Realms of Infamy - James Lowder [29]
Words gone. Knowledge gone. The power of that knowledge gone! Mere wealth could not repair my loss.
"Raven!" I screamed. "Raven come here!"
As I turned back to the shelf nearest the wall, I glanced out the window and saw smoke rising from the stables, servants rushing to beat out the blaze. They were too late. When the doors opened, the fire flared. I heard the whinnies of the horses, the pounding of their hooves against their paddock doors, the cries of the stablehands. If I hadn't problems enough in the library, I would have gone to help.
As Raven and I labored to save the books, I saw Lord Romul's note lying on the floor. When I picked it up, it crumbled in my hand.
"Could he have sent bookworm eggs?" I asked Raven.
The wizard nodded. Hours later, after we had salvaged what we could, I went outside to see the ruins of my stables. Only three mounts had managed to escape the fire. Atera's bay mare was one of them.
"Quite a coincidence, don't you think?" I asked Raven as we examined the burns on the horse's left flank. I spoke coldly, finally convinced that all my suspicions were true.
"The mare was lucky," Raven responded. "I'm glad for Atera's sake."
"But suppose it wasn't luck. Suppose Atera is a part of the plot and would not let her mount be harmed," I insisted.
He paused before speaking, weighing his words carefully, "Atera loves you. Yet, there are ways in which she could be made unfaithful against her will," he said.
"Ensorceled! Yes, that must be it. She certainly hasn't been herself since we returned to Espar." I felt suddenly glad I had guards at her door. "Raven, what can I do to end these plots?" I thought of the pockmarked merchants and felt a thrill of excitement I hadn't experienced since Saerloon.
His words disappointed me. "I am not certain. Let me consider it," he said. "In the meantime, write Lord Romul and tell him you accept his invitation."
"Of course! I must go see firsthand if he is gloating over my loss."
I penned a cordial reply, then took it to Atera. As she read my words, I told her that jealousy had turned me into an idiot. "I could never really doubt you," I said. "Forgive me."
Tears came to her beautiful eyes. She embraced me. Our reconciliation was long and satisfying.
* * * * *
The visit to Lord Romul accomplished everything I'd hoped for. He and his wife had arranged a magnificent meal, even hired some local musicians to play through the dinner. I tried to appear relaxed as I waited for some clue as to why the nobleman had become my enemy.
I discovered the cause after the meal, when he took me aside to speak to me privately. "Before your brother died, we had discussed the sale of your north fields that border my own grazing area. Since your livestock is so decimated and you have no interest in rebuilding the herd, I thought you might want to sell it to me," he explained.
Decimated livestock! Yes, he'd seen to that! "My father always said land is more precious than gold," I noted evenly.
He looked at me oddly. "So it is. But land is a tool like any other. It has to be used to be of any real value."
"I'll keep it," I responded, my tone convincing him I would not reconsider. "Now, if you don't mind, I think Atera and I should leave."
"I meant no offense, Sharven. I'm sorry if you misunderstood me."
"No offense was taken. It's just such a long ride back," I responded as pleasantly as I was able.
I hid my anger from Atera as well as I had from Lord Romul, venting it only when I was safely in Raven's chambers. "It's my land Romul wants," I told him.
Raven's long black robe brushed the floor as he paced. I'd never seen him so animated. "That's hardly a surprise. Now, we must determine what to do about his schemes."
We read well into the night. Eventually I suggested a plan so audacious that no one in Espar would ever suspect my hand in it. I went to Atera and instructed her to send word to all our neighbors that we were holding a feast and wanted