The Fire Seer and Her Quradum Page 6

  Nindar hobbled by, carrying another bucket full of barley. “Gadatas is always late,” he said to Taya. When she shot him a puzzled look, he added, “The tutor.”

  She smiled at Nindar, and then reached out to touch fingers with Setsi. It bemused her to look at this slightly older boy, because his resemblance to the Mandir she had met on her first day at Mohenjo Temple was so striking.

  Still, there were differences. Setsi was broader through the shoulders and more heavily built. Mandir was a big man, but Setsi might grow bigger still. His eyes were a shade lighter than Mandir’s, but the biggest difference was the way he carried himself. Mandir had a restless quality to him, like a caged mountain cat. This boy struck her as settled and calm. How someone could quiet his heart while living in this place she could not imagine.

  Setsi touched fingers with Mandir. “I’ve heard your name many times. I knew they would send somebody from the Coalition, but I didn’t think it would be you.”

  “Can we go outside and talk?” asked Mandir.

  Setsi frowned. “I suppose we can do that until Gadatas gets here.”

  Taya accompanied the two of them outside. It didn’t seem promising that Setsi saw his daily lessons with his tutor as more important than a visit from Coalition envoys.

  The three of them exited the stable, blinking in the early-morning sunlight.

  “I don’t need to test you, because it’s already been done,” said Mandir. “We know you have the Gift. We’ve come to take you to Rakigari Temple, where you can develop your Gift and learn to use it properly.”

  Since Setsi appeared unconvinced, Taya added, “The Coalition is a wonderful place. It will open doors for you, as it did for me and for Mandir. You’ll learn to speak to the Mothers directly and be acknowledged, even answered. You’ll learn the history of our people from ancient tablets that date back almost to the days of Zhaerath. You’ll travel the Valley, healing and helping people, seeing all the wondrous sights the river country has to offer.” This was an exaggeration—the Coalition had its downsides, not the least of which was that they could only heal people if they charged a fortune for it—but there was no doubt in her mind that Setsi would be better off there than here.

  “I’m afraid your journey was a wasted one,” said Setsi. “I cannot join.”

  As he started to walk back to the stable, Mandir moved to block his path. “Why not?”

  “I just can’t,” said Setsi.

  “If Tufan has forbidden you to go,” said Mandir, “then he is in violation of the Accords of Let. I can speak to Tufan’s guards on the subject. Tufan has to let you go.”

  “He has not forbidden me,” said Setsi.

  “Then why do you refuse?” asked Mandir.

  “I have obligations here.” Again Setsi tried to walk off, and again Mandir blocked him.

  “Listen,” said Mandir. “Our trip is not wasted, because if you refuse to come with us, I am under orders to administer a drug to you called kimat, which will permanently destroy your Gift. By law, if you possess magic, you must join the Coalition. If you don’t, you must give up your magic or be named a jackal.”

  Setsi looked troubled. It seemed he had not known this. “I can’t stay here and also keep my magic?”

  “That’s correct,” said Mandir.

  Setsi sighed. “It makes no difference. If the choices are to leave or to take kimat, then I will take kimat.”

  Mandir darted an alarmed glance at Taya. “We need to discuss this further before you make such a permanent decision.”

  “My decision is made,” said Setsi.

  “Look,” said Taya. “We don’t understand you. If Tufan does not forbid you to go, why would you choose to stay in a place like this? From all accounts, Tufan is a cruel and depraved man. Why live here by choice?”

  Setsi pursed his lips. He glanced at the stable, where he clearly wanted to go, but Mandir still blocked his path. “Because I can’t leave the others behind.”

  “What others?” demanded Mandir. “Nindar?”

  “He’s crippled, and he’s the youngest of my brothers. He’ll never manage here without me.”

  Taya let out her breath. That was a problem they might be able to solve. Nindar was too young to develop the Gift, and odds were he didn’t have it, but surely there was some kind of work he could do at the Temple or in the nearby city of Rakigari. “What if we brought Nindar with us?”

  “Taya—” began Mandir in a warning tone.

  Setsi spoke over him. “If Nindar could come along, I would go. But you’ll never get him away from my father.”

  “That’s what I was about to say,” said Mandir.

  “I can see why Tufan wants to keep him,” said Taya. “Nindar is great with the horses and keeps that stable spotless—”

  “That has nothing to do with it,” said Mandir.

  Setsi said, “Tufan never lets anyone go. Mandir only got out because the Accords of Let demanded it. Tufan is still bitter about that. I could leave for the same reason, but he’ll never let Nindar go, and he’ll also punish him for my leaving.”

  “Perhaps a bargain can be struck,” Taya suggested. Not that she had much of value on her. Soldier was nearly worthless, and she didn’t want to give him up. She had money, but presumably Tufan had plenty of that already. Perhaps they could render him a Coalition service with their magic.

  Mandir said, “You do not want to bargain with Tufan.”

  Setsi nodded vigorous agreement.

  “We have to try,” said Taya. “Setsi, I’ll do everything in my power to get Nindar released from Tufan’s service, but if we fail in that, you should still come with us. You can’t protect Nindar from Tufan. But the Coalition can protect you.”

  “I won’t go without my brother,” said Setsi.

  She turned to her partner. “Let’s go speak to Tufan.”

  “This is a really bad idea,” said Mandir.

  Chapter 9

  Mandir’s mood was dark as they headed back to the main house. Taya seemed determined to speak with Tufan about releasing Nindar. He could see why she wanted to make the attempt; it was a natural impulse for someone who didn’t have personal experience with Tufan. He doubted the effort could succeed.

  Still, he had to acknowledge that Taya, as an outsider, saw this place through different eyes than his own. She had optimism, a sense of hope that he lacked because of his personal history. Had he come here alone, he might have left immediately after talking to Setsi, giving up after barely making an attempt. But because Taya was here and insisting that they try harder, he was forced to do more on Setsi’s behalf, and while that wasn’t his natural inclination, he knew that Neshi would approve.

  That didn’t stop him from being deathly afraid of facing his father.

  You’re not a simpering boy anymore, he told himself. You’re a grown man and a Coalition mage. Tufan has no power over you.

  And if he believed that, the mountain cat and the onager would make friends.

  “Where will Tufan be at this time of day?” asked Taya.

  “Probably in his rooms at this hour,” said Mandir. “But he could be anywhere. He goes hunting a lot. Spends time with his dogs.”

  “A man who loves dogs can’t be all bad.”

  “He can, if he loves them only for their ability to hunt and kill.”

  Tufan’s house was built on worthless scrubland, upon which it sprawled like a squat, many-legged insect. His personal quarters were located in the center of the complex.

  A burly man stood in front of Tufan’s door, holding the leash of a brown dog. He was easily identifiable as a palace guard since he bore the requisite facial tattoo, normally a star below the left eye, but in this case two stars, indicating he was a veteran. On top of that, Mandir recognized him. Palace guards weren’t stationed here permanently; the king rotated them out on a regular basis. But this one had served a previous term when Mandir had been here as a boy.

  “Bel-Sumai,” he said, greeting him.


  “Never thought I’d see you here again,” growled the guard.

  Mandir didn’t have a good history with Bel-Sumai, and he could see the man had not forgotten his old grievances. “You got your second star,” he said, trying to be friendly. “Who else is here—anybody I know?”

  “Bel-Zaidu, Bel-Ditana, and Bel-Apsu.”

  Mandir didn’t know any of them. Two of the men—the night shift guards—would be off duty right now. The third would be patrolling outside the main house, making sure no one entered Tufan’s chambers through the windows or the outside door. “Been here long?”

  “Four months.”

  “Ah.” Guards assigned to Tufan’s served a two-year term, with a new one being swapped in every six months. If Bel-Sumai had been here only four months, he was the most recent addition, and he would be stuck here for another year and a half at least. “Nice dog.”

  “You try anything with this one, I’ll cut your balls off,” said Bel-Sumai.

  “I never hurt your dog. I swear it on the Fire Mother’s name.” He knew he’d probably never convince Bel-Sumai of that. When Mandir had been a child here, someone had fatally poisoned Bel-Sumai’s dog. Since Mandir was the one working in the kitchen in those days and was responsible for preparing the dog’s food, he was blamed for it and punished. He had not done it, however. One of his brothers had set him up, and he’d never found out who. “We’d like to speak with Tufan on a matter of Coalition business.”

  “He already said he doesn’t want to talk to you,” said Bel-Sumai. “You’re to take Setsi, if the boy consents to go, and leave.”

  Tufan no doubt knew that Setsi had not consented. Otherwise he would never have let him go so easily. “We’d like to bargain with him on another matter.”

  “It will be worth his while,” added Taya.

  His partner was optimistic as always, but Mandir doubted they could make Tufan a tempting offer. All of Tufan’s vital needs were met; what he desired, and what he traded for, was amusement. Tufan’s amusements were not something he or Taya should be involved with. Still, when Bel-Sumai turned his skeptical gaze from Taya to him, he nodded agreement to support her.

  “I’ll see what he says.” Bel-Sumai opened the door and slipped into Tufan’s room with his dog in tow. Taya craned her neck, as if hoping to see inside.

  The door closed, and they were left alone.

  After a moment, the door opened and Bel-Sumai returned. “The prince will not see you.”

  “He refuses to see a Coalition representative, on a matter of business?” said Mandir. “Has he read the Accords of Let?”

  “Your green-and-silver isn’t fooling anybody,” said Bel-Sumai. “It doesn’t matter that you’ve joined the Coalition. You’re trash, like all the other boys.”

  “Hold on now, nobody here is trash—” Taya began.

  Mandir squeezed her arm to silence her.

  “Tufan says that if you have a proposal to make to him, he’ll hear it at supper, with the whole family present,” said Bel-Sumai.

  “At supper,” Mandir repeated incredulously. That was exactly the scene he’d hoped to avoid. Which was, no doubt, why Tufan had set it up that way. The man was as clever as he was nasty.

  “We’ll come to supper, then,” said Taya.

  He wished he possessed her happy idealism, that he could believe, as she did, that a reasonable bargain could be struck. But Mandir had lost his innocence a long time ago.

  ∞

  “So much for getting out of here quickly,” a disgusted Mandir said to Taya as they walked down the hallway, vaguely in the direction of their guest room.

  “What does that star tattoo mean?” asked Taya. “I’ve never seen it before.”

  “It’s the mark of a palace guard,” said Mandir. “Most of them will have just one star. Bel-Sumai has two, which means he’s a veteran and particularly trusted by the king. Though he must have done something bad to be assigned out here a second time.”

  “It’s a punishment to be sent out here?”

  “Often it is,” said Mandir.

  “So all the guards will have the tattoo? Either one or two stars?”

  Mandir nodded. “Also, all their names start with the honorific Bel.”

  “If we can’t talk to Tufan until supper,” said Taya, “what do we do between now and then? I can’t see that there’s anything to be gained by talking to Setsi again.”

  “No. His mind was made up.”

  “Did you want to speak to any of your brothers?”

  Mandir shook his head. “If Haban were still here, I’d pay him my respects.” And make him an apology. “But he’s gone now, escaped this place, and good for him.”

  “I think we’ve spoken to them all now, anyway,” said Taya. “All except Ilinos.”

  Ilinos—Mandir had forgotten about him. Now that she mentioned it, he wouldn’t mind meeting this half-brother he hadn’t seen since he was a small boy. Having observed Runawir, Shardali, Yanzu, Setsi, and Nindar, he had some idea of what the dynamic would be like at supper. But Ilinos was an unknown, and he didn’t like unknowns. “We should meet Ilinos.” He altered course toward the dining hall.

  Runawir, Yanzu, and Shardali were at the table, playing a game on a marked board with small carved figures. The game must be something they’d acquired after he’d left the household, since he was not familiar with it. Runawir and Yanzu played, while Shardali looked on.

  “Mandir.” Runawir acknowledged him without looking up.

  Small details, like which brother spoke first in a group, gave Mandir hints as to the household’s hierarchy. Runawir appeared to be at the top, with Yanzu second and Shardali third, unless Ilinos fit between them somewhere. “Where can we find Ilinos?”

  Shardali giggled.

  Mandir gave him a reproachful look and glanced at Taya out of the corner of his eye, worried about her reaction. She raised a brow at his brother’s odd behavior.

  “Down by the river, probably,” said Runawir.

  Mandir was wary of rivers since Taya had nearly been killed in one, by a jackal-summoned flood. “Why there?”

  “To do laundry,” said Runawir.

  Yanzu smiled, not in a nice way. “He had a problem with his shirt.”

  Shardali erupted with another giggle.

  Disgusted with the three of them, Mandir left the room before his brothers could embarrass him further.

  “What was that about?” Taya asked, when they were out of earshot.

  “Someone must have played a prank on Ilinos,” said Mandir. “Shardali was laughing because he was pleased the target wasn’t him.”

  “Do they always act like overgrown children?”

  “Yes, but don’t underestimate them. The crimes they commit are very adult.” And if Mandir hadn’t left this household when he did, he’d probably have grown up just like them.

  They headed out of the house and into the sunshine, where they turned toward the river. In the valley, one always knew where the river was.

  As they descended the bank, a shout rose up behind them. “I didn’t do it!”

  Both of them froze.

  “That sounded like Setsi,” said Taya.

  “I think you’re right.” Trouble was brewing, and for once, Mandir might be able to do something about it. Until Setsi took kimat and destroyed his magic, the boy was entitled to Coalition protection.

  They ran back up the bank.

  In the open ground between the main house and the stable, Setsi was arguing with a bigger boy. A wooden bucket sat between them. Mandir guessed, based on the bigger boy’s apparent age of sixteen or seventeen, that he was Ilinos.

  Ilinos grabbed Setsi by the shirt and yanked him toward the bucket.

  Mandir ran forward and stepped between the boys. “What’s going on?”

  Ilinos retreated a step. Mandir filed that information away about him: easily intimidated.

  “Who’re you?” demanded Ilinos.

  “I’m Mandir, and this is my partner
, Taya. We’re Coalition representatives.”

  Ilinos relaxed. Apparently he wasn’t afraid of the Coalition.

  “What are you fighting about?” asked Mandir.

  “He threw my shirt in the piss pot.” Ilinos pointed at Setsi. “He needs to go to the river and wash it.”

  Setsi was indignant. “I never touched his shirt.”

  Mandir didn’t need to ask even one more question; he knew what had happened. When he’d lived here, he’d been in Ilinos’s place many a time. One of the older boys would spit in his food or smear shit on his bed, and since he was too small to retaliate against them, he’d go after one of the younger boys—Haban or Shamas—instead. He’d make them clean it up, or beat them senseless if they refused. Meanwhile, Runawir and the others took pleasure in watching the drama they’d created. “I’m sorry about your shirt, but Setsi didn’t do it.”

  “How do you know?” sneered Ilinos.

  “I’ve been at the stable all morning,” said Setsi. “Ask them. They saw me there.”

  “You lie, and so do they,” said Ilinos. “You’re all liars.”

  Mandir’s jaw clenched. He’d known Ilinos for less than five minutes, and already he hated him. Ilinos was a coward and a bully, simpering to the strong and terrorizing the weak. He was trash, like Mandir’s brothers, and like Mandir himself, before he’d learned better.

  “Setsi was in the stable,” said Taya. “We can vouch for him.”

  Ilinos, apparently not persuaded, darted around Mandir and punched Setsi in the chest. The blow laid Setsi flat in the dirt.

  Mandir’s ears roared, and the blood galloped through his veins. One moment he was on his feet, watching the two boys. Then, next he knew, he was on the ground, pinning Ilinos into the dirt while he punched him in the face and chest. Each blow felt enormously satisfying.

  “Mandir!” Taya cried.

  Her voice sounded distant, easy to ignore.

  Hands seized him by the shoulder. He whirled with his fist raised, prepared to strike—but in front of him he saw not one of his hated brothers but the woman he loved.

  That sight banished the demon that had overtaken him. He lowered his fist, horrified that he’d even raised it in her direction. He looked down and saw Ilinos in the dirt. The boy was beaten and bloody—and choking from the pressure of Mandir’s hand on his neck. Mandir let go. Great Mothers, what had come over him?