“Will it? All we did was cross the finish line first.” said Blue. “Your Mages, they would have done the same to us. We were just a little more clever, and a little more lucky.”
“What do you mean?” Rhuun frowned. “There was nothing like that. Who told you that?”
Blue shifted in his blankets. “You had a weapon, much like ours. We finished ours first. We used it before your Mages could use theirs.”
Rhuun shook his head. “You are mistaken. Or someone lied to you.” He felt there was no reason to mention the weapon the Mages were working on, possibly at that very moment, if any two of them could still gather together after Lelet had finished with them. That was one more thing he had to sort out. “We were certainly not defenseless, but we had no weapon back then.”
“Then it was a lie?” Rhuun watched his father's eyes fill with tears. “It was all for nothing? The Door closed and so many gone . . . my princess left alone . . . “The memory of some great wrong flashed across his face and he covered his eyes with his shaking hands. “You must save Gwenyth, don't let them leave her in the dark. They'll beat her until she confesses. Save her.”
Rhuun sighed. “I will do my best. I won't let her come to harm.” He looked towards the door, where Scilla hovered with Olly close by, and nodded at them “I think we've talked enough today. You must rest. I'll come back, perhaps later . . .” but the old man snores already drifted up from behind his clasped hands. Olly touched his shoulder and he turned and walked stiffly to the hallway. Lelet joined him. He looked at his feet and said, “It's so cold, and these stones, the cold comes right through my boots. Maybe I'll go to that store room and look for something heavier.”
“Shani.” She leaned against him. “If you want new boots, we'll find you some.”
“Um, I think I'd like to go up to the roof. Look at the ocean.” His breath was rapid. “If you don't mind.”
“Of course,” she said. “I'll get my coat.”
“Alone.” He took a step back. “I'll find you when I come back down.” And he turned and walked away quickly.
Chapter Six
Eriis
Before opening the door to his home, Yuenne composed his face, changing it from a smug look of victory to one of somber reflection. It wouldn't do to upset Siia, not that it was likely she would suddenly burst out of her locked room (which had once been their unlocked room) and put this period of enforced separation behind them. He hadn't seen the inside of his own room, or the face of his wife for weeks. Still, he had hope that now that the business with Niico was over, with Rhuun long gone and unlooked for, and even Hellne herself removed from his path, she would understand his plan, his mind, and his heart. Now that the worst was over, they could go find their children, still hiding out among the sand trash in the Quarter, and Aelle could move back in to stand beside her mother. Maybe between them they could convince Ilaan to come home as well. Of course the boy would be upset about Niico, but all he would know is what the Arch and Quarter said: Niico simply vanished. He'd gotten ahead of this one and already begun planting ideas regarding old debt collectors come to call, scorned lovers with a grudge, and he was sure one would take hold and blossom. Whatever happened to Niico couldn't be traced back to Yu, and that was all that mattered.
Siia would have things back just as she liked them, and he could then work on the next phase; his daughter on the High Seat and his son leading a new order of Mages. Ones that lived above ground where he could keep an eye on them. That line of thought led him back to the Zaal's glass charm, that poor girl’s darting eye inside the glass, and he shuddered. The man had no bottom floor to his depravity. Perhaps dealing with Rhoosa in such a final manner was a mistake, he supposed he could have used her special skill. She was the only adult demon he’d ever come across who could shimmer multiple people from place to place, and that was quite a gift. But he recognized his own soft heartedness and hated to see the poor girl in such distress. And looking at her ruined face gave him distress, if he was honest. Dispatching her was really the kindest thing he could have done, particularly after she’d threatened him. He recalled her words before she’d taken that thief Niico to the Crosswinds; ‘Next time it might be you.' Well, she belonged to the Zaal now--or at least, her remains did. And as far as her gift, it appeared to have been passed down to her little niece. Charming, clever Thayree. He’d have to make certain the Zaal didn’t get near to the girl, the man could scare the whiskers off a jumpmouse.
He noticed the door to the bedroom open, a square of light in an otherwise darkened space before he noticed Siia sitting on the low couch in the greatroom. She watched him without speaking and touched a stone on the table at her side to raise the light.
“Siia.” He approached slowly, feeling a strange unease. “I'm delighted to see you out of our room. Perhaps I'll send the maid in to freshen up?”
“Where have you been?” she asked. “This evening, I mean. Where were you?”
“You know I have many responsibilities, I see a lot of—”
“Just tonight. What was your responsibility? Whom did you see?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I wasn't aware you had such a pressing interest in my daily duties, Siia. Or any interest at all. What brings you out of our room and away from your little stones?”
She nodded. “My little stones.” She smiled, but it wasn't the sweet, pliant smile he was used to. “Tell me, have you seen Niico recently?”
“Niico?” This was a surprise. “Let me think . . . I heard some talk, someone was looking for him . . .”
“Yes, someone was looking for him. You were. And the Zaal.”
There it was. She knew. Somehow, she knew. “Then you ask questions you know the answer to. And you know what I did and why. The boy stole from our family. He threw our hospitality in my face, it was an insult—”
“He was an inconvenient loose end. I assume you dealt with Rhuun the same way?”
“What? You are looking for a reason to blame me. As usual.”
“I was looking, yes. I found the reason in my little stones. They showed me what you and that Zaal creature did to that poor girl . . . her eye . . .”
“I had nothing to do with that.” Yuenne's mind raced ahead. He had to make her understand. “You're right. The Zaal has outstayed his welcome. But I don't know where Rhuun went. Or his mother, for that matter. And I confess I may have overreacted about Niico. But what I said is true; he was a thief from the Quarter, nothing more.” She didn't reply, and he pressed forward. “I was thinking it's time for Aelle to move back home. And Ilaan as well. We need to stay close together in these unpredictable times. Wouldn't you like that?”
She cocked her head at him. “You're making a new plan already. Why? Everyone but you is gone. You are as close to the High Seat as you'll ever get. What more do you want?”
He sat next to her, moving as close as he dared. “You know I prefer a more offstage role. I want you to be happy. Of course that's what I want. Why have I ever done anything if not for you and our family?” She looked skeptical but said nothing. “We can easily replace the Zaal with someone we all like a good deal better.”
“Ilaan.” He nodded at her guess. “Your plan for him may come to pass, with or without the Raasth.”
“This just speeds things up. The Mages are scattered, their home destroyed. Time to rebuild, I'm thinking.”
“And Aelle? How do you intend to install her on the seat?”
“Ah, Aelle. Yes. I've given this some thought. What if it came to light that she and Rhuun were secretly wed? He's not here to deny it, and Hellne, well, maybe she wasn't invited to the ceremony. If you say it's true, no one would argue. Our daughter could claim the seat by right of marriage. Hasn't she always been every inch a queen?”
“You've really thought this through,” Siia said, nodding. He began to relax. “Of course, its madness and it will never happen.” She leaned forward in her seat. “Ilaan will never, never forgive you. You could offer him the moons on a plate
and he'd tell you to eat sand. You'd have better luck training a jumpmouse to be the next Zaal. Or your pet Hollen. And Aelle, I think, has begun to enjoy living a life without your hand in it. I know I have.”
“My plans weren't madness when they benefited you.”
“They always were. Did you really think Aelle would be queen? How? Let's assume they both went against their own desires and married. And then let us assume she somehow dragged a spark out of that crippled boy, did you stop to think what it might do to her? Let's further assume then, that our Aelle survives childbirth. What a happy family they'd make. Of course, I'm forgetting the part where we assume Hellne herself was willing to step aside. Unless you've already arranged a trip to the Crosswinds for her.” She put a hand to her throat. “Or me.”
“Don't be ridiculous. Hellne is likely never to return. And Rhuun would have been be dispatched as soon as he took the Seat.” Had she always been so dramatic? He sighed and rose to his feet. “With whom have you shared this?”
“Which part?”
“I caution you against trying to be clever, Siia. It isn't why I married you, and it won't be what gets you through this . . . unpleasantness. Now. Tell me who knows about Niico and the Zaal.”
“Your children, by now. And others. No one you'll meet inside the Arch. Not yet, anyway.”
He laughed. “You are threatening me. How interesting. What do you want?”
“Never to look at you again.” She said it so quickly and with such lack of feeling, she must have said it in her head a thousand times. He knew there was no point in arguing. He was surprised to realize he didn't care to. She continued. “I'll take my stones and go. This house is yours.”
“No.” He looked around the empty, dark space. “I wouldn't dream of dislodging you and your rocks. I'll send someone by to retrieve my things. The rooms at the palace, I already use them. Not that you would have noticed.”
“At the palace.” The glow from the stones made her eyes glint. “Where your new child waits for you. Thayree, your new project. I think your friend the Zaal should join you there.”
“The Zaal. I'll deal with him.” He went to retrieve his scarf from the hook by the door. “I urge you to keep what you've seen to yourself.” He paused with his hand on the latch, listening again to his soft heart. “I'm sorry it's come to this, Siia. Think about our family. Think about what I've done. If you change your mind—”
“They'll be here soon, you know. The prince and the human girl. They're coming for you. Niico was right. You have nothing.”
He whirled back to face her. “Who told you that? Where did you hear that?” She did not reply. “Your stones?” he guessed. “Your little stones. Did they finally start talking back to you after all this time? Well, I hope they keep you in good company now.”
He left her sitting in the dark.
I have a miraculous little girl. I have the High Seat. I have this city. That's not nothing.
Chapter Seven
Mistra
“Brother Blue, someone is here to see you,” said Lelet. She glanced back towards Rhuun, standing just out of sight around the doorway, fearing what the old man would say. It had been three days since their first unhappy meeting, and each day and each conversation between father and son grew more strained, and more brief.
This was the briefest of all. Blue reached out and yanked her sleeve, loudly whispering, “It's the big one again. I think he wants something.”
She heard the ringing of Rhuun's new boots receding down the corridor as he left at once for the open air of the roof. She let him go. Instead of long afternoons by the fire with a whiskey and tales of their lives and adventures, from the old man he got only the same questions over and over: what of his princess? And Rhuun was forced to spin a story of a sweet and gentle monarch. No, she never married. Yes, her hair remains as black as the night Eriis can no longer see. No, she never spoke your name.
Although Moth's nightly embrace was just as ardent, she knew he was in pain from dealing with Blue, and yet she couldn't bring herself to say 'it doesn't matter' because she knew to him, it did.
As usual, the best advice came from her eldest sister, whether she was present or not. “You're doing the right thing, darling, not making this about you.” Lelet smiled. Sometimes it was like May was standing behind her, her voice was so clear. “But would it hurt you to do something about your hair?”
“May?” She turned and threw herself into her sister's arms. “When did you get here?”
“Just now, Scilla met me at the door. She . . . ah . . . filled me in. Poor Moth.” May shook her head. “Look how thin you are.” She dabbed her eyes with her linen handkerchief. “What did I tell you? That you couldn't fail?”
“You're never wrong.” She embraced her sister again and held out an arm for Scilla to join them.
May poked her head into the little stone room, a duplicate of Scilla's, and smiled brightly at Olly. “This is lovely. What accommodations do you have for an adult?” She was escorted up several flights to the old room of a recently retired Master.
Compared to the last one, which had been more of a closet, May remarked this was a step up. It had a carved cherry mantle which partnered with the cherry four-poster bed, the marble tiled floors in a pretty rose and green pattern which matched exactly the heavy old velvet drapes, the cushioned seat under the bay window, the view of the snow-dusted forest.
“Olly, I didn't even know you had rooms like this,” said Lelet.
Olly thumped down May's traveling case and shrugged. “We are not an inn, Lelet. We don't have 'rooms'. Now, I'm off. Brother Blue needs looking in on. I'll send Rhuun up.”
“Some tea would be nice, thank you,” May called after him.
Scilla set about lighting the fire. “I wish Ilaan was still here. He was the best at fires.”
May looked startled. “Ilaan? Isn't that the one name?”
Lelet rubbed her temples. It seemed a long time ago, sitting with May and Stelle at her dining table, making a plan to rescue Moth from the Mages. She’d known one word--rushta--and one name. “It is. Good memory. May, I don't even know where to start.”
“It doesn't matter. You'll take your time.” It did matter, of course, and Lelet knew May was beside herself to hear the whole thing. Everything she’d learned about Lelet and Moth’s time on Eriis came from Scilla’s infrequent notes, and those were mainly variations on ‘don’t worry.’' “I take it Moth and his father did not have a happy reunion?”
Lelet shook her head. “He's just so old, he has a hard time remembering who he's talking to. And he doesn't seem to care who Moth is; he only wants to hear about the Queen.”
“Did you ever get to meet her?” asked May.
“No, but she sounds absolutely terrifying. She's on some sort of . . . I don't know . . . quest or something, no one has seen her for ages.” She looked up. “And no one will say anything about it, but she didn't help us. She was there and did nothing. What could she have been doing that's so important that she left him there . . . in that room, with those men?” She covered her eyes.
May leaned forward and took Lelet's hand. She didn’t comment on the missing finger. One more thing to explain. What would she say? A magical carnivorous door ate my finger, but it turned out to be a nice door, it was just a misunderstanding. “You don't have to tell me what happened. Only that your terrible plan of one word and one name worked and you both came home.”
“They were torturing him,” said Scilla. “The magicians over there in Eriis? Lel says they sliced him up like a trout. He's got scars’ll make your hair stand on end. Then Lel rescued him. Well, her and Ilaan. And Aelle, I guess.”
May rubbed her forehead. “Thank you, Scilla.”
“That was why Lel torched their hideout and sent them running,” Scilla added.
“I see,” said May, although she clearly did not. “Anything else?”
“Those are the highlights, I think.” Rhuun had quietly opened the door. “A trout, Sc
illa?” The girl grinned and ducked her head. “May. I had a feeling you and I would see each other again.”
“My ghost! But so thin. Scilla, don't they feed you here?” She had her handkerchief back out. “I knew you weren't a ghost.” She held out her arms and he gave her an embrace that lifted her feet off the floor.
Olly delivered their tea. The heavily tarnished service looked like it had once been very fine, but he allowed it to drop the last quarter inch onto the table. “If you need anything else, Scilla can see to it.”
Once the tea was poured and everyone was settled, May said, “So. Not a ghost, never were?”
Rhuun smiled. He'd taken the window seat and his legs nearly reached across the room. “Sorry about that. I wasn't supposed to be seen. I had to come up with something.”
“Yes.” May looked at Scilla, who was perched on the bed next to Lelet. “You had something to do with that, I gather?”
Scilla frowned and looked away. “I already apologized.”
“You have not apologized to me, Scilla. For terrorizing the household and upsetting Stelle.”
“I'm sorry I upset everyone,” Scilla said airily. “But it came out in the end, Lelet said so. And Moth too. So no one's mad.” She lifted her chin, daring anyone to argue. “If you really think about it, everyone should be thanking me.”
Lelet bit her tongue, although she found that she agreed with the sentiment, if not the methodology. “Where is Stelle?” Lelet asked. “Is she well?”
“Oh, yes, she's fine,” answered May. “She wanted to see you all—you, particularly, Moth. Am I still to call you Moth? Or would you prefer Prince Rhuun? Your Grace? Something else?”
“You would do well on Eriis,” he replied. “You have the nicest manners of any human I've met.” Lelet and Scilla rolled their eyes in unison. “Including your family. Moth is fine. Until we open an embassy here, I'm just another person. But you were saying?”
The Glass Girl Page 4