The pillars of creation

The sergeant gazed long and hard into Tom's eyes. Finally, he considered Jennsen again, then turned and rolled his hand, motioning a man to lower the bridge.

Jermsen gestured with her knife toward the palace up the road. "How may I find the place where we hold prisoners?"

As the gears started clattering and the bridge began to descend, he turned back to Jennsen.

"Inquire with the guards at the top. They can direct you, ma'am."

"Thank you," Jennsen said with finality, sitting back up straight and putting her eyes ahead, waiting for the bridge to lower. Once it had thudded into place, the sergeant signaled them ahead. Tom nodded his thanks and flicked the reins.

Jennsen had to play the part through the whole way, if this were to have a chance of working. She found that her performance was aided by her very real anger. She was disturbed, though, that Tom had played some part in the success of the bluff. She wouldn't have his help for all of it. She decided that it would be wise to keep her anger out and in plain view of the other guards.

"You want to see the prisoners?" Tom asked.

She realized that she never had said why she had to return to the palace. "Yes. They've taken a man prisoner by mistake. I've come to see that he's released."

Tom checked the horses with the reins, keeping them wide to negotiate the wagon around a switchback. "Ask for Captain Lerner," he said at last.

Jennsen glanced over at him, surprised that he had offered a name rather than an objection. "A friend of yours?"

The reins moved ever so slightly, with practiced precision, guiding the horses around the bend. "I don't know if I'd call him a friend. I've dealt with him a time or two."

"Wine?"

Tom smiled. "No. Other things."

He apparently didn't intend to say what other things. Jennsen watched the sweep of the Azrith Plains and distant mountains as they rode up the side of the plateau. Somewhere beyond those plains, those mountains, lay freedom.

At the top, the road leveled out before a great gate through the massive outer wall of the palace. The guards stationed before the gate there waved them through, then blew whistles in a short series of notes to others, unseen, beyond the walls. Jennsen realized that they had not arrived unannounced.

She nearly gasped as they cleared the short tunnel through the massive outer wall. Inside, expansive grounds spread out before them. Lawns and hedges bordered the road that curved toward a hill of steps well over a half mile away. The grounds inside the walls were teeming with soldiers in smart uniforms of leather and chain mail covered with wool tunics. Many, with pikes held upright at precisely the same angle, lined the route. These men were not loafing about. They weren't the kind to be surprised by what came up the road.

Tom took it all in casually. Jennsen tried to keep her eyes pointed ahead. She tried to look indifferent amid such splendor.

Before the hill of steps awaited a reception party of guards over a hundred strong. Tom pulled the wagon into the pocket they'd formed blocking the road. Jennsen saw, standing on the steps overlooking the soldiers, three men in robes. Two wore silver-colored robes. Between them, one step higher, stood an older man wearing white, both hands held in the opposite sleeves trimmed in golden-colored braiding that shimmered in the sunlight.

Tom set the brake on the wagon as a soldier took control of the horses to keep them from moving. Before Tom could begin climbing down, Jennsen put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"This is as far as you go."

"But you-"

"You've done enough. You helped with the part I needed. I can handle it from here on out on my own."

His measured, blue-eyed gaze swept over the guards standing around the wagon. He seemed reluctant to accede. "I don't think it could hurt if I went along."

"I'd rather you go back to your brothers."

He glanced to her hand on his arm before looking up into her eyes. "If that's your wish." His voice lowered to little more than a whisper. "Will I see you again?"

It sounded more like a request than a question. Jennsen could not bring herself to deny such a simple thing, not after all he had done for her.

"We'll need to go down to the market to buy some horses. I'll stop by your place, first, right after I'm done inside with getting my friend released,»

"Promise?"

Under her breath, she said, "I have to pay you for your servicesremember?"

His lopsided grin reappeared. "I've never met anyone like you, Jennsen. I. ." He noticed the soldiers, remembering then where he was, and cleared his throat. "I'm thankful you let me do my small part, ma'am. I will hold you to your word on the rest of it."

He had risked enough by bringing her this far-a risk he hadn't known he was taking, Jennsen fervently hoped that in her brief smile he would see how genuinely grateful she was for his help, since she didn't think she could afford to keep her promise to see him before they left.