The Ambassador's Mission

Lorkin sighed and looked around at the bare, rocky landscape. He hadn’t been alone in weeks. It would have been a nice change, if it weren’t for the circumstances. But he doubted he was unobserved.

If it weren’t for that, I’d try contacting Mother.

The blood ring was now a worrying burden. It wouldn’t surprise him if the Traitors searched him before or just after he arrived in Sanctuary. Though they did not treat him as if he posed much of a threat, he wouldn’t expect them to trust him completely.

And when they do, they’ll find Mother’s ring. It’s too obvious that something has been stuffed into the spine of my notebook. They’ll investigate. They’ll find it and take it off me in case I let her know where I am. Do I trust them to keep it safe?

He wasn’t prepared to take the risk. So far he’d come up with only two solutions: hide it somewhere, or give it to Dannyl. He’d decided on the latter.

Wait a moment … that means I can use it now. It won’t matter if anyone sees me and works out what I’m doing. He’ll have it, and he’ll take it away with him.

He was surprised at the relief that flooded through him, but not at the sudden reluctance that came afterwards. While he wanted to explain what he was doing to his mother, and reassure her he was fine, she was going to take some persuading.

Still, he had to try. And he didn’t have much time.

Reaching inside his clothes, he took the notebook out. A bit of pushing and digging later, he had the ring. He took a deep breath, then slipped it on a finger.

—Mother?

—Lorkin!

Relief and worry filtered through to him like muffled music.

—Are you all right? she asked.

—Yes. I don’t have much time to explain.

—Well … get to it then.

—Someone tried to kill me, but I was saved by a woman who is a member of a people called the Traitors. We had to leave Arvice because it was likely someone would try to kill me again. Now we’re heading toward the secret city she comes from. I’m going with her, but there’s a good chance they won’t let me leave the city in case I tell people where it is.

—Do you have to go?

—Yes. She wasn’t supposed to kill the person who tried to kill me. If I don’t speak in her defence they might execute her for murder.

—She saved you and now you want to save her. She paused. That’s fair, but is it worth being imprisoned?

—I think I can change their minds. But it might take a while. In the meantime … the Guild doesn’t know anything about them. I want to learn as much as I can. They have magic we’ve never seen before.

—The magic you went to Sachaka for in the first place.

—Maybe. I won’t know until I get there.

She was silent for a long moment.

—I can’t stop you … You had better be right about talking them into letting you go. Otherwise I’ll come fetch you myself.

—Give me a few years first. And lots of warning.

—Years!

—Of course. You can’t change a whole society overnight. But I’ll try to make it sooner.

—Well … you had better remember to put on the ring now and then.