A Lair of Bones

by Helen Scheuerer

  Roh swallowed. The competitors were falling away faster than she had expected, severed from the tournament ruthlessly, with no ceremony. Would she and Odi be next? The waves of shock were still washing over the rest of them, but before she could fully comprehend what had just happened, Neith was called.

  Roh turned to face the water runner, ready to offer a smile of encouragement. But Neith’s face was dark with anger as she and Aillard removed the cover of her project. What they revealed … Well, incomplete was the kind way to describe it; unrecognisable was more accurate. Roh’s skin crawled. Has it been destroyed? Sabotaged? Splinters of timber jutted out at odd angles and water leaked from somewhere within, creating a puddle at Neith’s sandalled feet.

  ‘What is this?’ Elder Colter asked, his tone still neutral despite the mess before them.

  ‘It …’ Neith wrung her hands. ‘It was meant to be a … water fountain.’

  ‘Meant to?’ The question itself mocked Neith.

  ‘It’s not finished,’ was all she said.

  ‘Very well. Neith, you are hereby eliminated from the tournament.’

  ‘But —’

  ‘There are no exceptions here. You may leave.’ Elder Colter nodded to a pair of nearby guards, who took Neith and Aillard by the arms and led them away.

  ‘Where are they taking them?’ Odi’s voice sounded in Roh’s ear, and she knew his concern wasn’t for Neith.

  ‘The others were escorted out, too,’ Roh whispered back. ‘We can’t worry about them now, Odi,’ she told him. ‘It’s our turn.’

  Roh struggled to breathe deeply enough, fighting for air in short, shallow gasps. It felt as though one of the marble statues from above was pressing all its weight on her chest. The fear was all-consuming. This was the moment they had been working towards. What if —

  Odi elbowed her. ‘Focus,’ he commanded, and just in time.

  ‘Rohesia,’ Elder Colter called. ‘Of the Bone Cleaners.’

  A cold calm washed over Roh as she stepped forward, forcing herself to stand up straight, keeping her hands still rather than wringing them in front of herself. She glanced at Queen Delja, as straight-backed and regal as ever, and Roh could have sworn the queen winked.

  She sent a silent prayer to Dresmis and Thera that her voice would remain steady, and then, she spoke.

  ‘What you’re about to see is something we have never had in Saddoriel before …’ She nodded to Odi, who, with a showman’s flourish, removed the white sheet from their creation. Here amidst the glowing lights of the Great Hall, the piano looked impressive. It stood proudly atop the trolley, as though on a grand stage of its own. Odi had told her that they were usually painted and varnished, but this one was all the more glorious in its natural finish. Checking that the porters had placed bricks behind the trolley’s wheels, Roh clambered up onto it and lifted the lid, revealing the row of gleaming white keys, the bones she’d insisted upon, to honour cyren history. The ivory of the bones contrasted starkly with the black shorter keys – the sharps and flats, as Odi called them.

  Silence blanketed the hall and Roh cleared her throat. ‘This is a musical instrument,’ she told the council. ‘It’s called a piano.’

  Elder Colter frowned. ‘A piano?’

  ‘Yes,’ Roh pushed on. ‘It plays melodies and songs.’ She didn’t miss the strange look the council elder exchanged with the queen.

  ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘Prove it with a demonstration, then.’

  ‘I require the human musicians,’ she said, her voice almost quavering. ‘The two who play the fiddles. I need them to play it.’

  ‘That can’t be allowed,’ Finn Haertel barked, standing before Elder Colter, his cheeks tinged pink.

  ‘What?’ Roh heard Odi say.

  Without so much as glancing in their direction, Finn stepped forward to continue his protest. ‘It’s not in the tournament rules that we could use outside resources during the presentation of our projects.’

  Fury coursed through Roh’s veins. Her talons threatened to spring free and embed themselves in Finn’s throat. Steady, she told herself. She approached Elder Colter slowly, very conscious of the fact that this was the closest she’d ever been to a member of the Elder Council.

  ‘It’s not in the tournament rules that we couldn’t use outside resources during the presentation of our projects,’ she said, her voice quiet but lethal. She turned to Finn. ‘And I’m not sure you, of all cyrens, want to draw attention to what resources we can and cannot use.’

  Elder Colter looked from Finn to her. ‘I will consult the queen and council.’

  He left them standing side by side, wrath pouring out of Roh in waves. She couldn’t stand the highborn beside her. The bastard who had tried to sabotage her at every turn over some rumour he’d heard. This couldn’t end here, not like this. She’d worked too hard to have it all derailed now, and by him.

  As the council and queen deliberated, Roh paced, watching Odi from the corner of her eye as he stood guard by the piano. The competitors broke out into hushed whispers, and though she didn’t dare look at Finn, lest she lose her temper, she knew he was staring daggers at her. Let him, she thought, inviting the challenge. Every fibre of her being wanted to rip him apart.

  Odi came to her side, as though sensing she was on the verge of imploding. ‘What if they don’t allow the Eery Brothers to play?’ he asked, his voice low.

  Roh crossed and uncrossed her arms. ‘You will have to just play the scales. And hope it’s enough.’

  ‘Do you think it will be?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘What then —’

  Elder Colter returned to the forefront with an elegant sweep of his robes. ‘We have consulted with the queen,’ he said, facing Roh and the competitors. ‘The bone cleaner is right,’ he announced. ‘We have sent for the musicians.’

  A rush of relief pummelled into Roh so hard that she struggled to stay upright. She couldn’t believe it. The queen, the council had sided with her? She was adamant in her disbelief until she saw Finn’s reaction.

  ‘What!’ The highborn threw his hands up in the air and he looked at the council beseechingly. ‘That can’t be —’

  But to Roh’s shock, the elders ignored his spluttering. Slowly, a smile spread across her face. The Eery Brothers would play her piano, and the Elder Council would see what they had built. She savoured the moment, a little victory amidst the chaos. She knocked her elbow against Odi’s, unable to stop smiling. It’s going to work. She could feel it in her bones.

  Several moments later, the Eery Brothers appeared at the entrance of the hall, flanked by two guards. The once-handsome men looked thin and dishevelled, their clothes much larger on them than they had previously been. Bewildered, they were escorted inside, and brought right up to Roh and Odi. When their eyes came to rest upon Odi, their expressions changed. From bewilderment to … regret? Anger? Roh couldn’t quite read them.

  ‘What are you playing at?’ one of them hissed at Odi as they were shoved onto the stool before the piano. ‘What have you done?’

  Anger, then, Roh decided, watching them closely, suspicion stirring within her.

  ‘Bought you more time,’ Odi murmured back.

  Roh frowned, saying nothing as the fiddlers arranged themselves side by side on the stool. Both took turns to glance up at Odi, frustration mingling with their fear. Fame wasn’t the whole story, it seemed. Odi knew the musicians, knew them personally – that much was abundantly clear to Roh as she watched their nervous exchanges.

  ‘What are you waiting for?’ Elder Colter snapped impatiently.

  The Eery Brothers’ backs straightened and they adjusted their positions to sit on the edge of the seat. Then, their hands came to rest over the keys, their wrists relaxed, as Odi’s had been.

  ‘The Wolves of Wildenhaven?’ one asked the other quietly. A human-realm song title.

  The second brother gave a single nod. ‘On my count, then … Five, six, seven, eight —’

 
Vibrant notes burst from the instrument, filling the Great Hall with a simple, warm melody beneath the deft fingers of one brother. It was like … like golden syrup, rich and sweet and welcoming. A song that warmed the soul and soothed the mind, until … until the second brother began to play as well, his long fingers weaving a complex theme amidst the layers of notes, dark and full in sound. It was nothing like their fiddle playing, nothing like it at all. Roh felt herself sway at the music’s power, and let it settle in her chest and wash over her whole being. She watched the brothers in awe, their fingers trailing up and down the row of bone keys, their bodies rocking with the movement of the song. Gradually, the notes built and built, reaching a brilliant crest before spiralling downwards, Roh’s heart hammering along with them. At last the song slowed and the final, poignant chords sounded. Silence fell but for the faint echo of those last notes.

  The Great Hall was blanketed in shock.

  Roh herself had clapped a hand over her mouth as the brothers had worked the melody into a frenzy. The others were staring at her, then at Odi and the fiddlers at the piano. Astonishment was etched on every face, and every mouth was slightly open in bewilderment. Even Queen Delja looked stunned. After a long pause, Elder Colter stepped forward once more.

  ‘Very well. Take the musicians away. The Council of Seven Elders will now deliberate.’

  The Eery Brothers looked panicked as they were escorted back out. Odi didn’t take his eyes off them, his expression somehow trying to reassure them. When the council members and queen had disappeared into a side chamber, Roh turned to Odi.

  ‘You knew them,’ she said.

  ‘I told you —’

  ‘No, you knew them, you know them, beyond them being famous.’

  ‘I … I’ve come across them before. Does it matter?’

  Roh considered him carefully. ‘I don’t know yet.’

  Odi’s fingers drifted absentmindedly across the keys, before he yanked his hand away, remembering what they were made of. He caught Roh’s gaze. ‘I told you that you could trust me,’ he said, with the hint of a triumphant grin.

  Something crawled beneath Roh’s skin that threatened to sour this victory. They had done it, the piano had worked brilliantly, but … there was a secret. Odi was keeping something from her. And Roh’s experience with secrets told her this was no trivial detail.

  But Odi’s eyes were bright and she couldn’t help the tug of a smile at her own mouth. ‘I … I couldn’t believe the sound,’ she managed. ‘It’s beautiful. Better than anything I imagined it would be.’

  ‘I know.’

  There was nothing worse than the waiting, than the slow tick of the minutes passing, oblivious to the anticipation thrumming across the Great Hall. Sometimes it felt like Roh had always been waiting. Waiting for her mother to say something to her, waiting to be old enough, waiting to find her deathsong, waiting for this gods-damned tournament … The inaction didn’t suit her. She found the helplessness of it suffocating, hating that it tested the power of her limited patience. She remained quiet in her thoughts, her gut writhing with nerves. Her skin prickled beneath the stares of the other competitors, as though they were only seeing her for the first time now.

  That’s right, she wanted to say. I’m not just some lowly bone cleaner. I am someone to be reckoned with.

  The bell chimed once more, its singular note sounding strange in contrast to the richness of the melody they’d just heard. But it served its purpose, drawing the competitors’ attention to the front, where Elder Colter appeared once more.

  ‘The winner of today’s trial …’ Each word was slow and deliberate, a purposeful torment as he looked around, taking in their anxious faces. ‘Is Rohesia of the Bone Cleaners.’

  Roh didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. There was no applause. Only silence. Was it possible? Roh’s gaze slid to Odi’s and his wide eyes confirmed what she’d prayed in her heart was true. They had won. They had won the trial. Against all the odds and nepotism, the craftsmanship and originality of their work could not be denied, not even by the Saddorien Council of Seven Elders. She wanted to scream, to jump up and down with the joy of it. She wanted nothing more than to race down to the workshop to tell Ames, Harlyn and Orson.

  But Elder Colter was still speaking. ‘Estin Ruhne has received second place. Yrsa Ward has come in third place. Finn Haertel and Zokez Rasaat, while you did not place, you will continue on to the third and final trial. All of you are to leave your projects here.’

  That was it. They were dismissed. Making for the exit amongst the other competitors, Roh’s grin was wide. It didn’t matter that there had been no more than a few words regarding their victory. The absence of deafening applause didn’t matter. What mattered was what they had achieved. And together, she and Odi had achieved a great deal. The pair stayed close as they made for the exit, heads ducked together and eyes bright with unified camaraderie. When they reached the double doors of the hall, someone grabbed Roh’s arm. She looked up, finding Neith at her side. Good! I’m glad we’ve got a chance to see her.

  Roh paused beneath the statues of Dresmis and Thera, holding a hand to her chest, the other squeezing the water-runner’s shoulder. ‘Neith! Are you alright? I’m so sorry that you were —’

  ‘You don’t belong here,’ Neith cut her off, her voice icy.

  The very air around Roh stirred with something unpleasant and she baulked. ‘What?’ She must have misheard her, picturing Neith’s broad smile only days earlier.

  ‘You. Don’t. Belong. Here.’ Each word was like a stab to the gut. ‘What were you even thinking? An isruhe as our future queen? No one would bow to you.’

  Roh stood frozen in the shadows of the great goddesses, shock rooting her to the spot. ‘But … we’re the same, Neith. We were the lowborns in it together.’

  Roh heard a snicker from behind her, but she didn’t turn to look. She watched as pure loathing filled Neith’s lilac eyes.

  ‘There is nothing “together” about us. We are not on the same side. Why do you think I took your pathetic human’s token?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘You were so quick to accuse Haertel, and I let you.’

  Neith? Roh stared at her in horror, the realisation dawning. ‘You … you helped Odi up …’

  ‘Is that what I did?’ Neith sneered as she turned to leave. ‘I hope this tournament ruins you.’ She stormed off.

  ‘I tried to tell you,’ said a warm voice from nearby. Neith’s human, Aillard, appeared by the steps. He approached Odi. ‘I told her she need not resort to such tactics, but … she wouldn’t listen. Her actions were born out of fear.’

  ‘She did it to Tess, too?’ Odi asked with a meaningful glance at Roh.

  Aillard nodded. ‘And the one that belonged to the teacher. Poor Fasiel. She lost her life because of it. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, old friend.’

  ‘You have nothing to be sorry for,’ Odi told him. ‘Do you know what happens to you now?’

  Aillard gave a grim smile. ‘Only the gods can know for certain.’

  Roh tore her gaze away from the humans, trying to find Neith as the group dispersed outside the hall, but the bitter water runner had vanished. Completely dazed, Roh looked around, catching Finn Haertel’s victorious gaze on her. He’d heard every word. He gave her a final satisfied look before slipping back into the hall.

  It took Roh several moments after Neith had left to be able to move her feet. The shock had settled into her limbs like lead. How could Neith have done this? How could she feel that way about a fellow lowborn? Roh was reeling. The tournament brought out the worst in her kind and put it on irrefutable display. The nepotism, the cunning, the cruelty, the selfishness, it was all there, stark before them. It was bleeding from the creations the competitors had crafted, laced in the sacrifices they’d made to get there, seeping from those who had suffered in the name of it.

  ‘Odalis Arrowood,’ a firm, official voice called from behind them.

  Roh’s stoma
ch dropped into her boots and her mouth went dry. What? Odalis? Why are they calling him that? Still at the entrance to the Great Hall, both she and Odi were forced to turn back. Inside, the Council of Seven Elders were crowded around the piano, where Finn Haertel stood beside Elder Arcus Mercer.

  ‘What is this about, Elders?’ Roh asked, her voice trembling. She didn’t know how to formally address them.

  Arcus Mercer ran a hand along the side of the piano in wonder. ‘We need to speak with Odalis Arrowood. Come here, human.’

  ‘Odalis?’ Roh hissed in Odi’s direction.

  His eyes were full of apology as the pair of them were forced forward. The muscular chest of a guard suddenly pressed into Roh’s back and she shot Odi a worried glance. What have you done?

  Roh wet her lips. ‘What do you want with him?’ She was still being corralled towards the piano and the elders, and worse, the long shadows newly cast across the ground told her that the competitors who had left were now crowding at the entrance of the hall to watch whatever was about to unfold. Dread lurched within her, cloaked in a deep sense of foreboding.

  ‘He is a musician,’ Finn said, his voice cold. ‘He plays the piano.’

  ‘What?’ Roh sneered. ‘That’s a lie. Odi can play no more than the rudimentary scales – the notes required to test and tune the instrument. That’s all.’ Her words were venomous. Finn Haertel was going to pay dearly for this.

  But Finn turned calmly to the Council of Elders now. ‘He can play. I’ve heard him before. He’s known in the human realms as the Prince of Melodies.’

  ‘That’s absurd.’ Roh planted her feet firmly on the ground, refusing to budge forward an inch more. Odi stood beside her, silent.

  ‘The Jaktaren have sought him out for years. Saddoriel wanted him even as a child – his name is in the ledger. And yet he has evaded us, since before I was inducted into the guild,’ Finn explained. ‘His father owns a famous shop on the Isle of Dusan. He is the stepbrother to the renowned Eery Brothers, the musicians who performed just now.’

  A chill ran down Roh’s spine. ‘I was in the woods near my village foraging for truffles … That’s when I heard my stepbrothers … I heard them so clearly. I just walked in.’