James P. Hogan (2 page)

“Fine,” he pronounced. Then, letting his voice rise to a showman’s tone, he went on, “As you can see, a perfectly ordinary box in every way, as deep as it is wide,” which Ronti demonstrated by turning the cabinet around on casters fitted beneath its corners. He opened the rear wall, which could now be seen as also comprising two doors, enabling a view right through, while Korshak continued, directing his words and gestures at Sultan since there was nobody else. “No false back or hidden compartments. Would anyone care to inspect the inside and satisfy themselves before we proceed further?” Sultan was following alertly but remained with his bone.

Up on the wagon, Ronti turned the cabinet to face forward again, still with both sets of doors open, and stepped into it through the front and then out through the back. Closing the rear doors behind him, he then walked back around to the front.

“Good,” Korshak told him. “Carry on. I want to see the effect from here.”

Ronti stepped into the front of the cabinet once more, but this time he turned and closed the doors. Korshak listened for any giveaway squeaks or clicks, but detected nothing. Inside the cabinet, Ronti would be opening the two top-to-floor panels that hinged out at the rear corners from shallow recesses in the side walls to meet at the central pole. Thus, they partitioned off a triangular space at the back of the cabinet, between the pole and the two rear corners, large enough to hold a man standing, or with a squeeze, two. Normally, Korshak would open the front doors at this point, but since he was down on the ground, playing the part of a spectator, Ronti let himself out the back of the cabinet, came around again, and did it for him.

The reverse surfaces of the two hinged panels – the surfaces that faced inward when the panels were in their recesses – consisted of high-quality mirrors. In the opened position, each mirror reflected an image of a silk-lined side wall, which to an observer looking in the front appeared to be the rear wall. Korshak checked carefully for correct alignments and continuity of hue. The illusion of the cabinet’s being empty was perfect. It could be used to make a person vanish, or if the preliminary see-through demonstration were omitted, to have one person walk in and a different one step out. As was his custom with all his creations, Korshak had inscribed his name cryptically into the ornamental patterning.

Mechanical illusions were Korshak’s specialty. The disappearing cabinet was his latest invention, into which he had invested his greatest skill and care. The performance would need to be his most compelling ever. He intended to steal a princess from under the eyes of her tyrannical father and a man she despised, to whom she had been promised as a bride, before an audience of courtiers and officers in the center of the royal palace. One of the problems with life tended to be that it didn’t permit any rehearsal.

Later, when they were preparing to depart, Korshak dismantled the cabinet and stowed the parts away, while Ronti attended to packing the cooking ware and harnessing the horses. By the time Korshak climbed down to close up the rear, Ronti was already up on the driver’s bench, waiting with the reins. As Korshak bolted the tailboard, a light low in the sky to the east caught his eye. It moved discernibly even as he watched, and he smiled.
Aurora
was passing over. Before very much longer now, they would be up there, too. Then he would learn real magic.

In the female quarters facing the inner court and garden of Shandrahl’s palace in the center of Escalos, Vaydien arched her back defiantly against the wall of her private chambers. “
Never!
My father can force me to marry you, yes – through fear for my life, in the same way that he threatens all who would defy him. But don’t expect me to declare subservience to the House of Erendred. Let nobody believe that this was by my choice.”

Zileg, crown prince and heir to lordship over the neighboring land of Urst, regarded her in the amused way that one might have shown to a hissing kitten. He was tall and powerful in build, and with his dark eyes, rich mane of black hair, and tapered mustache, handsome too in terms of looks; but his vanity and arrogance repelled her, and in cruelty he could equal either of the two rulers.

“A spirited child. I like that. But do you seriously believe that anyone is interested in
your
preferences? Your place is to serve a purpose in a greater scheme of things than your understanding of the world could grasp. Don’t ever forget it.”

Vaydien shook her head despairingly. “My role is to create an illusion of trust between your people and mine until Shandrahl has prepared his ground, and it suits him to betray you. Just as it suited him to get rid of my mother when she had served her purpose. Are you really too blind to see it?”

Anger flashed in Zileg’s eyes. He moved a step forward, his hand rising reflexively. “Be careful how you speak to your future sovereign. I see that a proper sense of respect and decorum is also something that you need to learn.”

Vaydien presented her cheek. “Go on! Today I am still Shandrahl’s daughter. Strike her if you dare.”

Zileg hesitated, then drew back with a snort. “A week from now you will be mine. Then we’ll see. I shall take pleasure in breaking that insolence of yours.”

“Is that your idea of sport? Abusing women. A man worthy of the name would find greater contest.”

Zileg’s face whitened, and for a moment Vaydien thought he would be unable to restrain himself further. Then he turned away abruptly, and seeing the vase of flowers that she had been working on when he entered, crushed several of the heads savagely in his hand. “There will be no time for such idle distractions when you become part of Erendred’s household,” he told her. “You will be at my side at the banquet tonight. I would advise you to use the time until then profitably by reflecting on the wisdom of your ways.” With that, he strode darkly from the room.

Vaydien waited until she heard the outer door to her chambers close, and only then closed her eyes and allowed herself to exhale shakily. While the pounding in her chest gradually abated, she removed the mangled blooms and leaves from the vase and did her best to repair the arrangement.

Zileg had arrived from Urst three days previously with a cavalry troop from the regiment that he commanded, to take his bride-to-be back for the wedding. His intention was to be seen bringing her back to his future realm in a style befitting their rank, riding to drums and trumpets in a carriage provided by the ruler of Arigane, led and flanked by a picked escort bearing his own colors. As custom dictated, Shandrahl would not be present to contest Erendred’s status at the ceremony, but would arrive to join in the celebrations in the days following. In the meantime, he would be hosting a banquet and entertainments in Zileg’s honor that evening, before sending the couple on their way tomorrow. He had no compunction about using his daughter as a bargaining chip to buy stability in the shorter term where politically expedient. Vaydien shuddered at the images that ran through her mind of the kind of life which that would portend. But there could be no escape from it now.

Unless…

Unless she could believe the things that Korshak had told her…. But no. That had been long ago. Time had run out. Things like that had no place in her thoughts now.

A slight sound from the outer room of her chambers caught her ear – as if made by someone moving stealthily. Vaydien stopped what she was doing and crossed warily to the open doorway. Leetha, her younger half-sister, was poised at the outer door, in the act of turning the handle to let herself out.

“
Brat!
” Vaydien exploded. What are you doing in here? Have you been spying on me?”

Leetha responded by brazening things out. “Do you know what, Vaydien? You’re stupid! I have more common sense and know more about reality than you ever will. Even at my age I’d make Zileg a better wife, because I can recognize a good thing when I see it.”

Vaydien was too exhausted after her confrontation with Zileg to be up to taking on another one. “You don’t understand….”

Leetha shook her head incredulously, golden curls swirling above her pale green gown. “I don’t understand
you
. What kind of woman would spoil a future like that? To be the wife of a dashing, fine-looking military officer, who could one day be the most powerful ruler in the entire region. If you weren’t the first in line… It isn’t fair. Ugh! It makes me so angry.”

Vaydien sighed tiredly. Leetha was as blind as Zileg, but at least she had the excuse of being young. If the truth were known, Leetha very likely
was
destined to become a powerful lady in the land one day – but not as the wife of Zileg. If Vaydien guessed their father’s designs correctly, Zileg would be discarded when Erendred’s domain was overrun to become a part of Arigane, which was why he was being set up now with a wife who would be expendable. Leetha’s mother would have no argument with that. Getting Vaydien out of the way to clear the way for her own daughter’s future would suit her very well indeed.

But talk along such lines would be shameful and unbecoming – as well as futile. Before Vaydien could respond, a soft knock sounded on the door. She turned her head toward it. “Yes?”

“Mirsto.”

“Yes, of course.”

The door opened to admit a portly, aging, white-haired, bearded figure, clad in a blue robe. As the court physician, Mirsto was one of the few males permitted free access to this part of the palace. Even Zileg had overstepped protocol in entering – but Vaydien had expected nothing better. Mirsto gave Leetha an admonishing look.

“Do you need to be here right now? Your sister has a lot to do today, preparing for tonight and then leaving tomorrow. She should be getting some rest.”

“She doesn’t deserve —” Leetha began, but Vaydien cut in.

“We were just talking. Leetha was about to leave anyway.” Vaydien shifted her eyes. “Weren’t you?”

A moment passed. Leetha seemed reluctant to move. “Vaydien and I do have private matters to discuss,” Mirsto told her pointedly. She took in the look on his face, sniffed, and let herself out with a haughty toss of her curls. Mirsto moved to close the door behind her.

Vaydien let several seconds pass, releasing her tension in a long, drawn-out breath. Mirsto reached out and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. The gesture was well-meant, Vaydien knew, but it felt empty. “I saw her follow Zileg in,” Mirsto explained. “It seemed better to wait until he’d left.”

Vaydien could feel her eyes moistening with tears of frustration and helplessness. “I’m being sacrificed to Shandrahl’s ambitions, just as my mother was. Nothing but evil rules the world. Is that what ended the last one?” Then she saw that Mirsto’s eyes, still sharp and bright despite his years, were twinkling. “Why do you look like that? What place can there be for mirth, on today of all days?”

“Oh, I don’t know that it’s
all
evil,” he replied. “I seem to remember a certain young gentleman who entertained the court here some time ago, who displayed fine manners and principles. He knew of wondrous people who talked of building a new world. And he promised one day to come back, I do recall.”

Vaydien stared at him searchingly, as if fearing a poor joke. “At this late hour. How could it be?”

“There is talk of surprise entertainment at the banquet tonight. And he was extremely well-received the last time.”

“You really believe it could be possible?” Vaydien whispered. Mirsto led the way through to the rear room where she had been before, with the large windows opening out to the garden of the inner court. His voice took on a more serious and confidential tone.

“I’ve had reports from the town. His wagon arrived in the hills above Escalos the day before yesterday.”

Just when Vaydien had given up hope. She found herself trying to laugh, but it wouldn’t come. Her head was a whirl of feelings and emotions jostling to try and form themselves into something coherent. “It seems impossible. And yet, everything he did seemed impossible….” Coming back into the room, she stopped suddenly, staring at the empty table.

“What?” Mirsto asked her.

Vaydien gestured. “There was a vase of flowers right here only a moment ago. I was working on it.” She looked from side to side, at a loss.

Mirsto’s countenance wrinkled into a smile. “I rather think I feel magical influences at work already.” He moved forward and peered around. “Ah!” Vaydien followed his gaze. The vase was a short distance away outside, standing on a rock amid the shrubbery bordering the pool. Several bright red flowers that hadn’t been there before filled the gaps left by the damaged ones. Vaydien stared incredulously.

“You’d better go and investigate,” Mirsto advised. “It seems he’s found the one place where your father’s agents won’t be watching. I’ll stand guard for you in the other room. If anyone comes, I’ll tell them you’re resting.”

Besides being a part of Korshak’s stock-in-trade, finding out things that people were not supposed to know formed an irrepressible side to his nature. Investigations pursued in the course of earlier visits had revealed the tunnel built beneath Shandrahl’s palace to provide a way out in the event of an emergency. It seemed that fears of danger and treachery came as constant companions with lives dedicated to amassing wealth and power. The tunnel gave access to the inner court and royal quarters, and had a side passage connecting to the servants’ quarters, where Korshak and Ronti had been directed on their arrival. As well as providing its intended means of escape, therefore, the tunnel also afforded a convenient way in.

Korshak crouched in the shrubbery by the pool outside the windows, and smiled to himself at the consternation visible within over the vanished vase of flowers. A more conventional way of announcing himself wouldn’t have been consistent with his style. He watched as eventually Mirsto spotted the vase on its rock near to where Korshak was hidden, said something to Vaydien and pointed, and then left the room. Looking mystified, while at the same time rapt in wonder, Vaydien moved to the windows, opened one of them, and emerged. She came forward slowly, searching from side to side with her eyes, not moving her head too visibly, and followed a narrow path to a bower screened by the shrubbery, where a seat faced out toward the pool.