THE SHADOWLORD

by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

  "Let him," Sofia snapped. "He knows I hate the ground he walks on. I would like nothing better than to see him in pain!"

  "I believe he would like nothing better than to see you in pain," Zaitan commented.

  "Before any harm is done, someone should ask them to leave," Samiel said. He looked expectantly around the room. When no one met his gaze, he let out a long breath of air. "I suppose that someone must be me."

  "You are his father, are you not?" Sofia threw at him.

  "You'll not let me forget my mistake, will you?" Samiel shouted, having reached his limit.

  "When you forget your mistakes, you're doomed to repeat them," Zaitan said. "Our village might not survive another such tragedy."

  * * * *

  Aradia placed a tray of food on a table near the window where her husband stood staring across the courtyard. He had consumed all but the bread and fig preserves she had earlier provided. She sighed. "You'd better eat every morsel of this, warrior."

  Jaelan glanced at the meal. "You do know how to cook." He took up the platter laden with salted fish, fried bread, and crisp sweet potato wedges.

  "Of course, I know how to cook," she snapped, offended.

  "Anything other than things you soak in grease?" he asked, sniffing a potato wedge. Deciding it smelled all right, he popped it into his mouth and grinned. "That's good."

  Aradia grunted and tore off a chunk of the bread she'd brought in earlier. She spread fig preserves over the light brown surface. "I'm curious..."

  "About what?"

  "Things," she said, then poured him a cup of black coffee.

  "What is it you wish to know?"

  "How did you come to be in this evil place?"

  "Samiel bought me as a present to his wife," Jaelan explained as he ate the fish and fried bread. "They had been trying to have children for many years, and she was near to the age when she would no longer be able to bear one."

  Aradia poured herself a cup of the aromatic brew. "So he brought you."

  "He thought he was doing something that would please her. Despite the wickedness in that woman's soul, she loved her husband and wanted to please him. She told him how thankful she was to be given a child to raise."

  "That was a lie?"

  "Meridia did not want a castoff brattling from another woman's womb. She wanted a child of her own. She hated me on sight, but did not let Samiel know."

  "He didn't sense it?"

  "Samiel was a caravan leader, like his father before him and his father before him. They had been granted the route between Abbadon and Dahrenia from a charter given to their family from King Ranus' time. It was a profitable route and much envied among the Hasdu, whose businesses required them to travel about Rysalia. To safeguard his route and keep the charter intact, Samiel led the caravans himself. He was gone much of the time. When he was home, things were almost normal. Meridia treated me as she did Sofia's son, Rami. But once Samiel left, I was...at her mercy..."

  "She abused you."

  Jaelan picked at the bread in his hand. "There isn't a place on my body she did not beat when I was a child."

  Aradia sat back in her chair. "And no one stopped her?"

  "Why should they? I was not a native son, but an outcast from the Prophet-only-knows-where, the product of two unknowns who obviously didn't want me. I was nothing to the people of this village...disposable. What did it matter what Meridia and her sister did to me?"

  "Did you tell your father what was happening?"

  Jaelan looked away. "If I had, things would've only gotten worse."

  "Did you ever consider running away?"

  "Where would I have gone?"

  Aradia shrugged. "Amazeen women are trained from childhood to look after themselves. Even in the middle of an ice field, there are ways to survive. The Sisters of Fate plan our lives from birth and They--"

  "The Rysalian Goddess of Fate had plans for me, too, wench."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Females don't like me, or haven't you noticed? Even the goddess Mammetu. She spun her web to keep me here until the Prophet decided my simtum."

  "What is that?"

  "My fate."

  "Which was?"

  "As a Shadowlord," he said through clenched teeth. "By the time I was six, I knew I was different from the other children. Much to my surprise I could read Meridia's mind, hear what she was thinking, and knew when to avoid her. I took to staying away from home, fending for myself as best I could. Most of the time, they were glad to be rid of me. When Samiel came back, I would, too, and when he left again, I left. I stole food where I could find it. I learned to fish at Lake Ashwi. There was an old goat herder's hut near the lake, and I made that my home, stealing blankets and taking castoff clothing from garbage heaps."

  Aradia winced at the thought of a lonely boy being forced to wear filthy clothing thrown away by people who should have been caring for him.

  "It wasn't as bad as it sounds," Jaelan said, intercepting her thoughts. "I rather enjoyed it, because no one came after me with a belt or a switch. And no one called me bastard to my face or told me I was a demon from the Abyss."

  "You must have thought you were evil when you read her mind."

  "I have never thought of my ability as being evil. I think of it as a gift the Prophet gave me to help me stay alive."

  "But others think it evil."

  "That they do."

  "How old were you when people began to know you could read their thoughts?"

  Jaelan dredged the last piece of fried bread through the pebbly fish gravy on his plate. "Nine."

  Aradia took a sip of coffee. "How did the village react?"

  He pushed away his plate, his appetite gone. "You need to know what transpired before that day in order to understand." He took a deep breath, then continued. "It was high summer, and the heat was so intense no one dared venture outside. Meridia ordered me to make sure the geese had water. I did as she demanded, and when I came back to tell her the birds were all right, she attacked me like a wild beast. I didn't even know what I'd done to anger her. The next thing I knew, I was lying on a pallet, barely able to move and in so much pain, I thought I was dying. Not knowing where I was frightened me so badly I couldn't speak."

  "And where were you?"

  "In a tent somewhere on the caravan route with Samiel. He told me Meridia was dead and I would be traveling with him from then on."

  "How did she die?"

  Jaelan drained his cup of coffee and held it out for her to refill. "He said it was a massive stroke. She died beating me."

  "Sweet Merciful Alluvia," Aradia whispered. "Why?"

  "I had tracked mud into the house. I suppose she thought I did it on purpose."

  Aradia let out a long sigh. "Did things get better for you?"

  He shrugged. "For a while, but that was before the King's agent came to ask Samiel to lead a caravan of nobles on a tiger hunt in Fazdia."

  "Which king was this?"

  "King Kharis, the father of our present king."

  A shudder of distaste rippled through Aradia. "I've heard he was an evil man."

  Jaelan smiled, but the emotion remained clear of his tawny eyes. "Not nearly as evil as his son, Hasani."

  "The thought of my sister with that one makes my skin crawl," Aradia said through clenched teeth.

  Jaelan leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "His wickedness aside, he loves females. He'll treat her well enough, for she's beautiful. Once he's broken her maidenhead, more than likely he'll forget about her."

  "From your lips to Alluvia's ears." Aradia glanced at him. "You think Orithia is beautiful?"

  He nodded. "Not as beautiful as you, but I wouldn't turn her way if she came to my bed."

  Aradia grinned. "I bet you wouldn't." At Jaelan's snort, she shook her head and returned to the former topic. "So what happened when Samiel led the caravan to Fazdia? Isn't that near Dahrenia?"

  "Aye, it's about ten miles from the Nilus River." He stare
d at the table, his expression inscrutable, but a muscle worked in his lean jaw.

  "Was it that bad?"

  "It was the day I met Lord Gehenna and his brother, Arch-Deacon Jahannum Dahur of the Brotherhood of the Domination."

  "From the way you say their names, they're not men whose acquaintance I'd enjoy making."

  "You wouldn't."

  "Did you run afoul of them?"

  Jaelan's eyes narrowed in memory. "I made enemies of both that day."

  "At nine?" she asked, her eyebrows elevated. "What did you do?"

  He scratched at a faint scar on his right cheek. "Before that, I could read Meridia's mind. But I realized that day I could read the minds of others, too. I'd never tried it with Samiel, but then again, I'd had no reason. Despite his gruffness, he treated me well enough. Sofia was a different matter, and I had tried with her on occasion, but she tended to be scatterbrained and never kept one thought in her mind for long. Since none of the other children in Uadjit would have anything to do with me, I was pretty much alone with just Meridia's thoughts to catch. But that day in Fazdia, things changed. When the knowledge settled in that I could delve into the minds of those around me, childlike, I tried it out on everyone with whom I came into contact." A deep scowl passed over his face. "I made the mistake of reading the wrong mind that day."

  "The king's?"

  "One of Gehenna's henchmen from the Tribunal." After running both hands through the thick hair at his temples, he laced his fingers behind his neck and lowered his head. "I've often cursed myself for reading the man's thoughts that day...one of the worst mistakes I'd ever made."

  "What was he thinking?"

  "Who to blame for the king's death that evening."

  Aradia blinked. "He was planning an assassination?"

  "The Brotherhood was, and the murder of not only King Kharis, but the young prince Hasani, as well. Since Kharis had no other sons, Arch-Deacon Jahannum would have installed the king's cousin, Imhonen, a young man with limited mental ability. Imhonen would have been the perfect puppet, doing whatever the Brotherhood wished."

  "A terrible thought."

  "Aye, but not far off the mark even now with Hasani. He's a weak monarch, easily led, and fearful of the power of the Domination."

  "I take it you told your father about the planned assassination."

  "Samiel was not in camp. He'd gone to Sigil for extra supplies--King Kharis was a man of extraordinary appetite."

  "I heard he was the size of a barge," Aradia quipped.

  Jaelan chuckled. "A small barge, but aye, he was grossly overweight."

  "So whom did you tell?"

  The smile left Jaelan's face. "A minor guard by the name of Sekhem Neter."

  "Another man you don't like."

  "I despise the son-of-a-bitch, and one day I'll slit his treacherous throat."

  "He didn't believe you?"

  "He said he didn't, but he reported it to his sergeant to cover his ass, just in case."

  "Did the sergeant seek you out?"

  "No. He went to his lieutenant, who passed the information up the line until it reached the ear of the Chief Guard." Jaelan snorted. "Another hour and it would have been too late."

  "Since King Kharis lived to a ripe old age and his son now sits the throne, word must have reached the right ear."

  Jaelan sputtered, then began laughing so hard, tears came to his eyes. He swiped them away.

  "What did I say that was so funny?" she demanded, her face hot.

  He held up a hand until his laughter passed, then gave her a wicked look. "His name was Tarsis, a tough old bastard. He had only one ear--his right one--the other having been removed as a punishment when he was a young man. His face is a road map of vicious scars from that time, as well."

  "Oh," she said, seeing the unintentional humor. "He must have been something to look at. Were you afraid of him?"

  "While he was as ugly as a Diabolusian warthog and as foul-tempered as a cornered cobra, he nevertheless seemed to like children, even though few of them would venture near him."

  "Because of the way he looked."

  Jaelan nodded. "He hasn't gotten any better looking over the years, either," he said, and a warm tone entered his voice.

  "He became a friend?"

  "A mentor. But, aye, I consider him a friend. He's retired now, but he stayed at Abbadon, so I see him almost every day."

  "When he was told about the plot, he sought you out?"

  "And demanded I tell him what I'd heard."

  "Wait," she interrupted. "Is reading people's mind so common in Rysalia that he didn't question that ability in a nine-year-old?"

  Jaelan shifted in his seat. "I didn't tell Sekhem Neter I had read the man's mind. I didn't think he'd believe me. I told him I'd overheard the plotting. Anyway, Tarsis listened to me, then put his hand on my shoulder and took me with him to the king's tent. He said he wanted me to repeat what I'd heard to the king and the young prince."

  "Were you scared?"

  "Terrified...but not of King Kharis."

  "Of whom?"

  "The Arch-deacon and Lord Gehenna were with the king. Samiel had told me to stay clear of them, not to garner their notice, because they were as evil as the demons of the Abyss. When I repeated what I had overhead, it was Lord Gehenna who accused me of lying. He said his man was loyal to the king and would never plot to harm him."

  "Did the king believe you?"

  "Not at first, but then something happened that made him believe."

  Aradia waited for him to continue, watching the faraway look settle in his gaze. Sensing he would go on only when ready, she gave him time without pressing. She offered to pour the last of the coffee into his cup, but he waved her off.

  "Gehenna stared at me," Jaelan said, his voice hollow. "He had been since the moment Tarsis brought me into the tent." He shifted his shoulders as though an insect had crawled down his spine. "I felt his eyes moving over me like hot, damp fingers, and I could almost smell his foul breath washing over my face. It was like being in the presence of pure evil." Jaelan got up and moved to the window. The rain had finally stopped. "He called me a liar, and his brother agreed. They said I was a beggar child looking to worm his way into the King's household by pretending to have heard a ridiculous plot. They urged the king to have me whipped for daring to bring a fanciful tale before the assembly. The king agreed and motioned Tarsis to take me away."

  "Ungrateful bastard!"

  He shrugged. "I might have been only nine, but I had the makings of a Shadowlord in my veins even then, and I was offended he'd called me a liar. I pulled away from Tarsis and shouted that I didn't lie, that I'd read the man's mind. I said if something were not done, the king would die. If not that day, then the next." Leaning his forehead against the cool windowpane, Jaelan stared out at the dark day. "Everyone laughed at me, except Tarsis. The prince even threw a pomegranate at me. Someone else threw a handful of dates, then Gehenna challenged me to read his mind."

  "And you did..."

  "Aye, but his thoughts made no sense. I looked at Tarsis and said I didn't understand what the Lord's thoughts meant. I asked him why would the Lord want to hear me scream as he took me. Where did he want to take me that I would scream to keep from going there?"

  Aradia's face turned crimson. she covered her mouth with her hand.

  He closed his eyes. "When I spoke the words aloud, you could have heard a pin drop in the sand."

  "How did Gehenna and his brother react?"

  "They shot to their feet, sputtering and coughing, their faces turning as red as yours did just now. They accused me of having been bribed by a detractor to create filthy insinuations about them. They asked the king to cut out my tongue for daring to make such accusations. "

  "What did Kharis do?"

  Jaelan's eyelids opened, and he turned to her. "I was a child and didn't know about such things, but the men in the tent did. Many had guessed about Gehenna and his brother, but until that day, no one kne
w for sure. The king had his own suspicions, though he couldn't have cared less what Gehenna and Jahannum did. As the two railed against me, demanding punishment, the king held up his hand. He waved me forward. Tarsis walked behind me, his hand on my shoulder. He bent down and whispered, 'Tell the truth, boy, and everything will be set to rights.'

  "I was trembling so violently, my teeth were clicking together, but the king ignored my terror. He grabbed my arm and pulled me between his legs. Anchoring me there, he glared into my face and demanded I read his thoughts. And he warned me that, if I couldn't, he'd have my head on a pike before the next hour had passed."

  Aradia gripped her cup so hard her knuckles turned white. "Did you read his thoughts?"

  "King Kharis was an evil man, but he had a brilliant mind. He knew he would need to think of something a child my age could relate to. 'Whisper to me my thoughts, boy, so no one else will hear,' he demanded. When I told him what he was thinking, he just stared at me, the room having gone as quiet as a sarcophagus."

  "What had been thinking?"

  Jaelan smiled. "About a favorite hunting dog he'd had as a boy. The animal had a unique name--Belleon. I told him that he used to sneak the dog into his quarters at night so he wouldn't be so afraid of the dark."

  "What happened?"

  "No one dared speak, dared ask if my reading had been correct. For a long time I stood there, the king's fingers digging into my shoulders, staring into his hard black eyes. Then he released me, looked at Tarsis, and ordered Gehenna's henchman found and beheaded."

  "I imagine that did not set well with Gehenna and his brother."

  "They were too afraid to protest. They knew they had to protect themselves, so they condemned the man, agreeing with the king he should be executed."

  "Why didn't the king condemn them, too?"

  "He bid me read their minds, but when I tried, I was unable to do so. They had closed off their thoughts as easily as one would shut a door. Not one image could I pluck from their heads."

  "King Kharis had to have known what they were about."

  "He did, but he thought having them in his debt for not condemning them would keep them in line. He meant to have the Brotherhood under his control. Until the day he died, he thought he had won."