"Here's some salve for burns, I said pulling out the pot and giving it to Tomas. I wasn't going to rub it on for him. I was keeping my distance. "That's right. Just rub it in. Look. I would be happy to help you in anyway I can. I want to help you. But I don't want to go into Moria. And I don't think there's anything unreasonable about that."
"I understand," Hamel cut in quickly before Tomas has a chance to say anything. "But I still don't think this is the time to talk about an alternative. I think Tomas and I should go and give you some time to think about things, to get back your calm. I'm sorry we've been so tactless. Come on, Tomas."
"No," I said feeling guilty. "Please you've travelled far and I ... I'm the one who needs a walk. Please stay here. Eat. Drink."
I pulled bread and cheese out of the cupboards and a jug of apple wine off the sideboard and plonked them quickly on the table. I wanted to avoid any more talk.
"I'll go and read my letter. If anyone comes, tell them to ring the bell. I'll hear it. It's enhanced."
I went outside and began to walk along the forest track outside my hut. My words had been calm as I left them, but my mind was full of confused and angry thoughts. I walked as fast as I could. How could they expect...? I couldn't believe ... They had tricked me into becoming concerned about their sister and now part of me felt guilty because I must refuse them. I had to refuse them. How could I go into a Moria ruled by the Church of the Burning Light where five years ago many of my foster father's friends had been burnt at the stake for witchcraft? The same might easily happen to me now.
Suddenly I felt like weeping. My family. So this was my family. Who would happily spend my life to get back one who was really dear to them.
Well I wasn't going to cry about it. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of caring. I was going to read my letter. I opened it resolutely and after about five minutes of staring blankly at it, I managed to make myself read it.
I felt instantly better. It was full of the most warm and affectionate messages from both Kitten, the courtesan for whom I had worked as a magical bodyguard and from Genny, Kitten's healer and friend, who was writing the letter for her. Experience had shown me that their affection was genuine. It was they whom I had thought of as my family for the last few years. It seemed ironic now that it should be Tomas and Hamel who had bought me their letter and even more ironic that that letter should congratulate me excitedly on having found them.
However the news it contained was so extraordinary that I began to forget my brothers and their machinations.
"Great matters are afoot in the city of Gallia," wrote Kitten or rather Genny for Kitten, since Kitten could not write. "The Duke of Gallia's strange interest in Julia Madraga has suddenly become clear and those of us who admire his flair for strategy are once again filled with admiration."
I had heard in previous letters how the Duke of Gallia, who at 29 was still unmarried, had, to the astonishment of all, begun to show an interest in marrying Julia Madraga, the last surviving member of the family who traditionally ruled Moria. His unmarried state was a result of his desire to make the most advantageous match rather than any lack of interest in women as Kitten Avignon who had once been his mistress had reason to know. He'd shown and lost interest in most of the major heiresses on the peninsula. That was why his interest in Julia Madraga was so surprising. Her chances of ascending the throne of Moria were very slim. When her grandfather, Duke Argon had died, Moria had passed into the hands of a deeply religious cousin Ayola, who had ceded all power to the Hierarchs of the Church of the Burning Light. This was the beginning of the Revolution of Souls. The Church of the Burning Light was now firmly entrenched in Moria. They had the support of the Holy Patriarch of the orthodox Aumazite Church and thus of all loyal Aumazites and that included, nominally at least, Duke Leon Saar of Gallia. Or had this changed?
"Three weeks ago," continued Kitten, "The Patriarch announced that he had withdrawn his support for the Church of the Burning Light. It seems conclusive proof has reached him that the Burning Light has been having congress with necromancy, though we lesser mortals can't help suspecting if that fact that many of Hierarch Jarraz's recent visions are critical of the Patriarch and his continuing tolerance of magecraft may be the real reason for these accusations. It was enough for the Duke however who immediately announced his plans to free Moria of this curse and to by the by, regain "our beloved Julia's throne". Those who underestimate our dear cunning Duke are astonished at the speed with which he has assembled an army of invasion. It is likely they will set off soon. A small city state like Gallia would be considerably enhanced by the great territory of Moria. There is even the possibility of a crown.
After this momentous news, the rest of the letter had faded into insignificance. The words "conclusive proof of necromancy" burned in my mind and wiped out all other thought. "Necromancy!" By all the Angels. The morning's dream came back to me then, the great statue with red eyes leaning hungrily over me and I began to tremble again. Even the fact that Kitten seemed to think it was all just politics was no comfort. The hungry stone woman was definitely some kind of demonic vision. If my brothers spoke true then Tasha had come into contact with a demon somewhere in Moria. And how else did demons touch this plane but through necromancy. So were her dreams proof of necromancy? The conclusion seemed obvious. The tall trees that leaned over the track suddenly seemed to loom darkly at me. This missing sister of mine, had she stumbled on some necromancer? Was she even now being used to fuel some terrible spell?
"Dion," said a voice behind me.
I almost jumped out of my skin. Then I saw it was only Parrus, Parrus Lavelle, finally come to see me.
Chapter 2
Trust Parrus to pick this highly inconvenient moment to show up.
Parrus Lavelle was the son of the local noble family, employed much against his will overseeing his family's estates while the rest of them lived in the city currying favor with the Duke of Gallia. He was also a mage and since I was the only other magic user in the district we had naturally been drawn together, with perhaps predictable results. There had been a time when I could have become seriously in love with Parrus. It had been Parrus himself who had put a stop to that. He made sure I knew that there was no future in our relationship, that it was just a physical thing. For the best really. I couldn't see any relationship surviving the fact that I had once loved and possibly still loved a demon.
For all that, our relationship had lasted for over a year. We had a kind of teasing friendship with an extra element of passion thrown in. Parrus must have at least wished me well for he was very discreet about our relationship. When I had first become involved with him I had not considered that such a course of action might lead to my disgrace and dismissal. To be a male sower of wild oats is a very fine thing, but Cardun is like every other place in this world in that the female half of this crop sowing is regarded as a scandalous whore. Fortunately - though I suspect our involvement was well known in many quarters - as long as we weren't too obvious, most eyes resolutely turned the other way.
Parrus was tall and slim and although he was a little stooped, very good looking in a rather cool way. He was wearing a new set of blue mages robes which set off his dark hair and eyes admirably. He looked startled at my reaction.
"Is something wrong?" he cried. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Oh Parrus. Yes, Yes. No. Nothing's wrong."
I made it a rule never to tell Parrus anything important, but at this point I was too churned up to be silent.
"Just a letter. Parrus, you've just been to Gallia. Is it true what they say? That the Morian Burning Light has given themselves over to necromancy?"
He looked even more surprised at this. "By the Seven, who's been writing to you?"
"Just a friend." I crushed the letter into my pocket. "So it's true then?"
Parrus shrugged. "They do say so, but as far as anyone could tell in the College of Mages it more to do with religion than magic. Perhaps you've heard of Hierarch Jarraz and how he has a statue of Karana that sends him visions and messages from God? Well you know how the church is always suspicions lest such