Galiana nodded, her lips drawing into a tight line. “Well then, Gebbert, pass the word among the Matii here. Reclamation has come.”
Chapter 37
T hree months. Irmina let out a resigned sigh as she stared out the stained glass windows. From her vantage, the Iluminus’ eastern spires and towers spread like shiny javelins. Beyond the structures and the latticework walkways, the Vallum of Light was a white serpent devouring the darkened countryside. Within the city, the resonance of the essences imbued in the fabric that made up every structure took on a soft, muted glow. As usual, not a shadow formed within the vast city. A reassurance of the superiority of the Streams, of Ilumni’s blessing, of the strength of light and heat, and yet, the luminosity failed to shed light where darkness resided. Within the hearts of men.
Three months and still no sign of Ancel, Ryne, and whoever else had been with them. Not even the slightest hint that the link she had with him ever existed. She wondered if it had even been real. By the time the other search party had come close to retaking the Eldanhill refugees, they’d crossed from the territory near the Kelvore River and into Doster proper. Rather than spark more animosity, they had retreated to avoid a clash with the waiting Dosteri army.
Both parties empty-handed. To say the Exalted weren’t pleased was an understatement. They had been unwilling to accept the daggerpaws and the storm as an excuse, going so far as to threaten bodily harm. The one aspect that seemed to stay their discipline was losing several Pathfinders, a High Shin, and the entire complement of trackers.
Of the Exalted, only two remained in Eldanhill: Leukisa and Ordelia. The others had taken the Eldanhill Council, most of the army, and returned to the Iluminus. All the council members were alive, if a little battered from their torture. Exactly the purpose of the two Exalted, twenty thousand Dagodin, and one cohort of Ashishin, Irmina was unsure, but knowing they were in Eldanhill left uneasiness in her gut.
She inhaled in an attempt to relax, the bellflower candles she burned adorning the air with their aroma. What was there for her to do now? She’d spent the last two months practicing with the Raijin, familiarizing herself once more with the various aspects of their combat formations. Not that she needed to, but she preferred to occupy herself to keep her mind off her current thoughts. A muffled knock issued from the door.
Schooling herself to calm, she strode across the lavish carpets. She pulled open the door, expecting a student bearing her dinner. The tray of food was there, sitting on a wooden stand. From the mouthwatering scent, it was roasted fish and creamed potatoes as she’d ordered, along with some wine. There was no sign of the servant or student who’d delivered the meal.
Irmina peered down and up the hall. She heard no retreating footsteps. With a shrug and a frown, she picked up the tray and paused. The lines on her forehead grew tighter. The food seemed unusually heavy.
She retreated into her room, pushing the door shut with the toe of her boot. After waiting a moment to see if anyone revealed themselves beyond the door, she turned and headed to the dinner table. Gingerly, she set down the tray.
Without much effort, she sensed the essences there. The tray bore the High Jin’s personal mark etched into the wood alongside an insignia of a four-legged animal standing next to a person. A wavy line stretched from the person’s head to the creature. The ancient sign of the beasttamers.
Irmina’s mind drifted to the day of her questioning. High Jin Quintess had not broached the subject of what punishment she was to face, instead stating that once the High Seats finished, that she was to immediately report to the Exalted. However, she’d been ordered to visit Quintess’ office prior to her trip to them. She recalled the meeting.
“It may seem ironic,” Quintess said, “but do you know what I dislike above all else, Irmina?” She was a foot shorter than Irmina but the way she carried herself left little doubt as to who held authority.
“No, High Jin.”
“I dislike secrets.”
When Irmina gave the statement some thought, it was ironic. The woman led the Raijin, the Tribunal’s foremost assassins and infiltrators. Their life was secrecy. She remained quiet, not voicing her opinion.
Quintess’ office wasn’t what she expected. For a woman in her position, Irmina had assumed finery would fill the room, as well as artifacts pertaining to Quintess’ station. Instead, aged books, tomes, scrolls, maps and various paintings crammed the shelves, every desk, most spaces along the walls, cabinets, and even the cushioned benches and chairs. Some stacks appeared ready to tip over. The room was more suitable for a philosopher or one of the Great Library’s Custodians.
“I was a Custodian once, a long time ago,” Quintess said, as if reading her thoughts. “So long in fact that I remember your parents before you were born. I knew many of your family. Your aunt, Jillian, was once a student of mine. As a young girl, I was besotted with Garrick Nagel. What would he be now? Your grandfather by six or seven generations?”
“Seven.” Irmina fought against the surge of questions she craved to ask.
“Sadly, even he had his secrets, and they cost him his life.” Disgust twisted the High Jin’s face for a moment. She focused on Irmina. “As yours might cost you.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Irmina met her gaze without blinking.
A hint of a smile played across Quintess’ face. “I would expect no less from a Shin trained by Jerem. Soon, though, you will be one of mine.”
Irmina bit back a retort. She belonged to no one.
“There are times I wish I lived in the days when all the Matii were at peace and called the first Iluminus their home. Do you know that legend says it floated in the sky where the Great Divide is now located?”
“No, I did not know, High Jin.” Irmina wondered if there was a point to the conversation beyond hinting at whatever secret she kept.
“Have you ever considered the reason for the split between Matii?”
“War, strife, religious differences, philosophy, the shade …”
“No. It’s much simpler than that, Irmina.” Quintess paused for effect. “Greed. The common hunger among all men for more power. Power to challenge the gods. At least that’s what I believe, but what do I know?”
Irmina arched an eyebrow. “Is this why you brought me here?”
Quintess made a noise in her throat that was neither denial nor approval. “Truth be told, Shin Irmina, yes. I brought you here because greed surrounds us. It will be our downfall. That and secrets. First, I will let you in on one. Originally, those of your family who were slaughtered carried the same ability as you. That of a beasttamer. You are the last of your line with the skill. Jillian comes close, but not quite. Whether she herself is in danger, I cannot tell, but someone has worked for years to see what you are remains a secret. Although it is quite surprising that none of the other councils have been able to influence the woman. I wonder what agenda she follows.” Frowning, Qunitess paused for a moment. “Anyway, I also suspect you are keeping something else to yourself, something important, and it has to do with your trip to Ostania. Eventually, I will have it, but first, I want your trust. Open your Matersense.”
Irmina embraced her Matersense now and picked out the essences Quintess had shown her. Apply heat, untwist light, remove the padding of air, and there on the tray sat a box the length of her arm and more than three hand’s span thick. The whorls in the polished wood spoke of age and care.
Food forgotten, she picked up a note that rested on top the box. She opened it.
Raijin Irmina,
If you are reading this letter then the either the White or the Shadow have found a way to silence me. Not many of us are left who are loyal to the Gray Council ever since our leaders fled the Iluminus. Beware even the White, as they no longer serve the ideals they should. You may ask how I know what I do. Well, throughout the world, there are those who support what the Gray, and all of Matii once stood for, that of protector. Many of them have given their lives as Listeners, pick
ing out stories, finding truths, spying when needed, and relaying it all to those with the power to act. People like myself. Among those, you will find the most support.
Within the pages of this book are the truths I have collected over the years by deciphering the twisted teachings of the Exalted and the Shadow Council. You will also find the known members of each Council, and those who can be trusted. Use the information wisely, as you, Ancel, and Nerian will need it. Yes, I know who Ryne is or was.
As long as I am not dead, you may visit my office and search among the wealth of knowledge there. Not even the Custodians know I have copied the original books. With the Forge I taught you, you will be able to see where I pointed out discrepancies on specific pages. You can compare them to the changed versions in the Great Library.
You will understand once you read the book.
One other issue. Try your best not to let any in the Iluminus become aware of your ability as a tamer. Only one such as yourself can communicate with the mind of a zyphyl. When the day comes that the vasumbrals are unleashed, you will have to free the zyphyl as instructed within this tome. They will be your only hope.
Truth is to lie as order is to chaos.
Quintess.
Hands trembling, Irmina Forged. The letter burst into flames. She released it from her hand and watched as it drifted to the ground, still burning, and then turned to ash. With another Forge, she blocked her door.
Irmina unraveled the seal around the box. The lid eased open of its own accord. Inside was a book, its paper discolored with age, mustiness rising from inside. She lifted it out and set it down on the table. There was no title. At the bottom was several scrolls.
She took them out and unrolled them. Squinting, she repeated the same Forging Quintess taught her that would reveal any tampering. As she began to read, her eyes widened. After the first paragraph, numbness swept through her body. All she could manage was to stare. What she was reading had to be a lie. It just had to be.
But the essences revealed to her the truth of it all. The essences might have their own motives, but they never lied. Ever.
She could tell where someone altered the words. The handwriting on the pages were the same as the ones sent to her by her parents, recording their research and the events before their death. Except for the changes. In the scrolls she had hidden away so long ago, the ones that matched half of these, everything pointed to the Dorns.
The originals showed beyond a doubt those who were truly responsible. The Exalted.
Unbridled rage ripped through her, replacing shock. Vision becoming red, she continued to read even as tears trickled down her face at the names associated with the deception. The name responsible for the murder. All these years of lying. She wept, her body wracked with spam after spasm. Not once did she attempt to curtail her grief or her anger, allowing them to suffuse her, clinging to them.
One thing resonated within her. Whenever she saw the woman again, she would kill her.
Over the next month, Irmina spent most of the day and night in the Great Library. As a Raijin, the Custodians allowed her to peruse almost any books she wanted. Some stayed by her side to make sure she did not damage the precious vellum of the old tomes, but they did not deny her access. Each night she returned to her room and compared what she learned to the massive book given to her by Quintess, often until early morning, her eyes an ocean of red from lack of sleep, but still she pressed on. It was astounding how many books and teachings the Tribunal had altered. Each day provided a bigger surprise than the last.
She often wondered how widespread the corruption was beyond what the Devout taught. Were the Colegiums in Cardia carrying the same tainted texts? Had they managed to change the tomes in Castere’s libraries? Surely, they couldn’t have infiltrated the Svenzar’s Stone Vaults.
She arranged for messages between her and Quintess. In order to corroborate much of what she read, she sent for couriers she trusted in her missions for Jerem. They sent back their replies by eagle, written in a cipher. Each translation provided a greater picture of corruption than she imagined. The Tribunal was rotten to its core. Her family’s demise had been the least of their atrocities.
The rush of memories concerning the gruesome facts around her parent’s death threatened to overwhelm her. The ones in her family deemed to have been able to produce a child with a beasttamer’s power had been systematically eradicated. The orders had made it sound like an inconsequential action, common place, like picking up a spoon to eat soup.
Sitting at a table of some inn she’d chosen for its food, she had to seek the Eye to calm herself. What had been scents that made her mouth water now made her lose her appetite. A harpist played a soothing tune not far from where she sat, her meal a distant memory. She leaned her head back, the conversational murmurs and laughter bringing a deceiving sense of normalcy. The world as she knew it was far from normal.
“Jin Irmina, are you well?” the pale-skinned merchant across from her asked. The man dabbed at his hanging jowls before wiping his mouth.
Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded.
“As I was saying,” he picked up a lizard leg and dipped it in sauce, “I don’t know how you people have done it, but … one moment …” He popped the leg into his mouth and swallowed. His eyes closed as a smile spread across his face. “Hmmm, that’s some good stuff.”
Irmina simply waited. Kaffar made her sick, but he was privy to certain information she needed.
“As I was saying, I don’t know how you people made it happen, but the Travelshafts have been reopened. A journey that would once take three months now takes less than one. Trade has been phenomenal.”
She’d heard the rumors, but could not risk asking directly within the Iluminus. Finding a merchant had been a much simpler solution considering the abundance of trade between the Iluminus, its neighboring city of Coren, and other points within Granadia.
“I wish I had known of this sooner, Kaffar. I have lost out on much.”
Kaffar smiled. “You know what they say, ‘information means power and riches’.”
“Indeed.” The man was a chatterbox. All she needed to do was feed him.
“I’m surprised you didn’t know. They’ve been open for months now.” He leaned forward as much as his belly would allow. His voice lowered. “I suspect they’ve been open for a much longer time.”
“Why do you say that?” Her tone matched his.
“A merchant of my stature has a few insiders as well as a few rivals. Let’s just say some of my competition has been wallowing in riches since last year. I began to wonder how they were making their trips so quickly. Then one of your Ashishin approached me to broker a deal.”
Intrigued, Irmina said, “Go on.”
“Well,” Kaffar was whispering now, “they’ve done the same all across Granadia, sending out enough supplies from here to all the major cities in territories they hold. Everything from food, to pack animals, to metal, stone, wood. I even heard rumors of weapon shipments. Gods know I wish I could get a hand in on that. Much of it is concentrated along the southern coast at ports in Ishtar and Calvar.”
Irmina frowned, working over the news in her head. Those ports all provided access points to Ostania and those in Ishtar were not that far from Torandil.
“Only one thing causes people to mass supplies like this,” Kaffar said. “There’s going to be a war. A war bigger than the Remnants.”
Irmina didn’t let on that she agreed. She also suspected the Travelshafts had been open for a while longer than Kaffar mentioned. She allowed the talk to continue, giving noncommittal replies here or there, promising Kaffar a bigger stake in the trade to line his pockets. A lot of good it would do him. The merchant wouldn’t live to see the night through. When she smiled, Kaffar did the same, his grin one of genuine pleasure.
Chapter 38
Galiana left the Stoneman by the upper entrance, finally allowing a deep breath to escape into the night. She stretched her neck from side to
side, trying to ease the tightness the mention of High Shin Cantor had caused.
She reached her mind out. Her Matersense drifted freely as she searched for the imbuing she would feel from the dozens of weaponsmiths. As the number increased, she puckered her lips, finally stopping close to one hundred.
Such a massing of Matii creating divya had not been done since the Shadowbearer War. Each imbuing carried a distinct pattern in the way the essences formed. No two were identical. Once she located the pattern she sought, she traced its origin, and headed in that direction. After crossing two stone bridges, she stood in front of a scythesmith.
She entered the building, its heat a welcome respite to the cold, the metallic smells quite the opposite when compared to the fresh mountain air outside. After waiting a moment to be certain the smiths in the adjoining work area were completely occupied by their work, she stepped into the next unoccupied room. As she passed, she noted the Imbuer was sitting close to a dual bellows with his back against a wall. She closed the door behind her and sat on a stone bench. She took a second to focus, placed her hand on the wall, Forged a connection with the Forms, and subtly touched her Listener.
“Shin Galiana,” Pupa Danis said, without a hint of surprise. The words weren’t much more than a whisper from the young man imbuing on the other side of the wall.
A gruff voice spoke out. “Did you say something, Blessed Shin?”
“Oh,” Danis said. “Yes, Alda, you can take that break you asked for earlier while I catch up on imbuing the remainder of the metal. On your way back, fetch me some kinai juice from the Stoneman. It’s not too often we come to this part of Granadia, and I do love kinai. Bittan, you may go for tonight, I think I may retire after this batch.” Another, lighter voice spoke briefly in assent before two sets of feet strode from the chamber.
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