‘Hol,’ Balten remarked. ‘City of the Desert Queen.’
The river ran straight on into the city, seemingly devoured by the buildings that crowded out on either side of it. Space was obviously a precious commodity, for the houses were tightly packed and built upon each other in a way that seemed at once haphazard and yet appealing to the eye. The white-walled houses at the edge of the city gave way to larger domed buildings, each coloured blue or green, each one more majestic and more opulent than the last. Sails of coloured cloth and lines of flags hung between every possible building and they undulated slowly in the hot desert breeze. Peacocks sat perched on the rooftops even here, calling out and fanning their feathers, while flocks of tiny birds darted about in erratic clouds. Aqueducts, fountains and cascading water features criss-crossed the streets and there was no lack of greenery, with potted plants and trees sprouting from every possible balcony and rooftop and vacant space. If the intent had been to create an oasis city, it had truly been successful.
The sight was breathtaking. Every mote of space seemed built upon and crafted in a way so as to be aesthetically pleasing. The waterways themselves seemed a part of the architecture, with bridges and crossings spanning them like bangles on the wrists of a many-armed dancer. Finally, crowning the head of the mount around which the city was huddled, was a vast palace, equally as splendid as the city itself, with enormous statues erected around it, chiselled into the stone of the mountain. Columns and towers rose all around the white-walled buildings, wrapped in vines and bristling with vegetation. It was a stark contrast to the naked, red stone of the mount on which they stood.
‘So this is where they come from,’ Eric noted.
‘Only a small number,’ Balten revealed. ‘Most come from the deep desert, but the city acts to unify them into one people of many colours. They come and offer themselves to be trained in war. The city is proof that their queen can perform miracles. While it remains, her position as their god is without question.’
‘Another god?’ Eric groaned.
‘Not in your sense of the word. They know she is flesh and blood, but they respect her power. They still worship a pantheon of old gods, based on the stars and beasts of nature.’
The barge reached the side of the river and they disembarked, continuing into the city on foot. They passed the workers and villagers without incident, tightly wrapped in their desert clothes. Each passer-by nodded to them and clacked at them in their guttural tongue, and Balten replied in the same. The people were varied in the colour of their skin, from lightly tanned to coal-black, and there were not only men, but women and children, all moving about according to their wants; from hurrying labourers to idling merchants and scampering children about their feet.
One of the robed men called out and started towards them. He had a cloth wrapped around his face, but his arms and legs, down to his sandals, were bare. His skin was moderate in tone compared to many of the others around him. He called back to a group of others that he had left standing, and they darted off quickly.
Balten called to the man as he neared, but the fellow would not cease his excited chattering, and he continued motioning for them to come nearer. They did so and he finally pulled his veil aside to reveal his face, and he gave a great broad smile.
‘Thank goodness. I thought they would never leave,’ he said.
Samuel knew the man well. ‘Lomar!’ he said with hushed excitement. ‘I can’t believe we have found you.’
‘Well, more accurately, you have merely arrived, and I have found you. Now come. I sent those agents of the Queen away to fetch us some water and I don’t want to be here when they return and find you are not sons of the leader of the Purple Beetle Tribe.’
He began away and they followed him away through the streets.
‘Don’t speak,’ he whispered to them,’ and keep your faces covered until we get indoors.’
He led them for what seemed like an hour, crossing the frantic squares and streets. Merchants from the far east had never been treated well in Cintar and here, surrounded by so many of the desert people and in constant fear of having their skin colour or habits give them away, the irony was tangible.
Finally, they slipped indoors into a rather large and surprisingly cool dwelling. The walls were clean, covered with mottled orange clay, while the windows were slatted and drawn shut to keep out the heat of the day. Lomar gave them water in large, glazed mugs and they drew down their veils and pulled off their headscarves before collapsing onto a mound of firm cushions that had been piled on the floor. There was no sign of any chairs in the room at all and it seemed not to be the Paatin custom to use such things.
‘Samuel, I am astounded to see you here,’ Lomar said, smiling with gladness. ‘And Eric, too. What a wonderful moment. I have been waiting here all this time, desperately wondering how I was going to cope all by myself. Who are these others? Where is Master Goodfellow?’
‘He is dead,’ Samuel explained, at which point Lomar immediately made one of his ritualistic gestures against evil. ‘Grand Master Tudor also. They accompanied us from Cintar, but we have had some terrible setbacks. Many of our starting party did not make it here. Do you know Balten?’ Lomar only shook his head. ‘He is a member of the Circle.’
Lomar eyed the man suspiciously. ‘I have heard rumour of them, Samuel, but I do not think this is such good company to keep.’
Balten only sipped at his cup and ignored the remark.
‘I am not so keen on his company either, but he has proved to be of assistance. We can talk of it later but, as you will learn, we are not really in the position to pick and choose our allies at this point. Master Celios also accompanied us from Cintar, but he stayed behind nearby. Whether by choice or not, he seems to be helping the Circle to keep watch on us.’ To this, Lomar nodded thoughtfully. ‘This is Sir Ferse. He came as an aide for Master Celios, but now is going to help us retrieve the Empress.’ At this, Lomar raised a quizzical eyebrow. ‘Finally, we have some representatives from the nation of Koia: Ambassador Canyon and his god.’ They each nodded their heads on introduction.’
‘I am short of words. What an intriguing assortment to find before me. I am sorry to meet you all under such circumstances, but, as much as it is worth, I bid you welcome.’
The Emperor in Sir Ferse nodded solemnly, but there was no response from Canyon and the woman, who did not understand his Turian tongue.
‘What news of the Empress? Have you found her?’ the Emperor asked.
‘I believe I know where she is,’ Lomar explained, ‘but she is unreachable. There is a network of tunnels beneath the mountain that holds all the Queen’s captives. The entrances are guarded by soldiers at all times, and Paatin wizards keep constant watch around the palace with a mesh of spells. Worst of all, the stone of the mountain itself is magic resistant. The nearest I have been is within sight of the entrance and I could already feel the magic-quelling power of the stone at work. I cannot think of any way to get in.’
‘You’ve been here all this time and that is all you have come up with? Getting into the dungeons is actually very simple,’ Balten said with a smug smile.
‘How is that?’ Lomar asked him.
‘Surrender, of course. The Queen is only keeping her hostages in hope of luring the Saviour of Cintar to their rescue. Here he is,’ he added, gesturing to the magicians. ‘She asked for him to be sent and he has been delivered. What better way into the palace?’
‘That is madness,’ Lomar responded nervously. ‘The Queen is renowned for torturing and testing her captors. The local people say it is better to die than be dragged into her cells. She pits her prisoners against each other for her general amusement. I think it better to avoid the dungeons at all cost.’
‘It’s true, getting out may be more of a challenge, but this is why we have come, after all. I will take Samuel to hand himself over and ensure that the guards know who he is. The others can wait here, in hiding, and come to our rescue when required. It may take
some time, but once Samuel can retrieve the relic, I’m sure we can think of some way to escape the city and make our way back to the Valley of the Ancients.’
‘We also need to save the Empress and her son, and then slay the witch,’ Eric said. ‘We will need to tread carefully until we can free them. We cannot risk them getting harmed.’
‘True,’ Balten agreed. ‘At present, the Queen possesses the greater advantage, but I think we will have little opportunity to do much from outside the palace. As Lomar has said, sneaking in or out would be nearly impossible, and he is the only one who can move comfortably outside. We would be in constant danger of being discovered because of our looks and our inability to speak their tongue. In truth, I think we have little choice but to begin our task from the inside.’
‘I agree,’ Lomar said. ‘It will be dangerous. But here, everything is dangerous.’
‘Why just take Samuel?’ Eric asked.
‘Firstly, because he is the one she actually wants and, secondly, he also has the uncanny ability to remain completely invisible from magical detection. He can sneak about the palace to his heart’s desire once he is inside. The more of you that go with him, the more danger there is. I can escape at any time once the task has been completed, but I do not want anyone nearby at the time. It would be very dangerous for them.’
‘And what are we to do?’ the Emperor asked. ‘Just wait here?’
‘Yes,’ Balten replied. ‘Keep as quiet as you can and stay out of trouble. Let Lord Lomar take care of you and, whatever you do, never leave this refuge.’
Samuel considered the plan carefully. As long as he had his ring, he would not be worried and, with Balten beside him, the two of them would be more than a match for any witch. ‘Very well. I agree.’
They talked more until the cool evening came and then they ate cross-legged on the floor, devouring the flat bread and tender, seasoned meat that Lomar fetched for them from outside. As darkness fell over the city, coloured lanterns were raised along the streets and music played from all corners—horns and flutes and stringed instruments, all playing their individual melodies, somehow in harmony. Male and female singers alike crooned and warbled aloud until late, when the sounds dimmed and the crowds began returning to their homes. One by one, the rescuers retired to bed, until Samuel was left alone with Lomar, standing atop the roof of their hideaway and looking over the sleeping city.
‘It will not be easy, achieving what we have set out to do,’ Lomar stated.
‘I did not think it would be, but we have little choice,’ Samuel replied.
‘You have always had a choice, Samuel, we all do, yet you have striven on, always doing what you felt as right. I had little idea when I first met you that you would become such a hero.’
‘I have never been a hero. I’ve only ever done what I had to. Few choices I have made have been for valiant reasons.’
‘Ah, but perhaps that’s what makes you stand out, Samuel. You feel you have made no choices, but it is your noble nature that drives you. A coward will always run from the difficult choices, but it is in your heart to run towards them.’
‘You give me too much credit, Lomar. Many others have done as much as I have and more. In fact, many of those have sacrificed themselves so I can stand here today. All I have that has kept me alive until now is luck—and I hope it stays with me a little longer.’
‘Some would say luck, Samuel; others would say fortune or fate, or perhaps even destiny.’
‘Don’t start on that,’ Samuel told him. ‘I’m not superstitious.’
Lomar only laughed. ‘Yes, I remember. Still, we all do what we can, don’t we? The mountain and the sky do not notice the affairs of men and to them our lives pass in the blink of an eye. Yet, occasionally, a man comes who can blot out the sky—who can move the very mountains that ignored him.’
‘What are you saying?’
‘We all sometimes do what we must, or avoid doing what we know we should do, but we cannot escape out destinies, Samuel. That is all I am saying. When I saw you becoming the great magician I had always hoped for, I was worried, for in every man is the seed of good and evil. I am glad you have turned out like this, but even a good man can be forced into making bad decisions. I just want to tell you this, because we have few true friends in life and you have become one of the best in mine. We magicians know that well, always being buried in our studies and duties as we are. I don’t know what will happen in the coming days, but I am glad we met, Samuel. The world will become a better place because of our friendship. That is all I mean to say.’
‘Thank you, Lomar. I feel the same. Do you sense something bad in the air?’
‘On the contrary, Samuel. I feel something wonderful. I know that all this will turn out for the best. It is only the enactment that will be difficult for us. If we can get through that, I am sure happy days will be waiting for us. I have been thinking of that moment for a long time and I’m glad our struggle is nearly over.’
‘True. I can’t wait to put all this behind us. Everything has been too complicated for far too long and Icrave for a simple life.’
‘We are like trees, Samuel. We start off small, yet grow into great and splendid things. We can accomplish much in our lives, but even we magicians are still only made of wood. We grow our branches as full as we can, but the fire of our magic consumes them. We must keep growing if we want to feed that fire, but what a terrible equation it is. If our branches grow too heavy, we will crack; if the fire grows too great, we will be consumed. What a sorry life it is to be made of wood.’
‘What are you saying now?’
‘Only that I am tired, Samuel. Our obsession with magic consumes us, and one day, if we are not careful, it will burn us to our core. For once, I would like the chance to sit still and rest, and forget that I am a magician. Our duty has laden us with so many burdens, I feel my boughs are about to break.’
‘You surprise me, Lomar. I never thought I would hear such words from you, although I do not disagree with you. I am not sure if we can give up our ways. Magic is in our nature. It would be hard to separate the fire from the wood once it has begun to burn.’
‘But I feel the day is coming when this particular tree will be shedding its leaves and getting ready for winter. That will be a wonderfully dull time indeed. Our lives as magicians are set. We have access to all manner of powers and abilities, yet we can never share in some of the most precious experiences that the common folk enjoy every day. We can never enjoy having a babe in our arms and having it look up at us with trusting, loving eyes. We can never experience that child growing up and fulfilling, even exceeding, our hopes. Nay, being a magician is a curse and we are denied the most sacred human act of creating young and prolonging our species. We are just drones to support the nest—watching, not being. What a curse it is.’
‘Your heart weighs heavy tonight, Lomar.’
‘It’s true, Samuel. I have been waiting in this city too long and I’m afraid my spirit is not its usual self. I can’t say how glad I am to see you. I don’t look forward to seeing you in danger, but I am ashamed to admit I am glad you are here.’
‘This business will all be done soon. Come—let us rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day.’
Lomar agreed and they returned inside to find their beds.
Morning came and Balten led Samuel through the crowded streets, climbing steadily until they neared the foot of the palace, built into the side of Mount Karthma. Just as Balten had warned, as soon as they neared the entrance, the guards came running with their spears lowered, and Balten had to jabber at them feverishly until they believed him. He had to draw off his headscarf to prove his point and desperately motioned for Samuel to do the same. The men seemed hesitant and looked as if they would skewer the pair anyway, but another quick burst of gibberish from Balten had them leading the two magicians into the open maw of the great palace entrance.
‘Well, it looks like your plan has worked,’ Samuel said.
Balten
replied hesitantly. ‘So far. Let’s see what happens after this.’
Their escorts marched them into the cavernous palace. The building was open and airy, filled with water features and decorations; rich tapestries and translucent, billowing curtains. At first, it seemed as if they were heading upwards and Samuel thought they may be going to have their audience with the Queen already, but they took an abrupt turn into a corridor that led them through a layer of spells and into the side of the mountain. Dark tunnels led away from the main passage and each looked ancient and foreboding, dark and uninviting. Already, Samuel could feel the magic-muting properties of the mountain at work around him. The sensation was dim, but seemed to grow stronger with each step he took along the corridor.
‘I can feel the stones at work already,’ Samuel said.
‘This mountain is where they sourced the stones for your School of Magic,’ Balten stated, ‘and the stones of the Mage Cell in the palace.’
‘All the way from here? How did the mountain possibly get such power?’
‘No one knows—not even Cang. These rocks are older than anything else upon the earth. Their creation is a mystery.’ He was then quiet as he listened to the guards’ banter. ‘It looks like we will not be meeting the Queen just yet,’ Balten muttered.
The guards argued somewhat as they escorted the two and Balten only had a moment’s notice to warn Samuel, before the two were split up.
‘It sounds like they were expecting us. The Queen is going to test our mettle. She could make us wait quite some time down here. Don’t do anything foolish.’
‘I won’t.’
‘And one more thing. Give me your ring.’
‘What? Of course not.’
‘If you don’t, they will take it anyway and everything will be lost. Give it to me and I will return it when I can. Quickly!’
Samuel had no choice but to obey the insistent magician for, either way, he would lose it. He secreted the thing to Balten and the man tossed it into his mouth and swallowed it with a gulp.
She Who Has No Name (The Legacy Trilogy) Page 34