Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world, it belongs to Trudi Canavan

Escape

They left Imardin before first light dressed as prosperous merchants, riding their sure-footed mountain horses and leading a string of pack animals. The streets were deserted and no-one noticed their departure.

It had been so different during the hectic days following their discovery of Justen's inner self. Everywhere that Sonea went, she was accosted by magicians all wanting information. The election for the new High Lord was rapidly approaching and in every corner of the Guild's grounds and buildings magicians were discussing options or button-holing anyone who passed to find out who they were going to support. Lists were drawn up and there was even talk of sums being wagered on the outcome, strictly against the rules, of course.

Sonea did not recognise many of the names on the lists, but amongst them, and despite his refusal to put his name forward, Akkarin figured prominently. Sonea could see that there were many who wanted him back in charge, perhaps even more than those who wished for anyone but him. She wondered what he would do, if he were elected. If she remembered her Guild history accurately, there had been a number of High Lords elected in the past regardless of their own wishes. One of the reasons for leaving before the election was to prevent that happening again. Guild rules stated that no High Lord could be elected in his absence. However, Sonea was beginning to doubt that they would be able to leave in time.

As was common during elections, the candidates were surrounded by eager questioners whenever they appeared in public. It was the right of any magician to question a candidate and most took advantage of it. Once someone was elected, magicians could no longer simply walk up to the High Lord and question his actions, so the pre-election period was the only opportunity for searching questions. Each time Sonea ventured out of her rooms, she found that someone would question her about Akkarin's intentions. Akkarin, of course, had disappeared.

It was difficult for Sonea to keep her frustration hidden. It was just like him, she thought angrily, to simply vanish, leaving me to deal with everything. They had had breakfast together, after their search among the old texts, and then gone their separate ways, she to start collecting together the things she wanted to take home and Akkarin to do something he had not bothered to share with her. That was the last she had seen of him, apart from a brief glimpse of his tall black-clad figure striding up the Library steps several hours later. By the time she had managed to forge a way through the groups of chatting magicians, he was nowhere to be seen. That was over two days ago. If he did not return soon, their departure would be delayed and it was likely they would still be at the Guild on the day of the election, with all the problems that would create.

He had not sent to her nor had a careful search of her rooms turned up a written message either. She was so angry, if he had walked through her door, she would have boxed his ears! Part of her wondered why she was so surprised and upset. Akkarin had never really lost his habit of secrecy and it was a rare occasion when he was completely frank with her. Knowing full well he was a man who guarded his secrets adeptly did not prevent her resentment of being kept in the dark. When she had first realised her longing to spend her time with him, she had envisaged a partnership, if not of equals, then of near-equals. However, he still treated her at times like a child who was incapable of understanding.

But you have caused him a lot of trouble over the years, her mind slyly reminded her, and you do often act like a child. Sonea was basically an honest person so she had to admit that was true. However, she did not let that knowledge interfere with her feelings of resentment. As time passed with no word, she carefully stoked her resentment keeping it burning with thoughts of what she would say and do once he returned!

She took to haunting the Food Hall, to see if he came to meals, but it appeared he was eating elsewhere. She regularly checked the Library and other places she had known Akkarin to visit regularly, but there was no sign of him. She had even walked the passages, looking for evidence that he had recently passed through. She did pick up faint traces of him, when she used her magic to taste the air, but there was nothing to indicate how recently he had been there.

In the end, she was forced to admit to herself that Akkarin would return when he wished and there was nothing she could do except wait.

On one occasion, as she was walking through the grounds, she came face-to-face with Irun. So far she had managed to avoid her so-called friends, but there was no way she could avoid her this time, so pinning a cheerful smile on her face, she stopped to exchange a few words. As expected, Irun was intensely curious about Akkarin and the election. Sonea answered as best she could, but it was obvious that her responses did not satisfy.

"But you must know, Sonea," Irun exclaimed, "you are so close. He must tell you everything, so come on, stop pretending and tell me, I'm your friend, after all."

Sonea bit back the acid remark which flashed into her brain, and smiled apologetically, "I am bound to secrecy regarding the election, Irun. You do understand, don't you?"

Perhaps realising that she would get no further information, Irun smiled reluctantly in return and took her leave. Sonea watched as she disappeared into a crowd of magicians, just in case she turned back with another question. Then, spotting another group of magicians heading towards her, Sonea decided to find a less public place. She remembered a former favourite spot, well away from the Guild's buildings, where she had used to hide during her early days as the High Lord's Novice. At least there, she would not be bothered by curious magicians and might even have peace to think.

Sending an urgent plea to the Eye that the place would be deserted, she quickly made her way along half-forgotten paths until she reached the spot, a small clearing among the trees, filled with tumbled rocks from some long-ago earth shaking. It looked just the same as she remembered. She found her 'seat' a flat rock nestled between large boulders and sank down.

Being in her safe spot brought back memories of her early unhappy days as Akkarin's Novice. Then she had wondered how she would survive several years as his hostage against exposure. Her only thought in those days was how to defeat him and free herself, and her friends, from his threats. How far she had come in her understanding of him and what drove him, since those unhappy days. Now, there was nothing she would not do, no one she would not sacrifice, just to keep him safe.

Would he do the same for you?

She stopped that thought dead in its tracks. There was no point in the same old merry-go-round of wonderings. Things were as they were. She and Akkarin were bound, not through the golden circle of a marriage ring, but by flesh and bone, by their son and by the self-appointed role both had accepted of guarding Kyralia from Ichani threats.

She laughed softly. The only thing those grandiose thoughts lacked was a fanfare of trumpets! She closed her eyes and let her mind drift. Suddenly she felt tired, tired of all the dissembling, the acting of parts, pretending things she didn't feel. She longed for the solitude of the Steelbelt Ranges where her greatest worry was when Akkarin was coming back from one of his smuggling expeditions.

She must have fallen asleep because she was suddenly awake and aware she was not alone. She kept her eyes closed and cautiously sent out a thread of magic to taste her surroundings. Then she heard a warm laugh. She opened her eyes and found Akkarin sitting next to her, smiling broadly.

"I knew you would be here," he said. "This was always your refuge when you were unhappy."

She was so pleased to see him, she forgot her resentment and rage and flung herself into his arms. He was back, that was all that mattered. He kissed the top of her head and held her close for a moment, before setting her back on her rock.

"Where have you been?" Despite her relief at seeing him, the words came out more sharply than she intended. During her thinking time, she had resolved not to let her unhappiness at being deserted to show, but of course, the minute Akkarin reappeared, all her unruly emotions took over once again.

He frowned, "Merin sent for me. He tried to persuade me to stay and was not best pleased when I refused, and kept on refusing in the face of bribes and threats. He was not happy when I left. I fear it will be a long time before he forgives me for 'deserting him and deserting the Allied Lands' as he put it."

"Merin has always forgiven you before."

"Yes, usually when he discovers he needs me, but this time, I am not so sure. He is afraid that the next High Lord will force him into doing things he doesn't want to do. Merin needs constant reassurance that he is doing the right thing, that his uncertainties can be explained and understood. A High Lord who doesn't understand him, finds the only way to deal with him is to bully him into taking a particular course of action. Then that puts Merin in difficulty with his Court Advisors, who are usually concerned to keep the firmly Guild in its place. He has been there before with Balkan, and has no wish to be there again. My refusal to stand for election, in Merin's eyes, is the ultimate betrayal of our friendship."

Sonea was silent. She knew just how strong the relationship between Merin and his boyhood friend was, and that Akkarin genuinely cared for the King. To refuse his pleas would have been difficult but she had no words of comfort to offer. She did not like Merin, regarding him as selfish, ready to punish Akkarin for his supposed sins, yet needing him to deal with things the King could not. She had not forgotten how readily Merin had lent towards execution when Akkarin's knowledge of black magic had been revealed. How he had not for one moment considered that his oldest friend might have been acting honourably. She could not say any of this to Akkarin, though. She had tried once, but Akkarin was scathing in his response, so she endeavoured to keep her thoughts about the King to herself.

"You still intend to leave, then?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes and we must go very early tomorrow morning. I have alerted Takan and he will get the boy ready."

He reached beneath his robes and brought out a bulging purse. He pulled it open so that Sonea could see the gleam of gold and silver coins. "This is part of your first year's revenues from your estate. I have made an arrangement with someone I trust, who will look after the property, find suitable tenants for the house and farms and ensure we receive revenues regularly. We will want for nothing once we are home."

'It's a wonder Merin didn't strip me of the estate in the face of your refusal to give in to his wishes." Despite herself, Sonea's tone was tart.

She was looking at him intently, otherwise she would have missed the slight tightening of Akkarin's lips which told her Merin had threatened to do exactly that, but Akkarin obviously didn't want to discuss that because he changed the subject, questioning her about her arrangements and whether she had everything ready. Akkarin then gave her detailed instructions as to what she must do, culminating in a firm order to be at the house in the city three hours before sunrise.

So here they were, riding briskly through the deserted streets of Imardin, eager to get away before the Guild and the town stirred. Thankfully, Sonea's horse was placid, so unlike Trouble, so that she found riding relatively easy for once. She almost began to believe that riding could be more than just a way to get from one place to another. It might even be an enjoyable pastime.

She had been surprised to see so many horses in the stables at the house and wondered just when Akkarin had arranged to buy them and the materials carefully stowed on the pack horses. He had not wasted his time, during his absence after all.

They clattered up to the North Gate where the sleepy guard, bored with his night duty, barely glanced at the papers Akkarin waved in front of him. It only took a few minutes for the gates to be opened, then they were outside the city, ready for the long journey home.