Kushiel's Avatar - Jacqueline Carey [204]
"It's a long story," I said. "We were granted safe passage. Tizrav, how far are we from the border?"
"At your pace? Two days, maybe three." He eyed Imriel behind me, watching the operation in morbid fascination over my shoulder. "I see you got that boy you wanted.”
"Yes. Is the border guarded?"
"By Drujani?" He shrugged. "You could march an army across it untouched, and like as not the Lugal will, when he hears of it. I figured I'd wait. Sinaddan didn't promise gold, not like your Lord Amaury did."
Someone overheard his words, and they passed through the company, translated into a dozen tongues. Cheering arose at the mention of an invading army. I raised my hand. "No!" The word came out sharp and forceful, quelling the cheers. I took a deep breath, shifting my mount to address them all, speaking in zenyan. "Drujan wishes to sue for peace, and I gave my word I would deliver the message. Let no one here gainsay it. Is it understood?"
It was, reluctantly.
"And you, son of Tizmaht," I said to the mercenary. "Will you bide your tongue until I have spoken?"
Tizrav gave his crooked shrug. "War, peace; what is it to me? There's more profit in the former, and less risk of dying in the latter. I'll keep silent if you wish it. My father, he'd be glad to see the Sacred Fires lit, devout fool that he was. I reckon I can owe you that much."
And so we made for the border.
On the second day, Tizrav rode ahead to alert the garrison at Dem-seen Fort of our arrival. Mercenary or no, he'd seen us safely to Darsanga, and I trusted him to keep his word. In that, I was not wrong.
Slowly, creeping along the mountain roads, our company followed.
After so long, it seemed unreal, the grey fortress on the horizon, flying the Lion of the Sun banner of the Shamabarsin, the ancient House of Ur. Some of the Akkadians, Uru-Azag among them, broke down and wept. The reluctant Magi who had accompanied us dug in their heels, deserting us, taking the Drujani hostlers and bearers with them. No one moved to detain them, and the stones rattled with their passage.
Horns rang out from the turrets, clarion calls echoing over the crags. We had been seen.
The garrison turned out to meet us.
Foremost among them was Lord Amaury Trente, disbelief and joy writ large on his features. "Phèdre!" He embraced me, kissed me on both cheeks, then took my shoulders in his hands and shook me. "Name of Elua, I swear . . . Joscelin Verreuil, you mad Cassiline ..." He embraced Joscelin awkwardly, mindful of his bound arm. "And you— Catching sight of Imriel lurking warily between us, he paused and executed a courtly bow, his voice unwontedly gentle. "You must be Imriel de la Courcel. My lord prince, welcome back."
"What?" Amid the milling chaos of the reunion, Imriel's voice was lost and bewildered, rising to panic as he glanced from Amaury to me and back. "What?'
I closed my eyes and bit the inside of my cheek. I hadn't thought.
"Phèdre." Amaury's hand on my arm forced me to attention. "You didn't tell him?"
"No." I shook my head. "Amaury . . . you can't know what it was like."
" What?"Imriel's demand rose, strident with fear. In his experience, the unknown was never good. This time, I daresay he was right. "Tell me what?"
"Imri." I knelt before him, taking his hands in mine. "I didn't tell you the whole truth. Lord Amaury is right. Your name, your full name, is Imriel de la Courcel, and you are a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the D'Angeline throne."
His face had gone bloodless. "You said . . . you said my father was dead."
"He is," I said steadily. "Your father was Prince Benedicte de la Courcel, the great-uncle of Queen Ysandre. She is your cousin, and she has been praying very hard for your safe return. Lord Amaury here is her emissary. He has come all this way to bring you home."
Imriel tore his hands out of my grasp, clenching them into fists. "You lied" he hissed, eyes glittering feverishly in his pale face. "You said my mother sent you!"
"Your mother!" Amaury Trente gave a short laugh, and caught himself. "My lord prince, your