The Archmage unbound

Chapter 43

That night proved every bit as difficult to get through as I had expected. I tossed and turned for most of it, and slept fitfully for the rest. During the night I woke constantly and found myself staring at the small wooden box sitting on my bedside table. Each time I thought I had seen a flicker of light coming from the ruby embedded in its lid and each time I discovered it was just a figment fabricated by my sleeping mind.

Morning found me sitting on the divan, dressed and awake, watching the box from across the room. Given the time they had ridden out of Albamarl I was expecting a note from James at any moment, yet the ruby on the lid stubbornly refused to light up.

“Come in,” I said loudly in the direction of the bedroom door. Rose was standing on the other side about to knock but I had already sensed her approach. She opened the door and glanced inside.

“Any word yet?” she asked anxiously. Despite the early hour she was already dressed in an elegant gown and her hair was a delicate mixture of braids arranged to restrain the rest of her free flowing hair. I couldn’t imagine how she had contrived that miracle. Penny was altogether more practical when it came to morning hair… as long as it was tied up and out of her way she was happy.

“No,” I said abruptly. “Why are you dressed like that?” My mood was sour or I wouldn’t ordinarily have been so rude.

If I offended her she showed no sign. “I’m nervous, and when that happens my first instinct is to do this,” she gestured at her gown and hair. “I blame it on my upbringing.”

I was tempted to ask her about the weaponry she had strapped to her thigh and hidden in her bodice, not to mention the steel spike nestled amid her braids but I kept my silence. If I gave away my knowledge of those things it might lead to an unfortunate conversation regarding what else I was capable of glimpsing.

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

She shrugged, “My stomach is full of butterflies. I haven’t tried to put anything in it yet.” She examined me carefully for a moment before speaking again, “Are you planning to meet the King dressed like that?”

The question nearly made me laugh, “Why does it matter? I’m going to kill him when I see him… one way or another.”

She bit her lip, showing a hint of delicate white teeth. “Because I’m going with you and I won’t be seen being escorted by a lout in a stained linen tunic and patched leather boots.”

That got my attention and my eyes lit upon her. “You aren’t going with me.”

Rose’s eyes sparkled as she sensed a challenge. “How well did that work when you told Penny that?”

She had me there. Most of those occasions had ended with her coming with me anyway. “Doesn’t matter,” I replied crossly, “you aren’t my wife.” I stood up to keep her from looking down on me.

She didn’t back away from the challenge; instead she stepped into my personal space and stood just inches from my face. “Your wife isn’t here and until you get her back I’m in charge of taking care of you.” A strange urge to strangle her swept over me but I restrained myself. I could see her nostrils flaring as she breathed and I felt my face flush. The tension I was feeling wasn’t just anger and if I’d laid hands upon her it wouldn’t have ended in a fight. It would have been far worse.

“Fine,” I said stepping away from her, seeking cooler air to calm my emotions. “I won’t be held responsible if something happens to you there. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“I didn’t ask you to,” she replied calmly. “Why don’t you see about a bath while I look through your clothes,” she added with a serenity that belied the anger she had shown only a moment before.

I left and went looking for Joe McDaniels. By the time I had found him I had made up my mind to follow her advice and take a bath. It had been days already and I was starting to smell.

Rather than have the copper tub taken to my room, as Penny and I had normally done I used the communal baths in the barracks. Given my state of mind and the hormones that had been flying through the air already this morning it seemed the safest option. Thankfully Joe didn’t ask why I suddenly wanted to bathe there; he simply showed me where the towels and other things were located.

Normally baths were taken in the evening so there weren’t any other bathers present, but then neither were the fires lit so I had to make do with cold water. That actually suited me even more than I cared to admit.

When I finally returned to my room I was in a much better frame of mind. The first things I saw upon entering were the clothes Rose had laid out for me upon the bed. I ignored them and checked the wooden box, but the light still wasn’t lit.

Returning my attention to the clothes I couldn’t help but admire her choices. Grey trousers matched with black boots and a sable trimmed doublet. Gold accents marked the doublet itself as well as the cloak she had set beside it. I wondered if any of it would fit, but I needn’t have worried. Though I hadn’t ever worn the clothes before, Penny had had them made by the same tailor that made my more usual wardrobe items. Knowing Penny, she and Rose had probably discussed all of it before she had ever commissioned them to be made. The two of them had been thick as thieves when it came to my wardrobe over the past year.

Joe appeared after I had dressed. “You need to eat something,” he said as soon as I opened the door.

“I don’t think so.”

“Nothing heavy… just a bit of porridge,” he insisted. “You’ll need it later.”

I didn’t have the heart to argue so I let him have a small bowl brought up to me. It wasn’t easy to start, but once the first few bites had gone down I discovered I was ravenous. I finished the portion and gave serious consideration to asking for more.

Rose arrived before I could send for him. “You look much better,” she commented dryly.

“I feel better, thank you. Though I think I must look a fool in these clothes.”

She smiled, “You look dashing.”

“Isn’t the hero supposed to wear white?” I said questioningly.

“You aren’t quite that good,” she replied. “You’re planning to commit regicide. Dorian might be good enough for white, but I’m afraid the best you should wear would be shades of grey.”

Her words stung a bit but I shrugged the feeling aside. “These clothes are mostly black,” I noted.

“It looks better than all grey.” Looking at me she frowned. “Stop pouting. I told you once before, you’re the right man for this task. There are some things that require shades of grey.”

I opened my mouth to speak but she put her finger on my lips. “Close your eyes and be silent for a moment Mordecai,” she said gently. Something in her tone struck a note within me, and I did as she bade. Stepping forward she planted a quick kiss on my cheek, which surprised me, and then she wrapped her arms around me.

“You’re a decent man Mordecai, not a perfect one, but better than most. I love you almost as much as I do Dorian, and I love Penelope just as much. You have to promise me one thing today.” She stepped back and I opened my eyes.

“What?” I asked suspiciously.

She sighed, “So cynical at such a young age. I want you to promise me, for Penelope’s sake, that whatever happens, you will try to survive… no foolish sacrifices.”

I was tempted to remind her that she was only a year older but it seemed a crass thing to say. “I cannot do that,” I said instead. “As you told me just last night, I have learned that we each have a right to make our own sacrifices. I cannot make any promises when there is so much that is uncertain…” I paused without finishing. From the corner of my eye I could see a red glow had appeared on the small box near the bed.

Forgetting everything else I strode quickly to the side table and opened the lid. Inside was a small slip of paper. Carefully unfolding it I found it carried a message written in James’ neat hand:

We have safely recovered Walter’s wife and young son. Of Penny, Dorian, and his older daughter we could find no sign. There were no survivors among the priests. No witnesses to our attack either. We have searched the area to no avail and are now returning to Albamarl.

I am truly sorry, Mordecai.

James

A cold calm washed over me and I let Rose take the note from numb fingers. Walking over to my writing desk I quickly penned a response:

Wait for me at the carriage house tonight. If I do not appear by morning ride for Lancaster and prepare for war.

Mordecai

I could have embellished the note in any number of ways, but I didn’t. My heart was too cold to care anymore. Closing the box I handed it to Rose. If any further messages were to be sent she would have to be the one to manage it. Walking to the corner I belted on my enchanted pouch and lifted my staff. Then I headed for the door… the time for waiting was over.