The Silken Key

Chapter 15

The low hanging swamp mist soaked up the golden morning light, making it look like the Wazeer's palace sat upon a caramel coloured cloud as soft and inviting as the fine-brushed woollen guest beds on which Detlef had enjoyed such a good night's sleep.

The lowest level of the guest tower had a wooden decking which floated on the muddy water, swathed in mist and silent apart from the dawn chorus of birds and insects. It was there that Detlef found Tabitha, just as he knew he would.

He wasn't sure how long she had been there. Perhaps all night. Mist had settled on her bare arms making her skin glisten like the silk of her skirt. She was sat cross-legged with her staff at her side. Her eyes were closed and she was completely motionless.

Detlef stepped out of the tower onto the decking as quietly as he could. There were wooden benches near the tower wall. He took a seat on one of them and watched Tabitha for a minute, wondering if she'd 'heard' anything from her otherworldly patron about the conversation he'd had with the Wazeer last night.

Elsewhere in the palace, he could hear the sounds of servants scuttling about, preparing a morning feast. Detlef knew they had a long journey today. He had no intention of missing breakfast.

Covering his mouth with his hand and clenching his throat to make his voice sound thin and ethereal, he whispered above the warbling marsh birds.

"Tabitha," he said. "Tabitha, the time has come."

Tabitha flinched but did not open her eyes. Instead, she inclined her head as though focusing on the voice.

"I am ready," she answered with a reverent sigh. "I have waited patiently, ancient one. Tell me what I must do next."

Detlef had to work hard not to chuckle as he pretended to be the voice of Tabitha's god. "Go. Go to where the squozen orange runs and the milk of ages is laid on milled wheat crackers."

Tabitha's mouth hung open for a moment, confused. "I...I don't understand. It sounds like you want me to go and get..."

"...breakfast, yes!" Detlef said in his own voice, standing up and walking towards her. Immediately she opened her eyes and turned around angrily.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"I just wanted to see how you were," Detlef said with a smile. "And to see if you had any...I don't know, new information?"

Tabitha seemed like she was too tired to be sharp with him. She sighed and sagged her shoulders. "No. Nothing."

Detlef nodded and sat down on the wooden deck beside her. Even there he was head and shoulders taller than her.

"You know, I don't know your patron works," he said. "But when I was learning about my religion, they taught me that wisdom from above doesn't always come as a secret voice in your ear. Sometimes, it can speak to you through teachers, leaders...even friends."

"Is that what the stupid voice was for?" She turned to glower at him.

"I'm sorry about that. I just really thought you could use some breakfast."

"I should have known it was you. Squozen? That's not even a real word."

"I know. It just sounded more like something a god would say than 'squeezed'."

Tabitha huffed, then turned her head away in a failed attempt to hide a yawn.

"You been out here all night?" Detlef asked.

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "Except for the fact that our host turns out to know nothing about where to find the Silken Key. Why did we think she would? She sent Tariq all the way to Alresbay to look for it when all the time it was on the other side of the sea."