The Ambassador's Mission

She raised an eyebrow and regarded him closely. “Don’t tempt me, Dannyl.” Then she drew in a deep breath and sighed. “No, he isn’t that bad. And I do wish you luck, Dannyl. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Rothen chuckled. “Goodbye again, old friend,” he said. Just as Dannyl had once farewelled Rothen many years before, on this spot, before heading off to Elyne and his first ambassadorial role. Where I met Tayend …

“Farewell, even older friend,” Dannyl retorted. Rothen laughed, the wrinkles on his face deepening. He looks so elderly these days, Dannyl thought. But then, so do I. He felt a pang of regret that he had not visited his old mentor and friend much these last few years. I’ll have to make up for that when I return.

“Off with you then.” Rothen made the same shooing motion that Sonea had. Dannyl chuckled and obeyed, climbing into the carriage to sit beside Lorkin. He turned to the young man.

“Ready?”

Lorkin nodded without hesitation.

“Driver. Time to depart,” Dannyl called.

A command rang out and the carriage jerked into motion. Dannyl looked out of the carriage window to see Sonea and Rothen watching. Both wore frowns, but as they saw him they smiled and waved, as did the young men huddled under the University entrance. He waved back, then the carriage turned toward the gates and they were no longer in sight.

She won’t stop worrying about him the entire time he is gone. Such is the role of a parent. He suppressed a sigh. Why this melancholy? I should be filled with excitement at the coming adventure. Glancing at Lorkin, he saw that the young man was gazing out of the other window. It’s not just me then. I guess all travel involves leaving somewhere, and that often involves a little sadness. Well, at least Lorkin had someone seeing him off.

He frowned as he thought back over the previous several days. Since their argument Tayend hadn’t spoken a word. Not even when Dannyl had told him he would be leaving the next day. Not a word of farewell. He hadn’t been present when Dannyl had loaded his chests onto the carriage and rode away.

Why does he have to be like this? It’s not as if he still wants to take part in the research. Tayend had shown less and less interest in the work over the years. He was more excited by court gossip.

Dannyl had told the silent scholar that if he judged Sachaka safe enough, he’d send a message and if Tayend was still keen to join him he could seek the Elyne king’s approval. But the scholar had glared at Dannyl and left the table, his dinner unfinished.

I’ve never seen him this angry. It’s unreasonable. My research won’t progress unless I go to Sachaka. Well, I hope it will progress. I might go there and find nothing.

But he would never know that if he didn’t try.

The carriage moved through the Inner Wall out into the North Quarter. Lorkin was still staring out of the window. His expression was withdrawn and thoughtful, which made him look more like his father.

Akkarin had always been brooding about something. It turned out he had a reason to be. Who’d have guessed the man so many magicians had been in awe of had once been a slave? Certainly nobody had suspected their High Lord knew black magic, and had been venturing out into the city to kill Sachakan spies.

Were there any Sachakan spies in the city now? He smiled. Of course there were. Just not the kind Akkarin had hunted – ex-slaves sent by their Ichani masters. No, the spies here now would be the old-fashioned kind, sent or hired by the rulers of other countries to keep an eye on their neighbours. And they wouldn’t bother with the poorer districts, instead looking for useful positions with access to the court and trade.

Dannyl looked out of the window. He watched as the neat stone houses of the North Quarter passed, then the carriage trundled through the Outer Wall and entered what had once been the slums.