Besieged (32 page)

‘It’s true,’ she acknowledged. She smiled. There was no fear in her, which was refreshing.

‘Imoshen could have heard that Reoden is a healer,’ Vittoryxe argued.

‘Is she? That makes sense,’ Imoshen said to herself.

Her gaze settled on All-mother Aayelora. Like the others, she was worried, but also determined to make the right decision. Beneath this there was a bone-deep sadness that Imoshen recognised, because the same sadness was inside her. But there was also a curious sense of shame.

‘What is it? What do you see in our all-mother?’ Egrayne asked, from just behind her.

‘It makes no sense,’ Imoshen said. ‘A sadness walks alongside her. I thought it meant she had lost a child, like I have. But there is also shame, as if she did something wrong–’

The sisters gasped.

‘She could have heard about the geldr,’ Vittoryxe said.

Imoshen looked over her shoulder to Egrayne. ‘What’s a geldr?’

‘She’s a raedan,’ Egrayne announced. ‘There can be no doubt.’

‘Then she is useful to us,’ Healer Reoden said. ‘Too useful to waste.’

‘But how do we know we can trust her?’ a sister asked.

‘She must prove her loyalty,’ another insisted.

‘We must call the brotherhood leaders to account. Call an all-council. The all-father who broke the covenant must be punished.’

‘That’s how she must prove her loyalty,’ Vittoryxe said, and all Imoshen could read from her was a vicious triumph. The gift-tutor wanted her to fail. ‘Imoshen must be the one to punish him.’

‘Me?’ She took a step back. Kill her own father? ‘But–’

‘You say the wrong was done to you. You must administer the punishment. You must prove your loyalty,’ Vittoryxe said. ‘You kill him. Or we execute you, your devotee and your choice-son.’

Imoshen reeled. So much vitriol. She found it hard to think. ‘Does Gift-tutor Vittoryxe speak for the all-mothers?’

There was whispering and All-mother Aayelora received several nods.

‘In this case, yes,’ Aayelora said. ‘You must prove your loyalty by executing Rohaayel the Covenant-breaker.’

‘Well?’ Vittoryxe prodded. ‘Can you do this?’

Imoshen had to keep her family safe, no matter what. She lifted her head. ‘I can do it.’

Chapter Twenty-Six

T
HEY BATHED AND
dressed her in fine silks, painted her face, pinned jewels in her hair, and dabbed scent behind her ears and between her breasts. All the while, she felt as if she was being prepared as a sacrifice.

The sisterhood leaders were using her. If she failed to kill the covenant-breaking all-father, they would punish those she loved. She had been used by her brotherhood, and now the sisters were using her.

The all-mother’s devotee regarded her critically. ‘There, you look presentable.’

‘Thank you, Narisa.’

‘You haven’t even looked at yourself yet.’

Imoshen took a deep breath. Until she came here, she had only ever caught glimpses of herself in a window, or reflected in water. Last night when she looked in a real polished mirror it was almost too painful to bear. Her gift stripped her of all illusion. She saw failure, wilful blindness, and the naive trust that led to her infant son’s death...

Now she looked at her reflection and tried to contain her gift. But try as she might, she could only catch a glimpse of the line of her chin, the arch of one eyebrow and the way the jewels lay at the base of her throat, before she had to look away to Egrayne behind her.

‘Lovely, thank you. I’d like to see Frayvia and Iraayel, in case...’

‘Of course.’ Egrayne led her down a passage to a terrace. ‘They’re in the hot-house.’

Imoshen found the two people she loved most in the world picking flowers on the terrace. When she stepped inside the hot-house, the air smelled fecund and rich.

‘Iraayel.’

He ran to her, and she dropped to her knees for a hug. Holding him hurt, because Reoshen was missing, but it only made her hold on tighter.

He pulled back. ‘You smell sweet, like the flowers.’

She kissed his forehead. Had Irian ever been a dear little boy like this, once? She mustn’t think of him, or of Ardeyne and Rohaayel. Mustn’t think of them as anything but the covenant-breaking all-father and his seconds, men she must kill if she wanted sanctuary for her family.

After all, they had used her and lied to her.

Coming to her feet, she took Frayvia in her arms and kissed both her cheeks, then her lips. ‘Don’t cry.’

‘It’s not fair. How can they make you do this?’

‘The
how
is easy. They hold you and Iraayel hostage. The
why
of it’s the thing. That gift-tutor set out to destroy me, using the sisterhood leaders and their fear of the T’En males. But...’ – Imoshen shrugged – ‘it would probably have come to this anyway.’ She held Frayvia’s eyes. ‘If I die...’

Frayvia tried to pull away.

‘No, listen. If I die attempting this, I don’t want you to die. Is there some way we can sever our link?’

Frayvia shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. The T’En devotee bond is supposed to be for life. A T’En might survive their devotee’s death, but–’

‘I need you to live to watch over Iraayel.’

‘Time to go, Imoshen,’ Egrayne called.

‘Promise me?’

Frayvia nodded.

Imoshen leant down to Iraayel. ‘Be good for Fray.’

He smiled. ‘I’m always good.’ And he pulled a flower out from behind his back. ‘A pretty flower for a pretty lady.’

Imoshen took it, tears stinging her eyes. Her gift rode just below the surface of her skin, enhancing emotions and scents. She tucked the flower in the shoulder strap of her bodice, where she could smell it with each breath.

Then she left them.

Egrayne saw the flower. ‘Gardenia.’

‘Is that what it is? We grew marigolds amongst the vegetables to keep away the pests.’ Imoshen sensed Egrayne’s discomfort and made a note not to talk about her past.

If she survived.

Ahead, she could see Vittoryxe and two gift-warriors waiting for her at the terrace doors. She stopped. ‘Will they kill Frayvia and Iraayel, if I fail?’

‘Your devotee will die with you. The boy...’ Egrayne hesitated. ‘They’ll kill him.’

Imoshen studied the tall gift-empowerer. ‘You lie to me so that I will fight for my life, to save him. Why do you care if I live or die?’

Egrayne blinked, and then a slow smile made her face come alive. ‘I forget you’re a raedan...’ – her eyes narrowed – ‘who just used her gift on me without my permission. I could challenge you to a duel for that.’

Imoshen laughed. ‘I have enough challenges without making an enemy of you. I already have an enemy in the gift-tutor.’

Egrayne did not deny this. She shook her head. ‘I must admit, I don’t understand you, Imoshen.’

‘Then we are even.’ Imoshen discovered she liked Egrayne. ‘I don’t understand why T’En women fear the men.’

‘Because they seek to destroy us.’

‘Because you fear them. It’s a circular argument, don’t you see?’

‘Don’t listen to her, Egrayne,’ Vittoryxe warned as she strode towards them, radiating determination. ‘I’ll take over from here.’

‘You’re not coming?’ Imoshen asked Egrayne.

The tall gift-empowerer shook her head and Imoshen sensed her withdrawing; she didn’t like the gift-tutor either.

‘The all-council is only attended by the leaders of the brotherhoods and sisterhoods.’ Vittoryxe was dismissive. ‘Come along now.’

‘I think Egrayne should come, too,’ Imoshen protested. Vittoryxe stiffened. ‘After all, she is the T’Enatuath’s gift-empowerer, she can vouch for my gift.’ Imoshen caught a glimmer of amusement in Egrayne’s dark eyes.

‘You’re right,’ Vittoryxe said, as if the words tasted bad on her tongue. ‘The more members of our all-mother’s inner circle attend the council, the more it raises her stature.’

By the time they reached the doors, Vittoryxe had started lecturing her.

‘The male gift is the problem, Imoshen. Until they are thirteen or fourteen, they are not much different from us. Then it floods their minds, making them irrational and prone to violence. One male is not so bad, but in a group...’ She shook her head. ‘Their gifts trigger each other, rising in a spiral of aggression. It clouds their minds. They cannot be trusted. Certainly not with precious T’En children. That’s why the covenant exists.’

Imoshen bit her tongue. As Reothe had explained it, Rohaayel wanted the brotherhoods to reclaim their boy children. She didn’t know what to believe any more, but she clung to one fact: her father had planned to kill her and steal her child.

She had to protect Frayvia and Iraayel. She must not falter.

Time seemed to behave strangely as her gift surged. One moment they were in the sisterhood quarter, meeting up with the other five all-mothers and their seconds, walking along avenues bathed in afternoon sun. Then they were through the gate and on the wide road that ran down to the causeway. Then they were approaching an elegant domed building.

Inside, it was huge. The dome soared, seeming to float above the windows encircling its base. Mosaics of great events were edged with thousands of tiny gold tiles, glittering in the morning sun.

In the centre was an empty marble floor, surrounded by rising tiers of seats. One side was filled with all-fathers and their seconds. The men outnumbered the women and, for the first time, Imoshen felt that frisson of fear that all the female T’En must feel when confronted by the sheer physicality of the males.

They wore neck torcs denoting their stature and their brotherhood affiliations, and went bare-chested, the better to show off duelling scars. Pleated breeches rode low on their hips, with wide, jewelled belts.

Even from this side of the dome, she could feel the force of the men’s combined gifts. It promised violence and left a bad taste on her tongue. This wasn’t an aspect of male gift she was used to, and she stepped back, her own power rising in response.

She had to remind herself that Reothe’s gift had never felt like this. A challenge, yes, but never a threat. In fact, she had never felt threatened by her father and her uncles, either. Yet they had betrayed her.

No time for emotion. Focus.

Behind her, the seats filled as the all-mothers and their seconds filed in. They were as richly dressed as the men and just as nervous, their gifts primed for use.

‘Stand here,’ Vittoryxe told Imoshen, before stepping back, just behind her.

Imoshen glanced over her other shoulder to find Egrayne leaning on the waist-high balustrade. The empowerer gave her a reassuring nod. Imoshen had thought she’d requested Egrayne’s presence to bring Vittoryxe down a peg, but now she understood she needed a friendly face.

Searching the women, she found another friendly face, Healer Reoden who, she now knew, was the all-mother of a great sisterhood.

The sisterhood leaders whispered, silver-haired heads inclined, jewelled combs catching the light. One by one, they fell silent and looked past her. Imoshen turned to see the silhouettes of broad-shouldered men as they entered the corridor on the far side of the dome.

When they stepped into the light, she counted seven T’En men, none of whom she recognised. They parted to reveal Rohaayel wearing only breeches, no torc of office. She winced; it hurt her to see him like this. She still loved him, which made his betrayal all the worse.

Where were Irian and Ardeyne?

Dead. Only death would keep them from their all-father’s side. Loyal Irian, clever Ardeyne...

The high-ranking males shifted in their seats, muttering. Imoshen felt their gifts rise and sensed their anger, fuelled by fear. Her gift surged as she read them. Rohaayel was one of their own. He might have been a rival, but he was still an all-father. He had done what they had not dared to do, and now he was going to pay.

Vittoryxe stepped forward to stand beside her, unrolling a scroll and clearing her throat. ‘You have heard the rumours. The all-mothers have called this all-council to determine the truth and punish the transgressors. Standing beside me is Imoshen the Raedan, who came to All-mother Aayelora seeking sanctuary. She was stolen and imprisoned by Rohaayel the Covenant-breaker.’

Vittoryxe rolled up the scroll and stepped back, and Imoshen felt the gift-tutor’s satisfaction.

All-mother Aayelora descended the steps. ‘Imoshen, is this the all-father who broke the covenant and kept you captive for seventeen years?’

Imoshen went to answer, but one of the men who had escorted Rohaayel spoke up.

‘He was the all-father of our brotherhood until yesterday, when we received the all-mothers’ summons and learned how he broke the covenant. He admitted guilt and stepped down. I am the new all-father. We knew nothing of his plans. He was working alone with his two seconds, who are dead. We deliver him for punishment.’

‘Does he speak the truth?’ Aayelora asked.

Imoshen hesitated. None of these men were familiar. What had happened to the old inner circle?

‘Imoshen?’ the all-mother prompted. ‘Did they know their all-father had broken the covenant?’

‘I don’t recognise them.’

‘If you are the brotherhood’s new all-father, step forward, give your covenant vow and be acknowledged by the sisterhoods,’ All-mother Aayelora said.

He crossed the dome’s floor then knelt.

Aayelora touched his forehead with the little finger of her left hand. As she gathered her gift, Imoshen felt the men’s gifts respond as if to a threat.

‘Four hundred years ago, the all-father of your brotherhood gave his vow to the all-mother of our sisterhood. Now you renew this vow. Drop your defences,’ Aayelora commanded.

The rest of all-fathers looked away, and Imoshen sensed their anger and disgust. She could feel the power of Aayelora’s gift as she breached the new all-father’s defences.

Imoshen felt someone watching her, and met Rohaayel’s gaze.

This is why I kept you
, he seemed to be saying,
to free us from this slavery
.
This demeans us all, male and female.

It was true, but she hardened her heart against him. She must not fail Iraayel and Frayvia.