The Shadow Isle - Katharine Kerr [111]
“Trev Hael?”
“His brother holds a lordship near the city. Oth also agreed that said brother will shelter him. Humiliating, truly, but better than the shadowy Otherlands. I gave the old man some coin for his journey, by the way.”
“Generous of you.”
Salamander shrugged. “I earn it with a mouthful of lies and a handful of cheap tricks, so why should I hoard it?”
“True spoken. You’d best get yourself somewhat to drink. It sounds like you’re about to lose your voice.”
“And that would be a great pity, though some might term it a blessing. I shall do so.”
All that evening and the next morning as well, gossip in Dun Cengarn gushed like a river in spate concerning Lord Oth’s sudden disgrace. Salamander, who could become not invisible but unnoticeable when he wanted to, wandered through the dun to eavesdrop. The majority of the servants regretted the lord’s departure. Though most agreed that he had made off with more than one lord’s coin, Oth apparently had never stooped to stealing from his inferiors.
The gossip grew even louder when the bard made good his threat. He packed up his goods, his wife, and his children, and headed back east to look for a better position closer to the heart of the kingdom. Bets went round that he’d turn up at Oth’s brother’s dun. Wondering why, Salamander asked outright questions of some of the servants who knew him.
“The chamberlain and the bard, they each turned a blind eye, like,” the cook told him, “to what the other was up to.” She hefted a cleaver and glared at Salamander over the blade. “Now don’t you go telling his grace any of this, like.”
“I’ve forgotten every word you told me already,” Salamander said, grinning. “My thanks.”
As the day wore on, Gwerbret Ridvar looked angry and baffled by turns; Lord Blethry began to look exhausted. Prince Voran wandered around the dun and asked discreet questions of its inhabitants, from Blethry down to the widow who tended the gwerbretal hogs. Salamander doubted that they’d told the prince as much as they’d told the gerthddyn. Eventually he went to look for Gerran and found him avoiding everyone who might make sharp remarks.
“Ye gods,” Gerran said. “I didn’t realize how much trouble Oth’s leaving would bring.”
“No more did the gwerbret,” Salamander said.
“I’ve gotten a fair number of ugly looks today. I wonder if the pages are going to poison my meat.”
“I doubt it, though they might be slow in bringing it to you. Still, you did the right thing, Gerro. Don’t let it trouble your heart. Voran’s here to keep an eye on the upheaval, a most fortuitous happenstance indeed.”
“Well, true spoken. With the Horsekin on the prowl up north, Cengarn’s vital to the whole blasted kingdom. He can’t let it tear itself apart.”
“Lest the kingdom be blasted, indeed.”
They were leaning against a wall near the stables, idly watching Clae curry Gerran’s horse. Grooms trotted back and forth, watering the mounts of the various warbands, bringing them to the long stone troughs two at a time. It was one of life’s little pleasures, Salamander reflected, to lounge in the warm sun and watch other men work.
“Any news of Oth himself?” Gerran said abruptly.
“And why do you think I’d have some?”
“Oh, spare me the horseshit.” Gerran gave him a sour look. “Wise One.”
Salamander laughed, then answered. “He’s joined up with a merchant caravan heading toward Trev Hael. The suicidal fever’s broken, and I think he’s out of danger now.”
“Good. He had his cursed gall, insulting my wife and stealing from her, but he didn’t deserve a madman’s death.”
“My thought exactly, and you’ve got the coin, which is what matters. With that many silver pieces you’ll be able to hire a master stonemason to oversee the building.”
“Just so. I’ll doubtless use the same man Cadryc did. I want to get started, curse it all!”
“Who’s going to supply the labor?”
“Ah, horseshit, I don’t know!” Gerran sighed and looked away. “Life was a lot simpler when I was just the captain of Cadryc’s warband. ”
“No doubt. But