Part 17 (1/2)

”I believe he does. But, Alkoryn, hear me.” She did not know the Pantherclaw well, but she had to hope so Senior a Brother would listen, would not let his obvious excitement rule his his judgment. ”My Mark is unschooled, untrained. No Guild trains Seers, at least none that I have ever found, and so my Sight is clouded, erratic, and . . .” judgment. ”My Mark is unschooled, untrained. No Guild trains Seers, at least none that I have ever found, and so my Sight is clouded, erratic, and . . .”

”Not to be relied upon?” Alkoryn's whisper was dry, a little of the animation dying from his face.

”It shows me true Visions,” she said. ”But not with regularity, nor in any way that allows me to plan.”

When Alkoryn looked at Parno, her Partner nodded. ”It's as she says. I could give you dozens of examples of true Visions, and perhaps twice when it's been useful.”

”And that is why you've told no one.” Alkoryn placed his hands palm down on the tabletop. ”Everyone thinks as I did, of how to use you, and doubts it when you tell them it cannot be done.” Had his glance been a blade, she would have been cut to the bone. ”And Lok-iKol? This is what lies behind his actions? Does he know?”

”No more now than before. His Scholar told him that the women of my tribe might might be Seers. It was enough for him to lure us-” she glanced at Parno, ”-to lure be Seers. It was enough for him to lure us-” she glanced at Parno, ”-to lure me me in.” Dhulyn leaned forward, resting her forearm on the tabletop. ”My Brother, hear me. My news is of such weight-” in.” Dhulyn leaned forward, resting her forearm on the tabletop. ”My Brother, hear me. My news is of such weight-”

”Of course, of course.” The Pantherclaw picked up his cup of cider and drained it. ”You have kept your silence too long to break it for trivialities. Pray, tell me what you Saw.” The hand that lowered the cup from his lips trembled.

”I have Seen the Tarkin Tek-aKet dead by poison,” she said in what she considered a remarkably steady voice. At least the shock and immediacy of the Vision had faded, though the images remained clear. ”Men in Tenebro colors killing the guards of the Carnelian Dome. I have Seen the One-eyed Tenebro with the coronet in his hands, sitting on the Carnelian Throne. And I have Seen the Jaldean who stands behind him.”

”Allied with the Jaldeans,” Alkoryn said. ”That in itself makes a degree of sense.” He looked up to meet her eyes. ”Is it Lok-iKol behind this persecution of the Marked?”

Dhulyn shook her head. ”That is more than my Vision can tell me.”

Parno cleared his throat. ”He'll have promised them something for their support.”

”Yes, I am more tired than I had thought. Your pardon.”

”What did you See?” Parno said. Alkoryn looked from Parno's face to Dhulyn's.

”Carnelian Guards being pulled from their horses in the streets.”

Alkoryn shook his head, but not as though he did not believe her. ”When the old Tarkin died,” he said, ”and Tek-aKet his son was confirmed to follow him as Tarkin, Lok-iKol did not put his name forward in nomination, nor did he request a Ballot.”

”It would have been his mother, then, would it not?” Parno said.

”So it would, so it would,” Alkoryn nodded, rubbing the scar on his throat. ”This is no time for me to be growing old.” The Pantherclaw sighed and drew himself up until he sat tall and straight in his chair.

”You may not have heard,” he said. ”This morning brought news of the Fall of Tenebro House. The old woman no longer stands between Lok-iKol and the Carnelian Throne.”

”Then he'll make his move.” Something in Parno's voice made Dhulyn look up. The light coming through the window made his hair glow golden and warm. She saw the old woman's false hair s.h.i.+ne in the light of the oil lamps, and the Fallen House's words echoed in her ears. Par-iPar has come. A true heir. Par-iPar has come. A true heir. She squeezed her eyes shut. She squeezed her eyes shut. I will have to speak, I will have to speak, she thought. she thought. She charged me with the message. She charged me with the message.

Their Senior Brother was nodding gently, once again appearing to give his whole attention to the study of the map in front of him, his fingers softly stroking the parchment. Watching him, Dhulyn forced her lungs to release her breath, slowly, softly. Had everything now changed? Did she still have a Brotherhood? Or would her Mark, which set her apart from all others, set her apart from her Brothers as well? Dhulyn started to rise, froze as Alkoryn looked up.

”Three days ago you advised me to move my maps.”

”I Saw them burning.”

”They shall be moved. Beginning today. As for what you tell me now . . . I wonder if I could ask a boon of you, my Brother,” Alkoryn said.

Surprised, Dhulyn lowered herself back into her chair. ”Ask,” she said.

”Will you come with me to the Tarkin,” was Alkoryn's reply, ”and tell him what you have told me?”

Dhulyn's dry lips parted, but she could no more speak than she could fly. With a thump, Parno returned the cup he still held to the table. Alkoryn spoke before either of them had gathered their wits.

”Not all of what you've told me, clearly,” the older man said. ”But the portion which concerns him.”

”Is the Brotherhood in the Tarkin's employ, that we would run to him with this news? We are not spies-” She held up her hand, hearing her own words, and worse, the tone she'd used. ”Your pardon, my Brother, this is not mine to question. If you feel the good of the Brotherhood in Imrion demands the Tarkin be told what I have learned, then tell him.”

Alkoryn's glance had drifted back to his beloved maps. ”When I accuse Lok-iKol, I accuse Tek-aKet's own cousin, even if not a very well-loved one. I think he would be the readier to believe this tale if he heard it from your own lips, my Brother. He may have questions only you can answer.” Alkoryn looked up at Dhulyn, fixing her with his cat's eyes. ”There is too much here we do not know. Lok-iKol wants the Throne-very well, there's nothing new in political ambition, and war is what we deal in. But with the Jaldeans in the mix . . . if the New Believers gain much more power . . .” Alkoryn tapped the tabletop with his index finger. ”What they do is genocide, not war; but it will lead to war, and worse, if they have the full backing of the Carnelian Throne.”

”Alkoryn,” Parno leaned forward before Dhulyn could speak. ”May we think about this, my Partner and I? It is an unusual request, and touches her closely. We must think of a way to tell him without revealing her Mark,” he added when the older man hesitated. Dhulyn kept her face still, her features impa.s.sive. What was Parno up to?

”Certain you may,” Alkoryn said. He glanced over at the shaft of sunlight that angled into his office from the high window. ”But if we are to speak to Tek-aKet, it should be as quickly as possible. Tonight, by preference. Will you give me an answer soon enough?”

”Certain we will,” Dhulyn heard her voice come out as little better than a croak. Whatever Parno wanted to say to her, he could say quickly. There should be nothing to stop them giving Alkoryn Pantherclaw his quick answer.

”And Parno?” They turned back at the door. ”There is a Healer in the caves below the House-yes, we have been hiding the Marked and smuggling them out of the city; this was the a.s.signment I had planned for you, my Brothers. Go to him and have your arm seen to.”

”What are you doing?” she asked him.

”You were about to say 'no,' ” he said, ”and I wanted a chance to talk you.”

”You suggest I should should tell my tale to the Tarkin?” Dhulyn punched at the stuffed straw mattress to find a comfortable position on the bed. ”What is Tek-aKet to me, or I to him?” She punched the mattress again, aware that her exasperation had little to do with the Tarkin. tell my tale to the Tarkin?” Dhulyn punched at the stuffed straw mattress to find a comfortable position on the bed. ”What is Tek-aKet to me, or I to him?” She punched the mattress again, aware that her exasperation had little to do with the Tarkin.

”You told Alkoryn,” Parno pointed out reasonably, sitting down on the stool close to the bed.

Dhulyn rolled her eyes up to the heavens, though from this angle she was really rolling them at the heavy wooden bed frame. ”That would be a little thing called the Common Rule, no? You remember the Common Rule, I suppose, my Brother?”

Parno stood and strode away from her to the window. He leaned his hands on the sill, looking out, before turning back to her. ”Is it not also the Common Rule for us to be guided by the advice and suggestions of Senior Brothers?” Parno's tight voice showed an increase of sarcasm and decrease of patience.

”And I I am the Senior Brother in this room!” Dhulyn shot back. She sat up, thumping her booted feet to the floor and leaning forward, hands on her knees. ”I repeat, what is the Tarkin to am the Senior Brother in this room!” Dhulyn shot back. She sat up, thumping her booted feet to the floor and leaning forward, hands on her knees. ”I repeat, what is the Tarkin to me me? You call on the Common Rule, you question my obedience to it. Are you so sure it's not your your old loyalties which command here? old loyalties which command here? You You wanted to come to Imrion. wanted to come to Imrion. You You . . .” She stopped, suddenly aware that words which could not be called back were dangerously close to the tip of her tongue. But she was between the sword and the wall. If she spoke, she risked losing her Partners.h.i.+p; if she was silent, if she could not speak, she had already lost it. There was only one action to take. . . .” She stopped, suddenly aware that words which could not be called back were dangerously close to the tip of her tongue. But she was between the sword and the wall. If she spoke, she risked losing her Partners.h.i.+p; if she was silent, if she could not speak, she had already lost it. There was only one action to take.

”Are you certain you're not willing to risk me in order to save your Tarkin?” Dhulyn stopped, suddenly breathless.

”How is he my my Tarkin?” Parno stood facing her with his arms folded across his chest, the sunlight coming in the window making a golden aurora around him. Tarkin?” Parno stood facing her with his arms folded across his chest, the sunlight coming in the window making a golden aurora around him.

”You are more to the Tenebros than you let me suppose.” Dhulyn's hands and feet felt cold, as if her pounding heart did not push her blood. ”You're not some third son of a minor Household. With the House Fallen, you are now the next heir. If Lok-iKol Tenebro is cousin to the Tarkin, what are you?”

He took two steps toward her, arms swinging to his side. ”It's not so simple as that. I was Cast Out!”

”You could not tell me of your n.o.bility? I told you of my Mark, first off, before before we Partnered.” we Partnered.”

”The Mark is not something that you could leave behind-it's not just a part of your life before. House Tenebro is. When I became a Mercenary Brother, I left it behind me. That's the Common Rule, too.”

Dhulyn swallowed around a tight throat. Could it really be that simple?

”You were not hiding this from me?”