Shapers of Darkness (22 page)

“What say the two of you?”

Fetnalla looked up from her food. “My lord?”

“Does Bistari’s refusal to join our cause render us too weak to stand against the regent?”

The first minister shook her head, her pale eyes straying to Tebeo’s face for just an instant. “No, I don’t believe it does. Mertesse and Solkara may be powerful, but their combined might is no greater than that of Orvinti, Dantrielle, and Noltierre. And with Tounstrel and Kett joining us, I believe we have the advantage. I don’t think the regent will risk a civil war with such a force arrayed against him.”

Tebeo was watching his minister, who continued to stare at her cup of wine, as if it were a gleaning stone. She was smaller than Fetnalla, and some might have thought her less graceful than Brall’s minister. Tebeo had heard Evanthya compare Fetnalla to a pale heron, and it was an apt description. Evanthya was plainer, not as long of limb, or fair of face. But in the years Evanthya had served Dantrielle, Tebeo had come to realize that she was as courageous as any man in his army, and as intelligent as any noble in the land. “Evanthya?” he asked now.

She pursed her lips briefly. Clearly the duke had placed her in a difficult position, asking her if she agreed with Fetnalla when it seemed plain that she didn’t. But in this instance the needs of House Dantrielle outweighed any consideration he might have given her feelings.

“I have to disagree, my lord,” she finally said.

Tebeo saw anger flash like sorcerer’s fire in Fetnalla’s eyes, but he couldn’t say if Evanthya noticed.

“If we’re to have any hope of standing against the regent,” Evanthya went on, “the army we command needs to be far stronger than that of the royal house. It’s not enough to lead a force that’s merely a match for Numar’s. Time and again the Solkarans have shown their willingness to fight when others might have thought better of it. It’s one of the reasons their supremacy has lasted so long. Regardless of whether you think them brave or foolhardy, they are ruthless. Unless he knows for certain that he can’t prevail, Numar will fight. And even should we manage to win, I fear what such a conflict would do to the realm.”

“For one thing, it may end the supremacy you fear so much.” Fetnalla was glaring at her. Tebeo had never seen Orvinti’s minister look so angry. “By fighting the Solkarans we give Bistari the opportunity she needs to take the crown, and we keep the realm from entering into this alliance with the empire. Surely these are reasons enough to fight.”

“I must say, First Minister,” Tebeo said, eyeing Evanthya, “I’m surprised to hear you argue as you do now. You were the one who convinced me to begin this process.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Now you regret doing so?”

His minister shrugged. “I fear for the realm, my lord. And with Bistari remaining neutral, I fear for your life and that of Lord Orvinti.”

He held her gaze for another moment, then nodded. “Very well, Evanthya. Why don’t you and Lord Orvinti’s first minister leave us for now. I wish to speak with the duke alone.”

She stood, as did Fetnalla. “Of course, my lord.”

The ministers bowed and left, and Tebeo waved one of the servants over and had the boy refill his goblet.

“It seems that I can say to you much the same thing that I just said to Evanthya.”

Brall raised an eyebrow. “I don’t understand.”

“When I journeyed to Orvinti a turn ago, you were the reluctant one, telling me that it was folly to stand against the Solkarans. Now you’re as eager for civil war as Numar is to attack Eibithar. And what’s more, you’re arguing as Fetnalla does. I thought you didn’t trust her.”

“I’ve been riding about the realm for nearly an entire turn, arguing against this war and risking my life and my dukedom so that we might prevail in a conflict with the regent. When last I saw you, I might have been reluctant, but I’ve given too much to this cause to abandon it now.” He looked away, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “To be honest, I’ve found myself imagining Aneira under the rule of House Bistari, or Dantrielle, or even Orvinti, though I never would have thought it possible that I could entertain such ambitions at my age.”

“You’d make a fine king, Brall. I’ve always thought so.”

He dismissed the compliment with a vague gesture. “The point is, I’ve seen in my mind what Aneira could be without the Solkaran Supremacy, and I’m drawn to the possibilities.”

“And your first minister?”

“I’m still not certain that I trust her. But in this instance we happen to agree.”

“If she is deceiving you then agreeing with her on a matter of such importance could be dangerous.”

“So am I to ignore all the counsel she offers? Or worse, am I supposed to listen to her advice and then always do the opposite? It wouldn’t take her long to turn that strategy against me.”

“No, I don’t suppose it would,” Tebeo said, grinning. “I just want to be certain that you’ve considered all the implications of what you’re proposing.”

“I have,” Brall said gravely. “I don’t want war with the royal house any more than I want war with Eibithar. And despite what your first minister said, I still hold out some hope that when Numar sees five of his dukes standing against him, he’ll relent. But if he doesn’t, I believe we can withstand Numar’s assault even without Silbron’s support, and I think that
a civil war is preferable to this alliance with the empire, particularly if we can manage to wrest the crown from Solkara.”

Tebeo heaved a sigh and nodded. “Very well.”

Brall raised his cup, and Tebeo did the same. “To peace,” Orvinti said.

“To peace.”

They drank and Brall balanced his goblet on the arm of his chair as he so often did. “What do we do now?” he asked. “Should we send word to the regent of our intention to oppose the war?”

“We won’t have to. He’s asked for men, and we’ve refused him. I doubt we’ll have to wait long before he brands us as traitors and threatens to lay siege to our castles.”

“He can’t attack all of us.”

“No, he can’t. I imagine he’ll begin with me.”

Brall frowned. “Why with you?”

“Because when he came here last, I made it clear to him that I opposed his war. He has to destroy your house or mine—Kelt, Tounstrel, and Noltierre are too small to matter much. And when all else is said and done, he knows that Dantrielle will be the easier castle to take.”

Brall’s expression had sobered, and there was sympathy in his blue eyes, as if he had only just realized why Tebeo was so averse to a civil war. “My army is yours, Tebeo. You know that.”

“I do, my friend, and I thank you. Ean knows, I’m going to need it.”

They walked through the corridor in silence, taking the first set of stairs down to the castle ward, and then making their way to the gardens. Fetnalla would rather have gone directly to Evanthya’s bedchamber, but she knew her love too well to expect that. They had been on opposite sides of the discussion in her duke’s presence chamber, and after their fight in Solkara in the days following the death of King Carden the Third, Fetnalla sensed that Evanthya would be afraid she was angry with her again.

And she was, though not nearly so much as she might have been had she still cared whether or not her duke trusted her. She needed for both dukes to oppose the regent; the Weaver was expecting them to do so, and if by some chance Evanthya’s doubts held sway, he would blame Fetnalla, at least in part. But in this instance, her duke agreed with her and would do his best to convince Tebeo regardless of what Evanthya counseled. Fetnalla wished only to forget about wars and alliances for a time, to put aside all this talk of Eandi politics, and be with her love. It had been far too long since last they had lain together; during Evanthya’s most recent visit to Orvinti, Fetnalla had been too consumed with her fears of the Weaver and her resentment of Brall’s suspicion to give in to her desires.

All that was now in the past. She had cast her lot with the Weaver, and was at peace with that choice. Brall’s doubts were an inconvenience, nothing more. They made it a bit more difficult for her to do the Weaver’s bidding, but they also reminded her each day of why she had chosen the movement over the courts. Beyond the Qirsi cause, she cared only for Evanthya. And she needed desperately to renew the passion and love they once had shared.

For the time was coming when the Weaver would reveal himself and the Qirsi he commanded would move to crush the Eandi courts. Qirsi who had yet to pledge themselves to his cause would have one last chance to choose: they could serve the Weaver or die with their nobles. Were she forced to make that choice on this day, Evanthya would choose to die with Tebeo. Fetnalla was certain of it. Which meant that in the days remaining until the Weaver’s war began, she needed to convince Evanthya that their love was more important than their service to the dukes. It would take some time, perhaps more time than Fetnalla had, but she had to try.

“You’re very quiet,” she said, as they crossed through the ward.

“No more so than you.”

“You fear that I’m angry with you.”

“Aren’t you? I disagreed with you in front of Brall. Again.”
Evanthya glanced at her for but a moment. “I saw the way you looked at me in there. You can’t tell me that you weren’t furious.”

“I don’t know about furious. I might have been a bit angry, but only for an instant, only because I feel so strongly that this alliance with the emperor is wrong.”

“It seemed like it was more than that.”

Fetnalla smiled. “Well, in that case, I’m sorry. You know me, Evanthya. I hate to lose an argument, any argument. I get very passionate when I care about something.” She slipped her hand into Evanthya’s as she spoke, drawing a smile from the woman and making her cheeks color.

“I can hardly find fault with you for that.”

A pair of guards stepped away from the nearest of the castle gates and started walking in their direction. Immediately, Evanthya pulled her hand away. The soldiers didn’t appear to notice anything.

“Perhaps we should go somewhere more private to speak.”

Evanthya cast a quick look her way. “I’d like that,” she whispered. “Maybe later, after the evening meal.”

“Must we wait?”

“I think we should. I expect our dukes will call us back to the presence chamber before too long.”

“What does it matter if they do? They both know about us.”

“Yes, I know. But I’d feel more comfortable if they didn’t have to send guards to my bedchamber to find us.”

Fetnalla considered arguing the point further, but didn’t. Evanthya wasn’t going to change her mind, and if this grew into a fight, it might be several turns before they were to have another opportunity to be together.

“All right,” Fetnalla said. “What would you say to a walk through the city then? It’s been some time since I last came to Dantrielle, and you know how I love the marketplace here.”

“That sounds lovely as well, but as I said, I expect our dukes to summon us back to the castle before long. We should be here when they do.”

“Why? They sent us away. Why should we concern ourselves with them all the time when they obviously don’t give a thought to us?”

Fetnalla regretted the words as soon as she spoke them. Fortunately, however, Evanthya still recalled how Brall mistreated her in the past.

“Is he still so suspicious of you?” she asked, concern in her bright golden eyes. “I had hoped matters might improve. You and he do agree when it comes to opposing the regent.”

“Yes, we agree, but that can’t undo so many turns of mistrust.”

“I know that. But you’re not going to regain his trust by defying him either. If we go off to the city, and then they summon us back to my duke’s chamber only to find us gone, it will do nothing to improve matters between you and Brall.”

She sounded like the worst kind of Qirsi servant, a lackey to the Eandi court who cared more for the noble she served than for her own people. Fetnalla had to bite her tongue to keep from saying as much. She could only imagine how the Weaver would have responded hearing Evanthya speak so.

“You think I’m wrong,” Evanthya said, after a lengthy silence.

“I think it’s possible to worry too much about offending our dukes, even Brall.”

“Maybe. But with the realm on the cusp of civil war, I think it best to err on the side of restraint.” The guards had passed, and after glancing about to make certain that no one was watching them, Evanthya took her hand once more. “We’ll be together later. I promise.”

Fetnalla nodded, made herself smile. She couldn’t help thinking, though, that winning Evanthya over to the Weaver’s cause would be nearly impossible.

As it happened, the dukes did summon them just before the ringing of the prior’s bells. The ministers returned to the presence chamber, where they spoke with their dukes and Dantrielle’s master of arms about strategy for the civil war. With Evanthya possessing mists and winds, and Fetnalla being a shaper, both of them would be expected to play important roles in any battles fought against the Solkarans. In the midst of the discussion, Fetnalla realized that she didn’t know what the Weaver wanted her to do if Brall called upon her to wield
her magic on Orvinti’s behalf. She would have to ask when next he walked in her dreams.

Once more, they took their meal in the presence chamber, their conversation continuing well past sunset and nearly to the ringing of the gate close. When finally Tebeo stood and stretched, giving them leave to go, Fetnalla feared that Evanthya would be too tired to do more than go to sleep. To her surprise and pleasure, however, the minister took her hand outside the presence chamber and led her back to her bedchamber.

Once there, they fell into each other’s arms, kissing deeply before slowly, gently undressing one another. After that, Fetnalla lost all sense of time. Thoughts of the Weaver and his war faded from her mind, leaving only the cool smoothness of Evanthya’s skin, the taste of her lips, the moist warmth she found between her love’s legs. The urgency of her own hunger seemed to be matched by Evanthya’s as the woman’s mouth traveled her body. And when they had sated themselves, their pulses easing, their limbs entangled beneath the candlelight, Fetnalla pulled away, intending to dress and return to her chamber.