Chapter 36
Gathering Powers
Hannibal Castle, Kingdom of Hannibal
It was the third day since they arrived at the palace, over a week since they were taken captive in Birut by Tobias' estimate. The spell Tellus used to subdue them was similar to the one from the Pit of Athirat, only this time the slumber was not so blissful. There was a feeling of comfort not unlike previous time, but that feeling was overshadowed by fear, panic and desperation. They knew they had fallen into the hands of the enemy and if they were not killed outright, it meant worse things were waiting for them.
Tobias and Tym'r were being held in a cell in the northwest tower, otherwise known as Headsman's Tower because the people imprisoned there were typically awaiting execution. Long imprisonment had never been the fashion in the kingdom. If death or exile were not the sentence, nobles would be confined to their estates or the estate of another noble who acted as their custodian, while commoners would simply be sold into slavery. Now, if a nobleman and his family were stripped of their title, they could be sold into slavery as well, but even the Mad King did not often resort to this. Even in the depths of his madness he seemed to know that if the nobles felt too imperiled, they would band together against the Crown.
Tobias knew that he was not going to be sent back to the family estate and he was not likely to be sold into slavery either. No, he was awaiting the headsman's axe. While his doom was all but certain, he was worried about Tellus and Shoshanna, but there was nothing he could do. He was chained hand and foot, he had not eaten in all this time and he was only given precious little water in a bowl on the floor that he had to lap up like a dog. Besides weakening them from lack of food, perhaps they thought that if he grew hungry enough, Tym'r's bestial instincts would take over and instead of the headsman's axe taking Tobias' head, he would be torn apart and devoured by his own companion.
When he suggested as much to Tym'r, the Catman replied, "I will be slain the moment I do, so what is the profit in turning my claws on a friend?"
Who would imagine a Catman calling a human 'friend'? And who would imagine a human responding in kind? Perhaps they were the only ones, but if there could be understanding between the two of them, might there be a path for their peoples outside the cycle of blood, hatred and oppression? Even if it was possible, it would not make much difference to them. How many days did they have left on this earth? Two? Three?
"It was an evil spirit that took that girl," Tym'r said. "I told you that place was ill-omened."
Tobias did not know what to say. This was not the first time Tym'r had said this, but Tobias was still at a loss. Truly she had changed. Did she do what she did for the sake of her mission or had this all been some grand deception? She did seem to be concerned for their well-being. Had they tried to fight against the Black Guard, they would have surely been killed, but was this any better?
He thought about what Shayla had told him about the two of them being the Queen's children. Could he use that? Would the Queen believe him? Even if she did, might that only make his situation worse? Given the supposed circumstances of his birth, she might hate him for what he was. This was assuming he would be brought before the Queen. He did not think she could resist, though. She enjoyed handing down judgment herself too much to defer the task to another.
While he was considering this, his eye was drawn to some activity on the docks. Their cell had a little window that was a small mercy in the current season but would likely be the death of them in the winter, not that they could expect to live that long.
People were always coming and going, but not so many this late. Most of the regular workers appeared to have been dismissed early, leaving only a few men to do such tasks as mooring the arriving skiff. There were four men of the Black Guard and four cloaked figures. It was curious enough that the Black Guard would be escorting anyone, but when the cloaked figures stood up, it was clear from their height and frame that they were not human.
What were Catmen doing here? Non-humans were not allowed on the palace grounds—present company excepted—and they were not slaves as they were not in chains.
Before Tobias could ask, Tym'r's nostrils flared and he began growling and straining against his chains.
"Traitors!" he snarled. "I knew it! I knew it!"
* * *
The Ah ih Khul's ear twitched as he heard the voice in the distance. His nose burned with the hint of the hated scent in the air. He found himself growling, which frightened some of the Tall Ape slaves around them.
"Calm yourself, Naghi," the G'hah ih Sh'ach said.
"But, Uncle, it—"
"The Khul na Ty'ha? Yes, I know. Do you think my nose has gone dull? Am I not the G'hah ih Sh'ach?"
That was exactly the sort of answer he would give. Ever since he became G'hah ih Sh'ach, it was like he became a different creature entirely. The Ah ih Khul could not understand him and, honestly, he did not want to. He did not want his mind to be twisted so.
"It must be the spirits' guidance," the G'hah ih Sh'ach said. "The Khul na Ty'ha was led to this place that he might bear witness to what is to come. He has thrown away his honor for the sake of lesser things, yet he shall see the greater before the end."
The Ah ih Khul did not think the spirits had such an influence in the lives of mortals, but he did not doubt their power and so he said nothing. To give a thought voice gave it power and that power could be used against you, which was why the wise would rein in their tongues. The Ah ih Khul was not always so wise, admittedly.
"If he has been taken by the Tall Apes, then he is no threat to our plans," the Ah ih Khul noted.
"He never was a threat, Naghi," the G'hah ih Sh'ach replied. "Not even if he had marshalled all of Clan Ty'ha against us. Still, it is just as well that he cannot interfere. Come, let us be on our way."
"Yes, Uncle," the Ah ih Khul said, though he did not share the G'hah ih Sh'ach's confidence. As far as he was concerned, so long as the Khul na Ty'ha lived, he would be a thorn in their sides. If only they could have found a way to kill him sooner...
* * *
It was a sign of waning devotion that the shrine of Baal on the palace grounds would be one of the best places to meet undisturbed. So far, six were gathered at the shrine and when Jovinus of Kartzet stepped in, that made seven.
Jovinus' eyes immediately went to Marina and he greeted her, saying, "Hello there, heifer."
Marina narrowed her eyes, but the corner of her lip curled up slightly as she replied, "Hello, cuckoo bird."
"Does it not shame you, who were a queen, to garb yourself in the name of a false god?" he asked.
"Eshmun was true," she countered. "He was given Sidon. We met him at least once, surely. It was Shadrafa who was a fabrication and so Eshmun-Shadrafa is a mix of true and false, much like us all.
"What about you? How many of the maids of Kartzet have you bespoiled since the last time we saw each other? Or are mortal women no longer enough to satisfy your lusts?"
"You saw to it that I would not be satisfying my lust, you spiteful whore," Jovinus grumbled. "Do not pretend to have forgotten."
"Must you two do this every time?" Lady Aria asked with a sigh. "How long must we endure your squabbles?"
"A pity the poison did not palsy your wagging tongue," Marina said in icy contempt.
"Venom," Lady Aria corrected with an equal measure of contempt. "It is called venom when it comes from the animal and poison when it comes from the vegetable or mineral."
"Forever the pedant," Marina said. "How many disciples come to learn at the feet of the great crippled scholar of Shakab?"
"Come now, Mother," Lady Jehanna intervened. "Must you cling to the old grudges? What good has ever come of any of it?"
"You are one to speak," Marina said. "Are you going to tell me you have forgiven what that woman did to my boy?"
"You never loved him, Mother," Lady Jehanna said. "I never loved him. Nobody ever loved that poor fool. The Red Queen did him a mercy."
Having heard her fill, Marina stalked over to Lady Jehanna and raised her hand to strike her, but her wrist was caught by Bat Anat, who had suddenly and silently appeared at her side.
"You know the rules, 'Mother'," she said. "If we fight among ourselves, we're never going to get what we want."
"Maybe I would prefer nothing to spending another moment with the lot of you," Marina replied. "Now unhand me."
"You're not going to try and damage that pretty face, are you?"
"I would smash it to pieces if I had my way."
"Taking out your anger on her will not make it go away," Lady Aria said. "After all, the one you are truly angry with is yourself. If you had not despised him so, perhaps none of this would have happened."
"We should have given you to him after all," Marina said. "You two would have been the perfect pair. Two lame, malformed, piteous wretches."
It certainly seemed that they could have disputed among themselves forever, but another voice interrupted before it could continue any longer.
"I cannot begin to fathom how you once ruled over mankind in the Old World, but I can see why you lost your rule."
It was Queen Malta. While everyone else was obliged to leave their attendants behind, she had Sir Cyrano with her as always and two others, a girl in chains and a dull-eyed Child of the Forest. It was the girl in particular who drew everyone's interest, so much that the Queen's insult went unchallenged.
"You have brought the child here," Lady Aria said, straightening herself up as best she could. "You are suppressing her powers, but even so, she is stronger than when I saw her mere weeks ago."
"'Mere weeks ago'?" Jovinus asked. "What do you mean?"
"I met her back in Shakab not so long ago, Father," Lady Aria replied. "There was a knight with her who rescued me from a mob, a beastman as well... and that woman there."
Jovinus looked at the Child of the Forest and said, "A knight, a beastman, and one of the Forest Folk travelling together? Is this some jest?"
"I did not know she was a Child of the Forest at the time," Lady Aria said. "I sensed something about her, but she was hiding her appearance. It may be that she is a halfbreed."
"If you cannot tell a miserable halfbreed by looking at her, then your eye is as withered as that arm you keep hidden away," a new voice said.
Bat Anat tipped her cap to the new arrival and said something in a tongue the others did not understand. The new arrival was a cloaked woman who remained concealed by her hood and she replied in kind.
The woman then said to the Queen, "I see the child is back in your hands. How long did it take you? The moon has waxed and waned and waxed again since I sent her your way."
"It was all dealt with in due course, Lady Jiria," the Queen replied, "no thanks to my incompetent underlings, but I will deal with them later. The Witch has returned to us and with her powers fully awakened, she will be that much better a conduit to the Source. This time, the Convocation will yield a far greater measure of power."
"That is why we are here, queen of the humans," Jiria replied.
"Not like we'd cross paths otherwise," a rough-sounding voice said.
The latest person to arrive was the smith Barthak, who took one look at the girl at the Queen's side and said, "I see Lord Bannon got his chains back." He then noticed the Child of the Forest and gave her a swat on the rear with his broad hand, saying, "And fancy seein' you here too, lover. I'd like to pay you back for your service to me the other day."
However, the Child of the Forest did not react in the slightest.
"What? Not happy to see me, are you?"
When he walked around to face her, he saw the amulet around her neck and merely said, "Oh, I see."
"An acquaintance of yours, Master Balthasar?" the Queen asked.
"Oh, you know how it is," Barthak replied. "All women're witches one way or 'nother. This one was with that young popinjay of a knight, lookin' to free the girl of them chains there. She worked some witchery on me. My own fault, I s'ppose, but I still think she deserves a little gratitude from me for it."
"So long as there is no permanent damage, we may be able to arrange for an exchange," the Queen said, "but only if there is no permanent damage. This one has proven to be quite useful. It turns out my palace has quite the rat infestation and she has proven to be better than any terrier. Haven't you, pet?"
The Queen stroked the Child of the Forest's hair much as you would pet a dog. Jiria sneered at the sight, though.
"Disgusting," she muttered.
"What is it, long ears?" Barthak asked.
"All of it," Jiria replied. "The fact that such a creature was born, her dalliance with the likes of you, and now her being kept as a pet by the queen of the humans. Even if it is a half measure of our people's blood, defiled as it is, such an offense ought not stand."
"Dear child, you cannot begin to imagine offenses that ought not stand," Marina said. "You silly, ignorant little creatures huddling amongst your trees. How can your ragged pride compare to us, we who once reigned over men as gods?"
"If all goes well, you will be restored to your glory," the Queen said. "That was the deal, after all."
"And you intend to stand among us," Marina replied.
"It was I who arranged for all of this, I who placed you in positions of privilege and comfort while we waited for the pieces to fall into place. Why should I expect anything less?"
"You assumed there is power enough that sixteen gods may be born," Lady Aria said.
"For all your storied wisdom, you are foolish to give voice to such a thought," the Queen said. "Everyone here thinks they can steal the power for themselves, but unless we work together, we get nothing. If we are doing nothing but trying to outdo each other's treachery, we will not be able to perform the rite. The more we are made conscious of this, the more difficult it becomes to bind our hearts as one."
The grin on the Queen's face fell as a chill came over the shrine. Everyone was noticeably put on their guard as a black-cloaked figure entered, silently gliding across the floor.
In a deep, sonorous voice, the figure said, "Your greed is greater than your fear. That is why you will perform the rite without fail, knowing the one to your left and the one to your right mean treachery. It is your greed that binds you."
"You are one to speak of greed," Marina said, "after you tried to take the child for yourself. Or did you think I would forget?"
"If you are known for no other quality, Hera Boṓpis, your memory is long when it comes to a perceived slight."
"'Perceived slight'?" Marina balked. "You broke faith with us. You violated our pact. You should be driven out."
"I did what was necessary," the figure replied. "I ought to have done more, but your interference was only a minor inconvenience."
"My interference!? The child could have died! What then!?"
"Living... Dead... It matters not."
"It matters to us! A dead girl will not get us what we want!"
"Your view is too narrow, you who would call yourselves gods."
"And what does that make you!?"
"I am but a vessel. Like the child, I am the path. I am not the end."
"So humble..." Marina replied mockingly.
"If you are done bickering," the Queen said, "not that you are ever done bickering, might we review the business at hand?"
"We are not yet all assembled," Jovinus noted. "As a matter of courtesy, ought we not wait?"
"Since when did you become so concerned with courtesy?" Marina asked.
Jovinus sniffed, "Now that the fangs are out, her venom drips everywhere."
Ignoring the others, Bat Anat asked the Queen, "What became of the knight who was with the child? You didn't kill him, did you? I rather liked him. He was an honest sort of fool."
"I have him locked away until the Convocation is concluded," the Queen said. "He can die after our work is finished."
"You said you wouldn't hurt them," the girl said in a low voice.
"I said nothing of the sort," the Queen replied. Eyeing the girl, she then said, "But if you fulfill your purpose, I may be in the mood for mercy."
"I want you to swear," the girl said.
There was a tension in the air, no mere abstraction but a feeling of pressure. The air became heavy and charged with energy that would make a person's hair stand on end.
"Those chains aren't gonna hold," Barthak warned. "You better say what needs sayin' or all us together might not be enough to stop her."
The Queen did not betray any fear or unease. Rather, she looked down at the girl as any dismissive adult would, and told her, "If you do your part, Sir Tobias will have his life."
The girl eyed the Queen suspiciously as she raised her hand to her mouth and bit into the meat of her palm, hard enough to draw blood. Then, while her lips were still red with her own blood, she seized the Queen's hand and bit into it as well.
"You—!" Sir Cyrano fumed as he went to draw his sword.
"No, stop!" the Queen shouted, warding him off with her free hand.
The girl released the Queen and wiped her mouth.
"If I die, you die," she said. "If Tobias dies, you die. That's our pact of blood."
She held up her hand and the wound sealed, as if to demonstrate that even with the chains suppressing her powers, she was not so weak.
Holding her injured hand, the Queen scowled at the girl and said, "So be it. Our pact of blood."