Kings Game

Chapter 27 - The King's Army

(1)

Two days later, Roran, Kell, and Nul went to visit Carrick again. They made the entire trip via indoor corridors, working their way through the city like ants. At one point the corridor descended below the ground to traverse under a few streets. Even out of sight, Kell kept glancing around, her eyes peeled for Timara.

She relaxed when they arrived at Carrick's apartment. He greeted them the same as last time, with a scowl and a wary glance.

"Get inside. At least you're not arriving at the crack of dawn this time."

"You do realize we're more likely to be spotted coming and going during the day like this."

"At least if I get executed for treason, it will be after a good night's sleep. Do I need to bother making tea?"

"Only if you care about being a good host."

"Then no. Sit down and let's get this over with."

The four of them sat around Carrick's dining table. Somehow, another layer of dust had already developed since their last visit. Carrick didn't bother collecting his tomes, he simply pulled out a single notebook and left it closed in front of him.

"So, aside from people going out of their way to kill you, any developments?"

"We have a few leads on potential crowns," said Roran. "We may even be able to find the knowledge Nul needs to design the necessary focus marking."

Carrick nodded. "Go on."

"There are spirits that wander the world called remnants. We can use these as crowns. They won't be as powerful as the King's, but we won't be stuck on the side of a mountain."

"I'm impressed. I didn't think you would make any progress on that front." He shrugged. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore, you seem to come out on top no matter what you do. So, what's next?"

"Next we go find the knowledge Nul needs, then make one of these remnants agree to work with us."

"And where exactly will you be looking?"

"Uhlara," said Nul.

Carrick frowned. "That's going to be tricky. They think they're currently at war with the King's Empire."

"Aren't they?" asked Roran.

"Only so much as a mouse can be at war with a lion. Tell me, how are you planning to get there? Uhlara is on the other side of the continent."

"Well," began Kell, "this is the part we were hoping you could help us with. We were hoping to catch a ride with the army."

Carrick blinked at her. "They're not a caravan, they won't take people along for the ride, even if you pay them."

"That's not what we had in mind," said Roran. "With the recent assault, we thought there might be some missions heading out to Uhlara. If we went on one of those missions, we could get close to—or maybe even inside—Uhlara."

"Yes..." said Carrick, speaking slowly as if to a child. "But you would have to join the army before they would let you do that."

Roran, Kell, and Nul all stared at him.

"Which you three are smart enough not to do..."

A long, thin silence stretched between them. Carrick's eyes widened and he looked from Roran, to Nul, then finally to Kell.

"No," he said softly. "No, you know better."

"It would be the easiest way to get across the continent," said Nul.