Emperor Mage (32 page)

cage
with Zek on her back, trotted over, whistling angrily at the goddess while her
scales turned pink.

"Oh,
stop it," chided the Graveyard Hag. "She's mst a bit tired. It's only
to be expected."

"Goddess—will
you listen to me for a moment?" They had forgotten that Kaddar was also
there. When they turned to look at him, he went down on one knee.
"Please?"

The Hag
grinned cheerfully and leaned on her gnarled stick. "What have you got for
me, handsome?"

"Gracious
lady, my uncle's palace is a shambles, its treasure burning or scattered or
buried. His chief mage is dead, as are many of those mages who supported him.
There are people of good will in this realm, people who feared to cross my
uncle while he ruled. I know the gods are angry, but—please, will you stay your
hand from more destruction? Intercede for us before Mithros's court? Give us a
chance to prove our worth. I represent a secret fellowship of nobles,
academics, and merchants who genuinely wish things to change here. Carthak is
not beyond hope."

Lindhall
bowed deeply to Kaddar. "Your Imperial Majesty," he said.

"So
he is," remarked Numair, and bowed.

Daine,
after a moments hesitation, copied them, yawning. When she straightened, the
Hag fixed the girl with her one good eye. "What do you

recommend?
Seems to me, since you did the hard work, you ought to have a say."

"Give
him the chance," Daine said, fighting yet another yawn.
"Prince—Emperor Kaddar, I s'pose— he cares about the land and the people.
If you gods were only interested in destroying the empire, not saving it, you
wouldn't have waited to use me. You'd've gotten on with it."

The
Graveyard Hag grinned and looked at the badger. "You were right about
her," she said. "Sharp as a Shang blade, she is." Looking up,
she said, "Well, my brothers and sisters? What do you think? I say let's
give 'em the benefit of a doubt."

For a
moment nothing happened. Then a rich wind filled with the scent of growing
things filled the air. Overhead, thunder boomed again, a long, rolling crash
that seemed to peal forever. When it ended, rain poured down in sheets,
drenching everyone.

"Very
good," the Graveyard Hag said with approval. Gripping her cane, she
stumped over to the new emperor. "Get up," she commanded. "Silly
for a ruler to kneel in a cloudburst."

Kaddar
obeyed, looking dazed,

"I
hope your memory is better than Ozorne's, sonny," she informed him.
"I won't be ignoredl Not in my own empire! Now, give me your arm. We need
to talk."

The
young man swallowed and offered his arm

to the
goddess with a courteous bow. She took it, cackling.

"That's
more like it," she said, leading him toward the gate. "Now, don't
worry about the army and the Guard. They were told to stay put or they'd risk
the gods' wrath if they came to help your uncle tonight. By dawn they'll be
ready to go to work. Oh, wait"

She
looked back over her shoulder. "Arram, or Numair—whatever you call
yourself—put that girl to bed. She'll sleep for three days, give or take."
To Kaddar she said, "Where was 1? Now, I like fresh flowers in my temples,
and no more cheap pine incense." Her voice faded as they walked off into
the gardens.

"Three
days?" Numair asked, looking at Daine with concern.

—It
was divine power moving through her,—said the badger.

Daine
found that talk was too much work just now, as was standing. She sat and smiled
up at Numair.

—Sleep
is all she needs.—

She
smiled agreement, then hugged Kitten and a deeply unhappy, wet Zek.

—Don't
worry about the escaped menagerie animals.— The badgers voice was the last
thing she would remember as she closed her eyes. — We animal gods will see to
it that they reach their proper homes unhurt. It is the least we can do.—

EPILOGUE

When
she opened her eyes, it was raining softly outside her window. A breeze
carrying the scent of wet earth came in, to mingle with the scent of sun-dried
cotton sheets. She inhaled, smiling, and a joyful, earsplitting trill sounded
from around her feet. When she sat up, Kitten leaped forward to strike her
chest, almost knocking her back down. "Easy, Kit, easy," she
protested, laughing. "Calm down!" Zek jumped onto the bed and came to
curl up on the girl's shoulder.

"So
you're awake." Alanna came over to the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Rested."
  
Cuddling
  
dragon
  
and
  
marmoset. Daine frowned. "Weren't you
shipped back home?"

"We
were called back. You were busy to some purpose here, youngling!"

Daine
had the grace to blush and look down. "I lost my temper—"

"And
the gods did the rest. At least you're alive and well, after such an
experience!"

"Is
Carthak still going to war against us?"

Alanna
shook her head. "Kaddar's—the emperor's—ministers are signing the treaty
with Duke Gareth today. Not that the Army of the North could march in any case.
They seem to have run out of supplies that are fit to use." She lifted an
eyebrow at Daine, who blushed again.

Alanna
filled her in as the girl cleaned her teeth and dressed. She had slept for four
days, and they were in guest quarters at the university. At first they had gone
to Kaddar's mother's house. That had lasted until the princess learned the full
story of the events at the palace. Once the word got out, nothing the new
emperor could say would convince her or her servants that Daine, asleep in the
women's quarters, would not pull the villa down around her ears.

"That's
what they'll think back home, too, isn't it?" asked Daine.

Alanna
handed the girl some breeches. "Not necessarily. See, youngster, it's a
good thing that all this happened in Carthak. By the time those in Tortall hear
the tale, they'll think it's just a tale."

"Really?"
Daine asked, clinging to her friend's hand. "They won't shun me, like the
servants and the princess and all?"

"Trust
me. There will always be some who dislike you, but that's life. Over this
business?" The Champion grinned. "People like to hear tales of things
in distant realms, but they never believe them. There might be strangeness at
first, but

you'll
bt surprised how quickly they forget."

Daine
rested her head on the woman's shoulder.

"Good,"
she whispered. "I don't like the person I've

been
here."

Alanna
held her. "No one can refuse a god."

Her
voice was kind. "It's over, and you're the same

person
you've always been. Once you're home, it will

seem
like a tale even to you."

The
next day, in a break between rains, she and Numair were sitting in a garden,
watching Bonedancer, Kitten, and Zek play with brightly colored stones, when
Alanna brought Kaddar to them. He smiled hesitantly as the girl and Numair got
to their feet.

"May
I talk with you briefly?" he asked Daine. "I won't take much of your
time."

"Take
all you want, Your Imperiousness," she replied with a grin, patting the
chair next to hers.

"Here,
laddybuck," Alanna told Numair. "You come with me."

The
tall mage sighed, but didn't argue. The Champion led him back into the house.

"Sit,
please, Daine. I know you haven't been up very long." Kaddar joined her.
The new emperor was dressed simply, as he'd been on his tours with her. The
only changes she saw were a gold sunburst ring on his left index finger, and an
air of purpose. For a moment they watched the animals play.

"What
about Lindhall's Bone?" he asked. "The other dinosaurs you awoke have
vanished, but he's still here."

"I
don't know," Daine admitted. "It seems to be up to Bone."

Bonedancer
looked up at them and nodded, a trick he'd learned from Kitten.

"This
is the first time I've seen him away from Lindhall. He must like you."
Kaddar looked at his hands. "They'll be going north, too, it seems."

"Numair
mentioned it. I'm sorry," she told him. "I know you'll miss
Lindhall."

"I
offered all I could to get him to stay. Gold, books, a menagerie like your king
is building. Head of the university, or just of the School of Magecraft. He
says he's borne it here as long as he can. He wants to go north, where he won't
see another slave." He laughed shortly. "It seems his only reason for
staying this long was to help runaways out of the country!"

"Are
you surprised?" Daine asked.

"No,
not really—I had my suspicions all along. I just wish he could stay. I trust
him. I don't know about some of these other people, particularly the ministers
who served my uncle."

"Can't
you get rid of them?"

Kaddar
shook his head. "The country's already in turmoil. I need to keep a few of
the same faces around, at least until I get their measure."

"It
doesn't sound like much run. I wish you luck with it."

"I'll
need luck," Kaddar took her hand. "Daine, I found my uncle's papers.
He was going to have me arrested and charged with conspiring against him— which
means he planned to have me killed. I owe you my life. I know this will sound
trite, but I mean it: whatever you want that I can give, even to half of my
kingdom, all you need do is ask."

Daine
gave him a skeptical look. "Your ministers wouldn't like the half-kingdom
part."

He
grinned. "Actually, they want to arrest you for crimes against the
state."

"Me?"

"It
will take a year just to figure out how much we lost. We have to do a census
now, and draw up new records and tax rolls for every part of the empire."
Daine whistled, impressed. He went on, "What amazes me is that creatures
dead long before man ever walked the earth fixed on the treasury and the
imperial records, where they could do the most damage. We'll never replace it
all, and what we do replace will cost a fortune."

She
fingered the badgers claw around her neck. "I had help," she reminded
him.

"Yes,
but haven't you seen how often people look for someone to blame? Not to find a
way to keep some bad thing from repeating itself—just to blame."

"Send
them to the Graveyard Hag," Daine suggested impishly. "She'll set
them straight."

Kaddar
shuddered. "My blood runs cold at the very thought." He squeezed her
hand. "I mean what I say. I want to reward you, so think fast. Your ship
sails at dawn. I know you've no family or home of your own, so shall it be gold
or jewels? My own wealth was invested here in the city, and there are imperial
treasures all over the empire. We may not have a palace, but neither are we
poor. Name your desire."

She
stared at the dragon, marmoset, and skeleton. Bone had discovered a puddle to
splash in. "I want some humans—slaves—to be freed, with enough in their
purses to start a new life. A good life, with work they enjoy, the chance to
buy apprenticeships for their children, and proper clothes and food and such.
If they want to return to Tortall with us, they can."

"All
these things for others? Nothing for yourself?"

"No,
Kaddar. The Graveyard Hag did most of this, not me. Use whatever you might have
given me to help them that suffered in your famine."