Penitent-Chapter 228 Book 4 Ch 9: Improv

They managed to get through the rest of the ball and then returned to their quarters. It was a tense thing, with eyes darting toward every dark corner and hands resting on weapons. Even once they were back at the small diplomatic quarters they didn't dare speak until every room had been searched and Ollie created a noise barrier for them in the parlor.

"Marcus, keep watch out the window," said Michael as he tore the peace knot off the hilt of his sword. "Pyotr, go and get our armor and weapons just in case."

The two of them nodded and did as they were told.

He looked at Shreve. "She didn't know who I was."

He nodded at that. "Good. That means we still have a chance. I spent some time taking the temperature of how the alliance was received. Almost everyone was too surprised to have an opinion on it, or they were waiting for the chips to fall. Based on what Bayle had told me the King had been growing more and more isolated as the coup gained support, but I worry that this latest development could cause defections. Bayle has indicated tight control, but the more surprises there are the worse things could be."

"I'm more concerned about what it means for our deal," said Marcus looking out the window. "The agreement was an assassination for takers, diviners, and support. Even if Bayle hasn't flipped on us, will he be so willing to give us those resources with rift monsters gathering force?"

"I only sense six rifts near the border," said Michael. "They could be closed quickly enough that it shouldn't impact the timeline too much. Their diviners and takers won't matter as much once they're closed."

Shreve shook his head. "We should be prepared to leave."

"Why?" asked Ollie.

"If Bayle doesn't reach out to us before dawn we can likely assume that his plans have failed and we have no reason to follow through on a regicide if we can't get the agreed to reward out of it."

He let out a deep breath. "I need to warn the Captain to be ready for a swift departure if needed."

"Yeah, I don't want to walk to Hume again. Took a while," said Ollie. He frowned. "I could fly the message to him. If I can get out of here unnoticed and go high enough up I don't think they'd have any way of seeing me."

Pyotr made it down with weapons and armor in hand and began distributing them. "My window is basically right against the outer wall. If you flew straight up from there I think it would be safe."

Ollie nodded, luckily he was already wearing all of his wizard gear and had his staff prepared as well. "Remember that my silence enchantment will wear off once I leave."

Shreve finished scribbling on some parchment and handed it to him.

"Hopefully this will all be unnecessary."

"With our track record, I doubt it," responded Ollie as he went up the stairs.

Michael placed a hand on his armor and was quickly wrapped in titled steel. Pyotr began buckling on his own as did Marcus while continuing his watch out the window with his rifle just out of sight.

There was a knock, and they all looked at one another in confusion. It wasn't at the door, but rather, it was coming from the floor.

There was another knock, and he and Pyotr drew their swords as they went toward the source of it. It was coming from the center of the atrium. There was a final knock, then a set of thick planks very slowly lifted to reveal Bayle standing on a small set of stairs wide enough for just one man.

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"Good, you're all already armed and armored," he said as he stepped the rest of the way out.

Neither of them lowered their weapons.

"Where's Ollie?" asked Bayle as he cleared some detritus from his hands. He was no longer wearing his disguise, but instead a slim set of armor with a breastplate all hidden under a black cloak along with two shortswords at each hip.

"We're not telling you that," said Shreve approaching from the table. "What is going on?"

"The conspiracy. It's been uncovered."

"Someone folded?" asked Marcus.

"No. The insect… it isn't alone. One of them attached itself to Crick. It knows everything he knows."

"How did you miss this?" asked Michael.

Bayle frowned. "An excellent question. From what I can tell the creature approached the King directly. I had reports of him speaking to himself alone in his chambers, but I took it as a sign of delusion. His chambers are at the top of the highest tower. I presume the monster can fly."

"If the conspiracy is uncovered it would be best if we leave immediately," said Shreve.

"They only just discovered it," replied Bayle. "Crick wasn't captured until this afternoon. I have no concerns that he broke before the creature attached itself to him, and he has never been directly connected to me by documentation, nor does he know the full scope of the coup. No, we can still salvage this, but we'd need to act immediately."

"What about the distraction? And your people further from the palace? They will be caught unaware," said Pyotr.

"No. I've already sent the signal that things have begun along with orders to move and seal the rifts on the border immediately."

"How?" asked Michael. There was no way he could have passed so many messages so quickly over that distance.

Bayle frowned for a moment, then pulled the black notebook from his cloak.

"I have a titled notebook. A very unique one. It can never run out of pages and any that are torn from it can receive messages from the book and return them."

Shreve's eyes widened. "You've had that all along?"

"This isn't the main book. Only one of many notebooks filled with its pages. Any diviner would be able to detect the main one immediately."

Michael frowned. If he focused he could see the faintest impression of a title on the pages of the book, but it took intense concentration and was very diffuse.

"I'm telling you this to reassure you that we have a chance. If you come with me and we slay the King, I can still make good on all the promises I have made. We just need to act quickly."

Michael looked at Shreve, who shook his head.

"King Marlo was clear that we shouldn't risk you and your allies unless we were certain the benefits outweighed the costs." He sighed. "That said, I'm only in charge for the sake of the ruse. Both you and Ollie outrank me in this." The old man smiled. "And it's not like I could stop you anyway."

Michael shook his head. "That doesn't mean we don't take your suggestions seriously." He looked at Marcus and Pyotr. "What do you two think?"

"I came here to kill a king," said Marcus. "If I dome him and my title activates… it would be worth the risk."

Pyotr shrugged. "I came here to help, brother. I say we take the risk."

Michael took a breath and opened himself up to the whispers of the gods again. He had kept himself mostly closed off since he'd learned of his son, but he wanted to hear what they had to say.

~This kingdom is rotted~

It was Estaid's voice, and it was filled with fury.

King Matthias must be removed and his titles passed to his heir. His collaboration with the Empire of Chitin is only the last of a long line of sins against his people and his duty

Michael looked to Bayle. "I don't want Stent to be at the mercy of its king and the rift monsters. I'm hoping I still have a few friends alive here, and I don't want them to be lost. We'll fight with you."

Bayle nodded.

"Glad you made your decision. There are already soldiers, knights, and militia gathering and being sent this way to round you up."

"Does the tunnel lead into or out of the palace?" Michael asked, eyeing the hole bayle had crawled out of.

"Into the palace. An old king had a deep affection for a diplomat's wife."

Michael looked at Shreve.

"I will hold here for Ollie. Someone needs to tell him what you're doing."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, if you wouldn't mind helping me bar the door and windows with furniture before you go, that would certainly make me feel better."

Michael nodded, and he and the other began to quickly drag furniture to block the front and back door as well as the windows. It took only moments with their enhanced strength.

"Ollie flies fast. He'll be back any moment."

Shreve nodded, and pulled a surprisingly long stiletto from his boot. "I'll hold until then." He was shaking a bit, but his voice was steady and his gaze hard.

Michael patted the man on the shoulder before turning to Bayle.

"Lead the way."

Bayle nodded, and they followed him down into the narrow tunnel, closing the top as they descended.