The Eynan Read online

  There were the rumors, too, of course...rumors of power beyond nature. Suvran was always there in the background. Was he the power behind the throne?

  In all too short a time, the states of Amister and Colyon capitulated. Patinus hadn't wanted to turn over his country, his people, to this hells-damned invader, but he recognized, as did his advisors, that he really had no choice. In the end, Patinus gave in, too. They couldn't beat the Illurians, so better to accept the fact and make the best deal possible. He offered the only real prize they had, the southern coast, with the ports on the Estan Sea facing the great southern continent. He knew the empire would take them anyway, eventually, so it was better to offer them freely and protect whatever he could.

  He might lose his pride, but perhaps he could keep his country and his people safe. He had inherited a deep feeling of responsibility, a deep appreciation of his role as ruler of his people. Whatever he did must be his utmost to protect them.

  Though, for his own reasons, the emperor chose to keep Irobi's capitulation secret. For a reason that, at the time, Patinus hadn't understood, Bardius let it be understood he was in no rush to take over Irobi and, as far as the outside world was concerned, Prince Patinus still had autonomy in his own country.

  He had come full circle. To protect his people, he now had a master whose bidding he undertook without question. Even though it often made him sick--sick to his stomach and sick to his soul--he did it and knew he would keep on doing so. He had married an innocent and was going to use that against her and her people. He was past contempt.

  And he'd claimed to be content.

  * * * *

  The crew of the Horologue was working hard just to hold the ship in position. The storm had taken hold now and the captain really showed his skills. Ninian had explained how important it was that they reached their destination, making it clear it was the reason for the excessive fee he'd paid. Jhond wasn't sure if Ninian used magic to convince the captain or if he simply used his considerable charm, a charm the captain himself seemed to possess in abundance.

  Captain Amired was one of those men it was very difficult not to like. A man's man, as the saying went. A larger than life character more than willing to show his crew he could turn his hand to any task and that he wasn't afraid of hard work. They seemed to hold him in great regard. He pushed his crew hard and they didn't let him down, and slowly they made headway. The storm abated somewhat, but that only allowed the fog to roll in, covering everything in a thick blanket.

  "I'm sorry," Captain Amired reported to Ninian and Jhond, who had returned to the deck as the storm had lessened, "but this fog is just too much. If we keep going in such difficult conditions, we will almost certainly founder. We need to heave to."

  "That won't be necessary," Ninian replied, his voice slow and deep.

  Jhond knew by now that the tone and method of speech was what Ninian used as part of any spell he cast.

  "The fog isn't as thick as you thought; look, even as we speak, it is clearing."

  "That's peculiar. I've never known fog to come down or clear so fast," the captain said, looking around at the still-thick fog.

  Jhond realized that whatever Ninian was doing wasn't affecting him.

  When the captain returned to the upper deck, Jhond turned to speak to Ninian. "Quite a spell that. It affected our good captain and his crew instantly."

  "Not you presumably."

  "What do you mean?"

  "That spell wasn't specifically directed at the crew, it was a general spell, should have affected everyone in the area."

  "Except me."

  "Everyone. If you're immune that's your own doing."

  Jhond stared, declaring, "But I'm not doing anything."

  "Maybe not consciously but you are doing it. My spells are pretty powerful."

  "How is that possible? How can I be doing something without knowing what or how?" Jhond asked. It seemed the more time he spent with Ninian he more confused he became.

  Ninian seemed just as confused as he answered with a frown, "I don't know, unless it's just a natural defense mechanism you have."

  "Defense mechanism? But by definition, wouldn't such a thing only come into force if I was, or if I felt I was, under threat? I have never felt like that around you."

  "Maybe that's it." Ninian stopped, his brow creased in thought. "No, that's actually another 'it.' Some innate sense allowed you to trust me without any real reason. Maybe even that is based in your power, your talent. That same talent is perhaps able to... trigger when magic is used and to protect you, if necessary. Or even just stop spells, certain spells at least, from affecting you." He paced up and down, the way he did when frustrated. "I wish I knew more. That's what comes of being left to grow and learn on my own. After all this time, I still have so many questions."

  "What do you mean; learn on your own? I thought your family taught you."

  "Yes, they did, but only until I was thirteen. That's when my grandfather died. He had been looking after me after my parents were killed in an earthquake when I was eight. My grandfather had the talent of premonition, but he was away from home at the time having taken me on my first visit to the Temple of the Magi. He knew the earthquake was coming, but couldn't get back in time to warn them.

  "I yelled at him then, demanding to know what was the use of knowing the future if you couldn't use the knowledge to help? He said he hadn't seen the danger to my parents, their deaths, as he was never able to predict events that would personally affect him. He saw the earthquake and knew that it would be in the area of our home, but nothing else. He never saw the death of his son and his daughter-in-law." Ninian was quiet and Jhond didn't know what to say.

  After a few moments, Ninian continued, "We discussed the meaning of premonitions interminably for as long as he lived. Why it was that he never got clear information, never even knew the timescale of his visions. Not precisely, I mean. For example, I asked him how it was that he saw that terrible earthquake, but only after we had left on our trip and it was too late to help. He said it was meant to be, we were meant to survive. So, then what was the point of the vision, I asked, and he explained it was a signal it was time to return and begin the next stage of our life." Ninian sighed. "Yet other times the visions were clear enough and with enough notice that he could warn people, not that they always believed him, of course.

  "Which was another of my questions. What was the point of the visions if all he gained was the frustration of disbelief? He said it had taken him a long time to reconcile himself to the fact that what was meant to be, would be. If a person was meant to believe his warning, they would, and if not--"

  "But as you said," Jhond interrupted, "what's the point of visions if people you are meant to warn are never going to believe, were not meant to believe. It all seems so pointless, a waste of time," Jhond retorted.

  "I know." Ninian smiled. "But again he had an answer, an opinion at least, that his warnings were a test of their faith. If the people believed in the power of his talent, the existence of the magi, they would be saved," Ninian replied.

  "Faith? Isn't that a strong word for belief in the magi?" Jhond asked.

  "I suppose that depends on your point of view. You see the old belief, my grandfather's belief, was that the power of the magi was a gift from the Lords of Light. It was bestowed on the race of man to assist in his growth. He believed that over eons the magi had risen and fallen repeatedly as man had progressed. As time passed, man's growth, like all things in nature, has not been in a straight line; there have been rises and falls, gains and losses.

  "Mankind has always had the choice of what path to follow, up or down, for good or for evil. The magi, with their great power, have been there to show the way, but the choice was never forced on man. It had to be of his choosing. It would mean there would be times, like now, when the magi were almost forgotten. There would be times when they were not missed, not needed, and other times when mankind would rue the day they were no longer amongst them
.

  "Grandfather taught me that the time would come, probably a long time in the future, when the magi would probably never return from one of these times of withdrawal. The time would come when men would finally grow up enough not to need them because he would have evolved beyond the need of such help. He would be beyond the temptation of evil. I have to admit, I've wondered if mankind could ever really reach such a pinnacle."

  Jhond didn't reply to this, having had the same question flit through his mind as Ninian had been explaining his beliefs. He could see much sense in this reasoning, but wondered if there was a basic flaw in such an idea. If mankind could always have a...a safety net, would the race ever have the need to grow beyond it? Or was perhaps the very reason for the Withdrawal of the Magi from time to time to allow for that leap without a safety net?

  Leap of faith? Leap for faith?

  His musing was interrupted by Ninian. "I must keep a close eye on the captain. I have sort of blindfolded him. I must make sure our course is safe." He hurried away.

  Jhond watched him and wondered how much farther they had to go. They'd been at sea for six days now and didn't have any real idea exactly where those islands lay. He could still see the map in his mind's eye, but there had been a lack of scale in the vision. Ninian seemed sure Jhond would be able to find it, to sense it, but why he should be able to feel it escaped him.

  Almost as if it contradicted him, Jhond suddenly felt a strange sensation. It was as if something tugged at his stomach, something warm growing there. He felt a slight nausea and a sensation of being pulled. The nausea soon passed, but the sense of being drawn didn't. The warmth seemed to spread out from his very center. It was almost as if he could see the islands. He wasn't sure if he wasn't just seeing the map in his imagination, but somehow it felt much more solid. It was as if the fog simply wasn't there.

  Ninian had been right after all; he knew, just knew that they had to go forty-five degrees to the left, or was that starboard He could never quite remember which was which. Easier just to point.

  "Ninian, Ninian," he yelled, hurrying up onto the deck in the direction Ninian had gone.

  Chapter 14

  The fog was even thicker now, yet it seemed Jhond had no trouble at all knowing where he was going. "Ten degrees to the left, starboard," he said.

  Captain Amired frowned, but followed his instructions. In a quiet voice, he said to Ninian, "Are you sure he knows what he's doing? There's no way he can see anything out there. We could be going in completely the wrong direction. Or worse, we could be headed straight for the mysterious Daribond Shoals."

  "I know it's difficult for you, Captain, but please trust me, and believe me when I say Jhond knows precisely what he's doing. He is...gifted in such things."

  Amired looked closely at him and for some reason he could not explain, even to himself, he did trust him. He believed this rather odd stranger. Lords of Light, what is it about this man that makes me feel this way? He never trusted anyone, only believing in his own abilities. That was how he had got to where he was at such an early age--ability and an innate belief in that ability. And suddenly, so against his normal behavior, he was putting his faith in someone else; more than just faith, the safety of his ship and his crew.

  He watched with care as Jhond slowly moved his arm, pointing out the precise route they must follow, gesturing more to the left and again. Then, as if someone drew a curtain, the fog parted and slipped away as if it had never been. And there in front of the ship were three small islands, almost in a straight line. Amired was surprised. Where in all the hells had they come from?

  "You were right. I don't know how he did it, but I must admit he's good," the captain remarked to Ninian.

  Ninian laughed. "Now don't tell him that or he'll never let me forget it. Good indeed!"

  "Who's good? Ah, of course, I am." Jhond grinned as he wandered up alongside them. He nodded at the captain. "It is the smallest island at the end of the row, captain. You'll find a small safe harbor just around the headland."

  The captain nodded and strode off to instruct his crew, stopping shortly to speak to his first mate. Amired overheard the two passengers speaking, though it only brought more questions than answers.

  "What happened to the fog?" Jhond asked Ninian.

  "It was no longer needed," Ninian said cryptically.

  "Are you saying it was part of the...disguise?"

  "That's one way of putting it. The island is only meant to be found by those with the talent, those who can use what the isle keeps hidden."

  * * * *

  Patinus walked along the corridor deep in thought. He'd been here for over a month now and still felt as much the outsider as ever. He'd expected to be closer to the family, his new wife's close family if not the king's family, but it seemed as if Gallia was as much an outsider as he was. Though, in her case, it was from choice. He'd thought it was just a phase she'd been going through due to whatever made her so sad, but he had learned from his servant, Vian, who kept a close ear to everything going on amongst the servants, that Gallia has always been a little distant from her own family.

  After their short honeymoon, they had moved into a private suite in one of the wings of the duke's residence. This particular wing hadn't been used for many years, and Duke Vikor had arranged for it to be cleaned, aired and re-decorated as soon as the wedding plans were finalized. Gallia had intimated she would have preferred a small, private house of their own, but Patinus was quite happy to be in the thick of things.

  The honeymoon had been more difficult than he expected and he was quite happy to return to her family home. He had naturally expected his bride to be shy and unsure of herself, of him, but Gallia's cold distance was worn like a cloak at all times. Even when she was with him intimately, she seemed apart, untouched. She performed her duty, nothing more. He wasn't able to break through her reserve. Even that friendly rapport they had developed prior to their joining appeared to have faded now. She was always pleasant and polite. Too polite, as if she was on her best behavior at all times, but never herself. The young woman he'd glimpsed and he thought he could develop feelings for had disappeared back to her hiding place under that cloak.

  He was disappointed. He honestly liked Gallia and he'd hoped for so much more, and it wasn't just because of his masters' wishes. Though he did wonder if perhaps it was better this way. If he allowed himself to fall for Gallia, which he admitted to himself would be all too easy, it would bring them both pain when she discovered his true purpose in Timendra.

  Through one of the many windows overlooking the gardens, Patinus saw the duke in the distance talking to someone. Someone he recognized--Rhou of the family Reeve, the brother of the man who had caused Gallia such pain. Even as he remembered that, he also recalled the other reason he recognized him. The young Master Reeve was a junior secretary in the Ministry of Information, an ideal person from whom to gain information.

  The problem would be making a friend of the man. Patinus had only met him once and it had been fairly clear he was no fan. There was still a mystery as to the real reason why his brother, Jhond, had split from Gallia, but whatever it was, Rhou didn't appear to be of the opinion it had been Jhond's fault. It was frustrating. The people who were prepared to discuss the subject didn't know the real truth, and the people who knew weren't prepared to discuss the matter.

  Though, to be honest, he wasn't even sure anyone actually knew the real truth. The only person he was sure did know was the one person he couldn't ask: Gallia. In one way it didn't really matter to him. It didn't affect his marriage, in as much as nothing did. He personally didn't care one way or the other, but if he knew, it could possibly be used to his advantage. At the least, he wouldn't make the mistake of saying the wrong thing to Rhou, the one man who could give him the information he required.

  The Ministry of Information would have all the plans and records pertaining to any possible war effort. Whether it was the planned disposition of troops or naval squadrons, the lines o
f communication, the location of supply depots for dispersal of everything from blankets to uniforms, tack to weapons, anything and everything would pass through the ministry, and through the hands of Rhou. Difficult as it may seem, Patinus had to find a way to make a connection with the man.

  He hoped that might have been through Gallia, as she'd lived with the Reeve family for many years, but, even though quite a few members of the Reeve family called to visit, with the notable exception of Lord Girau himself, Gallia wasn't exactly welcoming. Not that she didn't receive them or offer them anything less than the expected hospitality, but there wasn't the warmth evident he expected. Patinus was more relaxed in their company than Gallia was.

  It had clearly been unsettling for the Reeve family as well; they never stayed very long. Lady Narissa made a valiant effort on a few occasions to draw Gallia out, even going so far on one memorable occasion only three days ago to show a crack in her normally unflappable demeanor. She lost her temper at her inability to break through Gallia's reserve and snapped at her. Even that, however, hadn't slipped under his new wife's guard. She merely looked askance at Lady Narissa's behavior and then politely excused herself from the gathering with some vague excuse about seeing the housekeeper. They continued drinking their beverage and eating the variety of delicacies offered, making small talk, until they could make their farewells after a reasonable passage of time. It was, of course, obvious they were as unhappy with the situation as he was, and as he expected, Gallia was under that veil of distance she had created around herself.

  None of Gallia's family had voiced a suspicion that perhaps it was Patinus who caused Gallia's continued withdrawal, though the surreptitious glances in his direction when it was thought he wasn't looking were telling enough to Patinus' already troubled conscience.

  He'd begun to wonder of late if she was finding it difficult to break out of whatever mood she had sunk into. He felt as if she was trying to make overtures to him and to others, but she always shied away at the last minute. Perhaps she just needed a little more time.