The Prince's Mark

Chapter Thirty Four

Hearing Sakshi's name made Karthik freeze, but the old man only grew more annoyed. He spoke again, mentioning Sakshi more than once. Whatever he said made Karthik stomp away from him without even a grunt of acknowledgment. Tracou darted after him while Pendaer ambled along behind them, more concerned with being a bother than anything else.

Karthik led them into a storehouse full of grain. The smell, while overpowering, reminded Tracou of the grain stores in Ergakan and, thus, didn't bother him.

"Well?" Karthik asked, holding himself like a cornered dog.

"Look, we—" Pendaer began, but Tracou put a hand up to stop him.

"Let me do it."

Pendaer leaned back, startled by the audacity, but went silent.

"We want to free Sakshi and... the elf. I went and saw them last night. I tried to use magic on the bars, but I couldn't. Sakshi told me to ask you to help us find the keys. You visit them everyday, right? And feed them?"

As Tracou spoke, Karthik's eyebrows furrowed. He no longer stood like he had been cornered, but he hadn't quite relaxed.

"...Why?"

"The elf is my friend. I don't want him to spend another minute in that dark, smelly dungeon."

"Mm... but you're willing to help Sakshi, too?"

"I'm sure if we can get one out, we can get the other, too."

Karthik nodded. "I know where the keys are. Commander Burman has the keys to the dungeon door and opens it for me. But the cell keys... we can't get those."

"Why not?" Pendaer snapped.

"The Royal Scholar has them."

"Of course! What sort of sense does that make? In the— In Aodehn, a 'Royal Scholar' is just a court historian! Having this much power is unbelievable."

"He's the king's nephew..."

"And the king is sick."

"Right. So..."

"Who is caring for him?"

"...the Royal Scholar."

Pendaer grunted, throwing his hands into the air. "Do none of you have any loyalty to your king?!"

"We do!" Karthik puffed out his chest, glaring up at Pendaer. He stood about half a head taller than Tracou, but Pendaer still loomed over him. "You don't understand. King Ekayavan loves his nephew."

"You people are hopeless. De— Tracou!" Pendaer coughed, glowering at Tracou for somehow forcing him to constantly make that mistake. "You're going to get those keys."

"Me?"

"He's willing to shower you with good food—why not hand you the keys?"

"How am I supposed to get the keys if I don't know what he wants and you don't want me to give it to him?"

"I said that because I have my suspicions. Karrick, is the Royal Scholar a degenerate?"

"De... degenerate?" Karthik echoed, the word new on his tongue.

Pendaer rolled his eyes. "I can't see any reason he would just give you mountains of food unless he wanted to bed you. Gifts are an important part of the courting process in... Aodehn."

But Tracou hadn't heard anything after 'bed you.' He gaped at Pendaer, stunned in so many different ways that they crowded his mind and fell all over each other.

Bed him! Bed! A man! Why? Pendaer could tell? How? But Pendaer is stupid. A mistake? If not—good idea? Get keys? But! Yash is not Mirthal! But... dungeon. Death. Bed as last resort? What would Mirthal think? Would he care? He should care. Or was freedom more important?

"Ugh, don't look so excited," Pendaer said.

"I-I'm not! I'm confused!"

"I don't think he wants... that," Karthik said with a wince. "He has been interested in Dezmer for some time now. Is it true that you can harvest your crops in less than a minute?"

"Depending on the size of the field and the dezmek's ability, yes."

"Have you done it?"

"I'm not a farmer. But I could."

"Maybe you can harvest those keys from the Royal Scholar, too, de—... tch."

"Are you really going to do this?" Karthik eyed them as if the reality of their intentions had just hit him.

"Yes. Tonight, hopefully."

"Tonight?!"

"Yes."

Frowning, Karthik lowered his head until he faced the ground.

"That will be difficult. But," he raised his head, "if you get the keys, tell me. I'll help you. For now, you should wait in the castle for the Royal Scholar to call you. I have to return to my post."

"Wait. If you see Ina ferch Angharad, tell her that we may make an attempt tonight and to return at dusk," Pendaer said.

"All right. I'll see you in the castle later tonight."

With that, Karthik scurried away.

Pendaer watched him go, his upper lip curled.

"If he betrays us, I give you permission to unleash whatever unspeakable dezmek curses you have up your sleeve."

"Oh, I'm saving those for the truly deserving," Tracou said, one corner of his mouth pulling upwards.

Pendaer blanched. Avoiding the very sight of Tracou, Pendaer stormed out of the granary. Tracou trotted along behind him.