The Godspeaker Trilogy
Page 106
“I’ve said all I can, my love. Now I must ask a favour. And I am asking this time. It’s too big a thing not to ask first …”
“What?” He folded his arms, uncertain. “Are you talking about more glowing, Hettie? And walking about like one of my own puppets come to life?”
“A little like that.”
“Why?”
“For Rhian. She must become queen.” Hettie’s eyes filled with tears. “Please say you’ll do it, Dex. It’s ever so important.”
How could he refuse her when she looked at him like that? “Yes. All right. I’ll do it. For you and for Rhian, but—”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Make sure Rhian goes by road back to Kingseat. By road, not by river.”
“Oh, but—”
She kissed him to silence, stealing his breath. His heart broke all over again, feeling her lips on his. Searing heat rushed through him… suns burst into life behind his closed eyes …
And he was alone.
“Hettie!” He spun in a circle, the world spinning with him. The startled deer scattered. “Hettie, come back here! Hettie? Come back !”
“Hettie’s not here, Jones,” said Ursa, tartly. “You’re dreaming again. Time to open your eyes.”
He sat up, unsurprised to find himself in the manor house. His lips still tingled from Hettie’s kiss. It was a kind of torture, to feel that again. His chamber’s curtains weren’t quite drawn properly. Beyond the window it was night. He was in bed and he’d been dressed in a nightshirt.
He plucked at it. “Ursa, did you do this?”
“I did, Jones,” she answered, unperturbed. “And I didn’t see anything I’ve not seen before. Although I’m curious to know why you wear that carved monstrosity under your shirt.”
He slapped his hand to his chest but the chalava was still there. More than ever he wanted to tear if off, throw it away, but he didn’t dare. “As a favour to Zandakar. Ursa, what’s happening?”
“Hush,” she said. “How are you feeling?”
“Do you want me to hush or answer the question?”
“Jones …”
“I’m fine.”
Ursa sat back in her chair and considered him. “For a man who burst into flames but doesn’t have a mark on him, yes, you certainly look fine.”
“I burst into flames? I don’t remember that. I remember I was glowing …”
“Glowing was just the start of it, Jones. You glowed, you burned, you delivered messages from God. It was miraculous. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“It wasn’t me, it was Hettie,” he said, and rubbed his hands across his face.
“I gathered that much,” said Ursa, dryly. “When you woke up shouting for her to come back. Well?”
He looked at her, cautiously. “Well what?”
“Well what did she have to say this time?”
Nothing I can tell you, Ursa. At least almost nothing . With an effort he thrust aside the dreadful memory of Garabatsas and settled himself onto his pillows again. “You should prepare yourself for … more miracles.”
The wry amusement died out of Ursa’s eyes. “I don’t think that’s wise, Jones. You’re not a saint, you’re a flesh and blood man. Humans weren’t meant to glow and burn with holy fire. If you could’ve seen Helfred after you collapsed. I had to pour half a goblet of brandy down his throat before I could get one sensible word from him!”
“But I’m not harmed, Ursa. You said so yourself. And this is important. It’s for Rhian. After everything else I’ve done, how can I stop helping her now?”
“Driving her from Todding to Linfoi is one thing,” snapped Ursa. “Bursting into flames at the drop of a hat is something else entirely! You weren’t harmed this time, it’s true, but what about next time? What does Hettie expect you to do? Burn from here to Kingseat proclaiming Rhian queen?”
It was a fair question. “I don’t know,” he said tiredly. “I just know I said I’d do it, so carping at me isn’t much use. Hettie’s gone. Until I see her again we’ll just have to trust she knows what she’s doing.”
“Jones!” said Ursa, her fingers knotted in her lap. “If you’re not the most infuriating man!”
He dredged up a smile for her. “I know. I’m sorry.” He rubbed his face again, then considered her. “You’re taking this very calmly, I must say. I thought you were convinced I couldn’t be a new Rollin.”
She shrugged. “I was wrong. I’ve always believed in miracles, Jones. I’m a woman of faith. You think I go to church for fun? Besides, physicking is full of wonders. I must see three a week, at least.”
How could he have expected another answer? He shook his head. “Of course. Now, tell me what’s happened since I was carted up here.”
“The dukes of Arbat and Morvell have agreed it’s God’s will they support Rhian. But Damwin of Meercheq and Kyrin of Hartshorn stormed off, swearing bloody vengeance and God’s wrath. So did Marlan’s spy, the lovely Ven’Martin. Rhian, King Alasdair, the newly invested Duke Ludo and Helfred, along with Dukes Rudi and Edward, are meeting in the library to decide what we’ll do next.”
“I see. And Zandakar?”
“I’ve no idea, Jones,” said Ursa, with another shrug. “I’ve been here with you since you collapsed.”
“I need to speak to him. And to Rhian. I’m going to get up now …”
She took hold of his wrist before he could throw back the blankets. “I don’t advise it. Miracle or not, what you did wasn’t natural. You need to rest. You can gad about, come the morning.”
Gently, he freed himself. “Sorry, Ursa. The morning might be too late. I feel fine, I promise. And if that changes I’ll come straight back to bed. My word as toymaker by Royal Appointment. Or as a miraculous burning man … whichever carries more weight.”
Ursa stood. “I can see there’s no stopping you, so I shan’t waste my breath. But when you fall flat on your face, Jones, you can send for someone else to pick up the pieces!”
Sardre stood sentinel outside the manor-house library. Dexterity, re-dressed in his least-worn clothes, gave him a friendly nod.
“I must speak with the queen.”
King Alasdair’s man was too well trained to betray emotion but he couldn’t quite keep the awed respect from his eyes.
Oh dear. Is everyone going to look at me like that now?
“Mr Jones,” said Sardre, and tapped on the library door. A voice commanded it to open and Sardre looked in. “Your Majesty, Mr Jones requests an audience.”
“Admit him,” said an unseen Rhian. She sounded weary, but relieved.
He stepped past Sardre, who closed the door behind him, and faced the unnerving stares of the people gathered in the library. Rhian sat alone behind its elegant desk. King Alasdair stood behind her on the right, Helfred on the left. The young man he hadn’t met must be Ludo, King Alasdair’s cousin. He stood by the window. The other two men, seated before the desk, were the Dukes Edward and Rudi. The jewelled devices pinned to their chests told him which was which.
With Kingseat that’s four duchies out of six on Rhian’s side. The odds could be worse … except that there’s Marlan.
The three dukes were staring as though they expected him to burn again any moment. King Alasdair’s expression was circumspect. Helfred was fingering his prayer beads, their clicking loud in the hush.
Rhian smiled. “Dexterity. It’s good to see you’re unharmed by your adventure.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said, bowing. “Quite unharmed, it seems. Although I’ve no memory of what I said or did in the Great Hall. Ursa seems to think it was … miraculous.”
“Miraculous indeed,” said Helfred. Like Sardre, awed respect shone in his eyes. “A harbinger of God sent softly among us.”
“Was there something you wanted?” asked Rhian.
She looked different. He’d grown used to her in rough boy’s clothing, woollen hose and a hardspun shirt. He knew how to speak easily with that Rhian. But this one … grander
even than the Rhian in Kingseat … by far more royal and infinitely less approachable …
He felt his cheeks heat. “Ah. Yes. Well. Ursa mentioned you were discussing what happens next …”
“Yes?” she prompted. “You have a suggestion?” The question earned her sharp looks but she paid no attention. “Speak your mind, Dexterity. Your counsel is invaluable.”
“That’s very good of you, Your Majesty. Can I ask if you’ve decided how soon you intend returning to Kingseat?”
“As soon as we can,” she said. “Before Marlan has a chance to turn the whole Church against me. There are some attendant matters to deal with first but when they’re concluded we’ll take a river-barge and—”
“No, Your Majesty,” he said.
King Alasdair’s eyebrows rose. “ No? Mr Jones—”
Heart pounding, he nodded. “That’s right. I’m sorry. No. We have to go by road again.”
“Dexterity, we can’t,” said Rhian gently. “It would take too long. I can’t give Marlan time to—”
“We must,” he said, and stepped closer. “Hettie said.”
She exchanged a glance with the king. “Hettie. I see.”
Duke Edward leaned forward. “I don’t. Who’s this Hettie and why should we care what she has to say?”
“Edward,” said Rhian, one hand lifted in warning. “It’s sufficient that I say we should.” She nodded. “Very well. We go by road.”
The dukes gaped at her. Then Rudi of Arbat banged his fist on his knee. “I can’t accept this. It’s far too high-handed. If we’re to be your council you must consult with us before—”
“Gentlemen,” said Rhian, coldly. “‘Council’ is not another word for ‘men who tell me what I shall and shan’t do’. Is that understood?”
The affronted silence was broken by a snort of laughter from the window. “Well, Alasdair, you always said she was Eberg’s daughter,” said Duke Ludo. “And God knows she’ll need strength if we’re to bring this mad business to a good end.”
“Strength, yes,” said Rhian. She wasn’t smiling. “And faith. And unbending resolve. I can’t waver from my purpose, gentlemen, and neither can you. God knows we’ll have enemies enough ranged against us.” One by one she looked at them, and one by one they nodded.
Dexterity felt his spirits lift. You were right, Hettie. She’s special, is Rhian. So you use me however you see fit if that means it puts her on the throne .
“Was there anything else, Mr Jones?” said Rhian, politely dismissive.
He bowed. “No, Your Majesty. With your permission I’ll leave you to your privy business.”
“You have it,” she said, her eyes warm with affection. “We’ll talk again tomorrow. I hope you pass a restful night.”
“And you, Majesty.” He bowed again. “King Alasdair. Your Graces. Chaplain. Good night.”
Escaping the royal presence, he nodded his way past Sardre then stopped and turned back. His belly was grumbling but before he sought the kitchen to assuage its complaints …
“Sardre, would you know where Zandakar might be?”
Sardre frowned. “The last I saw of him he was in the garden performing his …”
“ Hotas . Are you saying he’s not come in? Because it’s dark, you know.”
“I’m saying I’ve not seen him,” said Sardre, ruthlessly correct.
Which, since this was Sardre, was the same as saying Zandakar had remained outside.
Odd. Most odd.
“Thank you,” Dexterity said, and went off to find him.
The manor’s godhouse was small and clean. No tang of blood. No sign of devotion with knife and sacred beast. How did these people summon their god to them without blood? Without sacrifice? Why would their god believe in them when all they did was kneel and talk? How could they believe in their god when it never revealed itself in the world?
Zandakar frowned. Except Ursa says it did reveal itself this highsun. Through Dexterity, who is made a true godspeaker. I wish I had seen that. I would like to see this Ethrean god. I would like to know if it has more power than mine .
On the chapel’s wall the Ethrean god’s flame burned. It burned because there was a wick in a pot of oil, secreted inside the wall. Dexterity had told him when he asked. Pots of oil . That was a human thing. That was no godly sign. No stinging scorpions. No godspeakers with their smiting hands. No sacrificed lambs that puffed into dust. Nothing in this soft green Ethrea said a god was here with its power and rage.
And yet in this small clean room he felt at peace. More at peace than anywhere in Mijak. The peace of Harjha, that was in this place. Still and quiet so his godspark might rest.
I feel so weary. I do not know who I am.
Since that time in the woodland, when he had told Dexterity about Yuma and the god and the warhost of Mijak he had held his breath, he had waited for death. Dexterity said, I will keep your secret, but why would he do that? He was a soft man, he wept for dead people, the truth had angered him. Such anger in his eyes.
He says I must be warlord for Ethrea. The god’s hammer for Ethrea. But what does the god want? I still do not know …
He heard the chapel door open behind him, and turned on the wooden seat Helfred said was called a pew .
Dexterity.
“You’re in here ?” said the toymaker. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere . What are you doing in here ?”
He got to his feet, slowly. Since the woodland, Dexterity had not wanted to see him, had not wanted to speak with him. Since the woodland, Dexterity had been cold.
He shrugged. “Chapel quiet. Quiet good, zho? ”
“ Zho . Quiet good.” Dexterity walked towards him, his face was a frown. “Zandakar, I saw Dmitrak.”
Dimmi? He saw Dimmi? How could he see Dimmi? Was the warhost here, was it come to Ethrea already?
“ Wei, Zandakar!” said Dexterity, alarmed, and reached a hand to his arm. “ Wei here. In a dream. Hettie showed me.”
“ Wei here?”
“In a dream,” said Dexterity. “Put the knife away.”
Heart pounding, he slid the knife back through his belt. “What dream? Why?”
Dexterity slumped into the nearest pew. “I think she wanted me to know exactly what we’re facing. I think she wanted to remind me … how important you are.”
“You saw Dimmi?”
“Zho.” Dexterity nodded. There were tears in his eyes. “Your brother. He has red hair, zho? In braids, down his back?” Dexterity patted his own hair to show what he meant.
Red. He knew red. “ Zho . Dimmi has red hair.”
“And he wore this strange gauntlet …”
Gauntlet . He did not know that word. But then Dexterity raised his right arm, fingers fisted, and he held it in front of him and his face was fierce.
The god’s hammer. Dexterity has seen its power.
“The people, Zandakar,” Dexterity whispered, his arm dropping to his lap. “Good God, the poor people. Burned. All burned. And cut open, by his warriors. And the buildings, his power struck them and they flew apart, like—like sand ! Who can stand against that? Hettie says you can … but how? You don’t have a gauntlet. We don’t have a gauntlet. There are thousands of them, Zandakar. Your brother and his warriors. Thousands and thousands. They’re like locusts . They’re a plague .”
Locusts. Plague . He did not know those words. But he could see in Dexterity’s face they were bad things. “ Yatzhay, Dexterity.”
“Dmitrak wasn’t yatzhay, ” said Dexterity, growling. “He was pleased. He praised his warriors. And they chanted. They chanted. Chalava! Chalava! Chalava zho! ” He shuddered, then dragged his hand hard down his face. “A little town called Garabatsas. Destroyed. Smoke and ash. Nothing left. All dead.”
The chant was unknown to Zandakar, Dimmi must have made it. It sounded like Dimmi, all bravado and rage. He did not know Garabatsas. Dimmi was making his way in the world. He was riding closer …
“How far Garabatsas?”
He felt his heart constrict. “Dexterity saw Yuma?”
Dexterity shoved to his feet and wandered restless round the chapel. “No. I saw enough without seeing her too.” He made a sound like a laugh, except it was full of pain. “God help me, Zandakar. Your brother. If you told me you loved him I—I think I’d—” He covered his eyes with one hand. “It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done.” But then he stopped and took his hand from his face. “That was you once, wasn’t it? Mijak’s chotzu ? The chalava-hagra ? What I saw Dimmi do to Garabatsas … that’s what you did to Targa? To Zree? To those other places?”
There was scorpion pain in Dexterity’s voice, his face, his eyes. Dexterity was a hurting man.
Slowly, Zandakar nodded. “ Zho . Those places. But wei Na’ha’leima.”
Dexterity flinched. “And that makes a difference, does it?” Then he sighed. “Yes. I suppose it does. Dear God. I’m a toymaker . I’m not meant to know these things …”
Zandakar owed this small sad man his life, but what was there he could say or do that would ease his pain? “Dexterity …”
Dexterity looked up. “Zho?”
“ Yatzhay, Garabatsas.”
For many heartbeats Dexterity stood there, silent. “I know you are, Zandakar,” he said at last. “God help me, so am I.” Then he straightened his spine, he put on his strong face and showed the world he was a man. “I’m yatzhay, and I’m so hungry my stomach thinks my throat’s been—” He stopped. “No. Perhaps not.” He crooked a finger. “Come on. We should go. They’ll be wondering where we are.”
Not moving, Zandakar watched him start for the chapel door. “Dexterity. Garabatsas. You tell Rhian? You tell king?”
“Wei,” said Dexterity, pausing, and shaking his head. “It’s not time. Garabatsas is our secret. What’s one more after all, with so many held between us?”
Dexterity kept on walking, and this time Zandakar followed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Marlan’s chamber-servant woke him in the early hours before dawn, whispering: “Eminence? Your Eminence? A letter has come.”