Kanata stood before Ioro. “On whose order?” His voice was quiet and threatening.
“Tolioro’s.”
Kanata looked speculatively at Ioro for a moment, then slowly walked toward Tolioro. The crown prince jumped up and stood at attention. Kanata’s voice was still quiet. “A justified but, unfortunately, premature action. We may have lost valuable information. A future king should think before he acts.”
Tolioro seemed to shrink.
Kanata made a gesture. “Out. Both of you!”
The princes practically fled the room.
*
Sawateenatari was paralyzed. All of the shops in the city were closed. The citizenry remained at home. Groups of soldiers marched through empty alleys, searching the houses. No one dared complain if valuables disappeared or a girl lost her innocence.
Five older men and one middle-aged woman sat together in the merchants’ guild house.
“Just what we needed,” blustered Guild Lord Moko, a stout, burly man with a bull’s neck. “One little assassination attempt... the prince didn’t suffer more than a tiny pinprick and the palace closes the markets! My fruits are perishable. I’ve already got three cartloads I can write off. We have to do something!”
“The palace rejected all of our petitions,” Guild Lord Taor explained. “We can’t even get an audience with the king.”
“So, what are we supposed to do? Wait until we’re broke?”
“Perhaps it would be better to upset the king?”
The two guild lords glared at each other.
“Of course not, gentlemen,” Guild Master Mukini tried to placate them. “We can’t afford to argue in a situation like this.”
As though on command, they turned their heads toward him. “And what pray tell,” asked Moko, his voice dripping with irony, “can we afford?”
“There is still a faction King Kanatamehme will listen to,” Mukini explained unflinchingly. “The Crystal Chamber.”
A collective groan went through the room.
“Yes, I know, the sorcerers’ services are expensive, but what else are we supposed to do? At least we don’t have to pay them with our hard-earned gold, they just want children.”
“Not our children!” protested Guild Mistress Raina.
“So what?” Moko responded snidely. “Children can be quickly replaced. Gold is harder to earn. Let them have the children if they open the markets and roads back up for us.”
Raina opened her mouth as though to protest, but one look at her colleagues made her keep her peace.
“So, it’s decided?” Mukini asked. “I will send a messenger to the Crystal Chamber immediately.”
*
Two gaunt, old men clad in white robes sat on the glass floor under the meditation dome in the Crystal Chamber. One held a pink flower in his left hand, the other, who looked like he was already getting on in years, had placed his relaxed hands on his thin thighs. Neither spoke nor moved.
Thoughts coursed through the crystals, imperceptible to any potential spectators.
“The assassination was a failure.”
“Incorrect; it was a partial failure.”
“But the crown prince is still alive.”
“He is alive, but he made a mistake. Ioro currently stands higher in the king’s favor than Tolioro. If there were a vote today, Kanata would probably agree to change the line of succession.”
“If the old fox doesn’t already smell a rat.”
“Why should he? The man doesn’t have even the tiniest spark of magical talent. Besides, he thinks he is protected by the spell on his palace walls. He hasn’t the imagination to discover our loophole. Besides, it was the Crystal Chamber that forced the separation of the Chamber and the palace back then. How could he possibly think we are making an effort to do away with this separation?”
Their thoughts fell silent for a moment. Then, the older of the two started up again.
“You are probably right. We have already been patient for so many generations, one more won’t make a difference. Now, on to something more pleasant. There is one positive benefit of Kanata’s rage. Soon, a messenger from the merchants’ guild will arrive to ask the Crystal Chamber to intervene.” Amusement coursed through their thoughts. “We should make it very difficult for them. We should demand at least ten children. They have ignored us far too long!”
“Ten children and at least three of those from their direct bloodlines!” the other agreed. Soft laughter coursed through the crystals. “Enough of these profane matters. What do you think of this flower? I think the color isn’t quite fully developed!”
*
Kanata sat silently on his throne, listening to the what the messenger from the Crystal Chamber had to say. Only the throbbing vein at his temple betrayed his rage. Those confounded sorcerers! It wasn’t enough that Tolioro had almost been the victim of a magical artifact, now these old men dared give him advice on how to govern his realm!
To his left, his vizier cleared his throat. Kanata raised his little finger. The vizier would have to wait. “We will take your concerns into account,” he informed the envoy.
The man obediently left the hall backwards, bowing deeply as he went.
Kanata looked to his side. The vizier’s hands were pressed tightly against his thighs, a sure sign that he was tense. Good! He should fear him!
“What do I need to know?” Kanata asked, almost purring.
The vizier swallowed. He involuntarily crossed his arms across his chest. “Your Majesty!” The man’s voice sounded hoarse. “It is true that we urgently need the trade guild to act! There are reports of massive food shortages from several areas throughout the city. In only three or four days, will see the first famine revolts. The mob is no danger to you here in the palace, but it can destroy valuable property in the city. Property your subjects need to be able to pay their taxes. And don’t forget, the trade guild pays large amounts of gold into your coffers.”
For a moment, the vizier was afraid he had said too much. Then Kanata nodded.
“Take the necessary steps right away. Announce throughout the city that I was only prepared to grant this act of mercy because the crown prince survived the attempt on his life without injury.” A malicious smile appeared on his lips. “Besides, I am certain that under the circumstances, the trade guild will be thrilled to pay me an extra tithe for the next six moons.”
The vizier agreed. He had had the same idea. The state’s coffers needed constant replenishing.
The royal offspring had sulked long enough. Kanata had his eldest sons summoned. Satisfied, he noticed the two entered the room with the cautiousness of beaten dogs.
“I am certain you have already realized what this attempt on the crown prince’s life means,” he began.
Tolioro looked confused. Ioro simply looked at him, calmly.
“It is an insult to the royal house, a personal challenge to me and an insult to the gods,” Kanata continued. “In addition... No, you tell me.”
Ioro looked at Tolioro out of the corner of his eye. When he showed no reaction, he snapped to attention. “It also shows us that we have an enemy with connections to sorcerers’ circles, perhaps even to the Crystal Chamber,” he said. “Moreover, our enemy must have connections or spies in the top ranks in the palace because our arrival was not officially scheduled or announced. Still, the assassin was ready and attacked under optimum conditions.”
Kanata nodded. “Your quick reaction and precision saved your brother’s life and the kingdom’s heir. I think you have proven that your training has been successful. It is time to put you to use accordingly. Starting immediately, I am assigning you to the royal honor guard.”
Ioro didn’t move a muscle, but his gleaming eyes were enough of a response. He bowed deeply. “It is an honor, royal father! I pledge my life to you!”
“Now, you,” Kanata turned to Tolioro. “I wonder if Grand Master Urgutan exaggerated in his assessment of you. At least, I don’t see that clear thinking
you should have after all the hours of tactics lessons. Not only were you short-sighted enough to have a source of information executed before we could question him, you also didn’t waste a single thought on the reasons for the assassination attempt. I cannot send you back to Ganae Elisam as that would be too obvious an admission of your ineptitude, but don’t think your status as crown prince gives you license to be a fool. I expect you to make more of an effort in the future. If you had shown even half as much prudence as Ioro, we might be further along in our investigation. You obviously still have much to learn and I will personally ensure that you learn it!”
He dismissed the princes with a wave of his hand.
Ioro didn’t dare look over at Tolioro. He knew his brother well enough to know how he would react. He must be seething with rage. Why did their father have to scold Tolioro in front of him? This loss of face would irrevocably destroy their already tense relationship. It was a good thing his duties as commander of the honor guard would allow him to avoid Tolioro for a while.
A Sorcerer Rises
For the next few days, Jok only left his room to eat and give the Blues lessons, but his heart wasn’t in it. Lesora’s face kept appearing before him and his thoughts kept returning to the moment at which her essence had flowed into the mirror. He barely noticed that the Blues and, even more so, the Greens kept their distance from him as well as they could. He didn’t even notice that even Tevi was avoiding him because he hadn’t spoken to him since he had become an adept, anyway.
On the third day, Master Go summoned him.
The master let him wait. Jok watched as he sorted papers and books, cleaned a mirror and placed it back in its spot on the wall and fleetingly checked several other mirrors all while drinking a cup of tea. Finally, Master Go walked over to the table, braced his hands against it and said, “There is one thing you must know. ‘Should have, would have, could have’ do not exist for us sorcerers. We do what we must to make our mirrors strong and our spells powerful. You have the ability to become a good sorcerer. I saw that back then in your village. But our work is dangerous. It doesn’t forgive wandering thoughts or mistakes. If you cannot shut off your emotions, you are mirror fodder. You have the choice. It’s in your hands. Sorcerer or mirror. If you decide to be a sorcerer, be one completely and do your work properly. Currently, your work is teaching. You shall teach the Blues well. I will not tolerate any neglectfulness. Only properly trained students have enough energy to create decent mirrors. Or good spells. As for you, I expect you to come here at the first hour of every evening for the next few days for your own lessons. Now go.”
Jok didn’t dare say a word. He turned on his heel and left. His students awaited him.
Master Go’s lessons were rigorous. They largely consisted of Master Go trying to draw energy from Jok, with the help of a mirror, while Jok shielded himself. Jok quickly learned that every mirror had different attack capabilities. Within a few days, he was able to differentiate between the mirrors based on their energy signatures. Master Go almost playfully overpowered his shield. Jok lost a lot of energy during every lesson. He quickly realized that these so-called lessons were primarily a source of high-quality, concentrated energy for Master Go.
After seven days, Master Go called Nao in to join the lesson. “We have to take advantage of every opportunity,” he said, “Nao will leave in four days.” Jok was glad Kai and Tur would leave him alone for now.
Nao and Master Go both attacked him. Jok’s shield was swept away before he was even able to close it. What came next was grueling. Two mirrors pulled at him simultaneously. At the edges, where their energy pathways crossed, he felt as though gleaming-hot iron were boring into his guts. When the two of them let him go, Jok sank to the ground like a wet sack.
“That wasn’t bad,” Nao said. “You held out pretty long.”
Master Go agreed with him. “It was quite acceptable for a first time. Tomorrow, we will try again with a more powerful mirror.”
Jok felt like he might vomit. His head was pounding. He crept back to his room like a beaten dog.
The next day, Master Go and Nao were, in fact, holding even larger mirrors in their hands. Again, Jok’s defense shattered without standing even the slightest chance. He desperately tried to keep his energies together. The mirrors gnawed and teared at him like hungry hyenas. Nao’s mirror was the first to find a vulnerability and cut along the energy pathways in his body. Jok gasped for air. The mirror worked like a scalpel. Nao’s energy beam slid through him almost without any resistance. There was something terrifyingly familiar about the beam, so familiar, it disgusted him. He lost hold of his energies. They spread out and disappeared rapidly into Master Go’s and Nao’s mirrors. Jok slumped forward and fell over. The bridge of his nose broke with a nasty sound.
A memory intermixed with the scent and taste of his own blood. “The solution, as always, is right in front of you!” He understood. It had been Gavila’s energies he had recognized from Nao’s mirror.
But Gavila and Nao had been friends! Nao had helped Gavila and she had been more than in love with him! Jok laboriously pulled himself up and stumbled a few steps toward Nao. “That was Gavila!”
Nao’s eyebrows rose. “Obviously.”
“But... we thought Master Go had turned her into one of his mirrors. You two were friends! She loved you!”
“Too bad for her,” Nao retorted, unapologetic. “Of course, I knew that pale-eyed little girl was in love with me. I had actually planned to turn her into a mirror earlier. Her talents with the falcon and her intimate knowledge of the Celestial Mountains were useful and I found it interesting to acquire them. The fact that she was in love with me made it all the easier.”
“But why did you wait so long? She truly believed you loved her, too!”
“I told you all once, there are only losers and winners here, nothing else. She should have taken me seriously. And why did I wait? When we were together, I was able to expand her energies even more. Besides, it made her feel safe. The foolish little girl didn’t even try to defend herself in the end. I got her really turned on and then gave her the best orgasm of her life. The ideal moment for a perfect mirror,” he raised the mirror slightly and looked at it admiringly. “Gav is the most beautiful mirror I have ever created,” he added with pride in his voice. “Not the most powerful, but the most beautiful. And now, I can reach for the mountains!”
He threw Jok a derisive look. “Don’t take it personally. With the work we do, you have to keep your emotions out of it. You’ll learn. If not, well, you would make a lovely mirror for Master Go’s wall.”
Master Go burst out laughing behind Jok. Go rarely laughed. It sent chills down Jok’s spine. He left the tower room as quickly as he could, considering how wretched he felt.
Two days later, on the first day of the Storm Moon, Nao left the house, but not on Master Go’s oxcart. No, a carriage with a crest on the side, accompanied by eight mounted men in brown-red tunics came to pick Nao up. Jok stood above, watching at the window in the Reds’ corridor. He didn’t say goodbye to Nao. His betrayal of Gavila had affected Jok too much. A small trunk with Nao’s personal effects had been stowed on the roof. A much larger, very heavy trunk had been strapped to the back of the carriage; those must be his books. A relatively flat trunk was loaded directly into the carriage so Nao could guard it personally. The servants transported it like a raw egg. Nao’s mirrors. The other residents of the house were standing in the courtyard, watching. Only Marada and a few of the servants said goodbye to Nao. Everyone else just stood there, watching. Master Go drew a sign in the air using a small mirror. It glowed briefly and surrounded the carriage with mist. Nao passed through the gate without difficulty.
Jok watched the carriage ride away until he couldn’t see it anymore. Only a slowly dissipating cloud of dust above the road left any sign that swift hooves and rolling wheels had ridden down it. Jokon turned around. He only saw three rooms in the Reds’ corridor now.
The next f
ew days were miserable. Master Go abused Jok mercilessly; alone or with Kai’s or Tur’s help. Jok’s shield slowly began to become more stable and held longer, but he was still defeated every time and had to watch as his energies were sapped. There was no one left for him to talk to. He taught his classes, first mechanically, then bitterly, becoming harsher and stricter. In the beginning, it was hard for him to harvest his students’ energies, so he did so almost instinctively for the next few weeks, growing more and more efficient each time. At night, he stayed up late, examining the harvested energies and weaving them into his depleted reserves. He quickly stopped seeing the Blues as individuals. They were a faceless mass; his herd of sheep, which he had to shear and on which he didn’t waste a second thought.
Shortly before the summer solstice, Master Go was called away again. Jok heaved a sigh of relief. He urgently needed a break. If Kai and Tur hadn’t kept on hounding him, he would have given up long ago. But he didn’t want to give them the satisfaction.
The day Master Go left, Jok canceled his classes. He needed a plan. Master Go had thinned out the Blues, leaving only Tevi, Sacan, Sistero and Miramee. The four of them had learned how to use their energies sparingly and in a controlled manner, and how to shield themselves. He couldn’t get much more from them. That left the Greens. There were several attractive girls among them. He would give Marada a list so she would send the girls to him, one after the other, in the evenings. Then there were the Grays. He would stay outside and watch them play in the courtyard at midday. They didn’t have any defenses so it would be easy to harvest the energies they released before Master Go’s energy collectors absorbed them. He wouldn’t be able to challenge one of the Blues for a few days; he was simply too weak right now. Who should he pick? He would take Miramee; she was clearly the weakest of the group and the easiest prey. Besides, he had already defeated her once.
Royal Falcon Page 15
