The River of Shadows Part 17

"How is that possible? She chose the two of you out of many hundreds who wished to study at her knee. You trained together in Etherhorde. You were partners in the Nine Trials, the Midwinter March. You were in the same watch for three years."

"One can share many things, Lord, and not grow close."

"Very true," said Myett in her satiny voice. "Ixchel blood, for example."

The two women locked eyes for a moment. Ensyl fought down her anger. Nothing to be gained by sparring with his mistress Nothing to be gained by sparring with his mistress.

"You truly suspect Ludunte of switching the pills?" she said.

"Hold your tongue until His Lords.h.i.+p addresses you!" said Saturyk.

Ensyl bristled. "Are we slaves, now, to grovel before him? Or am I expelled from Ixphir House? Even then I am no chattel. He has the right as clan leader to call for my silence. You, Saturyk, have no right at all."

"Careless," hissed Myett, "so like another woman who thought herself clever. What became of her, Ensyl of Sorrophran? Tell us that. As you say, you've every right to speak."

"And I have the right to scold you, daughter's daughter, though it pains my heart," said the Pachet Ghali. "Where did you learn such spite?"

"You should be proud of her, Pachet," said Taliktrum absently. Myett looked at him as though hoping he had more to say. But Taliktrum's thoughts were elsewhere. "All of you, be still. Ensyl, I do not ask you if Ludunte is innocent or guilty. I merely ask if you think him capable capable of treason." of treason."

A black irony entered Ensyl's voice. "Of course, my lord. I have seen treason done by his hand. The day he helped you murder Lady Diadrelu."

She had gone too far. Myett's eyes blazed with outrage; even the Pachet Ghali looked shocked. But Ensyl felt no remorse, only the wound, the outrageous loss, as sharp now as on that horrific night on the Ruling Sea. Taliktrum had had killed her mistress, even if another hand had delivered the blow. killed her mistress, even if another hand had delivered the blow.

Saturyk moved forward, as though to eject her from the room by force, but Taliktrum waved him off. He looked a long time at the slender woman before him.

"I am sorry for you," he said at last. "However poorly you were schooled in Sorrophran, there are some childhood maxims you cannot have avoided. We are the rose that prunes itself We are the rose that prunes itself, remember? A clan of ixchel must know when a limb is diseased. And my aunt was diseased, Ensyl. Also gifted, certainly; no one would deny that she was gifted. But her vision was unsound. She loved giants. As a pathology it's nothing new-men and women both have suffered from it, though most grow out of the delusion. Not Dri. She grew worse, and finally obscene."

"We watched them," said Myett, as though the memory turned her stomach.

"And saw nothing," said Ensyl, blinking fast. "Nothing of the truth, that is. Nothing that mattered."

Taliktrum's face was carefully blank. "You revered her, but that does not oblige you to defend what is unnatural. Dri herself would not have done so, before her sickness advanced."

"She had no sickness!"

Taliktrum dropped his eyes, as though pondering an unwelcome thought. "I recall a dinner conversation," he said at last, "shortly after you arrived in the capital. She hadn't yet decided to take you on. I argued that she should-argued against my father, I'll have you know." He smiled strangely. "My aunt called you the gentlest flower in the field the gentlest flower in the field." He paused, weighing his words. "Nytikyn spoke of it too: your gentleness. When the others asked him about you, in the barracks, and on patrol."

Ensyl's breath grew short. Nytikyn, her fiance, had been killed a few days before the voyage began.

"The women were fond of him," said Saturyk. "He was a handsome lad. He could have had his pick of half a dozen, but he was after you. I gather you took some convincing. You had other things on your mind."

"What things, Saturyk?" asked Myett.

"Oh, just things. She was very dedicated to her training. And her trainer."

"A pity that you never arrived at a wedding date," said Taliktrum.

The Pachet Ghali looked at Taliktrum. His face paled, as though some motive or tactic had just become clear to him. Seeking no one's permission, he rose and left the room.

Myett stared at the door, clearly shocked by her grandfather's act. But Saturyk was smiling wickedly. "Oh, they set a date, m'lord," he said. "A number of them, in fact. Somehow the happy day kept getting postponed. Don't recall the reason."

"Saturyk, really," said Taliktrum with mock severity. "As if such private matters needed to be explained. But let us return to that dinner, Ensyl. Would you like to know what else your future mistress had to say about you?"

"No," said Ensyl.

"Timid, but beautiful. That was how she put it. When I watched her balance on one hand she took my breath away When I watched her balance on one hand she took my breath away. My father mentioned the childish joy you took in pleasing her. Later, when we had all drunk some wine, Dri spoke of you again: If Nytikyn has lost his head over her, I understand it. You can see at a glance she's a heartbreaker. The quiet ones so often are If Nytikyn has lost his head over her, I understand it. You can see at a glance she's a heartbreaker. The quiet ones so often are. That, of course, brought smiles from everyone. But my aunt said, I would do better to reject her as a student. She is too fond of me, and one's I would do better to reject her as a student. She is too fond of me, and one's sophister sophister must never be distracted by- must never be distracted by-Here now, girl, is something wrong?"

Ensyl's eyes were streaming. He had done it, the monster, he had torn it out of her and held it up for the others to gawk at. She held her ground, enduring it. She would not run from the chamber like the girl they kept calling her. Let them see these tears. Oh, Diadrelu. A time would come.

Saturyk flicked his chin in her direction. "There's the flaw at the heart of this clan," he declared. "Selfish obsession. My My needs, needs, my my wants. Never wants. Never ours ours. The ones your aunt recruited are the worst, m'lord."

The men went on studying her, cold as doctors facing an autopsy. Myett, however, looked oddly moved by Ensyl's suffering. Her grandfather's departure had left her frightened by the whole affair. "The clan could have helped you, Ensyl," she said. "The clan heals its own, no matter what ails them, but how can it do so unless you tell us? It was your duty to tell us."

Suddenly Taliktrum swept forward and seized Ensyl's arm, dragging her to the far side of the chamber. To her surprise he wore no look of triumph. He knew exactly what he was doing, but a part of him was deeply ashamed.

"What if it went further?" he said. "What if Dri took it much much further, for her own delight? The clan already has proof that she had strange appet.i.tes. What if they knew that she had turned an adoring young student into an instrument of pleasure?" further, for her own delight? The clan already has proof that she had strange appet.i.tes. What if they knew that she had turned an adoring young student into an instrument of pleasure?"

A madman, thought Ensyl, looking at his sweaty chin.

"You care very much how Dri is remembered," he said. "That's why you've fought me at every turn. You have to stop that. I'm the commander and you can't do anything about it, no one can. Not even me."

"What in Pitfire," Ensyl managed to say, "do you want?"

"You switched the pills," he said. "We both know it, Ensyl. Because Ludunte isn't the only one with a key to the strongbox. Every clan leader carries a spare." He put a hand inside his s.h.i.+rt and drew out a bra.s.s key on a leather cord. "Diadrelu carried one identical to this. You used it, didn't you? You were trying in some twisted way to follow her example. Trust the giants. Embrace them, and in time they'll return that embrace. Confess, Ensyl, and I swear on the Great Mother I'll restore her good name."

For a moment Ensyl could not even breathe. There was the choice. Lie for Diadrelu, play the part of traitor, give Taliktrum someone to blame for the fiasco. Or refuse, and let Taliktrum cast another stone at Dri's memory, turn her into a predator, a corrupter of the young.

"You won't do it, will you?" said Taliktrum suddenly. "You won't confess, I can see it in your eyes. It's the right thing to do, but never mind, you'll be obstinate, you'll fight me as she did, no matter the cost. Because you loved her loved her. Because you're keeping the faith keeping the faith."

"Yes," said Ensyl, "I'm keeping the faith."

"I did not kill my aunt," he said, the words spilling out now like something beyond his control. "Steldak did it, he he jerked the spear through her windpipe, I gave no such order, there was still time to talk. A waste-I can say that now. She had fine qualities, I know that better than anyone, better than some heartsick girl. Her intuition, for example. She knew I loved music, wanted to jerked the spear through her windpipe, I gave no such order, there was still time to talk. A waste-I can say that now. She had fine qualities, I know that better than anyone, better than some heartsick girl. Her intuition, for example. She knew I loved music, wanted to be be a musician, once, before my true responsibilities, she taught me to swim, also to bend my voice-never mind that-are you going to confess?" a musician, once, before my true responsibilities, she taught me to swim, also to bend my voice-never mind that-are you going to confess?"

Ensyl stared at him in horror.

"Speak up!" he said.

"What happened to you?" was all she could say.

"Me? Me?" Suddenly Taliktrum was screaming in her face. "Saturyk, take her out of here. She will tell the truth or face the judgment of the clan. We had to stop that woman, Ensyl. Can't you see how wretched she was inside? Wretched, miserable! Even before we caught her she was destroying herself. We had to act before she doomed us all."

When the girl was gone Taliktrum threw himself into a chair. Myett came up behind him and began to work his shoulders. He covered his face with his hands.

"She could well be the one," he said. "She hates us, hates our leaders.h.i.+p."

"She is twisted and jealous," said Myett. "If Hercol is found dead in his cabin some morning, we'll know who cut his throat."

"No," said Taliktrum, through trembling fingers. "They're allies, that girl and the swordsman. I've seen how they talk. We must move to denounce her. We have evidence of her treason already."

Saturyk frowned. "It's a trifle risky, Lord. Oh, the clan would likely endorse your decision. But later, when they're not so afraid, the questions could get awkward."

"Then keep them afraid," said Myett, rubbing harder in her fright, trying to make Taliktrum look up at her. "Ensyl has earned death; there are other ways to deliver it than clan execution. Let her disappear. Two or three of your Dawn Soldiers could do the job."

"Take your hands from me," said Taliktrum. As Myett recoiled, wounded, he added, "Carry on, Saturyk. What awkward questions?"

Saturyk crossed his powerful arms. "In point of fact, Ensyl was within her rights to stand by her mistress, even against your orders. She may not be certain of that herself, but the House Elders know the law perfectly well-and they know, by the same token, that Ludunte is the oath-breaker, not Ensyl. He vowed to serve the Lady Diadrelu in all things, until released by her consent, or by the will of the clan in full council. Not even a clan leader may sever that bond."

"But a prophet might," said a voice from behind him.

It was Lord Talag. The others started; he had come down from his high seat without a.s.sistance, and now stood straight and proud in the doorway. Maimed by Sniraga, then held for weeks by the rat-king, Master Mugstur, he had suffered unimaginable abuses. Few had thought that he would live to see the far side of the Nelluroq, let alone the fabled sh.o.r.es of Stath Balfyr, the beloved Sanctuary he had lived for. But Talag was growing stronger all the time. Clan rumor held that he was in constant pain, but there was little sign of it about his person.

"I would speak to my son alone," he said, moving to a seat at the table.

Myett and Saturyk left the chamber, the young woman trailing a hand up Taliktrum's arm as she went. When the door closed behind them, Taliktrum rose and poured his father a tall gla.s.s of wine.

"How is it with you, sir?"

"You can see that I am healing," said Talag curtly. "Taliktrum, you have a traitor in your midst."

"Apparently," sighed the young lord.

"What do you mean, 'apparently'? You cannot believe this was an accident!"

"No, Father."

"Well, then a traitor's at work. Have you considered that it may be Myett?"

Taliktrum vehemently shook his head. "Forgive me, sir, but that makes no sense."

"To sane men the actions of lunatics are senseless by definition," said Talag. "Senseless-not impossible. The girl has a vague and fearful mind. She trails behind you like a shadow. And she shares your bed. She could well have borrowed your your key to the strongbox." key to the strongbox."

"But she has no motive whatsoever. She detests the giants."

"And wors.h.i.+ps you-apparently. Taliktrum, a perfect cover is reason in itself to be suspicious. Don't exempt her from scrutiny because of the pleasures of her touch. You should devise some way to test her."

Taliktrum moved away across the room. He stared at a portrait of Alighri Ixphir, third commander of the House that bore his name. "I will destroy the remaining antidote," he said. "Isn't that what you'd do, in my place?"

"And condemn all the prisoners to eventual death?" said Talag. "You are not thinking clearly. What if the traitor simply informs the humans of your act? What will you bargain with, once their death is a.s.sured?"

"Besides, we are not savages. That is what Dri would say, in such a pa.s.s."

Talag glowered. "Find the traitor. That is what your father says."

Taliktrum started to pace. "I will test Myett. I'll take another woman. We'll see what jealousy looks like on her her pretty face." pretty face."

"You're a fool if you do," said Talag, sniffing his wine. "It's the jealousy of the clan you'll soon be confronted with-the men's, at any rate."

"How am I to play the part of a prophet without a prophet's grandeur?"

Talag thumped the table with his hand. "By not confusing your people's history with the enemy's!" he growled. "Arquali mystics were epicures, gluttons. Our own knew restraint. How did you ever get the idea that luxury and wealth would inspire awe? These extra rooms, this feasting, this wallowing in bed with your concubine. No one thinks you more powerful for such displays."

"The younger folk do. They're not the same sort of warriors as your generation, Father-the sort you raised me to be. They've known more safety in your house than any clan in memory. They like comforts. They like to see someone enjoying them."

Talag allowed himself a wolfish smile. "Utter rot," he said. "They believe in you despite despite your taste for comforts, not because of them. It's their need for a prophet we're exploiting here. Fortunately that need is profound. Be a warrior again, Taliktrum, and they'll follow you to the bottommost Pit." your taste for comforts, not because of them. It's their need for a prophet we're exploiting here. Fortunately that need is profound. Be a warrior again, Taliktrum, and they'll follow you to the bottommost Pit."

Taliktrum smiled in turn. "Perhaps I don't want to visit the Pits just yet."

Talag's face darkened. Taliktrum watched him, hands writhing. He drew closer to Talag and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Skies aflame but it's bad, Father. Rose is the very last last person we should ever wish to set free. He's maniacal about his command. We don't dare pick a fight with him openly now-he's capable of anything, even sacrificing the other prisoners. All of them. Who does he care for among them? Oggosk? We know that she adores him for some reason, but is the feeling reciprocated? And even if it is, I think he might sacrifice her, unnatural beast that he is." person we should ever wish to set free. He's maniacal about his command. We don't dare pick a fight with him openly now-he's capable of anything, even sacrificing the other prisoners. All of them. Who does he care for among them? Oggosk? We know that she adores him for some reason, but is the feeling reciprocated? And even if it is, I think he might sacrifice her, unnatural beast that he is."

Talag was very still. "To sacrifice a loved one for a greater cause-you call that unnatural, do you?"

Something in his voice made Taliktrum feel cold in the pit of his stomach. "Not for us, perhaps," he said. "We understand these things differently. But Rose has no clan to fight for. He's demonically selfish, and no more. Yet somehow the crew is elated to have him back. Why do they trust him him? It proves the giants are half-wits, that's all I can say."

"You saw how Rose decimated the Jistrolloq Jistrolloq, twice the fighting s.h.i.+p Chathrand Chathrand is. You saw how he kept us alive through the Nelluroq storms." is. You saw how he kept us alive through the Nelluroq storms."

"He's a fine mariner, of course."

"He is more than that," said Talag, motionless. "Some men know exactly what they're capable of, and set out to achieve it. They have no pretense, because they need none. They choose, and they act. Other men detect this quality in them and want to take shelter in its certainty, its safety. Naturally they find themselves following such men, obeying them willingly. It is the same instinct that makes one hurry to leave a bog for solid ground."

Taliktrum gave him a sharp look. "Those who believe in me-and it is most of them, you know-believe in me totally. Saturyk has observed them. They stay up late in the night, discussing my chance utterances, trying to catch glimpses of our destiny. It is almost frightening."

"It is that," agreed Talag. "And here is something worse. Those who do not not believe in you, like Ensyl-they dismiss you utterly, as a weakling and a fraud." believe in you, like Ensyl-they dismiss you utterly, as a weakling and a fraud."

"I do not like the way they look at me," said Taliktrum.

"To like or dislike-what is that?" snapped Talag. "Pay less attention to your likes, and more to the content of those looks. Tell me, prophet, what is behind them?"

Taliktrum looked at his hands. "Need," he said at last.

"That is correct," said Talag, "need. They believe in He-Who-Sees because they are afraid of their own blindness. Afraid of what may be coming for the clan, in that future they cannot see."

"Father," said Taliktrum suddenly, "the hostages are not our only security, are they?"

Talag had been lifting his gla.s.s; now he set it slowly on the table.

"If the worst should happen-if we should lose them all-you have another plan, do you not? Something to fall back on as a last resort?"

The old man looked at his son in silence. At last he said, "Would you follow any fool this long if he did not not have such a plan?" have such a plan?"

"Then why haven't you shared it with me? You nearly took the secret to your grave!"

Talag just stared at him, unsmiling.

"Do the elders know?" asked Taliktrum.

"Several," said Talag, nodding, "and chosen others. Ten in all."