Nightlord: Shadows Read online

  Seeing me again was, in many ways, just as bad. She expected me to kill her instantly for that sacrifice. She half-hoped I would. On the other hand, if she lived long enough to explain, then, maybe, just maybe, she could get that weight of guilt off her soul. Of course, that would mean actually telling me what she did, but would that be worse than guilt dragging her soul down to the netherworld, to wander in darkness and cold, lost and alone, forever? Sparky certainly wouldn’t intervene on her behalf.

  Tamara chose to serve as the priestess of the Grey Lady, although, admittedly, one that was more than a little disturbed. It gave her something to do, a place in the community, and allowed her to live alone, as she felt she deserved. She did admit to me that there was some doubt in her own mind about whether or not she communed with her new deity, or if she was simply hearing voices from inside her head.

  She tried to ask me to forgive her. She tried several times. She couldn’t get the words out, so I rescued her. It seemed fair. She rescued me more than once.

  “Sweetheart?” I asked. I don’t think she expected to hear that again. Her head came up and she blinked at me in surprise, loose strands of silver clinging to the wetness on her face.

  “Yes?” she whispered.

  “You didn’t do it. The Mother of Flame did it. She just used you. I don’t blame you any more than I would blame a knife for cutting me. It’s the thing that wields the knife.”

  “You can’t mean that!”

  “The hell I can’t,” I snapped at her. It seemed time to take a harder line; soft and mushy wasn’t helping. “You’re more important to me than your goddess, remember. I can’t forgive you because you were never to blame; you’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “But—”

  “For once, will you let me win the damned argument?” Her eyes widened and she leaned back from me, startled. Then she smiled, just a little bit. It didn’t look as though it belonged on her ancient, wrinkled face. The lines were all wrong. I was still glad it decided to visit.

  “Just this once,” she said, and wept into my shirt again. I regarded it as progress; she was crying tears of relief instead of sobbing in despair and guilt. Definitely a step in the right direction, even if it was still a long and soggy road ahead. I let her cry for a while longer.

  “Now, tell me. Do you want me to punish the Mother of Flame for this?”

  Tamara sniffled and lifted her head again to look at me. It took her a minute to realize I was asking a serious question.

  “You… you can do that?” she asked, incredulous.

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I can try. Aren’t there legends of great heroes of old who challenged the gods?”

  “Yes, but they all suffered for it.”

  “Did the gods they challenged also suffer?”

  “Well… not much, but yes.”

  “Say the word, and I’ll do my best,” I offered. “She’s already on my bad side; I’ve learned a lot more about her than I used to know.” Tamara looked at me with great seriousness.

  “You would,” she stated. It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t bother to answer. “You really would! You would find a way, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yes. And I will, unless you tell me not to.”

  “You wouldn’t? Even after what She did? If I said?”

  “I got to win the argument, didn’t I? So I owe you something. I give you her fate: you choose what will become of her.”

  Bluffing. Definitely bluffing. I had no concept of how to challenge a being of that magnitude. I would certainly look into it, but, aside from taking smaller bites, I had no ideas. It might not be dangerous to Sparky, but it could be annoying, at least. Getting her to stick an arm into the rabid badger’s den again, though, could be difficult. Aside from that, I’m not even sure how an energy-state being like that could die. Ground it out? Into what? A planet? Better make it one you don’t mind losing.

  Yeah, okay; bluffing. But it made Tamara feel better.

  Tamara thought about it. I wondered what Sparky would think if she knew Tamara was considering the matter. Probably laugh herself sick. Okay, possibly. Or she might actually take it seriously. Tamara was once her priestess, after all. You know you’ve screwed someone over pretty hard when your own priestess is considering whether or not to let you live.

  “Please bring Amber and Tianna here.”

  I pursed my lips, holding in the question. Instead of asking, I stood up, bowed to kiss her ancient hand, and hurried out the door.

  “My angel?” Tort asked. I was unsurprised to see her. Naturally, she would follow to see what happened. Maybe to do damage control, too—afterward.

  “Errand to run,” I told her, cheerfully. “Sparky’s life may depend on it. I’m not sure. I’ll be right back.”

  “I will wait here,” she assured me, and gave the bystanders a gimlet eye. A few decided to wait until my business was concluded. Most decided that the Temple of the Grey Lady was out of service for the day and went off to attend to other business.

  Bronze took me to the fire temple without stepping on anyone or wrecking anything, but it was a close thing at those speeds. It was a good thing we didn’t have to take any of the lesser streets; Bronze would have to go over or through pedestrians instead of around. While Bronze might not have any qualms about that, she knows that I do. Fortunately, people hear the alarm-bells of her hooves coming and start to clear the street.

  I dismounted and shouted through the now-curtained doorway. Amber brushed it aside. I didn’t see a glow around her, but maybe it wasn’t visible in the daylight. Her eyes were still amber-colored, though. It appeared to be a physical alteration.

  “What’s the—oh. It’s you. Come in.” She actually seemed pleased to see me.

  “I can’t. Tamara wants you and Tianna to come see her at the House of the Grey Lady, right now. She asked me to come fetch you.”

  “Is she all right?” Amber asked, suddenly anxious.

  “She seems to be, but I didn’t ask her why she wanted you. Get Tianna; she can ride in front if you’ll hold on to me behind.”

  Amber looked up at Bronze. Bronze flicked her ears forward and nodded. Clearly, Yes, I’ll carry you.

  “I’ve—I’ve never ridden a horse before,” she said, sounding nervous.

  “If Bronze will carry you, it’s her business to see you stay on. Besides, I’ll hold on to Tianna and you’ll hold on to me. It’ll be fine.” I added, “Tamara rode Bronze once, all by herself.”

  “I’ll go get… yes, okay, fine.” Amber disappeared into the building and I waited by the doorway. I noticed the stone frame seemed distorted, possibly from being slightly melted. I wondered how they would get the remains of the metal hinges out of the stone. Chisels? Or magic?

  Tianna came out with her mother and they both looked up at the plateau of Mount Bronze. I bounced up—noticing, as I settled in, that Bronze really did have a more comfortable contour in the rider’s position—and Amber handed up Tianna, who whooped in delight. I took Amber’s hand and she jumped while I pulled, swung her into position behind me. Amber put her arms around me and I put my arms around Tianna.

  “All settled?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yeah!”

  Bronze accelerated slowly, but kept doing it. Amber hung on for dear life. Tianna whooped and kicked her heels. The ride was over far too quickly for Tianna; Amber was glad to get off.

  “Can we do it again!?” Tianna demanded.

  “Ask your mother.”

  “Mom!”

  “Later!” Amber snapped, much less than happy. Tianna shut up and pouted slightly, then seemed to catch on that Amber was worried. Maybe the people waiting around the doorway helped to refocus her attention. We went in to see Tamara.

  Tianna saw her, up by the altar, and dashed forward to hug her grandmother. Tamara stroked her hair and smiled at us. Amber approached at a walk while I hung back. Tamara beckoned me to her; I guessed I was invited to the family meeting.

  “Mo
ther?” Amber asked, coming up to her and taking one of her withered old hands. “Are you… all right?”

  “I’m fine, dear. Very fine. Better than I have been in a long while.” She nodded at me. “Thanks to him.”

  “Him?” Amber gasped, before she could stop herself. Then she got a grip. “He helped you?”

  “More than helped. He forgave me.”

  Amber did a double-take. I used to think that was a figure of speech. Usually, it is. Not this time.

  “You told him?”

  “Yes.”

  “And he forgave you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well,” I interrupted, “sort of. She was never really to blame.”

  Amber turned and looked at me.

  “Oh?”

  “Did she tell you what happened?” I asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Then you know who’s really to blame, and it was never Tamara.”

  Amber bit her lip and said nothing. Tianna finally let go of her grandmother.

  “Will the Mother remember her, now?” Tianna asked.

  “No,” Tamara said. “I doubt it very much. It doesn’t matter.”

  “Why not? It’s all better now, isn’t it?”

  “She still doesn’t forgive me for trying to disobey Her,” Tamara said. “It’s all right. I’m not going with Her.”

  “Are you going somewhere, Grandmother?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, no you don’t!” Amber flared. “You’re not going to—”

  “Yes,” Tamara said, softly. “I’m long overdue, and my escort is here.”

  Amber glared at me. I shrugged. I’ve been glared at by worse. Recently, in fact.

  “Mother, I won’t permit this.”

  “It is not your choice to make,” Tamara countered, and sighed. “I should have waited to call for you,” she said. “I knew this would be difficult.”

  “Grandmother?” Tianna asked.

  “Yes, dear one?”

  “Are you dying?”

  “Everything dies, dear one. Remember?”

  “Sure I do. Is it your time?”

  “It is. I’ve lived beyond my time a bit, really, so I’m late. I’ve been waiting for him,” she gestured at me, “to arrive. He’s my escort.”

  “Like when you went over the mountains?”

  “Like when we went over the mountains.”

  “Can I come?”

  “No, sweet one. He’s the only one who gets to go and come back.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he’s special. It’s like you and your hair. That’s what he does.”

  Tianna looked at me more intently, mostly with curiosity, I think. Amber continued to simmer. I mean that literally; there was a heat shimmer rippling in the air over her head.

  “When are you going?” Tianna asked.

  “She’s not,” Amber answered. “Mother, really. You’re sounding more lucid today than I’ve heard in years, but that doesn’t mean you get to go right away. You’ll last for years more, I promise you.”

  “I’m not supposed to.”

  “So? I can make it work, especially now.”

  “But you should not,” Tamara told her, gently. Amber didn’t have a good answer to that.

  “I can see there’s a lot of discussion ahead,” I noted. “That’s okay. I’m not prepared to do this right now. Tonight, sure. Is that soon enough for you, Tamara?”

  “That will be perfect,” she replied, nodding.

  “Then I’ll just get on with my day and be back after sunset. Anyone need a lift home?”

  “I’m staying here,” Amber said. Tamara looked tired, but resigned. “You could take Tianna back, if you would. She doesn’t need to be here for this.”

  “You’re going to argue,” Tianna said, possibly accused.

  “Discuss,” Amber countered.

  “Nag,” Tamara corrected. Amber huffed and threw up her hands.

  “Every time I want you to do something for your own good,” she began. I started stepping back, distancing myself from what was likely to be a long harangue. Tamara motioned Tianna to go with me, while Amber kept up a steady stream of… well, yes, nagging.

  Outside, I hopped up on Bronze and looked over the people still waiting to get in.

  “I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but the temple of the Grey Lady is closed for the day. The priestess is preparing for her departure this evening. Again, I’m sorry for the inconvenience, and I hope you will be understanding and patient.”

  They were, surprisingly. There were some mutters and some mild grumbling, but nobody raised a fuss. Most of them even nodded understandingly. Everyone went away, except for Tort.

  “You have an appointment this evening, my angel?” Tort asked.

  “It would seem so, unless Amber talks her out of it.”

  “I see. May I ask your plans for the day?”

  “I need to check on a project at the mountain, then on the knights. Do I need to help with any of the other projects?”

  “I think not, although Thomen wishes a word with you at the guildhall, at your pleasure. Do I need to find someone willing to use the riding-plow when it is finished?”

  “Yes, and whoever else we might need for planting the soon-to-be-fields around the mountain. Please tell Thomen I’ll probably be by this afternoon.”

  “Consider it done.”

  Tianna tugged at my boot. I looked down.

  “Can I ride?”

  I leaned way down and helped her up in front of me.

  “And I have to take Tianna home,” I added.

  “Pleasant journeys to you both,” Tort said, smiling.

  I thumped Bronze with my heels and we quickly moved into a trot.

  “Can we go faster?” Tianna asked, eagerly.

  “Yes, but I try not to do that in town. People don’t always get out of the way quickly enough. It isn’t safe for them.”

  “Aww. But Mom will fix them!”

  “Not if Bronze steps on them. They squish.”

  “Poop.”

  I thought about it for a second.

  “How much trouble will I be in if we take a detour on the way back?”

  “You mean, go out of your way while taking me home?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t think you’ll get in trouble, as long as I’m home before Mom is.”

  “Hmm. Hang on a second.”

  I wove power into a message spell and, when we reached the house, hung it in the curtained doorway. When Amber walked through the door, it would tell her that Tianna wanted to ride Bronze, so I let her ride along while I ran some errands, and that if we weren’t back when Amber arrived, we would be shortly.

  I made sure to include a little alarm for myself, to let me know when it was triggered.

  “There. Okay. I’ll run my errand and you can ride along. How’s that?”

  “Okay!”

  We headed out of the town. Tianna turned to look at me.

  “Where are we going?”

  “My mountain.”

  “But that’s days away!” she protested. “And it’s haunted!”

  “For other people, maybe. What did your grandmother say about me?”

  “You’re special?”

  “Hi-yah!”

  Bronze geared up to a gallop and Tianna shrieked delight into the wind.

  Tianna wanted to explore. I attached a magical line between us, kind of like being connected with an infinite spool of string. She could always find her way to me, and I to her. She didn’t need an illumination spell. Her hair couldn’t turn to flame yet, but it could glow brightly with almost no effort on her part.

  Before I let her explore, I checked for scrying spells. No one was watching. I also sat on the throne and tried to feel the mountain. I didn’t detect anything inside or on it. Good enough. If she needed me, she could tug on the line and I would follow it to her.

  While she explored, I checked the metals room to see what progress had
been made. There was quite a lot of metal lying in lumps on the floor. The mountain started squeezing off bits of it as it oozed out of the rock.

  There was a lot of iron. Less common metals had smaller piles. There was, for example, a great deal more iron than copper, with only a relatively tiny amount of gold. In theory, this could tell me a lot about the formation of the world by knowing the relative proportions of elements. Assuming, of course, the gods didn’t just wish it into being.

  It annoys me that I currently live in a world where they might have done just that.

  I gathered up the various metals and moved them to my chambers, stacking them in heaps for storage or analysis, depending on whether or not I knew what they were. This cleared the room so the mountain wouldn’t fill it up while I was gone.

  I also took the opportunity to consider how to furnish my rooms. The memory of how I planned to do so returned to me. There was a niche to serve as a bed, right there, just in case I needed it; it would definitely require some padding and cushions. A few chests and a wardrobe would go well along that wall. A chair, a desk… some comfortable and strong lounging chairs out in the receiving area…

  Oh, yes. Lights. I ran a line of magical force around the juncture of walls and ceiling, binding it to the surface of the stone. With a little time and effort, I added the equivalent of a dimmer switch. It gave off a nice, omnidirectional glow. It wasn’t very bright, though, so I added a line across the ceiling, wall to opposite wall, and another crossing it. That was much better. It was only a spell, not an enchantment, but light is pretty easy. It should last a month or more.

  I strolled back into the great hall and patted Bronze. She definitely seemed more sleek. Her body looked more like a racehorse than a draft horse, and the dents in her back and sides were much more like the fitted depressions of a seat. She nuzzled my hand while I stroked her nose. She could smell metal on them.

  Don’t ask how I knew that. I just did.

  “I’m so sorry; it didn’t even occur to me. One minute.” I dashed back up, grabbed some lumps of the unidentified metals, and hurried back down. I held them out, one by one, on the back of my hand. She sniffed at each one. I’m not sure why; she ate them all.

  Six lumps. Two were delicious; the other four were only so-so.