The Prince's Mark

Chapter Thirty Seven

Mirthal spent his day waiting. He had done a lot of waiting since he had arrived in Winlea and he was sick of it. This time, though, he waited for Tracou. For freedom.

In the other cell, Sakshi paced. She loved pacing and the sound of her feet shuffling three steps forward, turning around, and shuffling those same steps back drove Mirthal insane, but today it occurred to him that she may have the right idea. They had to move. Mirthal in particular hadn't done a lot of moving since getting thrown into the dungeon and his body creaked when he stood. Still, if they had to run, he had to be ready. He couldn't be the reason they failed.

If only Mirthal could tell what time it was. The only indication that time passed at all was Karthik's visits and that happened once a day. He had missed Karthik today, due to having trouble getting to sleep after Tracou left and thus sleeping later than normal. But that meant that lunch had definitely passed.

Each passing moment made Mirthal more eager. Restless, he tried to distract himself by eating, by stretching, by anything—but nothing worked. Maybe if he spoke with Sakshi he could distract himself long enough for Tracou to appear.

"Do you think we'll be out tonight?" he asked.

"I certainly hope so! I can't stand being here a moment longer. Especially considering what Yash is up to!"

Yash again. But speaking about Yash meant speaking about something.

"The food he gave Tracou was good."

"I can't believe he's willingly housing a dezmek! And giving him gifts!"

"Giving Tracou gifts is fun. I can understand why he might want to."

He paused, absorbing what he had said, and frowned. Something about the idea of this Yash giving Tracou a present, especially one as big as a pile of food, didn't seem quite right. It made Mirthal uncomfortable.

"He didn't give him gifts for the fun of it, Mirthal. Think about what he stands to gain! Imagine a human ruler with a dezmek at his command. One dezmek isn't an army, but having one around could deter threats on his life at least... especially if that dezmek is a powerful one. He managed to bend the bars a little, didn't he?"

"Tracou isn't an animal to be leashed."

"Perhaps, but Yash may not agree."

Mirthal didn't like this idea at all. He clicked his tongue and turned away from Sakshi, unwilling to look at someone who spoke of such things.

"If he kept Tracou around as a little weapon, he could easily find himself on the other end of Tracou's wand."

"He could always keep him in the dungeon until he needed him."

"Oh, good idea—that would only make Tracou angry and then, when he's freed..."

"Mm, you're right." Sakshi stopped pacing and placed her hand on her chin. "But there has to be something Yash wants... If only I knew more about him. He appeared one day and took my title, leaving me nothing."

"And then you left to go to the mountains and met me."

"That's right! But... Returning to Dorssur perhaps wasn't the best course of action, in hindsight."

Mirthal snorted.

"I had to tell someone! The mountains are moving, Mirthal, you saw—!"

"Yes, yes. Can't we talk about something else?"

"Like what?"

"I... don't know."

"Hmph. Well, then."