Chương 137: The Long Wait

That evening, I began using my extra infused rations as I waited in my room, trying to relax and fall asleep after the events of the day. I ate as much as I could in a single sitting, no matter how much it felt like chewing on charcoal, or trying to scarf down balled-up sandpaper. I especially focused on the Shepherd Beans, taking an entire handful. On the outside, they were hard, and had I been a mortal man, my teeth would've cracked on their outside, but the bean eventually yielded.

I hoped for something that tasted like coffee. Maybe even something sweet. But low and behold, it filled my mouth with nothing more than more ash and more sand. The infused food was far better for my physical stats. Not for increasing them on their own, but for helping the exercise that we were doing increase our physical stats faster. The same had to go for the Shepherd Beans and my mental stats. I picked up the vial of archerbane.

As promised, a small note had been glued to the side—in a startlingly similar way to pharmacy prescriptions back home. Two drops were enough to numb a victim for 'limb amputation' or other painful surgeries. It was meant to be used on mortals, though, who wouldn't always have a healer around. The reality of what that would do to someone under surgery didn't pass me by. For a mortal, this was probably permanent damage in exchange for minor freedom from pain. But for me, that wasn't a trade I had to make.

(The other suggested use was to help quell 'orcshock,' which I was pretty sure was this world's way of describing PTSD. They didn't know a ton, but they seemed to think that numbing your nerves would help. I doubted their science on that one.) Regardless, I poured four drops onto the tip of my tongue, using a glass eyedropper that was built into the vial's lid, then swallowed. There was a faint tingle in the back of my neck, but it faded in seconds. The Shepherd Beans were doing their job.

Like the other infused food was repairing strained muscles, the Shepherd Beans were repairing strained and damaged nerves faster than I could ever imagine. So I needed more. I stopped after eight droplets, just in case, and I'd see what difference it made. I wasn't sure if I'd notice anything immediately, but I had to trust the process. I only had a few more weeks, and I'd have to make them count as best I could.

~ ~ ~ During our morning training the next day, a horn rang out at the castle gate, and as I practiced flipping a riftrock disk across the castle grounds, I paused to glance at the incoming procession. Four riders rode through the gate. One Subtle Man among them, and three others bearing a sigil I'd only ever seen in the library books. An orange shield, much like our military shields, but with a different sigil: a raven still, but its wings folded, turning it into a tear-shape.

The Aelfwine Raven-Jewel, and the sigil of the king's house.

"What are they doing here?" I breathed. At the moment, I was at the front of the pack, leading our group, and Lieutenant Owl stayed closest to me, marking off my progress on a clipboard.

"Royal riders and a Subtle Man," Owl muttered.

"What are the chances they're out searching for someone?"

"Low, I'd say," I replied, taking the moment to catch my breath.

"Perhaps," he replied.

"But I heard a rumour. Frythlid received a letter, informing her of a missing persons search." I arched an eyebrow.

"Missing persons search, huh?"

"No one knew what it was for," Owl replied.

"But three royal thegns are involved—those are Great Warbrands, indeed."

"Royal thegns?" I asked.

"Does that even matter? The king doesn't have much power anymore."

"He still commands a few thegns," Owl said.

"I'd say that rumour…was perhaps about someone from the royal family. An heir, maybe, gone missing."

"How many heirs does the king have?"

"Not enough. They've been tight-lipped about that. But you'd know one if you saw one. Red hair, so bright it's almost magenta." Owl shook his head.

"Now, this is the farthest you've gotten that riftrock. Almost halfway around the outer ring. Don't waste your lead gaping at business far above your pay grade." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

"Yes, lieutenant," I said.

"I'll keep going." ~ ~ ~ That evening, right before dinner, I met Lord Ceonwin in his office. I was still drenched in sweat from sparring, but I had time, and I needed to speak with him. First, I asked, "Is something wrong? Why were there royal thegns here?" He shook his head.

"I cannot tell you that, Levi."

"Why not?"

"It is confidential, and concerns matters far beyond you." Something told me that wasn't necessarily true, but I doubted I was going to win this, and Lord Ceonwin was still, well, a lord. I may have been getting closer with him, but I still needed to show him respect. But equally, I swallowed, recognizing how small of a player I was in the grand scheme of things. I was going to fix that, but it would take time. One day, people wouldn't hesitate to tell me important information. One day.

For now, I let it go with a sigh, then said, "Sir, I had other news, too."

"Good. That would've been a painfully short conversation."

"Is Hinlaw"—I only mouthed the name—"stationed within the castle walls?"

"Yes, but far from here. We can talk freely, if we speak softly. Still, no names." I nodded, then shut the office's door and approached the desk.

"Sir, something's happening with their control of the orcs. I think there's going to be an attack of some kind."

"I will keep an eye out, and I will post scouts," Ceonwin said.

"If something approaches, we will know about it." I breathed a sigh.

"That's good to hear." I paused.

"Is there nothing we can do about it? If we know he's planning this…like arrest him beforehand?"

"Do you have proof?"

"No."

"There's your answer, Levi. Even afterward, he'll have taken pains to separate himself, and there likely won't be much we can do. Except, of course, foil his plans." I pressed my hands tight against the desk, tired of being told there was nothing I could do. Hinlaw wouldn't get away with this. I'd joined the sappers because they were my chance to make a difference. Or at least start making one.

I remembered how they put a spear straight through the mercenary's head, killing him on the spot and ensuring justice was done. But against the lords, what were we supposed to do? Except, of course, worm our way up, then execute our own justice when we were strong enough. Hinlaw had the backing of the Warlord. But there had to be a way to make him fall. Before I could say anything else, someone pounded on the door. Sir Sidal pushed it open a crack, then said, "Sir, a letter for you."

"A letter?" Ceonwin tilted his head. I wasn't sure what to make of that information. The last time we'd received a letter, it had been terrible news. Ceonwin took it, then asked, "Who was it from?"

"A rider," Sidal replied.

"One of ours, but no one special. It wasn't one of the Warlord's men." Ceonwin took the letter, examined it. It was addressed to him, and sealed on the back with wax.

"Supposedly, it's from Lord Unhelm," he said.

"That's his sigil. Did the rider explain what it contained?"

"No word, sir."

"Then he likely wasn't one of our riders." Lord Ceonwin picked up a dagger from his table and prepared to slit open the letter.

"It's an old trick, and if I was younger, I might have fallen for it. Levi, Sidal, be ready to run. Levi, crack open my window before you leave." I nodded, then swung the office window open as much as I could, then stepped back to the door. After giving us all one more glance, Lord Ceonwin cut open the letter. As soon as the wax seal broke, the envelope combusted, flashing into a plume of blue smoke. The air filled with an acrid, hot-asphalt stink, and my lungs tingled.

An ache formed in my chest, right where my heart should have been.

"Out, now," Ceonwin said, tossing the letter into the middle of the stone floor as it combusted into nothing. We left the office quickly, and Ceonwin shut the door behind us. I glanced at him.

"Sir?"

"An old alchemist's trick," Ceonwin complained.

"Heartscourge gas. It's practically untraceable. The letter disappears, and the result? It looks as though you've simply dropped dead, perhaps from old age or heart failure. It was an assassination attempt." I gulped.

"Is that going to…cause problems?"

"Give it a few hours, and the room will empty out. I'll be able to use it again." I winced.

"But sir, if they're openly trying to assassinate you…"

"Correct. Alas, this was nowhere near as clever of a tactic as trying to make it look like I was a traitor." Ceonwin leaned against the wall, glancing side-to-side, making sure we were alone in the hallway.

"They're getting desperate, but they think the joust gives them cover. Were I to be executed, there would be backlash…if word of who did it came out. But right now, there are still plenty of competitors who could try to eliminate me before the tournament ends."

"So the attempts will end after the tournament is over?"

"One can hope," Lord Ceonwin said. I blew out a long breath, then said, "Let's hope, then."

"Now, you cannot miss a meal, Levi," Lord Ceonwin insisted.

"And I have some more matters to attend to myself. Levi, you're dismissed. Sir Sidal, with me."

"Yes, my lord," Sidal replied.

"Yeah," I said, then walked off back toward the mess hall. Yet another assassination attempt, and being told that I was just supposed to take all this abuse laying down? No way in hell was I going to do that. After dinner, I had plans of my own.