‘And so you’ve had a vision about me?’
‘I think you have the power to move as freely and easily as you did when you were a bird,’ Roddy replied gravely.
‘Fly?’
Roddy exploded into laughter. ‘No. You don’t have wings any more!’
‘Then how?’
‘On those legs you are so proud of. I think they will carry you much faster than you can imagine.’
‘Really?’
Roddy nodded. ‘Let’s try.’
‘All right,’ Ravan said, bemused. ‘Stand back!’ he said dramatically, making Roddy grin. ‘Here goes.’ He ran and was out of Roddy’s sight within moments, but returned at immense speed, dust swirling in his wake.
‘Strike me!’ Ravan declared. ‘I’m glad you shared your vision!’
Roddy laughed loudly. ‘You were gone from sight within a blink. Have you any idea how fast you are?’
Ravan shook his head with wonder. ‘I see everything ahead in perfect clarity but everything else is a blur rushing by. I can feel the wind created by my speed. I know it’s fast.’
‘I think we can get to the forest rather quickly if you can manage me on your back.’
‘Manage? This incarnation has given me the strength of two men, I’m sure. Come on, Roddy, we have a journey to make, into the hills above the Deloran Forest.’
Loethar looked at Elka and gave her a wry smile.
‘And what am I supposed to read into that expression?’ she asked.
‘I thought you’d like to know what your two friends are discussing,’ he replied.
‘Oh, so your Valisar powers permit you to read minds or overhear from long distance, do they?’
He laughed. ‘I do like you, Elka. De Vis is a lucky man.’
‘A short one.’
He laughed deeper, genuinely amused. ‘I wish I had some of the famed Valisar magic. I have none. My only power will be borrowed if I can reach it.’
‘But why?’
He sighed. ‘You know, I’ve been beginning to ask myself the same question. I’m asking myself why about a lot lately. At least Denovians are happier under my rule.’
‘If that were true I could only be impressed.’
‘But it is true,’ he pressed.
‘No, Loethar. The Denovians were not given any choice. You might think your way has been better for them — and you could be right — but harmony is really only achieved when there is free choice.’
‘Are all Davarigons so philosophical?’
‘I’m afraid so. It’s why we keep to ourselves.’
‘In case you bore people.’
It was her turn to laugh. ‘You know, for a bloodthirsty tyrant you are also reasonable company.’
He bowed his head in a mock salute. ‘So are you interested in what I was going to share with you?’
‘I don’t suppose saying no will shut you up?’
‘No. Besides, I want to dazzle you with my insight. I’d like to show just how easy my nephew is to read and how blinded by loyalty your friend de Vis is.’ He saw her bristle. ‘Forgive me. While I’m happy to taunt them, I bear you absolutely no ill will. You have been more than fair and extremely generous. I see that I hit a sore point with my barb.’
She shrugged. ‘If I had my way I would already be back in the mountains.’
‘With or without him?’
She nodded.
‘Ah, and your head and heart are sore at this.’
‘On the surface we are ill-suited, I know. But we are a good match. Regor … or Gavriel, as I must now call him, has a blind faith in the Valisars.’
‘It is to be admired.’
‘I do admire it. But it brings only sorrow to my life.’
Loethar just nodded, watching her.
Elka gave a sad smile. ‘What are they discussing?’
‘Did you understand what they were talking about regarding the aegis for each Valisar?’
‘I followed it. It’s a horrifying concept but the more I learn about the family, the less surprised I am. Would you really bind a man to you in such a vile manner, committing him to a living death?’
‘Faris would be alive, Elka.’
‘To be alive is to have free will.’
He nodded. ‘Ah, back to that. But life is rarely fair or neat.’
‘I agree. But you two would be bound together in hate. Imagine spending the rest of your life under the protection of someone who hates you.’
He shrugged. ‘My whole life has been spent like that.’
‘I’m sad for you, Loethar. I wonder what sort of man you’d have been had you been born into the palace as the true Valisar son and heir.’
‘Quite different. Anger and the drive for revenge against the family that disowned me has sadly shaped me.’
‘You are a good ruler.’
‘I know.’
‘Even Gavriel admits it.’
‘But against all of his good sense, all his instincts and admiration for you and your sense of what is right, he will follow Leo down a dark path.’
‘Dark path?’ She frowned. ‘What does that mean?’
‘Right now, if I’m not mistaken, Leo is sharing with de Vis his plan to trammel Faris.’
‘What?’ Elka’s expression darkened.
‘I’d lay my life on it.’
She was silent a moment, considering. ‘He can’t, though,’ she finally replied, her brow knitting deeper. ‘Isn’t Faris your aegis?’
‘He can. Any aegis is available to any Valisar if we recognise him or her. It’s just that the aegis can hide relatively successfullyif he doesn’t run into his own Valisar. Faris did. And now he’s a marked man for either Leo or myself. Your friend de Vis will be drawn into the subterfuge, and once Leo trammels Faris he will kill me.’
‘I won’t permit that to —’
‘You will have no say. You will also have no weapons or even ability against an aegis. Leo will command Faris. And Faris will use magic against anyone who so much as stands up to Leo. He will be invincible against any sort of threat.’
She looked at him, aghast. ‘Would you have done the same?’
‘I am Valisar,’ he replied, vaguely embarrassed.
She gave a low, animal-like growl of fury. ‘That sort of power should not be in anyone’s lap.’
‘Well, Leo will probably argue that it’s to protect the people, return the true heir to the throne, get rid of the tyrant … he’ll have many compelling arguments. Power corrupts.’
‘Gavriel won’t agree to this.’
‘You’ve just finished telling me that Gavriel has blind faith in his role to protect Leo … the true king.’
Elka