by Garon Whited
“What’s a voicemail?”
“I’ll show you that, too.” I sat down in front of the big mirror and tapped the small mirror to the larger one, switching the call. “There, that’s better.”
“Indeed. So, how did you handle the assault of Light on the Mountain of Shadows?”
“Is that what people are calling it?”
“No, that’s what I’m calling it. I inherited a strange sense of humor.”
“I blame your mother.”
“I think she got it from her father,” she countered. “Some people do call it the Mountain of Shadows, or Mount Shadow, or the Shadowmount. Just the central peak, obviously; not the whole town.”
“Seems fair. The light-absorbing spells do tend to make the surface darker than normal. How else are we going to get decent lighting in the undermountain?”
“I wasn’t criticizing.”
“I didn’t think you were. I guess I’m a little defensive.”
“A little?” Tianna raised an eyebrow. “A moat, a fifty-foot wall, massive gates… and that’s the whole city. I’m sure the mountain spire has other defenses.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know. But I asked about the Church of Light and their long walk up the Kingsway. How did it go? They came back down, one way or another, and you seem okay.”
“I am. They came up, waved holy symbols at me, and went away. They seemed mostly upset about Perrin. I think they think I threw him off the mountaintop.”
“Did you?”
“Of course not.”
“They found his body on the downslope, on Kingsway Road, where he died from the fall.”
“Impact,” I corrected. “Died from the impact. The fall doesn’t kill you. It’s the sudden stop.”
“Whatever.”
“No, I didn’t know, but I inferred it from the commentary. I didn’t see what happened, but, from what I’ve been told, it seems likely he slipped on the Kingsway.”
“I think so, too. I know many people who share my opinion, especially after their idiotic march on your palace.”
See? I’m not the only person who thinks they’re idiots.
“Oh?” I asked. “May I ask why?”
“Two more of their faithful managed to fall to their deaths. I think they’re starting to realize how dangerous the Kingsway is. Mundanely, I mean. It leads to your door; most people think that’s dangerous enough.”
“I’ve started some changes on it,” I told her. “It should be a little safer to travel, soon.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good thing,” Tianna reflected. “It will encourage people to brave the walk.”
“The lower end should look like a dragon’s head. Going up the Kingsway will be like walking into a dragon’s mouth and down the throat. I’ll add some spells to make it grumble and growl randomly, and maybe have it shine a flash of reddish light once in a while.”
Tianna grinned at me.
“All right, maybe you have something, there.”
“I hope so. I also hope to have something in Carrillon.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. You. And me. Lissette wants to look me over and talk to you.”
“Hmm. I assume she wants my opinion on the Demon King?”
“I guess. Either that, or she misses her step-granddaughter,” I added. Tianna gave me a sarcastic expression. I don’t even know how an expression can be sarcastic, but she did it, and she did it well. I had no trouble identifying it as sarcastic.
“When did she have in mind?” Tianna sighed.
“She didn’t say. I’d like to get it over with at your earliest convenience. I want her to feel I take her seriously as Queen. It’ll help reassure her my intentions are good. Can we leave tonight?”
“That’s difficult. I’m the High Priestess. They need me here.”
“How long can they spare you?”
“We can have a lesser priestess handle some of the duties—Sheena and Darys are not fire-witches, but the Mother will hear them. But for the Calling of Spring, I do need to be here.”
“When is it?’
“Three days. After the rite, I could be gone for ten days, but Carrillon is three days away by ship, and only if you have the winds. It would be tight to get there and back in ten days, unless you want to do something with the weather.”
“Bronze will be immensely hurt at your lack of faith,” I noted.
“Bronze…” Tianna considered the idea. “I know she’s fast; I’ve heard the stories. Can she run all the way to Carrillon?”
“You need to be in the Temple, here, before dawn on the third day?”
“Yes.”
“Shadowfax ain’t got nothing on Bronze.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Drat. I’m used to talking to Mary. She usually gets my geeky references.
“Trust your grandfather?” I asked, instead.
“Yes.”
“Then we can leave tonight.”
“Hmm. I suppose. You’re sure Bronze can get us there and back in three days?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
“Pretty sure?”
“I’m thinking we’ll be there by midnight. But if we don’t make it to Carrillon before dawn, we’ll turn around and come right back.”
“That’s fair,” she agreed. “All right. We’ll go visit the Queen. I’ll set things up here at the Temple.”
“I’ll pick you up a little after sunset. And wear something you’d wear to a hurricane.”
“Why?”
“Trust me. You’ll see.”
“So,” Mary sneered, “your plan is to go to the capitol where everyone knows you as the Demon King, gallop up to the Palace, say hello to the Queen—who, by the way, rules the place only as long as you don’t try to take back the throne—and hope she agrees you’re a nice guy? Bringing with you, of course, your only flesh-and-blood descendant who might challenge her for the throne.”
“Anything sounds crazy when you use that tone of voice.”
“Do you remember our discussion about being a moron?”
“Huuuh?” I asked, deliberately sounding stupid. Mary hit me in the shoulder, hard. “Yes, I remember,” I admitted, rubbing my injury.
“It doesn’t sound like it.”
“Look, Lissette is a decent, intelligent person. Yes, this could be an elaborate, involved trap to get me in a vulnerable position. On the other hand, she has a perfect right to know for certain I’m not the evil creature I used to be. I could sit here in the mountain and never stir from it, but doing so would only increase everyone’s paranoia.
“Even considering the idea is a good thing, much less actually going. The Demon King wouldn’t agree to this. He couldn’t bring himself to trust anyone. I think I have to demonstrate I’m not the Demon King by showing I’m better than him—a kinder, gentler monster, if you will. As a result, if Lissette wants a throne room full of priests, magicians, and wizards standing around and looking me over, it’s her call. She’s Queen. She needs to know—who I am, what I am, what I want, and to know I trust her with a kingdom. I believe she has the best interests of the kingdom at heart, and that makes her ideal for the throne.”
“You’re talking with great authority and certitude about the lady you married because of political reasons, who spent the last nine years being used as a brood mare by a monster, and who rules a kingdom as the appointed second fiddle to that same monster?”
“Um.”
“You know, the woman you barely knew nine years ago. Her. The nice girl who grew up into a… whatever she is now. Oh, and what’s her favorite color? Does she like her dazhu grilled or stewed? What are her children’s names? Does she sleep on the left side or the right side? Silk, linen, or cotton underwear? Sure, she’s a decent, intelligent person—at least, nine years ago. What else can you tell me about her?”
I rubbed my temples with both hands, thinking.
“All right, you have a point.”
“Severa
l, I should think. Moron.”
I lifted my head and glared at her. Mary stepped back.
“First of all,” I snarled, trying to keep my voice level, “do you recall when you asked me to yell at you, if necessary?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not sensing a playful tone,” I told her, while trying to get a grip on my own. “Forgive me for saying it, but you sound snappish, even scolding. I am not a moron. Now, I know you don’t mean it, not really. You’re using the word to tell me you disagree with my plan and to express your low opinion of my choices. I get it. But being called a moron, especially in that tone of voice, is starting to get on my nerves. Please stop.”
“Sure,” she agreed, and added, gently, “Dummy.”
“How about we put all the name-calling on hold until I’m in a… a less sensitive mood? Please?”
“Oh, all right. But I do think your plan, such as it is, is stupid. Is that okay?”
“Always. Which brings me to my second point. I know you disagree with my plan and my generally trusting nature.”
Mary made a snerk noise and covered her mouth with one hand. I ignored this with dignity. Some, anyway.
“Thing is,” I continued, “I am prepared to trust an extremely limited number of people. I’m actually a suspicious and mildly paranoid individual, as you’ve noticed. Lissette, I am prepared to trust. I do plan to do exactly as you describe, because I do trust her and she needs to know it.”
“Even if it’s a stu— even if it puts you and Tianna in jeopardy?”
“Even so. Which brings me to my third point. I strongly doubt Lissette will do anything to Tianna. I also doubt she’ll want to kill me out of hand, either. I expect a ton of security, yes, and possibly a lack of dignity on my part before I’m allowed into the presence of the Queen, but nothing actually life-threatening.
“However,” I continued, “I could be wrong. Which is why I bring this plan up to you. You’ve put your finger on the problem with your usual tact and grace.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“Which is why you’re not coming with me.”
“Now hold on just a pocket-picking minute—”
“You’re staying here with Dantos and my magic mirror. If anything goes wrong—if you don’t hear from me by morning—you’ll know the midden has met the windmill. I’ll set up a gate spell and you can pop over to Carrillon to look the place over. Maybe someone on the outside—you—can bust me out if I’m sealed in a steel coffin or something.”
Mary looked thoughtful. The idea of breaking into a magical palace for purposes of a rescue obviously held a certain appeal. I thought it might.
“That could be fun,” she admitted, still thinking about it.
“And there might be things worth pocketing, too.”
“In that case, I agree. But I want you to let Dantos, Sedrick, and that Beltar guy know they should help me. I may need them.”
“I agree, except about Sedrick.”
“Why not him?”
“Because I have something else I want him to do while I’m busy.”
“If you say so.”
“Thank you. But there is one other thing.”
“What?”
“You raised the possibility of someone trying to off Tianna.”
“Well, I think it’s possible. She’s a potential heir to the throne.”
“True enough. More important, however, is the fact she’s my granddaughter.”
“Same thing.”
“Not to me.”
“Ah.”
“Exactly. If this goes pear-shaped, her safety is a priority.”
“Not to me!”
I rubbed my temples and thought hard.
“Okay, look. If I’m still alive and kicking—or dead and biting—rescuing me is fine and dandy. Thing is, I can get skewered repeatedly and survive it. I really don’t want to find someone puts a knife in the back of her neck and I have to bind her soul into a body-shaped chunk of plasma.”
“I understand,” Mary agreed. “I have my own priorities. If you wind up in a shark tank, I’m rescuing you. If you want to then turn around and rescue her, I’ll be happy to come along and knife someone for you. But you are my priority. Period.”
“Look, Tianna—”
“Doesn’t matter in the slightest. Oh, I like her well enough, and I’ll go out of my way to help her—for you. So don’t expect me to put her welfare over yours. That’s the way it is, and that’s final. If you can’t grasp that, if you can’t deal with that, then we’re going to have our first real fight!”
Mary and I locked eyes and held there for several seconds. I was acutely aware of my heartbeat. We had a fundamental disagreement and neither of us was prepared to back down. I wanted Tianna kept safe at all costs; she wanted me to survive whatever was coming. The two didn’t have to conflict, but if it came down to a choice, I wanted Tianna to take priority. Mary saw it from another perspective.
“Eric. Halar. Look,” she said, softly. “I like your granddaughter. She’s a good person. I’ll do whatever I can to be nice to her, not just for your sake, but because I like her, at least a little. I don’t know if I’d tackle a church full of solar power fanatics for her, but I’ll back you up if you want to. But when it comes to cases—if this meeting with the Queen goes as badly as I think it will—I’m coming for you. Then we’ll get Tianna, not the other way around. I care more about you than I do about her, and that’s all there is to it.”
For several seconds, I wondered why I was so angry with her. Was it because her priorities weren’t identical to mine? Or because I was afraid of losing her over something like this? Or am I just so shallow I can’t stand to be contradicted? Maybe the whole power thing has gone to my head and I expect people to do as I say.
She has a right to her feelings and her priorities. If she were a soldier, she would have to follow orders. She’s not a soldier. She’s my friend. I’m tempted to add other things, but I’ll let it go with “friend.”
“You’re right,” I told her. “I’m not happy about it, but you’re right. If I’m not around to call the shots, fine—come get me. But if something seriously awful happens to me, will you go ahead and look out for Tianna?”
“I can do that.”
“And if something happens to both Tianna and I, feel free to rip the Palace at Carrillon down to the ground.”
“I have no problem with that,” Mary assured me.
I nodded and looked for something to lighten the conversation. I stroked my face-fur and wondered if it looked as bushy as it felt.
“Do you think I should shave before I pay a visit?”
“Depends. Do you want to look like the Demon King they all know and love?”
“You could just say ‘Absolutely not!’,” I complained.
I called for Dantos and spoke with him directly. Beltar and I spoke on the mirror. Mary would have the assistance of my newest knight and the Temple of Shadow if it came down to cases. I didn’t think I’d need Mary’s help. If I did, I didn’t think Mary would need their help. But you never know.
Once we finished our discussions, Mary took over the mirror to start looking around Carrillon, “casing the joint,” as I think it’s called. I went off to another room and had the mountain make a nice arch, much like it made the sand table, and produce a smooth sheet of silver. This gate was going to need a dedicated mirror and I could polish the silver while enchanting it. I was going to need a gate room eventually, so starting it now was a good idea.
Could I get the mountain to squeeze out iridium for the gate? It can find all sorts of metals—gold, silver, platinum, iron, mercury, copper… Iridium shouldn’t be any different, aside from its rarity. As for that, all I had to do was identify it properly. How to identify it to a gigantic pet rock was more of a problem. Of course, if I had some iridium, I could give it to the mountain and it would then squish it into the metals room—assuming this world even has any iridium. But without a sample to start from, iridium is one
more silvery-white metal.
I should have picked some up before we left. Well, now I know better. Maybe I can work the iridium into the arch later.
Once the mountain’s arch-and-mirror growth was in motion, I sent for Sir Sedrick and had him come to my sand table room. I finished my prototype spells for the sand table while he made his way to see me. He met me there and I gestured him to a seat. He waited patiently while I finished connecting spell modules.
“You requested my presence?” he asked, when I straightened up.
“Yes. I’m working on something and I’d like your help.”
“My wizardry is mediocre,” he warned. “I have studied some of the basics, but I rely mainly on my sword-arm.”
“It’s not about that. My project is a magical thing for finding someone, but I’m going to be busy for a while and I’m worried it might be for quite a long while. I could wind up imprisoned or dead, in fact.”
“Really?” he asked, looking interested. “Do go on.”
“You remember Tort?”
“The Lady Tort, Consort to the Demon King, Magician of Karvalen.”
“That would be her.”
“Yes, I know of her. We met some time ago, before you took the throne in Carrillon, but I remember.”
“Good. When she organized and accomplished my exorcism and escape, she put herself in grave jeopardy on my behalf. It is possible she sacrificed herself for me, but that is a possibility I cannot and will not accept. I must believe she is alive somewhere—although where, or why she would be elsewhere, I have no idea. She’s the one I’m trying to find.”
“And you want me to find her for you?”
“Possibly. I’d like you to look into it, at least. Also, there’s the matter of T’yl. I trust you remember him?”
“Elfin appearance, supercilious, sometimes rude, generally polite only to other magicians and you?”
“I hadn’t noticed him being outright rude all that much.”
“Naturally.”
“Oh. I suppose I wouldn’t. Good point. But you obviously remember him. He’s missing, too. Tort is my priority, but while you’re looking around, asking questions, that sort of thing, I’d like anything you can get on T’yl, too.”
“So, you lost your magicians and you can’t find them?”
