King's Artesan: Artesans of Albia trilogy (Artesans Series Book 3) Page 24

  The two of them laid hands on Sullyan and stayed there in silence. The longer they stayed the harder Rienne shook. She longed to run to them, to lend her aid, but Taran’s grip on her arm was sure. All she could do was wait.

  Then she saw it. The slightest movement of Sullyan’s hand on the ground. She tensed, praying for her friend to wake up. The Hierarch placed his arm under Sullyan’s shoulders, gently lifting her into a sitting position. Her head lolled against his chest, her eyes still closed, and Rienne held her breath. But then those golden eyes opened and life returned to her features.

  Rienne heard a deep sigh from Robin and saw his body sag. He straightened quickly, mindful of his duty. Her eye was then caught by a strange expression on General Blaine’s face—an intense look of relief that seemed excessive, even under these extreme circumstances—but she had no time to ponder it. The Hierarch lifted his eyes to the two Albian men and nodded. Joy flooded Rienne’s heart. Surely this could only mean it was safe to release the structure because the purging had been successful? She let out her own pent-up breath in a thankful rush.

  Once the three men had dismantled the structure, Robin and the General approached the Hierarch. He stood, cradling Sullyan in his arms. Taran released his hold on Rienne and she ran to Sullyan’s side just as the Hierarch set her down. With Rienne’s shoulder for support on one side and the Hierarch’s arm around her waist on the other, Sullyan managed to stand. She looked as weak as a newborn foal. She smiled and nodded at the concerned faces around her, too exhausted to speak. Needing more information, Rienne raised questioning eyes to the Andaryan Master Healer.

  He obliged her. “I am pleased to report that the purging has been successful. I can detect no signs of the poison within Brynne’s soul. The process, however, has completely drained her energies, and there is also some damage that will need time to heal.” Noticing Rienne’s stricken look and Robin’s fearful frown, he hastily continued. “The damage is not too severe and certainly could have been worse. The poison corroded some areas of Brynne’s soul, and these will need time to mend and refill with her personal essence. With sufficient rest, this process will happen naturally. The energy contained within the Staff, however, left some scarring as it seared through the poison, and Brynne will need help if she is to recover the full use of her psyche.”

  Robin stiffened. “Are you saying Sullyan’s powers could be affected for life?”

  Deshan gave him a mock stern glance. “Young man, you didn’t listen. I said she would need help to recover, not that she wouldn’t recover.”

  Rienne laid a soothing hand on Robin’s arm. “She will have all the help she needs, Deshan. I can assure you of that.”

  “I have no doubt, my dear. Right now, what she needs is rest. Someone should help her to her chamber and then leave her to sleep.”

  Robin immediately came to Sullyan’s side. He swept her up into his arms and kissed her tenderly before walking away. She laid her head on his shoulder and fell instantly asleep.

  General Blaine shook hands with both Pharikian and Deshan, thanking them for their help and cooperation. Pharikian agreed to take the artifact back to Andaryon until the time came to destroy it. Taran and Bull also shook hands with the two Andaryans, but handshaking was too formal for Rienne. She gave each man a heartfelt hug, tears of love and gratitude standing in her eyes. Sullyan’s safety when the Staff was destroyed might still be a concern, but she pushed that to the back of her mind as she watched the two Andaryans cross into their own realm.

  *****

  It was late evening in Port Loxton, Albia’s capitol city. In the north quarter of the city, Loxton Castle was quiet behind its protective wall, most of its inhabitants abed. Apart from the sentries and servants, the corridors were deserted. Lamplight showed under only a few of the chamber doors on the second floor, where most of the private suites could be found.

  One such chamber was situated within the east wing of the castle. The entire wing had been taken over two years ago by Queen Sofira, after her wedding to Elias. Accustomed to the freedom of her father’s palace in Bordenn, Sofira had refused to share Loxton Castle’s central portion with people such as Elias’s Chamberlain, Lord Kinsey, or his First Minister, Rendan Levant. Privacy was of supreme importance to Sofira. As High Queen of Albia, she felt it was her due.

  A fire burned in the generous hearth opposite the chamber window. The heavy drapes were partially open, showing a faint twilight over the castle grounds. Lamps shimmered brightly in wall niches, yet somehow shadows lingered. In a chair close to the fire, the Queen, heavily pregnant with her second child, sipped from a crystal goblet of fine dark wine. Her back was stiff and straight, her honey-blonde hair drawn tightly away from her face. Her hard grey eyes were unfocused and the sipping of the wine was mechanical.

  Facing her sat a dapper figure dressed in dark clothes. His face was swarthy, typical of the men from Albia’s southern provinces. His eyes, a darker grey than the Queen’s, rested on the angular countenance before him, assessing and reflecting on her mood. Between his fingers he twirled a goblet, only now and then pausing to taste its contents. The atmosphere was pensive, broken only by the crackling fire.

  Eventually, Sofira raised her eyes. “I fail to see what we can do now, Hezra. Surely our cause is lost?”

  He placed his goblet on the table and laced his fingers. This was a discussion they had held before. “I pray not, Madam, as I have told you, although it is severely compromised.”

  “But how are we to proceed without our outland ally? His aid was crucial to the master plan.”

  Baron Hezra Reen sighed. Clearly, she still doubted him. “His death is indeed regrettable, although I still feel he would have caused us trouble once he had taken the throne. However, he was not the only one—”

  “I thought you said the other one was useless? He didn’t have the same standing, you said, so how could he ever provide us with the commodity you say we need?”

  The Baron took a healthy swallow of wine. It was a rich southern vintage, far superior to the eastern wines Elias favored. Sofira had a good supply of Beraxian reds, her private cellar kept stocked by her father’s vintners. Being the Queen’s countryman and confidante had many advantages, the Baron reflected.

  “I doubt he could, yet I am loath to lose touch entirely. He might still have value as a spy, despite not being part of the demon ruler’s court. I intend to let him stew for a while before renewing the contact, let him reflect upon the income he has lost. I have often found that gold, or more likely the lack of it, has great power to stimulate creativity.”

  He smiled at her and her lips twitched in response. She was not given to smiling, so this indication of her approval was welcome.

  “We may have lost a central player, but remember—we still have the artifact.”

  Her lips thinned instantly. “We don’t, though, do we? We don’t know where it is or what might happen to it. And without the outlander lord, we can’t get more ore to make another.”

  The Baron shook his head. “The manufacture of another device does not feature in my plans, Madam. I doubt even Albia’s Treasury could bear another such drain. I am hopeful that the fear of the existence of another device will keep them all guessing. Although the youth fears us well enough, I doubt that even Commander Izack could ‘persuade’ him to go through that again. The experience did nearly kill him, and I want him alive awhile yet. No. I have another scheme for obtaining what we need.”

  She frowned. “Then it is even more essential to recover the original. What if someone finds out how it was made? What if they discover your involvement? What if they turn it against you?”

  Reen froze. There it was again—that subtle reminder that should things go awry, he was alone. “Your involvement,” she had said, not “our involvement.” His anger rose, but he forced it down. This was a risk he had accepted when he first presented the plan to her, the risk that should he fail, he alone would take the blame.

  Quelling his prickli
ng irritation, he held her gaze. He had no intention of failing.

  “They cannot discover our involvement, my Queen, and neither can they turn the weapon against us.” She was not the only one who could play games with words. “We do not have their blasphemous ‘gift,’ so it is powerless to affect us.”

  This was, of course, not entirely true. They had both heard reports of the damage sustained by the village of Hyecombe. Yet Reen knew Sofira was more concerned about an attack on the mind than she was about houses being blown down.

  “But what about the Sullyan woman? What if she can sense who made the thing? Surely that will lead them right back here? If we are ever to be rid of these people, rid Albia of their taint forever, we have to get the weapon back. As much for our safety as our plan.”

  She was right. He could feign indifference to the threat Sullyan posed as long as he liked, but the truth was he had no idea what she was truly capable of. Could she discover the mind behind the creation of the artifact? Was there a way she could unravel its construction, find some small clue that would lead her back here? This concern took precedence in his mind, overshadowing Sofira’s unconscious acceptance of responsibility.

  “I agree, Madam, and I have already decided how to discover what has become of the weapon. Once we know where it is, we can make plans for its recovery. Our remaining contact in the outlander realm may yet prove useful. First, though, I need a reason to go to the Manor. Do I remember you saying the King intends to visit soon?”

  She calmed, and he relaxed. The subtle control he had practiced over her ever since his arrival at her father’s court had worked its charm once more. He blessed the chance that had brought him into her circle.

  “Yes. He has some promotions or battle honors or some such to give out. It’s to do with those men who saved that village from the demons. Elias can’t stay away from the place for too long. He still feels obliged to Lord Blaine for helping him take the High Throne, I suspect.”

  Hmm, yes, there’s another man who will bear watching. I could do without all these military types with arcane powers getting too close to our King.

  Aloud, he said, “That is all to the good, Madam. As you cannot accompany the King in your present condition, you can request my presence at his Majesty’s side when he travels to the Manor. That should give me ample opportunity to ask some questions and listen to gossip. And I have another plan, one which will increase our knowledge of what these people are up to and allow me to devise a way of discrediting them in the King’s eyes. Allow me to refill your glass while I tell you.”

  He stood and took up the decanter, his eyes meeting hers. As she held up her glass for more wine, she smiled.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Rienne and Robin worked with Sullyan for some days, lending her strength and helping her heal the scarring the Staff’s cauterizing power had left. Sullyan was amazed at how fast the void in her soul had refilled with her natural essence—deep, relaxing sleep was the key to that process—but the scarring had affected large portions of her psyche pattern and some of the structure had actually changed due to the trauma it had endured.

  During this task, Rienne finally learned the real value of her bond with Sullyan. As an empath, she was unable to initiate contact with Sullyan’s mind. Once linked with Robin, however, she could use his strength and knowledge to bind herself to Sullyan’s psyche, leaving her free to use her healing skills with no further effort. Rienne directed Robin’s, and sometimes Sullyan’s, powerful energies to where they would do most good, suffering no draining of her own essence in the process.

  In this manner and under Sullyan’s direction, Rienne was able to remove the majority of the scarring and restore her friend’s psyche to its original condition. She also learned the complex swirls, helixes, and switchbacks of the pattern as well as if it were her own. The day soon came when Rienne found nothing more she could heal.

  This was a blessing, for word had arrived at the Manor that King Elias intended to visit. The General summoned Sullyan and Robin to his office to discuss the matter, and he also wanted to hear Sullyan’s thoughts on the next step regarding the Staff.

  Blaine indicated the chairs in front of his desk, and both officers sat. He steepled his fingers and regarded them.

  “Do I take it you are now fully restored, Major?”

  She inclined her head. “I cannot pretend all is as it was before”—she glanced down at her left hand—“but all is as well as it can be. I am fit to resume my duties.”

  He nodded. “Very well. As you know, his Majesty has scheduled a visit. He was impressed by what he heard concerning the siege of Hyecombe and may well decide to issue battle honors. However, there is another reason behind Elias’s visit. Pharikian has initiated talks with Elias in the hope of cementing better relations between our two realms. It is Elias’s wish that we host the first of these talks here at the Manor, and so the Hierarch of Andaryon and his retinue will visit at the same time as the King.”

  He fixed his eyes on Robin’s, causing the young Captain to frown. “The Hierarch has informed Elias in great detail of the parts both you and Sullyan played in thwarting Rykan’s attempt on the throne, and also of his suspicions concerning Rykan’s intentions for Albia had he succeeded. Pharikian has apparently praised you both very highly, and the King wishes to reward you.”

  Robin’s eyes grew wide. He opened his mouth to speak, but Blaine wasn’t finished.

  “I must also tell you that the Hierarch has informed King Elias that your powers are now sufficient to support Master status. The King has expressed a desire to be present when your confirmation ceremony takes place. Therefore, we will conduct it sometime during this visit.”

  Robin flushed. He didn’t quite know what to say. Sullyan sat grinning beside him, clearly delighted with the news.

  “General … sir … I am flattered,” Robin managed. “This is a huge honor—”

  “Quite right, Captain, and I trust you will not let me or Sullyan down.”

  Sullyan reached out and laid her hand on Robin’s arm, pride shining in her eyes. “He will not, Mathias.”

  Nodding, Blaine took a breath.

  “Now, Captain, we have another matter to discuss. Captain Parren’s behavior during the siege of Hyecombe. I’ve had Captain Baily’s and Sergeant Dexter’s reports, and I can tell you that if you wish to pursue the matter, we have enough evidence for a disciplinary hearing, maybe even a martial court. With the King already scheduled to visit, this would be an opportune time. What are your feelings?”

  Robin didn’t have any feelings one way or the other. He now had far too much on his mind to worry about a waste of food such as Parren.

  “I just want to forget about it, General. There’s too much bad blood already between us, and I have no interest in bringing a charge against Parren. I’ll leave the matter of his conduct to Colonel Vassa, if it’s alright with you.”

  The General raised his brows, but clearly understood the young man’s reluctance to deal with Parren’s spite. “This is your last chance, Captain. If you don’t pursue the matter now, it will be considered closed.” Robin made a gesture of rejection and stayed silent. Blaine nodded curtly. “Very well. I’ll pass your comments to Vassa and leave the matter to him.” Dismissing the issue, he included Sullyan in his regard. “You have three days to prepare for this state visit, and I will expect your company to participate in a display in the main arena. Let’s show Elias and Pharikian exactly what we can do!”

  They smiled. The General’s expression turned serious and he cocked his head at Sullyan. “One last issue, Major. What is to be done with the Staff?”

  She glanced down at her hands, choosing her words. “Now that I have recovered my health, we should delay no longer in undertaking its destruction. I will contain the weapon within a substrate tunnel and cause it to self-destruct.”

  He nodded. “And will you need help, as before?”

  “I will need to focus all my attention and energy on the Staf
f. There will be none to spare for maintaining a Veil construct.”

  Robin spoke up. “Why does it have to be you, Sullyan? Wouldn’t it make more sense for Pharikian to destroy it? He is a Senior Master, after all.”

  She gave him a smile. “Yes, Robin, but he is also the ruler of Andaryon. There is danger involved in working with the Staff, we already know that. We cannot take the risk that something will go wrong. I did not go through all that pain to rid Andaryon of Rykan’s threat just to endanger the throne once more! Much as I would like to hand the responsibility to someone else, I fear I have no choice.”

  He hung his head, ashamed he had mentioned it. She briefly clasped his hand, acknowledging his concern. Blaine cleared his throat.

  “When, Major?”

  She raised her eyes. “As soon as we may. Certainly before the King arrives. Every day that weapon remains in existence is one day too long for me. Surely its maker is searching for it? I expect Pharikian could be persuaded to arrive a day early.” The General inclined his head. “Shall I contact him and make the arrangements?”

  “Very well, Major. I will leave it to you. We will be at your disposal as before.”

  *****

  In the pre-dawn light of the day before King Elias was due to arrive at the Manor, a small party of Albians waited in the open countryside below the ridgeline. Of Sullyan’s friends, only Cal was absent.

  Sullyan stepped forward and bespoke the Hierarch, receiving his permission to proceed. General Blaine and Robin accepted Pharikian’s contact, and Sullyan, Bull, Taran, and Rienne stood watching while they created a trans-Veil structure between the two realms. Sullyan knew they all felt that same odd shift of time, the feeling they had done this before.