The Veiled Throne, page 100
Gradually, the bluff grew into a small town of sorts. Farmers and beachgoers passing at a distance—for land within a radius of several miles around the bluff was declared to be a protected Imperial garden off-limits to the common people—could see huts, windmills, and other structures being erected on top of the bluff. Fishing boats returning to villages along the shore could see ladders and paths being carved into the sheer cliff face, leading to cave mouths that dotted Last Bite. The giant cave at the foot of the cliff was covered by a massive gate that hid what was within from prying eyes.
Rumors had it that this was where Imperial scholars had devised the silkmotic machines that led to the triumph at Zathin Gulf. But even in the years after the war, security at the site remained as tight as ever, though some of the huts on top of the bluff fell into disrepair. Fisherfolk and farmers still saw occasional Imperial ships or carriages visiting the bluff, as though research continued there, albeit at a slower pace.
* * *
“You want to go to Last Bite?” asked Dandelion in disbelief. “That’s an Imperial research facility forbidden to all except authorized researchers.”
“We’re not going to steal anything,” protested Arona. “But I heard that there’s a library there too, with all kind of books not seen anywhere else.”
“We’re just going to look,” said Rati Yera. “Can you imagine the secrets that must be hidden there? The kind of wonders that must be on display? Silkmotic engines that would make the work of the monks and nuns at the Great Temple of Lutho look like child’s play.”
“It is said that some of the rarest books in all Dara are stored there,” said Widi. “Emperor Mapidéré ordered the burning of old books, but a few copies were kept in the Imperial Library in Pan before it was burned down. Supposedly, Prime Minister Cogo Yelu saved the books but felt it would be safer to store them away from Pan. I think Last Bite may be the chosen site.”
“And there may be documents there about the Marsh—” Mota stopped when Arona put a calming hand on his shoulder. He took a deep breath, seemingly keeping his emotions in check with great effort. “… about what happened during the war,” he finished.
Dandelion looked at him oddly but said nothing.
Kinri’s heart leapt wildly. Is this my chance to do what both Tanvanaki and my mother wanted? Is this a way to find out the secrets of Dara’s war engines?
He didn’t know which of Dara’s secrets, if any, he would take back to Ukyu-taasa. He didn’t want to see the armies of Dara overrun Ukyu-taasa, and his mother a captive like the ones in Tiphan Huto’s parade. But he also didn’t want to see this city that he had come to love consigned to the flames of war. He wasn’t sure what to do.
“But this is all beside the point,” said Dandelion. “How can we possibly get in there?”
Arona looked at Kinri and smiled. “We’ve been planning this for a long time.”
Kinri was about to ask a question when a waiter came to their table. “Mistress Rati Yera and Master Widi Tucru?”
Rati and Widi nodded.
“There’s an urgent message for you.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE ALONE
WORLD’S EDGE MOUNTAINS: THE TWELFTH MONTH IN THE EIGHTH YEAR AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF PRINCESS THÉRA FROM DARA FOR UKYU-GONDÉ (SEVENTEEN MONTHS UNTIL THE LYUCU MUST LAUNCH THEIR NEW INVASION FLEET TO DARA).
Théra had never felt so alone.
Takval scouted; Adyulek prayed; Çami improved her garinafin-piloting skills; Tipo Tho and Gozofin hunted and led the other warriors in daily drills. Even Thoryo, traumatized by the experience in Kiri Valley, occupied herself by learning the names of the animals and plants they saw in the valleys they bivouacked in every day.
But there was nothing for Théra to do. For years, she had given orders and listened to counsel and planned and plotted, but now, she didn’t want to do any of those things. And, she thought, no one wanted her to do those things.
I am useless. I’ve ruined everything.
I trusted Radia and Toof, and now our children are in the clutches of the Lyucu. Takval and Tipo and Gozofin and the other parents haven’t uttered a word of recrimination against me, but I know. I know.
I thought I had the perfect plan to destroy the city-ships and overthrow the Lyucu, and now Sliyusa Ki and Kiri Valley are both gone. Thousands are dead because of me. The few survivors grieve because of me. Because of me.
I thought I could start a revolution, to change the lives of the people of the scrublands for the better, to save Dara. I can’t do any of these things. I can’t even protect my children. I’m a failure.
I am named Dissolver of Sorrows, but I’ve multiplied the sorrows of the people I love a hundred hundredfold.
I’m not strong enough. Look at Gozofin and Tipo, still fighting and drilling, despite having lost spouse and children and aged parents. Look at Thoryo, still learning and exploring. Look at Takval, still leading and hoping. I can’t even get up from where I sit without someone’s help.
I can’t sleep; I can’t eat; I can’t speak. I do what people tell me to do. I climb onto the garinafin at night and let them strap me in, putting my arms around Takval like a marionette. I climb off the garinafin in the morning and eat what they put in front of me, and pretend to sleep so they’ll leave me alone.
I can’t even pray. O gods of Dara, are you even here? O gods of Gondé, do you even hear me?
If I could end it all, I would.
Only I know that even death will bring no peace. Even though I am of no help, they still look to me as their princess. My death will bring yet more pain to the people I love.
“As long as you’re with me, my breath, I know there is hope,” says Takval.
“As long as you’re with us, Rénga, I know we’ll avenge my family and save the children,” says Tipo Tho.
“As long as you’re with us, Princess, I know we’ll get out of this,” says Çami Phithadapu.
“As long as you’re with us, Princess, I know we’ll triumph over the Lyucu,” says Gozofin.
They mean to make me feel better. But they can’t. No one can.
Was this how Princess Kikomi felt on the eve of Kindo Marana’s invasion of Arulugi? Was this how King Jizu felt as Tanno Namen’s army surrounded Na Thion? I am a symbol of hope but I have no hope myself. I am helpless to help.
How much longer until sunset? How much longer until sunrise? How many more days must I go on like this?
She wept with her face turned away toward the wall of the cave they were sheltering in, silently so that no one would hear. She wept so that neither Cudyufin nor Nalyufin would see her shame. She wept until her eyes had run as dry as the Ghost River in winter.
Outside, clouds roiled over the peaks of the World’s Edge Mountains, as uncertain as the will of the gods of the scrublands.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX LAST BITE
GINPEN: THE SEVENTH MONTH IN THE NINTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF SEASON OF STORMS AND THE REIGN OF AUDACIOUS FREEDOM (TWENTY-TWO MONTHS UNTIL THE REOPENING OF THE WALL OF STORMS).
“How did your master find out about us?” asked Arona.
The Blossom Gang, along with Kinri and Dandelion, were riding inside a fast carriage pulled by a team of four horses, heading toward the docks of Ginpen.
“My master attended the contest between the Splendid Urn and the Treasure Chest, and he was most impressed by the ingenuity of the Splendid Urn’s designs. When the widow—er, Grand Mistress Wasu announced that the Blossom Gang was responsible for the victory, he just knew he had found his saviors.”
Kinri smiled. Hearing that his friends’ accomplishments and talents were being recognized pleased him immensely. He found it odd, therefore, that Rati and Widi looked tense as they stared out the window, paying no attention to the banter between Arona and the man who had invited them on this midnight outing. Mota was his usual quiet self, sitting as steady as a pine tree with his eyes closed, meditating and oblivious to his surroundings. Dandelion, on the other hand, listened to the conversation between Arona and the driver with interest, though from time to time she looked over at him and grinned.
“And your master said he had to have this taken care of tonight?” asked Arona.
“Yes, yes! This lowly servant wouldn’t have dared to bother the masters and mistresses otherwise. My master is in desperate straits. Since its appearance ten days ago, the ghost has been returning every night, making noise and moving boxes in the warehouse. Sometimes there are mysterious lights and strange smells that make people ill. It left a note that our master must give it an offering of ten thousand golds and not go to the magistrate or his family would be harmed. The deadline is tomorrow.”
“And you’ve already asked for an exorcism and it hasn’t helped.”
“Exactly. Our master is terrified, but we haven’t been able to catch the ghost or keep it away, even with everyone standing watch all night. The master suspects that the ghost may not be real, but is a plot from his competitor. He thought only the brilliant Blossom Gang could figure out how the haunting is done and catch the culprits.”
Just from listening to the story, Kinri was certain that there was no ghost. It had to be a bunch of tricks akin to street magic. This kind of “haunting” was exactly the kind of mystery that the Blossom Gang loved to solve, and he could see why they had departed from the banquet, eager to help.
“Oh, your poor master,” said Arona sympathetically. “I can only imagine how much stress he’s under. Your master’s competitor sounds like a very evil man, almost as unscrupulous as… that Tiphan Huto.”
The driver nodded and chuckled at this, but Kinri could sense more than a little awkwardness and nervousness. He attributed the reaction to Tiphan’s general bad reputation in the city after some of his dirty tricks against the Splendid Urn had leaked and became the topic of much derisive gossip.
As Arona went on chatting with the man, the carriage neared the docks. This late at night, the area was deserted. As the carriage wended its way between giant warehouses, the clattering of the horses’ hooves seemed particularly loud.
“Ooh, I hope the horses don’t scare away the ghost!” exclaimed Arona. “They sure are loud. Hey, isn’t this where Master Go, the blacksmith, disappeared a few weeks back? Maybe… he’s the ghost haunting your master! Now, if that’s the case, we may have to turn back, because Master Go is a powerful man, and he’ll only be even more powerful as an incorporeal being—”
“No, no! The ghost can’t possibly be Master Go. He’s still—” The man choked back the rest of his sentence.
“You know Master Go’s whereabouts?” Arona’s eyes were wide as teacups.
“Oh, I… uh… I don’t. I’m just saying that it’s bad luck to think he’s dead, right?” Sweat beaded on the man’s forehead. “Hey, look, we’re almost there! Whoa! Whoa! What happened here!?”
He pulled hard on the reins and the carriage rattled to a stop. An overturned cart blocked their way, its cargo spilled everywhere. There were no signs of the horses or the driver.
“What happened here?” asked Kinri. “Bandits in the middle of Ginpen?”
But neither Widi nor Rati seemed the least bit surprised. In fact, they visibly relaxed when they saw the roadblock. Mota’s eyes snapped open, and he looked as ready as a drawn bow for action.
“Do you think that’s the ghost’s doing too?” asked Arona, a teasing tone in her voice.
“Er? Uh… masters and mistresses, please stay put. Let me just go down to see what happened, and I’ll be right back.”
“How thoughtful of you!” said Arona. “Maybe you’ll make a friend out of the ghost, hmm?”
The driver laughed nervously at this, and, uncertain what to say, bowed, hopped down from the seat, and ran to the upturned cart. Instead of investigating the accident, however, he continued running and disappeared down a side alley.
“Hey!” Kinri cried out. “Where are you going?”
Arona looked at him. “You didn’t know he was going to do that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This is a trap,” said Dandelion. But instead of looking scared, she looked positively giddy.
As if on cue, men dressed in black clothes and with scarves covering the bottom halves of their faces emerged from the alleys and surrounded the carriage. In the light of suddenly lit torches, their unsheathed swords and polished staffs gleamed.
“Only thirty people,” said Widi, shaking his head. “Disappointing.”
“I feel insulted,” said Arona. “I was expecting maybe double this number.”
“You knew this was going to happen?” Kinri looked around at the Blossom Gang. They nodded.
“I imagine this was how Master Go the blacksmith and the other mechanics were abducted,” said Widi.
“You’re going to have to be a lot more attentive if you want to become a true Blossom,” chided Rati, but her tone was affectionate.
“Come out of that carriage and drop your weapons now unless you want to die!” the leader of the black-garbed men shouted.
Kinri instantly moved to the front of the carriage, keeping Rati and Dandelion behind him. “Master, you can’t move as well as the rest of us, so please stay inside. Dandelion and Arona, can you protect her? Widi, can you take the reins and break out of this ambush? Mota and I will stay to fight and slow them down.”
Dandelion gave him a look composed of equal parts joy and frustration. “Who needs you to play the hero? You’re the only fool who didn’t know what was going on! I’m not missing out on this adventure.”
“I’m not pl-playing the hero!” Kinri felt himself vibrating with anxiety. “You and Master Yera must make it out so someone can tell the magistrate what happened here.”
Before Dandelion could retort, several black-garbed fighters had leapt forward and cut loose the harnesses of the horses. While a few attackers waved their weapons to keep the occupants of the carriage from interfering, two others led the horses away.
“And now we’re stuck,” said Kinri, feeling desperate. “Mota, can you carry Master Yera out of here if I clear a path for you? Dandelion, stay close to the others and get out!”
Without waiting for an answer, he jumped out of the carriage, grabbing a carrying pole lying near the footboard as he did so. As he landed, he growled like a wolf, and went at the nearest black-garbed fighter.
He had trained with his mother and some of her naros since he was a little boy in the use of the bone club and the spear. Though he had no combat experience, at least he knew what to do with a weapon. The carrying pole was too short for a spear and too long for a club, and wasn’t the right weight for either, but since he fought as though he didn’t care about his life at all, the black-garbed men were forced to back up a few steps as he swung the unwieldy weapon about in wide arcs.
But they soon regrouped and pushed back, weaving their deadly blades and long staffs into an impenetrable wall. Kinri had to step back.
He heard Dandelion shouting behind him, “Come back! You’ll get hurt!”
Instantly, a warmth coursed through his body. He felt strong enough to take on all the swordsmen of Dara by himself. “Ukyu-kyo,” he shouted, the instinctive patterns instilled by the story-dancing shamans taking over. He raised the carrying pole and rushed at the masked men again.
The man in front met his eyes and, apparently startled by what he saw there—Kinri hoped it was a fearless look of bloodlust worthy of Tenryo himself—stumbled back. With a triumphant cry, Kinri pressed forward, hoping to finally force an opening in the encirclement.
But the stumbling man turned out to be only feinting. As Kinri thrust his carrying pole forward, the man dropped his sword and grabbed the pole, pulling hard. Combined with Kinri’s forward momentum, the move threw him off balance, and he tripped, falling flat on his face. Before he could get up, he felt the tips of multiple swords land against his back, piercing through his clothes to draw blood against his skin. “Yield!” someone yelled.
Shame, terror, and regret flooded him. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to read Dandelion’s handkerchief message, and now perhaps he never would. But the idea of dying without letting her know who he really was seemed worse than death.
Love has no place for lies.
He decided to make his last words a stirring speech about how the Lyucu never yielded, but when he looked up defiantly, the words died in his throat. Two of the black-garbed men held bone war clubs.
They are Lyucu.
It was an impossible idea. How can the Lyucu be here on the Big Island? And as he watched the men strutting about, waving their clubs, he became even more confused. The way they held the clubs was all wrong; they swung them like ill-balanced blunt swords. No naro or culek would treat their weapon in such a careless manner.
As innumerable questions ran through his mind, a bright explosion of light erupted behind him, illuminating the area around the carriage as though the noon sun had suddenly burst upon the scene.
The enemy fighters squinted and drew back, shielding their eyes. Several cried out in pain and surprise. The light was blinding, a thousand times brighter than the flickering glow of the torches.
Kinri felt the swords against his back slacken. With a kick and roll, he got out from under them. As the source of the bright light was behind him, his vision was unaffected. Keeping himself flat against the ground to not draw attention, he turned himself around. Carefully shielding his eyes with one hand, he peeked out from between his fingers to check on the carriage.
A hissing, sparkling orb, like a shooting star in reverse, was slowly rising into the sky. It really was as bright as the sun, and could be seen for miles around.
“You idiots! I told you to grab them as quickly as possible! Don’t let them call for help!”
The speaker stood beyond the circle of black-garbed swordsmen, and he was shaking with rage. In the glow of the powerful signaling rocket, Kinri recognized the face of Tiphan Huto.
