The Magic of Recluce - L. E. Modesitt [188]
“Let’s sit on the balcony for a moment. I need to be at a meeting with the autarch before too long. After that, we can really talk.” She walked toward the shaded balcony, where she took a padded chair, and gestured to the one across the small table from her. “I’d offer you something, but I’ll have to leave before it comes. I’d rather hear from you—what you are doing, and why you wanted to see the autarch.”
“I’m here to warn you, assuming you haven’t heard. The prefect has decided to throw in with Antonin. I made the mistake of taking on one of his…I’d guess I’d call him an ally, if the chaos-masters have allies. That was the white wizard I ran into.”
“Antonin?” Her face reflected puzzlement.
“The most powerful of the chaos-masters. He did something to Tamra and seems able to defy the Masters of Recluce—at least for now.” I paused.
“Have you seen Tamra?”
My guts twisted again. “I haven’t seen her face, but I’ve seen traces of her. She’s tied up somehow with Antonin, I think against her will.”
“Against her will? I can’t believe that. Are you sure?”
What could I say to her? The silence drew out, and I looked out onto the paved yard, noting that the afternoon shadows cast by the building in which we sat enshrouded the stables and the front gate. Outside of the footsteps and a few voices, the yard was quiet, orderly.
Krystal waited, with the same grace I recalled, but with that added strength, almost like a cat that could spring from total relaxation into an attack.
Finally, I tried to explain. “Chaos is…different. You can’t use chaos even for the best of reasons without risking being trapped by it. People told me that, but I wasn’t sure. They were right, and I was lucky to meet a friendly gray wizard before finding too much trouble.” I forced a laugh. “By then soldiers in only two principalities were looking for my head.”
“How did you escape from Freetown?”
“I bought a horse and rode out.”
Krystal chuckled. “It wasn’t that easy, knowing you.”
“It wasn’t.” I didn’t elaborate. “What about you? I understand they burned the inn where we stayed.”
“I claimed to be from the north and took on the local blades. That included a few of the old duke’s bravos. Then I waited in the hiring hall until the new duke took over and agreed to terms with Recluce. That got me a contract with the first road-merchant to visit. When he reached Jellico, we had enough to buy nags for the trip over the southern passes to Kyphrien. I hired on with a freelance arms-master who trains bullyboys for the merchants, learned what I could. He suggested the autarch, who likes having women soldiers. Kasee liked me, and I started with a western road patrol. There were a lot of casualties. When the Duke of Freetown’s defectors tried to carve out that abortive duchy…” She frowned.
“You were the one? I’ve heard stories about you for nearly half a year.” I’d guessed she had been the road commander who had opened the reservoir gates on the supply train, effectively ending the siege of the border fort taken by the defectors. I’d meant to ask about Wrynn and about the incident with the Duke’s troops.
Krystal actually flushed, although the paleness of her skin had been replaced with a faint golden tan. “What about this Antonin?”
“He’s the one who’s turning the prefect’s troops into chaos-tinged maniacs. That’s why they never surrender, always fight to the death.”
She pursed her lips, nodding slowly. “We’d thought it was something of the sort. There are no order-masters in Candar, not that we can find.” She looked up. “I can’t stay now. I really don’t have time to get you settled. Would you mind waiting here for me? You could wash up, and there’s some fruit over there.”
Again, her request was not a request.
“How long?” I saw her face stiffen. “I didn’t mean that. I just worry about