“We should execute him at once. He is Fionaveir,” a woman’s voice rose from the window. Shade moved cautiously toward the opening, hoping to get a look at the speaker. Spying such as he was doing now was tricky. While it wasn’t unusual for a bird to land on a window ledge, it was unusual for the bird to take notice of conversations. With well-honed practice, he mimicked the movements of a Raven and cocked his head just enough to give him a glimpse of the speakers. At the very least, he knew Remedy still lived. If he was lucky, they would tell him where he was.
“Avanti has offered us a great deal for this one. Apparently there is some kind of scandal surrounding this particular ruffian,” Lord Rivasa said. He was seated in an oversized chair near the far wall. As usual, his clothing was garish and by his expression he was very pleased with the situation. His attention was focused on the woman standing across from him and he didn’t even spare a glance toward the window.
“We dare not risk keeping a Fionaveir alive here. What if more come? We cannot afford the disruption now. Too many wheels are already in motion,” the woman said, frustration filling her voice. She paced as she spoke, her head bent as if in thought. Shade watched patiently, waiting for her to turn to face the window or at least give him a decent view of her profile. From this vantage all he could make out was the dark color of her dress and long pale hair. The voice was not a familiar one, but then he didn’t know most of the noble courts by voice alone. If he could get a decent look at her he could determine how legitimate this conversation was. There was a possibility she was no one of significance and so the High Lord wouldn’t bother sharing further information with her. If that was the case, then he needed to find others speaking of Remedy. That in itself wouldn’t be difficult. The city was likely awash in conversation about the captured Fionaveir. The trick was finding someone talking that was important enough to know facts instead of gossip.
“We won’t be keeping him long,” Lord Rivasa assured the woman.
“Then we will be executing him soon?” she asked, turning fully to face the High Lord. She was tall and blond with features that screamed Elder Blood. She was also a complete stranger to Shade’s eyes. He stored the image away carefully in his mind. By the way she was speaking to Lord Rivasa and by the way she held herself, she had to be someone. Perhaps Charm would know who.
Lord Rivasa shook his head slowly and seemed to be growing bored with the conversation. His eyes were locked on the woman’s tight laced gown. “No, the Avanti will be arriving tomorrow to retrieve him,” he said casually, his voice distracted. “Surely there are other things that would entertain you better than talk of a prisoner,” he offered in what Shade was sure was meant to be an enticing voice.
Carefully Shade maneuvered back from the window in the slow hopping gate of a bird. He couldn’t take flight directly in front of them. Even Lord Rivasa would notice a Raven flying at night.
*
Charm paced back and forth by the ship, his eyes flicking from Shade to the distant glow of Kedravon. “Are you sure it was legitimate?” he asked for the third time.
“I don’t know who she was but yes I believe it was legitimate,” Shade replied patiently for the third time.
“How in the bloody hell are we going to get him out of there with Rivana and Avanti guards? Do you think it would be easier to get him from the Avanti lands?” he paused in his pacing and turned to stare at Shade.
Shade shook his head slowly. “No, we want him before he gets to Avanti,” he began and chewed on his lip as he thought it through. “They won’t use magic to transport him. There is too much risk that someone might steal him that way. They will use spell hawks. From the way Rivasa talked, Avanti wants him badly. Can you explain that for me, please Charm? Why exactly does Avanti want a particular Fionaveir so badly?”
“Remedy is a bastard of House Avanti. I’m not sure exactly who his mother was beyond relation to Lord Avanti, but I know she ran off with a soldier from Han’shy. The Avanti hunted them down and killed the soldier in the process. Lutheron managed to save the woman by happenstance and helped her escape,” Charm explained.
“Lutheron?” Shade asked with a raised eyebrow and snorted in amusement. “He really didn’t strike me as the damsel in distress sort.”
“It was more like opportunity to kill Avanti, but he did save the woman in the process,” Charm said and his gaze returned to the city. “I’ve known Remedy since he was a babe at his mother’s breast, Shade. I will not leave him in there.” His voice was firm, as was the look in his pale blue eyes.
“Do you think you can get on the Avanti transport without being noticed?” Shade asked as he dropped cross-legged to the ground. Leaning back on one arm, he lit a cigarette and stared up at his partner.
Charm considered the question and nodded slowly. “It’s not the getting on it that would be rough, it’s the getting back off that will be difficult. Remedy will be wounded and I doubt I will have opportunity to heal him, so he should be considered incapacitated and not factored into planning,” Charm frowned and shook his head. “Loading a prisoner will draw a crowd. There is no way I can get him off the ship and away from his guards with a crowd present.”
Shade grinned up at him and took a long drag from his cigarette. “We aren’t going to remove him on the ground Charm. All you have to do is get on the transport and find him. We will remove him enroute.”