The Inner Circle: The Knowing (37 page)

‘
Gil’rei Far-a-mael,’
Gez-reil said formally, despite their having been close friends for
many years. ‘We’d like to hear your suggestions in regards to the
matters with which you’ve presented us?’

‘
What do I
suggest?’ Far-a-mael replied with mock humility, smothering a
victorious grin beneath his hand. ‘I suggest we go to
war
,
High Elder
Gez-reil. We have her now, and I’ve brought back living proof of an
impending silt invasion. I believe it’s time to reach out to our
people stationed in Old World. If we do not strike now, I assure
you that the enemy will.’

The high elder of the Third Cleff
rolled his eyes dramatically and muttered distastefully, ‘How
useful do you really expect her to be? Even if the abilities of
which you speak are true, she’s hardly an army.’

‘
Who knows what
she’ll become capable of with more training,’ Far-a-mael urged. ‘As
it stands
,
we
can use her to keep tabs on every military movement the silts make.
Do you doubt how useful that would be to our spies in the Lowly
Order?’

‘
She’s not even
Elglair,’ the high elder insisted. ‘Not really
,
anyway. And one silt is not a
good enough reason to trouble our people in the
south.’

‘
She is able to
know in the most profound way imaginable, through projection. With
a little more practise
,
I suspect she’ll even be able to know into the
past and even see the future,’ Far-a-mael stated in exasperation.
‘As for the silt, well, we all know they’re like snow roaches. If
you find one
,
there’s a hundred more beneath the iceboards. We
infiltrated the Sat’Tanist ranks over a hundred years ago and we
did it for a reason. Already we’ve ignored Old World too long,
often bending over backward making excuses for their whims. Enough
is enough. The line must be drawn here.’

The fifth high elder slammed down her
notes and stood up abruptly. ‘We cannot declare war on Old World,’
she snapped. ‘Even if we should succeed, Maker knows with all odds
against us, can you imagine at what cost?’

‘
Many will die,’
Far-a-mael stated bluntly, recentful that he should have to explain
himself to a woman. In his day High Elder Tes-ar-ni would never
have been allowed into such a position. ‘I know that . . . of
course. The girl herself will likely die, but we’re talking about a
chance to retake Old World. I believe that the cost will be well
worth the reward.’

‘
Damn it,
Far-a-mael!’ Gez-reil slammed his fist against the table and leapt
to his feet. ‘Do you think I don’t suffer still
,
too? I remember your pain. I
know your hurt, but for Maker’s sake
,
we’re talking about your
granddaughter.’

‘
No,’
Far-a-mael whispered turning his back on the group. ‘I disowned her
mother a long time ago. Seteal is no relation of mine. She is the
product of an illegitimate marriage . . . a thing of shame. The
girl whom we discuss is nothing more than a tool with which we can
bring peace and security to New World and reclaim what was once
ours by right.’ He spun around to face the the high elders. ‘In any
case
,
what you
speak of is irrelevant. Who cares if she’s my granddaughter or your
neighbour’s cat? I am giving you the opportunity to fix
everything.’

The room fell silent, Gez-reil’s and
Far-a-mael’s eyes locked, until finally the high elder lowered his.
‘You’re right.’ Gez-reil shook his head after another moment in
silence.

‘
I’m glad you’re able
to see that,’ Far-a-mael replied as the majority of the surrounding
elders began nodding in agreement.

‘
I’ll have no part in
this.’ The high elder of the Third Cleff pushed himself away from
the table and stormed out of the room, followed closely thereafter
by Tes-ar-ni.

‘
If anyone else
is in disagreement with Gil’rei Far-a-mael’s proposal, let them
speak now,’ Gez-reil said softly. The remaining high elders
maintained their seats, so Gez-reil continued. ‘All
right
,
Far-a-mael. Tell me . . . promise me we won’t regret
this.’

‘
I don’t live with
regrets.’ Far-a-mael lifted his chin.

‘
That’s what
I’m afraid of.’ Gez-reil held his gaze for an extended moment. He
dipped a pen into his inkwell and turned one of the pages on the
table before him. ‘Let it be as you’ve outlined in your proposal.’
Gez’reil sighed, signing the paper before passing it on to the
others. ‘Congratulations
,
War Elder Far-a-mael of the Unified Cleffs.’
Gez’reil slowly stood up, his expression bearing no pleasure in
using his new title. ‘I hope to Maker you know what you’re doing,
old friend.’

‘
You will not be
disappointed,’ Far-a-mael said with a sly smile. He picked up the
signed papers from the table. ‘I’ll have copies made
immediately.

‘
After you do that,
have a chat with the Sixth Cleff military coordinator and see if
she has any suggestions on the possibility of alliances with
outlander countries,’ Gez-reil said. ‘If we’re going to attack Old
World, we’re going to first need as many friends as we can
get.’

‘
Indeed.’ Far-a-mael
nodded his agreement. Gez-reil had always felt the need to state
the obvious in an effort to remind those around him that he was in
control of any given situation.

‘
Now then,’ Gez’reil
shuffled through his papers. ‘On to other matters.’

‘
Yes,’ Far-a-mael
agreed. ‘What of the silt’s fate?’

‘
We’ve decided to
interrogate the silt in the traditional manner utilised for such
creatures.’ Par-e-lin, the high elder of the Seventh Cleff spoke
for the first time, a nasty glint in his eye. ‘Once we’ve extracted
whatever information we can from the creature, it will be executed
on the grounds of its existence.’

‘
And the seeol?’
Far-a-mael enquired.

‘
I find it very
difficult to believe you’ve encountered a true seeol,’ said the
high elder of the Fourth Cleff , his voice wheezing and frail. ‘A
separated thread coming into existence against the will of the
Ways. As such, it
is
an extraordinarily rare phenomenon. I might also
add that I’m disappointed you’ve been unable to deal with the
creature to the point of luring it all the way to our doorstep.
Having said that, we shall assign a small group of gils to dispose
of your seeol if and when it becomes a problem.’

When Far-a-mael didn’t excuse
himself, the elders paused to glance at one another, double
checking that they hadn’t missed anything on the agenda. ‘You’re
dismissed
,
Far-a-mael,’ Gez-reil said. ‘Given your new
responsibilities, your rei will be reassigned to another
gil.’

‘
Ah
,
yes
. . . my lovely little rei,’ Far-a-mael murmured as he turned to
the door across the room. ‘Bring her in,’ Far-a-mael ordered the
guard holding El-i-miir with a gun to her temple. Surrounding him
were ten additional hadoan soldiers trained well in armed combat.
To the untrained eye
,
having so many men stand guard seemed preposterous in
maintaining the security of one little girl, but Far-a-mael knew
El-i-miir could affiliate three or four of them and possibly even
more if she was pushed.

‘
What on earth is
this all about?’ Gez-reil gasped, his expression one of
disbelief.

‘
I have condemned her
to Vish’el’Tei,’ Far-a-mael said without emotion.

‘
Please don’t let him
do this,’ El-i-miir sobbed, lifting her head, appealing to the high
elders beneath running makeup and tears.

‘
Vish’el’Tei?’
Gez-reil failed in keeping the horror from his voice. ‘Why
El-i-miir? She’s the most gifted and least arrogant student we’ve
had in five hundred years.’

‘
Not anymore.’
Far-a-mael almost smiled at the thought of Seteal’s power having
been placed so freely in his hands.

‘
We cannot approve
this.’ Gez-reil leant back in his chair and crossed his
arms.

‘
Oh
,
thank you,’ El-i-miir choked out. ‘Thank you. Thank
you!’

‘
Quiet, girl,’
Far-a-mael grated, before returning his attention to the high
elders. ‘I demand that you hear me out before you decide against my
decision. Besides
,
it’s written in the ancient law that a gil has the right to
punish his rei however he sees fit. Seeking your permission is
merely a courtesy.’

‘
You . . . what? You
can’t just condemn her without consulting us,’ Gez-reil
spluttered.

‘
That is a very old
law, Far-a-mael.’ The fourth high elder shook his head
disparagingly. ‘We simply don’t behave that way in modern
times.’

‘
I’ll admit freely
that I had to use some rather unscrupulous methods in order to lure
Seteal to the Frozen Lands.’ Far-a-mael frowned. ‘It was necessary
to do so. El-i-miir chose to reveal certain deceptions to Seteal
without my permission and now we’ll be lucky if we can get her to
behave at all.’

‘
That’s not all you
did,’ El-i-miir squeaked.

‘
Be quiet,
El-i-miir,’ Gez-reil cautioned, before turning his attention back
to Far-a-mael. ‘That’s not enough for Vish’el’Tei. What in Maker’s
name is wrong with you
,
Far-a-mael?’

‘
I’m not finished
yet,’ Far-a-mael sneered. ‘It gets much darker than that. Rei
El-i-miir conversed freely with our captive silt. She became
increasingly friendly with the creature, even attempting to trick
me into leaving her alone with it on multiple occasions. Today she
tried to set it free.’

‘
He’s innocent,’
El-i-miir cried desperately. ‘Don’t you see that? He was raised by
humans in Sitnic! There is no silt invasion.’

‘
Lies!’ Far-a-mael
thrust out his hand. ‘Just look into her aura. It speaks the truth
that she won’t. Don’t you see the compassion she vomits up for that
retched demon? She took me for a fool at every turn and I don’t
doubt for a minute that she’s even stooped so low as to have sexual
relations with the silt.’

‘
No,’ El-i-miir
cried. ‘It’s not true.’

‘
Is it true?’
Gez-reil asked her simply, staring deep into her aura. ‘Did you
have intercourse with the creature, thereby committing the heinous
act of bestiality?’

‘
No,’ El-i-miir
choked on the word.

Gez-reil continued to stare for a
moment, before sitting back with a satisfied nod. ‘I believe
you.’

‘
You asked the wrong
question, old friend,’ Far-a-mael reprimanded Gez-reil and turned
malevolently toward El-i-miir. ‘The question isn’t whether you’ve
had sexual relations with the silt, but rather more importantly
whether you’d like to?’

‘
No,’ El-i-miir lied
through shaking lips.

Gez’reil sat back heavily. The lie had
not escaped his, nor the other high elders’ notice, as it bounced
fleetingly across El-i-miir’s aura. ‘Did you try to set it free?’
Gez-reil’s voice was hoarse.

‘
I did,’ El-i-miir
sobbed after a long pause filled only by silence.

‘
Dear girl, silts are
never innocent.’ Gez’reil rubbed his forehead and turned to
Far-a-mael. ‘As the high elder of the Eighth Cleff, I am belatedly
granting you my support to enact this rei’s
condemnation.’

One b
y
one the other high elders confirmed their agreement.

‘
No,’ El-i-miir
whimpered, crumpling to her knees. ‘No! Please. I’ll do
anything.’

‘
You may wait
outside, child.’ Gez-reil frowned pityingly at El-i-miir as she
exited. ‘You as well, Far-a-mael. You’re dismissed.’

Far-a-mael bowed deeply and
backed out the door only to give El-i-miir a disgusted glance and
continue on his way. He had not expected such passion from
Gez-reil, especially in regards to Seteal’s being his
granddaughter. Far-a-mael’s motives were entirely logical. When he
was just a boy, his parents had been murdered by silts. Years
later
,
his
wife, Sar-ni, lost her life because of a whisp.
And
,
of
course
,
Jil-e-an ended up suffering that very same fate. That’s why
Gez-reil’s attitude confused Far-a-mael. Sar-ni had been his
sister. Surely
,
he of all people should’ve recognised that using Seteal for
vengeance was poetically brilliant.

The high elders were such old fools,
apparently having forgotten to consider the depths of Far-a-mael’s
knowledge on legal matters. They clearly had no idea what the title
of 'War Elder' actually entailed. If they had, they never would’ve
granted it to him.

*

Gez-reil wandered along the icy
corridors toward the room where he knew Seteal was to speak her
oath. She’d probably need some convincing, which meant Po-let was
probably going to try intimidating her into submission. With the
Ways
,
it might
work, but if Seteal was anything like her mother, Gez-reil very
much doubted it.