Sunrunner's Fire Part 32

"But you won't." He gave a harsh laugh. "I'm the only one you have left, Mireva. I'm your only hope now that both my brothers are gone. And that, my lady, is the power I I possess over you. I suggest you remember it and behave accordingly." possess over you. I suggest you remember it and behave accordingly."

He left her seething with impotent rage. Mireva calmed herself with an effort. After a time she returned to the keep, where she mounted the steps to Meiglan's chambers and locked herself in with the still unconscious girl. She spared a vicious glance for the youthful golden beauty so helpless in the bed, then rummaged in a coffer for a certain bracelet. Marron had stolen it and its mate from Chiana's colossal collection before he'd quit Swalekeep.

She fetched a shallow basin of water and lowered herself onto the Cunaxan carpet. The bracelet tinkled down into the water and she cradled the bowl in her lap, fingers spread. There was enough dranath dranath in her still to facilitate the spell. Her pride was soothed by the swift sureness of her gifts. in her still to facilitate the spell. Her pride was soothed by the swift sureness of her gifts.

Chiana was pacing before a banner of pale Meadowlord green. The mirror was set nearby in obedience to strong compulsion. It reflected the princess and Morlen of Rezeld. Both were frightened. Mireva could imagine their conversation, necessarily low-voiced with so many guards nearby wearing Princemarch's violet. Ostvel would arrive soon, Mireva was sure, to begin asking questions that, thank the Nameless One, none of them could answer in ways damaging to Mireva. But there was a risk that the Sunrunner with diarmadhi diarmadhi blood would be there as well. She had encountered him several days ago while s.h.i.+elding the army with the mirror; the touch had been unmistakable. The mirror must be destroyed before he could comprehend its uses. blood would be there as well. She had encountered him several days ago while s.h.i.+elding the army with the mirror; the touch had been unmistakable. The mirror must be destroyed before he could comprehend its uses.

She gathered herself and clamped down on Chiana's readied mind. It was simplicity itself to turn her, fix her gaze on the mirror, draw her toward it. Mireva's peripheral vision showed her Morlen's slack-jawed stare of surprise, affording her momentary amus.e.m.e.nt. Chiana moved like a sleepwalking child.

Mireva concentrated, suddenly furious as her contact with Chiana increased and she saw that Marron had played on Chiana's ambitions for her son. After all the effort it had taken to persuade the princess that Rinhoel's claim was hopeless, Marron had insidiously undone her work, knowing Chiana's l.u.s.t would be the greater in her son's cause alone. Doubtless he would have killed Rinhoel once Princemarch was safely in his hands. A clever plan-for which Chiana would be the one to pay.

The princess stood sightlessly before the mirror, her pale, soft, beringed hands lifted in tense fists. An instant later the mirror lay in blood-covered shards on the ground. Chiana's mouth stretched in an unheard scream of pain and she fell to her knees amid the shattered gla.s.s, her fingers slashed to ribbons and dripping crimson.

Mireva watched a few moments longer from a narrow splinter of mirror, then withdrew. "Thus ever for those who disobey," she murmured.

And the door of Meiglan's bedchamber crashed open, the lock forced and the wood splintered, and three pairs of diarmadhi diarmadhi eyes transfixed her. eyes transfixed her.

Chapter Twenty-three.

Stronghold: 34 Spring.

The old woman acted with stunning speed. The effect of her sudden blaze of sorcerer's power on their senses was devastating. Pol, Riyan, and Rialt were strong, athletic young men-but she ensnared them with her strange gray-green eyes and they had no more chance against her than newborn infants.

Rays of sunlight became swords of golden crystal plunging into their eyes. The very air turned to tiny needles tipped with acid stabbing their skin. Their own cries were transformed into black knives sinking into their skulls. And with these knives came unconsciousness-but not surcease from pain.

By the time sense returned to Pol's lacerated mind, the old woman was gone and Ruala with her.

He gathered his legs under him, but his knees didn't seem to be working right. Riyan was similarly sprawled nearby. Rialt, lacking the gifts that had made the attack much worse on the other two, was already on his feet. He gave Pol a hand up and steadied him when he tottered.

"Gentle G.o.ddess," Pol breathed when he was sure his voice would hold steady. "What in all h.e.l.ls was was that?" that?"

"Sorcery enough for her to escape with Lady Ruala," Rialt said bitterly. "Are you all right, my lord?"

"I will be." He helped Riyan to his feet.

Rialt had started for the door. "We have to find them, though G.o.ddess knows how much time they've had to disappear in."

"Where do you suggest we look?" Riyan asked in bleak tones. "It's hopeless, Pol. You and I both know from playing here as children that there are scores of places to hide in Stronghold."

"Just follow the trail of felled servants and guards," Rialt suggested.

Pol shook his head. "Once they're out of here, the only person she'll have to control is Ruala, to keep her quiet. Who'd look twice at a servant helping a lady to a place where she could rest?"

"Well, they can't get out of the castle," Rialt maintained. "Riyan's order to the guardhouse-"

"She got past the three of us. What difficulty would a few guards pose? We could turn Stronghold inside out and not find them unless we were very, very lucky. You said yourself we have no way of knowing how much of a lead they've got."

Rialt nodded unhappily. He went to a bedside table and poured wine from the pitcher there. Pol glanced around, suddenly realizing whose chamber they were in. Meiglan lay in a froth of white silk and lace, looking as innocent as he had only yesterday believed her to be. He absently accepted a wine cup from Rialt and was just about to drink when Riyan dashed the goblet from his hand.

"Smell it," he said, holding out his own cup. "I didn't show much talent in medicine at G.o.ddess Keep, but I learned how to recognize certain odors. One sip of that and you'd be laid out on the floor until noon."

Not having inherited his mother's nose for wine, Pol could detect nothing out of the ordinary. But he was more concerned with why the wine was drugged-and who it was meant for. He stared at Meiglan. She was barely breathing.

"She's been drugged," he said slowly. "But why?"

"Silence?" Rialt guessed. "She was removed from the Great Hall last night in hysterics. She might know something."

"I don't give a d.a.m.n what she knows or doesn't know!" Riyan's patience had snapped. "Not when that diarmadhi diarmadhi witch has Ruala-" witch has Ruala-"

"Hostages aren't harmed until demands go unmet," Pol said grimly.

"There's another interesting thought," Rialt added. "Why Lady Ruala? Why not you, my lord? You're more valuable to a sorcerer undoubtedly in harness with Roelstra's grandson. They could kill you outright and claim Princemarch."

Pol was still gazing at Meiglan. "It has to be done publicly. I have to acknowledge Ruval's right to challenge, then accept it prince to prince."

"And by taking Ruala," Riyan said with anguish thick in his voice, "he's ensured your acceptance."

"She'll be safe enough until then." Pol approached the bed. "Silence," he said, echoing Rialt's earlier suggestion.

The chamberlain nodded. "The old woman was one of her servants, brought from Cunaxa to Tiglath and now here. What is it Lady Meiglan can't tell us as long as she's drugged into a stupor?"

"And how long has she been so?" Pol lifted the girl's wrist, felt the pulse flutter weakly like a tiny bird trapped within the delicate cage of bones. "Rialt, find one of my mother's maids and have her keep watch in here. And post guards outside the door. No one is to enter this room, not even her own father. I don't think there'll be any more trouble from sorcery here, but when she wakes I don't want anybody but one of us hearing what she has to say."

"Not even her other serving woman?" Rialt asked.

"No." He set down her hand and rose. "We'll stay here until you return."

"Very good, my lord."

With Rialt gone, Pol turned to Riyan. "How did Ruala sense it, even before your rings began to burn?" he asked quietly.

"You know as well as I. And we both know something else, too." Riyan held his gaze steadily.

Pol replied unwillingly, "We three felt it out in the hallway. Rialt did not-and I know very well he hasn't a drop of Sunrunner blood. Either Ruala is one of us, a Sunrunner, or she and I are the same as you. Diarmadh'im. Diarmadh'im."

"The rings would argue for the latter." Riyan spoke without emotion.

"Doesn't it bother you that-"

"That she may be what I am? My mother was of the Old Blood. So was Urival. It's not one of my prejudices," he replied with a shrug.

"She must know what she is. Why hasn't she said anything?"

"Wouldn't you keep it secret?" Riyan would not look at him.

"Secrets are exactly what I'm concerned with. If this is true, and I really am-" He tried to keep his voice level.

"It can't come from your mother, Pol. She's full-blooded faradhi. faradhi. Her rings don't burn in the presence of sorcery." Her rings don't burn in the presence of sorcery."

"She hasn't worn any Sunrunner's rings for as long as I've been alive. It might come from my father. And if it does, our whole family-" He pulled in a deep breath. "If they don't know, how can I tell them? And if they do know, they've been lying to me my whole life. Keeping it secret. Secrets give power, power," he quoted bitterly.

"Andry can't learn this one," Riyan warned.

"d.a.m.n Andry! He can take his devr'im devr'im and his Sunrunner rings and-" and his Sunrunner rings and-"

"Rings-that's the reason, Pol, it's not that you're diarmadhi diarmadhi at all!" Riyan s.n.a.t.c.hed up Pol's right hand. "This is Andrade's ring, isn't it?" at all!" Riyan s.n.a.t.c.hed up Pol's right hand. "This is Andrade's ring, isn't it?"

"What does that have to do with-"

"It didn't burn the way mine did. No burning, no sorcerer's blood. The gold is special-a ceremony, something Lady Merisel did to it, Ruala says. This would still have the power within it."

Pol hesitated, then said, "No. It's not the original. It didn't fit me. We took the moonstone out and used dragon gold to make a new setting."

Riyan gripped Pol's hand for a moment, let it go. "That doesn't prove or disprove anything."

Making an effort, ashamed of his reaction to the prospect of sorcerer's blood, Pol said, "I am or I'm not. It's not important right now. Ruala is."

"If they hurt her, I'll kill them with my bare hands."

"She'll be safe, Riyan. They need her to keep me cooperative. And it won't be long now. The challenge is sure to come within the next day or so. They can't hide forever. And even if they got out the gates-the Desert's not a place to spend more than a single night, even in spring."

Riyan nodded, but his rings glinted as fists clenched and unclenched in impotent fury.

Rialt came back with two guards and a maid who wore the emerald-green badge of personal service to the High Princess. Pol gave his instructions tersely, then said to Riyan, "Come on. It's time my father knew of this."

Yet he could not help one last look at Meiglan. She could have taken the drug last night to prohibit any questioning after-after. He wanted to believe she had, was desperately afraid she had not. For if sorcerers could shape-change, the woman he had been with last night might not have been Meiglan at all.

Chay and Andry stood on ramparts that overlooked the Desert beyond the cliffs sheltering Stronghold, father and son struggling one last time to understand each other. The one, a powerful athri athri and renowned warrior who had seen sixty winters, had never been comfortable with and renowned warrior who had seen sixty winters, had never been comfortable with faradhi faradhi abilities despite being surrounded with Sunrunners. The other, half his father's age and Lord of G.o.ddess Keep from his twentieth year, had instigated changes in Sunrunner practices that had culminated last night in something the ungifted would never comprehend. Each knew the other's doubts and prejudices as men; but they were father and son. They had to try. abilities despite being surrounded with Sunrunners. The other, half his father's age and Lord of G.o.ddess Keep from his twentieth year, had instigated changes in Sunrunner practices that had culminated last night in something the ungifted would never comprehend. Each knew the other's doubts and prejudices as men; but they were father and son. They had to try.

"Listen to the word you just used," Chay said. "Magic. It's something I heard maybe a dozen times in my youth."

"It's a convenient term-"

"For something everyone used to take for granted as simply a part of life. What Sunrunners did was just what they did, not magic." He braced his hands on the stone wall and squinted into the sunlight. "We used to say 'arts' or 'skills' when we spoke of Sunrunners. Now we're beginning to say magic. magic. Andry, don't you hear the difference?" Andry, don't you hear the difference?"

"If people choose to call it so. . . ." He shrugged. "What we do isn't ordinary."

"It's d.a.m.ned inexplicable to somebody like me. People fear what they don't understand."

"Father!" Andry began to laugh. "You've never been afraid of anything in your life, much less your own wife and sons!"

"It isn't me I'm talking about. A Sunrunner at work is an odd sight, but it's not threatening if you think of it as a skill like-like skills in war. Magic is something else entirely."

"You and I are different kinds of warrior, that's all. Besides, what you've seen is respect, not fear."

"Is it?"

"Exactly the same respect that you receive when you carry your sword at your side," Andry said firmly.

"Ah, but any other man with a sword can meet me on equal terms." Chay began picking at the mortar between stones. "Swords are useless against what you did last night at Dragon's Rest."

"I'm not interested in Dragon's Rest right now. What concerns me more is that you seem to be blaming me for something. I'd like to know what it is."

Chay was silent for a moment, then turned and folded his arms across his chest. "Not blame. It's a responsibility you and Andrade share. She began it by marrying her sister to Zehava and then Sioned to Rohan. She pushed Sunrunners into the lives and bloodlines of princes. That made you more visible."

"And what of it? We're meant to serve-and not just princes."

"But don't you see that you're being woven into the everyday fabric of life? You've put faradh'im faradh'im in all princely courts and every major holding. You're working on the minor ones. When Sunrunners were remote beings, n.o.body had to think much about you. But now people must deal with you more directly." in all princely courts and every major holding. You're working on the minor ones. When Sunrunners were remote beings, n.o.body had to think much about you. But now people must deal with you more directly."

"And isn't Rohan's name attached to all the new laws that have found their way into people's everyday lives? He's the most visible High Prince in a hundred years. People are dealing with him him a lot more directly, too. I don't see the difference. Besides, it's not my fault if people choose to believe we're some mysterious-" a lot more directly, too. I don't see the difference. Besides, it's not my fault if people choose to believe we're some mysterious-"

"What happens when news of your devr'im devr'im spreads, as you know it will? Use of Sunrunners as-as weapons of combat-Andry, it's so complete a departure from what you've always been that only a fool wouldn't be afraid of it!" spreads, as you know it will? Use of Sunrunners as-as weapons of combat-Andry, it's so complete a departure from what you've always been that only a fool wouldn't be afraid of it!"

Andry hesitated. Then, because this was certainly the last time he would ever stand here with his father looking out at the land of their birth, he said, "You don't know what I've seen."

"Seen?" The furrows deepened on Chay's wide brow. "Explain yourself."

Andry bit his lip. "Forgive me, but I must have your word not to repeat any of this."

Chay stiffened. "My word? word?"

"I'm sorry. Believe me, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't so important. Please."

A reluctant nod. Andry sighed his relief. The knowledge was suddenly too much for him to live with alone; this was the one man in the world he could share it with.

"Father, the day I became Lord of G.o.ddess Keep, there was a . . . a vision." He conjured it in memory and as he forced himself to relive the horror he heard its shadow in his voice. "Hundreds of dead. Castles lying in ruins-terrible destruction. Unimaginable battles in a war we're destined to lose if something isn't done. Yes, the devr'im devr'im are a departure from tradition. Didn't Andrade shatter precedent by marrying Sioned, a fully trained Sunrunner, to a prince? For all I know, this war will come about because Pol is who he is, Sunrunner and prince both. I don't know. I can't be sure. But I've seen the agony, Father. I'm doing all I can to defend against it. Do you think I'd stand meekly by? Would I be your son if I did?" are a departure from tradition. Didn't Andrade shatter precedent by marrying Sioned, a fully trained Sunrunner, to a prince? For all I know, this war will come about because Pol is who he is, Sunrunner and prince both. I don't know. I can't be sure. But I've seen the agony, Father. I'm doing all I can to defend against it. Do you think I'd stand meekly by? Would I be your son if I did?"

The gray eyes searched his. "You saw all this?"

"I've seen Graypearl gutted," he murmured. "Medawari in Gilad, Faolain Riverport-even Stronghold, even Radzyn." Chay gave an involuntary flinch. "All in ruins," Andry insisted. "As dead as Feruche before Sorin rebuilt it." He choked at mention of his twin.

"I don't dis disbelieve you," Chay said slowly. "But . . . could you be doing things that will bring your-vision-into being that much faster?"

"You've never had much use for faradhi, faradhi, have you? It doesn't matter, I suppose. I believe in what I was shown. And I also believe I've been given the means to defend against it. What other use for the Star Scroll? And if a growing fear of Sunrunners saves thousands, is the price too high?" have you? It doesn't matter, I suppose. I believe in what I was shown. And I also believe I've been given the means to defend against it. What other use for the Star Scroll? And if a growing fear of Sunrunners saves thousands, is the price too high?"

"If fear is the price, count the cost to yourself, my son."

"How can I make you see?" he cried. "I'm not seeking power for its own sake or to set myself up as Pol's rival. Whatever I do, it's not greed or ambition that drives me. I'm terrified of what the future looks like."