by Radu Aldea
“We’re not sure. It could be both, really. Kara leans towards the former, while I favor the latter explanation. We can use this as an opportunity. Make an alliance with the right side and we won’t have to hide anymore. It would take wizards hundreds of years to recover, any way you think of it. And I don’t think senators should disappear. You kill all of us and wizards will still be born. Kill all senators and they are gone forever. You know what Kara told me? That they are not what they’re supposed to be. They could be judges dispensing unfailing justice.”
“Well, she is really smart as well as pretty, I give you that. And she really knows how to manipulate. That’s not surprising, she knows how people think. She can probably read anyone in the first minutes. Did she also tell you there is no such a thing as unfailing justice?”
“She knows that. There are unsolvable conflicts and sometimes the choice is between two bad alternatives. But they could make sure innocents are not falsely accused and the guilty don’t go unpunished.”
“So what do we do now?”
“Well, I’m going to meet her and maybe get some more of our books and you could follow me from a safe distance and if anything goes wrong you can kill her.”
“So goes the great love.”
“I trust her. If her plan works she’ll still think I’m useful. If not, we’re dead anyway.”
Chapter twenty-nine
When they asked her if she could find them some soldiers she almost laughed. Yes, she really could, but she didn’t tell them that. Instead Aleyna asked how many would they need. As many as she could get. That almost made her laugh again, because she was really sure the priest and his disciples didn’t want that many soldiers. Even with the family’s troops spread thin she still had access to thousands. They thought she had some wealth, but Aleyna didn’t confirm anything and let them speculate. She was curious why Ilan wanted the soldiers, though.
Aleyna didn’t win their trust, but she made sure she kept meeting them. Their attempts to proselytize were unsuccessful and had been met with hostility more than once. That didn’t manage to deter them, especially when they thought senators couldn’t touch them and they were protected by the Sun God. They did heed her advice and moved to another house, so they weren’t totally delusional. Aleyna was actually surprised they found another place to live.
Ilan had been reluctant to tell her why he asked for the soldiers. He wanted Aleyna to come with him, too. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the priest was planning a trip and he needed protection. Having Aleyna with them was actually smarter than they thought. She was better than any soldiers they could possibly get as she was a master-swordsman. Being a master was the pinnacle of excellence a warrior could achieve. It was a generic title for expert fighting with all sorts of weapons, not only swords, and without them. Aleyna was such an expert, but she preferred two double-edged short swords. Achieving sword-master status was incredibly difficult, required thousands of training-hours, discipline and natural talent. Usually, you became a master in your late twenties and it was truly exceptional to become one before twenty, as Aleyna had. There were only two ways to become a master. If three sword-masters recognized your skill level, you joined them and then you had their three seals on your scabbard. Killing a master in a fair fight with witnesses worked just as well. This was actually easier and you had only one seal on your scabbard. That of the master you defeated. Many fame-seekers hunted for older ones, as being a master was akin to being a celebrity. If you wanted people to know you were one you paraded your seals. It also got you challenged. Aleyna didn’t show that particular scabbard, which had three of them.
Kara was a master too, but Christian and Sarah were not. In her estimation, Christian was not far from becoming one, and Sarah, who was older, probably even closer. Senators were fanatical about training, including physical training. They might find themselves in a situation when they needed it and they wanted to be prepared. What happened to Kara proved that weapons mastery was useful even to a senator, although he or she would probably never have to fight with weapons. For herself, Aleyna found being a sword-master incredibly useful.
It took some convincing to make Ilan confess why he needed her and the soldiers. She didn’t really need to, Aleyna could just ask Christian. She was going to him anyway and he knew everything the priest was thinking. But just accepting would raise suspicion and she couldn’t refuse because she really wanted to go. Apparently he was going to attend a meeting of the human lords. That would convince Aleyna to go even if she didn’t want to in the beginning, which was not the case. How Ilan managed to get this invitation was a question Christian would answer, because the priest wouldn’t. What the human lords of Western Suttland were planning was even more intriguing. Her experience told her it would be nothing good and she would probably have to kill them all.
Aleyna found Christian angry and impatient. She understood why when he explained how Ilan learned about the meeting. Another priest had sent him a message, which would’ve been fine if Christian hadn’t sworn that Ilan didn’t have a memory of this other priest before and now he did. Sarah accused him of not being thorough enough when he rummaged through the priest’s memories, hence the reason for his anger. Aleyna’s lateness caused his impatience. The two senators wanted her to decide who was right.
Aleyna thought it had been really smart of Marcia and Reyna to send her with their offspring and put her in charge. Sarah and Christian were just as powerful, opinionated and stubborn. Unlike their mothers these two were too hotheaded to work well together. That would change in time, but right now the young senators by themselves were a disaster waiting to happen. With Aleyna as a referee their diverging opinions could become assets rather than liabilities and maybe they could just solve this mystery, which they needed to do fast.
Personally, Aleyna didn’t think Christian had made a mistake. “You said Ilan had gaps in his memories. This might be one that just filled,” Aleyna told them and it started another series of arguments about how that was done and who could do it. Since they haven’t seen or heard of anything like this an agreement was not reached and Thea concluded the conversation when she said Sun God. This led to the next argument about who was going to accompany Aleyna.
All agreed she should go and Thea was essential. They were dealing with human lords who might be under the control of senators. Knowing which humans were and which weren’t was very useful information to have. Christian would go too. It was easy for him to pose as a member of their guard. The problem was Sarah who did not agree to being left behind. They couldn’t make her a guard, humans would not accept that although the young female senator could do that job very well, so Aleyna had to explain two cousins. The solution was to claim her cousins supplied the soldiers, but demanded they be present at this meeting. If something was happening with the human lords her cousins wanted to know.
It was a very difficult sell. Ilan and his followers weren’t convinced until Aleyna told them it was either that or they go without protection. Sure, she could deal with two or three attackers, but anything more than that and they were in real trouble. They were attending a gathering of lords and every one of them would have guards.
Marcel and Marianna would accompany Ilan. Aleyna wasn’t happy Marianna was coming with them, but there was nothing she could do, so she accepted it. Marcel, like always, was one of her greatest supporters. The rest of the followers remained in Hilderfort and had clear orders not to leave their house for any reasons.
The meeting was taking place at the manor of duke Gerick Otheyn. Aleyna only knew him by reputation. He was ruthless, ambitious and charming when he wanted to be. He stayed well outside senatorial territory and avoided any member of the Order. There was a rumor running around he might be able to spot senators. Aleyna didn’t think he could, but it would be confirmed or not the moment he met Sarah, Thea and Christian. He probably thought he would be safe if he didn’t step on senatorial land. In fact, he was very wrong. Senators did occasionally
involve themselves in issues unrelated to their territory.
Ilan didn’t know who the other guests were. Probably other human lords who had sworn an oath of loyalty to Gerick and there were plenty of them. Aleyna still wasn’t sure if the duke was expecting them and was going to let them inside the manor. The reason she was confused was because the priest was in the dark. He had just received a message to go.
There was no reason for her to worry, because they got in. Thea checked every human they came in contact with and Sarah and Christian selectively took them over. They had decided on a system beforehand. They kept some of the soldiers and let the others go after they read their minds. The commanders and the lords were firmly under their control. They had to consider they had only one diviner who was not particularly powerful and would be exhausted if she had to test hundreds of people, which Thea would probably have to do.
Hundreds of soldiers were camped outside when they arrived. They had only twenty with them. Of course, that didn’t take under account the other five hundred, who followed them at a safe distance. Surprisingly, none of the humans at that manor were under the control of senators. Aleyna didn’t know if it was good news or bad news. She was also amazed they still had that many soldiers after the senators militarized. And she was pretty sure every senator in Suttland had militarized. But they did prefer taking soldiers from the garrisons and not the private retinues of the human lords. That could’ve been an explanation.
The bad news waited for them inside the manor. Gerick and a number of human lords were already there. Aleyna saw Sarah tense and knew something was wrong.
“What are you doing here? This is a meeting for men only.” The voice belonged to a man younger than her who looked truly unremarkable. Aleyna thought she could find something in him that could justify his arrogance, but there was nothing there.
“Well, they must allow boys, because you are here,” Aleyna retorted and regretted it immediately. They weren’t supposed to draw any attention to themselves.
Sarah grabbed her hand and dragged her to a corner of the room. She saw that an older man stopped the loudmouth from pursuing Aleyna. It was Gerick who calmed spirits. “They are guests, just like everyone else and they are welcome to attend the meeting, but I don’t think the topic of conversation would be to your liking and you’ll be bored soon.”
“Perhaps they shouldn’t be present at our meeting.” This time it was the man standing closest to the duke who spoke. Unlike the unremarkable boy, this one was striking. In his mid to late twenties he was bearded, tall and dark and would’ve been Aleyna’s type if he hadn’t just annoyed her. By the way he was moving she judged he was a warrior, a serious one.
“Well, I’m his protection,” Aleyna pointed at Ilan, “and my cousins stay with me. So why don’t you decide who can and can’t stay and stop hassling me.”
Most of the men in the room laughed. “Do you hear, Olav, she’s protection.”
Now that boy was getting on her nerves. She did recognize the name he spoke, though. “Are you the famous sword-master Olav? I guess his family must be really rich to afford you.”
“She knows who you are, Olav. Isn’t that great? Perhaps we should spar in private and maybe you could teach me a few moves.” And if his insinuating tone was not enough that exasperating young man added. “My bed is large enough. Gerick, make sure she is in it tonight.”
Interesting! The duke seemed to take orders from the annoying, arrogant loudmouth, and Aleyna could swear he wasn’t a senator. Gerick was powerful enough not to take orders from another human. “Albert, I can get you all the women you want, but our guests are treated as such in this house.” Now Aleyna understood what Sarah was trying to tell her and she thought of a few expletives she wished to say to Julia when they met.
“I don’t know, boy. She looks dangerous in bed and you might come out changed into a man.” After this comment Aleyna liked the bearded man even less.
“You’re Albert Serdarys. You should go back to Eastern Suttland before you get hurt.”
“So you’ve heard of me?” Albert was thrilled about that.
“I’ve heard of your cousin. She is frightening, you are nothing. She is not here now to protect you, though, so you should be really careful. Something might happen to you.”
“Is there a problem, Aleyna?” Ilan asked her.
She noticed one of the old lords looking at her intently, but that didn’t concern Aleyna right now. “His cousin is a senator from Eastern Suttland, but he is just a human.”
Aleyna used the mayhem that erupted in the room to go into a corner so Sarah and Christian could explain to her what was going on. Without breathing Sarah told her that Gerick was trying to get all the human lords of Western Suttland to swear an oath of fealty to him and was using Albert for that. Having the cousin of a senator on your side could be persuasive.
The fool thought he was in charge and he didn’t understand he was just bait. Gerick knew that Western Suttland senators would not react well to this intrusion from the east and soon enough senators from both sides of the Creuis would be pitted against each other. The duke thought he could take advantage of that and consolidate his power.
“He needs more gold,” Sarah said. “He plans to get it from that old man. He is a master and so is the bearded man next to him, but he will keep it a secret. He is from the sorceress land and will challenge the old man and kill him, allowing Gerick to take over those lands.”
If the old man was a master he could not refuse a challenge, even though he was in his fifties. The old man didn’t seem to know what the duke was planning and was still looking at her. Somehow, he seemed familiar. “Why is he looking at me and why do I think I know him.”
Sarah focused. “You do know him. He was with your family before they were killed and Rufus took you with him, Aleyna. He is the custodian of your estates. He administered them well and he managed to accumulate quite a bit of wealth. He has few expenses and is waiting for you to return and reclaim your inheritance.”
Aleyna couldn’t breathe. She didn’t know she had any lands left. It was her fault. She had never asked and it never occurred to her that there were people out there who still cared about her. She had thought all of them died and cast the bloody past out of her mind. Flashes of memory came to her. She couldn’t be sure they were real, but she remembered him. And she wasn’t going to let a snake like Gerick kill him because he wanted what was hers.
“My lords, these are troubled times and we cannot expect others to protect us,” Gerick’s voice thundered over the room and quieted everyone. “The old emperor is dead and his son is weak. He will not come to our aid if we need it. We cannot depend on senators either. Even if they were willing, they have their own problems. Some are not indifferent to us, that’s why our friend Albert is here, to assure us of their support.”
Aleyna tried to assess the mood. The lords were cautious, but that had more to do with being wary of senators than with the fact Lord Gerick was lying, because they seemed to believe him. Aleyna didn’t need Sarah to whisper that in her ear. Julia was probably on the other side of the Serelians by now and the ambition of a human lord from the western side of the province held no interest for her. Aleyna was not sure yet if Gerick lied intentionally or Albert embellished some of his stories in order to seem more important than he actually was.
“What about the senators of Western Suttland? They have no say in this?”
“They are under attack. Some of their leading senators were killed and now they are in chaos. They are like chickens running with their heads cut off.” Albert’s information about the death of Rufus and Kara was correct, and Aleyna wondered where he got it because it wasn’t common knowledge, but his assessment that the families of Western Suttland were in chaos was completely wrong. Aidan’s family was unaffected for now and the Arvillii had suffered an important loss, but the chain of command was still in place.
Christian didn’t like being compared to a chicken because he whis
pered. “Can I kill him now? Tell me I can kill him!” The senator was just venting and didn’t need Aleyna to tell him he couldn’t. Albert was Julia’s cousin, which made him her problem.
“Cut down the head of the monster and another will pop up in its place,” Aleyna told them and pandemonium erupted again. The death of two senators was news to almost all. Few remained calm, Gerick and the old man among them. From the overlapping shouts she deduced most of the lords agreed with her and only few with Albert, which made him mad.
“Do you believe a silly woman who knows nothing instead of me?”
The idiot’s argument seemed to work because he silenced his opponents and gave Christian the opportunity to smirk. “Now you want to kill him and you can’t.”
“You know what I like about senators,” Aleyna spoke aloud, “and there aren’t many things I do like.” Lie! Lie! Lie! “The women are equal to the men.”
“No, they’re not. They’re subservient to the men!” Albert’s response gained a nod of approval from every man in the room. Aleyna couldn’t stop the laughter, and that wasn’t because he was utterly wrong, which he was, but because Thea and Sarah, who had been pretty collected so far, now wanted to kill him too.
“Do you think so? That they just stay at home and cook or weave?”
“Of course not! They have servants for that. The soldiers the women control are there to support their men, who make all the decisions, especially in battle.”
“What happens when the woman can control more people than the man?”
“That never happens. Male senators are more powerful than female senators.”
His certainty was so amusing. Sarah agreed because she was grinning and Aleyna had a pretty good idea why. The senator whispered. “I wish I could be there when Julia finds out what he said. I don’t need to kill him anymore, she’ll kill him herself.”
