Between Starfalls

by S Kaeth

Ra’ael glared at the teapot, pouring a bit of tea to test the color. It was almost ready, just a little light. The elderly woman reached for her favorite mug, one of silver with an intriguing pattern engraved on it. She paused, frowning at it, then handed it to Ra’ael.

  “This needs to be washed.”

  “I just washed it. That discoloration will not come off the metal, but the cup is clean.”

  “Oh, see, now it is marred. It will never be as perfect.” Dode pursed her lips in annoyance.

  “It was once a blank canvas. Now, it has written on it a story. That makes it even more beautiful,” Ra’ael replied. Clearly, Dode would recognize Rinaryn wisdom in this.

  Dode looked at her quizzically, then handed the cup back, murmuring about “strange notions.”

  “If nothing can be less than perfect, how did your people create all this?” Ra’ael gestured around her, challenge in her voice. “Surely buildings and statues, even roads, must deteriorate with time. What, then, do you do?”

  Dode smiled at her. “Come with me.”

  Ra’ael followed her to her rock garden in a back room where Dode liked to meditate. Dode scooped up a handful of pebbles and pressed her other hand over top, squeezing the pebbles between her hands. A repulsive metallic twang filled her mind, setting her on edge, and Ra’ael winced and stepped back. Dode seemed not to notice it, and when she opened her hands, the pile of pebbles was now a single, smooth rock, and the metallic twang had gone.

  Ra’ael gasped in amazement, and Dode laughed. Reaching out to touch the stone, she stopped short. An instinctive dread and something akin to hatred welled up deep within her, and her hand shook.

  Again, Dode didn’t seem to notice, offering her the stone. “You may take it.”

  Ra’ael clasped her hands behind her back instead. “Why not do that with your cup?”

  Dode sighed. “It is not so easy with refined metals. There will always be some imperfection.”

  “I thought you Kamalti hated magic.”

  Dode smiled at her. “That was not magic. That was the Gift from the gods.”

  That very next morning, Ra’ael accompanied Dode to a nearby chapel, for Dode said it was high time she introduced Ra’ael to the gods and to Kamalti priests. Arches high above their heads attached the heavily engraved building to the buildings on either side. Dode glided up to the door and reluctantly, Ra’ael followed.

  A man wearing purple robes and a satisfied smile opened the door for them. Light streamed in through windows of various shapes and sizes, filled with glass of all different colors. Lanterns hung high above their heads from chains attached to the arched ceiling. Everywhere, the metal was worked in beautiful, twisting designs. Kamalti filled the bench seats, with ebrs standing against the outer walls. At the front of the chapel sat a stone table worked in gold and silver and inlaid with brilliant gems of various colors and sizes, slender candles burning on it. Another man, wearing purple robes and a large crystal that hung from a gold chain around his neck, stood beside the table.

  Ra’ael couldn’t help but stare. It was stunning, even if very different from the decorations of wood, antler, horn, and bone from home. Nothing with life in it was used for Kamalti decorations, it seemed. Still, the beauty lifted her heart, although she wondered how and who the Kamalti worshiped. Did they worship Eloí? If so, they worshiped in a much more ostentatious manner. And if they did not, they were heathens, abandoning Eloí for falsehoods.

  “Let not your heart be filled with darkness, child,” Dode said.

  Ra’ael thinned her lips. Dode only smiled patiently and directed Ra’ael to stand along the side and keep silent. The service began as the priest turned his back to the people and spoke in Kamalti. The people followed his movements, kneeling when he knelt and rising when he rose, and Ra’ael doggedly watched the strange rituals while keeping an eye on the other ebrs around her.

  Through the service, she gathered from the smattering talk in Traveller’s that they worshipped a god called Kellendine who held all the creative power and had made everything. This was similar to Eloí, but Eloí was properly worshipped in the presence of all the life they brought forth. They were worshipped under the openness of the sky, not in a building of stone buried underground. She caught mention of several other names repeated during the service—other gods worshipped by these heathens, no doubt.

  After the service, Ra’ael peppered Dode with questions, and smiling as usual, Dode brought her to one of the metal buildings in the City.

  “You who judge others would not yourself appreciate being judged so hastily.” Dode entered the metal building before Ra’ael could reply.

  Simmering with questions, she followed, winding through the hallways until they came to a great room. A shimmering image born of light was displayed on a wall, and Ra’ael gasped as the image changed. Who was doing such magic?

  “This shows the faces of the demigods to the Chosen. By Chosen, of course, we mean us.” A rueful smile twisted Dode’s lips.

  Ra’ael peered at the image as it changed again. The images were fuzzy, but they looked far more Rinaryn than Kamalti. Both men and women appeared bald and wore strange clothing somewhat similar to the costumes of the Scouts. There were several of them, and Dode told her about each one, devotion filling her voice: Reri, the goddess of mothers, Tilo, the god of artists, Noru, the goddess of love, Voric, the god of alcoholic drinks, and more.

  “All these serve under the great Kellendine who holds all power. My people have long honored those who assist Kellendine. Long ago, Kellendine was helped in his creative works by a group called the Prusotak. They built the world as we know it, but they were not long for the world and soon diminished. As they did so, these Takanis came to take their place as the helpers of Kellendine.”

  “So, when you changed the pebbles into a single rock, you said it wasn’t magic but a gift from the gods. Which gods?”

  “The Takanis, of course.”

  “How does one receive such a gift?”

  “It is a sacred ritual, available only to some. Never to ebrs.”

  Ah, yes, the secret of Kamalti society. Money. “Only to the rich, you mean.”

  Dode raised her browridge. “Only to nobility, yes, but not all nobles have the Gift. Your priestesshood is restricted, is it not? Does, perhaps, your own parentage influence your status?”

  Ra’ael scowled at her, irritation twisting her heart. Her mother had been highly honored, and Ra’ael longed to make her proud. Had her mother’s deeds been taken into account when she’d been made priestess? The truth sang uncomfortably in her head.

  Her feet dragged as she followed Dode to another room farther down the hall, a shrine to the Prusotak. A massive statue stood in the middle of the room, carved to resemble a being raising up mountains with his hands. He looked much more like the Kamalti than the images of the Takanis, but somehow even stranger, almost lizard-like.

  Ra’ael shook her head. “How can you worship those who do not look like you?”

  “And what does your Eloí look like?”

  Again, the priestess shook her head. “Eloí has no shape, no form. They’re a force like the wind which whips around the mountains and carves their shape.”

  Dode smiled. “I could ask you as well how you could worship that which does not look like you.”

  Caught in truth, Ra’ael couldn’t help but smile a little.

  Ra’ael awoke from her cot. Her exhausted body protested, still weary from all the errands she and Dode had run that day. They’d ended with another trip to the shrine, another discussion. She’d even begun to enjoy herself, and had fallen asleep with a feeling that approached… happiness.

  But something had awakened her. She crouched beside her cot and held her breath, ears straining, peering through the dim light of Kamalti nighttime. Some perception that had not yet drifted to her conscious mind filled her with wariness.

  Movement caught her eye—a shadow. Someone was in the house.

  The shadow moved dow
n the hallway, and she crept after it, racing forward as the intruder opened the door to Dode’s room. He approached Dode’s bed, pulling a knife. Ra’ael leapt, tackling him. They hit the floor hard, and Ra’ael quickly had him pinned.

  With a gasp, Dode sat up in bed. She lit the lamp next to her and Ra’ael blinked in the light.

  “His knife is there,” Ra’ael said with a nod of her head. The intruder lunged to break her hold, but she held tight. He was no match for her.

  Dode, however, shook visibly as she wrapped herself in a robe. “We must convene the Justices.” She paused, then hurried out of the house, her frame filled with tension.

  Once the outer door had shut, Ra’ael grabbed the man, forcing him into the kitchen. He was of average height and build for a Kamalti, and if she’d passed him on the street, she wouldn’t have given him a second thought. But he’d tried to kill Dode. The fury that filled her was surprising.

  She snatched a length of rope and tied the man to a chair, ignoring his protests that the ropes were too tight. Anger stole her words, so Ra’ael yanked harder on the ropes until he quit complaining. She was checking her knots when Dode came back in, but the woman walked past her without speaking, hardly seeming to see her. Filled with concern, Ra’ael checked the knots one more time and gagged the man even though he sat quietly. She slipped down the hallway to check on Dode.

  Dode sat in front of a mirror, wearing fresh clothes and painting her face. Her hands were still shaking, however calm her face appeared. “The Justices will deal with this intruder, this attempt on my life,” she said.

  Dode must be terrified to speak such obvious truths. “You seem to have many enemies.”

  “I have not risen to my station without upsetting some people,” Dode said. She smiled, and Ra’ael returned the smile.

  Admiration welled up within her at how Dode strove to hide her terror. “You do not seem to be the enemy-making kind,” Ra’ael confessed. “You seem so mild.”

  Dode put her paints away. “The Scouts will soon take in this… visitor. I will go with them to see the Justices. You will stay behind.”

  “When we were brought before the Justices, we had to wait until morning,” Ra’ael said.

  “An attempt on the life of a noblewoman, a Philosopher, carries greater weight.”

  Ra’ael snorted her disdain. Why should one life be worth more based solely on birth?

  Dode’s hands continued to trembled. The elderly woman was in no shape right now for debate. She reached out a hand and set it on Dode’s.

  It wasn’t long before the Scouts rapped on the door. Once they’d all left, including the prisoner, Ra’ael grabbed the soap and washbucket and scrubbed the floor. She couldn’t go to sleep now—not when Dode had nearly been murdered in the next room.

  The entire floor of the large house was sparkling by the time Dode returned, looking haggard. She latched the door and leaned against it, trembling. Shock froze Ra’ael, seeing the old woman’s composure so damaged.

  “Did everything go alright?” she asked.

  “Yes, yes,” Dode said, taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders. She sat down at the table, outwardly calm but for quivering fingers.

  Almost by reflex, Ra’ael prepared a pot of Dode’s favorite tea. When the tea was ready, Ra’ael placed a cup in the woman’s hands. Dode’s browridge rose as she emerged from whatever thoughts she had been pondering.

  “Be careful, child, or I may start thinking you do not completely despise me.”

  Ra’ael sat next to her. “I never despised you. I only despised my role.”

  “I, for one, am glad you are here.” Her expression darkened. “The Justices thought you might be part of the plot. No, do not worry. I told them in no uncertain terms that you are innocent. Their prejudice and suspicion will be their undoing!”

  There were no words to say that would not hurt Dode, so Ra’ael said nothing.

  Dode mused silently to herself while she sipped the tea, her lips moving occasionally. After draining the last drops from her mug, Dode took a deep breath and fixed a sharp gaze on her. “Ra’ael, I cannot release you from ebrid. However, ebrs have many functions. How would you like to be my bodyguard?”

  Ra’ael’s mouth dropped open. Bodyguards were an honored occupation among the Kamalti.

  Her hand trembling only a little, Dode reached out and gripped Ra’ael’s hand. “It seems obvious there are some who are not happy about the influence the Philosophers have been gaining. Some may raise a fuss over you as my bodyguard, but I have no care for their thoughts. You have kept me safe without my asking. It seems only fitting I now formally ask you.”

  Ra’ael smiled. “Of course, Dode.”

  Dode nodded and sat back with a deep sigh as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders. “This is good. You will now accompany me almost everywhere I go. In public, you will still need to be deferential and invisible, as an ebr should be, but Ra’ael?” She smiled, weariness lining her face. “I am honored to be in your company.”

  ÌTAL-DEITAE

  Chapter Fourteen

  The gracious hostess is certain her household staff is in order, not just the rooms themselves! She trains her servants and ebrs in proper etiquette and insists on protocol. Since many servants and ebrs come from the lower classes, their knowledge of etiquette may be insufficient for a noble house, so they must be taught proper form: to speak only when spoken to, to answer promptly and succinctly, and to keep their gaze down when talking to their betters. While it is polite for those of her station or better to look her in the eye, this is unacceptable for the lower classes. Nothing is so evident of poor breeding as the staff whose gaze wanders while his betters instruct him!

  Of course the well-bred young lady must be attended by female staff, while male staff is required for young gentlemen…

  -excerpt from The Young Ladies’ Guide to Etiquette

  Answer hurried through the streets, her boots clicking on the cobblestones. She longed to break into a run, but that would not be seemly, and she’d surely hear about it from her mother later. So she kept her pace as swift as the rules of decorum allowed and greeted those she passed with distracted nods, recalculating her schedule instead of paying attention to the streets. At least her home was not too far from the Scout’s Council, and she’d finished her rounds on the Upper Fifth on the stair-ward side of the City right on time. Once home, there should be just enough time to change out of her uniform, bathe, and dress in civilian clothing. She’d have to hope her mother hadn’t busied all the ebrs with frivolous tasks so she’d have someone to carry goods for her while she shopped. The merchants were just opening their stores, and she could hear the sounds of arguing as those less well-off set up their temporary stalls in the marketplace.

  Two rings sounded from Timepiece Tower, the massive mechanism the artificers had made last circulation to prove that Codr’s artificers were the best of the best. The pride of Codr, it drew the envy of the other Kamalti Cities. The City of Detr had even had the gall to threaten to subjugate Codr once more, but of course, the Scouts all knew that with Hadr’s support, they could stand against Detr. She sneered for a moment at the tunnel on the Detr-ward side of the cavern before smoothing her features once more. They’d thrown off Detr and its taxes a generation ago and had only grown stronger.

  Answer stared at the lift as it inched its way up her column. She should wait for it, for decorum’s sake, but time was already short! She needed to get to the market while the stalls were still fresh, before all the best goods were gone. If she bought the Justice Zhedr an impressive gift, she could turn his eye to her. Courting him would significantly increase her rank, and it didn’t hurt that he was young and handsome.

  The lift was too slow. Decorum would cost far too much if it meant she missed out on the market. She bounded up the stairs, climbing the switchback flights as quickly as she could. The day of the ball was fast approaching. With Scouting and training Taunos and dealing with the pressure from othe
r noble houses, which were worried about the savage ebrs, she’d nearly lost track of time and only had two days left to find the perfect gift. If she missed this chance, it would be several faces before the next social occasion where Scouts, Philosophers, and Justices mingled freely with one another.

  Throwing open the door, she poked her head into the library to find Ketrik polishing the wooden shelves. She paced across the thick rugs as he bowed to the precise angle he should.

  “My lady Answer?”

  “Ketrik, draw me a bath. Afterward, you will come with me to the market. I have some business to attend to.”

  “My deepest apologies, my lady, but I cannot. Your mother has decreed that after I finish here, I must shine her best circlet and be certain her crystal earrings are spotless. It would not do to disappoint her.”

  Answer twisted her gloves in frustration. “Then who can attend me? Where is Kajat?”

  “Kajat is at the tailor’s, collecting the gowns for the ball, my lady.”

  She frowned. “Send me Tegil, then.”

  Ketrik sighed. “My apologies, my lady, my deepest apologies. Your father has taken Tegil with him to a meeting. I can take Taunos from cleaning the dishes if you wish. Or, if you could wait two hours, Kajat should have returned by then.”

  “Two hours is too long! All the best merchandise will be gone from the market by then, and I must have the best.”

  “Then Taunos is your only option, my lady,” Ketrik said, blinking his apologies.

  Answer took a deep breath. It wasn’t fair of her to take out her frustration on Ketrik. It was her mother who was ruining her plans. “Fine, Ketrik. Please have Taunos dress properly for the market and send him up to me. I will draw my own bath.”

  “Very good, my lady,” Ketrik said.

  She turned and ran from the room as he bowed.

  Her hurried bath in the large copper tub was far from relaxing, for the water wasn’t heated as thoroughly as she liked. That’s what she got for not having the ebrs do it. The water encouraged her not to linger—she didn’t have time for a soak, anyway.