Magi'i of Cyador (8 page)

"Then... it's even more important. Read it." Her words are half choked, half hissed. "I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He reaches out and squeezes her hand, then lets his hand fall away as he hears footsteps in the open arched corridor.

"I appreciate your interest, but there won't be anything where I can use you for at least another eightday," Ryalth says firmly, although her eyes are bright.

"I see. I will check with you then."

"During enumerators' times, if you would," Ryalth adds. Lorn can see the brightness in her eyes, and feels the same in his own. He swallows. "Yes... Lady Trader."

Then he turns, letting his shoulders droop, a gesture not totally of pretense, and walks dejectedly down the corridor toward the plaza overlooking the white harbor.

As he leaves the plaza, he can feel the chill of his father's chaos glass surveying him, but he has already done what must be done, and he doubts that Kien'elth will pry further. He hopes for that, at least.

XIII

Even the Emperors of the Land of Eternal Light embody the elements of paradox that infuse and suffuse Cyador....

Most paradoxical is the treatment of the memory of the Emperor Alyiakal. Despite his many successes in establishing the current borders of modern Cyador, and his formalization of the balanced power structure that has come to govern Cyador, he has become the "One Never to be Mentioned" among the Magi'i and Mirror Lancers of Cyad. The Magi'i wish to forget him because he was a stronger magus than the First Magus and turned his back on what he saw as the ever-narrowing traditions and inbreeding of the Magi'i, then became a Mirror Lancer officer who used his magely abilities to lead the northern Mirror Lancers in the devastation of Cerlyn and the establishment of the northeastern cuprite mines. By doing so, he assured peace with the northern barbarians for more than a generation, and a continued supply of cuprite ore for the continued formulation of cupridium. When he used those same lancers to become Emperor, he insisted that the chaos energies be diverted from mere experimentation to power chaos-cells for stonecutting and thus the building of the Great Highways of Cyador, the completion of the Palace of Eternal Light and the strengthening and lengthening of the Great Canal.... Yet for all this, for which he and his memory should be revered, the paradox is that he remains the magus of whom the Magi'i will never speak.

The Mirror Lancers avoid his name because it reminds them all too clearly of their deficiencies in arms and other skills and because his success continues to imply that merely being a Mirror Lancer is less than sufficient to be a successful or great holder of the Malachite Throne.... The simple fact that no Lancer commander has since matched his feats makes the comparison even more odious... and, again, the paradox is maintained: the greatest Mirror Lancer officer in the history of Cyador is the least known as such.

Even the merchanters dislike the image of Alyiakal, for they have none of the talents that he embodied, and, therefore, they cannot aspire to place one of their own, truly their own, upon the Malachite Throne, yet it was largely the result of his policies as Emperor through which they came to prosper....

Paradox of Empire

Bern'elth, Magus First

Cyad, 157 A.F.

XIV

Lorn walks slowly along the covered upper portico of the dwelling, trying to ignore both his faint headache and the patter and splatting the sudden winter rain, such a change from the frost of the day before or even from the dryness of the afternoon. His head seems to pulse with the hissing of the rain and the dripping of the larger droplets that have rolled off the tile roof and fall onto the edge of the walks and the walls.

He finally stops outside the open door to his father's study, waiting for a moment, as if to see whether his sire will notice. When there is no response or invitation, Lorn steps into the study. "You summoned me, ser?"

In the storm-dim gloom, lightened by the oil lamps at each end of the pale oak desk-table, Kien'elth looks up from the scroll he peruses. "Sit down, Lorn." The silver-haired magus sets the scroll aside. The crossed lightning bolts on his tunic radiate a faint golden light of their own.

Although the silver-manteled lamps cast an even glow across the room, suffusing with a warm light the blond wooden wall panels and the dark amber leather of the volumes set in the bookcase built into the wall beside the desk, the room is chill. Lorn lowers himself into the hard seat of the single armless and straight-backed wooden chair. He faces his father and waits.

"I have been talking to Lector Hyrist'elth and Lector Chyenfel'elth...." Kien'elth's fine eyebrows lift as if asking for Lorn's response. "Yes, ser."

"They have noted that while your knowledge and scholarship remain outstanding, you do not manifest the love of the Magi'i and our works that are necessary for true success as a magus." Kien'elth studies his son. "We have discussed this before, Lorn, and I had hoped you would change your approach to your studies and to the senior Lectors."

"Ser.... I have learned a great deal, and even the Lectors have indicated that my studies have been superior." Lorn lets a puzzled expression cross his face. "Have I not been diligent and enthusiastic in my studies?"

"Mere excellence in studies is not enough for a magus, Lorn. Enthusiasm for studies alone is not sufficient, either. One must always carry the awareness that the Magi'i are what distinguishes Cyador from the barbarians or the Hamorians-and what distinguished the Rational Stars from the black angels. Without the understanding of chaos as the font of life and the core of prosperity, a flame lance is little more than a brighter, sharper barbarian blade. A firewagon is little more than a more powerful eight-horse team."

"I have always understood and accepted that, Father," Lorn says truthfully.

"Yes... you have. But you have not understood that there is a greater good beyond personal accomplishments." The older man offers a rueful smile. "Nor do you understand with your heart that golds are mere counters in child's game, or that all Cyador rests on how the Magi'i balance chaos and the black order."

Lorn represses a frown. While his studies and his practical work as an advanced student magus have touched upon the balancing of chaos with the cold and deadly nature of order, this is the first time his father has directly mentioned such balancing-or even suggested that he has observed Lorn's clandestine merchanting ventures.

"I have prevailed upon my friendship with Captain-Commander Luss'alt to have you accepted as a probationary officer trainee. Luss'alt is in charge of the Mirror Lancer operations throughout all Cyador, under Majer-Commander Rynst'alt. You also know, I am certain, that lancer training is well away from Cyad." Kien'elth pauses.

Lorn considers both the words and the pause. Knowing that his father is a closer acquaintance of Rynst'alt than would be normal from their relative positions within the Quarter of the Magi'i, Lorn also understands that there is much he does not understand, except that his father thinks it is important that Lorn know a favor has been called in, and that Rynst'alt has not been involved. "Yes, ser."

"High Lector Chyenfel'elth and Lector Hyrist'elth are most impressed with your talent, but not your attitude." The older man gestures as if to wave off any objection Lorn may raise. "Yes, you are most respectful. Yes, you learn everything before you, and more. Yes, you have greater mastery of chaos forces than any other student magus and probably a mastery greater than most of the fourth level adepts, and even some third level Magi'i. And you have greater potential than that, even if you receive no more training. However..." Kien'elth draws out the word. "Now is not the best of times for a talented magus to manifest less than perfect adulation."

"So Vernt is safe, then?" inquires Lorn, understanding his own danger, if not precisely all the possible forms that danger could lead to were he to remain a student and become a full magus. If he were allowed that far. Then he realizes what else his father has said and nods.

"He is safe. He does not have either excessive talent or excessive skepticism, and he will learn more, because he is patient, if not so precociously brilliant as his elder brother."

"Is this because the towers are failing?"

Kien'elth raises his eyebrows. "I should have guessed that you would puzzle that out." He pauses, steepling his fingers together. "It would not be wise for me, or for you, to discuss this farther. So let us talk of other matters. You may recall that the barbarian attacks are increasing, and increased attacks require greater chaos transfers for firewagons and fire-lances. A greater number of firelances must be charged and transported north and west. Likewise, more lancers must be raised and trained, and more cupridium blades must be forged." Kien'elth smiles, but his golden eyes remain concerned, and their expression does not match that upon his mouth.

Lorn understands. His father-all the Magi'i-live and work where the truth, or falsehood, of every word they utter can be sensed and used in one fashion or another-at least by the most talented of the Magi'i. That understanding breeds caution even in settings that others might consider safe from scrutiny.

"The need for more lancers means a need for more junior officers, and that affords you an opportunity." This time, his father's smile is more complete. "Although Luss'alt and I do not, shall we say, see exactly eye to eye, he needs more capable junior officers, and he has heard of your skills with a blade. He has not heard of where you have been... such as this afternoon. I would not repeat such a visitation as that before you leave Cyad, no matter what her charms may be."

"Yes, ser. Thank you. Very much. I will do my best."

"I'm sure you will. And in the Mirror Lancers, success is measured more by ability than by attitude." Kien'elth laughs. "Not totally... but more."

"I understand." Lorn also understands the warning. The Mirror Lancers are no different from the Magi'i, except that most Lancer officers cannot truthread, and therefore must judge more by actions than by hidden intent revealed by truthreading.

"You will leave for Kynstaar tomorrow. There will be a firewagon departing from the school. You will doubtless face some difficulties, there, but... you have surmounted such before, and I have every confidence that you will again."

"Yes, ser." Lorn nods.

Kien'elth stands slowly. "I wish..." He shrugs apologetically.

Lorn also stands. "I know, ser. It's not your doing."

"I can still wish, my son."

Lorn lowers his head for a moment.

After he leaves the study, Lorn walks slowly along the covered portico of the upper level of the house, pausing to look southward through the rain that is beginning to taper off toward the gray stormy waters of the harbor, waters more often than not usually an intense blue, with the intensity of the water's color underscored by the white sunstone piers. Today, the piers are gray, like the sky and the water.

Then he descends one level and slips toward the rear of the dwelling. There, he pauses before the closed door of his older sister's chambers.

"You can come in, Lorn," Jerial calls.

He opens the heavy oak door, slowly, and closes it behind him.

As usual, Jerial wears a form-fitting tunic-this one of a silky black that shows her petite but well-endowed figure. She stands beside a polished white oak table desk that is almost empty, and her eyes are intent as she studies Lorn. Beyond the narrow archway, Lorn sees the bed chamber, with the dark blue coverlet set neatly on the narrow bed, and the tables as neat as the sitting room where they stand.

"Dice?" Lorn looks at the six white cubes on his sister's table. "I suppose there's the uniform of a beardless junior lancer in your wardrobe?"

"No." Jerial smiles back. "That of a young merchanter, a spoiled youth who has more coins than sense. Someone who loses most of the time, but loses little, and wins seldom, but well. Not, shall we say, a scholarly enumerator."

Lorn looks from the dice to the wardrobe and then back to the dice.

"Why not?" asks Jerial. "I can be a healer, or a brood mare. Neither will gain me golds nor independence."

"You have the golds invested in the Exchange?" Lorn raises his eyebrows.

"No. The Bank of the Clanless Traders. There's no interest, but far fewer questions."

"Something like Jeron'mer?"

"You might say so," Jerial replies, "but I'd appreciate your not asking."

"In case you're forced into being a brood mare? So I can't reveal anything to father?"

Jerial nods, then smiles wryly. "I like Cyad, Lorn, but not enough to consort with someone I detest. So far, I've managed to steer father away from people like Ciesrt...."

"I see." His sister's words remind Lorn-again-that he has yet to do anything about the impending consorting of Myryan to Ciesrt. His eyes light on Jerial's face, taking in the determined and set chin, the hard and piercing blue eyes. "What's Ciesrt's weakness?" Jerial shrugs. "He has no strengths." Lorn nods. "And no principles, except self-interest."

"You, my brother, do well enough to conceal such." Jerial's eyebrows both arch.

"Maybe I'm like him, then."

"No one would ever say that, even Dettaur, and he detests you. He thinks you're the one who broke his fingers years ago."

"That could be a problem in time to come. I'm leaving for Kynstaar in the morning," Lorn says quietly.

"Is that why you're here?"

"I thought you'd like to know." He grins insouciantly, as if he were on the korfal field or in a coffee house.

"At least you can be an officer, and Dettaur won't be that senior to you."

"If I don't get thrown from a mount or 'accidentally' incinerated by a firelance, you mean?" Lorn's laugh is half humorous, half deprecating. "I have some chance of surviving there."

"You have no illusions, brother dear?" Jerial's laugh is somehow both ironic and supportive. "That will doubtless help."

"I wanted to talk about healing," he says.

Jerial nods. "You would."

"I've seen you and Myryan do it. There's a black mist that enfolds you-is that why you like black?"