‘Your father—Jon Farmer? There were no other Farmers recorded in the Summerbrook region before your father. Farmer is a very common name, of course, and there are Farmers recorded in similar districts all over West Shess, but none of them named a son Jon. Your father, with a foreign first name, just suddenly appears on the records. Why is that?’
‘I don’t know,’ Meg replied, but her memory stirred with Emma’s explanation of her family history. ‘I grew up there. That’s all I’ve ever known.’
Sunset leaned forward and touched the amber necklet. ‘This I do know about. Where did you say you got it from again?’
Meg couldn’t remember ever telling the Queen about the crystal, apart from it being an heirloom. ‘It was given to me by an old man—a soothsayer.’
‘What was his name?’
‘Samuel.’
‘Samuel? Another strange name. Samuel who?’
‘He had no surname. He was only Samuel to me.’
‘You’re not telling me everything, are you?’
Meg’s eyes flickered and Sunset said gently: ‘People are willing to kill you for this trinket. My Elite Guards have stopped three separate attempts by assassins to get into the palace in the past cycle.’
‘Three?’ Meg gasped. ‘To kill me?’
‘I’m guessing it’s you,’ said the Queen. ‘I know I’m not the most popular person in Port of Joy since I defeated Future and locked him in the Bogpit.’
‘The what?’
‘The Royal dungeon, across the bay. My grandfather built it to lock away the city’s undesirables. It’s either that or publicly execute him,’ Sunset explained. ‘What would you have done?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘I hope your son never puts you in that position.’ Sunset’s eyes watered, but she bit her lip. ‘Someone is determined to get your necklet. Vale has told me everything he knows about Conduits. He’s told me the extent of your magical power. And he’s told me that the Holy Order of Seers will rail against you as an abomination—a heresy. Because of your lack of faith, Seer Diamond and the others will want you executed or incarcerated.’ Sunset held out her arms to take the baby. Meg lifted him away from her breast and wrapped him inside his shawl. Cradled in her arms, she smiled at the tiny sleeping face, before she handed him to the Queen. ‘You know the reasons,’ Sunset continued. ‘You’re a woman. You don’t obviously worship Jarudha. And they’re jealous because you’ve shown that you are a true Potential, not just an acolyte who might be able to create some minor magic like lighting a fire or creating an illusion to fool the simple-minded. But what I want to know is how you came to have this crystal in your possession.’
‘I told you. It came from Samuel.’
‘But who was Samuel? And how did he get hold of it?’
How much could she tell the Queen of Emma’s brief explanation of her genealogy? She sighed. ‘I don’t understand much of my family’s history,’ she began, ‘but I was told that Samuel was my great-uncle. And I was apparently named after my many-times-past grandmother, who Emma said had magical powers. My father’s real family name was Kushel. That’s all I know.’
‘Kushel. An eastern foreign name.’ Sunset shook her head. ‘It doesn’t mean anything to me, although it explains why your father’s name appeared on the register as Farmer. You are a mystery, then, Meg Farmer, and a mystery we have to unravel for your own safety. Seer Diamond has been demanding an interview with you, especially when he learned from Vale that your magical ability extends well beyond healing. I’ve kept him at bay to allow you to learn as much as you could, and, of course—’ she glanced down ‘—to give you space for Jon’s birth.’
‘So will I be meeting with Seer Diamond?’
‘You’ll be meeting with the Council of Seers in fifteen days,’ Sunset replied, passing Jon back to Meg. ‘And I will chair the meeting.’
Whisper sat on the edge of the cradle, sleek black coat shimmering in the flickering candlelight as she peered at the tiny face. Meg sat beside the cradle, watching the rat. ‘So what do you think?’ she asked. The rat sat up and started cleaning her whiskers. ‘Not very interesting for you, is he?’ Meg remarked, and she lifted Whisper onto her shoulder. She checked that baby Jon was sleeping and securely wrapped, before she turned away and opened a book on her desk. The language was foreign, a strange, jagged style with dots and strokes above letters that complicated the translation, but slowly meaning formed. Called The Code of Dreams, the author, Hrashu Ekka, explored dream interpretation. Meg had found the title in the library and she hoped that it would give her insight into her dreams. They had not lessened in intensity in recent times, but they were far less frequent. While some were unique, she also seemed to be going through familiar sequences, and it was those that she wanted to clarify. Her traumatic experience with the visions about Treasure had scarred her to the point where she feared situations that looked anything like those she’d seen in the context of her dreams.
She read the text quickly, but her comprehension was thorough. Ekka’s thesis was that dreams were efforts of the mind to make sense of the jumble of knowledge that was siphoned through it every day. They were signposts insofar as they assembled the ideas that were considered important into an order, rarely a logical one, and the content reminded the sleeping mind of what was important. From this, Meg deduced that her dreams about Treasure reflected her fear for his safety engendered by her love for him, and that she’d seen his death because she didn’t want it to happen to him. But how did she dream of the blue knight when she’d never known of such a thing? And how did she dream the forging of the sword of light? Ekka’s account couldn’t answer her questions.
Frustrated, she closed the book and opened another, checking on Jon before she commenced reading. Whisper climbed from her shoulder and curled up on her favourite section of sheepskin mat. This book was written in the same style as the one that described the city Yul Ithyrandyr, so her translation was almost instantaneous. She unconsciously touched her amber necklet as she began reading The Ways of Light, an instruction manual on the casting of light spells.
The candle flame flickered and wax hissed. Meg looked up from her reading and realised the candle had almost burned out. She rose to fetch another, but hesitated and glanced at the book she’d been reading. She flicked back several pages and reread a spell. Straightening, she shook her head, laughing quietly. ‘I must be overtired,’ she murmured. She closed her eyes, extended her arms and cupped her hands. Concentrating, she imagined a ball of white light forming in her palms. When she opened her eyes, a sphere of light floated exactly as she imagined. She stared in disbelief, overwhelmed by her own creation. Collecting her senses, she followed the text instructions and made the sphere rise slowly towards the ceiling, spreading its light wider across the chamber. Whisper stirred and sat up on her haunches, her tiny paws rubbing her eyes. ‘Impressed?’ Meg asked the rat, as she admired her handiwork.
The mending of the broken glass under Vale’s instructions had been her turning point. Before then, while she knew instinctively that she could work feats of magic, she refused to believe in magic. Now, she knew otherwise. It wasn’t whether or not magic was possible—it was a question of her limitations. How much could she learn? Bathed in the pure light from the sphere, she returned to reading The Ways of Light, utterly intent on memorising the instructions.
Nine people were waiting. Meg stood at the entrance, attended by Smallone and six Elite Guards. The elongated meeting hall in the palace was new to her. The nine people sat on high-backed, black padded chairs on one side of a long mahogany table. A solitary wooden chair awaited Meg on the opposite side. ‘Smallone? You and the Guards may leave,’ Queen Sunset announced from her position at the centre of the assembled group. Her blonde hair was braided and curled, and on it was a precariously perched thin silver emerald-studded coronet. ‘Lady Amber, please sit.’
Meg recognised individuals. To the Queen’s left were the Seers in their blue robes: Diamond, Light,
Onyx and Vale. On the Queen’s right, she recognised the Intermediary, Follower. Beside Follower was a man in black, presumably another of the Queen’s Counsels, although Meg couldn’t recall seeing the dark-bearded man. There were two more Seers who were strangers.
‘Welcome, Lady Amber,’ Queen Sunset said, as Meg took her seat. ‘Most of us you already know. I will introduce those whom you do not.’ The Queen looked to her left. ‘Beside Follower is Tithe Lord City Protector. He is responsible for the security of Port of Joy and its immediate regions. And then there is Seer Pathway. And Seer Knowledge. They have just returned from a diplomatic journey.’ She paused, and then said, ‘The purpose of this meeting is quite simple—to determine your status in the kingdom. All members of this council are familiar with the events surrounding your situation. There will be an opportunity for them to ask questions of you, and for you to ask any questions of the council. Then the council will adjourn and you will be informed of the decision as soon as it is reached.’ Queen Sunset sat back, saying, ‘First, gentlemen, does anyone have questions to ask of Lady Amber?’
Seer Light spoke first. ‘My question is simple,’ he said, as he gave Meg his customary unfriendly glare. ‘Do you believe in Jarudha?’
She knew what her answer should be, but she met Light’s gaze and replied, ‘I don’t know.’
Light snorted and folded his arms. ‘I have all I need,’ he stated bluntly.
‘They say you can make magic at will,’ said Seer Knowledge. ‘Is it true?’
‘Yes,’ she replied, assessing the mood and nature of the stranger. His hair was long and grey like his colleagues’, although darker, suggesting he was younger. ‘I can.’
‘I’d like proof,’ Knowledge said.
Queen Sunset looked at her. ‘Can you show him proof?’
Meg stood and held out her arms, palms cupped, and created a ball of light that she sent floating towards the high ceiling, accompanied by gasps of astonishment. She clapped her hands and the light sphere vanished. ‘Extraordinary!’ said Knowledge.
‘An illusion!’ Light snapped contemptuously.
‘You witnessed the illusion of healing as well, didn’t you?’ Queen Sunset retorted, glaring at Light. ‘Are there other questions?’
‘I want to know about the Conduit,’ Diamond said.
‘You’ve been briefed,’ Sunset reminded him.
‘I want to hear it from Amber,’ Diamond insisted.
Meg repeated what she’d previously told the Queen. ‘That’s all I know,’ she ended.
‘What does the name Erin mean to you?’ Light asked.
‘You know I know who he is.’
‘And the Immortals?’
‘Apart from what’s recorded in the scriptures?’
‘Yes,’ Light said.
‘Nothing.’ But she remembered Emma had said that she was a descendant of the Immortals.
‘Nothing at all?’ he persisted.
‘I was told once that there were Immortals,’ she told him, trying to assemble the fragments from Emma’s conversations. ‘I heard of someone called Erin. He had a sister with a strange name. And someone called Alwyn, who’s called The Prophet in The Word. But that’s all I know.’
Light’s expression told her he didn’t believe her, but he sat back, feigning satisfaction. ‘Any other questions?’ Queen Sunset asked. ‘Diamond?’ He shook his head. The others followed suit. She looked at Meg. ‘And questions from you, Lady Amber?’
Meg looked along the table. Summoning her courage, she asked, ‘Why are you all afraid of me?’
Diamond’s eyebrows rose, while Light simply snorted and turned away. Curiously, it was Onyx who answered. ‘No one is afraid of you, Amber. In all my years as a Seer, and before that, as an acolyte, I have never seen someone with the range and strength of a Potential that I witness in you.’
‘I think she gets the point, Onyx,’ Diamond said, in undisguised warning to his colleague. Onyx sat back, shutting his eyes.
Queen Sunset waited for anyone else to speak, and when no one did, she said, ‘Then the council is adjourned.’ To Meg, she said, ‘You may go.’
Outside, Smallone was waiting with her escort, and she asked them to take her to the library. Among the books that had become her refuge and her hope, she pondered the import of the meeting. She knew where the Queen sat on the debate. She knew nothing about Follower or the Tithe Lord, and although neither had spoken or given any hint of their stand in the matter, she assumed they would be loyal to their monarch. The Seers had the prevailing numbers on the council, but she was surprised that they were divided. Light’s opinion was obvious, and she was certain Diamond agreed with him. Vale’s willingness to help her learn in the library surely meant that he was on her side. Onyx’s final comment suggested that he was undecided, although his reaction to Diamond’s intervention showed he was most likely governed by Diamond. And the new Seers were wildcards.
Jewel was entertaining little Jon. Meg rubbed her swollen breasts. She had this precious moment to select new reading material, before it would be time to feed Jon again. Out of all that had happened, at least there was Jon.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Leader Westridge was dressed as if he was going into battle, and Sunfire sat at his feet, looking expectantly at Meg. She greeted Westridge, and hugged her dingo. Magpies warbled in the palace garden trees and the low clouds were tinged with golden sunrays. ‘It’s very early,’ she said as she straightened up. ‘Why the armour?’
‘We’re marching south,’ Westridge told her. ‘War’s broken out with Beranix the Butcher. He’s incited the chieftains in his kingdom against us.’
‘Why?’
‘Why any war?’ he asked in return. ‘My guess is that Beranix wants our land. Isn’t that what war is always about?’
‘When do you leave?’
‘Now,’ he said. ‘That’s why I’ve brought Sunfire. I’m leaving and there’s no one who can look after him in the garrison. Queen Sunset knows about this—or at least she should know. She’s sending us away.’
‘He’ll stay with me,’ Meg said, as the dingo padded away to rummage through the bushes at the edge of the courtyard. ‘How long will you be gone?’
He shrugged. ‘Last time they said we’d be three cycles, and the Rebel war lasted three years. They tell us this time we’ll beat Beranix’s army as soon as we meet them in battle. Who knows?’
‘I’ll wait for you to come back,’ she said, trying to offer the soldier solace.
‘I’ll be back,’ he said, grinning. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. ‘I hope that didn’t offend you, my lady?’
She blushed and smiled. ‘No. Not at all, Leader Westridge.’
‘How’s your son?’
‘Jon is well. He’s growing strong.’
‘Don’t ever send him to war.’
‘I won’t.’
Westridge bowed his head politely. ‘I’d better go. The army’s already marshalling outside the city and I’ll be missed if I don’t hurry.’
She wished him luck and watched him walk to the gates. When he’d gone she called Sunfire. He loped out of the shrubbery to her side.
In her chamber, she fed baby Jon and helped Jewel to bathe him. Whisper was eager to play with Sunfire, and the reunited animals threatened to create havoc until Meg sternly reprimanded them. Content to explore the new space, Sunfire padded around the rooms, sniffing and searching, followed closely by Whisper, and a vigilant Jewel whose fascination with the animals amused Meg while she played with Jon. ‘Will we go down to the library today, Lady Meg?’ Jewel asked, when she noticed that little Jon was growing drowsy.
‘Later today,’ Meg replied. ‘I have books here to read first.’
She let Jewel take the baby from her to nurse to sleep, and headed for her desk, where she opened a heavy black book titled The Legend of the Demon Horsemen. She’d retrieved it from the library when she’d happened upon the title in the section devoted to Western Shess literatur
e and history because she had already heard the Demon Horsemen mentioned several times—by old Samuel and by the soldiers—and she was curious to unravel the mythology.
By the day’s end, between feedings and her own meals, and taking Sunfire for an exploratory walk of the palace grounds in the watchful company of six Elite Guards, she finished the book. What she learned in part corroborated the soldiers’ talk that the Demon Horsemen were Jarudha’s spiritual servants responsible for collecting souls of the dead. But there was much more to their tale than the role of carrion carriers. According to accounts by various writers—the book was a composite work—the Demon Horsemen were vengeful spirits, whose real purpose was to scour the land of evildoers and all who did not faithfully follow Jarudha. If summoned to do His work by a priest with the blessing to do so, they would come on black horses, steeds with pestilent breath and magical strength and endurance, and they would arrive in the teeth of a violent storm, sweeping down upon their hapless quarry in a cold, remorseless wave of misery and slaughter. Being creatures of magic, they were immune to mortal weapons, and only a Jarudhan priest with Jarudha’s blessing could return them to their spiritual existence.
And there was an entry, close to the end, that chilled Meg’s spirit because of its prophetic and angry tone. A writer, Seer Newday, declared, ‘The time is coming, and soon, when the Holy Order of Seers will band together, against the sin and depravity that grips the common people, and summon the Demon Horsemen to destroy this evil land, and replace it with the pure paradise Jarudha meant to exist here under our collective wisdom.’ Newday went on to describe the new Jarudhan order—a world with fundamentalist values and laws that enforced harsh punishments, and marginalised women and minorities in social value. The writer was inciting a violent religious revolution. Not the apocalyptic threat, so much as the assertion that the Seers would deliberately summon the Demon Horsemen to establish their own rule, is what unsettled her. In the written words she heard echoes of Samuel’s prophesying in Summerbrook’s marketplace.
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