They went inside together.
“You know I became chancellor?”
“News of that sort travels on wings.”
“Do you know Copernum tried to kill me?” Jason asked.
“No. You’re ahead of that news. I wish I could pretend to be surprised. Now the same man has tried to kill each of us and failed. I guess that seals our friendship.”
“Copernum ordered your execution?”
“Who else? I stole his cousin’s fiancée, then killed his cousin in a duel. To clarify, the cousin insisted on the duel, and I fought fair. You hungry?”
Jason nodded. “What happened to the girl?”
“She found out I was a displacer.” Ferrin flagged down a barmaid and ordered food.
Jason got out two gold pellets and two silver. “Here is your money back. With interest.”
“Keep the excess,” Ferrin said. “You weren’t an investment.”
“I can spare it,” Jason said. “I grabbed a lot of money. Well, technically, an attendant grabbed it for me. Amazing the funds you can access as chancellor!”
Ferrin accepted the pellets. “I’ll hold these until you need them.”
“Any word from Rachel?”
“I was about to ask you the same question.”
“We didn’t stay together. I had no way to contact her. I hope she comes here.”
“She’ll come when she hears you fled.” Ferrin tapped his knuckles against the tabletop. “Hopefully, she’s already on her way. It would be hard to outpace a coach and six.”
“You still want to join us?” Jason asked.
“Are you truly abandoning the chancellorship?”
“One assassination attempt was enough.”
Ferrin raised his eyebrows and smiled. “The regent will be furious. Don’t ever go back.”
“I wouldn’t enjoy working for Dolan. He seems like a coward.”
Ferrin glanced hastily around. “Chancellor or not, lower your voice to express such things. We’re still well inside the domain pertaining to Trensicourt. Some men would duel you over an insult to their ruler. Not that I’m disagreeing. Copernum ran that circus, and will again soon enough, I expect.”
“So do you still want to come with us? I’m becoming a bigger target every day.”
“Why do you think I was waiting here?”
“We’re going to Whitelake,” Jason said. “Do you know how to get there?”
“Whitelake? That’s a little remote, isn’t it? Not much of a town.”
“We need to go to the actual lake, not just the town.”
“Are we sightseeing? I’ve never gazed upon the actual Whitelake. It involves a climb. But if that’s where you want to go, I’m willing.”
“I have the coach,” Jason said. “That should save us some time. I guess we just wait for Rachel?’
“Is the little driver the only man accompanying you?”
“Yes.”
Ferrin stretched his arms. “In a coach like that, Whitelake is only a day or two away. The horses look amazing.”
“The driver will take us far,” Jason said. “I actually left with permission from Dolan.”
“What? How?”
“I got invited to the Eternal Feast.”
Ferrin blinked and shook his head. “Excuse me?”
“Dolan pushed me to accept. I basically told him I would, and he provided the coach.”
“But you’re declining the invitation?”
“No.”
“Are you daft? Why not? Wait, why would you get the invitation in the first place? What have you been doing?”
Jason shrugged. “I guess because I became chancellor and survived the assassination attempt.”
“That makes sense. Dolan has strong ties to Felrook, as does his former chancellor. They must have wanted you out of the picture in order to reinstate Copernum. But why not accept? Do you know how easy your life would be?”
“It might not be as great as everybody imagines,” Jason said. “Nobody who goes there returns. The food might be good, but to me it sounds like a prison.”
“Maybe,” Ferrin mused. “Still, as prisons go, Harthenham would be my pick ten times out of ten. You’re an interesting person, Jason. There is more to you than a glance would reveal. Who knows how long we’ll be waiting for Rachel? Could be hours, might be days. You should instruct your driver to see to the horses and get himself some food.”
“Good idea,” Jason said.
“I’ll wait here.”
On his way out the door Jason noticed a pair of riders loping up the street. One was Rachel.
“Jason!” she called as they made eye contact.
Jason waved, relief flooding through him. As she approached, he realized how worried he’d been that she might have been hurt.
The riders pulled up near him, and Rachel dismounted. She wore new traveling clothes that actually fit her.
“Is this your destination?” the man asked, a rugged character with a crooked nose.
“Yes, thank you, Bruce.”
“Very well. Safe journey.”
Taking the reins of her horse, he rode away.
“Who was that guy?” Jason asked quietly.
“My escort,” Rachel whispered back. “Nicholas took care of it. He’s been much more helpful than he acted when we first met him.”
“Once we left his shop, I thought we’d never hear from him again.”
“Apparently Copernum linked him to us. And Copernum suspects we’re Beyonders. Nicholas decided that the best way to strengthen his position was for us to succeed and escape. We met in person two more times, and he sent several notes. He was thrilled that you defeated Copernum and pleased that you survived the assassination.”
“It was so freaky,” Jason said. “You wouldn’t believe it. I slept under my bed, and this guy came in and tried to stab me with a poisoned knife, but got my bodyguard instead.”
“You’re okay?” Rachel asked.
“I’m fine. I’m glad you got away safely. I was worried.”
Rachel blushed slightly. “You got the syllable? I didn’t wait around to hear.”
“The third is ‘fex.’ I saw it inside the lorevault as well.”
“Good question?”
“Great question.”
“Is Ferrin here?”
“He’s waiting inside.”
Jason told the coachman that they would have a meal and then proceed to Whitelake, inviting the driver to get food and make whatever preparations he deemed necessary for the horses. Then Jason and Rachel entered the Stumbling Stag. They reached Ferrin’s table at the same time as the barmaid.