Spirits of Light and Shadow (The Gods of Talmor) (22 page)

Eliam sighed and ignored the slight. “If anything untoward happens to the prisoners, we could use that as leverage to show that Graiphen can’t be trusted to uphold the law. That is our entire function in Talmoran society, Tarsten. Have you forgotten that?”

Tarsten scratched his white beard and pondered. “That’s a fair point. But more importantly, we have to find something we can use to discredit Graiphen, to diminish his personal influence.”

“I can’t believe it’s come to this,” Eliam said. “A week ago, he was our ally and we were working to save his position, his sanity, and perhaps even his life.”

“I haven’t survived this long in the senate and garnered as much influence as I have by lamenting what
should be
. Instead I deal with what
is
. Graiphen has become a threat. Not just to you and me, but to Talmor itself.”

“So how do we discredit him?” Eliam asked.

“Someone attacked him with black magic. We find out who and see what they know. If we could somehow connect Graiphen with the practitioner, then that would discredit him both with the people, the senate, and even with the temple.”

“But why would anyone believe Graiphen had ordered the attack on himself? That doesn’t make sense.”

“It doesn’t have to. People are scared. We don’t even have to find the same practitioner. It just needs to be someone people believe is involved with black magic. This isn’t about truth, but about reality. Graiphen is already suspected by some because of the accusations against his son.” Then Tarsten’s eyes lit up, and he glanced at Eliam.

As though reading his mind, Eliam felt a shiver of dread. “No,” he said. “We can’t accuse Korbin and Octavia.
We
were the ones that involved them!”

“All the better,” Tarsten said. “That means no one else knows the truth.”

“No. It’s not right.”

“Is it right to allow the temple of Braetin to take over the senate, the city itself? Do you think Graiphen’s little demonstration of power at the Centennial Square yesterday was the last of its kind? That those citizens were the last to die at his hands? That these prisoners captured yesterday will be the last to be taken and tortured in the name of justice?”

“No,” Eliam reluctantly agreed. “What if we enlist Korbin’s help instead? He and Octavia might be able to lead us to the person who did actually attack Graiphen. Perhaps if he did it once…” He let his voice trail off.

“Are you suggesting we get him to attack Graiphen again? That we consort with practitioners of a false god?”

“No,” Eliam said quickly. “Of course not.”

Tarsten appeared somewhat mollified.

“I’m simply saying that no one would blame us for wanting to find this person. It would appear for all who observe that we’re supporting Graiphen’s efforts, and would take the heat off after we disagreed with him in the senate last night.”

“When in fact we’re going to use this person for our own ends?” Tarsten scratched his beard again, something he often did when deep in thought.

“To gain information,” Eliam said.

“Do you know where Korbin and Octavia are now? The missive from the temple said they eluded capture.”

“No, but Korbin trusts me. I could draw him out of hiding.” He paused. “I want your word that nothing bad will happen to either of them if I do this. He might be Graiphen’s son, but he is my friend, and I owe him my loyalty. I will not see harm come to him because of my actions.”

“Of course not,” Tarsten said. He reached over and patted Eliam’s hand enthusiastically. “This is good, my boy. It gives us an option other than involving the emperor. What we learn may give us something to draw in Dul Ursin’s support as well.”

Eliam nodded. “I’ll have to think of exactly how to reach out, but it shouldn’t be difficult. Korbin trusts me and my faithful servants. If he’s in the city, or even near it, he’ll come to us once I send out word using my people.”

“Don’t waste any time. We have no idea when Graiphen will act next, and I doubt very much that he’s being idle. The entire nation may be at stake.”

Eliam didn’t quite trust the gleam in Tarsten’s eye, and he prayed to the Spirits of Light that he wasn’t making a huge mistake. At this point, however, he didn’t have a choice.

∞

Sometime near midnight, Octavia knocked on a weatherbeaten door just a few streets down from her now-abandoned flat. Korbin carefully watched the quiet street.

He had to admit he’d had second thoughts about returning to the city, but now with the arrests of so many at Dramworthy Farm, he had more trouble weighing on his mind than before, even more to atone for.

Octavia had questioned him relentlessly about whether or not they’d been followed, about who he might have spoken to in the few moments they weren’t together. Like him, she seemed to be trying to work out how they had been betrayed. By the look on her face, she blamed him. She never said so, but she didn’t have to.

No one answered the door. Octavia glanced his way, clearly worried.

At that moment, he came close to offering to leave, to go it alone. He needed her protection; that much he understood. Another attack like the one he’d suffered previously, and he’d likely not recover. But if it had been Eliam who had brought the city watch and the Red Manus down on them, had them followed to Dramworthy, Korbin would never forgive him, or himself.

Octavia knocked again, rolling her knuckles on the wood. After a few moments, footfalls approached, night slippers sliding along the floor. The door opened a crack. “Senne?” a man said from within.

“Yes, Navetta,” she said. “My companion and I need shelter. Two days. No more.” None of the formality Korbin would have expected, no blessings or Kilovian sayings, just short and to the point.

The man at the door also seemed to notice her grave and terse tone. “You have done much for my family,” he said after a few moments’ pause. Octavia waited patiently while he considered, but Korbin’s skin itched with the need to get off the eerily quiet street.

Finally the man opened the door. “I have a new baby,” he said.

“I know,” Octavia replied. “Do you not recall me coming two days after the birth to tend to Brigid when she couldn’t rise from the bed?”

“Of course.” His tone was defensive.

“Two days,” Octavia repeated. “No longer. I promise. We will stay out of sight.” She led Korbin inside, and he felt an urge to apologize to their host. How many people would put themselves in danger for him? How many people would suffer the same fate as the conduits at Dramworthy? He didn’t like to think what they were being subjected to, if they were even still alive.

A small, thin child’s cry came from the back of the house. A woman’s soft voice muttered soothing sounds.

“We’re sorry to have arrived so late, Navetta,” Octavia said. “Has there been word about further arrests?”

“None since the ones yesterday. Do you think they’re still alive?”

“I hope so.” Octavia’s voice sounded strong.

If Korbin hadn’t known her so well, he never would have realized she was hiding behind a mask of strength. He wanted to take her hand, but she wouldn’t thank him for it.

“I can only take that as a good sign. If they’d been executed, I expect it would have been done publicly,” Octavia said.

Navetta nodded, not looking reassured. “I lost my job. No one wants to employ a Kilovian anymore.”

Octavia offered words of sympathy, and Korbin’s mind turned to Rhikar and all the other Kilovians he’d encountered recently. If all of them lost their work, their ability to survive, what would become of them? Would Rhikar lose his shop? He’d seemed willing enough to leave, but that place must represent years of work.

A woman’s voice stirred Korbin from his reverie. Brigid stood in the doorway, a small woman with intense, dark eyes and black hair parted in the center. She bobbed a small child on her hip. “Did you tell them about Dow?” she asked her husband.

The name made Korbin’s heart stop. “Dow?”

She cast her husband an impatient look. “Tell them,” she said.

Navetta looked up apologetically and shrugged. “A man was going from shop to shop in this area earlier today. He said if anyone saw you, to tell you Dow was looking for you. You are to go to the place you last met with him. He has made arrangements.”

Octavia frowned. “What do you think?” she asked Korbin.

“I’m not sure.” He didn’t like to admit he suspected Eliam of having betrayed them. He felt disloyal for merely thinking it. But he couldn’t lead Octavia into a trap. Not after what had happened at Dramworthy.

“Does anyone else know that name?” she asked.

Korbin was hesitant to answer. He would have sworn that no one knew about Dramworthy. Could he be more certain of this? “We’d never used it before. It is a recent fabrication. The name was one of a mutual friend a long time ago.”

She nodded, as though understanding his cautious answers. “Was there anything else?” she asked Navetta.

“No, Senne. Only those words.”

“What of the man who delivered the message? What did he look like?”

“He was tall for a Talmoran,” he said. “Darker skin than most, a bald head, and a large belly, as though he’d drunk too much. Pale eyes.”

“That sounds like Saqine,” Korbin said. “He’s one of Dow’s most trusted friends.” He’d been about to say
servant
but realized he would be giving too much away even with that.

“So the message could be authentic,” she said.

“Yes,” Korbin told her, but even if it was Eliam who sent the message, could they trust him? After all, he had signed the arrest warrants. He’d never made an adequate explanation about that. Was he just trying to draw Korbin and Octavia in now that the other conduits had been found? He’d been working for Graiphen before. What if he still was? Or worse, what if he’d been working for the person who’d attacked Graiphen?

Would that actually be worse
, Korbin wondered. His thoughts went round and round in circles, but he couldn’t make any sense of their situation or reach any logical conclusion. He hated himself for suspecting Eliam. He’d been a loyal friend over many years.

“We should consider before we decide,” Octavia said. “Discuss and meditate on our next move. The morning will be soon enough. If Dow does indeed wish to aid us, he will still be willing in a few hours.”

“The message did say to come at once,” Navetta said, then looked down in shame at Octavia’s glare.

She appeared put out, but Korbin didn’t blame the man for not wanting anything to do with the Sennestelle. The crofter who’d hidden the conduits in Dramworthy had disappeared along with those he’d sheltered.

Brigid sighed. “Take our room, Senne. You are welcome in our house, of course. Forgive my husband. It is late, and the baby has been keeping us awake at night.”

Korbin expected her to refuse to take their room, to not want to be any trouble, but Octavia graciously accepted. Brigid took a moment to put fresh linens on the bed and clear out a few things, including the baby’s cradle.

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” he said to their hosts.

“It is an honor to be of service to the Sennestelle,” Brigid said defensively.

The couple’s bedroom was small, and Korbin and Octavia likely would have been more comfortable on the spacious living room floor with a rolled up blanket for a pillow, but now he understood. She accepted their hospitality as a member of the Sennestelle. It wouldn’t have been right for a conduit to be apologetic. She was appreciative and respectful, but she also accepted what they gave her with the sense that it was right that they offered. In their culture, he supposed it was.

Once they were alone, he asked quietly, “So what do you think? Do we return to the Twining Rose tomorrow?”

“Perhaps you should go by yourself. I intend to seek word of Sen Rhikar, but I must do that on my own. My guess is that he’s gone into hiding, but I cannot be certain. If he has, I won’t find him. If he’s still at his home, he will not thank me for bringing you there a second time. I will be safer alone.”

The last statement hit him in the gut. It was at last an acknowledgement that he was the cause of the danger.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him. “I’m sorry,” she said.

The apology caught him off guard. “For what? You’re right. You’re safer without me.”

“I still need your help,” she said. “You’re my link to the dark conduit.”

“You’re waiting for him to attack again,” he said.

“This time, I’ll be prepared. I’d hoped to have my sister conduits’ help, but since I must do this without their aid, I will.”

“Why hasn’t he attacked again before now?” Korbin asked.

“I think perhaps recent events are affecting whoever hired him as much as they are us. This is a clue to the identity of the one behind it all. This is no common man or merchant. This is someone at the heart of everything transpiring in the city right now. That’s a small circle.”

“And if we figure out who is behind it, we can find the conduit himself.” Korbin considered the men of the Council of Eight. He knew of all of them, but hadn’t had contact with them for years. With everyone looking for him now, how could he get close enough to find out more?

“Yes. Or the other way around. We find one cockroach, we find another. We need to know the identities of both.”

“Has it occurred to you that the conduit may have been one of those arrested yesterday?” Korbin asked gently. “If so, we might not have anything left to fear.”

Octavia pressed her eyes closed. “It
has
occurred to me,” she said. “Time will tell. Meanwhile, we keep up our defenses and I prepare myself for the next attack.”

“And tomorrow I go see what help
Dow
has to offer.”

After a short pause, Octavia asked, “Do you trust him?”

Korbin frowned. “I’ll be careful.”

Chapter 18

The cold, drizzling sky perfectly reflected the miserable atmosphere in the small apartment. Navetta wanted Octavia and Korbin to leave as soon as possible, saying they should go before the sun was too high, lest people see them. Korbin sympathized with his worries. Brigid and the baby were both fractious, likely caused by a lack of sleep.