sure whether Loethar or Stracker even knew about it. We’ll split it up between us, just in case we get separated or robbed. It’s too noisy for one person to carry anyway.’
Lily nodded, still amazed at the amount of money before her. They busied themselves stashing the coin in pockets and little pouches that Kirin produced, stringing the pouches around each of their necks and two each from their waists.
‘There,’ Kirin said at last, satisfied. ‘Whatever we now need we can buy.’
‘Then let’s go. What’s the plan?’
He bit his lip. ‘It’s too risky to try and organise horses. We’ll have to leave on foot and worry about transport later. We can leave by one of the side gates. I think it’s best if we head down to the chapel. It’s probably the quietest area of the palace complex and at this time will likely be deserted. There’s —’
A loud banging on the door interrupted him. Both Lily and Kirin froze. ‘Master Kirin?’ a voice enquired.
Lily melted into his side as Kirin put a protective arm around her. He nodded encouragement when she stared at him, terrified, and then called out, ‘Who is it?’
‘It’s Leak, Master Kirin, General Stracker’s messenger.’
She felt Kirin straighten and knew her own body had stiffened at the mention of the barbarian.
‘Don’t panic, Lily,’ he whispered. ‘We just have to continue playing our role.’
She nodded, swallowing. Her father had always cautioned that there was no good to be had in the cities. She’d been aware that he had always avoided any contact with the capital in particular; even at festival time when it seemed as though everyone except themselves would travel to Brighthelmstone to enjoy all the merrymaking, she and her father had remained deep in the woodland. When she was younger, Lily had resented their isolation.
But now, sensing Kirin’s fear, knowing that General Stracker was a thug, she realised that life in the woods with her father, and more recently with Kilt, had been so wise. How had Kirin and Freath lived with such constant anguish all these anni?
‘Just a moment,’ Kirin called out and he looked her way.
They had no choice. She nodded.
Kirin opened the door. ‘Yes, what is it, Leak?’
‘General Stracker wishes to see you immediately, Master Kirin.’
‘Immediately?’ Kirin repeated. ‘I thought the general was away.’
‘He returned a short while ago, Master Kirin.’
‘I see. And why the urgency? I have only just returned from a long journey myself. My wife and I are weary, keen to —’
‘I’m sorry, Master Kirin. I was simply asked to fetch you. I have a soldier escort waiting.’
Lily felt her throat go dry as she watched from behind as Kirin peered into the hallway.
‘Since when do we use armed escorts around the palace?’ he demanded, his voice even tighter. ‘What is going on?’
Lily stepped up to her husband and linked arms; she had to convey to him that she would be brave and he must do whateverhe had to in order to keep up the front they had constructed. As frightened as she was, and she knew Kirin must be, it sounded as though facing the general was his only option now. Escape would have to wait.
‘Forgive me, Master Kirin. I am just doing as bid by the general. Can you please come with us now.’ The messenger’s voice was polite but even Lily could hear his waning tolerance.
‘Let me just settle my wife, please. This is most inconvenient and —’
‘Er, the general has requested your wife’s presence too.’
Lily’s heart skipped. ‘Now look here, Leak,’ Kirin tried, ‘this really is —’
‘General’s orders,’ a new voice growled.
Lily didn’t think Kirin had even seen the soldier approach. His bulk filled the doorway without warning as the man stared down at them with an unswerving gaze.
There was nothing her husband could say. ‘Right. Just give me a moment.’ He closed the door and turned to Lily, his mind clearly scrambling.
‘Listen,
Lily nodded, still amazed at the amount of money before her. They busied themselves stashing the coin in pockets and little pouches that Kirin produced, stringing the pouches around each of their necks and two each from their waists.
‘There,’ Kirin said at last, satisfied. ‘Whatever we now need we can buy.’
‘Then let’s go. What’s the plan?’
He bit his lip. ‘It’s too risky to try and organise horses. We’ll have to leave on foot and worry about transport later. We can leave by one of the side gates. I think it’s best if we head down to the chapel. It’s probably the quietest area of the palace complex and at this time will likely be deserted. There’s —’
A loud banging on the door interrupted him. Both Lily and Kirin froze. ‘Master Kirin?’ a voice enquired.
Lily melted into his side as Kirin put a protective arm around her. He nodded encouragement when she stared at him, terrified, and then called out, ‘Who is it?’
‘It’s Leak, Master Kirin, General Stracker’s messenger.’
She felt Kirin straighten and knew her own body had stiffened at the mention of the barbarian.
‘Don’t panic, Lily,’ he whispered. ‘We just have to continue playing our role.’
She nodded, swallowing. Her father had always cautioned that there was no good to be had in the cities. She’d been aware that he had always avoided any contact with the capital in particular; even at festival time when it seemed as though everyone except themselves would travel to Brighthelmstone to enjoy all the merrymaking, she and her father had remained deep in the woodland. When she was younger, Lily had resented their isolation.
But now, sensing Kirin’s fear, knowing that General Stracker was a thug, she realised that life in the woods with her father, and more recently with Kilt, had been so wise. How had Kirin and Freath lived with such constant anguish all these anni?
‘Just a moment,’ Kirin called out and he looked her way.
They had no choice. She nodded.
Kirin opened the door. ‘Yes, what is it, Leak?’
‘General Stracker wishes to see you immediately, Master Kirin.’
‘Immediately?’ Kirin repeated. ‘I thought the general was away.’
‘He returned a short while ago, Master Kirin.’
‘I see. And why the urgency? I have only just returned from a long journey myself. My wife and I are weary, keen to —’
‘I’m sorry, Master Kirin. I was simply asked to fetch you. I have a soldier escort waiting.’
Lily felt her throat go dry as she watched from behind as Kirin peered into the hallway.
‘Since when do we use armed escorts around the palace?’ he demanded, his voice even tighter. ‘What is going on?’
Lily stepped up to her husband and linked arms; she had to convey to him that she would be brave and he must do whateverhe had to in order to keep up the front they had constructed. As frightened as she was, and she knew Kirin must be, it sounded as though facing the general was his only option now. Escape would have to wait.
‘Forgive me, Master Kirin. I am just doing as bid by the general. Can you please come with us now.’ The messenger’s voice was polite but even Lily could hear his waning tolerance.
‘Let me just settle my wife, please. This is most inconvenient and —’
‘Er, the general has requested your wife’s presence too.’
Lily’s heart skipped. ‘Now look here, Leak,’ Kirin tried, ‘this really is —’
‘General’s orders,’ a new voice growled.
Lily didn’t think Kirin had even seen the soldier approach. His bulk filled the doorway without warning as the man stared down at them with an unswerving gaze.
There was nothing her husband could say. ‘Right. Just give me a moment.’ He closed the door and turned to Lily, his mind clearly scrambling.
‘Listen,