by Radu Aldea
Kara looked at it, the stone had been cleaned and the worlds were legible, and frowned. There was something she didn’t like and Maya was surprised. They were just words on a rock.
“It’s a fake. It’s got to be,” Kara finally said after studying the stela for a long time.
“It’s not. The style of the letters is consistent with the pre-veil writing we found on other stelae. I have dug it out of the ground and cleaned it. The writing is that old.”
“I didn’t say it’s not a good fake.”
Maya reached for the stone and Kara relinquished it without complaint. Come to think of it, the southerner was pensive, searching for something in her memories. The writing was not as clear as she previously thought. She could read a few words, but there was no context. …the unholy hordes of the enemy … the One Power useless… The reference to a war was obvious. What the One Power meant she had no idea. Apparently neither did Kara.
“The One Power? What is it?”
“I am not sure. I think it’s one of the wizard powers,” Cyprian answered.
“Do you know of other references to it?” Kara continued her questioning.
“No. It is the first time I encountered this term.”
“All right, it’s not a fake. I thought somebody may be playing a joke on you, but a forger wouldn’t use a term nobody had heard about. This supports your devastating war theory.”
Maya was surprised at how quickly Kara had acquiesced. She didn’t buy the argument, so something else must’ve been going on. It could be something as simple as Kara not wanting to antagonize the historian. Then again, she didn’t care about words written in stone four hundred years ago. And maybe Kara didn’t care that much either.
“This is the first reference to a historical event that took place before the veil?”
“Yes,” Cyprian answered Kara’s question. “The other epitaphs we have are personal. There isn’t much we can deduce from them about the lives of our ancestors.”
“This is unique and you must know unique is not good. The other historians will claim it is a fake, just like I did.” Kara looked at Cyprian and understood he agreed with her. “It is a commemorative stone, that much is obvious, maybe of an event, but more likely of a person.”
Cyprian was delighted with Kara’s musing. “Are you sure you’re not a historian?”
“Very sure!” Kara’s answer was dry, but Maya sensed the hint of amusement.
“The people in this town have a festival in honor of a wizard who saved the city from destruction once upon a time. They have sacrifices, processions, dances just like in the festivals for the gods. Every year they bring offerings to the sacred grove, where supposedly this wizard is buried. There is a tumulus in those woods, so I can tell you something is buried there.”
“And why do we allow them this festival in honor of a wizard who they think protected them from senators?” Maya asked.
“There wasn’t any harm done. We didn’t forbid it, not yet, anyway. This festival has been taking place since before anyone can remember. I checked and there is no record of any battles taking place here or the city being in peril. I think they commemorate an earlier event.”
“And you think the stela proves they are remembering an actual historical event.”
“Of course! How can anyone doubt it?”
“Very easily, I’m afraid,” Kara answered. “The hordes of the enemy certainly sound a lot like a senatorial army. The epithet unholy bothers me and gives a religious undertone to this conflict. The problem is with the second part of the text. You don’t have the context. You don’t know how they are connected. You assume the One Power is a power of a wizard and he used it on the hordes of the enemy, but it was useless. That is one reading. Another way is to think the One Power belongs to the enemy and it was useless against your wizard. This is problematic, but I think less so than your reading. Wizards have many powers, so it is a little odd to call one of them the One Power, which indicates a primacy of sorts, but none of them is useless, certainly not against humans. On the other hand, we already agreed the hordes of the enemy could be a senatorial army and it makes more sense for the One Power to be another name for the senatorial power. After all, we only have one power, which, I dare say, we consider superior to the others. This is one great piece of propaganda.”
“Why?” Teresa asked the question, but Maya wanted to understand Kara’s reasoning.
“The Order is considered the newest power on the scene and the wizards and the Conclave older. There is good reason for this. In the first histories, the senators are a minor power, mostly ignored, ranked in third place, at best. What we see, if we take under account all histories, is the Order’s power growing and growing as time passes. What the stela fragment suggests is that the enemy is the dominant power. It speaks of a desperate battle against a formidable opponent. And if the enemy the stela speaks of is the Order, and it very well might be, then we are the older, more dominant power and our position was usurped by wizards.”
Maya understood now why it was a brilliant piece of propaganda. Senators would love it if someone proved they only reclaimed their rightful position.
“Is this true?” Teresa asked her husband.
“It is a comprehensive and intriguing reading of the text, which has merit. The historical facts are accurate, so she could be right. The problem is there isn’t a lot of space between the two parts of the text we can read for many words. It could say something like the unholy hordes of the enemy are at the gate or at the walls, nothing more. When you see as many of these inscriptions as I have, you get a feeling for what’s missing even if you can’t read the words. They are usually formulaic, so it is easier then, but it’s not the case now. The subject seems to be the hordes, not the enemy, and they can’t have any real power. They are more like puppets than puppeteers. The One Power is not theirs.”
Kara took back the stone to study it again. Apparently she wasn’t convinced by Cyprian’s reasoning. The southerner was frowning. Something she saw she didn’t like.
“We have a bard who performs the epic wonderfully. Perhaps you would like to hear it.”
Maya didn’t like to waste any more time in this damn city, but she was intrigued. She didn’t often get the opportunity to watch bards. They did entertain at Robert’s villa from time to time, but she didn’t like to stay there long. She preferred the theater and she didn’t like Philip salivating over her. Now she had the chance to see something amazing.
“Does the hero die a slow, painful death in the end?” Maya asked.
“Of sorts!”
Cyprian’s answer was enough for her. “Then I would love to see it.”
“I think I’ll stay, too!” Kara’s decision unsettled her. Maya hoped the powerful senator would leave without giving her a second thought. Obviously, that didn’t happen, but Maya didn’t think she was the reason for Kara’s delay. The Suttland senator had her own plans and could just wait for Maya. There was no easy way to get out without being noticed if Kara was truly watching. Unfortunately, Kara didn’t need to be somewhere close in order to get her.
The rest of the evening passed without any incidents. The conversation, although it flowed easily, held no more interest for her. Kara was invited to sleep here and accepted saying it was already late and didn’t want to return to her inn because it might be dangerous. Maya suspected the powerful senator didn’t like her room and that was why she stayed here.
She didn’t get to her room when they all retired because she was accosted by Teresa. Cyprian’s wife was shrewd and pragmatic in a way her husband, although a genius, wasn’t.
“What do you think?”
Maya didn’t play this game. She knew exactly what Teresa was asking, but pretended not to understand. “What do I think about what?”
“What do you think of our guest?”
Yes, that was the question, the first one of many, and Maya certainly wasn’t going to tell the truth. She couldn’t just outright lie, Tere
sa would suspect something, but she could muddle the truth with lies so nobody could tell the difference. “I think she’s dangerous!”
That was an intentionally vague statement that was open to interpretation. Teresa would take from it whatever she wanted to hear and draw her own conclusions.
“You had the same thought I did. She’s a spy.”
No, they definitely didn’t think alike. For Cyprian’s wife a spy was dangerous. If she knew Kara Arvillia was her guest she would freak out. “Possibly! She has a lot of gold.”
Another true sentence that told absolutely nothing. Teresa, again, would draw her own conclusions. It did irritate her that Kara had all that gold and she practically had nothing.
“Do you plan to rob her?”
Apparently some of her irritation leaked out and Teresa noticed. “No! Are you?”
“No! You are right. She is dangerous and I don’t want Leon for an enemy. She is Robert’s problem and he will have to deal with her.”
“Are you really going to give up all that gold and be a good little client?”
Teresa laughed. “You have nothing to gain so you’ll send a message to Robert. If we don’t report Olivia’s visit we could be in a lot of trouble.”
That was true, but the last thing Maya wanted was for Robert to be informed of Kara’s presence. Even if he thought she was Olivia, he might decide to investigate and that could create problems. She didn’t think he would be able to find Kara, but why take the chance. “After what we’ve been through today I’m not feeling very informative towards Robert. So if you will share some of that gold with me, I’ll keep quiet.”
“You were considering robbing her, weren’t you? You little sneak!”
She didn’t tell Teresa she thought it was impossible to steal from Kara. It wasn’t as if the Circle member was going to sleep in this house. “I’m tired of having nothing.”
“I can understand that. What do you think she wants to do with those books?”
That was what Maya wanted to know. She had an idea, but it was so outrageous she was having trouble considering it. One thing was certain, though. A senator of Kara’s power didn’t bother with looking for some books if it wasn’t really important, especially when there were more pressing things to do. “She probably wants to own something rare and valuable.”
“Do you think they exist?”
“Your husband doesn’t think so.”
“Even if they’re real, she can’t get them. The Metteli and the Levilli aren’t just going to give them to her. I want to see how Julia will react when Olivia asks her to sell the book.”
Maya didn’t need to see it. She knew exactly how it would go if Olivia would ask. But it wasn’t going to be Olivia who was going to do the asking. She was pretty certain Kara didn’t want Julia’s book. She wanted all the others. And she was powerful enough to get them.
“You’re right.” Maya excused herself saying she was tired and wanted to go to sleep.
Chapter twenty-three
“Well, I am going to sleep. I am too tired to go on like this. You can kill me now if you want.” Tamzin Enondra looked deadly serious when she said that.
They had left Veneguard four days ago and neither dared to sleep, each fearing the other. Things couldn’t go on like this for much longer and something was going to give way. Right now it looked like the empress had had enough. Alexandra could go on like this at least for one more day. She was not convinced she shouldn’t take Tamzin’s advice and kill the bitch.
“I’m considering it!”
Tamzin laughed. For days they had barely spoken a word to one another and they both regarded the other with suspicion. Alexandra felt as if she was petting an untamed tiger. For now, the tiger was behaving, but there was no guarantee it wouldn’t just turn on her.
“Well, consider it some more while I sleep. Just remember, if you don’t kill me I will be rested and I might do the same to you when you sleep. That’s what you think, isn’t it, that I came with you to kill you? Because you are so smart and everyone else is so dumb.”
Alexandra didn’t know how to answer. No, she didn’t think she was smarter than everybody else and she had known Tamzin for an awfully long time and the empress wasn’t stupid or insane. Only her recent actions had made Alexandra wonder.
“You are going to ruin us and bring about the destruction of the Conclave.”
“Really? What have I done that is so terrible?” Alexandra didn’t exactly know how to answer that question. She realized Tamzin was right, the empress hadn’t done anything wrong. All the orders she had actually given, Alexandra agreed with them. Yes, she was haughty and looked down on them, and yes, she indulged her husband too much, but there was nothing else she could think of. “I certainly didn’t throw a temper tantrum and kill soldiers of the imperial guard just because I could, although, I admit, they might’ve deserved it.”
“I had nothing to do with that.”
Tamzin laughed again. “Look in my eyes and guess how much I care about it.”
Alexandra looked at her and guessed she didn’t care at all. “Then why did you bring it up at the council meeting? Well, at least now we know our leader is spying on us.”
“I didn’t spy on you. I don’t have that kind of resources. Edwin was the one who told the emperor about it. If I hadn’t said anything about it, he would’ve and it would’ve been worse.”
“That snake dares to spy on us? I’m going to kill him!”
“Yes and that seems to be your solution for everything.” Tamzin was smiling.
“Since when do we allow humans to question us?”
“Since there are millions of them and only hundreds of us and if they unite they could crush us. We are not the Order. We don’t inspire the same fear in them they do.”
“Perhaps we should!”
“We can’t! We are powerful, but we are not senators. We can’t control them like they can or know what they think. We cannot instill the same fear in them. That is a reason why they are the foremost power of the empire. All this being true, imagine my surprise to learn that my sisters didn’t tell me Veneguard is boiling.”
“Yvonne should’ve told you and maybe she would’ve if you had treated us like equals.”
Tamzin’s laughter was bitter. “Ten years ago when my mother was elected to lead the Conclave I lost all my friends. Those who didn’t vote for her, like you, were suddenly distant. Don’t look at me like that, you know it’s true. We were friends until she was elected and after that you wanted nothing to do with me. The rest, I soon realized, were not really my friends. They only wanted to carry favor with the Reverend Mother. I distanced myself from them. Soon, I realized I was truly alone. I could only count on myself. Years later, I had to marry a weak man I didn’t want to marry, but I obeyed because it was for the benefit of my sisters. You all thought I did it for power and got colder. So excuse me if I seem conceited to people who have no idea what I sacrificed for them.”
“I’m sorry!”
“What do you have to be sorry about? We all had to make decisions. I can live with mine.” There was no bitterness in Tamzin.
“I was your friend and I abandoned you. I shouldn’t have.”
Tamzin yawned. “It’s all right, Alexandra. I don’t hold it against you. It was a complicated situation. I need to sleep now. You might not think so, but I know you. I know why you killed those soldiers. Why you tried to save that girl. You are trying to make the world better. I may not agree with your methods, but you always mean well.”
Alexandra saw the empress close her eyes and turn her back to her. They were both tired, but one of them would have to keep watch. She would take the first shift and wake Tamzin up after she was a little rested. Why didn’t they have this talk days ago?
“Why do you encourage him? You must know he is at best delusional, if not insane.”
“You really don’t want me to go to sleep, do you? Fine! You were talking about my husband. He isn’t insane. He just d
oesn’t have the strongest grip on reality. He thinks everyone should obey him because he is emperor. He ignores the realities of the world. Even so, I really thought he was harmless. I have done my best to curb his more eccentric tendencies.”
“He wants to invade Suttland. I don’t think you did a very good job.”
Tamzin burst into laughter. “He’s going to invade Suttland with what? Didn’t you say he won’t be able to gather an army?” Alexandra remembered she did say something like that. “He doesn’t have power. All he can do is shoot his mouth off. At least that’s what I believed.”
“And something has changed?”
“Well, two powerful senators died! I don’t know! I truly don’t know if he had anything to do with it. I didn’t think he had that kind of power, but he might’ve.”
“He really thinks senators from Suttland conspired against him?”
“It’s complicated, Alexandra. And believe me, you don’t want to know.”
“You heard the rumors sorceresses were involved in the death of the senators?”
“I have!”
“You think your husband might’ve had help from our sisters?”
“He might’ve had some, but not from the sisters in Veneguard.”
The empress was hiding something, Alexandra was sure of that. Until now she had thought Tamzin had become as delusional as her husband. Now, for the first time, she had doubts. Maybe Tamzin simply had more information. She didn’t think it was possible for sorceresses to be involved in an attack on senators, but her companion didn’t discount the idea. Which meant something was terribly wrong with the Conclave.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill him?”
“Kill my husband? I considered it and although it might make me feel better it wouldn’t be easier. It is impossible to foresee the consequences of assassinating him.”
Alexandra didn’t think there would be any. He had virtually no power, the humans of Veneguard hated him, the lords practically ignored him, senators didn’t know he existed and her sisters were stuck with protecting him. She couldn’t think of anyone who was worse off if he was gone, but there were some who would be better off.