Spells of the Curtain Volume One

by Tim Niederriter

  “You two should rest. You have done enough tonight and we must return to Diar in the morning. I know what you were up to today, Lord and Lady Benisar.”

  “Thank you, your Grace.”

  Edmath got to his feet, blinking with weariness. Chelka also stood up and followed a woman to the foot of the stairs and then up them. Edmath followed the two of them. He wondered what would happen now, within the nation, with the world, with the sleeping arrangements for the night.

  Shame touched his heart as he realized how ridiculous he had been thinking. There would most likely be a war now, and the new war would be worse than the last. The Roshi could not take over the nation all in one night, but if they’d been planning this, then they would have a distinct advantage in any conflict.

  Edmath climbed the stairs while Chelka waited at the top, beside the door to their room for the night. She smiled slowly at him and he knew she wanted the same thing he did. Opening the door, they stepped into the room. The room was broad and spacious with one large bed in its center.

  The door closed behind them and Chelka unfastened the strap on the back of her dress and let it fall to the floor. Edmath watched her dark shape appear from beneath the cloth. She sat on the edge of the bed, eyes closed. The wind whistled through a small window over the bed and stirred her hair. Edmath unbuttoned his tunic and approached the bed.

  Chelka touched his bare chest. He sat down beside her for a moment and watched her turn slowly toward him. Her lips moved but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. They embraced slowly and then fell upon the sheets.

  Morning came in a flourish of light over the white pine forest. A breeze blew through the open windows and brought cool air into the room. It took a long time for Edmath to get up in the morning.

  Chelka rose before him and dressed in her wedding clothes from the previous day. He climbed out of bed and made his way over to the window where she stood. They looked out into the square below the Malilia Inn. The village still appeared sleepy, but Vosraan Loi had gathered five greater moths and a moth lord to lead them. Chelka turned to Edmath, looking more like a weary queen than the princess he had married. Her beauty remained obvious, her youth apparent, but her eyes had aged overnight. She creased her brow.

  “I think we’re in for it, Ed.”

  She brushed the hair back from her forehead and ran a hand down the side of her rega. Edmath knew what she was thinking. It had to be even more obvious to her than to him that war was coming. She would be called into battle all too surely because of her talents and her position.

  “I know, Chelka. If war comes, we must be ready.”

  Edmath dressed in silence, putting on his rega and noticing, to his annoyance, a spot of blood on its side. He and Chelka looked at each other, seemingly synchronized like shoal fish. They walked out the door close to each other. He fought the urges to ask her what the two of them might do if she were called upon to fight. The very idea of it seemed even more terrifying now. All the creatures and warriors they had clashed with the previous day were likely outclassed by most Roshi war creatures.

  As he thought about the Roshi he fought a stab of guilt for having been unable to go back for Brosk. They’d left him to fight Ursar Kiet alone. Kiet had not pursued them. Perhaps Brosk won? Edmath could not manage to shake the feeling that his friend was gone, despite Brosk’s abilities. Kiet was a fearsome opponent, beyond Worm Kings or the other Dawkuns.

  All the other Saales would also have been in extreme danger. Who could say how long the fighting lasted? Who knew how many had died? Edmath and Chelka made their way down the steps and found Vosraan Loi bidding the owner of the Malilia along with a newly awakened Keve. When Edmath and Chelka approached them at the bar counter, the High Emperor turned to them with a satisfied smile.

  “It looks like you two slept well. I was about to suggest waking you. We must leave for Diar immediately.”

  Chelka bowed her head.

  “I understand, your Grace.”

  Edmath followed Chelka’s lead but bowed even more deeply.

  “Of course, your Grace.”

  He did not know if he liked the High Emperor, but the man represented the true ruler of Zel. To him the entire nation owed their loyalty.

  Vosraan Loi smiled slowly, but Keve Zasha laughed at them, soft voice rocking her light frame. Edmath felt an inexplicable affection for her despite the insulting tone she took. The girl clearly wasn’t used to a normal life, being so young and so powerful as to be noticed and used by the High Emperor himself. She must have led an unusual life.

  “Thank you Riej,” Vosraan Loi said to the moth lord behind the inn’s bar. “Thank you for lending us your son for the journey.”

  “We are your subjects, your Grace,” Riej said. He sounded more relaxed than most people who addressed the High Emperor, by far more casual in speech than Edmath would have personally dared. “Think nothing of it.”

  “Very well. Be lucky.” Vosraan Loi led the other three out of the inn.

  The wings on his crown fluttered as soon as they stepped outside where the moths were resting on the ground. They were each eight to ten feet long, and all of them were saddled. The moths he presumed were meant for himself, Chelka and Keve to ride were tethered to the lead moth, on which sat a young man perhaps a few years younger than Edmath with the same heavy build as the moth lord inside.

  “Mount up, folks,” the young moth lord said. “Be quick if you please. These boys and girls don’t like sitting on the ground.”

  “That makes sense,” Edmath said, remembering Augo Vassma’s moth carriage in Diar. “I feel as though a winged creature would be better off in the air more than less.”

  “Right you are.” The young man said. “Ladies first, my lord.”

  Stepping back from the moth he had approached, Edmath let Chelka, and Keve climb into the saddles of the first two moths before taking the last one for himself. Vosraan Loi climbed onto a moth of his own, long and white with black eye-spots, and then they all took off.

  With a long flight ahead of them, Chelka seemed uncomfortable. She did not speak, but riding such a small flier was probably her issue. Chelka always preferred to have her feet on the ground or in the water. At the very least, she did not prefer them dangling like they did over the side of a giant moth.

  They flew out of the valley and over the hills. The journey from Hessiom’s north border to Diar took over eight hours of flying for an air levoth, but on the much slower moths it took them a whole day and they only arrived as the sun was setting. After so long in the air, Edmath was exhausted. Landing just beyond the city walls, Edmath, Chelka and Keve looked to the High Emperor for his decision on how to enter the city.

  “I suppose it isn’t safe for me to simply walk in myself.” Vosraan stroked his chin and made a face. “Distasteful as it is, I think I will send you two—” He pointed at Chelka and then at Edmath. “—In ahead of me, to tell the lower emperors that I have returned. Lady Zasha will remain here to protect me.”

  Chelka sat up straighter and then bowed to the emperor.

  “As you wish your Grace.”

  She climbed off her moth, looking even more tired than when Edmath had seen her by the window that morning. He followed her toward the city, fully aware that the two of them looked quite strange, as she wore her wedding dress without a cloak, and he, his torn and bloody tunic. All-in-all he thought it could be worse. If Brosk and the others were not alright, it would be worse.

  They made their way through the southwest gate. He and Chelka followed the road to the Imperial Palace at the edge of the hill. There were few people in the streets on the way there, but it was the second end-day, and thus, many would be asleep already as night had begun to fall. They slipped along the red-tinted streets as the sun sank, reaching the palace gates without a word passing between them. Chelka became quiet, clearly thoughtful. Edmath had rarely seen this side of her, even over the years at Lexine Park.

  The gates were closed and the white and bro
wn banner of the Moth Nation still hung from the wall beside the green white and red of the Empire of Zel. Edmath gave a sigh of relief when he saw it and glanced at Chelka.

  “At least they appear to have repulsed the attack.” His voice sounded hollow, ringing in the empty street.

  “I see.” Chelka nodded her head and looked sorrowful. “I just hoped the wars would be over, Ed. I mean, I joined the War Empress’s court to stop this sort of thing from happening.” She turned toward him, tears in her eyes.

  “You didn’t get a chance. I know you didn’t.” Edmath reached out to her with both hands and she lowered her head. She sniffed back her tears. He took her shoulders. “Don’t worry. Of course, there will be troubles. That’s the role we chose as Imperial Saales.”

  “I know, Ed. I can handle it.” Chelka wiped her eyes, her voice hardening. “As long as we’re together, I can handle it.” She turned to the gate, then lifted the great steel knocker and struck it against the bell near the base of the door.

  A guard in moth legion livery appeared on the top of the wall. “Who goes there?”

  “Imperial Saales, Lady Chelka Benisar, and Lord Edmath Benisar.” Chelka’s voice carried though she did not bellow. That would not have suited her anyway. But the sound of the bell had been little louder than her clear call. “We have come with good news for the ears of the lower emperors only.”

  Edmath worried for a moment that the coup plotters had somehow taken the city but left the banners up to fool them. The guard put a hand on the top of the wall.

  “I will open the gates at once. I’ve heard rumors. The two of you were feared dead.” He vanished from sight and then a few moments later the gates began to turn inward, each pulled by a tethered greater elk. He hoped the audience would be immediate. Then an escort would go meet the High Emperor.

  In the hall of the War Empress within the High Castle, Chelka described the previous night to Marnaia Hayel. For her part, the youngest of the three emperors seemed glad to hear of the survival of the Vosraan Loi. She let Chelka finish the story and then raised her hand. Chelka glanced at Edmath as Oresso Nane and Morior Lem approached the high-backed throne the War Empress sat upon. They conversed with her softly, until finally, she waved them away.

  “Prince Nane supports your story.” She stroked her chin. “I believe you as well, Lady Benisar. The attack was so strange, I have heard little from the other lower emperors about their search. The Roshi Ambassador and her party have fled. His Grace’s champion, Lord Bovet has already left the city to raise an army.”

  “Forgive me, Excellency, but why the army now?” Chelka said. “The enemy has been beaten and pushed back, have they not?”

  “I am afraid they crossed the central western border last night with a large Crab Tribe Army, and also faster forces from the Fox Tribe and the Hare Tribe. King Onoi’s betrayal has now made much of the Worm Tribe our foe for the time being as well.” Marnaia Hayel let out an audible sigh before continuing in her high, fine-pointed voice. “At the moment it is unknown who Queen Dayull of the Swan Tribe will side with, but the other peoples have put their armies at our disposal.”

  “Thank you, Excellency.” Chelka made a sweeping bow before the throne. Edmath watched her rise.

  Hayel nodded to them.

  “I will send a contingent of my personal guards to escort High Emperor Loi back to the palace. At least with him, we will be united. You may go, Saales. I know you have other business to attend to.” Marnaia Hayel hung her head and let her elbows rest across the arms of her throne. Chelka and Edmath turned and walked back out of the High Castle. On the way, Oresso Nane met them and matched their paces. Edmath’s eyes narrowed at him.

  “Prince Naopaor is alive,” Oresso said quickly. “Everyone else made it through alright as well. Brosk definitely got the worst of it.” Oresso winced at his apparent thought.

  Edmath couldn’t help but give him a dirty look.

  “How bad is the worst, Lord Nane?”

  “Both his legs were injured and quite badly too. He will walk again, the healers say, but he may not run or fight for some time.”

  Edmath felt simultaneously sour and relieved with the news. Brosk would surely recover eventually. After being in a full battle with Ursar Kiet and his mirache that outcome could be considered lucky.

  Edmath, Chelka, and Oresso made their way out of the High Castle and into the North Garden. Summer was well into the middle month and the fruits of the trees here were thoroughly ripe. Edmath walked over to one of the greatest of the apple trees near the path, an ancient and well-grown giant with branches reaching toward the ground. Edmath leapt up and snatched an apple from the lower branch. He had not eaten all day, and the hunger gnawed at him.

  “Of course, I don’t think anyone will mind,” he said in answer to Chelka’s surprised expression. “I feel as though we have earned it.”

  Despite it coming from Oresso, the news of Brosk’s survival had lifted his spirits considerably. He hadn’t known how dark the world could be until he feared for his friends.

  “You’re right, Edmath.” Oresso shook his head and smiled as he followed Chelka over to where Edmath stood under the tree. “I don’t know of anyone who deserves it more.”

  “How gracious.” Chelka’s voice was distorted by the shifting of the back of her head as she assumed her Squid Tosh.

  Edmath had seen her transform before and the strange beauty of the tosh had some appeal to him even though he’d admit that it shocked him the first time he’d watched her change. Her arms lengthened and grew an extra joint while a pair of long tentacles emerged from her back, reaching upward to pluck another pair of apples. Chelka dropped one of the fruits into Oresso’s open palm and kept the last one for herself.

  Edmath walked to the tree trunk and slumped down beside it, pulling the stethian that had belonged to his father out of the loop of his belt where he’d kept it, and setting it on the grass beside him. “I have grown tired today. Moths are soft-skinned animals, but not easy to ride.”

  Wind played with Chelka’s hair as she transformed back out of her tosh. “Too true.” She sat down beside him, dropping her stethian beside his.

  The smoke from the previous night had turned the sphere on the end of Chelka’s stethian white with collected ash. Saales were thought to have only strikers as magical tools for some time. These devices served to remind everyone of how little humans of recent days truly understood.

  Both stethians had served them well last night. Edmath had watched Chelka kill one of the villagers and the attached protean sphere and she had not been ill at all. He was certain. She had been well enough to celebrate their wedding night with him, later on. The stethian must have taken the loss for her.

  His had yet to smoke, so he assumed he had not yet used it properly. Or perhaps it was because he had not dealt a mortal wound. With all the excitement of the previous day, they would need to slow down and examine these tools. If the stethians really did allow a Saale to take lives with magic they would be aptly called weapons.

  “Ed? What are you thinking about?” Chelka’s hand touched his shoulder.

  “Small things, dear. Just wondering how these devices work.” Edmath ran his fingers over the broad side of his stethian. He took a bite of the apple he held in his other hand. The crunch of the fruit was supremely satisfying.

  Oresso Nane walked over to them, tossing his apple up in the air and catching it. “I’ve picked up a few pieces of information about mine.” He touched the sheath on his belt. “It surely smokes when a life is taken by magic, and I believe it provides some sort of fuel, making it easier to perform greater spells. I suppose the how is still missing in this.”

  Edmath nodded and took a bite of his apple and chewed it. He remembered using the forest sign the previous night. If Oresso was right then without the stethian he would have been exhausted of all his magic with that spell. Of course, he couldn’t be sure if the device had worked or not. He had broken Chelka’s fall, so it had bee
n enough.

  “You may be right.” Chelka picked up her stethian, the one that had belonged to Edmath’s mother according to Kassel Onoi, and turned it over. “Also, it may be hollow. It echoed when I blocked that Roshi woman’s sword last night. Likely the living element is on the inside.”

  Edmath looked at her, tracing the outline of her face with his eyes. She looked younger now, more like the girl he had met at Lexine Park once again. Time haunted his thoughts. Together, he and Chelka moved toward the war with Roshi. He had always been told another war was inevitable. He had not wished to believe it.

  Oresso Nane stopped walking a few paces from the tree and looked at them. His eyes were alight. “The sure thing about them is they give us power. I know it kept Yezani and me alive last night. My coral mirrors have never been so clear, and my walls, never stronger.”

  “Did you see much fighting?” Chelka looked down at her apple before biting into it.

  “Not as much as you from the look and sound of it.” Oresso furrowed his brow. “The creatures I saw were barely human. Protean spheres do horrible things to those they inhabit.”

  “I know, I know. Of course, I’ve seen it before. These villagers from Beliu on Dreamwater have become monsters. I doubt anything could save them now.” Edmath clenched his hand on the apple.

  His hand was still scarred where the Roshi dueling blade had bitten into his skin and the bones had been broken by Ursar Kiet. Besides that, the healer’s job had been commendably done. He felt no more pain from those wounds.

  Oresso looked soberly down the gentle slope of the garden toward the Saale Palace. His deep blue eyes took on a distant appearance in the darkening evening.