The Power and the Glory

Book 3 Chapter XXI: Out of the Frying Pan

Kivoduin didn't waste time with inquiring about his trip or how he was. "The council is meeting right now. Marquis Udgrakry is telling everyone you've run off to Saoridhlém permanently."

Ilaran raised an eyebrow. Marquis Udgrakry had always been a pest. He wanted to be Prince of Tananerl and he wasn't even subtle about it. "And I take it the marquis has no idea I'm back?"

Kivoduin figured out his quickly-formed plan at once. Her annoyed expression was replaced with a grin. "Not the slightest idea."

~~~~

Marquis Udgrakry had never been so happy in his life. That pest Ilaran had gone "on holiday" and they'd never heard another word from him. Most of the council were used to this sort of behaviour from Ilaran and thought nothing of it. But the marquis wasn't going to let such a fine opportunity slip through his fingers. He summoned an urgent council meeting and did his best to convince everyone who bothered to attend that their prince had abandoned his realm.

"We should have known better than to trust him," Udgrakry proclaimed. "We should have known his loyalty was always to Saoridhlém and--"

The door opened and hit the wall with a thud. Udgrakry, interrupted in the middle of the longest speech he'd ever been able to give, turned to glare at the latecomer. His eyes widened. He broke off in the middle of his sentence with a sound somewhere between a whimper and a gasp.

Prince Ilaran bared his teeth in a parody of a smile. "Oh, do continue, my lord. I'm most interested to hear what you have to say."

~~~~

The sun glared down on the town. It was the hottest part of the day and the roof-tiles were painfully warm. Kitri crouched in the shadow cast by a chimney and tried not to touch the tiles.

Below her the street was eerily silent. Part of her wanted to venture closer to the edge and see if the crowd were gone. The rest of her warned her that this might alert them, and who knew if they could find their way onto the rooftop?

It grew hotter and hotter. Even the shadow didn't provide any relief. Sweat trickled down her back. She wiped her forehead. This couldn't go on for much longer.

Eventually she couldn't bear it any more. Kitri took a deep breath and ventured out of the shadow. She crawled on her hands and knees to the edge of the roof. Nervously she peered down. Nothing. The street was completely empty. All that showed the crowd had ever been there were the blood-stains splattered on the ground and buildings. Kitri stood up to get a better view. Still nothing.

Where did they go?

Wherever they were, this was the best chance she had to get out of here safely. She looked around for a skylight. There was one a roof away. She scurried over to it and tried to prise it open. Its frame was unbearably hot. Exasperated, Kitri pulled out an already-loose slate and smashed the glass. She reached through the hole and undid the clasp. Very quickly she raised the skylight and jumped down into the attic.

It was blessedly cool after the terrible heat. Kitri took a moment to catch her breath. Then she opened the attic door and stepped out onto the stairs. As she ventured through the house she expected to find the owner somewhere. She mentally prepared her explanation. But there was no one there.

When she reached the ground floor she found furniture overturned. Pools of blood soaked the floor. A red stain ran from the front door, which was ajar, into the dining room.

Kitri approached the dining room warily. The stain divided into several ones leading under the table and under the cabinets around the walls. She knelt down and looked under the nearest cabinet. A blood-stained face stared back at her.