Jeff Salyards - Veil of the Deserters

The Emperor looked at the weapon, several things flickering across his face-greed, lust, triumph, and possibly fear, or at least hesitation. “Yes, Skeelana mentioned the Deserter Gods. Oh, this is a fabulous find. Fabulous. Two or three times, my men in the field thought they had uncovered a weapon that might prove to be something the poets sang of, a piece of legend. Each time, I was skeptical, and each time, proven right. But now… simply fabulous.” He beckoned Braylar. “Come closer. And show me the heads when you do.”

The captain walked forward a few paces until the Emperor raised a hand, stopping him just short of striking distance. Still, all it would take was one step more. Perhaps it was having three Memoridons behind him, but Cynead didn’t seem particularly worried. Rusejenna was the only one who tensed up, and while her arms were at her sides, I noticed the fingers were splayed already.

Braylar took the flail heads in hand, turned them over so the Emperor could see them better. Cynead slapped the armrest. “They are fearsome, for certain. I do hope if we ever see the Gods again, they have a friendlier cast.” He moved forward, hardly on his seat at all, again apparently drawn to take the weapon, but holding himself back as well. “Skeelana says you are wracked with pain when separated for very long. Is that true?”

I gawked at her, remembering all the things I had revealed in confidence, assuming she was beholden to the Jackal Tower.

Braylar replied, “Though I wish it were a falsehood, there is no denying that.”

“So,” the Emperor said, “If you were to hand it to me, just now, would it grieve you?”

Braylar pulled the chains tight, laughing as Rusejenna took a step forward. “Put your hackles down,” he said.

She stopped and replied with a tight smile, “Someday, I will dance to your tears, Killcoin.”

“And I on your grave.” Then he looked at Cynead again. “A little separation would not anguish me. I am happy to hand it over. But I should warn you, Lord Emperor, the bind, the curse, for a lack of a better word, that I am afflicted with. I do not know what will sever it. Nor what might cause it to attach to anyone else. I am hesitant to do anything that might potentially endanger your safety.”

Cynead gave a crooked smile. “Oh, I am certain. Your vigilance is duly appreciated, Captain Killcoin. But no, until we have studied this weapon more, and the binding with you, I am in no hurry to handle it myself. Step back.”

Braylar did as instructed, and Commander Darzaak said, “Studied, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor clapped once, loudly. “Yes, of course. It is a remarkable find, but as your captain astutely pointed out, a dangerous one as well. We would understand it, how it works, why it binds, uncover its secrets and how to make the most use of its power. This could be a great boon to the Empire. But that all requires study.”

Darzaak, as ever, did not disguise his displeasure. “All of my captains are beyond competent-”

“Of course. Or you would not have promoted them. Unless you were myopic and obtuse. Which I know you are not. What of it?”

“Emperor Cynead, I-”

“Commander Darzaak,” he mimicked Darzaak’s tone. “Come to your point.”

“Captain Killcoin can’t relinquish the weapon. Not for long. As you know, and heard.”

“And?”

Commander Darzaak said, “This study would require him then. I wouldn’t willingly turn him over to be experimented on, Lord Emperor.”

The Emperor slowly stood up, and after Hewspear he was the tallest person in the dome. “Your will in this matter is irrelevant, Commander. My Memoridons will study the weapon and its bond to your captain. You can be certain I do not want to see either destroyed or unduly damaged. But when it comes down to it, Bloodsounder is a prize beyond price, something straight out of misty legends-it is worth a thousand captains.”

Just then one of the acrobats off to the side lost her grip on the long ribbon, fell fifteen feet to the floor. A man tried to catch her, but couldn’t stop her from slamming into the parquet entirely. We all watched as two men helped her regain her feet, and while she could stand on one leg, the other was twisted badly or broken. They helped her toward an exit on the other side of the vast room, one of her arms over each of their shoulders.

Cynead sighed. “You see. We all risk something. They are an investment, with skills that are oh so difficult to replace. Sometimes there are simply accidents or losses. From high to low, we all risk something.” He shook his head and turned his attention back to us. “I appreciate you coming on such short notice, men of Jackal Tower. And willingly. You are dismissed.”

The Emperor started to step away from the chair when Captain Killcoin said, “Are we still speaking directly, Your Majesty? I admit, it is not a tongue I am overly accustomed to, but I would try it just once more today, by your leave.”

Cynead looked both annoyed and intrigued, but nodded once.

Braylar replied, “What if I refuse? To willingly sacrifice myself on the altar of progress and knowledge? I confess, that prospect does fill me with more kinds of dread than I can articulate.”

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed. And while there was still a curl to his lips, it was as warm as a reptile’s. “Oh, I do think you know. But in the interest of being direct and perfectly clear: you will be hung. I imagine that ought to sever the bond nicely.”

Commander Darzaak stepped forward. “I’ll be sure the Captain here makes his way when you call for him.”

“See that you do. Oh, there is one other thing, Commander Darzaak. You will actually be the first to hear it. I planned on revealing the particulars later. But while I understand how having your Memoridons taken from you is no doubt seen as a crippling blow, it is not my intent to be a despot. They all are bound to me now, and answer directly to me or my own stable of Memoridons. But I know they will serve the Empire best by maintaining their day-to-day roles within the Towers. They will function exactly as they always have, yours to command, provided it does not run afoul of my orders or jeopardize the Empire in any way.”

Commander Darzaak turned crimson. “Spies then.”

Emperor Cynead smiled again, broad and superior and again nearly righteous in intensity. “Servants of the Empire, Commander. You are dismissed. Return to your Tower, Jackals.”

We started marching out, the Commander in the lead, his captains and lieutenants following. I was in the rear, and stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to see Skeelana looking at me, and I wrenched my shoulder free. She said, “You have every right to be angry, but it’s about to get worse. I don’t have to tell you this, but I feel I owe it to you. While the Syldoon cannot run without a Memoridon tracking them, you aren’t exempt from that either. Not anymore.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

She took several steps back, and again offered the melancholy smile that only made me angrier. “It was a lovely kiss though.” Then she turned and headed off after the Emperor.

I stood there dumbstruck until I heard Vendurro hiss-shout, “Come on, Arki!” I hurried to catch up, feeling foolish and miserable.

By the time we left the hall at the entrance to the dome, I was close enough to catch Mulldoos saying, “Got to quit taking private meetings with powerful pricks. Just ain’t working out for us at all.”

Braylar replied, “You are not wrong, Lieutenant. In fact, I would recommend distancing yourself from me altogether, now that I have the Emperor’s very unwanted attention.”

Commander Darzaak shook his head as he led us to the Jackal Tower, bowlegged but still moving fast. “Wrong, Captain. Dead wrong, as it happens. Or might. The Jackals give up no one to the likes of Cynead. Not now, not ever.”