Ghost in the Throne (Ghost Exile #7)

by Jonathan Moeller

  Claudia stared at her.

  It was Caina Amalas.

  “Claudia,” said Caina. “I’m glad to see you are well.”

  “You’re dead,” said Claudia before her brain could catch up to her shock.

  “Not yet,” said Caina.

  Caina looked nearly the same as she had the last time Claudia had seen her, before she had left the city with Nasser Glasshand. Yet there were differences. Her face seemed a little sharper, as if she had just gone a long time without proper meals. Her blue eyes were bloodshot with dark rings beneath them, as if she had not slept well the night before. Claudia had known Caina for years, had seen her in every mood, and something about Caina seemed…wilder.

  Madder, even.

  As if Caina had seen some terrible thing, or endured some grievous trial, and had not yet quite recovered from it.

  Of course, it might not be Caina at all, not really.

  Claudia took a cautious step forward, and then another, spell held ready. Caina watched her without moving. Claudia stopped in front of her, reached out, and tapped Caina’s forehead with a finger.

  The skin felt smooth, solid, and a little cool.

  “Well,” said Claudia at last, “you’re not a spirit, at least. So either you’re Caina Amalas, or…”

  “A very well-disguised impostor,” said Caina, a faint smile going over her face. She spread her arms. “Go on.”

  Claudia cast the spell to sense the presence of sorcerous power. Save for her own ward and the wards around the mansion, she detected nothing. Claudia released the spell and began a different one, this time a spell to sense the mind of another. She was not very skilled with the spell, but she got a dim sense of the minds in the mansion – the servants and maids going about their duties, the Imperial Guards upon patrol. She could even feel the half-formed mind of the child in her womb, a sensation that always filled her with wonder.

  Yet she felt nothing from Caina, nothing at all.

  It was as if the other woman…simply wasn’t there.

  “Go on,” said Caina. “You’re almost there.”

  Frowning, Claudia cast a spell right at Caina, a spell to reach out and touch her mind.

  Nothing happened.

  “That’s…not possible,” said Claudia. “You’re not wearing a shadow-cloak. Your pyrikon isn't shielding you, and I can't even detect it. I should be able to detect you.”

  “Valikarion,” said Caina.

  Claudia remembered the ghostsilver sword Nasser and Caina had wielded against the Huntress at Silent Ash Temple. “The bearers of the valikons in old Iramis, the guardians of the loremasters.”

  “They were more than simply bearers,” said Caina. “They were immune to divination and mind-affecting spells. Spirits could not sense them. And they could see the currents of arcane power.”

  “What do you mean?” said Claudia.

  “When I came in,” said Caina. “You warded yourself against steel. You held a spell ready. Psychokinetic force, I think, to attack me if I was an Umbarian agent.”

  “You could sense that,” said Claudia. “You could always sense sorcery.”

  “Your child summoned power when you did,” said Caina. “Your spells have been stronger lately, haven’t they? A child with arcane talent might manifest it before birth, just as some children kick within the womb.”

  “You’re right,” said Claudia. “How could you possibly know that?”

  “I could see it,” said Caina, her voice soft. “Even if I close my eyes, I see the power of your ward.”

  “I suppose if any more Silent Hunters show up,” said Claudia, “that will come in handy.”

  Caina laughed a little. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “How did this happen to you?” said Claudia. “You hate sorcery. I can’t imagine you would do anything like this voluntarily.”

  “I didn’t,” said Caina, staring out the windows of the solar. “The Huntress had been following me for months.”

  “The Red Huntress?” said Claudia. “We thought it would be years before she could heal herself…”

  “I was wrong,” said Caina, her voice soft, “and it almost cost us everything. The Huntress had been following me, and I was too stupid to realize it. At Rumarah she stabbed me in the back, right through the heart.”

  “That should have killed you,” said Claudia.

  “It should have,” said Caina, “but it didn’t. Kylon was there. He poured one of my vials of Elixir Restorata down my throat. There was an explosion. It ripped apart the building we were in.”

  “I suspect,” said Claudia, “that explains what happened to Cassander’s face.”

  “I thought he was dead,” said Caina. “I already had a necromantic poison in my blood. The Elixir healed that, too, but it took time. I was unconscious for nearly a month. When I woke up…I could see arcane auras. Apparently the valikarion of old undertook trials in the netherworld to gain their abilities, and what had happened to me was enough of a trial.”

  “I see,” said Claudia, trying to make sense of the strange tale. It seemed too elaborate for a ruse, but Claudia remained cautious. “I am glad you survived.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t have,” said Caina.

  Claudia frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “We found the relics, the Staff and Seal of Iramis, the final pieces Callatas needs for his Apotheosis,” said Caina, “and we almost lost them. Kalgri knew about them for weeks, but she hasn’t yet told Callatas for some reason. And I didn’t realize she was following us. If I had died, maybe it would have…”

  Claudia burst out laughing, her final doubts vanishing. “You really are Caina Amalas, aren’t you?”

  Caina blinked, looking at her. “What do you mean?”

  “For the love of all the gods, shut up about how you should have died,” said Claudia. “You’re a genius, and you’re brave beyond all boundaries of sanity, but you…you have this incredibly irritating death wish.”

  “Irritating?” said Caina.

  “We were at Silent Ash Temple,” said Claudia. “You tried to sacrifice yourself to save the rest of us. I don’t know what happened at the Inferno or the Craven’s Tower, but I wager you tried to sacrifice yourself to save somebody else. That’s probably what happened at Rumarah, too. Or wherever you went to find the relics. You tried to sacrifice yourself to save others, again.”

  Caina opened her mouth, closed it again. “That’s…”

  “Corvalis always used to say that you had a death wish,” said Claudia. “That you had lost so much of yourself that you would try to sacrifice yourself to save others.”

  “He did always not say that,” said Caina.

  “Well, not always,” said Claudia. “But he was right. You know he was right. You are too ready to sacrifice yourself, and too ready to blame yourself for things that cannot possibly be your fault.”

  “You’re feeling very candid today, I see,” said Caina.

  “My back hurts, my feet hurt, and I have a headache,” said Claudia. “My husband is going into danger and I cannot protect him. Cassander is going to do something terrible in this city, and I am going to give birth. So I do not give a damn for anything but the truth. And the truth is that I am very, very glad to see you. We need your help. I need your help."

  “You’ll have it,” said Caina. “Whatever I can give you.”

  “Good,” said Claudia. She sighed and stepped away from Caina. “Because we need your help. I think Cassander is planning to do something terrible. The look on his face at the Court of the Fountain…”

  “He is scarred?” said Caina. “As Sicarion was?”

  “He is,” said Claudia. “What did you do to him, exactly?”

  “The explosion from the Elixir caught him,” said Caina. “It should have killed him, but he must have had a warding spell or a device that allowed him to escape. Apparently he knows the same spell that Sicarion used to heal himself.”

  “The scars were exactly the same as Sica
rion’s,” said Claudia, shuddering at the memory. “He looks like he carved someone else’s face up and used it to rebuild himself. And the things he said…Caina, I think he planned all of this from the beginning. He was taunting Callatas and Erghulan as if he had been looking forward to it for months. I think he knew they would turn on him and made preparations from the moment of that realization.”

  “I agree,” said Caina. “Agabyzus showed me the map. He has been looking into this since just after the destruction of the Inferno. Whatever Cassander is planning, he’s going to do it soon.”

  Claudia nodded. “Martin agrees. He’s sending a troop of our Imperial Guards to attack Fariz Terdagan’s palace tomorrow night…”

  “Agabyzus told me,” said Caina.

  Claudia laughed, which turned into a cough. “So much for keeping a secret.”

  “I am the circlemaster of Istarinmul,” said Caina. “Maybe I can help.”

  “Yes,” said Claudia. “You said Kylon of House Kardamnos was with you?” Caina had mentioned that he had come to Istarinmul, though Claudia had not seen the exiled Kyracian noble yet. “We could use his help as well.”

  “He will give it,” said Caina, “I am sure. Perhaps we should join him and wait for Lord Martin to arrive. We can lay our plans then.”

  “Agreed,” said Claudia. She straightened up, rubbing at the small of her back. “It may not be my place to say so…”

  “When has that ever stopped you?” said Caina.

  Claudia laughed. “Martin would agree with you. But Kylon. What does he think of you?”

  “Why do you ask?” said Caina.

  “Well,” said Claudia, “he always seemed fond of you, and…”

  Caina let out an exasperated sigh. “Why does everyone always say that? Everyone assumes that we’re lovers, or that we were in the past. Why? Half the Ghosts of Istarinmul who have met him have said the same thing to me. Do my eyes sparkle when I look at him?”

  “I doubt your eyes have ever sparkled in your life,” said Claudia. “But you and Kylon always worked well together. Mihaela and Rhames found that out the hard way, and I assume the Lieutenant of the Inferno discovered that as well. There’s always been something between the two of you…”

  “That I haven’t noticed?” said Caina. “For the gods’ sake. You remember those costumes we wore to hide in the Golden Palace?”

  “The dancers’ costumes?” said Claudia. “All too vividly.”

  “Then are you suggesting that I put on a costume like that and lure him into my bed?” said Caina.

  Claudia rolled her eyes. “If you like. I’m not going to…wait. Wait.” She stared at Caina, and after a moment Caina started to smile. “You already did it! When did this happen?”

  “After Rumarah,” said Caina. “It would have happened before Rumarah, but…well, I had been convinced that I was going to die…”

  “Death wish,” said Claudia.

  Caina scowled, but then shrugged. “Maybe you have a point. Anyway, I thought I was going to die, but when I didn’t…” She smiled, and it looked genuine. It was almost unsettling to see Caina Amalas, the Balarigar and Ghost circlemaster, look happy. “And when I didn’t, I thought maybe I had been wrong about refusing to take some risks.”

  “So you slept with Kylon,” said Claudia.

  “If you must put it so crassly, then yes.”

  “I am happy for you,” said Claudia, “and to be blunt, I think you need someone like Kylon. Someone to help protect you, and someone to hold you back when you want to go too far.”

  “You seem to be full of bluntness this morning,” said Caina.

  “Perhaps I am tired and cross,” said Claudia. “Or perhaps you told me hard truths when I needed to hear them, and I admire you enough to return the favor.”

  Caina hesitated. “Thank you. Someone willing to say an unpleasant truth is rare.”

  “Depending upon how unpleasant the truth is,” said Claudia, “you may not thank me.”

  “Which is another unpleasant truth, I suppose,” said Caina.

  “Aye,” said Claudia, easing herself towards the solar’s door. “Let us join your Kyracian and wait for my husband. Then perhaps together we can plan the downfall of Cassander Nilas.”

  “My Kyracian?” said Caina.

  Claudia shrugged. “From what you’ve said, apparently he saved your life against the Huntress. If he’s willing to do that, you can safely say that he’s yours.”

  Caina stared to answer, and the door swung open. Dromio poked his head into the solar, cast a mildly disapproving glance in Caina’s direction, and then turned to Claudia. “My lady, pardon the intrusion, but Lord Martin has returned, and is speaking with the Kyracian in the study. He asks that you join him at your earliest convenience.”

  “Thank you, Dromio,” said Claudia. “Once we’ve joined Lord Martin, can you see to it that we are not disturbed?”

  “Of course,” said Dromio, and Claudia left the solar, Caina and Dromio following as she descended the stairs to the main hall and made her way to Martin’s study.

  Martin stood by the tall windows overlooking the gardens, and next to him waited a Kyracian man in leather armor, with close-cropped brown hair and brown eyes, a familiar sword slung in a sheath over his shoulder. He looked to have been talking comfortably with Martin, which surprised Claudia, but she realized it should not have. The fastest way for a man to gain her husband’s trust was to stand by him in battle, and Kylon of House Kardamnos had walked with Martin into the horrors of Caer Magia and had fought alongside him on the day of the golden dead.

  “Your guests, my lord,” announced Dromio, and he bowed and withdrew.

  “Circlemaster,” said Martin, and he smiled. “It seems you are an exceedingly difficult woman to kill.”

  “So I’ve been told,” said Caina, and she looked in Kylon’s direction. “I had help, though.”

  “I assume Claudia and Agabyzus have told you of our plans?” said Martin.

  “Yes,” said Caina. “It’s a good plan. We have to find out what Cassander intends, and the palace of Fariz Terdagan is the best place to discover the truth. Whatever he plans will almost certainly force open the Starfall Straits for the passage of the Umbarian fleet.”

  “I wonder if he wants to summon an earth elemental,” said Martin. “Like we faced in Caer Magia. Something that could destroy the Towers of the Sea. If he wrecks the Istarish fortresses facing the Straits, the Umbarians could sail right past.”

  “Maybe,” said Caina. “Whatever it is, we need to stop it. Your plan is sound, my lord, but we can strengthen it further.” She gestured at Kylon. “Kylon has the valikon, and he can use it to strike down any Umbarian magi who try to stop us. We also have the help of a loremaster of Iramis, and she can defend your Guards from any spells the Umbarians wield against us. And we can help in other ways.”

  “How?” said Martin.

  “We can make sure the Guards arrive at Fariz’s palace unseen,” said Caina. “There are Silent Hunters watching the mansion right now.”

  Martin frowned. “Where? Within the grounds?”

  “I’ll show you,” said Caina. “Can I borrow a crossbow?”

  “Of course,” said Martin, crossing to the door.

  He shouted some commands, and a moment later Tylas and four men of the Imperial Guard arrived. One of the men produced a loaded crossbow and handed the weapon to Caina. She nodded her thanks and then headed for the door.

  “I was never very good with these things,” said Caina, stepping through the door as Kylon opened it. “Easier with throwing knives. The last time, I think, was in Marsis, under Black Angel Tower…”

  She shook her head and started across the grounds, Claudia and Martin and Kylon and the Imperial Guards following. It made for a rather odd little parade.

  “There are Silent Hunters inside the grounds?” said Martin.

  “No,” said Caina. “Lady Claudia’s wards prevent that. They’re outside the walls, watching the m
ansion. Likely Cassander wants to keep an eye on you. The Silent Hunters can only stay invisible for an hour a day, so they must be working in shifts.”

  She reached the gate, and the Guards swung it open. The street beyond was empty, or at least appeared to be that way. Caina looked back and forth, nodded to herself, raised the crossbow, and squeezed the trigger. The crossbow of an Imperial Guard was a powerful weapon, and the jolt made Caina sway, the stock slamming against her shoulder.

  The quarrel came to a sudden halt in midair a dozen yards away. For an instant the bolt simply hovered there, as if held by an invisible hand. Then silver light flashed and pulsed, and a naked man appeared out of nothingness, his chest and stomach covered with scarred sigils, blood pumping from the quarrel-inflicted wound on his side.

  “Take him!” thundered Martin. The Imperial Guards surged forward, but it was hardly necessary. The Silent Hunter fell to his knees, his eyes rolling up into his head, and pitched over into a spreading pool of his own blood.

  “Good shot,” said Kylon.

  “How…did you do that?” said Martin. “The man was invisible. Have you become a sorceress in your absence?”

  “Lucky shot,” said Caina with a mirthless smile. “There will be one more on the other side of the mansion, and we should dispose of him. Then, my lord, I suggest you prepare for a disguised departure. It’s time for you to meet some old friends again.”

  Chapter 16: The Voice Of The Nagataaru

  Cassander stood at the windows of the solar atop the Brotherhood’s tower, gazing at Istarinmul.

  Or, at least, the tower that had once belonged to the Brotherhood.

  Since the cowled masters lay rotting in their own dining hall, Cassander supposed that the Istarish Brotherhood of Slavers had become extinct. Not that it was immediately apparent to anyone outside the fortified compound. It was, he mused, like a mighty oak tree hollowed out by rot, ready to collapse into moldering splinters at the first push.

  Or to burn at the first spark.

  Cassander liked that metaphor better.

  He gazed at the city for a moment longer, at the docks and warehouses of the harbor, the shops and houses of the Cyrican Quarter, the domes and towers of the Emirs’ and Masters’ Quarters, the looming tenements of the Anshani Quarter, and imagined it all in flames.