Soarers Choice (48 page)

The
Duarch was not seated at his desk, but stood before the oak shelves on the
inside walls, as though he.had just re-. placed one of the leather-bound
volumes. Standing, he remained a towering presence, but his shimmering black
hair was disarrayed, and there were circles under the deep violet eyes. While
the Duarch still radiated Talent, Dainyl noted that now that the shadowmatch
was gone, Khelaryt’s Talent seemed only slightly more impressive than Zelyert’s
had.

On
the Duarch’s desk was a single large crystal, absolutely clear. Beyond the desk
and crystal, through the narrow floor-to-ceiling windows on the outer walls,
the sunken garden looked gray, half-veiled by the mist that was rapidly being
replaced by a full-fledged fog.

“Sir.”
Dainyl bowed, then straightened, waiting.

“You
haven’t seen the crystal before, have you? It’s useful for turning malign
Talent energies against the user ... or for identifying strange energies. As
you know, it was not necessary ... earlier.” Khelaryt smiled, warmly, although
the warmth was even more superficial than on their past meetings. “You have an
urgent message?”

“More
like unfortunate news, sir. On my return from Dereka, after I had inspected and
briefed Fifth Company, High Alector Zelyert summoned me to his private study,
charged me with incompetence, and then attacked me.”

Khelaryt
nodded slowly. “Since you are here, and he is not, the outcome is obvious. I
cannot say that I am surprised that he would act so. I am mildly astonished at
the outcome. You apparently have some abilities beyond the apparent.”

Dainyl
decided to ignore that point. “I have also learned that he has been traveling
to Ludar and that he has been in rather close touch with High Alector Ruvryn.
You are doubtless aware of that, but you may not be aware that even more
Cadmian rifles manufactured in Faitel have turned up, this time in the hands of
the mountain brigands to the southwest of Soupat, and that Ruvryn has
apparently attempted to blame a delay in copper shipments on the events in
Soupat. He also charged me with delaying tin shipments when he had already
closed the mines some time earlier. At least, those were the offenses which
Zelyert laid at my feet.”

Khelaryt
had not been watching Dainyl, but the crystal, which had turned a misty green
from its previous clear color.

“Very
interesting. Your Talent is mixed, as if you were part ancient and part
alector. That cannot be, of course. There are warnings about green alectors
...”

“You
know the reason for that, sir. When I was wounded in Hyalt...”

“That
is certainly part of the reason, Dainyl. Tell me. Do you wish to be Duarch?
High Alector of Justice?”

“No,
sir. I have no desire to be Duarch. I’m too direct, and I know too little.
Lystrana would be far better at it than I.”

Khelaryt
glanced at the crystal, clear once more. “My daughters have been in touch
recently. They both have sent the same message. Both urge me to trust you and
to use you as necessary. On the other hand, every single High Alector, except
Chembryt, distrusts you. Who should I believe?”

“Yourself,
sir. Others can only advise you, and all have their own interests at heart.”

“And
you do not?”

“I
have my own interests as well, sir. I’d like to think that they are far less
injurious to you and to the fate of Acorus.”

“What
are your interests, Dainyl? To be High Alector of Justice?”

“I
had not thought of that until this morning, sir, after I was forced to deal
with Zelyert.” Dainyl smiled apologetically. “He accused me of being an
imbecile and arrogant. I suppose that I am ignorant and arrogant, because my
feeling has always been that the duty of the High Alector of Justice is to be
just and because I believe that I certainly could handle the duties of being
High Alector of Justice at least as well as Zelyert did.”

“What
would you do if I did not name you High Alector?”

“Continue
to do my best as Marshal of Myrmidons. Resign if you requested it.”

Khelaryt
laughed ruefully. “Zelyert was the imbecile ... or the arrogant one. You are
one of the loyal ones. You did not seek Shastylt’s title and responsibilities.
You only sought to do what you thought best. In the end, that made you a threat
to both of them. That has all too often been the case.” He laughed again. “As
matters now stand, I am the only one to whom you do not pose a threat.”
Khelaryt paused, frowning.

Dainyl
managed to keep a pleasant expression on his face as he realized that despite
the Duarch’s words, Khelaryt was concerned about Dainyl being a threat.

“In
time, anyone can be a threat, but your loyalty says much about you,” the Duarch
continued. “I believe you understand that as well. But you cannot remain as
Marshal of Myrmidons.”

“Sir?”

“There
is no one among the High Alectors who is strong enough to be your superior,
Dainyl. We are not exactly blessed with an abundance of alectors with ability
and great Talent.” Khelaryt frowned again. “The green sheen to your Talent
poses another problem, but for the moment, we will avoid that problem by noting
that you will be occupied in learning your new duties as High Alector of
Justice. During that time, meet with Alseryl and Chembryt personally, so that
they will have no reason to bring up the issue of green-tinged Talent before
me. You will also need to brief your successor as marshal. I assume that
Submarshal Alcyna meets your requirements.”

“There
is no one else qualified, sir.” Dainyl was having difficulty in grasping
Khelaryt’s matter-of-fact handling of what had happened. He also had no
i.e.
who could become the next submarshal.

“That
seems to be the situation facing both of us, High Alector of Justice.” Khelaryt
added, “It has always been difficult to find those with both integrity and
ability. So often those with the greatest ability lack integrity and those with
integrity lack imagination.”

“Since
I’ve never been a High Alector,” Dainyl replied, “what do I do now? Is there
any formality, documents ... ?”

“I
trust you will not object to a lack of ceremony. It has been some years since a
High Alector has been replaced, and now does not seem a time for celebration.
If you will wait a few moments, I will sign a writ making the position
officially yours.”

Khelaryt
sent a Talent pulse, and the library door opened. Bharyt stood there. “Most
High?”

“Marshal
Dainyl is the new High Alector of Justice. If you would prepare a writ
immediately for me to sign ...”

“Yes,
sir.”

As
soon as the door closed behind Bharyt, Khelaryt moved to the desk, then settled
himself behind it. He gestured to the chairs on the other side. Dainyl took
one.

“I
understand that the insurgents in both Blackstear and Soupat were led by Ifryn
Myrmidons. Is that so?”

“Yes,
sir.”

“The
late Zelyert was not terribly specific, but I was under the impression that you
actually inactivated the Blackstear Table and still translated away from it and
then returned to Blackstear with First Company and destroyed the invaders to
the last alector.”

“That’s
generally true, sir. But I didn’t translate from an inactive Table. There’s a
short time between when a Table gets the Talent signal to inactivate it and
when it responds. I was standing on the Table when I sent the signal, and I
translated that instant.”

“Rather
amazing feat, I’d say. You translated in, killed enough rebels to allow you to
inactivate the Table, and then departed.”

Dainyl
shrugged. “It had to be done.”

“You
didn’t do the same in Soupat.”

“No.
It was clear that they knew more about Tables. Blackstear may even have been a
diversion.”

“I
had wondered about that. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know for certain.”

“I’d
doubt it, sir.”

“What
do you intend to do about the east?”

“Nothing
until I know more,” Dainyl replied. “I don’t know how Brekylt intends to
establish his independence from the Duarches or what exact role Zelyert and
Ruvryn played in his schemes or whether they were only apparent allies with
their own separate schemes. I’m troubled by the number of Cadmian rifles
produced by the engineers and sent to rebels and insurgents all throughout
western Corus and Dramur. To me, it seems obvious that Ruvryn wanted to weaken
the Cadmians. Almost all the Cadmian companies are significantly understrength.
The Myrmidons have been weakened, if not to the same degree, and largely, once
more, in the west. My assumption is that these are all part of a design to make
it difficult for the Duarches to maintain order and control west of the Spine
of Corus, let alone deal with Brekylt’s efforts to set himself up as an equal
to you and Samist.”

Khelaryt
laughed. “For an alector who professes to know little, you have a better
understanding of what is transpiring than do most of the other High Alectors.”

“They
must know, sir. They just refuse to talk about it or admit it.”

“
“That is a difference without a distinction, Dainyl. Knowledge unexpressed is
no different from ignorance.”

Dainyl
thought it worse, because the ignorant had the excuse of not knowing. The High
Alectors’ only justification was fear and self-interest.

There
was the slightest knock on the door, and Bharyt stepped inside bearing two
small scrolls. “These are old-style writs, sir, but they were the most
convenient.”

“Tradition
can always be useful, particularly in times of change.” Khelaryt held out a
hand.

Bharyt
crossed the room, passing the pair to the Duarch. “One for the High Alector, to
be posted in the Hall of Justice, and one to be posted here in the Palace.”

“Even
in these times, there are some traditions to be followed,” murmured Khelaryt.

Bharyt
looked to Dainyl. “Sir, there is another tradition...”

Dainyl
nodded for him to continue.

“The
day after a new High Alector of Justice is seated, he personally receives
petitions in the Hall of Justice. He is expected to show mercy where possible,
and more than usual.”

“Zelyert
often heard petitions. Is that not expected? Or is it the greater degree of
mercy that is the tradition?”

“The
mercy,” replied Khelaryt, signing and sealing one scroll, and then the second,
using several of the books on the table to pin down the corners of the scrolls
so that the wax could harden and the ink dry. “What else will he need?”

“Highest
Dainyl can use the same seal. It’s a seal of the office, not the individual,”
replied Bharyt, “but he should find official garments in green and purple, at
least for public appearances. We might have some that would fit... it has been
a time.”

“Do
what you can.” As Bharyt departed the library, Khelaryt turned his gaze back on
Dainyl. “I’ll expect you at the second glass of the afternoon tomorrow, after
you hold your morning audience for petitioners, for a greater discussion of
matters. For now, you should return to the Hall of Justice and establish your
presence. Then you will need to deal with the Myrmidons. I will communicate
your status to all the recorders and the other High Alectors.”

“Do
I need to present myself to Duarch Samist?”

“That
would be politic, but I would judge you have a day or two, and I would send a
written request asking his indulgence for you to call on him at his
convenience.”

“Is
there anyone else?”

“Had
you not already established yourself with Asulet, that would have been
necessary. As it is, you have spent more time with him than most High
Alectors.” Khelaryt smiled and gestured toward the door. “Best you get on with
the politics that you love so much.”

Dainyl
caught the humor behind the words and did not conceal his smile. “I fear I have
never hid my dislike of empty and misleading words and gestures.” He stood.

“They
are misleading, but seldom empty,” replied Khelaryt. “You should remember that,
High Alector.”

“Yes,
sir.” Dainyl accepted the mild rebuke, inclined his head, then turned.

He
did not hear the latch of the library door click as he shut it behind him, and
he paused for a moment. Was the click a device to unnerve those coming into the
library to see the Duarch?

Bemusedly,
he shook his head. That was certainly possible.

As
he crossed the entry foyer of the Palace, toward the coach waiting beyond,
Bharyt stepped forward. “I took the liberty of placing some tunics and trousers
that might fit in the coach.”

“Thank
you, Bharyt.”

Outside,
the fog was far thicker than earlier, and Dainyl could not even see the Hall of
Justice to the north.

“Highest?
Back to the Hall, sir?” asked the driver.

“Yes,
please.” Dainyl stepped up into the coach and closed the door. Clearly, the
driver had either asked Bharyt or seen the purple and green garments laid out
on the other bench seat.

The
ride back was slower, short as it was, because of the fog, and because the
driver had to wait at the boulevard for several carriages to pass.

When
the coach came to a halt at the steps of the Hall of Justice, Dainyl opened the
coach door.

Before
he could gather up the High Alectors’ raiment, the driver called down, “Sir ...
in this wet and damp, best you send someone up for the garments.”

Dainyl
considered the words and then nodded. While he preferred to handle personal
matters himself, somehow, it wouldn’t have been exactly decorous to return as
High Alector of Justice with an armful of garments proclaiming the change. “I
will, thank you.”

He
hurried up the steps and then took the concealed staircase down to the lower
level, not that he needed to worry that much, because the Hall was empty of
petitioners, and Dalyrt had left the dais already.