The guest quarters were six separate self-sustaining lodges set out in a row on the far west side of the palace grounds. Keeping in theme with the rest of the palace, each had their own gardens and ponds with a central one-story building decorated with an overhanging gabled roof. Each were divided by tall dividing walls which were decorated with carved stone of depictions of monkeys and snakes.

Jale paced the small garden of the quarters he had been assigned to. In actual fact, in all the time he had been at the palace, he had never spent much time inside of them. If it were in different circumstances, he would have appreciated the quiet solitude and enjoyed sitting on the luxurious benches along the veranda. To get to them, he was required to cross over a small wooden bridge where underneath, large colorful fish swam in the slow trickling water. Jale was envious of their ignorance to his pain and the world that he was drowning in.

The afternoon was proving to be comfortably warm. Summer had already started to wane and Autumn would not be too far behind it, although Autumn and Winter were never really true seasons here in Dalenia. They were merely months where a person could move around without feeling uncomfortable.

Eventually, his stress turned into exhausted, and Jale crossed the bridge and slumped onto one of the benches. Tomorrow, he would be given a horse and escorted along the road towards the Keglar Kingdom. From there, he would set out to find Ladet. They would have greater success in finding Teal if they worked together.

But first, he would have to bathe and eat. His body was covered in grime that was ingrained into his brown skin, and his clothes were certainly worse for wear. Fortunately, it would appear that the Empress Dowager would maintain her high standards of hospitality for he had heard mutterings of new clothes and shoes from a servant. He merely nodded and wished he had the energy to enter into the building to eat the food they had informed him had been placed out in small dining room.

The sounds of female voices started to emerge from the adjacent garden. Jale lifted his head. He hoped his fatigued brain was not playing tricks on him. Rising to his feet, he left his bench and crossed the small bridge again. He stepped towards the wall, curious to know who was on the other side. To his delight, he recognized the voice.

“I will speak with the Empress Dowager when she has calmed down,” he heard Empress Crael say. “She must know that I can be of more assistance to the empire than hiding within these walls.”

“Of course,” Lana’s voice answered.

“Empress! Lana!” Jale exclaimed over the wall from his side. “It’s me, Jale!”

There was a sudden pause in the conversation.

“Jale!” Empress Crael answered. There was shuffling on the other side and Empress Crael’s words came clearer and louder. “Is it really you?”

“Yes,” he responded. “How do you fair?”

The Empress’ voice was shaky, but she tried to maintain her resolve. “Oh, Jale, I wish I could put my arms around you and hold onto you right now. Rathner…,” she sobbed.

Jale fought back the instant lump in his throat. He looked around frantically for something that he could stand on so he could try to see over the wall dividing them. He wasn’t stupid enough to try and go over to her residence. News would travel fast back to the Empress Dowager.

He spied the bench he had just been sitting on. Jale jogged over to it. It was surprisingly light. He picked it up and carried it back over to the wall. If he stood on his tiptoes, he should be able to see over the top.

“Empress,” he said once he was standing on its surface. “There should be a bench on your veranda. It’s light. Go get it, and we should be able to see each other’s faces.”

He waited patiently and heard a scraping sound that he guessed was the bench being dragged over the bridge. A moment later, the Empress’ head appeared.

They looked forlornly into each other’s eyes.

“I’m sorry so Empress Crael,” Jale said.

“My heart aches knowing that he is gone,” she stated, her voice croaky with emotion. “Do you know anything of Ralen and Galton? Word came that there was a large battle between Prince Salren’s men and Emperor Rathner’s.”

Rage filled Jale. Prince Salren was just as treacherous as Prince Vox. He gave approval for the armies to fight just so Prince Vox would not betray him. He could have backed Emperor’s Rathner’s men instead. He wondered if the Empress Dowager knew anything about this.

“Satner and I were taken before the battle occurred, so I do not know what happened to them,” Jale told her. “I’m sorry.”

“Where is Satner?” the Empress asked.

“I pushed him off a small cliff into a river to help him escape. I do not know how he faired either.”

The Empress fell quiet.

“What of Delba and the twins?” Jale asked, quickly looking over his shoulder to ensure he had not been heard by any guards or servants who might wish to check in on him.

“I honestly do not know where they are,” Empress Crael answered, her eyes brimming with tears. “I can only place my trust in Delba and the Talekan Assassin.”

“What of Lana?” Jale quickly asked.

“I am here,” Jale heard Lana say. “I’m listening.”

“It’s good to know you are well, Lana,”

“Jale,” Lana said. “I’m with child.”

Jale’s eyes widened in surprised, and he met Empress Crael’s gaze. It was the only thing that brought a glimmer of a smile on her face.

“And the Emperor will never know,” Jale sighed.

“I think it is Teal’s,” Lana stated.

Jale paused and then a sudden chuckle escaped his chest. This was certainly unexpected. And then the fear he held for Teal’s wellbeing crashed over him again.

Teal.

He had to find Teal.

“Do you know anything of Teal?” Jale asked hopefully.

“Ladet is in the Keglan Kingdom,” the Empress informed him. “He is with Princess Estina and a man called Menelt, the mountain clansman. Delba suggested that you knew…”

“Yes, I know him,” Jale cut her off. “This is some of the best news I’ve heard in a long time.” Jale’s heart filled with hope. “Menelt is a very strong warrior. If anyone is capable of freeing Teal, it will be him.”

“Do you know where Ladet is with Princess Estina and Menelt?” Jale asked.

“They are on their way to Old Lake Tehlea Estate near the Arina Pass. I received my last communication with him just yesterday,” she informed Jale.

Jale shook his head. So, that’s where he was heading on the morrow. “After all this time,” he said, almost to himself. “I never thought I would ever lay my eyes on those peaks again.”

Empress Crael lowered her voice to a whisper. “Jale, there are dangerous people at play here. I think Prince Vox was behind the Emperor’s death. I think he had him murdered.”

“Don’t worry, I have my own suspicions as well,” Jale agreed.

“I also believe Prince Yernal is involved, and…” she paused, and Jale saw her come to a decision. “My cousin, Prince Tolder, the Hummingbird is also involved.”

Jale didn’t respond. Those words were a shock. Never before had they been uttered between them.

“I know everything, Jale,” Empress Crael continued. “I know about what you and Emperor Rathner did ten years ago to the Brandeen Royal Family at the Arina Pass. That you disposed of all of them.”

The color drained for Jale’s face. “What?”

“Prince Tolder told me himself. But don’t worry, Jale. They were already dead,” she said, placing her hand on the wall, but it was too wide for them to reach each other. “You just ended their suffering.”

“It always weighed on Emperor Rathner’s mind,” Jale told her. “I’m so sorry Empress Crael. We couldn’t risk them coming into the Keglar Kingdom and infecting people.”

“I know. You did the right thing,” she sighed. “Prince Yernal also visited me in my quarters when you all went to the summer palace. Now I believe he was fishing for information to try and determine where my loyalties really stood. Whether I was really in love with the Emperor, or if I would help them to betray him. You must believe I didn’t know at the time what his intentions were, but in retrospect, I think that was what he was doing.”

“I believe you, Empress. But why didn’t you say anything about what happened at the Arina Pass before?” Jale asked.

“Because I knew Rathner felt shame. I didn’t know whether he chose me because he wanted to make some kind of penance, or whether he felt sorry for me. I didn’t want him to openly feel like he had to keep making it up to me all the time.”

“He loved you either way, Empress,” Jale told her. Jale paused considering something else before he spoke again. “But how did you communicate with Prince Tolder?”

“The scrolls,” she stated simply. “Like the one that Brelan carried. Sometimes the scrolls took the most elaborate routes to reach Dalenia. We used a special paint that covered the ink. Brelan didn’t know. He thought he was passing on information from the soldiers from the labor camp.” Empress Crael sighed. “We have to be careful, Jale.”

“You have to be very careful,” he told her. “I am leaving tomorrow for the Keglar Kingdom.”

“At least I know you will be safer than being here. I don’t trust Prince Vox or Prince Salren. Prince Vox has started bribing the high council and the Emperor’s official criticizers, so he now has some supporting him. He’s already tried to change things.”

Jale shook his head furious. He didn’t want the Empress to stay here. If only she could leave with him on the morrow.

Empress Crael started to cry, the tears pouring down her face. “Jale, I miss him so much. I can’t believe he is walking with his ancestors. What are we without him? They showed me his signet so I know it wasn’t his double. What will become of the empire? Prince Vox has paused my projects. The orphanages and healing centres have already had their imperial funds cut.”

Jale’s shoulders dropped. He was powerless now. He couldn’t do anything for the people of Talbec, but he could give her his council.

“Empress, I think for the moment you and Lana need to look after yourselves,” he told her. “I don’t know whether you should stay here. Do you want to leave with me?”

Jale watched her consider his proposal, but she shook her head. “I need to find out where the twins’ are. As much as I want to help Teal, they are the future of the empire. I believe they are safe, but they are my babies.”

“I understand,” Jale said. “And Lana?”

“I will stay with the Empress,” Lana said. “I think the road and being with child will only slow you down.”

Jale swore. He didn’t want to leave either of them behind. “Both of you need to be very careful and do everything the Empress Dowager tells you. I will save Teal and I will do anything to see to it that my cousin, Prince Yernal, pays for this.”