‘I’ll bow and scrape like a good lackey,’ promised Dev •with an unpleasant curl to his lip.
‘There’s a lot more to it than that,’ Kheda told him as they passed swiftly through another hall. ‘I need you to find out as many of these servants’ names as you can. I need to know slaves from free islanders. If they’re slaves, I need to know where they came from and how they came to be bonded. I need to know who can be trusted, who can be bribed, who will do their duty and no more and who would take a knife in the chest for their lord. Not that I suppose there are many that loyal to me. I also need to know who’s particularly loyal to Itrac.’
/ need Telouet, not you, you blunt-witted barbarian.
‘If I can win them over, especially the older retainers, that’ll colour the attitude of the whole household,’ Kheda continued. ‘It wouldn’t hurt to know exactly how they saved themselves from the invaders, either, where they fled to and how many were lost. And you’ll sleep on a slave’s pallet at my door,’ he added. No arguments, Dev, otherwise the whole household will be wondering about you.’
‘We barbarians always say that you Aldabreshi treat your slaves like dogs,’ Dev muttered with contempt. ‘Are you going to put a collar and leash on me?’
‘Don’t tempt me,’ Kheda said tartly. ‘There are warlords who would, and have you eat from a plate on the floor till you learned some proper humility.’
The warlord halted as he found himself on the threshold of Chazen’s great audience chamber. Its simplicity came as a stark contrast to the rest of the residence’s luxuries. Here the floor was plain white tile, the walls unadorned plaster. The centre of the roof had been raised with a clerestory whose windows were a marvel of the glazier’s art. Glass in jewel colours wove intricate designs that captured the sunlight to spill it to the floor below in dazzling patterns.
Patterns that change with every cloud crossing the sky, different with the suns rising and setting every day. Did Chazen Saril see omens in those colours? I know nothing of such lore.
There were no carpets, no cushions: those coming before their lord would stand and be grateful for the privilege. A beam carved and sheathed in bronze like the prow of a trireme projected from the far wall, drapes of white silk making a canopy. A backless, cross-framed chair of gilded wood stood there. ‘So you get to sit in judgement but you don’t get to slouch.’ Dev grinned.
Kheda made a sudden decision. ‘There’ll be time enough to sit in judgement over this domain when I’ve secured it. I need guidance from the omens and I need news from the outlying isles if I’m not going to lose it to this ravaging dragon. I’ll be getting dispatches from the Mist Dove, but you need to make friends with the mariners down in the anchorage, especially those from the dispatch galleys who’ll be taking the courier doves here and there. You’ll be surprised what they pick up.’
‘I’m supposed to do this while keeping my head down and not reminding anyone that I’m some god-cursed barbarian from the magic-plagued north?’ Dev asked quizzically. ‘And hoping they won’t ask awkward questions about just how you and I managed to kill off the invaders’ wizards with just Risala along to give us an uplifting poem or two?’
‘You keep telling me how clever you are.’ Turning his back on the canopied chair, Kheda left the audience chamber and walked through three successive reception rooms with luxurious furnishings and vigorous wall paintings in bold colours until he reached the physic garden.
Dev grinned. ‘I’ve already found out something useful. Beyau showed me the back way out of this warren, on account of me being your trusted slave, even if I am a strange barbarian. A tunnel runs right along the foundations of the back wall and there are several ways in from your apartments and from one of the lesser reception rooms. It goes all the way out past the eastern headland and into some caves. There’s caves all under that high ground, apparently. That’s where the household stashed all the loot before taking to the boats and running away from the wild men.’ Dev’s grin turned into a chuckle. ‘Beyau’s looking forward to showing Janne that the residence is quite restored to its former glory, thank you very much. He took exception to a few things Rekha had to say, apparently.’
‘Keep well clear of Birut, Janne’s body slave,’ Kheda warned sharply. ‘He’ll suspect you on principle and he’s shrewd enough to notice things Jevin doesn’t. And tenacious, if he gets a scent of something awry. Walk carefully round him; I don’t want Janne contriving anything she might use against us.’
‘I don’t imagine she’ll surpass her last exploit,’ Dev said, more thoughtful than mocking. ‘So where is this, observatory? And the courier-dove loft?’
‘The courier doves are housed in the forebuilding.’ Kheda gestured towards its towers rising high in defence of the residence where swordsmen and archers maintained their unceasing watch.
‘All the warriors in the domain will be cursed small use if that dragon turns up,’ Dev said with faint malice. Since there was nothing to say to that, Kheda led the way across the physic garden to a flight of stairs leading up to the fourth, glass-crowned tower of the forebuilding. ‘The observatory’s up here.’ Opening the door, he was startled to find a grey-haired servant looking back at him, equally surprised. ‘My lord.’ The man bowed, clutching a sizeable tome bound in brown leather to his dun tunic. ‘Who might you be?’ Kheda asked, once his heart had slowed a little.
‘Tasu, my lord.’ The man stayed bent low. ‘The keeper of the books here.’
‘Then show us what you’ve kept safe for Chazen,’ Kheda invited briskly.
The two of them followed the old man up more stairs to a room taking up the whole width of the tower below the glass-walled observatory. It was shelved from floor to ceiling with books packed tight on all sides. A broad table of black wood polished by years of use stood in the middle of the room, reading slopes scattered haphazardly across it, stools pushed tidily beneath.
Kheda surveyed the shelves with pleasure. ‘I’m delighted to see so much of the Chazen library intact. I was afraid the invaders would have burned the books to warm their naked arses.’
‘They did, my lord, those that they found.’ Tasu hid a smile with a wrinkled hand, ostensibly smoothing his grizzled beard. ‘Which were copies or books of little value. When the beacons told us we were invaded, we had sufficient time to get the important books to the caves along with the bulk of the residence’s treasures. We left some furnishings, mostly worn or discarded. We hoped they’d think they had taken a domain of little substance. We left enough food to see them on their way, not sufficient to encourage them to stay.’ His smile faded. ‘Then we sealed the caves with the bravest of the swordsmen inside, in case they should need to fight in last defence of Chazen’s learning and wealth. We lost ourselves in the depths of the forest, those of us who were able to flee. The warriors and the slaves drew lots to see who should stay to hold the forebuilding to give us time to escape, so that whoever was attacking wouldn’t just come hunting the rest of us.’ He looked at Kheda, dark-brown eyes beseeching. ‘We didn’t know we were facing magic, not then. They died, my lord, at wizards’ hands.’
No one knew, not then,’ Kheda told him firmly. ‘And if you stayed, you risked a foul death or a worse captivity.’
‘We thought we were safe when Redigal ships arrived with word that Daish Kheda was not dead as we’d heard but alive, and bringing the means to foil the wild magics. We were most relieved to hear you were claiming the domain since it was Chazen Saril who had died.’ His voice faltered. Now a dragon has come. I’ll tell you honestly, my lord, and you can have me flogged if you wish, but there are some asking if all our efforts have been worth the pains.’
‘I’d never flog an honest man for asking a fair question,’ Kheda assured him.
‘How do we foil a dragon?’ Tasu looked helplessly around at the bookshelves rather than risk Kheda’s gaze.
‘It seems the barbarians of the far north know how,’
Kheda said carefully. ‘I’ve sent Chazen’s f
astest trireme to see if any northerly Aldabreshin domain holds some clue as to how we might kill the foul beast or at very least drive it out. While we wait, since it seems happy to devour the remaining invaders, I’m inclined to let it. If it moves against
Chazen people, we’ll do all we can to contain it while we wait for the means to defeat it more permanently.’ He looked up at the plaster ceiling, which was studded with facsimiles of the shells of curious sea creatures for no readily apparent reason. While we wait, I’ll study the earthly and the heavenly compasses and all the lore you can offer me, so we’ll be able to pick the best of all possible times to attack it. I don’t know if all that effort will be worth my pains or yours, but if I’m warlord of this domain,
I must do all I can to save it or die in the attempt.’
Which will show me, one way or the other, whether I’ve been right to associate myself with magic to fight magic.
Kheda changed the subject briskly. ‘Are you known to the courier-dove keepers?’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Tasu was too bemused to bow. ‘I shall want all messages from the fleet keeping watch on the western isles brought up to the observatory.’ Kheda crossed the room to a far stair leading up to the topmost level. ‘Could you do that for me?’
‘Yes, my lord.’ The old man nodded obediently. ‘Could you go and see if any news has arrived since this morning?’ Kheda asked courteously.
‘Of course, my lord.’ Tasu made his way to the stairs and began a cautious descent.
Dev followed Kheda up to the glass-walled observatory. ‘You’re not needing those messages before sunset, then?’
‘He won’t take that long.’ Kheda blinked in the sunlight pouring painfully bright through the twelve panes of glass. Earl was engraved with a reminder of the nature of portents to be found in that reach of the earth and sky. The black wooden pillars separating each window bore carvings of the augury stars that progressed around the compass, inlaid with white ivory and bright gold. Vivid enamel depicted the heavenly jewels here and there; Sapphire, Emerald, Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst, Diamond, Pearl and Opal. With the sun beating down on the black wooden roof above, it was stiflingly hot.
Dev went to look at the enamelled jewels. ‘These positions must mark when this observatory was built. We could work out when that was with a bit of thought and one of Sari’s star circles.’
‘I thought you said all Aldabreshih stargazing was just so much nonsense.’ Kheda tried to shake off the oppressive sensation of the still, stuffy air. ‘Open a window.’
Dev studied the catches for a moment, then threw open the little casements at the top of each window. ‘All your guessing and gazing after portents is nonsense,’ he convected. ‘Your measuring of the passing years is second to none for accuracy. So, are we hiding up here to avoid Janne Daish and, if so, for how long, because we still haven’t had anything to eat and it’s past noon.’
‘You can eat after you’ve found something to use for your speaking spell and discovered how your friend’s search for lore we can use against the dragon is going,’ Kheda ordered. ‘And quickly, before Tasu gets back.’
‘What will you be doing when he gets back?’ Dev started opening drawers in the twelve-sided table engraved to match the rest of the room.
‘As I told Tasu, finding the best days for attacking the beast.’ Kheda pulled up a stool and reached for one of the star circles in the centre. ‘Casting the heavens for all the possible days when Risala could arrive. Calculating how long it’ll take to reach the westernmost islands after that. Factoring in possible delay in finding the beast, and on account of the weather. The rains will be all but on us, if they haven’t actually started’
‘A fat lot of use that will all be,’ commented Dev as he took a brass base plate from a dismantled star circle out of a drawer and set a reed pen alight with a casual brush of a finger.
‘Only if you can’t come up with the means to defeat the dragon,’ challenged Kheda as he concentrated on aligning the star circle. ‘Where’s this woman of yours now?”She’ll blister your ears if you call her that when she gets here,’ Dev said absently. ‘And I don’t just mean she’s got a sharp tongue on her. Ah, there she is, asleep, isn’t that sweet?’ He chuckled.
‘Wake her.’ Kheda looked up, hearing the door at the bottom of the stairs opening. ‘As quick as you can.
Crossing the intricate floor carvings, he hurried down the stairs to find Tasu standing with one hand pressed to his bony chest, catching his breath. Kheda forced approval rather than irritation into his voice. ‘That was quick.’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Tasu took a deep breath and held out a handful of small silver cylinders. ‘One of the lads ran up to the lofts for me, my lord.’
‘Make sure he makes himself known to me.’ Kheda unscrewed the tops of the message cylinders with deft fingers and pulled out the frail slips of paper. ‘Let’s read these in here.’ He ushered the old man inexorably into the book-lined lower room.
‘May I ask what news, my lord?’ Tasu looked drawn and anxious.
‘Good news,’ Kheda said slowly, holding up the fine paper to read the tiny writing, ‘from the Mist Dove, at least. They’ve only seen the dragon once in the last ten days and it was killing the invaders. Since then our warriors have been clearing the westernmost isles of the vermin without its interference.’
‘Good news indeed, my lord,’ the old man echoed.
Kheda looked around the book-lined walls. ‘I want to be ready to deal with this beast if it shows its face around here, and when we can make a plan to kill it. Can you find me all the most recent records of portents that proved particularly significant for the domain? And anything from longer ago that you think might have some relevance to the days ahead. And there was a curious omen when we were out at the pearl reefs, an infant shark found alive inside its mother. Do you have any lore on sharks here?’
‘I can look, my lord.’ Tasu’s eyes brightened.
‘And could you do me one more service?’ Kheda smiled. ‘Could you go and find someone to take a message to Beyau, and to my lady Itrac. I’ve decided I’ll take my lunch up here.’
‘Very good, my lord,’ said Tasu dutifully, turning to go back down the stairs.
Kheda reached out and took a book from a shelf, apparently absorbed in it as the old man departed. As soon as he heard the door at the bottom of the stairs close, he ran up to the observatory, taking two steps at a time.
I should just have time to find out what news Dev’s got from this woman of his.
Chapter Eleven
Are you sure you won’t stay the night?’ The woman stood in the doorway, wringing work-hardened hands.
Velindre made sure her rope-tied bundle of blanket and food was comfortable on her shoulder. ‘Thank you all the same,’ she added as a stiff afterthought.
‘There’s scant daylight left and what with the promise of rain yonder, this is no time to be setting out,’ the woman persisted. ‘You could wait till tomorrow, go out with a full day ahead of you. I’m sure some of the men would go with you.’ She waved vaguely down the hill.
‘Thank you, but I don’t need your solicitude or their help.’ Velindre curbed her irritation. ‘Didn’t you understand what I meant when I said I was a mage of Hadrumal?’ The woman stood reluctantly aside and Velindre stepped out on to the muddy track that cut through a scatter of skulking huts. The village had been built from the mismatched plunder of rockfalls judging by the irregularity of the walls beneath the snow-caked wooden-shingled roofs. Most were single—or double-roomed dwellings, few boasting even an attempt at a garden or yard. The only sizeable building was down where the track widened to a trampled expanse that even the most optimistic would hesitaie to call a village square. It was twice the width of any other building and steam rose from a wing extending behind it to shelter a brew house. Velindre realised too late that looking at the rough-hewn tavern had been a mistake. The handful of dour-faced men lounging against the wall had been covertly watching the women
emerge from the hut. Two pushed themselves upright with alacrity and began walking up the lane, the rest trailing behind, faces alight with curiosity.
‘Thank you for your hospitality.’ Velindre nodded to the woman. She turned to go, gathering her heavy fur cloak around her. ‘I think the horse is more than adequate recompense.’
‘Are you sure you don’t need him?’ The woman struggled with her unwillingness to reject such a gift. ‘This is hard country for travelling on foot and with you a lady from the south—’
‘A mage from the south,’ Velindre corrected her. No, take the horse and welcome. I’d be casting him loose otherwise. All I ask is that you look after him; he’s been a good beast to me.’
The woman detained her with an insistent hand. ‘Shouldn’t I keep him till you come back this way? I’ll give you a bed again and welcome.’
‘I shan’t be coming back this way,’ Velindre assured her brusquely. ‘Good day to you.’
‘I wouldn’t want you to come back and not find us,’ the woman continued, as if Velindre hadn’t spoken. ‘See, with a horse, me and the children, we’ll make for the lowlands when the thaw comes, go back to my own family’ The children in question, three of them and none taller than their mother’s apron strings, peered around the doorframe, blue eyes wide.
‘The animal is yours. Make whatever use of him you want.’ Pulling her arm away, Velindre began walking up the track, cursing under her breath as she stumbled on frozen ruts. Solid boots thudded on the ice-hardened earth behind her and she tensed, clasping her double-gloved hands together beneath the all-concealing fur cloak.
‘Taking a walk, mistress mage?’ One of the village men hurried to draw level with her. He had the short, stocky build and fair complexion of the mountains, with a heavy leather coat further padding his bulk. Velindre ignored him, increasing her pace.
‘What was your business with the Widow Pinder?’ A second man came up on her other side. He was taller than the first, with the dark, curly hair and olive skin of southern Tormalin blood incongruous with the snow and ice all around.
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