Completion of the Whisper

Chapter Forty-One.

Three days.

And they went by so very quick.
One moment, I'd been in the room with Nyshard in front of me, frozen in shock about the King's words. Then, the next moment I'd found myself in a room with the Council, listening to them discussing about who would join Nyshard, Brayhd and me to the meeting with the King. Styslad didn't seem like a good option in case that maybe Phylon had allied with Dartun. Aaran was found to be the least diplomatic one, so the final choice was Rhydomir and by the small glint in Nyshard's eyes upon that decision, I'd known that he had hoped for that outcome.

Rhydomir had a shard, as had Brayhd and myself, but sadly it would probably give us no advantage, since the last time Nyshard and I'd tried to use the Shards in the territory of the Whisperers, it didn't work. The possibility that they wouldn't work inside a warded area by the servants either, was rather high.

The next day came, then the day afterwards. I spent the majority of my time training with Joridall and Mirella, trying my best not to think about the upcoming meeting. But it was in vain.

My thoughts always came back to one conclusion: No matter what, the King couldn't get me alive.

No way I would let him lay a hand on me.

No way he would get access to the last of the Rylbnan-blood.

I was sitting in the small private library of the citadel of Lorz, trying for once to actually read something and to get my mind off things, when a large shadow fell over me. Confused, I looked up "Oh, hey Caaln."
Eyeing me, the tall Lyrarn took a seat opposite me and I couldn't keep my smile contained upon seeing him. His huge massive body in the middle of a library... was an unusual sight. Quite an unusual sight.

"Hey little one", he remarked. "Is Nysh still speaking with Rhydomir?"

"He is."

Both Lords were talking now for what seemed like hours, both having disappeared right after dinner. Caaln rubbed his chin with a sigh "I'm sure they'll be finished soon. Nyshard, too, has got to sleep before you're heading to Mirdt tomorrow."

"Yeah... sure."
In fact, I'd barely seen Nyshard since we'd come to Lorz. He'd been busy almost constantly and barely slept.

"Are you alright?"

"Why didn't you tell me about the poison?", I asked back with a flat voice.

Caaln grunted "So, he told you."
My jaw was tense, my teeth pressed together. But no. I wasn't able to hold my damn tongue. "Told me? Well... no. I found out because he came back wounded. And the wound was poisoned. Then... eventually, he told me."

"And you're pissed about that?"
"Well, shouldn't I?"
Caaln shrugged his shoulders "Probably. But I didn't tell you, either."
"By his order?""
"Because you didn't need to worry about it. Nyshard and I agreed about that part."
Rubbing my temple, I sighed "Worry is nothing bad..."
"No, it isn't. But unnecessary. Both of us can manage some poison now, Adri. Hopefully, it will come in handy if our suspicion is correct and the King of Kalash or Phylon uses it, too."
Damn both of them. In a way, I knew they were right about their assumptions, but not knowing just made me feel left out.

But in fact, nothing could be done about it now.

"Do you think Dartun knew of my existence? The letter he wrote..."
"Nyshard said that he let all Lords and their advisors make an oath at one of the Council meetings, back when you'd been in Assdirn Flenn."

I frowned "Yes... that's right."

"So, Phylon and Phynah couldn't have told the King about you."
"At least not after they'd given the oath, no", I remarked.
"Exactly. But... before... why should they have told the King? The King would have tried to take you from them, and..."