by Jackie Dana
Nodding, she licked her lips. “I don’t think Sarnoc Vaj will be as understanding as you are.” Reminded that she had been summoned, she added, “I’m sure he’s got a ton of questions that I won’t want to answer.”
Sebachin wrinkled his nose, but it was out of amusement rather than disdain. “Aye, that may be true. In his defense, he’s Sarnoc, and the Sarnoc always want information. That’s what makes them Sarnoc, I think.” He chucked, and she smiled a bit at that as well. “However,” he added with a wink, “if it helps any, you don’t have to tell him everything.”
She looked into his eyes. “Really?”
He shrugged. “That’s just my opinion, of course. Sarnoc Vaj is not likely to share it.” Again he smiled at her, and then wrapped his arms around her. As she sunk into his embrace, he offered her words of encouragement: “Take heart, Kate. The Sarnoc do not force people to do things against their will, especially here.”
Chapter 62
Their footsteps echoed within the Sarnoc audience chamber—the beautiful room with the catwalks and blue glass skylight—as Sebachin led her to a short table at which there were three chairs.
Their table faced a second, larger one in the form of a half-circle, and a dozen empty chairs wrapping along the far side. As it was late afternoon, the sun was low, so the tables were lit with candles, and glass-paned oil lamps lined the walls.
“What’s going to happen here?”
“It is just an accounting of events, Kate. Sarnoc Vaj and a few of the others will ask you some questions, so they can understand everything that’s happened recently.” He grasped her hand. “Remember, it’s up to you what you want to tell them. Don’t be nervous.”
“Easy for you to say.” She stared at the white marble table.
“You’ll do fine,” he reassured her, and filled a crystal goblet in front of her with wine from a tall decanter.
Their attention was distracted by the doors opening again, and she smiled to see Nyvas, who had been scrubbed and polished in the short time since they had arrived, step into the room. He was now attired in a grey laliri tunic, his hair remarkably a bright blond color.
Sebachin stood up. “You are Stavan?” he asked as he held out his hands.
“Aye, but I do not use that name now,” Nyvas said, and allowed the Pasadhi to take his hands in his own.
Sebachin’s eyes widened as the two men made physical contact. “Very well, Nyvas. I daresay you shall make this an interesting afternoon.” He glanced to Kate, and then back to the young man. “I sense that what I heard about you is true.”
Nyvas shrugged his shoulders. “The Sarnoc say it is impossible that I’d have abilities without their preparations and ritual, but it’s been this way since just after Vosira Parmon’s murder.”
“Aye,” the Pasadhi nodded. “Please, take a seat there,” he said, indicating that Nyvas should take the chair on the other side of Kate. “When the other Sarnoc arrive, I will offer my own explanation for that.”
***
Sarnoc Vaj stood up. “Shall we begin?”
Immediately the laliri standing above stopped their whispering, and the room fell silent. In fact, for so many people, it seemed unnaturally quiet, with no one above as much as fidgeting on the catwalks.
“As you may have heard, several events just transpired beyond our walls that will have significant impact on the Sarnoc and Altopon as a whole.”
Sebachin smiled at Kate, and Nyvas grabbed her hand.
“However, before we begin, I’d like to acquaint everyone with our two guests, and then introduce the Sarnoc. This is the first time in a great many years when all of the Sarnoc have been at Altopon at the same time, so it may be that not everyone is familiar with us.”
As the Sarnoc spoke, a different voice entered Kate’s head.
«What is he doing here?»
Kate turned to her right. “Nyvas?” she whispered. “Was that you?”
Without turning to look at her, he continued. «Why is Aldrish Rynar sitting at the table with the Sarnoc?»
“What?” She scanned the semi-circular row of men. One man at the end of the table did not look like he belonged. Short hair, and blond, the man was focused on a parchment document in front of him and had not looked up since their arrival. His face was hard to make out. “That’s impossible.”
«Nay, I’m certain of it. I’d never forget any of the faces of the men in the room that day. It’s him.»
She knew he referred to the day he was arrested and brutally injured in the Council chamber. Three times her eyes scanned the faces of the men sitting across from her, pretending to be casually taking it all in. Each time her eyes fell to the man with short hair, she paused to stare briefly, but never could she get a good look at him because he seemed to intentionally be looking down. Then Sarnoc Vaj mentioned Bedoric, and the man raised his head for an instant, and she saw his features.
It was Rynar. There was no doubt in her mind. The man who had tried to strangle her, the man who had almost killed Arric, the man who had been Vosira Bedoric’s right hand man all these years—here he was now, sitting with the Sarnoc, as if he had done nothing wrong.
Everything that had happened in the past day and a half flashed before her eyes. Rynar had been at the center of it all, and even now she could not escape him.
No, that wasn’t true.
She had a choice. She always had a choice.
Even as Sarnoc Vaj began to introduce the other Sarnoc, she bolted from her seat. Before anyone could react, she had reached the tall wooden doors, and pushed one open so hard the door slammed against the wall. Without looking back, she sprinted down the marble hallway.
As she turned the corner, heading towards the exit to the gardens, she realized she wasn’t alone. “Nyvas?” She slowed just long enough to see if others had pursued them.
He kept running, however, and waved for her to join him outside. Following him as well as she could through the manicured ornamental garden, the two made their way to the fields just past the great hall’s perimeter, and it looked like it was his intention to flee into the city beyond.
“Hold up,” she called out to him. “We should find a place to hide until we can figure out what’s going on.”
Nyvas nodded and immediately fell into tall grass, and signaled for her to do the same. She was breathing hard, and despite the chill in the air, wiped perspiration from her eyes after she dropped to the ground beside him. “Wait—do you think we’re safe here?”
He rolled onto his stomach, and encouraged her to do the same. “Aye.” He drew a couple of deep breaths that sounded a little rough. The healing he had undergone was amazing, but not entirely complete. “Kate, I don’t understand. How could the Aldrish be here?”
She was trying to process it, but nothing made sense. “I don’t know. He was their enemy...” she trailed off, and covered her head with her arms. “I mean, he’s a healer, we know that. But a Sarnoc? There’s just no way. This has to be a trick.”
Nyvas raised his finger over his mouth, and pointed with his other. «They’re looking for us. Over there, do you see them? And they’re getting closer.»
Her heart was racing. Laliri and Sarnoc alike were outside, and she could hear her name being called out. Never had she felt unsafe or threatened at Altopon. But now, Rynar was here, and it changed everything. She couldn’t even contemplate why they would be working against her now.
«Clear your mind.»
“What?” she whispered.
«Try to remember Arric’s music, the tune you liked the most. Keep it playing in your head, now, no matter what happens. And stay low to the ground.»
It was an odd request, but she did as he directed. Moments later a laliri passed within a couple yards of where they lay. Fortunately they were in the shadow of a large oak, and their tunics—his grey, hers blue—helped them to blend in with the shadows, and their improvised hiding place seemed to work.
As two more laliri walked by, she was sure they w
ould hear her heart roaring. They were so close.
«Don’t look at them. Keep your face down. Eyes closed. Remember the music.»
She closed her eyes.
Ten minutes passed by. Twenty. She peeked up and thought she saw Sarnoc Vaj once. And more white robes.
“Your hiding places are getting better,” she heard a voice whisper behind her.
She jumped. “Seb?” She thought she was about to have a heart attack.
Pasadhi Sebachin crawled into the space between her and Nyvas. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they won’t find us now, so you can sit up.” He grinned. “I have to admit, the two of you did pretty well without my help.”
For the first time in the better part of an hour she thought she could breathe again. “Oh, that’s all thanks to Nyvas. I heard that he was good at hiding, but I had no idea until now what that really meant.”
Sebachin laughed, and waved for Nyvas to sit up. “I promise, no one will find us here.” Then as they huddled together, he asked, “why did you both bolt like that?”
Kate licked her lips. “Rynar was there.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “So Sarnoc Vaj never told you?”
“Told me what?”
Sebachin actually looked annoyed for once. “I thought you knew, especially after all the time you spent with him.”
“What do you mean? What about him?”
He rubbed his face nervously. “Oh, Kate, I’m sorry. It’s really not my place to explain, though I wish I could. Vaj would have my hide if he knew I broke that confidence. But now, I understand, and I don’t blame you for running out.” Nodding towards Nyvas, “especially you. From what I’ve heard, you have no reason to trust that man.”
Nyvas’s expression was hard to read, but his words betrayed his feelings. “I was wrong to think this is was the place for me,” he said angrily, his eyes constantly scanning the area nearby. “I was better off in the forest. At least there I knew who I could trust.”
“Nay, you are right where you should be.” Sebachin looked around their hiding place as well. “And I mean right this instant—you both should be here in the garden, unseen. In my opinion, the Sarnoc need some time to consider this development. Sometimes they can be a bit presumptuous where outsiders are concerned.” He made a face of disgust. “They really should have explained things to you both before they invited you into that chamber.” He turned to each in turn, shared a moment of eye contact, and then explained, “it wasn’t a trick, but there’s more going on than they have disclosed so far. You’re both perfectly safe, believe me.”
Nyvas looked to Kate, and the edge on his voice was slightly dulled, as if he was willing to consider it. “Do you trust him?”
“You mean, Sebachin?” When Nyvas nodded, she answered, “absolutely.”
In response, he released a deep breath, reassured by her faith in the Pasadhi. “Very well. Pasadhi, you may not wish to harm or mislead us, but I’m not convinced about them.” He waved his arm to indicate the Sarnoc still searching for them. “I still sense that this is a trap, and I have to wonder if they’ve been working with Bedoric the whole time, and now want their revenge.”
“Nyvas, you can’t be serious?” While she was still suspicious of the recent developments, she wasn’t prepared to wrap it all up in a conspiracy theory of that magnitude. She leaned down to catch his eyes, and realized he had the look of a trapped animal. Half his life living as an outlaw, imprisonment, torture, and threat of execution twice had taught him to hate the Vosira and his men, Rynar included, as well as to trust no one other than fhaoli—not even the Sarnoc. No wonder he hadn’t ever come here, even after his skills began to manifest. In fact, as she pieced all of this together, she wondered why he had trusted her so rapidly. “Ah, yeah, okay, maybe you are serious.” And even though she wasn’t willing to completely follow Nyvas’s train of thought, too many things had happened for her to give her trust blindly either. She was shaking just from the thought that Rynar was so close. “Seb, what can we do? We can’t go back there.”
Sebachin rubbed his chin. “Aye. Your position is fair, and I don’t blame you. Still, we need to resolve this. Nyvas, do you know about the Pasadhi’s tower—and would you consider it a safe location for further discussion?”
The boy blinked, but did not hesitate to reply. “Aye.”
Sebachin turned to Kate. “If I can guarantee no one sees you, can you find your way back to my quarters?”
“Yeah, but what are you proposing?”
“Just get there quickly. My concealment won’t last forever.”
Chapter 63
It was a long climb, after a day that seemed to stretch on forever. The tower was dark, though this time she didn’t care about light, and instead she just focused on taking the steps one at a time. Nyvas struggled a bit as well, the physical injuries he had endured still hampering his movement.
When they reached the top of the tower, the door was already ajar, but the rooms beyond were dark, and no fire burned in the hearth. In the small amount of ambient light provided by the rising moon, Kate waved Nyvas over to the window, where they could look down on the torches marking the encampment of troops beyond the stones of the torrapon. They were Arric’s men now, she realized with a smile. Forgetting for a moment what had brought them to the tower, she could only feel a welling up of pride for her friends. “It worked out well for him, didn’t it?”
Nyvas shrugged. “He doesn’t want to be Vosira, Kate.” He glanced out, and added with a frown, “I don’t think he ever did.”
She weighed his words, and wondered if this wasn’t the real reason why Arric had kept the ring a secret after his father’s death, and acquiesced when Bedoric took charge. “Well, at least he’s free, and can decide what happens to him from this point on. It’s something.”
“Aye, that’s true enough.” He walked to the next window and traced his finger along the leaded panes.
“If only things could be resolved for us in the same way.”
“Patience, Kate.” He turned around, and leaned against the windowsill. The terror in his eyes earlier had faded, and he seemed to have returned to being the Nyvas she had come to know, the boy with wisdom far beyond his years. “I don’t know what the Sarnoc are up to, but at least we’re safe for now.”
She had started pacing, anxiety getting the best of her. “I wish I could believe that.”
“We’re in the Pasadhi’s tower, and the Goddess will protect us here.” Apparently he noticed her blank look, as he offered an explanation. “The tower is a sacred place, and no one can harm us, or deceive us, while we are here. It is impossible to act in bad faith within this tower.”
“Ah, well that’s good to know. And it explains a lot,” she added, more to herself than to him, as she considered the meeting she once had with Sarnoc Vaj and Sebachin in this room. So that’s why on her first visit they had made her climb all the way up here for what seemed, at the time, to be an innocent enough meeting. She wondered if they had considered her a threat back then. At any rate, it was an interesting perspective now.
Nyvas turned to look out the window again, seemingly intrigued by both the vantage point and the leaded glass windows, both of which were so rare in Sarducia. He kept rubbing his fingers on the glass, tracing out the bubbles and imperfections. Meanwhile, squinting in the dim light, she searched the room for something to drink. Seeing a flagon on a tray, she lifted the lid and smelled inside.
“Wine, Nyvas? It looks like there’s a bit left.”
“Aye, that sounds good.” He didn’t turn back around. “You know, it’s strange being here now. I feel I’ve cheated Yoren twice.”
“That’s because Kerthal isn’t ready to give you up yet.” The new voice startled them both. Suddenly the room was filled with blue light.
Nyvas spun around. “What are you doing here?” he said, his words spoken in a low growl that seemed very uncharacteristic of him.
Kate, meanwhile, had been focused on trying to pour
the wine in the dark, and at the announcement, she missed the cup, spilling wine onto the table. “Rynar?” She choked on the name.
“Aye, my dear.” He reached past her to the candles on the shelf above the table, which he lit from the small lamp he carried. After doing the same for candles on a smaller table by the window, the blue light faded away. “I am surprised to see you here. I expected only the boy.”
“The feeling’s mutual,” she snapped back, and walked over to where Nyvas stood, for mutual protection and solidarity. “Why are you here?”
“I was asked to speak to Nyvas.”
“No, damn it. Why are you here?” She waved her arm around. “Why the hell would you be in this city, of all places?” Then she shook her hands in his direction. “And dressed like that? You’re not Sarnoc!”
He pulled out a chair for her. “My dear, it’s been a long day. Why don’t you come sit—”
“Nay, Aldrish. None of your charm,” Nyvas blurted out, and raised his palms in front of him, as if to ward himself. “You’ll tell us the truth here, with no games. And don’t pretend that either of us are your friend.”
Rynar hesitated, not accustomed to being challenged like that. “You and I need to talk, and come to some sort of understanding, that is certain. But do not presume to know what kind of relationship Bhara Kate and I share.”
“And don’t you pretend there’s something between us.” Her nostrils flared. How dare he come here, to the one place she felt safe from his influence, and try to manipulate her? “You need to be dead honest with us right now and tell us what’s going on, and you need to do it without trying to manipulate either of us.”
“Aye,” Nyvas added, his voice lowered, “or I’ll deal with you when we leave the tower.”
Rynar laughed. “A threat?” She could tell his tongue wanted to dish out an insult, but he paused. “Ah, dear boy, you should know better than that.”
Suddenly her fear was gone, evaporated in an instant, sizzled away by her anger. “Rynar, I’m warning you, don’t mess with either of us, or Nyvas and I will finish the fight Arric started last night. I swear to god, I’m sick of these games of yours. You need to start explaining what’s going on, here and now.”