The Seeker - Isobelle Carmody [158]
Reuvan burst out laughing. She looked up at him, startled, and bared her teeth. That broke the spell woven by her dramatic transformation. “She may be a girl,” Reuvan said, “but she is still dragon-natured and had better keep her name as a warning to anyone who might think otherwise.”
Brydda patted his mother’s shoulder. “Well, I always knew you were a witch.”
Even Pavo smiled at this absurdity.
Over steaming mugs of fement, we talked of ways and means to reach our various destinations. I told Katlyn and Grufyyd the whole story of Obernewtyn, deciding it was better to take them fully into our confidence. If Obernewtyn was under investigation, we would have to leave it anyway. And if not, I had an idea that Katlyn and Grufyyd might be glad of a reason to return to the highlands. The trouble was that the chance of reaching Obernewtyn before the mountain pass froze was dwindling.
“If only the Olden pass had not been poisonous, we might have gone that way and cut off days of traveling time,” I sighed.
“Poisonous …?” Brydda began.
Suddenly Darga growled, and Dragon jumped to her feet.
“What is it?” I said, but Brydda hissed. In the silence, we could hear a horse galloping toward the house.
I farsensed the rider and breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s Domick,” I told the others. There were steps on the porch, and the door was flung open.
“You are here!” cried Kella, leaping up to embrace him.
“Thank Lud you’re here,” he said, keeping Kella close in his arms. “You must leave tonight, all of you.”
“What is it?” Brydda asked sharply, rising to tower over the coercer. Domick’s face changed as he noticed Idris, Reuvan, and Dragon.
“It’s all right, Domick. They’re with us,” I said quickly. “They know about Obernewtyn, about everything.”
The coercer looked less disapproving than I expected. He glanced at Brydda speculatively. “I guess you must be Brydda Llewellyn, better known as the notorious Black Dog. It is good to meet a man whose name I have heard so many times as one who ferociously opposes the Council.”
Brydda met this with a curious look. Domick sighed. “It’s a long story, but I’ll give you the meat of it.”
He threw off his dripping oiled coat. “I first heard the name of Brydda Llewellyn here, but I heard it again before I had even reached Sutrium. Soldierguards were watching the ferry, looking for you. I overheard them saying Brydda Llewellyn’s network of seditioners had been exposed, and he was on the run. I wanted to come after you, Elspeth, to warn you, but I knew I couldn’t get to you before you reached Aborium.” An expression of suppressed agony crossed his face, and I realized what a struggle it had been for him to proceed with his mission.
“The first thing I noticed about Sutrium was the number of Herders about. They seemed to outnumber Councilmen, and there was a definite feeling of fear whenever they were around.
“I mingled with people wherever there were crowds. I had the feeling I was safer that way. I let people understand I was a trading jack whose cart had been burned in a firestorm. That explained my ignorance about customs lowlanders take for granted. And it let me ask questions as I sought work to amass coin enough to replace my cart and tools. I knew I had to get close to the Council, but I couldn’t think how.
“Then one night in a drink hall, I overheard two men talking to a third man who was to take up a job at the Councilcourt. They were laughing and warning their friend that his new job was dangerous. The third man was beside himself with fear by the time the other two left. I struck up a conversation with him by offering him a mug and learned that he had come from the highlands to work in Sutrium. He had been recommended by a Herder, and though he neither wanted nor liked the idea of going to Sutrium, he dared not refuse. In the end, I managed to persuade him to let me take the job.” Domick flicked a look at me, which told me what sort of persuasion