The False Martyr (41 page)

“
This fish is awful,” Eia
said from beside him. She giggled as she pushed on the sauce and
watched it shake. “I have never seen anything like it. How did they
even make that happen?”

“
Hmm?” Ipid asked, mind
wandering. He looked at her, sitting at the side of the desk. She
had spent much of the day with her dressmakers, leaving him to
brood. Now, he could barely remove himself from his thoughts long
enough to share a meal with her.

“
Never mind,” she laughed.
Her hand found his. The other pushed the plate away. “You’ve had a
good start,” she said, turning serious. “The Church and watch are
yours. Tomorrow, you will become Chancellor. I know you are
frustrated that things are not happening faster, but the city is in
disarray. Many people have fled. Whole areas were destroyed. It
will take time.”

“
I don’t have time.” Ipid
sighed and sat back. “The pendulum swings. Soon the Darthur will
move on. The people will get restless and all this will just get
harder and harder.”

Eia smiled. “Don’t be too
hard on yourself. As long as you remain willing to do what is
needed, you will succeed.”

“
And if Arin does not
return the Chancellor’s Own?” Ipid felt his stomach drop at the
very thought. “I have no one else that I can trust to take control
of the outlying districts.”

“
Why them? Why not just
use the existing governors?”

“
For the same reason that
I am to be Chancellor rather than Kavich. They have too much pride.
They have not seen what the Darthur can do. They will never yield
to Arin’s demands without a fight. As you said, I have to seize
control as quickly and ruthlessly as I can. I cannot take the time
to strong arm a bunch of governors. I will be forever herding them
as they play me off against each other. I need absolute control. I
need men who will do what is required without reservation.” Ipid
realized he was growling by the end, hand clenched, jaw locked,
muscles tight. He forced himself to relax and sit back in his
chair.

Eia eyed him. “I have to
say, I like this side of you. I always wondered how you had built
your empire. Now, I see it. I am glad the Darthur did not beat it
from you.”

A loud knock sounded from
the door, interrupting the moment. Ipid squeezed Eia’s hand and
looked into her eyes. “Almost,” he said. “The Darthur cruelty was
like a mirror to me. I saw myself in it and was repulsed. I swore
to do better, to treat my people with kindness. But you showed me
that it is not kindness that they need. It is only my ruthlessness
that will save them. My kindness is what will get them
killed.”

There was another knock,
louder and impatient. Eia was smiling, watching him from beneath
her long, nearly translucent lashes. He squeezed her hand once more
and called, “Enter.” The door swung open, revealing Liano. Ipid’s
guts twisted in anticipation of the message the wizard carried. He
forced himself to breathe.

The wizard slid into the
room. His hood rose, and just enough of the light from the sun
setting behind them made it through to show his short beard, wide
nose, and dark eyes. He looked toward Eia, eyes dwelling there for
a long moment. Ipid could almost feel his shock through the
shadows. “Sister,” he finally greeted, “does the Belab know about
this?” His hood remained locked on the great pink bow at her
back.

“
He does not, but I am
sure you will tell him soon enough,” Eia responded with a laugh
that did not fit her tone. “I am Lord Ronigan’s new wife. Aren’t
you happy for us? I’m sorry I could not invite you to the joining,
but it was all so sudden.”

Liano seemed to have all
the humor of a Darthur. He stepped back, stuttering, hood shifting
from Eia to Ipid and back again. Eia’s eventual laughter only
seemed to set him back further. “Liano, my dear boy. You are far
too young to be so serious. And handsome too.” She turned to Ipid.
“You can’t tell it through those robes, but he is a truly lovely
boy. If he had come to us prior to the Darthur, he most certainly
would have found his way to my chambers.” Her eyes bounced between
the two men, watched their equally horrified expressions. She
laughed again. “I might have even let him stay.”

“
It is a show,” Ipid
explained to spare the poor boy. “I need Eia to advise me and read
the people around me, but I do not want them to know that she is
te-am ‘eiruh.” Liano’s scowl showed that he remained unconvinced.
“I ordered her to wear this,” Ipid tried again. “You cannot believe
how she fought me, but I insisted.”

“
I see,” Liano said
uncertain. He continued to eye Eia, making it clear that he was not
comfortable around her.

“
Will you join us for
dinner?” Ipid asked, though he barely restrained his need to know
the results of the wizard’s mission.

“
No, I have come to
deliver a message, then I will leave you.” He was stiff and formal.
Ipid could see how Eia would not be his favorite member of their
order.

“
Well, let’s have it.”
Ipid wiped his mouth with the cloth spread across his lap and
pushed his plate away. He suppressed his revulsion as he watched
the sauce jiggle around the bones and scales.

“
The knights will return
tomorrow,” Liano announced as if reading a proclamation. “Arin says
that you have been placed in charge of this nation, so all its
resources are at your disposal.” He paused, glanced at Eia. “Is
there anything else, Lord Ronigan?”

“
Not now,” Ipid said in
way of dismissal. “Tomorrow, I would like you to start thinking
about how we can clear paths to the bridges. Arin is surely going
to want to use them, and the roads are impassible. I think that
your abilities might be especially helpful in that effort. That is
all.”

Ipid finished, but Liano
did not move. He stood as rigid as a statue. Unsure, Ipid glanced
at Eia. She laughed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“
It is a strange use of my
powers,” Liano stammered, eyes locked on Eia.

“
The Belab tells me that
you were spiritual leaders and advocates of peace before the
Darthur came. Surely you can use your powers for a purpose other
than destruction?”

“
I am sure that was true,”
Liano answered, unsure. “But I was tested and trained only after
the Belab surrendered to the Darthur. I have never. . .
.”

“
We don’t build,” Eia cut
in. “Though our order came to be teachers and lovers of peace, our
gifts came from Hilaal. Ours is the ability to circumvent the
Order, to break natural laws. It is powered by chaos, by freewill
and irrationality and emotion. To make something is to use the
Order, to understand and wield Its laws. Though we are not opposed
to that, it is not how our gifts work.”

Ipid’s mind swam. “I don’t
understand. So you can only use your powers to destroy
things?”

“
It is not that simple. We
break natural laws. We can make a stone explode, because exploding
is not within the nature of a stone. We can make the air burn
because that is not the nature of air. We can bend space to create
portals because that is not the nature of space. But we cannot make
a tree grow, cannot heal wounds, cannot shape stones, make the wind
blow, or the rain stop. All those things are manipulations of the
Order, and that is not the nature of our gift. Do you understand
now?”

“
But you could turn stone
to water, or make it fly, or simply transport it away?”

“
I suppose those things
would be possible if Liano knows how to use the gift in that way.
You see, our gift requires specific manipulations. We speak words,
make gestures in ways that break down the natural laws in question.
If we do not know the words and gestures required, we cannot break
the law. The Belab is the only . . . .”

“
Sister!” Liano cut Eia
off with a hiss. “You should not . . . .”

“
You dare!” Eia hissed
back. “I have tolerated enough from you. I am
Caliele Za’
. You have no right
question me.” Her face took on a fury that Ipid had never seen but
had certainly imagined while trapped in his cellar. She gestured
and Liano’s head snapped. He staggered, nearly brought his hand up,
then forced it down and stepped back.

“
I am sorry,” he mumbled.
“I forgot myself.”

Eia laughed. Ipid looked
on horrified. She had just punished the young man, had done
something to him simply because he interrupted her. The sudden fury
and the power behind it were terrifying. He did not know what to
make of it, but he made a note – as if it were needed – to never
underestimate her.

“
As I was saying,” Eia
continued with another hard look at Liano. “The Belab is the
exception. He does not need to know the words and gestures. He may
still say them or make them, but they come to him at his bidding.
He can break any tenant of the Order he chooses, at any time. The
only thing he needs is sufficient emotional energy. That is why
your son is so dangerous. With a thought, he could snuff out
countless lives, make the entire sky burn, turn a city to ash. It
is not like a Belan, such as Liano, who must learn the proper
manipulations, who is limited by his knowledge and study. Do you
now see why it is so important that he be trained?”

“
I see,” Ipid said, though
he didn’t. His son was the last thing he wanted to deal with at the
moment. “So returning to the task at hand, Liano, can you think of
some creative ways to use your powers that will help us clear the
city center?”

It took the young man
several anxious seconds to respond. His hood remained locked on the
floor, and he seemed to be swaying slightly. “I will do what I
can,” he finally muttered.

“
Thank you. I will send
you with the city watch at first light. You can look at what you
face and begin to formulate a plan before the workers arrive in the
coming days.”

“
As you say, my lord. May
I now be dismissed?” Liano’s voice had lost all its force. He
seemed almost to be begging.

“
You may. Please, report
back to me tomorrow evening.”

“
Thank you, Lord Ronigan.”
He nearly ran from the room, black robe rustling about
him.

“
I am sorry you had to see
that,” Eia said when he had gone. “He is young and new to our
order. Most of the Caliele were killed by the Darthur and few have
been trained since. The new Belan sometimes forget that we are
their equal in the eyes of Hilaal and more that I am one of the
ancients and need to be respected as such. I cannot allow such
slights to go unpunished or my position will truly be what they
imply. I am sure you understand.”

Ipid did. He was no
stranger to putting uppity subordinates in their place, but that
did not reassure him. Maybe it was because Eia was a woman, maybe
because her anger was so out of character, or maybe because of the
violence it solicited, but Ipid could not reconcile it. The only
thing that disturbed him more was the fact that she had called
herself “ancient.” Given the nature of her powers, he suddenly
wondered who – or what – she really was.

“
I’m going to go check on
my dresses,” she interrupted his thoughts. “Would you like to
accompany me? You can be the first to see them.” She clasped his
hand across the desk. Ipid caught her eye then looked to the pile
of papers he had pushed aside to make room for his meal.

“
I’d better finish these
proclamations. They need to be ready before I become Chancellor,
and I still don’t have all the wrinkles ironed out.” He sat back,
pulling his arm from Eia and rubbed his throbbing head. “It would
help if I had an order advisor or a proper secretary.”

Eia rose from her chair
and came to stand behind him. She rubbed at his shoulders and neck.
“There is nothing to do about it now.” She lowered her head so that
her lips brushed his ear and wisps of hair tickled his cheek and
nose. “Perhaps, you should focus on the things you can do now.” She
moved around to sit on his lap. “Like me.” Her head came up and her
lips found his. Ipid kissed her, but his mind was not in it. His
eyes found the half-finished proclamations even as his lips moved
on hers.

Eia pulled away and stood.
“Work on your proclamations,” she snapped. “I won’t share you with
pieces of paper.” She ran her fingers through the hair at the side
of his head then clenched until he gasped. “It is our first married
night. You cannot deny a bride her first night. I will be waiting,
but do not come until you can think of me instead of your papers.”
She kissed him again hard enough to take his breath then nipped his
lip with her teeth to leave the taste of blood in his mouth to
replace that of her breath.

She rose and walked from
the room, sauntering in the ridiculous child’s dress.

And Ipid just stared. He
rubbed his lip then looked at the blood smeared across the back of
his hand. He adjusted himself, felt himself throbbing for what he
had just sent away, and tried to return to his work. Except now it
was Eia that filled his thoughts, and the papers were the
distraction.

Chapter 25

The
24
^th
Day of Summer

The boat arrived at
Wildern three days later. Dasen steered it to a grove of trees
hanging over the bank and tied off on one of the
branches.