Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 (33 page)

During that time, I continued to do my work, but my head
was lowered around Tamblin or Yevil inside the castle and I scurried away the
moment my work was done.

On the day that Elabeth and Camryn appeared, carrying their
tiny child with them, I was too frightened of Tamblin and Yevil to do as I was
bid. Shivering in my quarters, I informed servants that I was ill and remained
there, the box still hidden beneath my bed.

Afterward, Lady Rinda's severely wounded child was brought
to me by a servant, who asked that I keep her survival secret. He feared that
Tamblin, who'd murdered Tandelis and the Avii Queen and King, would also kill
the last survivor of the throne room massacre. The poor girl died before I
could do anything to help her.

I pretended this was not so and several days later, I
released the girl from the metal box. Just as Liron said, she breathed and
woke. For a day I dithered, feeding her and asking her questions.

She was curiously silent, and that I could not explain.
Perhaps that was the way she was meant to be, connected to the Orb at Avii
Castle as she was.

Regardless, eventually I cut away her hair, called the
servant and placed the child in his arms, asking him to hand her to someone
willing to take her.

He carried her to the kitchens and that is where she
stayed, working as a drudge from a very early age.

After sun-turns had passed, I learned from Wolter, the
chief cook, that something was wrong with Finder's back.

Yes, they called the girl Finder, because that was her
talent. I looked at her back and knew exactly what I was seeing—the girl was
growing wings.

I knew Tamblin would kill her immediately if he learned
what the nubs actually were, so I did the only thing I could and asked the
stablemaster to cut them away with hoof nippers.

Every sun-turn afterward, I ordered him to do the same. The
girl suffered great pain because of it, but it was the only way to keep her
alive. I hoped, even when Fyris began to die about us, that somehow, she and
the Orb could still find a way to save all of us.

I worry, however, that due to my cowardice, I'd killed
Fyris just as effectively as Tamblin and Yevil did.

Liron, I am sorry I failed you.

Your humble servant,

Ulrin.

Chapter 17
 

Avii Castle

Quin

Sheep and goats bleated far below as I sat on the edge of a
terrace facing the bowl of Avii Castle. The owner of the attached suite was
working elsewhere—she was one of the glassworkers and a part of me wondered if she'd
had a hand in forming my glass feather.

It didn't matter. Liron had placed his faith in a humble
physician, who'd failed to keep his promise. Somehow, had Ulrin performed his
duty, my connection to the Orb would inform it that Elabeth was in danger.

I imagined that it would appear in the throne room of
Tandelis' castle, saving those there much as it had appeared and saved me when
I was dumped at Avii Castle.

The images of such played through my mind. Had those things
occurred, then Siriaa would be healthy instead of facing evacuation to save its
people. The people of Fyris, whom Liron had been most anxious to protect, were
already gone.

Was that my purpose, now? It did seem that I was driven to
save Siriaa. Had Liron given me instructions, just as he had Ulrin?

If he had, I didn't recall them.

Ulrin's journal still hadn't explained my origin—where I'd
come from before Liron chose me as his instrument. Perhaps he believed that a
child would be less of a target for Tamblin and Yevil, or easily overlooked.

The Orb would have blasted those two back, I know that much—it
had rendered Ardis unconscious with its force. I hugged myself. So much had
depended upon a simple action, yet that action had not been performed.

It left all of us where we were—with a fate we'd never
imagined. I couldn't curse or blame Ulrin—he had no idea what his inaction
would eventually cost Siriaa. He'd been too afraid of the evil that was Tamblin
and Yevil.

Spreading my wings, I allowed myself to drop off the railing
and glide toward the animals below. This time, when I landed, the shepherd boy
offered a curt nod and no insults. Lambs and ewes alike bumped and jostled as
they came forward for a touch of my hands. I offered them as much of my
attention as I could, preoccupied as I was with Ulrin's words.

That's where Justis found me.

"Quin," he began while tucking in his wings and
attempting to wade through the entire flock surrounding me. By the time he
reached my side, I was already weeping. Without a word, I was pulled to him and
comforted while I sobbed against his chest.

* * *

"It was written upside down and backward." I slid
the journal toward Daragar. He'd arrived as I wearily attempted to explain my
findings to Justis, Gurnil, Ordin, Berel and Kaldill.

That's when Daragar added to the mystery. "Nefrigar tells
me that when things are connected as I suspect you and the Orb are, that both
have to be constructed at the same time."

My breath stopped again. The Orb was ancient—Gurnil said so.
He said there were records of its appearance when Avii Castle was created by
Liron far in the past.

"The Orb could only appear in one place in Fyris,"
Justis said. "The site of the Saving. Elabeth told me long ago—that the Orb
was prevented somehow from going anywhere else on that continent. I suppose
this was Liron's way of getting around that. I'm sure Yevil knew it,
too—through Treven. That's likely why he and Tamblin chose the throne room to
do their murders."

"Why didn't Ulrin open the box when he was supposed
to?" I wiped more tears away—my vision was blurred as I blinked at Justis.
"How old am I?" I wept.

"Dearest, you mustn't allow this to upset you. Time began
for you when Ulrin finally opened that box," Kaldill said. "Nefrigar
calls it a stasis box. You were kept from growing or aging as long as you were
inside it."

"But where did I come from?" Brushing yet another
tear away, I chewed my lip and struggled to clear my watery eyes.

"Dearest, perhaps only Liron had that answer,"
Kaldill replied.

I understood, just by looking at Kaldill, that Liron was dead.
He was considered a rogue god, capable of terrible things. Was I also capable
of such?

"Never think that," Daragar said softly. "Liron
did what he could to save the people of this world. What better person to
choose than the best you can find to perform that deed? Never place yourself
among the ranks of the Hidden rogue gods. You do not belong there."

"We only have reports that he was capable, never that he
acted in any way against the laws set out to watch and protect," Kaldill
said. "It may be that he was coerced in some way to join the Hidden."

"This is too complicated for me to consider right
now," I brushed more moisture away. "Berel, have you heard anything
about the debates?"

"I've been watching live vids," he said, tapping his
tab-vid. "It's the usual back-and-forth, now. I can see which ones already
have their minds made up, and which are still unsure of their decision."

"They'll die if they stay—it's as simple as that."

"Today has been a trying one for you," Justis ran a
hand down my feathers. "As was yesterday. Shall we have a quiet dinner and
then rest?"

"I'm not very hungry," I mumbled, allowing my head
to droop against Justis' shoulder.

"You should eat anyway—as much as you can," Ordin
scolded gently. "Dena has Yellow Wings bringing a meal soon, and she and
Ardis will join us."

"What will they think of all this? What about your
brother?" I leaned away from Justis to ask. His dark eyes studied mine for
a moment before he answered.

"When my brother learns you were brought here by Liron,
he may curse himself," Justis sighed. "As should every Avii who has
raised voice or hand against you."

"I hope the others never find out," I let my head
fall against his shoulder again. "Tell Jurris if you like, but I don't
want the rest to stare or ask questions I can't answer."

"There will be time to worry about these things later.
Meal first, then rest," Ordin said.

He made it sound so simple.

There was nothing simple about any of this.

Something about Daragar's words concerned me, too.

He'd said that when things are connected, as the Orb and I
were, that they had to be constructed at the same time.

Constructed
.

I was a golem.

I'd never had parents. Ulrin had noted that I was curiously
silent when he opened the box. Perhaps Liron intended that I never speak. I
could carry no tales, that way. Why I did find my voice eventually, I couldn't
fathom. Had Liron carefully plotted my life, or had he devised me for one thing
and one thing only, with everything afterward an accident of sorts?

I felt like a fraud. A machine. Would anyone listen to me if
they learned what I really was?

It made me wish to hide and weep from the sorrow and
frustration I felt.

There was no time for self-pity. Siriaa's fate was uncertain
because a poor decision had made it so.

"I'll eat," I mumbled.

"Good." One of Justis' wings lifted and covered me,
pulling me tighter against him.

* * *

Vogeffa I

"How long will it take for the ship to arrive at the
designated location?" Vardil asked.

"Two days at their best speed, provided there are no
detours due to ASD entanglements," his assistant replied. "The ship
left earlier this morning."

"Have any other Belancours met an untimely end?"
Vardil asked.

"None yet, but we have several leads. One is hidden on
Grey Planet, and another is still imprisoned on Le-Ath Veronis, as you
know."

"Can one of ours bribe or infiltrate?"

"I will look into that immediately," the assistant
replied. "Meanwhile, we have interviews with surgeons and warlocks to consider."

"I'll assess the lists very soon. Notify me when Siriaa
is destroyed."

"I will, Lord Cayetes."

* * *

Kondar

"How in the names of all the gods did they get distracted
over what parcels of land they wanted on Morningsun, rather than deciding
whether they would go there in the first place?" Edden thumped the mug of
tea on his desk.

"You know how easily some are lured away from the topic
at hand," Melis shifted in his seat. "This is the usual delaying
tactic, designed to divert attention and bring the vote closer, so that few
know what they're doing when the vote is cast. If some think they won't get the
best deal or exactly what they want, they'll vote against leaving."

"What can they hope to achieve by that?" Edden
growled. "Time grows short. Who cares who gets a shoreline we don't even
have, yet?"

"I realize that those who've offered the land did their
best to match what the Sectors already have, and that was a noble thing to do.
Who knew that it would become a petty squabble over who has the best parts of
it? They haven't even set foot on it yet, and already it's a point of
contention."

"It's times like this that I wished we could be a
monarchy for just a few moments. I'd approve the exodus, everybody would be
moved and then we'd go back to the way things were."

"Yokaru is prepared to follow Kondar's lead," Melis
agreed. "Their Emperor has already informed our ambassadors of such."

"Why is it written into the law that we can only call a
vote at the earliest in two eight-days?" Edden massaged his forehead.

"Headache?"

"A rather large one. It's called my Council."

* * *

Larentii Archives

"A verified reproduction of the original," Daragar
handed a copy of Ulrin's journal to Nefrigar. "I've not encountered many
who've employed this form of mirror writing. That means little, as I am merely one
thousand years old."

"It's still quite uncommon," Nefrigar opened the
journal to the proper pages to study them briefly. "I believe Quin's
ability to read any language enabled her to decipher this easily, whereas it
may have confounded many others."

"I may have made a mistake, repeating your words,
Archivist," Daragar hung his head. "She now believes she is nothing
more than an automaton, created by Liron."

"Perhaps care must be taken to remove that belief—the
gods made all races in the beginning, or at least the building blocks of all
races. Having parents does not make one legitimate as the gods measure things.
Not having parents—especially in Quin's case—does not diminish the capacity to
love. That is what makes us real," Nefrigar smiled as he placed a hand
upon Daragar's shoulder. "Tell her that she is more real than many we have
met, and more loved than most."

"I wish I could reveal what Lissa really is—that should
convince Quin faster than anything else," Daragar lifted his head and
gazed into Nefrigar's bright-blue eyes.

"We have promises to keep and identities to hide,"
Nefrigar inclined his head. "Nevertheless, if Lissa considered Quin as
anything other than real, she would have said it already. She cares for the
girl."

"Then I have damage to repair," Daragar said.
"I shall ponder the best way to do so."

* * *

Harifa Edus

New Fyris

"Here are images of the werewolf cities on the other
continent," Tory handed the comp-vid to Amlis. "You see they were provided
much the same as you. Many chose not to live in the two major cities,
preferring a wilder, more rustic existence outside."

"Because of what they are?" Amlis, sitting behind
the desk in his study, looked up at Tory.

"Partly, but also because of where they came from before
they were moved here. They were persecuted on other worlds; most of those
worlds had the same sort of rustic societies. To keep them alive, my mother
brought them here. This was the werewolf planet eons ago, so they were returning
home after a very long absence."