Resenting the Hero (39 page)

From them, we learned all the Pairs in Middle Reach were dead. Murdered, by the looks of it. The Empress, at the request of the Triple S, had sent members of her Imperial Guard to investigate, and that was what they had found. All the Pairs dead and the unapologetic residents full of stories of the exhibitions Karish had put on.

Karish had looked sick upon hearing the news. His threats hadn't worked, and we had left the Pairs alone. I couldn't believe the residents of Middle Reach had been stupid enough to do something like that. They'd wiped out their protection against natural disasters. And if they didn't think the Empress was going to stomp on them with everything she had for wantonly killing so many Pairs, even Pairs who were the dregs of the Triple S, they were all nuts.

Well, I'd known that.

There was no word of Aiden at all.

We were questioned. Karish especially. For hours and days I watched as he was grilled on the veracity of the letters he had sent, and he never slipped or cracked. He kept his answers short and simple, and easy to remember, and he was calm and convincing as he delivered them. They had demanded to know why I, as Shield, hadn't written them, as that was my duty, and Karish had assumed an expression of mild astonishment. It had all happened to him, after all, so of course he was the one to write about it.

And what about the claims of the citizens, that Karish had proved his ability to cause earthquakes with demonstrations? The answer was a languid shrug. Of course such a thing was impossible, he said. He had told the lie because apparently the residents of Middle Reach were ready to believe such things. That they thought he had really caused an earthquake, well, he couldn't explain that. Perhaps there was some kind of massive delusion involved. Creol had been skillful with his manipulation.

So that was the plan, I'd thought. Deny everything. In the beginning I had thought that was a bad idea. Lying was rarely wise. I learned better, for even with that innocuous story they had questioned us for weeks. Weeks. Testing us. Watching us. All with that air that said they expected us to lie to them, that we were on opposite sides. I was shocked.

This, then, was why Karish had always been so afraid of anyone finding out what he could do.

And then, with no explanation, they left. No final word as to whether that was the end of things, whether they found our explanations acceptable. They were just gone. And I couldn't help feeling that no, this was not the end of things. It would come back on us.

This was the Triple S council. Our people. They had raised us, taken care of us. They were supposed to guide us and watch out for our best interests. Why had we had to lie to them?

The day after they left, we received a summons from the Empress Herself. She had, apparently, had word of our brave and noble efforts in both High Scape and Middle Reach, and she was desirous of a meeting. There was nothing for it but to pack up again and head to Erstwhile, the Imperial City.

I thought that under the circumstances I could be forgiven for being frustrated, even though I was a Shield. I had counted the number of days I had actually been able to work as a Shield in High Scape, and it was a pitiful amount. But this was the Empress. When she called, you went.

So there we were. We had been in Erstwhile for nearly a week, and the Empress was throwing a party in Karish's honor. For exposing an evil plot in Middle Reach, enabling imperial forces to swamp in and kill Creol and save the world. That was the story being released to the public, anyway. I was happy enough to leave that version of the facts floating around. Karish said he thought it was best.

So we were in the ballroom of Zaire Manor in Erstwhile, surrounded by courtiers and ministers and other important people who were there only to tell Karish how wonderful he was.

While I liked a good party as much as the next person, formal affairs bored me blue. The dress I was wearing had been thrown together by the palace staff, and although I liked the color, hunter green, the style was far too—er, revealing?—for my taste. And as I'd underestimated how long it would take to squeeze into the gown, tie my hair just so, and paint my face, I'd been late.

That had allowed me to slip in unobserved. I watched Karish's impact on the denizens of Erstwhile. I grinned and shook my head. I didn't know how he stood the attention, never mind actually enjoyed it, as he seemed to. I eased my way to the side of the room, where there were hors d'oeuvres to be found. I had my priorities straight.

There was music, nice gentle music that didn't stir the blood. And it was interesting to watch the other guests, watch them play their little games, admire their clothes. And it would be a treat to see the Empress. But it really wasn't the crowd for a humble slip collector, and I knew they would look at me as a lower form of human if they knew what I was, so I didn't try to mingle.

One man who wasn't as entranced with Karish as the others noticed me and left the throng. I looked him over as he approached. A little too close to middle age and trying a little too hard to hide it, but he had a decent smile and his eyes didn't linger anywhere offensive. Not for too long, anyway.

“So,” he said as soon as he reached me. “You're the Shield.”

My, how polite.
“So I am.”

“You're his Shield?” he asked, gesturing toward Karish.

I looked at him steadily, face blank. “He's my Source.”

I don't think he got the point. “I'm Lord Summit,” he announced grandly. “I have a property on the southern coast. A huge, beautiful house, magnificent land, every convenience. I'm having a house party there in a couple of weeks. I'd be honored if you and Lord Shintaro would attend.”

And would his real guests throw coins at our feet if we performed well?

I'd been mistaken. Lord Whatever was just as enamored as the rest of them. He was just going about achieving his aim differently. “I'm afraid I can't answer for Karish.” And I wasn't interested.

“No? Thought you were the one to talk to. Thought the Shields made all the plans and appointments.”

“Not concerning private matters. Karish's personal life isn't in my jurisdiction.”

The lord winked at me. “Bet you wish it were,” he snickered before sauntering back to the crowd.

I looked at the plate of food in my hand and set it on the closest table. Fresh air. I really needed fresh air. I marched the perimeter of the room until I reached the doors of the terrace. I slipped outside. It was a little chilly to be out without a cloak, even for me, but I was used to the colder winter of more northern climes, and I was too lazy, or something, to go back in for warmer wear.

I took a deep breath. It was stupid to be irritated by that lord's words. He was an ignorant mushroom, and I should have been able to laugh off his clumsy invitation and lurid suggestion. But I couldn't. It had been too long since I had worked. For months I had been nothing but Karish's adjutant, and I was sick of it. I was a person with skills of my own. I half wished for a disaster to strike just so I could prove I was more than a decoration.

I found a small bench that was hidden from the door by the curve of the wall. I settled onto the cold stone. I would just think a bit and calm down before I went back in. I was overreacting, I knew. I had a tendency to do that.

But I didn't get my chance for quiet solitude. All of a sudden Karish was there, standing beside the bench and glaring at me. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.

Nothing criminal,
I thought. “Excuse me?”

He was looking harried; all the sparkle evaporated. “You didn't even bother to show up on time,” he complained. “You left me to deal with that,” he gestured toward the door, “all by myself, for over an hour. You didn't even let me know you'd come when you finally did arrive. I was just lucky enough to look up when you were slithering out the door.”

I turned it over in my head, looking for a problem in any of that. Nothing I could find. “So?”

He threw up his hands, and I thought he was going to tear at his hair. Sometimes he could be wonderfully excitable. “Why should I have to handle that horde by myself?”

It took me a moment to come up with an answer, I was that surprised. Was he honestly trying to convince me that he hadn't been enjoying himself in there? “It's your job,” I said. “It's what you do. You've always done it. You're Karish, and everyone adores you.”
Poor boy.

“Doesn't mean I like it.” I looked at him, and I was sure the skepticism beamed from my face. “I'm serious,” he insisted. “Only an idiot would feel flattered by that sort of thing. They're fawning all over me and praising me to the sky, all the time thinking that I'm nothing more than a useless, empty-headed peacock who's somehow managed to capture the Empress's favor. And if I don't act like I'm absolutely delighted to speak to every single one of them, they'll sneer at me for being too proud.” He sat down on the bench, pulled off the ribbon in his hair and made a fine mess of his mane. I wondered why he ever bothered tying it up in the first place. “They don't know me, and they don't care to. I'm just a novelty, and they'd drop me in a moment if something new came along.”

I thought Karish was underestimating both himself and his fans. While some were probably ponces, I was sure others were able to appreciate Karish for the unique person he was.

And if he tried to tell me he didn't like having beautiful young people laying themselves at his feet, I'd call him a liar.

“Do you think I like dealing with all the impertinent, embarrassing, personal questions they think they have the right to ask?” He ran his hand through his hair again. Careful, love. Don't pull it out. “One woman actually had the nerve to ask me if my—” He stopped. And he blushed.

I couldn't help grinning. “If your what?” I demanded.

“Never mind,” he snapped irritably. “You're coming back in with me, and you're going to do your fair share of performing.”

“No one's that interested in me, Taro,” I said. “You are what you are, and everyone adores you. I'd think you'd be used to it by now.”

“We're going to make them interested in you,” he said. “We're going to tell them I couldn't have done anything that I did without a superior Shield. And that if you hadn't come to Middle Reach to find me, I'd still be holed up in that pit. Or dead.”

“That doesn't jibe with the story we told everyone.” And besides, it was Aiden who had convinced me to go to Middle Reach, the lying traitor. I hadn't thought of it on my own.

“So we'll think of something else.”

“It's unnecessary. I don't care if they don't know I exist. And it's not my fault that they all love you. It's yours for smiling so much and being so famous.” Oh, he didn't like that at all. “If they're bothering you in there, you can claim some kind of artistic fatigue and withdraw. You're out here now, aren't you?”

“But I'm expected to go back in. And you're coming back in with me,” he declared, clutching my arm and pulling me to my feet. “And you will smile, and you will be charming, and you will behave as though you're perfectly delighted to be here.”

I scowled at him but let him pull me along. “Don't tell me how to behave, Karish,” I warned him.

“Did I tell you you're looking beautiful tonight?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Smile, Lee.” And then we were back inside, and it seemed to me that the occupants of the room rushed back to Karish in one big wave. It was intimidating. Karish slid his hand down to mine and held on tight. So I couldn't leave, damn it.

My trial in the torchlight was fortunately shortened by the opening of a grand double entrance. A pompous-looking elderly woman walked into the room. “Her Imperial Majesty,” rang out of her mouth, “the Empress Constia.” She stepped to one side.

The woman who then sailed in, the ultimate ruler of us all, looked in no way extraordinary. I knew her to be in her sixties, but she looked older. Of average height, a little plump, and rather plain, there was nothing about her that I would think indicative of royal blood. Her attire was common, her graying brown hair tied up into a braid, her gown of simple cut and somber blue, with not a touch of jewelry anywhere. Her ladies-in-waiting were far more elegantly dressed than she. I would have never taken her for the Empress, but everyone else was offering her their obeisance.

She walked up the center of the ballroom. She didn't glide, she didn't float, she simply walked, with the court dividing before her and keeping their heads down. Her journey was long and slow, and I didn't know where to look. If it were anyone else I would have watched them, looked them in the eye, but that kind of behavior might have seemed too bold before an Empress.

At one end of the room there was a dais with a thronelike chair and three lesser chairs. The royal train made its way to it, and the Empress was settled into the largest chair. The ladies-in-waiting sat in the smaller chairs. The Empress's husband, Prince Albert, didn't appear to be attending. I'd heard he was a useless fellow.

The Empress, wearing a slight smile, looked over the crowd. “Good evening, everyone,” she said. Her voice was a light alto.

“Good evening, Your Majesty,” we all echoed back.

“I hope everyone is enjoying themselves.”

There were various comments made in the affirmative.

Her gaze settled on Karish and me. Well, on Karish. I tried to slip away. Karish, who hadn't released my hand through all this, tightened his grip until bones were threatened. “Let go!” I hissed through my fixed smile.