The Lure of Fools

by Jason James King

  He caught a smile at the edge of Graelle’s mouth. She reached her hand through the liquid metal, grabbed something, and then pulled it back. “Close,” she said once her hand was free, and the safe’s liquid face solidified into solid metal again.

  “That’s quite a talis,” he said.

  “So is this.” Graelle tossed something at him, activating Ezra’s reflexes so that he caught the object before it could hit him in the face. He was about to snap at Graelle for her deliberately harmful aim when recognized what he was holding–a small metal disc cast in the shape of a skull. It had two amethyst stones set into the skull’s eyes, and a cord looped through a small bracket on its top. It was a medallion, a talis. Kaul’s dread medal.

  “How…”

  “One of my girls saw the duel between Kaul and your nephew, that’s how I first heard about it. She was close and so was able to snatch that up before the Imarin city guard got to the body.”

  Ezra looked up from the dread medal and Graelle narrowed her eyes at him. She jabbed the air with a finger. “And don’t bother trying to use it on me. I made sure to learn how to resist its influence the moment that maniac took over the Rikujo. Taught it to my girls too, for all the good that it did. Their real fear of Kaul was enough for them to…” she trailed off, her brow knitting down and her mouth turning into a frown.

  “What about Arynda’s ring or Jaris’ shield br–”

  “No.” Graelle shook her head. “My girl barely got away with this before the guard showed up.”

  Ezra looked back down at the fear talis and nodded his head. “Well, this should be evidence enough to convince them.”

  “Oh, I didn’t give it to you to use as evidence,” Graelle said with a new smile. “You’re going to use its magic to make them believe you!”

  “The other Rikujo lords will have learned the same trick.”

  “Maybe,” Graelle said. “Though I doubt all of them have the mental fortitude for it. Even the ones that do will be put off guard by it.”

  Thank you, Rasheera, Ezra silently prayed. This obvious intervention of the goddess could mean only one thing; She had accepted his offering.

  Maely hugged herself and rubbed her shoulders for warmth. It was noticeably colder this far north, something she hadn’t expected or prepared for. She’d tried to start a fire the way Ez had taught them, but all she was ever able to produce from rubbing sticks together was a blister on her hand. Out of exasperation, she’d even tried to use her mother’s ring to command the fire to start, but, of course, that did nothing.

  Where is Karak? She ground her teeth, which were already chattering. The Lizard man had disappeared just before dusk, presumably to go hunt for their dinner. He could’ve told me where he was going, Maely huffed aloud. But her trembling made it come out sounding more like she was crying, which she was not! She hadn’t done that since Imaris.

  Maely looked up to the sky above the tree line. She could see Aiested’s giant Apeira well reaching into the sky. It made the city look deceptively close, but they still had over a day’s worth of travel to go. Maely clenched her teeth together to stop their chattering, which it did, but only at the cost of making her jaw ache.

  Damn you, Jekaran! She used the anger to work through the pain in her jaw and keep her teeth clamped together. If it weren’t for him, the two of them would be in Jeryn by now, with Mulladin and Ez–where it was warm. Thinking of Jekaran made her anger fade, worry quickly taking its place. The last time she’d seen him, Jekaran was grievously wounded, and being taken from her by that insufferable nobleman, Gymal.

  Was he ok? Had Gymal the decency to hire a physician to attend him? Or was that pompous, scrawny, ugly goblin of a man just going to have him executed? He’s in trouble, and I’m just sitting around here, waiting for my dinner! She was hungry and tired–how did one get tired from riding all day, anyway?–and were it not for the cold, probably would’ve drifted off to sleep by now. But that worry, it was just as cold as the air. It wouldn’t let her sleep either.

  What if I get to Aiested too late? Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, the wetness making the chill bite harder into her face. She had the power to save Jek. Her mother’s ring would let her walk right into the palace and up to the king himself and demand Jek’s release. An abomination, Kairah had called her talis. Perhaps in the wrong hands. But Maely didn’t care about kingdoms or glory, or even money–well, a little bit about money. All she really cared about was getting Jekaran away from all of this trouble. Away from the sword, and away Kairah.

  She was on her feet before she fully realized what she was doing. No, she couldn’t wait around for dinner or sleep. She had to go to Jekaran now. He needed her, and she could save him! Rescuing him at such risk to herself was bound to open his eyes. Then he would have to see that they were meant to be together–wouldn’t he?

  Maely gathered her things and untied her ghern. It looked up at her as though it were irritated that she’d interrupted its grazing. “No argument,” Maely snapped at the animal, and it snorted as if it had understood her.

  Maely laughed, but it wasn’t a mirthful sound. It was a ragged thing, exhaled involuntarily as she was teetered on the edge of hysteria. She wiped her cold, wet cheeks, and climbed into the ghern’s saddle where she wrapped herself in a blanket. It was only going to get colder as she rode into the night wind. They were close enough now she could find her own way to the capitol by simply heading towards the giant Apeira well. Perhaps she could even reach Aiested by morning.

  However, only a couple hours into her lone flight her ghern began to flag. At first, it was just breathing hard, but gradually its pace slowed until it was moving along at little more than a trot. And no amount of shouting at it or snapping its reins would make the beast run any faster. Finally it stopped, breathing so hard it sounded like it had just come up for air after a long dive.

  “Go!” she snapped the reins, but the animal did not respond.

  Tears leaked down her cheeks again, making them feel raw in the chill night air. It was not supposed to be this way! She needed to get to Jekaran. She had the power to save him! That thought gave her pause, and she brushed the band of her mother’s ring with her thumb. Did it only work on humans?

  “Go!” Maely shouted at the ghern, this time commanding it with her ring. She felt the familiar power carry her words to her target and the ghern froze. A heartbeat later it leapt back into a run. Maely smiled to herself. She did have the power to save Jekaran, and no one or nothing could stand in her way.

  Raelen found himself unable to sleep. So, just as he always did when battling insomnia, he stood on the balcony outside his quarters and watched the city. He was bare-chested, and the cool sea air felt good on his skin. It was well into the night now, so the streets were mostly quiet and empty.

  The few souls who walked the streets of Aiested at night were mostly street folk and criminals. He chuckled at himself at making that distinction, for the two were often the same thing. Not always, though.

  Raelen had been using a looking stone to magnify the images below, and had taken particular interest in a young woman cradling a bundle and trailed by two small children. He’d first caught sight of them when they’d been leaving one of the market streets, probably where they’d been loitering for most of the day to beg. Now they trundled down one of Aiested’s arterial streets. Raelen had an idea of where they were headed, and his heart sank when his guess was confirmed.

  The vice district, it was called. It was the area of the city replete with opiate dens, gambling houses, and whores. Probably the mother hadn’t been able to beg enough scraps or coin to feed her children, and so was looking to make up her losses by selling her body.

  Who would care for the children while she let herself be raped? It sickened him, and when he saw the woman give the bundle to the taller of the two smaller forms, and walk into an alley with a skinny, bald, man in rags, he had to turn away.

  How could anyone with the power to change these people’s
lives do nothing but stand as an idle witness? Well, Raelen didn’t really have that power, not yet. Oh, he had money and influence, but those would only let him do so much. Certainly, he could and had done things to alleviate this kind of suffering–only symptoms–but without the crown, he couldn’t do much to permanently cure the illness. That would take the authority to set policy and exact action and money from the nobility.

  Only his father could do that, and the man cared little for the wretched lives of his peasants. As was evidenced earlier in his decision to slaughter Isara’s villagers, a decision not made from a passionate desire to avenge the deaths of his people, but one wrought in cool calculation. As though he was playing one of his map and stone piece war games.

  Earlier that evening, before his father closed their war council, Raelen had pled with him to call back the army he’d sent to the border. If the Allosian woman’s brother truly were trying to ignite a new talis war between the human nations, should they really be so quick to commit to military action? For the second time that day, Raelen’s father surprised him, this time by sending a messenger to halt the advance of the force he’d deployed to the border–though the king hadn’t recalled them. They would stay camped fifty miles east of Aiested, ready should the command to attack Haeshala be re-issued.

  “Sound reasoning, my son,” the King had complimented Raelen again.

  He’d even called him “my son,” in public. As confusing as the change in his father’s behavior had been, Raelen’s emotional reaction to the compliment had been even more confusing. It had made him swell with satisfaction, feeling proud, and he’d been seized with a sudden inclination toward loyalty to his father. Worse still, Raelen had wanted to say and do more to please the king in hopes of receiving more fatherly praise. It disturbed him, and only thinking of Saranna hurling herself from a castle tower reminded Raelen of just how much he hated his father.

  “He’s back,” Gryyth growled.

  Raelen nodded without turning and said, “Let him in.”

  A moment later another voice spoke. “I am sorry to have awakened you, my prince, but his highness’ orders explicitly stated to–”

  “Report at once no matter how late the hour. Yes, and I wasn’t sleeping. And don’t refer to me in the third person. It’s irritating.” Raelen turned from the cityscape and found Navarch Pariel standing just inside the door to his quarters, the blank look Raelen associated with professional soldiers on his face.

  “Of course, my prince.” Pariel nodded.

  Raelen stepped inside, passed Pariel, and fetched a silken night robe hanging by a gold hook from his wall. He noticed Pariel steal a glance at the sinuous gold band encircling his right bicep just before he slipped into his robe.

  Raelen stopped and looked down at the talis. Aside from its amethyst well-shard, the band was encrusted with a melee of four smaller jewels. They were diamonds, but two of the four were clouded with a murky reddish-brown that contrasted poorly against the clear stones.

  “It is a transference band,” Raelen said. A startled flinch betrayed Pariel’s cool professionalism. He hadn’t known I’d caught him looking. Well, that was understandable. It was the height of rudeness in Aiestali culture to ask after a person’s talises, especially when that person held a higher social station.

  Raelen flashed what he hoped was reassuring smile. “It’s supposed to be the only one still in existence–although I can’t guess how anybody can make that claim with full surety. It drinks in the blood of an animal and grants the wearer one physical attribute possessed by that beast.” Raelen slipped the robe on and began to tie the front closed at his waist.

  Pariel’s eyes flicked to Gryyth. The towering Ursaj was standing quietly by the wall.

  “Yes,” Raelen said. “I used two drops of Gryyth’s blood, one for each attribute that I wanted to borrow from him. I tried for the full four, but the other two gems don’t work for some reason. I think it was damaged in the last talis war.”

  “Impressive, my prince. You honor me by showing– ”

  “I am not my father, Pariel.” Raelen walked over to a corner in his room where a table was set with some chairs for dining. He sat and rubbed his eyes. “I do not hold as strictly to decorum as he does. So please, stop acting so verbally circumspect.”

  “Of course, your highness.”

  Raelen sighed. “In private you may omit the royal honorifics. Sire or my lord will do just fine.”

  Pariel sharply nodded, apparently hesitant to try a lesser title. “I’ve watched the chamber where your father placed the Allosian woman as you commanded.”

  “Did Loeadon go there?”

  Pariel shook his head. “No, Sire,” he said. “And I made sure that I was not noticed by any of the other polymaths, or even the guards.”

  Raelen sighed and kneaded his right eye with the heel of his palm. “Damn. I was sure he would want to check on her.”

  “Sire?”

  Raelen stopped rubbing his eyes and looked up into Pariel’s face. “I have great respect for you, Navarch Pariel.” He held up his hand to forestall the man from praising his magnanimity. The soldier closed his mouth abruptly, embarrassment coloring his cheeks red. “You have proven yourself loyal to my family. I trust you. That is why I need your help.”

  “Of course, Sire. You need only command me.”

  Raelen smiled wanly. “I am afraid that this cannot be an official command, Pariel.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I suspect that Loeadon is the Allosian woman’s brother in disguise, working at cross purposes against the crown in his plot to ignite a talis war.” He waited for a surprised reaction from Pariel but only received a cool nod.

  “I see,” the soldier said.

  Damn but that man is hard to read. “I have no proof, however, and as you know, Loeadon holds a station on par with the Polemarch, and the High Lords. I cannot accuse him outright.”

  “Why not confide this to your father?” Pariel asked.

  Raelen barked a harsh laugh. “He has never been one of my confidantes. And you know he worships kingdom law. I would be censured for not following proper legal methods of presenting a formal accusation against one of the high nobility, which would only make it harder to convince him.”

  “I understand,” Pariel said. “What is it you wish me to do then?”

  “Have you been issued new orders, yet?”

  “No. All that is on hold because of last night’s developments.”

  Raelen nodded to himself. “Praise Rasheera for that small blessing.” He stood. “Navarch, I need you to watch Loeadon as much as possible, especially around the Allosian woman’s quarters. I need to know what he’s up to in order to make a case against him.”

  Pariel saluted. “Of course, my prince.”

  Raelen placed a friendly hand on the man’s shoulder. “Pariel, do not agree until you understand the risks.”

  Pariel looked confused. “Agree?”

  “I told you I cannot command you in this thing. If you are caught, I won’t be able to protect you. Do you understand this?”

  Pariel gave another curt, soldier’s nod. “You may not wish to command me, but your request is every bit as binding to me as though you had, for the sake of my honor.”

  Raelen smiled. “You are a good man, Pariel. One day, when I am king, you will play a key role in my rule.”

  Pariel saluted again, and then turned and strode from Raelen’s quarters. After Gryyth had closed the door, Raelen exhaled and slumped his shoulders.

  “You should sleep, my prince,” Gryyth rumbled.

  Raelen shook his head as he walked back out onto the balcony. He lifted the looking stone he’d left on the rail and brought it up to his eye, searching to find the peasant woman and her children he’d spied on earlier.

  He found them. They were huddled against the outside wall of the same tavern. The woman was cradling her baby and rocking back and forth. Raelen willed the looking talis to show him a closer vie
w. The woman’s face was bloody, and she was barely keeping the front of her torn tunic from exposing her breasts. Her client had clearly beaten her, perhaps to avoid paying, or more likely because the man had been a sadist.

  “How can I sleep in my comfortable bed, Gryyth, when women and children freeze in the street? How can I eat my delicate foods when babies cry out for milk that their mother is not healthy enough to give? How can I sleep knowing an enemy lurks within my own house, trying to destroy my people?”

  Gryyth’s warm, furry hand gently clamped down on his shoulder. “You know Seiro, cub. And when you become king, you will teach Seiro to your kind.”

  And suddenly Raelen felt like a boy again; vulnerable and afraid. So he did what he always did when he felt this way. He sought reassurance from Gryyth in the one way he knew how. “Tell me the story of Jarrsh and the king of dragons?”

  Gryyth rumbled a soft laugh. “You have not asked that of me in years.”

  “I know,” Raelen said. “It’s one of my favorites, and I could use the distraction.”

  “If you promise to sleep after the telling,” Gryyth said.

  Raelen laughed. “You haven’t made that bargain with me in years.”

  “It seemed appropriate.”

  “Well?” Raelen asked.

  “Well?” Gryyth repeated.

  “Fine,” Raelen said. “We have a bargain.”

  Gryyth rumbled a low chuckle. “Jarrsh was little more than a cub when he left his den to seek adventure,” Gryyth began, and for a time, Raelen was comforted.

  Maely tripped over a loose stone hiding half buried in the dirt of the road. She stumbled forward and skinned her knees as she crashed to the ground. Divine Mother, she was tired! She didn’t immediately rise, her intense fatigue tempting her to just lie down and sleep. But no, she couldn’t. Not when she was this close. She looked up at the Apeira well reaching into the sky, its top hidden by clouds. It cast them in an eerie purple light, making false dawn look more like a sunset.