The High Priest and the Idol

by Jane Fletcher

  Maybe this novelty was something she should take advantage of, and see what she could learn. She was going to make love to Jemeryl very carefully and slowly, and let touch, taste, and hearing compensate for what neither of them could see.

  *

  Jemeryl sat beside the small circular fountain in an enclosed courtyard, surrounded by birdsong and the undulating splatter of falling water. Morning sunlight glittered in a rainbow on the spray. Jemeryl ran her hand through the rippling pool, enjoying the coolness between her fingers. Voices and the sound of footsteps made her look up. Tevi was arriving at their prearranged rendezvous, after showing Sefriall and the sentinels as much as she could about the network of secret tunnels.

  “How did it go?”

  “Fine.”

  Tevi’s smile was forced, so presumably she was being diplomatic in her answer, but she did not appear angry, so Sefriall must have been demanding rather than belligerent in her pursuit of information. But then, without Ciamon around, there was no point trying to inflame suspicion. From what Jemeryl had seen, the woman was never vindictive for the fun of it. She was always in control of herself, always had a motive. Jemeryl was not sure if this made things better or worse from an ethical standpoint, but it did make Sefriall easier to predict.

  Tevi planted a quick greeting kiss on Jemeryl’s lips and then sat on the fountain wall beside her. In the background, the escort of sentinels took up position beside their three comrades already in the courtyard. The sentinels were keeping a close eye on them, but were not standing near enough to overhear what was said, as long as she and Tevi kept their voices down. When they had picked the place to talk, Tevi had been sure that the secret passages did not extend beyond the temple building, so the surrounding gardens were safe, and even if someone was secreted near at hand, the background noise from the pool should make eavesdropping difficult.

  “Did you recognise who put the poison in the wine?” Jemeryl had noticed Tevi dodging the question when asked the previous night.

  “Parrash. But I’ll bet anything you want Alkoan was the one who gave the instructions. He’s at the root of it, I know.”

  “Was that why you didn’t name him?”

  “There’s nasty things happening in town. I didn’t want his death on my conscience.”

  “Death?”

  “Yes. But if I’d known he was going to frame me like that…” Tevi pouted.

  “How did he get the writ?”

  “Like I said, Parrash had been through my room. I was tailing him to find out why. But when he bought the poison I rather lost sight of it.”

  “How did he know the writ was there?”

  “I’d guess he just got lucky. He was looking for anything that could be tied to me.”

  “Why?”

  Tevi wrinkled her nose. “A scapegoat, in case Sefriall wanted to avenge Ciamon’s death. Alkoan’s very keen on an end to all sorcerers. I guess he hoped to pin it on you and the Coven through me. He wouldn’t have known you were going to drink the wine as well.”

  “He knows we’re partners?”

  “Parrash does. So the writ was perfect for him. It even had a brief description of me. But a glove would have done. After Ciamon was dead, he could have sent in an anonymous tip. The sentinels would have searched my room and found the matching glove.”

  Jemeryl grimaced. “The awkward thing about the writ is now Ci’s convinced you’re working for the Coven.”

  “I’m sorry. I should have dumped it once I was outside the Protectorate. I had no use for it.”

  “A glove wouldn’t have caused the same problems. But…” Jemeryl paused, thinking. “How far do Alkoan’s plans go?”

  “I think he hopes his Cyclian religion will spread across the whole world. That’s why he doesn’t want the idol destroyed. He wants the Coven to go.” Tevi smiled at her. “You sorcerers are far too sceptical about religion.”

  “It’s hard to take seriously. Not when you can see what’s really going on.”

  Tevi’s expression became more thoughtful. “That’s the big problem, you know. Even though Ciamon is using religion to stir things up, he can’t quite believe people will be ready to commit mass murder over silly made-up stories. At heart, he—” Tevi broke off at a servant’s approach.

  “Excuse me.” The man bowed politely.

  “What is it?”

  “Your belongings have been collected from Four Winds House. They’re in your room.” The servant bowed and backed away.

  Tevi waited until he was out of earshot. “And no doubt searched.”

  “Was there anything in them you wouldn’t want found?”

  “No. The only incriminating thing was the writ with Iralin’s signature on it.” Tevi gave a wry smile. “Shall we go and check it’s all there? And I’d like to change my shirt.” She twisted her shoulder to show the large slash across the back of the one she had on.

  “Why not? And even though it’s caused problems, I’m pleased Iralin did help you with the writ.” Jemeryl slipped her hand through to link arms with Tevi. She had taken three steps before another memory surfaced. “Wess Tanaislanda? You didn’t really pass yourself off as that, did you?”

  Tevi shrugged. “It seemed like a cute idea at the time.”

  Chapter Seven—Beyond Reason

  Ciamon was not hostile, and he clearly wanted to trust her, but he had equally clearly put Jemeryl back on the list of people in need of converting.

  “You have to admit the Coven is corrupt.”

  Jemeryl rubbed her forehead, thinking what to say. How should she play this? If she pretended complete agreement, would it only make him more suspicious? If she opposed him, what chance she might change his mind? More likely he would see her as the enemy, and might even send her back to Lyremouth. Could she manage to come over as someone with enough doubts to want to keep Tevi’s presence in Kradja secret, while still not seeming like a lost cause, from his point of view? It was a thin line to walk.

  “I agree the Coven is less than perfect.”

  “The world will be a better, fairer place without it.”

  Jemeryl twisted her face in an uncertain frown. “Maybe, but the Protectorate provides safety and a living for millions of ordinary people. We need to make sure they are still provided for.”

  “Protectorate? The only thing the Coven really protects is itself. It doesn’t protect ordinary people, it enslaves them.”

  “No.” Jemeryl shook her head. “I told you I spent some time up in Bykoda’s empire, before she died. That was enslavement. The Protectorate is nothing like as bad.”

  “So tyranny is all right as long as there’s a worse example to be found?”

  “Of course not. But I don’t believe the Protectorate is as bad as you say.”

  “You really think Alendy is going to put himself out to protect ungifted citizens?”

  This was definitely one area where she was in genuine and complete agreement with Ciamon. “Only if he saw it as being for the good of the Coven.”

  “Exactly. As far as he’s concerned, sorcerers are the only people who matter.”

  Jemeryl relaxed in her chair, more than happy to hear her own views expressed by someone else. She and Ciamon were sitting in the shade of a flower-covered arbour, in the part of the temple gardens reserved for the High Priest. Not far away, Tevi stood in full sun, throwing a stick for a lumbering half-grown puppy. The stray dogs around the temple had little regard for either the High Priest’s status or his privacy, and one had found its way in. To Sefriall’s evident dismay, not only had Ciamon refused to have it driven out, but he had sent to the kitchens for food and water. Now it was happily playing with its new friend.

  “Alendy certainly disapproves of my relationship with Tevi. I’m sure part of the reason he picked me to come here was so he could split us up.”

  “Yes, well, that’s…” Ciamon’s voice trailed away, sounding uncharacteristically vague.

  Jemeryl stared at him. Ciamon could be imprecise
and uncertain but never vague. She would have been hard-pressed to explain the difference, but she knew it when she heard it in his voice.

  “What?”

  “It can’t be…” Ciamon’s expression was pained.

  Jemeryl stared at him, surprised. She had questioned Tevi about whether she was jealous. Maybe Ciamon was the one she should have asked. “What is it?”

  “You know your relationship with her is going to change?”

  “In what way?”

  “It needn’t be a bad thing. In fact it won’t, as long as you’re willing to accept it.”

  Jemeryl could only frown in reply.

  “And if you work at it, one day you and Tevi could share what we had.”

  “Pardon?”

  “You know—a completely equal, reciprocal relationship.”

  Jemeryl was aware her jaw was hanging open. It took her several attempts to find her voice. “What do you think we have at the moment?”

  “Oh, I know you’d try to treat her well, and she does seem genuinely fond of you, but…”

  “But?” Jemeryl could feel anger rising inside her.

  “But up until now, you’ve not been on an equal footing. It’s going to change, for both of you. She’ll have to learn to see you as an ordinary person. And you’ll have to give up your—”

  Jemeryl could take no more. “You think I call all the shots while Tevi looks up to me and just does what she’s told? I don’t know who you’re insulting more.”

  At first Ciamon was taken aback, then he went on the offensive. “You’re not going to tell me she doesn’t defer to your judgement. And you take it for granted that she will.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m going to tell you.”

  Now Ciamon was the one looking bewildered. “But she doesn’t have the complexity of your world view. She won’t be able to understand things the way you do.”

  “She isn’t an idiot.” Jemeryl was pleased that Tevi was not close enough to hear.

  “Of course not. I wasn’t saying she was.”

  “It sounded like it.”

  Ciamon waved his hands, as if it would help sum up what he meant. “The way we sorcerers see things gives us an unfair advantage. No matter what we intend, an ungifted person’s opinion can never carry the same weight with us, because they can’t see the whole pic—”

  “You think we have a better grasp on reality?”

  “No. Not exactly. We overanalyse and dissect knowledge. The straightforward approach the ungifted have to life is much cleaner, more honest. We need to learn to value that.”

  “They’re like children?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But ungifted people have a simpler view of life?”

  “Yes. And they have some of the same innocence and—”

  “That’s an absolute load of crap.”

  Ciamon’s face flushed with anger. “You need to reconsider the way you view the ungifted.”

  “No. You do. You’re the one who doesn’t think they’re our equals.” Jemeryl leaned back and stared at him in contempt. “You’re just as arrogant as Alendy. Worse in some ways, because at least he’s up front about it. I’ve just seen it. You think you’re being noble in voluntarily sinking down to their level.”

  “No. I’m on their side.”

  “And you’re kind to animals.”

  “Where do you get the—” Ciamon was too furious to continue. Jemeryl recognised the signs, but she was far from being calm herself. For once she was happy to see Sefriall approach, if only for a space to regather her self-control.

  Tevi left off playing with the puppy to join them. Judging by Sefriall’s expression, she had important, but mixed, news.

  “What is it?” Ciamon snapped.

  “We’ve just received word that the emanation of Equalitus has reached the town of Villenes. The sway of our god has advanced to the very borders of the Protectorate.”

  Ciamon ran his hand through his hair, clearly trying to get a grip on his anger. “That’s great.”

  “There are, regrettably, a few problems.”

  “What?”

  “Villenes is controlled by a cartel of master merchants.”

  “Yes. I know. So?” Ciamon looked confused.

  Jemeryl was a step ahead of him, based on her experience in Horzt, which had only recently joined the Protectorate. Villenes, like the other towns just outside the border, had grown rich on trade with its wealthy neighbour, while the presence of the Coven, so close by, kept rival sorcerers away. Power in these towns was therefore based on money rather than magic. The merchants of Villenes would be unaffected by the morphology, and unwilling to surrender their rule to the representative of a previously unknown and rather dubious religion.

  The next words from Sefriall proved Jemeryl right. “The ruling cartel have refused to worship Equalitus. They’ve rebuffed your envoy and expelled the sentinels from the town. They say they’ll not allow as much as a small shrine to be erected.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Greed. Selfishness. They value money more than righteousness.”

  “We need to get them to see sense…er…to see that Equalitus will bring prosperity exceeding anything they’ve known so far.”

  “They’re an affront to the faithful.”

  “They’re just misguided.”

  “But they might lead others astray.”

  “Yes.” Ciamon sighed. “They might hamper the spreading of the word. Which might slow the arrival of new converts in Kradja.”

  Which will slow the rate of expansion of the morphology, and you want it to put an end to the Coven as quickly as possible, just in case they think of a way to destroy the idol. Jemeryl provided the motive that Ciamon would not say aloud.

  “Perhaps if you went in person you’d be able to persuade the non-believers.” Sefriall suggested.

  Ciamon’s forehead furrowed as he mulled it over. “Maybe.”

  “With an army of sentinels at your back, I’m certain they’d listen to you very carefully.”

  “No.” Ciamon’s rejection was immediate. “I want to reason with them, not intimidate them.”

  “Fear provides good ears.”

  “I’ll just take a dozen servants and a couple of guards, but not enough to frighten anyone.”

  “You need a show of strength. It’s the only thing the master merchants will respect. You have to meet them on their own terms and play their game.”

  “No.” Ciamon drew a deep breath. “My message is about freedom and friendship. Threats undermine that.”

  “Remember there’s been an attempt on your life. Surely concern for your safety is reasonable.”

  “Six sentinels. No more.” Ciamon glanced angrily at Jemeryl. “I’ll also take Jem and her partner. I’m going to send them back to Lyremouth when we reach Villenes. They can take a message to Alendy for me.”

  *

  Tevi and Jemeryl stood at the edge of the oasis, looking out over the sand. The last of the sunset burned red on the horizon. Tevi looked up. Stars shone unblinking in the dark blue sky.

  “I was standing right here when I got swamped by the morphology.” Jemeryl said. “This must have been right on the edge of its range. It’s taken two months to expand as far as Villenes.”

  “It’s six days’ travel. One hundred and fifty miles.” Tevi did the sums. “So we have a fair bit of time before it reaches Lyremouth.”

  “Depends on whether the rate of expansion speeds up. Up to now, it’s been feeding off sparse desert populations. Once it gets to the large towns around the Middle Seas”—Jemeryl shrugged—“who knows?”

  Tevi glanced over her shoulder. The servants had finished erecting the tents and had started preparing dinner. Sparks from a campfire were spiralling up into the night. The party was even smaller than originally planed. Repeated appeals from Sefriall had only annoyed Ciamon into halving the amount of protection he was prepared to take. The resulting three sentinels had the duty of guardin
g Tevi and Jemeryl. However, it took more than a sword and a uniform to make a soldier. The trio in their red cloaks were sloppy and manifestly out of condition. Currently they were some way off, playing dice beneath a clump of palm trees.

  “What are we going to do?” Tevi indicated the sentinels. “I can handle them if we want to get away and head back to Kradja.”

  “I’m not sure. What I really want is for Ci to tell me how he’s protected the idol, but I don’t think he’s going to. I’m wondering if we might as well go back to Lyremouth and get advice. The sorcerer who made the first device ought to be there by now. Perhaps she knows something.”

  “How about I overpower the sentinels and the servants and we take Ciamon with us?”

  “Isn’t that a bit—”

  Footsteps crunched softly in the sand. Ciamon was strolling in their direction. As usual, he gave Tevi a extra-friendly smile, and then ignored her.

  “Jem. I’ve been thinking. I shouldn’t have made assumptions about your relationship with Tevi. I’m sorry. It stands to reason you wouldn’t spend twelve years with someone you didn’t take seriously. I know you’d be very careful to take Tevi’s wishes into account when you make decisions. I’m sure she doesn’t feel intimidated by you.”

  Are you just as sure she doesn’t talk about me as if I’m not here? Tevi bit back the words. Jemeryl seemed equally unwilling to comment.

  Ciamon continued. “But what you said about me being as arrogant as Alendy. You’re wrong. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else, and I don’t think being able to work magic gives me the right to run other people’s lives.”

  “You do,” Jemeryl said. “You’ve decided what’s best for everyone, and you’ve used your magic to make an emanator that’ll impose your view on the world, regardless of what anyone else wants.”

  “I could hardly put it to a vote. Apart from anything else, the Coven wouldn’t let me. And you know that’s true. The Coven would never let the population decide to get rid of it.”

  “But would you let people vote on whether to get rid of the morphology?”