When they had decided Kyosti wouldn’t tell them anything even under torture, they tossed him back in his cell at the bottom of the House of Wizards. Kyosti lay still, trying not to aggravate his injuries, as he listened to Kayla curse and rage at him all the way out of the dungeon.
He had never been inside the House itself before. He knew it had to be as gaudy and ostentatious as the Wizards themselves dressed, covered in gold, silver, copper and the finest draperies money could buy in all the Empire. Even the cell they had put him in had an actual mattress with blankets, a washbasin, and a chamberpot, which was certainly better than he’d expected. After a while, he dragged himself on to the bed and reveled in it. He hadn’t had a real bed since that inn in Mardoo.
After a time, someone came rustling down the hallway, jewelry tinkling, a cloying perfume leading the way.
“I’ve just, um, come to bring him dinner,” the person muttered to the guards, and Kyosti would have sat up in shock if he thought his stomach muscles were still working.
Sahyb came right up to the bars. “I made you food,” he announced. His deep voice boomed in the hallway, and Kyosti’s head ached.
“Not more pastry, I hope,” Kyosti groaned.
“What’s wrong with pastry?” Sahyb asked.
Kyosti shook his head, then regretted it. “You’ll have to bring it in. I can’t get up.”
Sahyb really did bring the food right to him, and even helped him sit up. Kyosti drew the line at Sahyb helping him eat, although he offered.
“My friend, you’ve made a lot of real enemies here, I’m afraid,” Sahyb said conversationally. “Galeon. Kayla. And now the queen.”
“Did Anglorae go to her? What did the queen say?”
“So far the queen hasn’t discovered you’re with us, but she’s sent out half the guard to find you. I went to have dinner with a friend of mine in the ombudsman’s office, and he said the queen has ordered the new Seer and her two companions questioned and searched, but he doesn’t know why.”
He paused. Kyosti took another bite.
“I don’t suppose you know what the queen and Galeon are looking for,” Sahyb finally asked.
“Haven’t the foggiest,” Kyosti said, then handed the plate back to him.
Sahyb laughed and clapped Kyosti on the back. “So, is it really true you’re blind now?
They chatted amicably for about half an hour, then Kayla came into the dungeon again. “You, OUT,” she roared at Sahyb. He dropped the plate on the floor, collected the pieces and fumbled his way out, muttering apologies.
She came in and shut the door behind her.
“Is Anglorae safe?” Kyosti asked immediately. “Sanji? John?”
Kayla scoffed. “Sanji and John are our spies. You’re worried about them?”
He glared in her general direction and she sighed.
“Galveston won’t hurt Anglorae, of course. They need a new Seer, and she’s not about to trust the Seers enough to send another one of her soldiers into their camp. We’ll make sure Sanji and John aren’t harmed, as they’re our own.”
Kyosti lowered his eyes. “And me?”
Kayla lowered herself onto the bed next to him. “If you don’t start talking, you’ll be killed. Either by Galeon, or by Galveston when she finally finds you.”
He smiled. “There are worse things than dying.”
“I heard about the extent of your mission after you already left,” Kayla said. Her arm, barely brushing his, shifted a little in a rhythmic way; he guessed she was playing with her sleeves like she had always done. “I could have told Galveston this would happen. I never said anything...but I always knew you would never give the knife to the Seers. That you would come back empty-handed and surrender yourself to your fate.” She snorted. “That was always you. Surrender.”
“And what would you have done?” he shot back. “Taken the knife to the Icelands yourself? Given it to a passing Eagle? Don’t pretend you’re any better than I am. Even I didn’t lower myself to join the House of Wizards.”
Kayla had already begun hissing a reply when a rumble shook the ground around them. Instinctively, they reached for each other and froze for a moment.
“What was that?” Kayla yelled to the guards.
“I don’t know, my lady,” one of them answered. “I’ve already sent someone to check. But if it was an earthquake---”
“---this is the last place we’d want to be,” Kayla finished, standing up and yanking Kyosti with her. “Come on, let’s get above-ground.”
“What not even going to tie me up?” he asked.
Her hand was a vice around his wrist. “I always bested you in military school. Now that I’m a Wizard, I’d like to see you try and get away.”
_________
Photo by arnie chou on Unsplash
Finally, a friend! I'm still mad though. 😤
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