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The hall in which the Voices held formal dinners for guests echoed with Reivan’s and Imenja’s steps. Five places were set at the end of the long table. Just five people dining in this enormous room. It seemed ridiculous, but it was all part of Nekaun’s efforts to impress Auraya.

As Reivan and Imenja neared the end of the table a door opened nearby. A woman entered and for a moment all Reivan saw was the white garb of a Circlian Priestess, and she felt a rush of fear.

Then she saw Nekaun following the woman, Turaan trailing behind. The black of his robes were a contrast to Auraya’s white. An equally powerful statement. She felt fear subside to a nervous excitement.

With both Imenja and Nekaun present, Reivan was safe enough. Auraya could not hope to overcome Nekaun and Imenja in magical strength…though it was hard for Reivan to imagine the two Voices cooperating.

They would if they had to, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she hoped her fear hadn’t shown on her face. Of course, that wouldn’t help much if Auraya could still read minds. She glanced at Imenja.

:Can she?

:We are not sure.

“Priestess Auraya, this is the Second Voice, Imenja,” Nekaun said. Turaan translated the words into Hanian. “Imenja, this is Priestess Auraya, formerly of the White,” Nekaun finished.

“Welcome to Glymma and the Sanctuary,” Imenja said in Avvenan. “It is much better to be facing you over dinner rather than a battlefield.” Auraya’s expression remained blank until Turaan translated, suggesting to Reivan that Auraya could not read minds.

The former White smiled faintly. “It certainly is—for myself as well.”

Imenja turned her head slightly toward Reivan, as if reluctant to stop watching Auraya for even a moment.

“This is my Companion, Reivan.”

Auraya met Reivan’s eyes. “I am honored to meet you, Companion Reivan. Nekaun has told me much about you, including how you led the Pentadrian army out of the mines.”

Reivan felt her face warm. “I am honored to meet you, too.” How much did he tell her about me? Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Reivan. He’s not going to discuss matters of the heart with a former White.

The former White looked amused, no doubt because of Reivan’s blush. Reivan was relieved when the woman’s attention shifted back to Imenja, who said something about Reivan knowing the Sennon language so perhaps they should all speak that, but Reivan barely heard because Nekaun had finally met her gaze. He smiled, making her heart skip, then looked away and gestured to the table.

“Please sit down,” he said. “We shall talk in comfort.”

Imenja and Auraya moved to opposite sides of the table, while Nekaun took his customary place at the head. Reivan found herself sitting opposite Turaan. The man gave her a brief haughty look before turning his attention back to the others.

“It is an interesting idea, this position of Companion,” Auraya said. “I had an adviser, but he was not required to become a priest.”

“Why was that?” Imenja asked.

“An adviser need only be smart, educated and well-connected. A priest or priestess must be Gifted. If we restricted our advisers to priests and priestesses, we’d bar potentially valuable people from our service.”

“That is true,” Imenja agreed. “Which is why we no longer require all our Servants to have Skills.”

Please don’t tell her I’ve got no magical ability, Reivan thought at Imenja. That’s something I’d rather a former White didn’t know.

“Most of our Servants are Skilled,” Nekaun added. “The few that aren’t have exceptional abilities that more than make up for their lack of magical talent.”

“Do you have a group similar to the Thinkers?” Imenja asked.

Auraya shook her head. “There are wealthy, educated men and women who explore academic pursuits for the sake of entertainment, self-improvement or trade, but they have not united as a collective that I know of. What have your Thinkers discovered or developed recently?”

Nekaun began to describe several constructions the Thinkers had designed. Servants brought the first dish and conversation shifted to other subjects, slowed by the constant need for translation. Turaan drank a lot of water, but his voice grew hoarse as the evening lengthened. Reivan barely needed to speak at all. Instead she concentrated on absorbing and considering everything about Auraya.

After the last dish was eaten and the plates taken away, Imenja leaned forward.

“So what are your impressions of the Sanctuary and Glymma so far?”

Auraya smiled. “The Sanctuary is as beautiful as a palace. Glymma has obviously been planned and laid out with forethought and common sense. I’m particularly impressed by your aqueducts and uncluttered streets.”

“And its inhabitants?”

“No better or worse than those in the cities of the north.”

Imenja smiled. “No worse?”

“No.”

“I would have thought we had one point in our favor.”

“What is that?”

“We do not mistreat or despise Dreamweavers or those who follow dead gods.”

Auraya nodded. “That is true. But my people do not invade other lands. I think that is a point in our favor that far outweighs yours.” She paused to hold Imenja’s gaze, then shrugged and looked at Nekaun. “And attitudes toward Dreamweavers are changing for the better, with the encouragement of the White.”

Imenja’s eyebrows rose. “Encouragement? Didn’t they recently drive Mirar out of Northern Ithania?”

Auraya’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “That wasn’t their intention,” she said, a touch of irony in her tone.

“No? So he’s welcome to return any time he wishes?”

“I doubt it. The Circle may be willing to encourage acceptance of Dreamweavers, but they haven’t changed their minds about Mirar.”

“Why do they regard him so unfavorably?” Nekaun asked.

Auraya’s mouth tightened as she paused to consider her answer. “Their conflict began centuries ago, and I cannot tell you exactly why.”

“There must be more to it than Dreamweavers not worshipping gods,” Imenja said.

Auraya nodded. “I believe he foolishly set himself against them. I don’t think he’ll make the same mistake twice.”

Or would he? Reivan wondered. The Voices need to know if Mirar is dangerous. If he is so dangerous that the Circlian gods tried to kill him, is he dangerous to us? He survived being attacked by the most powerful White, so he must be magically strong…and Genza is bringing him here!

Auraya’s gaze snapped to Reivan, then away again.

“Would you like to know where he is?” Nekaun asked.

“I have no interest in Mirar,” Auraya said. “If he’s in Southern Ithania, you’re welcome to him.”

“Am I?” Nekaun chuckled. “How generous of you.” He leaned back and swept his gaze over them all. “It is late. Tomorrow I have more of the city to show Auraya, and then we have dinner with Third Voice Vervel. I will escort Auraya to her rooms.”

Reivan barely heard him. She was sure something strange had just happened, but she wasn’t sure what, and now Nekaun seemed almost eager to leave. As the others rose and pushed back their chairs Reivan followed suit. They spoke polite farewells then parted, Nekaun, Auraya and Turaan leaving by the door they had arrived through.

As Imenja started back down the hall, Reivan replayed the conversation about Mirar through her mind. She gave me such a look, but I’d said nothing. Surely that means

“She probably read your mind,” Imenja said. “I think we finally caught her out. However, we don’t want her knowing that we have. Once she does we lose a small advantage.”

“So I won’t be meeting her again?”

“Not until we reveal our knowledge of her ability.” Imenja smiled apologetically. They moved out of the hall and into the corridor. “What did you make of her?”

Reivan considered. “I can’t say the chances of her allying with us are high.”

“Not even if Nekaun offered to hand over or kill Mirar?”

“No,” Reivan said slowly. “If she is loyal to her gods, she will not turn from them no matter what Nekaun offers.”

“That depends on what will please her gods more. Would they sacrifice her in exchange for Mirar’s death? She is no longer a White, so maybe her loss isn’t important to them.”

“She is a powerful sorceress. They would not want to lose her—at least not to us.”

Imenja nodded. “I agree. But we can’t dismiss the possibility that she will pretend to join us in order to secure Mirar’s death.”

“That would be a dangerous game to play. Would she risk discovery and death for the sake of killing Mirar?”

“It depends on how much her gods want Mirar dead.”

“And whether Nekaun does,” Reivan added. “Mirar is a powerful, immortal sorcerer. If he allies with us it won’t matter whether Auraya joins us or stays a Circlian ally.”

“That would be a much better arrangement for all, I think,” Imenja agreed. “Genza likes him, and thinks we will, too.”

“There is one significant problem, however.”

“Oh?”

“Dreamweavers do not kill. He would not be much use as an ally to counter Auraya.”

“Ah. That is true.”

“Having them both on our side would be even better.” Reivan chuckled. “Though that would be problematic, if they were at each other’s throats all the time.”

Imenja laughed darkly. “Yes, though it could be entertaining.”

 

Lifting the flap of the platten cover, Danjin saw the gates of an impressive structure ahead. The fortress of the Correl clan enveloped the crest of a hill with almost sinuous grace. All that could be seen of it were high walls, but those walls rose from the earth like natural outcrops of sheer rock. They looked as if they had been there for millennia and, despite or perhaps because of the subtle signs of repairs here and there, as if they would be forever.

Inside lived the small, reclusive Correl clan. Yem had told them the family’s decline was due mostly to few male heirs being produced. The current leader was an old man whose only son had been killed in a training accident. He had nominated a child of one of his granddaughters to succeed him.

But there were nephews and cousins enough to provide a small force of warriors.

Yem had gone ahead to announce their arrival. Danjin could not help worrying about the young man’s safety. If the warriors had been converted by the Pentadrians, too, who knew what could happen?

Danjin let the flap fall and looked at Ella. She smiled back at him.

“Don’t worry, Danjin. Yem is safe, and has arranged every thing.”

The platten slowed as it reached the hill. The arem were exhausted. The sound of their hoof beats suddenly echoed off close walls and the platten reached flat ground. It stopped and Ella drew the hood of her cloak over her head. Danjin followed her out and Gillen clambered after them.

They had arrived in a courtyard between two fortress walls. It was empty but for two warriors standing by a second gate and a pair of guards that Ella glanced at briefly. One of the warriors was Yem, the other a broad-shouldered man with gray in his hair.

“Greetings, Ellareen of the White. Welcome to my home,” the older warrior said quietly.

Ella smiled. “Greetings, Gret, Talm of Correl. This is Danjin Spear, my adviser, and Gillen Shieldarm, Ambassador of Hania.”

“Welcome. Come inside where we may talk in comfort,” he invited.

Ella had asked Yem to arrange for this meeting to be held with as few witnesses as possible. They saw no others as they walked through the second gate, along a narrow corridor and into a hall. Ella’s gaze was slightly distracted and Danjin guessed she was checking for the minds of unseen watchers.

Gret led them along the hall to a staircase and they ascended to a corridor. He stopped beside a door and ushered them into a cavernous room decorated with large wall hangings.

Ella took the seat Gret offered. The old warrior moved to a side table and poured fwa into five goblets, then handed them around.

“That is an impressive hanging,” Gillen murmured. He was gazing up at the largest. It depicted a grand view of hills divided into fields by low walls, with small villages glimpsed in the creases. The sea was a shimmering expanse beyond and huge clouds floated over all.

It’s just colored thread on cloth, Danjin thought. How do they get the sea to shimmer and the clouds to look so real just with stitches?

“My late wife made it,” Gret said. “She was gifted at the art. It is of the view from the roof of this fortress.”

“She was indeed gifted,” Gillen said. “It is an unusual subject for a Dunwayan hanging.”

“Unusual in such a large hanging,” Gret agreed. “Women often make smaller hangings of their homes, and keep them in their private rooms—which is why you have not seen them before.” He smiled. “Tia was more ambitious. I like them, so I had them moved in here after she died.”

He turned away and sat down opposite Ella. Gillen and Danjin took places on either side of the White. Looking up at the hanging again, Danjin wondered if one of the villages depicted on it was the one the Pentadrians had settled in.

“Yem said you were here on a matter of urgency and importance,” Gret said. “How can I be of help to you?”

“I need the assistance of your warriors,” Ella began. As she told him of the Pentadrians who had settled in Dram, the old man’s expression changed to dismay.

“Are you sure of this—that their intentions are ill?”

“I have read it from their minds,” Ella replied.

“I was told they were hard workers and kept their ways to themselves.”

“You did not investigate yourself?”

He shook his head. “I trust Dram’s leader. He would have reported any trouble. The Pentadrians pay their tithe. Some have even married locals.”

“You allowed marriages between Circlians and Pentadrians?”

He shrugged. “Of course.”

Ella shook her head in disbelief. “Tell me, was it a Pentadrian or Circlian rite?”

Gret shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”

“Did the Pentadrian of these couples convert to a Circlian, or the Circlian convert to a Pentadrian?”

He spread his hands.

“What will their children be, Pentadrian or Circlian?”

“I don’t know.” He was frowning now. “I prefer to leave them their privacy.”

“An admirably generous policy, if these newcomers were from Sennon or Hania. But these people are our enemy. They follow gods that would destroy us, if they could. We can’t trust them—as has been demonstrated here.” She leaned forward to stare at Gret. “I-Portak agrees with me. The Pentadrians and the people of Dram must be taken to Chon to be judged.”

Gret’s mouth dropped open, but he quickly closed it again. His face reddened.

“To Chon? Is that necessary? We could hold trials here.”

Ella shook her head. “It is impossible to hide something of this magnitude, Gret. People will find out.”

“But should the Pentadrians have the satisfaction of the world knowing of their success—no matter how brief?”

“People need to see what they have done in order to be alert for such deception in the future. And they need to see that rapid and appropriate punishment is dealt out to those who harbor Pentadrians.”

“But do all of the villagers have to go north? What of the old? Women? Children? It is a long way and a cruel hardship for the innocent.”

Ella grimaced. “They must all go, or innocents will be targeted in the future. Will you assist me?”

Gret’s shoulders drooped. “Of course.”

As Ella began to discuss numbers of men and a strategy for approaching and dealing with the villagers, Danjin considered the old warrior. Clearly his pride would suffer if others knew he had been deceived by the enemy. His income would suffer, too. A village emptied of workers meant crops, animals and fishing boats left untended. Danjin had to wonder how much of Gret’s dismay was due to loss of honor and profit, and how much at the journey and punishment his people were about to face.

Yet at the same time Danjin felt sympathy toward Gret’s protestations, and a nagging dismay. Was Ella so eager to make an example of the village that she would punish all with equal harshness, whether convert or not, old or young, adult or child?

I guess we’ll find out soon.

Age of The Five Gods #03 - Voice of the Gods
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