tortured out of you, can it?’
Roo didn’t care for that answer. ‘When do you wish me to leave?’
‘Next week. I have a few things I must do before then, and then off you’ll go. It’ll be a short trip, don’t worry.’
Roo stood. ‘If you say so.’
‘I do. Now good day.’
‘Good day, my lord,’ said Roo, and his tone showed he was less than pleased to have to endure another visit with his erstwhile partner. It wasn’t that Lord Vasarius was not a hospitable man, but his idea of hospitality was to bore his guest with interminable stories over bad food and wine. And that daughter of his! Roo thought she was enough to make him give up women. Then he thought of Sylvia, and he amended that to almost enough to make him give up women.
As he left the Duke’s private chambers, another door opened and a squire said, ‘Lord Vencar, Your Grace.’
‘Send him in, please.’
A moment later, Arutha entered the room, still covered with road dust. ‘Father,’ he said in greeting.
James kissed his son on the cheek. ‘Is it done?’
Arutha grinned and for a moment James saw a hint of himself in his son. ‘It’s done.’
James struck his fist into the palm of his left hand. ‘Finally! Something is going our way. Is Nakor willing?’
‘More than willing,’ said Arutha. ‘That madman would have done it simply for the pleasure of seeing the faces of those other magicians when it happens, I’m certain, but he also understands we have to protect our southern flank.’
James regarded the map in his office. That’s one problem.’
‘There’s another,’ said Arutha.
‘What?’
‘I want Jimmy and Dash out of the city.’
James waved away the request. ‘I need them here.’
‘I mean it. Father. They have your impossible sense of immortality, and if you leave it up to them, they’ll cut things too close and be trapped in the city when it falls. You know that’s true.’
James studied his son’s face, and sighed. He sat behind the desk and said, ‘All right. When the Queen’s fleet is sighted off Land’s End, send them away. Where do you want them to go?’
‘Their mother is visiting family in Roldem.’
‘That’s convenient,’ said James dryly.
‘Very,’ said Arutha. ‘Look, you and I stand scant chance of surviving this. You can lie to me, even yourself, but you can’t lie to Mother.’