by Kay L. Ling
Jules said, “They want to put her cage in a glass enclosure. She’d be a museum exhibit. They’d have displays depicting her life from childhood to the present day, as well as a collection of her belongings from Elantoth.”
“What belongings?” Parcune growled. “She stole everything from us gnomes.”
Jules nodded sympathetically. “It says the museum is under consideration because visitors could ask her questions, and even if she refused to speak, just having her there would draw visitors.”
“So it’s all about money,” Lana said in disgust. “They aren’t the least bit worried she’ll escape.”
“They claim this museum has one of the best security systems in Ahmonell, and it’s also protected by complex wards.”
“Security systems can be beaten, and wards can be broken,” Lana said. “I can see it now—one of The Eight blasts a hole in the roof with gem powers, turns invisible and drops though the ceiling on a cable, uses a spell to silence the alarms, smashes the glass enclosure, snatches the cage, and disappears with S into the night. I’ve seen a dozen movies like that . . . well, minus the gem powers,” she said when everyone stared at her with bemused expressions. “Look, the museum is a bad idea. You just have to trust me on this.”
“The other options they name are places that rehabilitate woodspirits who’ve committed non-violent crimes,” Jules said, continuing to skim the article. “It says violent woodspirits always go to gnome confinements.”
“Then S belongs in a gnome confinement,” Elias said. “How can anyone question that?”
“Because she’s a beetle,” Tyla said. “They figure she’s harmless.”
“But someone could free her and pick her brains,” Lana said.
Tyla and Parcune exchanged puzzled looks.
“Sorry. I mean, others could find out things she knows,” Lana explained. “Like dangerous spells. Kaff kidnapped her with that in mind. So, even as a beetle she’s dangerous.”
“What do we know about gnome confinements?” Jules asked. “What kind of security do they have?”
Tyla said, “According to Kaff’s parents, gnomes with gem powers are on a separate floor that’s protected by wards in addition to a conventional security system. It sounds very secure.”
“I don’t know about that. Couldn’t a gnome with gem powers help a prisoner escape?” Lana asked.
Tyla gave her a blank look. “Why would anyone want to help a criminal escape?”
“Humor me. Suppose someone did.”
Tyla thought a moment. “He’d have to disable the regular security system, get through a series of wards, and escape from guards who also have gem powers.”
“What if someone paid off the guards? Gave them IGs in exchange for helping the prisoner escape.”
That was an even stranger idea, requiring criminal acts on both ends. How likely was that? “Guards wouldn’t do such a thing.”
Lana sighed.
Once again, Tyla was grateful for living here rather than the Fair Lands. There, aberrant behavior was normal and expected. How could humans live like that?
“Nothing is foolproof, but a gnome confinement sounds like the safest option,” Jules said.
“But woodspirits want her in a rehabilitation facility,” Parcune said. “She’s likely to live another two hundred years, and they want her restored to woodspirit society.”
Lana frowned. “S is evil incarnate. Why can’t they see that? She nearly destroyed Ahmonell once already. I don’t trust woodspirits with her, but I’m not sure I trust you gnomes with her, either. You’re too naïve.” Lana stopped, looking embarrassed. “Sorry. That was rude. But I can think of several ways she could escape, and not only do none of them occur to you, you find them unlikely.”
“Don’t apologize. I understand,” Tyla said. “We’ve grown up in a society where crime is rare, and we’re blind to the dangers.”
“There’s a place run by gnome gem masters that’s under consideration,” Parcune said. “It’s just upriver from Aberell City, which is another point in its favor.”
“Did I miss that?” Jules asked, skimming the article again.
“It’s called The Emanicus,” Parcune said.
“Pentar says it’s named after a rare gem that imparts wisdom,” Tyla said. “Gem masters live there, devoting their lives to wisdom, philosophy, and gem studies.”
“Sounds sort of like a monastery,” Lana said, and Jules nodded.
Tyla had no idea what a monastery was. “There are three stone buildings, and one used to be a confinement until Aberell City built a new one in the commercial district.”
Jules said, “Here it is. I read right over it since I had no idea what ‘The Emanicus’ is.”
“The writer must think everyone is familiar with it,” Tyla said.
“Or he’s a woodspirit sympathizer who doesn’t want anyone to seriously consider the site,” Elias said. “Woodspirits won’t want S in a private facility that lacks the normal hierarchy of wardens and overseers.”
“Who cares what they want,” Lana said. “Gnomes deserve the most say in where S goes.”
“I imagine gnome and woodspirit political bodies will spend months wrangling over what to do with her,” Elias said.
“And no matter what they decide, S will be getting far better treatment than she deserves,” Tyla said.
For a moment, everyone was silent, and then Elias asked Parcune, “How are things at Elantoth? You must be glad Tyla and Raenihel are back.”
“I am. Gem Master Ertz decided he was most qualified to run Elantoth while they were gone, which may be true, but I still find him annoying. He goes about invisible less often these days, but he picks the worst possible times to do it. I almost fell down a flight of stairs when he appeared next to me asking if I’d take Elder Denkurk’s shift in the Pedestal Room.”
“He could have waited till you reached the bottom,” Lana said indignantly.
“I think he did it to rattle me. He knows I don’t like him.”
Tyla said, “I can’t say whether he’s here to help us or spy on us, but he’s involved in everything that goes on at Elantoth. The other day he was down in the dungeon talking to Kaff, and Pentar says the court may call him in as an expert witness at Kaff’s trial.”
“Why would they do that?” Lana asked.
Tyla looked at Parcune. “Go ahead. You tell them.”
Parcune leaned forward and said in a confidential tone, “Apparently Ertz has quite a fascinating history. In his youth, he delved into dark powers and made quite a mess of his life. He ended up with a lot of witnesses, though you’d never know it to look at him now.”
“You’re kidding,” breathed Lana.
“He rehabilitated himself and lost all his witnesses, which is practically unheard of,” Parcune said, warming to his tale. “Now he goes around lecturing on the temptations of Dark gems and the danger of misusing gem powers, and he’s considered an expert in that field.”
“Kaff’s problems started during the Amulet Mission, before he used Dark gems,” Elias said. “Think how badly he treated you, Parcune, and how he acted toward Ben and Tina Ann who were doing their best to fit in. He was jealous of anyone who accomplished anything noteworthy, and he became increasingly obsessed with making a name for himself. Now I’m afraid he’s done so, but not in the way he intended.”
“You’re right. All the signs were there, but I never thought he’d turn out like this.”
“That’s what my book is about—witnesses, and what leads to them,” Tyla said. “It says gnomes change mentally and emotionally before they start doing things that produce witnesses.”
“That sounds like a fascinating topic. I would be interested in reading your book,” Elias said.
“You and Ertz have a few things in common,” Lana said. “You both did some bad things in the past and used dark powers, but you turned your lives around. I bet you’d find lots to talk about.”
“I imagine so,” Elias agreed. �
�He sounds like an interesting fellow.”
Tyla gave Elias a nervous smile. “I was thinking the same thing and it gave me an idea.”
Elias gave her a curious look.
“We need to know whether we can trust him. Maybe he’s really here to educate us, or maybe he’s spying for Mierek Fortress or the Joint High Council. Would you be willing to probe his mind and see what you can find out?”
Before Elias could answer, Lana said, “I take it back. You’re not so naïve after all. That’s a good idea.”
Elias stroked his long, gray beard thoughtfully. “It can be no harder than reading S’s mind, which I managed to do occasionally. I’d be willing to try.”
“Thank you so much,” Tyla said, relieved. Now all she had to do was bring the two gem masters together. Hopefully Ertz would be as curious about Elias as Elias was about him.
Chapter 17
Tyla wasn’t sure how to bring the two gem masters together. Ertz was always busy and had others around him, and considering the ban on human involvement, it would be best not to mention Elias unless they were alone.
Ertz hadn’t given up the reins of leadership after Raenihel’s return, but Raenihel didn’t seem to mind. Since Elantoth was the Amulet’s administrative hub, government officials were always stopping in for information. Some were mapping the Amulet. Others were taking a census. Officials from the Department of Gem Powers were trying to locate all the gnome clans to determine how many gnomes had gem powers. Mining experts from Pantirek City came with orders to reopen the alamaria mine. Raenihel avoided as many of the visiting officials as he could, handing them over to Ertz.
Mierek officials didn’t like the idea of using breghlin miners, but gnomes refused to work in the alamaria mine, even for high wages, so Ertz went to the Ministry of Breghlin Affairs and asked Wally to recruit breghlin. He reminded Wally that breghlin had an extra incentive to work. Before long, they would be required to pay the witness tax, so they would need IGs.
Tyla still thought the witness tax was terribly unfair since S had genetically altered the breghlin, and they weren’t responsible for all their deformities. Someone should pass a law to exempt them or at least reduce their taxes, but she doubted that would ever happen.
During S’s reign, some of Wally’s friends had been guards at the alamaria mine and were familiar with the entire operation. Wally convinced them to run the mine. An advisor from Pantirek would get them started and stay as long as necessary.
Tyla was surprised Mierek hadn’t sent a second delegation to Elantoth since the first had left without providing much training, but Ertz, who communicated with Mierek daily, had convinced them that Raenihel and the elders had everything under control.
Two weeks passed before Tyla found her opening to speak to Ertz about Elias. They were in the library discussing the newly-reopened mine, and she told him the story of how the human gem masters had used alamaria from the mine to defeat S.
“Elias tells the story much better than I do,” Tyla said. “I love hearing the part where S wakes up and discovers she’s a beetle.”
Ertz chuckled at that. “Elias sounds like an interesting fellow.”
Tyla wanted to tell him that Elias had said the same thing about him, but she didn’t want to admit she’d seen Elias recently. “He’s half the gem master you are, but he’s a good teacher and very patient,” she said, planting the false idea that Elias was no competition for Ertz. “I wish you could meet him.”
“Is there any reason I can’t?” Ertz asked, smiling.
“Not unless you object to speaking to a human. We could send a cart to get him.”
“I’d like that. I’m rather curious about him.”
“When should we send for him?”
Ertz thought a moment. “Assuming I’m not plagued with map makers, miners, and data collectors tomorrow, he could come for lunch.”
“Good. I’ll make arrangements for someone to drive out there in the morning.” She hoped Ertz didn’t notice how excited she was.
When Tina Ann heard about the meeting, she asked eagerly, “Where they gonna have lunch?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“I has to know which door to listen at!”
“Don’t even think about it! We can’t disturb them if we want to learn anything.”
“They won’t know I be there,” Tina Ann said with an indignant sniff.
“They’re gem masters! It’s not like you’re spying on other breghlin.”
“Don’t worry. They be too busy gem masterin’ to notice no spy,” Tina Ann said and stalked away.
The next morning, while Tyla was in the library, Ben came in. “I be ready to fetch Elias,” he said, keeping his voice low.
Tyla was glad Arenia hadn’t come in yet. Ever since the trip to Aberell City, Arenia had been cold toward Ben and Tina Ann.
“I don’t think Elias will have any objection to coming here on short notice, but if he can’t come today, see if he can come tomorrow.”
“He come today,” Ben said. “He miss the food.”
Tyla smiled. Now that Elias was living at Strathweed, most of his meals revolved around vegetables from his garden, and meat would be a treat. It was surprising that breghlin cooks made anything edible, considering they never tasted what they cooked. They found human and gnome foods revolting and hated anything sweet.
“When you get back, send Elias here so I can show him my book.”
“Okay.”
As Ben turned to leave, Arenia came in with a big, leather-bound book. She looked startled to see Ben in the library. Keeping his head down, he shuffled past her.
“What’s Sparkles up to today?” Arenia asked as she plopped into a chair. She had dubbed Ben “Sparkles” and Tina Ann “Glitter” after the libations room fiasco, but had the decency not to call them that to their faces. The joke had started to wear thin, but it wasn’t worth saying so and starting an argument. Arenia didn’t like Tyla spending time with Tina Ann and Ben, but Tyla wasn’t about to give them up. It had taken her a while to figure out why she liked them. Their natures were the opposite of hers, and she enjoyed that. She was trusting; they were suspicious. She was reserved; they were boisterous. She kept opinions to herself; they spoke their minds. She played things safe; they took chances.
“Ben’s going to Strathweed to get Elias. Elias and Ertz are having lunch together. I didn’t get a chance to tell you.”
Arenia arched a brow. “What happened to ‘no human involvement’?”
“I don’t think Ertz agrees with Mierek, and besides, one lunch together shouldn’t rock the foundations of gnome society.”
“Ertz has a mind of his own. Good for him.”
Tyla wanted to say that Elias planned to probe Ertz’s mind, but she didn’t dare. Though Ertz was seldom invisible these days, the minute she said something she didn’t want him to hear, he’d probably appear.
Tyla went back to work and tried not to think about the meeting. She and Arenia were cataloging books and scrolls, and it was a rewarding but tedious job. Terrilem had said she could work in the gnome ministry office for a change, but it was too chaotic there with officials dropping in, wanting to hire gnomes for various trades, and others coming in with reports on road and mine construction, or delivering information sheets about plants and animals being reintroduced to the Amulet. And there were always local gnomes asking questions about all the changes.
The breghlin ministry was equally busy. Breghlin clans that had previously raised crops and animals for S wanted to work with the present leadership, and there was a constant influx of breghlin asking for tools and building materials from S’s storehouses. Elias, Lana, and Jules had started the practice of donating S’s supplies, and Tyla had a feeling Ahmonellian officials would put a stop to it soon.
The morning passed quickly. Hearing footsteps, Tyla looked up from her reading, and there was Elias in one of his customary green robes, decked out in an assortment of jeweled bracelets, rings, and pendan
ts. Despite having infused powers, Elias wore gems when he wanted to amplify his powers. He had always worn jewelry during meetings with S. For decades, Elias and S had tolerated each other. They weren’t friends, but they enjoyed interacting, as rivals often do. S had thought herself invincible, which made her eventual defeat all the more humiliating.
“Good day, Elias,” Tyla said, and Arenia greeted him too, looking pleased to see him.
“I shouldn’t interrupt you when you’re working.”
“Don’t be silly,” said Tyla. “Please have a seat.”
As soon as he sat down, Tyla reached for the book Hedra had given her. “I think you’ll find this book of runes interesting.” She handed him her cyanistone and the book.
“It looks very old,” he said as he opened the book and began translating.
Ertz had already read the book. He had one by the same author, but it didn’t include case studies and interviews with inmates.
Ertz arrived, looking less intimidating than usual. Tyla had never seen him in anything but black robes, but today he wore a deep blue robe trimmed with white.
Elias set the book aside and stood to greet him.
If Ertz found Elias’s breghlin-like features disconcerting, he didn’t show it. A skilled gem master could conceal his emotions as well as his thoughts.
“You must be Gem Master Elias.” Ertz held out his hand, and Elias shook it, bowing slightly as he did. Elias towered over Ertz, which made him seem more imposing than the gnome gem master. Ertz wore fewer gems, but they were large and probably rare. Tyla had never dared ask.
“Let’s go to the office,” Ertz said pleasantly. “If we get too engrossed in books and gems to leave, I’ll have lunch brought in. Otherwise, we’ll have lunch in the dining room.” He turned to Tyla. “Come with us. I have two books I’d like you and Arenia to look at before tonight’s lecture. I’ll send them back with you.”
She followed the gem masters, who already seemed at ease with each other.
Ertz shared the office with Raenihel and the elders, but most of the time it was empty. It looked just as it did when Elias had left, and Tyla wondered if Elias would feel uncomfortable, a guest in his former office. The ornate gothic chair Elias had found in a storeroom remained behind the desk, although it was rather large for gnomes, and the matching chair still stood in the back corner.
