Finder: First Ordinance, Book One (14 page)

"It will take two clicks to arrive," Ordin said beside me, bouncing in his seat when we hit a pocket of unruly winds. Justis sat across the aisle, his eyes hooded and no expression on his features. Gurnil attempted to speak with the physicians, but he stumbled through the Kondari language just as the Kondari stumbled through ours.

The Kondari had communication devices that they employed often, either tapping in written messages or speaking directly with another who was far away. King Tamblin thought to attack these? It would be the same as if a child with a stick threatened a fully-grown man equipped with a sword. There would be no battle and Fyris would be destroyed in a blink.

"Why has Kondar not approached or attacked Fyris?" I turned to Ordin to ask.

"Because of the shield," Ordin replied as quietly as he could. "I will explain it later, young one. In the meantime, do not mention Fyris to any of these." He gripped my arm to drive home the seriousness of his statement. Without his telling me, I already understood that doing so would place Fyris in danger. Somehow, the only ones who seemed to realize the continent of Fyris existed were the winged Avii that dwelt inside a glass bowl in the middle of a very deep ocean.

Huddling into my seat, I spared a glance at Justis, who stared through a window of our flying transport, ignoring all else around him. Perhaps I was the only other there who realized that he wished to be flying himself through the white, misty clouds we encountered on our way to Kondar.

* * *

I will never forget my first sight of Kondar, even from the air. Great cities blurred beneath us, and many tall buildings rose high in the air as we flew swiftly by them. With the gift I had, I realized that the population numbered in the millions—a staggering amount to me, who barely had counted anything past hundreds before.

Kondar was large—perhaps seventy times larger than Fyris, and my skin went cold at the thought. Again, I realized how much of a fool Tamblin truly was, and Yevil likely encouraged his erroneous thinking. I also considered what kind of shield would be strong enough to hide a small continent from people as technologically advanced as the Kondari.

Soon enough, our flying machine began to drift downward, until it settled carefully atop a tall building. I'd wondered along the way what one of the structures would look like if one could go inside.

I learned quickly enough. I was herded from the machine and through a doorway on the rooftop upon which we landed, then led toward doors that slid open at the touch of a lighted button at the side.

"I hope this isn't a fool's errand," the eldest Kondari physician spoke as we crowded into the waiting metal cubicle. The doors closed again once we were inside and the cubicle moved downward, giving my stomach a slight jerk before it settled itself.

"You are not required to bow before the High President," another physician instructed as the cubicle jerked slightly and stopped. "As you are foreign, we will observe your protocol instead, and accept a respectful nod."

Ordin had a hand at my back, ushering me from the metal cubicle. We were led down a long hall, tiled in a material unfamiliar to me, and overhead, long, artificial lights illuminated our journey.

Many rooms lined the hallway, some with doors partly open. I saw the sick lying in beds, many of whom were connected by strange tubes to beeping or whirring machines. But these were not the ones I'd been brought to help; like me, they were unimportant. I was here to help the better connected and more fortunate.

"Here." We were led into a room much more spacious than any we'd walked past. A wide bank of windows lined one side, overlooking a lush garden filled with plants and flowers, many of which I had never seen before. Lying in a bed near those windows was a young man, unconscious and oblivious to the garden view he'd been given.

Thin and wasted he was, his cheeks pale and falling in upon themselves. He also was connected to softly beeping devices, and I understood that medicine was slowly being administered. I also understood that it was to keep the pain at bay—the disease was taking the boy, who was just past sixteen.

"Tell me you can help him," a man stood beside the bed, his suffering at the fate of his son aging his features. Here was a man who loved his child. For that alone, I would heal the boy and do it gladly.

"I will do this," I nodded to the man, speaking in his language. Ordin informed me later that when I put my hands on the young man, the golden light was so bright in the room that all present closed their eyes against it. I was unaware, truly, as I was changing the things in the boy's body that had turned against it, reshaping them to follow their natural path.

I also heard from Gurnil that the boy opened his eyes and spoke with his father not long after I finished healing him. I was carried away from the boy's room by Justis; I'd fainted after such a difficult healing, after all.

Chapter 10
 

"We are expected to stay while the tests are run," Ordin informed me when I woke. A tray of fruit and other food was waiting, along with fruit juice and water. Consuming the fruit juice first, I drank thirstily while Ordin watched. He and the others had already eaten; I discovered that as I bit into an apple. So seldom had I gotten fruit, even after coming to the Avii, that I relished every bite, right down to the core.

"Try this," Ordin partially peeled a long, yellow fruit and handed it to me. I almost went into raptures at the taste, it was so good. I was too full to try the rest after that, and wanted to sleep again. Ordin nodded and closed the door of the private suite I'd been given, allowing me the sleep my body demanded.

* * *

"How's the boy?" Justis asked when Gurnil entered their assigned apartment.

"So far, all tests indicate the disease has disappeared. Their technicians don't know what to make of this. The President placed guards outside Quin's room, however, and that concerns me. Gurnil is asking to see the President, and they keep putting him off."

"I'm not surprised. My brother asked for an exorbitant amount. Perhaps Charkisul is protecting his investment, until he learns his son is healthy."

"How much did Jurris ask for the healing?" Ordin narrowed his eyes at Justis.

"Four million. Do not say where that information came from. He'll know." Justis rustled his wings. "A parent will pay most any price to save a child. Jurris was counting on that."

"Jurris is still angry that Halthea hasn't conceived," Ordin grunted. "You think he'll ask Quin to fix that, too, then keep her in the kitchens?"

"I'd prefer that didn't happen," Justis turned his back on Ordin to stare out the window in the main room of their shared apartment. "He still has Wimla and Vorina. Either would be happy to provide a child."

"But the odds aren't as good that the children will be Red-Winged," Ordin snorted. "He wants a Red-Winged heir."

"Perhaps there is a good reason Halthea hasn't conceived, then. Few are getting children, even here in Kondar. The President is fortunate to have a child. Doubly fortunate that Quin was able to heal him." Justis shook his head.

"How much of that money will go to Quin?" Ordin asked softly.

Justis snorted his answer.

* * *

"Message from my father." Rodrik handed the sealed parchment to Amlis, who sat next to a window in Timblor's old suite, staring at low clouds hanging over the courtyard and walls surrounding the castle.

Amlis accepted the message absently and broke the seal before turning his eyes away from the gray skies outside. "It's as if the rain is poison, as well as the ground it falls upon," Amlis unrolled the message with a sigh. "Three ships built. Father wants six, plus the conscription of all larger vessels. Not much time left, Rod, before we have to devise a plan to curtail this madness."

"Have you seen the recruits coming in? Less than half what your father wants, and half of those look sickly."

"I've seen them. Any news on healers? We sent the conscription notices out ten days ago."

"I have no idea whether there are any to come," Rodrik replied, watching as the first raindrop slid down the window. It was spring, and spring brought rain. "The healers in Vhoorth are too old for conscription, or are women. Perhaps it is the same everywhere."

"Then perhaps it is time to speak to Father about conscripting female healers."

"He won't like that."

"I know. It's time he realized that women are as good as men at many things."

"Better at some," Rodrik muttered. "I worry that the girls aren't being educated, when the boys are."

"True. Rod, so many things need changing."

"And to speak those things aloud could get both of us killed."

"Also true. Where is my father?"

"In his study, with Yevil."

"Then now is not the time to approach him."

"Wise. Very wise."

* * *

"Does it ever concern you that this is used instead of coin?" Justis studied the chip embedded in a square, clear substance. It resembled glass but didn't break, as glass would.

"That is only the record of our payment. The actual payment is recorded in a machine at a building. You and your brother have access, through your fingers and your eyes. I fail to understand the machinery required to do the scans, as they're called." Gurnil shook his head.

An envoy from the President had left minutes earlier, after delivering payment for Quin's healing. Quin was still under guard, and the envoy had promised a visit from the President that evening at dinner, before the Avii left for home.

"I think he'll make an offer for Quin," Ordin murmured before rising from his seat and stalking toward the window. "He'll offer to buy her, and your brother will name a price. She is not a slave, to be bought and sold," Ordin whirled to face Justis, an angry scowl on his face.

Justis blinked at Ordin before nodding. Ordin's words made sense. "I owe you," he nodded at Ordin. "I speak for Jurris while we're here. I will refuse, and this will never reach my brother's ears. Should Charkisul have need, he can negotiate with my brother in the future for Quin's services."

"That does nothing to elevate Quin's status," Gurnil rounded on Justis. "He'll leave her in the kitchen until he sells her talents again."

"What do you suggest I do?" Justis snapped. "He is King. The girl's wings are growing. Perhaps she'll have Green Wings, and the problem will be solved."

"I have little faith in that," Ordin said.

"When will the pin feathers require rolling? We should see the beginnings of color soon, don't you think? My black was seen quite early, after all."

"We should see that soon, but there's still no guarantee that the King will bring her out of the kitchen. Quin has little support from the Council, and they will have no idea how much Quin brought to your brother's coffers."

"She is only one half-blood," Justis pointed out. "Are you willing to divide the Council over this?"

"You should ask yourself what is worth dividing the Council, if she is not," Gurnil snapped. "Aviia is no better than Fyris, if we treat the lowliest as they do. I recall the last healer we had, in Elabeth's time. He walked through the gate in disgust."

"I wouldn't mention that around my brother," Justis growled.

"Your brother's Red-Winged father caused it," Ordin snapped. "Or should I not mention that around
you
?"

"Treven is dead—he walked through the gate fifty turns past, need I remind you?" Justis said. "Camryn named Jurris his heir after that. There is no taint on him."

"Treven didn't walk through the gate. He was forced through," Ordin pointed out. "After he'd been caught dallying with Fyrisian women."

"He made no children with them," Justis said. "That has been proven."

"Hmmph," Gurnil sniffed. "That doesn't take into account what else he did that was never proven."

"Please, I've read the records. There's no need to call my brother's parentage into question. Treven was always angry that his brother Camryn was named heir. He made his bitterness known in—shall we say—unusual ways?"

"You're saying that Treven would have been a fit ruler?"

"No. I didn't say that," Justis held up a hand. "I'm saying that Camryn and Elabeth both agreed on Jurris being named Camryn's heir. If they'd been wrong, the Orb would have protested."

"How do we know it didn't?"

Justis blinked at Ordin's words.

* * *

"There's more than we suspected," High President Charkisul's chief of security, Melis Norwal, handed the chip recording to the President. "But still nothing regarding what they call Fyris. Nothing useful, anyway."

"We know they're not responsible for the poison waste. They've never had sufficient technology to produce it," Charkisul shook his head. "So where is it coming from?"

"We've only gotten a few mentions of Fyris, and there are no explanations and certainly no information," Chief Norwal said. "It's odd, too, that every time we attempt to place cameras and listening devices in that glass behemoth where they live, they stop working immediately. All we have is what we get after they arrive here."

"We're steered away from certain sections in their library, too," Charkisul agreed. "It's as if they're hiding something important, but what might it be?"

"Have the levels of the poison stabilized?"

"No, the levels continue to rise. It's odd that it should show up like this, when we know there's nothing on Siriaa to cause it. There's some speculation that cancers may become widespread as the toxic levels increase."

"What about the girl? Don't you think it's odd that she hasn't been revealed until now? Why would they come to us—pay our physicians for medical treatment—when that was available to them? You'll hear references that the girl is a half-blood, High President," Melis nodded toward the chip. "As well as discussion on one in their past caught dallying with Fyrisian women. I can only assume that the term
Fyrisian
is connected to Fyris, whatever that means."

"I'll listen, but I'll have my interpreter with me, in case I miss anything," Edden agreed. "I'm surprised the girl can speak our language as fluently as she does. Can you explain that?"

"We know the Avii are special; you only have to see their wings to know that. How many of our children draw pictures of them and wish to fly as they do?"

Edden Charkisul sighed and shook his head. "Perhaps it's no different from any other evolution. Who knows why they grew wings and we didn't? Somewhere, and for some reason, it was necessary for them to do so."

"And we suspect they know where the poison originates, and they aren't telling us."

"The girl is underage; not much older than my Berel. We can't question her, and I don't wish to upset her, anyway. She healed my boy."

"Listen to that," Melis gestured toward the chip again. "They say she won't be paid. The Avii King will keep the funds. If we could ask a few gentle questions, perhaps?"

"What if it places her in danger, or they refuse her services if we ask again? We have a guarantee from the Avii healer that should Berel sicken again, they will bring her back. I have to rely on their word."

"That still brings us no closer to a solution regarding the poison, or where to find it."

"I hope we can contain it when we do find it," the High President nodded.

"If we can't, we're in trouble," Melis agreed.

* * *

"Young one, I am Melis Norwal," he introduced himself as he led me away from the rooms I'd been given. Two others followed us—they'd been standing outside my door for hours while I slept.

"Where are we going?" I replied in his language, although I already knew; dinner waited. He wanted to ask questions so badly he almost burst with the desire of it. He wanted to know what Fyris meant, and a cold, steady terror coursed through me. The poison had already reached Kondar's shores.

"Dinner with the High President," Melis responded. "He wishes to thank you for healing his son. While Berel is still too weak to sit with us, he also extends his gratitude. He says he can't recall feeling as good as he does now."

Melis Norwal was neither as tall as Justis, nor as handsome. Nevertheless, their positions were similar. He had dark hair, cropped close to his head, green eyes that were alert to all about him, a steady hand and a lengthy stride. He was a fit guard for the High President.

"His father loves him. That's why I healed him," I said with a shrug. "I'm glad he feels better."

* * *

Dinner was a trying ordeal. I was served vegetables, finely cooked. The food was not the difficulty. Conversation between the High President, Ordin and Gurnil was stilted at best, while Justis ate determinedly and spoke little. Melis, like Justis, said little, choosing to watch Justis with a wary eye.

He knew Justis was dangerous.

He also knew that Justis was brother to Jurris, King of the Avii.

It was the same political dance I'd seen so many times in Lironis between nobles, the inner circle, the King and his sons. The Kondari were peaceful enough, and had no current thoughts of attacking the Avii. If the poison became worse, and their land sickened as Fyris did, that peaceful notion might slip away in favor of gaining useful information.

King Tamblin had no idea what he would face when his ships sailed away from Fyris' northern shore. He may have held hopes of finding lands better off than his, but his options were dwindling. I felt sure I would feel the poison seeping into Kondar if I were allowed to set foot upon its soil.

As it was, I'd only been allowed in high buildings since my arrival.

"Sir Melis," I said, breaking my silence and surprising those around me. "Might I ask a favor?" He, in turn, looked toward the High President.

"You may ask us for almost anything," the High President responded, as he turned to me and smiled.

"I wish to walk outside," I said, while Justis scowled at me.