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And the moment he entered, all three of them started, stared at him as if he was one of Ma'ar's worst creations, then began babbling like a trio of lunatics.
"Forgive me, great lord—I have betrayed you, I have stolen from you—"
"She didn't do anything, neither of them did anything, it is not their fault—"
"Oh, gods—I didn't mean to encourage him—please believe me—Drake, please, you must believe me—"
He clapped his hands over his aching temples and shook his head violently. What on earthwere they all babbling about? "Please—" he said faintly, over the din, "Please, one of you at a time—"
As if his plea, faint as it was, had been a thunderous roar, they all fell silent at once, staring at him. He knew he felt as if he had walked through the seven hells in his bare feet, but he didn't think he lookedthat way!
Unfortunately, the silence was just as uninformative as their babbling had been.
I must look worse than I thought. I must look like I've been dragged behind a horse through all the hells of all the religions of the world. They must not have heard... they expected me to be Amberdrake the Imperturbable, and I look as shaken as they are, and they don't know why.
This was clearly no time to fall apart and hope for them to pick himback up and put him together. It was also clear that what had happened to Winterhart, Zhaneel, and Makke was as serious as a murder accusation, at least in their own eyes.
My immediate problem is settled. Come on, Drake, get a hold on yourself, they need you!He took a deep breath, and pulled himself together. I am a kestra'chern, dammit! I was a pillar of strength for others as a profession! If I ca
"Easy," he said, in a calm and soothing voice. "Let's sit down and get all this sorted out, shall we?" He smiled at Makke. "Now, what's all this about betrayal?"
In a few minutes, and at the expense of his own nerves, he had a sketchy idea of what had happened while hehad been dealing with accusations of murder. He told them, with equal brevity, what had happened at the Entertainment. And there was a feeling of sickness in the pit of his stomach about the betrothal offer in light of what he had learned from Silver Veil, a nauseous unease that warned him that there was danger there he had not ever expected. There was also a rising sense of anger. King Shalaman wanted his mate.He had been struggling to be at peace with the King, and all the while, Shalaman had been coveting Winterhart! Had they all been fools, assuming that because the Haighlei were formal and civilized, they could not possibly be lustful or treacherous? What were Shalaman and his advisors orchestrating?
But he hadn't even begun to sort it all out, much less get the details from any of the three, when there was a knock at the door. Reflexively, because a kestra'chern was trained to alwaysanswer a knock, because it might be someone in grave need, he answered it.
He thought, when he opened the door, that he was either hallucinating or caught in a nightmare. It was Leyuet, the leader of those who administered Shalaman's justice—the very man who had just accused him of killing a woman in cold blood.
He's come to imprison me!
That was the first, panicked, thought. But there were no Spears of the Law with the Advisor, which meant he could not have come here for that, at least. But why? And in the name of the gods, why now?
"Ah, Leyuet—" he stammered, trying to think of what the Haighlei protocol would dictate in this situation, "I appreciate that you have come to my quarters, I presume to ask me some questions, but it is very late and this is not a good time—"
"I must speak with you, Lord Amberdrake," the rabbity little man said urgently, actually stepping forward so that Amberdrake had to move back, and thus managing to get himself inside the door. "I must. My honor, the King's, and your life may all depend upon this."
As Leyuet entered, he shut the door behind him, thus preventing Amberdrake from coaxing him out with similar trickery. And at the moment, he did not really look rabbity at all. Haggard, yes—but rather more like a determined and stubborn goat than a rabbit.
Determined, stubborn, and in extreme discomfort.The man was so ill at ease that he radiated it; even Winterhart stared at him with narrowed eyes as if she sensed it, and she was not as Gifted with Empathy as Amberdrake.
"You must listen to me—it is exceedingly important that you understand what I am and what my duties are," Leyuet blurted out, and then launched into a detailed explanation of what a Truthsayer was and did—and that his position as Advisor and Chief of the Spears of the Law was strictly secondary to his vocation as a Truthsayer.
"You are entitledto a Truthsayer to establish your i
Since Silver Veil had already gone through an even more detailed explanation of a Truthsayer's abilities and duties, Amberdrake saw no reason to doubt him. She had not recommended Leyuet by name—
But the hints she dropped were certainly specific enough that I should have made the co
Best not to question further. I do not want to know what he does not want to reveal.
"Leyuet—my Lord Leyuet— thankyou for bringing this information to me, and so generously offering yourself as my Truthsayer," Amberdrake said, making sure that he projected sincerity and profound gratitude into every word. "Rest assured, your services will be called for shortly, perhaps even tonight—as it happens, the kestra'chern Silver Veil gave me identical advice, although she did not suggest you, specifically, and if anyone questions me I must in all honesty say that I ask for a Truthsayer on her word."
He had said precisely the right thing. Rather than taking offense, Leyuet visibly relaxed when Amberdrake said he would be giving Silver Veil the "credit" for advising him.
He doesn't want anyone to know he came to tell me the same things as Silver Veil. I think perhaps I'll askher why later.
"I ca
He broke off, embarrassed, as if he realized he was babbling.
There is a great deal of babbling going on tonight."I believe that will be the case," Amberdrake told him, gravely. "And I thank you in advance for going to such lengths for me."