Emperor and Clown (32 page)

“Zinixo’s
a little horror,” he muttered, when she had done. “He’s terrified of the others
ganging up against him. He expects everyone else to be as mean as he is.”

“You
know him?” And he knew Lith’rian, of course. Truly, Rap was full of surprises
now. Had she ever been asked to judge her childhood friends for the one Least
Likely to Consort with Warlocks, Rap would have won hands down.

“I
haven’t met Olybino,” he said, “but I did meet the other three. You met
Olybino, your aunt says.”

“He
wasn’t very chummy, either.”

Rap
pulled a face. “It’s what sorcery does to people. Sagorn knew. It makes them
unhuman, somehow; in the end.”

She
grinned. “But you’re still all right? So far?” He shrugged. “I hope so.”

She
still couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Was that the start of it? Rap had
always been as readable as a signpost, but he certainly wasn’t readable now.
She sensed a worry in him, though.

“All
right, I’ll ask Kade when I get the chance. Oh, Rap! I am so madly happy you’re
alive! I thought the imps had killed you, and when I saw you in the desert I
thought you were a wraith! I thought your ghost had come back to haunt me! You
have to explain that to me, too. And then you turned up alive again, and I was
so happy-then Azak told me you’d died in jail after we left. He told me a
terrible story about you being beaten to death ... I’m afraid I believed him,
Rap. I’m sorry. I thought it would be in character for him to have let that
happen to you, so I thought he was telling the truth. But you’re all right!
That’s wonderful, Rap! Do just tell me how you escaped and rescued Kade?”

“Ask
her.”

“Just
quickly? The highlights?”

“Ask
your aunt.”

“Rap!”
.she said crossly.

He
got up off the chair and began to pace to and fro across the room, not
speaking,

Obviously
he had come here for some reason--breaking into the Opal Palace in the middle
of the night must be a dangerous thing for him to do, no matter how great his
powers were. There was one obvious reason for gentlemen to sneak into ladies’
chambers like this. She did not think Rap would attempt anything so crude as
that.

So
why was her heart galloping? Because she was hoping he would? She knew what
would happen if he did try to carry her off to his personal den of iniquity-and
it would not involve Sultana Inosolan screaming and spoiling the fun. She would
leave Azak a heart-warming note.

“Rap,
if you fight Kalkor tomorrow-”

“Today.
It’s not far off dawn.”

“Today,
then. Is it certain? I mean, can you be sure that he won’t kill you? Even with
the third prophecy, , can you be sure of winning?”

He
was over by the window, and behind her. “No.” Eek! So that was it.

“Then
don’t! I won’t risk losing you again, not just for Krasnegar. I mean, even if
you do win, there’s no guarantee that I’ll ever be queen. We must break the
chain somewhere! We mustn’t let the goblins get you, the third prophecy. What
did you mean when you said that magic casements don’t prophesy?”

“It’d
take too long to explain.”

“Well,
never mind. just give me a minute to get some clothes on, and we can go.”

“What?”
He was back by the dresser, where she could see him, and he was staring at her
with a very shocked expression.

She
smiled. “I love you, Rap! Did you doubt it?” Now his face was as readable as it
had ever beenhe colored all the way to his ears. “Inos, no!”

“Of
course I do! I admit I didn’t realize back in Krasnegar, but I should have! You
might have dropped a hint or two, you know. Boys are supposed to make the first
move.”

He
frowned at her in dismay and shook his head. “Of course I love you!” she said
crossly. “It’s what the God tried to tell me, and I was too stupid to-”

“Inos!
You’re a married woman! A sultana! No, listen to me . . .” He sat down on the
chair again and looked pigheaded. “You know how Andor used mastery on you?
Well, when I got my second word of power, I found myself using mastery on him!
I could make Andor believe anything I wanted! I couldn’t help it. And now-”

Twaddle!
“Let’s not talk about Andor. Horrible man!” She smiled at him, this grown-up,
solid, solemn Rap. Very much what she would have expected-reliable, competent
... when he knew what he was doing, that is; probably still inclined to blunder
without proper guidance. Still, he’d managed to get here. Maybe Sagorn had
helped. But honest, trustworthy, faithful. just what a woman needs.

“I
admit that I still didn’t realize, even when you turned up in Krasnegar the
night that Father died. Oh, I should have! You’d run all the way to Pondague
and then back again, just for me, and I still didn’t see. But I was very shaken
that night, and still under Andor’s spell a bit, and I wasn’t thinking
straight. But--”

“You
married Azak. I asked you if-”

“Rapt”
she shouted, forgetting that her husband was sleeping on the bed behind her. “You’d
just turned my wedding into a circus and killed all those guards and-”

“Inos!”
he said softly, and her tongue seemed to freeze. “My ambition was always to be
your sergeantat-arms, when you became queen. You knew that! Now I know I’d
never make a soldier, and I’m very happy that you’ve found such a fine royal
husband. I know I’m just a nothing! We’re not children anymore.” He looked very
earnest, but Rap had always sounded pompous when he tried to tell lies. Not
enough practice, likely.

She
laughed and jumped up. “Turn your back, Nothing, and I’ll get dressed, and we’ll
run-”

“No.
Sit down! Now listen. I’m trying to tell you something! I’m a mage. I can make
you do anything I want. Anything at all. And, yes, I do feel very strongly
about you.”

“Oo,
that’s it? Feel strongly? You run through the taiga, you cross the whole world
to come to me, you fight dragons ... You’re quite sure you feel strongly? So...”

“And
it leaks!” he shouted.

Azak
stirred briefly. Then he rolled over and went still again.

“Leaks?”
she echoed stupidly.

Rap
nodded, looking miserable. “I can’t help a little mastery leaking out. That’s
what you’re feeling. Every time I look at you ... I’m sorry, Inos. That’s all
it is. When I’m not around anymore, then you’ll recover. But I’m afraid I’m
making you feel that way. That’s all it is, really.”

More
twaddle! “Oh, no it’s not!”

“Oh,
yes it is!”

They
scowled at each other.

She
snorted. “Indeed! And who are you to say whether I’m in love with you or not?”

“I’m
a mage. Yes, I know you’re telling the truth. I can see that.”

“Kind
of you to mention it.”

“But
that’s not the point! You’re saying what you really believe, but you’re
believing that because I . . . Because I want you. Yes, I do want you, and I’m
making you feel that way.”

“Oh,
is that so? Well, let’s just prove a point! Come here.”

She
started to unwrap her housecoat and Rap said, “Inos!” Kade herself could not
have sounded more scandalized.

She
fastened the housecoat again miserably. “Rap, I really do love you! I married
Azak because I didn’t have any choice. Rasha was going to do terrible things
to-”

“Inos,
please?”

She
fell silent.

“I
didn’t come for that. I would never! And I didn’t come to take you away. I just
came to ask a favor.” She stared at him, the way he slumped in the chair, the
dejected way he held his head. This was not like him. He was readable now, and
he was in real trouble.

“Rap?
What favor?” Anything! He sighed. “Kalkor’s a sorcerer.”

“Oh,
no!”

“I
think he is. I’m not sure. He’s at least a mage, but I think he’s a full,
four-word sorcerer. That’s why he can risk coming to Hub-the Impire can’t kill
him. When he wants to go, he’ll just vanish.” He studied her bleakly for a
moment. “And if the Impire can’t kill him, then I certainly can’t! I can feel
magic being used, Inos, and he used big power on the troll. Maybe he’s just a
clumsy mage, but I think he’s a full sorcerer.”

“That’s
what Zinixo meant!”

“Must
be-he was pointing at Kalkor. See, the regent was going to forbid another
Reckoning, and Kalkor changed his mind for him. I felt that one, too. And to
use power on the imperor-or his regent, I suppose-is a direct breach of the
Protocol.”

“And
the day before, he struck down Angilki right in the Rotunda . . .”

But
Rap did not know that story, so she had to explain that part also, while he
stared at her solemnly with his big gray eyes. Stupid tattoos! Why didn’t he
magic them away? Oh, Rap, Rap! Who cared about tattoos? Wonderful to have him
back ...

“So
why don’t the wardens punish him?” she demanded at the end.

“I
don’t know. Maybe they want me safely dead first? No, that’s stupid-I’m worse
than the dwarf. Seeing enemies everywhere.”

“So
Kalkor’s a sorcerer. And you’re not?”

He
shook his head. “I’m only a mage. Three words.” She felt a shiver of panic. If
Kalkor killed Rap, then she was going to go back to Arakkaran, married to Azak,
and Rap would be really dead at last. She’d thought those nightmares were all
over.

And
then she understood, and relief washed over her like light through a shutter
thrown back. She would make him ask, though! For even doubting. “Tell me!”

“Would
you ... would you mind ... sharing your word of power? I know it’s an Evilish
big thing to ask of anyone, but . . .” Then he must have sensed her amusement,
because he stopped, and almost seemed to smile.

“I’m
sorry to have to ask you, but I’m afraid. I mean, I’m afraid that without that,
I won’t be able to kill the bastard.” His face went wooden again.

“Why
did you change your mind, Rap?” she asked softly. “What was it Kalkor threw at
you that made you change your mind?”

Wooden,
very wooden . . . “I don’t want to talk about it.” He shivered.

“Where
did you go when you left us?” Nosy!

For
a moment she thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he said, “To a funeral, and I won’t
talk about that, either.”

“Well,
it doesn’t matter. Kalkor’s a monster. If you can kill him, then you’ll be
doing us all a favor, and of course I’ll share my word with you.” And a lot
more than that.

His
relief was so obvious that she almost felt hurt. “You will?”

“Did
you doubt?” She smiled pityingly at him, and she thought she saw him mask a
blush.

“Thanks,
Inos. It may not matter for very long.” What did that mean? Well, she didn’t
care, and there were worse problems to talk about.

“It
will weaken your power, of course,” he added reluctantly.

“Oh,
no it won’t! I just hope it’ll do you more good than it has done me. Ever since
Father told it to me, I’ve been waiting to see what difference it would make,
and it hasn’t made any. Not at all! I’ve never developed any special talent, nothing.
Elkarath said I was using power once, when we were in Thume, but I wasn’t
conscious of doing anything. It must be a very weak word, Rap. Half of nothing
is still nothing.”

He
shook his head. “That may not be right. Sagorn thinks that the words have
different properties and suit different people. Or don’t. Meaning yours may
just not be right for you. That could be, but I think it’s something else. I
think some people have a real talent for magic, and the words help those
people. Others haven’t got the knack, somehow. If a boy’s naturally clumsy,
then he’ll never make a swordsman, no matter what training he may get. I was
like that. Some sorcerers are naturally much stronger than others. I don’t
think Rasha was very powerful at all.”

“She
zapped me all the way across Pandemia.” Rap snorted. “That wouldn’t be hard,
with the magic casement open. It would have acted like a : . . hard to explain.
Anyway, even if your word hasn’t done anything for you, I think I have a very
good knack.”

“Yes,
I think you do. You’re making me feel giddy. I could absolutely swear that I’m
insanely in love with you.”

He
did blush at that. “Please, Inos! Be serious! If you will share your word with
me, I will try to kill Kalkor.”

She
laughed. Glad of the excuse, she walked over to him, where he sat uncomfortably
on the chair, and she laid a hand on his shoulder. It felt surprisingly solid.
She bent to his ear, remembering how she’d watched him tell a word to Rasha.

“This
is how it’s done?” she whispered. He squirmed a little. “Yes.”

She
kissed his cheek. “Like this?”

“Inos!
Please!” He wasn’t moving a muscle.

She
chuckled. She could smell the damp of his hair, and he needed a shave. “What’s
it worth?”

“My
life,” he said hoarsely.

That
sobered her. “Sorry, Rap!” She whispered the gibberish her father had told her
on his deathbed. Then she straightened. “Well?”

He
looked up at her. “That’s it?”

“That’s
it. So much fuss for such a lot of nonsense!” He swallowed and licked his lips.
“You’re sure?” Doubt.

“Yes.
That’s what Father told me.”

Rap
said nothing. He looked down at his fists, clenched tight on his knees.

“Rap?
What’s wrong?”

“Inos
... That wasn’t a word of power.”

“It’s
what Father said!” But was she sure? Had she perhaps got the angoo bit mixed up
with the engip bit? He shook his head and rose suddenly.

He
was much bigger than she remembered. Solemn gray eyes.

“It’s
not a word of power, Inos. Hearing one of those ... You know, it’s like having
your head explode.”

“But
. . .”

“Do
you remember when he told you? Did you feel anything?”

“No,”
she said. “Just surprise. I thought he was raving again.”

“Then
it isn’t your fault.”