Spirits of Light and Shadow (The Gods of Talmor) (12 page)

When the door opened, he rose. “Welcome, Dul,” he said to the older man.

Tarsten waved for Eliam to sit, a gesture which irked him. It was, after all, still his house.

“What news do you have?” Eliam asked.

“I’ve just returned from Braetin’s temple,” Tarsten responded with a scowl and sat.

“How is Dul Graiphen?”

“They won’t let us see him. Said the Dul is unwell and spending time in quiet contemplation and meditative healing with the high priests.” Tarsten made a face as though he’d swallowed something bitter.

Eliam shifted uncomfortably. The Council had an uneasy relationship with the temples. At one time in the empire’s history, the temples controlled everything. Now Talmor had moved to a more democratic method of governance, with the priests having little room to interfere with politics. Still, they were not without power, having enormous sway over the common people. The temples were respected in political circles and their advice listened to, but only so far.

“I have to ask,” Eliam said. “We’re sure he’s still there? After all, he begged Korbin’s help to get him away from his enemies. If we can’t see him at the temple, are we sure he’s not moved on?”

Tarsten narrowed his eyes. “I hadn’t considered that, but even if he has left, there’s nothing we can do without challenging the temple. I’m not going to be the one to do that. If there’s one Spirit the people are still frightened of, it’s Braetin. Those priests haven’t lost their touch. Just a few weeks ago I heard rumors of them starting up some of the old practices, asking followers for sacrifices. They convinced many to bring others to do the same, claiming it would lessen their own nightmares and struggles. Seems theism is on the rise in Talmor.”

Eliam was surprised to hear him talk this way. It felt dangerously close to heresy. “So what now?”

“Braetin’s priests want to question any Kilovian practitioners we locate.”

With a shudder, Eliam shook his head. “We can’t allow that. They’d torture them.”

“Can we stop them?” Tarsten asked. “Think, boy. Do you want to be the one to explain to your constituents that our highest ranking official was targeted by a Kilovian witch, and you’re protecting the ones who did it, refusing to allow them to be questioned?”

“When we find the person responsible,
we
will question them.” He paused. “What of Korbin?”

“Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?”

The light in Tarsten’s eyes made Eliam question his motives. “Of course not,” he said. “He’d be a fool to come here.”

“Graiphen always told me that boy was a bad seed,” Tarsten muttered.

“
We
brought him into this,” Eliam said, exasperated. “He was living a quiet life until I asked for his help.”

“Are you certain of that? How do we know this Octavia woman wasn’t the one who performed this black magic?”

“Because
I
went to
her.
”

“Or so she wants you to think.”

Eliam slammed his palm on the table. “Do you hear yourself? You sound as paranoid as Dul Graiphen in one of his mad fits! You approached me. Do you suspect me now, too?”

Tarsten looked at him with a shrewd glare, then slowly shook his head. “No. You’re right. Of course, you’re right. I’ve grown distrustful of everyone.”

A thought occurred to Eliam. “Have you searched your house? To look for dark articles? If Graiphen was targeted by a political enemy, it may be one you both share.”

A green pallor crept over Tarsten’s skin. “Do you think…”

“I don’t know,” Eliam said. “I’m planning to comb through my home from top to bottom.” He hadn’t actually thought of doing so until that moment, but it couldn’t hurt. “We should be vigilant.”

“Of course. You’re right again, my boy.”

Eliam hated being called
boy
, but he knew Tarsten was doing so out of habit. He’d probably still be calling Eliam that in forty years’ time.

“Has the Council considered approaching the other temples?” he asked.

“As if problems with one isn’t enough?” Tarsten said.

“If as you said, Braetin’s priests are gaining strength, the other temples won’t like it. The power of the eight Spirits in part comes from their balance. Would the others really be happy with Braetin’s priests controlling the most powerful legislator in Vol?”

Tarsten’s color began to return as he latched on to the idea. “No. No they wouldn’t. We could perhaps convince them to help us negotiate, to at least see Dul Graiphen, make sure he is there of his own free will. We have only the word of a servant that his estranged son took him there. For all we know, the boy might have led him anywhere.”

“But we have the missive from the temple,” Eliam reminded him.

“That piece of paper isn’t proof. Anyone could have written it.” Tarsten’s eyes darted as he considered. “This is good thinking.”

The sense of dread returned. Eliam didn’t, under any circumstances, want to be credited with suggesting Braetin’s temple was issuing untruths. Still, the other seven temples could give the Council some leverage and help relieve the pressure. What they couldn’t help with is the plan to round up conduits. He only hoped he could sort out the situation before Korbin and Octavia were arrested. He mused again that this entire situation could be avoided if only Graiphen would speak up. What was going on inside that strange, black temple?

Chapter 9

After a day hiding out in the dark and dismal house, Korbin was climbing the walls. He’d stayed close by rather than prowling the streets as he might have done if he’d been alone. On the first night, they’d explored the house, deciding where they’d each sleep and how to manage without any light. They’d settled on inside bedrooms on the second floor with an adjoining door between them.

On the second evening, Korbin did go out once to get food. When he returned, he found Octavia had set a table for them. She glanced up when he entered, her eyes narrowing into a frown. “I am going out after we eat,” she said. “As soon as the sun has set.”

Korbin nodded. “Okay. Is this something you need to do alone, or can I help?” As much as he wanted to stand guard every minute, Octavia wasn’t a storybook damsel in distress and she wouldn’t thank him for treating her as one.

“I had hoped we’d hear something by now,” she said.

“Me too.” The lack of word from Eliam told Korbin this wasn’t going to be settled as quickly as he’d hoped. What bothered him more than anything was the uncertainty. “Are you planning to leave the city?”

“No. My people had to travel a long way to get here. Some were fleeing persecution, some had homes or shops destroyed in the many Kilovian wars. Many conduits also fled. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more of the Sennestelle in Talmor now than in Kilovia itself.”

“Why? What happened? I thought all Kilovians had the same religion. Why would you have to leave?”

She shook her head and picked up the bag of food, distributing the portions between two plates. “Kilovian leaders are no different from Talmoran politicians. They seek to control. They attempted to regulate conduits’ work and prosecute those they felt were practicing dark magic. Which, as it turns out, is any magic they don’t approve of. They demanded we track our clients and the requests made of us, in case any of them wanted inappropriate magic done.”

“What did they deem inappropriate?”

Octavia handed him one of the plates and they sat across from one another in the vast kitchen. “It might have been anything or nothing, but they expected us to spy on those they believed to be their enemies. Any conduit who didn’t comply was accused of practicing black magic.”

“Is that why you left?”

Octavia pushed her food around on her plate with a fork, wrinkling her nose at the hearty stew. Korbin chastised himself for not asking her what she liked before he went out. She took a small bite and chewed slowly before saying, “My mentor was accused. I could have stayed. In fact, he encouraged me to, but my own sister had been arrested, and my mother begged me to go. She hoped I would find a safer life.”

“You have a sister? Is she all right?”

“I have seven sisters and two brothers,” she said, then corrected herself. “
Had
seven sisters. Trinity was executed by the state after being accused by a wealthy lord for whom she refused to perform a curse. The truth didn’t matter. He had powerful friends, but she did not.”

“I’m so sorry.” Korbin put his cutlery down. Suddenly, the beef seemed heavy and unappetizing. He wanted to ask if there wasn’t some magic by which the conduits could have defended themselves, but he supposed if they could have, they would have.

“It was years ago,” Octavia said, but the quaver in her voice told him that it wouldn’t matter how much time passed. She’d never be over the loss.

They ate the rest of the meal, what they could each stand to finish, in silence.

Finally, she spoke again. “Do you have people who can aid you if Dul Eliam cannot?”

Korbin shook his head. “Not really. I have been living in Chelotti Strand for a couple of years, but I don’t have any real friends there. I travel a lot with my work and keep to myself. The Talmor Riders won’t be able to do anything. They’re a government-run service. I have friends there, but I wouldn’t ask them to risk helping me, and they won’t offer.”

“And what of the North Circle?” She gestured toward the wealthy quarter of town. “Surely you once had friends there.”

“My father disowned me two years ago,” Korbin said. “All my friends but Eliam abandoned me. I have some money, left to me by my mother. Enough to disappear if I wanted.”

“But you don’t want to go,” she said quietly.

“No.”

“Why not? What holds you here?”

It was, he realized, a good question. He quickly dismissed the idea that it was his father and their unresolved difficulties. He reminded himself almost daily that this particular situation was unlikely to change. Even if he was willing to forgive, his father would always be the same.

“Memories, I suppose,” he said. “My mother’s grave is here.”

She watched him closely, looking at him with an expression he couldn’t interpret. She didn’t seem to believe him, but he didn’t quite believe himself either. “I think perhaps it is hope that binds you to this place more than memories. Your mind knows you cannot return to the happiness of your childhood, but your heart longs for the innocence of the past.”

Korbin considered for a moment, then nodded. He wasn’t sure he agreed, but he couldn’t come up with an argument that contradicted her.

“I’m going to seek out community leaders and try to learn the fates of the other conduits in the city. Then I plan to visit my mentor. I will try to find someone who will shelter us. Kilovian culture demands certain protections of the Sennestelle.”

Someone who will shelter
us
? He wasn’t sure at what point she had decided to trust him, but he was grateful. He needed to make this right, to pay the debt his father incurred by requesting her help in the first place. In the back of his mind, he also considered that someone had indeed invoked black magic against his father. He never had the opportunity to find out who was responsible, but the idea of running away after such an attack made Korbin angry.

He’d been running far too long, and he didn’t intend to be chased away by one of his father’s political enemies. If only his father would emerge from the temple, he could put all of this nonsense to rest. Why was he not coming forward to clear Korbin’s name? The answer set heavily in Korbin’s gut, taunting him with the belief that his father didn’t, and never had, cared what happened to him.

Korbin and Octavia washed the dishes and put everything away, erasing the traces of their presence. They’d be pushing it to stay another night, but he still held out hope that a messenger would arrive at any moment.

When darkness fell, his hope faded.

“Come,” Octavia said. “We will speak to some of my people. I want to determine if there is a new conduit in the city, one who could be responsible for the attacks on your father.” She paused. “When we invoke the power of the One, we touch all life. Negative forces can carry a great deal of power. Still, we are ethical in the way we use this influence. We have a code. I saw the items used against your father. These were objects crafted with a great deal of emotion. The conduit who invoked these links had a personal link to your father.”

“She did?” Korbin leaned against the door jamb. “You’re certain?”

“Or
he
. Not all conduits are female, although we do have an inborn advantage.”

Korbin studied her face. He wondered if this is why she was allowing him to come, why she was sticking with him when she could easily run. She believed a conduit had wronged Graiphen, and by extension, Korbin. So perhaps this was her way of trying to make it right, to pay the debt. It seemed a bit crazy, considering he felt the same way—that he was to blame for her being in trouble. Whatever the motivation, he was prepared to accept it if it meant that she wasn’t going to leave him out in the cold.

How could a conduit have had a personal vendetta against his father? Surely Graiphen would not associate with a Kilovian practitioner. On the other hand, the relationship need not have been mutual. His father was a well-known public figure. Anyone might have fixated on him. But that would mean the person who did this was unhinged to have gone so far.

He considered asking Octavia about the theory, but decided to wait. If she was going to arrive at that conclusion, he’d rather she did so on her own. Suggesting a conduit was insane might insult her more than suggesting one of them performed black magic.

“So where do we start?” he asked.

“There are four other working conduits in Vol in addition to our mentor, each in a different sector. We will need to speak to community leaders.” She hesitated. “I am trusting you a great deal, but I must if justice is to be done.”

“You don’t have anything to fear from me,” Korbin said.

Her eyes betrayed her doubt, but she nodded. “We should go.”

They left the house, careful to do so quietly and making sure no one was watching. Fortunately, Eliam’s guest house was in a wealthy residential section of the city, which meant doorways were often not facing the street and there weren’t as many people loitering. On the other hand, the few people about were perhaps more likely to notice two strangers. Octavia pulled her cloak up to cover her features, and Korbin huddled close to her as though they were speaking softly to one another.