James knew about some of the political machinations going on in the background of the first few books. He remembered the Raven siblings well, and their lord father's ambitions to take the Central domain.
The hero, not having been a major noble had little contact with these kinds of things, so the subplots had barely progressed by the fifth book. There was no chance that was likely to change.
He'd done a little shuffling by coming to the capital himself, and going to Uluth to try and pickup another divine gift. But the thing with the divine gifts would only impact the plot far into the future, and he'd manipulated Jason Kon into coming to the city.
It was his hope that now the plot could get back to some semblance of normalcy. That is if his little battle with the bandits didn't have too much of an impact on everything.
"We trust you, Lord Halden," the woman said.
James snorted. "Trust? Or rather you're desperate?"
"No. We believe you to be—"
"I know what the public, and especially the aristocracy think of me. You can't tell me you think differently."
"But we do. Word has spread, you know, of your battle to protect that nameless village."
This woman! He'd not fought with the intention of saving anyone. Or maybe he had, but she couldn't know that.
"You can't base a decision that is sure to impact most of your future life on a few rumours. That just doesn't make sense to me."
The woman smiled, "of course. Which is why we investigated before we put our eggs in this basket."
The woman's eyes moved, taking in the tense postures of a few of those surrounding them. Her eye paused on Nino, who even though she was a child stood the closest to James and did nothing to hide her rapt attention. Her arms were folded over her chest and she looked like she was digesting each and every word the woman said, trying to find any fault.
James stood up suddenly, the man and woman looked up at him with ill disguised concern.
"Delia, was it?"
"I-I, um, well. I don't remember telling you my name."
"No doubt you were planning to give me one of your many alliases. Grace, or Cage, or Glorian?"
She was silent, and even though shock had shone through her calm mask for a moment, the cool was back like it had never left. He wanted to scoff. He very much wanted to scoff.
"I need a word with you. In private if you will?"
He stood up and prepared to enter the carriage, but then Hansworth was blocking the way.
"Will you be taking anyone with you, young master?"
"Hmm? I suppose I'd hoped you'd stand guard but..." He looked around, and felt even before he saw someone glaring at him. "I'll take Talia with me. She can bare witness to the exchange."
"Me as well," declared Nino, and her voice was so assured.
"Fine, whatever."
Delia, the woman of many names followed. Talia stepped in after her.
"You know of me?" was the first question the woman asked. "You know much more than I would ever expect any one person to."
James waved the comment away. "I know a lot of things. Tell me, what is your connection with the revolutionary movement?"
She looked sideways to where Talia who'd been sitting next to her had suddenly gone ramrod straight. Nino was blinking in confusion.
"Don't worry about them. I trust them implicitly," James assured her.
The words had some kind of effect on Talia, but just then James was too focused on Delia to pay her a lot of mind.
"How much do you know of them?" she asked.
"Frustratingly little. I know many of their operatives, nobles they collude with and the like, but its only information on their operations in the Mareth kingdom. And those are few as you well know. I think I'm missing a lot of the picture."
She sighed. "Maybe you are. Even so, you may know a lot more about it than me."
"I can imagine. But then I'm guessing I know the reason you want to enter the capital so bad."
"And what reason is that?" asked Talia, once again letting that customary impatience take her.
James let his shoulders slump. "Look Tal, I brought here as a guard."
"Don't call me Tal!" she growled in warning.
"Fine," James raised his hands peaceably. "I was just trying to be friendly. We were talking about the chance the revolution might try to attack the gathering of nobles. That's probably why the former saint wants to enter the capital. Speaking of, why is a former saint dressed in this manner? Those clothes are becoming of your body, I must say, but not of your divinity."
The woman shrugged. "You said it well. I have nothing to do with the temple anymore, so I can dress how I've always wanted."
"And I'm pretty sure you've never wanted to dress like this," he leaned forward a little, arresting her eyes with his own.
"I did tell you we investigated you before we threw our eggs in with you."
James snorted. "I'm pretty sure there are no rumours of my escapades with women. I'm certain. I've often hired people to buy rumours for me."
"Then maybe we were just guessing. Did I hit the nail on the head?"
She leaned close too. Their breaths converged. James chuckled a little.
"Cruel! You cruel temptress. Whatever possessed those fools to make you a saint?"
She snorted. "Don't think it had a lot to do with religion. Its just my innate gifts. You know what thats like, what with the power I sense residing in your soul."
James found himself shifting positions to sit just next to her on the bench. He thought he might have heard her swallow as he moved closer. The fact that there was a young child here and another woman he maybe sort of had a thing for wasn't lost on him.
He still found his hand moving, almost instinctively searching for something.
There! He'd seen what he'd been looking for. There was a slight tension in her body, almost perfectly hidden, and her lips were trembling, and her fist was clenched so tightly, her knuckles were white. He let the palm of his hand just graze her elbow, and she reeled.
It was so fast how she got back into the character of calm and poised. At peace with whatever price she had to pay. James didn't bother hiding the disappointment from his sigh.
He went back to his seat, noticing that Talia wasn't looking in his direction. She didn't seem angry however. Or at least he didn't see any signs of that from her body language. She was staring off into space, thinking, considering.
"So that's why you're with the Raven boy?"
"I'm sorry? What, are you talking about?"
"I had information on you, but I didn't trust you. Still don't, to be honest. The timing of when you left the temple. Its too suspicious."
"What suspicions have you?"
James waved the question away. "I'd rather keep those close to my chest. I don't want to work with you and your little friend."
Her calm expression turned into one of concern.
"Is it because I hesitated just then? I assure you—"
"Don't waste your breath. That has nothing to do with it. You are willing to go to such lengths for whatever it is you want to achieve, and yet I don't know your goals. We can't be allies under such circumstances."
"What do you want to know?" She was in control once again.
"Nothing. I don't want to be involved in your schemes." He held up a hand to forestall her when she made to protest. "I will help you enter the city without being noticed, however."
Silence descended. And then she asked. "Why?"
"Its simple. I don't want that crap you said about sensing something similar to yours in my soul to leave this room. And perhaps your dedication to your cause moved me a little."
"Why would you want to keep that a secret? It would be a source of wealth and prestige and...Oh gods!"
"I see you've hit upon a discovery. Good for you, I guess. If a word of this leaves this carriage," he didn't need to finish, his fiendish smile enough to convey his message.
"I promise it won't."
"Of course. We'll be at the capital in a few hours. When we reach the gates, we'll have Stan pause as me. I suppose your magic will be enough to make that convincing."
"Yes. But where will you be?"
James shrugged. "I will walk with my mercenaries. Make sure the boy has a bottle with him. It will be more convincing, what with the rumors."
"Alright."
Before he bent down to leave, however, he couldn't resist warning her once more. He slammed his palm next to her head, causing her to startle and lean back in shock.
"You've made some conjecture here today. I hope you don't believe you've gotten dirt which you can use to force me into doing your bidding later?"
His face was too close. His little performance had pulled Talia from her revelry, and she now watched the exchange avidly.
"Of course, my lord. I wouldn't dream of it."
How hadn't he noticed that their mouth's were this close? He backed off hurriedly, not letting the moment affect him in the least.
************
"The capital is in sight, my lord," a gruff voice reported after a small knock.
Stan looked like he wanted to see the approaching city, but the truth of their situation was not lost on him. Delia was still listless.
"What did he do to you, Delia? What did you sacrifice for this?"
"He did... nothing. Nothing at all. Besides, no sacrifice is too big for this and you know it."
"Maybe I'll give him a piece of my mind at the assembly."
"That wouldn't be good for us. I already gave him my word we'll pretend like we know nothing about each other. He doesn't want to be involved with us."
"Then did you get some dirt on him? Something that may be of use to us in the future?"
She kept quiet, thinking. Finally, she sighed in defeat.
"I don't know. Maybe. But I don't know if I want to go down that path yet. It's just, the rumors. They seem so unjustified now I've met him."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. He is not a good person, of that I'm certain. Problem is, he is not a bad person either."