The Silent Shield (The Kingfountain Series Book 5)

by Jeff Wheeler

  The servants offered warm greetings to the newcomers. One of them, a matronly woman who was beautiful and proud, approached Trynne. “Welcome, daughter, to the zenana of the Forbidden Court. You are from the deserts, if I judge you well by your appearance.”

  “Thank you,” Trynne said, pressing her hands together and giving a little bow as she had seen Reya do.

  A sudden whoosh of power and magic filled the air, and a Wizr appeared in the center of the fountain on the lowest level, his hand gripping a girl’s arm. Both the Wizr and the girl were unfamiliar to her, but she saw how very few of the people around her paid them notice. Everyone was talking, their conversation filling the air with noise and laughter.

  “A new arrival,” the matronly woman said, noticing Trynne’s attention had been drawn away. “The Wizrs bring in girls regularly. You will get used to it.”

  And then Trynne saw a figure dressed in a black cloak and a silver mask. He was walking along the outer edge of the room, away from the center, gazing at the women assembled, keeping to the shadows. Her heart quailed when she saw him, pricked by that sense of wrongness.

  “Is that a Wizr?” Trynne asked, gesturing surreptitiously to the man in the mask.

  The matronly woman turned, gazing out at the room. “Who are you speaking of?”

  “The person over there. With the mask.”

  The woman scowled a little. “Oh, he is one of the Mandaryn. They oversee the zenana. The only other males you will find here are guests invited by the emperor. There is nothing to fear.”

  “Why do they wear masks?” Trynne asked.

  “To keep their identity concealed, of course,” the woman said. “Please don’t trouble yourself about them. They will not hurt you. One of their duties is to find suitable brides for the emperor. They observe the girls, nothing more. Some of you will be selected to meet Gahalatine. Now, since you are new here, you will stay in one of the dormitories on this level. You may come and go as you like. But to become noticed, you must display some form of talent. A talent for conversation, music—such as the lute,” she added, gesturing to the lute case Trynne wore over her shoulders. “Poetry, languages. If you impress the Mandaryn, you will be chosen to advance to the next tier.” She gestured toward an upper level. “There are more private rooms and higher rewards for those who are deemed exceptional. Some girls come here to heal after they have been . . . mistreated.” She gave Trynne a sympathetic look. “You may stay as long as you desire. Gahalatine blesses this place with food, leisure, and opportunity. Some of his generals are permitted to come here to choose wives. Listen for the sound of the trumpet. That is the signal that a dignitary has arrived. That will be your chance to impress them. If that is why you came. If not, well, perhaps you can learn new skills while you are here. Improve upon your talents.”

  Someone was approaching them. Trynne turned toward the sound of footsteps and nearly gaped in shock. It was King Sunilik.

  “I recognized your clothing from my beloved oasis!” Sunilik said in a charming voice. He was looking at her face, but his expression betrayed nothing. “You must be one of the minstrels who used to serve me. I think I may even recognize you. Welcome!”

  The matronly woman looked pleased. “I thought you would want to know about her,” she said, bowing and flushing. “I was going to tell you straightaway.”

  “You are always so thoughtful, Jenaya,” Sunilik said, pressing his hands together and bowing to her. “Thank you.” He turned to Trynne graciously, still not revealing even a hint that he knew her identity. “You must be missing the delicious fruits of the oasis! I have some brought here regularly. The zenana grounds are being expanded, you see, and I’m overseeing the undertaking. Follow me. It will give you a taste of home.”

  “Thank you,” Trynne said, swallowing. She bowed to Jenaya, who excused herself and walked away.

  “Well, my dear,” Sunilik said in a low voice. “When I first saw you, I imagined you were my daughter. As I drew closer, I recognized you for who you are.” He shook his head in disbelief and his voice dropped. “How is Reya?” he asked with a throb of concern. He gestured for her to keep following him.

  “She is safe,” Trynne said, her stomach bubbling with excitement. “I had not expected to find you here of all places.”

  “I’m relieved to hear it,” Sunilik said. “My heart feared you brought ill news. We won’t be able to speak privately for long without attracting unwanted eyes. I understand that the invasion of Kingfountain is under way. I’m privy to some court secrets now, but not many. If you had been captured, a Wizr would have brought you here.”

  They walked slowly, and he kept his expression neutral and made little gestures at plants and trays as if explaining the place to a newcomer.

  “No, I came here seeking someone who was captured.”

  “The Queen of Atabyrion, perhaps?” he asked, giving her a broad smile.

  “Indeed. Do you know where she is?”

  “She is on the upper levels.” He gestured upward. “I will show you where. First, I must thank you for what you did for me and for my daughter. Somehow, I have not fallen sway to the emperor’s magic. Mayhap it is because I’m Fountain-blessed, as I told you, but when Gahalatine arrived at Chandleer Oasis, I felt him use his power on me. It didn’t work the first time. I’ve since seen him use it on others who are Fountain-blessed, and it’s completely overruled their minds. The same has happened to me since then. So I have deduced that perhaps it had something to do with you.” He glanced around furtively, looking to see if anyone had noticed them yet. “I learned of your escape after I was taken to the Forbidden Court. I was thankful to hear that my daughter wouldn’t be held hostage for my good behavior.”

  He clasped his hands behind his back as they stopped at a tray laden with small fruit slices. “Try some of this one, my dear. It is quite impressive.” He took a slice and bit into it himself, but then continued his story in an undertone. “When Gahalatine returned after you thwarted him, he brought me to a private interview. I thought I was a dead man. He asked me pointed questions. I gave him pointed answers. I told him what I’d done—how I’d written to the Queen of Ceredigion for help. I said that someone from court had come to help bring my daughter to safety. He asked who you were and I told him the truth, Lady Tryneowy. And because I told him the truth, he has rewarded me extensively.”

  He gave her a serious look. “We do not have much time, so I will tell you what I can. The emperor has put me in charge of the construction and running of his palaces. It is a position far vaster than what I held in Chandleer. He heard of my reputation and sought me out to serve him. I meet in private council with Gahalatine regularly. Because I have continued to speak honestly with him, he has begun to trust me. Lady Tryneowy, I have been brutally honest with him regarding his situation. His expenditures have far exceeded his income and his resources. The treasury is nearly barren. He commissions new projects with no ability to fund them. The fleet of treasure ships has stripped his land of wood and trees, which will require another generation to replenish. Only his continued success in subjugating other kingdoms has allowed him to continue. If he fails to conquer Kingfountain, there will be a revolt inside his own empire when he can no longer pay the tributes his people have grown accustomed to. This empire that he’s built is an illusion of power, though it may yet work—for if enemies believe in his power, they will continue to yield.”

  Sunilik shook his head. “We have all been persuaded that Gahalatine is unstoppable. But it is not true. His success is also his greatest weakness.”

  Trynne’s ears burned eagerly. The news was vastly important. And not only because it confirmed what she had suspected. “And you have learned this for yourself?”

  Sunilik nodded. “I have spoken to the various treasurers. They do not speak to each other. No one else knows how precarious the situation is, I think. Well, no one except for the Wizrs. There has been a power struggle between Gahalatine and the Wizrs of Chandigarl ever since he
claimed the throne and usurped authority over the empire. While he controls the army, they still control the finances. But the Wizrs want to wrest the power back from him. They have employed the Mandaryn to look for a bride that they can control. He’s been given an ultimatum to choose a bride and sire an heir or one will be chosen for him. The leader of the Mandaryn is a Wizr named Rucrius.” Sunilik’s eyes glittered with enmity.

  Looking past Sunilik’s shoulder, Trynne spied a man with a silver mask approaching them swiftly.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The High Tower

  “And these Mandaryn wear silver masks?” Trynne asked in a low voice, nodding subtly to Sunilik as she took a cluster of huge purple grapes from the tray of fruit.

  Beads of sweat popped on Sunilik’s brow. “Yes, in fact. They do.” He turned just as the man drew near.

  “I must speak with you,” the man said in a curt, angry voice. His only greeting to Trynne was a dismissive jerk of his neck. “You have an audience coming up soon with Gahalatine over the palace enlargement project he intends to begin. What will you advise him?”

  Sunilik gave Trynne a helpless smile and motioned for her to stay near. “I was just finishing my conversation. If I could speak to you in another moment?”

  Trynne felt power radiate from the man in the silver mask. It exuded from him like smoke, sending tendrils spilling from his robes in a noxious haze.

  “I would speak with you now,” the masked man insisted. “Are you going to recommend that he cancel the expansion? I insist you tell me.”

  Trynne felt the gusts of magic parting away from her and Sunilik. The man in the silver mask radiated authority and power, but Trynne could tell it was emanating from some magic artifact he wore. She would have reached out with her own power to discover more about it, but she did not want to risk revealing herself.

  “I was going to recommend holding off on the project for a while,” Sunilik said, rocking back on his heels. “It seems premature to build an extension of the palace dedicated to a queen who has not, in fact, been chosen yet. The proposal that I looked over from the chief builder was quite extravagant considering the . . . ahem . . . state of the treasury.”

  The man in the mask clenched his fists. He was much taller than Sunilik and seemed even more aggravated that the man wasn’t sniveling before him. There was another jolt from the magic, but it diverted around them and had no effect whatsoever.

  “The emperor will choose his bride soon. I assure you, I have it from the highest authorities that the decision is imminent. The expansion of the palace must begin at once. To the specifications that were given to you. You would be wise to heed my counsel.”

  Again there was a throb from the magic.

  “I will certainly take your recommendation under advisement,” Sunilik answered in a carefree manner. “How long does the emperor have to decide before you force—insist that he marry someone chosen by the Wizrs?”

  “You speak boldly,” the Mandaryn said in a low growl.

  “I speak the truth. Which is, I believe, why the emperor put me in charge of construction. Good day. I would like to continue my conversation with this young lady, so newly arrived.”

  “Watch yourself,” the Mandaryn snarled. “I assure you that the treasury is not as depleted as you fear. Another shipment is due to arrive soon. Others will come afterward. There are additional . . . sources of wealth still untapped. The palace must be built to honor a queen. See that it is.” He turned and scrutinized Trynne, gazing at her face and her mode of dress. She couldn’t see his expression because of the mask, but there were dark lines painted beneath his eyes. He stared at her as if she were an insect waiting to be crushed under his boot. Then he stormed away and she felt herself begin to breathe again.

  Sunilik watched him go with a dark look. “That sort of exchange happens rather frequently here, unfortunately. It’s unsavory. I would give up this new position to return to the oasis. But while I serve Gahalatine, I will do so with integrity.”

  Trynne felt her courage building and her respect for King Sunilik as well. “What I have learned here is important. The emperor cannot endure a prolonged war. He will be forced to marry if he does not choose soon. Do you know who the Wizrs have chosen for him?”

  Sunilik shook his head. “I do not. But I would expect him to choose someone from the noble houses of Ceredigion. Much could be gained from such an alliance.”

  Trynne swallowed, feeling her heart race. “Can you take me to the Queen of Atabyrion?”

  “I have no pretext for visiting her, but I will tell you how to find her. If you look up the center of the tower, do you see the gardens near the top? That is the level where the highest-ranking women of the zenana stay. There are only a few suites up there, as rich as any palace. Look for the one with the door handles shaped like magnolia flowers. She is there.”

  “I cannot thank you enough for your support, Sunilik,” Trynne said.

  “You have kept my daughter away from this place,” he replied with a bow. “This is not a shelter for women. There is something else here.” His eyes narrowed. “Something dangerous. If you can disguise the queen some way, it may be possible for you to get out on the barges. They are the only way on or off this island without a Wizr.”

  Trynne smiled and touched his arm. “Thank you.”

  He mustered a grin for her, bowed formally, and left. Trynne craned her neck, staring up at the hanging garden high above.

  Trynne walked cautiously higher up the tower levels. She listened for the sounds of the female guardsmen—the Urdubegis—patrolling the halls, and often stopped and concealed herself behind a corner, an extravagant piece of furniture, whatever was available. At the top level, there were perhaps two dozen of the guards, continually walking along the main corridor. There were side corridors that opened to the air outside, and in one attempt to hide, Trynne found a monkey who had stolen a skein of grapes and was devouring the buds of fruit greedily. It glanced at her, chittered in warning, and continued to gorge itself. The din of the commotion down in the courtyard below could barely be heard at the heights of the tower.

  Trynne walked down the hallway, nodding deferentially to the guardswomen as she passed, studying the doors leading to each of the suites. The doors were intricately carved with murals showing the fashions of Chandigarl. Everything was new and shining, and the marble tiles on the floors reminded her of a new Wizr set. Her thoughts were all awhirl: Would the Tay al-Ard work in the tower? Had Morwenna been caught? Was the poisoner a friend or foe?

  Then she found it. The door handles were shaped like magnolia flowers, causing a prick of memory from the gardens of Kingfountain. The arch of the doorway was bedecked with extravagant gold flourishes, and the columns she passed were wide and full of grooves. Huge urns full of green plants decorated the sides. The details of the place were exquisite, and they were intended to show the lifestyle that wealth could purchase.

  Trynne stopped and stood before the door. A guardswoman could be heard approaching from down the way, and Trynne knew she’d likely be challenged if found standing there. She needed to know if Lady Evie was alone. Using her magic would reveal herself, but it was a risk she had to take.

  Trynne sent a trickle of magic into the room. She felt the presence of another Fountain-blessed inside. Was it a Wizr? She knew if she probed too much, it would alarm them, so she gripped the handle of the door and opened it. It released easily and quietly despite its heaviness.

  Everything was bright and full of light. The interior of the suite was furnished with couches and decorative tables holding an assortment of flowers she’d never seen before. There was a lush balcony with gauzy curtains that reminded her a little of Ploemeur. Lady Evie stood beside it. She had a worried look on her face. She was dressed in a gown from Atabyrion, a simple thing made of green with a golden girdle. Her hair was dark and braided and she was fidgeting with her wedding ring. Lady Evie turned as Trynne entered the room and then her eyes widened with surpr
ise. The worry deepened.

  “I told you she would come,” said a voice from behind the curtains. There was a shadow there she hadn’t noticed before, but she recognized the voice.

  Gahalatine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Threat and Mate

  The curtain rustled slightly and Gahalatine emerged from the balcony. The sun shone on him from behind, illuminating the emperor’s decorative tunic, which was similar to that of Rucrius—full of painstaking detail. There was a belt that went around it and three familiar necklaces hung around his neck. The medallion she’d seen before along with the claw or tooth. His hair was askew and tousled, and he had a small beard, trimmed very close. He stopped next to Lady Evie, whom he towered over.

  “You were expecting someone?” Trynne asked, feeling her heart flutter with fear. Gahalatine was standing too close to Evie. She had been the bait for this trap. Trynne bit her lip, feeling herself a fool.

  “I was and you didn’t disappoint me,” he answered smoothly, giving her a wary but interested look. He brushed his finger along his upper lip. “I recognize the outfit from Chandleer. When we last met. It suits you, but I think you’d be more comfortable in an outfit like the queen’s. We were speaking about you, Tryneowy Kiskaddon. I was learning what I could from the queen, but she is very strong-willed. She is also deeply loyal to you.”

  “Loyalty binds me,” Lady Evie said.

  Trynne took a step deeper into the room, glancing to either side to see if they were truly alone. She had only felt the presence of one Fountain-blessed in the room.

  “Did you have to use your gift on her?” Trynne asked in a challenging tone.

  “Only a little,” Gahalatine answered. He stepped away from Lady Evie, putting himself between the two women. “I know it won’t work against you.”

  Trynne’s mind was whirling fast. How much did Gahalatine know or suspect about her? What had Lady Evie told him? What had he learned from others?