Jean Lorrah - Sorcerers of the Frozen Isles

The term was absurd-for although Zanos was hardly a handspan taller than Bryen, he was so broad and strong from years of training that he appeared three times his brother’s size.

Bryen laughed. “You are! Zanos, I thought I’d never see you again!” His startlement warmed into family feeling as the two men hugged, pounding one another on the back, Zanos almost crushing Bryen in his enthusiasm.

“I didn’t know if you’d even survived!” said Zanos. “I’ve wanted to come back-but it took me so many years to earn my freedom… And what about you? You look well. Are you married? My wife’s here with me-you have to meet her-and my friends, Torio here and-”

As he turned to introduce them, Zanos’ eyes fellon Maldek, who was standing back, watching the reunion in open amusement.

Zanos stopped, then said, “You found him for me, didn’t you, Maldek?”

“I found him,” the sorcerer assented.

“And restored his hand?” The gladiator shook his head slowly. “I still don’t know what to think about you-but this time you have my thanks.”

This reunion, however, was less sweet than Astra’s with her mother. But it was happy enough for the next few hours, as Zanos introduced his brother to the rest of their group, told his story and Astra’s, and listened to Bryen’s tale of survival.

When the slaver ship departed, Bryen had been left among the dead and dying. The village healer had been slaughtered, so there was no help butwhat they could do for one another. A man with a gut wound tied a rope around the end of the boy’s arm so he would not bleed to death, and together they somehow got another man and a woman into a fishing boat and set out for the next village.

But by dawn all three of Bryen’s companions were dead of their wounds. The boy passed out, and the boat drifted aimlessly until other fishermen found it.

They took Bryen to their healer, who saved his life, but only a Master Sorcerer could restore his hand.

“Why wasn’t that done?” demanded Zanos. “The Lord of the Land in our day was good and kind-”

“And old,” said Bryen. “Oh, he lived for over ten years after you were captured, but his powers were waning. Maldek, his son, was sent to apprentice in Meliard, far to the north, for he was hardly older than I was, and not come into his full powers. We paid so little attention to anything but fishing in our home village-I found in the City that Madura was at war! The fleet was defending the river here; that’s why the slavers found it so easy to prey on the southern coast.

“The Lord of the Land granted me audience when he heard my story-but only to tell me no, he couldn’t use his strength to heal half-grown boys when he had to keep grown men strong for his army. He promised to heal me as soon as I was full-grown.” Bryen snorted derisively. “So much for the promises of the Lord of the Land!”

“The war went on for many years,” said Cassandra. “Surely you can understand the difficult decisions he had to make about how best to defend his people. All those years, Bryen, our climate remained mild, our crops and flocks healthy.”

“Maybe, but in the City I learned to take care of myself. A man named Graorn took me in, and set me to collecting rents from his tenants. He had a hook made for my missing hand-and I was starting to get big enough that the welchers handed over what they owed when I shoved it in their faces.

“By the time I was old enough to go into the army, I’d seen too many soldiers go out there and almost die, and be healed, and almost die again, and be healed-the second or third time lots of ‘em deserted, and hid out in the City. So I just didn’t go to get my hand put back.”

“Then how can you blame the Lord of the Land for not keeping his promise?” Zanos asked.

“Once the war was over, I went to the castle!” Bryen flared. “That was after Maldek came home. With his powers, it was over fast-and I went to the castle and couldn’t even get in! For the next few years, everyone said Maldek was really running things-but mostly life was all right until the old lord died.

Then-”

“Yes-we’ve seen,” said Zanos.

“But Maldek seems to be learning from his mistakes,” put in Melissa.

“Don’t bet on it!” said Bryen. “They say nobody’s ever had as much power as Maldek has-so who’s gonna stop him from doing whatever he wants?”

“Himself,” Melissa answered. “Bryen, he healed you, and reunited you with your brother. He found Astra’s mother for her. Can’t you see what’s happening? He’s been so isolated by his power, and by the fear he has generated in his people… he’s so lonely.”

“Lonely!” Dirdra snorted. “He can take anyone he wants!”

“He can by force,” agreed Melissa, “but you of all people know that he has found no satisfaction in that.”

“So he simply forces people in other ways!” the Maduran woman retorted. “Are you all such fools, to be taken in by his supposed reform?”

“Dirdra, shouldn’t we give him the benefit of the doubt?” asked Astra. “Maldek did not have to find my mother. I’d never have known she was in Madura.”

“Did you never wonder how he knew your mother had left the Aventine Empire?” Dirdra asked. “Astra, he spies on our minds-and you Readers can’t even tell he’s doing it!”

“That’s true,” said Torio. “At least while we were on the way here, I felt Maldek’s mind searching several times-didn’t you, Astra, Melissa?”

Astra nodded. But Melissa said, “Yes-but he was testing us then. He found that we were all friends, and nothing he sent against us could defeat us when we worked together.”

“He’s clumsy,” Zanos put in. “Let’s suppose Melissa’s right, and we came along just at the time when Maldek had realized that forcing people to do his will wasn’t satisfying. Maye he really is trying to make friends with us-but all he can think to do is find out what we’re looking for, and give it to us.”

“He’s trying to buy your friendship,” said Dirdra.

“He’ll learn that only friendship gains friendship,” said Melissa. “Astra is right. We ought to assume that Maldek means well until he proves otherwise.”

Torio remained quiet through the exchange, for Dirdra expressed his feelings quite well, and he didn’t want to fight with Melissa.

She, however, knew what was on his mind, and confronted him after supper that night. “Why didn’t you say what you thought this afternoon?”

“What do you mean?”

“Torio, you may be able to hide your precise thoughts from me, but your feelings are on Dirdra’s side, against Maldek.”

“And why are you so much for him?” Torio asked. “Read what his people think about him- how they hid when we went into town, how Bryen distrusted his motives. What’s wrong with you, Melissa? Can’t you see that he’s putting on an act?”

“No, I don’t see that!” she exploded. “Why would he bother? Torio, the man is putting forth every effort to make up for what he did to us. He’s starting work at healing Kwinn in the morning. Maybe Dirdra will come to see that he’s trying-”

They were climbing the staircase leading to the upper hallway where their rooms were. From Zanos and Astra’s room came a sudden shout that stopped them in their tracks: “No! By Mawort, even if you are my brother, I’ll never again kill for sport!”

“But the money , Zanos-”

“Money? Is that all you think of, Bryen?”

“Money is power-if you don’t have any other kind. And even Maldek needs money.”

“Zanos, please-calm down,” came Astra’s voice.

“When my own brother wants to put me back in the arena? Bryen, you make your living out of other men’s pain! Don’t think I don’t understand- that’s how I bought my way out of slavery, and won the money to get out of the empire.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Only to lose it to a cheating, power-hungry gambler just like you!”