A Deadly Drink

"Who would like a drink?" Gandr, disguised as Nurlan, passed out the water. His hand almost wouldn't let go of the water-skin as he gave it to Aurora. She had to wrench it out of his grip. She eyed him quizzically but said nothing.

Gandr reclined on the ground and waited for the Empress to take a drink. At present she was too busy munching on dried meat. "How much longer to the ice barrier?" She asked between bites.

"At least three weeks," Gandr answered without thinking.

Junayd was surprised. "I didn't realize you spent time up north, Nurlan."

Gandr laughed awkwardly, which only increased the confusion of the others. "I haven't. I just studied maps before we left."

"Really?" Junayd was unconvinced. "I thought you said that this whole trip was a waste of time. Sorry, Empress."

Aurora was not offended. The whole mission did sound crazy. And she, too, was growing suspicious. She had spent the last week getting to know the gruff soldier. Nurlan had taught her how to start a fire, cook a few meals, and even a little bit of how to spot an animal trail. The man in front of her now was just…off.

Devrim confirmed what Junayd said, "I'm pretty sure you said yesterday that anyone who believes in the Fates is a fool and if anyone but the Empress had sent you on this quest, you would have told them to put their request where the sun does not shine." Nurlan had mumbled those words under his breath as he cleared a particularly thick patch of brush with his sword.

Gandr didn't know what to say. He took a swig of Nurlan's water to stall his answer. The other two men, who had already finished their water, glared at his delay tactic. Aurora smiled at him patiently as she removed the lid from her drink. Her arm brushed against Devrim, and he was momentarily distracted by her touch.

"You two must be mistaken," Aurora said to Devrim and Junayd. "Nurlan has been telling me over and over what an honor it is to be on this adventure. Haven't you, Nurlan?"

Gandr took the bait. "Yes, Your Majesty. I am honored. I would never malign my Empress by calling her a fool!" Gandr looked aggrieved.

"Ah ha! Nurlan has not once said he is glad to be here. I'm not sure the old sourpuss is capable of being gracious!" Devrim thrust out an accusing finger, bumping Aurora in the process. The water-skin was knocked from her hand and came crashing to the ground.

Gandr dove for the bottle, but it was too late. Water came spilling out along the ground, and the grass below turned to black foam.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Junayd demanded to know.

"He is not actually Nurlan," Aurora said calmly. She had looked at the imposter's eyes and knew it was true.

Devrim tackled the fake Nurlan. Junayd followed quickly after. The two wrenched the hands of Gandr behind his back. The gnome struggled, but the men were bigger and stronger than he was. Panicking, he used magic to compel them to release him. Devrim and Junayd let go of their captive, and their arms dropped to their sides. Their expressions went blank.

Gandr cried out in pain. In using his magic, Gandr had opened the channel to then men's emotions, getting the full brunt of their anger and fear. It was too much, and he dropped to the ground.

"What did you do to them?!" Aurora screamed at the gnome.

"Far less than what they have done to me!" Gandr writhed and held his head. After a moment, the effects of the magic wore off Devrim and Junayd. Their eyes became focused. They rallied to attack Gandr. "Stop!" He begged. "Don't touch me! I can feel everything you feel. Tie me up if you must, but if I use my magic on you again, it may kill me."

The men looked to Aurora for how to proceed. She nodded and produced a rope from her cloak. Junayd was too worried about the intruder to ask why the cord seemed to materialize from beneath the black fabric. They tied Gandr's hands firmly and then attached him seated to a tree.

Devrim and Junayd were on edge, perhaps as a result of the magic, but Aurora was strangely calm. She had seen her mother, Zephyra, interrogate both courtier and criminal when Aurora hid around the palace as a little girl. It was one of the few things that Aurora had found worth admiring. No matter the crime, Zephyra's cold and calculating questions would get to the bottom of the matter. Aurora focused and tried to imitate her now.

"Where is Nurlan? Is he dead?"

"He's fine."

"Find him," Aurora said to Junayd.

"But Your Majesty," Junayd began to object.

"The captive is too weak to hurt me, and Devrim will be here for protection. Go!" Aurora commanded. As Junayd headed off toward the stream, she turned back to the gnome. "Show your true self," she demanded.

Gandr complied. Even if he had wanted to resist, he was using all his energy not to go mad with the feelings of three other beings mixing up inside him. Aurora gasped when she saw his true form. Her eyes narrowed, "I met you in Obsequence. You were in the marketplace and the restaurant. I even handed you your knife when we had a meal. Was that knife supposed to stab me?"

"It was." Gandr saw no reason to lie. His intent was obvious.

"But you couldn't for some reason…" she said to herself.

"What are you thinking?" Devrim could see her mind working.

Aurora stepped back and spoke quietly to Devrim. "He can shapeshift, which means he is part elf or Fate, and he was touching you when he used magic on you. He could be part gnome…" The Empress addressed the prisoner. "We have met before, but I knew you by a different name. The real Sir Iowerth was not nearly as charming as you."

"Your Majesty is very clever." Gandr gave a smile that did not reach his eyes. Then he winced as another feeling he could not name overtook him.

"Why are you intent on harming me?" Aurora asked.

"It's not personal. It is my mission." Gandr would not meet her eye. "Please kill me! I can stand this torture no longer."

"You can feel the emotions of people on whom you use magic?" Devrim asked.

"Yes, make it stop!" Gandr was pleading.

Aurora shook her head. "Then you know that I feel pity for you. I will not let you die."

Gandr cried out in anguish. Just then Junayd came into view supporting Nurlan under one arm. The effects of the white powder still seemed to be affecting him. He took one look at the tied-up Gandr and the soldier's eyes came into focus. "I'm going to kill him!" Nurlan yelled as he lunged at the gnome.

Devrim intervened and repelled the angry man. Nurlan reacted by punching the Emperor Consort across the face. Fortunately his muscle coordination was still weak, so it was mostly a glancing blow. Devrim steadied himself and rubbed his bruised chin with a wry grin. "Well, at least we know he's the real Nurlan…"