Citadel of the Sky (Thrones of the Firstborn Book 1)

by Chrysoula Tzavelas

  Stung, Tiana said, “How do you know? I was too young to fight before! Now I’m here and I’m doing something, and you know what? Even if you take the damn sword away, it still makes me stronger. See?” The emanation raked the campsite, snuffing the campfire. “Look, Benjen wanted the crown, wanted Lor Seleni, wanted the mountain. I don’t! I just want to do something!” Everybody was staring at her—the cook, Slater, Cathay. Cathay had a certain look in his eyes, and she smiled at him, suddenly certain he understood.

  Lisette looked down at the sword, and the color faded from her face. Moving slowly, like she was sleepwalking, she rotated the scabbard and put her other hand on the hilt, pulling Jinriki free. The blade caught the heart of the twilight, drinking in the crimson flame of the setting sun and the deep blue of the calling dark.

  Tiana’s emanation weakened abruptly. Somehow, Lisette drawing the sword disrupted the magnification effect that Jinriki generated. She could feel Jinriki’s distraction. Below, Lisette whimpered. Red leaked between her fingers as the sword fought her touch.

  Cathay sprinted over and put his hands over Lisette’s ears, as if to block out noise. He rested his forehead against the back of her head. The sword jerked and jumped and her other hand moved inexorably to grip the hilt as well. Jinriki jumped again and Lisette writhed away from Cathay, swerving to face him. With a sick feeling, Tiana realized the sword was trying to get to Cathay. One of Kiar’s shields interposed itself between them. Slater approached, a blanket wrapped around his hand.

  Tiana’s feet touched the ground. She shrieked, “Stop it!”

  Lisette relaxed her grip. There was a soft, wet sound as the hilt slid out of her hands. Tiana knelt in front of her and shoved Jinriki back into his scabbard. “What were you thinking?” she demanded.

  **She was quite aware of what she was doing. She was interfering,** said Jinriki, his voice acid.

  Lisette said, “Please don’t go. Please, see yourself.” Tears spilled from her eyes, and Tiana ducked her head to look at Lisette’s hands. Her left was nearly uninjured, her right, pierced and torn in half a dozen places. She looked up again, this time at Cathay standing behind Lisette. His own bandages, over Jinriki’s slow-healing bites, were hidden by gloves, and his eyes were downcast.

  “Fine,” Tiana muttered. “If it’s going to make you crazy, I won’t go anywhere. But if it comes down here….”

  “You won’t be alone and your feet will be on the ground.” Kiar pulled some bandages out of her luggage. Tiana looked up at the sky again, but it was nearly dark now and any charcoal shapes were lost against the deepening night.

  Berrin said, “It didn’t approach. If it saw us, it was no more eager for an engagement than we were. Well, than I was.”

  Tiana leaned forward to kiss Lisette’s cheek. “Don’t ever do that again, Lisette. Not ever.” Then Kiar shooed her out of the way so she could clean the injuries.

  Miserably, Tiana said, “I wish I didn’t feel this way. But it can’t be Jinriki. Jinriki’s not subtle.”

  Cathay interjected, “That, I can vouch for.”

  Tiana went on. “It must be me. I’ll be strong for you, Lisette. You may have to put me down in the end, but for now, I can be strong.” She felt so sad and scared.

  “Plucky,” said Lisette, staring at her fixedly.

  Kiar said, “I’m not sure thinking she’s a Blighter in the making is any better.”

  Suddenly she was face to face with Cathay. He met her gaze and said soberly, “It is a monster, Tiana.” His forehead wrinkled. “It talks inside my head when I’m near you, and it’s so evil. I don’t know whether to feel glad or bothered that it doesn’t seem to treat you the same way.”

  Startled, Tiana looked down at Jinriki. “Right now? Stop that.” She shook the sword. “What is he saying?” she asked Cathay.

  Cathay lifted his head, looking past Tiana, into the distance. “Nasty, cruel words. Things I don’t want to think about. I hope you’ll forgive me.” He offered a crooked, tired smile.

  Tiana scowled. Don’t tempt me to throw you into the river, she thought fiercely.

  **But I’m so useful.**

  You heard Kiar. I’m rash, I’m a fool, don’t you think I wouldn’t. And in her mind, she pushed against him firmly, as if she could shove herself between the sword and Cathay.

  **As you wish, then.** Jinriki sounded regretful.

  Cathay released his breath in a long, low sigh.

  “Did he stop?” Tiana asked. “If he bothers you again, just let me know.” And she gave another mental shove, just to be sure.

  Cathay chuckled thinly. “I suppose I shouldn’t have worried about you.” His gaze roved over her face and intensified. “You’re extraordinary, do you know that?”

  Tiana swallowed and shuffled backwards. She managed to conjure a light tone, though, as she said, “You think that now, but just you wait. You’ll change your tune.”

  Chapter 30

  The Citadel of the Sky

  They saw the dragon twice more the next day, but it never came closer than the initial sighting. And no one would listen to Tiana’s arguments that they needed to deal with it before it did something awful. It was a monster, part of the enemy forces invading their land, and just letting it roam freely was almost intolerable. Almost. But she’d promised Lisette. They could go on all they wanted about managing engagements and how the whole invasion force was close enough to the mountain that they had to focus and even make sacrifices, but all Tiana really held onto was that she’d promised Lisette. Nothing else made sense.

  The road switched back and forth up the mountain, and several times their guide suggested they dismount to lead the horses through the more dangerous portions. Tiana led Moon along a path with a wall to the left and a sheer drop to the treetops hundreds of feet below to the right, and wondered if she’d catch herself if she fell. Her grandfather hadn’t, after all.

  It was mid-afternoon when they came around a spur of rock and Tiana saw the Citadel of the Sky for the first time. At first, it seemed unreachable, an impossibly large tower rising like a secondary peak from a mass of green and grey. But as they climbed closer, somehow it seemed smaller, less fantastic and more real. Tiana couldn’t help but compare it to the true heights of the mountain, where no trees grew and it was always white.

  It was late afternoon when they finally reached the entrance to the Citadel, circling around from the south on a relatively flat portion of land. The sun was hidden behind the mountain, and it was colder than Tiana expected. She huddled under her cloak, trying to avoid exposing any skin and let her horse follow the other horses while she stared at the Citadel through her eyelashes.

  It was a round tower built of a rose-colored stone and surrounded by a wall that incorporated the surrounding rock outcroppings. There were the traditional conical blue roofs spaced around the wall, with robed figures sitting on platforms under them. A pair flanked the enormous red wooden door in the wall.

  Their guide waved and called out, “Hail the doorman!” as they approached. Neither of the fellows on the platforms responded, but a third person appeared over the door.

  The newcomer responded, “Hail the traveler,” and then paused, looking over the rest of the party. He was younger than their ancient guide, but Tiana thought he was still quite elderly, with tufts of white hair and huge, frog-like eyes.

  She wondered what the wall was for. With the big, bright door and the peculiar towers, it didn’t look useful for defense. Perhaps it was inscribed on the inside. Would any of that matter if an attack came from above? She looked up to see if the dragon had reappeared.

  Cathay said, “What’s going on?” and Tiana glanced back at the door, wondering what the delay was. She realized then that the doorman was staring directly at her, as were both the men on the platforms.

  Brother Timothy, their guide, looked puzzled. “I’m not sure,” he whispered back and then raised his voice. “Guests of the Magister, come at his command.”

  The doorm
an said, “Yes. Just a moment.” He vanished behind the door, and there was a long, uncomfortable silence. Tiana huddled under her cloak and wondered if they were staring at Jinriki or at the phantasmagory pendant she wore under her cloak. It had to be Jinriki; they’d seen the Royal Pendant plenty of times when visiting Lor Seleni and they’d never had any comments on it. And the two were identical. It had to be Jinriki. It wasn’t her, was it?

  The two remaining monks were still staring even now. She didn’t like it.

  **Don’t hide,** Jinriki said. **You are a princess. You have me. Did you hear the monk? Have you indeed come at the Magister’s command?** The sword sounded irritated.

  “I wasn’t hiding, I’m cold,” she whispered, but she shook back the cloak and lowered the hood. Loudly, she said, “If the doorman’s having trouble with such a heavy door, I’d be happy to help him.” She slid off Moon and led him towards the gate, gathering her emanations into a whirlwind that moved before her.

  Lisette said, “Tiana!” and slid off her own horse. Tiana studied the door, noticing that it was actually two doors and that one was a much smaller door, sized for individual people, built into the larger one.

  Lisette skittered over and took Tiana’s hand. “I’m aware,” Tiana said. “I’m not looking to fight.” She flexed the fingers on her other hand, raising them to point at the door.

  “Nobody will believe it.”

  Tiana dropped her hand and looked at Lisette. “Why should we have to wait out here, Lisette? I’m cold and I want something warm to drink, and we’re not petitioners. We’re not servants. We’re not disciples. They invited us and they’re being rude.”

  Lisette looked at her, with a familiar calculating expression and then said, “You’re right. Sometimes there’re fights and sometimes there’s finesse.”

  “I’m just making a point,” Tiana said, grumpy.

  There came the sonorous boom of a gong, at first muffled behind the wall and then sounding clearly as the red doors cracked open. The doorman stood between the doors as the space between them widened and bowed to Tiana and Lisette. “Hail to the pilgrims. Be welcome within, yourself and your beasts. There is sustenance for the body and soul here.”

  Tiana sighed and let the whirlwind dissolve, making a face at Lisette as she did so. Then they were parted by the rest of the party surging forward through the doors. Even Moon was eager to get inside to the smells of straw and grain and shelter, practically stepping on Tiana’s feet as he pushed forward.

  The courtyard inside the wall was paved in a dozen shades of blue tile flowing in symmetric waves. The interior door was painted blue as well and the wall was covered in murals in white and blue. Tiana scarcely had time to stare at them before a young man was taking Moon’s reins from her hand and Brother Timothy was beckoning her to the great white door of the tower itself. She glanced around and saw Slater communicating with another man in a cerulean coat. The rest of the staff had vanished into the jumble of people.

  Oh, well. It would all be worked out. She followed Brother Timothy through the white door. Immediately on the other side was a small, square room, paneled in golden wood. Hooks with cloaks hanging on them were spaced between severe stone benches on each of the walls perpendicular to the great door and the floor was simple stone.

  Kiar followed her in and paused, staring around the room. “Wow. This is really… wow.” Tiana assumed it was a Logos thing.

  The Magister hurried through a door in the opposite wall, followed by two men and a woman. He was the oldest man Tiana knew, maybe even the oldest man in the world, thanks to the preservative effect of plepanin. Every year she could remember, he had traveled to Lor Seleni to oversee the celebrations of Antecession and Fallendre.

  She studied him critically. He looked healthy and, while he was definitely ancient, she didn’t think he was any less mobile than Brother Timothy was. So why had he violated precedent and demanded that they travel to him this year? The Royal celebrations of Antecession and Fallendre were popular public events. Was it really just politics?

  “Welcome, my children,” he said, spreading his arms benevolently. “I’m so pleased that you agreed to come.”

  “We’ll see. Dire creatures are afoot. And in the air, too,” Tiana informed him. “There’s a dragon from the Blight over the mountain.”

  The Magister’s eyebrows rose and he closed his hands together. “Is that what it is?” he murmured. “Well, well.”

  “Perhaps you should have come to Lor Seleni after all.” Tiana gave him a hard smile.

  He smiled back, his eyes crinkling. “I know that the people of Lor Seleni will miss you during Antecession.

  Tiana demanded, “Why are we here? What is going on?” The door opened again and Cathay and Lisette entered.

  “Why does autumn follow summer? Ah, my dears, welcome to the Citadel.” He spread his hands in greeting to the newcomers. “Did the elder Princess remain behind?”

  “Father has run off, and Iriss is very ill,” Tiana said, barely controlling her voice. “And Vassay is trying to invade. I don’t imagine she’s in the mood to celebrate.”

  “Did she say that?” The Magister sounded concerned. “I’d heard about Lady Iriss, but I’d hoped to see Jerya here.”

  “No,” Tiana admitted. “But she wanted me out of the way, so I wouldn’t blow up any diplomacy.”

  The Magister hesitated and then said, “We have representatives from Vassay attending. They come as pilgrims. But you must be tired from your journey. I recall how tired I am each time I must climb up the mountain after the holidays. My assistants have aired out chambers for you.”

  Kiar said, “As pilgrims. They want more plepanin.”

  Cathay asked, “Are they threatening you?”

  The Magister said, “Goodness, no. They’re here to persuade, not threaten. They hadn’t mentioned an invasion, though.”

  Lisette said, “Technically, they’re offering us aid against the Blight and uninclined to take no for an answer.”

  “I see,” said the Magister. “How thoughtful of them.” He looked at Tiana. “Your family has always been a potent obstacle between Sel Sevanth and those who wish to claim its power.”

  Tiana said, “Well, yes. It’s our duty….” But the Magister was staring off into space.

  Abruptly he said, “I’m glad you came. It shows that the Blood may still be flexible. Come, we will talk of Vassay and the future after Antecession, but until that blessed day is past, let us keep our minds tranquil.” And he gave Tiana the same keen look the monks outside had.

  Chapter 31

  Meet Vassay

  Tiana tried to keep her thoughts tranquil the next day. She had a flurry of meetings with excited monastery specialists to discuss the music, the clothing, the distribution of treasures. Whatever politics had pulled her here, the ordinary monks and students of the Citadel were thrilled to have the Blood present at their local celebration of Antecession.

  They weren’t the only ones; by early afternoon, many mountain folk had arrived. When Kiar and Cathay wandered off to tour some of the ancient inscriptories, Tiana and Lisette went down to the side entrance of the Citadel, where a large open courtyard sheltered the gathered mountain folk.

  The atmosphere was similar to Mousame before the attack. But this time there were many fewer merchants and many more children running and playing. And here, everybody stared at her. They weren’t hostile stares, but she was used to moving through an environment that saw both the Blood and nobility regularly. It was clear these goatherds and hunters and subsistence farmers looked to the Citadel as their broadest horizon.

  However, the Blood wasn’t the only novelty to gawk at; on the other side of the courtyard, seven figures in black and white striped cloaks were consulting and making measurements. Nearly a dozen monks and apprentices clustered nearby.

  Lisette said, “The Vassay delegation. I don’t know what they’re doing.”

  After a few minutes, the seven figures spread out in a lin
e, a few arm spans apart. The center figure spoke, projecting his voice to carry across the yard.

  “Good afternoon! I am Master Camerind of Vassay.” Adults and children stopped what they were doing. “In my home province of Sayer, Antecession is celebrated as a children’s holiday. Every little one receives a gift. I have asked, and received, permission to bring a little of my land’s celebration of Antecession here, to you. Tomorrow night is a solemn celebration, but today I would be happy to help the children play.” He spread his arms.

  As one, the six figures flanking him started murmuring, and the air began to sparkle. People looked around, puzzled. Tiny colored crystals coalesced and began drifting to the cobbled ground. A small girl caught one on her finger and licked it. “It’s snow,” she said. “Rainbow snow!”

  Tiana held out her hand and watched tiny blue and green flakes of snow melt. One of the Vassay Logos-workers was directly across from her. He frowned when he met her gaze, and his murmuring skipped, but the colored snowfall didn’t lessen.

  The snow was falling across the courtyard, but in four tints, evenly spaced. It was a blizzard without wind, and the children were already running hither and yon, tracking colors from one band to the next. She tapped her fingers together and then called to a small boy already packing a blue snowball, “Would you like a castle?”

  He said, “Oh yeah!” and then looked up, staring at her. She smiled at him and looked at the band of blue through her eyelashes. Then she swept her arms together, and blue snow across the courtyard swept itself together, packing into a curved wall. She patted it with another emanation, making crenellations as she walked along. She noticed the leader of the Vassay smiling at her.

  The boy cheered, flung his snowball at a dark-haired little girl and scrambled behind the wall. The other children raised their voices in admiration and jealousy. Tiana smiled at Lisette walking beside her and called, “I’ll make one on the orange side as well.” And she did it again.