Knight of Shadows, page 34
The next morning, Serunius showed up at her door. His ceremonial battle mage garb highlighted the severity of the situation, and Yserria’s nerves were frayed. Malcius looked no better. His face was pale, and his eyes were a bit too wide. Malcius muttered under his breath the entire way to the arena, no doubt going over his speeches. When they entered the arena, he suddenly clamped his mouth shut and said nothing more.
The arena was shaped like an amphitheater with seating carved into the hillside. At the center of the amphitheater was a massive flaming pit that sent waves of heat across the entire arena. The first several rows were empty, but hundreds of nobles dressed in Leréshi finery occupied the seats farther back. Over the fire pit was a grand structure of metal and stone, and from this structure hung four gilded cages just large enough to fit two people. Serunius led Yserria and Malcius up a winding staircase and across a platform before stopping in front of an open cage. Alania and her champion followed behind them, and Thia and Grizelda approached from the opposite direction. Thia looked upon her with disdain, but Grizelda merely looked smug.
Serunius motioned to the cage. “You must enter now.”
Yserria peered over the platform to the fiery abyss below. The heat billowed from within in waves, and already she was beginning to perspire. She said, “There’s no smoke.”
Serunius’s expression did not change as he said, “It is mage fire. It produces no smoke but burns hotter than normal fire.” He motioned again to the cage.
Yserria said, “All right, all right, I’m going.” The cage swayed as she stepped into it, and she gripped the warm bars to steady herself. Malcius entered after her, and the door was shut and locked behind him.
“Remind me again why I am doing this,” said Malcius.
Yserria gripped his shoulder and met his gaze. “Because you are loyal to the empire. You are loyal to him.”
For a moment, it looked as if Malcius would argue, but then Thia called out from her cage, “Your sword cannot save you this time, and neither can Serunius. Without your precious emperor, you are nothing.”
“He is your emperor, too, and he yet lives,” shouted Yserria. “Your soul will quake as you kneel before him again.”
Thia laughed then, and her champion, Ienia, joined her. Yserria looked past Thia to see Grizelda standing in her cage alone. She would be representing herself in this test. Grizelda looked back at her and grinned as she offered a little wave. She did not appear concerned at all. Yserria wondered what advantage the woman had to make her so confident.
Turning, Yserria saw Alania in deep discussion with her champion, an older man with dark skin and a thick, grey beard. Alania looked anxious until she caught Yserria staring at her. Then she sneered and offered her a crude gesture. Yserria’s cage jerked, and her heart sped up as it began to descend. All the cages stopped about halfway between the structure and the fiery pit. The air was stifling hot. Yserria fanned herself with her hand to no avail.
She looked Malcius in the eyes and said, “You can do this, Malcius. I have faith in you. My life is in your hands.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” muttered Malcius as he turned to look over the crowd. He was sweating, and it was not just from the heat. These were the people he had to either sway to his way of thinking or convince that he thought the same as them. It was going to be a difficult task since he abhorred the Leréshi way, and he doubted he would be able to convince them that his way was better. He wondered if the part about the cage forcing him to tell the truth was true or if Serunius was just trying to scare him. He opened his mouth to utter a lie, and the words stuck on his tongue. No matter how hard he tried, he could not say the words. He swallowed them down and hoped that Rezkin was right and the way they had worded the responses would see him clear.
The crowd applauded as the contenders and their champions were announced. Malcius noted with angst that the reaction was rather muted for him and Yserria. He hoped it was not a sign of things to come. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to Yserria. As he looked at her pensive expression, he could not help the resentment that welled up within him—not for her, but for Rezkin. He was angry with Rezkin for putting them in this situation. What Rezkin had said about Lon Lerésh needing a queen had made sense. Logically, he knew it was true. But in his heart, he still felt the sting of Palis’s death, a senseless death that he was certain Rezkin could have prevented if only he had tried. Ever since meeting Rezkin, his life had been one terrifying and deadly experience after another. Rezkin was his friend, and he respected him, but there was a part of Malcius that hated him, a sentiment currently being reinforced by these deadly trials.
Malcius was so wrapped up in his thoughts and feelings that he barely heard the first question. Alania’s champion answered in a deep, resounding voice that rolled across Malcius’s frazzled nerves like silk. Unfortunately for them, although delivered beautifully, the crowd did not like the answer. Malcius watched the crowd as every person present voted. It was quick and efficient. Each person held two tokens, one blue and the other white. If they pressed the rune on the blue token, their vote was counted as approval. If they pressed the white, it was considered disapproving. In this case, more white tokens were pressed than blue, and Alania’s cage was lowered closer to the fire.
When the question was posed to Malcius, he froze. It was not just his life that was at risk but Yserria’s as well. She was depending on him to make a good show. He gripped the life stone tucked into his tunic. The familiar weight brought him comfort and reminded him that he was a dedicated protector.
“Malcius, you’re supposed to answer,” hissed Yserria as she nudged his arm.
Malcius took a deep breath of warm air and then began speaking. His words were stilted at first. He was not used to speaking in Leréshi. Although he was speaking the language properly, his mouth was making unfamiliar motions that tangled his tongue. His annunciation became smoother the longer he spoke, and by the end of his answer, he felt a slight confidence that he had not completely bungled it. The vote came back quickly for blue. Malcius released a pent breath as their cage was raised.
Yserria patted him on the shoulder. “Good job. Only four more to go.”
Next, Thia’s cage was raised. She smirked at them and said, “You got lucky this time. It was an easy question. I think you will not be so successful on the rest considering you are a man and a noble foreigner who is accustomed to living under a patriarchy.”
Malcius kept his mouth shut as he practiced his response to the next question in his mind. Thia was right, though. The next three questions were centered around the balance of power between the males and females of their society and the positions each was permitted to hold. Malcius could not come out and say that he abhorred the matriarchy and felt that men should have equal standing to the women. He could not say that their system of claiming consorts, often against the man’s will, was detestable. He had to somehow speak around the truth to answer the questions posed to him and do so well enough to impress the crowd.
Grizelda’s cage was lowered after the first question. The look of shock that came over her face was priceless. They moved on to round two. The next question was regarding a specific case in which a piece of land was claimed by two different matrianeras. The land was won in challenge by one matrianera, but in a second challenge, the predominantly male workers of that land were won by the other matrianera. The landholder petitioned her echelon that the workers should be considered part of the land and that the second challenge should not have occurred. Malcius thought the whole notion of winning people like property was repugnant, but he was even less inclined to agree that people were part of the land.
He tried to stick to his script and speak around the subject so that his true feelings on the matter were not exposed, but thanks to the truth spell, his disdain for the topic showed through. The crowd was unmoved by his response, and their cage was subsequently lowered. He failed on the next two topics as well, and their cage was lowered twice more. He could no longer touch the bars of the cage as they had become so hot they would scorch the flesh from his bones. The heat and lack of oxygen stole the air from his lungs, and his clothes were soaked through and stuck to his body by sweat. Malcius turned to Yserria who looked no better than he felt.
“I am sorry, Yserria. I have failed us.”
She panted, “There is one more question. We can still pull through.”
Malcius sucked in a lungful of hot air. “We do not even know what the last question will be. I do not have an answer for it. If we are dropped any farther, we will be in the fire.”
“Rezkin will not let us burn. He will find a way to help us,” said Yserria.
Anger as fierce as the fire below them surged through Malcius. “Like he helped Palis? You put too much faith in him, Yserria. He cares more for his empire than he does for his friends.”
“That’s not so! He’s always saying rule number one is to protect and honor your friends.”
“But are we his friends? Are we really? For nine months he has allowed us to believe him dead. Who does that to their friends?”
Yserria did not have time to answer as the final debate topic was announced. Upon hearing it, dread flooded Malcius’s mind. The question was whether Lon Lerésh should remain part of the Souelian Empire or declare independence. Malcius knew what his answer would be, and he equally knew it would not be a popular answer among the Leréshi.
The first to answer the question was Alania’s champion, and to Malcius’s surprise, he answered in favor of remaining with the empire. He argued that it provided for a more financially stable future for Lon Lerésh and for a better relationship with Gendishen. Malcius agreed with everything the man said. The nobles remained unconvinced. Alania and her champion wailed as their cage was lowered into the fire. The flames billowed up around them, and the scent of charred flesh and burnt hair permeated the air. All action ceased in the debate until the screams died, along with the people who issued them.
Malcius quaked inside. He doubted his answer would be better than the one just given. His throat was dry as he swallowed, and he looked to Yserria. For the first time since he had met her, she truly appeared frightened. Her wild gaze darted over the crowd, and he knew she searched for Rezkin. Her savior was nowhere to be seen.
Malcius looked up at the cages containing Thia and Grizelda. They were in no danger of burning regardless of how the final answer went for them. His gaze fell to the gathered nobles. They no doubt already knew which argument he would make, and they were already preparing to send him and Yserria into the flames. He had to change their minds. He had to convince them that what was right for the empire was right for Lon Lerésh. He thought back to the speeches Rezkin had given regarding the strength and fortitude of the empire in the face of adversity. Lon Lerésh had not yet experienced that adversity—at least as far as Caydean was concerned.
He looked down as Yserria placed her hand in his. Looking back up at her, he saw a tentative smile play at her face. She said, “You can do this, Malcius. I trust in you.” She released his hand, and he turned once more to the crowd. The hot, dry air scorched his lungs as he took a deep breath. Then he began to speak.
He spoke first of the greatness of Lon Lerésh. This was difficult for him, but although he did not appreciate the matriarchy, he could not deny the nation’s wealth and success. Then he spoke of the threat of Caydean. This he spoke from the heart. He gave, in great detail, the horrors and injustices inflicted during the King’s Tournament. He spoke of his brother’s death and the pain it brought to him and those who knew him. Then he spoke of the Souelian Empire, of its indomitable ruler and his gracious rule over the kingdoms he had claimed.
He said, “But the empire is not built on one man, alive or dead. It is an empire of many. It is an empire of survivors. The men and women, the magical and mundane, the warriors, builders, servants, and farmers are all treated with dignity and fairness. They in turn spread that dignity and fairness to all they touch.
“You heard moments ago of the financial and social advantages of remaining with the empire. That was not enough to sway you. But think on this. Lon Lerésh has long been outcast—a queendom within a sea of kingdoms. Its advancement stymied by bigotry, derision, and suspicion. Within the empire, Lon Lerésh is an equal, revered for its unique culture and accomplishments. Long has Lon Lerésh endured conflict with Gendishen to the north and Ferélle to the west. As part of the empire, those nations will be your brothers, living in peace, sharing their wealth, and ready to lend aid at a moment’s notice.
“With Yserria Rey as queen, you will experience the world as not one lonely nation but as many nations speaking with one voice and flourishing under the single banner of the Souelian Empire. Emperor Rezkin is not just a man, not just a leader. He is a force. He is the force of good and right, of justice and nobility in its purest sense. He does not fight for wealth or power but for the safety and honor of those under his banner. He does not believe that the people belong to the emperor, but that the emperor belongs to the people. Remain with the empire, and he will be your weapon against the darkness that assails us. He will belong to you, your champion against all that threatens you.”
Malcius surprised himself as he said those words. He realized he truly did believe that Rezkin would protect them, that he would fight for them until his last breath. Tears welled in his eyes and dried on his cheeks as his resentment slipped away. He realized then that Rezkin had not failed Palis. The person to blame for Palis’s death was Caydean. Rezkin had only ever sought to honor his friends, and sometimes doing so meant he had to let them fight their own battles, just as Malcius was fighting a battle now. And suddenly, he had no doubt that Rezkin was out there somewhere ready to step in and save them should he fail.
Calm for the first time since arriving in Kielen, Malcius finished his speech in the strongest voice possible. Yserria grabbed his hand once again, and he turned to look into her pale, glistening eyes. Her hair was stuck to her face, and sweat dripped off her chin, and yet he could not help but notice how beautiful she was in that moment—in every moment. As he gazed at her, his ears were attuned to the crowd. There was no applause, no mutters of dissent or agreement. All was silent except for the crackle of the flames beneath them. The cage jerked, and Malcius’s heart leapt into his throat. In that moment, the moment before his death, he felt the sudden need to confess. He opened his mouth to reveal his dark secret, but before he could draw in a scorching lungful of air, the cage began to move up. Malcius was so relieved, he thought he might become sick.
Yserria jerked her hand away then threw her arms around him. Malcius tightened the embrace, reveling in the sensation before she pulled away.
“You did it, Malcius! I know you would.”
Malcius gulped down cooler air then released his breath. His lungs and throat felt raw as he spoke. “To be honest, I did not believe I could. I appreciate your faith in me.”
Yserria fidgeted with her dress, and Malcius’s attention was drawn to the way the silk was plastered to her magnificent form. He pulled his eyes up to meet her gaze as she said, “I wouldn’t have chosen you as champion if I didn’t believe in you.”
He released a husky laugh. “I thought I was your only resort.”
“Nonsense,” she said. “I could have found a debater or orator to do the job. I wanted you to do it because you believe in the empire, and as angry with him as you are, you believe in Rezkin.”
“I believe in you,” said Malcius.
Yserria wiped sweat from her face and flicked it away. “You believe I can be queen.”
“I do,” he said, and he meant it.
So wrapped up in their survival were they that neither heard Thia’s and Grizelda’s answers. Their cages were both lowered, though, so they knew their sentiments were not popular with the nobles. A short time later, the remaining cages were raised back up to the platform, and they were released. Serunius met them at the bottom of the stairs.
“You succeeded where I thought you would not,” he said with an unflinching expression.
Yserria narrowed her eyes. “You doubted us?”
Serunius tipped his head toward Malcius. “I doubted him. Especially where the last question was concerned. Somehow you convinced the nobles that remaining with the empire was in their best interest—for now. Popular opinion changes on a whim.”
Yserria said, “We are done with that trial. We need not concern ourselves with popular opinion for now. When will the next trial begin?”
“The trial to test your economic prowess will begin tomorrow. It will not be as easy as the debate, and you will not enjoy the consequences of failure.”
“What are they?” said Malcius.
“That is yet to be determined,” replied Serunius as he stepped aside to allow them to pass.
Malcius walked Yserria back to the suite. He collected a change of clothes as she did the same. Then he walked with her and her maid to the baths, past the guards stationed at the entrance. The bathing chamber was a large room with high ceilings and stone floors. The baths themselves were recessed into the floor, and each possessed a ledge for sitting. Soaps, salts, and bottles of oil were lined up neatly along one side of each bath, and several racks with towels were situated about the room. Most of the baths were enjoyed by men and women together, but there were a few private baths separated by scarlet curtains. Yserria claimed the first private bath, so Malcius continued to the second. A few minutes later, he heard Yserria say, “Thank you, Hestress. You may go. I would like some privacy.”
Malcius stacked his clean clothes on a table beside his bath then peeled off the sweat-drenched clothes he was wearing. Then he stepped down into the warm water that felt a little too hot after his fiery ordeal. He soaped and oiled his body and hair then rinsed away the evidence of the trial. Once he was clean, he sat back on the submerged ledge and relaxed as the warm water soothed away the tension in his muscles. He closed his eyes and thought back on the trial. They had come so close to dying a horrible death. He could still hear Alania’s and her champion’s screams as they burned. If he thought about it too hard, he could smell the seared flesh. A shiver racked his body, and he opened his eyes.
