Sam Bowring - Prophecy's Ruin

‘You are the Throne!’ interrupted Fahren. ‘You’ve been a just and fair ruler for decades, and you do this thing now for the good of the land! Not because of a personal desire, not because you are corrupt! The girl’s charge is small, and not important in the scheme of things. We can deal with Cydus, get him out of Kadass, order him back to that swamp he presides over.’

‘I don’t need a lecture on what I could do,’ said Naphur. ‘I could have done a great many things that I never chose to, and no one could have stopped me.’

‘I know,’ said Fahren. ‘And Kainordas is lucky to have such a leader. But this will not be an abuse of power, Naphur. It is necessary, believe me. If we don’t do it, Bel will have no reason to stay here and we will lose him to the world. Then, maybe, we will all be lost. You can never forget the shadows in the south, lord.’

‘I never do,’ said Naphur. ‘You know that.’

‘I do. So don’t let an ink-stained vase determine the course of our fate.’

Naphur stood silently, his mind ticking over.

‘Very well,’ he said eventually. ‘The girl will be freed – but Corlas will leave this very afternoon.’

‘You are charged with the murder of a peacekeeper,’ said Naphur through the bars.

To his left stood Fahren, looked perturbed, and to his right Baygis wore a steely expression. Corlas sat wearily in the cell on a wooden chair. He hadn’t bothered to rise when the three powerful men entered the cell, which he knew had not gone unnoticed.

‘What you are certainly guilty of,’ continued Naphur, ‘is consorting with the enemy. I treated you with respect, I tried to be compassionate. I thought we understood each other. Yet for any wrongs we may have done you, you wronged us in return twice over.’

‘I doubt that,’ said Corlas, scowling openly.

Baygis smacked the bars of the cell, making Corlas start. ‘If you show this disrespect to my father,’ he said, ‘because you imagine you are to be executed and therefore have nothing to lose, then cease to make such assumptions!’

Corlas was surprised by that.

‘I don’t know for sure if you are guilty of the murder,’ said Naphur, ‘but there will be no investigation. Your accusers will be told they were mistaken, and Baygis will not question you again.’

‘Why?’ asked Corlas, dumbfounded.

Naphur sighed. ‘For the sake of your son.’

‘For the sake of your control over my son,’ corrected Corlas, scowling again.

‘Are you saying you don’t wish to be set free?’

Corlas couldn’t believe his ears.

Naphur’s voice hardened. ‘Free to leave.’

‘Leave, Throne?’

‘My men will take you to your quarters to get your things, and then you will leave the Halls forever. You are banished from Borgordus, and if I ever see you here again, it will not be forgiven. Since we do not know the nature of this bargain you made with the weaver, and you cannot tell us what it is, I have to assume you are a threat. I don’t care where you go, but it had better be somewhere far enough away that I never hear of you again. And Bel will not know where you go either. You will not see him again, ever.’

Finally Corlas stood up. ‘You cannot ask that.’

‘I’m not asking,’ said Naphur. ‘And if you do not comply, I will have Baygis tear your mind apart in search of the truth. There will be a public trial, and a public execution too. All the good you have done in your life will be erased, and your name will be sullied forever. Shame will mark your passing. Go now, salvage some of your dignity, and leave Bel with the better memories of your time together.’

Corlas bared his teeth. Angry though he was, he thought of the trial and the admissions he would have to make. He thought, too, of his other son, that other part of Bel whom he’d never sought out. Perhaps now was the time to try. Finally, he thought of Iassia. Would the weaver be waiting outside the Halls, ready to ask his ‘favour’, whatever it may be? If only he could speak about it, tell them the bargain was not yet in effect, but would be if the bird found him. The words, as ever, would not form in his mouth. It seemed he would have to take his chances.

‘You leave me scant choice,’ he muttered.

‘I would ask you to swear,’ said Naphur, ‘but I’ve learned how little your word means. I leave you, then, with threats instead. Do not return, Corlas. Blades!’

Four large blades entered the cell, moving to unlock the grille.

‘Take him quickly,’ Baygis instructed. ‘Speak of this to no one. Do not shackle him, but if he tries anything, kill him. He is to be led past the wards and then turned free. Make sure he puts down some distance before you return.’

The blades nodded, and ushered the big taskmaster out of the cell.

‘Goodbye, Corlas,’ said Fahren sadly.

Corlas stared ahead with glazed eyes, silent as he was escorted from the cell.

‘Where is he?’ Bel demanded. ‘Where have you taken him?’

He’d caught up with the three men at the entrance chamber of the Open Castle. Baygis stood straight and tall, his face neutral. Naphur’s eyes were troubled, and Fahren’s more so. The old mage had been like a grandfather to him and Bel couldn’t believe that he would hold back at a time like this.

‘Fahren?’ he said.

‘He’s gone,’ said Fahren hesitantly.

‘Gone?’ said Bel. ‘What do you mean?’

‘We did not want to see him answer those charges,’ said Naphur. ‘None of us wish your father executed. Better that he disappear, as quickly as possible, before it gets too difficult to …’

‘To cover it up,’ said Baygis flatly.

Bel fell silent for a moment, remembering his father’s admissions in the cell. Corlas had not been at fault – that damned peacekeeper had brought his fate on himself. How could these three fail to see that?

‘It’s for the best,’ said the Throne, placing a hand on Bel’s shoulder.

Bel glanced down at the hand, then pushed it away. ‘I want to see my father. Where is he?’

‘There is good news with the bad, Bel,’ said Fahren desperately. ‘The Throne has reconsidered your request about Jaya. She is to be released.’

‘Jaya?’ said Bel, momentarily distracted. ‘But she’s been sentenced.’

‘Well …we’ll see about that,’ said Naphur. ‘If you love her, she’s almost family – and perhaps she had a good reason for her crime. If Cydus is guilty of wrongdoing …’

His words did not have the calming effect they’d hoped.

‘That is well!’ spat Bel savagely. ‘Very well indeed, though it could have come sooner. Now tell me where my father is, or I will consider him murdered, as I have no evidence to the contrary. I will be forced to search the Halls for his body, dig up every grave, violate every tomb!’

‘You will do no such thing,’ said Baygis levelly. ‘Do you imagine that your anger grants you ultimate authority?’

‘ After I am convinced that his body isn’t here, I will search for him outside the Halls,’ continued Bel. ‘I will search until I find him and know that he is safe, that he has left of his own accord – which I find hard to believe, given he bade me no farewell.’

‘It is a delicate situation,’ said Fahren. ‘He had to leave as quickly as possible.’

‘And we never claimed he left of his own accord,’ added Baygis. ‘He failed in service to his Throne, and still my father did not wish him dead. He is exiled.’

Suddenly Bel drew his sword, the shine flashing silver along its edge. Baygis raised a protective hand. ‘Bel …’ he warned.

Bel grinned madly, raised the sword to his own breast and slid it between a join in his leather armour.