21: A Plan

“So, you’d be… what… third or fourth in line?” asked Carton as he poured wine into three goblets. Adam laughed.

“Try sixteenth. It’s a big family. Don’t worry, there’s no chance that I’ll suddenly have to disappear and take control of the Trystoff fortune.”

The third member of their little party said nothing, but took the goblet of wine with a scowl and drained it in one swallow. Carton turned to him.

“So tell me again about this theory of yours?”

“It’s not a theory,” said Somon. Adam rolled his eyes. “I’m Upraised. I’m guessing that green guy here is too.”

“I can, obviously, see auras around certain people and objects,” said Adam. “Somon here is red, as is his sword. The device your guards used on me is blue. And I really wish you didn’t insist on sending people to look for it.”

“It may be important,” replied Carton. “We need all the information we can get.”

Carton had actually delegated men to search for a lot of things. Bodies, for example. The king and his daughter were both still unaccounted for. But they didn’t need to know everything.

“So you can see auras. Do you think that you could locate more people who are…”

Somon met his eye.

“… like you?”

“Absolutely,” Adam replied without the slightest hesitation. “Let me go and take a quick fly around and I’ll find them all and bring them here.” He drained his goblet and put it back on the table.

Here happened to be an abandoned house near the ruined castle. If the original residents were still alive, then Carton would simply inform them that the house had been commandeered in the name of the king. He needed this place, and others like it, to barracks his troops.

His troops. That was still taking a while to get used to. He was merely a captain of the castle guard, yet nei-ther the guard commander nor the watch commander had been found. Both castle guard and city watch now looked to him for leadership.

“No,” he said. “Maybe later, but right now I don’t think you should be flying around the city and letting everyone who looks up see you.”

“We don’t take your orders,” said Somon, leaning forward.

“No? Then whose are you going to take?”

“No-one’s. I do my own thing.” Somon glanced sullenly at Adam, who put his hands up and looked away.

“Let me remind you,” said Carton, “that your own thing had you charging a dragon singlehandedly.”

“And getting your literal ass literally kicked,” Adam added.

Somon’s face went red and he started to rise out of his seat. Adam raised his hands placatingly. “Yes, yes, sorry, you did indeed give it several definite injuries.”

Adam’s voice dripped with sarcasm, but Somon sat back down.

“And don’t you forget it,” he muttered as Carton poured him another goblet of wine. It was clear that both the men considered themselves solely responsible for driving off the dragon. Carton knew that one of his archers had hit it in the eye, but he wasn’t proud enough to think that that alone was responsible. It was a team effort.

He cleared his throat.

“As it turns out, I may be able to help you both.”

He had their attention now. Adam looked at him seeking information. Somon glared at him as though saying he had no need of Carton’s help.

“You believe that you are Upraised.” He held a hand up to forestall Somon’s objection. “You may be certain – I’m not. And for something as important as this, I think you’ll see the need to be absolutely certain. Yes?”

Somon hesitated, then looked up at Adam. Adam nodded. Somon nodded.

Interesting.

“There’s a scholar – Prid Poren. He claims to be the foremost expert on pre-Cataclysmic times. The weapon used on you, Adam, came originally from him.”

Adam raised his eyebrows.

“If anyone can tell you about the Upraised, or even confirm whether you are Upraised, it will be him. Of course, if it all turns out to be just children’s stories, he’ll know that too.”

“Okay, then,” said Somon. “Where do we find him?”

“That’s the problem. No-one’s seen him for months. I have no idea where he is.”

“Ah,” said Adam.

“So, when you said you could help us,” said Somon, “what you actually meant is that you can’t help us.”

“I’ve already got people out looking for him. His house here in town is locked up tight, and no-one’s been seen entering or leaving since the dragon attack.”

“Well, that’s not a lot to go on,” Somon muttered.

“It’s more than we had,” replied Adam. “I wonder…”

“What?”

“Well, he had that… rod… thing, right, before he gave it to the king. Stands to reason that he’d have other artifacts as well, right? Especially if he reckons he’s the foremost expert?”

“What are you thinking?” asked Carton.

“And,” added Somon, completely ignoring Carton, “there might be some clue at his place about where he might have gone.”

“Right,” said Adam. “Carton, we need to pay this place a visit.”

“Where is it?” asked Somon.

Carton looked from Adam to Somon and back. Maybe that wasn’t such a great idea.

“I’m not sure that…”

Faster than the eye could see, Somon had his sword out and at Carton’s throat. It was smaller now, a part of him noticed. Back to appearing more like a rapier. The rest of him was too startled to react.

“Where?” Somon growled. Adam put a hand on his arm. Carton put his hands up.

“Okay, okay. I’ll take you there. Just… don’t point your sword at me.”

“Let’s go then,” said Adam.