‘It was not Queen Jaraile who declared war on the Wyrds,’ Sorne said. ‘She owes the T’Entuath a debt for healing her son.’
‘And we want someone sympathetic to our kind ruling Chalcedonia.’ Imoshen gestured to the fleet. ‘Here we sit, waiting on people from nearly thirty estates, most of whom still have to cross the kingdom. And Chalcedonia has emerged as the power of the Secluded Sea. If we want to trade with any of the other kingdoms, we need to be on good terms with their ruler.’
‘And then there are the Malaunje born to Mieren parents,’ Sorne added. ‘Charald was going to forbid anyone who produced a halfblood baby from having children, but that kind of law is unenforceable. More of our kind will be born. The Wyrd Problem won’t go away. Jaraile –’
‘Is still King Charald’s queen.’
‘The king is raving mad. Weren’t you listening, Dretsun?’ Hueryx snapped.
Sorne nodded. ‘Charald is king in name only, and it’s not as if Jaraile had any choice in the matter. She was fifteen when he forced her father to hand her over. Now Eskarnor has raped and abducted her, and –’
‘Believe me, we don’t want Eskarnor crowning himself king,’ Imoshen said. ‘He cut a T’En boy’s throat without compunction. He will not hesitate to destroy our people.’
‘I volunteer my warriors,’ Kyredeon said, surprising Imoshen. ‘My best assassin Graelen will lead a team into the city, free the queen and bring her back –’
‘To Riverbend Stronghold,’ Sorne said, unaware of the insult he offered by interrupting a T’En, and an all-father at that. She glanced to Sorne. Would he be able to live with the restrictions of T’Enatuath life?
‘The causare thanks All-father Kyredeon and acknowledges his brotherhood’s stature,’ Imoshen said. Then something occurred to her. ‘What part of the city is the Queen being held in?’
‘She’s in the grandest sisterhood palace.’
‘Our palace?’ Egrayne was disgusted. ‘He’s turned our palace into a prison?’
‘It’s not ours anymore,’ Imoshen reminded her then looked across to Kyredeon. ‘You’ll need my sisterhood warriors. They know the palace inside out.’
‘No sisterhood warrior will trust a brotherhood warrior at her back,’ Imoshen’s hand-of-force stated.
‘I’ll go,’ a voice said from above.
To Imoshen’s horror, Iraayel climbed down the mast and dropped to the carpet. He sank to his knees, placing his hands in front of him, then pressing his forehead to his hands in the obeisance of deep supplication. ‘Forgiveness, Causare Imoshen. I was up on the crow’s nest and did not realise an all-council had been called below.’ He looked up, desperate determination in his wine-dark eyes. ‘I know the sisterhood palaces. I can go with the brotherhood warriors.’
Part of her knew it was a master stroke to win stature. Another part of her was horrified. Her sixteen-year-old choice-son, alone with Kyredeon’s warriors…
‘It’s decided, then,’ Sorne said. ‘I’ll have to go with them. Jaraile trusts me. They can come back with me to the stronghold tonight. We leave at first light.’
And the all-council broke up. Iraayel packed his travelling kit, and there was barely time for Imoshen to bid him goodbye. She caught up with him as he was heading for the deck.
‘I know why you do this,’ she whispered. ‘You hope to win stature.’
‘If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well die rescuing an innocent woman.’
Imoshen grabbed his robe. ‘Don’t do anything stupid. There’s still hope, Iraayel.’
He did not look convinced, and it was on the tip of her tongue to reveal her secret bond-partner and the plans they’d made to take over Kyredeon’s brotherhood, but this would put Iraayel in danger, and he was in enough danger already.
‘If you die,’ she told him, ‘I will be very angry with you!’
He laughed and hugged her, then looked past her shoulder and she turned to see Saffazi waiting.
‘I should be going with you. I’m trained as warrior,’ Saffazi said.
‘No sisterhood warrior would trust a brotherhood warrior to defend her back,’ Imoshen said, to test them.
Saffazi bristled. ‘I’d trust Iraayel with my life,’
So perhaps there was hope for this new generation, forced together by exile, growing up free of the artificial constraints of the Celestial City. Imoshen smiled. ‘Make your goodbyes quickly.’
Out on deck, she caught Sorne before he climbed over the side and into the waiting rowboat. ‘I don’t trust All-father Kyredeon. It’s not like him to volunteer his warriors. He’s up to something. Be wary of this Graelen. He’s a trained killer.’
Sorne stiffened. ‘I know Graelen. I’d trust him with my life.’
Imoshen had been going to hint at her plans for Ardonyx and Tobazim and her fears for them. But now she hesitated.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Iraayel.’
‘If only you’d had a vision. We’d know if this scheme to rescue the queen was worth the gamble.’
He laughed. ‘No more visions for me. I’m not risking the predators of the empyrean plane. The older I get, the more cautious I become.’
It suddenly occurred to her that she might be able to trigger a vision in him. If she took his hand right now and drove enough power through him, it would knock him out and power his latent gift.
‘Imoshen?’
But it could be a vision of anything. That was the problem with the male version of the futures gift. Unlike female scryers, seers could not direct their visions.
And he would be imprinted with her gift. Her raedan ability surged, telling her that if she made him her devotee, the service he gave freely now would be resented.
‘I felt your gift rise. Is there a threat?’
Yes, me. I could imprint you and use you… But she wouldn’t.
Iraayel joined them and there was no more chance for private talk.
Chapter Fifteen
WHEN HE WAS called into the captain’s cabin, Tobazim went expecting trouble. He did not expect to meet Graelen at the door. For a moment they stared at each other, and then Tobazim gestured for him to go first. He didn’t want the assassin behind him.
Graelen hesitated, then went ahead.
As they made their obeisance to the all-father, light glittered on Kyredeon’s silver and glass sculpture of the Celestial City. Made by the all-father and his voice-of-reason, it was a thing of beauty. How could two such heartless men create beauty?
‘You have a chance to win stature for your brotherhood,’ Kyredeon told them. ‘Grae, you will lead a mission to the Celestial City to rescue the kidnapped Mieren queen.’ The assassin looked as surprised as Tobazim. ‘You will be his second, Tobazim. You leave tomorrow. Go pack your travelling kits.’
As they stood up to leave, Kyredeon added. ‘A word, Grae.’
Tobazim walked out, certain he was not meant to return from this mission. Down in his cabin, Ardonyx, Athlyn, Haromyr and the others waited, their expressions worried and grim.
‘What’s going on?’ Ardonyx asked.
‘Athlyn, pack a travelling kit for me,’ Tobazim said. ‘The assassin is leading a party to rescue the Mieren queen.’
‘And kill you,’ Ardonyx muttered.
‘This is it.’ Haromyr’s features hardened. ‘You must kill Graelen.’
‘If Tobazim comes back without Graelen, he’s as good as challenging Kyredeon,’ Ardonyx warned.
‘If he dies, we are all lost,’ Haromyr countered. ‘Kyredeon will pick us off one by one.’
‘He won’t kill Ardonyx,’ Eryx said. ‘He needs the sea captain.’
Athlyn handed Tobazim his travelling kit. ‘What will you do?’
‘Stay alert. Watch Graelen and if… if I have to kill him, I will.’
Ardonyx drew him into the bathing chamber, the only place they could be private, and shut the door on the others. ‘Graelen is older than you. He’s killed many times and he’s a gift-warrior.’
>
‘He has to sleep sometime.’
Ardonyx smiled and shook his head. ‘You would never kill a man in his sleep. Do you want to become my shield-brother?’
He wanted it more than anything, but not for this reason. Tobazim’s gift surged, and he forced it down. ‘There isn’t time to do it properly.’ It should be a blending of mind, body and gift, offered in joy, not desperation. After all, a shield-brother was for life. And it would reveal to Ardonyx how he really felt. ‘Besides, if I died after we became shield-brothers, it would weaken you.’
‘You…’ Ardonyx caught the back of his neck in his calloused sailor’s palm, pulled him close and kissed his forehead. ‘You come back alive. You hear me?’
Why? Because he cared, or because he needed Tobazim to defeat Kyredeon?
A knock on the door. ‘The hand-of-force is calling for volunteers,’ Haromyr said. ‘Do you want us to volunteer?’
Ardonyx caught Tobazim’s eye as he replied. ‘You can volunteer all you like, but you won’t be chosen.’
Tobazim grinned as he walked out.
GRAELEN REMAINED IN the all-father’s cabin when the door closed on Tobazim.
‘You know what you need to do,’ Kyredeon said. ‘It will be a dangerous mission. No one will be surprised if Tobazim is killed. And we’re in luck, the causare’s choice-son has also volunteered. If you can lead him to his death, that would be a blow to her.’
They discussed who should make up the party. They did not want the group too obviously weighted with Kyredeon’s supporters, so they decided on young warriors with no obvious allegiance to him.
Oriemn went out to call for volunteers. Everyone would volunteer – it was a chance to win stature – so he could take his pick.
Head reeling, Graelen left. Valendia was waiting; she drew him to the rail overlooking the mid-deck.
‘What did he want?’ she whispered, as Oriemn selected volunteers.
‘I’m leading a mission.’
Below them, Tobazim left the cabin, heading for the side of the ship with a travelling kit over his shoulder.
Her eyes flew to his. ‘No, Grae.’
‘I have to do this.’ To save her.
‘No.’
‘Sometimes we have to do hard things.’
She brushed past him, running into the passage to their cabin. He followed, but she was not behind the blanket in the corner. Graelen delayed as long as she could, hoping Valendia would come back, but she was avoiding him. She had a good heart and a kind nature, but she was utterly determined.
If he did this, she would despise him.
But if he didn’t, Kyredeon would have him killed, which would kill her; and he couldn’t bear that.
Better she despised him.
When he climbed down into Sorne’s rowboat, as well as the Mieren oarsmen and Sorne, there were five cloaked brotherhood warriors waiting for him. He could feel their roused male gift. If he were Tobazim, he would be feeling very threatened.
And a threatened T’En adept was a dangerous thing.
ARAVELLE FOLDED THE ornate brocade robe Hueryx had worn for the all-council meeting.
‘Can you believe the arrogance of that Malaunje?’ Dragomyr demanded. ‘Speaking at an all-council isn’t enough. He has to interrupt an all-father.’
‘I know,’ Reyne crowed. ‘Did you see Kyredeon’s face?’
‘Perhaps the Malaunje has something to be arrogant about,’ Hueryx said. ‘He’s used his visions to make King Charald dance to his tune for years. Now he’s set off to rescue a queen, raise an army and save a kingdom.’
His seconds said nothing.
Hueryx caught Aravelle’s eye. She smiled before she could help it.
‘When Imoshen’s choice-son dropped from the rigging, I thought the all-fathers would punish him for his temerity,’ Dragomyr said.
‘He volunteered to win stature, a clever move. Everyone is manoeuvring,’ Hueryx said. ‘Meanwhile, Dretsun keeps picking away at Imoshen, even though she demolished him the last time he tried to undermine her.’ Hueryx gestured to Aravelle. ‘And what can we learn from this, Vella?’
Startled, she said the first thing that came into her head. ‘That an all-father driven by ambition can overstep his reach.’
Hueryx laughed. ‘See, Dragomyr? With a little training she will prove a valuable tool.’
But Aravelle wasn’t going to be anyone’s tool. She went through to the bathing chamber to clean up. They’d left water in the tub, towels on the floor and clothing where it had fallen as they stripped.
She began by sorting their clothing. As she worked, she stubbed her toe on a small chest filled with semi-precious stones, spilling them across the tiles.
Aravelle looked at the jewels winking in the lamplight. Just one of those stones would have kept her family for ten years. When she thought of how hard her mother and father worked to put food on their table…
‘Don’t even think it,’ Saskar said.
She gave a guilty jump as he joined her.
He dropped to his knees to pick up the jewels. ‘You’re thinking of stealing the stones and running away. The same thing occurred to me. But we’d have nowhere to go. Even if we dyed our hair, our eyes and fingers would give us away. We can never pass for Mieren, and without the T’En, we’re powerless to defend ourselves. There’s nowhere to run to, Vella.’
‘I wasn’t thinking of running away,’ Aravelle protested, helping him put the gems back. ‘Besides, my parents ran, and we were happy!’
‘And look at the price they paid. Both dead and their children captives. You were lucky the causare offered a reward for live Malaunje and T’En, or the Mieren would have killed you.’
She bowed her head.
AS SORNE CLOSED the door on the Wyrds’ chamber, he noticed that one of the warriors was missing and assumed the missing brother had slipped into the town on a private mission for the all-father.
Sorne turned to the castle-keep. ‘We leave tomorrow at dawn.’
‘Good, because the silverheads make my skin crawl,’ she confessed. So she was sensitive to gift power; some True-men were.
Sorne’s stomach rumbled.
‘Have you eaten?’
‘No,’ he admitted.
‘I’ll have something sent up to your room.’
He thanked her and returned to the baron’s chamber. As he entered, a cloaked warrior rose from the chair by the fireplace.
He reached for his sword.
Valendia laughed and threw back the hood. ‘I fooled you. I fooled them all.’
He hugged her, his heart light with laughter. ‘Grae –’
‘Doesn’t know I’m here. We’re fighting.’ Her beautiful wine-dark eyes glittered with tears. ‘Oh, Sorne, it’s horrible in the brotherhood. The all-father…’ She shuddered, reaching for his hands, shaking with emotion. ‘He’s sent Grae on this mission as an excuse to kill someone.’
So this was what Imoshen had been trying to tell him. But he knew Graelen to be an honourable man. Sorne noticed her chilled, trembling fingers. ‘You’re freezing. Come over by the fire and tell me what’s going on.’
As he built up the fire, she knelt next to him.
‘Kyredeon fears Tobazim and Captain Ardonyx will challenge his leadership, so he’s told Grae to get rid of Tobazim.’
‘I’ll warn Tobazim about Kyredeon’s plans for him.’
‘He knows. Believe me, he knows.’
‘Don’t worry. Grae is an honourable man, he won’t –’
She shook her head. ‘Kyredeon threatened me. Grae will kill to protect me.’
‘Then Grae needs to unite with Tobazim and Ardonyx against the all-father.’
‘They’d lose. Tobazim and Ardonyx only have low-ranking brothers on their side. Kyredeon’s got everyone running scared. And besides, according to Grae, they aren’t powerful enough yet. If they challenge and lose, Kyredeon will purge the brotherhood, executing all their followers. If Grae dies, I die. That’s why he’ll kill
Tobazim. But it will make him go hard and cold inside, and I’ll lose him.’
Sorne held her while she sobbed, rubbing her back, saying the things their mother used to say. All the while, his anger grew.
After a few moments, she pulled away and wiped her face.
‘What do you want me to do, Dia?’
‘Sweet Sorne.’ She kissed his cheek. ‘There’s nothing you can do. We’re only Malaunje, and this is T’En brotherhood business.’
‘There is no “only Malaunje.”’ It infuriated him to hear her say this. ‘You could claim sanctuary with the causare. She’s more powerful than any man.’
Valendia shook her head. ‘No one can interfere with the way an all-father runs his brotherhood. I shouldn’t have come to you.’
‘Of course you should. I’m your brother.’
There was a knock at the door. ‘Wait here.’
He accepted the tray from the servant and shared his meal with Valendia. She said she wasn’t hungry, but managed to put away a good portion of his dinner.
‘I should go back.’ It was clear she didn’t want to.
‘Stay the night. You can have my bed.’
‘I couldn’t.’
‘I can’t sleep on Mieren beds anyway. They’re not long enough.’
She managed a tearful smile.
‘Stay here for now. You don’t have to go back to the brotherhood, not until they sail. Zaria is here with her children. You’ll like her. And the cat’s had kittens.’
‘Sorne!’ She shoved him. ‘I’m sixteen, not six.’
He grinned.
She yawned. ‘Don’t know why I’m so tired.’
Sorne led her over to the bed, slipped off her shoes and tucked her in.
‘You’ll see, Dia. Things will look better in the morning.’
‘That’s what Ma used to say.’ Valendia raised solemn eyes to him. ‘But there’s no way out of this. I’m going to lose Grae either way, and it will kill me.’
‘No.’ He was adamant. ‘There’s always hope.’
She smiled. ‘Silly Sorne…’ And she drifted off to sleep.
As he stretched out in front of the fire, he wondered if he should tell Graelen that Valendia was safe. If he did, the adept would probably insist she return to the brotherhood. In fact, now that Sorne thought about it, he was stepping on the other man’s toes by coming between him and his devotee.
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