《The Annals of Orme: Book One》 Chapter One Zaidna The Empire of Judath The City of Marin Whenever the goddess Naltena spoke of Zaidna, she always described the planet as a perfect round opal when viewed from the heavens. In her opinion, Zaidna was unmatched among worlds in its beauty, with turquoise oceans, blackened mountain peaks, and lush green forests and jungles framing every inch of its surface. But Kirin had a hard time imagining that her world was really as wonderful as the goddess had described. Of course, she thought, picking distractedly at her ear, she had never seen it from the Mother Star like the goddess had. All Kirin could ever see from the windows of her home was a mass of white spires topped with round domes. And even if the spires of the city of Marin didn¡¯t block her view, there was nothing more than boring green hills stretching well beyond the city walls. Except for the Goddess Forest, of course. Kirin flicked a dry piece of ear skin from her finger before looking back down at the large map of Zaidna smoothed out in front of her. She absentmindedly rolled and unrolled a corner of the map with one hand. Maybe the world wasn¡¯t completely dull. Kirin¡¯s home continent of Judath was definitely boring, but what she knew of the other two continents seemed much more interesting. The voice of her bald-headed instructor, Batem, droned on in the background, and Kirin glanced lazily around at the rest of her classmates seated in various positions on the floor. She had heard this lecture dozens of times before. Maybe they were all slightly different, but she already knew most of this stuff and could already perform almost all of the orm¨¦ patterns required in this class, so why bother paying attention? She tapped the center of the map in time with her thoughts. Tetrahedrons for ice. Mix in extra matter on top of the front face for more distance. Add an extra five seconds for sleet. She scowled. ¡°Kirin!¡± Kirin gasped and looked up. ¡°Put that map away, please!¡± Batem glared at her from the front of the room. Kirin scooted back a little from the low table, shifting her weight on the taffeta pillow beneath her. She hurriedly rolled up the map, accidentally tearing it in the process. Shit. She¡¯d have to figure out how to mend the parchment later. ¡°Forgive me, Batem,¡± she murmured as she pushed the torn and slightly crumpled map aside. Batem approached. He was clad, as all priests were, in long, black robes and a sash made from the whitest silk. The fabric looked so soft and filmy; it must have felt nice. ¡°Lost in your thoughts again?¡± Batem asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kirin muttered quickly. Batem shook his head and chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about, Kirin.¡± His voice was very high-pitched for a man, but was average for a priest. Every Naltite priest, upon taking a final oath to dedicate his life to the service of the goddess, was castrated in an effort to become more like her. Batem bent low, closer to Kirin¡¯s eye level. His long eshtan earlobes, a racial trait that Kirin shared, were exceptionally saggy due to his advanced age. They brushed across his shoulders, dangling like small, empty wineskins. ¡°It¡¯s only natural for you to daydream, Kirin. You are a daughter of the ninth house, after all. To become lost in thought is simply what those of your house do. Isn¡¯t that right, acolytes?¡± He turned around and strolled back to the front of the room. Kirin frowned. Because she was born beneath the ninth house of orm¨¦, she dreamed far more often than most girls, sometimes even when she was awake. It made her much more proficient at wielding the power of orm¨¦, but it also made it nearly impossible for her to concentrate on¡ªwell, anything to do with other subjects in school, really. It could always be worse, though. People born under the first house of orm¨¦ never dreamt and couldn¡¯t even make a spark of light using orm¨¦. But even that was better than being a bestial lesser race, like padus or sazis, who weren¡¯t blessed with the gift of orm¨¦ at all and were mostly stupid to boot. Only the three high races¡ªthe eshtans, the engstaxis, and the dalanais¡ªwere invited to make their covenants with Naltena all those centuries before, and in turn Naltena blessed each of their children to come forth under one of the ten houses of orm¨¦. It was mostly members of the noble castes who were born under the highest houses of orm¨¦, but occasionally a child of a high house was born in the common castes, too. Kirin¡¯s mother and father were both born beneath the eighth house, so it wasn¡¯t too surprising that she ended up being born under the ninth, even though she was the only one she knew of in Judath. She once heard her father swear up and down that some of the engstaxis up in Xeshun were trying to selectively breed their own children to be born under the ninth house, or even higher, but¡ª ¡°Kirin!¡± Batem¡¯s shout cut through Kirin¡¯s wandering thoughts yet again. Kirin pushed away the map, which had somehow found its way back into her hands. ¡°I realize this might be elementary for you,¡± Batem chided gently, ¡°but since the others have already had their turns today, it is time for your examination. I trust that won¡¯t be a problem?¡± Kirin blinked. Had everyone already gone up in front of the class and performed their exercises? How could she not have noticed? Kirin jumped to her sandaled feet and scrambled up to Batem¡¯s side. ¡°Well, now, which sequence shall we have you follow today?¡± Batem asked, eagerly flexing his knobby index fingers together in front of his chest. Kirin looked out at the other students and immediately felt a familiar wave of jealousy. Since they were in a temple in Marin¡ªwhich was the main temple in Judath, at that¡ªalmost all her classmates were eshtans. They had the same long earlobes as Kirin and Batem, but aside from that and the darker complexions that they all shared, the color of their hair and eyes were wildly different. Peering back at her were sets of turquoise, gold, and citrine eyes, amongst others. By contrast, Kirin¡¯s eyes were about as brown as her skin, and her long hair was also a dull brown. At least she wasn¡¯t bald like Batem. But still, for an eshtan to be so physically monochromatic¡ª ¡°Are you still with us, Kirin?¡± Batem asked, snapping his fingers at her. Kirin sucked in a breath and nodded. ¡°Um, yes.¡± ¡°Once again, would you please start with a demonstration of water?¡± Batem urged. Kirin sighed. Liquids were her least favorite type of matter formations. They required a huge amount of concentration to maintain, which was already hard enough for her to do in normal circumstances. But she was a daughter of the ninth house so she had no excuses. Kirin shut her eyes and willed herself to relax, shooing away all the random thoughts in her head. When she opened her eyes, she shifted her focus¡ªjust slightly¡ªand at once she saw little sparks of golden light appear throughout the room. In the air, the particles flowed free like yellow-white glitter; in the people and walls, they held in latticed patterns. Batem always said that shifting focus to see primal matter was one step closer to seeing the world as the goddess could, just in a more basic form. As more and more golden specks became visible, she actively ignored all but the sparkles floating in the air directly in front of her face. She raised a hand and began molding the primal matter with her fingertips, drawing in the half-invisible grains of light. She manipulated the particles like clay, kneading them until she created a thin string. Then, when the moment was right, she tapped a single particle of light at the end, and the entire string coalesced into water. As the primal matter became visible in its new form, she heard Batem and the students begin to clap politely. But she couldn¡¯t let the applause distract her, since the configurations of liquids were unstable and easy to lose control over. She concentrated on keeping the glowing specks and strings flowing into an ever-morphing blob of water, fighting against the gravity that was constantly trying to pull her creation to the floor. ¡°Well done!¡± Batem declared. ¡°That is an excellent sphere of water. Now let¡¯s change that water into¡ªoh, I don¡¯t know¡ªsteam?¡± Kirin did as she was instructed, raising her other hand and poking the ball of water with an outstretched finger. The ball burst immediately, and fine water vapor filled the space, which she willed to orbit around her hand in a warm mist. ¡°Good! Now convert it into light,¡± Batem challenged. The corners of Kirin¡¯s lips turned up into a faint smile. Creating light was too easy. Even small children could do it with just a little instruction. She released the vapors, allowing them to condense into a liquid once more, before smashing her hand into the resulting blob, causing the water to dissolve back into softly glowing primal matter. She sent the matter flying inward, guiding the tiny particles to collide with each other in a large chain reaction. This created a perfect orb of white light, which pulsated just above Kirin¡¯s fingertips and lit up the room with the softness of moonlight. There was more polite clapping. ¡°Now,¡± Batem said, addressing the group. ¡°Everything Kirin has demonstrated today is something all of you will eventually be able to do, but as I¡¯ve mentioned before, her house gives her a natural advantage in manipulating orm¨¦ that very few could hope to match, including myself. So take note of the precision of her movements and remember that we are aiming for accuracy rather than speed.¡± Kirin blushed. Batem had always been encouraging, but this was bordering on flattery. ¡°We are not done just yet, Kirin.¡± A sly grin curled Batem¡¯s wrinkled lips. ¡°I know you have studied some more complex patterns, so let us try a little experiment. Please, if you would, I¡¯d like you to form a stone about the size of my fist in the air, and while you are doing so, recite one of the mantras of the goddess.¡± Kirin extinguished the light that still hovered above her fingertips and looked worriedly at the floor. She knew plenty about the old texts but had a terrible time reciting anything, much less on command or while working a pattern. Batem made a rolling gesture with his hands. ¡°Layers, remember? Build the pattern out from its smallest point.¡± Kirin tried not to frown. Forming the pattern was easy, but even picking an appropriate mantra was hard. She knew the mantra of creation well enough, but didn¡¯t know it word for word. What about the recitation of Naltena¡¯s ascension? That eluded her, too. Ugh, after four years of study at the temple, she should be able to spit out something! Batem cleared his throat impatiently. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Damn it! ¡°You can do this,¡± she mumbled to herself as she shifted focus once more. She might not have been able to recite one of the mantras verbatim, but she could probably summarize one. That could be good enough, right? She caught a point of primal matter floating in the air and began using other particles to inundate it, building a flow of energy. ¡°Uh, so we eshtans and the other high races. We fought each other in wars for¡ªfor thousands of years¡ª¡± Kirin stumbled over her words as she found her pattern turning to mush in her hands, the configuration unraveling each time primal matter shifted in and out of her view. ¡°But the fighting stopped when Naltena and her twin brother, Anoth, showed up from the Mother Star to create order. But then Anoth tried to blow everything up¡ªI mean, not literally blow up everything¡ªbut to stop the wars by just blowing up the people causing them, the chieftains that were around before the emperors. They blew up. Um, then when they were gone we started worshiping them. Worshiping Naltena and Anoth, I mean, not the dead chieftains. But then Naltena and Anoth really started fighting with each other and we all split sides and . . . .¡± Kirin¡¯s face grew hot as she realized her classmates were snickering at her. As she finally completely lost focus, her pattern, now just a malformed clod of dirt, dropped down into her palm, where it broke apart and fell into scattering pebbles at her feet. ¡°Well,¡± Batem mused. ¡°As we can see, it is difficult to work orm¨¦ with one¡¯s concentration divided, even for one so talented.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°We might benefit from a little brush up on our history lessons as well, yes? But not to worry; this was still a useful demonstration!¡± Humiliated, Kirin wiped her hands clean on her skirt and began to scurry back to the safety of her seat. ¡°One more thing!¡± Batem called, interrupting Kirin¡¯s escape. ¡°Let¡¯s take a moment to inspect that oil lamp.¡± Kirin looked up at the metallic oil lamp hanging from the center of the ceiling, and the rest of the class looked up as well. What was all this about? ¡°Take careful note of the flames and the shadows they cast around them. Many unversed in orm¨¦ might say that the shadows are formed by the absence of light, and that light is formed by the absence of shadow, and indeed that may seem to be so in normal focus. With primal matter, we Naltites are keenly aware of the light, but have you noticed the other particles floating around just out of view? Where you might squint and still can¡¯t quite make them out?¡± Kirin looked around at her enraptured classmates, who were silently clinging to Batem¡¯s every word. They all knew exactly what he was referring to. Just as the Naltites learned to view and manipulate particles of light, the Anotites, or those who followed Anoth after the Great Exodus, could similarly view and manipulate particles of shadow matter. Both the light and shadow particles existed in all natural configurations of matter, but for some reason Naltites only ever wanted to discuss the light matter that they could see and manipulate. Batem was breaking several unspoken rules by even hinting at the existence of shadow matter, so Kirin felt just as eager as her classmates to hear what juicy information he was about to share with them. ¡°Now, we¡¯ve just seen Kirin demonstrate how to make a globe of light,¡± Batem continued. ¡°So, let¡¯s conduct a final experiment for the day. Let¡¯s see if she can use primal matter to make pure shadow.¡± Kirin¡¯s excitement instantly muted. ¡°I . . . don¡¯t think I can do that.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say that for sure until you try.¡± Batem¡¯s gap-toothed grin widened. He stepped back and watched with interest. Kirin shuddered. Everybody in the room was staring unblinkingly at her, their eyes penetrating her like daggers. She could weave many types of patterns but had never considered making shadow from light. It seemed like it should be possible, but the idea just seemed so¡ªunnatural. She pushed her bangles up her forearms and again shifted focus, bringing points of light into view. Batem had just mentioned that shadow was not exactly the absence of light, but logically it seemed that if compressing light particles together was the easiest way to form visible light, that getting shadow particles to gather would form visible shadow. Kirin spread her fingers and gathered light particles in two separate groups, prying them away from each other to create a space in which only shadow matter could remain. Her hands began trembling as she prevented loose light particles from slipping into the void, but the pressure eventually built up to the point that she could no longer hold the particles apart, and light matter spilled back into the space, colliding with itself in a brilliant flash, knocking Kirin back a step and leaving a residual sizzle in the air. A wave of nervous gasps filled the room and Batem motioned for Kirin to try something else. Kirin furrowed her brow and put her hands together again. What was the trick to this? She had managed to inadvertently generate lightning by forcing collisions, but wasn¡¯t any closer to seeing or manipulating the shadow particles that were supposed to be there. She squinted. Maybe she needed to manipulate the particles directly. The problem was she couldn¡¯t see them. When she was first learning to shift focus, she knew to focus on the light particles and ignore the few hazy specks of shadow particles she saw at the corners of her eyes. She searched for the shadow particles, but every time she thought she spotted one and turned to look at it, it was gone in the mass of light particles, and then she¡¯d glimpse another shadow particle just out of view. Maybe she could manipulate the shadow particles without looking directly at them. Concentrating further, she put her fingers out to gather the shadow particles at her periphery, but none would follow, instead dancing out of view even as random light particles marched themselves obediently into neat rows. ¡°I can¡¯t do it!¡± she finally blurted out. ¡°I can¡¯t create shadow! I don¡¯t know the pattern, and when I manage to see any shadow particles I can¡¯t get them to respond to me!¡± She hung her head, certain that Batem and all the other students would be delighted at her failure. Batem chuckled and made his way back to the front of the room. ¡°Well of course you can¡¯t make shadow, Kirin, whether you know the pattern or not. No Naltite can. Not even our beloved prophetess, the Nass¨¦, can.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Kirin said, her cheeks burning. ¡°You may sit now, Kirin,¡± Batem urged, and Kirin quickly made her way back to her cushion on the floor. ¡°Now,¡± Batem continued. ¡°I realize that we do not often speak openly of shadow, or of Anoth and his followers. Part of this is because we Naltites can only manipulate the light, but the other part is that we do not wish to speak ill of the dead. The Anotites willingly chose to follow Anoth out of this world, Zaidna, into their world of shadow, Yalet, and in so doing sealed their eventual doom. Now we are simply left to wonder what our civilization would be like if we had wielders of shadow among us.¡± He paused almost nostalgically. ¡°Well then, there is more to orm¨¦ than just the light and dark aspects of primal matter. Can anyone name the other types of matter we can view with different degrees of focus?¡± Kirin kept her hands firmly in her lap while another student timidly raised his. ¡°Um,¡± the student sputtered as Batem nodded his way. ¡°There¡¯s also spirit matter, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right,¡± Batem confirmed. ¡°That is the type of matter that can only be seen in the second degree of focus, which none of you have probably even glimpsed for more than a few seconds when overshooting the first degree. And spirit matter is unusual in that we can see it but cannot manipulate it at all. Spirit matter infuses all living things and sometimes manifests itself as an aura or a hazy outline of a person or creature.¡± Kirin had accidentally slipped into the second degree of focus a few times when practicing her patterns at home. She would be concentrating, getting herself into the first degree of focus, when she would suddenly find all the light particles fading away, replaced by a faint glow that vaguely outlined where she knew her hands were. ¡°Lastly,¡± Batem remarked while pacing to the other side of the room. ¡°I¡¯m sure we are all aware of the third degree of focus, which only the most talented and trained priests and priestesses can view, much less make use of. Can anyone tell us what the purposes are of this last degree of focus?¡± Kirin¡¯s classmates looked around at each other, murmuring a bit. Everyone knew what the third degree of focus was, but nobody really discussed it, especially with lowly acolytes. It was a very advanced concept, but they all understood its uses to be a bit more¡ªpersonal. Batem surveyed the room good naturedly before fixing his eyes on Kirin, who tried in vain to avoid his gaze. ¡°How about you, Kirin? Surely you know something of the third degree of focus?¡± Kirin reddened. No way of avoiding the topic now. ¡°The Nass¨¦ uses the third degree of focus to cleanse people¡¯s psyches.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Batem agreed. ¡°Not just the Nass¨¦, of course, even though as our prophetess she is the most qualified to do it. Very few people can switch to the third degree of focus, and fewer still can make out the strands of thought matter that make up each person¡¯s psyche. Tell me, do you know what a psyche looks like?¡± ¡°A bowl of noodles,¡± Kirin blurted out, recalling a painting of a psyche she had once seen in the temple library. The rest of the students giggled as Batem smiled. ¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s not inaccurate. I myself was never so talented as to do more than basic manipulation of thought matter, but I believe ¡®a bowl of noodles¡¯ is analogous enough. And that bowl of noodles is something that is centered right here.¡± He tapped at his wrinkled forehead. ¡°If you could see me in the third degree of focus, I¡¯d look like a man with a full head of hair!¡± Several students laughed uncomfortably. ¡°I will not belabor the topic, but I would like to note that psyches are made of a special type of refined matter, one that does not have a physical counterpart in any other degree of focus. So, if you were to watch someone die, their psyche stays intact for just a few minutes before poof¡ª¡± Batem threw up his arms theatrically. ¡°The psyche dissipates like a cobweb in the wind. ¡°One obvious fact that not many people know is that there are other kinds of refined matter present in nature, although, paradoxically, no refined matter is created naturally.¡± He quelled more confused murmurs with a glance. ¡°One form of dense refined matter is almost completely resistant to manipulation with orm¨¦¡ªor anything else, really. This kind of refined matter is what the Goddess Forest is made of.¡± Kirin¡¯s blood ran cold as Batem mentioned the Goddess Forest. This was another taboo subject, even though it was only about fifteen miles west of the temple. Kirin knew the stories about Naltena creating the Goddess Forest to symbolize her victory over Anoth and to protect the Naltites from the parting that separated her world from his. But something about the Goddess Forest disturbed Kirin even more deeply now. Batem turned to pull open the curtains over the window and noted the low position of the sun. ¡°Well, I have rambled on this subject more than I intended. Perhaps another day we will continue this discussion. For tomorrow, please bring your carving tools, as we will be practicing our binding skills. You are dismissed.¡± He shooed the students with his fingers, and they all began to gather up their scrolls and exit the classroom. He moved to his desk and started sorting through a stack of papers before noticing Kirin still kneeling on her cushion. ¡°Oh, are you still here?¡± Kirin fidgeted. She wanted to go home, but she was still a bit shaken by what Batem had said about the Goddess Forest. She had never seen it up close, but her mind was filled with images and memories of it, inside and outside. It had recently been a theme in her dreams, causing her disturbed sleep. In those dreams, she had glimpses of herself entering the forest and running somewhere, and then¡ªshe shook her head. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± Batem was now standing directly over her. ¡°I hope you were not offended by my shadow demonstration.¡± Kirin frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why we need the Goddess Forest. We¡¯re forbidden from going inside it and not supposed to talk about it. And people say it just keeps getting bigger every year. It¡¯s creepy.¡± Batem chuckled. ¡°Creepy, is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been dreaming about it, too. Bad dreams, that are coming back almost every night.¡± ¡°Bad dreams sound suspiciously like nightmares,¡± Batem remarked. ¡°And you, my star pupil, are a candidate for Nass¨¦, and as such are thankfully immune from nightmares. I think we can agree that a future priestess, much less a future prophetess, would not be very useful if she were tainted by nightmares.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Kirin agreed uncertainly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t harbor bad feelings about the Goddess Forest. The Goddess Forest was created as a gift from Naltena¡ªa marker and a protection for us against the parting hidden within it.¡± ¡°But all the Anotites are gone. The parting doesn¡¯t have any power anymore. What are we being protected from?¡± ¡°The Anotites may be gone, but the parting is far from powerless. I happen to believe in the existence of hadirs¡ªthose immortal monsters created by Anoth¡ªand their ability to cross the parting, but not go beyond the bounds of the trees. All we need to know is that Naltena uses the Goddess Forest as a shield for us. We simply need to stay out of the Goddess Forest, and we will remain safe from the hadirs. And we know from the children¡¯s stories that the hadirs would like nothing more than to crush your head and slurp up your psyche.¡± Batem stared at Kirin menacingly. Kirin stared back in silence before finally snorting with laughter. ¡°Oh, Batem, you¡¯re silly! Now I¡¯m going to dream about hadirs, thanks to you!¡± Batem returned her smile and motioned toward the door. ¡°Off with you, then. Give my best to your father.¡± Kirin jumped up and tossed her satchel over her shoulder. ¡°I will, but I doubt it¡¯ll make him like you any better. Bye!¡± With that, she bounded out of the room and into the temple halls. Chapter Two Yalet The Empire of Nejim The City of Tijar Zalas¡¯s eyelids slid open, and he winced as the pupils of his garnet-colored eyes shrank to pinpoints. He was sitting cross-legged on a large, flat cushion made from a yellow damask material, his gold and purple robes spread about him. The black-tiled floor of his audience hall shone like a dust-covered mirror, reflecting the harsh afternoon sunlight up the gold-paneled walls to the vaulted ceiling. This made the long, rectangular hall feel much more like the interior of a lit oven. Finally free of his self-imposed meditation, Zalas¡¯s ears were once again filled with the grating voice of the bleary-eyed man who knelt before him. Zalas still wasn¡¯t ready to process that voice in words, and instead looked up and beyond the man¡¯s shining, hairless head to the open balcony window on the other side of the hall. There used to be a grand inselberg standing in the far distance, like a black cloud hovering over the desert, but no more. In his forefathers¡¯ time, the mountain was tall enough to eclipse the sun at times, but now Mount Thayl had been gutted to the point that it resembled a moldy hunk of cheese that was beginning to collapse in on itself. Generations of excavation had all but destroyed it. Zalas knew Yalet was an ugly world; his slaves¡ªpathetic Naltites secretly stolen from Zaidna¡ªoften complained of that fact. While whipping them for their insolence, he often recalled his own father speaking passionately of Zaidna¡¯s beauty, and how cruelly the Anotites had been chased from it through the parting by the vengeful goddess Naltena. His father seemed to think their ancestral home had been as lush and verdant as Yalet was crusty and bitter. But Zalas had no desire to travel beyond the parting to see whether his father was blind or simply mad. Even though it was unpleasant to have his body baked by Yalet¡¯s sun on a daily basis, he could never long for a world he had never set foot on, no matter how green and moist his father claimed it was. Besides, plenty of progress had been made over the last few centuries, and through irrigation and orm¨¦, his people had managed to transform much of the desert immediately outside of Tijar, the capital city of Nejim, into useful farmland. The old man¡¯s ramblings finally tore through Zalas¡¯s idle musings, forcing him to return to the task at hand. ¡°And in conclusion, Emperor Zalas,¡± sniffed the noble, ¡°I want my supposed ¡®family¡¯ and ¡®friends¡¯ to answer for hurting me so deeply.¡± The old man bowed his head, his face papery and creased with greed. Zalas wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around the man¡¯s shriveled neck in order to silence his wheezing, spotted lips. Instead, Zalas simply sighed. ¡°What would you like to be done?¡± ¡°Well,¡± the old man sputtered. ¡°I want them to write notes of apology to me, for a start. You¡¯re the emperor, so you could easily order them to do that.¡± Zalas slumped in exasperation. ¡°You want me to what?¡± ¡°You could force them to write apology notes to me. Send a decree if need be. As I said several times already, I hinted to them time and time again that I wanted to have a party thrown for me in commemoration of my ninetieth Naming Day. I think that we can all agree that ninety years of life is a significant achievement!¡± When Zalas was still the high prince, he believed that becoming emperor would elevate him above all other nobility. After all, his first ancestors had been chosen as emperors by Anoth and the Orb itself. But now that he was the emperor, he was becoming increasingly aware of how meaningless the title truly was. ¡°So, you are angry that your friends and family did not throw you a party,¡± he finally muttered. ¡°Does such a matter really merit an audience with the emperor?¡± ¡°Of course it does!¡± the crumpled sack of a man declared. Zalas shut his eyes for a moment. ¡°You should realize that these people likely didn¡¯t want to throw you a party because they consider you to be an old nuisance.¡± The noble puffed up his chest, which made him resemble a pillow that had been overstuffed with twigs. ¡°Well I never!¡± Zalas shrugged off the glares from his advisors and calmly placed his palms on his knees, leaning forward to look the noble directly in the eyes. ¡°Do go away, old man, and settle the matter yourself!¡± He waved both of his hands in dismissal, his sleeves falling over his knuckles. The noble picked up the skirts of his robe and stood up on bowed legs. Huffing, he shuffled straight out of the hall, grumbling his displeasure all the while. When the old man was gone and the slave at the entrance had sealed the doors for the umpteenth time that day, Zalas smiled. Now that was satisfying. But his advisors were not quite so pleased, and they whispered disapprovingly back and forth around him until one of them bent forward and hissed, ¡°Emperor, Master Anoth wishes for you to mediate the contentions of his people, even if they might seem . . . trivial. It would have been a simple matter to send notices to the old man¡¯s kin asking them to apologize.¡± Zalas shook his head in annoyance. He was the emperor of Nejim, not a wet nurse. He opened his mouth to vocalize his displeasure but was interrupted by his wife, who was sitting behind him as she usually did during these audiences. He liked her better when he could pretend that she didn¡¯t exist. ¡°He¡¯s right, you know,¡± the wretched cow bayed through her nose. ¡°You were mean to that sweet old man.¡± Instantly enraged, Zalas glared over his shoulder at her. By Anoth¡¯s malformed ears, what a detestable creature she was! She had grown so fat during her pregnancy with his first child that he now saw her like a large grub, coiled up and pulsating in her cocoon of white silk. And all this just to produce a legitimate heir. Once, Zalas had enjoyed a fulfilled life, mastering the supple bodies of countless maidens, but none of the bastards he might have sired could have any claim over the throne of Nejim. He had to be wed, and at the age of just thirty, Anoth forced him to marry this contemptible lump, not for love or lust but because she was born under a high house of orm¨¦ and would bear him talented children. Zalas¡¯s eyes drifted over to a female slave at the far end of the hall. He had developed a taste for dalanai women, even from a young age. While most of the empire¡¯s slaves consisted of beshtats, the orm¨¦-less original inhabitants of Yalet, there were other slaves who were plucked from Zaidna during one raid or another and brought to excavate Mount Thayl or serve in the noble district. He might have very little political power, but being emperor did have its advantages, specifically in his pick of bed slaves. This particular dalanai slave was an unusual sight in court. Like all dalanais, she was tall and slender, with white skin, which was a stark contrast to her eshtan counterparts. But unlike the old, broken dalanais who usually served in the court, this one¡¯s breasts did not droop, nor did she seem ridden with disease. She was fleshy for a dalanai, and her face was clear of wrinkles and pockmarks. She even had enough dignity left to try hiding her tail beneath her short shift. Why was she here instead of tending to a nobleman¡¯s bed? ¡°Slave,¡± he called to the dalanai, interrupting his wife¡¯s blathering. ¡°Go and bring in the next parasite!¡± He watched with interest as the slave turned obediently toward the doors. His curiosity at the shape of her rear quickly turned into revulsion when he saw her bare shoulders and back. What had surely been perfect, velvet flesh at one time was now swathed with innumerable raised scars in overlapping layers of red, pink, and white. Perhaps her former master had enjoyed their violent ¡°sessions¡± until even he found her too scarred for his tastes. Still, Zalas mused, he might be able to ignore the scars as long as he didn¡¯t accidentally roll her over in bed. The slave drew open the ebony-plated doors and stiffly exited the audience hall, returning a moment later with the sounds of footsteps and weeping following her. A young nobleman entered, followed by his wife, who was carrying a small infant swaddled in her arms. The woman was in hysterics, while the man¡¯s face was deformed with anguish. Three hadirs entered the audience hall directly after the nobles, which caused Zalas to frown. Hadirs always seemed to have an aura of disarray surrounding them like an invisible swarm. He knew very few of the hadirs before their conversions by Anoth¡¯s hand, but any encounter with a hadir always became a memorable one. Storming ahead of the other two hadirs was Tovam the albino, whom Zalas knew to be a sadist and highly accomplished prick. His braided hair, which trailed down the length of his spine, was frost white, and his eyes shined like the blade of a dagger. Among all of the hadirs, Tovam frightened Zalas the most, for he was the eldest hadir, and the most powerful, having been the very first to be changed from mortal eshtan to immortal abomination. Tovam strode past the weeping nobles with barely a whisper issuing from his boots and didn¡¯t bow or kneel to Zalas, nor did he even bother to nod in greeting. ¡°These nobles have asked to see you,¡± he sneered. ¡°We received word of their child¡¯s deficiency in orm¨¦ and intended to rectify the matter ourselves, but they refused to let us take it, citing Anoth¡¯s decree that the emperor should mediate such¡ªundesirable situations.¡± Tovam¡¯s slanted eyes narrowed furiously. He clearly did not take pleasure in being bound by all of Anoth¡¯s laws, even if he enjoyed enforcing most of them. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The noblewoman, still clutching her child to her breast, broke free from her husband¡¯s grasp and rushed ahead of the hadirs, dropping to her knees. Zalas flinched, expecting Tovam to exact swift punishment on the foolish woman, but he merely snorted. ¡°Please, Emperor, do not make me give up my daughter!¡± Tears beaded up in the woman¡¯s eyes and rolled down her already wet face. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault that she was born under the first house!¡± A slow smile curled Zalas¡¯s lips. Not only was this a matter actually worth mediating, but these nobles were showing the proper respect for his authority as emperor. ¡°No, it is not her fault,¡± Zalas agreed, his tone turning appropriately delicate. ¡°But she was born under the first house, and that does have consequences.¡± All the blood drained from the nobleman¡¯s face, while the woman wailed as though she had been stabbed through the heart. Tovam, standing above both Zalas and the noblewoman, crossed his arms before his leather cuirass. Like all hadirs, his arms were covered with dozens of interconnected glyph scars. Out of the corner of his eye, Zalas could see the fidgeting of his advisors. Behind him, his wife gave a soft sniffle. Perhaps she was considering what fate would befall their own child should it be unfortunate enough to be born under a low house of orm¨¦. ¡°Well? What is your decision?¡± Tovam demanded. ¡°I¡¯ll happily split the babe open like a melon if you have no other instructions.¡± Zalas looked again at the young, lamenting parents, and then to Tovam¡¯s detestable face. Usually, the hadirs acted as judge, jury, and executioner in these matters, leaving Zalas out of them entirely, but the unusual rise in untalented children convinced Anoth to at least allow the nobles to make their cases heard. ¡°The problem with this situation is that this child was born under the lowest house of orm¨¦,¡± Zalas explained. ¡°You know that there is a blight among our people. Since the loss of the Orb, orm¨¦ has been fading and must be carefully preserved. We cannot risk any more dilution of orm¨¦ among our nobility. That is why we must cast out the weak and bring the rare commoner born under a higher house of orm¨¦ to live among us. This is the law.¡± Sobbing bitterly, the young mother nodded. ¡°But I can¡¯t leave her in the desert!¡± Above her, Tovam growled, clearly almost out of patience. As Zalas stared into the woman¡¯s pleading eyes, he knew that this was an opportunity to garner favor from multiple groups if he handled it wisely. But how could he follow the law and show proper leadership? ¡°Perhaps the child doesn¡¯t need to die. What if you take her to the outer borough and place her with a commoner family there? She would never be able to return to the noble district, so we would not risk weakening noble blood.¡± ¡°Absurd!¡± Tovam snapped. The mother gasped and squeezed her baby to her chest. ¡°Do not think to make your own interpretations of the law, Zalas! This law is a simple one. Anoth wants to keep the blight out of the nobility. The entire purpose of leaving these worthless children in the desert to die is to keep them from breeding and contaminating more bloodlines. This child is weak and of no value; it must be destroyed!¡± Zalas flinched again. He was the emperor, but Tovam threw his weight around as if he had even greater authority. Zalas, even though he was born under the seventh house of orm¨¦, stood no chance against the power of any hadir, much less the eldest of them all. Tovam would get his way whether Zalas agreed or not. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zalas finally murmured to the noblewoman, ¡°but Tovam is correct; the law must be satisfied. You will immediately surrender this child to the hadirs.¡± ¡°Wise words at last, Zalas,¡± Tovam hissed before turning to address the couple. ¡°You are free to have another child. Pray that the next one does not suffer a similar¡ªdefect.¡± The father, sensible despite his grief, bowed his head in submission. He moved to his wife and grabbed her arm to help her stand, but she pried herself free. ¡°No! This is my daughter! Please don¡¯t make me give her up! You are a high priest, are you not, Emperor Zalas? What if the priests who named my daughter and divined her house of orm¨¦ were not accurate? Test her yourself, Emperor Zalas, to be certain that she¡¯s not a member of a higher house!¡± Zalas frowned. Even if he wanted to intervene, he couldn¡¯t. He already knew his political power was a farce, but the idea that the emperor was the highest of high priests was an even bigger farce. Religious training was withheld from him his whole life, and while he knew plenty of destructive patterns, he didn¡¯t even know how to use a naming crystal to divine the house of his own unborn child. And what need did the Anotites have for learning about their God? Anoth walked among them. What Zalas longed to understand was what Anoth worshiped as even greater than himself: the Orb. But the Orb, from which they had received so many of their laws, was still missing, and the Anotites all labored and awaited the day when the Orb would be found within Mount Thayl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your daughter must be taken to the wastes,¡± Zalas finally whispered as the woman let loose a wretched-sounding howl. ¡°As a token of Anoth¡¯s mercy, I will make sure that the next infant born under the third house or greater among the commoners will be placed in your home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same!¡± the woman shrieked. The woman¡¯s husband brushed past Tovam and attempted to hush her. He then bowed nervously to Zalas. ¡°We would like very much for you to have another infant placed in our home, Emperor.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t fair!¡± the woman screeched. ¡°First you condemn my daughter to death for no fault of her own, and then you suggest that I rob some other poor woman of her child in order to ease my suffering? We don¡¯t deserve the orm¨¦ you¡¯re trying to protect if you resort to murdering children and taking others from their families!¡± ¡°Take the child and lead them to the desert!¡± Tovam barked, before gesturing to one of the other hadirs. ¡°Ensure that it is left behind, and if they refuse to leave it, kill all three of them.¡± When the babe was snatched away, the woman flopped to the floor in hysterics, shrieking to have her daughter returned. The second hadir promptly forced her to stand. ¡°We must do what they say!¡± the young father pleaded with his wife. ¡°Tovam, this might be a little hasty,¡± Zalas murmured, half beneath his breath. Tovam simply turned and laughed derisively. ¡°If a couple so young is producing children born under the first house, what makes you believe their next attempt won¡¯t result in a similar failure? This girl speaks open sacrilege and should die for it. I only show mercy for her stupidity because females are irrational creatures, especially when it concerns their offspring.¡± Tovam turned back to his subordinates. ¡°Now get them out of here! I want this matter concluded before sundown!¡± The other hadirs bowed and obediently left the hall, the first carrying a now squealing infant in his murderous arms, while the other pushed the wailing mother out the double doors. The father followed behind, his shoulders hunched and face entirely gaunt. When the entrance of the hall was sealed shut and the woman¡¯s shrieks had finally faded, Zalas let out a long sigh through his nostrils. He shouldn¡¯t have let the hadirs be present during the judgment. They had no place in the courts; their role was only in enforcement of the decisions of the courts. He alone should have decided the fate of the infant based on Anoth¡¯s laws and his own interpretation of them. Had Tovam simply given him the respect he deserved, he could have ensured the life of the newborn, and for his wise and selfless deed, he would have been praised as a hero by the child¡¯s parents. But here he was, having sent a child and probably its parents to their deaths, while the white-skinned bastard simply stared at him with a smug grin. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Tovam asked serenely. ¡°You overstep your bounds,¡± Zalas challenged. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility as the emperor to rule according to Anoth¡¯s edicts.¡± ¡°It is also your responsibility to ensure that Anoth¡¯s will is done,¡± Tovam replied. ¡°Your willful defiance often does the opposite of Anoth¡¯s will, and necessitates correction. You require more instruction. Personal instruction.¡± ¡°I receive all the instruction I need from Anoth,¡± Zalas spat. ¡°Your job is to see that my commands are carried through. I don¡¯t need you to interfere in court matters!¡± Tovam narrowed his eyes, then turned menacingly toward everyone else in the audience hall. ¡°All of you will leave. Now!¡± The advisors and Zalas¡¯s wife immediately fled, needing no additional encouragement. The dalanai slave followed, shutting the doors behind her with a soft boom. After a few moments of silence, Tovam clasped his hands behind his back and began circling Zalas, his black caftan drifting behind him ever so slightly. ¡°Did you know that the very first emperor chosen by Anoth and the Orb to rule Nejim¡ªone of your forefathers¡ªwas my younger brother?¡± ¡°I have heard the stories,¡± Zalas muttered. ¡°The eshtans of those days were warriors and worthy of respect. I was considered too weak to take the throne, given my condition, but Master Anoth saw fit to grant me a far greater gift. Everlasting life.¡± Zalas frowned. What was his point? ¡°As my brother the emperor grew weak with age, I grew strong in Anoth. When Naltena trespassed through the parting to exact vengeance on Anoth for siding with the Orb, she underestimated our power. We could not prevent her from snatching the Orb and sealing it within the mountain, but I will always relish the look on her face as I and my subordinate hadirs tore her, quite literally, limb from limb.¡± ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± Zalas asked pointedly. Tovam¡¯s eyes flashed just a hint of rage, and he stopped his pacing. ¡°Your generations have never seen the Orb, nor have you truly served it as Anoth and I have. This has made you soft.¡± Zalas refused to respond. ¡°Anoth has seen this as well, and has seen fit to assign me to coordinate hadir activities with you in his stead. Permanently.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zalas¡¯s hands balled into fists as he turned to face Tovam head-on. ¡°My report for today,¡± Tovam continued coolly. ¡°One of our units has just returned from a successful raid beyond the parting in the dalanai empire, Chalei. They have claimed a dozen or so dalanai slaves to be sold in the markets over the next few days. They ate their fill and left no witnesses, as usual. According to reports, the Naltites still believe that we are dead and that their lesser race beast men are responsible for our raids.¡± ¡°More dalanais?¡± Zalas scoffed. ¡°I hope these aren¡¯t useless old males like last time.¡± ¡°This crop includes many young ones. Several will be suitable for excavation work, and there are some that will fetch a high price as bed slaves.¡± Zalas folded his arms across his chest. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I will inform my brother-in-law to prepare for the new slaves at the excavation site.¡± ¡°And I surmise that Anoth has not yet returned from beyond the parting?¡± ¡°No. I have not seen him since your unit left for the last raid.¡± Zalas scowled. ¡°Certainly, you would have seen him much more recently, since you¡¯re now his personal liaison with me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Tovam responded cryptically. ¡°He has not participated in the raids in some time, but when scheduled to be in the capital he disappears through the parting quite often, and for lengthy periods. Curious.¡± Zalas shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If you care so much about Anoth¡¯s activities, I suggest you keep a better eye on him.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Tovam mused, then nodded ever so slightly in Zalas¡¯s direction. ¡°I will take my leave. Think on my words.¡± Zalas watched silently as Tovam turned to exit the audience hall, alone in his thoughts well after Tovam¡¯s footsteps had faded from earshot. Chapter Three Chapter 3 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei Lanae Palace Rao¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits, and he readied his claws for the attack. The swishing white fabric of his mistress¡¯s skirts came closer and closer, until he thought they were finally in range. He sprang into action, swiping eagerly with both forepaws, but his claws found only air as Sorai veered away at the last second. Undeterred, Rao slinked back into a low crouch, watching as his mistress continued pacing around the stone pavilion. Sorai was anxious today, and that made Rao feel anxious, too. His pointed ears twitched as he heard padded footsteps coming from another direction. This time, a set of familiar blue skirts came into view. These skirts were coming right at him with no signs of diverting. Rao instinctively pulled his forepaw back and prepared to strike the billowing silk. But just as he was about to release his blitz, he looked up and stopped short. His mistress didn¡¯t mind his games, but these blue skirts belonged to Kia, Mistress¡¯s mother-in-law, and she minded his games a great deal. In fact, she hated his games and sometimes took to swatting him when he got too close. Rao quickly pulled his paw back and used it to smooth the fur on his chest as nonchalantly as he could. ¡°You really should sit down and stop worrying,¡± Kia clucked at Sorai. ¡°Let the servants take care of everything. They already have Tashau¡¯s favorite food made and are preparing your suite so it¡¯s presentable for his return.¡± She pulled her skirts aside and glowered down at Rao. ¡°Don¡¯t you look at me like you¡¯re so innocent. Shoo!¡± Rao nimbly sidestepped Kia¡¯s foot and followed Sorai, who continued to circle the various pieces of wicker furniture under the pavilion. ¡°He should have been home already,¡± Sorai fretted, the tinkling ornaments strung in her long, black hair ringing as she stepped about. ¡°I don¡¯t worry so much when he¡¯s traveling along the coast, but every time he goes inland I imagine that one of the rope bridges in the jungle will break and that he¡¯ll fall and hurt himself, or he¡¯ll run into a troop of wild padus and they¡¯ll tear him limb from limb.¡± Rao sat down on his haunches. Now he was worried for his master, too. Even though other sazis lived quite happily in the jungles of Chalei, Rao was used to palace life and all the benefits that came with it. He had gone along with his master, Tashau, on a few trips over the years, but he grew tired of all the wild sazis calling out for him in their language, which he had never learned. And nights in the jungle were very scary with the sounds of animals howling, fighting, and hunting without ceasing. He also didn¡¯t like the thought of Tashau setting up camp on the floor of the jungle where the padus could see and smell him. Shivering, Rao stood up and padded over to Sorai, rubbing himself up against her skirt and leaving a loving smear of brown fur across the hem. ¡°No, no, no!¡± Kia scolded. ¡°I told you that you could make a mess on anything else that you want, just leave Sorai¡¯s clothing alone!¡± Rao folded back his ears and slinked behind Sorai so Kia couldn¡¯t yell at him anymore. ¡°Rao, you silly sazi,¡± Sorai chuckled gently. She reached down and gave Rao a few delicate pats on the head. ¡°Maybe you should go play with Faro for a while. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like some company.¡± Rao hesitated for a moment, then hung his head and plodded out of the pavilion, onto the grass toward where Faro was sitting quietly with his toys. He scowled as Faro noticed him and waved at him clumsily. Faro was a sticky, messy toddler, who enjoyed grabbing Rao¡¯s ears and wings whenever Sorai wasn¡¯t looking. When sazis were eight years old, they were fully grown and getting ready to have cubs of their own. Faro was an eight-year-old dalanai who could barely walk and could only remember how to say a few words. Tashau and Sorai always explained that dalanais lived much, much longer than sazis, and longer than any of the other high races, too, so they needed extra time to grow up, but Rao didn¡¯t see the point of being patient. Faro was just a nuisance at any age. ¡°Hi, Rao?¡± Faro mumbled, reaching out to Rao with something in his drool-covered hand. Rao sighed and inched a bit closer. Faro was holding a stuffed sazi doll by its tail. The doll looked like it used to have brown fur like any respectable sazi, but now it was a more discolored gray, matted down with years of saliva and abuse. One of its feathered wings was mostly torn off, and the rest of its body had clearly been chewed on more than once. Faro started giggling as he vigorously shook the doll up and down, and Rao noticed that it was even missing one of its button eyes as well as most of its whiskers. Rao growled and turned up his nose, trotting away from Faro and the rest of the hustle and bustle around the pavilion. He headed past a small fountain, making his way to one of the many winding stone paths that led from the gardens to the palace. Maybe he¡¯d go take a nice, leisurely nap up on a high branch. Or maybe he¡¯d raid one of the kitchens since so many of the servants were outside instead of guarding them. Either way, he¡¯d make sure to¡ª Rao¡¯s ears involuntarily pricked up as he heard a familiar low whistle coming from behind some bushes in the nearby flower bed. He sniffed at the air and realized that he knew exactly who had made the sound and where he could find him. He quickly scampered over to a group of hedges and stuck his head into one of them. ¡°Fishman!¡± he exclaimed. Fishman immediately put a finger to his lips and shushed Rao. ¡°Sorry,¡± Rao whispered, climbing into the hedge and crouching down in the shadows just like Fishman. ¡°I forgot that you have those headaches and don¡¯t like it when I make loud sounds.¡± Fishman nodded and smiled at Rao, showing all his straight, white teeth. ¡°And how are you, my sazi friend?¡± ¡°Very well, thank you.¡± Rao tilted his head. There was always something odd about Fishman¡¯s face, but Rao couldn¡¯t quite place it. His eyes were round like dalanai eyes, and he had similarly light skin, but he was a bit shorter, more like an eshtan. Oddest of all were his ears. Dalanai ears were pointy on the sides, and eshtan ears were round and hung low, but Fishman¡¯s ears were decidedly small and flat, like open clamshells on either side of his face. Rao tilted his head even further and smiled. He knew one way to tell if Fishman was an eshtan or a dalanai. Dalanais had tails, even if they insisted on hiding them all the time for some reason. Did Fishman have a tail? Rao thought about asking, but then thought that if he did, it might just make Fishman mad and not want to come around anymore. Fishman cleared his throat. ¡°Oh, yes, sorry,¡± Rao apologized. ¡°How are you, Fishman?¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Fine.¡± Fishman pulled aside a few leaves and peered through toward the pavilion several dozen yards away. ¡°Your mistress seems a bit distracted today.¡± Rao nodded. ¡°Master is coming back today! Mistress is making sure she looks clean and nice for him.¡± Fishman frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention he was away during my last visit.¡± Rao shrugged his wings. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°I see. I would like it if you would tell me if Tashau is gone next time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rao agreed cheerfully. ¡°I have a special mission for you today,¡± Fishman said. He turned to look at Rao with his dark blue eyes. Rao resisted the urge to jump up and down in excitement. ¡°Oh, do I get fish?¡± Fishman smiled and raised a hand into the air. Rao watched raptly as Fishman made a few quick motions and a big, shining fish flopped into view, hovering in midair. Rao squealed in delight and clapped his paws together. ¡°What do I have to do?¡± Fishman reached into the folds of his red coat and pulled out a long silver chain with a dangling jade pendant hanging from it. Rao was instantly distracted and tried to bat at the necklace, but Fishman quickly snatched it away. ¡°This is for your mistress. I will not be here for her Naming Day next week, so I would like you to deliver it to her for me. It is important that she knows it¡¯s a gift, but you should not mention my name.¡± ¡°Okay, Fishman!¡± Rao turned his attention back to the fish floating in the air. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little generous today,¡± Fishman continued. ¡°In addition to delivering this gift, if you would also bring me back something of Sorai¡¯s I will give you two fish instead of one.¡± He waved a hand and the fish split into two equally-sized fish. Rao¡¯s eyes bulged with glee. ¡°Yes! What do you want from Mistress? Another scarf?¡± Fishman paused for a moment. ¡°Perhaps a slip this time. Or something more personal?¡± ¡°I think Mistress might notice something like that missing,¡± Rao pondered aloud. ¡°Well,¡± Fishman shrugged, pulling the two fish toward himself and away from Rao. ¡°I understand if you¡¯re not interested in having two fish, but I really thought¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, wait!¡± Rao exclaimed, reaching up to tap Fishman on the knee. ¡°Mistress won¡¯t mind if I just take one slip! It¡¯ll be no problem!¡± ¡°All right then,¡± Fishman replied, allowing the fish to float back enticingly above Rao¡¯s bobbing head. He lowered his hand and dropped the jade necklace into Rao¡¯s waiting jaws. ¡°Remember, this is a gift from me, but don¡¯t tell her my name. I¡¯ll be back in three days.¡± ¡°Okay, Fishman!¡± Rao growled through clenched teeth. He jumped out of the hedge and began trotting back to the pavilion. As he started to approach Sorai, a set of horns sounded in the distance. Master was back! Rao bounded toward Sorai, following her and the servants as they began rushing toward the palace gates. The gates of the palace complex were already open by the time they all arrived, and a variety of guards and servants had joined them. Rao managed to fall in directly behind Sorai, who easily passed through the small crowd as everyone made way for her. ¡°Make sure you say hello to your father,¡± she murmured to Faro as they stopped in front of the crowd. Tashau and a small group of wardens slowly rode in through the gates on naruback. Rao hated narus. To him they were like giant lizards with beaks and claws, completely obedient to the high races but would crush a sazi underfoot without even a thought. He particularly hated Tashau¡¯s naru, which was a much brighter red than the others and with a temper to match. As Tashau stopped to dismount, Rao and the naru locked into a steely staring contest. ¡°There¡¯s my boy,¡± Tashau laughed, hefting Faro up into his arms and looking him over. ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t given your mother any trouble.¡± Faro giggled as Tashau gave him a tickle and a squeeze, before he passed the boy over to Kia, who took him and began herding the onlookers away. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re home!¡± Sorai gushed. ¡°You were gone almost a full season this time.¡± Tashau grunted as he tugged his naru forward by the reins. ¡°It would have taken longer had we not decided to cut through the jungle on the way back.¡± ¡°Was there really another raid by the padus?¡± Tashau¡¯s expression soured as he handed his naru¡¯s reins to a servant. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to talk about that. I need to rest. I would like some company, though.¡± Rao grinned triumphantly as his adversary was forced to look away and follow the other narus as the stablehands led them toward the stables. Sazis might be smaller than narus, but at least they were smart enough not to let people put saddles on them. ¡°Master, I¡ª¡± Rao turned toward Tashau, but noticed that he and Sorai had already walked several paces away toward the palace. Rao had forgotten to give Sorai Fishman¡¯s gift! He clamped his teeth down on the jade necklace and quickly moved to catch up. ¡°¡ªand Faro has started riding lessons,¡± Sorai murmured to Tashau. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Your mother insists that the son of an emperor must be an expert rider. Frankly, I think it¡¯s a little premature. If narus weren¡¯t so tall I wouldn¡¯t worry so much.¡± Tashau chuckled good-naturedly. ¡°I doubt he¡¯d get more than a few bumps. It¡¯ll be good for him! Besides, I started lessons at his age and nothing bad ever happened to me.¡± ¡°Mistress, this gift¡ª¡± Rao tried to interrupt. ¡°I completely disagree. He¡¯s much too small still.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Tashau acquiesced. ¡°Would you like me to talk to my mother about it?¡± Sorai smiled appreciatively up at Tashau. ¡°Thank you, Tash.¡± Rao bumped his way between them, hurriedly spitting the necklace down on the ground. ¡°Mistress, look! A gift!¡± he exclaimed, hopefully loud enough for her not to ignore him again. Sorai finally stopped and turned around. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this?¡± She stooped down to pick up the necklace, and her face immediately brightened as she ran her hand over the bird-shaped pendant. ¡°How beautiful!¡± Rao smiled proudly to himself. ¡°It¡¯s a gift¡ª¡± Sorai whirled around to throw her arms about Tashau¡¯s neck. ¡°Jade is my favorite! You brought this back for me, didn¡¯t you? I love it!¡± Tashau stared in silent confusion as Sorai showered his face with wet-sounding kisses. ¡°No, Mistress. It¡¯s a gift from¡ª¡± Rao gasped and clamped a paw over his mouth. That was too close! He had to be careful not to break his promise to Fishman. He mustn¡¯t tell her that it was Fishman¡¯s gift for her. But how could he do that without letting her think it was from Master instead? ¡°What, you¡¯re not going to fess up?¡± Sorai teased. ¡°Then perhaps you¡¯d rather I extract the truth out of you.¡± She slid one of her fingers down Tashau¡¯s chest, and his face reddened. Tashau cleared his throat and increased their pace toward the palace. Rao blinked and sat down on his haunches for a few moments as they left him behind. What had just happened? He shook his head. Oh, no, Fishman was going to be furious if he didn¡¯t deliver the gift properly! What was he going to do? He chewed anxiously on his tail. Fishman gave him two tasks in exchange for two fish, and at this rate he wasn¡¯t going to complete either of them. When Master and Mistress were alone together, especially after one of Master¡¯s trips, they could be gone for days. What if Rao didn¡¯t get any time to explain the gift or borrow any of Sorai¡¯s clothing before Fishman returned? Rao was going to miss out on fish, and he was so hungry, too! If he ran really fast, would he be able to catch up with Master and Mistress? Yes! That¡¯s what he¡¯d do. He raced into the courtyard and hurried up the stairs to the third-floor gallery, but Tashau and Sorai had already reached the door of their bedroom suite and were halfway in. ¡°Mistress, wait!¡± Rao yowled. ¡°It¡¯s about your¡ª¡± He skidded to a halt just before his nose plowed into the toe of Tashau¡¯s boot. ¡°You are not allowed.¡± Tashau gently nudged Rao back out of the bedroom with his foot and shut the door. Rao immediately leapt at the door, frantically trying to dig his way back in, but stopped as he heard the sudden snap of the lock. ¡°But your gift!¡± He fell back and stared sadly up at the doorknob, his ears drooping. ¡°Now I¡¯ll never get fish.¡± Chapter Four Chapter 4 Yalet The Empire of Nejim Mount Thayl Anoth sneered as Mount Thayl loomed in the distance, nearing ever so slowly. For nine hundred years, the mountain had stood defiant against him, powerless to spurn his advances yet refusing to flinch even after it had been stripped of its vegetation and topmost soil, exposing every curved and craggy crevice. The inselberg knelt in crumbling silence, enduring each intrusive penetration without giving up what Anoth sought above all else. Despite all this, Anoth smiled. He had a good feeling about today¡¯s encounter. When the palanquin carriers finally set him down outside the encampment at the base of the mountain, he emerged through the curtains to survey the Naltite slaves that swarmed across the brittle rock face several hundred feet away. It was obvious which thralls had been taken during the most recent raids in Zaidna. Their bodies still carried some flesh, unlike the slaves whose bodies were scarred and withered. But regardless of tenure, every one of the slaves held the same familiar hopelessness in their eyes. Davim had trained them adequately. As Anoth moved through the camp, hunting for the slave master, he heard a grating cacophony of loud laughter. He clenched his fists. There would be no mirth in this place; the slaves who dug for the Orb would do so with reverence, not joy. All would mourn with him until the Orb was finally recovered. He increased his pace only to discover that the source of the laughter was Davim, the slave master, who continued to laugh obliviously in the midst of the barracks. Zalas, the emperor of Nejim, stood close by, smirking rather than laughing as Davim called lustily at a young, gray-skinned girl, who carried a jug of water atop her shoulder. Anoth¡¯s scowl deepened. Surely there were plenty of Naltite slaves who needed to be put in their place. Why were these idiots wasting their time on a beshtat? Unlike the Naltite imports, beshtats were native to Yalet and proved to be decent workers, as well as much easier to pacify than the Naltites because of their lack of orm¨¦. While there were still plenty of independent beshtat colonies outside of Nejim, the Anotites had captured more than enough of them to keep things running smoothly. Most male beshtats worked alongside the Naltites to excavate for the Orb, even if they weren¡¯t the most efficient, while their women catered to the carnal needs of male Anotites all throughout the empire. Davim, who had managed to convince the beshtat girl to walk over to him, grabbed her arm. After a brief struggle, he threw her to the ground. Her water vessel shattered and the parched earth quickly drank up its contents. Seeing their prey humiliated on the ground, Davim chortled once more and kicked the dust about her as Zalas grinned approvingly. As the girl crawled to retrieve the pieces of the broken jug, Anoth finally made his presence known. ¡°Is this how you seek out the Orb when the hadirs aren¡¯t watching you?¡± Davim and Zalas spun around to face him, startled. ¡°Master Anoth!¡± Davim sputtered, staggering back a few steps. ¡°I was not expecting¡ªthe raids¡ªI didn¡¯t think you were back yet.¡± ¡°Fools,¡± Anoth spat. ¡°If you insist on abusing the natives, wait until spring. We¡¯ll need them to shoulder more of the labor when the Naltites start dying come winter.¡± He kicked at the slave, who abandoned the shards of her vessel and fled. While this slave had looked weak, most of the beshtats were already acclimated to the extreme temperatures at this altitude of Nejim. Anoth was forced to corral the Naltite slaves into the deep mines at the end of fall to avoid them dying in large numbers during the winter, but the beshtats could largely remain out in the elements year-round, chiseling endlessly at the rock face in search of the Orb. Anoth¡¯s sneer turned upward. ¡°Unless your merrymaking is because you¡¯ve recovered the Orb?¡± Davim¡¯s lip twitched, and he hesitated before saying, ¡°No, not yet, Master Anoth. We would have made more progress if those sneaky engstaxis hadn¡¯t planted an explosive by the barracks last week. The hadirs should just squeeze those bulbous red eyes of theirs from their skulls before sending them here. Engstaxis cause nothing but trouble. If I could just kill¡ª¡± ¡°Excuses! You have not broken the engstaxis sufficiently.¡± ¡°But the engstaxis are impossible to break,¡± Davim complained, his beady eyes widening. ¡°I¡¯ve had them flogged and beaten, starved and even stripped of their coverings and made to sit in the sunlight until their skin bleeds. They¡¯d rather remain out in the sun and die than submit. I don¡¯t know where this particular engstaxi managed to gather the materials for his explosive, or how he assembled it without any privacy. I moved all the engstaxis into the same housing so we can keep a better eye on them at all times.¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Anoth shouted. ¡°You never put engstaxis together. For hundreds of years we have kept all engstaxi slaves separated from each other, and you decide to change that now, without consulting me? You might have them glyphed to blind them to primal matter, but they still have their alchemy! Don¡¯t you know they can extract the minerals from their own excrement? When alone, they aren¡¯t a danger, but as a group they could be gathering other components from the mines and building powder kegs under your pathetic, common-bred nose!¡± To Davim¡¯s side, Zalas let loose a snort and placed his hands upon his hips, shaking his head. Davim, on the other hand, fidgeted slightly as he tried to work up a suitable excuse. ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡± Anoth flung his hands down at his sides and bore down on Davim¡¯s silence. ¡°The excavation of Mount Thayl must be carried out with delicate precision! Why do you think I don¡¯t just blow the whole damn thing up myself? The Orb must be protected. Verahi must be protected. Any sort of explosion¡ªeven the smallest spark on that rock face¡ªwould risk everything I¡¯ve worked for. You will rectify this situation immediately!¡± Davim, now several shades paler, bowed low. ¡°As you wish, Master Anoth! Surely, the engstaxis won¡¯t cause any more trouble. They will be separated and punished, and should there be more of their black powder stockpiled, my men will sniff it out and deal with the offenders. There can¡¯t be much of it.¡± Davim then straightened himself and smiled up at Anoth, displaying a row of crowded incisors, before he turned and strode away through the barracks. ¡°Were your idiot brother-in-law not born under a high house of orm¨¦, I¡¯d have killed him several times over by now,¡± Anoth growled to Zalas. Zalas merely shrugged. He did not seem terribly concerned about Davim¡¯s well-being. After all, Davim was married to Zalas¡¯s sister, Roet, for the sole purpose of infusing orm¨¦ into the imperial bloodline, which was flourishing in numbers but dwindling in orm¨¦. It was common knowledge, however, that Roet was a whore, and it was already a miracle that she hadn¡¯t borne any children yet, and even unlikelier that she would ever bear Davim¡¯s. ¡°What are you doing outside of the palace?¡± Anoth demanded. ¡°There are documents to draft and advisors to coddle.¡± Anoth noted that Zalas had traded his emperor¡¯s robes for a simple brown caftan. He must have snuck out of the palace to shirk his responsibilities, of which there were many. Zalas¡¯s expression was civil, but his slanted eyes betrayed his true thoughts. ¡°A man requires fresh air now and then. I might ask the same thing of you, though. Did you come here to check on the Orb or to harass me?¡± Anoth refused to be baited. ¡°I arrived home last night to discover that most of the hadirs had left the city and that you were . . . indisposed. I came here to see the progress that¡¯s been made for myself.¡± ¡°You must excuse me for being indisposed. My wife is still in childbed as of this morning.¡± ¡°Ah, your true motivation for fleeing the palace.¡± Anoth tapped his fingers together slowly. ¡°Although I¡¯m surprised you wouldn¡¯t want to be there for the birth of your first non-bastard child. That only leaves me wondering where the hadirs have gone.¡± ¡°A large nomadic tribe of beshtats was spotted near the border of Nejim. Most of the hadirs went there to take care of them. Easy pickings.¡± Zalas¡¯s lips morphed into a hard line, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Anoth smiled with amusement. Zalas didn¡¯t return the smile. ¡°Don¡¯t try to feign ignorance. You left me to be sat by Tovam. I deserve more respect than that.¡± Anoth folded his arms across his velvet coat. ¡°I saw you with that water slave. If that is how you spend your spare time, I should leave you with a wet nurse as well.¡± Zalas dragged an unwilling chuckle from his throat. ¡°Tovam seems to think that you¡¯re the one in need a wet nurse, Anoth. He was asking why you might be running off to Zaidna for weeks at a time without telling him.¡± ¡°He is a rather protective servant,¡± Anoth muttered. He had been careful, but not careful enough about his occasional journeys to the other side of the parting. It was just as well that Tovam was away on the hunt for new slaves. When forced to stay holed up in the capital, he became restless and unpredictable, difficult for even Anoth to control. ¡°Now that I am apparently to report to Tovam regarding the affairs of the empire, instead of you, I think I deserve an explanation as well. Have I failed in any of my duties? Or are your trips to Zaidna to blame for this change in responsibilities?¡± Egged on by Anoth¡¯s silence, Zalas continued. ¡°Do you prefer the moist climate in Zaidna? Or perhaps you like the seas. I can¡¯t imagine there are any other redeemable qualities about our ancestral home, especially when the hadirs bring the best women back here for us.¡± Anoth scowled and turned to leave, but found Davim directly in his path, a dalanai slave in tow. ¡°The matter with the engstaxis has been rectified, Master Anoth,¡± Davim wheezed, taking an abbreviated bow. ¡°The engstaxis have been separated, and their sleeping quarters are being torn apart as we speak.¡± Behind Davim, the dalanai slave girl didn¡¯t look nearly as winded as he did, although her long legs gave her an advantage over his stout frame. Like most dalanais, she had the willowy body of a dancer, but this one was exceptionally tall, dwarfing Anoth by at least a head. Her scanty garments were practically sheer, and though her breasts were bound by the green wrap she wore, the details of her anatomy were still plain to see, including her quivering tail, which she tried to hide with a hand. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Davim tugged on the chain attached to the slave¡¯s collar. ¡°In recompense for having displeased you earlier, I present to you my most favored bed slave, Kailei, for your personal use.¡± He unceremoniously shoved the startled dalanai in front of Anoth for inspection. It was no surprise to Anoth that Davim would have a bed slave or two on site. Davim certainly used bed slaves for his personal pleasure, but he was also known to trade them to other nobles in exchange for goods or to curry favor. Anoth caught the slave¡¯s wrist and pulled her close. It was not just Davim who flattered him with gifts. Men constantly offered up their slaves, wives, and daughters to Anoth in return for his blessing, whereas women, both mortal and hadir, threw themselves at him with great frequency just for the challenge. Long ago, these offerings of the flesh had been an amusing diversion for Anoth, but not so much anymore. He had other interests now. ¡°You will find that she is of the finest quality,¡± Davim continued. ¡°She has good teeth and gums, is in excellent health, and is even a member of Naltite nobility, as is revealed by the crest she has tattooed there on her forehead.¡± Davim gestured with a dry, bony finger at the small, purple diamond at the center of the girl¡¯s creased brow. Anoth held out his free hand, grasped the woman¡¯s jaw, and pulled her chin down to get a better look at her face. The dalanai was trembling, and tears had begun to streak her bloodless cheeks. Most Naltite women wept or became physically ill when they saw him, terrified that the Dread God who was supposedly dead was not only alive, but could touch them with hands that could caress or punish at his whim. He grinned at the thought of the betrayal they must have felt knowing that their little prophetesses, the Nass¨¦s, had lied to them, whispering legends of his ignominious death by Naltena¡¯s bare hands. The girl winced as Anoth turned her head this way and that. Despite her blubbering, which had swelled her nose, Anoth had to admit that this slave was quite fine, at least one of the prettiest ones he¡¯d seen in some time. Her hair, which was tied up in a knot at the top of her head, was the color of a fire within a hearth, and her tear-filled eyes shone like emeralds. But the more he looked into the girl¡¯s eyes, the angrier he became that they lacked that particular spark that he desired. The longer he stared at her body, the more her tall, angular figure offended him; the fire of her red hair waned in the shadow of the shining black tresses he coveted. Anoth finally flicked the slave¡¯s forehead crest, causing her to yelp. ¡°I wonder. Are you a noblewoman or a commoner who married into nobility?¡± The dalanai could only answer Anoth with a small whimper. ¡°No matter. Your family crest is that of a city magistrate, and whether you were born to him or married one of his bastard sons, you are still filth, dung beneath my heel.¡± A disappointed frown sagged Davim¡¯s lips as he pulled Kailei back to him to hold her close. She shook uncontrollably, breathing hard, perhaps in shock that she had almost been handed over to the Dread God himself. ¡°I will bring out another slave for you then, Master Anoth, and have this one whipped for offending you. My other slaves may not be noble, but you might find them more to your liking.¡± ¡°Any slave you could bring me would prove to be inadequate,¡± Anoth snapped, forcing the image of black hair from his mind. ¡°You can bring me all the captured lesser nobles you wish. Were I to take a dalanai noble to my bed, only the highest among them would suffice.¡± Zalas rubbed at his chin in contemplation, before looking to Anoth curiously. ¡°I find it strange that you know so much about Naltite nobility. How did you know that this girl is from the family of a city magistrate?¡± ¡°I organized the noble houses of the Naltites. Why shouldn¡¯t I know about them?¡± Anoth countered. ¡°It is my business to know the power structures of Zaidna as much as it is to know them in Yalet.¡± ¡°But family lines fade through the generations, especially among the lesser nobles. Isn¡¯t that why we didn¡¯t continue foolish traditions like tattooing our foreheads with family crests like the Naltites? Surely your time is not worth learning and remembering the family crests of even lowly city magistrates. One might think you have a peculiar interest in Naltite nobility.¡± Zalas¡¯s tone remained delicate and jovial, but Anoth was not fooled. ¡°My interests are none of your concern.¡± Anoth opened his mouth to chasten Zalas further, but noticed small flashes of white erupt out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look and saw a small troop of engstaxis running toward them from the mountainside. Even from a distance, he could see their translucent white skin blistering in the sunlight. A handful of guards chased after them, presumably preparing to add lashes to their sunburns for their insubordination. It appeared that Davim had not completely rectified the matter after all. Zalas moved directly into Anoth¡¯s line of sight, blocking his view of the engstaxis with narrowed eyes and a wide smile. ¡°Why does it matter what crest a Naltite whore wears on her forehead? Any Naltite woman would look once upon those¡ª¡± Zalas gestured at the trio of blue circles tattooed upon Anoth¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡ªand flee in fear and disgust. So why discriminate?¡± Anoth remained silent. ¡°Or perhaps,¡± Zalas mused, ¡°you discriminate because¡ª¡± ¡°Something is happening,¡± Anoth muttered, sidestepping Zalas to regain sight of the engstaxis. Their spindly legs were quick, and the pudgy guards in the distance were having difficulty grabbing a hold of more than one at a time. There was something odd about the engstaxis¡¯ appearance, which became more evident as they closed within a hundred yards. Davim stumbled forward to get a better look at the herd of slaves approaching. ¡°What¡ªwhat do they have strapped on their backs?¡± He squinted, but then his eyes opened wide in horror. ¡°Black powder. Those are explosives! Don¡¯t let them near the barracks!¡± He motioned to several of the guards in the encampment, who rushed to intercept the impending assault. ¡°At least they are running away from the mountain,¡± Anoth commented grimly. The engstaxis began shrieking and veering to the side, still moving doggedly toward the encampment. This was no pinpoint tactical assault. Those blasted engstaxis intended to kill everyone in the camp, including themselves. Anoth finally stepped forward. He would handle this himself. By this time, Davim had worked himself up into a full froth of panic. ¡°Kill them! Kill them before they reach the camp! Do whatever you have to do, just make sure they don¡¯t reach the barracks!¡± Anoth came to an abrupt halt. One of the intercepting guards was raising his hands, working a pattern. Anoth quickly shifted focus. In an instant, he could see all the blackened specks of primal matter that hung the air, including the quivering, tightly bound pattern that became visible in the guard¡¯s hands. It was fire! ¡°You fool! Not fire! Cease that pattern immediately!¡± The guard turned, confused. He staggered, the unreleased ball of flames scorching his palms, causing him to yelp. He pulled his hands toward his body in a desperate attempt to obliterate the pattern, but it was already out of control. The fire leapt from him, breaking free from the condensed pattern into a wide swath of flame. Most of the engstaxis stopped in their tracks, barely avoiding the wave of fire, but it bathed the foremost slave among them in a flash of orange. As the sack on his back smoldered and the black powder within it started to ignite, the stricken engstaxi looked to Anoth with knowing eyes. Then closing them for the last time, he smiled. The other engstaxis recovered from their shock and rushed toward their lit compatriot, diving to catch sparks upon their own backs. Anoth shielded his face with his arm as the other engstaxis began to burn. With an earth-shattering crack, the first engstaxi burst, sending his body parts and the other engstaxis backwards toward the mountain. Almost in sequence, more of them exploded, creating a chain reaction until several of the last engstaxis were propelled by the combined force of the explosions, hurtling back into the mountainside. Even with the first explosion at several dozen yards away, Zalas, Davim, and the slave girl were knocked onto their backs, while several of the pursuing guards were incinerated in the blink of an eye. Anoth remained standing, but the hairs on his face were singed. Anoth lowered his arm, only to witness the final explosion erupt from within the inselberg with ferocious force, blasting a gaping hole in the rock face. This was exactly what Anoth had been trying to avoid by keeping the engstaxis separated. Even under the strictest supervision, the pale-skinned bastards had managed to stash small quantities of alchemized chemicals and explosives in the mountain¡¯s crevices without detection. One of their flaming bodies had hit the surface of the mountain, exploded, and set off a chain reaction among one or more of the hidden supply caches closest to the surface. There was a brief silence, but as Davim and Zalas moved to stand, a low rumble, like a death rattle, emerged from the mountain, swallowing up the distant screams of the slaves. Starting slowly, but quickly accelerating, a massive layer of stone began to slough off the western face of the inselberg. Anoth watched in passive fury as the entire ridge broke into pieces and crumbled the wooden platforms below like houses made from sugar wafers. He was too far from the mountain to be endangered by the landslide, but the cloud of dust that rolled forth in its wake was enough to sting Anoth¡¯s eyes and coat him in a layer of earth. He had been so careful in devising their excavation methods, manually peeling away the stone in layers to ensure the Orb¡¯s preservation; could one stupid mistake ruin centuries of work? When the mountain was finally still, and the earth beneath his feet had settled, Anoth surveyed the devastation, walking slowly toward the rubble. A vast assortment of arms and legs, either burned or smashed into a pulp of flesh and splintered bone, jutted out of the debris that had filled the large craters the exploding engstaxis had left. The few surviving slaves had already begun to tackle the great pile of crushed rock, and with bare, bleeding hands they threw aside boulders and shards of crumbling sandstone in an attempt to free their friends. They were wasting their time, of course. If those buried were not dead yet, they would suffocate soon enough. Most of the remaining guards staggered about in a stupor, helpless and unwilling to regain control of the slaves. Out in the desert surrounding the ruined inselberg, something was beginning to creep. Anoth could sense the tumultuous black aura, and knew exactly what it was. It was the gathering of hadirs, attracted by the chaos of the mountain¡¯s fracture. While most of the hadirs had gone with Tovam to the raids, the ones that remained were assembling in the sand and heat, waiting patiently for their opportunity to feed. Zalas and Davim joined Anoth at his side. ¡°Awful, awful,¡± Davim whispered repeatedly. Both he and Zalas were pale and stared unblinkingly up at Mount Thayl. Or what was left of it. ¡°This is what your carelessness has done!¡± Anoth snarled. Davim shivered, while Zalas sidled away from him, presumably to avoid Anoth¡¯s wrath. ¡°I want every grain of sand in this rubble heap searched for the Orb. I don¡¯t care how high your house of orm¨¦ is; if anything has become of my master, you will serve as the hadirs¡¯ dessert!¡± Anoth did not wait to see Davim¡¯s reaction. Instead, he turned and stormed toward the ruined mountain. As he reached the newly exposed rock face, all of the remaining slaves looked to him in fear before returning to their frantic digging. All of them except one. Atop a pile of broken stone, he spotted a single, heavily wounded engstaxi, who, instead of digging, was hammering at something with a jagged rock. Upon seeing Anoth looking at him, he glared with ruby-colored eyes, half-ruined by the sun, and hammered all the harder. Anoth¡¯s blood boiled, and he climbed up the rubble in long strides until he reached the broken but defiant creature. Anoth laid a swift blow to his belly with his boot. The engstaxi crumpled, but slowly lifted his rock and brought it back down with as much force as he could muster. Incensed, Anoth struck blow after brutal blow to the engstaxi¡¯s already frail, shattered body, but the engstaxi continued to strike at the rubble with the rock until he finally succumbed to the assault. As the rock dropped from the engstaxi¡¯s hand, Anoth looked down to see what he had been hammering at so desperately. There, half wedged in the rubble, was a grubby round stone, about the size of Anoth¡¯s fist. Beneath an outer layer of hardened earth, which was cracked by the engstaxi¡¯s attempt to destroy it, Anoth could see a brilliant blue-green flash of labradorite peeking through. Anoth¡¯s mind was paralyzed by incomprehension. ¡°No,¡± he muttered, and dug his fingers into the rubble to pry out the stone. He was numbly aware of Zalas and Davim¡¯s approach from behind. They called up to him, but their voices were like whispers compared to the chaos swirling in his head. At last, the stone came free. ¡°Master Verahi,¡± he whispered, before greeting the Orb with a reverent kiss. He laughed, turning to look down on the gathering crowd around him. He held up the Orb in triumph for all to see, the exposed labradorite shining like a star in his hand. Zalas and Davim, along with the unwounded guards, instantly sank to their knees in worship of the stone, while the slaves hung their heads in sorrow. From the ruined camp, up to the remains of Mount Thayl, the bodies of the wounded writhed as the hadirs emerged from where they¡¯d been hidden. Wordlessly, the hadirs descended upon the dying, commencing their ravenous feast. Chapter Five Chapter 5 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Temple of Marin After slipping past the crowds in the temple¡¯s sunlit foyer, Kirin found the sanctuary of one of its smaller chapels and breathed deeply, inhaling the sweet scent of burning incense. The relative quiet of the chapel, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, did much to calm her frazzled nerves. Careful to avoid the long, rectangular pillows that lined the blue tiled floor, she kept to the center of the empty chapel as she shuffled to its front, hopping awkwardly as she tried to keep her overflowing bag of books from pulling her off balance. Thank goodness she was still early. Public religious lectures, which usually revolved around the goddess or the writings of previous Nass¨¦s, were held three times a week. Kirin could only imagine how mad Batem would be if she ever missed one, since he and all the other priests seemed to think that the study of religion was just as important as the study of orm¨¦. Kirin shifted to her right and sidled past several meditation pillows before singling out a plush-looking one right next to the wall in the front row. She gathered up her green skirts and spread them across her thighs as she knelt. Once comfortable, she pulled out a tablet of paper from her bag, as well as a thin, spiraled seashell filled with ink. Placing the tablet on her lap, she sighed. These lectures hadn¡¯t felt the same since Batem had used her to demonstrate the unquantifiable nature of shadow matter several weeks before. He hadn¡¯t revisited the subject, but she hadn¡¯t forgotten one second of it. Her dreams were steadily getting worse, too, and she could swear that shadow and the Goddess Forest were taking on larger roles night by night. Kirin blinked, finding herself staring absentmindedly at her bare midriff. She picked a small piece of lint from her navel and dropped it into her bag. At least she could feel some peace here, in a quiet chapel of one of Naltena¡¯s temples. She could almost smell the spirituality emanating from every incensed corner. And what other building boasted such fantastic works of art? Take that filigree on the wall. How was it that the artisan had managed to shape such thin gold wires into a depiction of the goddess giving life to the first of the high races? Kirin found herself wanting to trace each little wire with her fingers. Goodness, where did they all start? ¡°Ah, Kirin! Good, you are early!¡± Kirin yelped and looked up to see Batem¡¯s turquoise eyes examining her from the front of the room. She wasn¡¯t sure when the old man had arrived; he had definitely not been standing on the dais when she came in. Hopefully he hadn¡¯t seen her fussing with her navel! ¡°Hello, Batem,¡± Kirin stammered, calming herself. ¡°Are you giving the lecture today?¡± Batem hobbled across the dais and knelt, with much groaning and back cracking, behind the box-like altar that stood at the dais¡¯s center. The altar was made out of a solid block of white wood, with many glyphs and ornamental carvings of suns etched in its surface. ¡°Indeed, I am,¡± Batem replied. ¡°Although this isn¡¯t my usual day to teach. In any case, I am blessed to find you here. My projectionist was not able to attend on such short notice, so I thought that I might have to give my lecture without the use of visual aids.¡± Kirin nodded. The work of the projectionists was the only reason she didn¡¯t always fall asleep during these lectures. Their vivid, creative interpretations of the texts using light manipulation made boring subjects much more interesting. ¡°I wonder,¡± Batem mused, setting down a thick leather tome on the altar. ¡°Might you be willing to fill in as my projectionist?¡± He opened his book to a section that was marked with a yellow tassel. Kirin gripped her writing shell so tightly that it scraped across her tablet and left a jagged trail of ink behind. To project an image of light on a wall or screen would be simple; that only required a basic knowledge of orm¨¦. But to project a scene based on someone else¡¯s thoughts¡ªthat was another matter entirely. Kirin was totally unqualified. First, a projectionist had to be an artist with an adequate knowledge of anatomy, proportions, and how light played across surfaces. Second, a projectionist would need to be able to connect her thoughts to the lecturer to provide a direct and reliable link to the thoughts and images that he wanted her to convey. This was a far less trivial task, as any thought-manipulating pattern was very advanced and was generally only known to and practiced by members of the clergy. ¡°But Batem, trained projectionists are able to create very impressive images!¡± Kirin mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t paint with ink and paper, let alone with light. I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start.¡± ¡°Nonsense! With your talent, it should be simple to pick up. After all, you are a daughter of the ninth house and are sure to be the Nass¨¦ one day. As for your artistic abilities, I have no doubt they¡¯ll be sufficient.¡± Batem had obviously never seen Kirin¡¯s crude doodles during class. ¡°All right,¡± Kirin sighed. ¡°Oh, good! Now why don¡¯t you come up here and stand beside me? Worshipers will be arriving soon.¡± Batem tapped his fingers on the open book as he saw Kirin hesitate. ¡°Come along now, we need a few moments to prepare.¡± He withdrew a pair of spectacles from the folds of his dalmatic and positioned them on the bridge of his nose. Frowning, Kirin stuffed her tablet back into her bag and rose from the cushion. She adjusted her silk blouse and stepped up to the dais, looking back to make sure she¡¯d be able to see her belongings on the pillow at all times. As she moved to stand behind Batem, she realized that she¡¯d never seen the chapel from this perspective before. Each and every meditation cushion was visible, which meant that every person who attended the lecture would be able to see her looking like a fool. Kirin cursed inwardly, causing her to curse again for the fact that she had sworn inside of the temple. This was a big mistake. ¡°I want you to shift focus,¡± Batem instructed once Kirin ceased her fidgeting. Kirin did as she was told and immediately saw the yellow-white sparkle of primal matter manifesting all around her. ¡°Now, what I¡¯m going to ask you to do requires deep concentration, so pay attention. ¡°We may not have needed to shift past the first degree of focus in your classes thus far, but the process to reach the second or third degrees is no more complex. It simply requires a deeper focus. Are you still able to see the primal matter in front of you?¡± Kirin nodded in response. She was still able to make out the shape of Batem¡¯s body, even though his figure was blurred, and when she squinted, she could almost make out the thousands of configurations of primal matter that made up his skin, his robes, and even some of his internal organs. ¡°Now, relax your eyes and look a little deeper.¡± Excited to have permission to go beyond the first degree of focus for the first time, Kirin exhaled and relaxed, feeling her eyelids grow heavy and vision become a little darker. The colors bled out of Batem¡¯s blurred form, replaced by a startling lack of clarity. Amongst the black and white blobs, she began to see traces of an odd purple aura flowing in waves around Batem¡¯s body. ¡°This is amazing!¡± she declared, nearly losing her newfound focus in her delight. ¡°Yes, spirit matter is lovely. It¡¯s thought by some to be produced by the psyche, but we don¡¯t understand its purpose and there is no way for us to manipulate it. Now, shift your focus deeper and stare at my forehead. Most of us priests use the third degree of focus to heal minds and share thoughts, but with skill, it can be used for so much more. When you become the Nass¨¦, you will be called upon to view and interpret the dreams of the three emperors using thought matter. Let us see how you fare.¡± Kirin concentrated on maintaining her focus in the second degree, and then sunk slowly into an even deeper focus. She stared intently at Batem¡¯s temples until they faded completely from view, replaced by silver threads flowing loosely out from where his head had been. ¡°Well?¡± Batem asked. ¡°Have you managed to switch focus?¡± ¡°Oh, Goddess!¡± Kirin whispered. She felt like she was floating, even though her feet could still feel the ground beneath her. The silver filaments of Batem¡¯s thoughts danced before her like wriggling worms in water. She was afraid to even blink, worried that she could lose focus at any point. ¡°Don¡¯t panic!¡± she heard Batem mutter from somewhere in front of her. ¡°Just concentrate. Now, I know you cannot view primal matter like this, but please reach up and feel for the threads of thought about my head. I have released them for you to guide toward your own.¡± Kirin swallowed nervously. She desperately wanted to succeed at this, but knew she had to maintain her composure to do so. She raised her hands and slowly began to use them to draw Batem¡¯s thoughts toward her. She couldn¡¯t feel anything in her fingers, but the silvery threads drifted as she beckoned. ¡°Once you have them, lift them up and try to attach them to your forehead,¡± Batem instructed. Kirin drew the threads up toward her face and did as she was told, placing the ends of them against her forehead. Strangely, she could see them hanging over her eyes but couldn¡¯t feel them against her brow. ¡°I think I¡¯ve done it?¡± ¡°Good! Let¡¯s test it.¡± Almost at once, the darkness lit up, and she was standing in a wide green field. A large, wooly animal with long, white horns was lazily chomping on grass a few yards away from her. Kirin gasped, shocked at this unbidden image. ¡°It¡¯s a poji!¡± ¡°Ah, good, it worked. I knew you¡¯d be a natural. If only you were this good at arithmetic.¡± Kirin could hear Batem grinning. ¡°Now, you may relax and resume normal focus.¡± Only too eager to stop seeing Batem¡¯s thoughts in front of her, Kirin did as she was told. Once again, she saw the old man, smiling sweetly up at her, but could still sense their mental connection. ¡°I, uh, don¡¯t suppose you can read my thoughts now, can you?¡± She blushed despite trying hard not to. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly; a much more elaborate pattern is needed for that. This pattern allows me to send you images of what to project for the worshipers. That¡¯s all. And don¡¯t worry about damaging my thought strands, my dear; they only go so far. If you step off the dais they¡¯ll come right back to me. As long as you don¡¯t tangle my thought matter up in yours, you don¡¯t have to worry about a thing. Now, when it¡¯s time for you to project, just shift focus to view primal matter as you normally would and interpret my thoughts into images as you see fit.¡± Kirin nodded, still uncertain. People had begun to enter the chapel in small groups. The farmers were dressed in plain, pressed linen, and the merchants wore their usual fine baubles and Chalei-imported silks. Lingering toward the back of the chapel huddled a group of young women who were giggling and cooing loudly at something at their center. Spoiled brats, Kirin thought, envious of their nice clothes. As the young women were called back to their seats by their parents, they dispersed, revealing the objects of their adoration. Kirin gawked. There by the doors stood a young man and a young woman, with matching brown triangle crests tattooed on their foreheads. She couldn¡¯t exactly place which family the crest signified, but based on the nobles¡¯ obvious unease, they weren¡¯t used to worshiping in a public temple. Kirin watched as the pair moved down the center aisle, eventually slipping into the second row behind where her bag sat unattended. Their clothes were modest by noble standards, but easily rivalled the finest threads of any of the merchants in attendance. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Oh my, what an honor!¡± Batem exclaimed as the nobles took their seats. ¡°Why, your crests indicate you must be the western prince and princess! You are Javan and Anji Makivum, if I¡¯m not mistaken?¡± Oh, shit! No wonder their crest was familiar. Javan and Anji were the western king¡¯s son and daughter, whose family, along with the eastern king¡¯s, was second in power only to the emperor¡¯s! The Makivums had a summer estate a dozen miles away, but Kirin had never seen any of them in public, much less at a religious lecture at the temple. What were they doing here? Javan, the western prince, regarded Batem uncomfortably with bespectacled eyes. ¡°Oh, uh, yes. We didn¡¯t mean to make a scene. We heard about these lectures and thought that we might¡ª¡± Anji muttered something loudly under her breath, which caused Javan to glare at her. ¡°Oh, fantastic!¡± Batem clapped his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve never had the privilege of presenting to a high noble before. Your father must be here for the noble summit. Am I correct?¡± The western prince and princess nodded. ¡°How splendid! Welcome, welcome! You are in for a treat today. Our little Kirin Toredath is filling in as the projectionist for my lecture. You are probably unaware, but she is a daughter of the ninth house and is currently in training to fulfill her future role as the next Nass¨¦!¡± Anji and Javan looked at each other for a moment, then nodded back at Batem. Oh, Batem, please shut up, Kirin thought. She wasn¡¯t the only candidate for Nass¨¦, and considering the fact that she was likely about to ruin Batem¡¯s lecture with her lack of projecting skills, her chances of being permanently barred from the seminary were just as good as her becoming Nass¨¦. Batem cleared his throat. Kirin immediately averted her gaze from the two nobles and raised her hand in preparation. She shut her eyes, trying to breathe out her anxieties. She would not be distracted by the western prince or princess. She would not be distracted by the western prince or princess. She would not make a fool of herself in front of the western prince or princess. She shifted focus and the glitter of primal matter again filled her view. Batem nodded approvingly and turned to face the kneeling audience. ¡°Today¡¯s lecture topic will be the Mother Star, and how it relates to our lives here on Zaidna.¡± A vision of the night sky flashed in Kirin¡¯s mind before it was gone in an instant. Almost instinctively, she moved to glide her fingers across the primal matter in front of her. She wove a cloud of vaporous light and kneaded it like dough until it became a thin, flat sheet. She prodded at the sheet of light, using each finger to make portions of it vibrate at varying speeds until the mist shifted into a dark blue field, which she dappled with specks of white by tapping her fingers here and there. At the center of the scene, she traced a shining blue star. At first glance, she thought that this first projection of hers was not so bad. The points of the Mother Star were a little uneven, but it was not unpleasant to the eye. Batem began describing the nature of the Mother Star, and how it was a fixed point in the center of the sky directly above Judath. While the sun and moon and all the other stars moved with the time of day, the Mother Star always stayed in the same place. Kirin hurriedly followed Batem¡¯s mental commands and lightened her image to a pale blue and added a silver circle with some streamers coming out of it to represent the sun right next to the Mother Star. She had the impression that Batem wanted the sun to move across the sky of her projection, but that seemed a bit too hard to manage, so she drew an arrow. Batem went on to explain that although Naltena once lived on Zaidna, she now lived within the Mother Star, watching her followers and sending them dreams from afar to help them lead worthy lives. A painting of Naltena, sitting on a throne of gold, flared into Kirin¡¯s mind. In the painting, a multitude of grateful worshipers sang praises at Naltena¡¯s feet. Kirin frowned. She recognized the painting as the same one she saw every day hanging over Batem¡¯s desk. It was nice that she knew the painting so well, but why did it have to be so complicated? There must have been a million people sitting in the clouds. Batem cleared his throat, causing Kirin to jump. Unable to stall any longer, she quickly swept her previous drawing off the sheet of light and changed its color from dark blue to gold. Maybe just draw Naltena, she told herself as she brought her fingers up to the sheet. She started with a white oval for Naltena¡¯s head and then added some blue circles for her eyes and a curved line for a smile. There! Now, how to draw someone sitting in a chair? She had just started to trace Naltena¡¯s legs when someone in the congregation giggled loudly, causing her to slip out of the first degree of focus. She blinked as her creation jittered into normal view. What an ugly mess! Everyone was going to think she was an idiot, or worse¡ªblasphemous. She reddened further as she tried in vain to straighten the contours of Naltena¡¯s bloated face. Batem ignored Kirin¡¯s embarrassing artwork and continued his lecture into the final judgment of Naltena over each of her people. Kirin hastily threw herself back into the first degree of focus as a quick succession of images came flooding into her mind. She formed a crude image of the Mother Star around Naltena¡¯s throne, then speckled white dots to represent the psyches of the deceased who were traveling to it. She was very familiar with this part of the lecture. Naltena judged every Naltite as to how well they obeyed her will throughout their lives, inviting the valiant ones to live with her in the Mother Star. Those who closed off their minds or willfully ignored her promptings would be expelled from the Mother Star and jettisoned to where the long-dead Anoth dwelt in the¡ª Kirin was suddenly enveloped by a vision of white tree branches. No longer in the chapel, she found herself standing amongst the trees. She knew she was still in the first degree of focus, but everything around her was solid and filled with colors, albeit muted ones. After a few nervous moments, she became aware of a fair-haired man emerging from beneath a tall stone arch. His face and unusual clothing¡ªeverything about him was so real. He was pointing directly at her, saying something, but she could only hear the vague sound of Batem¡¯s voice droning on. In an instant, the vision vanished and she found herself again falling out of the first degree of focus just in time to see her projection disintegrate into nothing. ¡°And it is in this Void that the disobedient will languish with no potential for¡ª¡± Batem paused, noticing the failed projection. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he hissed to Kirin as she cupped her face in horror. Kirin¡¯s lips trembled, struggling to find any words. ¡°The Goddess Forest,¡± Kirin whispered back to Batem. ¡°I think I just saw the Goddess Forest. There was a man in the trees.¡± ¡°Trees?¡± Batem¡¯s eyes widened slightly behind his spectacles. ¡°No, no, we are discussing the Void and Anoth¡¯s place in it. Neither the goddess nor her forest has any place in the Void. Please try again.¡± Kirin flinched as Batem sent her an image. This was another well-known painting, depicting the Void as a deluge of blackness, with a single shadowy figure at the center, half-shrouded in the dark haze, beckoning the viewer to join him. That would be the Dread God, with his usual mane of wild black hair and beady eyes. This was clearly the image that Batem wanted her to project; was she really so undisciplined that she couldn¡¯t keep her daydreams at bay for ten minutes? She quickly rebuilt her projection slate and shakily drew the Void and the Dread God within it. ¡°Now, how do we avoid this dire fate and earn our places at Naltena¡¯s side?¡± Batem inquired rhetorically. ¡°Let us list the ways.¡± Kirin moved to sweep the Dread God from her projection but only managed to smear the primal matter into a smudgy mess. Each additional attempt just made things worse until her projection screen was warped out of shape. Kirin felt a sudden pinch at her forehead, and looked up to see Batem making a yanking motion with his fist. She blinked, unsure of what happened until she realized she was no longer receiving any images from his mind. He had severed their connection! She hung her head in shame. She had done so poorly that he was dismissing her on the spot. Humiliated, she began shuffling down the steps of the dais, looking through bleary eyes for the pillow on which her satchel sat. She plopped herself down, trying her hardest to ignore the sudden murmur of voices surrounding her. Noticing that Batem hadn¡¯t resumed his lecture, she looked up only to see him staring at her. There was another priest beside him whispering in his ear, and he nodded worriedly a few times before raising his hand to quiet the room. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we must conclude today¡¯s lecture a little early; you¡¯re all free to leave. May the goddess accompany you in your travels.¡± He then turned to continue his conversation with the other priest and the congregation began slowly exiting the chapel. Kirin gathered her satchel on her lap and tried not to move at all, hoping nobody would look at her on the way out. This was the worst day of her life. Even though she could hear the crowd thinning, Kirin had the nagging feeling that someone was watching her. Was Batem ready to dress her down? She looked up just long enough to see Batem still engaged in a serious conversation with the other priest. Phew. She glanced at the chapel exit only to jump with a start as she noticed Anji, the western princess, staring at her fixedly from the row behind her. ¡°Um,¡± Kirin stammered. Anji didn¡¯t avert her eyes. ¡°So, that was interesting,¡± she commented as she stroked the length of her garnet-colored braid. ¡°It was my first time¡ªI, uh, had never tried projecting before,¡± Kirin mumbled miserably. Anji flipped her braid over her shoulder and extended her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Anji. You¡¯re Kirin, right?¡± Kirin nodded, accepting Anji¡¯s handshake with a confused frown. Anji smiled for the first time, but it seemed forced. She had to be just a little younger than Kirin, but her skin was unusually sallow, and she had large dark circles under her eyes. Still pretty, though. Anji gestured toward Batem with her chin. ¡°Is it true what he said, that you¡¯re that ninth house girl who lives in Marin?¡± ¡°I guess so?¡± Anji¡¯s smile intensified. ¡°And you¡¯re really next in line to be Nass¨¦? My brother Javan seems to think so.¡± Kirin¡¯s face reddened. ¡°Oh no, I think that would be the chronicler or one of the other priestesses. I don¡¯t know why Batem would say that.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Anj¡¯s expression soured slightly. ¡°But surely you¡¯ve met the Nass¨¦. Isn¡¯t there some training you have to go through to even be in consideration?¡± Kirin shifted uncomfortably on her knees. ¡°Nobody really gets to meet with the Nass¨¦ unless they¡¯re emperors or their families. You¡¯re a high noble. Hasn¡¯t your family counseled with her before?¡± Anji snorted. ¡°I¡¯m just the western princess. But not even Tirbeth has managed to see her, and she¡¯s the emperor¡¯s daughter!¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know about any of that.¡± Kirin quickly glanced at Batem, who was beginning to gather his things. She needed to make her escape before he had a chance to tear into her. ¡°But the Nass¨¦ does elucidate dreams, right? And that¡¯s something that you learn how to do in seminary?¡± This was starting to feel strange. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just an acolyte.¡± Kirin shrugged awkwardly and stood up, noting that Batem and the other priest had begun looking in her direction again. But before she could plan her exit route, she felt Anji suddenly gripping her arm and pulling it tightly to her chest. What the¡ª? How was she so fast? ¡°Oh, do stay a little longer if you can,¡± Anji pressed, chuckling. ¡°I know! You must meet Javan before you go. He¡¯s the one who insisted that we come to this lecture.¡± ¡°Uh, okay,¡± Kirin mumbled, thoroughly confused. Like a flash, Anji released Kirin¡¯s arm and marched toward Javan, who was again boxed in by a pack of tittering girls. ¡°Away from him, you twits!¡± Kirin hesitated. What was all this about? She had never had a noble pay any attention to her before, but certainly didn¡¯t want to be anywhere public for the rest of the day. She really just wanted to go home and take a thousand naps. Suddenly she felt a familiar bony finger tap her on the shoulder. Shit, she was too late! ¡°Well, Kirin,¡± Batem began, clearing his throat. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Kirin interrupted, spinning around and bowing to Batem profusely. Batem just looked at her with a bemused twinkle in his eye. ¡°We can talk about your projection skills later. We have had a bit of an unusual request come in that resulted in us canceling this lecture. It appears, er, that the Nass¨¦ has requested your presence in her chambers. Immediately.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kirin¡¯s mind raced. What had she done to incur the Nass¨¦¡¯s wrath? Had she blasphemed so terribly with her projections? How did the Nass¨¦ find out so quickly? ¡°What does the prophetess want with me?¡± ¡°I am¡ªnot certain,¡± Batem replied, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. ¡°But Vasim here has brought this message directly from the chronicler.¡± The priest beside Batem nodded slightly, his feathered headdress bowing with him. Uh oh. This was pretty official if they sent a high priest to interrupt a routine chapel lecture. ¡°Okay. Do I just go there, or¡ªI don¡¯t know where to go!¡± Kirin began savagely picking at the clasp of her satchel with her fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t fret,¡± Batem reassured. ¡°Our instructions are to escort you up to the Chamber of Dreaming right now.¡± Kirin opened her mouth in vain protest, but Anji managed to poke her head in between her and the priests first. ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re leaving already?¡± Anji said in obvious disappointment. ¡°And here I was hoping to hear more about what you¡ªoh! Uncle Vasim, you look so different in your headdress!¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in bed resting, young lady?¡± Uncle Vasim asked with a hint of exasperation. Anji narrowed her eyes and completely ignored her uncle. ¡°Anyway, Kirin, I wanted to get to know you a little better. Tirbeth and I have always been so curious about what it is that priestesses-in-training do. Javan, too!¡± ¡°Eh . . . I¡¯m sorry, I really can¡¯t right now,¡± Kirin stammered, her mind still spinning with the idea that the Nass¨¦ urgently wanted to meet with her. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Anji laughed nervously. ¡°We can talk some other time. Maybe I can drop by the temple tomorrow. You¡¯re here studying most of the time, aren¡¯t you?¡± Batem and Uncle Vasim gently led Kirin toward the chapel exit. ¡°We have to at least have lunch sometime,¡± Anji persisted. ¡°I know of a snack bar that you would just love. I¡¯ll arrange a time and send you an invitation!¡± Kirin frowned. What a weirdo! As they neared the exit she chanced a glance over at Javan as they passed by him. He still had a horde of girls hanging all over him, but his bespectacled eyes met hers along with a shy smile. Their brief connection was broken as Kirin walked through the doorway and into the chapel lobby. Huh. Cinnamon-colored eyes. Chapter Six Chapter 6 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Temple of Marin Batem and Vasim shuffled slowly down the short hall leading from the chapel lobby, and Kirin followed several paces behind. She had never been to the Chamber of Dreaming, and had never expected to unless she actually became the Nass¨¦. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Batem reassured as he turned his head to smile at Kirin. The wrinkles on his face deepened ominously in the shadows made by the oil lamps lining the walls. ¡°It¡¯s unusual that the Nass¨¦ would see someone outside of the clergy, but perhaps because of your house she wishes to extend an invitation for you to join the seminary and become a priestess early. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice?¡± Kirin didn¡¯t respond. She was barely getting used to the idea of degrees of focus beyond the first. The thought of joining the seminary and becoming a priestess so soon made her feel sick to her stomach. ¡°Just think about how fortunate you are to have this opportunity,¡± Batem said as they stepped into the light, revealing the vast temple foyer before them and the strata of tiered floors stretching above them. The broad windows below the second floor filled every nook with shafts of sunlight. ¡°Even I have never met the Nass¨¦. This could very well be the defining moment of your young life.¡± Vasim made a swift cutting gesture with his hand. ¡°We don¡¯t need everyone to hear about this,¡± he hissed disapprovingly. A touch of color spread across the surface of Batem¡¯s jowls before he shook his head and grumbled. The priests led Kirin past the central staircase to the restricted hallway, which Kirin had always been told led to a private staircase up to the very top of the temple, where the Chamber of Dreaming was located. A couple of stout, young guards in priest robes stopped them momentarily, but quickly waved them on. They moved along the long hall, and Kirin couldn¡¯t help but notice the smooth walls and ceiling catching the sunlight reflected from the mosaic-tiled floor. It was so beautiful for something so few people would ever see. At the end of the hallway stood a winding, alabaster staircase. Kirin followed the priests onto the stairs and looked up. The stairs seemed to spiral upward forever. She looked at Batem worriedly. Were they really going to climb the whole way up? ¡°These stairs are very long,¡± Batem commented, finally breaking the silence now that there was no one else around them. ¡°They¡¯re difficult on my knees, but perhaps they won¡¯t be so hard on yours, Kirin. I¡¯ve suggested to the high priests for years that one of those engstaxi lifts should be installed, but they¡¯ll hear nothing of it.¡± ¡°Enough, Batem,¡± Vasim chided as they began their long climb. ¡°We do not trust engstaxi inventions or anything powered by binding orm¨¦. Naltena would not have us practice it.¡± Kirin had never realized that priests might disapprove of binding orm¨¦, especially since Batem had been teaching it in his classes for the last few weeks. She had actually become quite proficient at using it to make stones glow semi-permanently. Her first successful experiment was now serving as an extremely useful reading light. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Batem argued, waving his free hand. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand the fear of binding orm¨¦. You carve a glyph into a stone and it does something useful. Even the kadas of the three emperors have glyphs carved on them. I¡¯m tired of the priests constantly whispering about the evils of binding orm¨¦. Not one Nass¨¦, nor the goddess herself, has ever forbidden it. The priests only dislike it because of what the Dread God did with it. Carving glyphs into people, now there is a heinous practice!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t speak of that!¡± Vasim scolded, and Batem silenced himself at once. Kirin swallowed, wondering if she had just heard something that was very secret. When Vasim glanced over his shoulder to check on her progress, she made certain to look over the edge of the curving banister and pretend as though she were counting the stairs rather than listening to their conversation. Had the Dread God really used binding orm¨¦ on people? What would be the benefit? She started to imagine the Dread God Anoth carving glyphs into the flesh of his enemies and followers alike. Maybe it was his favorite form of torture. Or maybe he did it to set his favorites apart. All the possibilities were horrible and endless and fascinatingly forbidden. Kirin felt a twinge of guilt that she would be thinking of such things in Naltena¡¯s temple, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. The sound of fatigued wheezing from the priests called Kirin back to reality. While Kirin was daydreaming of atrocities at the hands of the Dread God, they had climbed hundreds¡ªperhaps even thousands¡ªof steps. She realized that she was feeling a bit tired, too. Her thighs ached, and a tendon in her left ankle felt like it was being pinched by an unseen force every time she took a step. She could only imagine how Batem was feeling. As they reached the final landing, Batem and Vasim immediately stumbled forward and rested against a curved stone wall in front of them. Kirin blinked, adjusting to the bright sunlight that appeared around her, and was a little surprised to hear birds singing nearby. She always knew that the Nass¨¦ lived and worked in the Chamber of Dreaming but had only ever glimpsed the domed skylight of the chamber from the ground. The thought of the Nass¨¦ just beyond this wall was exciting. But that could wait a few minutes. Kirin moved to stand beside the priests, leaning against the wall in order to ease the stitch in her side. From here she could see just how high up they were over the wide balustrades spanning between stone pillars, which acted as the only barriers to keep Kirin from falling off the walkway to her death. Any smart person would hug the convex walls around to the entrance of the chamber to avoid being whisked away by a stray gust of wind. Kirin cautiously pushed off from the wall and ventured over to the stone barrier and grabbed it tight, feeling a small thrill of fear as she looked down at the city below. She had looked out the windows of Batem¡¯s third floor study plenty of times, but that was nothing compared to this! Maybe this was what it was like to see things as the goddess saw them from the Mother Star. Kirin could see each of Marin¡¯s main avenues as they led away from the holy district. And all the buildings and their domed rooftops were like multicolored glass beads in the sunlight. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be so bad if she were to become the Nass¨¦ one day, so long as she could wake up to this every morning. Kirin heard some movement to her right and glanced over her shoulder to see two elderly women approaching along the circular walkway. They were dressed in long, black robes, with striped sashes wound around their waists, tied off in pretty, ornamental knots that had too many loops for Kirin to count. These were priestesses, she realized. Even though she had been an acolyte for several years now, she had never actually seen a priestess before. It was considered a sacred position, and only women selected as candidates for Nass¨¦ were permitted to join the men in seminary, and of course very few of them would ever actually become the Nass¨¦, as there could only be one at a time. The remaining priestesses served as the Nass¨¦¡¯s private attendants for the rest of their lives. Kirin had been told her entire life that she would make a fine priestess, but she hadn¡¯t really considered what that might be like. Was Batem actually correct that the Nass¨¦ intended to invite her to seminary early? If so, was she ready? She began to twist her skirt in her hands. Batem straightened himself up and hobbled over to the balustrade where she stood. ¡°The only men permitted to meet with the Nass¨¦ are high priests, so you will have to go with these priestesses without me. Besides, Vasim and I must start heading down now if we have any hope of having dinner before dark.¡± ¡°But Batem!¡± Kirin protested. How could he possibly abandon her to these strangers? How would she find her way back? ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± Batem reassured, patting her arm. ¡°Just be very polite and do exactly as you are told.¡± He then moved to stand beside Vasim, who was now lingering near the stairs. The priestesses finally reached Kirin, and each extended a hand to her. Kirin took their hands and stood between them, gazing helplessly as Batem and Vasim bowed and took their leave. The priestesses swiveled around and started to lead Kirin around the curving gallery. As they walked, Kirin quickly became aware of an annoying swishing sound that accompanied each step she took. Where was that coming from? She looked down and realized that it was the stiff fabric of her skirt rubbing against her thighs. Had she suddenly gained weight? What was making her skirt so tight? She glanced over at one of the priestesses. Why weren¡¯t her skirts making any noise? Peering down as inconspicuously as she could, she noted that the black fabric of the priestesses¡¯ skirts was rather fine and gauzy, like smoke over water. The priestesses made hardly a whisper as they moved. Kirin dared to speak when she noticed one of the women looking quizzically at her. ¡°So how does the Nass¨¦ decide which priestesses live in which temple? Were you all friends in seminary?¡± She hoped that a little polite conversation would distract them from the irreverent sounds her skirt was making. The shorter of the two priestesses frowned, while the taller one let loose a chuckle that made Kirin shiver. ¡°The high priests select the Nass¨¦¡¯s attending priestesses. The Nass¨¦ has no say in the matter.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Were people not supposed to talk when near the Chamber of Dreaming? Were they worried that they might wake the Nass¨¦ up? How could these women spend so much time up here? Didn¡¯t they get lonely? The priestesses finally led Kirin around the walkway to the opposite side of the tower, where they found a stone door. Her heart skipped a beat. Was this the door to the Chamber of Dreaming? One of the priestesses pulled open the door to reveal a long, white corridor lined with mirrors. As they moved down the hall, Kirin was drawn to the mirrors lining both sides, fascinated by her infinitely repeating reflections in them. Even with the priestesses there, she was sorely tempted to wave her arms around at the mirrors experimentally. She continued to stare sidelong at herself until she felt the priestesses suddenly pull back on her arms, stopping her from running into the pair of silver-plated doors now standing in front of her. They were very fancy, inlaid with disks of mother-of-pearl and moonstone. ¡°This is the Chamber of Dreaming,¡± the short priestess said curtly. ¡°You are to keep silent unless the Nass¨¦ specifically requests for you to speak.¡± Kirin nodded, and the second priestess pushed the doors open. Inside was a spacious room, circular in shape and extremely well lit. The whole ceiling was comprised of a massive domed skylight with celestial symbols embellishing its frame. As Kirin walked further into the room, she noticed three golden spires positioned at equal distances just outside the skylight¡¯s perimeter. She had seen the spires hundreds of times from the ground, but never this close. This really was the Chamber of Dreaming! Kirin wondered how the Nass¨¦ could sleep in a room so bright, but understood a bit better as they approached the bed standing in the direct center of the chamber. The bed was circular, like everything else in the room, and was canopied with long black curtains that were clearly meant to block out all light. To the right of the bed, another priestess was sitting on the floor behind a small writing desk, which was covered in parchment paper and ink bottles. This must have been the Nass¨¦¡¯s chronicler, the priestess who recorded the prophetess¡¯s dreams as she recounted them. Kirin was in awe. ¡°Your Holiness,¡± intoned the taller of the priestesses who had led Kirin in, ¡°we have brought you Kirin Toredath, daughter of the ninth house of orm¨¦, as you requested.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, you have my thanks.¡± The voice that came from behind the curtain was soft but authoritative. ¡°Please leave us, all of you. I wish to speak with Kirin alone.¡± All the attending priestesses looked at each other uncomfortably, including the chronicler. ¡°But Your Holiness, we cannot leave you alone!¡± the tall priestess exclaimed. ¡°Do as I say!¡± the Nass¨¦ commanded more sternly, and the priestesses unhappily obeyed, closing the doors after them. Kirin now stood alone, staring into the darkness beyond the bed¡¯s slightly parted curtains. She couldn¡¯t help but hold her breath. ¡°Are you scared? You needn¡¯t be,¡± the Nass¨¦ reassured. Her voice was low and dulcet. ¡°You may not think I know you, but I do. I was once a girl like you, one who just so happened to have a gift for dreaming. Come closer. You may look at me. Part the curtains, but only a little. My eyes are sensitive to the light.¡± Kirin exhaled and forced herself to move toward the bed. She reached up and parted the curtains a little more, revealing the Nass¨¦ half-reclining in the center of the circular mattress, which was covered in black satin sheets and pillows. There was a silver tray resting beside her, upon which sat a platter of fruit and a pot of steaming tea. The Nass¨¦, however, was not at all what Kirin expected. ¡°You¡¯re an engstaxi!¡± Kirin blurted out. She had only ever seen a few engstaxis, and only from a distance. Engstaxis almost always kept their whole bodies concealed from the sunlight, which could be deadly to them, but the Nass¨¦ was wearing nothing more than a loose black and white robe, which had no sash to keep it closed. Her body seemed so small and frail, almost like a child¡¯s. The Nass¨¦ smiled. ¡°You are surprised that the Nass¨¦ could be an engstaxi? I suppose I cannot blame you. We do tend to speak more of the Nass¨¦¡¯s station than her race. Focusing on political distinctions rather than spiritual ones tends to stir up unnecessary conflict among the empires.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an engstaxi uncovered before,¡± Kirin replied, too interested to be ashamed. The Nass¨¦¡¯s eyes were a stunning red color, with large pupils that were a stark contrast to her delicate, pale face. In combination with her colorless hair, she looked like a living porcelain doll. ¡°That is also unsurprising,¡± the Nass¨¦ chuckled, her faint smile revealing sharp-looking teeth. ¡°My people seldom travel outside of Xeshun. Even if the sun did not blind us or burn our skin, we¡¯re not particularly . . . social. But be at ease. I grant you permission to call me by my given name, Xinthi.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always heard that engstaxis aren¡¯t very friendly,¡± Kirin murmured. She couldn¡¯t stop staring at the Nass¨¦¡¯s body. Xinthi¡¯s hands looked so young, lacking the mottled skin or bulging veins that came in middle age for all the races. But her face, despite being so pretty, carried some distinct wrinkles. Maybe those wrinkles came from pressing her face against her pillows for so long. ¡°It¡¯s true. We¡¯re not at all friendly.¡± Xinthi arched her white eyebrows and laughed softly. As she did, Kirin noticed her forehead tattoo, which consisted of a row of three blue circles, with the one in the center made to resemble a stylized eye. She wasn¡¯t a noble, either! Whenever the current Nass¨¦ died, the new Nass¨¦ received this crest in addition to any existing crest she already bore. If the new Nass¨¦ were a lesser noble, the Nass¨¦¡¯s crest would be added above her familial crest. Any woman marrying into a noble family would receive her husband¡¯s crest in addition to her own, as well as the crest of any subsequent husbands, but since no priestess could be previously married, this situation never happened to a Nass¨¦. The Nass¨¦ patted a spot on the mattress in front of her, startling Kirin back to the present. ¡°You are an odd girl, but I think I shall be friendly with you. Sit beside me and close the curtains; the light is very bright.¡± She held out her hand to Kirin. Kirin received Xinthi¡¯s hand and knelt on the bed, drawing the curtains shut behind her, enveloping them both in semi-darkness. As her eyes slowly adjusted, she found herself sinking deep into the mattress. Pressing her palms against the smooth, satiny sheets, she decided that it was the softest bed she¡¯d ever felt. ¡°I¡¯m glad to finally meet you, Kirin,¡± Xinthi said, settling back against her pillows. ¡°I am impressed by the reports I¡¯ve received on your abilities in orm¨¦, and that they manifested themselves at such a young age. Of course, one born of your house is bound to be talented, but the priestesses have indicated that your teacher, Batem, finds you exceptional. Would you like some fruit?¡± Xinthi took up the platter of sliced fruit from the silver tray beside her and offered it to Kirin. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Even in the dim light, Kirin could make out the color of the fruit. It was a variety that had bright pink skin, green seeds, and yellow flesh. She couldn¡¯t refuse the Nass¨¦¡¯s offer; this fruit was uncommon to Judath and happened to be one of her favorites. She carefully picked up a slice of fruit and took a bite. The flesh practically burst inside of her mouth, flooding it with tangy juice and crunchy seeds. She thought, as she chewed and swallowed, that it was strange to be eating in bed¡ªespecially in the Nass¨¦¡¯s bed. Perhaps this was an engstaxi custom. ¡°I was born under the eighth house of orm¨¦,¡± Xinthi continued. ¡°That is rare enough, but you? You are one of a kind for the time being, and so it is quite fitting that you are being trained to succeed me one day. I hear you are capable of dreaming almost every night. It took me years of meditation to be able to accept visions from the goddess on a regular basis, and even then, they don¡¯t come nightly. You are gifted by the goddess to be able to dream in such a way so often.¡± Kirin swallowed the last bit of her fruit and began to feel anxious about her sticky fingers. Licking them would have been uncouth. Wiping them clean on the sheets would have been even more uncouth. Seeing no other option, she simply balled up her fist. ¡°It¡¯s not as impressive as my teacher makes it sound,¡± Kirin admitted. ¡°Most of my dreams seem to be entirely meaningless. Even when my dreams are visionary, the meaning is hardly ever profound.¡± Except maybe that dream. ¡°Don¡¯t diminish your gift, Kirin,¡± Xinthi admonished in a tender fashion, although her delivery was stilted enough that Kirin knew it wasn¡¯t in her nature to chasten someone lovingly. ¡°Any sort of revelation is important, and anyone predisposed to such revelation can hone her skills. That it comes easily to you simply means that you will be a tool for tremendous good in serving the goddess.¡± Kirin watched as Xinthi poured herself a cup of strong smelling tea. The Nass¨¦ then brought the cup close to her thin lips. ¡°Did you know, Kirin, that it is not possible for a Nass¨¦ to have nightmares?¡± Xinthi asked. She took a sip of her tea. ¡°When Nass¨¦s sleep, we see only a great nothingness unless the goddess sends us a vision. Sometimes this takes hours and sometimes this takes days or weeks. When we dream of Naltena, we walk alongside her and speak to her both as her friend and her servant. She tells us many things¡ªsecret things¡ªbut much of what we are told is forgotten upon awakening. We remember only what she wishes us to. The goddess teaches us in riddles, forcing us to interpret our own dreams before we are able to share them with the world.¡± Kirin listened in silence, thrilled by what seemed to be extremely privileged secrets. It was strange to think that if she were to become the Nass¨¦ someday, she too would sleep in this bed and walk with the goddess in her dreams. Xinthi bowed her head, her white hair falling over her face and allowing Kirin to catch a glimpse of her small, tri-pointed ears. How exotic! ¡°As you know, the sleep of a Nass¨¦ and her priestesses is meant to be protected by the goddess. We only dream meaningful dreams, which are never corrupted by triviality or nightmares. I am the seventeenth Nass¨¦, and none before me have dreamt any differently.¡± A hardened line appeared across Xinthi¡¯s jaw. ¡°I regret to say that I am the first Nass¨¦ to be abandoned by the goddess.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kirin couldn¡¯t help but stare, dumbfounded. ¡°I confess that I should have seen the signs far sooner. My visions have always been accurate, but my interpretations have at times been flawed. And my duty is to use my gifts to promote harmony among Naltena¡¯s people, but I suppose it is no secret that my history with your Emperor Ravad has been¡ªtumultuous.¡± Kirin nodded. She had overheard her father discussing the rift between the clergy and the government several times. Things had become much tenser with the unexpected passing of the sun emperor¡¯s wife last fall, with rumors about the Nass¨¦ being either powerless or unwilling to give him any warning counsel. ¡°I have privately wondered to myself whether I am to blame. Perhaps my judgment was clouded by my emotions. I do not feel worthy of punishment, yet Naltena has withdrawn her protection of me, with no sign of how it might return. Instead, all of my meaningful dreams have departed from me. I am left with nothing but nightmares.¡± Nightmares! Kirin swallowed hard. ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re nightmares? I know that unpleasant dreams often look like¡ª¡± ¡°I am very clear on the difference between an unpleasant dream and a nightmare,¡± Xinthi interrupted curtly. ¡°I have elucidated dozens of nightmares at the highest level since before you were born. I do not use the word lightly.¡± Kirin nodded. ¡°This brings me to why I have summoned you here. I have two questions for you, and I must ask you to be completely honest with me, regardless of how you think I might react.¡± Kirin gulped. What if she didn¡¯t know the answer to Xinthi¡¯s questions? ¡°First, I must ask if you too are having nightmares.¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Kirin answered immediately. ¡°I know what the doctrine says of our immunity to nightmares, but it is very important for me to know where you stand.¡± ¡°No¡ªno. My dreams are intense sometimes, but nothing like that.¡± Kirin thought of her recurring dream. She disliked the way it made her feel, but seeing the Goddess Forest night after night couldn¡¯t be bad. Xinthi leaned back and sighed. ¡°So, it has to do with me alone, then.¡± Kirin shifted uncomfortably on her knees. This was all very troubling. Many dreams were meaningless, but recurring dreams almost always meant there was something to be learned, and once that instruction had been received, they would resolve themselves, even if it took days. Nightmares were given to chastise and correct, and were usually related to personal failings. But those were for regular people. The Nass¨¦ and her priestesses were set aside to receive special dreams, most of which were given on behalf of others, and in exchange all priestesses, and even candidates, were exempt from nightmares entirely. This way, their psyches could remain pure, allowing them to focus on elucidating the recurring dreams of others by identifying and interpreting the symbols without prejudice or bias. Then the dreamers could more easily resolve their issues and be free of their recurring dreams. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have one of your priestesses elucidate your nightmare for you?¡± Xinthi smiled sadly. ¡°I have called upon my chronicler to elucidate and confirm my dreams from time to time. But never a nightmare. A nightmare would cast doubt on the validity of all my previous visions. Instead, I¡¯ve allowed my chronicler to believe that I have had no meaningful dreams for her to record since last fall, since the incident with the empress of Judath. This cannot last forever. But it does bring me to my next question. You clearly know about elucidations. Have you learned how to perform them?¡± ¡°No, of course not,¡± Kirin stammered, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ve only just barely learned how to shift into the third degree of focus, and I¡¯m not good at it yet.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Xinthi dismissed. ¡°The third degree is necessary, of course. However, for elucidations, it is far more important to have wisdom and sensitivity to the goddess¡¯s will. To elucidate is to ¡®make known,¡¯ which is why the skill is so sought after among the nobles, and in fact is often essential to the wellbeing of our empires.¡± Xinthi leaned over and took another sip of her tea. ¡°Would you like to try it?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I don¡¯t drink much tea.¡± Xinthi chuckled softly. ¡°Silly girl, of course I mean elucidation. Would you like to try elucidating my dream?¡± ¡°Oh no, I couldn¡¯t.¡± Kirin waved her hands in front of her. ¡°Elucidation is way too advanced for me.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Xinthi urged simply. ¡°I must insist. You lack training, but your house makes you naturally inclined toward matters of the goddess. Also, you are not yet a priestess and therefore are not subject to their oaths and obligations, nor oversight from the high priests, including the emperors. As unusual it might be to make this request of you, I¡¯m sure you can imagine how much greater a scandal it would be were the high priests to discover that I have lost favor with the goddess. The noble summit is beginning soon, and I must have my nightmare resolved before I am called to account for the last two seasons. This is a duty that the goddess requires of you.¡± ¡°Alright, I can try,¡± Kirin mumbled miserably. This day was not going at all as she had hoped. ¡°Excellent.¡± Xinthi clasped her hands together and smiled toothily. ¡°Now, to elucidate my dream, I will need you to observe it as it unfolds and keep track of the events and symbols. Then when it is concluded, you will report the symbols back to me in precise sequence. Of course, the more difficult part of elucidation is the interpretation of these symbols, and I will do that myself. I simply need you to identify and examine the symbols that I cannot perceive while in the dream.¡± Kirin frowned. She couldn¡¯t make sense of her own dreams; how was she supposed to keep track of the symbols in a Nass¨¦¡¯s dream? ¡°I do feel that I should acknowledge that elucidation does carry its risks,¡± Xinthi admitted. ¡°The preparation for elucidation requires us to join our thought matter in a much more complicated way than what is done with a simple projection or cleansing. But there is nothing to fear. I will perform the braiding of our thought matter and guide you through the entire process. Now, if you would please shift into the third degree of focus and tell me when you can see my thoughts.¡± Kirin swallowed hard and nodded. As before, she shifted into the first degree of focus and pushed further, watching as the primal matter materialized and then faded, replaced by a mass of silvery threads that were Xinthi¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I can see them.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Xinthi¡¯s disembodied voice remarked approvingly. ¡°Normally, the elucidator is responsible for weaving the braided pattern, but I will perform it. Please go ahead and release your thoughts.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how,¡± Kirin stammered. ¡°You can start by relaxing. Think of some pleasant daydream you have had, perhaps a nice memory. Your thoughts will come out on their own.¡± Kirin imagined a platter of steamed milk cakes and was surprised to see silver strands start to loosen and float in front of her eyes. ¡°Those are my thoughts!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Yes. I will now take our thoughts and braid them together. Not too tight, not too loose.¡± Kirin watched as Xinthi gathered up her thought matter and began arranging the strands into three separate hanks, then doing the same to her own. ¡°The pattern is simple but consistent,¡± Xinthi commented as she worked. ¡°Unlike other patterns, there is no risk of knotting or tangling. We simply overlap each hank, one over the other.¡± Eventually, their thoughts came together to form a perfect, semi-transparent rope that stretched between their foreheads. Finished with the preparations, Xinthi continued. ¡°Now that our thoughts are joined, I will show you my dream. Do not speak until it¡¯s done, and do not, under any circumstances, break your focus. When the dream has finished, tell me everything you saw in the exact order you saw it. No detail is unimportant. Do you understand?¡± Kirin nodded, although she knew Xinthi, who was also in the third degree of focus, couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Good, then we shall begin.¡± Kirin¡¯s mind was immediately swallowed up in darkness, quickly replaced by a vivid scene all around her. She was walking down a gloomy chapel, a pillar of light shining in the distance. Set in the center of the pillar of light was an altar, behind which stood a wild-haired woman. Was this the Nass¨¦¡¯s dream? It did kind of feel like a dream, but unlike Kirin¡¯s own dreams, she felt fully awake and able to think clearly about what she was seeing. But it still felt odd to sense her body in two places at once. She knew she was still kneeling on Xinthi¡¯s bed, but she also felt herself walking deliberately toward this altar that she knew wasn¡¯t real. When her dream self finally reached the end of the chapel to stand in front of the altar, she saw that it was a table made out of stone. The purple cloth partially covering it was embroidered with glyphs that she recognized but couldn¡¯t read. The faceless woman with wild hair moved slightly behind the altar. She stood just outside of the pillar of light, and most of her body was beyond the light¡¯s reach. On top of her silver curls sat a wreath made of fine, white jewels, which shone like stars. In her hand, she clutched a gold knife. Kirin was suddenly made to look down. A young woman was now lying across the altar, with hands and feet bound together like a naru prepared for slaughter. She was just as unknown to Kirin as the wild-haired woman, but instead of a wreath, she wore a simple band of silver with celestial engravings across her forehead. The young woman was smiling eerily, like a child being led off to a terrible place by a kind-looking stranger. Kirin felt sad for the woman on the altar, but quickly felt herself being tugged away by unseen hands. She saw a man watching beyond the edge of the light. He was shrouded in shadow, but even half-hidden, Kirin could see he was strikingly handsome, with fine features and black eyes. Kirin drew closer to him, mesmerized, but stopped short when the shadows surrounding him intensified threateningly. She turned back to the altar and saw to her surprise that the wild-haired woman was gone and the altar was empty. Confused, Kirin again looked to the shadowy man and saw that the bound woman wearing the diadem was no longer bound, but standing hand in hand with him. She was too far away for Kirin to make out her face, but both she and the man slowly turned and began walking away. As they headed further into the shadows, the woman¡¯s body began to glow, and strange black lines began to stretch across her skin. And then both the man and woman were gone. A small cry drew Kirin¡¯s attention to the altar, which was now more dimly lit. There was a small girl lying peacefully on the altar as a hooded priest in strange-looking robes stood above her with arms raised high, a glinting knife clenched in his hands. He was going to stab the girl! Kirin reached out to stop him, but it was too late. The knife plunged down, piercing the girl¡¯s heart in a single stroke. Kirin gasped as she watched the girl¡¯s blood pour freely from her chest, immediately staining the entirety of her simple white dress with an unnatural, ruby-colored glow. But the priest wasn¡¯t yet done. He raised the knife again over the now-spasming body of the girl and drove it down again into her chest, creating a new source of blood, which began pooling on the ground. Once more he raised his arms, and the resulting strike finally took the life out of the girl, who finally fell limp on the altar. Slowly, and yet not unsettlingly, the priest, altar, and girl¡¯s body faded from view. Then there was a cracking noise. Kirin looked up to see the arch of the night sky appear overhead. The moon and stars all shone sweetly at first, but then each winked out as the sky suddenly burst, splintering like glass. Kirin moved to shield her eyes with her hands, but as she did, she saw that they were not her hands but rather the palms of the Nass¨¦¡¯s thin, white hands, cut up and bleeding from all the glass. Kirin lurched backwards, both in the dream and physically, and the image flashed white, replaced by a vision of reality. She had forcibly unraveled the braid of their thoughts and slipped completely out of any degree of focus. She found herself leaning backwards on the bed, her hands braced behind her to keep herself propped up. She stared wide-eyed at the Nass¨¦, who was glaring at her. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Xinthi demanded. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t foreseen your sudden movement and loosened the braid, we both could have ended up insane or worse! Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is to break your concentration while performing an elucidation?¡± Kirin choked, gripping the sharp pain at her temples. ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done,¡± Xinthi growled. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that your thought matter didn¡¯t snap back into your skull.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± The Nass¨¦ waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Now, I trust you had enough time to view my nightmare?¡± ¡°I-I suppose I did.¡± The Nass¨¦ nodded slowly, her eyes squinting to piercing slits. ¡°If you truly are as gifted as they say, tell me what you saw.¡± Kirin drew in a long breath, trying to piece together her fragmented thoughts. ¡°I saw lots of things. There was this wild-haired woman¡ªor at least I think she was a woman. And then this priest killed a child and then I¡ªer¡ªyou got all cut up by the glass and there was this¡ª¡± ¡°Slow down!¡± Xinthi exclaimed. ¡°You need to calm yourself and recount the dream for me in the exact order you saw it. No detail is too small.¡± Kirin gulped and nodded slowly. ¡°Begin again.¡± ¡°Well, at first there was a shaft of white light. And there was an altar with a woman standing behind it. There was another woman lying on the altar, all tied up.¡± ¡°Can you describe their faces?¡± Xinthi asked. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. It was too dark to be sure. I know the first woman was wearing a wreath of jewels. The second woman was smiling, I think, although I couldn¡¯t make out the rest of her face. I don¡¯t think she knew she was going to die. Oh! And she was wearing a diadem!¡± Xinthi flinched slightly, her expression unchanged. ¡°A diadem? That is a detail I do not recall.¡± She looked away from Kirin for a moment. ¡°Yes, it was made out of silver and had all sorts of engravings on it. There were suns, moons, and stars across it in a pattern.¡± The Nass¨¦¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°There was a man in the shadows, watching,¡± Kirin continued, pursing her lips. ¡°He tried to stay hidden, but I still saw him. He had the blackest eyes. And it was like he brought shadow with him. He was surrounded by it, even though the light was shining near him.¡± ¡°Surrounded by shadow?¡± Xinthi arched an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what it was. I got distracted by the woman on the altar, but then she wasn¡¯t there anymore, and instead ended up with the man. I only got to see them for a few seconds before they disappeared, along with the shadows.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, the woman with the black veins.¡± Kirin frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know that they were veins, actually. They were glowing like they should be white, but they kind of spread in more of like a pattern or¡ª¡± ¡°What of the priest?¡± Xinthi interrupted. ¡°The one who slew the child on the altar? Did you see his face?¡± ¡°No, he was wearing a hood. But I got a good look at his robes. They looked a little like priest robes but were very colorful. Sort of purple and golden,¡± Kirin said. ¡°And the girl?¡± ¡°She looked almost more like a doll. Well, a doll that bled when it was stabbed. He stabbed her three times, and her blood seemed to be glowing.¡± ¡°You claim her blood was glowing?¡± Kirin nodded. ¡°It was this strange red, not like real blood, but it was glowing as it came out of her and still glowing when it dripped onto the floor. It was very vivid and bright!¡± ¡°Interesting. Go on.¡± ¡°Well, then I heard a crack, and I looked up and I wasn¡¯t in a chapel anymore. I was looking up at the stars and the moon, only they vanished and the sky just broke and rained glass all over me. And then I saw that I was bleeding, only I was looking down at your hands, not mine.¡± She held out her hands, confirming that her palms were still brown and broader than Xinthi¡¯s. ¡°And then? Was there more?¡± ¡°No. I mean, I guess that¡¯s when I panicked and broke the connection.¡± ¡°I see. So, you saw nothing more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help you more.¡± Kirin felt her eyes prick with tears. ¡°I would have you elucidate again, but not now. You are drained and would risk us both with your lack of control. No, you will go now and I will ponder what I have learned. Speak of this to no one.¡± Kirin blinked, surprised at the abrupt dismissal. She opened the curtains and scooted off the mattress, turning to look at the prophetess, who still huddled in the shadows, enveloped by sheets and pillows. She watched as the pupils of the Nass¨¦¡¯s eyes gradually shrank into thin slivers as they stared off into the darkness. Completely unsure of what to make of this experience, Kirin closed the curtains and quietly exited the Chamber of Dreaming. Chapter Seven Chapter 7 Yalet The Empire of Nejim The Noble District of Tijar Anoth stepped out of his conveyance pattern and into the familiar surroundings of his personal suite, high up in the towers of the palace of Tijar. He took a deep breath, taking the time to brush bits of ash from his sleeves. He had traveled to Mount Thayl by slow, mortal means, but his return trip was made nearly instantly using the fiery portal. Such conveyance patterns were difficult to create, and going through one would be fatal to any mortal, but the effort and resulting exhaustion were worth it. Now that he was home, his only concern was for his master. Anoth strode swiftly to the other side of his bedroom. He held the Orb above the basin stand, examining it. His master¡¯s vessel was filthy¡ªcaked in earth so thick and hard that he could only see glints of the blue-gray labradorite hidden beneath. He filled the washbasin with water from a nearby ewer and dipped the Orb beneath its surface. He dug his nails into the softening grime, breaking off bits here and there and turning the water into a slurry of filth. One by one, glyphs began to appear on the stone, revealing a surface that was polished and smooth to the touch. Only when every grain of grit was removed did Anoth finally smile, satisfied. He dried the Orb with a towel and brought it to the center of the room, where he knelt reverently on the floor. It had been nine hundred years since he had lost the Orb, and his master, Verahi, within it. Before that, Verahi had been his only confidant and friend for several centuries. They were both exiles from their original home, considered oath-breakers and criminals of the worst kind. But they knew better, and Anoth had long wished for the day when he and Verahi would be reunited. ¡°Master, can you hear me?¡± Anoth raised the Orb a little, allowing the sunlight shining through the windows to bathe its surface. The Orb, however, remained lifeless. Anoth shook his head. The Orb had gone too long without refined matter to energize it. He turned the shining ball around in his hands. Unlike mortal bodies, his body was composed of refined matter, and it emanated from him perpetually. Because the Orb served as a prison, Verahi had relied on close contact with Anoth to maintain consciousness, but now, nothing stirred. Anoth grimaced. Usually it only took a touch to energize the Orb. Had it been dormant for so long that Verahi couldn¡¯t be revived? Anoth brought the Orb up to his face, shifting into the third degree of focus and squinting until he could finally make out a dull but impossibly dense cluster of thought matter at the center of the Orb. Perhaps it needed a catalyst to wake. Anoth lowered the Orb and shifted to the first degree of focus. He began gathering shadow primal matter in his free hand and forced loose particles of light matter into close proximity until the mixture crackled audibly. He pressed the tight pattern into the Orb, which caused it to glow intensely and emit waves of heat that swept back his hair and charred his sleeves. When the glow stopped increasing in intensity, he ceased his injection and held his breath. The Orb flickered for a moment, but then its brightness faded slowly until it went completely dark and lifeless. Anoth exhaled and hung his head. He had found the Orb, but had time eroded the delicate mechanisms that made it work? Had Naltena sabotaged it as her final act? Just as Anoth was ready to give up and place the Orb onto his mantle, it suddenly brightened of its own accord, causing him to fall back on his heels. Verahi¡¯s voice reverberated softly from the Orb. ¡°Anoth?¡± Anoth laughed joyously. ¡°Master!¡± He lifted the Orb up once again, but faltered as his arms suddenly weakened, numbness beginning to creep through his entire body. Verahi was leeching energy from him through his hands. He resisted the urge to drop the Orb; he would allow Verahi to take whatever he wished. Verahi spoke again from the Orb, a little louder this time. ¡°The last thing I recall is Naltena¡¯s voice. But I cannot sense her here.¡± The light within the Orb swirled and buzzed, shifting the stone¡¯s color from gray to green. ¡°Naltena hid you from me. She claimed to be protecting me from you. She said your influence would lead to¡ª¡± ¡°Lies!¡± The Orb became hot in response. ¡°You were wise not to have listened to her. Our enemies rely on such fabrications to separate us from our goals, and from each other. They know that they cannot defeat us when we are united in purpose.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Anoth agreed. ¡°You say I was hidden from you. How long was I hidden?¡± ¡°Nine hundred years,¡± Anoth answered hesitantly. The Orb darkened a little, its temperature rapidly decreasing. ¡°How is it that I was lost for nine hundred years? Where was I hidden that you could not find me?¡± ¡°Naltena wrested you away from me and conveyed you directly into Mount Thayl, burying you deep in the mountain,¡± Anoth responded. ¡°By the time I reached the mountain, I was no longer able to sense your psyche, nor could I see it or the orb itself in any degree of focus. I couldn¡¯t use orm¨¦ to level the mountain, risking damage to the Orb that would leave you trapped forever. So I used Yalet¡¯s native beshtats and Naltite slaves we stole from Zaidna to excavate the mountain inch by inch in order to find you. That is why it took so long.¡± Verahi was quiet for a moment, the light shining through the labradorite fading to a flicker. ¡°Your diligence is appreciated,¡± Verahi finally acknowledged. The stone grew slightly warm again, and Anoth felt the blood rush back into his forearms. ¡°What was done to punish Naltena? Surely, she is not unscathed.¡± ¡°She was punished, enough to satisfy even you, Master. I beat and stabbed her until she finally confessed to where she conveyed you, and then I left her body to be torn apart by the hadirs until her psyche was left naked and helpless. They could not consume her psyche, of course, but I allowed them to taste it.¡± Anoth smiled sadistically at the memory. ¡°Well,¡± Verahi murmured with some satisfaction. ¡°Then you¡¯ve as good as killed her.¡± Anoth smirked. ¡°Yes. If a shred of her psyche somehow remains after all this time, it is blind and utterly lost.¡± The Orb vibrated uncertainly. ¡°This is a dangerous victory. Are the others aware of Naltena¡¯s fate? This act would certainly justify intervention.¡± Anoth frowned. Nine hundred years was not a particularly long time to his people, but the retaliation he expected had never come, except that the old forest on the other side of the parting was all of a sudden completely refined. It could have been done as an acknowledgment of his victory, but more than likely it was a warning or threat. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much they know of it. I have generally kept the oaths of this world since we arrived.¡± Verahi hissed. ¡°You delude yourself. Of course they know every detail. They don¡¯t want to admit to such a loss, so they do nothing. They are simply waiting for you to further overstep your bounds before taking greater action of their own. We will be fine if we remain careful.¡± Verahi paused, the Orb thrumming softly. ¡°Tell me, now that the whole of Zaidna is under your control, do you have a single emperor ruling over it or do you reign from here in Yalet?¡± Any pride Anoth felt for his victory over Naltena was snuffed out in an instant. For the first six hundred years after Verahi¡¯s loss, Anoth had single-mindedly searched for the Orb at the expense of all other responsibilities. The beshtats he had enslaved proved to be inefficient and accident-prone while excavating for the Orb, and the hadirs had refused to stoop to manual labor. It was only when the hadirs¡¯ numbers grew to the point that they became restless and difficult to feed that Anoth decided to send them beyond the parting to pillage Zaidna for fresh psyches to consume and suitable slaves to help chisel at the mountain. He had hoped that they would have found the Orb quickly after that, and that he and Verahi could conquer Zaidna together. But nine hundred years had passed, and he had little to show for it. ¡°You hesitate,¡± Verahi observed as the Orb flashed white. ¡°Surely, without Naltena¡¯s protection, all of Zaidna has fallen into your hands.¡± Anoth averted his gaze, even though he knew Verahi could not see him. ¡°No, Master, not exactly. Even with Naltena dead, there is always opposition, as you know.¡± Verahi was silent for a moment. ¡°Then surely at least one of the Naltite empires is under your control. Judath, where the parting lies, perhaps? This would have greatly increased our numbers.¡± Anoth shut his eyes, ashamed. ¡°Judath is still under the control of a Naltite emperor, as are the others.¡± ¡°Even with a host of hadirs and beshtat thralls at your command?¡± ¡°. . . We have also not yet gained control over all of the beshtat lands. As always, they are¡ªprotected.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have Yalet fully under control? But how can this be? You have hadirs, you have slaves, and yet the Naltites and beshtats remain free? What have you been doing these nine hundred years?¡± Anoth thinned his lips, choosing silence over self-incrimination. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something from me.¡± Verahi¡¯s tone was rigidly stern. ¡°Show me.¡± Anoth knew all too well what ¡°showing¡± would involve. ¡°Please, Master, that isn¡¯t necessary! Let me explain. The hadirs¡ªthey go beyond the parting and¡ª¡± The Orb, however, was uninterested in any explanation, becoming red hot in Anoth¡¯s palm. ¡°Show me. Now!¡± Anoth swallowed and slowly held the Orb up to his face. He shifted into the third degree of focus. Where there had been an inert mass at its center just minutes before, there was now an overflowing ball of thought matter, with long tendrils spilling from his master¡¯s psyche. He reluctantly willed his own thoughts forward, weaving the threads into Verahi¡¯s, intentionally knotting and tangling them together into a rough silver rope. ¡°Good,¡± Verahi muttered, and Anoth¡¯s vision was immediately obliterated into chaos. Verahi began digging into Anoth¡¯s memories, uprooting and discarding them with abandon. Flashes of Anoth¡¯s past came into view, not as living, moving scenes, but rather as fragments of images, where there was only an instant to process each of them. Anoth tried feebly to direct Verahi away from more sensitive memories. An old image of Naltena flared up, in which she was weaving the pattern that ultimately tore the Orb from his hands, before she conveyed it into the depths of Mount Thayl. He then saw his own hands strike Naltena down as the hadirs rallied all around him. Verahi discarded this memory for another, and Anoth found himself on Mount Thayl for the first time out of thousands as he hunted for the Orb. He watched as he used orm¨¦ to pull giant mounds of earth from the surface of the mountain, then frantically searching through the rubble, terrified that he might have damaged the Orb in his zeal. He had quickly realized that he would not be able to locate it on his own and would need to enlist his followers to excavate using more primitive methods. Silent moments passed, but Anoth knew they represented years. Newly transformed hadirs dotted the face of Mount Thayl, with Anoth barking orders. But the hadirs were lazy and disobedient, surreptitiously using orm¨¦ as a shortcut to lay waste to the mountainside whenever Anoth wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°I see you¡¯ve made even more of your abominations,¡± Verahi hissed with disapproval. ¡°They bring unique challenges,¡± Anoth acknowledged, ¡°but they are loyal and eternally indebted to me. They may have failed as excavators, but they managed to subjugate many beshtat slaves as replacements.¡± He gently drew out memories of his hadirs as they gathered and crossed over the borders of Nejim to conquer the beshtats¡¯ capital city. Verahi grunted, pushing past those memories and into images of scores of beshtat slaves wilting and dying on Mount Thayl as they toiled in the hot sun. Their slave master hadirs circled in the periphery, waiting for their chance to feast on the psyches of the near-dead, then burning beshtat bodies by the heapful at the base of the mountain. ¡°What was the point of collecting these vermin? Would their deaths at the hands of the hadirs not bring frequent interference?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Anoth swallowed nervously, shifting to memories of the remaining beshtats largely being put to work serving the Anotites in the capital, and the hadirs being gathered once again, this time to pass through the parting into Zaidna. Anoth had traveled with the hadirs during the early decades of these raids, watching as they blitzed unsuspecting coastal towns, feasting on the weak and bringing back worthy Naltite slaves. The hadirs took great pleasure in carving orm¨¦-blocking glyphs directly into the slaves¡¯ flesh, after which all the males were taken directly to Mount Thayl. The Orb hummed in contemplation. ¡°Using Naltite slaves to excavate the mountain may have been the correct plan in the end,¡± Verahi conceded. ¡°Very little risk to our people, proper use of glyphs to suppress the Naltites¡¯ orm¨¦, and no oath-breaking in Yalet that would warrant retaliation.¡± Anoth nodded eagerly, hoping that Verahi wouldn¡¯t look any further into the more sordid details of how the Orb was found. ¡°What is to be done with the hadirs now that their task is complete?¡± Verahi asked, sifting through more memories of the hadirs. ¡°I see that their numbers lessened with every raid. None of the Naltite villagers would be able to cause any harm to a hadir in combat, so it is curious that they would simply disappear. And yet their numbers are still too high here to have them idle for long. I assume you have no plans to create more?¡± ¡°I admit I may have been less selective when choosing subjects at first. But I intend on converting only the most faithful and qualified in the future.¡± ¡°I question your judgment,¡± Verahi admonished, drawing up a mosaic of related images. ¡°Look at the fruits of your work. These hadirs served you well as protectors, but you have allowed them to influence your courts. They disregard my laws and cause our people to follow their bad examples with impunity.¡± ¡°But Master, I allow them to participate in the government so that they can enforce your laws. There certainly have been some hadirs who have taken advantage of those privileges, but I have dealt with them in¡ª¡± ¡°I am not a fool,¡± Verahi interrupted, pulling up a torrent of memories as if from a cascading scroll. ¡°How do your enforcers justify the nightly indulgence of orgies in their bathhouses? And beyond these whoredoms, they flout my teachings by despoiling the purity of the mortals, especially that of the innocent.¡± Anoth remained silent, his mind frozen in fear. ¡°Indulgence and permissiveness. They waste good psyches for pleasure¡¯s sake.¡± Verahi focused in on a particular set of memories. ¡°And an emperor lying dead in the audience hall, with no one held responsible?¡± Verahi reviewed the gory scene, which was framed by a circle of hadirs looking on innocently, while a young Zalas knelt crying in a far corner. Verahi brought up another image of Tovam bisecting a dissenting hadir in a wave of blood amidst throaty cheers. ¡°And how do you have no memories of these events until after they¡¯ve occurred? Where is your oversight? Why create hadirs if you have no intention of controlling them?¡± ¡°My attention has been wholly on finding you,¡± Anoth replied. Verahi thrust away the pile of images and pulled up another sequence of memories, even as Anoth resisted. ¡°You spend your time in Zaidna,¡± Verahi observed quizzically. Anoth winced as he tried in vain to push Verahi¡¯s focus onto memories of him gallantly leading raids. ¡°I have seen those memories already, and they are centuries old,¡± Verahi dismissed. ¡°What business do you have in Zaidna now?¡± Brushing Anoth¡¯s feeble interference aside, he delved into a kaleidoscope of fresh images, comprised of numerous trips through the parting, conveyance patterns, the sapphire bay of Sayora, a ring of green mountains, and finally resting on a single image of Anoth¡¯s hand petting a sazi¡¯s furry head. His hand moved to rub the sazi¡¯s belly, then materialized a fish to feed the creature¡¯s ravenous appetite. ¡°What¡ªwhat is this?¡± Verahi sputtered. Anoth found himself barely able to remain upright from the continuous incursions into his psyche. ¡°I . . . have an affinity for sazis,¡± he explained weakly. Verahi¡¯s wrath consumed the Orb, and he immediately tore into Anoth¡¯s memories in Zaidna. One by one, he extracted images of Sorai, first as a young maiden, then several during her pregnancy. In each memory, Anoth viewed her from a distance, always careful to hide himself behind bushes or other obstructions. ¡°Who is this harlot?¡± Verahi demanded. Anoth provided no response, and Verahi pried even further, uncovering years of Sorai¡¯s grief at the loss of her first son. ¡°Why would you abandon your duties to chase after this mortal woman?¡± ¡°She is my beloved,¡± Anoth stammered. ¡°We were to wed, but I wouldn¡¯t do so without your blessing. I promised I would find the Orb and we would marry according to the higher law, but in that time¡ª¡± ¡°Feh. Pathetic lies,¡± Verahi scoffed. ¡°You wish to wed a mortal.¡± He flipped through a dozen more images in disgust. ¡°This mortal who you have never even spoken one word to. You want this long-tailed, dalanai mortal who is already wed to another, an emperor no less.¡± ¡°Who do I have to wed other than a mortal?¡± Anoth lamented. ¡°And Sorai would not be a mortal for long. I would make her a hadir, so that she could be my wife for eternity.¡± Verahi stopped on a sequence of Anoth watching a crowded imperial procession pass by on Sorai¡¯s wedding day. ¡°You could have stopped this if you had desired,¡± Verahi mused. Anoth blanched at the memory. In it, his eyes were firmly planted on the large palanquin that carried the ill-fitted couple, but while he strayed to gaze at his beloved from time to time, he spent much more time fixated on the staff-like kada that was held erect in its base on the palanquin floor. Atop the kada was set the brilliant ovoid sapphire he had spent years refining, only to have it despoiled by unworthy mortal hands. ¡°You claim your non-interference was in deference to me,¡± Verahi continued. ¡°But your mind reveals cowardice. You fear the kada and what it can do to you.¡± ¡°I admit I was tempted to interfere,¡± Anoth conceded. ¡°But I know the power of the kadas and that I would have a far better chance of overcoming one with your aid. Most of all, however, I would not wed my beloved unless it could be performed according to the higher law.¡± The Orb hummed in contemplation. ¡°Your motives are suspect. But you have been alone for centuries without my guidance, so I cannot fault you for all your diversions. And you did locate and extract me. However, I cannot allow you to be distracted from your original task. I will allow you to wed this mortal according to the higher law, but you must meet my conditions before I will perform the rites.¡± ¡°Anything,¡± Anoth readily agreed. ¡°My conditions are these: your people will learn to obey my laws with exactness. This includes your hadirs. Then, you will complete the task you started nine hundred years ago by finally freeing me from this prison and restoring my body to me. Only when these have been accomplished can you have your bride.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Anoth groveled, knowing full well that the simplicity of Verahi¡¯s demands belied the difficulty of achieving them. The hadirs were not easily tamed and would not take well to Verahi¡¯s laws of forbearance and restraint. And yet helping Verahi escape from the Orb with his original form intact would be a far more daunting task, with much higher risks. ¡°Do you still have the keys required to bypass the glyphs and initiate the pardoning?¡± Verahi asked. ¡°Yes, they are safely kept in the temple vaults.¡± ¡°And are there suitable witnesses among the slaves you have acquired?¡± Anoth frowned. ¡°The Naltite slaves were mostly taken from small villages. Their houses of orm¨¦ are somewhat¡ªinferior. While their psyches would conduct an adequate amount of light matter for the task, they are also too damaged to be of any use without risk of rejection. We would need to get fresh witnesses from Zaidna. The Orb will confirm, but unspoiled females among the noble caste would likely be best. However, if we take nobles, there are the kadas to worry about.¡± ¡°The presence of a kada did not deter you from peeping after your whore. They are a necessary risk. The Orb is still configured to seek out suitable witnesses, yes? You will need to take a minimum of followers as your support.¡± ¡°Tovam and his captains would make excellent¡ª¡± ¡°Your hadirs cannot be trusted as they are. Their presence alone would certainly bruise the witnesses¡¯ psyches. And surely you know the risk of what they might do to the witnesses should you ever turn your back.¡± Anoth nodded slowly. ¡°I will need to assemble men willing to die for me.¡± ¡°Take the time you need, but recognize that this dalanai woman will never be yours until these tasks are complete.¡± Anoth suppressed a visceral swell of frustration. Seemingly satisfied, Verahi withdrew the tendrils of his thought matter and the Orb immediately went dormant, leaving Anoth to his own thoughts for the first time in what felt like eons. *** ¡°Awaken yourself, Zalas.¡± Zalas groaned, still half-asleep. Whatever voice had roused him from his slumber must have just been imagined. He rolled over to face the window, wrapping himself up in his gold and green bedsheets. He quickly began to drift back to sleep. ¡°Fool, wake up!¡± Zalas¡¯s eyes popped open. He sat upright, all grogginess immediately gone from his body. He found Kailei, Davim¡¯s bed slave, already awake at his side, her bruised body tense with terror. He turned from the whimpering slave to see Anoth standing at the foot of the bed. Anoth¡¯s silhouette was framed by the fire burning in the hearth behind him. Something about his blue eyes made him look entirely mad. ¡°Startled?¡± he asked with a sneer. Zalas didn¡¯t have a chance to answer. Anoth leaned forward menacingly. ¡°I see this is the same dalanai whore from earlier! Where is your wife?¡± Kailei pressed herself up against the stone headboard of the bed and sobbed silently. Zalas balled his hands into fists. ¡°Why are you here? What do you care of who¡¯s in my bed? You didn¡¯t want her.¡± Anoth slowly shook his head, a muscle in his jaw visibly hardening. There was something strangely weary in his expression. ¡°This behavior is no longer acceptable.¡± ¡°No longer acceptable?¡± Zalas tensed. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here in the middle of the night? To chide me about my choice of bed slaves? Don¡¯t you have better things to do? Or is it that you¡¯ve suddenly grown tired of the Orb? Did it turn out to be just a rock after all?¡± Anoth¡¯s face reddened as he rounded the bed to stare Zalas down, ignoring Kailei''s quivering body. ¡°Nothing less than strict adherence to Verahi¡¯s laws will be acceptable from this time forward. And obedience must start with the emperor.¡± ¡°Hypocrite!¡± Zalas spat. ¡°If you care so much about obedience, shouldn¡¯t it start with you? You have done everything possible to make me impotent as emperor. You forced me to marry a fat ass cow, you¡¯ve taken all my power and given it to your hadirs, and you¡¯ve left me to rule pointless courts over senile old men! Look at yourself. I know what you get up to when you¡ª¡± Before Zalas could complete his accusation, Anoth pulled back his fist and plunged it through Kailei¡¯s throat. Zalas blinked in confusion as he was splattered by a mist of gore. Kailei¡¯s lifeless body slumped off the mattress and fell to the floor with a wet thud. Anoth nonchalantly wiped his hands on the tangled bedsheets. ¡°You killed her!¡± Zalas sputtered as he leapt off the bed and into a position that would leave him less likely to be murdered. ¡°Now I will have to pay my brother-in-law for the loss of her!¡± Anoth stalked forward and took hold of Zalas¡¯s neck in a fierce but shaking grip, pulling him close so that Zalas could feel his breath on his face. ¡°You will know your place!¡± After a few moments, Anoth released his grip, and Zalas gasped for air, rubbing at his throat. ¡°Dress yourself.¡± Zalas hastily moved to wrap himself with a bloodied sheet while Anoth stood by the bed, reaching into his coat to withdraw a round object. Zalas¡¯s eyes widened. This stone was no longer the crusty clod of dirt he had seen earlier that afternoon. Instead, it shone with a prismatic sheen. ¡°Is that truly Verahi?¡± he asked, half in awe and half in disbelief. This was the first time in almost a millennium that an emperor of Nejim gazed upon the Orb. An emanating buzzing from the Orb grew from a whisper into a piercing hum. Anoth muttered back to it in sporadic bursts, only to wince as the Orb sprung to life, evincing a deep, angry voice. ¡°Do you see what your neglect has wrought?¡± ¡°Forgive me, Master!¡± Anoth stammered, his hand visibly smoking with the increasing heat of the Orb. Zalas backed away slowly. He might have found Anoth¡¯s groveling amusing if he weren¡¯t still in mortal danger. ¡°I set you up to be an example to these people, and your emperor, this worm, is supposed to be your representative. His blatant flouting of my laws is just more proof of how lax your discipline has become.¡± The Orb visibly cooled. ¡°However, despite your failure in your duties, there is no reason to delay atonement. According to my laws, the punishment for adultery is death, even for an emperor. You may slay this one, now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zalas choked, looking to Anoth in panic. Anoth raised his injured hand to do the Orb¡¯s bidding, but hesitated a moment. ¡°Master, are you certain? As of this afternoon his wife was still in childbed, and an heir has not been secured.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Verahi dismissed from the Orb. ¡°His entire bloodline is condemned because of his sins. Destroy the offspring and its mother, as well as any kin who might have any claim to his station.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Anoth replied uncertainly. ¡°Wait!¡± Zalas cried out. ¡°Let¡¯s not be drastic!¡± He thought fleetingly of his wretched unborn child, then of his sister, Roet, who was a slut but didn¡¯t deserve to die. ¡°How can I fully obey your laws if I never knew them? I helped look for the Orb. I helped find it! I would certainly follow your laws now that you are here to give them!¡± The Orb darkened in contemplation. ¡°I swear I will do anything that you ask. Let me prove my worth!¡± Anoth lowered his hand and looked to the Orb. ¡°What will you have me do, Master?¡± ¡°He will live for now,¡± the Orb finally said. ¡°Ignorance of my laws is also a sin, but I offer forgiveness in this case based on my absence and your poor example to these people.¡± Zalas expelled a sigh of relief and fell to his knees. ¡°Thank you! My gratitude pours out to¡ª¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Verahi snapped. ¡°As the first step in your atonement, you will join Anoth in his. Prepare yourself to retrieve three witnesses from Zaidna.¡± ¡°Witnesses? I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Master, this mortal is useless,¡± Anoth protested. ¡°He is a spoiled, pampered whelp who would just get in my way. He would only be useful in enlisting worthier¡ª¡± ¡°And yet he would follow my laws, which is more than you could claim for any of your other followers,¡± Verahi interrupted. ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± Zalas murmured fearfully. What was happening? He hated his life, but what was being suggested here was insane and confusing. What were these witnesses? Why would he need to travel through the parting? Why did he have to be involved in any of this at all? ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± ¡°Your alternative is death,¡± Anoth replied coldly. ¡°I suggest you consider your options carefully.¡± With that, he placed the Orb back into his coat and swiftly left Zalas¡¯s chambers. Chapter Eight Chapter 8 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace ¡°Why do you think grown men refuse to bathe in public?¡± Tirbeth pointed a slim finger toward the green shallows of the lake that flowed into the palace grounds. Anji rolled her eyes. There were several adolescent boys romping around in the water, splashing each other with excessive violence. They were wearing little more than sopping loincloths that did nothing to spare her eyes from the private regions of their bodies. ¡°Look at how skinny they are!¡± Tirbeth exclaimed, sounding decidedly un-princess-like. ¡°Goddess, they¡¯re so gross!¡± Anji snorted. She didn¡¯t disagree. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind them being thin if you had something to look at between their legs.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Tirbeth agreed, blushing. Anji was just a few weeks older than Tirbeth, but strangely didn¡¯t share the high princess¡¯s lusty obsession with boys. She could stomach her brother and father, but just didn¡¯t see the allure of a bunch of animals who did nothing but fight and smell. Tirbeth, on the other hand, threw herself at any man she found to be attractive, which was most of them. Of course, she was rejected at every turn, not just because she was the high princess, but because she was overly aggressive and didn¡¯t learn from her mistakes. ¡°Speaking of things between legs, what do you think it would be like to sleep with a dalanai? ¡± she asked with pursed lips. ¡°There should be lots of dalanais attending the noble summit, so I¡¯d like to try seducing one. Oh, but I suppose I should be bedded by an eshtan first for comparison¡¯s sake. One of these days, Anji.¡± Anji sighed as Tirbeth hopped ahead of her and spun around, walking backwards so they could see each other¡¯s faces. ¡°I don¡¯t care about who or what you decide to hand your virginity off to,¡± Anji declared firmly. Tirbeth twirled back around, her sandaled feet making a scratchy squelching noise as they crossed the pebbly beach. ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re no fun at all today! But I guess even taking a walk with a grouch beats walking alone.¡± Anji didn¡¯t reply. Tirbeth began swishing her skirts around. ¡°Say, we ought to go swimming just like we used to. Remember how fun it was a couple summers ago? Let¡¯s just rip off all our clothes and do it now!¡± ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± Anji replied curtly. ¡°And no. We¡¯re sixteen and much too old for that now. Your father¡ªthe emperor of Judath for Goddess¡¯s sake¡ªlets you get away with lots of things, but he¡¯d have a stroke if you did that, especially near those boys.¡± Tirbeth sighed, her shoulders rounding in disappointment. ¡°Oh, you really aren¡¯t any fun,¡± she said, defeated. ¡°Still, I¡¯m glad you came to visit today. The entire court is getting on my nerves! You wouldn¡¯t believe all the toys my father¡¯s toadies shower all over my baby brother. Why does he deserve all that attention? All he does is drool and sit around in his own filth.¡± ¡°All babies do that,¡± Anji replied, noticing that Tirbeth was leading her closer and closer to the water. She tensed, wondering if Tirbeth meant to shove her into the lake with all her clothes on. It wouldn¡¯t have been the first time. Instead, Tirbeth turned to watch the little lapping waves for a while, the soft splashing sounds only punctuated by the tinkling of the earrings that dangled from her long earlobes. Anji frowned. Tirbeth didn¡¯t say anything, and always tried to hide it, but Anji knew she was still missing her mother. ¡°Brothers aren¡¯t all bad,¡± Anji finally assured. ¡°Javan can be a pain sometimes, but he¡¯s always looking out for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Tirbeth sulked. ¡°Irraj is fifteen years younger than me, but because he¡¯s a boy he gets to inherit everything. All the money, and that silly kada, and then he gets to sit with Father during the fancy processions now instead of me. I was so excited about the noble summit this year, but now I won¡¯t be the eligible empress-to-be that all the princes get to fawn over. Now I¡¯m just going to be the dumpy sister of a baby first in line to be emperor!¡± ¡°Oh, stop being so cranky,¡± Anji hushed. ¡°At least you get to be high princess. I¡¯m just a lowly western princess who only gets to live in Marin during the summers. The whole point of my life is to marry whoever will give my family name the biggest boost. Come to think of it, the thing that would please my father most would be if I waited twenty years until he could marry me off to Irraj. So imagine how that makes me feel.¡± ¡°Ew!¡± Tirbeth exclaimed. ¡°But at least you can marry up. I can only marry equal or down from here. And it¡¯s been ages since any noble has dared to intermarry with another race. Besides, look at what I¡¯d have to work with. Emperor Angxa¡¯s son, Xaoshu, sends nice gifts and all, but he¡¯s so creepy and weird! And then there¡¯s the high prince of Chalei, but he¡¯s been a baby ever since I can remember.¡± She sighed loudly. ¡°Maybe I should just get it over with and marry Javan.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°That¡¯s disgusting,¡± Anji spat disapprovingly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if you married my turd of a brother. I wouldn¡¯t want to hear about any of your bedroom antics, either. But I know you¡¯d tell me anyway!¡± Tirbeth giggled. Anji looked up at the sky. ¡°I guess we better get moving if we want some more of those cakes from the palace kitchens.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Tirbeth cheerfully agreed, joining Anji as they squelched their way up the beach. After they managed to reach the path back to the palace, Anji turned to Tirbeth more seriously. ¡°So, I went to the temple like you suggested.¡± ¡°Oh, you did? What did the Nass¨¦ say about your nightmares?¡± ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t get to see her. I just went to one of the temple sessions.¡± ¡°Oh, those lectures are boring. But I bet they¡¯re more interesting at the actual temple than they are here in our chapel! Were any cute boys there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Anji replied. ¡°What about you? Did you manage to get an appointment with the Nass¨¦?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯m on the list, I suppose.¡± Tirbeth frowned. ¡°You would think that my father would be able to get me in easier, but he and the Nass¨¦ haven¡¯t been on good terms ever since my mother died. Anyway, I¡¯m getting a little worried. My nightmares are getting worse.¡± ¡°Mine, too.¡± ¡°You look okay,¡± Tirbeth noted as she moved close enough to peer up at Anji¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡± Anji mumbled, quickly pulling away. ¡°How am I supposed to look when I¡¯m not getting any sleep?¡± ¡°Well, I guess you do have those bags under your eyes.¡± Tirbeth squinted. ¡°And look at those wrinkles around your lips. I guess on second thought you do look like¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Anji dismissed. ¡°I¡¯m having nightmares too, you know,¡± Tirbeth sniffed. ¡°But I still make sure to look like a princess instead of a potato. It doesn¡¯t take much effort. Just a dab of concealer here, a swipe of rouge there. And, of course, a kettle of ketas root tea every morning keeps me nice and perky.¡± ¡°Makeup and tea are the least of my concerns.¡± ¡°But if we¡¯re going to suffer, we might as well make the most of it. We can¡¯t let a little sleepiness stop us from scooping up boys to¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about boys!¡± Anji snapped. ¡°I want to get rid of these nightmares once and for all!¡± Tirbeth fell back for a moment, startled. ¡°Sorry,¡± Anji mumbled, waiting for Tirbeth to catch up. They made their way back into the palace gardens in silence. Anji kept her eyes down, studying the neatly manicured lawn as she ignored the various male servants who were carefully paring down the shrubs to perfect spheres. She shouldn¡¯t have snapped at Tirbeth. None of this was Tirbeth¡¯s or anybody else¡¯s fault. Anji just could not get any rest. What little sleep she got was plagued by nightmares, which made it so she couldn¡¯t concentrate on her paintings, which made her grumpy and mean. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Tirbeth never wanted to see her ever again. She had to do something to change this worsening trend. ¡°I did meet someone at the temple,¡± she offered tentatively. Tirbeth immediately perked up. ¡°Was it a boy?¡± ¡°No, a girl.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Tirbeth grimaced in confusion. ¡°She¡¯s studying to be a priestess.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°She¡¯s that daughter of the ninth house, though. She did the projections during the lecture.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tirbeth tilted her head thoughtfully. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of her. My father has her pegged as a candidate for Nass¨¦. She¡¯s a commoner, right?¡± Anji thought for a moment. ¡°Well, noblewomen can¡¯t go to seminary, so yeah. She¡¯d have to be a commoner to be training there. Besides, I don¡¯t remember her having a crest.¡± ¡°How fascinating!¡± Tirbeth gushed. ¡°Everybody says that nobles are special because we naturally have higher houses, but then some cute little commoner comes around and blows up all our expectations. As long as she¡¯s not cuter than me, of course. What¡¯s her family name?¡± ¡°Tore¡ªsomething? When I asked about her, my uncle Vasim mentioned she¡¯s the daughter of the High Chief Warden.¡± ¡°Toredath! I know him. He¡¯s a big ugly fellow¡ªonly has one eye. He visits my father every season to report on¡ªoh, I don¡¯t know¡ªlaws and . . . things. He¡¯s not my type at all, but his men are all so juicy. If only my father didn¡¯t have me on such a tight leash, I could just¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m trying to be serious!¡± Anji chided. ¡°Do you know where this big, ugly warden lives?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Tirbeth pursed her lips. ¡°I could probably ask one of the guards or servants and they¡¯d tell me. Or at least find out for me.¡± ¡°Yes, you do that,¡± Anji agreed. ¡°Why do you care where he lives?¡± ¡°Wherever he lives, his daughter lives,¡± Anji explained. ¡°And if his daughter is training to be a priestess and has the highest house in Judath, I bet we could have her elucidate for us instead of having to wait for the Nass¨¦. Then we can get rid of these nightmares once and for all!¡± ¡°Oh, really? Sleep would be so nice,¡± Tirbeth sighed wistfully, stretching her arms out in a feigned yawn. ¡°But do you really think she could do it, though? How do you know she¡¯d even be willing?¡± ¡°Who could say no to the high princess of Judath?¡± Anji asked pointedly. ¡°Besides, she seems nice enough. She¡¯d probably want to help.¡± ¡°Ooh, that sounds good! If this works out, we won¡¯t even need makeup to look our best anymore!¡± Anji forced a smile. Maintaining her looks really was the last thing on her mind. What she needed now were answers, answers that could hopefully avert the storm she knew was coming. Chapter Nine Chapter 9 Yalet The Empire of Nejim The Noble District of Tijar Zalas raised his hands and lit the oil lamps hanging throughout the empty audience hall with a sweeping gesture. Now it felt a little less like a stone tomb. He frowned. In the past week, rumors had spread fast about Verahi¡¯s return. Most people celebrated, especially among the priests and hadirs, but many of the nobles were wary about the rumblings of change. Even though all audiences had been suspended indefinitely, nobles in high positions had still managed to find Zalas and harass him for information that he couldn¡¯t give. He was only in the audience hall now because one of Anoth¡¯s hadirs had slipped him a written summons with the appointed time and place. Zalas slowly walked to the end of the hall and settled down on his customary cushion. He never came here in the evening. It didn¡¯t help that it looked exactly the same as on the day his father was murdered by a hadir on this very spot. Even the flames in the lamps, although better than complete darkness, seemed to hiss and mock him. He still had no idea why Anoth had summoned him here in secret. Verahi had made it very clear that he was to be involved in some sort of raid in Zaidna, but he had heard nothing of it since. All he knew was that he didn¡¯t have a choice in how or what he was going to do. The doors of the audience hall creaked open, and Zalas looked up to see a silhouette slip into the room. He prepared himself for Anoth¡¯s unpleasantries, but was surprised to see that it was Davim who walked into the lamplight. ¡°It¡¯s about time I found you, you son of a bitch,¡± Davim growled. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Zalas asked. ¡°Your sister told me I¡¯d find you here,¡± Davim muttered, stopping a few feet from Zalas. ¡°You owe me a lot of gold after what you did to my slave! Not that it matters anymore, since it looks like I¡¯d have had to get rid of her anyway.¡± He unceremoniously hurled a wad of parchment at Zalas, which bounced harmlessly off his chest and onto the tiled floor. Zalas leaned forward and grabbed the parchment, smoothing it out and laying it flat in front of him. ¡°This is an official declaration of law,¡± he noted. Of course he would be the last person to hear of it. ¡°What makes you so angry about this? It says that women can no longer inherit property and that anything they possess now is to be titled to their husbands. See, Davim? You can still be my sister¡¯s whore, but you¡¯ll actually have something to show for it.¡± ¡°I¡¯d let Roet keep all her property if it meant I didn¡¯t have to follow the rest of these laws. Go on. Read the rest!¡± Davim waved his fingers in irritation. Zalas picked up the paper and then held it up to the light. ¡°This is not so good. ¡®The use of bed slaves and concubines is forbidden. All slaves used for such purposes are to be sold or executed within three days. Those who harbor such slaves thereafter will be put to death. Prostitution by members of any caste is hereby outlawed. Those who break this law will be summarily fed to the hadirs. Chastity before marriage is a moral imperative. Those who defile themselves will be punished with death. Adultery after marriage is also punishable by death.¡¯¡± Zalas glanced up to note Davim¡¯s face, which was turning increasingly purple. ¡°I can see why you¡¯re upset. These laws affect every aspect of your daily life.¡± ¡°Upset doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it,¡± Davim groused, pointing at a vein that visibly throbbed at his temple. ¡°I paid a fair fee for each of my slaves, and a huge sum has gone into their care! Now all that time and gold goes to waste, and for what? A monogamous relationship with your bitch sister, and all because the ¡®Great Verahi¡¯ has decreed it! How do we know that Verahi isn¡¯t just a figment of Anoth¡¯s imagination?¡± ¡°Oh, Verahi is real,¡± Zalas assured, pressing a thumb against his chin as he scanned through the rest of the declaration. There were now new laws regarding modesty, abstaining completely from drugs, and even limiting the consumption of alcohol, among other things. This was all very unexpected. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t give a damn if he¡¯s real or not! Roet hasn¡¯t stopped bitching about these writs ever since the hadirs issued them. The other nobles have already begun panicking and disposing of their slaves, but not Roet. She¡¯s rallying support among the other women in the city to keep their property from being stripped. She¡¯s even openly propositioned Tovam and several of the other hadirs as an act of defiance.¡± Zalas scowled. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t challenge Verahi. He¡¯s not one to be trifled with.¡± ¡°Are you telling me you can¡¯t put a stop to this?¡± Zalas shook his head. ¡°It would be foolish to try.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do with my slaves, then? Roet can keep hers and rot, for all I care, but I won¡¯t become some hadir¡¯s snack! What was the point of worshiping Verahi and searching for the Orb if he¡¯s turning out to be such a prude? I say we should wait until Anoth isn¡¯t looking and go smash the Orb for good!¡± Zalas opened his mouth to chide Davim, but the sound of a boot heel striking the floor stopped him from moving altogether. He knew immediately who had arrived. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Davim whirled around and issued a choking gasp as Anoth stepped into the light. Anoth folded his hands before his chest as he slowly approached, his expression cold and calm. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to understand why Master Verahi has issued these laws, Davim, but know that these were the same laws that your ancestors obeyed, and they were rewarded for it. Your children would have been as well.¡± He extended his index finger and a crackling, continuous arc of lightning scorched into Davim¡¯s chest. Zalas fell back on his cushion, horrified by the flashing light and the spasms of Davim¡¯s contracting muscles. Only when the sickening stench of burning flesh filled the air did he stand and try to intervene. ¡°Anoth, stop! He doesn¡¯t know any better!¡± he shouted above the sound of Davim¡¯s slow murder. To Zalas¡¯s surprise, Anoth lowered his hand and ceased the assault. Davim fell to the floor in a smoking heap, clutching at his heart with blackened fingernails. ¡°Y-you could have killed me!¡± he shrieked. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re not worth the energy,¡± Anoth replied, sweeping his hand before him in a cutting motion. ¡°Now leave us, even if you have to crawl on your belly!¡± Whimpering like a beaten animal, Davim struggled to his hands and knees, his body quaking, but Zalas held out a hand to stop him from leaving. ¡°Davim should stay.¡± Anoth arched an eyebrow, creasing his forehead where he bore his row of circular tattoos. ¡°He has no purpose here.¡± ¡°I disagree,¡± Zalas replied, bolstering himself. ¡°I am still emperor, and I represent your mortal followers. Davim is my brother-in-law and needs to know your plan and what is to become of us. Even if he is a commoner by birth, my sister is still the high princess and still carries sway in my absence.¡± Anoth narrowed his eyes in contemplation as he strode to Zalas, purposely stepping over Davim¡¯s outstretched legs. ¡°Very well, he may stay.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Davim wailed. ¡°Zalas is traveling with me to Zaidna as punishment for committing adultery with one of your whores,¡± Anoth growled down at Davim. ¡°He will be tested to see if he deserves the mantle of emperor. If he proves unworthy, he will be executed along with all of his close blood relatives.¡± After a moment of thought, he added, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll kill you, too.¡± Davim looked to Zalas for confirmation, his mouth gaping in disbelief. ¡°He can¡¯t mean that! What¡¯s he talking about?¡± Zalas averted his gaze. Anoth let loose a derisive snort. ¡°It means that the life you¡¯ve grown accustomed to will end if Zalas doesn¡¯t prove the worth of his bloodline.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t kill the emperor!¡± Davim declared. Zalas¡¯s fists clenched at his sides but he remained silent. ¡°Do something, Zalas!¡± ¡°Zalas knows there is nothing more to be done!¡± Anoth snapped. ¡°Verahi has made his decision and you have been informed.¡± Davim bowed his head meekly. ¡°Now,¡± Anoth continued. ¡°Verahi has been without his physical body for millennia and it is time to reconstruct it.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®reconstruct it¡¯?¡± Zalas inquired. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Orb his body?¡± ¡°The Orb is his prison,¡± Anoth corrected. ¡°Long before you two idiots were born, Verahi was unlawfully trapped in the Orb, and his body dismantled. There is a way to reverse the process, but it requires several ¡®witnesses¡¯ to authorize the transaction and ¡®pardon¡¯ him. Unfortunately, the psyches of mortals in Yalet no longer conduct sufficient light matter to make them suitable as witnesses for the Orb. That is why we will travel to Zaidna in time for their noble summit, where there will be plenty of witnesses to choose from.¡± ¡°This sounds like madness,¡± Zalas muttered uneasily, looking over at Davim, who was still whimpering and nursing his wounds. ¡°The Orb is already configured to identify worthy witnesses who are of adequate quality. Our task is to acquire those witnesses without raising the suspicions of any of the Naltites while also avoiding any damage to the witnesses¡¯ psyches. Once we have returned to Yalet, I will perform the rite that will restore Verahi¡¯s body to him.¡± ¡°Who else are you taking with you? Surely you don¡¯t expect me to go with you alone.¡± Anoth smirked. ¡°What, would you miss Tovam that much if he weren¡¯t to accompany us? I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be reasonable if I told him not to consume your psyche until after the task is complete.¡± The thought of being trapped with Tovam for any period of time chilled Zalas¡¯s blood. ¡°Let me take Davim instead,¡± he quickly interjected. ¡°Take this fool? I thought you wanted me to spare his life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in no condition to¡ª¡± Davim sputtered. ¡°I mean, there is no reason for me to¡ª¡± ¡°Davim was born under a higher house of orm¨¦ than most,¡± Zalas reasoned. ¡°That is why you married him to Roet in the first place. He may look and act the fool, but who better to conceal himself among the Naltites, and who better to help protect us should the need arise?¡± Anoth stared at Davim skeptically, but then shrugged with indifference. ¡°Fine. Go gather supplies. The noble summit begins in a little less than a season, so you will need enough rations to fill that time.¡± He paused for a few moments, considering. ¡°Before we settle in Judath, however, I have an important personal matter to take care of in Chalei.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Zalas asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the parting lead to Judath? If it¡¯s about one of your spies¡ª¡± ¡°I have something I must obtain in Chalei first, and then we will return to Judath to infiltrate the noble summit. You¡¯ll accompany me. I wouldn¡¯t want you to be too comfortable lazing about in Judath¡¯s capital while you await my return, after all.¡± ¡°That makes no sense.¡± Anoth took one last disapproving glance at Davim. ¡°Clean that fool up, then be sure to meet me at the parting at sunrise tomorrow. Be prompt.¡± And with that, Anoth withdrew from the lamplight and shut the audience hall doors heavily behind him. Zalas exhaled sharply, his mind finally beginning to process what had just happened. The idea of going through the parting for the first time with Anoth and an army of hadirs was terrifying enough, but the actual details of this plan were far more insane. He regretted every evil thought he had ever had about being an emperor. He wished that he could just go back to plowing his fat wife and listening to the prattle of old men at court. Instead, he had no choice but to follow Anoth¡¯s orders, now with his idiot brother-in-law in tow. ¡°Why did you have to bring me into this?¡± Davim demanded, rising on shaking legs. ¡°You should be thanking me,¡± Zalas snapped back. ¡°You would be a smoking heap of ash if I hadn¡¯t intervened.¡± He stood and moved to open the doors of the audience hall and motioned impatiently for Davim to pass through them. ¡°Go make yourself useful and get packing.¡± Davim continued to grumble as he hobbled out of the audience hall. Zalas plodded wearily back to sit on his cushion, finally alone once again. Chapter Ten Chapter 10 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Kirin¡¯s House Kirin opened her eyes and let them grow accustomed to the gloom. Where was she? Her feet were bare, and the blades of grass beneath them were gray and sharp. The night sky was devoid of stars, even the Mother Star, and only the splintered moon provided any light. The Goddess Forest loomed before her, glowing faintly. It was that dream again. She was so stupid, falling asleep while doing homework. This assignment was due tomorrow, so why was she wasting her time sleeping? She drew a heavy hand up and pinched herself, but nothing happened. ¡°Oh well,¡± she sighed as she entered the forest. The trees around her gradually dimmed as the dream pulled her through the gleaming undergrowth. She wasn¡¯t afraid¡ªnot yet, anyway. After being taken to the forest¡¯s center, she was gently set down on the ground in a large clearing. A stone archway, wrapped in old, dead ivy, stood before her. The trees to either side of the arch were pale like the rest of the Goddess Forest, but through the arch she could see another forest, one filled with black, skeletal trees growing out of sandy soil. She drifted close to the arch but stopped short as a man unexpectedly emerged from it. He looked familiar for a moment, but upon closer inspection, his features were decidedly foreign. His ears had small, tapered points, and his unusually black eyes were round and looking right at her. Kirin had had enough of this dream. She sluggishly pulled her hand up and slapped herself in the face as hard as she could. Nothing. She repeated the motion, but could not get herself to wake up. She backed away from the rapidly approaching figure until her back was against a massive tree trunk. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The man stopped a few paces in front of her and extended his right hand, palm facing upward. Above it, a small and smoky mass appeared, swirling and condensing until a vibrating globe of purple-black shadow coalesced. Mesmerized, she propelled herself forward and reached for it, her fingers brushing against its blurred surface. As soon as she made contact, something cold and sharp stunned her body, and she fell heavily to the ground. The moon vanished, and suddenly the whole world was lightless and empty, leaving her alone with the man. She looked up to see his face just inches from hers, staring at her. He was terrifyingly handsome, but the blackness that enveloped his eyes pierced her to the core. Kirin tried to cry out and crawl away, but her throat was numb, and her limbs were paralyzed. She felt only the hardness of the earth against her cheek; it smelled strongly of old parchment paper. A slow, pitiless smile spread across his lips. ¡°You¡¯ll come with me, won¡¯t you?¡± he asked, and his voice was tinged with an artificial mixture of kindness and hate. Kirin shut her eyes and ground her teeth. Wake up, she told herself. Wake up! ¡°Wake up!¡± she screamed. Her flailing arms slammed painfully against the top of her writing desk, scattering papers across the floor. Kirin sat up, still screaming, her right cheek sticky and wet with drool. She looked down and saw a black taint smeared across her palms. She rushed to the basin stand in the corner of her bedroom and hastily filled the basin, dipping her hands into the water and scraping frantically at the blackness, which easily rubbed off like ink. She looked over her shoulder to see her ink bottle tipped over on her writing desk. That was a much saner explanation. ¡°What a stupid dream! A stupid, stupid, ordinary dream.¡± She laughed at herself in the mirror as the ink dissipated into the water. She rubbed the drool from her cheek with a thin washcloth, taking with it the stamped remains of her math assignment. ¡°I don¡¯t have nightmares. Candidates for Nass¨¦ don¡¯t have nightmares, and I¡¯m a candidate, and all candidates have safe, blessed sleep! We¡¯re shielded. Even the Nass¨¦¡ª¡± Kirin suddenly set down the washcloth, feeling a bit nauseated, and then sat down on the floor. She had seen the Nass¨¦¡¯s dream and it was the worst kind of nightmare she could imagine. Kirin¡¯s recurring dream had always stopped before the man fully emerged from the stone archway. But this one had gone on longer, even to the point that the man was speaking directly to her. What if elucidating the Nass¨¦¡¯s nightmare had poisoned Kirin¡¯s own dreams? What if Kirin¡¯s dream was nothing but a nightmare all along¡ªone that would keep getting longer and more sinister as it repeated night after night? If it was true that even the Nass¨¦¡¯s sleep could be unprotected, how could Kirin or any other candidate expect any better fate? Chapter Eleven Chapter 11 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei Lanae Palace The hour was late, and Lanae Palace was dark and quiet. Anoth was quite familiar with the patrol patterns of the guards, especially their propensity for mid-patrol naps. The dalanais had grown unbelievably lazy during centuries of peace, and Anoth had no trouble remaining undetected as he scaled the walls of the vast complex and entered the gardens surrounding the central palace. He looked around casually before settling down on a raised mound, which was surrounded by an assortment of ferns, allowing him a clear view of the palace through the fronds. He was counting on the heat of the night to draw Sorai out for her usual evening stroll. If he timed it right and was very quick, he could snatch her up and return to Zalas and Davim with the least risk of interference. However, he was prepared for this mission to take several days, and those fools were instructed to wait for him in the jungle for however long it took. Of course, there was still the matter of the witnesses. His decision to disobey Verahi by coming first to Chalei would certainly result in chastisement at minimum, but whatever punishment he ultimately received would be well worth it. Anoth would have Sorai at his side the very moment Verahi¡¯s body was restored, ensuring that there could be no delay in a lawful marriage oath. Anoth squinted as he looked up toward the lit window of Sorai¡¯s bedchamber on the palace¡¯s third floor. There was no movement. Damn it all. It would be much quicker to storm the palace to retrieve his bride, killing any who challenged him, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be wise to risk the kada coming into play. He also had to consider the oaths of Zaidna. He was already an intruder in his old home, and breaking those oaths would severely increase the chances and magnitude of any retribution by his enemies. ¡°I can be as patient as I need to be,¡± he determined out loud. ¡°I¡¯ve been patient for fish, too!¡± Anoth¡¯s surprise turned into rage as he looked over his shoulder to see Rao, Sorai¡¯s stupid pet, crouching behind him. ¡°You came back!¡± the sazi exclaimed. ¡°You told me you would be back in three days. I waited here for you but you never came. But I kept coming back here every night and here you are!¡± Anoth tolerated most creatures native to Zaidna as the dumb beasts they were, but sazis were insufferable. Were it not for the information about Sorai that the little wretch shared with him, he would have crushed that furry skull beneath his heel long ago. He forced his mouth into an unnaturally friendly smile. ¡°Hello, sazi.¡± Rao let loose a musical trill, scuttling beneath Anoth¡¯s bare arm to sit on his lap. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you came back after all! I missed you!¡± ¡°I missed you, too,¡± Anoth lied as he stroked Rao¡¯s neck, all the while itching to snap it. ¡°I gave Mistress Sorai your gift,¡± Rao declared proudly. ¡°She says it¡¯s her favorite. She wears it every single day!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± Anoth replied, relaxing his grip somewhat. Of course she loved it. ¡°So,¡± the little beast continued, flicking his tail back and forth. ¡°Do I get my fish now?¡± ¡°Perhaps in a few minutes,¡± Anoth replied. ¡°Tell me, Rao, what is your mistress and master doing this evening?¡± ¡°Master Tashau is in his study working late, and Mistress Sorai is in her room.¡± Rao scratched behind one of his long ears with a hind leg. ¡°Is she alone?¡± Rao blinked. ¡°She was chatting with Mistress Kia, and then I got bored. Mistress Sorai likes to talk about babies all the time. I wish she could just lay clutches of eggs like us sazis¡ªmore babies and less work.¡± Anoth saw red for a moment. ¡°Did that son of a whore get her pregnant again?¡± he hissed, grabbing hold of Rao tightly around the middle. Rao yelped, his fur and feathers standing on end. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Kia was a whore! What is a whore?¡± He wriggled out of Anoth¡¯s grip, shaking himself to smooth out his coat. ¡°Mistress isn¡¯t pregnant yet. But she whines about it so much to my master; she¡¯ll probably mate soon.¡± This was unacceptable. Seeing Sorai¡¯s body deformed with child twice before had been excruciating. She would not spend one more night with her worthless excuse for a husband, and this foolish creature was going to help ensure that she left this place for good. ¡°My little friend,¡± Anoth murmured as he reached out to scratch beneath Rao¡¯s wings. As expected, Rao growled appreciatively. ¡°Do you remember how you¡¯ve wanted to introduce me to your owners for years?¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Rao replied. ¡°Well, I¡¯m ready now.¡± Rao gasped and stared up at him with wide, vacuous eyes. ¡°Oh, do you mean it? Is it true?¡± ¡°Yes, but only your mistress at first. Tashau is much too big and scary for me to meet,¡± Anoth insisted, holding up his hands in a dramatic display. ¡°Oh, but he¡¯s so nice to me! I¡¯m sure he¡¯d scratch behind your ears, too, if you ask nicely!¡± Anoth tried not to glower. ¡°No, I¡¯m not ready; I need time to work up the courage. I only want to meet your mistress, and it must be in private. Not even you may be present. I want to tell her personally that I was the one who gave her the gift she loves so much.¡± ¡°What? But why can¡¯t I be there?¡± Rao whined. ¡°You won¡¯t miss much. I promise. Find a way to bring your mistress to me tonight, all by herself, and I will make you the biggest fish you¡¯ve ever seen. You¡¯ll be too busy feasting to care about what we¡¯re doing.¡± Rao calmed and nodded his gluttonous little head, the talk of fish making him visibly drool. ¡°Yes! Yes, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll be right back!¡± In the next moment Rao was gone, darting down the mound and through the ferns. What a stupid sazi. *** ¡°Are you planning to bring Faro with you when you travel to Judath?¡± Kia asked as she gazed adoringly at her grandson, who sat upon the floor pretending to make his toy sazi fly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the hope,¡± Sorai replied, beckoning to Faro with her fingers. He should have been in bed a long time ago, but Kia, Tashau¡¯s mother, loved to gossip late into the night. ¡°I worry a little about him traveling so far with us, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll miss him while he¡¯s gone.¡± Kia clasped her hands and cooed as Faro dropped his toy and toddled over to Sorai. Sorai gathered him on her lap and squeezed him tight. His soft black hair smelled sweet like honey. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t let any of the women there pressure you into arranging a marriage for him. At least not yet! Such arrangements must be done properly and with care. Of course, look at you and Tashau. Your mother and I were a little too capricious with you, but it¡¯s just a lucky thing you two turned out to be the perfect match.¡± Sorai stifled a chuckle. She had no intention of arranging a marriage for her son based on the cuteness of his playmates, as dalanais were often inclined to do. She was determined to choose Faro¡¯s potential brides when he was much older, and with a great deal of consideration for his personal tastes. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about a thing. He won¡¯t be betrothed for a good long while. But fending off propositions from the other mothers will be difficult, I¡¯m sure.¡± Kia rolled her eyes. ¡°Women! They¡¯re all so competitive. You know, I¡¯m glad Naltena did away with that nasty plural husband business. Can you imagine how desperate the noblewomen would all be if they were still trying to arrange for their daughters to marry several husbands at a time? Handsome little boys like Faro would be quite in demand.¡± ¡°It was a barbaric practice,¡± Sorai mumbled. She could never put another man above Tashau, let alone manage more than one husband. ¡°Well, I can see why it was done.¡± Kia leaned back against the settee where she sat and crossed one long leg over the other. ¡°If our men were always fertile like men from the other races, things might have been different.¡± Sorai¡¯s eyes narrowed, thinking of the infertile cycles of dalanai males, which could last for years. ¡°Well, I suppose that makes sense,¡± she groused. ¡°It¡¯s unfair that men have all the say in when a woman can become pregnant. Tashau sleeps in another room if he spots a single hair growing from the tip of his tail.¡± ¡°Am I sensing resentment?¡± Kia asked. She seemed amused. Sorai frowned dourly and glanced down at her son¡¯s head. He had drifted off to sleep in her arms. ¡°Oh, no. Of course not. I would never resent Tashau for that.¡± And yet, the part of her that longed for more children did resent Tashau. He was careful¡ªtoo careful¡ªwhenever he started his fertile cycle. During those times, he wouldn¡¯t even lay a hand on her, keeping himself distant until all the hair had fallen out of his tail in due course. She knew his motivations were pure, but it wasn¡¯t her fault that her body couldn¡¯t withstand the rigors of pregnancy. After seasons of forced bed rest, giving birth to Faro had caused her to hemorrhage badly, and even now she couldn¡¯t bear to think of her first son, who had only lived a few hours after a painful, premature birth. ¡°I never had any children other than Tash,¡± Kia added kindly. ¡°You put yourself under too much pressure. It¡¯s his right, but Tashau would never take a mistress even if he wanted another son, so don¡¯t fret.¡± Sorai shut her eyes, forcing herself to smile. She would not mope; she would be thankful for what she had and not feel cheated. ¡°It¡¯s not so bad,¡± she agreed. ¡°We¡¯ve been blessed with Faro. I¡¯ll be happy so long as I have him and Tashau.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good girl.¡± Kia clucked, nodding. ¡°You have nothing to worry about. Faro is strong and healthy, and born beneath a high enough house. He will grow up to become a fine emperor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I hope.¡± Sorai¡¯s eyes drifted over to the kada of Chalei, which was held erect in an ornate stand at the other end of the sitting room. The sapphire at its tip flickered along with the light of the fire, dimmed only a little by the growing layer of dust she knew was coating it. Tashau was the rightful owner of the kada, and no matter where he was, he was always supposed to keep it at his side, but he had staunchly refused to touch it since the death of his father, only taking it up for the triennial noble summit in Judath. Because the previous emperor¡¯s death was premature and sudden, Tashau never had the chance to complete his training with the kada and showed no interest in continuing now. Would Faro turn out like his father? He might become emperor, but without training in the kada, he would lack the ability to defend his people if the need arose. Granted, peace had reigned among the high races for centuries now, so there wasn¡¯t much fear of inter-continental conflict, even if the engstaxis weren¡¯t the most trustworthy. There were the coastal raids, but the wardens seemed to have them at least somewhat in hand. If the attacks were made by padus, like many people suspected, Sorai wasn¡¯t sure if a kada would make any difference. She looked down at her sleeping child. ¡°I should probably put him to bed.¡± ¡°Here, I¡¯ll take him,¡± Kia offered, standing up. Sorai passed Faro over, and both she and Kia exchanged silent smiles before Kia turned and stepped lightly out of the suite. As soon as the door closed, Sorai moved into her bedroom, fell back on her bed, and stared up at the silver panels that made up the domed ceiling. She remained in that position until she felt her tail growing numb beneath the weight of her body, then rolled to her side for relief. Oh, to be an eshtan, with beautiful brown skin and no tail. She wrapped her arms around a pillow, intent on dozing. She had nearly drifted off when a loud bang, followed by the sound of frantic scratching, caused her to sit up with a start. She twisted around and saw Rao hanging halfway through the window, clambering for purchase with his hind legs. ¡°Rao, you silly thing. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Mistress!¡± Rao grunted. ¡°Help me!¡± His nails left huge gouges in the window frame. Tashau would probably kill him for it. Sorai scooted across the bed on her knees and reached out, snatching Rao by his forelegs and pulling him up and over the windowsill. ¡°Did you try to jump over from a tree?¡± she asked, setting him down beside her. His fur bristled as she ran a hand down his spine. ¡°Yes!¡± Rao exclaimed as he slinked onto her lap and bumped his forehead against her chin. ¡°I¡¯m quite agile.¡± Sorai sighed and stroked his shiny wings. ¡°Did you come to say goodnight to me?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m bored, and there is nothing for me to do. Would you come outside with me and play?¡± Rao stood on his hind legs and placed his paws on Sorai¡¯s shoulders, leaning in close and stamping her nose with all the moisture coating his. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°It¡¯s too late to play. Why didn¡¯t you ask me earlier?¡± ¡°Well, you and Kia were busy,¡± he purred. Sorai rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to wait until tomorrow,¡± she said, brushing his paws off her shoulders. ¡°But won¡¯t you at least walk with me? It¡¯s so much cooler outside than it is inside,¡± Rao persisted. She caught him around his middle and set him on the floor. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait. I was about to go to bed,¡± she insisted, much firmer this time. ¡°No! No! I¡¯m so hungry!¡± Rao shrieked. His legs went limp like wet strings of yarn, causing him to flop to the floor with a thud. Exasperated and confused, Sorai leaned forward and scooped the thrashing sazi up in her arms. ¡°Listen, Rao, if you¡¯re that hungry, there¡¯s probably some food for you in your dish if you haven¡¯t already eaten it all.¡± She started to carry him out of the bedroom, intent on shoving him out of her suite altogether. Rao¡¯s struggles only increased in violence. ¡°No! Don¡¯t throw me out! I want you to come outside with me!¡± He suddenly turned on Sorai and chomped down on the chain of the necklace Tashau had given her for her Naming Day, yanking it taut. Sorai gasped as she felt the chain snap and dropped Rao to the floor. He landed on his feet and zipped between her legs and back into the bedroom. She grabbed at her neck with both hands to feel for the necklace, but found only skin. She spun around and hurried after him as he jumped from the bed to the window frame. ¡°You little brat!¡± she yelled. ¡°You give me back my necklace!¡± She caught hold of the end of his tail, but he was shedding so much and moving so fast that she was left with only a fistful of fur. Rao took the opportunity to take a flying leap out the window and onto a tree limb just beyond her reach. She gripped the windowsill in fury as Rao looked over a winged shoulder back at her, allowing her to see the jade pendant dangling from his mouth by its chain. ¡°You get back here!¡± Sorai hissed, hoping no one else could hear her. Rao¡¯s mouth curled into a mischievous sneer. He looked almost evil with the moonlight reflecting silver from his pupils. ¡°Come and get me!¡± he called through clenched teeth. Sorai gasped again. ¡°You get back here now, or I¡¯ll have Tash swat you!¡± ¡°No!¡± Rao singsonged cheerfully. He trotted across the branch and shimmied down the tree. Sorai cursed loudly then rushed out of her suite and into the open gallery, her blue skirts caught up in one hand. She was going to thrash the little beast, she thought as she flew down two flights of stairs to reach the palace¡¯s ground level. Ignoring the moist grass beneath her bare feet, she bolted out of the courtyard and toward the tree Rao had descended. Beneath the tree, Rao was standing in a square of lamplight streaming down from the window above. As soon as he saw her approaching, he darted down a path that led to the gardens. ¡°Rao! This isn¡¯t funny!¡± Every time she thought she had lost him, he would poke his head out from the bushes, goading her further, as though he were playing a game of tag. Finally, Sorai was face to face with the far wall of the palace complex, with no sazi in sight. ¡°Rao, come out!¡± she cried. She paced around the small clearing between the ferns, hunting for Rao until a faint sparkle in the grass caught her eye. Her necklace! She heaved a sigh and stooped low, only to find that a link in the chain had been snapped when it was wrenched from her neck. ¡°Oh, Rao,¡± she fumed. *** Anoth heard a crashing sound in the leaves behind him. He looked back to see Rao sitting on his haunches, breathless and smug. ¡°I did it, Fishman! I got my mistress outside!¡± Rao exclaimed. A thin smile spread across Anoth¡¯s lips. Had he known it would be this easy, he would have done this much sooner. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Um, well, I had to take the necklace you gave her, but she followed me! I left it right over by the wall at the end of that path there. She really seemed to want it back, so you¡¯ll find her there.¡± Rao extended an open paw expectantly. ¡°I did what you asked. Can I have my fish now?¡± Anoth shrugged. ¡°A trade is a trade.¡± He shifted focus and effortlessly weaved the small, vibrating shadows that appeared into a large fish with red and silver scales. The fish floated momentarily in the air before dropping thickly to the ground. Rao squealed in delight, snatching it up in his paws. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this kind of fish before!¡± ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t have. But you¡¯ll see more like it shortly.¡± Anoth gathered more of the primal matter into a dense ball of energy and took careful aim. The brainless sazi was so preoccupied with his fish that he would never see it coming. ¡°Rao! You broke my necklace!¡± Anoth flinched, his energy ball instantly dissipating, as he heard Sorai¡¯s distant scream of rage. ¡°You come out here right now!¡± Sorai¡¯s voice neared quickly. ¡°Eep!¡± Rao gulped. Before Anoth had the chance to fully react, the sazi had chomped down on his fish and disappeared with it into the night. Anoth stood and stalked down the mound, following Sorai¡¯s incensed shouts. He finally found her in the middle of a clearing, an ivy-draped stone wall standing behind her. She was bent low, clutching his jade necklace in her fist. Now was the time to make her his, but he would need to be quick. He parted the leaves, intent on stunning her with a pattern, but she wheeled around before he could prepare it, her triangular ears twitching at the rustling of the leaves. Their eyes met for the first time, and he knew he couldn¡¯t hurt her while she looked upon him. For a moment, they both stood frozen and unmoving. Finally, Sorai took a step back, and Anoth willed himself forward. He had expected her to melt to her knees in veneration, instantly recognizing his divinity, but instead her eyes showed only fear and distrust. Perhaps she was confused by the bandana he wore around his forehead to hide his ears and tattoos. Sorai swallowed visibly. ¡°Who are you? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Forgive me for startling you, Empress,¡± Anoth soothed. ¡°Do you . . . not recognize me?¡± ¡°Are you here with one of the provincial lords? Have you lost your way?¡± Sorai straightened herself, presumably to regain her regal air. ¡°This section of the garden is meant only for members of the imperial family. If the guards see you here, you would be in trouble.¡± ¡°My apologies!¡± Anoth gasped, feigning ignorance. So, she still thought him a stranger. He reached his hand up to his bandana to reveal himself, certain she¡¯d know him at once, but thought better of it. Sorai stepped forward, drawing close enough for him to take in the scent of her perfume. He recognized it from all the items Rao had stolen for him in the past, but to smell it now, floating directly from her skin, left him feeling intoxicated. ¡°If you go down this path, it will take you back to the palace.¡± Sorai gestured to her left. ¡°Take a right at the path¡¯s end and you can find your way back to the guest wing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kind to direct me, Empress,¡± Anoth said. He extended an arm, hoping she might take his hand and lead him down the path, but instead she just smiled. ¡°Have a good evening,¡± Sorai said pleasantly, before she brushed lightly past him to leave without another word. Anoth¡¯s arm fell slack at his side. This was not going according to plan. She should have thrown herself into his arms, begging to be taken away from this place. He would need to be more bold. ¡°Sorai,¡± he called out. She whirled around and stared at him in surprise. She was clearly not used to being addressed so informally. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Rao ruined my gift to you. I will give you another.¡± Anoth bowed his head humbly. Sorai gasped in obvious confusion, looking at the necklace she held. Anoth was upon her before she could react any further, one hand wrapped around her throat and the other pressed firmly against her mouth. She dropped the necklace to the grass and let loose a muffled wail, reaching up to dig her nails into his wrist. Her struggles only angered him further. He tightened his grip, causing her to choke, and shoved her hard against a tree. ¡°There will be no more screaming,¡± Anoth warned as he eased off her throat. Beneath his other palm, he could feel her lips tremble in horror, while her chest began to heave with silent sobs against his forearm. It was a typical Naltite response. How disappointing. ¡°No harm will come to you as long as you are quiet. Please don¡¯t try to escape; I¡¯d hate to have to hurt you.¡± Anoth¡¯s free hand slipped to the back of her head, where he gripped a fistful of her hair. As Sorai¡¯s spasmodic sobs caused her to wheeze, a pang of compassion pricked Anoth¡¯s conscience. They had to move quickly and quietly out of the palace complex, but he did not wish her to suffer unnecessarily. In a momentary bout of kindness, he removed the hand that was over her mouth, allowing her to breathe in deeply. She repaid his compassion by letting loose a high-pitched shriek. *** Rao leaned forward to rip another chunk of flesh from his fish when a scream shattered the calm around him. He hunched over his meal for a moment. It sounded like his mistress! ¡°Mistress? Fishman?¡± he called tentatively as he poked his head through the ferns. Hearing no reassurance, he wiped the fish juice from his mouth and crept out into the open. He sniffed the air, then darted in the direction of Sorai¡¯s scent, hurrying across the path he had led her down, and crashed through a shrub. There, he discovered his mistress on her knees, entirely helpless as Fishman towered above her with his hands wrapped around her throat. ¡°Oh, no!¡± Rao gulped behind his paw before scrambling back into the shrub. Fishman was staring at Sorai the same way Rao liked to stare at rodents he was planning to eat. Why was Fishman doing this? Shaking with fear and worry, Rao turned tail and tore back down the path. Propelled by adrenaline, he reached the palace much quicker than he expected. But the spacious building was almost completely dark. Everyone had slept through Sorai¡¯s screams. Now what would he do? He was much too small to stop Fishman on his own. Finally, he saw a small square of light across the courtyard, on the palace¡¯s second floor. A lamp was still burning within his master¡¯s study¡ªTashau must still be awake! But there was no tree to climb and jump from to grant him entrance. If Sorai was to be saved, he would have to fly up to the window to hunt for his master. ¡°Oh, wings, I promise I¡¯ll lose the extra weight I¡¯ve packed on if you please work for me, just this once!¡± he begged as he looked back at his ragged, molting wings. He took a step or two back and charged forward, flapping his wings fiercely. He left a trail of feathers and fluff in his wake as he leapt up onto the ledge of a fountain and jumped as high as he could manage. The weight of his body pulled him down, but he beat his wings frantically to keep himself airborne. He couldn¡¯t give up¡ªSorai might die! ¡°Please, wings, just a little more!¡± he yowled. As if in response to his plea, his spread feathers caught hold of a gush of salty air, which lifted him enough that he was just able to catch the windowsill with his claws. He climbed up, intent on bounding into the study, but met a faceful of glass. Through the fur squished in his eyes, he saw Tashau sitting on the floor at his writing desk, where he was scribbling on parchment with a conical ink shell. ¡°Master!¡± Rao screeched. He saw Tashau¡¯s ears twitch up and down, but the thick windowpane must have muffled his cries too much. He immediately took to beating and scraping at the glass, startling Tashau enough that he stopped with his writing and stood. An instant later, Tashau¡¯s manservant appeared at the window and flung open the hinged sashes, causing Rao to lose his footing and nearly fall. Luckily, the servant was quick and snatched Rao up by the scruff of his neck. ¡°Rao, what are you doing?¡± Tashau demanded. He made an irritated motion for his servant to place Rao on the floor. As soon as the servant dropped him, Rao jumped on Tashau¡¯s writing desk, tipping a bottle of ink all over a pile of papers. ¡°Master, you have to do something! Fish¡ªI mean¡ªthere¡¯s somebody outside hurting Mistress!¡± Tashau tensed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have to help her! I don¡¯t know where the guards are!¡± Rao cried. Tears of panic were pouring down his face. ¡°He¡¯s going to kill her!¡± Tashau backed away from his desk and beckoned to his servant before pointing to the door. ¡°Go and find the guards immediately! Wake the whole palace if you must! Rao, show me the way!¡± *** Anoth finally released Sorai¡¯s throat when she stopped struggling. She fell back amidst barking coughs. ¡°Please, let me go!¡± she wheezed, her voice now too hoarse to scream out. ¡°I-I have a husband and a child!¡± ¡°No!¡± Anoth snarled, envy flooding his mind. How could she look right at him and deny him? He was a god! Where was the love¡ªthe adoration? Frustrated, he yanked her up onto her bare feet. ¡°You¡¯re going to be my wife! Mine!¡± Sorai flew into a weak but hysterical flurry, proceeding to slap and kick him, each strike doing no damage except to his ego. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to break you like some common thrall!¡± Anoth bellowed as he shook her, so overcome by his desire to dominate her that the blow to his blind side came as a total surprise. He staggered and fell hard to the ground, the taste of grass suddenly stinging his tongue. ¡°Tashau!¡± Sorai cried as Anoth pushed himself up to his hands and knees. Damn it. Anoth looked over his shoulder to see the emperor of Chalei standing behind him. ¡°Your aim is decent,¡± Anoth said, wiping his jaw with the back of his fist as he slowly rose. The surprise attack would have crippled any mortal. It appeared that Tashau was well trained in physical arts. ¡°You made a mistake by laying a hand on my wife!¡± Tashau snarled as he moved between Sorai and Anoth. A simplistic offensive pattern appeared at his fingertips. A chuckle skittered from Anoth¡¯s throat. ¡°You are brave or foolish to come here without your kada.¡± ¡°My kada?¡± The pattern Tashau held flickered momentarily. Anoth regarded Tashau with a bent eyebrow and withdrew the curved dagger from his belt. ¡°No matter. Kada or no kada, I¡¯m going to kill you now and take your wife as my own.¡± Sorai cried out in alarm, and Rao, who had been clutched tightly in her arms, darted from them and into the ferns. ¡°Coward! Make the match even¡ªthrow down the knife!¡± Tashau challenged, still charging his pattern with one hand. ¡°An even match? If it will make you feel secure, use this!¡± Anoth threw the dagger, the blade slicing through the air and straight at Tashau¡¯s heart. Sorai screamed and covered her eyes, rushing back to hide behind a tree, while Tashau dove out of the way, the knife slicing a hole through his sleeve. ¡°Bastard!¡± he yelled before jumping back to his feet. The pattern swirling about his fingers was lost. ¡°If it¡¯s a fair fight you want, the dagger is yours,¡± Anoth pointed at it. ¡°But even with a weapon you have no chance. You¡¯re impotent against me in battle, though perhaps not as much as you are with your wife.¡± Tashau¡¯s face reddened with rage. ¡°Don¡¯t you mock me!¡± He lunged at Anoth, fist cocked back. Anoth easily blocked or dodged every strike, laughing as each blow flew predictably by. ¡°You should have used the dagger.¡± He casually found an opening and backhanded Tashau, causing him to reel back and stumble to the ground with a sharp yell. Fighting with mortals was too easy¡ªlike flicking gnats. ¡°Get up!¡± Anoth crowed. Tashau plucked the dagger from the ground, springing back to his feet and rushing forward, slicing and stabbing. Anoth evaded every lightning-quick move with ease, slapping his frenzied opponent for sport every time he came close. ¡°Pathetic! I¡¯ll have your wife stripped and pinned beneath me the moment you¡¯re dead!¡± Though breathing hard and visibly bruised, Tashau snarled like a savage and dashed in close again, swinging the dagger with surprisingly renewed speed. Anoth laughed and backed up a step, preparing a pattern to finish him off, but all at once the sound of rent fabric and flesh met his ears, and pain leapt through his body. The dagger had finally struck its mark, tearing straight through his tunic and lacerating his chest. He¡¯d been careless. Never in all his years had he been scratched in battle with a mortal. Only Naltena had been able to draw his blood before. To think that his carelessness had allowed this insect to even touch him made Anoth¡¯s very bones crackle with rage. Killing Tashau with orm¨¦ alone would not satisfy him now. He wanted to hear Tashau¡¯s blood splatter the ground and revel in the visceral sensation of his death. Of course, the dagger was in Tashau¡¯s possession, but with a body comprised of refined matter, Anoth didn¡¯t need one to pierce through this mortal¡¯s soft flesh. Anoth¡¯s hand flexed, knuckles popping, and he leapt and swiped at Tashau with splayed fingers, intent on severing the whelp¡¯s jugular and bathing in his blood. But Tashau ducked away from the slicing fingernails just in time, leaving Anoth with only a lock of dalanai hair for his effort. This was a skilled and nimble mortal, but he couldn¡¯t hope to survive much longer. Tashau quickly formed an array of thin ice blades, which he shot at Anoth like arrows, but his attempts were weak and amateurish. Anoth smashed each bolt with a flick of his wrist, turning them back into spiraling flecks of primal matter. A moment later, Anoth turned his fingers upward, causing the ground beneath Tashau to crack and buckle. When Tashau fell to his rear, Anoth tackled him hard, catching his wrist and wrenching it, forcing the dagger to fall. He then struck Tashau in the belly, eliciting a most satisfying scream of agony as his fingers dug into the little worm¡¯s gut like a fan of knives. ¡°No!¡± Sorai wailed, rushing out from behind her tree. She jumped onto Anoth¡¯s back and pummeled him with her fists in vain. He simply tossed her aside like a cloth doll. Anoth stabbed his fingers through Tashau¡¯s gut again and would have continued to do so all night long had he not heard the shouting of the guards. They were very close, and while he could easily dispatch them, he wouldn¡¯t risk Sorai¡¯s safety. He plucked the dagger from the ground, listening as that damnable sazi led the guards on. Cursing his luck, he left Tashau to bleed to death as he went to retrieve his bride, yanking her up by her hair. ¡°S-stop!¡± Anoth looked back and scowled. Somehow Tashau had managed to pull himself up to stand, despite the blood pouring from his wounds in thick torrents. Anoth tightened his grip on the struggling Sorai and lifted his other hand, palm facing Tashau. The air sizzled at the tips of Anoth¡¯s fingers, making an awful crack upon the pattern¡¯s completion. It blew Tashau off his feet and hurled him against a tree, which splintered on impact. Tashau fell in a silent heap. Sorai howled and tried to tear herself free, but Anoth maintained his hold on her hair. ¡°No! You killed him!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be missed,¡± Anoth muttered. Verahi would be satisfied with this turn of events. Anoth may have deviated from the original plan, but this emperor¡¯s death would be a warning to the other empires. Neither he nor Verahi were to be defied. Anoth looked down at Sorai for a moment, then lightly tapped her temple with a finger. The pattern at his fingertip took immediate effect, and she fell limp. He threw her body over his shoulder and rushed to the southwest wall of the palace complex, scaling up and over it with ease. In the distance behind him, he could hear the sazi¡¯s mournful cries. Chapter Twelve Chapter 12 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei The Jungles Sorai awoke to the sound of low whispers, which mixed harshly with the more distant thrum of insects. The air was thick and moist in her nostrils. She gingerly opened her eyes to see massive trees looming over her in the dark sky. She was far from the palace gardens. Her mind began to twist and strain, fighting to make sense of how she might have ended up in this strange place with such strange sounds. She tried to lift her fists to her pounding skull but found her wrists bound. What happened? She knew she had been chasing Rao. Hands had been around her throat¡ªor maybe that was later. There was a man¡ªsome intruder in the palace complex. Then Tashau was there. There were flashes of him being struck¡ªa knife thrown at him. ¡°Tashau,¡± she groaned. A rough hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and rolled her to her back. An eshtan with dark hair stared down at her, the disdain in his garnet-colored eyes reflecting the light of the nearby campfire. ¡°Look, Davim, the star empress finally wakes,¡± he sneered. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe he took her.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°You know, she¡¯s really not bad in the firelight.¡± Sorai whimpered, too frightened to scream. There was something odd about this eshtan¡¯s features¡ªsomething about the shape of his eyes and the height of his cheekbones that seemed foreign. And his accent didn¡¯t sound like any she had ever heard before. ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve had prettier.¡± Another eshtan¡¯s face filled her view. A man¡ªpresumably Davim¡ªappraised her with pursed lips. ¡°I used to have a slave who had twice the beauty of this one. Then you let Anoth kill her.¡± Sorai flinched at the name Anoth. Who would dare speak that name outside of temples and libraries? Maybe she had simply misheard him. The garnet-eyed eshtan ignored the jab and knelt down to get a closer look at Sorai¡¯s face. ¡°Her skin looks nice and soft.¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Davim agreed grudgingly. ¡°But you better not mess with her, Zalas. He¡¯ll be back any minute.¡± Zalas smirked. As if to prove his bravery, he reached out and began to prod Sorai¡¯s face with a filthy finger, the sleeve of his dark, muddy caftan brushing against her ear uncomfortably. ¡°It feels as nice as it looks. Perhaps we should enslave more highborn nobles like this one.¡± ¡°Bed slaves are illegal now, remember?¡± muttered Davim. ¡°All thanks to you.¡± ¡°That was Verahi¡¯s doing, not mine,¡± Zalas retorted. ¡°But his laws don¡¯t apply to us here; if you¡¯re quick, you could have your way with this one before he returns.¡± Sorai began breathing fast and hard amidst their laughter, summoning and letting loose a piercing shriek. Zalas immediately withdrew his hand and stood up as leaves began to rustle from outside of the clearing. She watched as Davim rushed to sit down behind the fire, and Zalas simply backed away, settling on a plump tree root. A third man entered the clearing. ¡°I see she¡¯s finally awake,¡± he remarked, sounding pleased. Sorai couldn¡¯t make out his face, even as he turned to place a round object into a rucksack on the other side of the campfire. ¡°What did Verahi think of your little side trip?¡± Zalas asked pertly. ¡°That is none of your concern,¡± the third man answered. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you couldn¡¯t have left us in Judath. We would have fit in just fine with the locals, and their food is far better than these rations. And now that you¡¯ve kidnapped an empress, what do you expect us to do with her? Shouldn¡¯t Verahi¡¯s new laws apply to you most of all?¡± The third man ignored Zalas and moved to kneel beside Sorai. His face was vaguely familiar, as was the bandana tied around his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before,¡± she mumbled uncertainly. ¡°It¡¯s heartening to hear you say that,¡± the man remarked. ¡°You must be quite disoriented after that pattern I used on you. I trust that your slumber was refreshing at least? You do look lovely when you sleep.¡± Sorai¡¯s eyes widened as she suddenly remembered the man in the garden, the same man who¡ª ¡°And what else did the great Verahi have to say?¡± Zalas asked. ¡°Will you really face no consequence for killing the star emperor or stealing his wife?¡± Sorai¡¯s mouth opened in stunned silence. This was the same man! There had been a fight! But Tashau¡ªno! The stranger tugged gently on the ropes binding Sorai¡¯s hands and feet. ¡°Verahi is not entirely pleased. However, with the death of the emperor, Chalei¡¯s kada is no longer a threat.¡± Tears flowed steadily down Sorai¡¯s cheeks as the memories of that evening finally returned to her in full. Tashau had tried to save her¡ªtried to fight off this madman. But he had fallen, stabbed viciously and repeatedly by this fiend. ¡°Tashau! Tashau!¡± she began to wail, thrashing in both misery and terror, but she was silenced by the stranger¡¯s palm against her mouth, the stench of Tashau¡¯s blood flooding her nostrils. ¡°Maybe you should gag her,¡± Davim suggested. ¡°And are you sure those ropes are enough to stop her from attacking us?¡± ¡°Maybe I should gag you,¡± the stranger snapped. ¡°The ropes are just to keep her from running. Besides, even if she weren¡¯t bound she¡¯s only a daughter of the first house, so poses no threat. She is simply upset and in shock.¡± Sorai¡¯s instincts in the palace gardens had been to flee from this man. Now she wished she had. The part of his face that was still illuminated by the fire was not distinctly eshtan, but it was not dalanai or engstaxi either. His earlobes were too small¡ªpractically deformed. And was that a thin layer of stubbly hair lining his jaw? How was that possible? Just what kind of freak was he? Was he part beast? That must¡¯ve been it. He had to be some abomination that was created when his unfortunate eshtan or dalanai mother was raped by a padu. ¡°I have waited years for this,¡± the stranger said, drawing closer and lifting his hands toward her face. ¡°It has been agonizing to just watch you from afar for so long when all I¡¯ve wanted is to touch you¡ªspeak to you. From the moment I first saw you I felt a bond between us. Surely, now that we¡¯re together you must feel it too.¡± The stranger gazed at her imploringly. ¡°Get away from me!¡± Sorai screamed. She pushed away his searching fingers with her bound hands. ¡°You killed my husband!¡± ¡°Oh, let¡¯s not be childish. It¡¯s for the better that he¡¯s gone. He was a fop and entirely unworthy of you. You¡¯re mine now, as it was always meant to be.¡± He suddenly pulled the bandana from his forehead in a grand gesture. ¡°Look at me,¡± he commanded somberly. ¡°Surely you know me now.¡± Sorai stared. That trio of blue dots on his forehead was very familiar, but not a crest from any noble family that she knew. Was it eshtan? Noticing Sorai¡¯s perplexed expression, Zalas sighed. ¡°It¡¯s obvious she has no idea who you are.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The stranger didn¡¯t respond, and instead leaned closer to Sorai until they were almost nose to nose. ¡°Look harder. You must know me.¡± ¡°Get away!¡± she shouted, lashing out at him, intent on scratching his ugly face into ruin, but her wrists were still bound in front of her, and he dodged the attack easily. As he drew back slightly, she began to tear at her binds with her teeth, ignoring the pain as she cut her gums on the rope. ¡°Did you honestly believe that she¡¯d act any differently than the rest of our slaves?¡± Zalas demanded. ¡°She¡¯s a Naltite!¡± ¡°Although, the feisty ones were more fun to break,¡± Davim chimed in. ¡°Enough!¡± the stranger snarled, and the two eshtans fell silent. He reached down to pull Sorai up by her shoulders, sitting her up gently. ¡°You . . . are so exquisite, Sorai,¡± he murmured. ¡°You have always been so beautiful, but to have you here in front of me now . . . . Your voice, your smell¡ªyou are perfect. I just need you to stop denying who I am and accept your feelings.¡± Sorai jerked away as he tried to caress her cheek. ¡°I know you have been unhappy. I should have rescued you the first night I saw you, as you wept in the gardens over your impending sham of a marriage. You were so sad, so despairing. I nearly took you away, but I hesitated, and you were forced to endure a loveless marriage, the loss of a child. I could have made you happy. I still can.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick!¡± Sorai shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying these awful things but I don¡¯t want anything to do with you!¡± The man lashed out and grabbed the collar of her robe, pulling her close. ¡°Stop rejecting me,¡± he whispered through clenched teeth. Sorai shut her eyes and trembled uncontrollably. He released her and chuckled, before sliding his hand up her neck. ¡°I know you know my name now. Just say it.¡± A sob bubbled from Sorai¡¯s lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know your name!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just being demure,¡± he said. ¡°I am Anoth, the first son of the first son of Atal.¡± Sorai stopped crying just long enough to scoff. ¡°Anoth? You can¡¯t¡ªyou can¡¯t name yourself after a god!¡± ¡°But I am that god,¡± Anoth averred solemnly. ¡°You should have recognized my obvious divinity the moment you first saw me.¡± What kind of heresy was this? This man was claiming himself to be the Dread God? Pure insanity! ¡°The Dread God is dead. You can¡¯t be him. You¡¯re a monster¡ªa blasphemer!¡± Sorai looked wildly over to Zalas and Davim, who simply shrugged half-heartedly. Anoth threw back his head and laughed. ¡°Ah, now I see! Your little Nass¨¦s may have filled your pretty head with lies about my death your entire life, but you¡¯re under no obligation to believe them now. You can feel free to accept me without fear of punishment.¡± ¡°Stop it! The goddess Naltena killed Anoth!¡± Anoth¡¯s expression shifted from amusement to annoyance. ¡°Oh, Naltena traveled through the parting to take my freedom, but she paid for that trespass with her life.¡± ¡°The goddess can¡¯t be killed!¡± Sorai shouted. Anoth moved to grip her chin. ¡°You mortals are silly. You believe every lie Naltena has ever told you, even when the truth is right in front of you. But no matter; there is plenty of time for you to learn.¡± His fingers shifted as if to grip her neck, but instead of strangling her, he pulled her close and pressed his lips against her own. A high-pitched wail erupted from her nose as she clawed at him with her bound hands in vain. When he attempted to deepen the kiss, she bit down on his lip as hard as she could. He snarled in pain and released her, but not before she had a taste of his coppery blood. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± she sobbed hysterically. Anoth maintained his grip on her arm, raising his other hand to cover his bleeding lip. He looked off into the distance with what almost seemed like sadness in his eyes. ¡°You truly do not know me? You have my love, and yet you treat me like I¡¯m a stranger. Do you not want me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Sorai hissed. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°She clearly has no interest in you,¡± Zalas suddenly snapped. ¡°Let¡¯s just get rid of her and get back to the mission!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Anoth seethed in a feral rage. He drew in a sharp breath before seeming to calm, but when he looked back at Sorai, there was only a steady fury burning in his eyes. ¡°Fine. So be it. I would have preferred to spend this time catching up, but it¡¯s best to just get on with it. If you insist on being stubborn, I won¡¯t wait until you¡¯re safely home in Yalet. I will prove to you who I am this very night. You won¡¯t think to reject me again once I¡¯ve turned you into a hadir.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Sorai turned to Zalas and Davim again. ¡°Help me!¡± she pleaded. Zalas looked down, avoiding eye contact. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do this,¡± he muttered loudly. ¡°She¡¯ll only hold us back as she recovers, and we can¡¯t travel with an untrained hadir. She¡¯d likely kill us by accident.¡± ¡°Let me worry about that.¡± Anoth scooped Sorai up and stormed out of the camp, carrying her into the heavy underbrush of the jungle. They passed under thick, drooping vines and through the hollows of trees, and Sorai braced herself, pleading with him all the while, as her body jostled against branches and sharp leaves. She had always considered the jungles of Chalei to be part of her home, but here there were no rope bridges overhead, no outposts filled with wardens to protect against the dangers on the jungle floor. There was nothing to save her from whatever it was he planned to do with her. Finally, they reached another clearing, smaller than the one they had left. ¡°You must forgive me for the lack of romance,¡± Anoth muttered as he knelt and rolled Sorai onto a bed of rotting vegetation. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time before I need to counsel again with my master.¡± He withdrew the curved dagger she had seen earlier from his belt. He slid the flat of the blade against her cheek in a show of twisted affection. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m sure your wardens will have sent out search parties by now, so we can¡¯t stay here too long.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± Sorai squirmed only slightly. Anoth smiled unwaveringly. ¡°I¡¯m going to make you my wife. I would never hurt you needlessly.¡± The cold steel of the dagger ran down the length of her neck to her clavicle. With a single, sudden stroke, he sliced the shift she wore beneath her belted robe clean open. ¡°No!¡± Sorai screamed, covering herself as best she could with her arms. ¡°Please, don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Your modesty is totally unnecessary,¡± Anoth said with a roll of his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t even count the number of times I¡¯ve watched you bathe.¡± Sorai opened her mouth to protest further, but he silenced her by placing a finger to her lips. ¡°It¡¯s best that you don¡¯t scream. This will hurt quite a bit, but any struggle will only make it worse.¡± He took the dagger and pressed the tip of its blade against her chest. Sorai froze, paralyzed by fear. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. This will make things so much easier.¡± Sorai shut her eyes tight. Images of her family filled her mind. Faro toddling around the palace grounds, Tashau laughing as their little one tripped over his own tail. What would become of Faro? He had already lost one parent in Tashau; could he cope with losing both? He had relatives to care for him, but she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him growing up without either of the two people who loved him most. ¡°Now,¡± Anoth commented clinically as he climbed to sit on top of her, pinning her bound hands to one side beneath his heavy thigh. ¡°I always begin with the heart glyph. It¡¯s quite large and complex but is central to the overall pattern.¡± Sorai had no time to prepare herself before the blade bit into her skin. The first incision was slow and measured, drawn expertly down the center of her ribs. The next diagonal slices were quicker but no less sure. The stinging sensations in her skin combined into a persistent, throbbing pain. As he began to score her flesh in earnest, she felt blood pouring down the sides of her body. He meant for her to bleed to death! Overwhelming panic seized her and threw her into terrified convulsions. Anoth withdrew the dagger and wrapped a hand around her throat, immediately stopping her thrashings. ¡°This glyph must be precise, with each stroke made in the proper order and carved to the appropriate length. Anything less would kill you once I pour refined matter into it. Hold still!¡± Sorai tried to scream, but Anoth increased the pressure of his grip around her neck until her body stopped responding to her commands and she fell limp. He loosened his fingers just enough for her to draw in shallow, spasmodic breaths, then resumed carving his work. Her consciousness floated in and out as her breathing slowed. Through half lids, she watched him finish the glyph on her chest and move down to her stomach. The pain was unceasing, but she couldn¡¯t even wince as he proceeded to slice into her navel. After some time, she vaguely sensed her hands being cut free from the ropes binding them, as well as Anoth shredding the rest of her clothing from her body before slicing into her limbs. There, he cut into every inch of skin, sometimes with large motions, sometimes with intricate precision. Even as he rolled her onto her belly to give him access to her back, she noticed with some macabre amusement that the pain no longer multiplied with every stroke, and instead just throbbed with her slowing heartbeat. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, Anoth grabbed her shoulders and rolled her to her back, unceremoniously wiping the mud and dead leaves from her seeping wounds with both hands. ¡°There, that wasn¡¯t so hard now, was it? This is perhaps my finest work,¡± he admired proudly. ¡°It will look even better once the refined matter is coursing through the glyphs.¡± ¡°Please just kill me!¡± Sorai rasped, her mouth dry and tear ducts spent. ¡°Oh, it¡¯ll soon be too late for that,¡± Anoth muttered, slicing into his palm with his dagger and holding his dripping fist over the heart glyph. ¡°Once I¡¯ve finished the binding process, death will never have you.¡± She felt the fingers of his free hand, burning hot to the touch, press against her temple. ¡°This is going to hurt much worse, so I think it¡¯s time for a little nap now. When you wake, I have no doubt that you will appreciate this gift and accept me as divine.¡± Chapter Thirteen Chapter 13 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The City of Marin Kirin frowned unhappily as she reached the warden headquarters. The building looked the same as always, large and white, with the plaster at its foundation flaking away with age. Hardly welcoming. She slowly stepped down the ten wide steps that led to the entrance, then pushed open the heavy wooden doors to make her way inside. She immediately snorted the air from her nostrils. This place always stunk of sweat. Whoever had built this building hadn¡¯t thought to add any windows, leaving a permanent muggy haze hanging in the air, tempered only slightly by the flames of the oil lamps that lined the walls at a constant low burn. She hated coming here, but she hardly ever found her father home, especially when she needed to talk to him. To her immediate right sat a dozen prisoners of various high and lesser races on a series of long wooden benches. Their hands and ankles were bound together with glyphed iron shackles. They were likely detainees awaiting their ¡°delinquent management,¡± as her father liked to put it. Several large, muscular wardens stood guard over them, while others were stomping around on both the main and second floors. Other much smaller men¡ªclerks, no doubt¡ªscurried back and forth across the arcades above, paperwork in hand. Kirin passed the staring but silent prisoners only to stop short when she saw her father approaching, surrounded by an entourage of wardens. They wore the formal, high-collared red coats that were reserved for special events. What was happening today? Kirin¡¯s father, Entav, was an absolute giant of a man, standing taller than his fellows by at least a head. He wore a distracted frown across his jaw, the skin of which looked like leather that had been dragged behind a naru for too long. He seemed more irritated than usual, but it was hard to gauge his mood due to the beaded bandana folded over his ruined left eye. ¡°Uh, Father?¡± Kirin smiled pleasantly and waved as Entav and his men approached, but he did not acknowledge her. His remaining amber-colored eye was fixed on the ledger he was reading. Still, he must have heard her, for he halted in his advance, his troop also halting in perfect unison. ¡°Hello, Kirin!¡± called one of her father¡¯s men. Kirin smiled up at the handsome young officer, a blush creeping up her neck. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°How are your studies?¡± Entav abruptly flipped over his ledger and slapped it against the lieutenant¡¯s chest, eliciting a yelp of surprise. ¡°Stop harassing my daughter or I¡¯ll cut off your dick and feed it to my naru.¡± The lieutenant caught the ledger, turned green, and immediately shrank away from Kirin, disappearing to the back of Entav¡¯s entourage. The other wardens snickered loudly. ¡°Father!¡± Kirin cried out, mortified. Why did he insist on threatening any man who showed even the politest interest in her? ¡°What are you doing here, Sweetie?¡± Entav folded his bulky arms over his barrel of a chest. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like it when you come to headquarters. There are too many thieving rogues hanging around who¡¯d love to take advantage of you.¡± Kirin scoffed. ¡°You really think anyone would hurt me with all these wardens running around everywhere?¡± ¡°Hah! It¡¯s my men I¡¯m concerned about, like Lieutenant ¡®Future-No-Dick¡¯ back there.¡± Entav jammed his thumb behind him in the direction the lieutenant had fled. ¡°Must you use that kind of language around me, Father?¡± Kirin groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t be so serious.¡± Entav reached out and gave Kirin a firm pat on the head, which she accepted with great irritation. ¡°Listen, I really need to have a word with you . . . in private.¡± Entav¡¯s smile wavered. ¡°You¡¯d better not be pregnant.¡± Kirin flushed. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not pregnant, Father! How would I have the time to manage that?¡± ¡°All it takes is one priest taking advantage of you,¡± he persisted. ¡°The priests are eunuchs!¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Entav conceded. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why they don¡¯t sing the low parts. One less thing for me to worry about!¡± He patted her on the head again, ignoring her growls. ¡°Anyway, if it¡¯s not important, can this little chat wait? I have a meeting scheduled with the emperor.¡± Kirin blinked. An audience with the emperor? No wonder they were dressed so formally. ¡°But it¡¯ll only take five minutes. This is sort of important. It¡¯s about my schooling.¡± Entav rubbed at his chin a moment. ¡°Eh, I can¡¯t say no to you. But I don¡¯t have time to stick around here. If it¡¯s that important, you can tag along and talk to me on the way.¡± Kirin nodded eagerly. She was going to the palace! ¡°Come on, then,¡± Entav urged as he and his men strolled toward the exit. Kirin hurried after, following him outside and into the covered stables. Several large, scaly narus were already saddled and awaiting the wardens, who marched over and mounted them with ease. Once settled atop the largest beast, Entav grasped one of the naru¡¯s horns with one hand and reached down with the other to pull Kirin up and behind him. She shifted on the back edge of the saddle until her meddlesome skirt folded modestly around her thighs. As Entav kicked his spurs into the naru¡¯s flanks, it lurched forward, starting their lumbering procession. They took an immediate left and made their way onto Marin¡¯s most central, brick-paved avenue, which spanned across the entirety of the city straight down the middle. Almost at once, the familiar smells, sounds, and colors of Marin flooded Kirin¡¯s senses. The road was lined with street vendors, who peddled a variety of wares, ranging from steamed snacks to imported silks and baubles from Chalei. It was characteristically congested for this time of day, bustling with people, narus, and wagons carrying produce. The wardens¡¯ movement was slow at first, fighting upstream through the throng, but soon the men began to shout down at the crowds, and those who heard made way. Their path eased, and they neared the western gates in relatively short order. ¡°Hey, did you remember to bring my reports?¡± Entav asked his second-in-command. When the officer gave the satchel he wore a firm pat, Entav nodded sharply. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s hope this meeting goes better than last quarter¡¯s. At least we haven¡¯t had any raids this time around. I hear from Chalei that they had something like two or three raids in the last season alone. Those dalanais must have really pissed off some padus.¡± He slowed his naru and nodded to the warden stationed at the city gates, then picked up the pace as they exited the city. Not too soon after, Kirin felt a rush of anxiety as the Goddess Forest rose into view. At this distance, it was barely a glimmer of brightness against the horizon, but she still shielded the left side of her face to avoid looking at it. The real Goddess Forest wasn¡¯t like the one within her dream, but it was still unnerving. ¡°Father,¡± Kirin blurted out. ¡°I want to stop my pre-seminary schooling.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Entav pulled back on the reins of his naru. The beast made an angry warbling sound as it skidded to a halt. ¡°What¡ªwhy for?¡± he demanded. The other wardens slowed or reined in their narus as well. Kirin began gnawing unhappily on her thumbnail. This wasn¡¯t quite the way she had envisioned this conversation going. She really wanted to tell him about her nightmares, and how she couldn¡¯t tell the priests about them without being banned from seminary, but she had no idea how badly he¡¯d respond. ¡°Well?¡± Entav asked expectantly. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to go anymore,¡± Kirin said lamely. ¡°The priests expect so much out of me, and I¡¯m studying so hard every day without seeing any improvement. I feel like I don¡¯t have any oil left to burn.¡± Entav nodded. ¡°Hey, you boys go on ahead,¡± he called out. As the officers moved on, he turned to look over his shoulder and pierced Kirin with his eye. ¡°Now that¡¯s a load of sazi scat, and you know it. If you studied half as much as you daydream you¡¯d be at the top of your class. What¡¯s really going on?¡± Kirin hung her head. ¡°Everybody wants me to be a candidate¡ªeven you¡ªand people like Batem keep telling me that I¡¯ll be the Nass¨¦ for sure. But I don¡¯t think I want to go to seminary or become a priestess. I don¡¯t want to be a candidate anymore.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Entav sat thoughtfully for a moment before turning to face forward again. He tapped the naru¡¯s sides with his heels, beginning an intentionally slow trot down the hill toward Bakavoth Palace. ¡°Look, Kirin, if you were a boy this wouldn¡¯t be an issue at all. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d allow you to get castrated. It just so happens that you ended up a girl, and you girls born beneath high houses are too scatterbrained to be suited for a whole lot of other jobs.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Kirin mumbled. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t take it the wrong way! You¡¯re lucky. My house isn¡¯t anything to sniff at, but because I¡¯ve got a penis I don¡¯t get to dream hardly at all.¡± Kirin grimaced in disgust, wanting to hear nothing more about her father¡¯s anatomy. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not always going to be around to take care of you. Even if you just ended up a priestess, and never became the Nass¨¦, you¡¯d still be well-fed for life. What¡¯s so wrong with that?¡± Kirin hesitated. Would it hurt to tell her father the real reason why she didn¡¯t want to return to the temple? He probably couldn¡¯t fix this for her, but it might make her feel better to tell somebody, and she knew she could trust him. ¡°I . . . I had an audience with the Nass¨¦ a while back.¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t make up stories!¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s true! Being the Nass¨¦ isn¡¯t what I thought it would be. She wasn¡¯t what I thought she would be.¡± ¡°And what does this have to do with your schooling?¡± ¡°The Nass¨¦ lives with a bunch of old priestesses and sleeps all day long. It sounds horrible! I don¡¯t want to go to seminary or be a candidate if that¡¯s what might happen to me,¡± Kirin continued. ¡°You sleep all the time, already. It¡¯s one of your favorite things.¡± Entav scowled. ¡°Try again. This time tell me the truth.¡± They finally arrived at the gates of the massive palace complex, and Kirin kept her lips sealed. The stationed guards bowed and quickly permitted them entrance, probably having just let the other wardens through. Once past the guards, Kirin whispered, ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone about this, Father. Do you swear? If I tell you the truth, nobody can know.¡± ¡°Well, that sounds serious. Go on. I won¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°The Nass¨¦¡¯s been having nightmares. She made me elucidate one of them, and it was awful. There was this woman on an altar, and a priest, and an evil-looking man lurking in the shadows, then the sky just¡ªit just fell. There was glass everywhere, and there was so much blood!¡± Kirin paused a moment, attempting to shake away the memory. ¡°I don¡¯t know why she made me do it, but ever since then my dreams have gotten a lot worse. I think I¡¯m having nightmares, too!¡± Entav flinched visibly. ¡°I¡¯m really scared! What if the Nass¨¦ is sick and I ended up getting sick, too?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know of any diseases that cause nightmares.¡± ¡°What else could it be? Our doctrine says candidates have protected sleep. I¡¯m not supposed to have nightmares, ever!¡± Entav steered his naru in the direction of the palace stables, where groomsmen were already tending to the other wardens¡¯ mounts. ¡°I hate to break it to you, Sweetie, but our religion isn¡¯t perfect,¡± he said very quietly. ¡°Your mother was a daughter of the eighth house¡ªshe was a candidate and going to be a priestess until I came along¡ªand on very rare occasions she had nightmares. She¡¯d tell me about them if I pried it out of her, but she¡¯d never mention them publicly because she didn¡¯t want to be shunned.¡± Kirin gasped, shocked at the revelation. ¡°I never realized!¡± Entav shrugged and dismounted the naru. He held out his hands to help Kirin hop down as well. ¡°You were so young, and it wasn¡¯t something she spoke of often,¡± he remarked, passing the reins to the groomsman. Kirin followed her father down one of the stone paths leading to the palace. ¡°But if that¡¯s true about Mother, what about other candidates? Have the priests been lying to us all this time?¡± ¡°I have no idea. Isn¡¯t it up to you spiritual folks to tell me about that stuff?¡± Kirin said nothing as they climbed a set of stairs that led up to one of the palace¡¯s side entrances, where a servant bowed and gestured for them to follow him inside. Kirin¡¯s mind tangled with confusion. Even though she was still just a student, she already knew that there were inconsistencies in her religion. The priests often bickered amongst themselves about little points of doctrine and made declarations and decisions that were quickly overturned or tossed aside almost capriciously. But the principles behind sleep and dreams were foundational to their religion, and if the Nass¨¦ was having nightmares, what other core doctrines were tainted? ¡°How long have you been having these . . . dreams?¡± Entav asked as they passed beneath an ornate skylight, scattering sunlight across the polished alabaster walls around them. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize what they were at the time, but since midwinter. They became more vivid after I met the Nass¨¦ and have gotten even worse over the last two weeks or so.¡± ¡°If they started that long ago I doubt there¡¯s a connection to the Nass¨¦. Besides, two weeks isn¡¯t so bad. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve already begun skipping your lessons?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve skipped a few.¡± Entav shook his head. ¡°That has to stop. Go back to the temple and do your studies like a good girl. And don¡¯t worry so much. Your mother¡¯s¡ª¡± he glanced at the servant ¡°¡ªissues always resolved themselves in time.¡± ¡°But Father, if the priests discover¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t whine, Sweetie. Until you¡¯re twenty-one, you have to do what I say. If your problem hasn¡¯t gone away in a few more weeks, we¡¯ll discuss your options.¡± Kirin chomped on her lip to hold in her grumblings. He was probably right. If her mother had had nightmares in the past and was able to rid herself of them, surely Kirin could do the same. Maybe all candidates had nightmares like this, and they resolved them in dutiful secrecy. If Kirin could properly interpret the symbols in her nightmare on her own, she would be well again and no one needed to know of her condition. The servant turned, leading Kirin and her father through an adjacent hallway lined by potted fruit trees down one side and circular windows down the other. After passing through the hall, they veered into a spacious sitting room, where plush-looking settees were positioned atop a large ornamental rug woven in patterns of blue and green. There was a staircase directly to Kirin¡¯s right, with a large portrait of a pretty but serious-looking girl positioned above it. Kirin didn¡¯t know who the girl was but could see she was of high status by the red sun tattooed on her forehead. When the servant led them through the sitting room past a pair of sliding glass doors, Kirin found herself within a brightly lit solarium, with wide open windows that allowed for a fantastic view of the lake beyond. The floor was lined with red ceramic tiles, while the whole of the ceiling was one gigantic skylight, with lead traceries that curled across panels of framed, clear glass to form the outline of a sun. The wardens, who must have arrived some minutes before, were sitting on a number of wooden lounge chairs and wicker settees, listening uncomfortably to the banter of one of several nobles in the room. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The chatting immediately stopped as Entav and Kirin entered, and after a momentary pause, there came a cheerful shout. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve made it!¡± A man with silvery hair rose from one of the lounge chairs and strode over to Kirin¡¯s father, offering him a firm hug and pat on the back. This had to be Ravad, the emperor of Judath. His resemblance to the girl in the portrait outside was uncanny, and he bore the same imperial crest on his forehead. Why was he being so informal with her father? ¡°Sun Emperor, it is a pleasure to see you again,¡± Entav said, bowing low once he was released from their embrace. Self-conscious now, Kirin bowed as well. The emperor, who wore only a sleeveless blue tunic instead of the fine baubles and robes Kirin would have expected, made a dismissive wave of his hand and moved to sit back down in his lounge chair. ¡°You know I don¡¯t care much for titles, ¡®High Chief Toredath.¡¯¡± ¡°My apologies, Ravad,¡± Entav replied, sounding slightly embarrassed. ¡°Much better. Now, who¡¯s this with you?¡± Ravad asked, a grin forming beneath his mildly crooked nose. He gestured to Kirin, who gulped down a massive knot of nerves. ¡°This is my daughter Kirin. Please excuse the imposition; she was in need of my escort,¡± Entav explained as he took a step away. ¡°Ah, yes. Kirin Toredath, daughter of the ninth house. I selected this candidate myself.¡± Ravad held out his arms to Kirin. ¡°Come over here.¡± Kirin walked a pace over to Ravad, allowing him to grasp her hands. His palms and fingers were broader than hers, and his skin was brown and warmed by the sun. Ravad brought her in closer, taking the opportunity to stare at her intently, his irises like a pair of silver discs. He looked like he might be in his early thirties¡ªstill quite young by eshtan standards, and he was attractive enough that Kirin couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°You must dream often?¡± Kirin nodded. ¡°Good. And does the sleeping sickness affect you?¡± He began to examine her hands like a physician would. Kirin flinched, her heart skipping a beat, but then shook her head. Of course he wasn¡¯t referring to her nightmares. Girls born beneath the eighth and ninth houses were skilled but were known to be so overcome by their dreaming that many slept all day, every day, and lived in a stupor while awake. Such girls were considered to have the sleeping sickness and could not function normally, often wasting away and dying early in life. They did not make good candidates, and high priests¡ªeven honorary ones from birth like Ravad¡ªweeded them out whenever possible during their evaluations once they came of age. ¡°I doze off now and then when I¡¯m bored. It¡¯s nothing,¡± she mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s reasonable. Entav, you have a lovely daughter.¡± Ravad released her hands and made a sweeping gesture to his right. ¡°Candidate Kirin, allow me to introduce you to my colleagues. These are the western and eastern kings, and this is the western prince.¡± Kirin gulped hard before swiveling around and bowing in one inelegant movement. She didn¡¯t know anything about the eastern king, but she definitely knew something of the western king and his family. His children, Anji and Javan, had attended that disastrous lecture at the temple, and Anji, creepily enough, had somehow found her address and sent her an increasing number of invitations for her to visit with them at their summer estate west of the city. Of course, that put their estate in close proximity to the Goddess Forest, which Kirin wanted to avoid at all costs. And had Emperor Ravad said that the western prince was here as well? Kirin forced her eyes open as she rose from her bow. There indeed was Javan, staring back at her with his cinnamon-colored eyes. ¡°Hello, Kirin. It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± Javan nodded his head awkwardly, his spectacles slipping down his nose. ¡°The two of you have met before?¡± Ravad asked, arching an eyebrow. Kirin began feeling waves of antagonism starting to emanate from her father toward Javan. Please don¡¯t make a scene, she begged silently. ¡°Uh, well, not exactly,¡± Javan admitted, his face reddening. ¡°Kirin is really more of an acquaintance of Anji¡¯s.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Ravad murmured thoughtfully. ¡°Unfortunately, we have some classified matters to deal with at the moment. I realize this was to be a learning opportunity for you, Javan, but you will have plenty of opportunities to audit political matters during the summit.¡± A small smile subtly tugged at his lips. ¡°Please escort Kirin out and keep her company while the wardens and I conduct our business.¡± Javan frowned, causing Kirin to worry that he was unhappy at being ordered to serve as her chaperone. He stood and shuffled over to her, offering his arm. Hesitantly, she took it and was surprised to feel firm muscle there. Without another word, Javan led Kirin out of the solarium, and the doors were shut behind them. Kirin immediately released Javan¡¯s arm and folded her hands together behind her back. This was going to be uncomfortable. Javan cleared his throat, and she dared herself to glance at him, before looking back to peer through the etched glass of the solarium doors. Her father was now sitting with the other wardens, and all were enjoying cylinders of chilled tea. ¡°Curious?¡± Kirin jumped at Javan¡¯s question. ¡°I . . . I guess a little. My father meets with the emperor every quarter. I¡¯ve always wondered what they do here.¡± Javan pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose and looked into the solarium as well. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but my father thinks the high chief will be reporting on the coastal raids today.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯ll be a short meeting, in that case. My father told me that there haven¡¯t been any raids all year long.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that, too,¡± Javan agreed. ¡°It¡¯s never been that big of a problem here, so it¡¯s probably just pirates or something, but it¡¯s supposed to have been really bad in Chalei. I bet Judath will have to send aid. My father thinks the violence will only escalate.¡± Kirin looked up at him. ¡°You seem to know a lot about all this.¡± He wasn¡¯t all that unattractive. With his hair worn loose, he looked nicer today than he had at the temple. ¡°It¡¯s just a guess. Honestly, I¡¯m clueless. I¡¯ve been away from home for four years, so I feel like I have to relearn everything.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Kirin asked. Javan nodded. ¡°I spent two years in each of the other empires. They say we do it to help us learn diplomacy among the other races. Truthfully, my time in Xeshun with all those engstaxis was like a stint in Yalet.¡± Kirin snorted with laughter. ¡°The engstaxis aren¡¯t very nice, are they?¡± ¡°No, not really. Say, do you, er, want to sit down or maybe go for a walk?¡± Javan suggested. ¡°They¡¯re probably going to be in there for at least an hour¡ªpossibly more.¡± Kirin hesitated. Her father would be furious if she wandered off alone somewhere with a boy, especially one he hadn¡¯t personally vetted. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine waiting here,¡± she said, moving away from the glass doors to lean against the wall. ¡°Of course.¡± Javan stared down at what must have been a particularly fascinating speck of dust on the floor as he settled against the wall quite close to her. ¡°Um, I hope this isn¡¯t too personal, but I was sorry to see you leave so soon way back at the temple. I wanted to tell you how good of a job you did helping that priest.¡± Kirin suppressed a scowl. He couldn¡¯t be serious. ¡°Oh, thank you. I¡¯m surprised you remembered me.¡± ¡°Certainly. Your drawings were¡ªdifferent.¡± He paused a moment, as if trying to decide whether he should say what was on his mind. ¡°You know, my sister can¡¯t stop talking about you. It¡¯s a shame she couldn¡¯t come with us today. She hasn¡¯t been feeling well lately.¡± Kirin frowned. Just what was Anji plotting? ¡°I hope she gets well soon,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sure she will,¡± Javan said, shifting slightly to lean closer. He had a pleasant, spiced scent about him. ¡°I remember you, you know,¡± he blurted out. Kirin blinked. ¡°During the noble summit six years ago. It was the first day of it, and you were sitting near the servants eating a pile of dumplings. I thought it was odd; you obviously weren¡¯t one of the servants, but you didn¡¯t have a familial crest. I couldn¡¯t figure out why you were there. I guess it makes sense now that I know your father is the high chief warden.¡± Kirin tapped her fingers together. ¡°Oh, I remember those dumplings! My father always picks one day to bring me along to the noble summit so I can try all the fancy foods. I always imagined engstaxi food would be gritty and bland, but it was so spicy and saucy. I¡¯d love to try some again.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you come to the summit with me this year? That way you can spend more than one day and see more of what it has to offer. Have you ever tried any of those dalanai noodle dishes?¡± Kirin flushed and burst out laughing before she could consider her options. She regretted it an instant later. Javan¡¯s back stiffened, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. He was obviously embarrassed, possibly even offended. Kirin knew she should say something, but instead said nothing, cursing herself for being such an idiot. Finally, Javan moved away from the wall to face her, bowing slightly. ¡°My apologies. I was too forward. Of course it would be strange for you to accompany me to the summit after having just met.¡± Kirin opened her mouth to salvage the situation but was distracted by a flash of something red appearing at the top of the staircase on the other side of the sitting room. She craned her neck to see what it was, and managed to make out the top of someone¡¯s head, crowned by fair, silvery hair that was pinned up by a shining red comb. A spy! Javan turned and narrowed his eyes, which flashed recognition. ¡°Tirbeth! Come out right now!¡± The fair hair jerked suddenly and then held very still before realizing that the game was up. ¡°Aw, just when it was starting to get interesting.¡± A girl, probably only fifteen or sixteen years old, popped her head over the banister and waved at Javan mischievously. From the red of her dress to the sun tattooed on her forehead, Tirbeth looked exactly like the girl in the portrait hanging directly over her head. Kirin gawked, taken aback by the high princess¡¯s swift flight down the stairs. Tirbeth might have shared the girl in the painting¡¯s silvery locks, but her devilish grin was a complete departure from the portrait¡¯s solemn expression. ¡°Hello, Tirbeth,¡± Javan sighed as the high princess glided right past him and peeked into the solarium. ¡°Ooh!¡± Tirbeth gushed, ignoring Javan completely. ¡°I knew I smelled wardens! Just look at those two juicy ones right over there! I bet they have rock hard stomachs!¡± She clasped her hands together, her bangles tinkling. ¡°Say, there¡¯s that old, ugly one!¡± Tirbeth¡¯s expression soured as she pointed in Entav¡¯s direction. ¡°Anji¡¯s been trying to meet with his daughter for forever. Do you think she¡¯d be any good at elucidating dreams? Anji seems to think so.¡± Tirbeth spun around to face Javan expectantly. Javan gestured at Kirin. ¡°Maybe. You could ask her yourself.¡± Tirbeth blinked for a moment or two before letting loose a high-pitched squeal and grabbing Kirin¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°So you¡¯re Kirin Toredath, eh? Anji¡¯s told me so much about you! I¡¯m Tirbeth! And I guess you¡¯ve already met that one.¡± Tirbeth dropped one of Kirin¡¯s hands and pointed at Javan in disgust. ¡°Um, hello,¡± Kirin mumbled, and Tirbeth took the opportunity to embrace her as though they were old friends. It seemed that Tirbeth and her father, the emperor, had a lot in common, including their shared disregard for formality. Tirbeth released Kirin after one last squeeze. ¡°I¡¯m simply thrilled to have you as a guest, but you must explain to me why you haven¡¯t been to see Anji yet. She¡¯s tried to reach you a million times already.¡± Kirin swallowed. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t realize,¡± she lied. ¡°I must have missed her summons somehow.¡± In reality, the only thing Kirin had missed was the waste basket on her first attempt to throw Anji¡¯s messages away. ¡°Well, you must go see her so you can elucidate her nightmares.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kirin and Javan asked in chorus. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re just awful! She doesn¡¯t sleep, she can barely eat, and I think she may have even given herself an ulcer! I told her to ease into the stimulants, not take them all at once.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Javan demanded. ¡°I knew Anji was sick, but what is this about nightmares and ulcers?¡± ¡°Oops! I completely forgot you were standing there, Javan.¡± Tirbeth giggled nervously. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Javan snapped. ¡°You can¡¯t keep this to yourselves! Anji needs to see a doctor!¡± Tirbeth groaned, her pert expression tightening into a grimace. ¡°Pshaw, a doctor could fix her ulcer, sure, but not her mind. The only reason why she¡¯s even taking all those stimulants is because if she falls asleep she ends up having that nightmare over and over again! She needs her nightmares elucidated! And so do I, for that matter!¡± Kirin pursed her lips. Was Tirbeth saying she was having nightmares, too? ¡°You¡¯re an idiot!¡± Javan declared. ¡°Anji hasn¡¯t said a thing about this to any of us. She needs to talk to my parents and see a physician!¡± Tirbeth stamped her foot. ¡°Shows what you know! She tried to talk to your parents weeks ago, but your stuffy old father told her that she was too old to be scared by nightmares! Now she stays awake for as long as she can until she can¡¯t help but fall asleep, and then that nightmare comes right back. You know, she only had you take her to the temple so that she could try to meet with the Nass¨¦. Nobody else would take her!¡± ¡°But my parents are right. She is too old for this nonsense.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Tirbeth snarled. ¡°Well, you might be a son of the seventh house, but you¡¯re still a son, and you haven¡¯t got a clue what it¡¯s like to dream like us!¡± ¡°Like you?¡± Javan arched an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t start with me.¡± ¡°Too bad, because I will! You¡¯re a stupid, smelly boy. If you were a girl, you¡¯d understand that it isn¡¯t all about being scared easy. If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you ask Kirin, here? She¡¯s supposed to dream a whole bunch!¡± Javan held up his hands in exasperation. ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t see why you have to pick a fight over something this ridiculous. So, Kirin, what do you know of nightmares?¡± He narrowed his eyes down at her. Kirin bowed her head and frowned. For an instant, she was back inside of the Goddess Forest, the black-eyed man standing in place of Javan. She quickly shook the image from her thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had a nightmare,¡± she lied. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that they can be very traumatizing. Especially the ones where the dreamer dies. Imagine what it would be like to dream that you are killed over and over again, without having any way to stop it. It might not be real, but it feels real. It¡¯s awful¡ªto think about, that is.¡± Javan folded his arms across his chest and remained silent. ¡°See?¡± Tirbeth threw her hands up at Javan. ¡°Kirin, won¡¯t you help Anji? I just know you¡¯d be able to fix her problem!¡± Kirin shook her head. Judging from recent experience, she wasn¡¯t qualified to elucidate anyone¡¯s dreams. Doing so for Anji would almost certainly make her situation worse. ¡°I just don¡¯t know, High Princess. It can be dangerous, and I¡¯ve only done it once.¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends!¡± the high princess cried, her lip quivering. ¡°We¡¯re friends, so you should call me Tirbeth! And Anji is your friend, too, isn¡¯t she? You really wouldn¡¯t help a friend?¡± She looked utterly heartbroken. Kirin winced at the sight of Tirbeth¡¯s watery eyes. There could be many benefits to being Tirbeth¡¯s friend, but they had just met, and there was no telling what would happen to such a friendship if Kirin were to fail at elucidating Anji¡¯s nightmare. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªI just¡ª¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t turn Anji or I away like the Nass¨¦ did, would you?¡± A single tear slid down Tirbeth¡¯s cheek, causing Kirin to cringe. ¡°Here the Nass¨¦ has all this power to help other people, and she won¡¯t do a thing with it except counsel Father and the other emperors about their silly dreams, and even Father comes away sad every time. It isn¡¯t fair. Won¡¯t you help us?¡± Kirin sucked in a sharp breath. Maybe if she concentrated hard enough, she would recall the pattern for dream elucidation that the Nass¨¦ had shown her. Could even an attempt do any harm? ¡°Fine, don¡¯t cry. I-I¡¯ll go see her,¡± Kirin mumbled. Tirbeth let loose a whoop of rapture, her tears drying up a little bit too quickly. ¡°Oh, do you mean it?¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Kirin grumbled. Javan shook his head. ¡°This all sounds pretty fishy to me.¡± Tirbeth rounded on Javan, her small body brimming with rage. ¡°Just you wait! Anji will be well again, and you¡¯ll have to cram your words back down your stupid throat!¡± Kirin sighed and leaned heavily against the wall again as Tirbeth and Javan argued. She slowly moved to sidle away from them, hoping to make an escape, but her attention was drawn to a servant entering the sitting room, followed by a visibly exhausted dalanai who was covered in dust and pink with sunburn. The dalanai wore a stained blue caftan, similar to the uniforms of her father and his men, which meant that he was a warden, too. But what would a warden from Chalei be doing all the way in Judath? As the servant and warden reached the solarium doors and briskly entered, Tirbeth abandoned her argument with Javan and stared at the dalanai¡¯s backside, her jaw completely slack. ¡°Goddess, did you see him?¡± she squealed, pressing herself against the solarium¡¯s glass doors to watch the dalanai as he knelt before the emperor. ¡°He¡¯s so stunning!¡± Kirin and Javan pushed Tirbeth a little to the side in order to get a better look through the glass. Entav and his men had just risen to their feet, his expression in particular darkening with surprise, before they placed their hands over their hearts and bowed respectfully to the dalanai. Emperor Ravad sat up in his chair and nodded in greeting. Pleasantries aside, the dalanai began to speak with great urgency, withdrawing a scroll from his shoulder bag. Although Kirin could not hear what was being said, there was palpable tension within the room, and she could tell that the message was important. Javan nudged Kirin and pointed at the scroll, which had been sealed with a daub of blue wax and stamped by a six-pointed star. ¡°That¡¯s the star of Chalei. I bet that message is from the star emperor himself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kirin asked, watching as one of the servants took the scroll from the dalanai and passed it to Ravad, who promptly broke the wax seal. The emperor¡¯s eyes darted across the parchment again and again, and gradually, all the color drained from his face. Ravad shot up to his heels and began to shout to his servants, prompting Tirbeth to gasp, ¡°What¡¯s gotten Father so upset?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but this looks serious,¡± Javan commented worriedly. Now all the men were standing and barking orders to warden and servant alike. This continued for some time until Ravad gathered a small contingent of attendants and headed for the solarium doors, everyone following him. Kirin, Tirbeth, and Javan scrambled out of the way just as Ravad thrust open the doors and strode outside without acknowledging their presence. Ravad was still discussing what sounded like a plan of action with Entav. ¡°You will send word to your captain in Temen that he is to gather a large portion of his men in that province and sail directly to Chalei to aid in the search. Your men here are to fortify Marin as well as the palace. We will not make the same mistake that was made in Chalei.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll send at least five platoons, maybe double that. Those jungles are vast!¡± Entav¡¯s voice trailed off as he and Ravad disappeared down the hall. The western king emerged from the solarium toward the end of the procession. Javan caught his arm and held him back for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s going on in Chalei, Father?¡± Javan¡¯s father responded grimly, ¡°Lanae Palace was attacked a few weeks ago. The star emperor was nearly assassinated, and his wife was abducted and taken into the jungle. That dalanai messenger doesn¡¯t know if either of them are still alive. We are sending troops to assist in searching for the star empress, but it¡¯s bad for us if this is at all related to the raids. It means that none of us are safe¡ªnot even behind the highest of palace walls.¡± Tirbeth chomped down on her knuckles, looking genuinely frightened, before she turned and tore down the hall her father had disappeared down. Watching Tirbeth go, Javan asked, ¡°Is it true? Does Emperor Ravad think we¡¯re in any danger?¡± The western king withdrew his arm from Javan¡¯s grasp. ¡°We might be at risk come fall when we return home, but for now we¡¯re so far inland that it¡¯s unlikely anything will happen to us without warning. Still, Ravad doesn¡¯t want to take a chance. He¡¯s going to seek an audience with the Nass¨¦ to discover why her dreams have not yet warned us of this.¡± With that, Javan¡¯s father exited down the hallway to catch up with the rest of his group. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Javan murmured when he and Kirin were finally alone. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the goddess warn the Nass¨¦ about these sorts of things beforehand?¡± ¡°She¡¯s supposed to,¡± Kirin responded numbly. But she knew what Javan and the others didn¡¯t, that the Nass¨¦ was currently in no condition to be having or interpreting dreams. Nightmares, yes, but not dreams. Everyone knew that the Nass¨¦ and her priestesses, even candidates, were immune from nightmares in order to better focus on helping others through dreams. But Kirin knew better now. No one was immune from nightmares. Chapter Fourteen Chapter 14 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei The Jungles Sorai awoke to a sharp cracking sound that pierced the now familiar drone of the jungle. Before she could get her bearings, there was another crack, and then another. She opened her eyes to see Anoth holding one large stone in each hand as he sat by the fire, smashing the rocks together at intervals. This wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d seen him act strangely; he often whispered to the mysterious stone he kept in his rucksack, sometimes worshipfully, sometimes fearfully. This knocking together of stones was bizarre and new, but it was still better than listening to him rage on and on about ¡®witnesses¡¯ and bodiless gods. The last few weeks had been a constant torture. Anoth had insisted on continuing their trek through the jungle despite her worsening condition, and she floated between restless parasomnia and fevered consciousness as he carried her in his arms and on his back. Now she was laying on the same filthy bedroll in another clearing next to another campfire, and Anoth¡¯s rhythmic rock banging was depriving her of even the hope of sleep. ¡°Please stop,¡± she muttered loudly. Anoth didn¡¯t respond. Sorai attempted to sit up, but her arms and back spasmed, causing her to fall heavily to her side. ¡°It hurts!¡± she wailed through her tears. ¡°She¡¯s much worse today,¡± Zalas remarked from somewhere behind her. ¡°I know it takes ages for the glyphs to heal, but this can¡¯t be normal.¡± Anoth didn¡¯t slow his rhythm, although Sorai saw his eyes glittering at her in the orange flames. ¡°She needs to feed.¡± ¡°Is this performance meant to be a dinner bell then?¡± Zalas asked. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Sorai lied. While the rest of them ate salted rations, Anoth had only allowed her to eat the most sour, unripe fruits and drink rain water directly from his hands. Anoth¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You serve two hungers now. Your carnal hunger is satisfied by the foods I¡¯ve given you, but your glyphs require refined matter to sustain themselves, and you.¡± Anoth resumed striking his rocks together. Davim chuckled darkly from behind the fire. ¡°Those rocks best have something to do with making this refined matter.¡± Anoth smiled a little too pleasantly back at Davim. ¡°Oh no. This is not how we make refined matter. These stones are for luring.¡± ¡°Luring?¡± Zalas asked. ¡°Luring what? A fish?¡± Anoth snickered and continued the same rhythm, stopping between each set to listen for something with his deformed ears. After several dozen more repetitions, Anoth paused, and there came an echoed reply in the far distance, albeit in a quicker, angrier tempo. ¡°Something mimicked you!¡± Davim whispered loudly. ¡°A padu,¡± Anoth answered, an expectant triumph tugging at his lips. ¡°A lone, pitiful padu, hunting for trophies. It has been tracking us all afternoon.¡± ¡°A padu?¡± Sorai hissed, fear squeezing her throat. ¡°No! Don¡¯t bring it here!¡± Padus never hunted alone, and dalanais were their favorite prey. Zalas stood uneasily. ¡°What¡¯s she so scared for? What¡¯s a padu?¡± ¡°A beast that walks on two legs. They¡¯re one of this world¡¯s lesser races,¡± Anoth replied nonchalantly as he smashed the rocks together in a new rhythm. ¡°They¡¯re not dangerous, at least not to me.¡± Zalas seemed to relax a little, although his fists were still clenched. ¡°Then they¡¯re like the beshtats back in Yalet?¡± Anoth shook his head. The responses from the padu were growing closer. ¡°They¡¯re quite different. Beshtats are like you but simply lack the gift of orm¨¦. Had they been so blessed, they could easily best you in battle and in every other way, Zalas. These padus are another matter entirely. They might be sentient and walk around like men, but they¡¯re just beasts. Even if Naltena and I had made a covenant with them, they¡¯re too primitive to ever wield orm¨¦. But regardless of their abilities, I suggest you stay on your toes; they make up for their stupidity with brute strength. Blink and you might find your skulls smashed in.¡± ¡°Why would you lure one of those things right to us?¡± Davim demanded, now on his feet as well. Anoth grinned. ¡°It¡¯s the summer season here, and all the young male padus are out hunting trophies to prove themselves worthy of mates. Didn¡¯t it seem odd to you that we¡¯ve hardly seen any jungle creatures this week? They¡¯re either dead or know not to come out into the open. Waiting for this opportunity is an act of mercy to you, Davim. If it weren¡¯t for this padu, I¡¯d have Sorai feed on you instead.¡± Davim recoiled and said nothing more as the padu¡¯s echoing responses grew louder and increasingly aggressive. ¡°Good, this one is angry over my insults,¡± Anoth mumbled above the clatter. ¡°He will not call for his brothers. If he¡¯s foolish enough to take this bait, he will prove a worthy sacrifice.¡± Moments later a foul odor, like the stench of putrefying flesh, flooded the clearing. The smell was strong enough to make Zalas and Davim¡¯s eyes water, and Sorai could only cover her nose and mouth with her hands and weep. Dalanais had a saying that when you can smell the stink of a padu, it¡¯s already too late. Anoth stood up, simultaneously causing the campfire to dim until it licked meekly at the charred wood in the fire pit. He slowly raised the rocks above his head before rapping them together with ferocious force, showering the ground with pebbles. As he did so, the padu, a hulking, hair-covered monster, charged into the clearing on two muscular legs, its long arms swinging a large wooden club right at Anoth¡¯s head. Zalas cursed loudly, a pattern flashing in his palm, while Davim drew a weapon and dove behind a large tree root. Sorai, unable to move, shrieked in terror. Anoth leapt deftly out of range of the beast¡¯s attack, throwing the remainder of his rocks behind him, and lashed out his hand, flicking his fingers forward. The padu staggered on its thick legs, fighting for several seconds to stay upright, but finally fell to the ground with a large crash just a few feet from Sorai¡¯s bedroll, its club flying from its fingers. When the padu tried to rise, Anoth stepped toward it and made the motion of striking a drum with his palm, and the creature¡¯s arms and legs collapsed. The padu remained sprawled out and helpless, seemingly weighed down by the air itself. Sorai pushed herself up with quaking arms and stared at the vanquished beast. The only padus she had seen before were locked in cages, and only the ones that were tame enough to perform in carnival troupes. This padu stared at her as if she were a fresh kill, its eyes burning with surprising intelligence and rage. With one hand held out flat before him, Anoth paced around the fallen creature and kicked at the crudely beaded loincloth it wore. ¡°What did I tell you about this time of year, Davim? It¡¯s just as I expected. Pity it won¡¯t be claiming a mate.¡± He coolly regarded Zalas and Davim, who looked pale and shaken. ¡°Get some rope and bind its arms and feet tight. You would regret being lazy with the knots.¡± As Zalas and Davim moved to bind the creature, Anoth stalked over and squatted beside Sorai. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better when this is over,¡± he muttered. He rested his free hand on her head. Sorai drew in a quaking breath, not daring to shy away as his hand slid down to caress her jaw. ¡°Good,¡± Anoth said as Zalas and Davim finished their work. He lowered his hand, dispelling his immobilization pattern. The padu, sensing its release, struggled in vain against the layers of rope wrapped around its limbs. Anoth tilted his head and leaned forward, uttering something to the creature in a low, guttural growl, which caused it to roar in response. Sorai felt a pang of sympathy despite her fear. There was antagonism in the padu¡¯s grimace, but there were also tears welling up in its brown eyes, rolling down a mostly hairless face, different from the mass of red hair she¡¯d seen on other padus. This one was a juvenile, she realized, and probably frightened by whatever awful thing Anoth had said to it. Anoth motioned for Zalas and Davim to bring the padu closer to him. They obliged, dragging it bodily by its armpits until its snarling face was just inches away. Anoth chuckled and turned to Sorai. ¡°Place a hand on its head.¡± Sorai stared at Anoth then looked back down at the padu. ¡°Go on, the pattern will come naturally,¡± Anoth urged. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t understand what you want me to do,¡± Sorai mumbled weakly, shaking her head. Anoth¡¯s jaw hardened. ¡°Did your teachers not even try to educate you in matters of orm¨¦?¡± Sorai averted her gaze. ¡°Ah yes, you were born under the first house. Of course no one would bother to instruct you.¡± Anoth crouched silently for a moment, then propped Sorai up into a half-seated position. His fingers moved to the nubby cloth buttons sewn down the front of the tunic he had given her to wear after destroying her clothes. ¡°Do you not see its psyche? By now you should.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Sorai whimpered. Anoth finished parting her tunic, revealing the large heart glyph he had sliced into her chest. ¡°The pain and weakness you feel now¡ªit can all be remedied with a touch,¡± he said as he poked at the crusty scab, eliciting a wince of pain and disgust from Sorai. ¡°The refined matter of psyches is what will sustain you now, far more than food or water. All you have to do is consume this creature¡¯s psyche and the pain will cease.¡± Sorai felt herself growing angry. This was insane. Why was he torturing this poor padu and making her watch? ¡°Go on. Even if you can¡¯t switch focus yet, you can still apply the pattern.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want me to do!¡± Anoth¡¯s expression darkened further, his grip upon her collar tightening enough that she felt the fabric cut into her skin. ¡°I poured my blood into your heart glyph to catalyze your body¡¯s new functions. The refined matter of my blood was sufficient to sustain you long enough to feed on your own, but will not last much longer. You¡¯ll die if you do not feed now.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Sorai shouted. ¡°You already murdered my husband and took me away from my child. I have no reason left to live.¡± Anoth raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what if you die then? Do you still think your psyche would rise to the so-called Mother Star to live like everyone else¡¯s? I¡¯m afraid the ¡®Mother Star¡¯ has no place for you. Not anymore.¡± Tears streaked down Sorai¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t care where I end up, so long as it¡¯s away from you!¡± Anoth drew back his hand to slap her. ¡°Consume the damned padu!¡± Terrified of being struck again, Sorai reached toward the padu. It snarled, snapping its sharp, yellow teeth up at her, and she fell back in a panic. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Zalas asked with annoyance. Anoth rose and kicked the padu¡¯s jaw, causing it to yelp, blood pouring out of its howling maw. ¡°It seems she doesn¡¯t have a violent bone in her body. She will have to learn.¡± He knelt back down and gripped Sorai¡¯s arm, pulling it toward the padu¡¯s head once more. ¡°Let me go!¡± Sorai begged, afraid the padu might bite her hand off. Anoth growled menacingly. ¡°Do you truly feel and see nothing? Is there no inclination to kill?¡± When Sorai did not respond, he grasped her wrist and wrenched it. ¡°You don¡¯t have time to be spineless and stupid! Use your instincts. Work the pattern!¡± Sorai gasped as Anoth thrust her hand forward with both of his own, her fingernails drawing blood from the padu¡¯s scalp as he forced her to grip its head tightly. She wailed and struggled as Anoth painfully compressed his hand against the back of her own, pushing her fingers into the padu¡¯s brow until she felt something give beneath them, the bony ridge of its skull fracturing as it shrieked. Sorai¡¯s glyphs began to burn horribly, and she knew that they were glowing. For a moment, she saw a flash of silver in front of her face and instinctively reached for it with her free hand. Whatever it was, she craved it, and knew it would bring satisfaction once she had it. Unable to resist, she took hold and yanked. The padu made a sharp sighing sound, as if all the air in its lungs had been forcefully pressed out in one burst. A strange warmth spread up Sorai¡¯s arm and settled in her chest as her heart glyph burned again, this time with soothing pleasure. The padu dropped to the ground, its eyes staring in blank horror. It was dead, and she had killed it. She didn¡¯t understand how; she only knew that she wanted whatever it had, and had taken it by force. ¡°Did you enjoy your first kill?¡± Anoth whispered in her ear as he released her bloodied hand. ¡°The hadirs say that feasting on psyches can be quite addicting.¡± In an instant she was on her feet, leaping away from Anoth¡¯s awful, murderous grasp. But before she could get very far, she felt him catch hold of her tail, yanking her back into his waiting arms. ¡°No, no!¡± she shrieked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t want to hurt the padu! You killed it! You made me do it!¡± Anoth pulled her arms to her sides, while Zalas and Davim watched on in grim fascination. ¡°You¡¯re a freak of the ninth house!¡± Sorai continued. ¡°It¡¯s all a trick using orm¨¦! You did something to my psyche to make me see¡ª¡± Anoth slapped Sorai hard across the face, rendering her silent. ¡°Make no mistake about my station. I am a son of the tenth house. And while I could have easily killed that padu myself, you needed to learn how to sustain yourself on your own.¡± Sorai gripped her cheek, blinking the tears from her eyes. ¡°Do you not feel the renewal of your body?¡± Anoth asked. ¡°The pain should be gone now, and your strength has already returned.¡± Sorai lowered her hands and stared down at them. They looked healthy and uninjured. How had he forced her fingers to break through that padu¡¯s thick skull without being broken themselves? She did feel better physically, even though her mind was hemorrhaging. Was it possible that this Anoth was actually the Dread God? The same Dread God who slaughtered scores of her ancestors? To her knowledge, no one had ever been born under the tenth house, and there was no chance that someone with that level of orm¨¦ could escape the notice of the priests into adulthood. So, what was he? The Anoth of legend was said to be strikingly handsome and charming, but this one was freakishly ugly and vile. And while the Dread God Anoth had persuaded many of the strongest Naltites away centuries ago, this Anoth resorted to mutilating bodies and performing callous acts of violence for no reason. Either way, she could not accept him. ¡°Your silence is answer enough,¡± Anoth said as he pulled that same awful dagger from his belt, causing her to recoil. He turned and hefted up one of the padu¡¯s large, hairy arms. ¡°Now that the matter of your higher hunger has been addressed, we can concentrate on your carnal hunger. I will not have you emaciated and bony.¡± With that, he plunged his dagger into the fleshiest muscle he could find. Sorai watched with repulsed nausea as Anoth tore a large chunk of flesh from the padu¡¯s arm and speared it on a small branch he had snapped from a shrub. He hummed softly as he began to cook the meat over the fire. As he finished and passed the seared flesh over to Sorai, she dry heaved. ¡°You¡¯re going to refuse?¡± Anoth demanded. ¡°This is what you eat, fresh and unspoiled.¡± He grasped her hand, forcing her to wrap her fingers around the stick. Sorai let loose a shriek of rage and flung the meat into the fire. ¡°Isn¡¯t it bad enough that you made me kill the padu?¡± Anoth was silent for a moment, then made a swift gesture to Zalas and Davim. ¡°Go and take the padu¡¯s corpse away from camp. If Sorai wishes to go hungry, she will do so. She will change her mind soon enough.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going out there by ourselves,¡± Zalas argued. ¡°Do it!¡± Zalas cursed, but grudgingly went with Davim to heft and drag the large carcass out of the clearing.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Now.¡± Anoth took Sorai¡¯s chin in hand and forced her to look at him. ¡°Do you still believe I¡¯ve been starving you all this time out of cruelty? Are you really so stubborn?¡± Sorai said nothing. ¡°Here, allow me a demonstration.¡± He reached for his rucksack and pulled out a dried strip of meat, and Sorai¡¯s mouth began to water. Anoth plucked a leaf from a nearby shrub and held it out in his other hand. ¡°Look at them both. To you, they look like a potentially poisonous leaf and a tasty piece of jerky. But in reality, the configuration of primal matter in this leaf is stable¡ªperfectly balanced and safe for the moment. There hasn¡¯t been time for any rot to take hold since I just plucked it. This meat, on the other hand, would kill you faster than any poison. Its configuration is frayed, decaying slowly even in its preserved state.¡± ¡°Lies!¡± Sorai lunged hungrily at the meat. Anoth yanked it away from Sorai¡¯s grasp and calmly tucked it back into his bag. ¡°This is something the mortals are aware of but don¡¯t fully understand.¡± He nodded in the direction Zalas and Davim had headed with the padu. ¡°They think that hadirs simply prefer the taste of fresh food due to their heightened senses, and that they avoid strong drink to keep their minds keen. But when you can shift focus, you will see that all foods, plant or animal, start decaying upon death. Your glyphs give you great power, but they must be kept untainted for you to survive. Your body can purify itself of minor taints, such as rot in the air, but I¡¯ve seen many hadirs die from drinking wine or spending too much time around decay. Death by decay is excruciating, with all your glyphs clogging and bursting apart fiber by fiber. You must be vigilant. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you how to see the decay, and how and when to feed.¡± Sorai found herself growing furious with his lies, each one more outlandish than the last. ¡°The real Dread God wouldn¡¯t allow hadirs to have such a flaw!¡± ¡°Binding orm¨¦ is imperfect in this plane,¡± Anoth explained softly. ¡°My hadirs are my masterwork. You are the closest thing to immortal, whereas everything else dies. Even your beloved Naltena died.¡± He reached out and stroked Sorai¡¯s cheek again. ¡°When you learn to shift focus and see like I see, you won¡¯t need my help to choose your foods. Yalet boasts many farms and grocers that cater solely to the needs of hadirs, and I will ensure that you have only the best.¡± Sorai hung her head in misery. ¡°I just want to go home,¡± she wept. ¡°There¡¯s no home left to you but the one I provide. Even if you return to live without your fool of a husband, you know your power now. If you can kill a mighty padu with a touch, what do you think would happen if you touched your precious son?¡± Sorai shut her eyes tight, trying to push out the image of Faro in place of the padu. ¡°Please just stop this torture and kill me!¡± Anoth let loose an amused snort before reaching into his bag and whipping out the dried meat again, offering it to her. ¡°Go on then, if you want to die. Take a bite.¡± Sorai stared for a moment, then reached for the jerky. But as she received it and stared at the gnarled, dry fibers of flesh, she felt herself growing sick with concern. She wanted death so badly, but what if he was speaking the truth? Oh, Goddess, what if it were true? She dropped the meat without another word. Anoth picked up the meat nonchalantly and took a bite. ¡°Sooner or later you¡¯ll let go of your old life and embrace the gift I¡¯ve given you.¡± ¡°This is no gift!¡± Sorai spat, gesturing to the scabs lining her body. ¡°You mutilated me!¡± ¡°Mutilated? I¡¯ve turned you into a work of art!¡± Sorai shook her head in fury, unable to respond. Anoth sighed. ¡°Very well, the parting itself will be proof enough,¡± he said, pausing to lick his fingers before putting the remainder of the jerky back into his bag. ¡°Once you see the sky of Yalet, you won¡¯t be so quick to reject the truth.¡± ¡°You will never convince me that you are Anoth or that your imaginary world exists. What god only has two followers and worships a worthless stone? You are no god. You¡¯re demented¡ªinsane¡ªan ugly, half padu freak!!¡± Anoth emitted a low growl. ¡°I grow weary of you calling me that. I am no half-breed. I am a¡ª¡± He was interrupted by a loud rustle as Zalas and Davim emerged from the deep jungles and reappeared inside the firelight. They stunk of the padu and were covered in its blood. ¡°We got rid of the body,¡± Zalas mumbled. ¡°But we should leave quickly. I don¡¯t want any retaliation for killing that thing.¡± ¡°What we need to do is get out of this cursed place and set sail for Judath,¡± Davim grumbled. ¡°How far are we from the boat now?¡± Anoth¡¯s glare eased, but he continued to eye Sorai carefully. ¡°We¡¯re very close to the coast¡ªperhaps another day now that Sorai can walk.¡± ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± Zalas pressed. ¡°Let¡¯s break camp right now. I¡¯m willing to walk all night if we have to.¡± ¡°Forget it. This jungle is too dangerous for you at night,¡± Anoth countered. ¡°I have enough liabilities as it is.¡± He looked at Davim pointedly. Zalas sat back down and murmured unhappily beneath his breath. Anoth finally stood. ¡°Enough. You fools wish to be in Judath now but will be begging to be back here once we¡¯re there. Once we arrive your task will be to accompany the Orb as you infiltrate the noble summit and retrieve the witnesses. I¡¯ll travel with you as far as Judath, but then I will be taking Sorai back to Yalet and rejoin you in Marin later.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zalas yelled. ¡°How are we supposed to collect the witnesses without your help?¡± Anoth shrugged calmly. ¡°The Orb will identify and guide you to suitable witnesses.¡± Zalas slammed his fist against a tree trunk. ¡°This is madness! If this mission is so important to you, you can¡¯t just leave us to do it on our own. If you must take her to Yalet, at least send an army to back us up!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a hadir raid where some village is razed to the ground. There will be no weapons, no fires, no violence whatsoever. The entire point of this mission is to get in and out while remaining unseen.¡± Sorai drew in a sharp intake of breath. The raids! They had always been blamed on padus or engstaxi pirates, but were these men actually responsible for all those coastal attacks on Chalei? Tashau hadn¡¯t wanted to discuss them, but from the rumors of their savagery, it seemed unlikely that they could be caused by just three men alone. Anoth must have had more followers¡ªmany more if he was responsible for the coastal raids in Judath and Xeshun as well. How many others were there that believed Anoth and worshiped him as a real god? ¡°You¡¯re trembling,¡± Anoth noticed, removing his mantle and wrapping it tightly around her shoulders. She sneered as he leaned forward and placed a kiss upon her brow, before turning to address Zalas and Davim again. ¡°It¡¯s late. We will sleep here for the night and set out at dawn. If we make good time, we¡¯ll reach our boat and set sail by tomorrow night.¡± He pointed at Davim, who flinched, his face still caked with rust-colored padu blood. ¡°You take the first watch. Keep your nostrils open for other padus and wake us at the first sign of trouble.¡± Sorai watched as both Anoth and Zalas began to smooth out their bedrolls. Anoth pulled Sorai¡¯s next to his, and when he motioned for her to join him, she grudgingly obeyed. She repressed her revulsion, remaining emotionless, as he reached out to stroke her ear. After a few minutes of gazing at her, his eyes slowly closed and his hand slipped down to rest on her makeshift pillow. *** Sorai woke to a low chortling sound. She eased her eyes open and turned her head just enough to see Davim¡¯s back as he sat by the waning fire, a flaccid wineskin clutched in one sporadically swinging hand. Many hours had passed, by the look of the night sky. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a pretty thing? Do I know you from somewhere? I think I know you!¡± Davim suddenly slurred. Sorai sat up. Davim would never dare speak to her that way, not with Anoth around. She looked to confirm Davim was facing completely away from her. Just who was he talking to? ¡°Don¡¯t be coy. We¡¯ve met before, haven¡¯t we?¡± Davim swayed back and forth, obviously having a great deal of difficulty staying upright. This wasn¡¯t the first time Sorai had seen Davim ramble drunkenly during his watches, but his babblings were usually made up of complaints about being stuck in the jungle. Something different was happening this time; there was a strangeness hanging in the air. ¡°Sh-shh! You have to be quiet, though. You know this . . . is kind of a seedy place for a girl like you. You should come with me. We could have fun.¡± Sorai looked over to Zalas. Usually a heavy snorer, he was now lying in complete silence on his bedroll, eyes shut tight. She briefly glanced back at Davim before looking down at the unpleasant face of Anoth. He, too, lay unnaturally still, with only the steady rhythm of his breathing disturbing the air around him. ¡°My wife? The bitch would never know a thing.¡± Davim threw out his free hand, as if trying to grasp something in front of him, but managed only to slosh some of his wine. ¡°What? You¡¯d like some more? Here!¡± He poured the remainder of his wine on the ground, dropping the wineskin with it. After a moment¡¯s pause, he swayed and fell face forward out of Sorai¡¯s view, landing with a splatter in the spilled wine. There was no movement or sound from him after that, only the crackling of the fire. Sorai stared in shock, wondering fleetingly if Davim might choke on his own vomit. What was going on? That prickling strangeness in the air almost felt like it was thickening. Sorai rose, careful not to make any noise. She took one tentative step off her bedroll, but then froze as a faint humming sound filled the clearing. She looked over her shoulder, and there she saw an angry light pulsating through the weave of Anoth¡¯s rucksack. Anoth¡¯s glyph-covered stone! Sorai briefly considered sliding back to her bedroll, but a momentary flash of silver light outside of the clearing drew her attention away from the camp. It was help! Someone was out there! Without thinking twice, she jerked her legs forward into a fast sprint, heading toward the silver flash and away from the frantically pulsating stone behind her. It wouldn¡¯t be long until Anoth and the others woke and gave chase. Sorai quickened her pace as she hit the deeper jungles, too afraid to shout for help. Everything around her was near pitch black, and she stumbled over rocks and exposed tree roots. Every few seconds, that faint flash of silver reemerged off in some other direction, and she steered herself toward it in desperation, praying to find a search party of wardens. She hit a clearing and began running faster and faster until the flash suddenly reappeared right in front of her as she took a flying leap over a log. She shielded her face as the brightness of the light all at once consumed her, making her almost feel like she was airborne as everything grew hot all around her. She landed awkwardly on the downhill slope of a grassy knoll, causing her to stumble and stagger bodily into a large, bent tree. She paused to regain her wits and catch her breath. Where had her flight taken her? Where had the light gone? She looked behind her and noticed that the clearing she had been racing through was gone. In fact, the trees now seemed much thinner and taller, with a little more moonlight shining through the sparser canopy. There was no more sound of Anoth¡¯s stone and no sign of the silvery flash she had been chasing. Had she escaped? She wanted to call out in hopes that the source of the light would answer, but couldn¡¯t alert Anoth or his men. Sorai took a deep breath, then started walking in what was hopefully the same direction she had gone so far. She glanced periodically for bigger breaks in the canopy as she went, hoping that she would be able to spot the stars and read them for direction. As she passed by a particularly tall tree, she heard something skitter up in the branches. She gasped and backed away slowly. There were all types of creatures beyond padus here in the jungle, and there was no telling what they might think to do to her. As she skirted around this set of trees, she could hear the skittering feet giving measured chase, accompanied by a soft hissing sound. She didn¡¯t want to die like this¡ªnot in the jungle¡ªnot in the mouth of some blood-thirsty monster. She had to get back to her people somehow to warn them about Anoth¡¯s designs against Judath and the noble summit. The hisses above her were slowly turning into wails, louder and louder with each step she took. After she couldn¡¯t take the unseen stalking anymore, she turned to run, but the creature above her made its move and dropped right in front of her¡ªsomething hairy and moaning with large, wickedly glowing eyes. Sorai fell away from the monster, shrieking and holding up her hands to defend herself, but it did not attack. Instead, her cries of terror were met by only a shrill cacophony of laughter. She drew in a shuddering breath and lowered her arms. There, directly in front of her, was a fat male sazi hanging upside down, his long, prehensile tail wrapped several times around a low tree branch. The sazi was swinging back and forth from his tail and pointing a thick black claw down at her, cackling with mischievous malice. Soon, other sazis crept close as well. They were all around in the trees, pacing back and forth atop the larger branches. There were both males and females¡ªeven tiny little cubs covered in downy fur with pinfeathers on their wings. Each one was laughing as hard as the fat male, their frightful eyes shining like hundreds of fire-lit opals in the canopy. ¡°Just sazis. Thank goodness!¡± Sorai stood shakily. ¡°C-can any of you understand me? I need help!¡± The fat male, who wore a necklace of bones and tattered feathers, blinked several times at her before swinging himself back up onto the tree branch. He regarded Sorai for a moment or two, tilting his head. His coloring reminded Sorai quite a bit of Rao¡¯s, but this male¡¯s fur and feathers were not as clean, and the bridge of his nose was bald and scarred. ¡°Do you speak my language?¡± Sorai pressed, fighting the urge to run again. ¡°I¡¯m a dalanai. See? Friend!¡± The fat male thrust a paw into the air, and the sazis ceased their crowing, only to hiss and scold at the cubs who continued to laugh. When the others were finally silent, the fat male, obviously the leader, made an unpleasant gagging sound and snapped his tongue against the roof of his mouth several times. ¡°Me speak,¡± he said, although he seemed uncomfortable doing so. ¡°Oh, thank goodness! Please, you¡¯ve got to¡ª¡± The sazi thrust out his paw again, although this time it appeared he meant to silence Sorai. ¡°Why you here?¡± he demanded. He then lowered his paw and stood on all fours, pacing back and forth on the branch a few feet above Sorai¡¯s head. How he maintained his balance with such a fat belly, she didn¡¯t know. ¡°We sleep and eat. Pop! You here. We think, ¡®Maybe bad. Steal babies.¡¯ Then think, ¡®Maybe fun.¡¯ Why you here?¡± Sorai stared for a moment. She didn¡¯t have time for games. ¡°What? I ran here! Listen, I¡¯ve been abducted by this terrible man, and I escaped from him! But I don¡¯t know how to get home. I need to get out of the jungle and find someplace safe!¡± The sazi grimaced in bewilderment. Sorai let loose a grunt of exasperation. ¡°Please just listen! I¡ªI mean¡ªme taken by scary man.¡± She paused, pointing to herself, before she made a grabbing motion with both hands. ¡°Me run¡ªsee, run?¡± She quickly walked her fingers through the air. ¡°Me want go home. Home? Safe?¡± She hugged herself tight. The male cackled sharply, blinking wide eyes down at her, while the others began to chatter excitedly. ¡°Ooh! Fun paw game!¡± He tried to mimic her motions, but when he failed he gave up and spat. ¡°Hmm . . . safe? Home? Ah! Nest. We no take to nest. Pointy-ear steal babies.¡± Sorai shook her hands and head. ¡°No! A safe place for dalanais. I don¡¯t want your babies.¡± The fat male scratched at his chin. ¡°For pointy-ear? Eh . . . oh! Blue pelt pointy-ears! Have big nest! Give us pretties.¡± He gestured to his bone collar, looking rather smug. ¡°Safe for pointy-ear?¡± ¡°¡®Blue pelt¡¯?¡± Sorai mumbled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The fat male pointed down at her and the tunic Anoth had given her to wear. ¡°You red pelt. Pretty pelt. They blue pelt. Have long ears but pelt blue, not red.¡± Sorai gnawed on her lip a moment. What dalanai would come into the jungle wearing blue? ¡°Wait, do you mean to say you¡¯ve seen wardens?¡± ¡°Whaahrrr-danzz?¡± the fat male asked. Many of his fellows mimicked him. Sorai shook her head. ¡°Never mind. The blue pelt pointy-ears. Where are they?¡± A slow grin curled the fat male¡¯s mouth, his eyes darting momentarily to his collar. ¡°Maybe know. Maybe not know.¡± Sorai¡¯s hands balled up into fists at her sides, anger flaring within her. ¡°Please tell me!¡± The fat male¡¯s ears flicked back and forth as he listened to the shrill chattering of his fellows. When he had heard enough, he threw out his paw and they were silent once more. ¡°I tell for trade,¡± he said. ¡°A trade? W-what do you want?¡± The sazi hummed to himself a moment, his brethren all screeching eagerly down at him again. ¡°Pelt,¡± he said. ¡°You give pelt?¡± Sorai sputtered a moment and looked down at herself. She hated wearing the ill-fitting tunic, but without it she would be wearing nothing. ¡°I can¡¯t trade this ¡®pelt.¡¯ I don¡¯t want to be naked.¡± She was uncomfortable enough with her tail out in the open, swinging between her legs. The sazis all looked back and forth at each other, not seeming to understand. Many of them began to slick their fur or tug upon it in the way Sorai held up the hem of her tunic. Finally, the fat male shook his head. ¡°Only this trade. Pelt for blue pelt pointy-ears.¡± ¡°Please, something else!¡± Sorai cried. She was desperate to get as far away from Anoth and his men as possible. ¡°Pelt. Want pelt!¡± ¡°Wait! I know.¡± Sorai swept her tangled, greasy hair back behind her ears, revealing a pair of gold earrings with little dangling jade baubles. ¡°Here, these are the only other things I have. Do you want these?¡± Anoth had destroyed her clothes and the rest of her jewelry¡ªeven the armlet she wore as a symbol of her marriage to Tashau. He had left her only with these earrings as a cruel show of compassion because he somehow knew how much she loved jade. The fat male¡¯s eyes instantly swelled with greed, his pupils swallowing up his irises. The other sazis let loose squeals of rapture and began bouncing about. ¡°Shiny!¡± the fat male cried, trembling so much that he looked as though he¡¯d explode in a cloud of feathers. ¡°You have shinies! Want! Give!¡± Sorai felt her lips twitch into a smile. Finally, she had the upper hand. ¡°I¡¯ll give you ¡®shinies¡¯ if you take me to the pointy-ears.¡± ¡°Yes! Trade! Give!¡± The fat male jumped to a lower branch and again hung upside down, reaching for her earrings with greedy paws. Sorai stepped back, and in her wisdom removed only one earring. She dangled it before the fat male amidst ¡°ooh¡¯s¡± and ¡°ah¡¯s¡± from his flock. ¡°Only one now, so you don¡¯t run away. I¡¯ll give you the other when you¡¯ve taken me to the pointy-ears.¡± The sazi readily agreed, reaching out for the earring as Sorai moved to hand it to him, but he let loose a snort when she got close and leapt back up onto the tree branch. ¡°Pew!¡± He shook his head and bore his teeth down at her. ¡°Stink like¡ªlike something bad!¡± He turned and mewled up at his fellows, and they let loose horrified gasps before they took to screeching and crowing down at Sorai. Sorai gaped up at the sazis, uncertain of what had startled them, or what to do to appease them. She had been in the company of three stinking men and a padu, and hadn¡¯t bathed in weeks. It was no surprise that she smelled bad, but surely, it couldn¡¯t be as awful as they were making it seem. ¡°No trade!¡± The fat male and his minions began to climb higher, many starting to leap away. As she watched them go, panic flooded her throat. She couldn¡¯t make it out of the jungle alive if they didn¡¯t help her. ¡°W-wait. No!¡± she screamed, reaching out and waving her hands for them to return. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me out here. I¡¯ll die!¡± The sazis did not listen to her pleas. ¡°No! Please, I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Sorai dropped to her knees in her despair. ¡°I¡¯m the empress! I¡¯ll give you more shinies than you¡¯d know what to do with!¡± Even the promise of shinies fell upon deaf ears. ¡°Food! Do you want food? I¡¯ll bring you fish!¡± All at once, the sazis halted in their flight. They began to hiss back and forth at each other excitedly, although they would not turn back to face Sorai until the fat male shimmied back down the tree and glowered down at her suspiciously. ¡°Fish?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes! If you take me to the wardens¡ªI mean¡ªthe blue pelt pointy-ears, I¡¯ll give you fish.¡± The fat male still seemed uncertain by the way he toyed with his bone collar with a flicking paw, although he was visibly drooling. The chattering around him increased in volume until it reached a ragged chorus of clicks and hisses, in which those sazis who could pronounce the word began to chant, ¡°Fish! Fish! Fish!¡± Soon the air was soupy with their greed. The fat male thrust out both of his front paws, and the chanting for fish ceased. ¡°You smell big bad, but you have star on face. You important pointy-ear?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Sorai pointed at her tattoos. ¡°Yes, empress. I am the empress.¡± ¡°Ehm-prez. Important? We get much fish?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll give you as much as you can eat!¡± The fat male again seemed to consider his options, while the other sazis began to shriek in an eager frenzy. Sorai looked over her shoulder again, worried that Anoth would appear at any moment. ¡°I-I¡¯ll give you both of my shinies as well!¡± Sorai held out her earring again. ¡°I just want to get out of here. Please.¡± The fat male squealed. ¡°Yes! We trade. Fish and shinies for take you to blue pelt pointy-ears.¡± He scurried lower and snatched the earring from Sorai¡¯s outstretched hand, skittering back up into the tree in a hurry, where numerous tiny cubs tackled him in order to get a better look at their new shiny. The fat male batted the cubs away, before he turned to Sorai and said, ¡°Stinky pointy-ear no touch us. No touch! But we go. You follow.¡± With that, the fat male fastened Sorai¡¯s earring to his collar and leapt onto an adjacent tree branch. The other sazis and Sorai hurried after him. Chapter Fifteen Chapter 15 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei The Jungles Zalas sat up with a start. Birds were squawking overhead, and strong light streamed through the canopy. What was happening? He was supposed to have had the second watch, but it was already many hours past dawn. He quickly scanned the area for Davim, spotting him facedown on the ground near the fire pit and only just beginning to stir. ¡°Get up, you fool,¡± Zalas whispered. Davim slowly lifted his head from the damp earth, his expression dull and witless. Realizing Davim had slept through the night as well, Zalas jumped up and searched frantically for Anoth. To his surprise, Anoth still lay slumbering, but the empty bedroll next to Anoth signaled something more alarming. The dalanai was missing. As if sensing Zalas¡¯s increasing panic, Anoth awoke, sneering as he rubbed his eyes. ¡°Why did no one wake me?¡± he growled. Zalas took a few careful steps back. Upon discovering the empty bedroll, Anoth was on his feet in an instant, rushing at Zalas and shoving him to the ground. ¡°Where is she?¡± Zalas struggled to free himself but was pinned tight. ¡°I don¡¯t know! I just woke up!¡± Anoth jumped back to his feet, wrenching Zalas up with him. ¡°Sorai! Answer me!¡± His shout echoed through the trees, but when no reply came, he turned and shook Zalas. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you for this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Zalas yelled between throttlings. ¡°Davim never woke me for my watch!¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t wake with first light? It¡¯s already midday!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never experienced sleep like that before.¡± Anoth narrowed his eyes and loosened his grip on Zalas¡¯s collar. ¡°Where is Davim?¡± Zalas pointed, but found that Davim had wisely snuck away during Anoth¡¯s interrogation. Anoth snorted, then stalked over to the edge of the clearing where a large tree stood. He bent low and reached into a hollow near its engorged roots, hauling Davim up from his hiding place and slamming him hard against the tree¡¯s thick trunk. ¡°You idiot!¡± Davim yelped in pain. ¡°I was awake! I don¡¯t know how she got away!¡± ¡°Lies!¡± Anoth tightened his fingers around Davim¡¯s throat. ¡°You stink of wine. You will die for your carelessness!¡± ¡°No!¡± Davim rasped. ¡°I only ever had two swigs of wine last night, I swear! There was a woman who came into the clearing; she talked to me, brought me to a pub! She was glowing¡ªlike a silver apparition!¡± Anoth¡¯s lip twitched, but he did not reply. Encouraged by the fact that he was not yet dead, Davim continued. ¡°I poured her a drink! I . . . I can¡¯t remember anything that happened after that. But I swear I was awake!¡± Anoth abruptly released his grip and Davim dropped to his knees, massaging his neck thankfully. ¡°What, you actually believe his story?¡± Zalas asked incredulously. His own night had been filled with hallucinations that he couldn¡¯t fully recall now, but the idea of a mystery woman or a pub in the jungle was ludicrous. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Anoth muttered as he hastened to his rucksack, unceremoniously tearing it open and pulling out his silken pouch that contained the Orb. ¡°Pack up and prepare to hunt for Sorai. I will return in short order.¡± Anoth carried the Orb out of the clearing, the sound of his footsteps fading quickly. Davim turned to Zalas with wide eyes, breathing fast. ¡°How am I not dead?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zalas said, unnerved by Anoth¡¯s uncharacteristic mercy. ¡°What the hell happened? How could you get so drunk?¡± ¡°I only had two swigs!¡± Davim howled. ¡°Those wineskins were to last us a month at least,¡± Zalas scoffed. ¡°I know you hold your liquor better than that.¡± Davim growled through gritted teeth. ¡°I know what I saw! It must have been a ghost.¡± ¡°A ghost? There is no such thing!¡± ¡°The Naltite slaves are always saying that¡ª¡± ¡°You are a fool to listen to a Naltite. There is something at work here, and Anoth damn well knows what it is.¡± Zalas started to head toward the edge of the clearing. Anoth often held private counsel with the Orb, and Zalas had little interest in their discussions, but this was serious¡ªlife and death¡ªand he was determined to make sure he didn¡¯t end up on the wrong side because of Davim¡¯s idiocy. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Davim hissed. ¡°If he comes back and sees that camp isn¡¯t packed¡ª¡± Zalas parted the leaves with one hand and took a step into the brush. ¡°You pack. I¡¯m going to find out what¡¯s going on.¡± He slowly wove his way through the trees, making as little sound as he could. He only had to travel a few dozen yards before he heard Anoth conversing with the Orb¡¯s discordant hum. He crouched down to watch and listen. Anoth was kneeling on the ground, his head bowed, one arm outstretched to hold the Orb in his palm. ¡°She showed her face to a mortal and then forced us all into an inert state. She has grown brazen in her oath-breaking!¡± Oath-breaking? Only Anoth and the hadirs ever spoke of oath-breaking, and usually spat the term out like an epithet about a failed raid or bad fortune. What kind of oath-breaking could be involved where there were no hadirs? And who the hell was this ¡°she¡±?Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The Orb emitted something that sounded almost like a laugh, followed by pulsating chatter that Zalas couldn¡¯t make out from his position. ¡°I understand it was interference,¡± Anoth responded heatedly. ¡°But it was disproportionate and clearly a direct insult to me.¡± As Verahi spoke again, Zalas crept closer. Just when he could almost hear Verahi¡¯s words over the base hum of the Orb, a twig snapped beneath his heel. He froze for a moment, looking down at his feet. But before he could turn to flee, he found Anoth standing over him, Orb in hand. ¡°Zalas,¡± Anoth greeted coldly. Zalas looked up at Anoth and held still, refusing to even breathe. The Orb went dark, and Anoth calmly placed it back into its pouch at his belt. ¡°Stand up and explain yourself.¡± Zalas did so. ¡°I only wanted to know why we hallucinated last night instead of waking.¡± Anoth tilted his head, a razor smile splitting his lips. ¡°There is a phrase where I come from: ¡®Curiosity killed the cat.¡¯ I ought to at least make you suffer.¡± Recognizing there was no escape, Zalas simply bowed his head and waited for the inevitable. Anoth stepped toward Zalas until he was just inches away. ¡°Davim saw a silver woman.¡± He drew his dagger and pressed it to Zalas¡¯s jugular. ¡°What did you see?¡± Zalas could feel the blade bite a little into his skin with each heartbeat. He gritted his teeth. ¡°It was a hallucination, or my imagination. I think I saw my father. We ate¡ªtalked. I can¡¯t remember what about.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Anoth¡¯s expression remained inscrutable. ¡°You have been dreaming, something only possible in this world for reasons you can¡¯t understand.¡± He removed the blade from Zalas¡¯s neck and turned away to head back to the clearing. ¡°Your eyes are keen. Be grateful for them; you¡¯re going to use them to help me track Sorai.¡± Zalas followed Anoth¡¯s lead. This was not good. Anoth was clearly rattled by whatever was going on, and if an immortal could be acted upon in such a way, it boded poorly for the helpless mortals accompanying him. As they came upon the clearing, Zalas caught a glimpse of Davim through the trees, ducking for cover. Anoth ignored Davim entirely, keeping his eyes pinned to the ground. They circled the clearing twice before Anoth paused, pointed, and said with certainty, ¡°Here. Sorai left camp here. Keep a watch out for disturbed vegetation.¡± Sorai¡¯s trail away from the clearing was easy to follow. There were many broken twigs left in her wake, with bits of her tunic snagged on the thorns she had passed. ¡°She will have worn herself out quickly running like this,¡± Anoth noted as he pointed to a set of her distantly spaced footprints. ¡°She drew strength from that creature¡¯s psyche, but it won¡¯t sustain her long. We¡¯ll find her collapsed and frightened.¡± Sorai¡¯s trail was full of indications of her clumsy but fast flight, and her pace did slow as the trail went on. But once they reached a particularly large, cracked branch, all evidence of her passage ceased. Up to that point, the trail was full of motion, and then nothing. ¡°What happened to her?¡± Zalas asked as he scanned the surrounding area. Anoth rubbed his jaw before running a hand along the branch. The crack was fresh, and the exposed wood still green and moist, but the bark surrounding the wood almost looked¡ªscorched? Anoth rested his hand on the bark, stared at it, then shook his head. He looked up the tall trunk of the tree. ¡°She¡¯s too delicate to have climbed this tree. She must have changed direction. Let¡¯s split up and search.¡± Zalas nodded, and for well over an hour they made sweeping passes through the brush, meeting up at the end of Sorai¡¯s trail each time in vain. Anoth was certain that Sorai was close by, but they could not find any trace of her¡ªnot even a drop of blood or scrap of clothing. Anoth grew increasingly agitated with each failed pass, his face turning red and his eyes going wild. When Zalas returned from his tenth pass, he found that Anoth had thrust his dagger halfway through a tree and was now searching the ground on hands and knees. ¡°She has to be here!¡± Anoth declared, more to himself than to Zalas. ¡°She can¡¯t shift focus¡ªcan¡¯t work a conveyance pattern!¡± ¡°Is it possible that an animal got her?¡± Zalas suggested. ¡°No, there aren¡¯t any signs of animal activity!¡± Anoth snarled. ¡°Go and look again!¡± He turned away in disgust, reaching for the Orb¡¯s pouch. Zalas resumed his search, but was not happy about it. Anoth¡¯s powers were unmatched; couldn¡¯t he just find her with a flick of his hand? Was this ¡°oath-breaking¡± so powerful that even Anoth couldn¡¯t defy it? When Zalas returned to the same spot once again, he kept his distance from Anoth, who had reconvened his discussion with the Orb. Zalas crept closer, but Anoth didn¡¯t notice or care that he was there. ¡°Master, you can¡¯t!¡± Anoth exclaimed. ¡°Enough!¡± Verahi snarled from the Orb. ¡°It is by your actions alone that our enemies have elected to break their oaths of non-interference. You murdered an emperor of this world and sought to possess his wife! You disobeyed me by doing this and created justifiable cause for interference. And you wonder why they would take action against you?¡± Zalas¡¯s brow tightened. The Naltites were a danger, yes, but they were not the enemies which Verahi was speaking of. What other enemies could Anoth have with Naltena long dead? Were there others like Verahi? Anoth shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Master, I do not deny my weakness in falling victim to this oath-breaking, but I cannot abandon Sorai to their whims. She will die if she is left to wander the jungle alone. If that happens¡ª¡± Verahi thrummed loudly through the Orb, silencing Anoth. ¡°You know what eventual fate lies in wait for your hadirs. You have done this to her yourself.¡± Anoth bowed his head and gripped his forehead. ¡°Do not ask this of me.¡± ¡°I do not ask, I command. You will leave Chalei at once and gather the witnesses in Judath, as you should have done in the first place. You could have had everything you wanted had you done it in the proper order. Your disobedience and impatience has made you fail. Leave your whore to rot.¡± Anoth¡¯s hand quivered before falling to his side. ¡°Yes,¡± he whispered thickly. The Orb darkened and Verahi fell silent. After a few moments, Anoth lifted his head. He stared at the Orb, and the longer he did so, the tighter his free hand clenched. Zalas held his breath, only daring to move away when Anoth began to pummel a nearby tree, cracking the bark and splintering the wood beneath. Many minutes passed, and Zalas only returned when Anoth finally called out to him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any other clues,¡± Zalas mumbled lamely. Anoth didn¡¯t reply, his eyes still searching the jungle. ¡°So, what now?¡± Zalas asked. ¡°Will we find our boat or stay here?¡± Anoth abruptly tugged the silk pouch from his belt and held it out to Zalas. ¡°Not we. You. You will take the Orb to Judath and begin the search for the witnesses.¡± Zalas gawked, refusing to reach for the pouch as it swung back and forth before him like a melon in a hammock. ¡°What about you? Isn¡¯t it the will of Verahi for us to go with you?¡± ¡°I know the will of Verahi!¡± Anoth snapped. Zalas frowned. Anoth was lying, but Zalas didn¡¯t dare accuse him of it. Anoth stamped forward, thrusting the Orb out to Zalas again. ¡°Take the Orb and get Davim. I will join you in Judath once I¡¯ve found Sorai.¡± Zalas hesitated a moment, thinking of what Verahi¡¯s anger would be when he discovered Anoth had again disobeyed him, but reluctantly accepted the pouch. ¡°I need not tell you what would become of you should you be careless with the Orb,¡± Anoth hissed, leaning in close. Zalas stood firm. ¡°I won¡¯t deprive my descendants of the Orb.¡± ¡°Only if your son lives long enough to sire children of his own,¡± Anoth reminded. ¡°Walk directly west from camp and you will find the shore. Head south after that and you will find our boat.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Zalas asked as he tied the pouch to his belt like a coin purse. ¡°Sail west across the strait to Judath. Read the Mother Star as I taught you, and make judicious use of orm¨¦ if the winds fail you. I will meet you in Marin.¡± With that, Anoth turned and disappeared into the jungle. Chapter Sixteen Chapter 16 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Makivum Summer Estate Kirin¡¯s naru crowed and bucked as she drove it toward the sinister gleam of the Goddess Forest. She pulled back on the reins and ran her fingers soothingly up and down the naru¡¯s blue-scaled neck. Its anxiety was quelled, but nothing helped Kirin¡¯s. She had never ridden this close to the Goddess Forest before, and definitely never alone. But to reach Anji¡¯s summer estate at the top of the hill, she had to ride through this patch of Goddess Forest on this thin dirt road, with only short barriers on either side to protect her from whatever lay beyond them. The people of Marin said that the western king¡¯s family was blessed to own land that the Goddess Forest saw fit to grow into. It was like a hug of approval from the goddess herself, they reasoned. Kirin, however, saw the encroaching forest more as a blight, creeping up the hill like a parasitic mass, slowly consuming everything it encountered. Kirin took a deep breath and willed the naru forward. The Goddess Forest couldn¡¯t hurt her, not when she was awake. She forced herself to look at the forest beyond the barriers, and the trees simply stood silently. There was no parting, no Shadow Maker. She was perfectly safe. After a few tense minutes, she reached the gates of the Makivum summer estate, which was surrounded by a high stone wall, glyphed by engstaxis to keep the Goddess Forest at bay. Thankfully, she found the tall gates already open, and she breathed a quick sigh of relief as she hurried in and up the long gravel drive. Upon nearing the stables, Kirin glanced to her left and saw Javan standing at the manor¡¯s main entrance. His bored expression brightened as their eyes met, and he waved her over to him. Kirin tapped her naru¡¯s sides and directed it toward Javan, who quickly descended the wide set of stairs to meet her. ¡°Hello!¡± Kirin called upon reining in. ¡°You made it!¡± Javan strode forward and reached up, offering Kirin his hand. ¡°This really means a lot to Anji. Here, let me.¡± Kirin allowed herself to be helped down, landing deftly on her feet. ¡°How are you?¡± Javan asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Kirin¡¯s face reddened slightly. ¡°I apologize for not coming to see your sister sooner. I¡¯ve had to be at the temple catching up on my studies.¡± Her father had been quite firm that she needed to continue her schooling until he could decide what to do with her. ¡°I understand,¡± Javan replied. ¡°If you¡¯ve been at the temple, have you heard anything about the visions the Nass¨¦ has been having? They¡¯re supposed to be really big news, but nobody¡¯s talking about them.¡± Kirin picked nervously at a callus on her thumb. Xinthi had told her specifically that she and the chronicler hadn¡¯t recorded any dreams for at least two seasons. Had something changed? ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ve heard that the emperor has gone to see her twice, and he¡¯s left upset each time. Maybe there¡¯s something about that attack in Chalei? What about you? Have you heard anything?¡± Javan shrugged as a servant scuttled out into the open and retrieved Kirin¡¯s naru. ¡°Rumor has it that the star emperor is alive, but rumors can¡¯t always be trusted. The star empress is still missing, as far as I know. I guess it¡¯s probably safe to assume that she won¡¯t be found. This would make for a pretty somber summit, with two empresses dead in one year.¡± Kirin swallowed, feeling sick to her stomach. These were the exact sorts of events that the Nass¨¦¡¯s dreams were supposed to prevent. Why would Naltena allow them to happen? Why was she giving the Nass¨¦ unrelated nightmares instead of the warnings she was supposed to send? She cleared her throat nervously as Javan escorted her into the manor. ¡°Is Anji feeling any better?¡± Javan frowned. ¡°She saw a physician, and it turns out that she does have an ulcer. Those stimulants she¡¯s been taking have begun to eat clean through her stomach.¡± ¡°Oh, that sounds terrible!¡± ¡°Yes. It was ketas root, and Tirbeth was the one supplying it¡ªsurprise, surprise. Anji was taking ten times the amount she was supposed to every day. She¡¯s lucky it didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°Ten times?¡± Even a small dosage of ketas root was powerful enough to keep someone awake for days. Kirin couldn¡¯t imagine the effects of such a high dosage. Anji was lucky to have only ended up with an ulcer. Javan chuckled grimly as they reached the end of the foyer, where two staircases ran up on opposite sides to join together at the second floor. ¡°My parents were livid about it. Of course, Tirbeth has the emperor wrapped around her finger, so she¡¯ll never be punished for putting Anji in danger. Those girls are both stupid twits.¡± Kirin didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Anyway,¡± Javan continued uneasily, ¡°Anji¡¯s exhausted. She¡¯s been given sedatives to make her sleep, but she keeps throwing them away. She says she¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll never wake up if she takes them. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Kirin remained silent. As far as she knew, nightmares could not kill, and she¡¯d never heard of anybody being trapped in one forever. But then again, she had also believed that the Nass¨¦ couldn¡¯t have nightmares, so what did she know? The priests never talked about nightmares, and many of the books she had read blamed them on hadirs. Javan guided Kirin up the stairs to the right. As they reached the landing and headed down another passage, she noticed a number of portraits lining the walls. She suppressed a smile as she saw that most of the men in the portraits sported wire-framed spectacles just like Javan¡¯s. It appeared that myopia, along with dark hair, had been passed on in their family for many generations. ¡°Here we are.¡± Javan halted and rapped smartly on the wooden door of what Kirin presumed to be Anji¡¯s private suite. Kirin could hear a great deal of scuffling and thumping behind the door before it slid open a crack, revealing someone¡¯s silver eye. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s Kirin!¡± Tirbeth shoved the sliding door open with such force that it disappeared into the wall with a loud bang and bounced right back out on its rail several inches. She moved aside and Kirin entered, followed by Javan, at whose presence Tirbeth muttered a variety of epithets. As Kirin looked around, she couldn¡¯t help but covet all of Anji¡¯s things. The furnishings were all carved from solid black marble, likely imported from the deep quarries of Xeshun, and the walls of the suite were all lined with violet tiles clear up to the vaulted ceiling. The drapes that hung above Anji¡¯s bed matched the color of the walls, and large glass vases, filled with long, glistening green feathers, stood in the corners. Anji, who was sitting on the floor before a low table, held a steaming cup of tea in her hand. She smiled shyly, but did not look at all well. Her skin was pallid, and her eyes were almost totally swallowed up by the bags beneath them. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Kirin,¡± Anji said. She downed her tea with a noisy slurp. Javan strode forward, his expression one of fury. ¡°Anji, I can smell the ketas root from here! What are you thinking, drinking more of that stuff?¡± Anji¡¯s lips puckered dourly. ¡°I can either take a stimulant or sleep. I¡¯d rather take the stimulant and choke up a river of blood than die in my sleep.¡± Javan visibly bristled. ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scold me. Look!¡± Anji pulled a thin, dried leaf out of the tissue paper envelope at her side. She held it out for her brother to see, before popping it into her mouth and chewing. ¡°I have the herbs the doctor gave me for my stomach, so there!¡± ¡°You¡¯re defeating the purpose of¡ª¡± Javan fell silent and shook his head, flinging his hands up in exasperation. ¡°No. Never mind. I don¡¯t want to hear you whine again about your stomach.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll hear no complaining from me,¡± Anji grumbled through her chewing. Kirin tapped her fingers together worriedly. The elucidation would be difficult enough without all this arguing. ¡°Maybe this is a bad time.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Tirbeth yelped. ¡°Just ignore those two. You¡¯ve got to help! We can¡¯t take the nightmares anymore!¡± What Kirin really wanted to do was flee this place and never return, but she had made her way here, and now she felt bound by duty. ¡°Okay, we should begin then. Who should we start with?¡± Anji, who was still chewing on her herb, pointed instantly at Tirbeth. ¡°Ooh! Yes, do me!¡± Tirbeth squealed. Wonderful. Kirin¡¯s second elucidation ever would be performed on the high princess of Judath. If Tirbeth were hurt in any way, Kirin would count herself lucky to just be stripped of her candidacy. This was a bad idea. Kirin was an idiot to try this out on a couple of highborn nobles without the proper training. ¡°You have absolutely no idea how much this means to us,¡± Tirbeth gushed, her widening eyes now shining with tears of gratitude. ¡°You¡¯re so selfless to do this, and I¡¯ll love you for it forever!¡± Kirin wanted to weep but instead hung her head. There was no way out now. ¡°When do we get to kick him out?¡± Tirbeth gestured over at Javan, who glowered at her. Kirin sat down unhappily on the edge of the bed and drew up her legs to kneel before Tirbeth. ¡°I was hoping he could stay.¡± Javan balked, Anji frowned, and Tirbeth screeched, ¡°Never! This is personal!¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± Kirin waved her hands about in an attempt to soothe them. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªlook, you may not know it, but this pattern for elucidation is very complicated. It¡¯s dangerous¡ªreally dangerous. I¡¯d prefer for Javan to stay close and be prepared to get help in case something goes wrong. If there¡¯s a mistake, it¡¯s possible that all three of us could end up insane.¡± ¡°That can actually happen?¡± Tirbeth gasped, inexplicably excited by the prospect. Kirin hesitated, then nodded. Javan grew tense. ¡°Wait a second. I never knew this was dangerous. I can¡¯t let my sister risk herself.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up, Javan!¡± Tirbeth snapped. ¡°We don¡¯t need a dream elucidation to make us insane. We¡¯ll both be out of our heads within a week if these nightmares go on!¡± ¡°Forget it! I would have never asked this of Kirin if I knew it were dangerous.¡± Javan strode back toward the door, but Anji dove from where she was seated on the floor and wrapped her arms around his ankle. He tried to shake her loose. ¡°Let go, Anji.¡± Anji could not speak, her mouth still filled with ooze from the herb, but she looked up at Javan with pleading eyes, shaking her head in utter desperation. Javan stared down at Anji, his stern glare turning into a frown of pity. He paused for a moment, but then growled, ¡°If something goes wrong, I had nothing to do with it. You hear?¡± Anji sighed through her nose and released her grip on Javan, who shook his head, stepped over her, and sat down at her vanity table. He looked furious. Kirin frowned apologetically at him, but he didn¡¯t look back at her. ¡°What should I do?¡± Tirbeth asked. As Kirin tried to think of what to do next, her heart raced and her nerves began to fray. Oh, how had she gotten herself into this mess? Was she truly so pathetic in her desire for friends that she could not tell any of them no, even for their own good? ¡°Hey.¡± Tirbeth wiggled her fingers in front of Kirin¡¯s face. ¡°What should I do?¡± Kirin shook her head. This was not the time to be distracted. Ugh, but she was nauseated and felt cold all over. Attempting to ground herself, she grasped Tirbeth¡¯s hand but released it just as quickly, realizing she would need to keep her own hands free in order to work the pattern. Now what? ¡°Please shift into the third degree of focus,¡± Kirin directed, certain that that was the first of the Nass¨¦¡¯s instructions. Tirbeth looked at Kirin cross-eyed. ¡°What? But I can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Kirin asked disappointedly, realizing it was a stupid question. If Kirin had just barely learned how to shift into the third degree of focus, of course Tirbeth wouldn¡¯t know how. Tirbeth was years younger, and noblewomen weren¡¯t trained in priestly rites, even if high princesses were technically honorary priestesses. ¡°No, they don¡¯t teach us any of that fancy stuff. I don¡¯t need to know how, do I?¡± Breathe, Kirin told herself. Her lack of composure had severely endangered the Nass¨¦ during their encounter, and she didn¡¯t want to repeat that mistake. She knew that the elucidator of a dream had to shift into the third degree of focus to see and weave thought matter together, but was it necessary for the dreamer? It seemed like Xinthi had shifted into the third degree only to instruct her on how to braid the strands, and surely the Nass¨¦ had elucidated dreams of many of the emperor¡¯s house who did not possess the same skills. It should be doable here. Kirin used that thought to quell her terror. ¡°I guess we don¡¯t need you to shift focus. Um, uh . . . .¡± She hesitated, still uncertain of how to proceed. She carefully lined up her thoughts, reviewing the steps in her mind. ¡°Oh! Yes, you need to relax and let your thoughts wander, like you do when you daydream or are getting ready to go to sleep.¡± ¡°You mean like when I imagine some gorgeous dalanai carrying me off on a naru and seducing me?¡± Tirbeth asked. Kirin arched an eyebrow involuntarily. ¡°N-no! Just¡ªjust let your mind empty of all thoughts.¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be hard,¡± Javan mumbled beneath his breath. ¡°Shut it, you!¡± Tirbeth snapped, glaring at him. Kirin gnawed unhappily on her lip and covered her face with her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want to impose, but this pattern requires complete concentration¡ªand silence.¡± Javan and Tirbeth both clamped their mouths shut. Kirin turned back to Tirbeth. ¡°Relax. Empty your mind of all thoughts and let them flow out to me like a daydream. Oh, and don¡¯t pull back, either. Keep still.¡± Tirbeth snorted, made herself comfortable, and then held still. Kirin watched as Tirbeth closed her eyes. Now what? Kirin could recall the pattern, but she still wasn¡¯t sure if she could work it correctly. What if she hadn¡¯t been paying close enough attention, or if the pattern was more complex than it had looked? ¡°Are you doing it yet?¡± Tirbeth asked impatiently. She looked as though she wanted to open her eyes. Though genuinely not wanting to, Kirin willed herself to shift focus. Primal matter slipped from her view, exposing Tirbeth¡¯s spirit matter. She breathed a long sigh, committing herself fully, and sank deep into the third degree of focus. Soon, she could no longer see any trace of primal or spirit matter, becoming blind to everything but the thin, vaporous threads of Tirbeth¡¯s thoughts, which were swirling around her unseen head. Kirin ignored the nausea that seemed to come with this degree of focus, and instead relaxed her mind. She noticed her own threads of thought beginning to uncoil toward Tirbeth¡¯s unconsciously, but she raised her hands and pulled them back before they could mingle. She had to be very careful. She could not allow these filaments to be tangled or bent, or worst of all, torn. But how could she work the pattern without the risk of doing just that? The Nass¨¦¡¯s own pattern working had been swift and precise. Her hands had somehow combed their thoughts into six hanks and braided them together with exquisite dexterity, without harming or leaving a single thread out of place. Could Kirin do the same? Kirin began with Tirbeth¡¯s thoughts, carefully collecting each slippery thread and gently smoothing them out into three equal bunches. She then did the same with her own, but by the time she managed to gather them together, she found that Tirbeth¡¯s thoughts had wandered and were again swimming before her eyes. The minutes that passed were agonizing as she worked, the strain on her eyes almost unbearable. Her palms and fingers became sweaty even though they held nothing solid, and her muscles shook with each pass she made. Through trial and error, she eventually realized that she had to consciously hold Tirbeth¡¯s thoughts in place by shifting her focus back and forth several times and working numerous small patterns in primal matter. It was a stressful task, but she managed to complete it, to her great relief. Now that all six hanks were separated, it was time to braid them together. This also proved to be troublesome because the threads were so delicate. More than once, she found two or more of the hanks hopelessly tangled, forcing her to separate them and start over again. She kept at it, however, and when the pattern was finally complete, she was in awe that Xinthi had done the same in only seconds. But with the woven rope now hanging between them, Kirin felt lost again. The pattern was finished, but no dream was rushing into her view. What had Xinthi done to trigger it? She had done nothing else but work the pattern as far as Kirin knew. ¡°This is a lot more boring than I thought it would be,¡± Tirbeth complained, sensing the pause in the action. With Xinthi, Kirin didn¡¯t have to do anything to receive the nightmare. It just flowed from Xinthi¡¯s thoughts to her thoughts. But how? ¡°Your nightmare¡ªwill you show it to me?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°How do I do that?¡± Tirbeth asked. ¡°I¡ªwell, I¡¯m not exactly sure. Do you remember anything about it?¡± ¡°How could I forget?¡± Tirbeth exclaimed. It seemed that mere memory recall was the trigger, as a deluge of unbidden images immediately began inundating Kirin¡¯s brain. She felt herself pulled in a million directions, with everything turning upside down and right side up over and over in waves. She was numbly aware of her physical self clutching at the bed for support, swaying a little as the scene before her finally settled with remarkable clarity. Now she was sitting on an ornate throne within the walls of Bakavoth palace, only this palace wasn¡¯t quite the same as Kirin remembered from when she visited it with her father. The walls were made of gold, and the floor was lined with silver. Every surface that was not metallic was carved from jade or ruby, and everything around her seemed almost gaudy in its excess. Was this how Tirbeth saw her home? Kirin felt a great weight pulling at her neck. She looked down to see that she¡ªor rather, Tirbeth¡ªwas wearing more necklaces and chains of gold than was possible to count, and they were so heavy that she had trouble staying upright on her jeweled throne. Still, she couldn¡¯t possibly consider removing any of them. How could she choose when they were all so nice? Her collection could never be complete. A prince from some foreign land entered the gilded throne room along with a large entourage of servants. The mere sight of this prince, with his black hair and gorgeous golden skin was enough to make Kirin nearly swoon, while lustful notions of making him her pet dotted her mind. The prince bowed low and took one of her hands in his. ¡°I desire to take you in marriage,¡± he intoned, his rich voice deep and earnest. Kirin¡¯s cheeks grew hot, and a screeching giggle escaped her lips. The prince¡¯s servants placed a line of gifts at her feet. She dropped the prince¡¯s hand and bent forward to pick the gifts up one by one, her hanging necklaces clattering on the ground as she did so. To her surprise, the silks were all thin and nubby. Patchy in places, too. The assorted jewels she handled were large¡ªshe liked that¡ªbut unusually light and chipped in places. She only took a moment to ponder over her gifts before deciding that she loved them after all, but they still weren¡¯t enough. ¡°Oh, Prince, if you wish to marry me, you will have to give me more than this.¡± The prince smiled. ¡°I have more just outside. You¡¯ll come with me, won¡¯t you?¡± Kirin readily jumped from the throne, ignoring the enormous weight of her jewelry, and followed the prince and his servants out of the palace and into the sunlit world beyond, where a massive, dully shining pile of every sort of bangle, bauble, and ornament imaginable awaited her. Kirin jumped up and down, squealing that yes, she would indeed marry the prince if he possessed this amount of wealth. She rushed to him, and when the prince leaned close, she felt her body tingle as she gave herself up willingly to his lips. The bliss only lasted a moment, however, for something immediately bit her belly¡ªsomething sharp and hard that stole her breath away. She looked down to see the prince¡¯s hand, coated in blood, clutching the hilt of a dagger, the blade having penetrated through her torso. Kirin tried to cry out, but found no voice. She slapped at him, but he grabbed her wrists with his free hand and continued to stab her again and again, calmly shredding her stomach and spilling her entrails. Kirin¡¯s legs gave out beneath her, but the prince held her up, piercing her until she felt herself shudder and die. Just as she thudded to the ground in a lifeless heap, she opened her eyes and found herself again sitting on the golden throne, gawking at all of the finery within the palace. Kirin felt herself physically shaking¡ªthe dream had restarted! She couldn¡¯t think; the horror of her death still lingered, and she could still feel the agony of her wounds, though in the dream she sat and giggled while the prince returned. She couldn¡¯t endure it again. ¡°No more! Stop thinking about it!¡± Kirin choked out, trying not to move so the pattern was not torn. ¡°Something else!¡± ¡°Oh! Very well,¡± Tirbeth¡¯s voice came hazily from the heavens. All at once Kirin was standing in a stone pavilion in the middle of a lush, flowered garden, where a menagerie of male dalanais sat and waved their tails at her. Ignoring the pain that still filled her lungs and gut, her hands sought out the braid that connected her thoughts to Tirbeth¡¯s, hastily unraveling it. The dalanais vanished and a blinking Tirbeth appeared in their place. ¡°Did you do it?¡± Tirbeth asked innocently. Kirin lifted her hands. They were shaking. ¡°What happened?¡± Javan asked as he stood up. ¡°Are you all right? Your face is pale.¡± Kirin didn¡¯t answer, and instead hugged her knees in an attempt to calm herself. This was far worse than what she¡¯d experienced with the Nass¨¦. Then, she had seen the cuts on her palms but hadn¡¯t felt them. Tirbeth¡¯s dream was so much more real, so vivid. ¡°He stabbed you,¡± she whispered as the pain slowly subsided. ¡°Over and over!¡± Tirbeth gasped. ¡°You saw?¡± ¡°I felt! Dear Goddess, I felt!¡± Tirbeth glanced over to Anji, who shook her head quickly, then turned back to Kirin. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you would feel it! You don¡¯t have to continue if it¡¯s that bad.¡± Kirin immediately stood. But she saw how sickly Anji looked and knew she couldn¡¯t leave her in such a state without even trying to help. Kirin¡¯s own recurring nightmares were nothing compared to Tirbeth¡¯s, and if Anji¡¯s were even worse than that¡ªKirin didn¡¯t want to imagine it. ¡°I¡¯ll stay,¡± Kirin mumbled a little weakly as she slumped back down on the bed. ¡°Just give me a moment.¡± They all sat in silence as Kirin recovered, only interrupted by the sound of Anji spitting out her medicine. When Kirin finally felt her full faculties return to her, she sat up and looked at Tirbeth. ¡°I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s elucidate your nightmare.¡± ¡°Ooh! How do you do that?¡± Tirbeth asked. ¡°I just have to tell you what I saw. As for the interpretation, that¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m only supposed to point out the symbols.¡± ¡°Alright then, have at it!¡± Kirin looked back on the dream, this time feeling no pain, just an odd sensation of surprise at how completely the dream was burned into her memory, no doubt an effect of the pattern. ¡°I¡ªyou¡ªwere sitting on the biggest throne I¡¯ve ever seen. It took up the whole wall. The palace was beautiful, and it was very bright. It didn¡¯t really seem much like a nightmare at the start.¡± Tirbeth nodded eagerly. ¡°I know! I¡¯ve always had dreams of palaces and pretty places and things.¡± ¡°There was so much of it! So much gold and jewelry!¡± ¡°I know! I wish I had that kind of treasure in real life.¡± ¡°Even the necklaces around your neck, weighing you down?¡± ¡°Huh. I remember the necklaces, but they weren¡¯t that heavy.¡± Tirbeth nibbled daintily on a fingernail. ¡°Well, what about the prince? Wasn¡¯t he simply gorgeous? You saw him, didn¡¯t you?¡± Kirin frowned uncomfortably, uncertain how Tirbeth could speak so fondly of someone who had murdered her. ¡°Yes, I saw him.¡± ¡°Go on, describe him for Anji. She doesn¡¯t believe me when I tell her how stunning he is.¡± Kirin¡¯s frown deepened. Tirbeth didn¡¯t seem to be taking this very seriously. Still, she acquiesced. ¡°He had black hair and eyes¡ªsweeping robes like an engstaxi¡¯s¡ªtall.¡± She paused a moment, thinking back. ¡°I guess he was handsome, but his skin was a strange gold color. It was almost metallic, like the gold was dusted on.¡± ¡°A man with golden skin?¡± Javan asked skeptically. Kirin could tell by his expression that he thought this whole thing was stupid. ¡°I bet he dusted his whole body with gold powder just to make himself look more exquisite for me!¡± Tirbeth swooned, her face turning red. Kirin sighed. Tirbeth was just as distracted by the prince in reality as she was in her dream. ¡°The gifts the prince¡¯s servants put at your feet¡ª¡± Tirbeth giggled. ¡°Yes, they were nice, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°No they weren¡¯t!¡± Kirin exclaimed. ¡°The silks were all worn out and the jewels were fake¡ªjust glass!¡± ¡°Were they? Well, that¡¯s a little cheap of the prince, isn¡¯t it? But go on, tell me more about him.¡± Again, with the prince. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you about him. After you literally dragged yourself out of the palace to see more of his ¡®gifts,¡¯ he stabbed you. Over and over again. He murdered you.¡± Tirbeth frowned unhappily. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the part of the dream I don¡¯t like.¡± ¡°And exactly why you shouldn¡¯t be lusting after¡ªerm.¡± Damn it. Kirin was not supposed to interpret this dream for Tirbeth, even when the symbols were so painfully and obviously being missed. ¡°Look, we should get back to the symbols. All of your jewelry was very heavy, and the prince gave you fake gifts at the start and fake gifts at the end.¡± ¡°Even that big pile?¡± ¡°Yes. It was garbage compared to all the stuff you had at the start of the dream that was already in the palace. Didn¡¯t you notice how the gifts didn¡¯t sparkle hardly at¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, this is all so disappointing. But why does he have to keep killing me?¡± Tirbeth whined. ¡°I don¡¯t know why. Do you have any enemies? Anybody who would want to hurt you? Know any princes?¡± Tirbeth eyeballed Javan and growled, ¡°I only know one prince who hates me enough to want to kill me.¡± She paused, watching for Javan¡¯s reaction, which was to plow his fist into his cupped palm several times in a row. ¡°See what I mean? Aside from him, I know oodles of princes. There is my little brother and all the eastern princes of Judath; the eastern, western, southern, northern, and high princes of Xeshun¡ªnot that I¡¯d marry any of them, especially that ghoul Xaoshu¡ªand then there are all of those delicious princes in Chalei, but the high prince there is just an itty-bitty thing so not my type.¡± ¡°So apparently, you know a lot of princes,¡± Kirin mumbled. ¡°Yes, oodles, like I said. But we all get along famously. I mean, what prince, aside from Javan here, would ever want to hurt me?¡± ¡°Well, considering the fact that the one in your dream knifes you repeatedly, I¡¯d say he would.¡± Kirin paused. Again, she was interpreting, although really, Tirbeth should have been able to easily figure this out after being eviscerated night after night. ¡°Hmm . . . . Come to think of it, that knife he stabbed you with looked a little strange.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Tirbeth asked. ¡°It felt thin.¡± Kirin rubbed at her ribs where she had felt the knife slide in. ¡°And the hilt seemed to be made out of glass.¡± Tirbeth laughed incredulously. ¡°Who would ever want to stab someone with a glass dagger? How silly!¡± ¡°Regardless of what it was made out of, it sure did a good job of killing you,¡± Kirin mused. ¡°Ew. What do you suppose it all means?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can interpret the meaning of the symbols since they¡¯re personal to you, so you¡¯ll have to figure it out on your own. Just¡ªjust don¡¯t put so much focus on the prince. You have to pay attention to everything else, too.¡± Tirbeth¡¯s countenance darkened a little, and she did not speak. At first Kirin thought she had said something to upset her, but as she opened her mouth to ask, Tirbeth¡¯s cheery smile returned. ¡°Well, this was just fabulous! Thank you! I certainly never noticed the gold powder on the prince¡¯s skin, and I never realized he was so cheap. I¡¯m going to figure it out!¡± Ugh, Tirbeth hadn¡¯t listened to a word of the elucidation! ¡°Anji, it was just incredible. She saw everything!¡± Anji shook her head. Javan adjusted his spectacles. He still seemed unconvinced. ¡°You really saw all that?¡± Kirin, who was hanging her head in irritation, glanced up at Javan, feeling a little self-conscious. ¡°It probably looked strange, didn¡¯t it?¡± Javan half-smiled and nodded slowly. ¡°You look strange, Javan!¡± Tirbeth snapped. ¡°She really saw my dream, so mind your own business!¡± Javan shrugged at Tirbeth but said no more. Kirin dared to smile a little at him, but he didn¡¯t return it. Now anxious all over again, she rose from the bed and sat down on the floor beside Anji. ¡°Do you still want me to elucidate your nightmare?¡± Anji looked a little uncertain but put on a brave face. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m desperate. I have nowhere else to turn.¡± Her eyes rolled up as they began to water. ¡°I want to sleep normally again, but my nightmare is bad. Really bad.¡± ¡°Ooh, yes!¡± Tirbeth chimed. ¡°She told me all about it and it sounds even worse than mine!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡ªif you can handle it,¡± Anji murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t want to force you.¡± Admittedly, having to elucidate another nightmare, especially one worse than Tirbeth¡¯s, was a horrifying thought. It might have been the wiser choice to simply leave, but Kirin couldn¡¯t just ignore Anji¡¯s plea. She wouldn¡¯t be able to live with herself if she left without even trying to help. ¡°I can¡¯t cure you, but I¡¯ll try to make things clear.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Anji said gratefully. ¡°This means a lot to me.¡± Kirin breathed deeply. She was nervous about working the pattern again, but felt it would be easier this time. ¡°When you¡¯re ready, relax as Tirbeth did and allow your mind to flow like in a daydream. I¡¯ll do the rest.¡± Anji nodded and did as she was told. Kirin shifted to the third degree of focus, and within moments saw the shining streamers of Anji¡¯s thoughts. They were much easier to gather up since they did not move nearly as much as Tirbeth¡¯s had. Kirin released her own thoughts, and with Anji¡¯s successfully pinned in place, she made quicker work of separating them. The pattern was still difficult, but when she completed it, she was confident that it was correct. ¡°Now don¡¯t speak or pull away. Think of your dream.¡± Almost at once the familiar sensation of being spun head over heels overcame Kirin, and the space before her turned black and then gray. Now she was lying upon a dirt road in the middle of a field. There was little light filtering through the clouds looming above her, and the ground was cold and rough. She didn¡¯t feel the urge to sit up, even when the silver chains about her wrists wrenched her arms upward and dragged her near-naked body along the road. The earth and stone tore into her flesh, rubbing it raw and bleeding within seconds, but she did not scream, even as the agony continued inch by inch, until the inches turned into miles. Slowly, excruciatingly, her skin was stripped layer by layer until her muscles and nerves were exposed. The road continued to move unrelentingly beneath her, and yet she still did not scream or struggle. Eventually, she was dragged past a group of men, who were walking in the opposite direction. She stared up at them as they turned to look, and immediately felt ashamed about her nakedness and the smear of gore her body was leaving in her wake. ¡°You going out for a little fun?¡± they asked repeatedly as they turned and followed her. The silver shackles about her wrists tightened until her bones cracked, causing her to cry out. ¡°Won¡¯t you help me?¡± The men laughed at this and pointed at Kirin¡¯s hand. ¡°You have the key. Help yourself.¡± As Kirin looked up at her fist, she supposed she did have the key clutched within it¡ªone made from iron and covered in glyphs. She could use it to unlock the silver chains and free herself from the torture, but it was too much effort. Instead, she opened her hand and allowed the key to drop to the ground, and as she watched the men gradually fade into the distance, she wondered why she was still bound, why she was being dragged, and why her flesh was being cut. Then the movement abruptly ceased, and she heard the chains rattle as they were tossed to the ground. An unseen figure approached and nearly tore her hair from her scalp as he yanked her up to her feet. She looked up to find one of the most horrible-looking men she had ever seen. His robes were blood, and his eyes held nothing but a void. His fingers were claws, and he had horns like a naru¡¯s¡ªglossy and curled¡ªsprouting from his forehead. ¡°You¡¯ll come with me, won¡¯t you?¡± the horned man asked as he placed a loop of leather over her head and tightened it about her neck. Kirin physically shook, her mind whirling out of control. There was something all too familiar about the elements of this scene. The gray field was abruptly replaced by the Goddess Forest, and there stood an even more familiar man, offering up a globe of shadow. At the same time, the prince from Tirbeth¡¯s dream approached through palace doors, concealing his dagger as he sought to steal a kiss. But in a flash they were all gone, replaced by the man who stood half-hidden by the altar in the Nass¨¦¡¯s dream, watching for the sacrifice. Kirin heard Anji yelp in pain and realized that her physical body was leaning back, pulling the braid of thought between them too tight. Kirin reached out in a panic to loosen the braid, but her thoughts clenched and pulled even tighter, forcing Anji¡¯s thoughts to release like pebbles from a slingshot. The nightmare was gone, and Kirin saw Anji fall flat on her back, bits of primal matter richocheting throughout the room in the same instant. Kirin dove to cover Anji as the loose matter narrowly missed Javan, creating visible sparks as the fragments hit the wall. Tirbeth dove beneath the bed and Javan ducked, waiting until the bedlam finally subsided after a few moments. When all was calm, Javan stood up and demanded, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Kirin cried out as she shook Anji in an attempt to rouse her. ¡°Anji! Are you all right?¡± Anji groaned and rubbed at her brow. ¡°That really hurt,¡± she whimpered. ¡°I saw something¡ªbefore I fell¡ªwhy did I see that man in so many places? The one who hurts me¡ªhe was also in a forest¡ªa hall?¡± Kirin gripped her head, realizing that she had inadvertently shared her memories with Anji upon breaking the braid. But Anji was right. How could the same black-eyed man show up in four separate nightmares? Anji and Tirbeth were high nobility, but they weren¡¯t candidates; their dreams should have been strictly and specifically personal. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I put you in danger like that!¡± ¡°Why does he have a knife now?¡± Anji whispered in horrified despair. ¡°No, no! It isn¡¯t what you think. Those were my thoughts¡ªmy memories you saw. I¡¯ve seen that man before in other dreams!¡± ¡°What man? What just happened?¡± Javan asked, facing Kirin. Kirin shook her head. ¡°I know it¡¯s him! He was the prince in Tirbeth¡¯s nightmare¡ªeven asked you both to go with him! And he¡¯s a shadow maker in my¡ªerr, other dreams that I¡¯ve elucidated.¡± ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± Anji asked. Kirin didn¡¯t answer for a moment, unsure of what to say. ¡°Maybe . . . Maybe you should seek a cleansing.¡± ¡°A cleansing? Why?¡± Anji demanded. ¡°Because nightmares shouldn¡¯t be like this. They¡¯re meant to help you grow and change¡ªat least in the nightmares sent by the goddess. You¡¯re supposed to interpret the symbols, apply them to your life, and then the nightmares go away. But these nightmares are too¡ªreal! A cleansing might help you figure out what¡¯s really going on.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you do something about it, Kirin? What about the Nass¨¦?¡± Tirbeth asked. ¡°Cleansings are for crazy people! I don¡¯t want to be crazy!¡± Kirin shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have the proper training to do anything, and the Nass¨¦ can¡¯t or won¡¯t help.¡± Anji dissolved into a fit of tears. ¡°That¡¯s it, then. My nightmares will never be cured. I¡¯ll never be able to sleep!¡± Tirbeth moved to comfort Anji. ¡°Don¡¯t cry; it¡¯ll just make you feel worse. Listen, Kirin might be right. Maybe we do need a cleansing to fix us up. Let¡¯s go and see my father. If he¡¯s the highest priest in Judath, his cleansings ought to be worth something. We¡¯ll be fine!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not insane!¡± Anji sobbed, inconsolable. Before Kirin could say anything more, Javan grasped her hand and quickly led her out of the room. Once in the hall he released her, and Kirin moved to leave, but he barred her from doing so by extending both arms and pressing his hands against the wall. He looked upset, which made Kirin¡¯s heart pound within her throat. ¡°Be honest with me,¡± Javan whispered, his hushed voice matching the intensity of his eyes. ¡°Did you make my sister worse off than she was before?¡± Kirin pressed herself against the wall, somewhat intimidated by his closeness and the fact that she was now caged. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t. Not on purpose!¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s going on here?¡± Kirin held her breath a moment, and when she breathed again she could smell that now familiar spiced scent of his, clinging to his clothes. ¡°This¡ªthis is beyond my training. I think a priest needs to examine them, Western Prince.¡± ¡°Javan,¡± he corrected. ¡°Javan¡ªtheir minds may be polluted. A priest could diagnose a problem during a cleansing¡ªpossibly treat it.¡± ¡°Then you think my sister is insane?¡± ¡°No!¡± Kirin looked back up at Javan. On the contrary, she thought herself to be the one who was insane for seeing the shadow maker in so many other dreams, and for drawing stupid, illogical, superstitious conclusions about the cause. ¡°I just know these nightmares aren¡¯t normal, and we have to find out why. There could be many causes other than madness.¡± Javan frowned. ¡°Like that evil prince?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kirin cried, still terrified of having seen the shadow maker with sprouted horns. ¡°But I¡ª! Oh, no! The elucidation! I never told Anji the details¡ªdidn¡¯t even finish watching. I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t be angry with me. I¡¯m such a twit!¡± She moved to return to the suite but found herself still trapped by Javan¡¯s outstretched arms. ¡°No, I¡ª¡± Javan glanced at his arms, seemed embarrassed, and pulled his hands away from the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think of elucidations, but I can¡¯t stand the thought of my sister continuing to suffer.¡± Kirin stared at Javan for a long time, unsure of what to say. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, but she needs to be watched. She might try to¡ª¡± Kirin couldn¡¯t bring herself to say what she was thinking. Javan nodded, seeming to understand, and averted his gaze. ¡°And there¡¯s nothing more you can do?¡± Kirin hesitated, glancing over Javan¡¯s shoulder to the door of the suite. She could still hear Anji¡¯s muffled sobs, not soothed by Tirbeth¡¯s quiet cooing. ¡°I can try again,¡± she offered. ¡°I¡¯ll finish the elucidation this time. I¡¯ll even do it now.¡± As she moved to make good on her offer, Javan caught her arm and held her back. ¡°No, not now. If she cries enough, she¡¯ll sleep, and nightmare or not, she needs it.¡± Kirin swallowed hard. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Javan¡¯s eyes were solemn but sincere. Kirin nodded, flushing with shame as she knuckled her watering eyes dry. ¡°If Anji wants it, will you come back?¡± ¡°Yes, I will! I promise.¡± Javan¡¯s lips were thin in gratitude. He released Kirin¡¯s arm, and offered his hand for her to take. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll escort you back to Marin.¡± Chapter Seventeen Chapter 17 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei The Jungles The fat male sazi abruptly ceased his flight, skittering to a halt on a high, craggy branch. He dropped down to swing back and forth from his tail. ¡°Hey! Hey, stinky pointy-ear!¡± Sorai, who had been chasing after him, stopped and caught her breath, bending forward to hug the back of her aching knees, where the skin beneath the glyph scabs was swollen and burning hot to the touch. Her head was pounding and her flesh was moist with sweat. ¡°Hey! You listen?¡± The fat male broke a twig between two paws and threw it down at Sorai, after which all his feathered minions mimicked his action. Sorai shielded her face as she was showered by nuts, leaves, and more twigs. This childish assault did nothing to ease her nerves. ¡°I hear you!¡± she cried out, and the onslaught stopped as quickly as it had begun. The fat male cleared his throat in indignation. ¡°Close to blue pelt nest, close. There!¡± His body went rigid, his nose pointing straight ahead. Tears of relief streaked Sorai¡¯s face as she picked up her heels and ran through the brush, with the throng of sazis in pursuit overhead. When she at last crashed through the fronds, she dropped to her knees in awe, a small sob bursting from her throat. A mammoth tree, as big as any of Sayora¡¯s towers, stood before her. It supported a series of wooden huts, connected by roped catwalks. The roofs of the huts were constructed out of thatched palm leaves, and ragged blue banners, each emblazoned with the imperial star of Chalei, draped below the windows of the largest, most central hut. ¡°An outpost!¡± she cried. The fat male perched upon a low branch beside her and proudly corrected, ¡°Nest!¡± Such warden-run outposts were the only places of refuge in these otherwise inhospitable territories. Each outpost was linked, much like the individual huts, by a web of wide suspended bridges, large enough to support the weight of narus and silk-laden wagons. Up there in the jungle canopy, merchants and travelers had no fear of padu attacks. Sorai raised her trembling arms and waved them wildly above her head, but before she could open her mouth to cry out for aid, a number of sazis dropped from their perches. Within seconds they had surrounded her by the dozens, each one staring at her with furious blue eyes. ¡°Fish, fish, fish!¡± they began to chant until their calls became a frenzied roar. Sorai lowered her arms and stared in surprise as the fat male stalked up to her on his toes, his fur and feathers all puffed up, creating the illusion that he had doubled in size. ¡°Trade! We take you blue pelt nest. Now you pay! Give shiny! Give fish!¡± Sorai reached up and removed her remaining earring. ¡°Be patient for the fish. The wardens up above will have to give it to you.¡± ¡°You give fish now! No wait!¡± the fat male screeched. The other males in his group yowled, their backs arching aggressively as they circled her. Sorai stammered as she tried to explain, but her voice was stolen away as something whizzed past her face, close enough to unsettle the air against her skin. There was a loud thunk, and she turned to see a vibrating arrow jutting out of a tree behind her. The sazis scattered, flying or skittering higher into the trees all around, but their screams for payment did not cease. Men were shouting now. Sorai looked up and saw a number of blue-uniformed wardens lined up on one of the rope bridges above her, crossbows nocked and aimed at the sazis who now stalked back and forth through the canopy. ¡°Who¡¯s down there?¡± one of the men bellowed. Sorai tried to stand, but her muscles spasmed, and she fell with a sharp cry. She swept back the hair covering her forehead and pressed her hand to her scalp, revealing the imperial star of Chalei to the wardens, hoping that they would recognize it from that distance. ¡°It¡¯s me, Sorai! The empress!¡± The men stared down at her a moment, before one of them yelled, ¡°The empress?¡± Several of the group broke off, and within moments a long rope ladder uncoiled and dropped from a wooden platform that ringed the main tree¡¯s gargantuan trunk. Several wardens in shabby caftans climbed down in haste, exclaiming as they rushed to her upon reaching the ground. Sorai nearly broke down in her relief, crawling on hands and knees to meet them, but the sazis reappeared to block her path. They circled the wardens and hissed their displeasure. ¡°Trade! Trade! Brought stinky pointy-ear for fish and shinies!¡± the fat male snarled. One of the wardens, the commanding officer, narrowed his eyes at the fat male and took aim with his crossbow. An arrow pierced the ground at the sazi¡¯s feet, causing the little beast and his fellows to shriek and tear back up into the trees. ¡°Get out of here, Chubbachoo!¡± It seemed the wardens knew this particular tribe of sazis. ¡°Chief Chibchatchu!¡± the fat male declared above a chorus of hisses and caterwauls. ¡°She trade us! Trade!¡± The warden rolled his eyes and nocked another arrow, but as he aimed again at Chibchatchu, who perched in his tree, Sorai gasped and shouted, ¡°No, wait! I owe them my life!¡± The warden grudgingly but immediately obeyed her command. He lowered his weapon and bowed deeply to her. Sorai took her earring and tossed it as far as she could to Chibchatchu, who scuttled down the trunk, snatched up the earring in his mouth, and returned to the relative safety of the trees. ¡°Fish now!¡± Chibchatchu demanded. The wardens all seemed irritated at this, murmuring about ¡°Chubby¡¯s¡± strange demands, until Sorai raised her hand and said, ¡°I made a deal with them. Go and get the flock as much fish as they can eat!¡± ¡°But Empress, the last search party to pass through here took most of our dried and salted fish,¡± the commanding officer said, remaining in his stooped bow. ¡°We don¡¯t have nearly enough to feed this whole flock.¡± The sazis all screeched in agitation, and a shower of twigs and nuts began raining down around Sorai. ¡°Then go find more!¡± Sorai cried, once again shielding her head with her arms. ¡°Go to the nearest city or outpost¡ªcatch the fish yourselves if you must!¡± The officer nodded before straightening himself and shouting orders up at the men situated above on the rope bridge. They immediately rushed off, presumably to acquire the requested fish. Chibchatchu squawked up at his flock. Several males took off after the wardens, scampering across the rope bridge. ¡°They go watch!¡± he explained smugly, as the rest of his minions snickered sinisterly. The wardens groaned and cursed as the sazis all leapt across the outstretched boughs and began to settle in the outpost itself, perching across the rope bridges, squatting on platforms, and making nests out of the thatched roofs, where they curled up with their cubs for naps. There were hundreds of sazis everywhere, each one more brazen and disruptive than the last. ¡°This our nest,¡± said Chibchatchu to the wardens. ¡°Ours until get fish!¡± The commanding warden clenched his fists. ¡°You¡ªI¡¯ll deal with you later, Chubby!¡± ¡°Chibchatchu!¡± Chibchatchu spat, offended. He took off and made himself comfortable atop the tallest hut he could find. Now safe, Sorai became fully aware of her state of undress and attempted to tuck her naked tail beneath her bent legs. An eshtan would not have noticed or even cared about her tail, but dalanais definitely would. No man, including these wardens, should see it except her husband. The commanding officer tore the blue mantle off his shoulders. ¡°Avert your eyes!¡± he snapped at his men, doing the same as he lowered the mantle for Sorai to take. Sorai accepted the mantle gratefully and tied it about her hips so that it would keep her tail mostly hidden. With her modesty secure, she stood, but immediately fell forward onto her hands and knees, exhausted. ¡°You¡¯re wounded!¡± the warden gasped as he pulled her up to stand, noting the glyphs on her arms and chest through the half-parted tunic. ¡°Who did this?¡± ¡°The one who took me,¡± Sorai murmured, stumbling a little as he led her to the great tree. ¡°He¡¯s a cultist who thinks he¡¯s the Dread God. He and his followers are responsible for the coastal raids.¡± The men reacted with shock and unease, while the commanding warden was visibly tense. He nodded at one of the officers closest to him. ¡°Ready the narus. We must leave for Sayora immediately.¡± ¡°How far away are we?¡± Sorai asked, suddenly feeling dizzy as her glyphs began to prickle. ¡°It¡¯s not far,¡± he answered. ¡°A two-day ride if we don¡¯t stop to rest.¡± As Sorai¡¯s eyelids began to droop, she noticed something odd about the warden¡¯s face, something¡ªinteresting. His skin was weathered, the creases near his eyes hard and deep, but that wasn¡¯t it. Something else was there¡ªthin, white strands that extended several inches from his temples, undulating slowly. She¡¯d never seen anything like them before, and wasn¡¯t even sure she saw them now, but something about their faint glow made her mouth feel dry. ¡°Empress, you look ill. We will take you back to the palace as quickly as we can.¡± Almost against her will, Sorai found herself reaching for the warden¡¯s face with a quivering hand, wanting nothing more than to wrap those threads about her fingers and pull. The last thing she heard was the warden¡¯s startled cry as her limbs became heavy and her world went black. *** ¡°Are you ready, Emperor?¡± the physician asked as he placed a familiar wooden dowel into Tashau¡¯s mouth. Tashau rolled the rough thing across his tongue and clenched it between his molars, hoping he¡¯d break it this time. He stared past the physician¡¯s bent, white-capped head into the sitting room that lay beyond it. There, the kada stood shining dully in the sunlight. In the last three weeks, people had come and gone in a constant stream to visit him in his various states of consciousness, with only the kada standing vigil as his steadfast companion. As a symbol of Chalei¡¯s power, it should have been a comfort to him. Instead, it stood as a constant reminder of his weakness and failure as an emperor and husband. His uncle Shauda continued to run the affairs of the empire in his absence, and his wife¡ªwell, what good was any man if he could not protect his wife? The incision was as painful as it had been every other time the physician probed for infection with razor-focused orm¨¦. Tashau ground his teeth into the dowel, further indenting the wood, gripping at the sheets with his hands. As the pain swirled slowly around his innards, the physician¡¯s assistants swooped in to sop up the blood that rolled down Tashau¡¯s sides. Healing through orm¨¦ was far more an art than science, and Tashau knew that the flesh the physicians had created to replace his own wasn¡¯t truly alive, and that his body would never be the same as a result. Still, blood would course through the scars, and he would continue to live, even if he was less of a man for it. ¡°Good!¡± the physician exclaimed, and the glow about his palms shifted color as he began to seal the skin across Tashau¡¯s belly. ¡°There is no more infection left to clear, and your bodily tissues are merging nicely with the grafts. I believe this may be the last time we will have to do this. Naltena has surely blessed you.¡± Tashau pressed out an abbreviated sigh of relief, letting the dowel roll out of his mouth. ¡°Then I am free to rise.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The physician looked hesitant but nodded, moving to scrub his hands in a bowl of water at the side of the bed. ¡°Yes, if that is your desire, Emperor.¡± Tashau wasted no time in standing up, brushing aside the attendants who were wiping his torso clean. Once on his feet, he winced, his hand reflexively moving to his gut. The physician held out a wet hand. ¡°Careful, Emperor! This is but the beginning of your recovery. You must not move much or too quickly.¡± Tashau did not reply as a servant rushed forward to dress him before the room¡¯s full length mirror. As the robe was placed over his shoulders, he noted that the bruises on his gaunt face had healed nicely, but the flesh of his stomach was a far different matter. He already knew that the skin would be gnarled from the times he had felt it, but up close in the mirror, the stark pink-whiteness of the scar made it appear as though candle wax had been melted and dried upon the entire left side of his stomach. Still, he knew he could not complain. The physician had done a thorough job; the loss of a little vanity was a small price to pay for his life. ¡°I am still not comfortable with you traveling,¡± the physician muttered worriedly. ¡°Even though the goddess herself compels you to take the kada to Judath for the summit, I fear that doing so will have bad consequences.¡± ¡°Then I assume you¡¯d take umbrage with me if I rode my naru today?¡± Tashau mused as he belted his robe, ignoring the additional pain at his spine. Now that he was mobile, nothing would keep him from joining the search for Sorai. ¡°Goddess, no!¡± the physician cried. ¡°You are not to ride a naru in the coming weeks at all, much less today. In fact, we have prepared canes for your use while walking. We cannot risk further damage to your back.¡± Tashau scowled irritably. ¡°It will only be temporary if you are careful, Emperor,¡± the physician assured as he gestured to one of the servants, who rushed into the sitting room, returning with an armful of canes that he laid carefully on the bed. ¡°The dowager empress has had several canes crafted for you to choose from. This ivory cane, in particular, is quite nice. Fashionable, even.¡± Tashau bristled at the assortment of canes, each one an insult. Furious, he swept them all from his bed, causing them to clatter across the floor. ¡°My wife has been lost for almost four weeks, and you would keep me an invalid!¡± He turned to the servants with a snarl. ¡°Go and ready my naru at once, and bring me my riding leathers!¡± The servants seemed surprised and frightened by Tashau¡¯s outburst, but only looked hesitantly to the physician. ¡°You will do as I say!¡± Tashau barked. Again, the servants did not move. The physician rounded the bed and said softly, ¡°Emperor, your health is our greatest concern and priority. You are to remain as immobile as possible until you are fully healed.¡± An irate laugh burst from Tashau¡¯s throat as he stormed past them and exited the suite, ignoring the shooting pains. ¡°To Yalet with you, then!¡± he shouted over his shoulder as they chased after him. ¡°I¡¯ll ride in my bedclothes if I must!¡± ¡°Please, Emperor, you must rest! You risk further injury!¡± the physician begged before looking back at the servants and snapping at them through clenched teeth, ¡°Go and get the dowager empress and High Prince Shauda at once!¡± Tashau forced his body to move through the galleries and courtyards, all the way to the stables. ¡°Ready my naru,¡± he ordered, pointing at a frightened stablehand. The boy scrambled to obey. The physician and his attendants were breathing heavily as they caught up with Tashau. ¡°You must not be hasty! You¡¯re not dressed. Your back¡ª¡± ¡°My back is fine!¡± Tashau lied. The boy returned with Tashau¡¯s sanguine-scaled naru on a tether. Tashau immediately tried to climb to the saddle, but lost his grip and would have ended up sprawled flat on the ground had the servants and physician not rushed in and caught him. Tashau shoved them all aside and reached for the saddle again. ¡°Enough!¡± Kia¡¯s still-ringing command stopped Tashau in his tracks. She rushed into the stables with a troop of handmaidens following closely behind her. ¡°Mother,¡± Tashau muttered, not looking at her. ¡°Leave. All of you!¡± Kia ordered, and everyone aside from Tashau scattered. Once Tashau and Kia were alone, she stamped toward him and grasped his arm firmly, forcing him to face her. She looked particularly tall and ominous in her stiff brown robes¡ªthe color of death and mourning. ¡°Why are you doing this, Tashau?¡± There was compassion mixed with anger in her eyes. Tashau glowered uncomfortably. ¡°It¡¯s been weeks, and Sorai still hasn¡¯t been found. The wardens haven¡¯t been doing enough.¡± ¡°But you know they found her clothes shredded and covered with blood in the jungle,¡± Kia reminded softly, piercing Tashau¡¯s heart. ¡°She is dead, Tashau. They are only searching for her body.¡± Tashau shook his shoulders, shrugging her off his arm. ¡°She is not dead! I will take the kada and find the man who did this!¡± ¡°How can the kada possibly help you defeat this man if you don¡¯t even know how to use it?¡± Kia challenged. Tashau¡¯s lips moved, but couldn¡¯t produce any sound. It was his fault that Sorai was suffering, his fault that she was not in the palace tending to their happy child. Had he known how to wield the kada¡ªor thought to even try¡ªnone of this would have happened. ¡°I know how much you love Sorai,¡± Kia whispered, ¡°but you have more to think about now than just that. You have a son who cannot lose you, and Chalei cannot lose you, either. Your uncle may be willing to deal with the affairs of the empire until you¡¯ve recovered, but you know he doesn¡¯t have the constitution to do it for too long. He is much happier breeding his sazis and lazing around in the sun. He can¡¯t teach Faro to lead the way you can. Look at what he¡¯s done with your cousins! And he knows even less about the kada than you do. Naltena blessed you¡ªpermitted you to live. You should take that as a sign that she intends you to lead.¡± Tashau¡¯s jaw hardened. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to abandon my wife. If she¡¯s dead¡ªif we don¡¯t find her body to give it the proper funeral rites¡ªI will never see her again, not even in the Mother Star!¡± Kia shook her head, her eyes beginning to water. ¡°Tashau, you know how long it¡¯s been. If she died that first night, she is already lost.¡± ¡°I refuse to accept that!¡± Kia straightened to her full height, her expression suddenly cold. ¡°Refuse if you must, but I won¡¯t allow you to waste your life. You will remain in the palace until you heal. Try to leave and I will have you confined.¡± Tashau stepped forward, glaring into his mother¡¯s green eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you threaten me, Mother. I am not a child!¡± ¡°But you are my child!¡± Kia retorted. ¡°I gave you life, and you owe me obedience!¡± Tashau ground his teeth. This was hardly the time for guilt trips. ¡°I owe you nothing!¡± He turned and mounted the naru successfully this time, although the pain from his scars nearly caused him to lurch off the other side. Kia¡¯s face flashed shock. ¡°Tashau, no!¡± Tashau kicked at the naru¡¯s flanks, shouting at it as it tore down the earthen path. Tashau ignored the throbs from every one of his muscles, forcing himself to breathe in short bursts until he reached the front gates of the palace complex. ¡°Let me out!¡± he snarled at the sentries stationed there. ¡°Don¡¯t stand there! Do it now!¡± The sentries uneasily took note of Tashau¡¯s bedclothes, but still moved to open the gates, allowing him to rush through on his naru. Once on the wide dirt road outside of the complex, he steered toward the right and headed up the mountain on a thin path. The nearest outpost was only a few miles away, and while the mountain path was rockier than the main road, it was also much shorter. The wardens at the outpost would provide him with supplies and information on how to aid the search. He hadn¡¯t been riding long before he heard the thundering gallops of narus closing the distance behind him. ¡°Damn it!¡± he cursed. He looked over his shoulder and saw two guards riding quickly after him. His mother must have sent them out to escort him back to the palace. He kicked at his naru¡¯s sides, increasing its already furious pace until it was breathing hard and frothing at its beak. ¡°Emperor!¡± one of the guards shouted as they inevitably pulled up alongside Tashau. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop!¡± Tashau did not respond. His vision was beginning to blur. ¡°Emperor, the wardens from the Kamali outpost have just ridden in! They found the empress!¡± Tashau shot a suspicious glare at the guards. ¡°A lie to trick me into returning to the palace!¡± ¡°No! They arrived just moments after you left! The empress is alive!¡± Tashau¡¯s eyes widened. His mother would not play such a cruel joke on him just to get him to return, would she? No, she wouldn¡¯t be that heartless. He sat up and pulled hard on the reins of his naru, skidding to a halt. He gripped his inflamed belly and looked sternly at the guards as they stopped a little ahead of him. ¡°Do you swear that she¡¯s been found?¡± The guards nodded uneasily. Tashau wordlessly directed his naru to turn around. When they returned to the complex, Tashau found servants, advisors, and wardens already waiting for him at the stables, some looking excited while others looked racked with worry. ¡°Where is she? Show me,¡± Tashau commanded as he dismounted the naru jarringly, nearly stumbling. A warden stepped forward, and Tashau grasped onto his shoulder for support. As they hobbled quickly toward the palace, the warden filled him in on the details of Sorai¡¯s recovery. ¡°A flock of wild sazis led her to our outpost. She was in a bad state¡ªpassed out before I could even get her to a naru, but she¡¯s worse now. She won¡¯t eat¡ªwon¡¯t even take water. She¡¯s woken a few times on our trip here. She gave us a full description of her assailant and account of what happened. Apparently she was held captive by two eshtans and a half dalanai man.¡± ¡°Her assailant was a half-breed?¡± Tashau demanded, recalling the man¡¯s strange appearance. It would make sense if that were the case. ¡°She also claimed he could grow hair on his face, so we can¡¯t say for certain what he is,¡± the warden said. ¡°She was overjoyed to hear that you were alive, but¡ªEmperor, before you see her you should know that the empress is badly wounded.¡± Tashau released the warden¡¯s shoulder and immediately stormed from the entourage, intent on rushing to Sorai¡¯s side, but his advisors surrounded him, stopping him. ¡°Please don¡¯t be rash, Emperor,¡± one of them urged. ¡°It won¡¯t help her if you further injure yourself.¡± ¡°And the attacker hasn¡¯t been found? Him or those eshtans?¡± Tashau demanded. ¡°No, not yet,¡± the warden answered. ¡°You are not to rest until they¡¯ve been found!¡± Tashau bellowed, pushing his way past his advisors. ¡°Where is your high chief?¡± ¡°He is already on a ship to Judath as far as I know,¡± the warden responded. He hesitated a moment before adding, ¡°The empress claims that her captors are also on their way to Judath.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯re searching for something¡ªshe called them witnesses, which they can only find in Judath. She also said they¡¯re the ones responsible for the raids on the coastal villages. The one who took the empress is a cultist who fancies himself to be the reincarnated Dread God.¡± This new information surprised Tashau, but he simply turned and arched an eyebrow. ¡°He is certainly powerful. I¡¯m painfully aware of that. But to be able to lay waste to all those villages¡ªthe ones in Judath and Xeshun as well if they¡¯re connected. He couldn¡¯t do that with just a few followers. We must send a warning to the sun emperor before the summit begins.¡± ¡°But Emperor,¡± cautioned an advisor, ¡°Sayora¡¯s fastest ship is already being prepared for your journey to the summit in a few days, and the other warden flagships have already departed in advance. We cannot spare your ship for a single messenger. We will have to bring a messenger with us to Judath and send him on ahead once we make landfall.¡± ¡°So be it,¡± Tashau conceded. ¡°The timing of this cultist¡¯s journey to Judath is not a coincidence. I¡¯m sure he knows that most of the nobility from all three empires will be there.¡± Another advisor spoke up. ¡°Emperor, perhaps it would be wise for you to avoid the summit altogether. With your condition, and the as-yet-unknown condition of the empress¡ª¡± ¡°Of course I will attend the summit!¡± Tashau interrupted. ¡°It is by mandate of the goddess that I bring the kada to Judath for the proper rites. I will not dishonor Naltena after she has preserved my wife¡¯s life.¡± In truth, he hoped the cultist would reveal himself so that Tashau could enact his revenge. The advisor nodded unhappily. ¡°Very well, Emperor. Then we are left to determine which warden would be able to most quickly ride to Marin.¡± Not interested in any more details, Tashau left the advisors and the outpost wardens to their discussions. He moved up the stairs, toward his bedchamber. At the top of the stairs, he found his uncle, Shauda, crouched before his chamber doors, shaking a pathetically mewling Rao. Shauda looked over his shoulder to grin at Tashau. ¡°Tash! You¡¯re finally up and about!¡± He stood up and gripped Tashau in a firm hug, oblivious to the pain he was inflicting by doing so. ¡°Good news about Sorai! Your mother was screaming at me to go out and get you when the wardens suddenly rode in. It¡¯s a relief! Now that you¡¯re up and the wardens have found Sorai, you can take your imperial seat back and I can get back to my sazis.¡± ¡°Have you seen her yet?¡± Tashau asked. He could hear his mother¡¯s muffled weeping through the doors, even above the sound of Rao¡¯s wails. ¡°Sorai? No, not a chance with how the servants swarmed her,¡± Shauda replied as he stared distractedly down at Rao. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting here for Kia to come out. She was livid at you for taking off like that¡ªclaimed you were being insolent. I would tell you to apologize if I weren¡¯t so proud. Good on you.¡± Rao sniffled and shuddered at their feet, erupting into a loud sob. ¡°Fishman, why?¡± Shauda, who was never one to resist a sazi bred from his prized dam and sire, bent forward and picked Rao up by the scruff of his neck. ¡°Fishman? Your fishman¡¯s right here! Stop your crying. Your mama is alive! Come on, let¡¯s go and get you some fish.¡± Rao tried to wriggle away as Shauda tucked him under his arm. ¡°No! No fish ever again!¡± He yowled. He continued the same cry as Shauda gripped Tashau¡¯s shoulder and left, disappearing with Rao down the stairs. Tashau stood a moment and stared after his uncle, before he turned to face the doors. He took a deep breath, running his hands nervously through his hair. Everything would be fine now. How bad could Sorai¡¯s injuries possibly be? He threw open the doors of the suite and strode through the sitting room, quickly entering the bedroom. There, he saw Sorai thrashing deliriously atop their bed. She had been stripped nude, and the same physician who had examined Tashau earlier now ministered to her. At first, Tashau¡¯s mind didn¡¯t process Sorai¡¯s wounds, but as he drew closer, he couldn¡¯t ignore them. Glyphs! Red, oozing glyphs glared up at him from what had once been pristine skin, carved across every limb and over every one of her major organs. As the physician attempted to clean the largest glyph scab on her chest, Sorai sobbed in misery. What had the cultist done to her? ¡°It¡¯s awful,¡± Kia whispered as she appeared at Tashau¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something so awful!¡± Tashau slumped against a wall as his legs nearly gave out beneath him. It was bad enough that he carried the scars of his battle with the cultist, but he could not bear to see Sorai also damaged and in such a brutal way. They would never forget now. There was now a permanent, constant reminder of his failure to protect her. And he still didn¡¯t know if she would live through it. After a few more minutes of ministrations, the physician finally subdued Sorai¡¯s spasms with a pattern, then turned to give Tashau a grim but comforting nod. She would need to rest. As Tashau quietly exited the room, he vowed that he would atone for this injustice. He would find this cultist in Judath and make him pay. Chapter Eighteen Chapter 18 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Temple of Marin Ravad thrust open the silver-lined doors of the Chamber of Dreaming. ¡°Apologies, ladies.¡± He nodded calmly to the priestesses, who stumbled from their posts as he entered. The Nass¨¦¡¯s chronicler, a tall, thin dalanai woman who sat at the room¡¯s sole writing desk, closed a thick leather tome and stood up, not bothering to hide the annoyance washing over her face. ¡°You know the sanctity of this place!¡± she reprimanded. ¡°Even an emperor cannot enter here without the Nass¨¦¡¯s permission. Such disrespect is¡ª¡± ¡°Unforgivable?¡± Ravad interrupted, throwing his hands up dismissively. ¡°Incorrigible? Rude? Juvenile? I¡¯ve heard it all before, so let¡¯s keep this brief to stop me from getting bored.¡± He looked back at the other priestesses, who were cowering behind him, and pointed to the exit. ¡°All of you please get out.¡± The priestesses and chronicler glanced at each other nervously, uncertain of how to proceed. Finally, a thin white hand parted the black curtains surrounding the bed at the center of the chamber, and the Nass¨¦ spoke, her voice both sweet and terse. ¡°It is fine. Do as the emperor commands.¡± The chronicler bowed low to the Nass¨¦ and left the chamber, the other priestesses following meekly behind. As the silver doors shut with a soft boom, Ravad walked nonchalantly to the bed and seated himself across from it on a nearby settee. Through the gauze of the curtains he could see the Nass¨¦¡¯s gray silhouette reclining on a generous pile of pillows. ¡°Well, Xinthi, you¡¯re looking rather perky for someone who has been too sick to meet with me.¡± There was a strange smell coming from the bed¡ªsomething bitter and medicinal. Almost like ketas root. Xinthi¡¯s ruby-like eyes shone with carefully controlled cunning and fury. ¡°Emperor of the Sun,¡± she greeted venomously. ¡°To what do I owe this pleasure? Our quarterly review is yet weeks away.¡± Ravad placed his elbows upon his knees, maintaining a steady smile as he laced his fingers together beneath his nose. ¡°Have you forgotten about my frequent requests for an audience this last week?¡± ¡°As you mentioned, I have been ill.¡± Xinthi lifted a small ceramic cup to her lips and took a sip. ¡°I understand that you engstaxis sometimes need a little extra pampering to maintain your delicate constitutions, but I would think that you could spare a moment for the emperor of Judath, especially at an urgent time like now.¡± Xinthi lifted her fine chin a little too high for Ravad¡¯s liking. ¡°I¡¯ve been indisposed.¡± Ravad cocked his head to one side. ¡°Does the surprise attack on Chalei not concern you?¡± ¡°Of course I care about the star empire,¡± Xinthi replied calmly. ¡°I care about all of Naltena¡¯s followers. My apologies for not replying to your¡ªnumerous¡ªrequests for an audience. Grievous matters of spirituality have weighed heavily on my mind.¡± Ravad felt his fingers tighten about his jaw. ¡°Well, I¡¯d say this attack merits discussion. Whoever infiltrated Lanae Palace is a threat to us all¡ªnot just to Chalei. Our people rely on the visions of you Nass¨¦s to preserve us from danger. And yet we have heard nothing from you for two seasons. What visions are you holding back from us?¡± ¡°I have had many visions,¡± Xinthi murmured cryptically. She downed the rest of her tea. ¡°And their interpretations?¡± Xinthi stared at Ravad, seeming to mull over his question. After a moment, she turned to pour herself another cup of tea. ¡°Again, with the silence. Your predecessor gave two or three useful interpretations per season to my father, and you have given me at least one per season for the time in which we¡¯ve held our positions. As I recall, the last time you gave us a warning from Naltena¡ª¡± Xinthi cleared her throat softly, causing Ravad to frown. Two seasons ago, she had proclaimed that a plague would strike Judath¡¯s livestock and spread swiftly to the other empires by way of sea trade routes. Quickly heeding the warning, the empires mobilized and carefully inspected and segregated their livestock, which in the end localized the epidemic to a handful of quarantined narus, saving all three empires from a catastrophic famine and an irreparable halt to intercontinental trade. But while everyone was celebrating and praising Naltena¡¯s mercy, Ravad¡¯s wife, Arja, passed away quietly and without warning during childbirth.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I do not choose which dreams Naltena sends to me,¡± Xinthi murmured finally. ¡°I only can interpret that which I receive. How am I to know about the impending death of an emperor¡ªor an empress¡ªif Naltena does not see fit to send me warning, or if it is her direct will that such a thing occurs?¡± ¡°So, it is Naltena¡¯s will that the empires are to remain in danger without her guidance? You have received no visions about this at all?¡± Ravad clenched his fingers and rested his chin upon his fist. ¡°Of course I have had visions,¡± Xinthi snapped, her eyes flashing. ¡°However, some of the visions Naltena chooses to send are complicated in nature¡ªfar more complicated than you could comprehend. Such dreams elude even proper elucidation; their meanings can be found only after the events shown in them have already taken place.¡± ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s what happened here? You failed to interpret a vision that could have prevented this attack?¡± ¡°I did not fail,¡± Xinthi countered. ¡°I was not meant to know. The meaning of these visions only became clear after the threat manifested itself. The star emperor¡¯s death was unavoidable.¡± ¡°His death?¡± Ravad exclaimed. ¡°His death, I see. Then you aren¡¯t aware that Emperor Tashau lives?¡± Xinthi flinched with surprise, sloshing a little tea onto the white hems of her robes. ¡°He lives¡ªof course he lives. The symbols clarify themselves at last!¡± She dabbed a little frantically at her robes with a handkerchief. ¡°Clarity!¡± Ravad¡¯s face grew hot. ¡°We lose two empresses in one year and you casually talk of clarity? Have the years made your mind soft?¡± Xinthi sneered, displaying sharply-pointed teeth. ¡°And you wonder why I will not grant you an audience. As I have told you countless times before, I never had any visions concerning your wife or her death, then or now. I cannot help it if Naltena found Arja unworthy of mention, so take your grudge to the goddess yourself!¡± Ravad could contain his anger no more. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s see what Naltena does find worthy of mention!¡± He stood up abruptly and moved over to the chronicler¡¯s desk, picking up the leather book that contained the present year¡¯s recorded visions. There was a loud clattering sound as Xinthi dropped her cup onto a platter. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded. ¡°You have no right to look through dreams that have yet to be interpreted! Put that down!¡± She flung her hand out of the shadows, her skin pale and corpse-like. Ravad shot her with a glare and unlatched the thick gold clasp on the tome¡¯s cover with one hand. He opened the book and flipped to a random page. It was empty. Realizing that the year was still young, and that spring had only just passed, he turned back toward the beginning. ¡°What is this?¡± he mumbled as he found empty page after empty page. ¡°There is nothing here.¡± Xinthi did not reply. Ravad closed the book and inspected the binding, looking for a glyph or any other indication of a security measure that would keep the entries hidden. Finding none, he dropped the book to the floor and circled the bed to face the Nass¨¦. ¡°What is this?¡± he repeated. Again met with no reply, he moved to the curved bookshelves at the back of the chamber, scanning the intricately embossed titles until he found the previous year¡¯s chronicle. He pulled it from the shelf and thumbed through it quickly, finding the pages filled with recorded dreams and annotations. Each entry was meticulously labeled, and each began with the sharp, jagged scrawl of the chronicler¡¯s recordings, followed by the neat, precise print of the Nass¨¦ as she painstakingly interpreted each symbol. Most of the dreams were repeated in the chronicle several times, with more of the symbols interpreted each time until the full meanings of the dreams were understood. It was fine, careful work. Throughout the spring and summer, the Nass¨¦ had had dreams relating to the harvests in Judath and Chalei, and the dream relating to the disease among the narus had been recorded and interpreted for several weeks before she had sent the full warning to Ravad. Then, suddenly, after the twenty-first day of fall, the pages were blank. The twenty-first day of fall¡ªforty-six days before his wife¡¯s death. ¡°Where¡ª¡± Ravad flipped through the pages again and again, expecting that he had missed something¡ªthat these blank pages had been saved for some unknown purpose, or that visions from fall and winter were recorded elsewhere in the chronicle, but he found nothing. Ravad slapped the book shut. Why had the visions ceased to be recorded only weeks before Arja¡¯s death? Ravad returned to the bed, dropping the chronicle upon the mattress in front of Xinthi. Her expression flashed a hint of guilt, before it became cold and hard. ¡°What has my family done to displease you that you would not record something for Arja?¡± Ravad demanded. ¡°Nothing!¡± Xinthi retorted. ¡°I told you I had no visions concerning her!¡± ¡°If you are having visions, why aren¡¯t they being recorded?¡± ¡°The symbols are difficult to¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Ravad snarled. ¡°The evidence is right here! You¡¯re withholding visions or you are not having them at all!¡± ¡°That is not true!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. The stench of ketas root is thick in this room. You deprive yourself of sleep on purpose. Why?¡± Xinthi¡¯s pupils shrank to thin slits, and she seemed shaken. ¡°It¡¯s the sleeping sickness, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ravad accused. ¡°The sleeping sickness?¡± Xinthi looked up at him with surprise, her pupils dilating to a hideous degree, and she burst out laughing. Ravad stared down at her, fully confused. ¡°The sleeping sickness is a myth!¡± Xinthi exclaimed, struggling to contain her spasms of laughter as she knuckled her eyes dry. ¡°The sleeping sickness. All right, Ravad. Whatever you wish to believe.¡± Ravad shook his head in disgust. He would need to gather the truth elsewhere. He turned from Xinthi and stormed out of the Chamber of Dreaming. Chapter Nineteen Chapter 19 Zaidna The Empire of Chalei The Jungles Anoth had spent hours moving beneath the wide suspended bridges that connected the cities and outposts throughout Chalei. There was no sign of Sorai¡¯s passage either above or below. If she were able to find her way to a bridge, any passing warden would have quickly whisked her to the nearest outpost, but he could not fathom how she would have been able to do so without making a single track. Now, he followed this bridge in hopes of infiltrating an outpost, where he could learn Sorai¡¯s whereabouts from the wardens by persuasion or force. He had been stupid and careless to have left his rucksack with Zalas and Davim. It contained his carefully drawn map of the region surrounding Sayora, including the precise locations of all the outposts. Now, he could only make a rough guess at where he might be. He could have conveyed himself anywhere within the empire, but he didn¡¯t want to expend the energy unless he knew exactly where he was going. He would need that energy to convey himself to Sorai¡¯s location as soon as it was ascertained, and even more to convey her with him to Judath once she was found. The rhythmic chiming of bells rang overhead. Anoth tugged his bandana low over his brow, and then checked the hood of his mantle to make certain his rounded ears were still concealed. More than one group of patrolling wardens had passed along the bridge during his search, and he had made sure to keep hidden as they passed. But this was no warden. Anoth could hear the wheels of a wagon now, rumbling low beneath the bells. Merchants. A ride in a merchant wagon would get him to an outpost faster than on foot, and any passing warden would likely take no notice of him if he were with a group. Perhaps merchants would have news of Sorai as well. Anoth jogged a little to keep pace just ahead of the wagon. He craned his neck and waved broadly up at the drivers. ¡°Oy! How about some help?¡± The wagon halted, the bells attached to the narus¡¯ harnesses ceasing their rhythmic chime. Two eshtan men hopped down from their seats at the head of the wagon. They walked to the edge of the bridge and peered down at Anoth. ¡°Hey! What are you doing down there? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s mating season for the padus?¡± Anoth cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m a merchant from Judath! I was robbed on my way to Sayora. They took all my goods and threw me off the bridge. I¡¯m damn lucky I landed in a bed of leaves!¡± One of the merchants motioned to the other, who retreated to the wagon, returning with a large coil of knotted rope. ¡°You able to climb?¡± the first merchant called. Anoth smirked a little as the rope dropped a few feet from him. He moved closer and gave it a firm tug. ¡°I can manage.¡± He used the knots as footholds, trying to make a show of physical exertion, despite knowing he could have used a pattern to levitate himself up to the bridge whenever he wanted. After he finished his ascent and allowed the men to hoist him up, he fell to his hands and knees, panting as though to catch his breath. ¡°Thank the goddess! I thought I was going to die down there!¡± One of the merchants, distinctly older than the other, gave Anoth a firm slap on the back. The younger one offered him a water skin. ¡°You¡¯re tougher than you look.¡± Anoth took the skin, unstopped it, and brought it to his lips. He took a lengthy drink, even though he wasn¡¯t thirsty. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said as he wiped his mouth dry with his fist ¡°You said you¡¯re from Judath? What part? You¡¯re awfully fair-skinned.¡± ¡°I hear that a lot,¡± Anoth responded, rising and passing back the water skin. He shifted his feet to show embarrassment. ¡°My father is from the northern territories¡ªthey¡¯re a little fairer up there, you know. I¡¯m half dalanai, too, if that makes a difference.¡± ¡°No kidding!¡± the older merchant exclaimed, grinning. ¡°That¡¯d explain your round-like eyes then, eh? You must favor your dalanai side!¡± He motioned for his partner to gather up the knotted rope. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a mixed race before. Say, have you got a tail? I¡¯ve always been curious if that passes down to your kind.¡± Anoth merely grunted. ¡°Don¡¯t mind my old man!¡± the younger merchant apologized, throwing the coil of rope back into the wagon. ¡°You¡¯re headed to Sayora, right? We¡¯re going to Feijai, but we can drop you off as close as the Kamali outpost. Without a naru it¡¯s maybe a five day walk to Sayora from there.¡± Anoth bowed deeply as the merchants motioned for him to take a seat in the bed of the wagon. It was loaded with enormous bags of rice, and he found that they made a comfortable throne. ¡°I¡¯m Kajaz,¡± he said, offering up a common eshtan name, along with a broad smile. ¡°Nice to meet you, Kajaz,¡± said the older merchant. He introduced himself and the younger man¡ªfather and son, it seemed. Anoth forgot their names as soon as they were uttered. The merchants moved to their driving seats and jovially whipped the pair of narus, causing the wagon to lurch forward. ¡°It¡¯s gotten hot, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Anoth commented. ¡°It has,¡± said the older merchant, turning around in his seat. ¡°Might be more comfortable if you took off that hood, don¡¯t you think?¡± Anoth tugged on his bandana. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. The light is bright up here. I don¡¯t want to burn.¡± The merchant shrugged and turned back around. That was enough small talk. ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard that the star empress has gone missing.¡± The merchant nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s got the dalanais all riled up. Imagine the stones on someone who¡¯d sneak into their palace and steal their empress right out from under everyone¡¯s noses. And what he did to their emperor . . . .¡± Anoth smiled. The younger merchant chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ve been on this bridge for a few days, so haven¡¯t heard the latest developments, but I¡¯d bet the wardens at the Kamali outpost will know more. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the empress were dead, though. The palace is surrounded by jungle, and the jungle is full of hunting padus this season.¡± Anoth frowned. If it were true that Sorai had not yet been found, either by him or the wardens, it confirmed his suspicion that the oath-breaking involved more than just sending Zalas and Davim dreams and setting Sorai free. He hadn¡¯t wanted to admit it at first, but the evidence left behind showed clear signs of a conveyance pattern. If that were the case, Sorai could be anywhere. This was all retaliation for killing Tashau, of that Anoth was sure. Any unjust murder he committed in this world merited interference, but of all people he had killed Tashau, a divinely sanctioned emperor in addition to being a useless mortal. He knew that gutting Tashau only gave his enemies an excuse to put additional obstacles in his path, but it was worth the risk. He would have regretted not taking the opportunity. Now, he wished only to find Sorai and take her to the safety of Yalet. The keen senses of a hadir needed time to develop; without his guidance, he imagined that she could have easily accidentally killed herself by eating or drinking something she shouldn¡¯t. Perhaps Verahi was right to have chastened him so harshly. And if Sorai did die, her psyche would be damned in the courts, sealed away in a place where Anoth could never free her, which was an unbearable thought. Failure was not an acceptable option. It was already late afternoon by the time they reached the Kamali outpost. Anoth and the merchants had lapsed into a comfortable silence after some more pointless chitchat. As they approached the gates, the low drone of the jungle suddenly erupted with the sound of hundreds of flapping wings and a frenzy of caterwauls. Anoth looked up to see a swarm of furry winged creatures flying toward the wagon. Sazis! They swooped low, and Anoth prepared a pattern to shoot them all down, only suppressing it when they careened back in the opposite direction, echoing a disappointed chorus of ¡°No fish! No fish!¡± The sazis all returned to their perches in the canopy and outpost itself, resuming their joyous eating, napping, and mating. The abundance of brown fur and blue feathers reminded him irritatingly of Rao. The wagon pulled to a stop upon a large, level platform, and a dalanai warden, who tripped unceremoniously over a group of wrestling sazi cubs that had rolled into his path, approached. ¡°Traveling papers,¡± he requested brusquely, withdrawing a ledger and a thin, spiraled writing shell. The merchants passed their papers to the warden without protest, but Anoth issued a guilty sigh and held up his hands. Hopefully this wouldn¡¯t cause him any trouble. ¡°He¡¯s with us,¡± the old merchant offered as the warden glowered expectantly at Anoth. ¡°We found him after he was robbed and thrown off the bridge a few miles back.¡± ¡°I lost everything with my naru,¡± Anoth added with a shake of his head. ¡°Money, papers; they took it all.¡± The warden arched an eyebrow at Anoth, handing the papers back to the merchants. ¡°You look strange.¡± ¡°I¡¯m half dalanai,¡± Anoth chuckled. ¡°Climb down from the wagon,¡± the warden ordered. He then waved at the merchants to move on without their guest. ¡°You two are free to go on your way.¡± Anoth hopped down from the wagon, making a show of wincing and wrapping one arm about his middle, as though he had cracked a rib when he had been robbed. The warden, who stood almost two heads taller than Anoth, bent forward a little. ¡°What¡¯s that fuzz you¡¯ve got on your jaw?¡± Anoth¡¯s hand darted up to his chin. None of the high races could grow a beard like he could, but he had been so concerned with Sorai¡¯s whereabouts that he had forgotten to shear off his stubble for several days. ¡°This?¡± he asked, sounding nonchalant. ¡°I guess I must be all scabbed up from when I was thrown off that bridge.¡± The warden narrowed his eyes, a hand inching toward his belt. Anoth clenched his fist, ready to kill if need be, but the warden whirled around toward that group of sazi cubs, who were now pawing at the skirt of his caftan. ¡°Off with you!¡± he bellowed. The cubs skittered off, screaming, ¡°We saw his tail! We saw his tail!¡± in their own tongue, laughing maniacally as they went. The warden kicked after them and made an irritated gesture toward one of the huts. ¡°Come with me. We¡¯ll need a report about your attack before you go.¡± Anoth offered a smile and followed the warden toward the main hut. ¡°Of course.¡± As they walked, he glowered at all of the sazis lazing about. Filthy, disgusting creatures that were best smashed to a pulp beneath his heel. ¡°Where did all these delightful sazis come from?¡± The warden scowled back at Anoth. ¡°The empress made a deal with them. Fish in exchange for her safe return. They¡¯ve taken over the outpost until they get their fish, and for whatever reason our lieutenant won¡¯t let us drive them away. A trade is a trade, apparently.¡± Anoth felt a muscle at his temple twitch. ¡°Yes, a trade is a trade.¡± Sazis were known for being aggressive barterers, even violent if dealt with unjustly, but he had never heard of them taking hostages. ¡°And the empress? Where is she now?¡± The warden shrugged distractedly. ¡°I just arrived here from my patrol.¡± He was looking toward the north-facing gates. A number of wagons carrying huge loads of stinking, salted fish rolled in and came to a halt on the main platform. There was a flurry of movement as the sky was flooded with feathers and frolicking. The sazis gathered and circled above the wagons like hungry buzzards. The cubs that couldn¡¯t yet fly crowded around the wagons on the ground, attempting to climb up the wheels. ¡°It¡¯s about damn time,¡± the warden muttered. ¡°Wait here.¡± He left Anoth standing several feet from the main hut and entered. Anoth frowned. He had already piqued the suspicion of one warden; meeting with several more would not gain him any more information about Sorai without bloodshed. If he could avoid killing them all, that would be best. Besides, Sorai¡¯s sazi captors knew where she was, and now that they had their fish, he had only to follow them back to where they kept her. Anoth moved away from the hut, intent on staying hidden outside of the outpost until the sazis decided to leave with their fish. As he passed close to the wagons, a particularly fat sazi flew low over his head and landed in a pile of fish, scattering the flock. Something gold and green glinted from the sazi¡¯s collar. Anoth squinted. Sorai¡¯s jade earrings! Anoth turned and stalked toward the sazi. He repressed the rage that burned through his body. How dare these sazis show off Sorai¡¯s jewelry like cheap trinkets? Once he reached the wagon upon which the fat sazi perched, he gathered as much congeniality as he could muster and asked, ¡°Where did you get those nice earrings?¡± The fat sazi, obviously a male from this close up, looked over his winged shoulder, growled, and then returned to his fish. ¡°Find shinies on ground.¡± Anoth glared from beneath half-lowered lids. He decided to ask again, this time in the sazi¡¯s own language. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Where did you get them?¡± The sazi stared at him, wide-eyed in surprise, but was not moved by the fact that Anoth could speak his language. Instead, he growled territorially, clutched at his bone collar, and snarled, ¡°Mine!¡± before resuming his feeding. Anoth¡¯s hand lashed out, gripping the fat sazi by the scruff of his neck. The beast screeched, kicking and thrashing, while the sazis in their immediate vicinity crowed and flew to safer vantage points.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Where is Sorai?¡± Anoth hissed. The sazi just glared and fought against his grip, digging claws into his forearm. Anoth sighed. ¡°I wish you hadn¡¯t done that.¡± *** Rao pricked up his ears. Sorai was weeping again. She had cried all day, every day, ever since she had returned home, and she wasn¡¯t at all interested in play anymore. He tried to ignore her bawling, but this time it was punctuated by moans of pain, and he certainly could not ignore those. He crawled out from beneath the stool under which he had been hiding and peeked into the bedroom. His mistress was sitting on the bed, her thin robe pulled low off her shoulders, revealing pale skin. Sorai¡¯s chief handmaiden, Aila¡ªa sour-faced woman who always screeched at Rao for a variety of unjust reasons¡ªwas applying globs of nasty-smelling salve onto Sorai¡¯s shoulders. As Sorai¡¯s hair was moved to the side, Rao could see the awful scabs that ran all the way down her spine. Why had Fishman carved Sorai¡¯s skin? The scabs were patterned like writing in a book, but Rao could not make any sense of the symbols. Oh, poor Sorai, Rao thought. This was all his fault! Sorai shuddered and whimpered as Aila rubbed the salve onto her back. Her skin used to look so soft and smooth, but Rao knew that the scabs would leave behind awful scars. She didn¡¯t have fur to hide them, and that was a shame. Rao knew he needed to apologize. The guilt had tortured him for days, but he hadn¡¯t really had the chance to speak with Sorai alone. Since her return, she had spent almost all of her time sleeping or rolling about in bed, mumbling and crying all the while. She hadn¡¯t wanted to talk to anybody¡ªnot even Tashau. What would she think if Rao told her that he had helped Fishman lure her out to be captured? He would have never, ever done it had he known what Fishman was planning, but that didn¡¯t really make things better, did it? Maybe he could apologize for stealing her necklace, which led to her falling into Fishman¡¯s trap, but not say anything about being friends with Fishman. If his master ever found out the whole truth, Rao would be swatted to death and buried in a hat box! The sliding doors of the suite grated open. Rao looked over his shoulder and glowered a little as he saw Faro enter, followed by Kia. ¡°I brought a guest!¡± Kia exclaimed as Faro toddled over to Rao and started stroking his head with unnecessary force. Rao wanted to bat him away, but decided it would be best to ignore how his eyelids were being dragged clear up his skull. Sorai did not respond to Kia, nor did she even look up at her son. She simply pulled up her robe to cover her back and clutched it tight about her neck. A moment later, a servant entered the suite carrying a large silver tray that was loaded up with all sorts of interesting-smelling foods. Rao darted from Faro¡¯s grasp and scampered to the servant¡¯s feet, sniffing the air. Ooh! The aroma of stir-fried poji steak was unmistakable even from the floor. And what else was up there? Could it be thick, saucy noodles? The servant placed the tray on a low, round table across from the bed. Rao hopped up onto a nearby pouf, where he sat and drooled. Was this for him? If not, would he be able to wait for the leftovers? ¡°Sorai?¡± Kia asked. Rao looked back over his shoulder, wiping the drool from his mouth, and found that Sorai was still just sitting there, motionless. ¡°Sorai¡ªcheer up, dear,¡± Kia chimed, a broad smile appearing on her face. ¡°Won¡¯t you say hello to your little Faro?¡± She nudged Faro toward his mother. Faro moved over to the bed and rested his arms and chin upon the mattress, looking up at Sorai in what Rao assumed was a manipulatively cute posture. Rao knew his game, and was far better at it. ¡°Mama?¡± Faro whispered. Sorai¡¯s ears twitched up and down, and she lifted her head to look at Faro, actually managing a smile¡ªthe first smile Rao had seen on her face in days. She repositioned herself to face Faro and reached out to pick him up. But just as Sorai touched Faro, something glinted in her eyes, and for a moment Rao thought he saw something predatory there. The glint disappeared immediately as her hands wrenched back, the red of her cheeks spreading to even the tips of her ears. Her thin fingers curled like naru talons. Kia jumped forward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sorai stared at Faro without blinking. Her whole body shuddered as she finally covered her face with her hands. Faro backed away from the bed, staring in rightful confusion. ¡°M-mama? Why you mad at me?¡± he whimpered, his brown eyes beading up with tears. Sorai said nothing in reply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kia repeated, reaching for Faro as he began to sniffle. ¡°Take him away,¡± Sorai whispered hoarsely. ¡°But why?¡± Kia asked, placing a hand above her heart in surprise as Faro rushed to her and clutched at her skirts. Again met with no response, Kia gathered Faro up in her arms. ¡°Very well, Sorai. I¡¯m sure you have your reasons.¡± Kia turned to look at Faro, who had buried his face into her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you fret now, Faro. Your mama is just a little upset right now. We just need to give her a few minutes to calm down, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll want to give you a great big hug!¡± Rao gulped as he noticed the muscles in Sorai¡¯s forearms twitching. Kia continued, oblivious to Sorai¡¯s odd movements, ¡°There, there. Your papa is setting sail for Judath tonight, but you and your mama get to stay right here. Just think about all the fun you¡¯ll have playing with her once she feels better.¡± Sorai¡¯s ears flattened against the sides of her skull. ¡°I¡¯m not staying. I¡¯m going to Judath with Tashau.¡± She lowered her hands and looked up, a tense expression on her face. ¡°Oh?¡± Kia asked. ¡°Did Tashau change his mind?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, you really should stay. In your condition¡ª¡± ¡°I will not stay here another day!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still healing,¡± Kia insisted. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve made it quite clear that your attacker is going to the summit. It¡¯s bad enough that Tashau must risk himself, but you don¡¯t have to. You¡¯re safer here with us. If you¡¯re frightened to be without Tashau, I can arrange for you to have¡ª¡± ¡°Do you ever stop nagging?¡± Sorai screeched, eliciting a startled yelp from Kia. ¡°It¡¯s not safe! Nobody is safe¡ªleast of all Faro¡ªnot¡ªnot with me!¡± She took a deep breath and then continued in a quieter tone. ¡°I¡¯m going to Judath, and Faro is staying here. That¡¯s it.¡± Kia¡¯s expression softened, while Faro started to bawl. ¡°You must reconsider. None of this is your fault. You have no need to¡ª¡± Sorai bowed her head, sputtering before she hissed, ¡°Get out! I don¡¯t want to see you or Faro! Just leave me alone!¡± Rao scrambled under the table, while the handmaiden and servant made a hasty retreat. Kia lingered a moment, hugging Faro tight. ¡°Why are you being this way? We only want to help you, Sorai. We can¡¯t let you suffer through this alone.¡± Sorai shook her head, unwilling to look at Kia or Faro. ¡°Just leave!¡± Kia turned and left with Faro without saying another word. Once they were gone, Sorai began to weep in earnest. ¡°Why, why, why?¡± she moaned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? I keep seeing those things!¡± Rao swallowed and crawled back out from beneath the table. This was the first time he¡¯d been alone with Sorai in days. Maybe this was his chance to apologize. Maybe she¡¯d feel better after that. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything is wrong with you, Mistress.¡± Sorai jerked her hands away from her face. ¡°What would you know?¡± she hissed. Rao frowned, his whiskers twitching. Remembering the tray of food that waited on the table, he hopped back up on the pouf to eye it. ¡°Well, I always get grumpy when I don¡¯t eat, and you¡¯ve hardly eaten anything. You should eat.¡± And give me the leftovers, he added silently. Sorai rubbed at her stomach. Her expression was no longer wild but growing dull. ¡°Yes. I guess I am hungry.¡± She rose from the bed and moved to sit down on the pouf beside Rao¡¯s. Rao greedily watched Sorai as she reached over and served herself a bowl of some of those yummy stir-fried noodles from the platter with a pair of picking sticks. ¡°Mistress,¡± he began as Sorai brought some noodles to her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for what happened to happen. I¡¯m¡ª¡± Sorai recoiled, jerking the noodles away from her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rao sidled up close to her. Sorai held the noodles out to Rao, her nostrils flared. ¡°Smell it. It smells strange.¡± Rao grinned and sniffed at the noodles. ¡°They¡¯re perfect!¡± Sorai looked shaken and confused. She brought the noodles back to her lips and held them there a moment. Finally, she put them back in the bowl, her whole body trembling. ¡°You can have the noodles.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± Rao squealed in delight. ¡°Yes,¡± Sorai mumbled. She chose another pair of sticks and picked up a chunk of stir-fried poji. Rao pulled his nose away from the noodles and followed the piece of poji with his eyes. He loved poji! He started salivating, his mouth opening as hers did, but she unexpectedly dropped the morsel and picking sticks onto the table and bent over to dry heave. Mourning the fallen piece of meat, he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Rotten!¡± Sorai gasped, her eyes flooding with tears. ¡°It¡¯s rotten! Everything smells rotten!¡± Rao gawked. No, this food wasn¡¯t rotten. It smelled delicious, perfectly fresh. ¡°Are you sure, Mistress? Maybe you¡¯re just smelling that icky salve that¡¯s all over your body. Just lick it off. Then the poji will smell nice to you again.¡± Sorai dissolved into frantic whimpers and looked at all of the lovely food. Each succulent noodle, tender lump of cheese, and boring piece of fruit seemed to frighten her more than the last. ¡°Do you not want any of it?¡± Rao asked, finding himself now hovering over the plate of poji, the pads of his paws stroking the edge of the dish the same way he had seen Tashau pet Sorai when they thought nobody was looking. Sorai pushed herself from the table and stood, pacing back and forth, nervously clenching her hands and muttering to herself in a frantic sort of way. Rao thought this was odd behavior, but started gobbling down the poji meat anyway. He only turned away from his meal when he heard Sorai wail. She had sunk to her knees on the floor and was now scratching at the scabs on her arms. ¡°What did he do to me?¡± she repeated amidst sobs. Rao left his meal and slunk over to Sorai. He¡¯d never seen his mistress so upset, and it frightened him. ¡°Mistress, don¡¯t cry! This is all my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have stolen your necklace like that. I was bad. You got hurt because of me! If you need to scratch something, scratch me for being such a bad pet!¡± He tugged at her sleeve plaintively. Sorai seemed to snap out of her hysteria. She looked down at Rao, touching him lightly on his head. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Before Rao even realized it, he had been caught up in her arms and squeezed tight, his fur becoming thoroughly soaked with her tears. Well, that was easy, he thought as he allowed himself to be cuddled. He sighed and nuzzled close, breathing in the smell of her¡ªugh! What was that? That wasn¡¯t salve; there was something beneath it! His mistress smelled like¡ªlike something bad! Every instinct in Rao¡¯s body told him to run. He struggled against her grip, finally springing from her arms and darting away as fast as he could, not stopping until he was well out of the palace and into the gardens. *** Anoth wiped the blood-coated feathers from his hands as he stepped out of the fiery ring of his conveyance pattern. Now he stood at the very edge of the jungle, a steep mountain road at his feet. His caftan was singed, but not by the conveyance pattern. They shouldn¡¯t have pushed him. That fat sazi had been obstinate at first, but a pair of broken wings had been enough to get the little beast talking. Apparently, Sorai had suddenly appeared to the sazi flock and offered them fish and ¡°shinies¡± in exchange for a safe escort back to civilization. They arrived at that outpost several days earlier and Sorai had undoubtedly left for the palace soon after. When Anoth snapped the fat sazi¡¯s neck and reclaimed Sorai¡¯s jade earrings, he had not anticipated the immediate attack from the sazis and wardens on all sides. He knew he should have just conveyed himself to the palace without further action. But the frustration of having lost Sorai and having to put up with the insolence of that wretched sazi had been too much to bear. If there were to be retribution for killing these inconsequential mortals, then so be it; it couldn¡¯t be worse than what he already faced for killing Tashau. Before he had known it, the air was thick with smoke and the stench of blistered flesh. And he hadn¡¯t stopped until every warden in the outpost lay in charred pieces. Now, Anoth looked up at the palace complex in the distance with renewed malice. He would certainly face consequences for what he had done, so there was no point in being careful now. He would blast the gates open, lay waste to the whole of the palace, and obliterate any mortal who stood in his way. He initiated a veiling pattern in one hand and a destructive pattern in the other. He could not veil himself completely from view, but all he needed was to get just close enough to destroy the gates and kill the guards stationed on the walls. Then nothing would stand in his way as he reached Sorai¡¯s chambers. He rushed within a hundred feet of the gates, holding his arms out to complete the destructive pattern, but just as he took aim, the gates began to creak open. He immediately suppressed the pattern and crouched into the brush at the side of the road. A procession of wardens and guards in clean uniforms and shining armor began to march out of the complex, carrying the blue and silver banners of Chalei upon long poles. They meant to attend the summit after all. But who was the new emperor? Tashau had an uncle or some other close relative who would have likely taken his place while his brat was still young, but what of Sorai? Anoth could not risk an assault in the small chance that she was part of the procession. Once the wardens and guards had fully emerged from the gates, dozens of servants followed, with a covered litter in the midst of them. Anoth moved forward, still crouching in the brush, and squinted to get a better look. Behind the litter¡¯s curtains there was a glint of gold and the shine of refined sapphire. The kada! And the one holding that tall scepter was¡ªthe hell? There in the litter sat Tashau¡ªthat son of a whore¡ªalive! The bitch had extended her oath-breaking to preserve that bastard¡¯s life! ¡°You play dirty!¡± Anoth hissed, spitting the foam now flecking his lips. At least he had seen the kada in time. If he had followed through with his attack, Tashau would have surely used the kada against him, and likely had the protection of his enemies while doing so. Anoth would have easily met Naltena¡¯s fate. He considered sneaking past the procession, hoping to find Sorai alone in her chambers, but thought better as he spotted additional movement behind the litter¡¯s gauzy curtains. Sorai¡¯s small figure emerged into view, seated by Tashau and the kada. Damn it all! No, this was a good thing. After being out in the jungle amongst all that decay, and in the palace with so much rotten food and drink readily available, Sorai was still alive. It meant that her senses were developing as expected. She would be able to preserve her own life, even if her body might waste. Still, Anoth was uneasy about her proximity to the kada. She was vulnerable to it now, but with its glyphs inactive, it didn¡¯t seem to be causing her any immediate harm. If Tashau were to ever wield it, however¡ªAnoth could not reveal himself now. And yet, how could he sit idly by? As long as Sorai was near Tashau and the kada, her life was at stake. As the litter drew closer, Anoth could see Sorai talking to Tashau imploringly, but Tashau was refusing to look at her. After a few moments, his expression softened and he took her hand in his own. He gave it the sort of pat one would offer a brainless child, before pressing his filthy, undeserving lips upon her perfect knuckles. If it weren¡¯t for that damnable kada! Sorai smiled at Tashau, but as he pressed her hand against his jaw, her smile faded, and surprisingly, she yanked her hand from his grasp and averted her eyes. This caused Anoth to nearly burst out laughing. Sorai might have thought she still loved Tashau, but their marriage was near death, even if neither of them knew it yet. The bond Anoth had formed with her was now unbreakable, eternal. It would be best to withdraw for now, but keep watch. He had already waited decades for Sorai; what were a few more days to an immortal? The moment he found her alone and far from the kada, he would reclaim her. She would certainly suffer without him, and that was unfortunate, but her suffering would make her all the more eager to cling to him once they were reunited. Chapter Twenty Chapter 20 Zaidna The Strait of Kitadesh Zalas slammed his journal shut and threw his writing shell across the cabin. ¡°Damn it, Davim! Go outside if you¡¯re going to keep retching in here!¡± Beneath Zalas¡¯s bunk, Davim¡¯s whimpers echoed from the bucket he was spitting into. ¡°No! I can¡¯t look at the waves without vomiting!¡± Zalas scowled, grabbed his rucksack, and jumped from his bunk to reach and climb the ladder. Once he emerged from the hatch, he stormed back and forth across the weather deck, glaring furiously at the sea. He hated this boat and everything around it. Davim hadn¡¯t done a damn thing in days aside from wallowing in his own sick, leaving Zalas to navigate the waters only aided by Anoth¡¯s questionable reading of the stars. Unlike the canals of Yalet, which were lined by shores on both sides, the ocean here raised like a black void on all sides of him, removing any sense of location. Anoth¡¯s stupid Naltite whore! She was the reason they were sailing to their doom with no guidance. Zalas flung his rucksack across the deck, spilling its contents. The Orb, which had been packed tightly at the bottom of the sack, rolled out from the confines of its pouch, bowling toward a square drain at the base of one of the bulwarks. Horrified, he dove to his belly and slid across the deck, grabbing frantically for the Orb as it gathered speed. He caught it by the tips of his fingers and fumbled it to the safety of his chest. He lay prone for a moment as his heart resumed its normal rhythm, then sat up on his heels. The Orb suddenly flared blue, causing Zalas to jerk it from his chest, only to find that the flash had been nothing more than refracted moonlight glinting through the patchy layer of mud on the Orb¡¯s surface. He brought up a sleeved arm and began scrubbing at the damp grit. Gradually, his efforts revealed the scores of glyphs crisscrossing the Orb, and when he saw the dirt now caught in the grooves, he attempted to dig them clean with his fingernails. He had only seen these types of glyphs carved on those crude, engstaxi-made communication devices that Davim had always been confiscating from the slaves. No one among his people could make the devices work, not even the hadirs; binding orm¨¦ was something the hadirs only practiced upon the living, and with sadistic relish. Like the engstaxi glyph stones, the glyphs upon the Orb were complex, laid out in a tight spiral starting from the globe¡¯s cap. But there was an obvious difference between the expert strokes on the Orb versus the comparatively primitive designs of the engstaxis. Even to Zalas¡¯s untrained eyes, the Orb was a master work. What was it, really? He rolled the Orb in his palms. The engstaxi slaves had tried to pass off their communication devices as mere trinkets, but switching to the third degree of focus made their actual purpose obvious. Even though none of the guards could figure out how to activate the devices themselves, there was always a small telltale residue of thought matter clinging to the glyphs after slaves used them to communicate with each other. Was this how Anoth spoke with Verahi? And if so, where was Verahi communicating from? Zalas shifted focus to the third degree, expecting to be see traces of Anoth¡¯s psyche on the glyphs. To his surprise, there was nothing on the glyphs themselves. But inside the Orb there sat a condensed ball of thought matter, made up of a tight web of glowing but latent strands. Was this Verahi? Zalas knew that Verahi had lost his body in a war millennia ago, but despite Anoth¡¯s talk of the Orb being a prison, he had always assumed that Verahi¡¯s psyche lived on in the plane from which Anoth originated. But here was Verahi¡¯s psyche lying naked, bodiless and spiritless, with shining tendrils that drooped limply out of the exterior of the Orb. Zalas had never seen a psyche so large but so lifeless. How had a god like Verahi come to this fate, imprisoned in such a small object? And now to be dependent on a mere mortal to save him from rolling into the depths of the sea¡ªhow pathetic his existence seemed now. And yet. Zalas peered closer at the dormant psyche. Thousands of years of godly knowledge were held within these strands. Even one tendril might hold the key to subjugating an entire people¡ªperhaps the secrets to godhood itself. Drawn to the thought of such power, Zalas reached out and gathered a few of the exposed filaments with orm¨¦, flicking them up into the air. He half-expected that they would spring to life, but instead they drifted limply, slow as spider silk, back to the others. This confirmed that something was required to wake the psyche, something only Anoth had. As a youth, Zalas had seen the hadirs torture their victims by performing a variety of patterns in the third degree. Memories were easy to pull from the unconscious by willfully taking them. Fragments of memories could even be gleaned from the dead, although great care was required to avoid breaking the brittle strands before they disintegrated into the ether. Regardless of whether Verahi was alive or dead, his psyche was exposed, and his knowledge was accessible to even the most primitive of fools. But Zalas was no fool, nor was he undeserving of Verahi¡¯s secrets. He had been forced to yield to the hadirs his entire life; he would only be a fool if he didn¡¯t take an opportunity when he saw one. With that in mind, Zalas forcibly expelled his own thoughts, wound them into a rope, and then looped them about several of Verahi¡¯s strands. He had only just tightened the first knot before he felt the deck suddenly dissolve beneath him, leaving him flailing and clutching the Orb as though it would keep him from falling. His vision was splashed with white and green, the colors stinging his eyes as strange images erupted from the surf that tossed him, knocking the breath out of him. People and places¡ªtoo innumerable to count or know¡ªoverwhelmed his quaking body.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Just as suddenly, the deluge ended, and solid earth slammed up to meet his heels. Cool air swept across his face as his stomach bounced back to its proper place. He opened his eyes to see thousands of eshtans kneeling before him, groveling and praising him continuously. Now he was Verahi, in an era before orm¨¦ existed among the mortals in this plane. He motioned in front of him with his well-manicured hands, drawing out the primal matter in the air. Specks of black and white flowed freely in his view, mingling together as he wove them expertly into a loaf of bread amidst a chorus of enraptured screams. Zalas¡¯s mind went abuzz with confusion. The loaf of bread was as tangible as any he had seen conjured through orm¨¦, but the primal matter that composed it was two colors at once. Was this lighter matter that which only the Naltites could control? If so, how was he able to see it now? Was this how Verahi saw the world when he possessed a body? Zalas would never be able to see primal matter the same way again. There was a beauty, an elegance, in the way Verahi effortlessly bent the dark and the light to his will. How could he live with only the dark again? Even Anoth admitted that he could not see the light matter as clearly as he could see the dark. No wonder he revered Verahi; the level of godhood Verahi held over Anoth might even eclipse that which Anoth held over the mortals. The memory of the bread spun away and Zalas was flung into the light, his spine slamming into the back of a broad, golden throne. Two men entered the audience hall to continue their assault. One hurled a bright ball of fire, composed of the purest light matter, and the other followed up those attacks with rapidly-fired bolts of lightning, each formed wholly out of shadow matter. The heat of their assault rolled off Zalas¡¯s flesh and melted the gold behind him. He had been careless. Even though he knew mortals had received the gift of orm¨¦, he had underestimated their resolve to use it. These were impressive sons of the tenth house, adept at the use of their respective facets of orm¨¦, but their attacks were still imperfect. Individually, they could char his clothes, but even their most powerful assaults alone could not permanently damage the refined matter that composed his entire being. He swept his arm across his view, knocking the mortals off their feet. They deserved to be crushed, but their powers could yet prove useful to him. ¡°Cease your rebellion and bow to me. Become my weapons and you will live as kings.¡± The men signaled their refusal by resuming their volley of attacks. Zalas instantly blinked back into the first degree of focus, flicking his fingers lazily to unravel the incoming destructive patterns as they grew more and more predictable. The fireballs dissolved into spiraling white embers, while the lightning burst into billowing black clouds of ash. Zalas feigned a loud yawn. The men glanced at each other before continuing their assault, now hurling their patterns simultaneously. Ah, defeating two patterns at once¡ªwhat a challenge! Zalas smirked as he wriggled his fingers in anticipation. But before he could fully unravel the patterns, they collided with each other in midair, creating a seam of crystalline colors at their center. In a panic, he rapidly dispelled the primal matter surrounding the prismatic crescent hurtling toward him, but could only shield his face with his arms as the remaining energy cut into him like a scythe before dispersing to fly past him on all sides, breaking apart the throne behind him into dozens of melted fragments. Damn it! Zalas lowered his arms to find them charred all the way to splintered bone. Those simpletons¡ªthose infants¡ªhad created refined matter! He leapt to his feet, preparing himself for the next onslaught, but caught the fools staring at him in open-mouthed surprise. They had done this by accident! What were the chances that two mortals born under the tenth house with opposing affinities would unite against him? He needed to destroy them before they fully understood what they had discovered. He raised his shattered arms to the ceiling, finding and unraveling the matter in the mortar between the great stones that loomed above them. The men, realizing his intent, immediately began working another pair of patterns, this time fusing them from the start, and Zalas could feel the already scorched air broil and quiver in front of him, blistering his lungs as he drew it in. The ceiling moaned as it finally gave way. Zalas looked down in triumph as heavy stones and crumbling mortar rained down upon them all. But it was too late. As the men vanished beneath the rubble, their completed pattern roared toward him, effortlessly tossing aside falling debris as it went. Instinctively, Zalas erected a solid shield of energy in front and above him, which easily deflected the boulders, but when met with the swirling whorl of color, it shattered, leaving him fully exposed. The brightness scorched his eyes and sent him hurtling into darkness. Almost instantly the physical pain of his flesh and bone turning to charcoal ceased, but the mental anguish persisted, searing his every thread of thought until all he was left with flopped and floundered feebly on the floor. ¡°You!¡± Zalas¡¯s thoughts ricocheted back into his skull as he cowered before the cold voice that emerged. ¡°You dare seek my secrets?¡± Something plunged deep into Zalas¡¯s psyche, ripping apart the strands without mercy. All at once, his every memory spilled out before him, falling in thousands of congealing layers¡ªa chaotic mosaic of colors and sensations. There was Kailei, Davim¡¯s bed slave, her eyes frozen in horror, Anoth¡¯s fist piercing her neck. Occupying the same space was the engstaxi whose attack leveled Mount Thayl on the day the Orb was found, an eerie smile perpetually etched on his blistered lips. Every face, every sound, taste, touch from Zalas¡¯s memories smeared into each other, forming incomprehensible blurs that his mind could not begin to make sense of. He could only stare helplessly as his psyche was plumbed by the unseen force. And then the pain abruptly stopped. From the m¨¦lange of memory emerged a clear image of Anoth¡¯s face, an almost serene determination gracing it. His outstretched fist gripped the pouch that held the Orb, ready to drop it into Zalas¡¯s hands. The disembodied voice spoke again. ¡°I see. Interesting.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ªhe¡ª¡± Zalas¡¯s mind stammered. The voice shifted to surprise. ¡°Oh? You still maintain conscious thought? Perhaps you might be of use after all.¡± Zalas blinked and the horrifying, deformed amalgam of memory was gone. He lay flat upon the ship¡¯s deck, back in his body and still clinging to the glowing Orb, but his eyes and brain could not focus on but one thing. The Mother Star, glaring at him from a distance, looked exactly like colorless refined matter. ¡°You are no longer Anoth¡¯s servant, but mine,¡± the Orb throbbed. ¡°Return me to him and keep me apprised of his activities. Your reward will be great if you do this well.¡± Then the prismatic light vanished, and the Orb was lifeless once more. Chapter Twenty-One Chapter 21 Zaidna The Strait of Kitadesh Sorai longed for sleep, but every time she shut her eyes for more than a moment some sound startled her, whether it was a brush of fabric or footsteps outside her cabin door. Each time she sat up and looked, she would only ever find Rao, coiled up near her feet. This was the first day Rao was willing to nap near her all week. Ever since she threw that tantrum over her inability to eat her favorite foods, he had kept his distance, even hissing quietly at her from behind his paws whenever she called him to her. She was glad that he was willing to start trusting her again. Still, he didn¡¯t let her get too close to him, much less pet him. Instead, he seemed content to natter on about a current mate of his living in Judath that he intended to make cubs with during the summit. Maybe the summer season was making him act more aggressively. Thinking of Rao¡¯s strange behavior reminded Sorai of the sazi flock. She hoped that Chibchatchu had gotten his fish. Her entire journey home from the outpost had been a blur of sensations and feelings. Her only coherent memory was of waking in her bedroom, Tashau leaning close and whispering in her ear. Her heart had swelled to know that he was alive. Now she wanted nothing more than for him to sit at her side and make her feel safe, but he was busy preparing for the summit. He rose early and retired late and Sorai hardly got to see him. It made her flesh crawl with anxiety to be away from him, even to the point that she relished clinging to his slumbering body for those sleepless hours late at night, though he never responded to her proddings. He hadn¡¯t wanted her to come with him to Judath at all and had become upset when she insisted on her handmaidens packing her luggage and having it loaded onto the ship without his approval. Sorai tended to mind Tashau, and he, likewise, tended to mind her, especially when it mattered most, but not this time. His concern had been for her health, while hers had been for Faro¡¯s. She still shuddered to think of how tempting it was to pull at those silvery threads that flowed from time to time out of people¡¯s heads, and she was ashamed to think how close she had been to tugging at Faro¡¯s tiny strands. Sorai shut her eyes as they began to prickle with tears. She couldn¡¯t stop seeing that padu in her mind, nor could she forget Anoth and his promise about what she would do to her son if she went near him. How was it possible that Anoth had stalked her for so long without her knowledge? Every secret, sacred thing she¡¯d ever done in the walls of the palace had been violated with his eyes. Now she saw him everywhere! No¡ªno, she would be calm. He wasn¡¯t near. She was safe. Sorai dried her eyes on the sheets. Sleep, she told herself, just sleep! But as her muscles began to relax, her senses were assaulted by a cacophony of men¡¯s laughter, accompanied by the heavy stomping of feet. She covered her ears and moaned. It was late afternoon again, and all the noblemen, except for Tashau and his advisors, were done with their work. Now they were going to be drinking riotously and playing games well into the evening. This had been going on since the beginning of the trip, but it seemed that the men grew ruder and noisier with each progressive day. Now it was as though they were rattling their dice right outside her cabin door, shouting and singing all the while. ¡°Why are they so loud?¡± she hissed as she wrapped her pillow around her head, trying in vain to stuff it into her ears. She couldn¡¯t remember the noise being this unbearable on previous trips to Judath. Had the bulkheads been hollowed out? ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything,¡± Rao trilled from down at her feet. Sorai groaned. ¡°Must you always shout, Rao?¡± ¡°But . . . I wasn¡¯t shouting.¡± His head popped into view, a quizzical expression on his face. Sorai sat up. There was no point staying in bed any longer. She certainly wouldn¡¯t get any sleep with the din surrounding her on all sides. She arose and dressed herself in a long, purple robe, which she belted with a gold sash. She glanced at herself in the mirror to make certain her scabs were suitably hidden, but paused when she saw her face; her skin had never looked grayer. She shook her head and pinched her cheeks, then turned and opened the door to her cabin. She was immediately inundated by a deluge of laughter, but the dim passageway was empty. Wincing, she made her way toward the stairs to the weather deck. The sea had always soothed her since she was a child. Perhaps it could offer her some solace where her cabin couldn¡¯t. As she emerged from the gloom of the hull and onto the deck, she shielded her eyes from the assault of the sun. It was so bright. She couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing the sky such a vivid silver-blue. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the wind feel good on your fur?¡± Rao shouted as he darted from between her legs. Sorai made no reply. The air was so thick with salt that she could taste it the instant she breathed it in. She tried to force her eyes open from their tight squint. Had she truly been in the dark for so long that she couldn¡¯t take a little sunlight? She moved to the bulwark on the starboard side of the ship and held to it fast, the grain of the wood rough beneath her fingers. Her father¡¯s estate sat right on the shores of the province of Anoi, and she used to be able to walk out to the beach any time she wanted. She used to look at the soft wash of blue at the horizon and took comfort in the knowledge that it would always be there for her, but not now. Now the sheer brightness of sea and sky made her eyes burn and water without control. Why did everything hurt? Why did it feel like her senses were raging out of control? ¡°Are you seasick?¡± Rao asked. His shout sounded far away¡ªa single shrill whine amongst the garbled voices of the noblemen encroaching ever nearer. ¡°Stop yelling!¡± she snarled down. Rao backed away, his eyes large. Sorai tried to calm herself, but fury and despair boiled over within her. She hid her face with her hands as the sound of the wind and waves beat down on her from all sides. All the voices from below deck were blending discordantly with the booming sea, creating a chorus of chaos.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She covered her ears with her palms, digging her nails into her scalp as she paced frantically back and forth on the deck. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rao demanded, dodging her stamping feet. The sea! Yes, the sea would make everything right. If it could just fill her aching ears, it would be a soothing balm and block out all sound! ¡°Hey!¡± Rao snatched her skirt with his teeth as she attempted to hoist herself up and over the bulwark. He tugged hard, halting her progress only temporarily as a piece of her skirt tore off in his mouth. Sorai looked down to see Rao swipe at the air, his head bobbing up and down. ¡°Stop!¡± he cried. ¡°You stay right there. Don¡¯t you do anything!¡± Sorai turned back to look at the calm, inviting sea below her, ignoring the sazi¡¯s hurried padding as he fled. Unencumbered, she lifted one leg over the side of the ship and straddled the bulwark between her thighs as if it were the back of her son¡¯s toy naru. She gripped the wood tight. The light suddenly dimmed, and the voices and sounds all diminished, almost as if they acknowledged their part in torturing her. Her senses were finally as they should be, but the respite wouldn¡¯t last; when the noise returned to full strength, it would be more unbearable than ever. She couldn¡¯t live like this. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then allowed herself to lean toward the sea. Before she could fall completely from the bulwark, someone shouted her name and caught her arm. She was yanked up and spilled to the deck like a flopping fish. She didn¡¯t have a chance to open her eyes before she felt herself being wrenched to her feet. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± It was Tashau yelling. That damned sazi had fetched him! ¡°Why?¡± Sorai raged when she spotted Rao at Tashau¡¯s feet. Tears bubbled up in Rao¡¯s eyes and dribbled down his nose. He fled, and Sorai was not the least bit sorry he had gone. ¡°Stop!¡± Tashau roared as he gripped her arms tightly. ¡°It hurts! I can¡¯t bear it!¡± Tashau gritted his teeth. ¡°Calm down!¡± ¡°They won¡¯t stop! The sounds won¡¯t go away! It just keeps getting worse and worse!¡± Before Sorai knew it, she was being led back through the ship¡¯s passages and ushered into her cabin. The lock on the door snapped too loudly into place, and only then did Tashau finally release his hold on her arm. She didn¡¯t dare look at him, but could feel the intensity of his eyes on her. ¡°Sorai,¡± he murmured. His voice sounded strained. ¡°This is why I wanted you to stay in Chalei. It is too soon for you to be traveling.¡± She said nothing. It wasn¡¯t fair! He would understand if only he knew. ¡°I can¡¯t allow this to go on. I¡¯m sending you back.¡± Terror clawed at Sorai¡¯s ribs to think of her son¡¯s sweet, trusting face amidst the strange, tempting threads that flowed from his temples. She couldn¡¯t go back, not knowing what she might do when alone with him. ¡°No, Tashau, you can¡¯t!¡± Tashau shook his head. ¡°Come, let¡¯s pack your things.¡± Sorai¡¯s body was racked with frantic sobs. She hated it when Tashau was so cold¡ªwhen every word he spoke was final without permitting her any say. She caught one of his wrists as he turned, refusing to release it. ¡°I won¡¯t go back there! It¡¯s what he wants! He wants me alone!¡± Tashau¡¯s wrist tensed beneath her fingers. ¡°He said he¡¯d been watching me since before we were married. All those times I nursed Faro in the gardens or bathed in the pavilion¡ªhe was there watching, and no one knew!¡± Tashau gritted his teeth and stared, sudden anger burning in his eyes. Sorai couldn¡¯t stand the silence. He only had this expression on his face when making a harsh decision that he intended to carry through with exacting authority. ¡°Please, please don¡¯t send me back,¡± she whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t¡ªI won¡¯t make any more trouble. I swear.¡± Tashau pried his wrist from her grip, a grim line forming across his jaw. ¡°Why did you try to throw yourself into the strait? Were you trying to kill yourself?¡± Hearing Tashau¡¯s questions brought Sorai a moment of clarity, which quickly turned to shame. What had she done? What was the thinking that caused her to do something like that? ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± she quavered, uncertain how to explain herself. Enveloping her senses in the sea had felt like the only option at the time. It had been rational, reasonable¡ªsane. ¡°Everything was so loud it hurt. I just¡ªI just wanted the noise to stop so I could sleep.¡± Tashau deflated. It seemed he wanted to say something, but each time he started to speak, he withdrew and shook his head instead. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! I-I keep seeing things¡ªhearing things! I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± ¡°I realize you¡¯re under a great deal of stress,¡± Tashau began. ¡°I¡¯m not stressed!¡± Sorai screeched, knowing that she was just making everything worse by shouting. ¡°It¡¯s the glyphs! It has to be! There¡¯s orm¨¦ in them. They burn! They burned when he¡ªwhen he¡ª¡± She couldn¡¯t go on. Speaking of it caused her to fall back into that awful moment, again feeling every slice and staring helplessly at that monster¡¯s exultant, blood-splattered grin. He had poured his blood into the heart glyph. Part of him coursed through her veins¡ªlived in her. She had been violated, defiled! Frantically, she dug at her glyphs with her fingernails. No matter what she did, she could never be rid of him! ¡°Stop!¡± Tashau caught her hands and jerked them apart. He embraced her tightly, bringing her back to the present. Sorai continued her sickened sobs. ¡°The glyphs are changing me!¡± Tashau pressed her head against his chest, smoothing her hair with his hand. ¡°No, they¡¯re not.¡± ¡°But they are!¡± The only time her wounds had ever stopped aching was after she touched that padu¡ª Tashau sat Sorai down on the bed and rolled up her sleeve, revealing one of the crusty scabs. ¡°There isn¡¯t any orm¨¦ to these glyphs,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m looking now. There is no extra primal matter in them. It¡¯s just a scab. So are all the rest.¡± Sorai looked from the glyph to Tashau. ¡°But that can¡¯t be right. Everything I¡¯ve been seeing¡ªsmelling¡ªhearing. It¡¯s not just my imagination. I¡¯m not insane!¡± Tashau frowned sadly. ¡°Is it sane to want to silence noise that isn¡¯t there by jumping into the sea?¡± Sorai hung her head. Tashau placed his hand upon her jaw. ¡°You¡¯re scarred, but you¡¯re alive. You need to be grateful for that.¡± How could she possibly be grateful? Every time she shut her eyes, Anoth was there. Even if she never actually saw him again, she would never cease to feel him in her scars. ¡°You don¡¯t understand! You don¡¯t know what he put me through!¡± Again, Tashau was quiet. How could he be so distant and unsympathetic? All she wanted was for him to make everything better. ¡°Don¡¯t send me home,¡± she pleaded. Finally, Tashau spoke. ¡°If you stay, it¡¯s conditional. You are not to leave this cabin again without me, and you will allow me to perform a cleansing on you.¡± ¡°Anything! I can¡¯t go back!¡± She hated that he wanted to perform such a thing on her, but she could not refuse his demand. Besides, it was probably for the better. She would rather be insane than be a hadir. Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter 22 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Makivum Summer Estate ¡°You¡¯ll come with me, won¡¯t you?¡± The horned man lifted the loop of leather and placed it carefully around Kirin¡¯s neck. This time, she did not fight the pattern or panic, as she had the last three times she had been in this spot. Instead, she forced herself to watch and wait, ignoring the dread that thundered in her chest as she nodded in Anji¡¯s place. The man licked his lips, his black eyes shining sadistically as he tightened the leash about Kirin¡¯s neck with slow, deliberate malice. She knew it wasn¡¯t real, but she could still feel the sharp sting of the leather cutting into her skin, the growing pressure causing her eyes and lips to swell. She was going to die again! Her screams choked into the faintest of squeals, her hands clawing at his arms but meeting nothing but air. A few excruciating moments later, she managed to strike the rope binding her thoughts to Anji¡¯s, and the image flashed white. She caught hold of the pattern and quickly unraveled it, finding herself once again in Anji¡¯s bedroom. She fell back onto the bed, gasping for mouthfuls of air. Anji, seated across from Kirin on the bed, frowned apologetically. ¡°You still couldn¡¯t get past it, could you?¡± Kirin rubbed at her neck while the beating of her heart gradually resumed its normal rhythm. Nothing was worse than being strangled. ¡°I couldn¡¯t, no. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just too¡ª¡± She bowed her head. She had yet to view the nightmare in its entirety; how had Anji endured experiencing the whole thing so many times? ¡°I guess I got a little closer.¡± Anji shook her head, frowning gloomily. It seemed as though her faith in elucidations was wavering, and Kirin couldn¡¯t blame her. ¡°Do you want me to try again?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯d be a waste of time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kirin moaned. Anji sighed and threw up her hands. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m sorry to be snippy. I¡¯m just frustrated is all.¡± Kirin glanced out the window, noting the sun¡¯s high position. ¡°I should probably get going. I have to attend a lecture this afternoon. I wish I could have helped more. We can try again later.¡± She rose wearily from the bed and headed for the sliding doors. As she stooped over to pick up her satchel, the doors flew apart with a loud bang, and Tirbeth¡¯s sandaled feet tromped into the room. ¡°I hate my father!¡± Tirbeth screeched, her cheeks burning red, her fists trembling at her sides. ¡°Tirbeth! What are you doing here?¡± Anji asked in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying and trying to talk to Father about giving us a cleansing for our nightmares, but he just won¡¯t listen to me! I stood and waited for over three hours while he was in a meeting with a bunch of stupid old high priests, and when he was finally done¡ª¡± ¡°The emperor is meeting with the other high priests?¡± Kirin interrupted. Tirbeth sniffled. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t see you there, Kirin.¡± She seemed to calm down slightly before continuing. ¡°The emperor of Xeshun was there, too, if that matters. But I¡¯ve never seen so many old and ugly high priests all at once. There must have been dozens of them! Ugh, Angxa is so creepy, even for an engstaxi, and he smells like¡ª¡± Kirin frowned. High priests only convened in large numbers when choosing a new Nass¨¦ or mourning the death of an emperor. ¡°Was Xin¡ªI mean, was the Nass¨¦ there?¡± ¡°As if she¡¯d ever leave the temple! No, they were all men and they were all gross. I checked,¡± Tirbeth sighed. Kirin fidgeted uncomfortably. ¡°The engstaxis have already arrived for the summit?¡± Anji asked. ¡°Yes! Stupid Angxa has to be early for everything so he can rub it into peoples¡¯ faces!¡± Tirbeth snarled. ¡°Never mind him making me wait! Three hours! That¡¯s how long I had to put up with his son, Xaoshu, hovering over me like some overgrown bat! And when the rest of the high priests finally left, I tried to ask Father for a cleansing, but Angxa was there the whole time and laughed at me, calling me silly! So then Father turns around and yells about how cleansings are just for people who are possessed or insane. He didn¡¯t even care that we have been having nightmares about the same evil man for seasons! He just told me to go away! How could he be so mean?¡± Anji sighed. ¡°Sorry. My father did the same thing. I guess we¡¯ll have to figure something else out. Maybe another priest can give us a cleansing.¡± She looked at Kirin hopefully. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kirin mumbled. ¡°It was probably dumb of me to suggest it in the first place. You definitely aren¡¯t insane and probably not possessed. Maybe the man in your dreams is a more universal symbol. Maybe he shows up in every bad dream, but yours are especially bad.¡± Her words rang hollow even to her own ears. The man was appearing in many dreams, including the Nass¨¦¡¯s and her own, but what could such a symbol represent and what was Naltena trying to tell them by making them suffer for so long? What clues were they missing? Tirbeth slumped to a cushion on the floor, grumbling and wiping her nose, while Anji leaned back on the bed. Both seemed resigned to their fates. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll talk to the priests and see if any of them can help,¡± Kirin offered as she threw her satchel over her shoulder. Batem would probably know how. Maybe he would be able to help her with her own nightmares, although she was still hesitant to tell anyone she was having them, too. ¡°Wait, are you going already?¡± Tirbeth asked, her tears fully evaporating in an instant. She met Kirin¡¯s nod with a look of disappointment. ¡°But I just got here!¡± ¡°Leave her alone, Tirbeth,¡± Anji chided. ¡°She has things to do and we can¡¯t expect her to elucidate for us every day.¡± Tirbeth gnawed on her lip. She looked a little guilty. ¡°Oh, right . . . sorry. We don¡¯t want you to feel like we¡¯re taking advantage of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Kirin responded nervously. ¡°Oh! Oh, I know!¡± Tirbeth cried. ¡°We should all meet up tomorrow and have a little fun¡ªtry to get our minds off of this nightmare business. No elucidations necessary!¡± Kirin blinked, a little surprised. She had visited Anji and Tirbeth, both here and at the palace, several times now, but only ever to perform an elucidation. The prospect of visiting just for fun was a strange but exciting relief. ¡°Are you sure?¡± She tried not to sound too hopeful. ¡°Absolutely!¡± Tirbeth exclaimed. Anji hesitated a moment, then nodded as well. ¡°We don¡¯t want you to think that we don¡¯t count you as a friend. We do.¡± A smile sprang to Kirin¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯d be glad to! I mean, I can¡¯t come tomorrow, but maybe the day after?¡± Anji sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. ¡°Sure. Javan will probably be glad to see you, too. Is he going to be riding to Marin with you again today?¡± ¡°Ew!¡± Tirbeth pouted. Kirin¡¯s already warm cheeks burst into flame. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± She distracted herself by looking into her bag, hoping they wouldn¡¯t notice her blush. Javan had been escorting her home after each of her visits, and more recently, she had begun running into him at random places in Marin¡¯s holy district. More than once he had invited her to some of the nicer snack bars nearby for some tea and baked treats, which he always insisted on paying for. Steamed milk cakes were her favorite, and Javan was really sweet to have bought so many for her. Anji let loose an amused snort and said, ¡°Well, have fun. See you later.¡± Kirin waved goodbye and slipped from the room, her toes starting to tingle as she moved a little too eagerly down the hall. She had gotten quite familiar with the manor¡¯s passageways and found her way back to the circular foyer with ease. As soon as she made it outside, she saw Javan waiting in the courtyard. He held the reins of his naru in one hand, while petting the cere of Kirin¡¯s with the other.Stolen story; please report. ¡°What was Tirbeth¡¯s problem?¡± Javan asked as Kirin approached. He offered his hand to help her climb her naru. ¡°I¡¯d normally expect at least a hello. She just told me to go stuff myself and then she barged into the manor!¡± Kirin grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I guess she got into an argument with her father.¡± She grabbed the horn of her naru¡¯s saddle and seated herself. Javan nodded and mounted his naru as well, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before urging the green-scaled beast forward. Kirin followed, and within moments they had left the grounds of the estate and were on the dirt drive, heading down the hill with the Goddess Forest on both sides of them. ¡°So,¡± Javan began, ¡°how have the elucidations been going?¡± Kirin pursed her lips a moment. She hated admitting her failings to anyone, but she had grown to trust Javan. He never seemed to judge her. ¡°Not as well as I was hoping. I¡¯ve given Anji what details I can, but I keep losing sight of the nightmare at the most important part.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± There was a moment of uneasy silence, before he chuckled. ¡°Oh well. It just means you¡¯ll have to keep enduring all of these long trips with me.¡± Kirin smiled. She actually rather liked the thought of more of these trips. They already ended all too quickly, and she had grown accustomed to riding down this path with him, chatting all the while. Javan shot her a mischievous look and pulled back on his naru¡¯s reins. It made an irritated hiss and halted, tossing its head and stamping its claws. ¡°Hey, I was hoping to do something different today. Do you have time for a little adventure?¡± ¡°An adventure?¡± Kirin looked over her shoulder to see Javan by the stone barrier that separated the path from the forest. ¡°Inside there? We¡¯re not allowed in the Goddess Forest!¡± ¡°Says who?¡± Javan tugged his naru closer to the trees and tied its reins to a low branch that extended over the chest-high barrier. A million lectures rattled in Kirin¡¯s skull like buzzing beetles trapped in a jar. ¡°Says the priests and the Nass¨¦! There are hadirs in there that¡¯ll kill us if¡ª¡± ¡°Trust me, there¡¯s no such thing,¡± Javan dismissed. ¡°I¡¯ve been going in there since I was a boy.¡± Kirin cringed. How could the priests be wrong again? ¡°Come on. I promise it isn¡¯t dangerous,¡± Javan beckoned. She chewed unhappily on her lip. It would be a sin to enter. A sin! And yet, Javan didn¡¯t seem much like a sinner. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take just one quick peek. She dismounted her naru and tied it to the same tree as the other. She watched anxiously as Javan vaulted over the barrier. When he turned and held out his hand to her, she hesitated. Her nightmare with the shadow maker took place in this forest almost every night. Would it be wise to ignore the warnings and enter anyway? ¡°We don¡¯t have to go in if you don¡¯t want to,¡± he offered, frowning a little. She shook her head, bracing herself. She was being silly! She grabbed Javan¡¯s hand and allowed him to help her climb up and over the barrier. Met with the impossible whiteness of the forest all around her, she immediately wanted to turn back, but Javan gently tugged her forward. His hand was so warm. He led her deeper into the forest, with the pale trees gradually growing thicker on all sides of them. ¡°I¡¯ve never brought anybody here before,¡± Javan admitted as he glanced over his shoulder at her. Kirin made no comment, too unnerved by the silence and the strangely still air. It was summer, but there were no animals scurrying about the trees. In fact, there were no sounds, save for the crunching of their feet in the undergrowth. ¡°This is it,¡± Javan whispered almost reverently. He moved aside a colorless curtain of ivy to reveal a small but beautiful clearing. Warm rays of sunlight filtered down and splashed onto their shoulders as they entered. ¡°What is this place?¡± Kirin asked as she watched him sit upon the thick carpet of pearlescent grass. ¡°This is where I come to be alone. Isn¡¯t it nice?¡± ¡°It is. Does anybody else know about it?¡± ¡°Just Anji, but she¡¯s too scared of the forest to come see it for herself. When I was a boy I used to come here during our summer visits and play in the trees. Now I come here when I need to think or pray.¡± Kirin folded her hands behind her back and surveyed his lair. A few colorful objects near the other end of it caught her eye. An old wooden naru and a couple half-deflated balls were wedged against the roots of a tree. At some point Javan had tied a long, knotted rope swing to a high branch, and behind it were the remnants of a tattered flag, emblazoned with a crude drawing of a girl beneath the messily-scrawled words ¡°Anji stinks!¡± There was a stark contrast between the faded colors of Javan¡¯s old toys and the whiteness surrounding them. ¡°So, why did you bring me here?¡± she asked finally. He scratched his head, hesitating. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s hard to talk to you while riding. If you¡¯re uncomfortable, we can leave.¡± Kirin sat down and settled beside him. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s¡ªpeaceful here.¡± Being inside the Goddess Forest was much different than she had imagined. There was a strange energy in the trees, but it seemed far more harmonious when within them than looking at them from without. Still, there was something unnerving about all this lack of color. She found herself squinting, somehow certain that that color would emerge from the white if she just looked hard enough. ¡°I wish I could tell Batem about this. But if I did, he¡¯d probably have me sent to a disciplinary court, and I¡¯d be banned from seminary forever.¡± She laughed nervously, sliding her hands along the white grass. It felt just like regular grass. Javan stared into the trees. ¡°Would that be so bad?¡± Kirin grimaced. She sometimes had reservations about becoming a priestess, but she didn¡¯t like the idea of being banned from anything, ever. She hated being in trouble. ¡°Well, yes it would be bad! I have to become a priestess.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Javan asked earnestly. ¡°Well¡ªwell, because!¡± Kirin declared with lame authority. ¡°My father wants me to. Besides, I can¡¯t do much else, and Batem says I have a really good chance of becoming Nass¨¦ one day.¡± Javan met her eyes a moment, his expression unreadable. ¡°Is that what you want to do?¡± Kirin shifted uncomfortably. ¡°What else is there? Girls born beneath very high houses aren¡¯t cut out for anything but the clergy. Where else could we sleep and dream all the time? If I were a boy it would be different. I would be a surgeon or a warden. My father¡¯s a son of the eighth house, but he never has to sleep. And he was elected as the high chief warden when he was just thirty! The only younger high chief was a son of the ninth house, but he died over a hundred years ago.¡± ¡°It sounds like you really like your father.¡± Javan grinned. ¡°I guess so,¡± Kirin mumbled. ¡°I wish I were more driven like him. His house makes him crazy, I¡¯ll admit, but my house just makes me stupid. I can¡¯t even keep my glyph radicals straight.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re stupid,¡± Javan asserted. Kirin felt her cheeks grow warm and glanced away from him. Obviously, he had never seen her marks in class. ¡°What about you? Do you like your father?¡± Javan seemed to think a while, before he said, ¡°He¡¯s all right, but he¡¯s stern and expects a lot out of me. Like with the summit coming, he¡¯s expecting me to choose someone to marry. ¡®All those noble girls in one place,¡¯ he says, ¡®It¡¯s now or never!¡¯¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The contents of Kirin¡¯s stomach curdled. ¡°I guess a western king has to have a queen.¡± He nodded silently. ¡°I have the opposite problem!¡± She smiled for his sake. ¡°If I became a priestess, I¡¯d never marry or have children. I probably don¡¯t need that to be happy, but sometimes it seems like life would be lonely without a family to love.¡± Javan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Do¡ªdo you even want to get married?¡± Javan leaned back, pressing his hands into the grass behind him, and glowered up through the canopy of leaves. ¡°Eventually. I would be fine marrying so soon if I knew I had an equal partner. You know . . . someone who would love me in the ¡®ancient way,¡¯ as Naltena puts it. I want the woman I marry to be psyche bound to me.¡± He grimaced, but it was hard to tell whether he was resigned to his fate or upset. ¡°I may have found someone I could be psyche bound to already, but I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± Kirin forced herself to chime, ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good thing!¡± ¡°Yes, but she has a choice in the matter, too. They say you aren¡¯t psyche bound unless both people feel the same.¡± He paused. ¡°I guess priestesses-in-training probably don¡¯t concern themselves with this sort of thing.¡± ¡°Well, I know a little bit about it,¡± Kirin mumbled, trying to sound nonchalant. ¡°People say that when psyches were first formed in the Mother Star, the strands of separate psyches sometimes became tangled. If you have a bound psyche like that you spend your whole life drawn to the other psyche until you finally meet, then it¡¯s love at first sight.¡± She¡¯d never admit it to Javan, but she had spent countless hours late at night having read hundreds of romance novels about psyche bound couples. One of her favorite stories was about a girl who was hopelessly torn between two men she loved in the ancient way. ¡°You¡¯re blushing,¡± Javan noted. She rubbed at her cheeks, embarrassed. ¡°Isn¡¯t the ancient attraction of psyche binding supposed to make men obsessive and insane?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s just silly. I think it¡¯s more subtle than that. It¡¯s just a constant¡ªI don¡¯t know, push? Pull? It¡¯s hard to stop thinking about the person you are psyche bound to.¡± ¡°Sounds frustrating.¡± Kirin¡¯s heart sank into her stomach. Javan leaned close and gave her a puzzled look. ¡°You know I¡¯m talking about you, right?¡± ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡± She didn¡¯t know how to react to his advancing arms; all she knew for certain was how good his lips felt as they met hers. A kiss¡ªher first kiss! The thought of Javan, the western prince of Judath, kissing her was terrifying, but at the same time enthralling. His lips were so soft¡ªthe smell and taste of him set her whole body on fire. When Javan broke the kiss, the lenses of his spectacles were steamed. ¡°I knew I was right about you.¡± Kirin stared at him, her cheeks burning even hotter. He was right¡ªright about what? That they were psyche bound? But that was crazy! ¡°I-I¡ª¡± She shut her eyes, ordering herself to calm down. Was this the ancient attraction that psyche bound couples felt for each other? She knew that she had a crush on him but she never considered¡ªshe wanted to throw him to the grass and kiss him again. ¡°Was I too forward?¡± Javan released her. Was this why her heart skipped a beat whenever she found him waiting outside of the temple to greet her? And was it why she felt an ache of disappointment whenever she found that he wasn¡¯t? It all seemed so clear and confusing now, but it seemed to confirm that Javan was more correct in saying that the ancient attraction was subtle, rather than the scintillating whirlwind of romance that her books had taught her. But what was she to do now? She couldn¡¯t just pretend this never happened. Declaring that you were psyche bound was almost as serious as a betrothal agreement. He intended to officially court her! But she was a candidate, possibly next in line to be Nass¨¦! Love and betrothal had no place for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Kirin blurted out. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think of this. Please don¡¯t be upset! I just need some time before I¡¯m ready to discuss it again!¡± Javan¡¯s lips thinned as he nodded, refusing to meet her gaze. Kirin¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she stood up and left the clearing, looking to find the color of their tethered narus beyond the trees. Chapter Twenty-three Chapter 23 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Eastern Coast Davim rammed his shoulder into the barnacled bow of the boat for the final time and watched as the tide finally carried it off. Now the villagers wouldn¡¯t ask questions. He sloshed angrily up the shore to where Zalas stood. ¡°Thanks for the help, you dumb bastard!¡± Davim flung his arms wide, salt water flying from his sopping sleeves. Zalas blinked slowly up at the evening sky. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Davim¡¯s fists clenched, his blood beginning to bubble. Zalas had been like this ever since Davim had discovered him dribbling all over himself on the deck of the boat several days before. Despite all efforts to keep him confined to his bunk, he would always manage to make his way back out to the open deck, where he spent days staring up at the Mother Star without speaking a word. Davim resisted the temptation to simply roll him overboard and let him drown, and actually poured water down Zalas¡¯s ungrateful throat once a day just to keep him from drying up like an old fig. Zalas had slowly regained his faculties, but he was an even bigger pain in the ass now that he was speaking again, despite limiting himself to a handful of words at a time. Davim should have just let him die. He hoisted up one of the remaining rucksacks, the last of their thinning supplies, and lobbed it to Zalas. ¡°Make yourself useful, at least!¡± Zalas caught it automatically. A hint of a glower flashed across his face, but he only shook his head and resumed his vigil over the sea. Davim narrowed his eyes and then pointed up to the left, where a high ridge was dotted with the stucco facades of houses. ¡°Let¡¯s head up to the village. We need more supplies if we¡¯re going to reach Marin.¡± He picked up Anoth¡¯s abandoned rucksack and began digging through it for money, knowing the immortal had had at least enough Naltite currency to purchase their old narus, which had then been traded for their boat in Judath¡¯s port city of Tarun on their initial journey. Unfortunately, the rucksack was now empty aside from a handful of rags and some folded maps of Chalei and Judath. Damn it! How were they supposed to make it to Marin if they didn¡¯t have the money for supplies or narus? What was Anoth thinking, leaving them for some Naltite bitch? Davim dropped the rucksack and kicked it furiously, scattering its contents to the sand. ¡°Don¡¯t leave a trail,¡± Zalas growled. ¡°Go pick it up.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do something for a change, Emperor?¡± Zalas¡¯s lips thinned. ¡°Patience, imperial whore.¡± ¡°Patience!¡± Davim snarled. He ground one of the maps into the sand with his heel. ¡°I¡¯ve been patient, hiking through the jungles¡ªbeing set upon by some silver bitch in my sleep! I didn¡¯t ask to come here, and I am sure as hell not going to spend another season in this filthy world. We get those witnesses, then we go home. Let¡¯s go!¡± With that, he turned and stormed up the beach, his eyes locked resolutely upon the ridge. ¡°We¡¯ll trade away those studs you¡¯ve got in your ears if we have to. If we¡¯re lucky they¡¯ll be enough for one naru.¡±Stolen story; please report. When Zalas made no reply, Davim whirled around, only to find that Zalas had relocated to squat at the base of a large sandstone outcrop, where the seafowl perched atop it squawked at him. He was drawing something in the sand. Davim let loose a rabid snarl and tore back down the beach. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he demanded when he saw the broad circle Zalas had traced. ¡°Get up!¡± He kicked at the circle, peppering Zalas¡¯s chest with bits of his ruined drawing. Davim saw only a flash of movement before he was blinded by a burst of light and heat and thrown to his back. He choked, clawing wildly at the sand as he sucked ragged mouthfuls of air back into his scorched lungs. When his vision returned, he saw Zalas staring down at him with chilly eyes. He had never seen anyone work a pattern that fast before. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think,¡± Zalas muttered calmly. ¡°Stop getting in my way.¡± He dropped back down to the sand to carefully repair his circle. ¡°We have to get supplies,¡± Davim pouted as he stood up, trying to hastily soothe his wounded pride. ¡°How long are you going to just sit there drawing that¡ªthat¡ª¡± He bent forward a little. It was a pattern diagram. But what was it for? Such diagrams were for studies in basic orm¨¦; Zalas would have memorized these long ago, and certainly would not be adding the extra shapes in the center of the circle as he was currently doing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you doubling up the geometry?¡± Zalas lifted his fingers from the sand, his glare shining black. ¡°Damn.¡± Davim stepped away almost involuntarily. ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Zalas murmured as he looked down to resume his drawing. ¡°Not even the hadirs know this configuration. I will have the upper hand.¡± ¡°What?¡± Perhaps Davim had been a bit optimistic about Zalas¡¯s mental condition. ¡°Things will finally be as they should. All we need now is for orm¨¦ to return fully to our blood and¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± Davim snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t know what has gotten into you, but¡ª¡± He spotted the silken pouch that Anoth once possessed, now hanging from Zalas¡¯s belt like an overstuffed coin purse. He let out one long breath. ¡°. . . It¡¯s that damned Orb!¡± Zalas sneered, his fingers curling until they trembled in what appeared to be a feral rage. ¡°You will not speak of the Orb in that manner. We will all serve Verahi and none else. He is incorruptible and incomprehensible!¡± Davim shook his head, taking another step back. Zalas was not being himself. He sounded like a fanatic¡ªlike one of the priests¡ªor worse yet, like Anoth. ¡°To hell with this. To hell with you, your pattern, and your rock!¡± As he turned to leave, Zalas dove forward and caught his ankle, twisting it hard enough that his leg went numb up to the knee. He cried out and thudded to the sand, his chin chafed raw. ¡°We will retrieve the witnesses and return Verahi to his former glory,¡± Zalas growled. ¡°You will play your part!¡± ¡°Right,¡± Davim seethed. ¡°Whatever you say.¡± He shifted focus and waited for Zalas to turn back to his nonsensical pattern diagram. As soon as Zalas¡¯s guard was down, Davim grabbed a fistful of sand, already working a pattern in his mind, and spun around. As he flung the sand at Zalas¡¯s face, the grains became molten and fused into shards of glass. But Zalas raised his hand without even looking up. The glass broke apart, dissolving into harmless, billowing primal matter, save for one shard, which he casually flicked back at Davim. Davim howled as the glass pierced his shoulder, forcing him out of the first degree of focus. He wrenched the glass out of his flesh, lacerating his fingers in the process, and his whole arm was wet with blood. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± he screamed as he grabbed his wounded shoulder and failed to rise on his twisted ankle. Where the hell had Zalas learned how to unravel patterns like that? ¡°I told you to be patient,¡± Zalas mumbled nonchalantly as he scuffed out the blood dotting his diagram. ¡°Now you have no choice but to stay here with me until nightfall. We¡¯ll head up to the village when it¡¯s dark. We¡¯ll steal whatever supplies we need and kill whoever gets in our way.¡± Chapter Twenty-four Chapter 24 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Eastern Planes Tashau lowered his hands, fighting to hide his frustration for Sorai¡¯s sake. Her psyche was hopelessly snarled, and he couldn¡¯t make any progress in untangling it. In all his cleansings, he had never seen a mind clenched so tightly and for so long. At first, he thought she might have been raped, which would force her psyche into a protective state, but his probes found no foreign thought matter. This was a relief, but still left no explanation for why she was doing this to herself. No longer held up by Tashau¡¯s pattern, Sorai¡¯s body swayed a little to the side before slumping gently into his arms. Psyches were not meant to endure this much strain. One cleansing per season was already more than what the most troubled minds needed, but three in five days? Her strands would likely tear from the effort before they yielded to his treatments. ¡°You did well,¡± he soothed with false cheeriness. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel better now?¡± Sorai looked up at him, clearly disoriented. She was calm now, but it wouldn¡¯t last. He would likely find her weeping inconsolably in a day or two and be forced to minister to her again. ¡°Sleep,¡± he urged as he laid her down on the bed. ¡°I know this wagon isn¡¯t very comfortable, but we¡¯ll reach Marin before you know it. Your parents will be relieved to see you safe, and you¡¯ll have fun with your brother and sister, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered automatically. Tashau still didn¡¯t like the idea of Sorai going to the noble summit, especially since she was the one who warned them that her assailant was planning to infiltrate it. It was Tashau¡¯s duty to protect his empress, but he had failed miserably to do so when faced with the cultist at the palace. He could not be compromised as the emperor again. His birthright, the kada of Chalei, was always supposed to be at his side, the equalizer in any power struggle, but he had been caught without it. But in all honesty, he wouldn¡¯t have fared any better with it. He simply didn¡¯t have the skill. If he hoped to bring the cultist to justice, he would need to find a way to master the kada, and soon. ¡°Do you still love me, Tash?¡± Sorai asked suddenly, her forehead creasing. Tashau raised his eyebrows. ¡°Do I still love you?¡± He settled beside her, ignoring the spasms in his back, and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her firmly. The closeness of her body stirred up a longing for the warmth of her flesh against his, but as much as he wanted to, he would not the take the kiss further. She was too fragile now, both mentally and physically. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I guess you do,¡± Sorai murmured, sounding a little embarrassed. ¡°I just feel like a burden. I¡¯m fine one minute, and then the next¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Tashau shook his head, not wanting her to become agitated again. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Keep trying, and eventually you won¡¯t need the cleansings anymore.¡± Sorai draped her arms about his neck, and he felt her brow press against his collar. ¡°I love you more than anything, Tash. Thank you for being patient. You¡¯re a good husband.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re a good wife.¡± He laid several kisses upon her crown and smoothed her hair against her scalp. ¡°It¡¯s late. You go to sleep.¡± He released her and rose from the bed. He moved toward the partition separating their bed from the stack of luggage where the kada was kept, but stopped as her hand lashed out and snatched his. ¡°Stay with me,¡± she begged. Tashau sat back down on the bed for a moment. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, which encouraged him. She was usually at her most paranoid and frightened when trying to sleep, often asking deliriously for any shreds of information about the Dread God Anoth, to which Tashau could only reassure her that her attacker was nothing but a cruel pretender. After a few minutes, Sorai¡¯s fingers loosened about his. Tashau glanced at her rigid form and knew that her sleep was uncomfortable at best. Since she was a daughter of the first house she couldn¡¯t dream, so it must have been the glyphs, now thickly scabbed and healing, that plagued her slumber.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Tashau stood up and backed slowly through the screened partition. He found the kada¡¯s traveling case and laid it on its side. The rectangular case was long and black, composed of varnished wood that shone like obsidian in the oil lamp¡¯s glow. He pressed his thumb to one of several glyphs carved on its surface, causing the case to unlock with a small click. He lifted the lid and propped it open, staring at the golden scepter beneath it. He hated the damned thing. Every opal and glyph lining its handle whispered taunting reminders of his ineptitude. He hesitated for a moment, then yanked the kada from its case and exited the wagon as quietly as he could. He hopped down the wagon¡¯s steps and pressed the kada to his side, hoping nobody would see it glinting in the light of the bonfire. Luckily, the other members of the caravan were too engrossed in their revelries to notice him, and he managed to sneak away and to a nearby stream without interruption. With only the bubbling water and whisper of the wind in his ears, he held out the kada in his right hand, planting its base in the grass. ¡°This time you¡¯ll obey me,¡± he muttered as he reached forward to touch his left thumb against the glyphs. He had watched his father do this countless times, performing miraculous feats with the blue crystal ablaze with silver fire. But as Tashau placed his own thumb upon the glyphs, the kada did not light. Instead it almost seemed to laugh at him silently, denying his birthright even though he carried the proper blood. Forget that only four generations separated him from the first emperor of Chalei, and that his blood was far purer than that of the eshtans and engstaxis, whose imperial lines had already been diluted through dozens of generations. This kada specifically rejected him, and had done so for sixty years. And yet, he had rejected the kada first. His father had spent that last year of his life demanding that Tashau spend the requisite time mastering the kada, but Tashau, finally free of the seminary and romancing a new wife, had had no time to spare for some glittering staff. Reflecting on it now, he couldn¡¯t completely blame the kada for withholding its power from him as the unworthy heir he was. But he would not allow this rift between them to further endanger Sorai. He screwed his thumb against the glyphs hard enough to feel their grooves indent his flesh, but they still did not respond to his touch. ¡°Damn you!¡± he growled. When linked with the other two kadas during the summit¡¯s initiatory rites, his kada leapt easily into activity, feeding off the synergy of its brothers. But alone¡ªTashau didn¡¯t know how to awaken it. Tashau thought of a music box Sorai owned, a gift from one of the previous empresses of Xeshun. It was a curious little device, but it didn¡¯t have a handle or a winding key as he had seen in cruder devices sold in the markets; instead it was covered with finely etched glyphs. Sorai could never manage to make the little box work, and had handed it to him to see what he could make of it. Almost instinctively, he had simply touched one of the glyphs and injected a small amount of orm¨¦, and the box immediately lit up in a delight of light and metallic music. During his time studying in Xeshun, he had seen all manner of glyphed contraptions, although none quite so fine as Sorai¡¯s gift, and orm¨¦ was a requirement to operate them all. Tashau¡¯s mouth turned in a faint smile. He shifted focus to see the kada almost entirely devoid of primal matter, save for the glyphs, where the matter was dense. He placed his thumb on them again, but this time he electrified them with a small spark of orm¨¦, just as he had with Sorai¡¯s music box, and they immediately flared blue, then white, before they slowly faded. Encouraged, he sent an even greater surge of power into the glyphs. The glyphs lighted up rapidly in sequence until they reached the crystal at the kada¡¯s tip. Primal matter collected in the center of the crystal, forming a dense ball, then blinked as it clarified itself instantly, leaving a whirl of something he couldn¡¯t quite see in its place. Beyond and through the crystal, however, the primal matter seemed to flourish, casting both light and shadows. The crystal seemed to become like a magnifying glass, through which he could see all of what was beyond it, far more than what his naked eyes could see. He reached out, intent on manipulating what he saw, but his focus was shattered by a scream coming from the direction of the caravan. It sounded like Sorai! The kada¡¯s silver glow flashed and died as Tashau dropped it to the grass. He whirled around and sprinted to his wagon, pushing past the growing crowd of onlookers, and threw the door open to find Sorai rolling about in bed, clutching at her chest. ¡°It burns!¡± Sorai wailed repeatedly. Tashau rushed to her and pinned her to the bed. Her skin was hot with fever. ¡°Stop!¡± he commanded, trying to hold her still long enough to get a clear view of her thought matter in the third degree, but she was surprisingly strong and somehow pried his hands from her. Just as he prepared to restrain her by force, her screams suddenly stopped, and her body began to quake, her face frozen in a snarl. She was having a seizure! Tashau turned to Sorai¡¯s frightened handmaiden, Aila, who huddled in the doorway. ¡°Get the doctor. Now!¡± he ordered. Aila scrambled away in a flutter. Tashau looked back to his spasming wife. He knew better than to try to restrain her now, but he couldn¡¯t just stand idly by. He brought up his hands, intent on performing a cleansing despite the immediate danger, but was shoved aside almost immediately by the physician, who bent low over Sorai and pressed his palms to her forehead. Her body slowly stopped twitching, and eventually she drew just enough breath to let out an agonized sob. The doctor whispered something soothingly to Sorai, and Tashau fell back and slumped against the wall, of no use once again. Chapter Twenty-five Chapter 25 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Temple of Marin Kirin knew that touching the globe of shadow would hurt her, but she could not stop herself from reaching for it. She cried out as the inevitable sting sent her convulsing, helpless body crashing to the ground. The shadow maker loomed above her, his eyes as black and all-consuming as the shadow he had created. ¡°You¡¯ll come with me, won¡¯t you?¡± he asked, the same cruel smile stretching across his jaw. ¡°Pay attention!¡± Someone gripped Kirin¡¯s shoulder and shook her so hard that her eyes felt like a pair of marbles rattling in a tin. She sat upright, expecting to come face to face with the shadow maker, but instead was met by the motes of dust that always floated passively in the lamplight of Batem¡¯s dry, musty study. As Batem¡¯s fingers slid from her shoulder, she looked around wildly to see her classmates staring at her. She scrubbed the still-wet drool from her cheek and attempted to straighten her smudged pattern diagrams. How could she have been dreaming here? She had never fallen asleep during a lecture before, no matter how bored she had ever been. Behind her, Batem clasped his hands together and slowly padded away, resuming his lecture as he went. ¡°And that is why sons of high houses are best suited for support roles and front line combat. The same talent of seeing and weaving primal matter also gives them a severe disadvantage in long range combat because their vision is obscured by the high density of primal matter they can see. At a distance, such densely packed primal matter is like a fog on a rainy day. This makes such sons best suited to weaving patterns up close, which is why the most valued surgeons are usually . . . .¡± Batem¡¯s voice began to fade in Kirin¡¯s ears. Every time she blinked, her eyelids felt heavy like stone blocks. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to rest her eyes¡ªjust for a minute or two. ¡°. . . Examining bone requires looking deep into the configuration of . . . therefore, physicians typically . . . .¡± No! She would not fall asleep again! Batem would be testing on this¡ªshe just knew it¡ªand even if he weren¡¯t, she had to look fresh and be completely alert for Javan. She had promised to meet him right after this lecture. They were going to talk about the other day¡ªabout that wonderful, awful kiss. She had even gone to the trouble of applying eye makeup and wearing her best silk wrap just to impress him; she didn¡¯t want him to change his mind about her. ¡°Kirin!¡± Batem¡¯s bark electrified Kirin¡¯s limbs, causing her to claw frantically at the air in front of her. At least now she was awake. ¡°I asked you a question!¡± Shit. Batem shook his head and threw up his knobby hands. ¡°I asked how deep a son of the third house might see into a gaseous configuration as opposed to one that is solid.¡± Kirin stared numbly at the embroidered toes of Batem¡¯s slippers, her mind churning to regain its balance. ¡°Right, gas. Well, it¡¯s¡ªto me it¡¯s the same as looking at something solid.¡± Batem eyed her for a moment. ¡°This . . . may be where your house does you a disservice. To you it might appear the same density, but to others it is not. Gasses roll and move, allowing a clear view deep into a configuration for sons and daughters of even low houses. It is much easier for most people to manipulate primal matter in the air than it is to reconfigure solid objects.¡± Kirin didn¡¯t reply except to nod her head. Her eyes were stinging. How could she be so dumb? Batem resumed his lecture once more, and Kirin, amidst self-flagellations, heard little of it. She only noticed that class had ended when she saw the sandaled feet of her classmates filing past her. Free at last, Kirin grabbed her satchel and made for the door, but was stopped by Batem¡¯s outstretched arm. ¡°You stay,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I need to have a word with you in private.¡± Kirin bowed her head and waited in dread as the others left one after another. When she and Batem were finally alone, he shut the study doors and directed her to sit at his desk. She did as she was told, kneeling upon a flat, satin-lined cushion, and stared glumly down at the desk¡¯s marble writing surface, where squiggly lines of red and purple spread like veins under stretched skin. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like yourself, Kirin,¡± Batem said after he had seated himself across from her. There was a shrill scrape of ceramic and a swirl of liquid as he poured himself something to drink. ¡°Your marks in your other classes have never been stellar, but you¡¯ve always squeaked by. And you used to do so well in my class. I know it¡¯s normal for you to get carried away in thought, but I cannot ignore you falling asleep during a lecture. You¡¯re not overstressed, are you?¡± This was all her father¡¯s fault, forcing her to return to class; she knew she could only hide her fatigue from the priests for so long. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the high priests, you needn¡¯t be. I know it isn¡¯t the sleeping sickness that¡¯s doing this to you. I heard you whimpering in your sleep, which means you¡¯re still dreaming. What are you dreaming about?¡± Kirin wheezed a little, her lips and nose growing hot. How could she keep her nightmares secret if she was whimpering in her sleep? He probably already knew what was going on and was just waiting for her to tell him. ¡°I¡¯m so exhausted!¡± She covered her mouth with her hand as she began to cry, even more humiliated than before. ¡°Oh, there, there, Kirin!¡± Batem cooed. ¡°There¡¯s no need for tears!¡± He reached for the small kettle he always kept on his desk and picked up another cup, which he filled with green-colored tea. ¡°Here, you drink this. It¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± Kirin took it from him with trembling hands. The glazed cup was hot to the touch, the liquid inside now steaming, though it hadn¡¯t been when he poured it. Batem must have used orm¨¦ to warm the tea without her noticing. It was a little surprising; she had never seen him work a pattern before. She always just assumed that he couldn¡¯t work orm¨¦, since he taught patterns exclusively by diagrams rather than by example. ¡°Now, tell me what you¡¯re dreaming,¡± Batem pressed pleasantly. He held his own tea to his lips and downed it in one go. Kirin wiped her eyes dry and saw all of that carefully applied eye makeup smear off on the back of her fist. Oh, how could she begin to explain? She hadn¡¯t slept the night before, having been too anxious about meeting with Javan to do more than doze, and the night before that she had only slept an hour or two. Her nightmares were beginning to cause her physical pain, not unlike Anji¡¯s or Tirbeth¡¯s. She dreaded sleep now. ¡°Do I have to tell you?¡± ¡°If you want help. Now, drink your tea and tell me all about it.¡± Kirin lifted her cup and choked on the vile, bitter liquid as it slid down her throat. Ketas root! What was Batem doing drinking such a strong stimulant? She set the cup down and gripped her stomach. If Anji were any indicator, she would be feeling quite alert before long, but she¡¯d also end up jittery and irritable as well. ¡°I¡¯ve been having nightmares,¡± she finally whispered as she knuckled at her eyes again. Batem laughed. ¡°That¡¯s preposterous!¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s the same nightmare every night. I¡¯m in the Goddess Forest, and there¡¯s a man who comes out of the parting, and he can create shadow with orm¨¦!¡± ¡°Shadow!¡± Batem dropped his empty cup to the desk. ¡°He offers a ball of shadow to me, and even though I know I shouldn¡¯t, I always reach out for it. It¡¯s so painful when I touch it, and then he keeps asking me to go with him.¡± Batem parted his lips but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°I knew you¡¯d shun me!¡± Kirin¡¯s chin began to quiver involuntarily. Batem¡¯s eyes opened in surprise. ¡°Oh no, Kirin. Rest assured I would never shun you, not even for this. But it is a serious matter. Candidates like you aren¡¯t supposed to have nightmares. Tell me, what does this man look like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know; he keeps changing! He looks one way in my nightmare, but in every other nightmare I¡¯ve elucidated he¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Elucidated?¡± Batem demanded, his eyes narrowing.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I . . . know how to elucidate dreams,¡± Kirin admitted. ¡°How long have you known how to do that?¡± Batem muttered, almost spitting. ¡°Elucidation requires a great focus in the third degree. Were you studying this before you projected for me? If so, why were your projections so¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Kirin interrupted. ¡°That day, when we went up to see the Nass¨¦¡ªshe taught me.¡± Batem sat back a little. Kirin was relieved that he wasn¡¯t scolding her more, but she couldn¡¯t tell from his expression whether he was angry, shocked, or enchanted. It might have been all three. ¡°And for what purpose would she do that?¡± he asked finally. This, Kirin knew, she could not reveal. The thought of Xinthi¡¯s fury directed at her was more awful than she could bear. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she lied. ¡°Anyway, it isn¡¯t important! I¡¯m in trouble, Batem. I¡¯m scared that I¡¯m sick in the head! I¡¯ve tried and tried to make the nightmares stop. I¡¯ve done everything but get an elucidation myself, but I can¡¯t¡ªnot without everyone finding out.¡± Batem reached out and took her cup from her tight grip. ¡°No, dear, I doubt that you¡¯re mad; you¡¯re a candidate, after all! But tell me more about this man who makes shadows. Surely, he isn¡¯t that frightening¡ªunpleasant, perhaps, but not so bad that he is nightmarish. Perhaps you are just frustrated by the recurrence of this dream without being able to find its meaning, so it seems like a nightmare to you. Naltena would never¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what Naltena would or wouldn¡¯t do! Neither do you or any of the other priests!¡± Kirin straightened herself up on her heels. ¡°Everywhere I turn there are all of these inconsistencies in our doctrine! You tell me one thing, my father tells me another¡ªeverybody has something different to say about how we dream, but I¡¯m still having nightmares! My mother was a candidate, and she had them, too! For all I know everybody has them! But it doesn¡¯t matter because now that you know, the high priests will find out. I¡¯ll be barred from seminary!¡± Batem stammered at first, then declared, ¡°There¡¯s no need to shout. I have always kept your confidences. Now, relax, and tell me about the shadow maker and all the other symbols. Together we can resolve them.¡± ¡°See? You¡¯re doing it again! First you tell me I can¡¯t have nightmares, now you tell me I can be cured if I just tell you the symbols. Which is it? Am I supposed to have nightmares or not? Is it normal or not?¡± Batem stared at her, speechless. Kirin set her elbows on the desk and cradled her head in her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this anymore. What¡¯s the point of rising to become the Nass¨¦ or even a priestess if I don¡¯t know what¡¯s true and what isn¡¯t? Even if it¡¯s really natural to have nightmares, how can I possibly dream on behalf of others if I¡¯m too afraid to see the symbols?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°If nightmares are normal and the clergy isn¡¯t willing to admit it, I don¡¯t want to be shunned for something that isn¡¯t my fault. I thought about attending seminary just for the education and not making any vows when I¡¯m done, but now I don¡¯t even want to finish my schooling. I just can¡¯t hide the nightmares anymore.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t quit!¡± Batem uttered firmly. ¡°Your father is the high chief warden¡ªan elected position that he won and deserves¡ªbut he is no noble. What would become of you if he dies or is forced to retire tomorrow? Your home will go to the next high chief and you¡¯ll be out on the streets. If your father has any savings, how long would that last you? Would you be able to pay for an apprenticeship elsewhere? Your high house makes you suitable for one thing, which is studying here in the temple, which you get to do for free. You are even in line to be the next Nass¨¦, which would give you the power to guide the course of our entire world. Would you throw that all away?¡± Kirin rubbed at her chest; her heart was racing, but she couldn¡¯t tell if it was the ketas root or not. Maybe Batem was right and one of these days, if she worked hard enough, she could become Nass¨¦. But as she imagined herself in Xinthi¡¯s place, unloved and alone in the Chamber of Dreaming, she didn¡¯t want that sterile existence. Love wasn¡¯t the whirlwind of emotion she had been expecting, but it was still warm and soft and satiating, even if it was confusing. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that anymore! I want to be with Javan!¡± ¡°Javan?¡± Batem sputtered. He looked scandalized. ¡°Yes,¡± Kirin continued stiffly. ¡°He¡¯s a boy I¡¯ve been seeing.¡± ¡°You would forfeit a life of enlightenment, communing with the goddess, for a boy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the western prince.¡± The air wheezed from Batem¡¯s mouth in a steady hiss, until he seemed to sag like wet linen. Kirin wanted to leave before he thought of anything else to say, but she didn¡¯t want to just get up without being properly dismissed. So she sat and resisted the urge to gnaw her fingers to nubs. Finally, Batem drew breath. ¡°The western prince, you say?¡± His lips were thin and his eyes narrowed into careful, unblinking slits. ¡°I believe . . . yes, yes I remember him. He was in the chapel the day you projected for me.¡± Kirin nodded. ¡°And the nightmares . . . .¡± He rubbed at his jowls. ¡°They must have started after that day. You weren¡¯t receiving any failing marks before then. At least not in this class.¡± Kirin kept her mouth shut. ¡°So, they only started after you began thinking about this boy.¡± ¡°No, Batem,¡± Kirin finally piped up. ¡°I didn¡¯t even talk to him until weeks later. You¡¯ve got this all¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought!¡± Batem smiled slowly at her. ¡°Kirin, I believe that I know the identity of the man who makes shadow in your nightmare.¡± Kirin stiffened. ¡°Who?¡± He stretched out his hands, as though offering up a gift. ¡°The man who makes shadows,¡± he explained, ¡°is the Dread God Anoth.¡± Kirin¡¯s insides knotted at Batem¡¯s ludicrous explanation. She had suspected that he might suggest Javan was fully to blame, but the Dread God? She slammed her hands down on her bent knees. ¡°That isn¡¯t true! Y-you¡ªyou said yourself that Anoth is dead! Everybody knows Naltena killed him!¡± ¡°And you are correct; Anoth is indeed dead,¡± Batem murmured. ¡°But the taint of Anoth lives on in the form of sin. This nightmare is a message from Naltena warning you that you are doing something to become like Anoth.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Kirin cried. ¡°But you should,¡± Batem urged. ¡°Anoth was once good. He was kind to women and children¡ªa righteous judge of men. He was well-loved, perhaps more than Naltena, and all evidence points to him having loved us once, too. But he went astray. He squandered all of that goodness to see his own goals and ambitions fulfilled.¡± Kirin didn¡¯t know what to say in response. Naltena herself wrote of Anoth¡¯s goodness and downfall because of pride. Certainly, Batem or the priests could be mistaken sometimes, but Naltena¡¯s teachings were still infallible, weren¡¯t they? ¡°The moment you saw the western prince in the chapel, you gave in to temptation and sullied yourself. Even the act of lust for a boy can make your psyche unclean by attracting his thoughts to yours! Now every day you become more and more like Anoth.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of that before!¡± Kirin cried. How could only lust make her unclean? It wasn¡¯t as if she were some dalanai who didn¡¯t take Naltena¡¯s teachings on chastity seriously. She was still a virgin, and there was no possible way that Javan¡¯s thoughts could touch hers from just a kiss. ¡°It¡¯s in all the texts, if you would but look hard enough for it! You have these nightmares because this boy is leading you astray.¡± ¡°No! You¡¯re wrong!¡± Kirin argued. ¡°I don¡¯t have to listen to this!¡± And yet, as she met Batem¡¯s unyielding gaze, she felt her conviction beginning to waver. She had already elucidated nightmares when she shouldn¡¯t have. She¡¯d stepped foot inside of the most forbidden of places¡ªthe Goddess Forest¡ªat Javan¡¯s lead. What if she was a sinner? ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Batem asked kindly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the high priests speak of your mother¡¯s talents¡ªtalents you inherited. She was once in your position, but did she not abandon her candidacy to marry your father? Was the cause of her nightmares not a psyche sullied by sin?¡± Kirin felt like she had been kicked in the head. But as much as the thought hurt that her mother might have committed the same sins, the evidence was still there. If sin was the cause of not only Kirin¡¯s nightmares but her mother¡¯s as well, could it also be true of the others? Why would Anji, Tirbeth, and even the Nass¨¦ dream of the Dread God? Kirin gripped her head with a trembling hand, the effects of the ketas root making her sweat. She knew nothing of Anji or Tirbeth¡¯s sins, but the Nass¨¦ was another matter. Xinthi seemed so wrapped up in secrets that it was almost guaranteed that she was up to something sinister, even if she meant well. ¡°I have worked too hard for you not to be Nass¨¦,¡± Batem declared with frightening authority. ¡°Even now, the high priests have been called to an emergency meeting from across the globe. Everyone in the clergy knows that the Nass¨¦ has displeased the sun emperor somehow, and he is pushing to see her mantle stripped. This is your chance, Kirin!¡± ¡°Why do you care so much that I become Nass¨¦?¡± Kirin bellowed. ¡°What about what I want?¡± ¡°I care only about what the goddess wants, as should you! It is the ultimate act of selfishness to ignore Naltena¡¯s will. I never used to think you selfish. But here you are, beset by nightmares that you refuse to listen to.¡± Kirin dropped her head again, tears streaking toward the tip of her nose. ¡°The choice is yours,¡± Batem continued. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be happy for a time wasting your life away as a vessel for a nobleman¡¯s seed. But when you¡¯re finished being bred like a poji, you must die. You will go to the Mother Star, you will see Naltena¡¯s face, but she does not accept those who do not master themselves or live according to her will. She will thrust you to the void, and you¡¯ll live for an eternity on the outside looking in. You will have damned yourself and done it all for a boy!¡± Kirin was sick to her stomach and knew it wasn¡¯t the ketas root this time. What if that had been her mother¡¯s fate? ¡°I . . . I just don¡¯t want to be lonely!¡± ¡°Is it better to be lonesome in this life or the next?¡± Batem whispered gently. Kirin began to weep in earnest. It just couldn¡¯t be true. But it had to be true if it was what Naltena herself taught! Why, why, why would Naltena want her to be unhappy? ¡°It isn¡¯t the end of the world, is it?¡± Batem reached across the desk and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°You finally have the remedy for your nightmares. They¡¯ll stop on their own if you keep from temptation.¡± Kirin refused to look up, but suddenly Batem¡¯s hand gripped her jaw and forced her to meet his gaze. For an instant his stare was dreadful, but then his lips stretched into a wide, comforting smile. ¡°Now, no more tears!¡± he chimed. ¡°You¡¯ll stop thinking about that boy, won¡¯t you? You¡¯ll stay the course?¡± Kirin¡¯s insides shrieked in rebellion. This was wrong! Wrong! But in the end, she could only bring herself to nod obediently. Chapter Twenty-six Chapter 26 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace ¡°Are one of those goblets for me, Tirbeth?¡± Startled, Tirbeth nearly sloshed the wine out of the pair of gold cups she had snatched from the refreshment table. Be nice, she told herself as she pasted a smile on her lips and whirled around with a giggle. It was Xaoshu, the high prince of Xeshun, accompanied as always by his entourage of engstaxi chums. They were all squeezed unnaturally beneath the shade of one of the few trees that grew in the palace complex, presumably to protect their fragile bodies from the sun. He was only taller than Tirbeth by an inch or two, but the layers of black he wore, combined with the unyielding glare of his wide, red eyes, made him look much taller. ¡°Oh, this?¡± Tirbeth held up a cup, pretending to offer it to him, but then pulled it away as he reached for it. ¡°You know that I would, but they¡¯re both for me. Besides, I doubt you¡¯d be able to handle this super-fancy Judathian wine.¡± Before she had the chance to make her escape, the high prince caught her arm and tugged her to him. ¡°Well, when you¡¯re done with that wine, do come back for more,¡± he drawled through his heavy veil. ¡°I would like nothing more than to see a little blood rise to the surface of that golden brown skin of yours.¡± He slid his gloved fingers down her arm and released her. Tirbeth screamed inwardly, but forced a laugh and gushed, ¡°Anything for you!¡± With that, she backed cheerily into the sunlight, knowing that Xaoshu couldn¡¯t follow her. Aside from the fact that engstaxis were gross, this particular one was only fifteen, which made her feel a little lecherous even though everyone knew engstaxis aged much faster than eshtans. He was just about at full maturity, whereas she still had five years to go until she reached the age of majority. Tirbeth finally spotted Anji, who was sitting beside Javan on the ledge of a fountain basin. They both had their arms folded and eyes locked on the ground, with looks of supreme discomfort smeared across their faces. Probably nothing would help Javan to relax, but this wine ought to do the trick with Anji. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± she called. ¡°And look what I have!¡± Anji snorted awake from her stupor as Tirbeth thrust one of the cups into her hands. ¡°I want us to have our first drink of wine together!¡± Tirbeth cried. She¡¯d always imagined that wine, especially the red kind like this, must taste like the most delicious, tangy berry juice imaginable. ¡°Let¡¯s do it on the count of three. Ready? One, two, three!¡± Tirbeth lifted her cup to take a hearty swig but stopped short when she saw that Anji hadn¡¯t joined in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anji rubbed at her eyes, where her skin was looking unusually saggy. ¡°I¡¯ve got a headache. I think the wine would probably make it worse.¡± ¡°Nonsense, it¡¯ll make you feel better!¡± Tirbeth exclaimed. ¡°We can be silly and get our minds off of all of the nightmares!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Anji mumbled. ¡°Look, we won¡¯t have another opportunity like this for another three years. Imagine all the boys we can impress if we¡¯re grown up enough to get drunk!¡± Anji visibly shivered. ¡°Boys.¡± She stared at the cup and licked her lips as though willing herself to suck down poison, but didn¡¯t have the chance to taste it before Javan had to go and snatch the cup out of her hand. ¡°You¡¯re pretty stupid if you think that¡¯s what¡¯ll impress a man,¡± Javan snapped, rising. ¡°So long as I¡¯m your chaperone, neither one of you will be getting drunk. You¡¯d better nurse that wine for the rest of the day, Tirbeth; it¡¯s the only cup you¡¯re getting.¡± Tirbeth glared up at Javan, the heat of her fury escaping her lips in the form of a high-pitched hiss. ¡°Just because Kirin doesn¡¯t like you doesn¡¯t give you the right to get in the way of everybody else¡¯s fun!¡± Javan reached down and forcefully dug his knuckles into her scalp. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± ¡°Ow!¡± Tirbeth screeched, rubbing at the crown of her head. ¡°Anji! Javan is being mean! Do something about it!¡± Anji looked at Javan. It seemed as though she was trying to muster up the courage to yell at him, but then changed her mind. ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t mention anything about Kirin to him,¡± she finally whispered. Tirbeth moaned and stamped her foot. She couldn¡¯t believe that Javan was still being such a baby. You would have had to have been blind or living under an old, moldering log somewhere to not have known that Javan was a dribbling, lovesick fool over Kirin. And with the way Kirin always blushed whenever he was around, it had seemed as though she liked him back, but apparently, that wasn¡¯t the case. The news from Anji was that ever since Kirin had stood him up at the temple, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for more than a week! Javan had even tried to send Kirin little notes but didn¡¯t get even one reply. It was an epic rejection, and it tickled Tirbeth pink! The only downside to this whole debacle was that Kirin didn¡¯t want to talk to Anji anymore, either, which was really sad because it took Anji forever to open up to people and make friends. ¡°Kirin or no Kirin, I¡¯m tired of looking at your sour faces,¡± Tirbeth admonished. ¡°It¡¯s the summit, already! We get to have parties and dances and races and oodles of fun for the next three weeks. You¡¯d better cheer up, because I¡¯m not going to let you spoil it!¡± To make her point clear, she brought up her cup and took a giant gulp, only to spit the wine out as soon as it hit the back of her tongue. ¡°Ugh! How can anybody drink this stuff? It tastes like someone vomited in my mouth!¡± She poured the rest of the sluice out over the grass and scraped her tongue clean with her teeth. What a disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s an acquired taste,¡± Javan explained sullenly, before he downed the wine he had swiped from Anji in one go. ¡°Sick!¡± Tirbeth spat. She was secretly impressed. The next moment, a loud drone of horns flooded the palace grounds, forcing Tirbeth to throw down her empty goblet to cover her ears. Yet another procession of nobles had just arrived, and from the palpable excitement rushing through the crowds, this procession was probably a big one. Tirbeth had seen plenty of eshtans and way too many engstaxis so far at the summit, but was desperate to flirt with more princes from Chalei, who seemed to be in short supply for whatever reason. Hopefully this new procession would change that. ¡°Great, more people and more noise,¡± Javan grumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want to check out the engstaxi food.¡± Without waiting for a response, he stood up and started moving in the opposite direction of the blaring horns. Anji leapt after him as he retreated from the thickening crowds, flinging her hands to her sides. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be joking, Javan! Engstaxi food? They use all sorts of weird, alchemized spices!¡± ¡°I know why he wants to look at the engstaxi food,¡± Tirbeth muttered sideways with a sly grin as she caught up with Anji. ¡°I once heard Kirin mention to him that she likes it.¡± Anji¡¯s expression shuddered into a tight pucker, as though a sour drop had burst in her mouth. ¡°He¡¯s so stupid. He¡¯s certain she¡¯s here somewhere, what with her father and all these wardens running around, and probably thinks that that¡¯s the one place he¡¯ll spot her.¡± Tirbeth flushed. ¡°Have you ever seen so many wardens in one place? They¡¯re everywhere! I recognized some that were sneaking around dressed like nobles! They¡¯re even wearing fake crests, which keep smearing because it¡¯s so hot!¡± She started to giggle. ¡°Oh, I guess Javan is probably right that Kirin is here somewhere. Ooh, do you think Kirin will give us the dirt on what Javan did to her if we find her first?¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer to give her a piece of my mind,¡± Anji groused with a hint of sadness in her eyes. ¡°I can understand turning down Javan, but sending me that rude note about me being a sinner responsible for my own nightmares? I didn¡¯t do anything to her!¡± ¡°Oh, I know, I know,¡± Tirbeth soothed. It was clear that Anji was still angry at Kirin, but Tirbeth couldn¡¯t hold the same grudge since she hadn¡¯t gotten a letter. Really, the whole situation was just silly and could probably be cleared up in an hour if they could all just sit down and talk. Maybe that filthy Javan had tried feeling her up or something. Eventually, they reached the far end of the complex, where a long buffet table, draped in starched green and white linen, was loaded up with all sorts of bizarre engstaxi foods. Everything from the blackened century eggs to the gelatinous cubes of bean curd looked and smelled disgusting. As expected, the table was surrounded by a horde of veiled engstaxis, but the only one actually eating any of their slop was a lone little sazi, who sat perched beside a platter of mushrooms, gobbling up pawfuls of steamed dumplings. ¡°Aw! Sazis are just so cute!¡± Tirbeth cooed. ¡°Think he¡¯ll let me pet¡ªoh! Wait, I know that one!¡± She brushed past Javan, and her supposition was made certain when she spotted the sazi¡¯s collar. ¡°It¡¯s Rao! Rao, come here, boy! It¡¯s me!¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Rao spun around and stared in their general direction with narrowed, suspicious eyes until he spotted Tirbeth, at which point his mouth curled into an adorable grin. He swallowed the rest of the dumpling that was sitting in his maw and scrambled from the table to greet her. She scooped him up with a squeal of delight, and he let loose a strained mewl as she squeezed him. ¡°Oh, I missed you!¡± Tirbeth exclaimed. She had always wanted to have a sazi to cuddle and talk to, but her father was terribly allergic and hated the way they smelled. Two winters ago, she had come down with a nasty bout of pneumonia and had been sent to Chalei for a season to recuperate in the warm and moist climate, housed at Lanae Palace. There, she had the opportunity to meet Rao, who quickly became the pretend pet she always wanted. She let him sleep in her bed and share food off of her plate, and as a result he had gotten adorably possessive of her. She thought he was wonderful fun. Anji grimaced as Rao rubbed his soft, tickly face all over Tirbeth¡¯s neck and jaw. ¡°This is the sazi you told me so much about?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he just the cutest thing ever?¡± Tirbeth flipped Rao over and began to rub his warm, round belly. She loved how soft his fur was. ¡°Rao, you¡¯ll be my pretend pet again for the next few weeks, won¡¯t you?¡± Rao¡¯s eyes got all huge and watery, and he stared at Tirbeth as if in worship. ¡°I missed you, my mate!¡± Anji let loose a vehement snarl. ¡°What did he just call you?¡± Jealousy, clearly. ¡°Oh, he used to call me that all the time in Chalei, too,¡± Tirbeth explained. ¡°It¡¯s a dalanai saying, I think. We¡¯re best mates¡ªfriends¡ªyou know!¡± Anji looked as though she had swallowed a worm. ¡°Just when I think you can¡¯t get any stupider,¡± Javan sneered. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten him confused by rubbing his stomach like that. Don¡¯t you know that wild sazis only do that to each other during mating season? You need to stop!¡± Tirbeth glowered. ¡°Liar! As if an animal would ever be confused over something like that. I¡¯ve rubbed Rao¡¯s belly lots of times and he¡¯s always been a perfect gentleman.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look that way to me,¡± Anji muttered, inching further away from her as Rao began to snake his way about Tirbeth¡¯s shoulders, his fluffy, prehensile tail wrapping several times about her neck. It was like the softest, warmest, cuddliest fur scarf ever! ¡°Oh, pshaw!¡± Tirbeth threw her hands at Anji dismissively, before realizing the implication of Rao¡¯s sudden appearance at the summit. ¡°Wait! Rao, if you¡¯re here, that must mean Tash is here as well! When did you arrive? I would have known if it were this morning.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here,¡± Rao said as he began to toy with one of Tirbeth¡¯s earrings. ¡°And we arrived just now. I was so hungry that I jumped from the procession as soon as it entered the palace grounds and ran here as fast as I could. Engstaxi food is a little strange, but it¡¯s much better than eshtan food. Blech!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Javan¡¯s eyes scrunched in obvious disbelief. ¡°You mean that was the star emperor¡¯s procession just now? But he was seriously injured, wasn¡¯t he? There¡¯s no way that he¡¯d travel all the way to Judath. Maybe it¡¯s another representative from Chalei, here to carry the kada.¡± Rao growled up at Javan, his tail tightening about Tirbeth¡¯s neck so much that it became a little difficult for her to breathe. ¡°No, my master is here! If you don¡¯t believe me, you can see for yourself.¡± He lifted his chin in the direction of the palace. ¡°Let¡¯s go see!¡± Tirbeth cried. Before Javan could stop her, she bounded toward the entrance of the palace in the far distance, forcing Javan and Anji to run to catch up. As they neared the towering archways, it became evident that Rao had been telling the truth. Several wood-paneled wagons were heading toward the stables, and there was a steady stream of dalanai nobles going into and exiting the palace, presumably to announce their presence and then seek out food and entertainment. Standing guard amongst them were dozens of delicious-looking dalanai wardens carrying blue and silver banners, emblazoned with the imperial star of Chalei. Tirbeth craned her sazi-wrapped neck as they entered the thicker mobs. She hoped that Tashau¡¯s face hadn¡¯t been torn up in the assassination attempt. She had first realized her love of dalanai men (especially those with brown hair like Tashau¡¯s) after seeing him those two winters ago. Oh, it would break her heart to see his beautiful face ruined. Instead, her heart leapt for joy when she saw Tashau exiting a gilded litter, the kada of Chalei shining brilliantly in his left hand. He was still handsome! Tashau waved and smiled at the crowds. He stood in full regalia, as was proper for such an occasion. The blue and black brocade of his robes was absolutely gorgeous against his white skin. Beneath his robes, Tirbeth knew his body to be so athletic and stunning that she could almost die just thinking about it¡ªespecially the times when she¡¯d seen him bend over, as he was doing now to grasp the hand of¡ª ¡°Augh!¡± Tirbeth screeched. ¡°I thought she was dead!¡± Empress Sorai, much gaunter than Tirbeth remembered, allowed Tashau to help her to her feet. ¡°Master and Mistress!¡± Rao trilled. ¡°She looks awful,¡± Javan breathed as the crowds began to shout and cheer in celebration over the star empress¡¯s preserved life. Tirbeth gnawed on her lip. While convalescing at Lanae Palace, Sorai had sat with her often and taught her how to embroider. She remembered watching Sorai during those quiet sessions and thinking that she was one of those women who was so pretty and nice that you couldn¡¯t help but like being around her, even if you wanted to be jealous. But not now. Tirbeth had always thought that Sorai¡¯s skin looked like she¡¯d been carved out of ivory. Now she looked as gray and used up as an old bar of soap. ¡°What a pity,¡± Anji murmured. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone so emaciated.¡± ¡°Mistress doesn¡¯t smell right anymore, either,¡± Rao grumbled. Javan shook his head and nudged Anji with his elbow, pointing as Tashau and Sorai vanished into the palace. ¡°That¡¯s why if you ever go to Chalei, you keep to the coast and stay out of the jungle. If it doesn¡¯t kill you, you come out looking like that.¡± *** ¡°Stupid idiot!¡± Zalas hissed as he watched Davim turn his naru around and weave his way dejectedly back through the teeming throngs that waited on the side of the road. ¡°I thought I told you to go around them. You¡¯re lucky that warden didn¡¯t bludgeon you to death!¡± Davim, whose face was red, jerked his hand away from his bruised crown. ¡°I did! The wardens have the city gates surrounded on both sides and are keeping the road cleared for some reason. Nobody is getting in or out.¡± Zalas sat up tall on the back of his naru and looked to his left, squinting at the palace complex a half-mile down the road, his irritation intensifying as the ceaseless buzz of the crowds burrowed relentlessly into his ears. ¡°The summit can¡¯t have already started.¡± They had to get into Marin somehow. He couldn¡¯t take the noise or the stench of these Naltite peasants for much longer. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it has,¡± Davim grumbled distractedly, digging for and finding a thick strip of jerky in one of his saddlebags. ¡°How can we tell what any of these Naltites are doing? If this were going on outside of Tijar, the hadirs would have had their¡ªwell, would you look at that!¡± A huge procession was beginning to crawl from between the city gates. At first Zalas thought it was some kind of parade meant only to delight all the squealing children in the crowds, but then he saw the dalanais marching on either side of the procession, bearing the blue banners of Chalei, and knew better. A glint of gold caught his eye toward the middle of the procession as an enormous curtained litter was carried from the shade of the city walls on the shoulders of at least a dozen servants, and the air became even more putrid with the sickeningly sweet stench of peasant-thrown flower petals. Davim stared open-mouthed. The strip of jerky he had been doggedly gnawing at fell from his lips and tumbled to the grass, where it was trampled by some fat Naltite. It was a pitiable waste of food, but it wasn¡¯t as though they had paid good money for it. The village by the sea had proven to be fruitful hunting grounds, and they had come away with more food than they could realistically carry. The only cost had been the life of a single grocer, whom they had murdered in his bedclothes after he had led them, at the end of Zalas¡¯s knife, to his tethered narus. Davim raised his good arm and pointed. ¡°There, in the litter. It¡¯s Anoth¡¯s whore!¡± he hissed. Zalas tilted his head and stared through the sheer blue silk of the litter¡¯s curtains. Davim was right; that was Sorai seated beside the star emperor. Only when she extended her hand from behind the curtain to wave at the crowds did Zalas realize her deteriorating state. The grayness of her skin was like those of the hadirs he¡¯d seen imprisoned who were intentionally starved to death. Anoth¡¯s endgame was still a mystery, but if he didn¡¯t act soon to reclaim his prize, he¡¯d end up taking home a puddle of gore to wed. ¡°Anoth is going to be furious when he finds out,¡± Davim whispered. ¡°What should we do? Should we try to take her back?¡± Zalas snorted. Although he couldn¡¯t be certain, he strongly suspected that with Sorai here, Anoth couldn¡¯t be far behind. He was probably lurking within a stone¡¯s throw, blending in with the Naltites, as he seemed to enjoy doing. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Our objective is to infiltrate Bakavoth Palace, find the witnesses, and go home.¡± Of course, the matter of finding these witnesses was still an unknown to Zalas. He glanced to the Orb, which still slumbered in the pouch hanging from his belt. It would not be wise to wake Verahi again, at least not until Zalas had the witnesses in his possession. Their last encounter had damn near killed him. But how would they obtain the witnesses without Verahi¡¯s direct¡ªno, he would not doubt. And yet, what if orm¨¦ was as diluted in the blood of the Naltites as it was in his own people? In Yalet, sons and daughters born beneath high houses were protected as long as they could breed. If it were the same here in this world, Zalas and Davim would have no chance of sneaking up upon a worthy candidate, more likely meeting a swift end at the hands of numerous bodyguards. And that was if there were any witnesses to be found at all. There was a distinct possibility that they would return to Yalet empty-handed, after which Zalas dared not imagine his fate. ¡°Anoth, that bastard!¡± Davim spat, interrupting Zalas¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Instead of traipsing through the jungle for all those weeks just to get his whore, we could have been relaxing in Tijar all winter long and simply come here and gone back home within a day! He did it just to torture us! We go through all that and the bitch ends up right here!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Zalas murmured. ¡°There¡¯s no point in complaining now that our trial is almost complete. If the Orb will truly direct us like a compass, finding the witnesses should prove to be a simple matter.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, very simple,¡± Davim sneered. ¡°We¡¯ll just trot into the complex at the tail end of this procession looking like this. Look at us both, proper nobles, what with all this dirt on our faces.¡± Though Zalas hated to admit it, Davim had a point. They had not bathed in weeks, and he had to grudgingly acknowledge that they might not smell much better than the mass of Naltite peasants. ¡°But if we go back home empty-handed we¡¯ll be passed off to some hadir,¡± Davim whined. ¡°It¡¯ll be Tovam, that albino prick.¡± Zalas¡¯s hands curled about his naru¡¯s reins until the leather cut soothingly into his skin. ¡°The Orb will know a witness when it senses one. We should get inside Marin and make preparations. We¡¯re eshtans, just like they are. We just need to look like their nobles.¡± Davim let loose a furious, yet despairing laugh. ¡°How are we supposed to blend in with a bunch of Naltite nobles even if we¡¯re clean and wearing the proper clothes? Surely, they all know each other, and we have no crests on our foreheads.¡± Zalas gazed at the end of the dalanai procession, which was now far off in the distance. Faintly blaring horns signaled its entrance into the palace complex. That was where they needed to go, and there was no room for failure. If even one crest was required to gain access to the witnesses, they would have one, even if Zalas had to burn it into Davim¡¯s forehead himself. Chapter Twenty-seven Chapter 27 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace Sorai struggled to keep up as Tashau pulled her into the palace foyer, where a trio of waiting wardens, dressed in different-colored uniforms, proceeded to shepherd them down a cavernous hall. The palace was empty, save for a handful of servants, but they and the d¨¦cor moved by in a blur as she was swept past them. Finally, the three accompanying wardens¡ªthe high chief wardens of Judath, Chalei, and Xeshun, Sorai realized¡ªparted a pair of red curtains at the end of the hall and motioned for them to enter. She felt the smooth silk of the curtains brush lightly against her cheek, then found herself standing just yards away from Naltena, who was painted upon the vast stained glass window that encompassed the atrium¡¯s far wall. Naltena¡¯s serene visage had always been a comfort to Sorai, but this time there was something overwhelming about the light that shone through the jewel-toned panels. Sorai¡¯s eyes flitted up to Naltena¡¯s forehead, where three circular dots stood in a row. She would never forget that crest again. How many times had the cultist made her stare at the same tattoo on his forehead, proclaiming himself to be the Dread God? ¡°Sorai!¡± Ravad stepped into her line of sight, breaking her connection with Naltena. He hugged her fiercely, lifting her right off the floor, and the pressure against her skin caused her scars to burn. ¡°Go easy on her,¡± Tashau admonished from behind Ravad¡¯s shoulder, which was squishing Sorai¡¯s face. ¡°She still hasn¡¯t fully recovered.¡± ¡°Ah yes. Sorry, Tash!¡± Ravad set Sorai to her feet and steadied her when she stumbled over her now woefully tangled skirts. ¡°I¡¯m just relieved that you¡¯re safe! How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± In truth, the trip had greatly fatigued her. The ache in her bones was almost constant, and her doctors were still unsure what had caused her seizures. Thankfully, they had all arrived at the summit without further incident, and everything would be better now that they were no longer on the move. Perhaps even her appetite would return with some rest. Ravad opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by Angxa, the emperor of Xeshun, who cleared his throat loudly. ¡°Need I remind you that all of these pleasantries should have happened days ago, Ravad?¡± Angxa¡¯s voice easily pierced the heavy green brocade of his veils. ¡°We are all grateful that Emperor Tashau and his wife are safe and have arrived, however late. But now we must unseal the chamber and complete the blessing. My people will need to get indoors and out of the sunlight if they are to survive the summit.¡± Sorai looked to the floor. Angxa was right to rush them. Ordinarily on the first day of the summit, the lesser nobles were made to wait outside of the palace for only an hour or two while the blessing was performed, and only in the morning, when the sun was not too high and the heat not so oppressive. Today, the engstaxi nobles had been stuck outside since breakfast, probably to the detriment of their health. ¡°Apologies, Angxa.¡± Ravad smiled thinly before joining Tashau and Angxa in front of the entrance of Naltena¡¯s Chamber. The hinged, silver-plated doors were sealed by a broad sheet of molded gold¡ªsome sort of engstaxi lock mechanism. Spiraling out from the lock, were thousands of interconnecting glyphs, most of which were too small for Sorai to make out, much less read. It was hard not to notice how tall Tashau was compared to the other two emperors, even though they all wore the same style of black dalmatic over their formal robes. On the twenty-odd occasions Sorai had waited in this same atrium and watched Tashau perform these rites, he had physically changed very little. In contrast, the emperors of the other continents came and went, aging and dying as the years progressed, especially the relatively short-lived engstaxis. Something settled on Sorai¡¯s shoulder, and she nearly leapt from her skin. Shetsi, the empress of Xeshun, retracted her gloved hand. She must have been hiding behind the high chief wardens, who had moved off to stand with the emperors. ¡°Sorai, hello,¡± Shetsi murmured. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I startled you.¡± Her face was covered by many layers of veils, and her eyes were framed by dark-lensed spectacles. Sorai half smiled. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe,¡± Shetsi continued. ¡°When Angxa told me what happened in Chalei, I couldn¡¯t stop¡ª¡± She cut herself short as Angxa made an irritated noise. She bowed her head and jerked her hand toward the others. ¡°They¡¯re starting. I¡ª¡± She hesitated and then hissed, ¡°We will need to talk¡ªwhen they¡¯ve finished.¡± Sorai watched as Shetsi slipped away, a little surprised by the urgency in her voice, but put it aside as Tashau, Ravad, and Angxa raised their now free hands and worked their patterns, each producing a small globe of colored light. They faced each other, bringing their hands together, and the blue, red, and green patterns they held swirled and condensed, blending into a glowing white orb. It hovered above Tashau¡¯s outstretched palm as Ravad and Angxa pulled their hands away. Tashau raised the globe up to the locking mechanism. A surge of cold rushed through Sorai. She rubbed at her chest, attempting to ease the sudden ache, but stopped when she began to see those awful strings of silver again, flowing from the temples of Tashau and Ravad like loose silk and even weaving their way through Angxa¡¯s hood. Not now, Sorai told herself, gritting her teeth. Tashau stepped forward and rolled the globe of light from his fingers, somehow forcing it into the doors¡¯ lock mechanism. The gears clicked rapidly as the pattern¡¯s glow spread out from the center of the lock and into the doors, diffusing through the glyphs like ink through water. The clicking ceased and the lock popped apart, unsealing Naltena¡¯s Chamber. The emperors turned to receive their respective kadas from the bowing wardens, after which Tashau pushed the doors open. Sorai shielded her face and looked away, overwhelmed by the silver light that spilled out from the chamber entrance. She couldn¡¯t remember it being this bright before. She forced herself to move forward, feeling for and finding Tashau¡¯s sleeve, and allowed herself to be led into the chamber. Gradually, the intense glare of the sun beaming down from the circular skylight lessened, and the room was once again as she remembered it. The alabaster walls of the vast chamber were no longer unbearably bright, and the large, silver throne no longer glared down at her from the dais so harshly. Sorai automatically let go of Tashau¡¯s sleeve and backed away from him as he moved to stand in formation with Ravad and Angxa before the throne. In part, it was the throne that made the air itself always seem alive with Naltena¡¯s lingering presence, even after nine hundred years. It was where Naltena once presided in the flesh, where she had selected the very first emperors and presented them with their kadas. The most sacred, foundational elements of their religion had been revealed while Naltena sat in that throne. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. At the foot of the throne stood a thin, three-pronged stand, crafted to resemble three braids of ivy growing from their golden base, each metal coil bursting with gilded leaves and quartz blossoms. The stand was built to hold the three kadas erect throughout the duration of the summit, as it had during and after Naltena¡¯s personal reign. The goddess never wielded the kadas¡ªrefused to even touch them, in fact¡ªbut she kept them close as a reminder to the emperors that the kadas belonged to her and her alone, and she could take them back as she pleased. While held erect in the stand, it was undeniable that the kadas were brothers, each fashioned out of gold and marked with complicated, angular glyphs, but much like their masters, there were marked differences between them. Sorai was very familiar with the kada of Chalei, having seen it every day in her home. She was not familiar with the other kadas, only glimpsing them once every three years. The kada of Judath was set with a perfect, spherical ruby, bright and finely polished. The kada of Xeshun was not so inviting, with the pyramidal emerald at its tip, glaring refracted light at her maliciously. The emperors knelt, no longer obstructing Sorai¡¯s view of the dais. Now, standing mere feet from the throne, she noticed for the first time that every inch of its frame was covered with glyphs and opal cabochons, aside from the black taffeta on its seat. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you kneeling with us?¡± Tashau demanded, reaching up to catch her wrist in a tight grip. As he attempted to pull her to the floor, she looked down at him and suppressed a scream. His face was just a mask of glowing white points! She wrenched her hand from him, rubbing wildly at her eyes to get rid of the spots, but the points continued to spread down his neck and through his clothes like a noxious cloud. Soon the particles were in the walls and the floor, even in the air she breathed. Tashau caught Sorai¡¯s arm again and pulled her down to his level, leaning in so close that his breath felt hot in her ear. ¡°Now is not the time,¡± he whispered in a futile attempt to avoid distracting the others. ¡°Look at me. Calm down.¡± His expression was fierce. How could she possibly calm down? The glitter had become a fog of light, obscuring everything from her view except for Tashau¡¯s masked face. ¡°But my eyes¡ªI keep seeing¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to begin the first prayer,¡± Tashau hissed. ¡°It won¡¯t take long. You¡¯ll manage.¡± Sorai reluctantly allowed herself to fall to her knees, and slowly scooted behind Tashau to move into position beside Shetsi, who was already kneeling face down. Sorai similarly prostrated herself, spreading her hands in front of her as her nose touched the floor. Oh Goddess, the backs of her eyelids had become nothing but glitter! ¡°Great Naltena,¡± the three emperors intoned in unison, ¡°we come together to celebrate the passage of this three year cycle of peace. We honor our ancestors and beg your . . . .¡± Even with her eyes closed, Sorai could still see through to her palms, and through them all the way to the floor. Why was this happening, and why didn¡¯t anyone else notice? She flinched as her ears were assaulted by a sharp scrape of metal against metal. The wardens, kneeling in a row behind her, were pulling their sabers from their scabbards. In solemn voices, they contributed their portion of the prayer. ¡°We offer up our strength and steel for your blessings, Naltena, for we acknowledge that . . . .¡± Sorai was mad; there was no other explanation. This was just another hallucination. That¡¯s why nobody else could see the light that engulfed them. First there were the strings everywhere and now this. She had to make them go away. She had to! Shetsi nudged Sorai sharply in the arm. Even before Shetsi lowered her veil, Sorai could see the glittered outline of her lips and teeth as they formed a concerned frown. ¡°It¡¯s your turn,¡± Shetsi mouthed. Had Shetsi spoken her line of the prayer already? Oh no! Sorai¡¯s mind raced to find the words she had practiced a thousand times already. She couldn¡¯t fail at this one simple thing. ¡°A-a-and . . . w-we offer up our love to you, wise Naltena . . . in, uh, gratitude for your guiding hand throughout our dreaming and the dreaming of your messenger, the Nass¨¦ . . . . Please bless us with submissive hearts, so that we may, um, continue to receive the gift of your knowledge in our sleep.¡± When it was over, Sorai drew in a shuddering breath, her tears pooling on the floor, forming a gleaming circle of light. Ravad stood proxy for his late wife Arja in reciting the last lines of the prayer, but Sorai heard none of it. When the prayer was finished, Sorai stood shakily with the others and wiped her face dry before anybody could see. Behind her, the wardens sheathed their weapons then bowed to the emperors, their participation complete. They moved to take their positions at the entrance of the chamber, where they were to stand as symbolic guards, but Sorai only saw their lighted bodies vanish into the swarming white mists. She rubbed at her eyes frantically, and the glitter blinked once, then twice out of view, only to come back again the next instant. Why was this happening? Tashau suddenly gripped her shoulder from behind. He leaned close and whispered, ¡°Whatever it is that¡¯s bothering you, ignore it until we¡¯ve finished.¡± Sorai sucked in a wet breath. She wanted to look back up at him but couldn¡¯t bear to. He was angry, and probably rightly so. ¡°Look at me,¡± Tashau hissed. ¡°Ravad wants to give you the honor of setting Judath¡¯s kada in Arja¡¯s place. Calm down.¡± Sorai dared to look at Ravad, who now stood on the dais beside Angxa and Shetsi. For Ravad to ask her to hold the kada of Judath in place of his late wife was a show of supreme respect; and to not do him this favor would be an equally supreme insult. ¡°Sorai,¡± Tashau urged more firmly. Sorai squeezed her eyes shut and gouged her thumbs into them, rubbing hard enough that they hurt. When she looked up again, the glitter gradually faded from view, although the strings from Tashau¡¯s temples continued to flow. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she sighed, her hands still trembling. Tashau stared down at her, clearly unconvinced. In the end, he took her arm and led her up the dais. Angxa began the placement rite by moving to Shetsi and thrusting the kada of Xeshun into her waiting hands. He pressed the thumb of his left hand against the kada¡¯s handle, his eyes narrowing, and the kada¡¯s glyphs flared white. A sharp string of pain shot through Sorai¡¯s forehead. As Shetsi raised the kada and lowered it into the stand, Sorai¡¯s muscles tightened involuntarily, a hot blaze radiating down her neck, through her chest, and into her arms. This spasm was much worse than her previous ones¡ªit hurt too much to breathe! The blue and black of Tashau¡¯s robes blocked Sorai¡¯s view, and she knew it was her turn. Tashau lifted the kada of Chalei for her to take, and she forced herself to reach for it with both hands. She gripped it tight, her nails finding the grooves of the glyphs, and suddenly, a strange, cool pleasure tingled across her skin. There was something about the kada¡ªsomething between the gold and glitter. Tashau pressed his left thumb to the kada, releasing it into Sorai¡¯s possession at the same time, and the glyphs flickered then lit. ¡°Ah!¡± A sharp, blistering heat seared across Sorai¡¯s palms, as if she had put them into an open flame. She threw the kada from her and shrank back as Tashau dove for it but missed. It fell to the dais with a deafening crash, and the pain coursing through her body seemed to mute temporarily as Tashau glared up at her in both shock and fury. After only a moment of hesitation, Sorai turned and leapt from the dais, fleeing the chamber and into the disorienting light of the atrium, past the surprised wardens, ignoring the furious shouts of her husband as he called for her to return. She ran hard and fast until her lungs heaved with fire and every ensuing passage became just a smear around her. ¡°Empress!¡± Someone caught Sorai¡¯s arm, nearly jerking it from its socket. It was her handmaiden, Aila. Sorai had ended up in the palace¡¯s guest wing. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Empress? Are you unwell? Let me get you undressed and take you to your bed.¡± Sorai obeyed, albeit shakily, allowing her handmaiden to lead her into the open suite. ¡°Oh my! Let¡¯s wash those hands. They¡¯re so dirty!¡± Dirty? Sorai flexed her fingers, cringing at the hot throb that radiated clear up to her elbows. Her fingers were swollen and sticky-wet. ¡°Please get out,¡± Sorai whimpered. Aila set down the ewer she had used to fill the basin with water. ¡°I beg your pardon, Empress?¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Sorai screeched. ¡°Get out now!¡± Aila gaped in stupefied silence, and then bolted from the room, allowing the doors to slam shut behind her. Sorai crashed to her knees and raised her quaking hands amidst spasmodic sobs. She didn¡¯t understand¡ªit wasn¡¯t possible! The kada had done this to her. Her palms were burned, and where she had touched the glyphs there was no skin left at all, only bleeding lacerations. But the blood¡ªit wasn¡¯t normal. It was as black as pitch. Chapter Twenty-eight Chapter 28 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The Temple of Marin Kirin held the bar of soap up to the dim light and resumed normal focus, placing her gold-bladed knife down on her desk at the same time. Why wasn¡¯t the soap foaming yet? Her carved glyph looked right. She glanced at her classmates, many of whom were already delighting in all the waterless suds that spewed from their bars of soap. She snatched up the glyph diagram she had been working from, compared it to what she had just carved, and then saw immediately that she had jumbled up the stroke order of the glyph¡¯s execution radical. She crunched the paper up in her fist and proceeded to snap the bar of soap in half. Binding orm¨¦ was stupid, useless! ¡°Are we having difficulties, Kirin?¡± Kirin cringed. Of course Batem would notice her mangling their project for the day. She faked a laugh and gently set the two broken halves of the bar on top of the pile of shavings on her desk. Without another word, Batem produced another gray bar of soap from his sleeve and passed it to her, then left her to start over. Kirin watched him go, glowering. She hated being trapped in this study, always under his careful watch. She should have never told him about her nightmares. Every time she even started to doze, there he was, prodding her to stay awake. And even after a week, she could not stop thinking about Javan. Any time she allowed her mind to wander for even a second, it returned to the one moment they had shared, in that warm embrace. She missed him. She missed all those trips back to Marin and the long conversations they used to have about everything and nothing. She couldn¡¯t even look at steamed milk cakes anymore without seeing his smiling, bespectacled face hovering over them. Javan had finally stopped sending notes to her house, and she wondered if he hated her. He was right to if he did, but she couldn¡¯t risk his presence causing her nightmares to get worse. She would be no good to him broken, so there was really no way for them to be together anyway, at least according to Batem. Now Javan was free to find whoever he was truly psyche bound to. They¡¯d both be happier in the end. But the damage might have already been done. Kirin¡¯s nightmares hadn¡¯t grown noticeably worse, but they hadn¡¯t gone away, either. She wondered if Anji and Tirbeth were still in rough shape. She felt bad about cutting off all communication with them, too, but it was the only way that she wouldn¡¯t be forced to make their situations worse with her useless elucidations. Besides, her repentance process had to be focused to be effective. Kirin lifted her knife to begin her carving anew, but was interrupted as a high priest, recognizable by his feathered headdress, entered the study and spoke with Batem in hushed tones. After a few moments, they both stared directly at Kirin. Uh oh. ¡°Candidate Kirin, please come with us,¡± Batem mumbled, a tight smile pulling at his face. Kirin set down her knife, her pulse drumming in her throat. The high priests had finally discovered her secret! Had Batem told them about her sins and nightmares? Shakily, she grabbed her satchel and tossed it over her shoulder. She followed the priests into the dim, tiled hallway outside and was surprised to find herself standing amidst several other girls. Many of them she knew from her classes¡ªstudents in the year before her own¡ªbut some were much younger. This wasn¡¯t just about her, then. Batem placed a hand upon Kirin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re to follow that high priest to the Chamber of Dreaming,¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°Be on your best behavior. The Nass¨¦ has invited every candidate to have an audience with her.¡± ¡°Why would the Nass¨¦ do something like that?¡± Kirin whispered back numbly. But Batem was already pushing her down the hall as the high priest led the way. Kirin furrowed her brow as she trailed after the other girls, who were chattering excitedly about getting to meet the Nass¨¦. They were hurried down the main staircase toward the lobby. When they reached the temple¡¯s main floor, they were led brusquely through the forbidden passage and up the long, winding stairs at its end. By the time they finally reached that last landing at the top of the stairs, Kirin was hugging her middle, where painful stitches gnawed into her sides without mercy. She couldn¡¯t tell if they came from the long journey up the stairs or her nerves from having to see the Nass¨¦ again. The others seemed just as tired, but there was no time to recover. More high priests greeted them at the entrance of the curved gallery and ushered the group into the short, mirrored hall. At its end, the wide, silver doors of the Chamber of Dreaming were already open. As they approached the chamber entrance, Kirin could see all of the Nass¨¦¡¯s attendant priestesses inside as well as a group of senior acolytes dressed in gray, all facing the bed at various angles. Xinthi herself was not on her bed, and instead was pacing around it, her loose robes leaving large swaths of her skin exposed to the sunlight. One of the high priests brushed past Kirin just as she and the other students entered the chamber. ¡°Your Holiness, what are you doing out in the light? You must cover yourself! The sun¡ª¡± Xinthi raised a hand, already pink with sunburn, and the doors slammed shut with a deafening boom behind Kirin, causing her to freeze mid-stride. Outside, the remaining high priests began to bang at the doors, demanding to be let in, but none dared move to do so. ¡°Are these the last of the candidates?¡± Xinthi demanded of the lone high priest still in the chamber. The priest stood rigid, his lips parted and twitching. ¡°Well, yes, but¡ª¡± ¡°Good,¡± Xinthi hissed with a note of venom, and the high priest bowed shakily. She turned from him to face the nervous candidates partially surrounding her. ¡°I deeply regret that the candidates from Xeshun and Chalei could not be here as well, but Judath¡¯s candidates will have to suffice.¡± She resumed her pacing. ¡°Now that you have all been gathered, and a witness is in attendance, we will begin.¡± Begin? Begin what? Kirin glanced around at the other candidates, who stood in a ragged half circle three rows deep. Beside the older priestesses, who looked tense, the chronicler¡¯s desk sat empty, spilled ink drying on its writing surface. Where was the chronicler? Xinthi chuckled, the sound frightening and unnatural. She lifted her chin and stared straight up at the skylight, tears beginning to streak down her cheeks. No one dared to speak, nor did anybody move to stop Xinthi from blinding her engstaxi eyes. ¡°My burdens have been lifted.¡± She thumped herself in the chest with rigid fingers several times. ¡°Naltena has chosen to speak to me in the flesh, and not merely through the symbols of a dream!¡± To see symbols of Naltena in dreams was common, to be shown things by her more common still, but an actual visitation? Kirin shifted uneasily on her feet as the high priest and acolytes cooed in unquestioning wonder. This proclamation was unprecedented¡ªa sign of something miraculous at such an auspicious time. Had Naltena returned? ¡°I have seen the glories of the Mother Star, and I have seen Naltena¡¯s face!¡± Xinthi cried out in shrill zeal. ¡°She is more radiant and silver than the sun itself¡ªmore beautiful and wise than even the greatest of our previous Nass¨¦s have described. Truly, she is the creator of us all¡ªthe very mother of our psyches, the provider of our spirits, and the savior of our very world! And she has chosen me¡ªme¡ªto be her messenger¡ªto call forth a new age!¡± Xinthi lowered her chin, and her eyes were like a pair of wide rubies rattling loose in their settings. It sounded miraculous but Kirin only felt dread. She wished for Xinthi¡¯s words to ring true, but could not ignore the manic look in the Nass¨¦¡¯s eyes or the flecks of spit flying uncontrollably from her lips. Xinthi¡¯s blissful reverie suddenly turned to despair as she burst into sharp sobs. She knuckled her cheeks dry, chafing the blistered, burned skin until it bled. ¡°But while I am so blessed, the goddess also comes to chastise me, to call for my repentance. No longer am I under the goddess¡¯s protection, and every night I receive my punishment for failing to discern Naltena¡¯s will and withholding her messages. I am compelled to confess my sins and the nightmares that I am sent, despite my station.¡± Xinthi paused only briefly before looking at the candidates with a cold, serene stare. ¡°But we all know that I am not the only one with these nightmares.¡± ¡°Why are you speaking this way, Holiness?¡± the high priest demanded from behind the rows of women. His expression was one of confusion and anger. Xinthi ignored him and swiveled around. She shuffled to her bed and parted the curtains. Those who had a clear view into the bed gasped. The Nass¨¦ calmly reached into the shadows with both hands, and with decidedly unengstaxi-like strength dragged the broken body of the chronicler from the mattress and to the floor with a loud thud. The dalanai¡¯s lip was split, and her eyes were blackened. She had been beaten with such force and brutality that even when her mouth opened to scream, only a rasping burst of air escaped. The candidates and priestesses broke their loose formation, panicking. ¡°My chronicler has sinned and has been punished,¡± Xinthi sneered, foisting the chronicler up by her torn collar. ¡°How could you?¡± the high priest breathed. ¡°It was necessary,¡± Xinthi declared, her voice hollow, weary. ¡°And now she must confess in front of these candidates so that all may know that they cannot hide their sins from me. All must confess and be punished if they are to be saved.¡± Kirin looked at once to the exit. Xinthi was insane! If she could just get close enough¡ªmake a run for it¡ªanything! But the pounding on the doors seemed to indicate that no one was getting in or out of the room until the Nass¨¦ allowed it. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°The sun emperor was right about you!¡± the high priest stammered, backing away from the group. ¡°I¡¯m putting an end to this!¡± He dashed toward the doors, but Xinthi lifted her hand, and her pattern weaving was so fast that Kirin didn¡¯t even have the chance to blink before the arc of lightning scorched into the high priest¡¯s back, immediately filling the entire chamber with an acrid, hot stench. The priest fell, twitching and screaming, to the floor, and when Xinthi seemed satisfied, the pattern was released. The agonized sobs of the priest that followed were but whimpers compared to the shrieking of Kirin and the others. ¡°I am on the goddess¡¯s errand!¡± Xinthi spat, turning to face the candidates. ¡°Try to run¡ªtry to work orm¨¦ against me, your prophetess, and I will burn you where you stand! Now all of you be silent!¡± The women readily obeyed. There was no other choice. Kirin¡¯s basic training in orm¨¦ was no match for the Nass¨¦¡¯s power or her callousness¡ªKirin would be fried like a poji in a pan if she tried anything. If only her father were here; he could outmatch Xinthi and put a stop to this madness! ¡°Now, Chronicler,¡± Xinthi purred, directing her attention back to the trembling woman kneeling at her feet, ¡°confess to the others as you confessed to me.¡± The chronicler grimaced and spat blood on the floor. When Xinthi raised her free hand, the chronicler cowed and sobbed through swollen, bleeding lips, ¡°I¡¯ve had nightmares¡ªsince winter!¡± Nightmares. Kirin paled even further. If the chronicler had been having nightmares just like Kirin and the Nass¨¦ then¡ªoh no! Kirin looked again to the others. The priestesses and acolytes, even the young girls, were staring in horror and shame. ¡°Go on,¡± Xinthi pressed. ¡°It is the same every night. I am in a grove that turns into a desert, and I am so thirsty,¡± the chronicler wept. ¡°A man appears with a flask of water and brings me to an oasis, but the water in the oasis is poison! I try to get away, but he drowns me! Every night!¡± Kirin covered her mouth as it opened wide. The shadow maker! ¡°And you tried to hide these things from me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Xinthi cooed, stroking the chronicler¡¯s bruised cheek. ¡°You would sip my ketas root tea and thought that I would never notice it on your breath. But we engstaxis notice everything, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the chronicler wailed. Xinthi shoved the chronicler to the floor, stepping around her limp, sobbing form in order to address the women and girls. ¡°Now then,¡± she chimed as she quickly worked another pattern. A transparent whip, undulating like a live, glass-scaled serpent, solidified in her hand. ¡°Which one of you will confess next?¡± None dared to speak, least of all Kirin, who prayed with all of her might to simply vanish from this room. ¡°Very well,¡± Xinthi sighed. She grabbed a priestess, almost at random, and threw her to the floor. With a vicious lash, the priestess¡¯s robes split, leaving behind a gorge of ruined flesh across her back. ¡°Confess!¡± The priestess cried out, clutching at her back, but she did not flee or fight. ¡°Yes! A black-eyed man comes to me in my dreams! He takes me to his bed and smothers me with a pillow!¡± The shadow maker again! Why were all of these candidates dreaming of Anoth? It didn¡¯t make any sense that they¡¯d all be so full of premarital sin that they¡¯d all have nightmares. This wasn¡¯t right. The shadow maker wasn¡¯t a symbol; he was a plague! The Nass¨¦ dipped her chin in a nod, before she proceeded to lay blow after vicious blow to the now shrieking priestess. Each time she drew back the glass whip to strike, it splattered streaks of blood across Xinthi¡¯s robes. The rest of the priestesses and acolytes looked on in wordless horror. Kirin couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. What was the Nass¨¦ trying to accomplish and was there really no one to save them? Finally, Xinthi abandoned the broken priestess and looped the blood-coated whip about her shoulder. ¡°Punishment for your sin.¡± Xinthi then moved with methodical malice toward the next priestess, pulling her from the group. This woman needed no compelling. She dropped to her knees and immediately sobbed, ¡°Please don¡¯t! I¡¯ve had nightmares, too! I¡¯m out cold and hungry, but a man comes and brings me to an inn. He gives me food, but when I¡¯m full he forces me to eat more. He crams it down my throat until I choke to death!¡± Xinthi nodded, and without a word she proceeded to lash this priestess as well, before moving on to the next and then the next. Each candidate confessed to nightmares, where the shadow maker appeared in form after different form, and each candidate was lashed in turn. Soon the whole room stunk of blood, and the floor was littered with torn, bleeding priestesses. With only a handful of girls and women left standing, Xinthi caught the arm of the youngest, a twelve-year-old, and dragged her from amidst the cowing acolytes. ¡°Confess!¡± She tossed the girl to the floor and raised that awful whip again. ¡°But I don¡¯t know anything about nightmares!¡± the girl sobbed. ¡°Of course you have had nightmares. Now confess!¡± ¡°No!¡± the little girl screamed, scooting away from Xinthi through the blood. ¡°I haven¡¯t had any!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Xinthi snarled, stalking after the girl like a wild padu. ¡°The goddess has told me that all daughters of the eighth house are sullied and must be saved! Confess or you will be thrust to the void!¡± The little girl shook her head, sobbing haltingly, ¡°But I¡¯m a daughter of the seventh house! The seventh!¡± Xinthi parted from her mania for a moment, a bemused expression on her blood-splattered face, but all too quickly it soured with rage and determination. She swept past the girl and flung her blistered talon of a hand out to the wounded high priest. ¡°Your naming crystal! Now!¡± The high priest reached into his dalmatic, fumbling out a long, thin wand made out of quartz, each of its six sides carved with a string of glyphs. Xinthi snatched it from his outstretched hand and stormed back over to the girl. ¡°You think you can conceal your house, but I will force the truth out of you!¡± She hauled the girl up to her flailing feet and pressed the crystal to her forehead, and almost at once it flared a brilliant blue. Xinthi seemed at first surprised, then irritated. ¡°Well, well. The blood of the child was red¡ªalways red. You are a daughter of the seventh house, indeed. It appears that you are blameless.¡± She thrust the girl back to the floor and returned to the other priestesses. Now she began to test each one with the naming crystal before torturing them, and all were revealed by the wand¡¯s red glow to be daughters of the eighth house, just like Xinthi. Just like Anji and Tirbeth. The eighth house was the one thing they all had in common. Their house had to have something to do with the nightmares! But what? Kirin wasn¡¯t a daughter of the eighth house, but she was having nightmares just like the rest. They couldn¡¯t all be sullied. There had to be some rational explanation. This insanity had to stop! ¡°Nass¨¦, please no more!¡± Kirin screeched. ¡°They haven¡¯t done anything. None of us have!¡± Xinthi looked up after laying a vicious kick to an acolyte¡¯s gut, seemingly having grown weary with just the whip. ¡°Ah, Kirin Toredath! Anxious for your turn, are we?¡± Kirin scrambled to get away, but Xinthi caught her arm, wrenching it hard enough that Kirin¡¯s legs crumpled to ease the pain. She saw the whip held high, as red as Xinthi¡¯s gleaming eyes, and was paralyzed. ¡°Please don¡¯t!¡± ¡°You know well that I must do this,¡± Xinthi seethed. ¡°You alone have seen my nightmare. I finally understand its meanings, don¡¯t you see? Naltena has shown me everything!¡± ¡°Please let me help you!¡± Kirin pleaded. ¡°I can elucidate for you again!¡± ¡°Everyone marvels over the tragedy that befell the star emperor and empress. But I foresaw it all! A woman with a diadem on an altar, sacrificed by the goddess and left to roam the shadows with the Dread God for eternity. Who is that but the star empress? I saw the servants of Anoth undertaking to restore their god with the help of the candidates, and Naltena has given me the mandate to stop any of this from happening.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mad!¡± Kirin screamed. ¡°The Dread God is dead!¡± ¡°Now confess,¡± Xinthi rasped. Kirin sucked in a sob and said nothing. She didn¡¯t want to be beaten. There was no way she was going to confess anything to this deranged woman. Xinthi shook Kirin¡¯s shoulders hard enough to knock her teeth together. ¡°You answer with silence? You have lied to me once already, while looking me in the eyes. Do not lie again!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not having nightmares!¡± Kirin blurted out. But she knew she could never get away with it. ¡°I told you not to lie to me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not! I¡¯ve had no nightmares!¡± Xinthi glared hard at Kirin, every muscle in her face vibrating in certain fury. ¡°Daughter of the ninth house,¡± she muttered, glancing at the orange glow of the naming crystal. Snorting in disdain, she flung down the naming crystal and Kirin along with it. Kirin felt the wind burst from her lungs as she hit the floor. Xinthi believed her! She held still as Xinthi moved on to her last victims. Finally, every priestess and acolyte, save for Kirin and the little girl of the seventh house, lay beaten and bloody at Xinthi¡¯s feet, weeping or attempting to nurse the wounds of their more severely injured sisters. Xinthi paced amongst them, the red of their blood streaking her white hair. This crazed, evil woman was no longer Kirin¡¯s prophetess, if she ever had been. ¡°If you¡¯ve finished, let us go!¡± Kirin shouted. Xinthi turned her head slowly. Her eyes were empty. ¡°It is just as well that you are here as witness. You will tell the emperors, then.¡± ¡°Tell them what?¡± Kirin challenged as she picked herself up. ¡°That you¡¯re insane?¡± ¡°Tell them we were wrong,¡± Xinthi murmured regretfully. ¡°Our pride has made us blind to too many of Naltena¡¯s warnings. We held ourselves above nightmares, above reproach, and your generation will suffer for our hubris.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Kirin said. Xinthi half-smiled, revealing her pointed teeth, and held her hands out to her sides. ¡°Come to me, my sisters,¡± she declared loudly. ¡°Understand that I have only done what I was commanded to do. I love you all, and you are forgiven.¡± Kirin stared numbly as all the brutalized candidates went to Xinthi, hobbling or crawling, and accepted her and the others in a collective embrace. Xinthi raised one hand up high, and once again, her red eyes bored into Kirin¡¯s with piercing intensity. ¡°You will tell the emperors everything.¡± There was a loud crunching sound, and Kirin jerked her head up just in time to see the glass dome above Xinthi and the others splinter and crack, all the fractures spreading across the surface of the skylight in a web. Kirin immediately remembered the sky shattering in Xinthi¡¯s dream and knew what she was trying to do. She intended to fulfil the end of her nightmare by her own hand. Kirin shifted focus, desperate to try to mend the glass before it was too late, but she panicked, unable to recall the pattern, and lost sight of the primal matter just as the skylight burst. Kirin fell back with a startled cry, catching hold of the girl of the seventh house beside her and scooting rapidly with her into the wall as the glass cascaded to the floor with an earsplitting smash. All too quickly the shrieking of the candidates was silenced, and there was no sound left, save for Kirin¡¯s halting breath. When she opened her eyes all she could see at first was red. Then shapes and sounds returned, and through the wailing of the girl she had saved, she heard the shouts of the high priests as they were finally able to open the unbarred doors and spill into the chamber. But then the girl wailed alone as the priests were met with the macabre display, unable to move closer due to the shards of glass that had shredded the bed and the bodies in a perfect circle. The Nass¨¦ and all her candidates were dead. Chapter Twenty-nine Chapter 29 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace ¡°Please stop bleeding!¡± Sorai scrubbed furiously at the black ooze seeping from her ruined hands, even as the water in the porcelain washbasin clouded as though with ink. Despite what her eyes told her, she knew these wounds were just another hallucination, just like the strings of silver or the white mist down in Naltena¡¯s Chamber. But the pain was very real. As the bleeding seemed to slow, she pulled her trembling hands from the water and stared at the gray gashes crisscrossing her palms. The way the wounds curved¡ªthey almost looked like glyphs. Were these imprints from the kada she had held? Her shoulders hunched reflexively as the doors of the suite unlatched and slid open. ¡°I thought I told you to get out,¡± she growled, expecting to see Aila as she looked back, but was instead met by Tashau¡¯s silhouette in the doorway. She quickly put her hands back into the basin, submerging them. Hallucination or not, she did not want Tashau to see what she was doing. ¡°You need to explain what happened in Naltena¡¯s Chamber.¡± Tashau¡¯s expression was stern and frightening. ¡°I managed to placate the others with an excuse about your exhaustion from our travels, but you know better than to defile one of our most sacred rites! What were you thinking?¡± Sorai gulped down her tears in an effort to calm herself. Why did Tashau always have to appear whenever she felt at her worst? She silently willed him to turn around and walk away¡ªat least long enough for her current hallucination to stop. ¡°Now you won¡¯t even speak to me? I don¡¯t have much time before I must meet with Ravad and Angxa again. Tell me why you threw down the kada and abandoned the rites!¡± Sorai gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut. She wanted to look calm, to find some suitable explanation for why she had fled, but her tears would not stop flowing, and no matter how hard she tried not to shake, her muscles refused to obey. She flexed her fingers in the water, hoping that the cuts had disappeared, but the pain radiated all the way up her arms. ¡°I need help!¡± she pleaded. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Tashau asked, approaching quickly. Sorai hesitated, then pulled her wet hands out from the basin to show them to Tashau. ¡°Can you see them too?¡± she quavered. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Tashau issued a startled cry and leapt away from her. ¡°What is this?¡± Sorai¡¯s heart sank. Tashau¡¯s reaction confirmed her worst fears; she wasn¡¯t hallucinating. ¡°What have you done to your hands?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do this, the kada did!¡± Sorai wheezed, hardly believing the words coming from her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Tashau countered. ¡°When I touched it, it burned me!¡± ¡°Nonsense! What did you cut yourself with?¡± he demanded, looking over her shoulder. ¡°Just listen to me! When you lit the kada, it¡ª¡± Tashau caught one of her wrists in a fierce grip. ¡°What are these¡ªglyphs? Why are they so gray?¡± He looked to the basin. ¡°Is that ink? Are you trying to tattoo yourself?¡± ¡°No, of course not!¡± Sorai wailed up at him. ¡°Why would I¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already tried to throw yourself into the sea!¡± Tashau roared. ¡°Why do you insist on harming yourself?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie about this!¡± Sorai cried out. How could he deny what was right in front of him? ¡°Look at me.¡± Tashau gripped Sorai¡¯s shoulders hard, looking at her directly in the eyes. ¡°I have done everything in my power to help you and comfort you. All I want is for you to be happy again. Do you understand? I don¡¯t care what happened to you in the jungle, or how you feel about your scars. I can¡¯t let you hurt yourself any further!¡± Sorai shuddered. ¡°This is my blood! Look at my blood!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough! You need to be thankful that you have your life. Yet all you can see are the glyphs on your body, so you decide to add more? An empress cannot act this way, no matter what has happened to you. You know that my duty is to the empire. I must protect it. I must protect Faro. And I must protect you, even if it is from yourself!¡± At the peak of despair, Sorai¡¯s frenzied thoughts finally found a moment of clarity, even though that clarity was chilling. What if Anoth¡ªthe Dread God Anoth¡ªhad been telling her the truth? The hallucinations, the black of her blood, the burning of the glyphs¡ªeverything pointed to the one thing she had feared the most. ¡°I¡¯m a hadir,¡± she blurted out in a harsh whisper. ¡°Anoth made me a hadir!¡± Tashau released his grip on Sorai, throwing his hands up in exasperation. ¡°You cannot talk like that, Sorai!¡± he shouted. ¡°If anyone heard you speak of such things, I¡¯d be forced to have you¡ª¡± He fell silent as someone rapped sharply on the doors of their suite. ¡°Please wait!¡± Sorai begged as Tashau turned to the locked doors. When he opened them, there stood an eshtan servant, nervously fidgeting with his thumbs. ¡°I bring grave news, Star Emperor,¡± the servant stammered as he bowed deeply. ¡°We¡¯ve just been informed that the Nass¨¦ has, uh¡ª¡± Noticing the presence of Sorai, the servant whispered the rest to Tashau alone. Tashau¡¯s reaction was immediate. ¡°Go and fetch my wife¡¯s handmaiden and make certain she does not leave her side until I return.¡± ¡°Tashau, what is it? Come back! Please don¡¯t leave me!¡± Sorai attempted to follow Tashau as he stormed from the room, but he would not stop for her. She watched him go, and then collapsed into uncontrollable sobs, even as her handmaiden suddenly appeared and attempted to hush her tears. This was the end of everything. Everything she knew and loved was dying and rotting all around her, and she had no way to stop it or fix it. She could not even pray for salvation, not with Anoth the only god left for her to pray to. Chapter Thirty Chapter 30 Zaidna The Empire of Judath The City of Marin Zalas shoved his way past yet another merchant, who had leapt out from behind his stall and was ringing his bell with irritating enthusiasm. In the markets back home in Yalet, the merchants were virtually silent, each one respectful of Zalas¡¯s space as he passed their bowed forms. Here, they tugged at his arms, thrust baubles in his face, and shouted in his ears. Perhaps when Verahi regained his body, Zalas would lobby for Marin to be the first Naltite city to be leveled to the ground. ¡°We have bridal goods!¡± the merchant boomed, trying to drown out the solicitations of his competitors. He chased after Zalas and Davim. ¡°We have silk veils and glass bangles for cheap! Surely, a handsome man such as you must have a bride!¡± Zalas ground his teeth and stormed on without looking back, although he was sorely tempted to turn around and kick the merchant¡¯s ribs in. ¡°What¡¯s the point of booking a room and not using it?¡± Davim hissed, sneering over his shoulder at the still pursuing merchant. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the inn so I can rest. My ears are still ringing from the concussion that warden gave me back there. You can go take care of the narus.¡± Davim jammed a finger in his ear and wriggled it about. ¡°Just shut up,¡± Zalas growled. His ears were bothering him as well, although he couldn¡¯t tell if it was from the shouting merchants, Davim¡¯s whining, or something else in the city. ¡°Henna!¡± the merchant hollered after them. ¡°We have alchemized henna paste that will leave a rainbow on your skin long enough to keep the honeymoon lasting for weeks! It is certain to make the bridegroom happy!¡± Henna? This caused Zalas to halt and swivel around to face the merchant, who vigorously clapped his hands. ¡°Ah! You like henna, yes?¡± The merchant ushered them back to his stall. ¡°I will give you a deal. Buy one jar of henna, get ten glass bangles at half price! You will find no greater variety!¡± He thrust out his arm, yanking up the sleeve of his gaudy orange caftan to reveal yet another sleeve made up entirely of tinkling bangles. ¡°No bangles,¡± Zalas snapped as he picked up a jar of henna paste from the stall and inspected the label. Purple. It seemed as though some eshtan traditions remained the same on both sides of the parting. ¡°Alchemized henna. Does this really dye the skin something other than brown or red? How long does it last?¡± The day before Zalas was wed to his slug of a wife, he had grudgingly followed custom and had his arms and legs tattooed with henna paste. The pigment was supposed to last for several weeks, but he had scrubbed his skin raw every morning while his wife slept in order to shorten the duration of their honeymoon. ¡°Ah, a skeptic!¡± the merchant exclaimed as he began to roll up his other sleeve. ¡°This is a new kind of henna paste, alchemized at the world famous Xaoxi Apothecary in Xeshun. Their medicines, skin bleaches, and beauty aids are second to none, favored by the most beautiful of dalanai nobility.¡± He thrust out his arm, revealing several different swirls of blue, green, and purple that showed vibrantly against his brown skin. It looked legitimate. ¡°See? Are the colors not superb? This new henna is very popular among all of the young¡ª¡± ¡°How much?¡± Zalas asked as he held up the jar. ¡°As I said, this is a product of the Xaoxi Apothecary, so it is very exclusive¡ªvery expensive . . . .¡± The merchant let loose a long sigh. ¡°. . . Ah! But I like you. I¡¯ll give you a special deal! How does seventy-five yujin sound? In fact, for an even hundred I¡¯ll throw in a glass bangle of your choice!¡± ¡°Just the henna.¡± Zalas reached into his purse and pulled out a fistful of money that they had stolen from the unfortunate grocer back in that village by the sea. Each coin was carved from quartz, jade, or other semi-precious stones. The Anotites called their money yujin as well, but their coins were minted from gold and silver and not individually carved as these were. Zalas still wasn¡¯t sure how much these were actually worth. When Zalas passed over the money, the merchant squealed and bowed as if in worship. ¡°May Naltena rain many blessings upon you, fine sir! Your bride will be so pleased! I will wrap the henna for you, yes?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zalas turned around and walked away, tossing the jar to Davim as he caught up. ¡°That should solve our tattoo problem,¡± he mumbled as Davim tucked the jar into his rucksack. ¡°Now to get some proper clothes.¡± ¡°Do we have to do this now?¡± Davim complained as Zalas worked his way through the stalls of numerous caftan merchants, all of whom were flailing their arms and singing the praises of their wares. ¡°I¡¯m dying, and what the hell is that noise I¡¯ve been hearing all day? It¡¯s driving me insane!¡± Zalas furrowed his brow as he examined one of many silk caftans. Now that he thought about it, the buzzing in his ears had gotten louder over time, even over the din of the marketplace. It was almost as uncomfortable as the sounds he heard when he had his first real encounter with the Orb . . . . ¡°Wait,¡± he blurted out. Slowly, his eyes drifted to the pouch that hung from his belt. The Orb was active again. ¡°Shit!¡± Davim hissed as he followed Zalas¡¯s gaze. ¡°Is it¡ªis he¡ª¡± Zalas caught Davim¡¯s arm and hauled him from the street into the back of a small alley full of old crates and piles of trash. Looking over his shoulder to make certain no one was watching, Zalas tugged the pouch strings loose and withdrew the Orb. ¡°What does it mean?¡± Davim asked, his greasy face lit up by the blue, pulsing glow that spread thickly in intervals across the surface of the Orb. Out of the pouch and in the open, the stone¡¯s discordant hum was even more grating to the ears. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zalas said with a frown as he lifted the globe. The sweeping glow radiated from a single point on the side of the Orb in a steady rhythm, not unlike the beating of a heart. The longer he stared, the more he realized that the throbbing band of light was in fact made up of many thinner rings, each pressed so close together that combined they almost looked solid. Zalas turned the Orb around, trying to look for the originating point, but no matter which way he turned it, the source shifted along the Orb¡¯s horizontal circumference to maintain its position near his right hand. ¡°Look, there¡¯s more of them,¡± Davim pointed. Almost directly opposing the first bands of light was another set, but these rings were much fainter and far fewer, to the point that they were almost completely overwhelmed by the brighter lines as they crossed at the Orb¡¯s cap. ¡°These other ones seem to be coming from the direction we came,¡± Zalas muttered as he looked to his left, recalling the palace complex not far from the city¡¯s entrance. No wonder he had felt so agitated all day, and especially waiting outside of the city gates. The Orb must have been buzzing and directing all day long without him realizing it. ¡°Is this what Anoth meant when he talked about it being like a compass?¡± Davim asked. Zalas shifted his orientation until the point at which the brighter lights originated slid across the Orb¡¯s surface and positioned itself directly in front of him. It seemed Anoth had actually been telling the truth for once. ¡°If each of these little bands represents a witness, there must be dozens to pick from in this city alone.¡± Davim let loose a whoop. ¡°Then let¡¯s find them and get the hell out of here!¡± Zalas pressed the Orb to his stomach, half-hiding it with his sleeve, and then moved quickly through the marketplace, with Davim following at his heels. He watched as the pulse shifted to the right and adjusted his direction accordingly. ¡°The weaker set of bands is gone now,¡± Davim noted. Zalas halted long enough to get his bearings before proceeding to navigate around a building that had gotten in their way. ¡°Those must have been witnesses at the palace,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°We must have gone too far for the Orb to pick them up anymore. But these other lights¡ªthey¡¯re just getting stronger the longer we follow them.¡± ¡°It seems like it,¡± Davim mumbled as the spire of the Naltite temple loomed in the distance. Zalas paused again as the road curved. He didn¡¯t want to jump the long fence now impeding their movement, so instead plotted his way around it. ¡°Not including those weaker lights, I count at least thirty-two rings.¡± ¡°So, we have more than thirty-two witnesses to pick from,¡± Davim said, whistling low. ¡°I never thought there¡¯d be so many.¡± ¡°Yes, and if these are all commoners, there¡¯s no telling how many other potential witnesses there are in Judath alone. We may not have to sneak into the palace after all.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Davim said as they turned another corner. ¡°I hate to say it, but if these Naltites have so many sons and daughters born under the higher houses, I¡¯m glad we can get this over with without a war. We don¡¯t stand a chance if orm¨¦ keeps getting weaker in our blood.¡± Zalas scowled, thinking of the blight and how dependent it had made them on the hadirs. ¡°I will change all that.¡± ¡°Sure you will,¡± Davim muttered sardonically, before gesturing to the Orb again. ¡°Hey, the lights still haven¡¯t spread out. Do you think they¡¯re in the same place?¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± ¡°What do you think it means?¡± ¡°It means we¡¯ll be home within a day,¡± Zalas said. They quickened their pace. They would find dozens of witnesses any minute now. Oh, to be back in the comforts of home, to regain all the power that he¡ªwhat the hell? The Orb had suddenly gone silent, and the bright lights ceased to pulse. The sense of triumph welling in Zalas¡¯s chest was immediately snuffed out. ¡°What is this?¡± he snarled. ¡°They¡¯ve all disappeared!¡± Davim exclaimed. Zalas shook his head, wanting to knock Davim¡¯s teeth from his jaw. How could so many witnesses vanish just like that? There were dozens only a second ago! ¡°Why? Work . . . work, damn it!¡± He shook the Orb, even daring to strike it with the heel of his fist. Had he done something to displease Verahi? ¡°Wait.¡± Davim circled Zalas and held his hands over the Orb, bathing it in his greasy shadow. ¡°Do you see it?¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Without the sunlight interfering, Zalas could just make out the lone, weakly glowing band that remained. ¡°Only one?¡± he whispered in dismay. ¡°But just a second ago¡ªthere were so many!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± Zalas growled. ¡°We have to find out what happened and stop it from happening again.¡± He dropped the Orb back into its pouch, better able to see its faint glow outside of direct sunlight. ¡°Right,¡± Davim agreed. With that, they pressed forward, slowly at first, but then more quickly when the light began to gain strength again. There was a strange energy growing among the people hurrying through the orderly streets of Marin, and the crowds became thicker as they followed the Orb toward the city¡¯s center. Finally, the Orb led them to the base of the temple, where a small throng of Naltites had gathered. Many were crying and wailing, the sound of it overwhelming the buzzing of the Orb in Zalas¡¯s ears. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± he breathed. As they stood a few paces away, more and more Naltites continued to gather. ¡°Is it some kind of a religious thing?¡± Davim guessed. ¡°There¡¯s a priest shouting at the crowd from the temple steps. Did they somehow find out about us?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Zalas spat. He pressed his hand against the silk of the pouch, feeling the Orb beneath. The pricking pulse of it spread through his flesh more strongly than ever. Even though the band of light was thin, it pointed directly ahead. ¡°There is a witness here, either in the crowd or in the temple. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Davim demanded. ¡°I can barely use my left arm thanks to you. I¡¯ll be trampled! If you want to swim in all that, be my guest! One witness isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Zalas shot a sideways glance to the orating priest in the distance, who with every shout provoked another roar from the teeming Naltites. There was no time to argue. ¡°Go back to the inn, then,¡± Zalas muttered in disgust. ¡°Verahi will know of your cowardice when the time comes, and you will be justly rewarded for it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve about had it with all your self-righteous shit!¡± Zalas ignored Davim as he threw himself into the crowd. Arms and legs and stinking, sweating bodies slammed into him from all sides. He held his breath and pressed forward, shoving and kicking at those who got in his way, until he found the gilded fence of the temple grounds and caught hold of the bars for support, prying himself free of the Naltite horde. He now saw many priests positioned behind the one who was shouting, each one dressed in the color of death and wearing tall, laughable headdresses coated in feathers. They were circling something, pecking at it like a flock of brainless hens. ¡°Naltena appeared in the flesh, I say!¡± the orating priest continued, his screeching voice magnified by the pattern he held to his throat. ¡°She chastised Xinthi, the seventeenth Nass¨¦, and commanded her to end her life and the lives of all unworthy candidates.¡± Zalas automatically clutched the Orb. He didn¡¯t know what candidates were, but he knew immediately that they were probably among the group he sought. Their own Nass¨¦ had actually killed them? How? And why? And if they had been killed, then¡ªwas that why the Orb just went dark? Damn it! If Anoth had been with them instead of chasing after his whore, they could have stormed the temple, captured three witnesses, and been gone again before any of this ever happened! The priest went on. ¡°Only the purest remain¡ªdaughters who will gladly share the visions that Xinthi willfully withheld!¡± Zalas looked to the frantic Naltites behind him. Naltena was dead. Did the Nass¨¦ know that Zalas and Davim were coming to claim the witnesses? Would she really go so far as kill the witnesses Verahi needed just to stop them? Who told her to do it, if not Naltena? ¡°The unworthy Xinthi, full of engstaxi pride and sin, withheld a vision of supreme importance from the emperors and from us!¡± the priest cried. ¡°Without the interpretation of this vision, we will all die!¡± Zalas sneered as the mob erupted in terrified wails. The Naltite religion was ridiculous to rely on the ¡°visions¡± of a prophetess for guidance. With an actual god at their head, the Anotites had no need for some charlatan mouthpiece. This was probably nothing¡ªcoincidence. ¡°But not all is lost!¡± the priest went on. ¡°Naltena, in her infinite wisdom, has made provisions to save us. This withheld vision has been seen by our new Nass¨¦. She holds the answers! Let her interpretation of the symbols quell your fears!¡± He turned and motioned to the other priests, who crowded around him and thrust forward a young woman whose ashen face was streaked by tears. ¡°Our eighteenth Nass¨¦, already sanctioned by the goddess!¡± the priest cried, yanking up the girl¡¯s hand in his as though she were a prize. All around Zalas, the crowds howled and cheered. ¡°She is Kirin Toredath, daughter of the ninth house!¡± Zalas gripped the bars of the fence tighter at the priest¡¯s declaration. A daughter of the ninth house! He fumbled for the pouch again, drawing it open just long enough to look inside. The single line spreading across the Orb was definitely pointing at¡ªher! The girl, Kirin, shook her head repeatedly at the priest and attempted to pull herself free, but the other priests behind her caught her shoulders and held on to her fast. Zalas narrowed his eyes. He never realized that the Naltite prophetesses were selected by force. How could he get his hands on her with the priests holding her hostage? ¡°Our new Nass¨¦ has told us that the vision Xinthi withheld showed the Dread God!¡± The priest shouted. ¡°Naltena has proclaimed that Anoth will be reborn and shatter the very sky! All who are not shielded by purity and righteousness will perish!¡± Zalas¡¯s heart jumped to his throat as cries of disbelief and fright rent the air all around him. Anoth wasn¡¯t going to be reborn, but Verahi was! How had the Naltites found out? Zalas slid quickly down the length of the fence and found the gates of the temple grounds, pushing his way through them and the crowds until he stood at the portico steps. It wasn¡¯t possible for these fools to know what was going on. Perhaps there was a spy amongst them. It certainly wasn¡¯t possible that these ¡°candidates¡± had the power to know Anoth¡¯s plans, not unless Anoth had told them himself. ¡°Please listen!¡± Kirin shrieked amidst sobs. ¡°I am not the new prophetess! Please let me go!¡± She craned her neck and all at once wrenched herself free, screaming out, ¡°Father! Help me!¡± She leapt down the steps, close enough to Zalas that he could see the whites of her widened eyes, but she was immediately seized by the men to either side of him and returned to the grasping hands of the priests. There was a loud trump of a horn, and when Zalas turned to look, he saw that a whole troop of wardens had arrived. Riding at their lead was a large, one-eyed officer, who spat and shouted for there to be order. The wardens managed to subdue the outer ring of the mob within seconds, but the civilians nearest Zalas seemed to have no interest in surrendering, and one among them even lobbed a fireball at the wardens, knocking several of them from their mounts. Before Zalas could even think to react, the one-eyed warden retaliated by jerking up his hands and blasting dozens of rioters off their feet. Those that remained standing reacted with vicious frenzy. Zalas cursed, looking at once for an escape as people began to shout in their herd-minded stupidity that they would defend their new Nass¨¦ to the death. He was very confident in his ability to fight off any single pattern the Naltites could throw at him, especially given what he had learned through Verahi¡¯s eyes. But he still couldn¡¯t see that other type of primal matter and would be as good as dead in any crossfire. He turned to face the temple once more, ignoring the cracks and pops of patterns behind him. He could easily flee, avoiding any of this mess, but the girl was in danger of being killed, and they were now apparently running low on witnesses to capture. If he were going to snatch this one, he would have to take the chance and do it now. He shifted focus, smashed the shadows together, and deliberately held his breath as he unfurled them in a wide, rolling pattern. All around him the Naltites screamed and choked and flailed, the smoke he created stinging their lungs and blinding their eyes. Zalas rushed through the noxious cloud, leaping up the portico steps, and shoved aside the priests who stood in his way. The second he reached Kirin, he caught her about the middle, wrenching her from the priests, and tossed her thrashing, shrieking body over his shoulder like a sack of flour. He whirled around and fled through the diminishing fog, beginning to regret his decision as he saw the frothing fury of the mob reemerge, and above all, heard the vengeful snarl of the one-eyed warden, who called for Zalas¡¯s immediate castration. Grabbing and punching and tearing hands whooshed past Zalas in an endless wave, and Kirin, screaming relentlessly for help, aimed blind kicks at his face. ¡°Bring the Nass¨¦ back!¡± one of the pursuing priests shrieked. Zalas glanced back just in time to see the old man form a ball of electricity in the palm of his hand. Zalas cursed and dashed behind a fat Naltite, shoving him back into the priests. The men collided with each other and toppled like towers of blocks, the resulting crack of electricity loud enough to make Zalas¡¯s ears ring. Even with the threat of the priests neutralized, the wardens still gave chase, at the same time trying to apprehend the civilians, who were now pelting Zalas with every stinging, burning, and cutting pattern imaginable. ¡°Stop it!¡± Zalas heard Kirin scream. He felt her arms jerk upward, a gush of wind thrusting him forward and causing his hair to lash at his face like miniature whips. Behind him, many of the civilians had been knocked to their rears by Kirin¡¯s pattern. So she wasn¡¯t untalented. Now the wardens were catching up. If this went on, Kirin was going to be injured or worse, and Zalas would be killed, leaving the Orb in enemy hands. He tore down an adjacent street and ducked behind a corner, hoping to elude them, but still, the wardens pursued. He saw a clog of naru-drawn carts further down the road and raced toward it. He wove his way between the carts, shouting and slapping at narus¡¯ flanks as he passed. The startled creatures reared up, instantaneously encircled by the wardens, and toppled their carts, upending barrels of fish and vegetables. The ensuing mayhem broke up the brigade just long enough for Zalas to lose them down another side street. He hurried into an alley and pressed himself into a crevice behind half-rotted crates full of empty wine bottles. ¡°Put me down!¡± Kirin cried. Zalas did so, realizing that he had no idea what to do with her now that he had her. The hum of the Orb was stronger than even before. This was definitely a witness. But how could he get her out of the city and to the parting? Maybe he could knock her out or¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± Zalas grabbed at his shin. The stupid Naltite bitch had kicked him! ¡°Get away!¡± she snarled. Zalas nearly slapped her, but he held back and caught her arm as she turned to run. Damn it! What was he going to do with her? ¡°Hey, hey!¡± He forced a laugh if only to calm her long enough to get a good stranglehold on her. ¡°Stop it, you¡¯re fine!¡± Kirin ceased to struggle, but she was breathing hard and staring at him frantically through a mop of snarled, dirt-colored hair. ¡°There, that¡¯s better,¡± Zalas soothed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you. Are you all right? Just what happened back there? Did the priests do anything to you?¡± The girl didn¡¯t answer, but her eyes were darting about in their sockets. She¡¯d try to run again; he needed to stall her. ¡°Look, my name is Zalas. Don¡¯t be scared. Why . . . were they calling you the Nass¨¦?¡± Kirin¡¯s face turned red before she burst into tears. ¡°Xinthi¡ªthe Nass¨¦¡ªoh, why?¡± Great. Just what he needed. Zalas glanced to the road, hoping nobody would hear her blubbering. He clenched his free hand, contemplating what might happen if he punched her into silence. ¡°She killed herself and the priestesses and all of those acolytes and little girls, too; they¡¯re all dead! Only two of us were¡ª¡± She wheezed without control and covered her face. Zalas drew in a long breath. ¡°Why would the Nass¨¦ kill them?¡± Kirin shook her head and scrubbed at her tear-soaked face with her torn shawl. ¡°She told me that Anoth would be reborn with their help. That¡¯s why. But she was mad!¡± Zalas ground his teeth. That clarified some things. Candidates and witnesses were one and the same, and the Nass¨¦ knew exactly what she was doing by killing them. But still, Naltena was dead. Just who had commanded the Nass¨¦ to eliminate so many witnesses? Kirin continued blabbering on without stopping for breath. ¡°. . . Then he told the rest of the clergy about Naltena¡¯s visitation, and everybody just went crazy after that!¡± Zalas nodded his head, all the while scanning Kirin, trying to ascertain if she was truly a daughter of the ninth house. Kirin looked of marriageable age; she ought to be wearing a citrine bangle somewhere. Where was it? Around her ankle, perhaps? ¡°They all started saying that Xinthi passed her authority on to me! I just¡ªugh . . . I¡¯m so sick to my stomach. What¡¯s that sound?¡± Kirin covered her ears. Damn, no bangle. But it didn¡¯t matter. The Orb was reacting so strongly that it seemed even Kirin could hear it through her sobs. ¡°You should come with me,¡± Zalas said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you home safely.¡± If he could just get her away from anybody who could interfere . . . . ¡°No, I need to find my father,¡± Kirin mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. ¡°Thank you for helping me, uh¡ªZalas?¡± ¡°Yes, Zalas Kadevan,¡± he said, offering Davim¡¯s family name. His own family name, Bakavoth, was the same as the sun emperor¡¯s, and that would have raised too many questions had he mentioned it. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need an escort? I would be¡ª¡± ¡°Thank you again.¡± Kirin bowed hastily, before she turned and fled from the alley. Zalas reached out to try to grab her, but she was too fast. He jogged a little after her, and when she was out of sight he reached into the pouch and withdrew the Orb. The pulsing light shifted along the stone¡¯s circumference, tracing Kirin¡¯s movements, which soon faded to nothing. It was a wasted opportunity, but still, he had gained some invaluable information. If the Nass¨¦ had been warned in a dream to kill the witnesses, then it seemed that whatever silver maiden had haunted them in the jungles and aided in Sorai¡¯s escape could be causing them trouble still. Zalas had to act quickly, lest every witness left die like the others. Chapter Thirty-one Chapter 31 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace What a pain in the ass. Ravad watched glumly as Amaz, his most senior vizier, leapt from the dais to take his turn interrogating Entav, who was kneeling impassively in the center of the audience hall. This was a poor start to the noble summit. ¡°Your actions will not be excused this time!¡± Vizier Amaz screeched as he paced back and forth in front of his prey. High chief wardens were usually responsible for interrogations in these hearings, but whenever Entav was the subject of an inquiry¡ªwhich was disturbingly often¡ªAmaz handled the task. He was probably hoping that he had Entav by the sack this time. Entav aimed his eye directly up at Ravad, who knelt between Tashau and Angxa up on the circular dais. ¡°Those people attacked me and my men first.¡± ¡°Continue,¡± Ravad said, ignoring the rumblings of unrest coming from the wardens and advisors clustered toward either side of the hall. Of all the times for Entav to go and mash his foot in it, it had to be now. The death of the Nass¨¦ and almost all of Judath¡¯s candidates was not just a tragedy, but was also a colossal black eye for the empire, spreading for everyone to see. That Entav had unwittingly started a riot in the disaster¡¯s aftermath was just the glaze on the tart. ¡°Actually,¡± the vizier corrected, circling Entav hungrily, ¡°the bystanders all swear that you applied force to suppress them even before any attack was launched against you or your men. Your position is to protect the people of this empire, not abuse them!¡± ¡°You know that my daughter is a candidate who studies at the temple, Sun Emperor,¡± Entav explained, still willfully snubbing the vizier. ¡°When I got word that the Nass¨¦ was holding those girls hostage, I had to go immediately. For all of them.¡± ¡°What you did was take half your men without consulting the sun emperor, directly ignoring the star emperor¡¯s request for increased security here at the palace!¡± ¡°My daughter was in danger!¡± Entav snarled up at the vizier. ¡°And in the city, when I saw my girl being held up like a piece of meat by all those priests¡ªthere was only a moment for action, and we acted. Without any casualties.¡± He threw up his hands in a wide shrug, turning again to address Ravad. ¡°Emperor, what would you have done had it been your daughter? I don¡¯t think you would just be standing around like this withered old sack of¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± The vizier punctuated his shout with a stamp of his foot, before whirling around to hasten up the dais. He dropped to his knees in front of Ravad and muttered through a rigid mouth, though loud enough for all to hear. ¡°Civilians have been injured and most of the high priests have been arrested when they committed no crime. We must punish Chief Toredath this time.¡± Ravad swiped impatiently at the air. ¡°Let¡¯s not be ruled solely by our emotions, shall we? The priests attempted to declare a new Nass¨¦ without a vote or the sanction of the highest priests, we the emperors. They also held High Chief Toredath¡¯s daughter against her will. I think some people would call that kidnapping. So, I believe a night or two in a cell might do those overzealous priests a little good¡ªat the very least it might teach them to respect our traditions, given to us by Naltena herself. As for the rioting . . . .¡± Ravad paused for a moment. ¡°Considering the circumstances, I withhold judgment. We need High Chief Toredath in the coming weeks.¡± ¡°Another pass,¡± the vizier wheezed, glaring witheringly at Ravad. ¡°But I must caution that¡ª¡± Emperor Angxa suddenly cleared his throat beside Ravad, startling him and the vizier from their mounting debate. ¡°Perhaps Emperor Tashau finds Judath¡¯s private affairs to be of interest, but this is a waste of my time and the time of my advisors. If the warden here requires discipline, this is not the court to do so. I want only to hear testimony from the witnesses of the incident in the Chamber of Dreaming.¡± Ravad waved for his vizier to piss off, which he did hastily. ¡°Very well, Angxa. Entav, bring forward the first witness.¡± Entav rose and bowed, exiting the hall and returning a few moments later with a young girl in tow, who was clinging to his hand. With minimal urging, she knelt at the foot of the dais and stared up at the trio of emperors with uncertain, swollen eyes. ¡°I understand you lost a lot of friends today,¡± Ravad began, keeping his tone deliberately gentle. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for your loss.¡± The girl gulped visibly and nodded. ¡°I know that this may be difficult for you, but can you explain to us why you were taken to the Chamber of Dreaming today?¡± The girl looked down at the floor. ¡°Um . . . this high priest asked us to go with him, so we did. We thought the Nass¨¦ just wanted to meet us. But instead she locked everybody inside and started screaming at us and hitting people with her whip. I was so scared! I don¡¯t know what we did to make her so angry.¡± Ravad noted the girl¡¯s bare arms and belly, the brown skin of which seemed whole. ¡°I see no injuries on you. Did she harm you as well?¡± The girl quickly shook her head. ¡°No. The Nass¨¦ was shouting for us to confess¡ªto having nightmares! She hit the ones who had them. She grabbed me and tried to make me confess, too! Except I¡¯m not having any nightmares.¡± Ravad glanced over at Tashau, whose expression was severe. Ravad had never been the most dutiful high priest, but he knew his religion well enough. ¡°It is understandable that you don¡¯t have nightmares. No candidate should. But why would the Nass¨¦ accuse your classmates, who are also candidates?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but they all confessed to it, even when she beat them anyways!¡± the girl explained. ¡°Come, now,¡± Angxa drawled suddenly through his veil. ¡°If what you are saying is true, why are Judath¡¯s candidates having these nightmares? What were they doing to deserve such chastisement from Naltena herself?¡± He leaned forward to peer down at the girl intensely. ¡°And what made you immune from such nightmares, child?¡± ¡°The Nass¨¦ thought at first¡ªthought that I was lying. She told me that all daughters of the eighth house are ¡®sullied.¡¯ But I¡¯m a daughter of the seventh house, even though I¡¯m still a candidate. She tested me with a naming crystal, but let me go after she made sure I wasn¡¯t like the others.¡± Angxa leaned back, clearly unsatisfied, but without further questions. Ravad continued the inquiry. ¡°What happened after the beatings?¡± The girl was quiet for a long time, until a soft sob erupted from her throat. At last she whispered, ¡°The Nass¨¦¡ªshe hugged everybody and¡ªand said she forgave them. And then she took the skylight and¡ªshe¡ª¡± ¡°She what?¡± Ravad pressed. ¡°Enough of this, Ravad,¡± Angxa snapped, rendering the girl silent. ¡°Have we not tormented this poor child enough by making her relive this? I think the answer is clear. It would seem to me that Xinthi was merely weeding out the unworthy among Judath¡¯s candidates. One of them must have broken the skylight in order to keep their nightmares from being revealed.¡± ¡°No!¡± the girl insisted through her sobs. ¡°The Nass¨¦ did it. She was the one!¡± Angxa smirked through his veil in feigned contrition. ¡°Forgive my impudence, my dear. A child as intelligent and world-wise as yourself would most certainly know a Nass¨¦¡¯s motivations for homicide. Please, enlighten us all.¡± ¡°But I saw her do it! She reached up and¡ª¡± ¡°Of course you saw,¡± Angxa said. ¡°Unless you happen to still be in shock and can¡¯t recall the facts as well as you think you do. You are, after all, trembling considerably.¡± The girl sputtered at this, unable to respond. ¡°Is this belligerence really necessary?¡± Ravad whispered through gritted teeth at Angxa. ¡°Fine. Dismiss her,¡± Angxa hissed in reply, completely ignoring the question. What a malignant bastard. Ravad looked to his left, expecting that Tashau would be supportive, but he appeared to be lost in his own thoughts. Ravad sighed and turned back to the girl. ¡°You may go. Entav, escort her out and bring in our final witness.¡± The girl leapt up gratefully and followed Entav out of the audience hall. Entav returned with his stick of a daughter, Kirin. She shuffled to the foot of the dais, where she dropped to her knees and fully prostrated herself. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Ravad called, waving for her to sit up. Kirin did as she was told, but looked just as nervous as the girl before her, even though she was several years older. ¡°Nice to see you again, Candidate Kirin,¡± Ravad said with a pleasant smile. ¡°We are happy to see that you are still with us. We understand that you had a few scares today.¡± Kirin fidgeted uncomfortably on her knees. ¡°The purpose of this hearing is to determine who caused the death of the Nass¨¦ and your fellow candidates. Can you tell us who brought down the skylight in the Chamber of Dreaming?¡± ¡°It was Xinthi,¡± Kirin replied with no hesitation. ¡°She used a pattern to break the skylight.¡± Angxa immediately countered Kirin¡¯s assertion. ¡°Why would our highest priestess do that? A sanctioned seer and prophetess of the goddess has no reason to commit such a crime.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Kirin cowered. ¡°No, Moon Emperor, but . . . Xinthi said that Naltena came to her and ordered her to punish the candidates.¡± Ravad was taken aback. Why would Naltena demand the murder of all the candidates? There were children mixed up with those women, and they didn¡¯t deserve to die in such a way. No, Naltena would never demand something like this. Xinthi, that scheming bitch, must have been planning to use this ¡°visitation¡± as a way to excuse the murders. But then again, Xinthi must have known she would be killed as well by bringing down the skylight, unless she was laboring under some delusion that Naltena would shield her from the glass. ¡°If what you are saying is true, and the candidates required punishment, why death?¡± ¡°Xinthi claimed . . . .¡± Kirin hesitated, and Ravad could tell she was measuring her words with care. ¡°She claimed she was trying to stop the Dread God from being reborn.¡± Tashau seemed to jerk awake at the mention of the Dread God. Ravad raised his hand to silence the swelling chorus of murmurs filling the hall. ¡°The Dread God Anoth?¡± Ravad asked. ¡°What does he have to do with any of this? The Nass¨¦ ought to know better than to ever invoke his name.¡± ¡°I know how it sounds, but she insisted that the candidates would be used to bring the Dread God back somehow. I don¡¯t know why¡ªor how.¡± Ravad raised an eyebrow. ¡°And Xinthi told you she was trying to prevent this?¡± ¡°Yes, she claimed she was commanded to, like I said.¡± Ravad sat back slightly, pressing his fist to his chin. ¡°Why would Xinthi make such a blasphemous claim?¡± ¡°Maybe . . . she didn¡¯t think she was blaspheming,¡± Kirin suggested timidly. ¡°So, you believe her, Candidate Kirin?¡± Ravad asked. ¡°Do you believe the Dread God would have been reborn if Xinthi had not killed the candidates?¡± Again, Kirin was silent for a time, making an uncomfortable face. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ordinarily, I wouldn¡¯t question, but . . . .¡± ¡°What makes you question now?¡± Ravad asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think she was in her right mind when she said what she did.¡± Angxa leapt at once to challenge that claim. ¡°So you think Xinthi was mad?¡± Kirin jerked, startled. ¡°Yes, maybe. Xinthi was spitting and screaming at everybody like a wild animal¡ªout in the sunlight totally uncovered. She wasn¡¯t behaving right.¡± ¡°And you are familiar enough with Xinthi that you would know what is out of character for her?¡± Angxa condescended. ¡°Or I suppose a brown-skinned, sun-loving eshtan would be an expert on the nature of engstaxis. Please, enlighten us.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Kirin stammered. ¡°She didn¡¯t act that way the last¡ªthe first time I met her. I mean, she was a little unfriendly, but she wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°You met with her before?¡± Ravad asked, surprised at this development. ¡°Yes, I had a private audience with her this last spring,¡± Kirin mumbled. ¡°Why? You¡¯re barely an acolyte.¡± Kirin looked to her father, who nodded at her. ¡°Xinthi had been having nightmares for several seasons, just like all those candidates she killed. Because of my house, she taught me how to elucidate dreams and made me elucidate her nightmare. She didn¡¯t want any of the priestesses to know.¡± Angxa folded his arms and sat back. Now he chose to be silent? ¡°She made you do what?¡± Ravad asked sharply. ¡°Elucidate. I experienced her nightmare,¡± Kirin said. ¡°It was really bad. I think the nightmare might be what drove her to madness.¡± ¡°And how do we know that it was not a botched elucidation that caused her madness?¡± Angxa demanded. ¡°With all due respect to your high house, you are just an acolyte. Proper elucidation requires years of training.¡± Kirin seemed shaken, but quickly regained her composure. ¡°No, she was fine after I elucidated for her. But I couldn¡¯t help her resolve the nightmare, so it must have kept recurring.¡± ¡°What does this nightmare have to do with the Dread God?¡± Tashau asked, speaking up for the first time. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, Star Emperor,¡± Kirin answered. ¡°The Dread God . . . might have been present in it, but¡ª¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Tashau was strangely focused on Kirin¡¯s words. ¡°In Xinthi¡¯s nightmare he¡¯s there, but only hiding¡ªwatching until he turns and leaves. But in all those other nightmares the candidates confessed to, he appears in different forms and kills them in different ways, over and over again. I don¡¯t know that he is literally the Dread God for sure¡ªhe could represent something else¡ªbut I know that he¡¯s evil, and he¡¯s in the dreams of all daughters of the eighth house!¡± Ravad furrowed his brow, thinking at once of Tirbeth and her strange requests. Kirin¡¯s voice faded to almost a whisper as she hung her head and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ve¡ªI¡¯ve been having nightmares, too. The man is there, and he kills me every night.¡± ¡°You contradict yourself, then!¡± Angxa challenged. ¡°You are a daughter of the ninth house, not the eighth. If you and those candidates were having nightmares, as you claim, your worthiness, not your houses, is the cause.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Kirin shouted, immediately falling silent as wrathful growls erupted from Angxa¡¯s advisors. ¡°Moon Emperor,¡± Kirin continued more softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why the nightmares are affecting me as well; there aren¡¯t any other daughters of the ninth house to compare to. All I know is that the same man is at the center of every nightmare, including Xinthi¡¯s.¡± ¡°Our doctrine is very clear on the nature of nightmares,¡± Tashau said impatiently. ¡°Nightmares are meant only to help us self-correct. A Nass¨¦ cannot have them because she cannot dream on her own behalf. If Xinthi had been having nightmares, it would have kept her from fulfilling her calling. Naltena would never allow it. Your explanation makes no sense.¡± Ravad thought to Xinthi¡¯s empty dream chronicle. Tashau did not yet know about it, probably having been en route to the noble summit when the summons to the high priests was sent out. But it began to make more sense that Xinthi intentionally withheld her nightmares, refusing to have them recorded until they were resolved. If Naltena had actually appeared to her, it would have been to let her know that she was an unworthy prophetess. Or perhaps the whole thing was a lie. Maybe Xinthi¡¯s declaration about the Dread God was simply the excuse she needed to eliminate any competition. Ravad would not put it past one so spiteful. But if that were true, why kill herself as well? Angxa leaned forward. ¡°Even that so many candidates would have nightmares by no fault of their own is contrary to our doctrine, Candidate Kirin. It is not possible that the root cause is the Dread God; he is long dead! Or do you imply that this gospel truth is false as well? Xinthi was a worthy prophetess¡ªworthy enough to meet and speak with Naltena in the flesh. If she killed the candidates, it was her sacred duty.¡± ¡°Come on, now!¡± Ravad snapped, finally losing his patience. ¡°Xinthi was not a legitimate prophetess, and you know it!¡± Tashau stared at him in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ravad hesitated for a moment. He wasn¡¯t thrilled about having to reveal the truth about Xinthi in front of an entire hall of non-priests. ¡°When I met with Xinthi last, I discovered that no entries had been made in her dream chronicle since last fall. Had she been having visions as she should . . . the attack leveled against you might have been thwarted in time, Tashau.¡± ¡°What? Why was I not told?¡± Tashau demanded. ¡°I only discovered it after the attempt on your life,¡± Ravad explained. ¡°Word was sent for the high priests of Chalei and Xeshun to travel to Judath and convene on sanctions against Xinthi, but it must have missed you. At the time, I thought Xinthi was ill or withholding her visions on purpose. Now it seems clear that she lost her ability to dream on our behalf the moment she began to have nightmares. I believe Candidate Kirin.¡± ¡°But her nightmare was on your behalf!¡± Kirin blurted out. Ravad arched an eyebrow at her. ¡°Well, at least the star emperor¡¯s. It sounded like Xinthi managed to interpret those symbols from her nightmare, and I saw them. They weren¡¯t just nonsense; that attack on the star empress where she was taken¡ªit was there in the nightmare. I saw her in it!¡± Tashau sat forward, his eyes ablaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Xinthi didn¡¯t act earlier,¡± Kirin continued. ¡°I think she was really concerned about having nightmares at all. But I think she would have done something earlier had she realized what it all meant. We are wrong about nightmares; our doctrine is wrong. Naltena was trying to¡ª¡± ¡°Enough of this nonsense!¡± Angxa snarled, slamming his hands down on his knees. ¡°Our doctrine has been received from the goddess herself and cannot be flawed! For all we know this is nothing more than some pretty fabrication you¡¯ve concocted to keep us from suspecting that you brought down the skylight.¡± ¡°There is another witness,¡± Ravad interceded. ¡°Two, once that high priest wakes.¡± ¡°This is a daughter of the ninth house.¡± Angxa pointed at Kirin maliciously. ¡°How do we know that she didn¡¯t tangle their psyches¡ªalter their thoughts? She is having nightmares like the other candidates, after all. She ought to be dead as well!¡± Kirin flinched as though Angxa had slapped her, and then slowly dissolved into pitiful sobs. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anybody! I lied to Xinthi and told her I wasn¡¯t having any nightmares. She believed me!¡± ¡°But of course you lied,¡± Angxa said, the venom lacing his tongue only serving to make Kirin more frantic. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Kirin screamed, turning at once to look up at Ravad. ¡°Xinthi really was trying to kill everybody who had nightmares!¡± ¡°Will you continue to believe this girl?¡± Angxa asked. ¡°Surely, Emperor Tashau, you have no bias.¡± Tashau was silent. ¡°It isn¡¯t just me,¡± Kirin continued. ¡°That man in our nightmares¡ªAnoth¡ªwhoever it is¡ªhe¡¯s in other nightmares as well¡ªgirls outside of the clergy. I¡¯ve seen him with my own eyes in the nightmares of High Princess Tirbeth and Western Princess Anji.¡± Ravad shot a glance to his western king, who stood among the nobles off to the side. He didn¡¯t look happy. ¡°You saw them?¡± Angxa leapt to his feet. ¡°You elucidated for the high princess of Judath? You would dare to elucidate for any high princess?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± Kirin whispered, her eyes as wide as saucers. ¡°Stupid girl!¡± Angxa roared. ¡°There is a reason why only the Nass¨¦ may elucidate for an emperor and those of his household! One broken thread of thought¡ªone¡ªis all it takes to drive a person to insanity or death!¡± Ravad rubbed at his brow, swearing vehemently and repeatedly under his breath. He knew the consequences. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Kirin yelped. She fell low, pressing her torso to the floor. ¡°Xinthi refused to elucidate for Tirbeth or Anji. They were both sick and desperate. They begged me! I felt I couldn¡¯t refuse such high nobles, and¡ªand I just wanted them to like me. Sun Emperor, I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯ll accept whatever punishment you feel is necessary!¡± Ravad drew his hand from his brow. This was the very last thing he wanted, but he couldn¡¯t just ignore it. Angxa had already pointed out the obvious. ¡°Do you know that endangering the life of an emperor¡¯s child is punishable by death?¡± The blood drained from Kirin¡¯s face as a halting rasp rattled from her lips. Entav immediately rushed forward and fell to his knees before the dais. ¡°Emperor, she¡¯s just a child!¡± Ravad opened his mouth to speak, but Tashau gripped his shoulder and whispered, ¡°Whatever she may have done, you cannot have her executed, at least not yet. If Xinthi¡¯s nightmare was prophetic, the symbols must be recorded and fully interpreted. Candidate Kirin is the only one alive who can do so.¡± Ravad breathed an inward sigh of relief. Angxa might have passed out death sentences with all the ease of throwing candy to children, but for Ravad to do the same, especially to Entav¡¯s daughter¡ªit wasn¡¯t for him. ¡°I concede. Kirin Toredath, I will spare your life, so long as you are honest and reveal all of the symbols of Xinthi¡¯s nightmare to us. But you cannot go unpunished. You are to be lashed ten times for each elucidation you performed upon my daughter and the western princess of Judath.¡± Kirin grimaced, but nodded. To her side, Entav bowed his head in gratitude. ¡°You are quite merciful, Emperor Ravad,¡± Angxa muttered. ¡°I hope we will not regret your decision.¡± Ravad stood up, and Tashau followed to join him and Angxa. Ravad raised his arms in a broad motion of dismissal. ¡°We are adjourned. Kirin Toredath will accompany us to my study. We will proceed with this in private.¡± Kirin glanced desperately toward her father, who nodded to her and left her in the center of the hall. Ravad tromped wearily down the dais and extended his hand, which Kirin accepted as he helped her to her feet. He and Tirbeth would need to have a very long talk when all of this was over. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope you have a good memory, Kirin. Come with us.¡± Chapter Thirty-two Chapter 32 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace The blank sheet of paper stared up at Kirin, daring her to make a mark. She had no idea where to begin, especially with the emperors watching her with such interest. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you writing anything yet?¡± Angxa demanded. Kirin looked back at him but immediately regretted doing so. Up close, his eyes were like hot coals, framed by the most horribly pallid skin she had ever seen. ¡°Well?¡± Kirin repressed a shudder and turned back to her paper. ¡°I¡ªI get nervous when people watch me write,¡± she stammered. ¡°It might be better if you elucidate the nightmare from my mind instead of having me write it down. That way you could see the symbols for yourselves.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to do that,¡± Ravad said from the side of the room as he lit a long, silver pipe with a spark of orm¨¦. ¡°High priests don¡¯t have the same training as priestesses do. Besides, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s causing these nightmares yet. We can¡¯t take the chance that this is some kind of mental condition spread by thought matter.¡± Kirin furrowed her brow at this. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± Batem had told her that it was premarital sin that was the cause of her nightmares, but could he be wrong? If so, she had abandoned and hurt Javan for no reason. She took the writing shell and placed its tip to the paper, but was so sick to her stomach that she could barely grip it. ¡°Why would Xinthi be so adamant that the Dread God is involved?¡± Tashau asked. Kirin could barely see him out of the corner of her eye as he paced back and forth by the window, his figure alternatingly lit and shadowed by the sunset. She had always heard that the star emperor was good natured and laid-back, but seeing him so tense and rigid now made her question those stories, save the ones about his good looks. He really did have the most beautiful¡ª ¡°Eyes back on the paper!¡± Angxa barked. Kirin jumped to resume her writing. ¡°I¡¯m sure this has nothing to do with the Dread God,¡± Ravad assured with a snort. ¡°Maybe not,¡± Tashau responded, ¡°but there is a reason why I requested heightened security at this year¡¯s summit.¡± Ravad¡¯s smile flattened into a frown around the stem of his pipe. ¡°Oh yes. I was going to ask . . . .¡± ¡°I wanted to explain immediately, but there¡¯s been no time¡ªnot with what happened during the rites and the Nass¨¦¡¯s death.¡± Tashau circled the writing desk and bent low. He snapped his fingers, and Kirin looked up to see that his glaring eyes were level with hers. ¡°Look here, Candidate Kirin. What I am about to say is strictly for the ears of the other emperors. If I hear that you¡¯ve spread anything I¡¯ve said outside of this office, I¡¯ll see personally to your punishment, and it¡¯ll be more than just a lashing.¡± ¡°Easy there, Tash,¡± Ravad chided. ¡°This girl may never speak another word to anybody after today.¡± Kirin swallowed hard and immediately started scribbling as many of the nightmare¡¯s symbols as she could recall. What did Ravad mean by that? Tashau took several paces from the writing desk. ¡°The man who attempted to assassinate me, and who abducted my wife, is the leader of a cult that worships Anoth.¡± ¡°You must be joking!¡± Ravad exclaimed. ¡°There are plenty of crazed cults out there, but none of them pose any serious threat to any of us. Most of them are just misguided.¡± ¡°Not this one,¡± Tashau sighed. ¡°This cultist claims to be the reborn Anoth¡ªeven calls himself by that name.¡± Kirin dropped her writing shell, instantly snatching it back up with both hands. How could somebody even think something like that? ¡°What?¡± Pipe smoke burst from Ravad¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do you believe that this cultist is the Dread God reborn?¡± Angxa asked skeptically. ¡°Of course not!¡± Tashau snapped. ¡°But he¡¯s still a threat¡ªI have the scars to prove it. I requested extra security because he¡¯s planning to infiltrate the summit in search of ¡®witnesses,¡¯ whatever those are.¡± ¡°How do you know this?¡± Angxa demanded. ¡°You¡¯re doubting me?¡± ¡°No. But how do you know that this cultist is just a pretender?¡± ¡°How?¡± Tashau¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°I fought him¡ªmade him bleed! Can a god bleed?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now,¡± Ravad interjected. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s coming here? To my home?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tashau said. ¡°I apologize for not telling you earlier. I could not risk mentioning it in my message. The last thing I want is for this to get out and cause a panic.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s great!¡± Ravad declared through a furious laugh. ¡°But considering the riot today, it¡¯s just as well. Entav and his men are the best we have. Once they know what they are looking for, they should be more than a match for this cultist.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t underestimate him,¡± Tashau advised. ¡°His skill with orm¨¦ is something I haven¡¯t seen in a long time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m having a little trouble wrapping my mind around this,¡± Ravad said, shaking his head. ¡°There¡¯s a huge difference between gods and mortals. If I ran around claiming to be the Dread God, I¡¯d either be laughed at or strung up in a tree. And you¡¯re telling me he¡¯s the leader of an entire cult! How could anybody possibly believe that some charlatan is a god?¡± ¡°He claims to be a son of the tenth house, and after fighting him, I can¡¯t dismiss the possibility.¡± Tashau hung his head slightly. ¡°If it¡¯s true, I can certainly see how others might be fooled.¡± Ravad scoffed. ¡°Impossible! He would have been named by a priest. His house would be recorded in church records.¡± ¡°Not if he were born under the cloth of a cult,¡± Tashau argued. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be subject to any of our rites. It¡¯s quite possible he could have lived his entire life unnoticed by our priests.¡± ¡°A son of the tenth house would be quite something,¡± Angxa mused, skulking out from behind Kirin. ¡°He would be able to weave patterns that we can¡¯t even conceive of. If he is what you suggest, this cultist could be capable of almost anything, perhaps even orchestrating an attack on the minds of the Nass¨¦ and her priestesses.¡± ¡°That is my concern,¡± Tashau said. Kirin¡¯s hand shook involuntarily, and her most recently drawn glyph now boasted a jagged tail. Was this cultist the true identity of the shadow maker? And if so, what if he had access to her thoughts at this very moment? She gripped her forehead, her face growing hot. The houses only grew exponentially in power and potential. Even the ninth house was nothing compared to the tenth. They had no chance against a son of the tenth house, especially if he was bent on destroying them. Tears burst from her eyes, dribbling all over the paper as she began to shake with silent, restrained sobs. Kirin felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Ravad bending over to peel the now soggy sheet of paper from the surface of his writing desk. He replaced the paper with a dry one. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Try again,¡± he urged gently, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Kirin lifted her writing shell, but couldn¡¯t think of anything but the shadow maker. Had she known just how dangerous these nightmares were she would have never elucidated¡ªnot for the Nass¨¦ and certainly not for Tirbeth and Anji. If the cultist were responsible, she could have unwittingly helped him to make the nightmares worse. ¡°That cultist,¡± she blubbered, wiping frantically at her still wet face. ¡°He could be doing something to my psyche right now.¡± Ravad scratched his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that now. What we need is for you to write down those symbols so we can figure out what to do next.¡± ¡°What if I can¡¯t remember all of them?¡± Kirin¡¯s lip started to quiver again. ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s no chronicler left to write the dream for you or help you to recall the symbols. You may need to write the nightmare down several times before you have it right. Take your time¡ªbut not too much time.¡± ¡°But if I¡¯m useless, you¡¯ll sentence me to death instead of the whipping!¡± Ravad took a slow drag from his pipe, expelling the smoke through his nostrils. ¡°I won¡¯t deny that you were stupid to let my daughter con you.¡± Kirin bowed her head in shame. ¡°But you weren¡¯t wrong to want to help. Besides, I¡¯m not in the business of killing girls. So take a breath, straighten your back, and write.¡± Kirin smiled weakly, but still felt sick. Looking down to the blank sheet of paper, she tried to think back to what Xinthi had told her about the elucidation process. When recounting a dream, it was most important to keep the whole thing in order. She forced herself to relax. Don¡¯t think, just do it! She then wrote down every symbol she could recall from the nightmare as fast as she could. First there was the chapel, then the altar, the woman strapped to the altar, and then there was the wild-haired woman, the knife¡ªand the hiding man, too! Ugh, there were so many symbols. When she was finished, she lifted her writing shell and sat back on her heels. ¡°Are you done?¡± Ravad asked. Kirin nodded and passed the paper up to him. Ravad stroked his chin. ¡°This is unusual symbology.¡± Angxa broke off the hushed conversation he had been having with Tashau and moved toward the writing desk, holding out a gloved hand expectantly. Ravad handed the paper to Angxa, before seating himself beside Kirin on the floor. Tashau and Angxa settled across from them on the other side of the writing desk. Angxa slapped the paper down and looked it over, shaking his head. ¡°Three-year-old engstaxis write better glyph radicals than this. You eshtans should spend more time drilling your youth and less time coddling them.¡± He snatched Kirin¡¯s writing shell from her hand too quickly for her to react and began to scratch dozens of annotations around her list. His tiny handwriting was beautiful, every glyph stroke perfect and exact. Kirin flushed with embarrassment. Tashau took the sheet of paper after Angxa had finished marking it. He pointed at several of the glyphs. ¡°Are these the symbols that represent the cultist?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Kirin replied, leaning over the writing desk to see which symbols Tashau was pointing at. ¡°The man hidden in the shadows? I think if anybody represents that cultist, he would.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Angxa took the paper back and flipped it over. ¡°In a way it makes sense,¡± he sighed, drawing a circle and labeling it ¡°cult.¡± Inside of the circle, he wrote down each symbol associated with the hidden man. ¡°I find it interesting that the man is wrapped in shadow. Anoth possessed control over the shadow aspect of primal matter, as did his followers. If this cult indeed worships Anoth, then that would technically make them Anotites, even if they¡¯re not the same as the ancient group.¡± Kirin thought again about the shadow maker in her own nightmare. He came from the parting every time. It must have been related somehow. Angxa drew a second circle, which he labeled ¡°candidates.¡± In that circle, he wrote down the symbol of the young woman who was strapped to the altar. ¡°No, no,¡± Kirin corrected. ¡°That symbol there isn¡¯t a candidate. That¡¯s supposed to be the star empress.¡± Angxa paused for a moment, then crossed the symbol out with a single stroke. ¡°This is the symbol you associate with my wife?¡± Tashau asked. ¡°Yes. She was tied to the altar and just lying there while the other woman held up a knife to sacrifice her, I guess.¡± ¡°How are you so sure that it was Sorai?¡± ¡°Um . . . .¡± Kirin slid the paper and writing shell away from Angxa, looking at her original list of symbols. Avoiding Angxa¡¯s annotations, she drew a line from the silver diadem to the young woman. ¡°The woman on the altar was wearing the same kind of diadem that you wear, only it¡¯s made of silver.¡± She pointed at the band of gold that circled Tashau¡¯s head. ¡°Empresses wear them for formal occasions, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes, but that explanation isn¡¯t good enough.¡± Tashau tapped each symbol associated with the diadem. ¡°You wrote that this particular diadem is engraved with a sun, moon, and star in a row. This diadem could represent any of the empresses. Even Ravad¡¯s wife.¡± Ravad leaned forward with interest. Kirin hesitated, tempted at first to just agree and move on. ¡°You¡¯re kind of right. But I know the woman on the altar can¡¯t be the sun empress because her skin was much too white¡ªlike yours or an engstaxi¡¯s. Not brown like ours. And I figured she couldn¡¯t be the moon empress, either, because engstaxis have pointed teeth, not blunt ones. But really, I didn¡¯t know that it was the star empress until after the Nass¨¦ told us it was her and that she was dead.¡± ¡°Sorai is still alive,¡± Tashau said flatly. Kirin stiffened with surprise. The star empress was alive? With the way that everybody was talking about the attack, Kirin hadn¡¯t expected that, especially after what Xinthi said about her. ¡°I thought she was stabbed, but I guess I never actually saw her getting stabbed. I just looked back and she wasn¡¯t on the altar anymore. She was walking away with the man into the shadows.¡± ¡°What do you mean she walked away into the shadows?¡± Tashau asked brusquely. ¡°I don¡¯t see that in your notes. Aren¡¯t all the symbols important?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think to write that one down,¡± Kirin apologized, collecting her thoughts. ¡°Xinthi made it sound like the star empress had died and been thrust to the void to live with Anoth for eternity, so I just assumed. Given the symbols and the attack, I guess Xinthi assumed that the star empress was dead as well, but I¡¯m glad she¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°This is all very interesting.¡± Angxa took the paper and writing shell and drew a third circle labeled ¡°Sorai,¡± writing the symbols of her skin, teeth, the diadem, and the altar inside of it. He drew a fourth circle after that and labeled it ¡°child.¡± ¡°So, the altar was empty for a moment, then you saw a child lying on it in place of the star empress, and a hooded priest in place of the sacrificer. How exactly did that happen?¡± ¡°I kept getting distracted by the man in the shadows, so I didn¡¯t really see how it got that way. I didn¡¯t see the woman with the crazy hair actually stab the star empress, but the hooded man definitely stabbed the child, like this.¡± Kirin raised her arms above her head and demonstrated the motion, accidentally hitting her hands hard on the writing desk. A shockwave of pain shot up to her elbows. ¡°He stabbed the child three times.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Angxa wrote ¡°knife¡± between the circles he had just drawn. ¡°I am uncertain where this symbol belongs.¡± ¡°It seems important to determine who held the knife to Sorai in the first place,¡± Tashau suggested. ¡°She had every intention of following through with the sacrifice, even if in the end she was unsuccessful.¡± ¡°I have no idea who or what she¡¯s supposed to be,¡± Kirin lamented, trying to shake the pain out of her arms. ¡°This knife,¡± Angxa muttered. ¡°What did it look like? Did the woman and priest use the same knife?¡± ¡°I think the knife held by the woman was golden, and the knife held by the priest was different¡ªglass, maybe?¡± Angxa stiffened slightly. ¡°Gold carries meaning for my people,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Engstaxi children learn binding orm¨¦ by carving glyphs into soft objects with solid gold knives. Gold is the best conductor of orm¨¦. This symbol is important and has meaning.¡± He marked it on the paper. ¡°What about the other knife?¡± Tashau interjected. ¡°What kind of priest would use a knife made out of glass? What kind of ritual is that? And who is that child supposed to be?¡± ¡°I think the child represents the candidates,¡± Kirin ventured. ¡°The Nass¨¦ really focused on the color of the blood coming out of the child¡¯s wounds. It was glowing bright red. Naming crystals for people born under the eighth house turn the exact same shade of red.¡± ¡°But why kill the candidates?¡± Tashau pressed. ¡°Xinthi couldn¡¯t possibly see herself as the priest in the symbols, the one in the ¡®strange robes¡¯ as you put it. And she used a skylight to kill those girls, not a knife.¡± ¡°But the skylight was made out of glass like the knife,¡± Ravad noted. ¡°I can see how they might be related.¡± ¡°I am more curious about that woman,¡± Angxa said. ¡°You describe her as having long, wild hair but otherwise are lacking in detail.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Kirin stammered. ¡°Her skin also looked really pale, almost like silver? Xinthi also mentioned something about the goddess sacrificing the woman on the altar.¡± Angxa tapped definitively on the writing shell. ¡°Then I believe that would make her Naltena,¡± he proposed. ¡°All of our traditions represent Naltena with silver, be it our paintings, our relics, even the Goddess Forest itself. Clearly, Xinthi was simply following the will of Naltena by eliminating the corrupted candidates. She merely waited for Naltena to complete the necessary sacrifice of the star empress before acting.¡± ¡°Stop talking about Sorai as if she¡¯s dead,¡± Tashau demanded. ¡°She is fine! You¡¯ve all seen her!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Angxa drawled. ¡°I do recall her interrupting the initiatory rites and fleeing from Naltena¡¯s Chamber. Clearly she is fine.¡± ¡°You bastard,¡± Tashau muttered, clenching his teeth. ¡°Um, there¡¯s one more thing I forgot to write down,¡± Kirin offered tentatively. Both Angxa and Tashau grudgingly leaned back on their heels. ¡°When the star empress¡ªwell, the woman wearing the diadem¡ªwhen she left with the man in the shadows, her whole body was glowing, but it was glowing in a really strange way. It wasn¡¯t glowing light; it was glowing some sort of fuzzy dark purple color¡ªnot like patches but more like lots and lots of thin lines spreading across her skin. It was like writing, almost.¡± ¡°Lines like writing, you say?¡± Angxa interrupted, suddenly sitting up straight and looking directly into Kirin¡¯s eyes. His pupils narrowed into tiny slits, which made Kirin¡¯s flesh crawl. ¡°You say these lines¡ªthis writing¡ªonly began to show after she was sacrificed on the altar?¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Kirin answered. ¡°The star empress still lives, which means that the sacrifice was not meant to take her life,¡± Angxa muttered, almost to himself. ¡°But there was clearly meant to be a sacrifice¡ªone using a gold knife.¡± He was silent for a long time, tapping each symbol on the paper in turn, before shaking his head. ¡°This combination of symbols is very suspicious, especially in the dream of an engstaxi. I fear there is only one explanation.¡± Angxa rubbed at his chin and drew in a long breath, before he suddenly reached into his cowl and unveiled his face, allowing the hood to fall to his shoulders. He looked much younger than Kirin imagined he would, and was horrifyingly handsome. ¡°Tashau, your wife was taken by this cultist for several weeks. During that time, she was . . . wounded by him, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Tashau¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, then immediately narrowed. ¡°That is none of your concern.¡± Angxa¡¯s thin, white lips curled in a frown, but his expression remained solemn and sincere. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that it is. Her wounds¡ªthey¡¯re glyphs, aren¡¯t they? I would like your permission to examine them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tashau snarled in response, paling noticeably. ¡°There is no need to be defensive. The symbology of the nightmare from the perspective of an engstaxi is quite¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like what you¡¯re suggesting,¡± Ravad interjected. ¡°Binding orm¨¦ on people is forbidden. And there is no record of anyone doing it successfully, at least not since Anoth was killed.¡± ¡°Have her wounds been examined thoroughly?¡± Angxa asked. ¡°Don¡¯t even think it,¡± Tashau seethed. ¡°There is no excess primal matter in the glyphs. I have seen for myself.¡± Ravad stared at Tashau in surprise. ¡°Please reconsider,¡± Angxa said. ¡°My knowledge of the ancient glyphs is unsurpassed; I know what to look for. I feel it is necessary to . . . make a comparison.¡± Tashau leapt to his feet, and at first Kirin thought he might tackle Angxa. ¡°What you imply is insane! Naltena would not involve herself with binding orm¨¦ and Anoth is dead!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Ravad threw himself over the writing desk, extending his arms in order to keep Tashau from Angxa. ¡°Let¡¯s keep things civil, shall we? Tashau¡¯s right, Angxa. We need to get to the bottom of this, but we should exhaust other options before we do something rash to further traumatize Sorai. She¡¯s clearly been through enough already.¡± ¡°I wish only to be thorough.¡± Angxa stood as well. ¡°If the Dread God¡ª¡± ¡°Blasphemy!¡± Tashau snarled. Now Ravad was on his feet, holding Tashau back. ¡°Angxa, you can¡¯t make such claims without any evidence.¡± ¡°The glyphs are the evidence,¡± Angxa reasoned. ¡°This also holds with Anoth¡¯s pattern. He has always shown an interest in the imperial families.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like you think he¡¯s alive,¡± Ravad challenged. Angxa¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Was it not the eldest son of the second emperor of Judath who became the first hadir through Anoth¡¯s binding orm¨¦?¡± Tashau roared furiously. ¡°How dare you dishonor my wife with such ridiculous theories?¡± Kirin gaped at the string of obscenities that then spewed from Tashau¡¯s mouth, while Angxa took each hideous slur in stride, refusing to flinch even as Tashau forced his way forward to the point that their faces were almost touching. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Ravad shouted, finally managing to pry Tashau away from Angxa. I shouldn¡¯t be here, Kirin thought desperately as she inched her way toward the exit, but froze as soon as Ravad spotted her sneaking away. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything!¡± she yelped as he grabbed her by the arm and hauled her toward the office doors. ¡°That would be wise,¡± Ravad warned as he opened the doors just enough to push her through. ¡°You¡¯re free to take your daughter home,¡± he called to Entav, who was already waiting outside in the hall. ¡°I want word on her punishment by tomorrow morning.¡± Entav caught Kirin by the shoulders as she stumbled toward him. ¡°I¡¯ll see to her punishment immediately, Emperor.¡± Ravad nodded once and then returned to the study. Even through the shut doors, Kirin could hear the shouting resume, now thankfully muffled. She was relieved to be out of there with her skin intact. That was insane! Entav whirled Kirin around. He hugged her fiercely, but then thrust her from him the next instant. ¡°Are you stupid or something? You elucidated for the high princess of Judath?¡± Kirin had never seen her father so angry. Well, at least not at her. ¡°You¡¯re damn lucky that the star emperor spoke up on your behalf, otherwise you¡¯d be dead!¡± Entav dragged her down the hall, and Kirin, surprised at their speed, struggled to keep up. ¡°I thought I taught you common sense. Elucidating for the Nass¨¦ when she¡¯s directing you is one thing, but the high princess¡ªand the western princess, too? You don¡¯t mess around with peoples¡¯ thought matter! What were you thinking?¡± ¡°I just wanted to help!¡± Kirin whined as Entav pulled her down a flight of stairs. The main floor of the palace was filled with music and paper lanterns of all colors. ¡°And how many times did you ¡®help¡¯ those girls?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe ten?¡± ¡°Ten?¡± Entav hissed. It looked as though his remaining eye would pop from his skull. ¡°You elucidated ten times? That¡¯s a hundred lashes!¡± Kirin hadn¡¯t considered the math. ¡°Oh no! Father¡ª¡± ¡°No! No sympathy from me!¡± Entav¡¯s face was red, his lips set in a tight line. He hauled her around a corner, too quick to keep from colliding with a familiar body. Kirin stumbled backwards, her mouth suddenly full of fluff, and found herself nose-to-nose with a very disheveled-looking sazi, who was coiled around the neck of¡ª ¡°High Princess Tirbeth.¡± Entav bowed shallowly, his expression severe. ¡°Kirin!¡± Tirbeth squealed. She caught Kirin¡¯s hands and jumped up and down, rattling Kirin¡¯s innards and nearly jostling the sazi to the floor. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you! Anji, come quick!¡± she called over her shoulder. The instant Anji stepped from the reception hall, her face flashed shock, then disgust. She said nothing, but Kirin knew that look. Anji hated her. ¡°Come with us!¡± Tirbeth cried. ¡°Javan is dancing with a bunch of minor ladies, so we¡¯re going to sneak off for more wine!¡± Kirin swallowed numbly. ¡°I think you¡¯ve caused my daughter enough trouble,¡± Entav growled, startling Tirbeth and Anji. He bowed once more, with feigned deference. ¡°With all due respect, of course, High Princess, Western Princess.¡± He then jerked Kirin from Tirbeth¡¯s grasp and marched her out of the palace. Chapter Thirty-three Chapter 33 Zaidna The Empire of Judath Bakavoth Palace Sorai stirred, stretching her limbs in the warm but waning sunlight. ¡°Has my husband arrived yet?¡± she yawned, her voice still thick with sleep. ¡°No, not yet, but he¡¯ll come for you soon.¡± Aila sat down on the bed and gently drew Sorai¡¯s head against her chest. Sorai ran a hand across the silk sheets, catching her fingers on the petals that had been spread there, and thought longingly of Tashau and the eagerness with which he¡¯d watched her all day long. Would he smell as sweet as her handmaiden did now? And would it feel just as good to lie in his arms? ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous,¡± Sorai admitted. ¡°You¡¯re right to be nervous,¡± Aila whispered. ¡°I know you don¡¯t love him, but you must not refuse him when he comes for you. Try to be affectionate and it will hopefully end quickly.¡± Sorai turned her head quizzically, but Aila slid out of view. ¡°But I do love him. I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to marry him if I didn¡¯t love him.¡± ¡°You did not agree to this willingly,¡± Aila reminded slowly. Sorai creased her brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You hate him, my dear, and understandably so. He is cruel to you.¡± ¡°Tashau isn¡¯t cruel. He¡¯s kind! I know I love him, and he loves me.¡± Sorai folded her arms petulantly. ¡°Tashau?¡± Aila murmured. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± She tilted her head to look out the broad, circular window, and Sorai followed her gaze to the yellow sky and the narrow, gutted mountain cloaked in a swirling haze of dust and sand. ¡°Your husband loves you, but not in a way that an emperor should love his wife.¡± ¡°Why are you being so hurtful, especially on my wedding day?¡± Sorai sat up, wanting to be alone, but Aila caught her by the shoulders and drew her close. ¡°Shh,¡± Aila cooed as she pressed Sorai¡¯s face to her chest. ¡°I¡¯m only trying to make what you fear the most hurt a little less¡ªto prepare you for what¡¯s to come.¡± Even through closed eyelids, Sorai could see the silver-white glow of Aila¡¯s skin. ¡°You¡¯re not really Aila, are you?¡± Strangely, Sorai didn¡¯t care whether this was her handmaiden or not. There was something comforting in her embrace. Aila stroked Sorai¡¯s head, fingertips pressing against her scalp. ¡°I should smooth these tangles. It¡¯s the least I can do after what he¡¯s done.¡± Sorai felt Aila¡¯s fingers probe deeper into her hair, pressing harder and harder, until they seemed to slip painlessly through her skull. A shuddering wave of relief suddenly washed over Sorai¡¯s body as several silver locks of hair drifted past her face to rest on Aila¡¯s chest. She reached for them idly, marveling at their gleam, but her fingers passed right through them. How curious, she mused, before closing her eyes again. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Aila¡¯s hands moved gently as she untangled more of the silvery threads. ¡°I wish I could have saved you the night that he took you. I was justified in keeping Tashau alive to watch over the kada, but I could not justify interfering on your behalf. Your sacrifice was necessary. Please forgive me.¡± Sorai felt her anxiety fading moment by moment. ¡°Of course I forgive you,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Perhaps some good will yet come of it. He wasn¡¯t always this way. If he would only listen to reason, or exercise mercy. I wish I could spare you from being with him now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, then. Stay here with me.¡± Sorai felt Aila¡¯s body tense as she stopped her ministrations momentarily. ¡°I would stay with you if I could, but I cannot go beyond the parting. Once you pass through it, you will have to be strong and endure on your own. It won¡¯t be forever, and you may find friends if you look, but I cannot help you there.¡± With one final tug, the last of the snarls came free and a veil of translucent white fell over Sorai¡¯s face. For a single moment, all of her worries were gone. She felt like she could do anything, face anything. ¡°I would like to meet you face-to-face one day, Sorai. There is goodness in you that I wish all my disciples had. Never abandon that goodness, no matter what he might do to you.¡± Sorai sank back into the pillows and was almost at once caged by solid arms. When she opened her eyes, Anoth was hovering over her, his white and yellow robe already parted and spread to either side of her. She couldn¡¯t help but stare. He was beautiful. ¡°You¡¯ve made me wait far too long,¡± Anoth muttered. His fingers trailed down the length of her neck, between the folds of her bridal robes, before resting atop the scar he had torn into her chest. Reflexively, Sorai tried to cover herself, but he grabbed her hands and leaned close enough to catch her tears with his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy.¡± Anoth¡¯s lips melted against hers and she found that she could not resist them. She dared to return his searing kiss, and in response he became more ardent as he squeezed the breath from her. The heat of his skin and the taste of his mouth soon delighted her to the point of dizziness, until at last she was fully enraptured by his advances. But amidst all that breathless fumbling, her mind began to stir. Why was she doing this? She tried to push Anoth away, but her arms would not move except to receive him. What was she doing? How could she betray Tashau like this? But she couldn¡¯t stop herself. Her body was powerless and pliable, surrendering to Anoth¡¯s will even though she would sooner die than let him touch her. ¡°Let me go!¡± she shrieked. Anoth disappeared, leaving Sorai floundering in pitch black, tossing the bed sheets aside as she reached frantically for Tashau with bandaged hands. Almost at once, a yellow light scorched her eyes, and she lashed out, scratching and screaming at the hand that gripped her arm. ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re hurting me!¡± cried a voice that was not Anoth¡¯s. Sorai immediately stopped her flailing. Her rapid heartbeat continued to thud in her ears. ¡°Aila!¡± she cried as she realized she was attacking her handmaiden. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I-I don¡¯t know why¡ª¡± ¡°Empress, what happened?¡± Aila lowered the oil lamp, setting it down on Sorai¡¯s nightstand. She cautiously reached for Sorai, checking her face and eyes. ¡°He was here, Aila! Anoth was right here, touching me!¡± Aila balked at this. ¡°Oh, no! Nobody was here. I heard you from the sitting room, and there was no one here when I came in.¡± ¡°But he was! I can still smell him!¡± Sorai hugged herself as guilt and revulsion swept over her. Aila¡¯s brow creased. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have a fever. You¡ªyou weren¡¯t dreaming, were you?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Sorai snapped. She was a daughter of the first house; it was impossible for her to dream. ¡°Forgive my silly question.¡± Aila bowed her head. ¡°Shall I send for your husband?¡± At first Sorai was tempted to say yes. She needed Tashau to make all of this better¡ªto ease her guilt. But she was already in trouble with everything else that had happened. Telling him about this vision¡ªthis hallucination¡ªwould be just one more reason for him to think she was insane. ¡°No, don¡¯t send for him,¡± she murmured. Whatever this was, it was clearly Anoth¡¯s doing. It was just a new way for him to stalk and torment her. For a moment, she had thought that even if she were a hadir she would still find refuge from him, but she had been a fool. If he could penetrate her very thoughts, what hope did she ever have of completely escaping him?