"Do you wish me to send him a reply?" the Grand Vizier said.
"No. I don't think we need to make any more efforts to secure his cooperation. Let him suffer the consequences of his actions when we march in his direction." The Queen waved her hand, causing the emerald on her ring to sparkle. "No one shall stand in our way."
"And those who do shall be crushed without mercy." Dilbaar's reply held a note of unconcealed glee.
Only then did Aria noticed the black globe on a pedestal behind the divan. Streaks of silver and white appeared in its inky depths and disappeared, only to appear again. She had the impression of lightning trapped in a ball, streaking across, in and out, over and over again. Aria found it hard to tear her gaze away from the globe. Lost in its hypnotizing glow, she took a step forward, her hands itching to touch it.
Bikkar gripped her elbow and forced her to stay where she was.
The Queen only then appeared to notice them. "Who are these people?"
"These, your majesty, are loyal citizens eager to participate in your birthday celebrations. The man claims to be a magician, and the girl is his assistant." A smile hovered on Dilbaar's thin lips as he motioned them forward. Shifting slightly, he stepped to the side of the divan, facing them. "I was taking stock of the man's talent when your summons came. Perhaps you would like to test his skills for yourself?"
"You do know what will amuse me, dear Dilbaar." The Queen smiled fondly at her Grand Vizier. "Magician, you say?" She laughed.
Her laughter was cold, Aria decided. A hyena might laugh the same way before killing its prey.
"Well, now magician, show your magic to the Queen," Dilbaar said with a sneer.
Bikkar replayed his tricks. The Queen clapped her hands in delight.
"If I may, Your Majesty, there is a trick just for you," Bikkar said.
"Go ahead."
Bikkar produced a candle from his satchel. It was unlit. Holding the candle with one hand, with the other he cupped the wick. Closing his eyes, he muttered an incantation. When he raised his hand, the wick came to life, sputtering and then burning with a bright yellow flame.
Aria gasped. This was real magic.
The Queen sat up straight, a frown on her face.
"How did you do that?" Dilbaar said.
"It's simple magic, my lord." Bikkar placed the candle back in his satchel.
Dilbaar motioned and, within moments, four guards with drawn swords surrounded them. "You'll tell us now how you did it...or you'll die!"
Aria moved closer to Bikkar. She wondered what Bikkar was up to and why his magic had displeased the Queen.
One of the guards placed the tip of his sword at Bikkar's heart.
"It's not magic," Bikkar said, almost sputtering. "Just a simple trick, really. There's a special oil on the candle wick. If I rub the wick with my finger, it burns."
"And the rose and the coin?" the Grand Vizier said.
"Sleight of hand, my lord." Bikkar fell to his knees. "Spare my life. I know no magic. I'm just a trickster earning my living by simple tricks. Forgive me for deceiving you."
"You can't deceive the Queen." Dilbaar motioned the guards away. "I knew them for parlor tricks...but the candle trick is indeed enterprising. What do you say, my Queen?"
"Indeed." She reclined into her cushions.
"You're in luck, old man." Dilbaar said. "You'll have the honor of entertaining t he Queen's guests at her birthday celebrations. You may rise now."
"Thank you, my lord. Thank you, your majesty." Bikkar rose, gripping Aria's arm for support. "It would be an honor for me to perform in front of your majesty's guests."
"The celebrations begin one month from now. You may stay in the palace until then," Dilbaar offered.
"You're the epitome of kindness, my lord. I've relatives who live in the nearby city of Brajaman. If Your Lord permits, may I visit them before the celebrations?"
"As you wish." Dilbaar shrugged and turned away. "Come three days before the celebrations and report to the Master of Ceremonies."
"I'll do as you command, my lord." Bikkar stepped back. "May we leave now?"
"Ahh, here you are, my sweet." The Queen beckoned to someone beyond Aria and Bikkar. "Come here. You missed an entertaining show."
As Aria turned to leave, she was shocked into speechlessness. Her brother Marcus stepped into the room, his eyes on the Queen. Without looking at her, without even seeing her, it seemed, he walked past her.
"Marcus!" Aria ignored Bikkar's hand as he squeezed her arm.
Marcus turned.
"Aria!" he said. "What are you doing here?"
There was no expression on his face. She might have been looking at a stranger. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Gently, she touched his arm, as if to reassure herself that he was actually there.
Marcus stepped out of her reach. "I live here now."
"How do you know him?" Dilbaar sounded merely curious, but Aria detected an intensity in his voice. "Is he your...husband?"
"He's my brother."
Dilbaar seemed disappointed, almost as if he had been deprived of an amusing show. "I see. Well, he's now in the service of the Queen."
"In the service of the Queen?" Aria glanced at the Queen, who was glaring at her. "But--"
"Well, it's a relief to find the boy, that's for sure," Bikkar said. Stepping close, he squeezed Aria's hand. "We've been searching for him for the past few weeks. It's good to know that he's safe. What an honor for us that he's working for the Queen. Isn't it?" He gazed at Aria, almost as if begging her to agree with him.
His pleading expression did little to ease the pain in Aria's heart. The tone of his voice was gentle but she understood the urgency behind it. They were in dangerous territory and she would have to watch every word she uttered.
"Come, my dear." The Queen shifted slightly, her silk gown rustling as she made space on the divan. "Sit next to me."
Marcus obeyed without hesitation, his eyes focused on her almost as if no one else existed for him.
The Queen ran her finger down the side of his arm. "I'm sure you would like to talk to your sister, wouldn't you, dear?"
Marcus turned to face Aria. "How're you, sister?"
"I'm fine." Aria swallowed a lump in her throat. "And you?"
"I'm...happy." He turned back to face the Queen, his face radiant with adoration. "So very happy." Raising the Queen's hand in his own, he kissed her fingers.
The Queen stared at Aria, defying her to say anything. Mindful of Bikkar's firm grip on her hand, Aria forced herself to smile. "I'm so glad you're happy and safe. We were worried when you disappeared. It's lovely to see you."
"You too," Marcus said, in a dismissive tone. His eyes, cold and unfeeling, gazed at her and slid past without betraying any emotion.
Aria realized her brother was lost to her. Perhaps, forever.
"I think we should be on our way now." Bikkar pulled her backwards.
"Maybe we could meet later?" Aria said, in a final attempt to reach her only sibling. "Shayla and David said to give you their regards when I found you. So much has happened since I last saw you."
"I'm busy," Marcus replied. "There's so much to do before the Queen's birthday celebrations. Perhaps I could find time for you after the celebrations and before you go back."
"I would like that." Aria forced back a sob.
"Well, then." Bikkar took another careful step back. "We'll take our leave now."
"Goodbye Marcus," Aria whispered.
Her brother did not bother to reply, so engrossed he was in staring into the Queen's eyes.
Bikkar led her out of the room and out of the palace and into the gardens beyond. Aria followed as if sleepwalking. She could not believe that her own beloved brother had looked through her as if she did not exist.
He was not the same man anymore.
What had happened to him?
And would she ever get him back the way he had been before? Would they ever have their old life back?
&n
bsp; Chapter Five
Walking under a cloud of despondency, Aria wasn't completely aware when they reached the stable where they had left their horses. A quick exchange of silver took place. Bikkar led the horses out and helped her mount her mare.
"Here we go." He swatted her horse on the flank and followed as it galloped out of the stable.
Aria sat perfectly still, gripping the reins with numb fingers as they traveled along the highway until Akba was a distant speck behind them.
"Whoa!" Bikkar pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted. "We'll make camp here for now." The sun was still high in the sky; it was scarcely early evening yet. Clouds wafted across the azure sky. "It might rain tonight."
Aria sat on a patch of grass, rubbing the palms of her hands together as she ran over and over again in her mind the scene that had taken place in the Queen's parlor. Had that young man been her brother, or a stranger in his guise? His hazel eyes, identical to hers, had stared at her as if she didn't matter to him.
This was the brother she grew up with, the brother who had eaten with her, worked with her and played with her all her life. And now it seemed, she meant nothing to him at all.
How could something so terrible have happened? "I should go talk to him tomorrow. I need to..." Aria felt at a loss for words.
"You'll not gain anything by talking to your brother," Bikkar said.
"How do you know that?" Aria shouted. "He'll be fine tomorrow. I know that. Maybe he didn't...maybe he didn't recognize me?"
Bikkar sat opposite her.
She could not tolerate the understanding she saw in his eyes. "What's wrong with him?" she pleaded, needing to understand.
"It's not your brother's fault." Sighing, he dug a small hole in the ground to hold a fire. He raked a handful of dried grass off the side of the highway and dropped it into the hole, and then filled it with twigs and broken branches. Using a glowing coal from a clay pot in his satchel, he lit the fire. Once the flames grew bright, he rummaged around in his bag and took out a hunk of bread and a slab of cheese. "Here, take this." He passed her share of the food into her cold hands.
Aria fingered the flaky edges of the cheese. "Not his fault? What're you talking about?"
Bikkar sighed. "Don't blame your brother. He can't fight what happened to him. The Orb's magic is too strong to resist."
"What?"
"Did you not notice the Black Orb in the Queen's parlor?"
Aria nodded, recalling the peculiar globe that had reminded her of a lightning-filled night sky.
"The Black Orb is one of the most fearsome magical objects in our world right now," he explained. "It was created centuries ago by a wizard, who died before he could bring its power to bear on his enemies. About fifty years ago, the Queen's father dug up the Orb from his ancestor's grave and brought it to the palace. Before he could make it do his bidding, he was assassinated by his own daughter."
"Yes." He nodded at Aria's horrified expression. "The Queen killed her own father to gain the throne. And she was only sixteen at that time. The Orb came into her possession. Although she's not a witch, somehow she discovered the secret of the Orb and began to use it. Responding to her greed, the Black Orb began to do what it was meant to do. It started sucking the magic out of all living creatures around it. The magic, once captured, made the Orb more potent. Over the intervening decades it has acquired the power to enslave anyone on behalf of its mistress."
"Magic? What're you talking about? There's no real magic in this world." Aria shook her head, believing the old man to have lost his marbles." There're only illusions and parlor tricks. Like the ones you showed."
"That's not so." Bikkar took a long swallow from his water skin. "Magic, real magic, exists. And once it existed here in Azmeer also. But once the Black Orb was brought to life, it snatched all the magic into itself. Magical creatures have either fled this land or have died under its influence. Now people have forgotten that once there were wizards and witches in the kingdom. They've forgotten that healers used to have the gift of healing without nostrums and medicaments. All that's long forgotten here, but there are kingdoms that still have those with the gift in their veins."
"Is there magic from where you come from?"
"Oh yes." Bikkar smiled. "Magic still resides amidst us."
"So what does this have to do with my brother?"
"The Black Orb's magic is potent. It gives the Queen an ability to enslave anyone to her will. All she has to do is to stand her victim in front of the Orb and bring its power to bear on his mind," he said. "That is why all the men her guards capture are brought before her. In groups, she subjects them to the power of the Orb. Once their minds are hers, she can make them do anything. They live for her and die for her."
"And you think she has used the Black Orb on Marcus?" Fear ran like ice in her veins.
"I'm certain she did. Didn't you notice the vacant look in his eyes? Is that how a brother greets his sister he hasn't seen in weeks? Even if you try to talk to him tomorrow, he will not listen to you. If you suggest to him that he should run away from the palace, he might report you to the Queen."
"Why would he do that?"
"At this point he's only loyal to the Queen and no one else. She's all that matters to him. No one else exists for him. That is the magic of the Black Orb."
"Can a stone really be so potent?" Aria found it hard to believe all that he was saying. It was almost as if he was speaking in another language.
"It's not an ordinary stone. It's extremely potent. Did you notice how young the Queen looked? Magic halts the ageing process of its user. The Black Orb is preserving her youth."
"What can we do?" Was Bikkar telling her the truth? The Queen did look extremely youthful for her age. Not only that, Aria remembered all the stories she had heard regarding the men who returned to their families after taking an oath for the Queen. She recalled the vacant look in the eyes of the Kalaba city guards who had been granted an audience with the Queen. So all the stories were true.
Would Marcus ever return to her? Could he be the same again or would he become a distant stranger? And what about Shayla? He had not even asked about her, hadn't even seemed interested when she mentioned his lover's name.
"It's not possible to break the bond the Queen has created in him." Bikkar rubbed his hand across his forehead.
"There must be a way." Aria jumped up from the log she was sitting on. "I can't...can't just leave him there." She remembered the look on the Queen's face as she gazed at Marcus. It had been a lustful look. She had taken Marcus as her lover. And poor Marcus, he had not had a choice. His will had been stolen from him. He was nothing more than a slave for the Queen.
"Well, there is one way," Bikkar said as he pinched the bridge of his nose with the tips of his fingers. "I suppose I should tell you now...the task I wanted you to do...it could be the only salvation we both seek."
"What're you talking about?" Aria whirled around to face him. "Stop talking in riddles."
"The only way to break the oath is to destroy the Black Orb. Once broken, its hold on your brother would wear off, and all the other victims who have been subjected to its magic will also become free."
"Destroy the Black Orb? You mean all I need to do is to sneak into the palace and throw the Orb against the wall to break it." Aria considered the possibility. It would be hard to sneak across the palace, crawling with guards as it was. Still, if she devised a plan...
"Throw it against a wall?" Bikkar sputtered. "Did you not hear a single word I've said up until now, girl? The Black Orb is a powerful magical weapon. You can't just throw it against a wall and break it. Not that you'll ever get the opportunity to reach it. The Queen guards it with her life. It goes wherever she is, I'm sure. It was in her parlor today. At night, she must carry it with her to her bedroom. No matter how much you plan and plot, you'll never be able to penetrate the palace."
"So what's your idea then?" Aria placed her hands on her hips and surveyed him. "Or do you even have o
ne?"
"I do." He fingered the edge of his cloak. "And it's better than yours. Throw it against the wall, indeed."
What an odious man. At times she hated him. He was so full of himself, lecturing her and treating her as if she was a dim-witted child. But then she remembered why she was with him. Her brother.
Marcus! She would walk on a bed of hot coals for his safety and wellbeing. If Bikkar knew the way to set Marcus free, she would just have to bear with the old man and do as he said.
"So what do you want me to do?" Folding her skirt, she sat down with quiet aplomb on the log, facing him.
Bikkar stared at her a long time before saying, "The only way to break the Black Orb is to destroy it completely. And that can only be done with magic. Not just any ordinary magic. It has to be done with a weapon more potent than even the Black Orb.
"The only weapon of such power that I know of is the Dragon Claw."
"The Dragon Claw?" Aria frowned. "It sounds like the name of a tavern or something."
"Well, it's not." Bikkar waved impatiently. "The Dragon Claw is an ancient weapon, created centuries ago, at a time when dragons roamed the land, when magic ran free and true. It was created by wizards with the aid of a few dragons, all of whom combined to place their energy into one particular dragon's claw.
"Legend has it that this particular dragon was killed in a battle. Its body has burned so badly that nothing was left, save for one of its claw. In order to avenge its death, the wizards and dragons, infused that lone claw with their own life force and magic. In the final battle, it was wielded against the evil forces that threatened to overrun the land. Such was its power that an entire army was annihilated within moments."
"So where's this mysterious claw now?" Skepticism laced her tone. It all sounded mumbo jumbo to her. Magic claw, black orb? Was the old man telling the truth?
"It was concealed in a safe place. Past the Forest of the Dryads is a fortress. I believe the Dragon Claw has been hidden there and can only be accessed by the Golden Key."
The Black Orb Page 4
