earthdawn Anarya's Secret

by Tim Jones

  Next morning, the merriment was forgotten. The Borzim delegation bolstered their case by bringing in foresters, and Lethik was also found and brought before the gathering. He was amazed and delighted to see the position of prominence to which his benefactor Duke Kendik had risen. Inspired, Lethik conquered his nerves and gave a heartrending description of the destruction of his beloved water race. This stirred passions on both sides, and the whole gathering threatened to degenerate into chaos.

  Uthaia's voice spoke up clear above the din. "Listen," she said. "Listen!" The quarreling voices died down a little. "What you t'skrang really care about is the water, right? The trees are just a means to an end."

  "You are correct," said T'shifa. As the negotiations went on, she had increasingly taken the lead in speaking for the t'skrang, while Vulumensthetika confined herself to occasional comments.

  "So if we can agree on how much water there should be in the river at different times of the year, and how clean it has to be, then we can cut down trees for as long as the river is still high enough and clean enough. That sound right to you?"

  T'shifa opened her mouth to respond, but Vulumensthetika forestalled her. "Continue," she said.

  "So let's have a group of us that gets together to check the river. We agree on places and times to measure, we agree how much water there's got to be and how clean it is. We hire some windlings to go tell the foresters to stop chopping and start planting if the river's getting too bad."

  "Will you tell your citizens to stop defecating as well? Since that also fouls the river."

  There was snickering laughter in the t'skrang ranks at this sally from T'shifa.

  "Maybe we can work something out there too," said Uthaia. "But the point I'm making is, you don't really care how we keep the river good enough to fish and sail in, so long as we do. So why not leave the method up to us, as long as we agree on the results?"

  "Lord Kendik," said Vulumensthetika, "do you agree with this proposal?"

  Kendik was still sitting there open-mouthed at this stroke of genius by Uthaia. He could see some of the merchants making frantic signaling motions, but he chose to ignore them—even when the signal was a hand passed horizontally across the throat.

  "Yes," he said, "yes, I do."

  That was not the end of the negotiations—far from it. It was one thing to agree that the river should flow at a certain level, and quite another to agree what that level should be, or how or where to measure it—and how could you decide how clean a river was, anyway? But these were details, and here Lethik came to the fore, forgetting his discomfort at being in the presence of his social betters in the excitement of solving such interesting technical problems.

  It was near lunchtime on the third day before every last point was settled. Kendik decreed a short recess while scribes from both sides copied out the agreement to be signed. His back was stiff and sore from sitting in one position for so long. He and Anarya walked around the inner courtyard of the palace, watching the builders at work. This time, Kendik did not offer to help, but he did say hello to Ormanaria when he saw her walking by.

  She did not recognize him for a moment. Then she said "My, you've fallen on your feet! And who's this? Taken up with your girlfriend's daughter, have you? Don't trust him, missy, he'll leave you for your grandma next week, like as not." It is difficult to sashay while carrying a load of ornamental tiles, but somehow, Ormanaria managed it. Kendik watched her departing posterior thoughtfully. Anarya noticed him watching, and had some questions for him.

  Kendik took her into the wood so he could answer them in private.

  When they sauntered back into the palace, it was to find the majordomo looking harassed. "They are waiting for you!" he said. "In there!"

  Kendik hurried inside. "Sorry," he said, as faces turned to him.

  "Don't be," said Dinazhe.

  Chapter 21

  His lipless mouth stretched in an insolent smile, Dinazhe sprawled in Kendik's chair. As Kendik and Anarya stood in the doorway, Dinazhe stood up and, with a bow, gave up the chair to Kendik.

  "I warmed your chair for a moment. Now you have arrived, I cede the place of honor to you," he said. Dinazhe looked at Devlit, who hesitated for a moment and then hobbled away from his own chair, leaving it to Dinazhe.

  "Where is my aunt?" asked Anarya. She was still carrying her sword, and the whisper as she drew it was heard by everyone in the room.

  "Please, please, my dear, put that away. Is that how you repay your debt of gratitude to me? But we shall talk of this at some other time. Surely you did not think I would let these negotiations reach their conclusion without making sure that my interests were properly represented?"

  "And what might your interests be?" asked Kendik, still standing.

  "Peace. Order. Good governance, and non-interference in those matters that do not concern others. I obtained a copy of the agreement from one of your scribes, though he was most unwilling to give it to me." Dinazhe indicated a figure hunched over in one corner of the room. His arms and legs were twitching uncontrollably. "Devlit, be so good as to attend to that poor fellow."

  Devlit looked at Kendik. Kendik nodded, and Devlit went to snap the man out of whatever spell had been laid on him.

  "And as for you, Pale One," added Dinazhe, looking across at Hathilt, "I do not know what you are doing so far from your caves and your king, but do not think that any power you possess is sufficient to thwart my intentions or hinder my desires. When the mother of your mother was still breaking out of her egg, I knew more magic than you ever will."

  At this gross insult to both their magician and their species, hands went to weapons on the t'skrang side of the room, and in response, swords came free of scabbards on the human side. Kendik knew he must act.

  "Silence!" he roared. "This is a place of peace, however much Dinazhe tries to defile it with his foul presence and his foul words. He was not invited here, and he is not welcome here. Wizard, go back to whatever hole you came from and leave us in peace!"

  "Oh," said Dinazhe, "it has grown brave, now that circumstance and ambition have raised it to the lordship! It does not show gratitude for the boons I have granted it. It mouths its threats and expects me to cower in fear. Let me tell you, young upstart, that I will come and go as I please in Borzim, whenever and wherever I like. None of you can hinder me. Do not try."

  Dinazhe and Kendik stared at each other, the air thick with mutual dislike.

  Dinazhe shrugged. "Let us talk of more pleasant things," he said. "This agreement is well enough, as these things go. You will end up breaking it, of course, but in the meantime, the t'skrang may go back to their piracy and their dreams of empire, and the good merchants of Borzim may go back to filling their money bags and their bellies."

  "You always were a snake," said Uthaia, rising to her feet.

  "And Tesek always was a fool. I never knew what he saw in you. Perhaps you should tell your husband all about those nights you spent in the palace." Dinazhe leaned forward, his finger jabbing angrily towards Uthaia. Kendik held his breath, expecting to see Uthaia magically shriveled, or transformed into some small, scuttling creature. Uthaia stood with her hands on her hips and stared back at the magician. For the second time, Dinazhe shrugged.

  "Enough of this banter," he said. "Your agreement has my blessing. I bid you farewell." He tossed the parchment at Kendik's feet, then made the complex hand gesture Kendik had seen before. For a moment, there was a sense of a dark room opening behind him; then Dinazhe took one step backwards and winked from view.

  "I apologize for that intrusion," said Kendik. "I neither intended it nor wished for it. But he has gone now, and there is no reason that Dinazhe's little performance should delay the signing of our treaty. With one minor exception. Guards, seize the Wizard Devlit and hold him until I am ready to question him. Do not ill-treat him, but do not allow him to escape."

  The guards did as they were bidden. For a moment, Devlit raised his hands, as if he were contemplating the
use of some spell. When he saw Hathilt rise to his feet, he put his hands down again, and suffered himself to be led away.

  "We agree that there is no reason for further delay," said Vulu-mensthetika. "Though I will have Dinazhe's hide flayed from his body before I am done."

  After the principals read through the treaty, agreed that it said what it should, and signed it, the gathering broke up with little formality and less euphoria. Any feelings of satisfaction had been deflated by Dinazhe's intervention. The merchants of Borzim straggled off to return to the making of money. Uthaia stopped for a moment to talk to Kendik.

  "I should have known that a snake would have a poisoned tongue," she said.

  "Does your, er, did you ..."

  "Oh yes, he knows. My husband is no fool, and besides, I told him before we were married. Better that he found out then than after." She paused. "Tesek was not always as you saw him. He was always a brute, I suppose, but he had such energy when he was young. Such stamina, too ... And then, later, I pitied him ... Young man, you have started your reign at least as well as could have been expected. Call on me if you need me—for advice, I mean," she added, catching sight of Anarya's expression. "I find nowadays that most of my money makes itself, so I have more time to devote to good works, such as offering sage advice to my handsome but inexperienced ruler." She smiled and went away.

  Before long, the only humans in the room were Anarya, At-lan, Kendik, and his assigned guards. The t'skrang had remained. Kendik looked quizzically at Vulumensthetika.

  "Before we go," she said, "we thought you might require assistance in the interrogation of Devlit. I offer the services of Hathilt in this task. T'shifa would also like to attend the interrogation, if you will permit it." She saw the doubt on Kendik's face, and added "Hathilt will do no more than you ask. Devlit may not be a great Wizard, but is there any magician you trust in this town who has the necessary skills to wrest from him what he knows?"

  "No," said Kendik.

  "Very well. I assure you that the rest of our delegation will remain in this room until we are all ready to leave. While we wait, might we request more of that delicious fish?"

  Ten minutes later, Kendik was sitting behind Tesek's desk. Across from him stood Devlit, his hands bound behind his back, two guards watching his every move. Should Devlit work magic that did not need his hands, Hathilt was also in the room, with T'shifa along to keep an eye on proceedings.

  Devlit looked miserable. His guards had clearly exceeded their orders, for there was blood on his lip, and one eye was swelling shut. Kendik decided to have words with the guards about that. He would not permit them to behave as they had under Tesek.

  "Whom do you serve?" Kendik asked Devlit.

  "I serve the town of Borzim. I serve the art of magic. I do not serve Dinazhe."

  "Do you serve me?"

  "I serve the ruler of Borzim."

  "But you do not concede that I am the rightful ruler?"

  Devlit licked his lips but did not answer. "Hathilt can make him talk," came a dry voice from the corner.

  "I take it that you do not so concede," said Kendik. "Still, you see the chain I bear." The chain—Tesek's chain—gleamed in the light as Kendik lifted up the medallion at its base.

  Devlit nodded.

  "Speak up! It is your deeds, not your thoughts, that concern me. Do you agree that this is Lord Tesek's medallion of office?"

  Devlit peered at it. "It looks different somehow. Thicker," he said. "But no—no, I see it is the same."

  Kendik put the medallion back under his tunic.

  "They say," said Devlit, "that you took it from his body, after you had killed him."

  "They do, do they? Well, they say wrong. He was killed by crystal raiders. They dropped him from a great height out of their drak-kar, almost on top of me."

  "I tried to stop them taking him, but before I could finish my spell, they speared me in the leg," said Devlit.

  "He's right about that," put in one of Devlit's guards. "We'd been called to the balcony and I saw the whole thing. Tesek being pulled upwards, and spears raining down. What I hear is," added the guard, looking hard at Devlit, "it was your master who paid the crystal raiders to do it."

  "Dinazhe was loyal to Tesek," said Devlit. "I do not believe he would not do such a thing."

  "Then you admit," said Kendik, "that Dinazhe is your master." He nodded to Hathilt, who produced a small vial of potion and a copper spoon from the folds of his robe. It took all the strength of the two brawny guards to hold Devlit's mouth open long enough to make him swallow. After a few moments, during which Devlit vainly attempted to spit the foul-smelling stuff out, Hathilt nodded at Kendik.

  "You are now obliged to tell me the truth, Devlit," said Kendik.

  "Yes," said Devlit.

  "Is Dinazhe your master?"

  "No."

  "Has he ever been your master?"

  "No. But I wanted him to be."

  And Devlit embarked on his story. Even as a child, it had been plain that he had a talent for magic. His parents had seen to it that he received what training they could afford, and he seized the opportunity, rising to the rank of journeyman. When he returned to Borzim, he had come to the notice of Niatos, who invited him to the palace. Devlit thought he was to be taken into the older man's confidence and treated as his protege.

  What followed was three years of growing frustration. Niatos, as Devlit then knew him, granted Devlit the outer trappings of success—the Name and the cloak of a Wizard—while withholding from him everything that Devlit most wanted to know. Occasionally, Niatos would drop a hint that he was ready to take Devlit into his confidence, to allow him to participate in the experiments that, as Devlit knew, Niatos conducted when the rest of the palace was asleep. "I travel to strange places then," Niatos had told Devlit, "and learn great secrets. But perhaps you are yet too young. You must be strong indeed to see what I have seen, and do what I have done, yet remain whole and sane."

  Devlit began to suspect that Niatos was a Nethermancer as well as a Wizard. There had been times when Devlit considered turning down the same path, so desperate had he been to prove himself worthy of whatever dreadful secrets Niatos was withholding from him. When he had finished his endless lists of tasks for Niatos— gathering ingredients for potions whose purpose was unknown to him, or searching out scrolls written in languages he could not read—he would remain in his rooms, studying. But it sometimes seemed to him that Niatos had closed a fog over his mind, so that, however much he studied, he could never learn anything new, never progress beyond the level to which his original master had trained him. Between all this, and the barely concealed contempt with which Niatos treated him, he had come to a point at which he no longer knew whether he wished to live as he was, or try to kill Niatos and die in the attempt. In the end, by giving Niatos the original letter from the t'skrang, he had almost killed him by accident.

  "You had left the room by the time he touched it," said Kendik.

  "Yes, but I saw him, after. He was terrible! 'You gave this to me,' he said, 'you—'. But his strength was diminished, and whatever he tried to do to me, it did not work. He had to go away, go to where he could be healed."

  "And where is that?"

  "I do not know. He would never tell me where he went, or take me there."

  "When did he come back?"

  "Later the same day. He looked just as he always had. Under it all, though, he was still weak. That I could tell. He is strong again now."

  Kendik clenched his fists in frustration. During the long night of interrogation to which he and Sezhina had been subjected, Kendik had thought that Dinazhe was as powerful as he had ever been. If he had known how much the Nethermancer had been weakened, might he have been able to confront Dinazhe and rescue Sezhina?

  But such regrets were useless now.

  "Did you know he planned to leave and take a hostage with him?" Kendik asked.

  "No," said Devlit.

  "Did you aid him to retur
n today?"

  "No."

  "Did you do his bidding after he returned?"

  "I helped that man Dinazhe had attacked, but only after you let me."

  "You did his bidding when you gave up your chair to him."

  "I acted from habit. I still fear him."

  "Who do you serve, Devlit?"

  "I have no master," said Devlit.

  "Will you serve me, so long as I am ruler of Borzim?"

  "Yes."

  "If Dinazhe returns, will you still serve me, and oppose Dinazhe?"

  "He is too strong for me to oppose! But I will serve you as best I can."

  "Very well. Hathilt, how long will the potion's effect continue?"

  "It has almost worn off," the t'skrang magician said in his soft voice.

  They sat Devlit down in a chair. He dozed off briefly, and when he came back, he was as pale and hesitant as before.

  "Devlit," said Kendik, "you swore to serve me. Do you remember that?"

  "Yes," said Devlit, "yes, I do."

  "Good. We will discuss the scope of your duties later. They will include the resumption of your magical training. Your most pressing duty, however, is to watch out for Dinazhe's return, and inform me immediately if it occurs. Is that clear?"

  "Yes, milord," said Devlit.

  "Very well. Go, with my blessing and my thanks."

  "It will take him more years than he has to get to Dinazhe's circles," said T'shifa when he had gone. "That man is powerful indeed."