Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 37iii

He swung around, raising the small knife he still held, to find Zemrossa standing in the chamber's doorway. He looked down at the knife in Grifford's hand, than back at his face.

"Unless you are prepared to fight me, I suggest you put your weapon down."

Grifford looked at him cautiously. Zemrossa's hand had dropped to his side, to the hilt of the short sword at his belt.

"The Field-hand is at the Infirmary," he said again, his voice still calm. "I do not know his condition; only that he lives. Now, please, Squire Grifford, put the knife down. I am not your enemy."

Grifford looked at the knife, grunted, and threw it back on the table beside the fruit bowl.

"I am sorry," said Zemrossa. "I did not mean to listen to your conversation, but this is a tent. Listening was unavoidable."

Tahlia looked at Grifford pointedly.

"Only if people do not keep their voices down."

"I heard the Lady Tahlia make mention of Tasker. Was my fellow squire involved in this morning's events?"

Zemrossa looked at Grifford, then at his sister. Tahlia folded her arms and put a blank look over her face. Grifford rolled his eyes.

"My sister has a crazy idea that Tasker..."

"How can we trust you?" said Tahlia quickly. "After what your father has done."

"My father, I am sure, had his own reasons for standing down and not contesting Commander Galder's claim, but it is not my concern. My sole loyalty, at this time, is to your father."

"Yes, but how do I know..."

"Oh just tell him, Tahlia!" growled Grifford. "I am tired of all your secrets. Just tell him and be done with it. The only things that slinking around and secret keeping have done is get me beaten up, some Field-hand in the Infirmary, and our brother kidnapped, so tell him, for the sake of Fortak!"

"All right!" snapped Tahlia, then she turned to Zemrossa. "Tasker has been sneaking around the Enclosures, disguised as a Farm-boy. That Field-hand, the one at the Infirmary, saw him going into one of the merchants' betting tents, so I've been looking out for him."

"You did not think to tell anyone of Tasker's flouting of the Laws?"

"Of course she did not," said Grifford.

"And what happened yesterday?" asked Zemrossa.

Tahlia frowned for a moment, but then she spoke, and Grifford could feel, first disbelief, then anger, as he listened to his sister tell the story of her capture, and an overheard discussion about treachery.

"So that is what you had been up to when you came here last night," said Zemrossa when Tahlia had finished. "If you had said something to me then, last night's events could have been avoided."

Tahlia hung her head.

"I know," she said. "But I did not know who to trust, and I was going to tell mother, but I fell asleep in the chain-carriage. It must have been the nadidge bite. I do not normally fall asleep like that."

"The reasons are not important. What is done is done. The Encampment is being searched, and your father is pursuing those most likely responsible. The best thing you can do now is go to Sir Galder and tell him about his squire's activities."

"No!" said Tahlia.

"Why not?"

"Because Sir Galder might be behind everything."