The Gods of Amyrantha (29 page)

Why wouldn't an immortal be just as enchanted by her?

Across the room, Chintara laughed at something Arkady said. Turning her attention from Arkady, Tiji

studied the immortal for a while, intrigued by the sense of anticipation that seemed to radiate from the woman. Even Tiji could feel it, despite being so far from the immortal and her guest she could barely make out their voices. Chintara's excitement puzzled Tiji enough to keep her standing there in the shadows without blinking or complaining about the oppressive heat.

The woman's almost ten thousand years old, for pity's sake. Something pretty special must be about to happen to get her all worked up about it.

Logically, the consort's excitement had something to do with the returning Tide. Although she didn't command the power of a Tide Lord, Kinta would be able to feel it, perhaps even wield it a little.

Is it that which has her so animated?

Or was Tiji's original guess about Kinta trying to make up with Brynden the right one?
Maybe her love affair with Cayal hadn't lasted,
Tiji had suggested to Declan back in Herino when he'd first received Arkady's letter.
Maybe this is her way of patching things up with Brynden.

Was
that
why Chintara was having a new gown made? Was she hoping to impress Brynden?

As she watched them talking, Tiji wondered how long it would take Arkady to reach the same conclusion. The duchess wasn't stupid, that much was clear. And with what they already knew, it was hardly a great feat of deductive logic to come to up with the reason for Kinta's preparations.

Tides,
Tiji thought, wishing she could scratch her nose.
Another wretched Tide Lord back from legend. That's all we need.

While she had no desire to see the return of the Tide Lords, a part of Tiji hoped she was right, just so she could say 'I told you so' to Declan.

She didn't get to do that often.

And if she didn't get out of here soon, she feared, she might not get to tell him at all.

Tiji remained in place while Arkady spent a frustrating hour chatting to the Imperator's Consort, before they were interrupted by one of the palace slaves, informing the Lady Chintara she had another visitor. Kinta smiled apologetically at Arkady and then turned to ask the slave a question. Although Tiji couldn't hear what she said, she assumed it had to do with the identity of her visitor.

The slave leaned forward and whispered something in her mistress's ear. No sooner had she'd finished speaking, the consort smiled, rose to her feet, and graciously proceeded to kick the Duchess of Lebec out, begging her guest's forgiveness, which Arkady — naturally — was at great pains to give.

The absurdity of their conversation made Tiji want to scream. The two women were polite, apologetic and generously forgiving, as they walked toward the door, closer to where Tiji stood, all but tripping over themselves to assure each other no offence was meant and none was taken.

It was nothing more than lies masquerading as manners. Arkady had a good idea who she was dealing with, and it was very likely Kinta had some idea of Arkady's involvement with Cayal, the Immortal Prince, if the gossip grapevine worked as efficiently among immortals as it did among humans.

But nobody could say what they really meant. Nobody could risk revealing they knew anything at all.

It took a few minutes for Kinta to be rid of Arkady, and Tiji knew she should follow them. In the hustle and bustle of the duchess's departure, she should be able to slip through the seraglium, unseen.

But Kinta's obvious agitation had changed subtly on the news that she had a new visitor. It was no longer pent-up excitement or anticipation Tiji thought she could see. It seemed different. More aggressive. Even angry.

Curiosity kept Tiji standing still as a rock, a part of the murals, as the duchess and the immortal passed the

column where she was hiding. Chintara saw Arkady out and then hurried back to the couches, where she sat down and then immediately stood up again, as if she couldn't decide what pose she should strike for her next caller.

Could it be Brynden is here? Already?
Tiji's heart began to race. I
s
that what has Kinta so animated?

Was the Lord of Reckoning about to stride through that door and reclaim all that was his, from his woman to the whole nation of Torlenia, which tradition held he had always owned?

Tiji could barely breathe. She waited, watching Kinta pace, stop, check her reflection in the surface of the shallow pool that ran along the inner wall of the reception room, pace some more, and then hurry toward the door at the sound of it opening.

Ever so carefully, Tiji turned her eyes to the door, a little disappointed to see a shrouded figure step into the hall. A shroud meant a woman, which meant this wasn't the Lord of Reckoning.

It might not be another immortal at all...

The thought withered and died as the figure passed Tiji, unaware she was observed. The familiar prickle ran down Tiji's spine at the stranger's approach, almost making the little Crasii whimper with fear. This was — without a doubt — another suzerain.

That accounted for Kinta's agitated demeanour. The only question remaining was:
which one?

Tiji didn't have long to wait for her answer. When the newcomer reached the place where Kinta waited — much closer than she'd been when talking with Arkady — the figure dispensed with the shroud, revealing another surprise.

It seemed the woman wasn't a woman, after all.

Her visitor was a man; tall, dark-haired, quite handsome by human standards if Tiji was any judge and if she hadn't known better, the Crasii would have sworn he'd not yet reached thirty.

Kinta looked angry rather than surprised by the identity of her visitor. She stared at him for a long moment and then, with all the strength she could muster, raised her arm and slapped his face, the crack of her blow ringing across the hall.

The man's head was thrown to the side by the force of her rage, but he didn't retaliate, or even seem surprised by this savage reception. Instead, he dabbed at the small bead of blood on his lip and smiled as he looked back at her. 'Nice to see you too,
darling.'

'Tides, you've got a nerve, showing up here.'

Her scorn didn't seem to faze him, any more than her slap had. 'Yes, thank you, I'm well. How are you?'

'You should leave.
Now.
Brynden will be here any day ... If he sees you ...' Kinta was furious, all but growling at him.

The immortal smiled, unconcerned. 'He'll what? Throw another
rock
at me? That trick's getting a bit old, don't you think? But never fear, my fickle and faithless lover. I'm not here to cause you trouble.'

Kinta snorted with disbelief. 'You don't know how to do anything else, Cayal...'

Tiji's knees almost buckled. She had to force herself to remain still. She was so startled, she didn't even hear the man's answer ...

Oh, Tides!
she gasped silently.
It's the Immortal Prince.

CHAPTER 28

The rhythmic
thunk, thunk
of the axe as Declan chopped firewood for Maralyce was a soothing sound. He'd been at it for most of the afternoon, the mindless task giving him a chance to marshal his thoughts, time to put together everything he'd been told, these past few days, and more importantly, everything he
hadn't
been told. There was an impressive stack of wood piled up under the eaves of Maralyce's small cabin, and Declan was sweating with the exertion despite the cool afternoon.

With a powerful blow, Declan split yet another log, bending down to pick up one of the halves so he could split it into quarters. He placed it on the block, but when he straightened, it was to find Maralyce standing before him. In her hand she held a cup of water, which she offered to him without a word.

Declan hesitated and then accepted the water, guessing this was Maralyce's idea of a peace offering.

'You've done quite a lot,' she said, glancing at the woodpile.

He shrugged, and drank the water down. It was cool and tasted faintly stale, but he welcomed the drink. Swinging an axe was thirsty work. 'You said you wanted wood chopped.'

'Didn't think you'd be quite so willing to do it, though.' Maralyce took the empty cup from him but made no move to leave. Declan waited, leaning on the
axe,
wondering if she had something else to say.

'Your grandfather seems very fond of you,' she said, just as the silence was starting to become uncomfortable.

'And I'm fond of him. You seem surprised by that.'

'Nothing surprises me any longer.'

He smiled. 'Then you're one up on me, my lady, because I'm
still
getting over the shock of finding out you and Shalimar are old pals. Not entirely certain I ever will get over it, for that matter.'

That seemed to amuse the immortal. 'You remind me of him when he was younger.'

'Is that a good thing?'

'Depends on the mood I'm in,' she said, with a thin-lipped smile. 'Will you be leaving soon?'

'You're kicking me out?' he asked, not really surprised. What surprised him was that she had allowed him to stay this long.

'There are other places you need to be, lad,' she said. 'Other immortals you should be worrying about.'

Declan leaned the axe against the block. 'You've got me plenty worried all on your own.'

'That may be so, but what worries you about me is what I've done in the past, not what I'm planning to do in the future.'

Much as he didn't want to admit it, the immortal was right. 'Don't suppose you know which immortals I
ought
to be worrying about?'

'Right now? If I were you, I'd be heading for Caelum to find out what Syrolee and her lot are up to.'

'Jaxyn and Diala have taken up residence in the Glaeban Royal Palace,' he said. 'I work for the king. I'm supposed to be looking out for Glaeba's interests.'

'You work for the Cabal, boy,' she pointed out. 'Your responsibilities to Glaeba come a poor second to that.'

'I'm not sure King Enteny would agree.' 'I wasn't suggesting you ask his opinion.' 'Are you the fifth member of the Pentangle?'

His question seemed to amuse her. 'Why do you think that?'

'Because whoever it is, they've gone to a great deal of trouble to conceal their identity. I could never understand why. If the fifth member was an immortal — someone like you, for instance — that would explain a lot.'

'I gave your wretched little secret society a hand once,' Maralyce said, shaking her head. 'I've no interest in running it. Still,' she added thoughtfully, 'you could have the right of it.'

'You mean the fifth member of the Pentangle really
is
an immortal?'

She shrugged, 'I have no idea. But I wouldn't put it past a few of my brethren to get involved. It'd tickle the fancy of more than one Tide Lord to think they were aiding the humans of Amyrantha in their futile quest to see an end to them. It was that sort of thinking that had Lukys joining the Holy Warriors, you know. There's even one or two who probably think what you're trying to do is a good idea.'

Not sure of the reaction he'd get, Declan hesitated before asking, 'Like the Immortal Prince, for instance?'

Maralyce smiled. 'I suppose you heard he was here recently?'

'How do you think Shalimar found you?' She sighed. 'Poor Cayal. He'd do just about anything if it meant dying.' 'He really is suicidal then?'

'Has been for more than a thousand years,' Maralyce confirmed with a nod. it comes and goes, mind you. Cayal gets distracted easily, especially if the distraction is pretty and female, but it's only temporary. Sooner or later, the weight of eternity starts to bear down on him again and all he wants to do is find a way to end the pain.'

'Was he distracted while he was here this time,' Declan asked as casually as he could manage, 'by something pretty and female?'

'With your duchess?' Maralyce asked. She shrugged. 'I'm not really sure. I suppose he was.' 'But you're not certain?'

'Well, they didn't act like your average pair of lovers, if that's what you're asking, but then your little duchess is hardly average, is she?'

'No, Arkady is anything but average,' Declan agreed, wishing Maralyce's vague answer could have been a little more reassuring. 'It's too much to hope he's still buried in the bottom of your mine somewhere, I suppose?'

Maralyce laughed. 'Cayal? Of course he's not here. He'd cleared that cave-in months ago. Probably by the time Jaxyn and your precious little duchess were back in Lebec'

Declan had feared as much. 'Do you know where he is now?'

She shook her head. 'Haven't a clue.'

'Will he go looking for Arkady, do you think?'

'He might. I really can't tell you. He didn't exactly fill me in on his plans for the next millennium, you know.' She studied him for a moment with an all-too-knowing look. 'Ah! I see. Another fool who's a little bit fonder of the lovely duchess than he should be, eh?'