Chapter Eighty-Four: The Pieces Are Placed, Part 2


    T’tam relaxed, finally free of his job for the day. The talk with the Infinite had drained him, reminded him that he needed to fight, and now he had time to take a break. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that Maddy decided to enter.


    “So,” She told him. “I know what you weren’t telling me. I guess now is as good a time as any to talk about it.”


    “What you did was highly irresponsible and unethical,” He told her fiercely. “You should not have eavesdropped on the conversation.”


    “I’m sorry, Member T’tam,” She replied, sliding into formality. “I was worried for you, unsure about what the woman wanted, and so I was ready to protect you. I happened to overhear something about Tyrian’s daughter, and I just couldn’t help myself.”


    “I could have you fired for this,” T’tam scowled at her.


    “Wait,” She gaped. “Please, no! You can’t, I’m invaluable to you.”


    “I have half a mind to do so.”


    “Look, I’m sorry, but you can’t blame me,” She exclaimed. “I almost bleeding died, T’tam, and whatever you say, I deserved to know why.”


    “And now you understand why I didn''t tell you. You’re in grave danger now, you know.”


    “Yes, I do, and for that I am truly sorry,” She said, eyes down. “I should have trusted you, and, as my superior, I should’ve obeyed you. But,” She said, eyes blazing, “What would you have done in my place?”


    “I am not in your place,” the Member responded.


    “So are you going to fire me?”


    “I’m still thinking about it,” T’tam said. “I would protect you that way.”


    “No, not no!” She screeched. “Look, I can help you. You say you need to get a message to Zade. I’d be the best person to do that, so give me a chance, please, I’ll be helpful.”


    “I could send any of my pages to do it.”


    “But I’d be less curious.”


    “None of my other pages would stoop as low as you did, Page Maddy.”


    “Please,” Maddy repeated. “I know what I did was wrong, okay? But what happened to our friendship?”


    “What happened to trust?” T’tam sighed. “I won’t fire you, but, Maddy, if I find you doing something like this again, I will send you to prison.”


    “Okay,” Maddy replied. “I accept that.”


    “And yes, I will send you to Mage Helstrom. I need you to send a message to one of the Member HIgh Mages, and on the way, make sure you find Zade, and subtly, leave him the note.”


    “Aye, aye, sir,” Maddy rose to salute.


    “Don’t do that.”


    “Sorry, T’tam.”


    “Call me Member.”


    Maddy0s face drooped, realizing the meaning of the phrase. “Yes, Member T’tam. I will earn back your trust.”


    “I’m counting on it,” T’tam replied.


    — — —


    T’tam spent the day stressed. The talk with the Infinite stressed him. The talk with Maddy stressed him. Then, finally, came the talk with Lysander, and that one would stress him even more.


    All he’d wanted was to go home. It was dark, and he’d worked overtime, talking to Tyrian, who was still shocked and depressed. T’tam had had to reassure him, but wasn’t sure it worked. Tyrian did put up a good front, though, which was enough for now. A carriage had been waiting to pick him up, of course, and when he’d gotten in, he found Lysander barring the exit once more, frowning at him.


    “You did this already, Member Lysander,” T’tam groaned. “You know I won’t say anything.”


    “That’s what you think,” his friend replied. “But you haven’t thought of my resilience. I’m wide awake, baby, and until you tell me the truth, we’re staying here.”


    “Then, I guess we will stay here until the morning.”


    “I can stay longer, T’tam,” Lysander grinned. “And what do you think Rosia will say if you stay with me the whole night?”


    T’tam glared at her, no mockery in his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”


    “I’m just kidding,” Lysander raised her hands. “Sorry, T’tam. Plus, Ave would kill me just as much as Rosia would.”


    “Lys, let me go,” T’tam replied, unsheathing the knife. “Don’t make me use this.”


    “Oh, please,” She responded. “You couldn’t do it, even if you wanted to.”


    T’tam’s hand stood steady as he pointed the knife at her, but eventually, he caved in, setting it down and falling back on the seat.


    “Please,” He begged. “I know you want to know, but I can’t.”


    “I’m worried about you,” Lysander exclaimed. “You’ve been distant, and I can’t help but wonder what scarred you, what left you to leave me alone. You went to the bleeding hospital, for heaven’s sake.”


    “I didn’t leave you alone,” T’tam replied gruffly. “I was merely dealing with important things.”If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    “And you wouldn’t let me know about it. So tell me this, T’tam, what is more important than me? Your wife, sure, so let me guess, she’s involved.”


    “Lys, stop, you don’t want to know.”


    “It’s too late, by tomorrow, I’ll know.”


    T’tam thought about what the Infinite had said. He shouldn''t tell others about what happened, but, if it slipped…


    “If I tell you—”


    “I won’t tell anymore,” Lysander responded. “You know me well enough.”


    “When you know, you can’t unknow it. Just like me.”


    “I know, and I don’t care. Tell me now or I swear I will explode right here.”


    “I’d like to see that,” T’tam smiled, crossing her arms. When Lysander glared at him, he chuckled. “I’ll tell you, don’t worry. But I won’t forgive you for this.”


    “I don’t expect you to,” She responded cheekily. “If I expected you to forgive me, we would’ve never become friends. So, out with it. What’s this massive problem that’s left your knickers in a twist, my dear Member T’tam?”


    T’tam told her everything, leaving no detail he could remember, from the point Member Tyrian came to talk to him to his own chat with Maddy. It pained him a little to talk of what transpired at Tyrian’s house, and of the Infinite’s words, he struggled to comprehend, but Lysander seemed to understand, although she looked horrified.


    “Of course it would be those bastards,” Lysander growled. “I’ll kill them, just watch me.”


    “You can’t,” T’tam replied. “It’s too dangerous. Just me telling you is enough to put you in mortal danger.”


    “I don’t care,” She replied. “They deserve to be punished and if no one else will do it, I will.”


    “It’s not about doing it or not doing it. We will, but we can’t yet, not in the way you want to.”


    “I know,” She huffed. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it. And it doesn’t mean I can’t punch Member Wesros when I see him next.”


    “Yes, it does,” T’tam replied. “Do you have nothing interesting to say?”


    “Not really,” She responded. “But I am surprised the Cult is doing this much. They must have something really big planned.”


    “What do you mean?”


    “Well, the Cult is usually subtle, in the shadows, never allowing anyone to know what they do. Before the event at the Arena, many people knew something would happen, they just didn’t know what. The Cult didn’t care whether everyone knew, because they had big plans and no one would stop them. Now, once again, people know what they are doing. They are announcing themselves, specifically to Members. Why? What are they planning? To me, I think they’ve finally found a way to control the parliament.”


    “I guess that makes sense,” T’tam groaned. “And if that’s true, we’re in trouble. But maybe this plan is just to do what the Infinite said, to use the battle with the horde to their advantage.”


    “It could be,” Lysander admitted. “But I doubt it. I don’t doubt that they are announcing what they are doing to some people outside of the Parliament to make that happen as well. But if many Members are being blackmailed, then they must be planning something within the Parliament. Tell me I’m wrong.”


    “I don’t think you are,” T’tam responded. “But I hope so.”


    “What is hope but the expectation of the impossible?” Lysander whispered.


    “What?”


    “Just something Ave says. Pessimist, you know how they go.”


    “You’re a pessimist yourself.”


    “Only when I want to be,” Lysander responded defensively.


    “So you want to be a pessimist all the time?”


    “Shut it, Member,” She said. “You’re changing the subject. We need to decide what to do.”


    “What can we do? I’ve warned Zade about the Cult’s plans, maybe that is enough. Hopefully, he will talk to others. And, if that isn’t enough, I’m sure the Infinite will do something!”


    “Who is the Infinite?” Lysander asked. “I don’t trust her.”


    “Them, I think,” T’tam replied. “And I don’t trust them completely, but I feel they are on our side.”


    “Why? Because they said so?”


    “They seemed genuine, Lys.”


    “Of course they did, but that actually doesn’t mean anything! They could easily just have lied to you to manipulate you. Who knows, they may even be Cultists in disguise!”


    “I doubt that,” T’tam told her.


    “Me too, but it could be. I’m just saying you must be suspicious of them.”


    “I will be,” T’tam said. “I am. But I do think it’s right to have an alliance. For now, we must keep it.”


    “I agree. Now you must promise to never keep anything from me again!”


    “Of course not! I can’t put you in danger.”


    “T’tam,” Lysander said sharply. “I don’t care if the information will kill me. You cannot keep things from me. We’re supposed to work together. You kept me in the dark about this, and I understand, but I know about it now, so there’s nothing you can keep from me.”


    “It was already too much of a danger to tell you this,” T’tam admitted. “If the Cult knows you know, then my family is in danger, and so are you. I still don’t think I should''ve told you this.”


    “It’s too late, T’tam stop bleeding whining or I will sock you in your throat,” Lysander threatened. “You did the right thing, and now you must promise to do the right thing again, in case something like this happens again.”


    “But my family—”


    “I understand your problem, but I can protect myself and together, we can protect your family. We’ll put them in a safe house if we must. But I will not let your family go to harm, T’tam.”


    “You can’t promise that seriously.”


    “I don’t care,” She responded. “Just promise me you won’t hide anything.”


    “Fine,” T’tam replied. “I promise.” If I must, I will keep things from you, but I will try to include you, Lys. I promise.


    “Good. Now we can go home.” Lysander said something to the coach driver and the carriage started moving.


    The trip home was light, each joking around. It served to ease T’tam a little, to get his mind off of what was plaguing him. For a few minutes, he forgot about the Cult and the blackmailing. All that was on his mind was his friend.


    As they reached his house he turned to Lysander. It was already almost midnight, way later than he should’ve been home.


    “You’re a real bastard, you know that?” He asked.


    “Yes, I do,” She smiled. “But that’s why you love me.”


    “Hmm,” He grunted, then closed the door to the carriage and watched it ride off. The door to his house opened, and Rosia stepped out, coming to embrace and kiss him.


    “Where were you?” She asks.


    “Had a crazy day,” He responded.


    “Well, I can’t wait to hear all about it,” Rosia smiled.


    “I can’t tell you everything.”


    “T’tam, why are you—”


    “But I’ll tell you everything I can. I promise.”


    Rosia sighed. “I’ll take what I can get. Now, come inside. The food is already cold.”


    T’tam smiled and kissed his wife, vowing to have a good night.