The outer door opened yet again and Nenat entered. She opened her mouth then closed it without saying a word. She extended her left hand, waving it slowly through the air around Waxin Pule. He nodded.
‘You can stay here no longer. You must leave at once old friend.’ She breathed the words close to his ear.
Pule’s white brows drew down. He sighed. ‘I suspect you’re right my dear.’
Seola came through from the kitchen and greeted Nenat warmly.
‘Grent,’ Pule called. ‘You must go to Gossamer Tewk. Bring her here as quickly as you can and make sure she is prepared for a journey.’
Grent nodded, not happily, and left. Pule looked up at Seola. ‘Can you make a gateway here?’
‘Of course.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘I may not be much use afterwards – the headache, you understand.’
‘I’m sorry my dear. Perhaps we can wait until this evening so you can recover a little more?’
Nenat pursed her lips in disagreement.
‘I can make the preparations now,’ Seola suggested. ‘The final phrase would activate the whole casting instantly.’
When the messenger returned to the Imperatrix and described the state of Advisor Pule’s health, she had questioned him closely. It was clear though, that the messenger was truthfully describing a very sick man. Veranta dismissed the messenger and sat in thought for a while. She was not a woman gifted with much intelligence but she had a devious and cunning mind. Deciding she needed Ternik’s thoughts on the matter of Waxin Pule she left her study. She told the scribes and messengers in the anteroom that she could be found in the schoolroom if her presence was required in the next hour.
One of her personal guards swung into step two paces behind her as she strode through the upper Citadel. The guard noted, as always, her rather odd gait: she took small steps as though she was a smaller woman than in fact she was. Her hips were wide, wider than her shoulders, which were always slightly hunched – perhaps to disguise the overlarge breasts she’d developed after the birth of her first child.
They reached a dark green wooden double door heavily braced with scrolling bands of both iron and bronze before which stood two guards. They came smartly to attention at Veranta’s approach and reached for the ring handles to swing open the doors. Her personal guard remained outside while the Imperatrix went on into her daughters’ quarters.
She found Mellia leaning in a window seat in the sitting room, gazing down at the City and harbour.
‘No lessons today?’ she asked acidly.
Mellia half fell from the seat and managed a clumsy bob in her mother’s direction.
‘I finished my work early my lady.’
Mellia’s wispy voice certainly suited her wispy appearance thought Veranta.
‘Surely you can find something more worthwhile to do with your time than to stare out of a window.’
Without waiting for an answer Veranta went on along a hallway to the schoolroom. She opened a door on her right and found her other two daughters at their desks. Shea, nearly twelve, grinned vacantly at her mother but ten-year-old Kerris kept her head down.
‘Go to the sitting room for a while,’ Veranta ordered. ‘I need a word with your tutor.’
Kerris slid from her chair, bobbed a curtsey and fled, but Shea looked mournful.
‘I’ve nearly started this picture mother.’
Veranta rolled her eyes. ‘Very well, but be quiet.’
Veranta crossed the room to stand at the furthest window and the tutor, Ternik, moved down to join her. Both women glanced briefly back at Shea but the girl was singing nonsense to herself quite happily.
‘The messenger described Pule.’ Veranta spoke softly but with no particular concern at Shea overhearing her. ‘He thinks the Advisor could be close to death.’
‘Someone used mage powers in his rooms yesterday.’ Ternik was adamant.
‘The only people there were his apprentice Grent, that old herb woman from the lower City and, later in the day, a woman from the Artisan Quarter who no one seemed to know. Presumably one of the many who go to the old fool for free advice. This morning there is a servant from Pule’s estate bringing him the season’s accounts.’ Veranta scowled.
Both women stared unseeing out of the window. Shea, now silent, concentrated on her painting behind them.
‘Could it be Pule himself?’ asked Veranta.
Ternik chewed her lower lip then shook her head. ‘I have observed him too closely for too long. He would have slipped up before now. I did wonder about Molesiffer Brak – they seemed close friends. But I checked my lady: he was at the auction house all day yesterday in the Merchant District.’
‘Well there’s no more to be done now. The army will be ready to leave within ten days, and Pule could well be dead by then. No one could get a warning to this mysterious Realm, I’m positive.’
Veranta turned to leave and missed Ternik’s dubious glance. Ternik escorted the Imperatrix out of the schoolroom and Shea turned slowly to stare at the closed door.
When she was a very small girl, she used to muddle up her words. They were all straight inside her head but she was in such a hurry to get them out of her mouth they got jumbled. Very quickly she learned people thought she was stupid and took no notice of what she tried to say. To begin with, she’d been upset, desperate for someone, anyone, to realise she wasn’t stupid. Then she realised she could learn a lot. People took far less care talking to each other if she was around than they did with her sisters. Shea knew more of the intricacies and plots within her mother’s government than most of the officials or courtiers did.
She stared down at her painting. She had met Waxin Pule many times. First, at the few ceremonial occasions she and her sisters had to attend, then later, when he’d come to the schoolroom to instruct Mellia on treaties and covenants and other such things. Mellia thought it was all boring and Master Pule the most boring of all, but Shea was fascinated. Several times when Ternik had returned to the schoolroom, Shea had escorted Master Pule from their quarters. She had spoken quite plainly to him and he had seemed to understand immediately the game she played with everyone else.
The last few times she had seen him he had told her he was in danger from someone within her mother’s court, and maybe he would not be able to see her many more times. Today, minutes ago, she had realised Ternik was the danger to Master Pule – her friend. She knew where his rooms were, he’d pointed out his tower from one of the schoolroom windows once. Could she get there? She was allowed to wander in the upper Citadel where her sisters were not. That was because her mother thought she would be of no use in the future through marriages – who would marry an idiot? So it wouldn’t matter if an accident befell her. She went to the window and checked where the north tower was. Not too far, she thought. And if she stayed on the inner corridors she could keep her destination in sight. Shea opened the schoolroom door.
Voices from the sitting room: Mellia and Kerris. Ternik was probably in her own room, she didn’t spend nearly as much time with the girls as she allowed their mother to believe. Shea turned right, away from the sitting room and main entrance. The servants had another entry – a flight of stairs leading down to kitchens. Cautiously Shea crept down. There was no chatter or sound of pots crashing. She paused at the corner. Of course. It was fruit market day. She darted across the kitchen and through a door and she was out, into the servants’ corridor on the lower level.
She had to stand on tiptoe to peer out of a window to get her bearings then she trotted off, her usual vacant expression giving no hint of her real intelligence.
Nenat had gone out to the lower City again, to leave messages she said, leaving Seola to keep Waxin Pule company while Grent sought out Gossamer Tewk. Those two arrived in an icy silence which set Pule wheezing again and puzzled Seola. Before she could decide what was wrong, the door flew open and Nenat appeared with a young girl. The girl saw Waxin Pule and rushed to embrace him. Pule seemed genuinely astonished.
&n
bsp; ‘But how do you come to be here child? Whatever’s the matter?’
‘Master Pule, they said you were dying but they didn’t care because there’s nothing you can do even if you’re the mage they’ve been hunting.’
Shea looked nervously round at the people staring at her.
‘Who is this child Waxin and of what does she speak?’
It was the slender lady with the dark curly hair, pale face and tired eyes. The lady managed a smile.
‘I’m sorry child. My name is Seola. The worse my headache gets the quicker I forget my manners.’
Pule raised his hand. ‘This my friends is Lady Shea, second daughter of the Imperatrix.’ He smiled at the girl. ‘Now, who said I was dying?’
‘Mother and Ternik.’
‘Ternik?’
‘Yes, she’s a mage but I don’t think many people know.’
‘So how do you know my dear?’
‘Some of the things in her room – books and stuff.’ Shea smiled at Advisor Pule. ‘You know no one thinks I can read?’
He smiled back. ‘But I know you can. Now, it must be near lunchtime. Grent, see if you and Lady Shea can find something to eat.’
‘Oh. Right. This way – um – my lady.’
Shea followed Grent to the kitchen giggling. ‘You don’t have to call me “lady” Grent. Most people call me “idiot”.’
Gossamer blinked as the door closed. ‘I’d always heard that child was daft – seems bright enough to me.’
Seola and Nenat stared at Pule.
‘She’ll have to come with us, I know,’ he said softly.
Gossamer looked alarmed. ‘Kidnap a daughter of the Imperatrix?’
The others ignored her.
‘We have no time left. Grent!’ Pule struggled to his feet and caught the straps of a large pack.
Grent hurried out of the kitchen, Shea at his heels with a large chunk of bread and cheese in one hand. Grent collected a much bigger pack and hauled it close to his feet.
‘Come here child.’ Waxin held his hand out to Shea who took it and stood close to his side. He bent to look in her eyes. ‘You understand we have to leave Kelshan?’ She nodded. ‘Do you choose to come with us or to stay?’
‘Where are we going?’
‘On quite a long journey but I promise there is no danger to you.’
‘Oh I’ll come please. I don’t really mind about danger.’
Gossamer Tewk wondered if she should revise her opinion of the child’s intelligence. The six stood in a close group. Seola raised her hands level with her chest, palms not quite touching. She spoke words in a language unfamiliar to Grent, Gossamer and Shea and brought her palms together.
Pule gripped Shea’s hand tightly as the room vanished and they were plunged into total blackness. It seemed hours passed while they tumbled, head over heels, on and on, through the dark. Then, with no warning, light flashed in their eyes. They stumbled, finding themselves standing on soft grass under a clear blue sky. Seola groaned and slumped at their feet.
Chapter Three
Shea was missed sooner than might have been hoped. She enjoyed her food and was usually the first to the dining room at meal times. Ternik sent Kerris to find Shea but Kerris returned to say Shea was nowhere in their quarters.
‘Nonsense,’ Ternik snapped, tossing her napkin on the table. She marched off to find the wilful child herself but came back to the dining room in moments, a frown making two deep furrows between her brows. A servant appeared in answer to Ternik’s call.
‘Ask for a messenger from the guards, quickly,’ Ternik ordered. ‘Did Shea give any idea, to either of you girls about any mischief she might have planned?’
Mellia sniffed. ‘She couldn’t make plans – she’s too stupid.’
Ternik looked to Kerris but the youngest sister’s face was expressionless. She shook her head as her reply. The servant reappeared.
‘The messenger waits, lady.’
Ternik swept out to the main doors and spoke briefly to the messenger before returning to the dining room. ‘Well, don’t waste good food girls, get on with your meal.’
Mellia obeyed, tucking in with a good appetite as usual. Kerris ate little, mostly rearranging the food on her plate.
Kerris still shared a bedroom with Shea, Mellia having graduated to her own suite a year ago. While Kerris and Shea could hardly be considered close, Kerris knew Shea was not the simpleton everyone else thought her. Shea often slipped out of bed at night and Kerris had often followed her. Shea crept to the small library in their quarters, took a book from a shelf and curled up in a corner behind one of the heavy chairs. The faintest glimmer of a candle flame was all that betrayed her presence.
Kerris tiptoed back to bed but had several times looked along the shelves the next day to find which book Shea had taken. Kerris discovered it was nearly always history books that seemed to fascinate Shea and when she looked inside the books she found them quite difficult to read. But it was absolutely clear to Kerris that Shea was reading them: there were only a few maps, no real pictures, in any of them. So if Shea could read but chose not to tell, how much more was she hiding behind that vacant face?
Kerris would have loved to be able to talk to Shea and be proper friends, but she was afraid. Their mother was unpredictable at best and all three girls knew it was safer to be quiet, still, and instantly obedient in her presence. Their nurses stayed only half a year at the longest – Veranta said it did great harm if children grew dependent on servants. Ternik was frightening in a different way. Without it being specifically mentioned, it was known that she was a mage, and the children tried never to attract her attention onto themselves.
Now Kerris sat poking her food around her plate, knowing their mother would question them about Shea’s disappearance. ‘Don’t mention Master Pule, don’t mention Master Pule,’ Kerris repeated in her head, over and over. She’d seen Master Pule, his head close to Shea’s, when he left these apartments after instructing Mellia. She’d glimpsed Shea’s face, bright with amusement before the familiar empty mask slipped back into place. If Shea had truly run away, Kerris was sure she’d have run to Master Pule. She so wished Shea had taken her too.
Mellia and Ternik had just finished lunch, Kerris having been sternly reprimanded for playing with her food, when Veranta arrived. One glance at her face had both Mellia and Kerris out of their chairs and right down on their knees rather than bobbing the usual curtsies. Ternik stood and inclined her head fractionally.
‘So where’s the stupid child gone?’ the Imperatrix demanded, her voice no louder than usual for the moment. ‘I am about to receive a trade delegation from Dekros Plains. I have little time to be bothered with this.’
‘Lady Shea is not within these quarters, my lady,’ Ternik replied calmly. ‘She may have wandered off through the servants’ corridors again.’
‘Surely someone would have seen her go through the kitchen?’
Ternik now sounded a touch apologetic. ‘There were no servants in the kitchen most of the morning, my lady – fruit market day.’
‘And you two have no idea where she might be?’ Veranta glared at the two kneeling figures.
‘Oh no, my lady,’ from Mellia tangled with Kerris’s ‘No idea mother.’
Veranta turned away, then back to Ternik. ‘I’ll have a search made of the upper levels – she can’t be far. But I sent for Pule earlier and the messenger could get no reply. The door was bolted so he couldn’t get in either.’
Ternik closed her eyes for a moment. Her expression grew alarmed then the frown lines dug down her forehead. ‘He isn’t there, or within the Citadel. Nor his apprentice.’
‘Shea liked Master Pule,’ Mellia’s faint voice seemed to thunder in Kerris’s ears.
‘Oh no Mellia, be quiet, be quiet!’ Kerris begged inside her head.
Veranta turned again to stare at her eldest daughter. ‘What exactly do you mean by that?’
Mellia’s pale, plain face blotched with colour. �
��Shea always escorted Master Pule to the door and I heard them laughing. She never did that with the other tutors.’ Mellia faded into silence as the colour drained from her face, leaving her paler than ever.
‘Kerris?’ Veranta’s hard brown eyes bored into Kerris.
‘I never knew that mother.’ Kerris was astonished that her voice sounded so normal.
‘What do you know of Pule?’ Veranta’s voice rose.
‘Master Pule is Advisor to your Council mother. Should I know something else?’ Kerris widened her grey eyes, staring straight back at the Imperatrix. To her relief, her mother swung again to Ternik.
‘You will endeavour to trace Pule, do you hear me? I will know where he’s got to before the day’s end. Meanwhile I have a delegation to flatter.’
Kerris got shakily to her feet when she heard the outer door bang shut behind her mother. She was sure Ternik gave a sigh of relief nearly as loud as hers and Mellia’s.
The Citadel guards found no clues whatsoever to where the second daughter of the Imperatrix might be: it was as if she had simply vanished. They had a similar lack of success regarding Advisor Waxin Pule. The Captain Overseer authorised the breaking down of the door to Pule’s tower rooms, but nothing appeared out of place, no signs of hasty departure. He too had vanished.
Veranta was in her private apartments giving full rein to her temper. Several ancient and priceless vases lay in shards just inside the entrance and papers fluttered like fallen leaves around her desk. She drew a deep breath and tried to calm herself – a difficult task, when never in her forty-three years had she been expected or asked to restrain herself. Veranta had stormed up to her rooms for just this explosion of rage. On this occasion even she was able to see there was absolutely no one she could vent her rage on. She’d ordered a meeting of the Inner Council for an hour after sunset and she had to be in control of her fury at that meeting.
Dark Realm: Book 5 Circles of Light series Page 3