Duskfall (49 page)

No. He didn’t
want
it. He
missed
it.

Knot shook his head, uncertain where the feelings came from. What the Tokal had told him along the River Arden still echoed in his mind.
A creation of science and magic
…

Behind him, Lian and Winter were whispering quietly. Winter looked at Knot.

“That was close,” she said. “Do you think they noticed us?”

Knot chewed his cheek. “No way to be certain. If they did, they didn’t do anything about it.”

“We need to get out of the main street, nomad,” Astrid said. “We’re not safe out in the open.”

Knot turned away from the procession. “Let’s go find a place to stay.”

They found their way onto a small side street, leading away from the massive avenue.

“You recognized the emperor,” Winter said as they walked.

Knot nodded. He knew what he had to do, now. Green-robed men or no, he at least had an idea of where to begin.

“I need to speak with him,” Knot said.

Winter’s eyes widened. “With the
emperor
? Are you out of your mind?”

Knot laughed and it felt empty.
Of course I’m out of my mind
, he thought.
I’m not sure I ever remember being sane.

“This is the closest thing to a lead I’ve had since arriving in Roden. Need to see where it takes me.”

“What’s this?” Lian asked from beside Winter. “You want to see who?”

Knot knew the idea was madness. He also knew that it was exactly what he needed to do.

“What?” Lian asked. “If we’re seeing someone, I’d like to know who. Just for, you know, security purposes.”

“He wants to see the emperor,” Winter said quietly, looking around. Knot had already made sure they weren’t being followed, but he felt good knowing Winter worried about it as well.

“The who? You mean that man riding the ridiculous dragon, with the hundreds of guards around him?
That
emperor?”

Astrid slipped between them, somehow glaring at Winter, Lian, and Knot all at the same time. “If any of you could
think
, you would agree that here and now is not the time to discuss it.”

Knot noticed an older couple walking past them, looking curiously at their group. Knot pressed his lips together. Adults taking orders from a child wasn’t the most ideal image to project, even if Astrid was right.

Cinzia was quick enough to cover, however weak the attempt. She smiled at the couple as they passed. “Thinks she owns the whole Sfaera sometimes, you know?”

The couple looked at her blankly, and continued on their way. Knot sighed.

“Astrid’s right,” he said quietly, when the couple was out of earshot. “We need a plan.”

“Damn right we need a plan,” Lian muttered. “If we’re going to be chatting with the emperor of Roden, we’ll need a whole lot more than that.”

N
ASH WATCHED THE LAST
of the procession pass by, deep in thought. The Triad’s recent orders still bothered him. Nash had no problem carrying out orders; he had done so his entire life. But Winter was different. She was the Harbinger, for Canta’s sake. The Triad were too removed from the situation to understand, but Nash wasn’t sure what he would—or could—do about it.

He turned his thoughts back to the parade. He needed a distraction.

The mechanical dragon had piqued his interest. The frame was nothing complicated, but the blue fire and the control of the flames surpassed what Nash had seen from even the most advanced pyromancers at the Citadel.

The spectacle had further implications. Nash knew of only one reason for the Rodenese people to hold a parade of glory. It was once a time-honored tradition almost as old as the empire itself, but about two hundred years ago the tradition had ceased. While studying at the Citadel, Nash had learned the origins of the parades of glory. They were public displays of power, when Roden was about to go to war.

Not many were aware of that, likely including most commoners in the crowd. But the emperor and his counselors would know. The parade and the re-emergence of the Ceno were worrisome.

“Nash,” Kali said beside him, “get the horses ready. We need to find this
cotir
.”

He nodded, but his frown remained as he moved to the four horses they had bought in Tir. The longer Nash participated in this wild chase, the more he knew it was going to end badly. It was inevitable. Their quarry included Winter, for one, who had strength beyond anything Nash had seen. If without his guidance Winter had become addicted to frost so that she couldn’t function, they might stand a chance, but Nash wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Winter had shown signs of dependency, but such signs were typical of all psimantic variants, especially in the beginning. Nash didn’t want to risk his life on that assumption. And if Lathe ever came around to using his talents, he could best Nash or Kali, maybe even both of them at once. That wasn’t even counting the vampire.

Nash did not like the odds.

When the horses were ready, he led them over to Kali. She waited, observing the dispersing crowd. She had to be thinking the same thing that he was about the parade, but they wouldn’t talk about it in so public a space. They would go to a local inn, a front run by Nazaniin operatives, where they would be free to talk. Perhaps they would also be able to make use of the local
cotir
. There was a local group on record, and there was always a chance they weren’t all variants. If there was at least one actual in the
cotir
, they might stand a chance against Lathe, Winter, and that vampire.

* * *

Nash was surprised that Kali could find her way so easily through the city when, as far as he knew, she had never been here before. Of course, that had never stopped an acumen. Kali had likely memorized Izet’s layout before they even left Triah, just in case.

“This is it,” Kali said, approaching a small, metal door in one of the larger huts.

Kali knocked twice on the door with the pommel of her stiletto dagger. After a moment, she knocked once more, sharply. It was a common code for Nazaniin establishments, and the door cracked open immediately after the last knock. It was dark inside, and Nash couldn’t see who had opened the door.

“Send someone to tend our horses,” Kali commanded. Then she walked inside. The new lacuna, Dahlin, followed her, Nash bringing up the rear. He brushed past a small round man who then slipped outside to follow Kali’s orders.

Inside, Nash passed through a thick black curtain—the source of the darkness inside the doorway, he realized—and into a brightly lit corridor.

The craftsmanship of the inside of the hut contrasted starkly to the dilapidated outward appearance. The floor was polished wood, and tapestries and paintings hung on the paneled walls. Ahead, the hallway split into two staircases. “This way,” Kali said, taking the stairs leading up on the left.

Nash hated dealing with other
cotiri
. Especially foreign ones. He never knew where their allegiance truly lay. Of course, the information flow to low-tier
cotiri
—especially those in countries outside of Khale—was tightly controlled. But it was impossible to completely stop it. There was always a leak.

They moved up the stairs in single file, emerging into another short hallway. Kali walked towards an open door at one end. The room beyond was a mess. There were two desks on opposite sides of the room, each covered with a layer of papers, writing paraphernalia, boxes and tools. A single bed stood against one wall, but it too was covered, with a huge pile of clothing, blankets, and more papers.

A man, tall and thin, hunched over one of the desks.

“I’m here in service of the
Triadin
,” Kali said. “I require assistance.”

The wiry man jumped out of his chair at the sound of Kali’s voice. Not a good sign; this
cotiri
hadn’t seen much fieldwork. He peered at them from behind a pair of misshapen spectacles. His hair was graying, although his face—smooth, pale, and elongated—didn’t look aged enough to justify it. In many ways, he reminded Nash of an old horse. Past its prime.

“Mistress!” the man squeaked. “I apologize for my obliviousness! I was researching,” he said, glancing at the papers on his desk.

“Who are you?” Kali asked.

The man’s tall body folded at the waist in an awkward bow. “Erenjin, mistress. The voyant of this
cotir
.”

Interesting
, Nash thought to himself.
A rare thing to see a voyant this far from Triah.

“If I may be so bold, mistress,” Erenjin said, “who do I have the honor of billeting in our humble outpost?”

“Kali,” she said. She didn’t need to tell the man anything further; both she and Nash had made enough of a name for themselves. “My associate, Nash,” Kali said, nodding towards him. “And our lacuna, Dahlin. Do you keep a full
cotir
here, voyant?”

The man nodded. “We do, mistress. Vera and Ohme are out, but I’m expecting their return any time. Yes, any time indeed.” He continued nodding as Kali stared him down. “Vera is our acumen,” he blurted out, “and Ohme our telenic. They are both very skilled, and both Ohme and I are actuals. I’m sure we will do anything within our power to help you. Anything at all.”

Nash eyed Erenjin, looking the man up and down. Two actuals was good, although he wondered at their abilities. Any voyant with real talent would have been recalled to Triah years ago.

“How skilled are you?” Kali asked. “We are searching for a group of travelers, they just arrived in the city. Can you scry their position?”

Erenjin cowered, looking at the floor. “Mistress, I apologize. Although I am indeed an actual, my skills as a voyant are woefully limited. I have very little control over my sight.”

Nash frowned. Powerful voyants were a rarity indeed. Clairvoyance was often more a novelty than an asset. Nash had only met a few voyants, other than Rune, who actually served the Nazaniin’s purposes in any useful way.

Nash could sense Kali’s frustration bubbling beneath her calm exterior. Kali was all business, but when she grew overly anxious or frustrated, she could lose her calm at any moment.

“I will try, of course,” Erenjin said quickly, “but I caution you not to expect much. And, should I fail, we have an intricate network of spies and informants in the city. It will be a simple matter to find the travelers you seek.”

Nash nodded, looking at Erenjin. He was speaking with a bit more confidence now. At least he had initiative. The most important role of a voyant in any
cotir
was to provide information, and this Erenjin, despite his limitations, seemed to fulfill that duty one way or another.

“Very well,” Kali said. By the tone of her voice, she wasn’t impressed, but at least she was placated for the moment. “Get in contact with this network of yours.” She stepped close to Erenjin, looking into his eyes. She only came up to his chest, but she still seemed the largest in the room. “Don’t fail me, Erenjin. Here,
I
am the
Triadin
.”

Erenjin nodded, although Nash was impressed at the confidence in his eyes, now. He had misjudged the man. Erenjin was absent-minded, but also intelligent.

Should he fail, Nash would still pity him.

* * *

Nash shook his head. “This is folly. How can we expect to win against the Harbinger? How does that serve any purpose?”

They were settling into the room Erenjin had shown them to. Kali stood by the window. What had begun as a clear, sunny day had quickly become overcast. Now snow fell, covering the street and rooftops.

“Kosarin said she is not the Harbinger. He gave us orders, Nash. That’s all there is to it.”

Nash sighed. “She
is
the Harbinger. Can’t you feel it?”

Kali remained silent, staring out the window at the falling snow.

“If her innate ability and the fact that she’s a tiellan psimancer aren’t enough, there’s the massacre in Navone. She bested you, Kali.”

“She didn’t best me,” Kali said sharply.

“Maybe,” Nash said softly. “But there’s the feeling I get in my gut, the draw I feel to her. I’ve only heard of such power in one place, Kali.”

Kali turned to face him, and suddenly Nash knew. He knew the minute he saw her beautiful, clear gray eyes. Eyes that had been blue only weeks before, but somehow kept the same piercing clarity no matter what color they took on. He had seen that hardness, that stubbornness in her eyes before. He loved that about her. And, now, it would drive them apart.

“None of that matters,” Kali whispered. “It does not matter what I’ve seen or sensed. It does not matter what I feel. I’ve been given orders, Nash. I
will
carry them out. You can help me obey, as you have always done. Or you can choose a different path. But mine is set.”

Kali stood on tiptoes, and Nash felt her smooth lips against his cheek.

“Whatever you choose, know that I… I am grateful for your company. I am grateful to have traveled with you, Nash.”

Nash bowed his head. “Love you too, Kali.” What Kali had said was as close to it as Nash had ever heard from her.

“You can choose differently,” Nash said, in one last attempt.

“This is the only peace I have in my life. Without orders, I go back to that scared little girl on the streets of Mavenil.”

Nash sighed. “What are our plans, then?”

“We wait for Erenjin’s intelligence. Then, we follow our orders.”

Kali met Nash’s eyes. He knew what Kali would do to him if he betrayed her. Nash clenched his jaw. How could he make such a decision?

Without another word, Kali turned and walked out into the corridor. Nash sat back on the bed, mulling over his options. Either was a risk. Either was a betrayal.

“I
WANT TO EXPLORE
the city,” Winter said, “I don’t see what you’re so upset about.” That was the thing, though. She knew exactly why they were upset.

Winter had taken her last
faltira
crystal that morning, despite taking one last night. And another yesterday evening. And another yesterday morning.

She needed another.

Other than finding Knot’s stash and borrowing another few crystals from him, the only other way she could think to find more was to go out into the city and get it.