by Radu Aldea
“Fine! Don’t come to me for help when your recklessness gets you in trouble.”
“Yes, you are right. I think we should wait until I’m dead too and I’m sure the Sabini, Honoryi and Casti won’t have their boots on your neck and will wait for proof before they attack and if they don’t have any they will live peaceful lives and never in a million years would they think to take over the Senatorial Order. Foolish me! Of course we should wait.”
“Have it your way! We’ll leave in the morning.” Leon walked out.
Kiernan and Freya did not follow their patron. Apparently they hadn’t given up yet and thought they were more persuasive than Leon. “What do you two want?”
“We wanted you to know how sorry we are about Kara,” Freya spoke. “She was a good friend to us too. You don’t have to tell us what happened, but we will help if you ask.”
Freya was speaking the truth unless she had some talents Julia didn’t know about. Aleyna could lie to a senator, but the human had been Kara’s companion for a very long time. Freya was a later addition, so, just like Adrian, she didn’t have the skills.
“Senatorial involvement is certain. Not any of mine or of the Arvillii, though. We’ve checked! Maybe sorceresses too, but humans were definitely present.”
“The three hundred you were looking for.” Kiernan was not asking, he was stating.
“So you are thinking senators have taken over sorceresses and used them as well as humans to attack Kara and Rufus. That’s why you couldn’t find them,” Freya asked.
“I’m thinking a lot of things. This is only one of them. And no, that’s not why.”
“They couldn’t find the three hundred humans because they are already dead and a sorceress or more than one made them disappear.” Kiernan was sure of himself.
“That’s one thought. There simply wasn’t conclusive proof for the sorceresses.”
Julia may like and even trust the couple, but she wasn’t going to reveal Kara might still be alive. The last thing she wanted was for people to start searching for her friend.
“And as you said, you have many thoughts.” Was Freya attempting a joke? “You know what bothers me? How did you come up with that number, three hundred? Why not one hundred or one thousand? Kara could defeat three hundred, unless they were under the control of a Circle member. If I were the suspicious kind, I would think you had a witness.”
She always knew Freya was smart. Some humans were. Aleyna’s survival was not a closely guarded secret, she had made more than one appearance, nor was it advertised. They didn’t share everything they knew in the hope someone would betray himself or herself. But if Freya was able to reason it out, others would be able to do the same.
“It’s a good thing you are not the suspicious kind, then. Let’s just say three hundred were alive at one moment. In the beginning there were many more. The survivors were well trained, disciplined, not under the direct control of senators and willing to attack one of us. I’m telling you this for two reasons. You should be really careful around humans and Freya has the contacts to ask around about them. They might be an organized group.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible. A conspiracy of this magnitude would be found. We all know senators read a lot more human minds than people think, especially when they are soldiers or commanders. Nevertheless, I will ask. And you don’t know where they came from?”
“I’m afraid I don’t.”
“They came from where we can’t go. That’s why you suspect sorceresses,” Kiernan said.
“Among other things!” Julia replied.
There was nothing more to be said on the subject. Freya and Kiernan understood that and were still giving each other looks. Getting information about Kara was not the only reason they were here. Julia was sure they wanted to talk about something else and weren’t sure how to begin. This made her more than a little curious.
“We all know you are preparing for a war,” Kiernan spoke. “You don’t care who attacked Kara because you want to kill every plausible suspect. Unlike Leon, I know you are not reckless or impulsive. You have a plan. I’m not asking what it is. I’m only offering you my help, just like Freya said. However, I’ll be of much more use if I am the head of the family.”
Julia understood where Kiernan was heading. He was ambitious, who knew. Leon didn’t have a lot of support within the family. He didn’t have children or relatives who would stand by him no matter what. Kiernan was powerful, but she wasn’t sure he could take over the family. She was going to get rid of Leon, but not just yet. “I don’t interfere with other families.”
“That’s all we’re asking,” Freya told her.
“Are you sure you have enough support?”
“I do. Leon’s leadership in this crisis is being questioned. He was good enough in peacetime, but war is coming. However, I can’t risk the animosity of the other families, especially yours. As things are now, nobody would care, but I still thought it wise to warn you.”
“Thank you for your consideration, but it sounds to me it’s an internal family problem.”
They were content with the cunning smile on her face. “Thank you!”
“By the way, the attack starts tonight.”
Chapter twenty-seven
They hadn’t encountered any more problems since their quick dispatch of the assassins. They were more careful than before, staying well away of the main roads and the populated areas. They avoided all the places where they thought senators would easily find them. Which should’ve been a lot harder than it actually was if senators were looking for them. They knew where they had been, that Alexandra and Tamzin killed their humans and could send others after them. Senators had gotten really good at hunting wizards. Alexandra couldn’t understand how they lost them. The two sorceresses were good, but not that good.
“Maybe they didn’t have more soldiers who could get to us and by the time the senator or senators could send others, we were gone.” Again, Tamzin seemed to read her mind.
“He or she or they aren’t that powerful, then. The attempt had only minimal chance of success. I’m a little disappointed, I expected more from senators.”
The empress smiled. They had been traveling for what seemed like forever and they were both tired. They managed to get some sleep at night, but with both taking turns standing watch, it wasn’t nearly enough. And there was the concern senators would strike again.
“Be happy they are not as good as you think they are. There is some more good news. It seems we are not dealing with the Order in totality or even an entire family.”
That was not as comforting as Tamzin thought and it made Alexandra wonder. There were some unanswered questions, but she wasn’t going to get the answers here.
“It also means it’s safe to speak to your senatorial contact,” Tamzin said.
They could, but that didn’t mean they should. She trusted him as much as she trusted any senator. The Conclave had dealings with him and she had facilitated their trade. The senator had made a lot of money in the process, and so did the sorceresses. He would loath to lose that source of income, but he would if his masters ordered him. He was not a powerful senator. Those who were didn’t lower themselves to negotiating with sorceresses.
“We are not far now. He will know when we are close. As nervous as senators are right now, his soldiers are probably patrolling the area around his villa all day.”
She had been right. About an hour later they could see the villa. It wasn’t fortified and did nothing to protect against an attack. It was one of those residencies that were built for the scenery. And she had to admit the area was beautiful. The peaks of the Aldurians to the east, a river to the north and a small forest to the west made it a stunning location for a house. The person who chose it knew what he was doing. The immediate area around the villa was cleared, offering no hiding spot for someone approaching it. Senators were obsessive about security.
She wasn’t disappointed. They ran into soldiers long before t
hey reached the villa. The two sorceresses could’ve gotten closer, had they wished it, but they would’ve been seen sooner rather than later. Since their intentions weren’t nefarious, they weren’t hiding.
“Tell Julian Alexandra Stormayer is here to see him,” she told the soldiers.
It took a while to get the answer. For a moment she thought Julian would refuse. After all, he was under no obligation to see them. That would nullify their trade agreements, but it looked like Julian had accumulated enough wealth and might decide to risk it. He could’ve been cautious too. Nobody thought someone would be foolish enough to attack a senator and yet it happened. Julian might think they had come for him. One powerful sorceress he might be able to face on his own, as doubtful as that sounded to Alexandra, for two he would need help.
Then one of the soldiers told them to follow him and it was clear Julian had agreed to the meeting. Alexandra would’ve sighed with relief if she had thought the soldiers wouldn’t notice. Because if they knew, Julian knew. They needed him, but the discussions would run a lot smoother if he didn’t know this particular truth.
The opulence amazed Alexandra. The villa was full of statues, frescoes and tapestries that must’ve cost a fortune. Julian’s business agreement with the Conclave must’ve been very profitable. The sisters manufactured a series of luxury items, glass being one of the most important, which sold very well. Since they had control over the elements the quality of their products was unparalleled. Glass, jewelry, also weapons or armor made by sorceresses were sought after and only the richest could afford them. The supply was limited and the Conclave only traded with a limited number of merchants. Julian was one of them.
The Conclave was rich and its wealth could match that of a senatorial family, but the individual sisters weren’t. The property was communal. None of the sorceresses could claim lack of food, clothes or a place to live, but ostentatious wealth was frowned upon. Even the Reverend Mother wore simple clothing and little jewelry. Their quarters in the imperial palace and on their island were austere. Where all that wealth was going, she had no idea. One possible explanation was it went to the sisters. There were almost seven hundred sorceresses, a lot less than senators, and if everyone got the same as anybody else, it didn’t amount to much. They also had expenses. Humans worked for them, some were even allowed on their island, and they had to pay them. They also had all kind of building projects, roads, aqueducts and so on. That was something senatorial families usually didn’t bother with and cost a lot of money. The senators were hierarchical, so the most powerful were really rich while the weaker were not. Alexandra didn’t think one of her sisters was stealing. It wasn’t as if she could hide the wealth. Expensive silk dresses were nice, but nothing you couldn’t live without.
She wasn’t sure how Julian managed to keep all this wealth, though. The head of the house must’ve taken a good part of the profits, but Julian somehow convinced him the trade with the Conclave depended on him and the sorceresses wouldn’t negotiate with anyone else, which was true. If Julian was gone, Alexandra knew they would find someone else to buy their wares and not necessarily from the same family. Their partner had to be someone they trusted at least in some measure. Julian’s patron must’ve understood that.
“To what do I owe the visit of two illustrious members of the Conclave?” Julian greeted them. He looked pleased to see them, but you could never tell with a senator.
“This is my sister Tamzin,” Alexandra said. “I don’t think you’ve met her.”
Even If he hadn’t, Julian recognized the name. Everybody would, she was the empress, after all, but she usually traveled with a retinue. Seeing her like this, without an escort and with only one sister, must’ve raised a lot of questions and signaled Julian this visit was important.
“That is a strange way to introduce the empress,” Julian told Alexandra.
“But accurate, in this instance,” Tamzin replied. “Empress is only a title with little real power and lacking permanence lately. A sorceress is who I am and that won’t change.”
“Some things are beyond change, but those that aren’t, are changing again now. And we are who we are, aren’t we? Sorceresses, senators. When we die, we die as that.”
It was a surprise for Alexandra how unsettled Julian was. Their visit couldn’t have been the reason for it. At least not the only reason and very few things could frighten a senator.
“We’re just passing through on our way to Essland and we need your help.”
“I am always happy to help the Conclave if it’s in my power. You might want to rethink your journey to Essland. I have heard some rumors and it might not be safe.”
Alexandra didn’t hide her surprise. She hadn’t heard of anything about that and was waiting for him to elaborate. It might explain why he was so nervous.
“I heard armies are moving into the Gap. You may not be able to pass.”
That was not good news. It must’ve happened recently, otherwise they would’ve heard about it. They knew about Suttland’s scouting parties, which was all people talked about as they moved farther south, but they were yet to meet one of those.
“And that’s not all. Three senators were killed recently,” Julian added.
All right, this was really bad. “I’m sorry to hear that,” Alexandra said and she meant it. “Is this connected with the two dead senators from Suttland? Were you close to any of them?”
“I’ve never met Kara. Rufus, I’ve seen once or twice. The other three I knew, but they were from another family and we weren’t exactly friends. Their deaths might be connected. I’m fairly sure this was retaliation for the two Suttland senators.”
“Were they responsible?” Tamzin asked.
“Were three senators of medium power responsible for the murder of probably the most powerful senator who ever lived? What do you think? Whoever did this is seriously insane, extremely power hungry and doesn’t care how many will die. And believe me, there are going to be a lot of deaths. The three senators didn’t die alone. About three hundred soldiers were killed with them. From what I’ve heard, there were human deaths in Suttland, too.”
That was more than what they knew. It made sense, though. Senators were always accompanied by guards. Alexandra didn’t miss Julian referring to one of the southerners as the most powerful senator in history. She had the nagging suspicion which one he meant and by the way Tamzin cringed it wasn’t good news. The upcoming war predicted by Julian didn’t make her feel any better, either. She hoped he was wrong while knowing he was probably right.
“Who do you think did it?” Tamzin asked.
“If it was a senator is has to be one of the top ones. No one else has the resources or the motive to do it. The three were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Suttland is getting increasingly frustrated they didn’t find Kara’s killers, hence the invasion of the Gap. A lesser senator wouldn’t have elicited this kind of response, but her loss can’t be quantified.”
“The rumor is sorceresses were involved with that,” Tamzin continued.
“It was in the beginning, but it has been more or less refuted.”
What the hell did that mean? Did Suttland senators deny it? They must’ve, else that rumor would still be around. Alexandra was happy with that. It meant senators wouldn’t focus on the Conclave. Yet this would leave the attempt on her and Tamzin unexplained.
Julian must’ve seen her puzzlement. “Nobody in Cuttland knows what happened there. I don’t think many Suttland senators know either, only the top senators of the Arvillii and Metteli. That sorceresses were involved was the first rumor. Nobody denied it, but when they actually sent word, it was that they were looking for three hundred humans.”
“Has anyone considered these humans might not exist?” Alexandra was curious.
“Everybody has considered it. It’s not likely three hundred humans can hide from the Order. Of course, there are alternative explanations. Somebody made their bodies disappear.”
“I s
ee.” And Alexandra did see. So did Tamzin. Sorceresses could make bodies disappear, but they would leave traces. It simply took too much effort and time otherwise. They disposed of the bodies of their would-be assassins and they left marks. She knew if people were looking they were going to find them. Disposing of three hundred bodies without leaving anything behind was monumental. “We can dispose of the bodies, although you are speaking of a lot of bodies, but only bodies. Killing three hundred people without anyone escaping would take at least ten of us, which is impossible.” Maybe that number was a bit of an exaggeration.
“I agree,” Julian said. By the look Tamzin was giving her she did not. What they both knew was that the Reverend Mother could send ten sisters south for something like this. She had enough cronies. “The other explanation is they belong to another senator and they’re lying in some deep hole. Still, we have trackers and they should’ve been found.”
“Do you think senators are responsible?”
Julian smiled at Tamzin’s question. “Everyone thinks a senator did it. Julia, Lucian, the Honoryi, the Casti… Take your pick. They all have motives, others don’t.”
By the way Tamzin had reacted during this trip, Alexandra wasn’t so sure that was true. The empress knew something she wasn’t saying, which was confirmed when she asked. “Is it possible that someone clever might have done this to create tensions among the senators?”
“Are you confessing to something?” Tamzin smiled mysteriously at Julian’s question. “I’m not saying we are infallible, but we are very difficult to trick. And someone would have to know an awful lot about us to hit the best target, which they have.”
“Who do you think did it?” Alexandra asked Julian.
“Judging by the number of soldiers they are looking for, it has to be either Julia or Lucian. Maybe the Honoryi and others too, but it’s simply not their style. Julia is my best guess. She knew Kara, her habits and could easily get close to them without raising suspicion. Also, she is really ambitious. Somehow she convinced the Arvillii she is not responsible and used it as a justification to invade Ornulf’s Gap. Whatever she is planning, this is only the beginning.”