Star Mage (Book 5) (17 page)

When Talis left Mara in the capable hands of the servants at the bathing hall of the Regent’s Inn, he prayed to the Goddess Tolexia to heal the pain and confusion from Mara’s mind. The frenzied look of fury in her eyes as she murdered those sorcerers with such gleeful precision frightened Talis to his core. That was not the Mara he knew and loved, more like the Mara from Vellia under the influence of Princess Minoweth’s dagger and the dark taint of Elder Relech. But weren’t they both gone now?

The memory of the hideous, crow-like Elder haunted Talis’s mind, and the effects on her psyche were devastating. Talis was hoping that the Jiserian Empire would be in ruin by now and crumbling under the remnants left behind by Aurellia, but as he surveyed the clean and sumptuous City of Carvina, this was clearly not the case. Their magical might and military power made them just as big of a threat as before the invasion. At every suspicious glance from the guards roaming the city, Talis told himself not to be fooled by the beauty of this place. This was the heart of the very enemy who had killed many of his people and turned Naru into an undead madhouse.

“Will she be ok?” Master Goleth frowned with such a harsh uncertainty that the crow’s feet between his eyes pinched into two deep crevices. “She was quite brutal in her slaying of those sorcerers.”
And she looked like she wanted to run off and hunt those other thugs down and kill them one by one,
thought Talis.

“She’s never really had a rest since Palarian stole her away into Chandrix.” Talis sighed and remembered the feeling of horror as Mara had disappeared into the world portal. “The shock and stress has shifted her sanity beyond the edge, I’m afraid. I never should have allowed her to come along this trip.”

“The truth is she is important in our mission to the Royal Court. She is Viceroy Lei’s daughter and rightful heir to his role as Ambassador to Carvina. It is possible that only she can mediate a peace treaty between Naru and the Jiserian Empire. At least that is how Emperor Ghaalis will likely see it.”

So you are saying to make sure that Mara stays sane or we’ll have come here for nothing
? Talis thought. After his experience struggling against the three sorcerers guarding those two old men, he knew that there was little he could do against the skill and power of any unknown Jiserian magic he might encounter. His frustration in pouring the power of light magic against them—fueled by the crystal from Ghaelstrom—did nothing to break through their wards. They easily outplayed and outsmarted him with a strange kind of magic that would have easily defeated him.
If not for Mara’s aid, we’d be dead on those streets instead of those two old criminals.

“I have contacted the royal messenger and sent word to the Emperor’s secretary requesting an audience.” Master Goleth passed through the door to the bathing room where a full range of servants waited to prepare them for the baths. “Depending on his mood, we should expect a response within a few days.”

A few days?
Talis thought, and reluctantly allowed a dour-faced manservant to collect his backpack and fire sword as they headed into separate changing rooms. The servants held the look of trained indifference on their faces as they helped Talis undress and gestured him to the steaming-hot water inside an elaborate marble bath.

“Though perhaps, since they’ve delivered me a return message,” the wizard said, “we’ll hear from the court sooner.”

One of the servants handed Talis a sponge scrub-brush and soap and motioned him towards a wooden bucket and a flow of steaming water that jettisoned from the stone wall. Realizing he was filthy with the stench of sweat and sea, Talis drenched his head and body with the hot water and felt the troubles of the last few days wash away down the drain. He scrubbed and scrubbed his skin, trying to rid the stench of blood from his face and hands, but somehow the smell refused to go away. His mind kept picturing the spray of blood from Master Goleth’s sword splashing him in the face, and how he’d tried to wipe the blood away with his hands. But the smell still remained.

He finished washing and dressed into new white linen pants and an ornately embroidered silk shirt with dragons etched along the arms. Had the wizard chosen this shirt for him? A grin from Master Goleth told him he had asked the servants for this specially designed shirt.
 

“Dragons for a dragon,” the Builder said, “woven with my own magic. Wait till you see the jacket I’ve designed for you. You see, in the Royal Court of Carvina, it is just as important to shock and delight with an exotic image and a confident posture as it is in what you say. Promises and words mean little to the royals of the Jiserian Empire. Surprise them with your story and allure them with the creature that you’ve become, then perhaps you’ll have a chance of winning the respect and admiration of the Royal Court.”

In his mind, Talis imagined a vast and palatial court filled with silk-robed royals gossiping at his entrance, eyes gesturing in wonder as Talis strode down the purple silk carpet to bow in respect before the grand Emperor, the most-hated foe of Naru. Would Talis find the craving to kill the man rising inside himself upon first sight of the Emperor and all his stolen glory? Or would he like the man and find him honest and unaware of all the atrocities his Empire had committed? Would it even matter? Talis knew the only thing he wanted from Emperor Ghaalis was for his empire to leave Naru alone.

The same servant brought over a heavy silk jack of the finest white material embroidered with two slithering silver dragons along the front, claws outstretched on the each side of the jacket, and the dragons’ heads spewed silver fire. Talis stretched out his arms and allowed the servant to place it on him, the cool feeling of the silk made him picture the beauty of the City of Illumina as the crystal spires caught the last rays of sunlight. He was a dragon mage cloaked in the image of a dragon, true to his kind. King Valeron would be proud.

Outside, at the explanation of Master Goleth, the hallway was lined with busts of former civilian leaders of Carvina, powerful men and women who ruled the economy, wrote the laws, and managed governmental bodies as representatives of each district of the city. The wizard had given him at exhaustive background of the political and economic structure of the capitol and Talis found it very interesting, a sharp contrast to the government of Naru. Here in Carvina, the Emperor technically was a figurehead of power who controlled the sorcerers and necromancers of Ishur, and they were not allowed to visit or occupy Carvina. The Stelan Knights were permitted in the capitol, but only inside the Emperor’s palace and the vast majority of knights were stationed outside the city, on campaigns in the Empire’s far outposts. Carvina was primarily ruled by elected civilians.

Talis turned his head at the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor, and he gaped at the sight of Mara. Her transformation into a regal princess was like a rose blossoming into fragrant beauty, and the view of her startled him down to the marrow of his bones. She wore a long silk gown of fiery red, the color of blood and power. Her uncovered arms and shoulders were toned and sleek, and the dress displayed a deep slit in the front, showing a revealing amount of her blossoming cleavage. Talis felt his face flush when his eyes settled there, and he remembered their feverish night alone on the ship. Once a girl only in proclamation by her parents, and more a boy out on the hunt with Talis, now Mara stood as the true Princess of the Lei family lineage, confident and strong and beautiful.
 

She beamed under his attention, her face completely changed from the vile expression of fury that she’d displayed towards the three sorcerers. Talis was taken in by her radiant smile and the quick tapping of her red-heeled shoes against the stone floor as she darted towards him in an exuberant rush. Her face blushed under the weight of his adoring eyes and she stopped just before committing the socially unacceptable act of throwing herself into his arms, something she regularly did when they were out on their own.

“So what do you think? Do I look terrible?” Her eyes looked playful and hesitant, as if she demanded words of praise to propel her all the way to the Royal Court.

But Talis was so stunned that he found himself unable to voice words on just how incredible she looked. Mara took the pause as a sign of disapproval and a pouting frown appeared on her pretty lips.
 

“Is it that bad?” She twisted around and showed the revealing open back that dipped down to the curve of her hips, causing Talis to gulp at the sight of her soft skin. Had she grown taller, or was it her high-heeled shoes?

“No, it’s too good.” He regretted the gushing, croaking sound his voice made as he spoke the words. “I-I mean it’s really too good.”

She smirked at him like he was an idiotic boy from a farm. “You said that twice, silly. Do you mean good as in like ice cream delicious good, or good as in regular good?”

“Definitely ice cream delicious good,” he blurted out, and he felt like his face would explode from all the blood surging across his cheeks in embarrassment.

“I like ice cream good.” She winked at his awkwardness and kissed him right there in the hallway with Master Goleth and the servants watching them. But he didn’t mind at all. It felt good to forget propriety and just enjoy the moment. Besides, who knew what would happen to them after they visited Emperor Ghaalis… What if the Emperor reacted terribly and Mara was taken away from him again?

She seemed blissfully ignorant of his dark thoughts as she seized his hand in girlish delight and followed Master Goleth as the servants beckoned them down the wide, curved stairs that led into the crowded grand foyer. Couples in white and black silk meandering around the entrance stopped and whispered at Talis and Mara as they descended the stone steps. A flash of surprise on Mara’s face was quickly contained as she must have realized that she was the only woman to wear red.
 

“Allow me to introduce you to Princess Mara Lei and Talis Storm of Naru.” Master Goleth flourished a hand towards them as they approached a group of old, stodgy-looking men dressed in stiff, black suits. Most of the men raised spectacles to their curious eyes and inspected Talis and Mara, leaving a long glance for her red dress.

“Ah, but of course, from the wasted and wicked world of the Nalgoran Desert,” said an elderly man who wore a four-pointed black hat. His hooked nose twitched as he studied Mara. “They let ladies of good reputation to wear red like that in Naru? It’s no wonder the city was so easily cursed by the gods…”

Talis felt furious at the man’s rude comment about Mara, but she just laughed confidently and smiled at the old man, keeping her voice smooth as she spoke. “In Naru our women are expected to be strong like the beautiful color of red. Are the women of Carvina expected to slink around in the shadows of their husbands?”

A few indignant gasps came from the covered mouths of the nearby women who were no doubt listening in on their conversation. The old man refused to back down and raised a finger to speak. “Our women support their husbands and don’t spend time luring other bees to their flowers.”

Mara chuckled with devious eyes. “The nectar of a white flower attracts the hunger of many bees. It is the sweet smell of its soft petals that lures the insects. I’ve found many weak men intimidated by the strength and intelligence of a woman, especially a woman who wields power and is unashamed to wear a strong shade of red.” She winked at the old man and grinned when a surprised and flustered expression crossed his face.

“I must inform the Princess that in the Jiserian Empire, red is considered the symbol of the Emperor’s power.” The elderly man cleared his throat and looked apologetic as a result of his assertion.
 

Master Goleth raised a finger to interject. “That is most certainly true, Duke Vermouth, however it is also true that red is the color of the clergy of the Sorarkian Church, among whom they have priestesses who wear red during their rites of power. So you see, the claim to wear red does not solely lie with the Emperor. Although it is fashionable by those of the Royal Court to only wear white and black to pay respect to the Emperor. But there is no provision excluding foreign dignitaries from wearing the color.”

Duke Vermouth sniffed as if something in the room were distasteful. “That doesn’t mean the Royal Court might find the Princess embroiled in a controversy at her arrival looking like that…”

“Controversy would be perfect,” Mara said, and gave the Duke a winsome smile.

The lie, the lie of committing Talis to help the Order of the Dragons, the lie stretched out in Nikulo’s mind and simmered there for a while as he pondered it. Would such a lie actually work? Would they believe them and leave Onair in the vain hope of actually finding dragons on another world? Nikulo doubted they would listen to them. He doubted he himself would ever believe such a fanciful tale, unless of course Aurellia had dealt with the wizards of the Order of the Dragons. Had he told them of his plan to leave and return to his home on Vellia? Likely he had, especially since Elder Raelles had returned to the Jiserian Empire and recruited so many sorcerers and necromancers to his cause.