~ Chapter 6 ~

Clio stared at the wall pretending to sleep in case Tashti checked in on her, unlikely since Tashti was off prowling the night, but her mother's friend had a disconcerting tendency to appear with no warning.  Her pillow was soaked with tears again.  It had been months since she had come home to find her mother's body on the floor of her room but she still saw it every time she closed her eyes.

:Clio, would you mind getting up?:

Clio jolted upright and stared around the room.  "Who's there?"

:Come to the window.:  The voice urged.

Clio hesitated.  Finally she slipped from the bed and padded to the window, ready to mage blast whoever it was.  She leaned out and saw only one of the white horses the Heralds rode in the garden below her.  Shaking her head she started to withdraw.

:Clio, Tashti wants you to bring a set of Whites and to come with me.:

"Who are you and where are you?"  Clio demanded.

:I am Tashti's Companion, Cryni, and don't you dare call me a horse.  It took me ages to convince Tashti to stop calling me that.:

"A talking horse…"  Clio said in disbelief.

The Companion was obviously amused.  :Talking Spirit Horse.  Now hurry up.  Tashti has a wounded boy she needs to get to the healers.:

"Someone's hurt?  Why didn't you say so?"  Clio withdrew into the room and quickly changed.  It took her a few minutes to find a White uniform.  She didn't blame Tashti for refusing to wear it, she would look like a target, but the grey leathers she wore instead were incredibly dreary.  Personally she preferred the lively colours of her father's people. 

Clio gathered up some bandages from a small stash she knew Tashti kept out of habit and rolled them inside the uniform.

The Companion was waiting at the door as she stepped out into the moonlight.

:Good, you didn't dawdle.:

"I try not to argue with spirits, horse or otherwise."  Clio said with more bravado than she was feeling.

:You are as sassy as Tashti.:  The Companion waited as the girl swung onto her back.

Clio had never ridden anything that could even approach the speed of the Companion.  It distracted her from her grief over her mother's death as they clattered past the guards and through the darkened streets.  When Cryni stopped in a park she felt a surge of disappointment.  Now she could understand why Tashti would settle down here.

"Where is Silk?"

:Tashti, she doesn't want everyone to know she was Silk.:  Cryni corrected.  :She is coming.  She is in a part of town where it would be very unwise for a Herald to be seen.:

Clio held the bundle to her chest as she paced slowly around the small shrub enshrouded park.

:Clio, I just spoke to Tashti.  She wants you to put on the uniform.:

"What?"  Clio spun to face the Companion.

:Simple, child, you are going to be playing Herald Clio.  She doesn't want the boy to know that he was rescued by a Herald, so you and I are going to take him back to the Palace.:

"Isn't it against the law to impersonate a Herald?"  Clio asked.

:Are you going to let that stop you from helping Tashti?:

"No."  Clio slowly shucked off her colourful clothing and stashed them under a bush and pulled on the uniform.  Tashti was just a few inches taller than her but she was very slender so the uniform was a bit tight across the hips and chest.

:There, you look good.  Now get up.  They are coming.:  Cryni ordered.

Clio mentally made up a new Shin'a'in proverb, never argue with a spirit, horse or otherwise.

It was easier to see the injured young man than it was to see Tashti.  He was hopping along leaning heavily on Tashti's shoulder.

:Hail them.:

"Ho there!  Is something wrong?"  Clio said as authoritatively as possible.

Tashti nearly dropped her burden and vanished into the underbrush.

Clio slipped to the ground and approached the injured young man.  He was around her age and, if he wasn't so smudged with dirt and blood, probably rather handsome.

"A Herald!"  He exclaimed.

Clio knelt next to him.  "What happened?  Who was that?"

"I don't know who she was.  I, uh, was attacked by some thugs in an alley."

"Cryni, come here."  Clio ordered.  The amusement in the Companion's eyes was obvious.

His eyes went wide at the sight of the Companion.

"Don't worry.  We'll take you to the Healers." 

"Where are you from?  You have an accent."

"I am Shin'a'in by blood.  Now hold on to me while we get you to your feet."

~ * ~

Tashti watched as Clio, garbed in the ill fitting Whites, played kindly rescuer.  Clio was not the shameless con her mother was but she was a decent actress.

Cari was once the much pampered daughter of a noble family who refused to marry as her father wished and found herself out on the street.  Her father had wanted her to come crawling home in defeat but instead Cari had discovered a natural talent to part people and their money.  She had stubbornly refused to ever go home.  The greatest traits Cari had were adaptability, determination, and charisma.  Unless Tashti missed her guess, Clio shared them, only with more ethics.

:Why didn't you just drop him off at a temple?:  Cryni asked.

:Simple, this way I can question him at length about this plot and I can also find out exactly how he fits into the entire thing.:

:He seems very…malleable.  What did you do to the boy?:

:I drugged him.  This is going to be a very dim dream come morning, he will probably only remember being found by a Herald because the image of a white uniform can only mean one thing.  It also dulls the pain and reduces the risks of him remembering Clio tomorrow.:

:Is there another reason why you wanted Clio to come?:

:Yes.  I could have got him back on my own with no problems, but she needs something to do that makes her feel less…helpless.:

:Ah, I think I am starting to understand your madness.:

:Stuff it, Kelpie.:

Tashti gather Clio's clothing and quickly headed back to where she had left the unconscious thugs.  She wasn't too surprised to discover they had taken off or had been carted off by co-conspirators.  She returned to her rented room and finished her preparations to make it looked lived in and made her way home.

Clio was in waiting in Tashti's room, dressed in her own clothing, when Tashti arrived.  "Who is he?"  She asked as Tashti pulled herself in the window.

"He may be a link to the man who is behind the death of your mother.  He has information that may help us track him down."

"Us?"  Clio asked.

"Of course.  I figure you have had enough time to settle in.  Time to get to work."

Clio was caught somewhere between a smile and a gape.  "Really, you are going to let me help you?"

"Yes.  Now get to bed.  We both have classes in the morning."

Clio grinned and hurried out to the sitting room where she was bunking on a cot.

Tashti stripped and curled up under her covers.  She stared at the moon light pouring in the window and brooded.  She wished she was up a floor and over several rooms with Aeric.  She was worn from having classes during the day and having to at least act like she was fine and then having her investigation at night.  Thankfully she didn't have time to brood until she was finally in bed for the night.  The gulf had widened and they barely said a word to each other.  The last time she approached him and tried to apologize they had fought, again, this time it wasn't the hot passionate yelling they were used to.  It was cold and as formal as two strangers meeting in the hall.

:Maybe we should ask to go back out on circuit when we find the traitor.:  Tashti suggested to Cryni.

:I think we are needed more here.:  Cryni said with absolutely no emotion in her mindvoice, a sign that she was not going to give Tashti any advice or suggestions.

Tashti stroked her hair away from her face.  :Why can't we just…:

:Just what?:  Cryni prodded.

:I love Aeric and this being apart is driving me insane.  All I want is him.  I don't care if he never tells me about his past I just want to hear his breathing next to me when we sleep.  Have him next to me when we go out at night.:  Tashti was crying again.

:I know little sister.:

~ * ~

Tashti rubbed the bridge of her nose and pushed her bowl of oatmeal away.

"S-Tashti?"  Clio asked.

"You are getting better.  What is it?"

"Our prisoner is awake."  Clio said quietly.  "He doesn't remember how he got here."

Tashti smiled and stood.  No one looked up as she and Clio left the common room.

"You should really wear some colours."  Clio commented.  "You look like Lady Death."

"How appropriate."  Tashti said dryly.

"Can you teach me your little tricks?"

"Poisons?  No."  Tashti stopped and faced the younger woman.  "Clio, trust me, you have a bright future.  Don't even consider painting it with blood just to satisfy the need for revenge."

Clio looked mutinous but said nothing.

"I know you are angry over what was done to your mother.  I agree, whoever is behind this will pay dearly.  Cari was one of my closest friends."

"Even though she stole from you every time you saw each other?"

"That was Cari.  She would take my money, I would leave her drugged and tied at a crossroads in the middle of nowhere.  It was all in good fun."  Tashti tried to explain.  "I know it feels like it is the only thing that matters right now but vengeance isn't all that you have left.  When I was your age I had more blood on my hands than most armies.  I don't want to see you having the same future."

"But you make a difference."  Clio argued.

"Everyone makes a difference.  It is all up to you as to what difference you will make.  Together we will find the person and he will get what he deserves.  But afterwards you are going to your father where you will go on and live your life."  Tashti sighed.  "Now I am starting to sound preachy."

Clio was looking stubborn.

"You look like your mother when she decided she was going to do something incredibly stupid."  Tashti commented.

Clio blushed.

"Tell you what, a year after we find him, if you still want me to teach you I will or find you a teacher who can."

Clio hesitated.  "Very well."

Tashti sighed.  "Now let's go talk to your young man."

"He's not my young man."

"I am hoping that he will be willing to talk to a pretty face."

Clio blushed again.

"Now, lead on."  Tashti gestured for Clio to lead the way to the healers.

Their prisoner, as Clio termed him, was awake and was sitting up in bed when Tashti and Clio entered.

"I am glad to see you are awake."  Tashti said as she entered.

"They said a Herald wanted to speak to me."  He said in confusion.

"I am a Herald.  It just takes a royal order to get me into uniform."  Tashti sat on the only chair leaving Clio to sit on the bed.  "I am Herald Tashti.  This is my ward, Clio."

He looked between the two women.  "I am Torin.  I am not exactly certain how I got here."

"I was out last night and found you in a park in the city."

"The shadow woman."  Torin said quietly.  "She just appeared out of the shadows and stopped the men.  I think she gave me something for the pain."

"That would explain why you have a hard time remembering what happened last night."  Clio commented.

"I'm sorry, but have we met?"

"Maybe.  I don't think so."  Clio lied easily.

"What is a boy like you doing in such a rough part of town?"  Tashti asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have a street accent."  Tashti answered.  "You pronounce your h's for one thing."

Torin flushed.  "I rent a room near there."

"Why were you attacked?  I recommend you stick to the truth."  Tashti said firmly.

Torin's eyes widened at the implied threat of the Truth Spell.  "I was following them.  I earn money by selling information and when I left they followed the man I had just sold some information to.  After they spoke to the man, and headed off in the opposite direction, I decided to follow them rather than wait for the man to come out.  I didn't realise I had been spotted until too late.  They broke my leg with a club before I even knew I was being attacked."

Tashti nodded.  "What information were you selling?  Could that have been why they attacked you?"

"Unlikely.  I was caught following them, that was reason enough.  All I told the man was that someone was trying to hire thugs to kill a Herald."

Tashti feigned surprise.  "What more can you tell me?"

Clio looked genuinely shocked.  "I thought everyone liked Heralds."

"Hardly.  Some people loathe us."  Tashti said, but never took her eyes from Torin.

"All I know is that they are waiting for an opportunity to catch them.  I heard a bully boy complain about having to wait.  They don't even know who their target is."

Tashti nodded.  Her empathy told her the young man had told all he knew.  "Thank you.  I will pass that on to the others."

Torin was still watching her warily.

"Don't worry, if you are a thief I won't reveal you."  Tashti said as she stood.

"Is it alright if I stay?"  Clio asked.

"Of course.  Just don't forget you classes."  Tashti was glad Clio had taken the initiative.

"I won't."  Clio promised.

Tashti hoped Clio managed to stay subtle in her efforts to gather information from the young man.  Perhaps there was some little tidbit he had forgotten.