Lynn Flewelling - The Bone Doll's Twin

Their footsteps echoed bravely in the unseen vaulting overhead, disturbing some creatures that ruffled the night air with their soft wings. Perhaps it was the spirits of the dead, but if so, they kept their distance.

Just as he’d guessed, the throne stood on a broad platform in the middle of the chamber. It was approached by two stairs and was shrouded in some dark covering.

“We have to sit on the throne,” Ki reminded him. “After you, Your Highness.”

Tobin acknowledged Ki’s mocking bow with a salute Nari would not have approved of and climbed the steps to the throne. As he bent to draw aside the cloth that shrouded it, the dark stuff gathered itself together into a white-faced figure that leaped at him, brandishing a sword and shrieking, “Traitor, traitor, execute him!”

More startled than frightened, Tobin would have tumbled backward down the stairs if Ki hadn’t been there to catch him and push him upright again. Both of them recognized that voice, distorted as it was.

It was Aliya.

“Good—good evening, Grandmother!” he managed, as the rest of the supposed ghosts ran over with their lights to join them. He tried to grasp her hand and kiss it, but she snatched it away.

“Oh, he’s no fun at all!” Aliya cried out, stamping her foot in frustration.

“I told you he’d stand fast!” Korin hugged Tobin off his feet. “You owe me ten sesters, Alben. By the Flame, no blood of mine is a coward. And you, too, Ki, though I saw you shaking when you went in. Don’t worry; you should have seen Garol.” Korin reached out and pulled off the other squire’s wig. “He fell down the stairs and almost dashed his own brains out.”

“I tripped,” Garol grumbled.

“I nearly did, too,” Tobin admitted. “But only because Aliya surprised me. She hides better than she haunts.”

“I suppose you’d know?” she shot back.

“Yes, I do. Korin, may I see the golden tablet?”

The prince cocked his head. “The what?”

“The golden tablet with the Prophecy of Afra on it. It’s here somewhere beside the throne—”

“There’s nothing like that here.” Korin took Tobin’s arm and walked him around the dais. As he’d said, there was no sign of a tablet. “Come on, you two, we’ve got to celebrate your great triumph here tonight.”

Pleased as he was to have passed the test, Tobin was terribly disappointed not to find the tablet. And how could Korin not know of it, growing up here his whole life? Could his father have been mistaken?

As they walked back toward the window, he twisted around for a final look, then pulled free of the prince and exclaimed, “Oh, look! Korin, look!”

There was a ghost here, after all. The carved throne was undraped now and a woman sat upon it. The jostling and noise of the other Companions seemed to fade away around Tobin as he gazed at her. He didn’t recognize her but he knew who she was: one of Those Who Came Before—no longer just a figure in a box, or a name in a tale, or one of Korin’s silly conjurings, either. This was a ghost as real and knowing as his own twin.

She wore a golden crown and armor of ancient design. Staring at him with eyes as dark and unblinking as Brother’s, she rose and unsheathed the sword that hung at her side, then held it out to him like an offering on her open palms.

And there at the foot of the dais stood the golden tablet, as tall as Tobin was himself. It caught the light like a mirror and the lines of lettering on it shimmered and moved as though they were written in fire. He couldn’t read the script but he knew by heart what they said.

He wanted to walk back and speak to the queen, learn her name and touch the sword she held, but he couldn’t move. He looked around to find everyone staring at him, their faces strange and wary behind their paint. When Tobin looked back at the throne again he saw only darkness. There was no throne, no queen, and no tablet. He was too far away to see anything at all.

Then Ki grinned and said, “You fooled them well, my prince. You even had me looking!”

Korin burst out laughing. “By the Four, cousin, you’re a quick one! You’ve turned our own joke back on us.”

“The little trickster!”

Aliya grabbed Tobin and kissed him on the lips. “You terrible child! You even scared me!”

Tobin couldn’t help stealing a last look back toward the throne as they continued on. He wasn’t the only one to do so.

His victory celebration took place in the gardens below, with wine and cakes the Companions had stolen from the kitchens.

The old audience chamber was forbidden ground, the seals on its door real, though no one seemed to know quite why. Korin and Caliel had invented the game years ago, and carried it on in defiance of the king and Master Porion.

Korin and his marauders took Tobin and Ki to a sheltered bank under a tangled overhang of rose hedge. Lying on the soft, damp grass, they passed the wineskins and cakes.

“So you weren’t scared a bit?” Alben jeered.

“Were you when you had to go?” Tobin shot back. “He was! Don’t let him tell you any differently,” Aliya scoffed.

Everyone laughed except Alben, who sniffed and flipped his long, black hair over his shoulder, looking offended.

“It’s because you know of ghosts already, isn’t it?” Lynx asked, made bold by the wine. “I don’t mean any offense, Prince Tobin, but we all know the story. They say your twin was stillborn with her eyes open, or under a caul, and turned demon so that your family had to leave the city. They say the ghost followed you all the way to the mountains. Is it true? Do you really have a demon twin?”

Tobin shrugged. “It’s nothing, really. Just a haunting spirit.”

Ki began to sputter, but Tobin nudged his foot and he subsided.

“My father says that’s what comes of consorting with wizards,” Zusthra put in. “Go messing about with magic too much and you end up with all sorts of creatures you don’t care for lurking about.”

“You wouldn’t want Lord Niryn to hear that opinion, I’m sure,” someone said, and Tobin realized that the would-be squire, Moriel, had been with them all along. He just hadn’t noticed him under the wig and paint until he spoke. “Lord Niryn believes that wizards can help strengthen the throne of Skala. What do you say, Korin? You see enough of the fellow.”

Korin took a long pull from the wineskin and laid his head in Aliya’s lap. “My father’s wizard has eyes like two brown stones polished by the sea surf. I can’t ever tell what’s going on behind those cold hard orbs. So long as he keeps us in lightstones and tricks, I’ve nothing against the man, but when I’m king I won’t need any wizards to win my wars for me, or to guard my throne. Just give me you lot!” He waved the wineskin, spraying its contents liberally over those lying closest to him. “Skalan steel and a brave Skalan to wield it!”

This toast led to singing, and the singing to more drinking. Even Tobin let himself get a little drunk before Ki hauled him off to bed in disgust.

Tobin and Ki came off the training field a few days later to find Tharin and half a dozen of his men waiting for them. Tobin hardly recognized them at first. Koni and the others wore new uniforms similar to those of the King’s Guard, with silver badges instead of gold. Tharin was dressed like a lord in somber brown edged with black, and wore a silver chain.

“My prince,” said Tharin. “The steward sends word, asking if your highness will inspect your house today. Everything has been made ready for you.”

Tobin strode up to hug him, he was so glad to see a familiar face, but Tharin gently held him off and shook his head ever so slightly. Ki hung back, looking like he wanted to do the same.