The Severed Realm

by Michael G. Manning

  I let out a low whistle of appreciation. It was the first time I had ever had a chance to witness him using his dimensional abilities. “That’s fascinating.”

  “How much did you see?” asked Matthew.

  “Well, I can see an opening to another world.”

  “Before that,” he insisted.

  I described what I had seen, which seemed to confuse him even further. “You shouldn’t have been able to see that.”

  “It was just aythar,” I replied.

  “But it was shifting through different dimensions to find the resonance of this boundary. You shouldn’t have sensed anything until the actual portal began to open,” he informed me.

  Without warning, a massive fist the size of a small tree trunk shot through the opening, reaching toward him. Matthew stepped to one side, neatly avoiding it, and then let his portal collapse, severing the arm near the elbow. It fell to the ground with a heavy thump, blood draining from the severed end. “They really aren’t friendly over there, are they?” he intoned calmly.

  He hadn’t moved quickly. His motion had simply begun early enough to avoid the attack without any need to leap or jerk his body. The entire thing had looked odd to me. It reminded me of the Illeniel krytek from Tyrion’s ancient memory. “Did you get a forewarning of danger?” I asked. “Or did you sense it with your magesight through the portal beforehand?”

  “I wasn’t looking,” he admitted. “I was too busy trying to figure out how you were able to sense things you shouldn’t be able to. The danger sense thing happens almost unconsciously. Did you feel it too?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, it wasn’t reaching for you anyway, so even if you had it, it wouldn’t warn you, I suppose,” he said, still thinking aloud.

  “Trust me,” I said, “I’ve been in plenty of danger over the course of my years. If I had this precognitive danger sense of yours, it would have shown up by now.”

  Matthew didn’t seem entirely convinced, but he didn’t say anything else about it. Instead, he walked a straight line in the direction of Lancaster, remaining parallel to the nearly invisible boundary. When we had reached the point where it met the edge of the missing part of Lothion, he turned and followed the edge of it for a distance and then held up his hands again.

  Once more I saw his aythar flowing outward, and a new portal opened. This time it wasn’t a forest in front of us, but a continuation of the road that led from Cameron to Lancaster. The terrain ahead of us was open and sunny.

  “I think that’s Lancaster ahead of us,” said Matthew.

  I nodded. “We should have done this weeks ago.” My head was swirling with ideas. There was every chance we could rescue the people from Lancaster, including Ariadne’s brother Roland and his family.

  “The idea occurred to me a few weeks ago,” he responded. “But then, well, you know.”

  Penny’s death, I finished mentally. That had thrown all of us into chaos. I couldn’t blame him for not bringing it up. We had all been distracted by our family tragedy.

  He started to step through the portal, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s not be rash.”

  “They’ve been trapped there for over a month,” my son observed. “We could scout the area without too much risk.”

  The trouble for me was that was exactly what I would have done, if I were alone, but I wasn’t prepared to risk any of my family without making better preparations. “Tomorrow morning,” I told him. “Another day won’t make much difference. We’ll bring Gram and a few others.”

  He looked like he wanted to argue, but after a moment he released the portal and nodded. “Fine.”

  We returned home and described what we had discovered to the others over lunch. The news excited them, and everyone wanted to come, which wasn’t exactly to my liking. I compromised slightly, though. “You can all come to the crossing point, but only a few of you will cross over. Those being Matthew, Karen, Alyssa, Gram, and myself. Irene, Lynaralla, and Moira will remain on this side of the boundary.”

  “That’s not fair,” complained Irene. “You’re only taking the boys.”

  I gave her a funny look. “Half of them are female.”

  “But Karen and Alyssa aren’t your daughters. This is familial sexism. You’re only letting your sons take risks,” argued Irene.

  “Conall isn’t coming either,” I said matter-of-factly.

  Alyssa spoke up, ignoring our disagreement. “Gram is in Albamarl, visiting his mother.”

  “Then I’ll go fetch him,” I said.

  Irene piped up again, “You should just take me instead.”

  Laughing, I pushed myself away from the table and stood. “Keep arguing, and I’ll make you stay home. By the way, it’s your day to help Alyssa with the dishes.” So saying, I left and went to the portal that would take me to Albamarl. I could hear Irene groaning behind me as I went, while some of the others laughed at her misfortune.

  Chapter 9

  Back in the Queen’s chambers in Albamarl, I surprised Ariadne as she was finishing a private lunch. “Mordecai?”

  No one else appeared to be present, so I kept my reply informal. “Hi, Ari. Sorry if I caught you off-guard.”

  She had her hand over her bosom while she took several deep breaths. “I thought I was alone. You startled me.”

  Seeing an opportunity to advance my plan, I asked her, “Where is Conall?”

  “In the hall,” she responded with a frown. “Why?”

  “Lady Rose was attacked while alone, in a room that no one thought the enemy could reach. You’ve made my son your champion—why not keep him close at hand?” I suggested.

  Ariadne sighed, then gave me a look of distaste. “I value what little privacy I’m afforded, Mort. Your son has been pushing the same line of reasoning lately. Should I be suspicious of the coincidence?”

  I turned my eyes toward the ceiling innocently. “You’re the first monarch in several generations to have a wizard in your service. It might be wise to make the most of it.”

  She pushed away a plate that was still half full. “Did you come to harangue me about my security or did you have a better purpose for your visit?”

  “I’m looking for Gram,” I explained. “Harassing you was just a side benefit.”

  “The downsides of having a portal connecting my rooms to your home are starting to become apparent,” she said sourly. “I believe he’s visiting his mother. Would you like some food before you go?” She gestured at the food on the table before her. Aside from what was unfinished on her plate, there was enough for at least two or three more people in the serving dishes.

  Despite having just eaten, it was tempting. I picked up a bun from the table and tore it open before using it to sop up some delicious-looking gravy from a silver tureen filled with beef. My taste buds were not disappointed. “I’m not hungry,” I told her.

  “One would never guess it,” she replied drolly.

  Thirsty now, I pointed at her unfinished glass of wine. “Do you want that?” When she shook her head, I picked it up and downed the last of it in a single gulp. “Thanks.” Then I leaned over and kissed her soundly on the cheek. “You’re my favorite cousin.”

  The Queen of Lothion let out a disgusted gasp and began wiping away the gravy I had gotten on her cheek. I was already making my way to the door. “I think you should find another way to the palace for when you aren’t actually coming to see me,” she called to my back.

  I turned in a circle as I went. “That’s an excellent idea. Conall might be hungry. Do you mind if I send him in to help finish the food?”

  She threw up her hands. “You might as well.”

  I left, chuckling, and made good on my word, telling my son, the noble Sir Conall, that the Queen needed his assistance. Before I could get away from him, my son called out to me. “Dad?
”

  “Mm hmm?”

  He seemed slightly bemused by my sudden appearance. “There’s something on your shirt.”

  Glancing down, I saw a long streak of brown gravy. I gathered most of it onto my finger and stuck it in my mouth, but the damage was already done. I should have known better than to wear a white shirt, I thought.

  Five minutes later, I was outside the door that led to the rooms currently being used by the Thornbear family. Luckily, they hadn’t decided to move into Rose’s actual family residence within the capital. Rose’s official title was ‘the Hightower.’ It was her maiden name, and it came from the massive bailey that guarded the main gate to Albamarl, a literal high tower. If she had been there, I’d have had a twenty-minute walk across the city to find her.

  A moment after my knock, Elise Thornbear opened the door. “This is a surprise,” she said pleasantly when she saw me. Then her eyes traveled down my shirtfront. “I see you’ve already had lunch.”

  Nodding, I smiled. “Mm hmm. I thought I’d finish it off with a berry tart. Have any cooling in the window, perchance?”

  The old woman laughed and opened the door wider to allow me in. “I stopped baking them over thirty years ago because someone kept stealing them,” she said, giving me a mock glare.

  “If you’re implying it was me, I will have to protest. That’s slander. The true culprit confessed, as I recall,” I told her.

  Elise pursed her lips and put her hands on her hips. “Dorian was covering for you and that rapscallion, Marcus,” she declared.

  I reached back and rubbed my backside. “I can still remember the sting of your switch.”

  “Not that you learned anything from it,” she shot back, and then she gave me a quick hug.

  “Elise, is someone here?” said Rose, calling to her mother-in-law from the bedroom.

  “Lord Cameron has come to pay us a visit,” answered Elise.

  “I’ll be out in a moment,” said Rose, closing her door once more.

  What really caught my attention was that there was a man in the room with her. I hadn’t heard his voice, but my magesight could easily make him out. Even now he was leaning in, his head close to hers. What is that about? My stomach knotted up for some reason, but I refused to consider why.

  “Why don’t we have a seat?” offered Elise, directing me toward one of several chairs.

  My magesight had already told me that Gram wasn’t present, and I might have asked where I could find him and excused myself, but I was reluctant to do so now. I accepted her offer and took a seat. My attention was so tightly focused on the happenings in the other room that I nearly missed the chair.

  “Are you alright?” asked Elise. “You seem distracted.”

  She wouldn’t have an assignation with her mother-in-law in the next room, I thought. Rose is far too discreet for that. It didn’t make any sense.

  “Mordecai?”

  Elise was staring at me. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” I said apologetically.

  “I wanted to know if you were alright.”

  I nodded. “I was just wondering what Rose was up to in the middle of the day.” As I replied, the man stepped away and opened a hidden door that led from Rose’s bedroom. I couldn’t sense him once it closed behind him, as that was the boundary for the privacy ward on the apartments. I hadn’t known the door was there.

  “I’ve been wondering that myself,” said Elise. “She’s been staying in her room a lot of late. I keep thinking she might be ill, but she claims otherwise.”

  That does not make me feel better. Rose’s door opened, and she stepped out, pulling a thin shawl up to cover her shoulders as she exited the room. “I didn’t expect to see you again so soon, Mordecai.”

  “Obviously,” I muttered.

  “Excuse me?” said Rose, studying my face curiously.

  Irritated, I shifted in my chair. “I came to find your son. I wanted to ask for his help with something tomorrow.”

  “Nothing dangerous, I hope,” said Rose.

  “It might be, but I have no way of knowing,” I admitted. “I’m planning to try and find Roland, and Matthew thinks we need a guardian.”

  Rose’s lips made a flat line for a moment, but eventually she spoke again, “Elise, would you mind stepping out and finding one of the pages? Gram is at the chapterhouse again, I think.”

  By the ‘chapterhouse,’ she was referring to the headquarters for the Order of the Thorn. It was located outside the palace itself, so it would take a while for a runner to find Gram and retrieve him, if he was still there.

  Elise gave her an odd look but stepped out without saying a word.

  Rose turned her attention back to me. “I don’t like having you continually drag my son into your dangerous schemes.”

  “It’s a harsh world,” I returned. “We all have to deal with things we don’t like, don’t we?”

  Her brows went up and then down again as she fixed a faintly malicious glare on me. “Is something bothering you, Lord Cameron?” She said it in a tone that made it clear she knew what I was agitated about.

  I decided not to beat around the bush. “Who was that man?”

  “I’m not sure I like your tone,” announced Rose.

  “Elise didn’t seem to know he was there. Should I ask her instead?”

  Rose pulled one of the chairs over so that it was beside mine and sat, perching gracefully on the cushioned seat. Then she leaned over and said in a conspiratorial voice, “It isn’t that I don’t trust her, but Elise is getting a little old for these sorts of things. I prefer not to bother her with my affairs.”

  My ears grew hot. Affairs! Flushing with sudden anger, I turned my head to face her and found myself almost nose to nose with Rose. Her blue eyes were flashing with mischief, and I shifted sideway, almost sliding off my seat.

  Rose began to laugh, her delicate peals echoing around the chamber.

  “What is it that you find so funny?” I asked.

  She laughed harder, squeezing her eyes shut and wiping away mirthful tears. “You,” she said, once she had regained her breath.

  Escaping my chair, I walked halfway across the room. “None of this strikes me as humorous.”

  “You never questioned my methods before,” said Rose.

  “Methods?”

  She followed me across the room and stood behind me. “The man was one of my informants. The Queen gave me these rooms because I requested them. The hidden passage makes it far easier to meet with my agents without causing unpleasant rumors.”

  I turned around, feeling suddenly foolish. “Oh.”

  “How long have we known each other?” she asked.

  A long time. “Decades,” I grumbled.

  “Then you should know better to trust me by now,” said Rose, her eyes glinting with a distant fire. “Just as I knew better than to ask who the woman was who cleaned your room the other day.”

  That set me back on my heels. Was she implying something? “What?” I responded articulately. “Alyssa has been meticulous about her duties, and entirely proper as well, I might add.”

  “Alyssa doesn’t fold your undergarments, nor does she dare touch your jewelry and other personal items,” observed Rose pointedly. “She certainly doesn’t leave notes on the dresser that you feel the need to hide from me.”

  I gaped at her, amazed once again by her powers of observation.

  Rose poked me in the chest with one finger. “The point, Mordecai, is that I trust you well enough to know better than to leap to foolish conclusions. That’s why I didn’t ask you about it. If it was something that concerned me, I know very well that you would tell me.

  “And while we are on the subject, if I were to take a lover. It would be none of your business,” she finished.

  In the span of less than a minute, I had gone from irritated t
o embarrassed to angry. I stalked back over to my chair and took my seat again. “Of course not.”

  Rose resumed her seat as well. “Speaking of which, I believe Leomund is meeting his lover today.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “He left the capital yesterday for his hunting lodge. The informant who was just here was reporting on whether any of the other lords have decided to take sudden trips. I strongly suspect one or more of them may be involved in whatever the Prince-Consort is up to, but thus far I have been unable to pin down anything definitive. Cantley and Airedale have both left the capital as well, but I have no idea if they’re meeting Leomund there or not.”

  “So, it might not be a lover at all,” I posited. “It might be a conspiratorial meeting?”

  “Or both,” said Rose. “Either way, I’ll eventually discover it all. All it takes is time and patience.”

  And a mind deadlier than a steel trap, I thought silently. “It might be quicker if someone crashed their party unexpectedly.”

  Rose frowned. “Don’t even think about it. If you show up, you might uncover something and still lose any advantage the information might give us at the same time. It’s better if we catch them unaware. Then we decide whether the knowledge is useful or not, and when or how to use it.”

  “Very well,” I responded, giving an overly formal bow. “I will defer to your wisdom, milady.”

  The door opened, and Elise entered the room. She looked at both of us and then asked, “Did I miss something?” Gram followed close behind her.

  The young knight saw me and dipped his head quickly. “My liege, you needed me?”

  “That was quick,” I noted. “No need to be so formal. Matthew and I would like you to accompany us tomorrow. We think we may be able to reach Lancaster. We hope to rescue any survivors there.”

  Gram’s eyes grew wide. “You think the Duke might still be alive?”

  “I hope so,” I said. “With luck, we’ll find out tomorrow.”

  We talked for a while after that. Gram decided to return and spend the night at my house, so he wouldn’t cause a delay in the morning. Shortly after that was settled, I made my good-byes and left.