Thread Slivers (Golden Threads Trilogy), page 17
Algan is a large enough city to have a Dagger Home. I could probably get some kind of guard or messenger commission back to Llino. Lebuin would be safe with his own base of operations. So all I need to do is get him there in one piece and, job done. Her heart agreed it was a good plan. “True, it would solve that problem and some, if not all, of your questing requirements. What about who killed Magus Vestul? Do you want to investigate that?”
Lebuin’s neck went a little red. “Well, yes, but I think that is beyond my ability. With your information I can write a letter to the Guild and let the council take care of it. I need cycles to recover, in which time they could have solved it and brought the guilty to punishment. Also, there is the matter of the price on my head.”
He has coin, and it is a good point. “Very well M’lord. What would you have me do?”
Lebuin straightened, He feels the power of leadership and likes it, I think. “First help me collect what Magus Vestul had in his room, next I need some time to go over these notes before I write letters to the Guild. Can you get a note to my family’s business and one to the Guild?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll write one tonight asking for a passage for all three of us and our cargo on the next merchant ship heading towards Algan. It will likely be a few days or perhaps a week before passage can be secured. Will we be safe here for that long?”
A week sitting in the Dolphin, that doesn’t sound very entertaining. ‘Course I cannot leave them totally unguarded, even here. “I can keep you safe here that long. The trick will be to get you and Ditani out of here and to that ship unseen.”
“Well you’ll have some time to come up with a plan. Now let’s go see what Magus Vestul left behind.”
“Ditani, where is Magus Vestul’s room and did he leave the shutters open?”
Ditani looked at her. “It is the end room on this floor. Yes, I am pretty sure the shutters are open.”
Lady, we are being observed, and open windows at night does not sound like a good idea. Genne said Magus Vestul was paid through the cycle, so we have three whole weeks before the room is reclaimed. She held up her hand. “M’lord, the room is secure and paid for three more weeks. The shutters are open, we know we are being watched. Let’s wait until morning.”
Lebuin sat back down, frowning. “You’re right, and I’m tired. We can collect what we need in the morning without fear of observation. I think we all need to rest and consider the day.”
Ditani nodded and the two men stood up together. Lebuin asked, “Can we safely go to the main room for our meals? I mean, how confined do you recommend we remain?”
Daggers will be there at all times, and they have been warned. Why would anyone risk the trouble when all they needed to do was wait for us to leave and deal with us only? “M’lord, I don’t suggest you get too near the front door; beyond that I would say you can go where you will.” She remembered the platform. “I would also not go out on the landing platform. Technically it is still the Dolphin, but you’d be exposed to a bow shot or another one of those lightning sticks.”
“Wand.”
“What?”
“Lightning wand. It was an artifact that contained the essence of an attack incantation that looked like lightning. Any such device is called a wand.”
Laughing, Ticca stood up and escorted them to her door.
“Why are you laughing?”
“That explains why my Uncle called the switch he used to beat me with the ‘Wand of Retribution’. I didn’t get the reference until just now.”
Ditani and Lebuin both laughed and were smiling as they left. Both grabbed two more pastries each and full cups of arit as they left, making her chuckle once the door was closed. They might be more than they seem, but they are definitely men.
Turning back to the room, she popped a pastry in her mouth. It didn’t take long to dress and prepare her weapons. Placing her gear close at hand, she placed her dagger and one knife unsheathed where she could get them from the bed. Needlessly dusting off her boots, she pondered, I wonder if these are the reason for the strange dreams I am having. Let’s see if I have one without these on. She placed the boots on the floor where she could put them on quickly if needed and stretched out on the comfortable bed. Checking the dagger and knife distances and location of her pack a second time, she laid back and stared at the ceiling a minute. I have a commission, we have a plan, and there is a little travel included. All in all a good day. Setting the lamp to burn low, she checked that the wick spring was wound tight and fell asleep, feeling warm and happy.
The Temple was lit by the many braziers around the large space. Acolytes and worshipers were kneeling or sitting in the pews. At the front, a choir of priests and priestesses sang hymns to Lady Dalpha. On the center dais the relics of the Lady were arranged around the golden lattice egg that contained the glowing sphere known as Dalpha’s Light. The base of the dais was being cleaned by acolytes being overseen by a junior priestess.
Boadua paused in her progress, offering devotion to the Lady; she opened herself to the Dalpha’s Light, and allowed her soul to share with the relic. Boadua felt her Lady’s love and power and gave freely all that she could. Turning, she continued her measured gait to the door on the side of the dais. Opening it, she moved inside without hesitation. In the adjacent room was a large oval table surrounded by nearly two dozen comfortable, but business-like chairs. The chair at the head of the table had a much larger and ornate back and was occupied not by the High Priestess, known as The Great Lady, who normally sat there, but by Sula. Sula appeared to be a charming young woman, dressed in a simple cream-colored blouse, forest green skirts, with a wide belt and soft slippers. No matter where Sula chose to sit, to Boadua, that chair took on the aspect of a grand throne. Sitting next to Sula was the Great Lady Sayscia, who had removed her heavy robes of office and was dressed in a comfortable white and green frock with a soft leather belt. She still wore her tiara of office.
As Boadua entered the room, the two great ladies were bent over some papers on the table between them, debating some item that they were both pointing to on the pages. Sula’s wide emerald eyes came up, looking at Boadua, and the conversation stopped. “Is he well?”
Boadua stepped around the table and sat opposite the Great Lady on the other side of Sula. “Yes, Holy One, Lebuin and Ditani have made it safely to the Blue Dolphin.” Placing the sack she carried on the floor next to her she shifted to get comfortable in the chair.
Sula frowned slightly at Boadua. “I have told you to just call me Sula. It is my name after all.”
“Your will, Holy One.”
“Really, do we have to do this every time we start?”
“At least once or twice more.”
Sula frowned, but her eyes betrayed the mirth she felt. “I hope so. You have confirmed they are safe at the Blue Dolphin?”
Boadua nodded, then, looking at the papers she realized there were more than at yesterday’s meeting. “Have we really passed a new marker so soon?”
Sula nodded and pushed some of the papers closer to Boadua so she could read them. “My Mother indicated we have moved past many of the possibilities and allowed that we should know the contents of three markers. The attack on Lebuin was unprecedented even with the new packets. The last few days’ events indicate we have avoided several possible failures. The key event remains unknown and impenetrable as far as these go. Magus Vestul died almost two years sooner than all previous attempts and nine years before the initial attempt. In the final packet we just opened, he surmised there was no way to succeed without that sorry event. The latest indicates we are taking a great risk in the hope the accelerated events will mean keys will have to wait a period before other events cause their need and continued motion. Thus giving us time to actually trace them to find the needed principal and figure out how to interrupt it. I pray his sacrifice is not in vain. Have you found who tried to kill Lebuin? Have we been discovered?”
Boadua leaned back in her chair, a little defeated. “I am as confused as anyone on this. I cannot find any news or hint that we have been discovered. Ticca’s killing of the hired Knife before he reported back firmly and directly ended that possible diversion. I have consulted with numerous practitioners and none can fathom how he could have detected the hook, especially since he wasn’t the actual target this time.”
Sayscia leaned back in her chair, frowning at the news too. “Boadua, he appears to be a random element. We can find no indication he was key in any snap back, he just happened to be the Knife the Guild assigned. We therefore remain free of any closed loop. We are on a new path which is unique. All hints indicated the correct selections have been made. Actually we cannot agree if we are looping, which seems good to me.”
Boadua skimmed over the new information. “Sula, how many packets remain?”
“Only one remains.”
Sayscia and Boadua took a moment to take in the unexpected count. Sayscia spoke first. “Which means that the year or so we thought remaining is now gone?”
Sula shrugged. “Nothing indicates one way or the other. We must continue to act as we feel we should. We must also guard against directly acting or causing any specific action to occur based on this knowledge.”
Sula looked over the papers in front of them again and sighed. “Lebuin is not only ill prepared, without any warning of what he must try to prevent, but now is totally stripped of his powers. We knew he should be ill prepared but there is no mention of being stripped of his powers. This is what we are worrying about. We have to remain external except where we specifically acted before to prevent becoming trapped. If we were to actively protect him, it would nearly guarantee becoming trapped forever ourselves.”
Sayscia shook her head. “Sula, we don’t need to act. I think we are well. Ticca is not involved due to any action on our part. So she would become involved regardless. Damega’s progeny has much potential and is well-trained. If she remains under coin with Lebuin he will be safe.”
Sula nearly bounced out of her chair as she sat up rigidly straight. “What do you mean by Damega’s progeny?”
“Ticca is Damega’s eighteenth generation granddaughter, and trained by the Traitor himself. You didn’t know?”
Sula’s hands cupped her cheeks in shock and she looked like she might be having a heart attack. “Oh Mother! How could I have done this?” She closed her eyes and sat rigid in that position for some minutes.
Both Sayscia and Boadua waited respectfully. While they waited, Boadua finished reviewing the new papers. Using Dagger signals, she silently asked Sayscia if she meant the Traitor. Sayscia signaled affirmative, and then it was Boadua’s turn to lean back, thinking hard.
Opening her eyes Sula leaned back in the chair as if all the energy had been drained from her. “Sayscia, are you sure of this? How did you come to know this and I did not?”
“Sula, which part did you not know? That Ticca was Damega’s progeny, or that she was trained by the Traitor?”
“Both; and just to be clear you mean Amia-Dharo the Nhia-Samri, who helped stop the war when you say the Traitor?”
Sayscia looked worried. “Holy One, I promised never to utter that name. He said it would cause a response, also the hundred crown reward for him by the Nhia-Samri is still posted annually.”
“I am aware of the potential of the name. We are shielded here. However, I too will honor your promise. Now tell me how you know these things.”
Sayscia considered for a moment. “In my youth, I fancied becoming a great and renowned hero-healer. I made sure to be near centers of conflict and Daggers. I never actually put out a dagger, but I associated with them enough that eventually I ended up an often added team member. This gave me much travel, excitement and some very trying times. Then the war started. I was quickly associated with a Dagger unit lead by Faltla of Rhini Wood. He was amazing, strong, smart, handsome, and everything a woman could desire. I could tell you many a tale of daring that Faltla and his men achieved in support of the southern alliance to help stop the war. I am not ashamed to say I was more than a little smitten with him.”
Both Sula and Boadua leaned in closer with sparks in their eyes at the story.
“Faltla’s unit was guarding a large command meeting at an encampment of southern alliance forces, when a surprise attack by a squad of Nhia-Samri came. We outnumbered them twelve to one, but they slaughtered all who didn’t outright help with the evacuation. They cut through the ranks like a ship through water, and were heading directly for the general’s pavilion, which was being hastily evacuated. Faltla and his squad attacked them. I watched as friend after friend fell. Every fall caused by wounds I could not hope to mend. But still they fought with knife and sword with such speed and skill that the Nhia-Samri experienced nearly equal losses. I shadowed the fighting in case I was needed.
“When the fight had reached the general’s pavilion there remained only Daggers, Nhia-Samri, and myself alive on that bloody field. It was then that the Traitor was exposed. He had been meeting with the command staff and had made sure all the dignitaries were safely away. With the general who left last safely away, he came running back to the fight. He literally leapt over the general’s pavilion, landing in the middle of the remaining Nhia-Samri squad.
“I am not ashamed to say I was horrified, terrified and struck dumb by the speed, ferocity and deadliness of the Traitor’s blades. Faltla and the remaining Daggers rallied, seeing the Nhia-Samri beginning to fall faster than their own. It was a pitched battle. When the Nhia-Samri realized they were to lose, they turned as one on the Traitor. He could not withstand so many of his own kind; still, he was the second best Nhia-Samri in the world. He held most off, but one of the Nhia-Samri managed a blow with the side of his blade, cutting open the traitors head from the top of his skull and sliding down the bone and laying open the side of his neck, nearly cutting his shoulder in two. The cut only missed the main artery there by a hair, but still he was as good as dead.
“Faltla saw this and dove between the remaining Nhia-Samri to stand over the Traitor’s body, calling for me to be ready. I have no idea how he knew I was near. The few remaining Nhia-Samri tried to take as many with them as possible. Faltla would not be moved, and so took grievous wounds that would cost him his arm at the shoulder; later he almost lost his legs to infection. In the end, only five remained alive in a field of thousands: Faltla and the Traitor, both badly wounded; Faltla’s second, Sidur of Ashkash, Dagger in service to the general; myself; and a Nhia-Samri who lived to tell the tale.
“I ran from my hiding place to tend to Faltla, but he refused treatment until I had seen to the Traitor. I thought the Traitor was dead, but Faltla was right; I detected faint signs of life. So I managed, by the blessings of the Lady, to seal the Traitor’s wounds, and after, Faltla’s, which prevented them from bleeding to death. With Siddur’s help we found a cart and got Faltla and the Traitor into it. We rode for several days before we were picked up by the remains of the general’s forces. It was during that time that some of Faltla’s wounds became infected. With the help of a surgeon we amputated Faltla’s infected arm and saved his legs except for some toes. I refused to be relieved and tended personally to Faltla and the Traitor’s wounds for over a cycle without rest, expending every bit of knowledge and power I had.
“During that time we came to know one another very well. We shared stories of our lives, families and dreams. We became as close as family. It was just before the Traitor left that Faltla revealed that his great-grandfather had summoned him just before the war started. Faltla’s great-grandfather showed him proofs that they were of the Duianna line shared with Damega, and with a family history going long past something called ‘the Migration’ some fifteen thousand years ago. He charged Faltla to take up the care of these when he died. Faltla swore to do this, and I assume he has.
“The Traitor recovered completely in only six weeks and left to end the war. Faltla had to retire. I was assigned to the general’s personal guard unit which had been placed under the command of Siddur, who had also been recruiting new Daggers. When the war ended I’d had my fill of adventure and came here, dedicating myself to our Lady.
“When I noticed Ticca carried Faltla’s dagger I asked about it, and Ticca herself told me that she was the niece of Faltla, and said he had trained her in tracking since childhood; after Ticca’s father died she told Faltla she desired to follow in his footsteps instead of in her father’s. Faltla trained her as a Dagger from the age of ten, and when she surpassed his abilities, the traitor arrived and assisted in training her.”
Sula, for the first time in either woman’s experience, looked completely lost.
“I hired an unknown Hunter-Dagger who was blessed by my Mother, just to deal with placing the hooks. I had no intention of her getting involved any further. Now the progeny of Chaos itself, trained by Death Incarnate, is intimately involved. Oh Mother, can this be? How can this lead to deliverance?”
Boadua spoke up. “Well, that isn’t all of it.”
Sula and Sayscia looked at her in askance.
“I believe that Ticca is a Duianna, and trained by the Traitor. I recall hearing that the Duianna line breeds true. These things I now believe fully because I know this day she killed a Nhia-Samri one-on-one.”
Sula leaned back. “Are you sure he wasn’t just a very skilled Knife?”
“I cannot personally authenticate my proofs; however, I was required to use The Lady’s Sight to keep track of the one who followed us from the Temple. I caught him as he was forced to move through a crowded section; but I lost him again a moment later. Being alerted, I forced him to expose himself momentarily and then I used the Sight to track him to the hospice. Further, the stories I have of the fight all describe intense nonstop blurring speed with ringing of steel on steel. I am sure the fight lasted at least a quarter of a mark as it took me just over twenty minutes to see Lebuin safely off and return. My own eyes as well as the acolytes’ testimony proved I arrived only five minutes after the fight ended. Ticca managed to prevent Lebuin’s would-be attacker from maneuvering in any direction but backwards until the wall stopped him, and she gave him a chance to surrender. He might have tried to use the feint death throw on her, but she was faster and killed him instead.” Boadua slipped on her leather gloves and pulled two knives from the bag she’d brought. She carefully placed them on the table and pulled one out of its sheath, laying it on the table next to the first, with its maker’s mark in full view.
