by Sharon Green
We were conducted - with more bowing - to the first two carriages in line, and we split up in the way we'd already decided on. Jovvi, Lorand, and Rion took the first carriage, while Vallant, Naran, and I took the second. Our still-nameless guide and host got into the first carriage, and another man joined us in ours. This second man was also one of those who had met us on the road, which meant that he was also a High in Spirit magic. The smile I sent him had a lot of amusement in it, which made his answering smile a bit on the uncertain side.
The carriages moved off, and it wasn't long before we were rolling through the gates of the city. There were men standing around on the inside of those gates, but rather than being in uniform they were simply wearing some kind of armband. Either the citizens of Gracely were too cheap to supply their guardsmen with uniforms, or they were extreme in their dislike of anything that smacked of the military mindset. That didn't mean they weren't militaristic, of course, only that they didn't want to look like it.
The buildings we passed were ordinary to begin with, but once we got farther away from the gates the neighborhoods began to improve. Those lovely buildings we'd gotten a glimpse of began to be more plentiful, with carved stone facings and decorations of resin. The wood they used also looked to be coated with something that made it gleam, or else they made a habit of polishing the outsides of their buildings. Whichever, it still made for a pretty sight.
After a few minutes of riding on the nicely paved street, our carriages began to slow. We were heading for a large building that was stone, slate, and brick, with shiny wood embellishments around the windows and a wide lawn in front. The first carriage turned into the drive that made an upside down U around the lawn, and our own carriage followed.
"This is where our assembly meets," our previously silent guide said, suddenly deciding to speak up. "All members of the assembly will be here to greet you."
"That's nice," I said while Vallant studied the building we were approaching. "All your Exalted Ones gathering to greet us. Will it just be them, or will the rest of your nobles be there as well?"
"Oh, we don't have any nobles in our empire," the man answered at once. "Every High talent is free to try to become an Exalted One, and every strong Middle talent works to become a member of one of their Blendings. Now that your own empire has gotten rid of its nobles, you'll probably start to do the same."
"We've already started to reorganize," I said after exchanging a quick glance with Vallant and Naran. "Not having nobles around makes everything so much easier."
The man nodded his agreement with a smile, pleased that he'd shown how current he was with our situation at home. Of course he'd also shown that Gracely was keeping close tabs on what went on in Gandistra, and had also told us something about the leadership of his country that we hadn't known.
It had sounded as though each Gracely Blending had only one High talent in it, which was definitely odd. I wondered why they would do it that way, but couldn't spend too much time on the question. Our carriage pulled up behind that of the others, and then it was time to get out. Once we were all on the walk and had gotten back together, a woman accompanied by two men came forward to approach us.
"Welcome, my friends, welcome to Liandia," the woman said with a smile that looked to be real. She was smaller than Jovvi, Naran, and me, but didn't seem to be diffident or overly shy. "I'm Antrie Lorimon, and this is Cleemor Gardan. Cleemor and I are both members of the assembly, and this other gentleman is Frode Mismin, our liaison man. With your permission, we'll take you inside and introduce you to the rest of the assembly."
"Thank you for greeting us so warmly," Jovvi said to the woman with a smile of her own. "I really must say that we've been treated beautifully by your people, and we're very grateful for the kind attention. Our trip here was rather long and tiring."
"We knew it would be, and that's one of the reasons why we made arrangements for you at the gate inn," Antrie Lorimon responded, this time directly to Jovvi. "Stopping there is more convenient for weary travelers, as it saves them from having to find an inn inside the city before they can rest. Please, if you'll follow us inside, we've arranged to have refreshments waiting."
The invitation part of the woman's speech was directed toward all of us, and she gestured gracefully with one arm before turning to lead off. The two men, one huskier and older than the other, stepped aside to let us precede them, and that's when it happened. Without warning we were suddenly under attack, and not just by a single talent.
The petite Antrie Lorimon cried out as a blaze of flame extended toward her, but it never got to singe even a single hair on her head. My talent spread out to cover and protect everyone in the area, and then I had the time to look around for whoever was responsible for the attack with Fire magic.
And those attackers weren't hard to locate. Three men stood together in the crowd of onlookers gathered near the building, and they'd managed a lame sort of partial linking. But even with their abilities enhanced, they couldn't have been much more than ordinary Middles, if that. It took only a moment to burn all the clothing and hair off them and set them in a ring of fire, marking them for anyone official who would be interested.
During that time, my Blendingmates hadn't been idle. Three other men struggled with globes of water surrounding their heads, another three lay on the ground fast asleep, and three more rolled around gasping as if they couldn't breathe. A last three crouched down and huddled into themselves as though terrified of something, and that seemed to account for everyone.
"Do you think there are any more attackers hangin' around?" Vallant asked a shaken Antrie Lorimon as he continued to examine the people in the rest of the crowd. "If there are, we can round them up and put them in with the ones we've already taken down. And if you have guardsmen handy, we could use them right about now."
"Oh, yes, of course," Lorimon said at once, obviously still rattled but just as obviously not about to let that stop her. "Frode, please summon your people at once."
"I should never have ordered them to wait for my signal," the man called Frode Mismin muttered, heavy self-disgust in the words. "And they should have used a little initiative…"
Instead of pursuing his complaints, the man put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. A moment later a large number of men pushed their way through the crowd, and when Mismin gestured all around, the newcomers separated to go to the various captives.
"Your pardon, Exalted One, but my men need that fire ring doused if they're to get to the fools inside," Mismin said diffidently, drawing my attention, then he spoke to my Blendingmates as well. "And if the rest of you Exalted Ones would also release the men you hold…"
The man was nothing if not brisk and competent, but he couldn't quite look directly at Jovvi. That told me he had Spirit magic, and his reaction to her talent level was at least as strong as the men who had met us on the road.
"I can't believe how strong that Air magic user is," Lorimon murmured, apparently speaking to the other man, who now stood beside her. "Cleemor, have you ever come across anyone that strong?"
"Not likely, but I'm certainly glad I came across it this time," the man Gardan answered her in the same murmur. "If they all weren't that strong, we'd have a serious problem right about now."
"We have a serious problem anyway," Lorimon returned, her expression the next thing to bleak. "How are we supposed to make them believe we had nothing to do with this attack? In their place, I would believe nothing I heard from the strangers I found myself in the midst of."
"Well, that seems to be that," Jovvi said in a bright and friendly voice as she moved a bit closer to our two remaining guides. "Do you have to put up with this sort of thing very often?"
"Please, you must let us apologize for this monstrous outrage," Lorimon began, her expression just as hopeless as her earlier words had been. "We honestly had nothing to do with - "
"Now, now, it's all right," Jovvi interrupted to soothe her, putting one hand to the woman's arm. "We're well
aware of the fact that you were completely appalled by the attack, which you wouldn't have been if you'd had anything to do with it. Do you by any chance have an idea about who might be responsible?"
"Not at the moment, but you can be sure that that will quickly change," Lorimon answered, relief and anger now mixed in her tone. "We thought everyone would understand how important friendly relations between our empires would be, but someone seems to have missed the point. And I'd like to say how grateful I am for your understanding. In your place I doubt if I would be as reasonable."
"You don't have to rely on reason when you're able to know the truth when you see it," Lorand put in as he stopped near Jovvi. "Surely your own Spirit and Earth magic users can do the same?"
"Of course they can," Lorimon answered with a small laugh aimed at herself. "I was so shaken by the attack that I never stopped to think about it. Do let's go inside now, and we'll see if we can make up for the inconvenience you were put to. If the assembly isn't completely open to any terms of treaty you'd care to put forward, I'll know the reason why."
The small woman looked and sounded very fierce as she said that last, but it seemed to be a fierceness based on personal power rather than nothing but pique. As I followed along with the others, I felt tempted to pity whoever it was that she decided was guilty…
Zirdon Tal stood in the shadows inside the assembly building, gleefully anticipating the attack that was about to take place. That little slug Syant had arranged all the details of the attack, but fate's luck had added the presence of Lorimon and Gardan. If they were damaged or even killed during the attack Zirdon might feel a small bit of regret, but nothing major. He wanted Lorimon and Gardan to live on and suffer for a while, but being finally rid of them would have its own compensations.
The newcomers left their carriages, spoke a few words with Lorimon, and then began to follow the woman toward the building. That was when the attack was supposed to begin, and it certainly did. Zirdon was only able to follow the Fire magic users, and their linked strength was mildly impressive. Together they were as strong as most High talents, and they ought to be able to do quite a bit of damage -
"No!" Zirdon choked out as the attack began - and was stopped almost immediately. "That isn't possible!"
"What isn't possible?" Syant asked from the deeper shadow he stood in. Zirdon had had the little slug disguised with extra hair and a beard, and the less-than-adequate diet the small man had been on at the shelter had added to the disguise by slimming him down. Coupled with the rags the slug now wore, no one who had known him should be able to recognize him if they happened to get a glimpse.
"The strength of that woman isn't possible!" Zirdon answered, the soft words sounding choked in his own ears. "Her talent is the strongest I've ever come across, and she handled those attackers of yours almost effortlessly! And the rest of them are being handled just as easily. Is this your idea of being effective?"
"This attack wasn't meant to succeed," Syant answered, the calm and patience he was being forced to show immediately grating on Zirdon. "In order to launch a proper attack against someone or something, you need to know just what it is you're going up against. I sacrificed a few useless men to gain the knowledge I need, and the next time I strike the results will be completely different."
"Why didn't you tell me this attack wasn't meant to succeed?" Zirdon demanded in a hiss, turning on the fool. "Didn't it occur to you that I'd want to know something like that?"
"You told me to take care of the matter and not bother you with the details," Syant pointed out in that same mindless, unexcited way. "Have you decided to change that order? If so, the details of the next attempt will be - "
"Not now, you fool!" Zirdon hissed, wishing he could shout instead. "I have to get to my place in the assembly hall as quickly as possible, and pretend to be as surprised by the attack as everyone else. But as soon as you've taken care of the next phases of the plan, you're to go to our meeting place and wait for me. I'll have questions to ask, and I expect full answers to all of them."
"Of course," the slug answered with that grating calm. "And the next phase of the plan should please you. The entire assembly will be thrown into complete disarray, and then the final phases will come into play."
"Yes, yes, whatever," Zirdon muttered, then hurriedly left the slug and made his way to the assembly hall. He'd find out all the details of the plan later, to be certain that he wasn't surprised again. He should have known better than to leave the idiot Syant unsupervised, but he did have his own responsibilities, after all. And with Syant under his Blending's control, what could the foolish little man do other than obey…?
Jovvi followed the woman Antrie Lorimon into the large room where a good number of people waited, her Blendingmates around and behind her. Lorimon's agitation had now settled down, but would have flared again if she'd had Jovvi's talent. It had been perfectly clear that the woman and her companions had been completely surprised by the attack, but that didn't necessarily mean they'd had nothing to do with it. Rion had told everyone privately that Lorimon and Gardan were protected by shells of hardened air, which meant they hadn't been in any danger during the attack. That meant they might have been surprised only by the timing of the attack, not by the action itself…
"My friends, these are our honored guests from Gandistra," Gardan rather than Lorimon announced as soon as they reached the center of the circle of seats. "They came here in good faith without even the smallest of guard escorts, and someone attacked them on our very doorstep. That affront must be investigated at once, and the guilty caught and punished."
Exclamations of shock and outrage sounded from all over the room, but other emotions hid beneath the vocal outbursts. There were fifteen individual seats in the inner circle, the two belonging to Lorimon and Gardan the only ones empty. Some of the remaining thirteen men and women felt fear at the announcement, and a few were touched by disappointment. Apparently those few would have been happier if the visitors to their empire had to be shipped home in pieces.
"There are only two other women besides Lorimon in this assembly," Tamma murmured as the noise continued. "And it's Gardan who's breaking the news, not his female companion. It looks like the empire of Gracely is just like our own empire when it comes to letting women help run things."
"Yes, I'd say that one of the things bothering many of them is that fully half of us are women," Jovvi murmured back in answer. "They would have been happier if most if not all of us were men."
"I'm crushed," Tamma murmured, showing a hint of that very nasty smile she'd developed. "I may even go home and cry."
Various members of the assembly had stood to denounce the attack and whoever might be responsible for it, and most of the rest seemed compelled to follow their example. They seemed to think that speaking out would establish their innocence, but Jovvi found the procedure tiring. It would have been nice to have a hot cup of tea, but the refreshments mentioned were nowhere in sight.
"I have a question to put to our … honored guests," a voice rumbled out, and Jovvi looked up to see that a large, bulky man with dark hair and light eyes had risen from his place. He also hadn't been one of those doing the denouncing, so Jovvi listened with interest.
"I should think that all questions can be deferred until we get to the bottom of the most major problem before us," Gardan said, apparently trying to put the man off. "We need to find out - "
"Yes, yes, we do need to find out who was behind the attack, but that doesn't mean we can't do anything else," the bulky man interrupted to say. "I want to know why their Earth magic user is still touching the power. Surely he doesn't think he and his friends aren't safe here."
"We've noticed that most of your people don't touch the power except from time to time," Lorand answered before Gardan could lodge another protest. "For ourselves, the people in our empire have been denied the use of their various talents so long that we keep a constant touch on the power to show that we're no longer slaves. Worrying ab
out whether or not we're safe has nothing to do with it."
"I can tell that you're speaking the truth as far as you've gone," the bulky man said to Lorand, his stare suggesting deep study. "What I can't tell is if there's anything you're not saying. How in the name of chaos did you manage to grow so strong, man?"
Lorand hesitated in answering the bald question, but Jovvi didn't get the chance to help him out of the corner. Just as she was about to speak, a number of ragged, obviously exhausted men stumbled into the room.
"Help, Exalted Ones, help!" the man in the lead called out, fear and pain in his voice. "There are invaders, attackers, and our people are being killed!"
If there was confusion earlier, pure pandemonium broke out now. The five men who had burst in were helped to seats quickly vacated by assembly members, and Lorand joined those people who were obviously Earth magic users in seeing to the newcomers' wounds. And they were all wounded, some so severely that it was a miracle they'd been able to stay on their feet. Jovvi wasted no time in joining her own talent to those Spirit magic users who worked to ease the men's pain, and after some minutes of effort it was possible to ask questions.
"Who are you, and where do you come from?" Gardan asked the man who had spoken. The man sat with eyes closed and breath coming unevenly, but he roused enough to respond.
"I'm Dislin Marne, governor of Eastgate," the man said in a strengthless whisper. "I have no idea where those monsters hail from, but their ships suddenly appeared on the horizon across the ocean. It disturbed us that there were so many of them, but we had enough High talents in the city to defend us if it came to that. It did come to that, but our High talents weren't able to do anything. The invaders landed hundreds, thousands of men and attacked the city, and we weren't able to stop them."
