For months I've been bribing him with promises of protection and favors once I'm King. My father taxes these places heavily, and I've promised to cut their taxes down to almost nothing. And besides, I know that half of the liquor he serves there hasn't got a tax stamp. I know who smuggles it to him, and how."
Which explains why most of these places let him in the door.
Kai looked a little more confident now. "He has a warm basement where we can hide for days, if need be. The Swords and the Constables have already searched there. They might go back, but I don't think so. They believe Gallen is loyal to the Crown. It's the best place I can think of."
Alaire considered his options, saw that he had very few of them. Do as the natives do. He pulled the last of the clothes on, a tunic that was a little too big. The boots were better than the ones he'd had before, since they were fur lined, and designed for the cold. Long, threadbare woolen scarfs were wrapped around their heads and necks, giving them an undeniable poverty- stricken look.
But Kai still hadn't really answered his question.
"Kai, what's going to happen? What are we going t Kai finished tucking the scarf into his tunic, then said slowly, "We're both wanted for 'questioning,' but that really means they've already convicted us." His brow creased with thought. "I might be able to explain what happened. I can say a mage came along, that it wasn't you. Or something. As soon as I con Father someone tried to assassinate me, it might make a difference. Father has the power to pardon us both."
Kai said nothing about the Prison of Souls, but the omission emphasized it, highlighted it, drew circles and arrows around it. Prison of Souls. He desperately wanted to ask Kai more about it, but was more afraid of what the answer might be.
Not might, would. Minimum sentence, one year.
They put the bodies in caskets, their souls in crystals.
Fuel for magic. Limbo. Nothingness? Or is there pain, a slow burning, or is it like roasting on a spit? Aging twenty years for every one. No, I can't let that happen.
A lump of fear settled coldly in his stomach, which threatened to expel his breakfast. But Alaire forced his gut to settle, and turned his thoughts to other con- cerns. A lesser, but nonetheless important concern, was Kai's going back to the palace. This seemed, at the best, foolhardy. Would they believe him? he won- dered. Could he really convince the King to overlook this little incident?
Is he my only chance?
Kai seemed now to be blithely certain of success.
"As soon as you're secure in the basement, I'm going back to the palace to talk to Father. Gallen will take care of you. Just cooperate, do as he says, and every- thing should be fine."
"I doubt that," Alaire said sadly. "Our so-called dip- lomatic mission is now a disastrous ruin." He looked up, suddenly concerned for his Master. "Any word on how they're treating Naitachal? Is he under arrest?"
Alaire guessed that his Master and friend would not fare well in a Suinomen gaol. Althea would view this as an act of war.
They stared at each other, apparently having the same thought.
"How stupid of me!" Kai said, slapping his fore- head. "That was the whole reason for the attack! Master is an elf, and I'll bet they figured you had to be some kind of mage too! If they didn't kill you, .would force you to use magic. These enemies, who- ever they are in the palace, thought this through completely. Yes, Naitachal will probably be arrested.
Would Althea go to war over that?"
Alaire's stomach lurched again. "Maybe, but if they imprison one of the King's sons, even unwittingly -- "
He seized his head in both hands, as it threatened to explode from the pain of headache and heartache.
"Oh gods -- I don't know what to do! Unless I e Suinomen and explain what's going on to my father, we have no chance of preventing war."
How had all this turned into such a horrid mess, so quickly?
Kai looked grim. "There are probably watchers and checkpoints at the port and the roads. Still, there are ways. If worse comes to worse, I can put you on a boat for Althea."
"If it comes to that. I hope it doesn't." He shook his head unhappily, some of the exhaustion coming back.