“Well,” said Creed. “Business can wait at least for a few days. Rest while you can, I always say.’’
Tal settled back in the blankets and felt sleep rising up to claim him. He thought about his family and hoped they knew some peace now.
Then he thought about the Duke of Olasko and his captain, Quint Havrevulen. Those two must also join Raven in death before Talon’s family could truly rest. And it was with those unpleasant thoughts that Talon of the Silver Hawk fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
SCORPION
Tal sipped his wine.
Nakor said, “What you did was effective, but limited.’’
“Not for the Orodon,” said Tal.
He was sitting in Pug’s study on Sorcerer’s Isle. Magnus, Caleb, and Robert sat around a table. A merry fire burned in the hearth. Pug and Miranda were absent, away on some mysterious errand, according to Nakor.
Tal had made his way to Coastal Watch, where he had purchased passage on a ship to Salador. There he had located some old acquaintances from his time there with Caleb, and had sent word to Magnus that he had finished his business in the north.
Magnus had appeared and taken Tal to the island, using his arts as he had the first time he had transported the young boy from Kendrick’s to Pug’s estates. Tal had wished more than once for that knack: he was sick of horses, ships, and coaches.
He had been back on the island for a day and already the events of the previous month seemed a distant memory. His wounds had healed, though there was stiffness in his shoulder and leg, but the healers on the island assured him there would be no permanent damage, just two impressive scars to add to his collection.
Nakor said, “You acquitted yourself well, Talon.’’
“Tal, please,” he replied. “I’ve grown used to thinking of myself as Tal Hawkins.’’
“Tal, then,” said Nakor.
“Your defense of the Orodon village was pretty effective, for someone with no formal military training,” said Magnus. “You made do with the best at hand, though I admit I wasn’t entirely certain why you burned those catapults.”
Tal sat up. “I never mentioned that.’’
Magnus smiled slightly. “No, you didn’t. I watched you.’’
“Where?”
“At Village Queala, from a nearby hillside.”
“You were there!” Tal leaned forward in his chair. “You were there and did nothing to help?” His tone was accusatory.
Caleb said, “He couldn’t, Tal.’’
“There is much you still do not know,” Nakor added. “But this much you should be able to understand. The magician we spoke of—Leso Varen—must remain ignorant of our part in the things you are doing. If a magician of Magnus’s power had appeared and destroyed Raven, it would come to his attention immediately. You would never have been free of that connection in Leso Varen’s mind.’’
Tal nodded. “I don’t like it, but I understand.”
“Which brings us back to the question, now, what next?” Nakor said.
“Unless you have something else you require of me, I must decide what to do about Kaspar of Olasko.’’
“There is no decision to be made,” Nakor declared. “You must take service with him.’’
Tal’s eyes opened wide. “I cannot!’’
“Why not?” asked Caleb. “Mother already has her ‘Lady Rowena’ in his service. More than one agent is good.’’
“I cannot be false to an oath, so I cannot take any oath I will be unable to embrace.’’
Nakor said, “That is as it must be.’’
“I cannot serve a man like Kaspar, even if you have some plan you think would keep me from being detected by his magician when I lie. For I will not lie and make false oath,” Tal continued angrily.
“No,” said Nakor. “You misunderstand me. When I said it is as it must be, I mean you must not make a false oath. You must make an oath with all your heart, and serve Kaspar as needed, even at the risk of your life. If you are ordered to hunt one of us down and kill us, you must endeavor to do so with all your heart and if needs be, to kill one of us.’’
Tal frowned. “You want me to take wholehearted service with our enemies?” He was utterly bemused.
“Yes,” said Nakor, “for only that way can you get close enough to Kaspar to kill him when the time is right.’’
Tal sat back. “I don’t understand. How can I serve him without foreswearing my oath and still plan to kill him?’’
“Your oath holds just so long as Kaspar holds his oath sacred,” Nakor said.
“Ah,” said Tal, smiling a little now. “ ‘It is the responsibility of the master to honor his part in fealty as much as it is the servant’s.’ “
Nakor said, “Have you heard the parable of the scorpion?”
“No.”
“Once a scorpion sat upon the bank of a river which was too deep and swift for him to traverse. A frog swam by and the scorpion called out, ‘Frog, carry me upon your back to the other shore!’
“The frog replied, ‘I will not, for you will sting me, and I will die.’