Midnight Quest (35 page)

A loud bang resonated around the room, as if someone had just slammed a hand against the desk. “The girl’s right. Armsman, are the Ramathan Priestess talking about?”

“I am,” Rialt drawled from behind her.

“How long before troops arrive here?”

“Jewel says six months at most for the barrier to fail. I say, there be already weak spots. If they be no at your doorstep by early next spring, I will eat my boots.”

That made the room explode with noise. Jewel grimaced, her head jerking back at the wave of sound. Really, why did people
yell
like this? No one communicates at the top of their voice.

The mallet slammed down again, three times in sharp concession. “Colonel Beld, do share this military assessment?”

The same man that asked Rialt his opinion answered, “Not sure about the timing, as need more intel to form a good opinion, but Ramathan’s right in the way Daath troops come down. More than goods can come down the river.”

“For the sake of Veris’s future in trade, we need a larger bridge,” Chantel stated in a firm voice that echoed in every corner of the room. “For the sake of Veris’s people, we
must
tear down the old bridge so that we can move the crystal.”

The chairman gave a lusty sigh. “Priestess, it is not as simple as claim. It’s not just a matter of removing the old bridge. A very large, specialized crew will be needed to move that crystal from its position.”

“No,” Jewel refuted with a quirky smile playing at her mouth. “We won’t need more than a few men for the job. Chantel and I can handle the rest.”

For once, her remarks were met with incredulous silence instead of an outbreak of noise.

“Priestess,” Colonel Beld ventured slowly, “how will just two women manage?”

“I moved the Ramathan crystal by myself,” she informed him smugly. “The High Priestess of Bryn and I moved the Bryn crystal by ourselves. I assure you, with our ability, we can move the crystal. All we’ll need is some climbing harnesses and a few men to help lower us down and back up again. Moving the crystal is not
your
problem. That is our task. All we ask you to do is deal with the bridge.”

A ponderous silence fell. Jewel dearly wished she could ask either Chantel or Rialt for a summary of everyone’s reactions as just listening to them breathe didn’t really tell her much.

Finally, the chairman said, “A vote is in order. For all that vote to build a new bridge?”

Fabric moved in near sync, so close that Jewel couldn’t count the different sounds quickly enough. At her best guess, she thought at least five raised their hands.

“Opposed?”

Another swish of fabric, too swift for her to peg. Six this time, perhaps?

“Six for and six against. As Chairman, will break the tie. While do not like the sudden expense of a new bridge, it is true this council
has
been discussing the need for it for the past several years.  Do not see why cannot adjust to prevent future problems. Vote that abide by Priestess Moltabon’s proposal. Motion granted. Let the record reflect that the motion was carried by a seven to six majority. Priestess Moltabon, request attendance for an emergency meeting this afternoon to discuss the timetable for this project.”

“Of course, Chairman,” Chantel responded, practically oozing charm.

The mallet struck squarely. “This session is dismissed.”

Chapter Twenty-three

There were times when Jewel didn’t need eyes, ears, or any tactile sense to tell her the mood of a person. Even without them saying a word she could tell what they were feeling.

Chizeld came in with all of the presence of an encroaching storm. He didn’t slam the door open or anything of that nature, but his boot heels had a sharper rhythm than usual and the way he moved indicated that he was furious and trying to control it.

She had been discussing a list of needed supplies with Rialt and Sarvell but at his entrance into her room, she paused. “Chizeld?”

His breath hissed out between clenched teeth. “Jewel. Not good news.”

Biting back a wince, she gestured him into a nearby chair. “Alright, I’m braced. What did you discover?”

“Not just Warlord Huero that ordered Guard home,” he informed her curtly. “Three other councilors did as well.”

Now she
did
wince. “So that’s how they did it.”

“Lass, care to explain?”

“If, for any reason, the high priestess is indisposed or not there to give orders, the council in Thornock has the power to do so,” she explained. “But only
if
at least four councilors sign the orders. They must have caught my predecessor at a moment when she was technically unable to give orders.”

“Eh, and they be belike the reason why she could no give ‘em,” Rialt grumbled darkly.

“Most likely,” Chizeld agreed. “Gets worse. While there, investigated the state of the whole guard. Out of one hundred, only fifteen are trustworthy.”

“Fifteen,” Sarvell said painfully neutral.

“Fifteen,” Chizeld bit off. “And out of those, two should have already been retired!”

Jewel stood up to pace in an agitated circle around the table. “This is not good. The Rounsefell Center is
the
origin for most of the Red Guard. If a priestess is unable to recruit armsmen from her own territory, it’s here that she turns. With four new high priestesses called…”

“Everyone will need to call at least some armsmen,” Sarvell finished on a long groan. “Alright. How should we handle this?”

Jewel thought about it for a moment but no immediate answer came to her. “I don’t know. Elahandra didn’t mention a word of this to me. That could mean that this problem can wait until after we’ve got the crystals back in place. Or that could mean that she’s designated someone else to take care of the problem.”

A long silence descended on the room as everyone pondered the situation.

“Chizeld…” Rialt ventured slowly. “You said you found fifteen. How could you tell? You have only been at it two days.”

“Some had mantels, the rest didn’t.”

“Ho. So it would be a simple matter to dismiss the bad ‘uns.”

“Yes, quite simple with Jewel’s authority.”

“Lass, why no at least clean house while we be here?” Rialt suggested. “Otherwise, when yon priestesses call in for help, they will get the bad with the good.”

That would help at least a little. She blew out a breath. “Alright. I think we should send couriers to the others as well and tell them what the situation is here.”

“A good thought,” Rialt endorsed. “So, clean house today, ride tomorrow?”

“Now that the plan’s been approved, I don’t see why not. Sarvell, go shopping with Rialt and make sure that we have everything. I’ll go with Chizeld to the Center. While I’m out, I’ll pick up more money from the temple here.”

“We
are
a bit light in the purse,” Sarvell agreed. “Alright.”

Rialt was not so easily convinced. “You sure there be no danger?”

“If a Guard raised a hand against a priestess, Elahandra would strike the man dead on the spot,” Chizeld assured him. “Assuming this sword didn’t find first.”

“Good man. Still if the dastards give you trouble, come straight back.”

Jewel didn’t think there was anything to worry about. Chizeld was right. The day that a priestess had to fear her own guard, well…such a day didn’t exist. Elahandra really
would
strike them dead if they tried.

She stood and extended her hand to Chizeld. “Let’s go.”

~*~*~*~

The Red Guard Center had a prime location near the center of Rounsefell. Since Chantel’s home did as well, they only had to walk a short distance before reaching the right building. Chizeld charitably gave her a quick description of the place as they walked up the front steps—a simple three story structure made of brick, stretching out in a cross formation. She could hear sounds of men training and the clash of metal and wood coming from the back of the complex. Not unusual for a Guard to be training in the middle of the day.

The moment they entered through the door, the air went from being pleasantly warm to slightly cool. This building had stone floors from the sound of it, but the way it grated against the heel of her shoes told her that they weren’t polished floors. This place had been built for practicality and not show.

“Sanhan Lorin,” a young male voice nervously greeted. “Are, ah, not done with inspection?”

“Ihan,” Chizeld coolly returned. “Inspection is finished. This woman is High Priestess Jewel Jomadd. Priestess will now address the Guard. Have everyone gather in the main hall.
Now.
”

“Yes, sir!” the Ihan nervously yelped before scrambling away.

From the way that poor young man had reacted, it was like he feared Chizeld would start ripping limbs off. Her head cocked a little to the side. “Chizeld, I didn’t know you could be scary,” Jewel commented in bemusement.

“Can be
very
scary with incompetent louts,” he growled menacingly. “These men’s irresponsible behavior nearly got Priestess killed.”

Seen like that…alright, maybe he had just cause to be enraged with them. Actually, the reminder of it made her rather mad as well. “Well, let’s go to the hall, shall we?”

“First must deal with Commander,” Chizeld corrected. “That man is the most corrupt and will cause trouble if left alone.”

True. “Alright, then lead me to him.”

He led her straight down the hall and to the very back area, or at least it sounded that way. After a turn and a few more steps, Chizeld stopped and yanked open a door. “Commander Shariva.”

“Sanhan Lorin!” the commander barked out, chair scraping on the wood floor as the man jerked to his feet. “A Sanhan has no authority to be turning this center upside down like this!”

Unfazed, Chizeld calmly introduced, “Before you is Jewel Jomadd, Guardian of the Barrier and the High Priestess of Ramath.”

Commander Shariva made a sound like he had just choked on his own words and didn’t quite like the taste of them.

Jewel looked straight ahead to where the man stood, and made her voice cold. “Commander Shariva, you have abused your position here. You have allowed a political power to manipulate this Order.”

“Priestess—” he started desperately, no doubt sensing where this was going.

“Your actions fed
me
to the wolves,” she snarled, temper flaring. “You will not be forgiven for this. As of this moment you are stripped of your rank and dismissed, never to again serve Elahandra in
any
capacity.”

“Priestess, there were circumstances—”

“Circumstances?” she repeated. For the first time in her life, she felt like she needed a weapon of some sort in hand. This anger had no channel for her. Well, maybe strangling the idiot would help. “You are supposed to be beyond reproach. Your first duty is always with the high priestess and Order of Elahandra. Instead, you allowed Thornock to
buy you
and dictate the actions of this center, something that they should
never
have been allowed to do. No
circumstances
can excuse such behavior. You are dismissed, Commander.”

“But—”

Her voice turned glacial. “Do not make me repeat myself again.”

He fell into angry silence, breath whooshing in deep rasps. She had no pity on him. “You are allowed one hour to pack before you must leave. Make use of your time. Chizeld?”

Her armsman turned her around and guided her back out of the room and into the hallway. “Main hall?” she asked him.

Without a word, Chizeld guided her there. She gained the impression that it was near the heart of the building, and the sound gained a deeper echo the further they walked.

Several men had beat them to the hall. They were talking in nervous tones with each other but at her and Chizeld’s entrance fell instantly silent. In fact, the silence of the room was such that even her breathing sounded loud in her ears.

She took up station near one wall, ears trained on the people in the room. In mere minutes, groups of people filed in. Tugging on Chizeld’s sleeve to get his attention, she motioned for him to come down to her level before whispering, “How many are here?”

“All one hundred,” he responded quietly.

“Good.” By heavens, she didn’t enjoy this situation, but it needed to be done. Straightening her spine, she lifted her chin and took two steps forward. She pitched her voice to reach every corner of the room. “Gentlemen, I am Jewel Jomadd. I am the woman that you failed to protect from Belthain’s ministers and their machinations. I am well aware that some of you had no idea of what was happening and simply followed orders. I am also aware that most of you
did
know and obeyed those orders anyway.”

“Priestess—” a man near her desperately started.

She silenced him with a sharp chop of her hand. “I will not hear excuses. I am going to move among you. If I touch you and ask that you step toward the front, do so. Bort?”

The dog nuzzled at her hand and she placed it more firmly on his head as he guided her footsteps so that she didn’t knock into anyone. Jewel didn’t need sight to know who were the fifteen that Chizeld mentioned. She could feel the mantel of authority clearly on each man. But she couldn’t feel the rest of them, and it was only the sound of their breathing and their body heat that gave her any indication of where people stood. No one dared to make a sound otherwise, no doubt fearfully watching her every move. They had no idea, after all, if the men she touched were in trouble or not.

It took some time for her to move among them, touching each one on the chest or shoulder and quietly asking for them to move. When she’d touched the last one, murmurs started up in different areas of the room. They no doubt now had at least a suspicion of why she’d singled those men out.

Cautious, she decided to move back to Chizeld’s side before saying anything else. “Bort, back to Chizeld,” she directed.

The dog obediently turned her around and guided her back to her armsman.

Chizeld touched her shoulder when she came within range then gently put a hand at the small of her back in support. She actually appreciated the gesture, as it eased her mind to know exactly where he stood. Drawing in a breath to quell her nervousness, she raised her voice and loudly announced, “Those of you that I did not touch are dismissed from the Guard. You are never to serve the Order again. Leave.”