The Hidden City

accused. ‘We are pack-mates, and you said a thing to me that was not so.’
    ‘I would not do that, Bhlokw,’ Ulath protested.
    ‘You put the thought into my mind-belly that the big things with iron on their faces were good-to-eat. They are not good-to-eat.’
    ‘Were they bad-to-eat, Bhlokw?’ Tynian asked sympathetically.
    ‘Very bad-to-eat, Tin-in. I have not tasted anything so bad-to-eat before.’
    ‘I did not know this, Bhlokw,’ Ulath tried to apologize. ‘It was my thought that they were big enough that one or two might fill your belly.’
    ‘I only ate one,’ Bhlokw replied. ‘It was so bad-to-eat that I did not want to eat another. Not even Ogres would eat those, and Ogres will eat anything. It makes me not-glad that you said the thing that was not so to me, U-lat.’
    ‘It makes me not-glad as well,’ Ulath confessed. ‘I said a thing which I did not know. It was wicked of me to do this.’
    Queen Betuana drew Tynian aside. ‘How long will it take us to reach the Hidden City, Tynian-Knight?’ she asked.
    ‘Is your Majesty talking about how long it’s really going to take or how long it’s going to seem?’
    ‘Both.’
    ‘It’s going to seem like weeks, Betuana-Queen, but in actual time, it’ll be instantaneous. Ulath and I left Matherion just a few weeks ago in real time, but it seems that we’ve been on the road for nearly a year. It’s very strange, but you get used to it after a while.’
    ‘We must start soon if we are to reach Cyrga by morning.’
    ‘Ulath and I’ll have to talk with Ghnomb about that. He’s the one who stops time, but he’s also the God of Eat. He may not be happy with us. The idea of letting the Trolls kill Klael’s soldiers was a good one, but Ghnomb expects them to eat what they kill, and they don’t like the taste.’
    She shuddered. ‘How can you stand to be around the Troll-beasts, Tynian-Knight? They’re horrible creatures.’
    ‘They aren’t really so bad, your Majesty,’ Tynian defended them. ‘They’re very moral creatures, you know. They’re fiercely loyal to their own packs; they don’t even know how to lie; and they won’t kill anything unless they intend to eat it—or unless it attacks them. As soon as Ulath finishes apologizing to Bhlokw, we’ll summon Ghnomb and talk with him about stopping time so that we can get to Cyrga.” Tynian made a face. ‘That’s what’s going to take a while. You have to be patient when you’re trying to explain something to the Troll-Gods.’
    ‘Is that what Ulath-Knight is doing?’ she asked curiously. ‘Apologizing?’
    Tynian nodded. ‘It’s not as easy as it sounds, your Majesty. There’s nothing in Trollish that even comes close to “I’m sorry,” probably because Trolls never do anything that they’re ashamed of.”
    ‘Will you be still?’ Liatris hissed at the protesting Gahennas. ‘They’re in the next room right now.’
    The three empresses were hiding in a dark antechamber adjoining the Tegan’s private quarters. Liatris stood at the door with her dagger in her hand. They waited in tense apprehension.
    ‘They’re gone now,’ Liatris said. ‘We’d better wait for a little while, though.’
    ‘Will you please tell me what’s going on?’ Gahennas asked.
    ‘Chacole sent some people to kill you,’ Elysoun told her. ‘Liatris and I found out about it, and came to rescue you.’
    ‘Why would Chacole do that?’
    ‘Because you know too much about what she’s planning.’
    ‘That silly plan to implicate Cieronna in a spurious assassination plot?’
    ‘The plot wasn’t spurious, and Cieronna wasn’t even remotely connected with it. Chacole and Torellia are planning to kill our husband.’
    ‘Treason!’ Gahennas gasped.
    ‘Probably not. Chacole and Torellia are members of royal houses currently at war with the Tamul Empire, and they’re getting orders from home. The assassination of Sarabian could technically be called an act of war.’ Elysoun stopped as a wave of nausea swept over her. ‘Oh, dear,’ she said in a sick little voice.
    ‘What’s wrong?’ Liatris demanded.
    ‘It’s nothing. It’ll pass.’
    ‘Are you sick?’
    ‘Sort of. It’s nothing to worry about. I should have eaten something when you woke me up, that’s all.’
    ‘You’re white as a sheet. What’s wrong with you?’
    ‘I’m pregnant, if you really have to know.’
    ‘It was bound to happen eventually, Elysoun,’ Gahennas said smugly. ‘I’m surprised it didn’t