Beyond the Boundary Stones (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 3) (3 page)

She stood at Vigorre’s side as he exchanged embraces with his siblings and nieces and nephews. After they moved off she concentrated on smiling and nodding to the rest of the long line of people who came to congratulate him. After a while his hand reached to clasp hers. She squeezed it in return, a thrill going through her at the warmth of his touch. He maintained the contact while he exchanged greetings with dozens of well-wishers.

Abruptly he released her hand and went still. He nodded, carefully formal, at the next person in line. The man was dressed in the robe of a Keeper, but his was plain black, in contrast to the ornately embroidered robes Vigorre and his father wore. Vigorre extended his hand. “Keeper Yoran.”

Nirel stiffened. This was Yoran Lirolla, leader of the Purifiers in Ramunna? She’d heard a great deal about him, both from Vigorre and from Elder Davon, but she’d never seen him before.

Yoran clasped Vigorre’s offered hand. “Welcome to our number, Keeper Vigorre. It’s a privilege to serve beside one whose devotion to the Mother is so strong.”

Vigorre inclined his head. “It will be my privilege to work with you and the other Keepers.”

Yoran leaned a little closer and lowered his voice. “Some of my colleagues have informed me that you’ve approached them with questions about Purifier doctrine. If you want to learn about our way of honoring the Mother, I’d be happy to meet with you and try to satisfy your curiosity. The Purifier path is austere and demanding compared to more conventional ways, but the rewards are immense.”

Vigorre licked his lips and glanced at his father, who was observing the exchange with a carefully neutral expression. “I—might take you up on that offer. There are certain Purifier beliefs I find myself drawn to, but I need to know more before I make any binding decision.”

Nirel gulped. If Vigorre chose to join the harsh, judgmental, intolerant Purifiers, it would be her fault. At Elder Davon’s bidding she’d told him a lie about Tevenar’s wizards that confirmed the worst of the Purifiers’ prejudices. She hated to think that Vigorre might feel compelled to ignore all the things he despised about the Purifiers in order to support them in their opposition to the wizards, but he seemed terribly likely to do just that. And she could never admit the truth to him. Not without betraying her commitment to the Lord of Justice and his Faithful.

Yoran smiled and released Vigorre’s hand. “Contact me tomorrow and we can set up a time to meet. I’ll be delighted to—”

He broke off as a commotion arose on the far side of the porch. People were staring out to sea and pointing. Excited voices rose, calling others to look. One voice sounded above the rest. “It’s the
Verinna
!”

Nirel jerked around, her heart going cold. Beside her Vigorre matched her movement. His hand reached for hers. “It’s all right,” he murmured in her ear. “You have nothing to fear from the wizards. I’ll keep you safe.”

He didn’t know the real reason the approach of the Matriarch’s ship set her trembling. She didn’t actually fear the wizards. But if Elder Davon’s plan had succeeded, no wizard would be aboard, and Ramunna and Tevenar would soon be plunged into war.

Keeper Emirre turned to his wife. “The Matriarch will desire my presence when the ship docks. If it brings us wizards from across the sea, the Mother’s representative should be there to greet them.”

Nirel knew Vigorre had passed along her false tale to his father, but if he harbored the doubts about the wizards her story had been designed to provoke, he gave no sign. He was reserved, though, not as enthusiastic as might be expected about the imminent return of powers that had been lost to Ramunna and all of Ravanetha for a thousand years.

Nathenarre made a face. “They would choose to arrive now. I suppose Vigorre’s reception can be delayed a few hours.”

Emirre turned to Vigorre. “Would you like to come with me?”

Longing was plain on Vigorre’s face, but he shook his head. “Nirel can’t risk being seen.”

“Of course. Take our carriage and escort her home. I expect her people will want to remain inconspicuous while the wizards are here.” He inclined his head to Nirel and extended an arm to Nathenarre. “Come, dear.”

She took his arm and they swept down the broad stairs toward the road that led to the docks. Several other Keepers fell in with them.

Vigorre turned to Yoran, who studied the approaching ship. “Excuse me, Keeper. I’ll be in touch to set up that meeting.”

Yoran tore his eyes away from the ship for a moment. “Good. It’s more important now than ever.”

Vigorre’s face was grim. “Yes.” He turned away and urged Nirel toward the doors of the Temple. “The carriage is waiting out back.”

Nirel resisted. Elder Davon needed to know as soon as possible whether or not a wizard had arrived. “Wait. You’re right; I can’t let a wizard see me, but I need to find out if one’s come. Ozor will want to know.”

He frowned but let her pull him toward the stairs. “Are you sure? It seems awfully risky. Let me take you home, and I’ll bring word as soon as I find out.”

She shook her head. “I can’t wait that long. Is there somewhere we can watch the docks without being seen?”

“Maybe the park. It will be packed with people trying to catch a glimpse of the wizards.” He was still reluctant, but she knew he must want to watch the ship dock almost as much as she did.

“That sounds perfect. Come on.”

The threaded their way hand in hand through the crowds surging toward the harbor. Vigorre’s Keeper robe received respectful deference when it was noticed. Nirel took advantage of it to win them a place against the railing that rimmed the park, at the top of a sharp rocky drop to the water. They had a clear view of the dock, but she’d be only one among a sea of faces to anyone on the ship.

She leaned over the railing, straining to see. It was unmistakably the
Verinna
. Nirel had sailed across the ocean beside Captain Yosiv’s ship and was intimately familiar with its appearance. She sighed in frustration as she spotted a many-oared pilot boat going out to meet the vessel. She remembered how long it took the smaller boat to tow the great ship in to the dock. They might be stuck here for hours.

But much sooner than that, as the ship drew gradually nearer and swung around to maneuver into its berth, she gasped and jerked back. “Smash it!”

Vigorre’s arms went around her protectively. “What?”

Nirel pressed against him. Of all the wizards in Tevenar, why did it have to be that one? She pointed at a cluster of people and animals standing in the bow of the ship. “Does that look like a donkey to you?”

Vigorre peered across the water. “I guess so. Why?”

Nirel bit back more curses. Beside the small grey donkey stood a lanky figure with a mop of curly brown hair. “It’s Josiah.”

Vigorre tightened his arm around her shoulders, his voice warmly humorous. “You know the donkey?”

Nirel shook her head impatiently. “Yes. His name is Sar, he’s a wizard’s familiar. He used to belong to Elkan. See that tall man with the long black hair? But now I think he’s Josiah’s. Or at least, I saw them doing magic together once. They tried to stop our ship when we were escaping.”

Vigorre went rigid and still. His voice dropped to a whisper. “One of their demons.”

Nirel swallowed and nodded. She hated the lie, but the Faithful’s hopes rested on Vigorre and the other Keepers believing it.

Vigorre pointed, trembling in a way Nirel suspected was due more to anger than fear. “And that huge cat-thing? Is that another?”

“Yes.” Tobi hadn’t been bonded to a wizard when Nirel had known her, but maybe that had changed. “It attacked me once.” That was true, although Josiah had assured her she’d never been in any danger. “I was lucky to escape.”

Vigorre’s hand clamped around her wrist. “I’m getting you away from here.”

“No, wait.” As the ship progressed, Nirel could see the cluster of figures more clearly. “Look, there’s Kevessa and her father.”

Vigorre glowered at the ship. “Do you see any other wizards?”

Nirel studied the ship for another long moment, then sighed. “No. I guess Guildmaster Dabiel only sent the two of them.”

“Two of those foul creatures and their slaves are more than enough.” Vigorre drew on her arm more insistently. “Please, Nirel. They know you know their secret. We can’t risk them finding out you’re here.”

Nirel let him pull her away from the railing and lead her back through the crowd. “No. They can’t ever know.” She let her voice shake. “Please, take me home.”

Vigorre used all his new Keeper authority to clear a path through the throng, barking commands at anyone slow to get out of their way. As soon as he dropped her off in the village where the refugees from Tevenar made their home, she’d walk back to the city and go to the hidden shrine in the Dualist Quarter. Elder Davon wouldn’t like her report, but he needed to know his plan had failed. Wizards had returned to Ravanetha.

Three

J
osiah wound his fingers in Sar’s mane and gaped at the huge city sprawling down the slopes that encircled the bay. Gevan and Kevessa had told him about Ramunna, but the reality surpassed his most extravagant attempt to picture what they’d described. It really was at least three times as big as Elathir. That must be the Matriarch’s palace off to the left, but the crag was far steeper and higher than Josiah had expected, and the castle at its peak larger and more elaborate. He’d harbored private skepticism that anyone would cover a whole dome in gold, even if it was a temple dedicated to worshipping the Mother. Yet there it was, just across the waves, shining brilliantly even in the weak late winter sun. And up at the top of the central hill the buildings of the University were as grand and numerous as Gevan had said. Josiah marveled at the thought of enough people to fill those spacious halls all busily engaged in learning and discovering new things. If they were all as smart as Gevan, it must be the most amazing place in the world.

Kevessa grinned at him and nervously stroked Nina. The gray squirrel nestled in her arms and peered at the approaching shore. “What do you think?” she asked.

“It’s incredible,” Josiah said with complete honesty. “Bet you’re glad to be home.”

“Yes.” Kevessa’s agitated fingers belied her words.

Vast numbers of people crowded the shore. The only clear spot was the dock itself, where a group of blue-clad men held back the onlookers from a cluster of richly dressed people. Kevessa pointed to the figure in their midst, a woman dressed in a voluminous skirt like Kevessa’s, though even more ornate. “The Matriarch.”

“She’s not wasting any time.” Josiah tried to keep his voice light, but it was hard. Gevan had assured them that the Matriarch would agree to the bargain he’d made in her name and send shiploads of desperately needed food to Tevenar as soon as they could be loaded. But he’d also warned them that she could be capricious and cruel. Everything depended on them satisfying her that they actually possessed the healing powers that could cure her barrenness and help her conceive an heir to the Matriarchy of Ramunna.

Kevessa lifted Nina and buried her face in the squirrel’s soft fur. “I hope whatever Master Elkan’s got planned pleases her.”

Josiah glanced at his master. Elkan stood at the prow of the ship, wearing his brown wizard’s cloak, one hand on the rail, the other resting on Tobi’s head. The mountain cat loomed at his side with all the dignity and menace she could project when she wanted, although Josiah knew she was as playful and lazy as a housecat. Beside them Kevessa’s father Gevan, dressed in the silk and velvet of Ramunnan high fashion, leaned close to murmur last minute advice.

The ship bumped against the pier. Sailors threw ropes to dockworkers who made them fast. Much sooner than Josiah expected the ramp was extended from the ship to the dock and Gevan gestured for them to follow him ashore.

Josiah swallowed.
Ready to meet the Matriarch, Sar?

The donkey flicked an ear.
She’s a person like any other, one of the Mother’s children. There’s no reason to be intimidated.

That was easy for Sar to say. But it did help to remember that for all the ceremony that surrounded her, the Matriarch was essentially the same as Master Dabiel, the former Guildmaster of the Wizards' Guild and leader of Tevenar, who Josiah had been close to before her death, or Master Hanion, the current holder of that position. In fact, if things had fallen out differently, Elkan might have been elected Guildmaster, and though Josiah greatly respected his master, he certainly wouldn’t ever be intimidated by him. Taking courage from the thought, Josiah followed Gevan and Elkan across the ramp.

The solid dock seemed to sway beneath his feet. He clutched Sar for balance. Either his familiar was less affected by their two months aboard ship, or his four legs kept him steady nevertheless, because Sar was his usual sturdy self. Josiah moved out of Kevessa’s way and planted his feet just behind and to the right of Elkan. Everyone’s eyes devoured the two wizards, none more so than the Matriarch’s, whose gaze was dark and intense in her heavily painted face.

Gevan swept her an elaborate Ramunnan bow, with a dramatic flourish of his plumed hat. Next to him, Kevessa sank into a deep curtsey. He’d instructed Elkan and Josiah that as ambassadors of a foreign power they should use the forms native to their home, so Elkan inclined his head as he would have done to the Guildmaster, and Josiah followed suit.

“Matriarch, allow me to present Master Elkan Farmerkin Wizard and his apprentice Josiah Potterkin Wizard, descendants of the wizards of ancient Miarban, who wield the Mother’s power just as their ancestors did.” Gevan gestured at them. He spoke in Ramunnan, which after two months of earnest study Josiah was able to understand pretty well.

The Matriarch stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Elkan. “Show me,” she demanded. “I want to see you use the Mother’s power.”

“Gladly, your majesty,” Elkan replied. Gevan had warned them to expect something like this. Elkan put one hand on Tobi’s head and held out the other. Gold light spilled from his palm. It surrounded Gevan’s plumed hat, pulled it from his hands, and sent it to hover in front of the Matriarch.