by B. K. Boes
“Nibal.” Moloch’s mother, Brenna, frowned at the piece of meat on the end of his knife as it dripped juice on her tablecloth.
“Sorry, my dear.” Nibal bit the meat off and gave her a toothy grin.
Lenworth, Moloch’s youngest brother, stifled a giggle, and his only sister, Sherlotta, promptly kicked the ten-year-old under the table. Moloch couldn’t help but smile. They were still young. Innocent. He looked at Waen, who was, of course, leaning into their father’s every word. His new wife, Rianne, who now lived with him here in Eunoya, sat beside him, quiet as usual.
There was a time when we were innocent, too, Waen. When we were brothers, not enemies.
Waen was oblivious to Moloch’s moment of reflection. He played the game, ever seeking to be in their father’s good graces. “I knew it wouldn’t be long, Father. When can we expect the news to be public?”
Nibal cleared his throat. “The deal’s not settled yet,” he said. “They have… stipulations.” He wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin.
“We’d be lucky to see it,” Waen said. “The first step toward Unification and peace.”
Rianne patted his arm and smiled. “How wonderful,” she said.
Moloch shook his head. “We’ve been here before. The Ergonians are too proud. They need our protection, what with all the raids, but they’ll never accept it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Nibal said. “This time, a Sarrem will lead the way. The Eikonians have beaten back the Adikeans from our own borders. Now we will do it for Ergon, and then their king will bow. It will happen.”
“And then on to Sozo,” Waen said. “Erem will follow eventually. With most of the continent under our control, Adikea will fall.”
Nibal nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I believe so. Though it is a little more complicated than that. First, the Sozian king is stubborn beyond reason. I’ve met him once. Short man. Terrible breath.”
Moloch sighed.
“What is it now, Moloch?” Nibal lost his smile for a moment.
“I’m just… tired.” Moloch didn’t want to say what was on his mind. His father was too dismissive of the complications surrounding Unification.
Waen scoffed. “Ha. I know that look. You think you know better.”
Nibal looked at Moloch. “Is that so?”
“Come now, boys.” Brenna frowned.
Waen was eyeing Moloch so pompously, he couldn’t help but say what was on his mind. “I mean no disrespect, but the fact is the Sozians have had their own sovereign kingdom since The Schism. Giving up sovereign rule wouldn’t be easy for any man. I hardly think that’s pure stubbornness. If you were in his position, you’d do everything within your power to keep control. It’s amazing that the Ergonians are even considering it.”
Waen narrowed his eyes, and looked to their father, who pointed a finger at Moloch. “That’s true,” Nibal said, “but once the Adikeans turn on the Sozians, they’ll change their tune. They’ll have no choice.”
Brenna sighed. “Politics is all this family ever talks about.”
“It’s not all we talk about,” Nibal said.
“I’ve got interesting things going on, as well, Nibal.” Brenna buttered her bread with a little more fierceness than was necessary. “For instance, as I was in Okleria to learn a new stitching technique for open wounds, I found out about a project. I don’t know what the world is coming to when a man can blow a hole in a hillside bigger than this house. I—”
“Forgive me, Mother,” Waen interrupted. He turned to his father again. “I want to know more about the Ergonians’ stipulations. To see the Unification come to reality would be an amazing thing.”
Moloch gave his mother a small apologetic smile. Even so, he couldn’t help but ask a question that had been nagging in the back of his mind. “You said a Sarrem will lead the way in Ergon,” Moloch said. “What did you mean?”
“Picked up on that, did you?” Nibal stuffed some more meat in his mouth and then pointed between Moloch and Waen. “I meant one of you. One of my sons will find a way to meet the Ergonian king’s demands and bring that nation under King Shamylle’s rule.”
“Is Ergon safe enough for them to travel to Pytar?” Brenna stopped eating, and Lenworth and Sherlotta stared at their father with wide eyes. Rianne stared only at Waen, her fearful eyes making Moloch feel sorry for her. But it was the look on his mother’s face that made him avoid all eye contact.
Better not tell her about my venture to find Lord Nondrum. Moloch became much more interested in the gristle he’d previously cut and set aside.
“It’s no picnic in the gardens,” Nibal said, dismissing his wife’s concern with the wave of his knife. “It’s safe enough in the east. A small guard will be sent along with whoever goes to King Gonnoss in Ergon. And if they are successful,” he grinned widely, “well, that’s going to make some very important decisions very easy for me.”
Moloch and Waen both perked up.
“What are you talking about?” Moloch asked.
“The Ergonian king wants us to present him with a solid plan of attack that will secure their borders. If we provide them with the manpower to seal off Adikean raiders for good, he will swear fealty to King Shamylle.”
“How are we going to do that?” Waen asked.
“That’s for you two to figure out.” Nibal sat back in his chair. “Here’s my proposal. Each of you bring me a plan of attack. What is it you would propose to the King of Ergon to keep his borders secure? Whichever plan I find most to my liking, that son will travel to Pytar and try to convince the king to follow through. If the plan succeeds, he who carried it out will become the next Duke of Eunoya.”
“And what happens if he fails?” Moloch asked.
Nibal frowned. “If one of you gains my confidence, but fails to convince the king of your plan, I will know you don’t have what it takes. The other will get the chance to present his plan to the king. If both of you make a fool of me… well… I might just hold off from naming my heir until one of you makes up for it.”
Moloch felt his stomach drop and his heart soar at the same time. If he succeeded, his future would be set. But if he failed, he would be merely the brother to a duke. A wealthy man with resources. Perhaps a military man. But the kind of prestige that might win over Lord Nondrum would be out of his reach.
“I won’t disappoint you, Father,” Waen said. There was fire in his eyes when he looked at Moloch, and his chest puffed up at his wife’s proud smile. “I can do this. I know it.”
Moloch pushed away his uncertainty and smirked at Waen. “You’ve never had an original idea in your life.”
“Boys,” Brenna said. “Not at the dinner table.” She threw a pointed look at her husband.
“Save it for later, sons,” Nibal said. “You have an entire cycle to come up with something suitable. You will present that to me, and then we’ll go from there.”
“Yes, Father,” Waen and Moloch said together.
The beautiful city of Eunoya was modeled after the four-petal peiyo flower, which flourished in the edge-of-the-desert climate. Eunoyans were proud of their unique flower — white and soft, with a center of bright orange. Four circles, with the Sarrem family estate at the center. Each circle was marked by the city wall on the outside and long, arching gardens on the inside.
“You’ve been walking the city for nine days straight,” Bram said as he strode beside Moloch, step for step, one eye always on their surroundings. Bram was by his side as always, having left Bastra when Moloch earned the rank of colonel, thus completing his training.
Moloch followed the curve of Eunoya’s city gardens as they traced the inner border of the North Circle. “This is important, Bram. I have to come up with something bold. Something perfect. There has to be a way to use a portion of the Eikonian Army to secure the Ergonian borders.”
“I don’t know,” Bram said. “The Ergonians haven’t been able to figure it out. The Ancient Bridges are hard to guard. Only the Pytarian B
ridge connects to a city. The others come right up to steep mountains and thin mountain passes. They can keep a small contingent near the bridge, and a larger one at the base of the mountains, but once the Adikeans make their way into the Radelle Mountains, they’re hard to find. And the western coast is a mess. It’s not like we can put our entire army into this. How many soldiers did your father say King Shamylle would commit?”
“Three hundred foot soldiers, one hundred archers, and eight commanders of various ranks.” Moloch stopped. The scent of the peiyo flower floated on the air, a sweet smell like honey. The white flower was in bloom all around the gardens. Moloch breathed deeply. The scent calmed him and cleared his mind.
“That won’t be enough, even combined with the Ergonian forces,” Bram said. “They must guard their capital city, two other ancient bridges, and a long stretch of abandoned coastline against warriors that can probably take them on at one to three. At least. Maybe one to four.”
“Exactly. We can’t guard them all.” Moloch said, an idea forming in his mind. “And we shouldn’t have to.”
“What are you talking about?” Bram said.
“I’ve got to speak to my mother. Immediately.” Moloch turned around and headed back to the Sarrem family estate. Bram followed after, clearly confused.
As soon as they entered the gates to the estate, Moloch found his mother in her herb gardens. Bram stood back, giving them privacy.
“Ah, Moloch. What can I do for you?” She stood and wiped her hands on her apron. “Another headache?”
“No, Mother. You were talking at dinner about a project that could blow a hole in a hillside.”
Brenna placed her hands on her hips. “Someone was listening.”
“Will you tell me more?”
Brenna chewed on her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes, studying him. Finally, she shook her head. “It is a distasteful project. They’ve done tests on the prison islands and on the rocky cliffs of the shoreline east of the city.”
“What have they been testing?” Moloch asked, his idea forming into a more solid shape as his mother spoke.
Her face wrinkled in disdain. “Explosive powder, they called it. Terrible stuff. Very unstable so far. I saw it blow a hole in a cliffside — no, that’s not right. It’s more like it destroyed the cliff altogether. Reduced it to rubble. Made a brand new little alcove.”
“That’s amazing,” Moloch said.
“Well, yes,” she said. “But it’s dangerous. I wouldn’t trust it. You can’t even transport it with all the ingredients put together. Each powder has to be kept separate until the time comes for testing.”
Moloch took a step forward. “Who could I contact about the stuff?”
“Why would you—”
“Mother, please. I need to know who is in charge of the project.”
“I don’t want you within a hundred paces of that powder, Moloch. It’s not a toy.”
“And I’m not a child.” Moloch said. “Not anymore. You heard Father. He’s laid on my shoulders a very difficult task, and this project has given me an idea.” He stepped forward and placed a hand on her folded arms. “Please?”
She sighed. “Very well, but I want you to be careful. There’s a chemist named Rew who oversees the testing and development. Pretentious man, but brilliant.”
“Thank you.” Moloch kissed his mother on the cheek and made his way quickly to find Rendre.
“What did she say?” Bram asked as he followed behind Moloch’s quick steps.
“It blew a cliffside to bits!” Moloch said, his mind racing as he entered his rooms and spotted his manservant. “Rendre!”
“Yes, my lord?” Rendre straightened from smoothing out the rug at the base of his bed.
Moloch rushed to his desk, scribbled a note, addressed it to the chemist, and handed it to Rendre. “Hire the fastest rider in Eunoya to deliver this note to Okleria. It’s of the upmost importance.”
Rendre bowed and took the letter.
“And Rendre?” Moloch held up a finger. “This stays between us. Be discreet.”
“Of course, my lord.” Rendre slipped the note into the pocket of his vest and left.
“If I’m lucky,” Moloch said, “the chemist will answer my summons in person, as I requested.” He beamed as he slapped Bram on the shoulder. He had promised the chemist monetary sponsorship if he arrived before the end of the Fifth Cycle. Scientists in Okleria were always begging for sponsors so they could pursue their own personal projects. If that didn’t work, Moloch didn’t know what would. He paced the room, his blood teeming with excitement. “This is what I needed, Bram!”
Bram held up his hands for Moloch to stop pacing. “Moloch, I don’t understand. What are you thinking?”
“We have to cut access to Ergon,” Moloch said. “If these explosive powders work, if they can blow through solid rock, then we can do it.”
“Do what?” Bram asked.
“Blow the bridges at the Western Pass and Radelle’s Heart,” Moloch said.
“That’s insane!” Bram’s eyes went wide.
“Exactly.” Moloch couldn’t keep the smile from his face. “It’s bold. No one would expect it.”
“No one would do it,” Bram said. “Those bridges have been around for as long as recorded history. Longer, even. We don’t even know how they were built!”
“We’d still have one left.” Moloch shrugged. “What do the Ergonian people want more? Their daughters and their peace? Or two bridges they can’t even use because Adikean raiders are camped on the other end of them? Those two bridges have only been a thorn in the side of the North for centuries.”
Bram shook his head. “It’s insane,” he repeated, but this time with a smile. “But, it might work. If you can convince the Ergonians.”
“First, I have to convince my father,” Moloch said. But it was the best idea he’d had, and it was the most effective. Without the bridges at Radelle’s Heart and the Western Pass, only the Pytarian Bridge would need protecting, and there was already plenty of fortification there. Then, the Ergonians would only need to guard their coastline, as their southern border would be protected by the toxic, acidic grounds of Mavyem Valley. The coast would be the only direct way the Adikeans could invade Ergon, and that would be manageable. Moloch felt a weight lifted the more he thought about it.
I’ll present the plan. Convince the Ergonian king. Blow the bridges. And then have my title. Waen won’t stand a chance.
The chemist, Rew, arrived the day before Moloch’s deadline. He had to have ridden like mad to make it to Eunoya so quickly. As soon as he arrived, Moloch insisted on seeing him. No time to rest. Things with his father had been cold since that night with the king. Moloch had to know everything about the explosive powders. He sent for Rew to come to his rooms, where they could speak in private. It wouldn’t do for Waen to catch on. Moloch had a variety of fruits and bread and cheese and a nice bottle of ambrosia brought up for his meeting with the chemist, all in the Sarrem family’s most valuable dinnerware. If he was going to dangle money in front of the man, he wanted to do it right.
“Lord Sarrem,” Rew said the second Rendre opened the door to him. He was a wiry man, tall and thin, long nose, long arms, long legs. “I’m here at your request.”
“Yes, come in,” Moloch said. “Please, sit. I’ve a modest spread to appease your appetite. Traveling can be difficult in regards to food. Dried meat and stale bread can get tiresome, no?”
“Yes, of course,” Rew said, bowing again before he sat on one of Moloch’s sofas.
Moloch took a seat opposite him and plucked a grape from a supple bunch set on a silver plate. “I’m very glad you came,” he said.
“No man in his right mind would refuse such a generous offer, my lord.” Rew tentatively reached out for a bite-sized piece of cheese.
“Good.” Moloch sat on the edge of the sofa and stared straight at the chemist. “Now, I need to know something about those explosive powders.”
Rew near
ly dropped his piece of cheese. “How do you know about those?”
“My mother.”
“Oh. But I thought she despised the project. She had… choice words for us on her last visit.” Rew popped the cheese in his mouth.
“Oh, she hates the idea of it.”
The chemist swallowed. “Well, then, what is it you’d like to know? I won’t give it up. It’s a promising substance.” He picked up a slice of thick bread and slathered it with butter before taking a large bite.
“Quite the opposite. I’m not asking you to give up a thing,” Moloch said. “I need to know if the powders could destroy the northern end of an Ancient Bridge.” Moloch decided to just say it. Get the shock over with so they could move on. When Rew choked on his bread and had to cough it out, he wondered if he should have been more tactful.
“You want to destroy an Ancient Bridge?”
“Yes. Two of them, actually. Could the explosives do it?”
“I don’t know,” Rew said as the blood drained from his face. “No one knows what the bridges are made of. It’s stone, but not a kind we see in nature. It’s part of their mystery. They practically float between the plateaus. From everything we know they shouldn’t exist in the first place.”
“But they do,” Moloch said. “And I need to destroy two of them.”
“I… I can’t promise…” The chemist stumbled over his words and then stopped speaking.
“I need a theory, not a promise. An opinion. You’ve seen these explosives work.” Moloch leaned forward. “Do you think the powder could do it?”
“Theoretically, yes,” Rew said. “As long as there are no… supernatural interventions.”
“Supernatural interventions?” Moloch sighed. He forgot how faith tended to touch every part of a man’s reasoning. “So then, barring that, the powder would work?”
“Yes. I mean, I think so.” Rew wiped his forehead, which had begun beading with sweat at the first mention of the Ancient Bridges.