Maker's Curse
Page 20
“A much-needed assurance, considering your predecessor’s crimes.”
“Yes. Which were more of a popular hobby, I’m afraid.”
The Emperor glanced at him. “Will you root out all who partook in it?”
“Not unless you insist I do. I fear charging everyone guilty of it would leave the Academy rather depleted of staff and produce too many angry professors with nothing to do but plot against me.”
Omniten chuckled. “So you will pretend not to know.”
“Until it proves advantageous. However, if you need to know who can be trusted…”
“I will ask.” The Emperor inclined his head slightly, then smiled. “My advisers warned against allowing you to restore the magic of this world. They said it would place power into my enemies’ hands and render some allies less useful.”
“So, why are you allowing it?”
“I will gain power as well.” His gaze was hard as he regarded Tyen. “I doubt this empire would continue much longer in its current state without the magic that enabled its formation. It may not crumble without it, but it will be much easier to maintain with it.” Then his face relaxed. “Also, aside from scandal, there is nothing better than great enterprises to occupy the people’s minds, and who knows what I may achieve in a world rich with magic? I may even add new worlds to the empire.”
A chill ran down Tyen’s spine. “I would advise against that.”
“Oh? Why so?”
“Without my advice, you would likely lose.” They had reached the top of the stairs.
“So you would refuse to give it?”
“Yes. I do not kill or enable others to do so, unless not doing so would cause more harm.”
They reached the top of the stairs. Omniten stopped, then turned to look out at the crowd to hide his need to catch his breath, earning another cheer. When he had recovered, he turned to face Tyen. “But I am your Emperor. As a subject of the empire, you must obey me.”
“The Emperor’s rule is not absolute.” Tyen met the man’s eyes. “The right of refusal on the grounds of conscience may be a weak defence for most, but it still exists in law and I think would have greater effect coming from a stronger defendant.”
The Emperor regarded Tyen thoughtfully. “It is hard to disapprove of your stance against violence when it ensures, in theory, that you will not rise against me.”
“Unless, in theory, not doing so would cause greater harm.” Tyen shrugged. “But since we are talking philosophically… What gives you the right to take, through violence, what is not yours?”
The Empress gave a small hiss of anger. “We have brought civilisation and progress to the furthest parts of this world.”
Tyen turned to her and bowed. “That is the perspective of a conqueror, Empress. Civilisation and progress aren’t usually offered as part of a fair negotiation of trade between equals.”
Omniten frowned. “Nevertheless, the empire had brought order and peace to the world. War has not threatened us in years. As my father said, if you do not rule them they will seek to rule you.” He spread his hands. “Either the strongest rules or disorder and chaos reign.”
Hearing a growing murmur from beyond the Academy doors, Tyen turned to see people leaning forward to see why the ruler and his companions were not entering. “I disagree, but perhaps this is not the time for such a debate.”
The Emperor’s eyebrows rose, but he turned back to the doors and resumed walking. “No, it is the right time,” he said, entering the hall. “Who has the right to rule, Tyen Ironsmelter?”
“Whoever is best suited to it. My mentor once said, ‘bloodlines and strength do not guarantee a good leader’. He also said that while wisdom and intelligence is essential, a desire to do good is more important – but it also helps to have a realistic expectation of failure.”
Omniten’s eyebrows rose in amusement. “Was he describing yourself?”
“No. I have never sought to rule. My talents lie in invention and teaching.” He shrugged. “Who do you believe has the right to rule, your Imperial Majesty?”
“The strongest.”
“Not the one with the noblest blood? The birthright?”
“No.”
Tyen regarded Omniten with surprise. “So if the people of Leratia believe the strongest man here has authority over them then—”
“Then Tyen would have authority over you, and all emperors of all worlds,” Rielle said. “As would I. But would the people shift their allegiance to Tyen or me without question, without us trying to win them over? No. So the strongest is not always the one who rules.”
The Emperor, his wife and Tyen turned to regard her. Which reminded Tyen that he wanted to, at every opportunity, ensure all understood her value.
“You would have greater authority than I, Rielle, since you are the Maker,” Tyen reminded her.
Her lips curled in a small smile. “And, like you, my talents lie elsewhere. In Making.” She looked at the Emperor and Empress. “Rest assured, Tyen spoke the truth when he said he would not seek to supplant you, but he will not be persuaded to do anything he does not consider right.”
“An honourable man,” the Empress said, narrowing her eyes at Tyen. “Sometimes the most difficult to deal with, but not nearly so distasteful as some.”
Tyen smiled. “I can live with ‘less distasteful’.”
The woman’s expression softened and her mouth quirked to one side.
They had nearly reached the end of the hall, where two ornate chairs had been placed for the monarch and his wife. Tyen’s skin prickled with anticipation and nervousness.
“Well, your Imperial Majesty,” he said in a low voice. “Do you still wish to go ahead?”
Omniten glanced at him, then looked at his wife. “I do,” he murmured. “If nothing else, I acknowledge that this will happen anyway. I’d rather be in control of it. Or as much in control as I can be.” He stopped – the signal that Tyen and Rielle should remain where they were – then took his wife’s hand and led her to the chairs. When they had settled into place, the Emperor rapped his cane on the floor. The quietness in the room deepened into an expectant silence, and the ruler began to speak.
It was a long speech, which had been prepared for him, and he had spent days memorising it and the inevitable late amendments. Tyen admired the man for this skill, born out of a lifetime of practice. Will I have to do this? I suppose I might. Until I have the skill of it, I will have to have someone read my speeches, so I can see it in their mind. It seemed a bit like cheating, but he didn’t have the lifetime of training a born ruler had to call upon.
The audience listened quietly and attentively, many shifting their weight from one leg to the other to counter fatigue. Tyen admired this, too. No suggestion had been made to supply chairs. The endurance test of speeches was an accepted part of Leratian ceremonies, and was never questioned.
Tyen looked around the room, picking out faces in the audience that he recognised from his time as a student. Some fellow students had changed a great deal, the years stripping away youthful roundness, or an indulgent life adding it. A small chill ran down his back when he recognised Neel. His former friend met his gaze and nodded once. Of Miko there was no sign. Was he unable to come, or did he fear Tyen held a grudge against him for revealing that Tyen had “stolen” Vella all those years ago?
When, at last, the Emperor came to the end, Tyen breathed a sigh of relief. It was followed by a new anxiety as his own part in the proceedings resumed. Omniten gestured to Tyen to begin it. “And so, I bid Tyen Ironsmelter, Director of the Academy of Leratia, to begin the restoration.”
Tyen bowed low. “As you command, your Imperial Majesty.” He straightened and turned to Rielle. “Rielle Lazuli, the Maker, will you do me the favour of restoring this world?”
All eyes moved to her. She nodded once. “I will.”
Turning towards one of the side entrances, she beckoned. Two Academy servants hurried out, one carrying a small easel with a sheet of p
aper clamped in place in readiness, the other holding a box. The three legs of the easel clunked firmly on the floor before her, the sound echoing in the expectant quiet.
Rielle looked to the Emperor. “With your permission, your Majesty, I will draw you.”
He inclined his head.
Her eyes returned to the paper, then up at the Emperor and narrowed. She inhaled. Exhaled slowly. The sound was wistful. Her hand dropped to the box, fingers selecting a piece of charcoal, then lifted it to the surface of the paper. The soft scrape of it against the sheet seemed loud.
Then Tyen heard no more as his senses were overwhelmed by magic. It poured from her, a burst of energy that, had it produced light, would have blinded everyone in the room. Instead, most of the occupants looked bemused, first at why the foreign woman was drawing the Emperor’s portrait rather than doing what he’d asked, then at the gasps and exclamations from the sorcerers scattered through the audience.
Finally, understanding spread among those with no magical ability as these sorcerers explained what they were sensing. Tyen glanced at the Emperor. Instead of wonder, the man was watching the audience carefully. From his mind Tyen caught an old jealousy: the man had wished to be a sorcerer all his life. Not just in order to strengthen his position, but because magic had always fascinated and thrilled him.
Tyen was about to look around the room when his eyes were caught by the Empress’s expression. She was leaning forward, staring at Rielle intently. Now that the room was full of magic, Tyen could see that she had magical ability, a gift that had passed to her two sons. She had played down the strength of it to her husband, knowing how much he regretted not having any. Recently he’d spoken of it, asking if she would be able to tell him if Tyen released magic into the Grand Hall prematurely, or warn him of intentions of treachery once magic was restored.
Interesting, Tyen mused. Would she help me persuade people that it’s worth teaching women how to use magic?
He turned away to seek the source of the murmurs in the hall, and saw that people close enough to see Rielle’s work were exchanging glances and nodding. They were noting her talent and thought it novel that a woman of her colouring might be so skilled. Some were even debating how much it would cost to have their own portrait done.
Tyen sighed. They could not see that Rielle was doing something much more extraordinary. The sorcerers in the room might tell them, but would they truly understand? Was watching Rielle draw enough to undo centuries of prejudice?
I can’t hope to win over everyone, or even most people straight away. But the fact that a foreign woman restored the magic of this world will help me combat objections when I allow women and foreigners to enter the Academy to learn magic.
Rielle’s gestures were smaller now, moving about the drawing as she made final touches. She paused between them, her gaze shifting to the distance. Taking her cue, Tyen stretched his senses out. Magic was still billowing outwards, but it had left her in waves, and at the extremes of his reach he could feel the earliest of them meeting at the far side of the world. This richness of magic was more familiar than the feeling of a near-empty world, he realised.
From this moment, this world had effectively rejoined the rest of the worlds. Nobody outside it yet knew, but eventually someone would discover or reveal the change. Not too soon, he hoped. Sorcerers from other worlds would have to find his path and follow it in order to discover the “new” world. Sorcerers from within his world would have to work out how to travel through the place between on their own, and successfully, for them to make a path outwards. A sorcerer might find this world out of curiosity or chance, but it was much less likely.
“I am done,” Rielle announced. She unclamped the sheet of paper from the easel, then bowed slightly to the Emperor. “Your world is restored, your Imperial Majesty, Emperor Omniten of Leratia. And your portrait is finished.”
He looked around the room as she approached. “Is the world full of magic?” he asked.
A unified assent rose from the sorcerers around the room.
“More than I have ever sensed, for as far as I can sense, your Majesty,” one added.
“It is… miraculous,” another added.
“Then I thank you, Rielle Lazuli,” the Emperor said, rising from his chair and coming to meet her. She held the portrait out to him, but he ignored it, instead dropping to one knee. Quiet gasps filled the hall. “I thank you, on behalf of this world and all the people within it. You will be known here as Rielle the Restorer, and your great gift written of in all the histories. It will be made law that, should you ever return to this world, you will be received with the greatest honours that can be bestowed upon a visitor, whether you come here in my time or during the times of my descendants.” Rising, he bowed, then reached out to take the sheaf of paper. Looking at it, he smiled, then held it out so all could see. “And you are also a gifted artist!” he added. “Thank you again! This will be treasured by myself and my Empress, and copies made to be displayed throughout the empire so that all may admire it.”
Rielle bowed her head. “Long may it bring you pleasure,” she replied.
The Emperor reached out and took her hand, drew her towards Tyen, then, standing between them, spread his arms.
“Thanks to these two, the world has been restored. No longer is the use of magic forbidden within Belton, or any other city. Go forth in gratitude. Go forth and enjoy the abundance!” Cheers filled the hall. Men stamped their boots on the wooden floor. Women clapped, their gloved hands making a soft patter. Then, noting the tone of finality in the Emperor’s words, they turned to each other, beginning excited and inquisitive conversations.
The Emperor beamed at Tyen and Rielle. “What a day!” he said quietly. “I do like being part of a momentous occasion! Perhaps this one may be the most historic of my reign. Not a victory, but perhaps more significant in the long term.” He turned to Rielle. “Is there any way I can convince you to stay in my world, Rielle Lazuli?”
She smiled and shook her head. “I am flattered by your request, but the answer must be ‘no’. Other worlds need my help, not to mention other friends.” She glanced at Tyen, her expression telling him that she wanted to communicate something, but he was not sure if it was regret or apology.
“We will miss you,” the Emperor said.
“As will I,” Tyen added.
She lowered her eyes. “It is kind of you to say so,” she replied to the Emperor, “especially as you barely know me.”
“But if you stayed, I would have the chance to.” He smiled as she shook her head again. “Well, at least promise me you will visit.”
“I will certainly try to.” She looked at Tyen again. “After all, I want to keep in touch with my dear friend Tyen.”
Omniten looked at Tyen, an easy smile in place but his gaze sharp. Tyen silently thanked her yet again. The possibility that his world would need restoring again in future would be another reason for the Emperor to treat Tyen carefully.
“I will return to the palace now.” Omniten informed them. “Let me know if you need any assistance reshaping the Academy.”
Tyen bowed. “I will.”
The Emperor bowed to Rielle, then returned to the Empress, who rose and took his arm. Rielle and Tyen stepped aside, joining the crowd in bowing as the royal couple started their dignified exit from the Academy. As the doors closed behind the Emperor and his Empress, the room’s occupants exploded into chatter.
“That seemed to go well,” Rielle said in the Traveller tongue, one eyebrow raised as she turned to look at Tyen. “Do you think?”
He nodded. “Yes. Yes, it did.”
“What now?”
He looked around at the people. A couple nearby eyed Rielle and Tyen with interest, but before they could approach, three sorcerers passed them with intentions to question Tyen. “I think some are already discovering the limitations and consequences of their new ability to read minds.”
“To which you have an unfair advantage.”
She shrugged. “I won’t be answering any I don’t want to. Would you rather we worked together, or separately?”
“How about you talk to the couple, while I tackle these two sorcerers?” Tyen suggested.
Rielle pulled her hand out from under his arm. “Be gentle with them. Remember what it was like when you first left this world.”
He nodded. “I will. And I do.”
She smiled, then turned to greet the couple, and for the next few hours he did not see her again.
CHAPTER 10
As Tyen skimmed through the wall of the Grand Hall, a few days later, he was surprised to see a small crowd waiting. The Emperor’s official envoy was there, as well as a handful of men and women of means who had taken an interest in all things otherworldly. Some of the Academy members were present, including and not surprisingly, a few of the ruler’s unofficial spies. Omniten knew that Tyen must be aware of the latter. Tyen guessed they were there to observe Tyen’s students and the Academy’s reaction to them.
Tyen had ensured they would be difficult to track by taking a roundabout route and travelling by non-magical means within worlds several times. It had been tempting to try leaving and returning to his world from somewhere closer to Beltonia, but it was safer to have only one arrival place – the one high above Spirecastle.
As he and his students arrived, he heard deep inhalations, then sighs of relief as they set down their packs and Tyen’s chests. They had already been taking in their surroundings as they’d neared the world, noting those watching them arrive. The onlookers were examining them closely. Reaching out to the professors’ minds, Tyen saw dismay in many as they took in the variety of skin colouring and body shape of these foreigners. A few were even female. What did they expect? Tyen wondered. That all people outside their world looked like them?