Beyond the Boundary Stones (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 3)

by Holder, Angela

  “I know. It’s just—I mean, I never liked Kabos, but it’s awful to think of him dying when we could have saved him. But Sar wouldn’t budge.” He shivered. “Do you think he might pull through on his own?”

  “I doubt it. From what you describe, it sounds like the measles caused an inflammation of his brain, and the records say that’s almost always fatal without the Mother’s power.”

  Josiah sighed and fiddled with a piece of bread, tearing off little bits and scattering them across his plate. “I figured something like that.” He shrugged, trying to lighten his voice. “I’m not in trouble for healing on Restday, am I? Everyone else could have waited until tomorrow.”

  “If Sar let it slide, I will.” Elkan gave him a wry smile. “I can hardly hold you strictly to that part of the Law today, when I’ve already agreed to break it for a far less urgent reason.”

  “That’s right.” Josiah glanced at the head of the table, where the Matriarch was carrying on an animated conversation with several of her courtiers. “I’d almost forgotten.”

  “She won’t.” Elkan pointed to his plate. “Better hurry up and finish. She won’t keep us waiting this time.”

  Sure enough, minutes after the sweet course was served, the Matriarch rose and gestured imperiously for them to follow. Josiah grabbed the small frosted cake and devoured it as they trailed her to the sitting room. The usual complement of guards and servants took their places as the Matriarch settled onto the couch.

  She beamed at them, though there was an undercurrent of tension in her manner. “You’ll be able to determine the child’s sex today?”

  “If all goes well.” Elkan gestured at Josiah. “You take the first turn.”

  Josiah put his hand on Sar’s back and settled in to work. The acceleration went smoothly; the child glowed and hummed and pulsed just like always. He couldn’t help checking the appropriate part of its body every now and then. But as far as he could tell, when the time came for him to turn over the acceleration to Elkan and Tobi, the development there still hadn’t taken one path or the other. He wished he had Gevan’s enlarging glass with him. He bet a window viewed under it would reveal changes that were still too small to see. He’d suggest it to Elkan if they reached the limit of safe acceleration before the child’s sex became apparent.

  But a good quarter hour before they were due to finish, a frown creased Elkan’s brow. Josiah’s breath caught, and the Matriarch jerked upright. “What is it? Tell me!”

  “I’m not sure yet, your majesty.” Elkan stroked Tobi’s back. “Give us a bit longer to be certain.”

  Josiah knew, though. He was sympathetic to the Matriarch’s disappointment, but for his own sake he was pleased. After this child was born they’d have to stay in Ramunna through at least one more pregnancy. That would be months extra he’d get to work with Gevan and Nalini in the workshop. Who knew what amazing discoveries they might make in that time?

  Elkan and Tobi kept the Mother’s power shining on the Matriarch for at least ten minutes longer than usual. When they finally let it fade, Elkan’s face wore the composed, gentle expression he always used when giving a patient unwelcome news. “I’m sorry, your majesty. We’ve reached the point where it’s quite clear. This child is a boy.”

  She closed her eyes and swallowed. When she opened them, her face settled into hard lines. “You’re absolutely certain?”

  “Yes, your majesty. If you like we can open a window and show you—”

  She waved him silent. “No need. I believe you. It was always an even chance, after all.” She sighed heavily and slumped against the back of the couch. “Go ahead and take care of it now.”

  Elkan blinked at her. “We’ve progressed as far as is safe tonight. We pushed it a bit more than I was entirely comfortable with, in fact, just so there could be no mistake.”

  She frowned at him. “That hardly matters now, does it?” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I suppose there will be blood. Maybe we should move to my bedchamber. I’ll have the maids bring straw and rags. The Mother knows they’ve cleaned up after enough miscarriages; I don’t suppose this will be any different.”

  Josiah’s stomach lurched. Elkan’s face went very still, his expression carefully neutral. “Excuse me, your majesty?”

  She glared at him. “Must I spell it out? I want you to end the pregnancy. Right now, tonight. And then push my body through the recovery period until it’s ready to conceive again. I’ve wasted long enough on this false start. I have very little time left, and who knows how many more tries it will take until I get a girl.”

  Elkan gripped the skin at the nape of Tobi’s neck. It was a moment before he spoke, but when he did his voice was calm and gentle. “I’m afraid that’s not something we can do, your majesty. But don’t worry. The acceleration is going well; we’ll continue to advance your son’s growth as much as possible. It will only take four months at the most, three if we take a few judicious risks. As soon as he’s born you can turn him over to a wet-nurse and we’ll prepare you to conceive again immediately.”

  “Three months? That’s far too long.” She leaned toward him, her voice intent. “I’m sorry you find the idea distasteful. I admit I do, also. But there is nothing I will not do to prevent Ramunna from falling into the hands of the Purifiers. You’ve seen how ruthless they are. Look how near they brought us to disaster in a single week. And you’d give them three months?”

  “I agree the situation is less than ideal. But you’ve dealt with the Purifiers. Yoran Lirolla is no longer in a position of authority, and Keeper Emirre is purging his followers from the ranks of Keepers. You have nothing to fear from them anymore.”

  “Obviously you know nothing of holding power.” The Matriarch’s voice rose. “Do you think Yoran Lirolla needs a Keeper robe to command his followers? Keeper Emirre tells me that nearly all the Purifier Keepers have renounced their doctrine and remain in the Temple. If you believe any of them are sincere you’re an even bigger fool than I took you for. The only thing that will end their threat for good is for me to bear a daughter to rule Ramunna after me. A son is useless!”

  Elkan rose. Tobi glided to her feet and pressed into his legs. “And you know nothing of the Mother’s Law. The circumstances under which a wizard may use the Mother’s power to return a child’s life to the Mother and end a pregnancy are very few and very clearly defined. The child being the wrong sex is not one of them. You’ve seen for yourself that your son is healthy and thriving. Your body is strong and easily capable of bearing him without any danger to you. The Law does not allow me to do what you ask.”

  She rose to face him. “We both know you can be persuaded to break your Law. What will it take this time? More money, more promises? I’m willing to be generous. Name your price.”

  Josiah made himself as small as possible, trying to avoid attracting attention. Elkan met the Matriarch’s gaze without flinching. “This is different. It doesn’t matter what you offer.”

  She laughed harshly. “I erred, didn’t I, by revealing how desperate I am. You’ve learned to bargain like a Dualist. What do you want that drives you to use such hard tactics? A seat on my council? Recognition of your guild as an independent entity? I might be willing to go even that high, if that’s what it takes. Go on; tell me. What do you demand?”

  Elkan stood like a statue, his voice flat. “Nothing, your majesty.”

  She studied him for a moment, baffled, then scowled and turned away. She paced across the room and back, stopping when she again stood face to face with him. Her voice took on a honeyed note. “If bribes won’t shake you, what of threats? I could take away everything I’ve granted you. Revoke your funds and demand repayment of what you’ve already received. Throw you out of that lovely new building. Deny you use even of the public squares. Forbid you to heal any citizen of Ramunna.”

  Elkan’s face had gone chalky, but Josiah detected no other sign that she intimidated him. “All of those are your prerogatives. None of them will change my a
nswer.”

  She whirled away, pacing with quicker strides to the far wall. She gazed out the window for a long moment, then jerked around and came to confront Elkan again.

  This time her voice was lighter, striving for a tone of superior amusement. “This is ridiculous. Will you throw away everything over so small a point? I’ve lost more than a dozen pregnancies already; what’s one more? How big is it now, a whole inch long? It’s nothing. Less than a cockroach I’d crush underfoot without a thought. And you’d place its welfare above that of every citizen of Ramunna?”

  “Your son is not nothing. He’s a person, one of the Mother’s children. She doesn’t consider his life expendable. Even if the stakes were far more dire than they are, she wouldn’t permit us to sacrifice him merely to preserve your power.” Elkan’s hard expression softened. “Let us open a window so you can see him again. Surely then you’ll understand why the Mother won’t let us do this.” He raised his hand, palm up.

  She knocked it down. “Understand? I understand exactly what I’m asking you.”

  Tobi curled her lip and gave a soft growl. The Matriarch glowered at her, breathing hard. “Women smother unwanted brats every day in the Beggars’ Quarter. I don’t see you rushing to their rescue. Whores in dockside brothels take—”

  She broke off. For a moment she stared at Tobi, her eyes distant.

  Elkan’s tone was compassionate. “Now that the Mother’s power has come to Ramunna, we can work to end those practices. In Tevenar anyone who wishes to prevent conception can come to us for treatments. If a woman is raped or very young or for some other reason can’t or won’t raise her own child, the child’s kinguild places it in a loving home, usually with parents who can’t have their own children. There’s no need to end a child’s life. I know it will be many years before we can hope to achieve the same in Ramunna, but we can start moving in that direction. You can lead by example. You can show your people—”

  She drew herself up and cut him off with a sharp gesture. “I can show my people that in Ramunna a woman makes her own decisions. I’ll give you one more chance. Will you do as I’ve asked?”

  Stone-faced, Elkan said, “No, your majesty.”

  She whirled to face Josiah. “Will you?”

  Josiah gaped at her. It was a moment before he could formulate a coherent thought. Sar?

  No.

  Josiah gulped and shook his head.

  “Very well. You’re both dismissed. You may continue to minister to my people in the building I’ve provided. You will receive half the stipend we previously agreed upon.” She swept her hand toward the door. “Leave my presence.”

  Josiah scrambled to his feet and looked to Elkan for guidance. His master gave him a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes and jerked his head. Josiah fell in beside him and they left the room.

  As soon as the door closed behind them, Josiah turned to Elkan. “Can you believe that? How could she think we’d agree to kill her baby? Although three months is an awfully long—”

  Elkan jerked a hand savagely through his hair. “I should have anticipated it. Stupid, stupid mistake to tell her the child’s sex. From things I’ve seen, things people have said, I suspected that ending a pregnancy is considered far more acceptable here than in Tevenar, but it never occurred to me—Smash it, I know very well how ruthless she can be—”

  Tobi butted her head against his hip. He scowled down at her, but after a moment he closed his eyes briefly and sighed. “Tobi’s right. What’s done is done.”

  Josiah’s brows drew together. “But she’ll have to go through with the pregnancy now, right? None of the familiars will agree to do what she wants. Probably after she thinks about it for a while, she’ll get used to the idea and calm down.” His spirits rebounded at the thought.

  But his master remained grim. “I hope you’re right, Josiah. I truly hope so.”

  Thirty-Four

  Vigorre paused before turning the corner onto the street that led to the new Mother’s Hall and stared down the steep road toward the bay. He breathed deeply, trying to compose his thoughts.

  He had to go back; that much was obvious. He didn’t know where to seek out Keeper Yoran, so he hadn’t been able to confirm it with his superior, but no other course would serve the Purifiers’ purposes. He had to remain with the wizards, ready to carry out Elder Davon’s plan. No matter how hard it would be to face them, now that they knew how he’d lied to them.

  Nirel hadn’t returned, of course. A big part of him wanted to take his fastest horse and ride to the village to find her. But he couldn’t. She never wanted to see him again. She had her Dualist friends to shelter her after Kabos died. If she changed her mind, if she realized the love they shared was too precious to throw away, she knew where to find him.

  Among the normal scattering of trading ships and fishing boats coming and going in the harbor, an unusual pair caught his eye. A ship of the Armada, tall and heavy, bright paint gleaming in the sun, its insignia flying from the highest of its three masts, was being towed by a pilot boat toward the dock. Close in its wake came a smaller ship. By its rigging it couldn’t be Ramunnan. Girodan, perhaps? But then why would it need an armed escort? And why the white truce flag fluttering from its mast?

  Vigorre changed directions and strode downhill toward the docks. All around him, anxious voices took note of the strange ship and echoed his suspicions. “Is it Marvannan?”

  By the time he reached the docks a crowd had gathered. He watched from their midst as the two ships pulled up to the pier and workers moored them. From the Armada vessel, an officer disembarked. He was met by the captain of the troop of guards stationed at the docks, and they spoke briefly. Vigorre threaded closer through the crowd, trying to hear what they were saying.

  Before he could, the officer boarded the other ship. A few minutes later he crossed back to the dock. Behind him came a short, balding man in the plain black robes of a Marvannan Keeper.

  Vigorre shoved past the last few bodies blocking his way, muttering apologies. He reached the front just in time to hear the Armada officer tell the guard captain, “Here he is.”

  The guard regarded the man with skeptical hostility. “I’ll have to send your request to the Matriarch. She’ll decide if the wizards are allowed to help you.”

  The man spread his hands and spoke in heavily accented Ramunnan. “Please do so as quickly as you can. Many of those I’ve brought are gravely ill, some close to death. We came as swiftly as we could when we heard of the wizards’ arrival, but the journey from Vidae was long.”

  Vigorre pushed out of the crowd, ignoring the guard who ordered him back, glad he’d worn his Keeper robes. “I work with the wizards. What do you need?”

  The Marvannan Keeper turned to him gratefully. “My name is Seshone Avman. I oversee the Houses of Mercy in Vidae. A week ago all Keepers in Marvane were informed that the demons the holy Yashone warned of had at last arrived on the shores of Ravnet, wielding a mockery of the Mother’s power.” He eyed Vigorre warily. “Although perhaps you are one of those who have not yet embraced Purifier doctrine?”

  Vigorre cast a wary glance at the guard, who was busy dictating a message for the Matriarch to one of his subordinates. In a low voice, he said, “I have, though that must remain secret. The Matriarch has ordered those who refuse to renounce their vows purged from the Temple.”

  Seshone’s brow creased in concern. “Yet you say you work with the wizards?” He brightened. “You, too, must have received permission, as I did, to deal with the demons on behalf of those who suffer so greatly even their false power might prove a blessing.”

  “Something like that.” Vigorre’s heart sank. Seshone must be another part of Yoran’s plan to discredit the wizards by swamping them with patients they couldn’t help. Which meant the ship’s pitiful cargo had traveled all the way from Marvanna for nothing.

  Seshone beamed at him. “Word came from my superiors that the demons were maintaining a pretense of being the Mother’
s servants, and that any residents of the Houses of Mercy who were ill unto death must quickly seek healing at their hands. They even provided funds for me to hire this ship. Thus the demons’ evil will be turned to the Mother’s service in truth.”

  Vigorre could see all too clearly what must have happened. Yoran had communicated his plan to his Purifier brethren who controlled Marvanna’s Temple. They had put out a call for hopeless cases among Marvanna’s Keepers, and well-meaning servants of the Mother like Seshone had been deceived with false hope. “We’ve been pursuing a similar strategy here.”

  “While we wait for permission from the Matriarch to disembark, perhaps you might come with me and meet my charges. Then you can carry word to the wizards of their plight.” Seshone lowered his voice. “In truth, I care little whether their power comes from the Mother or from demons, as long as it is potent to heal those who suffer. We can do so little for those who come to us for mercy. Surely any power that can ease their agony cannot be completely evil.”

  Vigorre envied Seshone’s blithe unconcern. If only it were that simple. “Their power can heal, but not every illness. Show me the people you’ve brought and I’ll tell you whether or not the wizards will be able to help them.”

  He followed Seshone onto the ship and down a ladder into the hold. It was even worse than he’d expected. Hundreds of people packed the dim space, lying on pallets and in hammocks. A pervasive smell of vomit spoke of seasickness at best, rampant disease at worst. Urine, feces, and the sickly scent of decay added to the choking miasma. Only two other Keepers had accompanied Seshone, and although their haggard weariness suggested they’d labored without ceasing to tend their patients, their efforts hadn’t been enough to meet the needs of so many, most of whom were too weak to maintain their own hygiene.

  Vigorre breathed as little as possible and listened as Seshone described how Keepers from every House of Mercy in Vidae had borne their worst cases to the ship. Cynically, Vigorre suspected they’d been eager to get rid of as many as possible. He tried to soften the verdict he gave Seshone as much as he could, but he saw only a few the wizards would be able to help. There were several consumptives, a handful with other communicable diseases, and more than a dozen with tumors. But the rest were all crippled or blind or otherwise damaged beyond repair, or suffering from conditions he recognized as being outside the wizards’ ability to heal.