Khrillin combed his fingers through his beard. The pearls and gems were still woven into its luxurious depths, glinting in the Watermight glow. He rolled his shoulders as if shaking off an irritant.
“Regardless, you may have inadvertently created an opportunity for me.” He stalked toward her, polished boots squeaking. “I would very much like to know what the king and queen of Vertigon intend to do with their little Wielder school. My informants claim it’s only a small group of children. But King Siv has deceived me before, and I refuse to fall for it again.”
Tamri didn’t know what deceit Khrillin was talking about, and she didn’t dare ask. She was more worried about Gramma Teall, whose face she couldn’t see from where she was splayed against the wall, feet dangling. Gramma Teall’s head had dropped sideways. If they’ve hurt her . . .
The truth was Tamri could do nothing. She was utterly powerless.
She glared at Khrillin, imagining setting fire to his fancy beard. “What do you want from me?”
“To pay for your actions today, you will go to Vertigon and attend the Fire Queen’s school. You will send regular reports containing everything you learn. And I do not just mean the Wielding skills.” Khrillin stepped closer, near enough for Tamri to smell the scented oils he wore on his clothes. “You will find out what the Vertigonian royals are hiding from me.”
“You want me to spy?”
Khrillin sniffed. “If you must put it so crassly.”
He turned away and began poking through their little kitchen, opening empty cupboards and prodding moldy towels.
“Now, I am not unreasonable,” he went on in a lighter voice. “In exchange for your services, I will provide your dear grandmother here with a comfortable home, good food, the best Watermight healers, and a full-time caretaker.”
Tamri blinked. “You will?”
“Indeed. Every useful bit of information you send will guarantee another week of easy living for her. You’ve been her sole support for some time, I hear.” He gave a smug smile. “And despite how ferociously she tried to claw my eyes out a moment ago, I understand she is not well.”
Tamri dug her fingernails into her palms, wishing she could launch herself at Khrillin. Maybe it was good she was still pinned to the wall. She’d tried enough reckless moves for one day. But even in her agitated state, she knew Khrillin’s offer had to be too good to be true.
“What happens if you don’t think my information is useful enough?”
“I’m glad you asked.” Khrillin opened the tea canister and sniffed its contents. “If you fail to provide regular substantial reports or if you tell anyone in Vertigon about this task, your darling granny here will suffer proportionally.”
The woman with the shaved head cracked her knuckles, her power still holding Gramma Teall in her chair. Brik was scowling at Tamri so grotesquely it was a wonder he wasn’t drooling.
“Can’t you leave my grandmother out of this?”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Khrillin dropped the tea canister on the table, not bothering to seal it again. “Let her plight motivate you to do your very best sleuthing.”
Tamri thought of the bright-eyed princess, who had spoken up for her in a room full of dangerous Wielders. She’d hate to repay her kindness by spying on her family. But she understood refusal wasn’t an option, at least not right now. Maybe she and Gramma Teall could steal onto a ship as soon as these three left the hut.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll do it.”
“I thought you’d say that.” Khrillin released Tamri from the Watermight bonds without warning, and she dropped to her knees. She rubbed her arms, which now bore even more angry red lines.
Khrillin strode forward and offered her a hand with a gallant flourish. She hesitated, but she couldn’t afford to offend him or give any indication she might not follow through on the agreement. With another look at Gramma Teall’s head lolling on her shoulder, Tamri took the king’s hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
Suddenly, Khrillin’s fingernails glowed silver-white, and Watermight laced around Tamri’s arm and crept up her elbow. She jerked reflexively, but Khrillin held her tight.
“Do you swear to serve as my eyes and ears in Vertigon, to learn everything you can about King Siv, Queen Dara, and their allies, and to report every word of your findings to me while telling no one of your true purpose?”
Tamri tried to pull away from the silvery snare twining around her arm. A Watermight Oath was binding in a way no other promise could be. Once sworn, there would be no going back on this agreement. But no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t escape Khrillin’s grasp.
Gramma Teall raised her head and strained to catch Tamri’s eye. She shook her head, mouth tight with concern. She didn’t want Tamri to do this. But this might be the only chance Tamri ever had to give her grandmother a better life. No matter how much she scraped and stole, she couldn’t pay for a comfortable home, good food, the best Watermight healers, and a full-time caretaker. This could be the chance to change their lives Pel had promised her.
In truth, the decision was easy. Tamri straightened her back and looked up at Khrillin.
“I swear it.”
“So may it be.”
Abruptly, the Watermight crawled upward from Tamri’s arm and looped around her throat like a collar. The power sank into her skin as the Oath took hold, making her neck and jaw go numb, becoming part of her bones. Tamri tamped down a wild jolt of terror. She had made her choice.
At last, Khrillin released her, and she slumped, feeling as if she had just run across half the city. The cold in her neck faded slowly, but she knew she was bound as surely as if she wore an iron shackle. Breaking this promise would freeze Tamri’s neck until it shattered like glass.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” The king wiped his hands with a silk handkerchief. “You will come to the Tower tomorrow, and you will not speak of this to Princess Selivia or her escort. I will send Gyra here to arrange care for your grandmother as soon as you disappear over the horizon.”
The bald woman jerked her head in assent, looking at Gramma Teall without expression. Brik massaged the hand Tamri had bitten, looking disappointed he wouldn’t be invited to punish her again. She hoped he got an infection.
Tamri looked up at the king, whose eyes still glowed silver. “How long will the Oath last?”
“Until I release you.”
“So never?”
“I reward those who serve me well.” Khrillin studied her thoughtfully for a moment. “Find me a jewel of information precious enough, and I shall give your freedom and your granny back to you.”
“Is that a promise?”
His lips twisted in a cruel smile. “Study hard, Tamri, and do not fail me. The Oath will sense it if you hold anything back.” He turned to offer a mocking bow to Gramma Teall. “If you’ll excuse me.” Then he snapped his fingers at his Waterworkers and strode out into the dusk.
Gyra released Gramma Teall and followed, not sparing another glance for Tamri. Brik stomped across the hut after her, pausing only to spit on the driftwood table.
Tamri waited until the trio descended the porch steps and sloshed away through the muddy street before fetching a drink of water for Gramma Teall and checking her for injuries.