Dave Gross - Mistress of the Night

With the parting of the shadow, the stench of excrement filled the tunnel as well. The pants that Jarull wore were stained and horribly crusted. His skin was pale, his tall frame gaunt, and his hair, a tangled nest. The fingers that cupped his ears were torn and bloody. When his open mouth swung into the light, Keph could see that his tongue was raw and red as well. The rock walls within reach of the chain had been rubbed clean of mineral deposits. Jarull had been licking the stone for water.

It was as if his friend had been chained there for days for tendays. But that wasn't possible. He'd seen Jarull practically every day

But Jarull's mother hadn't. Wasn't that what Strasus had said? And Strasus and Dagnalla hadn't been able to locate Jarull with magic.

The chained man wore no amethyst ring. Keph raised his head and stared at Variance. The dark priestess had her hands crossed, but the purple gem of her ring winked between her fingers. Keph clenched his teeth.

"How long has he been here?" he asked.

"Only a little more than two tendays," said Variance. She might have been discussing apples in a barrel for all the emotion in her voice. "But it probably seems much longer to him. The Lady of Loss is a harsh jailer."

"Then it was you all along. You took his place to draw me into the cult."

Variance just turned away and began walking back to the temple. Keph swung between her and Jarull. As the candlelight faded, the chained man's moans eased. His mad swinging turned into a gentle rocking. Keph took a step toward him, reaching out his hand.

"Jarull…"

His friend looked up. Bruised eyes widenedand he shrieked, scrambling away to press himself frantically against the wall.

Variance's voice floated back down the tunnel, "Come away from him, Keph."

Keph whirled toward her. "What have you done to him?"

"I haven't done anything. Come away."

The candlelight moved on. Clenching his teeth, Keph stumbled through the darkness after it. Variance waited for him at the entrance to the tunnel.

"Why?" he snarled at her.

"Motivation," she said calmly, "in case your loyalty proved less than I expected."

The elation he had felt, believing he had cast an orison, the joy he'd felt when Variance welcomed him back into Shar's grace after his encounter with Lyraene… "Ask me anything, Variance," he had said, "and I would do it. That's the debt I owe you."

He closed his eyes. He had been dancing to Variance's manipulations like a marionette on strings.

"What do you want?" he asked her.

He half-expected her to smile in triumph, but she didn't.

"Strasus Thingoleir has in his possession a collection of ancient artifacts recovered from the tunnels of Yhaunn a month ago." Variance's words were blunt, the instructions of someone who expected to be obeyed. "Among them is a set of black slate tiles hinged together like a book and inscribed with silver characters that defy translation. I want those tiles."

Keph stared at her. "How did you know about?" He cut himself off. "Beshaba's arms. They were your goal all along. You've used me from the very beginning."

"Not the very beginning," Variance said. "It took me at least a tenday to identify you as the weakness in your father's House."

The weakness… Keph bit his tongue against a bitter laugh. So that's what he was.

"Well, this weakness isn't going to be enough for you," he told her. "My father has those tiles in his study. No one can get past the wards on it."

"You can," said Variance. "Just as you were able to place the magesbane in your brother's laboratory. Child of a doting, hopeful parent, the wards of Fourstaves House part for you." Keph's eyes narrowed and Variance smiled. "Did you really think the dust was just a whim? It was a test. You told Jarull about the wards and with some persuasion, Jarull told me. I had to be sure that it was true. Your misuse of the dust was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps Shar guided you."

"My father's study isn't my brother's laboratory. It's better protected."

"I have no doubt it is." Her voice hardened. "Retrieve the tiles and Jarull will go free. A simple exchange."

His hands curled into fists. "What if I can't get them?"

"Jarull will remain Shar's prisoner and I'll find another way to get the tiles."

Variance moved to one of the braziers that stood around the temple and lifted the lid. The smell of cold charcoal drifted out. A thin scrap of kindling lay beside the brazier. The dark priestess held it in the flame of the candle until it caught fire, then thrust it among the charcoal. She turned back to him. "I have no interest in seeing you fail, of course. I will provide a distraction to cover your theft."

"A distraction?" The thought chilled him. "What kind of distraction?"

"Mother Night?" Bolan's voice echoed from a tunnel. "Full dark has fallen. The faithful are assembled."

Breath hissed between Keph's teeth. "An attack"

Variance's hand snapped up, holding him to silence. "Summon them to worship, Brother Night," she called back. "They will receive Shar's blessing before battle."

Keph caught the sound of Bolan's footsteps retreating up the tunnel. He looked at Variance, and she returned his gaze.

"Yes," she said. "An attack on Moonshadow Hall. The age old rivalry of Shar and Selune is brought into the open once more."

Keph's mouth gaped open for a moment before he swallowed and said, "But the memory you forced on Julithyou made her think I promised an attack. The Selunites will be expecting this. It's going to be a massacre."

"No, it would be a massacre if the Selunites were caught unprepared," said Variance. "Do you really want the distraction to be over so quickly? Don't think Shar's faithful so easily brought low. You know what they're capable of. Stand with me during the ceremony, Keph. The others need to see you."

"You want me to help you?"

Variance tilted her head and replied, "If Shar's faithful aren't properly prepared, the distraction will fail. Your supposed capture is the key to their inspiration. You need to be seenand you need to be seen praising Shar."

Rage and disgust swept over Kephrage at Variance for manipulating him yet again, disgust at himself for allowing it.

"Do you have a plan for everything?" he spat. He felt like an angry child and just as helpless. Variance turned away.

Moonshadow Hall was in chaos.

Feena stole through the corridors of the temple, trying to stay unseen and out of the way. It wasn't easy. Any normal order she could have predicted seemed to have been erased. She had emerged from the archives to discover that the sun had sether exhausted dreaming had carried through the entire afternoon and much of the evening. Any other night, Moonshadow Hall would be worshiping the moonrise. On a normal new moon night, Selune's faithful would be gathered in the refectory, celebrating Dhauna's New Moon Beneficence. But instead clergy, acolytes, and novices were everywhere. Some were clearly preparing for Dhauna's funeral. Billowing white drapes were being hung. White wax candles laced with silver dust were being set out. From the temple's mortuary came the sound of mourning chants as Dhauna's body was washed and prepared for burial.

But at the same time, other clerics roamed the corridors like dogs. They always moved in pairs at the very least, and all of them carried macesmost leaving the weapons hanging at their belt, but others clenching them tightly. When she happened to pass a window, Feena caught a glimpse of silhouettes standing up on the old walkways that circled Moonshadow Hall's round roof.

It was as if someone were preparing for an attack. Feena remembered the fear in Chandri's tones when she had asked Velsinore about Keph. Tales told among Selune's clergy spoke of Sharran uprisings that could leave shrines and temples in ruins. Was someone concerned that might happen in Yhaunn?