by Jean Lorrah
One last flurry of blows!
Zanos grinned as Torio turned on him. “Good! Very good! / would have you, with my strength-but unless you came up against another gladiator, you’d win with that strategy, Torio.” And he dropped the tip of his sword to the ground, as a sign that the match was over.
“And what would you two do in an even match?” a voice asked, and Bryen strode across the courtyard.
“Maldek, is this what you had to show me-the perfect match for the victory games?”
The gambler circled the two panting men, saying, “I want to see you with light swords-or do either of you know how to use a pikestaff? What about wrestling? The local farmers like that-they’ll bet everything that’s left from their last harvest!”
Zanos stared at the intruder. “Who are you?” he asked, a warning tone in his voice.
Bryen ignored it. “They’ll all bet on the big one, of course. You, son,” he said to Torio, “you one of Maldek’s servants? You got talent there-quick moves. Think you can take this big fellow with a lighter weapon?”
“I’m not a gladiator,” Torio replied. “I’m a Reader,” he added, thinking that that unfair advantage would surely make him ineligible for whatever the gambler had in mind.
“All the better! Inner sight against brute strength — the crowd will love it! Maldek, can I take these men with me, to supervise their training? There’s only a few days left-I have to decide how to use them to best advantage before I put out the word-”
“Stop!” ordered Zanos. “I spent most of my life fighting in the arena-and I’m not going back to it to line the pockets of another gambler!”
“Oh, you’ll be paid!” said Bryen. “Both of you-you just do what I tell you, and we’ll line all our pockets!”
He started to turn back to Maldek, assuming that everything was settled with Zanos and Torio, but Zanos had fought too long for the right to control his own life. He grasped the man’s arm and pulled him back around, saying, “Maldek is not our master. No man is. I told you I will never again kill as an exhibit for other people’s pleasure! Torio?”
“I certainly won’t,” the Reader said.
“So we are agreed,” said Zanos, squeezing Bryen’s arm for emphasis-and lifting it enough that his eyes fell on the half-grown hand.
Torio felt astonishment stab through Zanos as he looked from the hand to Bryen’s face-to the fiery red hair with a sprinkling of white at the temples, the blue eyes. Torio could see the resemblance in the square jaw and the shape of the nose, but Bryen’s face had a hardness Zanos’ lacked, even though both men had known a lifetime of harsh survival.
For a long moment, Zanos only stared. Then, “Bryen?” he whispered. The gambler only stared at him.
“Bryen-don’t you know me? I’ve come all the way from Tiberium looking for you… my brother.”
NonReader, nonAdept, Bryen had no disciplines at all to hide his feelings. His utter amazement washed over Torio in a chill wave. “Zanos? Little brother?”
The term was absurd-for although Zanos was hardly a handspan taller than Bryen, he was so broad and strong from years of training that he appeared three times his brother’s size.
Bryen laughed. “You are! Zanos, I thought I’d never see you again!” His startlement warmed into family feeling as the two men hugged, pounding one another on the back, Zanos almost crushing Bryen in his enthusiasm.
“I didn’t know if you’d even survived!” said Zanos. “I’ve wanted to come back-but it took me so many years to earn my freedom… And what about you? You look well. Are you married? My wife’s here with me-you have to meet her-and my friends, Torio here and-”
As he turned to introduce them, Zanos’ eyes fell on Maldek, who was standing back, watching the reunion in open amusement.
Zanos stopped, then said, “You found him for me, didn’t you, Maldek?”
“I found him,” the sorcerer assented.
“And restored his hand?” The gladiator shook his head slowly. “I still don’t know what to think about you-but this time you have my thanks.”
This reunion, however, was less sweet than Astra’s with her mother. But it was happy enough for the next few hours, as Zanos introduced his brother to the rest of their group, told his story and Astra’s, and listened to Bryen’s tale of survival.
When the slaver ship departed, Bryen had been left among the dead and dying. The village healer had been slaughtered, so there was no help but what they could do for one another. A man with a gut wound tied a rope around the end of the boy’s arm so he would not bleed to death, and together they somehow got another man and a woman into a fishing boat and set out for the next village.
But by dawn all three of Bryen’s companions were dead of their wounds. The boy passed out, and the boat drifted aimlessly until other fishermen found it.
They took Bryen to their healer, who saved his life, but only a Master Sorcerer could restore his hand.
“Why wasn’t that done?” demanded Zanos. “The Lord of the Land in our day was good and kind-”
“And old,” said Bryen. “Oh, he lived for over ten years after you were captured, but his powers were waning. Maldek, his son, was sent to apprentice in Meliard, far to the north, for he was hardly older than I was, and not come into his full powers. We paid so little attention to anything but fishing in our home village-I found in the City that Madura was at war! The fleet was defending the river here; that’s why the slavers found it so easy to prey on the southern coast.
“The Lord of the Land granted me audience when he heard my story-but only to tell me no, he couldn’t use his strength to heal half-grown boys when he had to keep grown men strong for his army. He promised to heal me as soon as I was full-grown.” Bryen snorted derisively. “So much for the promises of the Lord of the Land!”
“The war went on for many years,” said Cassandra. “Surely you can understand the difficult decisions he had to make about how best to defend his people. All those years, Bryen, our climate remained mild, our crops and flocks healthy.”
“Maybe, but in the City I learned to take care of myself. A man named Graorn took me in, and set me to collecting rents from his tenants. He had a hook made for my missing hand-and I was starting to get big enough that the welchers handed over what they owed when I shoved it in their faces.
“By the time I was old enough to go into the army, I’d seen too many soldiers go out there and almost die, and be healed, and almost die again, and be healed-the second or third time lots of ‘em deserted, and hid out in the City. So I just didn’t go to get my hand put back.”
“Then how can you blame the Lord of the Land for not keeping his promise?” Zanos asked.
“Once the war was over, I went to the castle!” Bryen flared. “That was after Maldek came home. With his powers, it was over fast-and I went to the castle and couldn’t even get in! For the next few years, everyone said Maldek was really running things-but mostly life was all right until the old lord died.
Then-”
“Yes-we’ve seen,” said Zanos.
“But Maldek seems to be learning from his mistakes,” put in Melissa.
“Don’t bet on it!” said Bryen. “They say nobody’s ever had as much power as Maldek has-so who’s gonna stop him from doing whatever he wants?”
“Himself,” Melissa answered. “Bryen, he healed you, and reunited you with your brother. He found Astra’s mother for her. Can’t you see what’s happening? He’s been so isolated by his power, and by the fear he has generated in his people… he’s so lonely.”
“Lonely!” Dirdra snorted. “He can take anyone he wants!”
“He can by force,” agreed Melissa, “but you of all people know that he has found no satisfaction in that.”
“So he simply forces people in other ways!” the Maduran woman retorted. “Are you all such fools, to be taken in by his supposed reform?”
“Dirdra, shouldn’t we give him the benefit of the doubt?” asked Astra. “Maldek did not have
to find my mother. I’d never have known she was in Madura.”
“Did you never wonder how he knew your mother had left the Aventine Empire?” Dirdra asked. “Astra, he spies on our minds-and you Readers can’t even tell he’s doing it!”
“That’s true,” said Torio. “At least while we were on the way here, I felt Maldek’s mind searching several times-didn’t you, Astra, Melissa?”
Astra nodded. But Melissa said, “Yes-but he was testing us then. He found that we were all friends, and nothing he sent against us could defeat us when we worked together.”
“He’s clumsy,” Zanos put in. “Let’s suppose Melissa’s right, and we came along just at the time when Maldek had realized that forcing people to do his will wasn’t satisfying. Maye he really is trying to make friends with us-but all he can think to do is find out what we’re looking for, and give it to us.”
“He’s trying to buy your friendship,” said Dirdra.
“He’ll learn that only friendship gains friendship,” said Melissa. “Astra is right. We ought to assume that Maldek means well until he proves otherwise.”
Torio remained quiet through the exchange, for Dirdra expressed his feelings quite well, and he didn’t want to fight with Melissa.
She, however, knew what was on his mind, and confronted him after supper that night. “Why didn’t you say what you thought this afternoon?”
“What do you mean?”
“Torio, you may be able to hide your precise thoughts from me, but your feelings are on Dirdra’s side, against Maldek.”
“And why are you so much for him?” Torio asked. “Read what his people think about him-how they hid when we went into town, how Bryen distrusted his motives. What’s wrong with you, Melissa? Can’t you see that he’s putting on an act?”
“No, I don’t see that!” she exploded. “Why would he bother? Torio, the man is putting forth every effort to make up for what he did to us. He’s starting work at healing Kwinn in the morning. Maybe Dirdra will come to see that he’s trying-”
They were climbing the staircase leading to the upper hallway where their rooms were. From Zanos and Astra’s room came a sudden shout that stopped them in their tracks: “No! By Mawort, even if you are my brother, I’ll never again kill for sport!”
“But the money, Zanos-”
“Money? Is that all you think of, Bryen?”
“Money is power-if you don’t have any other kind. And even Maldek needs money.”
“Zanos, please-calm down,” came Astra’s voice.
“When my own brother wants to put me back in the arena? Bryen, you make your living out of other men’s pain! Don’t think I don’t understand-that’s how I bought my way out of slavery, and won the money to get out of the empire.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Only to lose it to a cheating, power-hungry gambler just like you!”
The door to the gladiator’s room slammed against the wall as Zanos burst out. He rushed by Torio and Melissa without even seeing them, Bryen following at a discreet distance.
Torio had seen Zanos do this before. Trained to violence, he had taught himself to walk away from a brewing fight before he hurt someone. Bryen didn’t know the risk he took by pursuing him.
But Astra did-and her mother Read her fear and exclaimed, “What kind of man have you married, Astra? How could a Reader live daily with such violence? And he has taught you to carry a sword-”
“Mother, I love Zanos. He won’t hurt Bryen-that’s why he walked away.”
“But he’s such a… brute. Oh, my daughter, if only I could have been there to guide you-”
“You broke your oath as much as I did mine!” said Astra. “Don’t you talk about guiding me-at least I knew about the corruption in the Academy system before I deserted it. Portia attacked me because I knew too much-because of this wild Reading talent I inherited from you and my father. Did it ever occur to you that the Academy rules which prevent Master Readers from having children are there to save children from growing up as I did, unable to control? It’s a wonder I didn’t go mad, and end my life at Gaeta with the healers tying knots in my mind!”
“So you chose to have your children with that-that animal?”
“Zanos is a good man-how can you call yourself a Reader and not recognize that?” And Astra also burst from the room, sailing past Torio and Melissa, who stared at each other and realized-
“He’s got us divided!” exclaimed Torio. “Maldek could not defeat us as a group-but he now has us separated, so he can-” Dread suspicion directed his Reading to the end of the hall. “Where’s Dirdra?”
Only Kwinn was in Dirdra’s room, curled up on the end of the bed, sound asleep. An Adept-induced sleep, obviously, or he would never have allowed Dirdra to leave him alone.
And in Maldek’s throne room, Dirdra stood before the Master Sorcerer, who was telling her, “I am truly sorry that I cannot restore Kwinn exactly as he was before-but I know you will teach him to be a good man, and love him as much as you always did.”
She regarded him with suspicion as she agreed, “That is true.”
“Dirdra, I am asking your forgiveness.”
Torio and Melissa took each other’s hands, not daring to make a mental comment or even let their feelings surface lest Maldek Read them spying. Could Melissa be right? This was one time Torio would be glad to be proved wrong.
“When I see my brother restored to the man he was-and when in his eyes I see a man’s intelligence-then, Master, I will forgive you with all my heart,” Dirdra said with her customary dignity.
Maldek smiled his most charming smile, stood, and descended the steps from his throne. He came to Dirdra-too close, daring her to retreat. She stood her ground, and he let his overpowering maleness overshadow her as he said, “I will be happy to accept it then. In the meantime, you may have friends, Dirdra, but in one way you are as lonely as I am-as Kwinn was for you while you were gone.”
He looked down into her eyes. “I kept him with me as a reminder of you-your image was the one thing always clear in his mind.” He put his hands on her shoulders, ignoring the slight increase in the stiffness of her posture. “I missed you, Dirdra.”
He bent his head, kissing her unyielding lips. Dirdra was not thinking at all, fearing anything that escaped her control would trigger Maldek’s anger and end her hopes for Kwinn. Maldek must have known what she was doing, but he continued gently kissing her cheeks, her eyelids. “You have no need to fear me. I wouldn’t hurt you. Let me share with you, Dirdra. Think of what pleasure a Master Sorcerer can provide-”
“Please, Master, do not touch me further,” Dirdra said quietly, firmly.
He lifted his head, but did not take his hands from her shoulders. “Dirdra, you are mine. You are my subject, and I can do with you what I will-but instead I offer you freely-”
“Master, you do not offer freely the chance to refuse you.”
Maldek’s eyes glinted coldly. “It is irrational for you to refuse me. Rokannia, a Master Sorceress, is on the sea, bound for Madura. When she arrives, she will once again ask of me as a favor what you will not take freely given!”
“Rokannia wants your child, not you,” said Dirdra. “She would raise that child to your strength without your cruelty. Together they would free the Western Isle of your tyranny-perhaps Madura, too, for it would be your child’s inheritance.”
Her green eyes stared up at him defiantly. “Do you think that people without the inner sight have no minds? You want me only because I refuse you. Would that I had given in at the very beginning-you would have discarded me without harming my brother.”
“And I shall have you now, and discard you as I please-”
“Zanos! Astra! Cassandra!” Torio broadcast at the strongest intensity. “Maldek is threatening Dirdra!”
He and Melissa ran toward the throne room, Gray surging ahead of them. The guards barred their way, but Melissa had the power to make them sleep. As they collapsed, sliding down the wall, Torio flung the door open.
> “Where are your fine promises and good intentions now, Maldek?” he demanded.
“Spying on me, Torio?” asked the sorcerer conversationally.
“Merely making certain of Dirdra’s safety. We share a bond of friendship.”
Zanos arrived, trailed by Bryen, while Cassandra met her daughter at the juncture of the passageways, and the two women marched defiantly into the throne room together.
“Torio was right!” said Melissa. “You haven’t changed, Maldek-you just wanted us to think you had.”
“When you found my brother,” said Zanos, “you knew he was the kind of man who would bring dissension into our group.”
“The gods forgive me,” added Cassandra, “but you must have brought me here knowing that I would not approve of my daughter’s choice of husband, and might drive them apart. Astra, I am sorry. I have seen how much Zanos loves you, and what else matters?”
“Nothing,” replied Astra, linking arms with her mother. “Dirdra-come and join us. We are family-as long as we remain together, Maldek cannot harm us.”
Dirdra took Astra’s other arm. Torio and Melissa took their places, and Zanos and Bryen forged the link on the other side of Cassandra.
The Master Sorcerer laughed. “I could kill you all, right there where you stand!”
“You can kill us,” said Melissa, “but you cannot bend us to your will. I was wrong about you, Maldek.
You haven’t yet learned that kindness makes friends as close as brothers, but threats create only frightened enemies.”
“Indeed? You want to be brothers? Do you want Bryen as your brother-gambler, extortionist, exploiter of other men’s pain? You didn’t like what you found very much, did you, Zanos?”
“He is my brother,” Zanos insisted. “We were separated as boys, so we don’t know one another very well yet-but we will come to understand each other.”
“You five who came so far together-Zanos, Astra, Torio, Melissa, Dirdra-do you feel like brothers and sisters? Do you really know one another any better than you do Bryen and Cassandra?”