Student of Kyme (7 page)

He gazed
at me steadily, and for a moment that old ghost swarmed over him. I
looked away. ‘Honestly? I am High Codexia. I want the most
beautiful har in Kyme to be next to me tonight. You will be my
protection too.’

I wasn’t
quite sure what he meant by that.

Every
window in the Academy was aflame, it seemed. It is a huge building,
hundreds of years old, and was once a stately home. Now it was a
college, a local government centre, and a temporary home for
important hara who came visiting from afar.

Carriages
clustered in the driveway, guests milled around, while stable hara
ran around trying to organise the parking of the vehicles. It was
utter chaos. We couldn’t get the carriage anywhere near the main
entrance, so the driver dropped us off halfway down the drive.
Malakess and I walked together in silence, some feet apart, until
the light from the great building fell over us. Then he took one of
my hands and hooked it through his elbow. The show had
begun.

‘
This night is very important to you, isn’t it?’ I
said.

Malakess
nodded. ‘Yes. We want Kyme to be the repository for all Wraeththu
knowledge. We want the Hegemony of Immanion to endorse us
officially. We want students from other lands, and support to
encourage the arts and learning, both here and afar. The Gelaming
consider themselves the only ones capable of, or suitable for, such
a task. They want Immanion to be the centre of everything. I have
to convince them it’s in their interests to share
control.’

‘
Shouldn’t you have been here at the beginning?’ I asked. ‘You
know, when everyhar arrived?’

He
laughed softly. ‘Oh, I have my staff for that. I decided to arrive
later. Don’t want to appear too eager or desperate.’

‘
Your assistant will be there?’

‘
You mean, Iscane? Yes. He’s in charge. Having a wonderful
time issuing orders to the rest of the staff, no doubt.’

Well,
that answered one question I’d pondered: whether this Iscane would
resent me taking his place. He had a more important place, or so it
seemed.

Some hara
in the driveway recognised Malakess as we strolled up the wide
front steps. They bowed and uttered greetings. I was conscious of
many curious eyes upon me. Not many high ranking hara in Kyme had
seen me before, even if they’d heard of me. They would be wondering
who I was and where Malakess had found me. For the first time in
months, I felt a flicker of sensuality within me. I wanted to be
admired. It amused me to think all these hara would assume I shared
Malakess’s bed. He was held in such high esteem I couldn’t help but
feel good about being seen with him. I could never have accompanied
Ysobi anywhere in public. I had been his secret, kept hidden away.
Jassenah hadn’t known everything.

Furious
with myself, I dismissed these thoughts. As Huriel said, this was
my time. The past no longer mattered. I lifted my head. Jassenah
would never attend an event like this.

In the
hallway, Iscane was clearly in control of the proceedings. He stood
at the door, greeting everyhar who arrived, and then announcing who
they were in a loud, ringing voice. When it came to us, he raked me
with an icy stare. ‘Who is your companion, tiahaar?’ he asked
Malakess, keeping his cold eyes on me.

‘
Gesaril har Shadowvales,’ Malakess replied.

Iscane
announced us and we swept into the entrance hall. Hara in violet
and red livery, dispensing drinks and exquisite morsels of food,
mingled with the guests. The lighting was subdued and perfumed oil
smoked in glass burners, filling the air with an herbal scent. The
marble tiled floor beneath our feet was scattered with red petals.
Everyhar present seemed at least two feet taller than me and oozed
charisma and power. My hand had become sweaty against Malakess’s
elegant sleeve. Perhaps for this reason, he disengaged me. ‘Would
you like a drink?’ he asked.

I
realised it would not be a good idea to get drunk and perhaps
disgrace myself, but thought one or two would do no harm.
‘Please.’

Before
Malakess could move the two or three steps to the nearest member of
staff, a har swooped down upon him and took him by the arm. ‘Kess!
I thought you’d chosen to ignore your own party. Where have you
been?’ This har was radiant, confident and – well, what other word
can I use? – luscious. He was dressed in a long robe of pale
silvery grey fabric, his soft brown hair wound about the kind of
fabulous tines that Rayzie had wanted me to wear. I wouldn’t have
got away with it.

‘
Chrysm, how nice,’ Malakess said mildly and kissed the har’s
cheek. ‘I’m so pleased you were able to come.’

‘
My pleasure,’ the har called Chrysm replied. ‘I was
intrigued, to be honest. Also, I needed a break from Immanion. You
know how it is.’

Malakess
inclined his head. ‘Of course. You must stay for a couple of days
if you can. My house is open to you.’

I didn’t
think that Malakess’s house was really fit for a har of this
stature, but I supposed Malakess didn’t think he’d accept the
invitation anyway.

‘
We’ll see,’ Chrysm said. He looked at me for the first time.
‘Well! Have you been stealing Gelaming harlings, Kess?’

‘
No,’ Malakess replied. ‘This is Gesaril har Shadowvales, Sulh
born and bred.’ He indicated the har before us. ‘Gesaril, this is
Tiahaar Chrysm Luel, Hegemon for the Arts, from
Immanion.’

I bowed
my head. ‘Pleased to meet you, tiahaar.’ My first Gelaming. I could
appreciate what Malakess meant about them.

Chrysm
glanced about himself. ‘This is an impressive gathering, Kess. Be
assured, I am impressed. I hear delegates from the Nagini are
here.’

‘
That is true,’ Malakess said.

‘
How did you manage it? They’ve rejected all our
overtures.’

Malakess
left his mind open to me, and it was difficult not to smile. The
Nagini wouldn’t have anything to do with the Gelaming simply
because the Almagabrans assumed they were the cream of Wraeththu.
The Nagini considered themselves to be equally creamy, if not more
so. ‘They are a proud and self contained tribe,’ Malakess said.
‘One of our ether readers was fortunate enough to make contact with
one of their hara one evening, and initiated a careful friendship
over the ethers. We invited them here because we respect their
knowledge and culture. We thought they would like to see our
library.’

‘
If the Nagini are staying here for some time, I might well
take you up on your offer,’ Chrysm said.

I sent a
quick mind touch to Malakess. Make him stay at Huriel’s. It was
somewhat importunate, I know, but I just did it instinctively. A
warm tickle of amusement touched my mind. Malakess understood me
perfectly.

‘
Where are you staying?’ he asked the Gelaming.

‘
In a quaint hotel in town,’ Chrysm replied. By quaint, I
supposed he meant beneath his standards.

‘
Perhaps Tiahaar Huriel’s manse might be more to your liking,’
Malakess said. ‘It’s said he has the best house in
Kyme.’

‘
Is he here tonight?’

‘
No, but Gesaril is part of his household.’

Chrysm
laughed. ‘Oh? I thought he was part of yours, or do you
share?’

I was
shocked by that remark; it was incredibly rude, I thought, and just
another example of how first generation regarded us young pure
borns.

Malakess
didn’t respond to it. ‘Do you want a drink, Chrysm? I was just
about to get one for Gesaril and myself.’

‘
Thanks,’ Chrysm said. ‘The red wine please. I tried the white
and it’s disgusting.’

With
horror, I watched Malakess move away. What on earth could I say to
this thing in front of me?

‘
I was joking,’ Chrysm said.

‘
Excuse me?’

‘
About the sharing. That sounded awful. Forgive me. My mouth
runs away with me sometimes and my sense of humour is often
questionable.’

‘
Oh… that’s all right,’ I said. I warmed to him slightly. I
suffer from the same trait, after all.

‘
So, are you studying here in Kyme?’

I was
pleased and relieved the Hegemon thought a morsel like me could be
here for such a purpose. ‘Yes. I’m working with tiahaar Huriel. I
live in his house.’

‘
Have you ever been to Immanion?’

‘
No. This is the first time I’ve left Lyonis, where I was
born.’

Chrysm
clasped one of my shoulders. ‘We must remedy that. The next time
Malakess comes to Almagabra he must bring you with him. I can tell
you’d go down extremely well in Immanion society. You could be
Gelaming yourself. I really thought so when I first saw
you.’

‘
Umm, thanks.’ I presumed that was a compliment.

Malakess
returned with the drinks. ‘Shall we move into the main salon,
tiahaara?’

‘
Yes,’ Chrysm said, sniffing the glass Malakess had given him.
‘I’m here with a few others. Nohar stellar, but some interesting
types – a couple of artists and writers. I’ll introduce
you.’

In the
grand salon, a group of musicians were playing softly. High ranking
academy staff were recognisable because they were dressed in robes
of office; indigo fabric embroidered with silver thread. I didn’t
think many second generation were present and felt somewhat out of
place. I was glad few hara spoke to me.

Chrysm
led us over to an alcove where most of his company were conversing
together. Gelaming writers and artists are pretty much like what
you’d imagine – quite full of themselves, self-appointed geniuses.
One of the artists was named Sabarah. He was dressed in exquisitely
draped white robes and his hair was almost the same colour,
although his eyes were dark. His fingernails were long and
unattractively pointed and dug into me when he took hold of my arm
to drag me away from our companions. ‘I have to paint you,’ he
announced, as if this was the greatest favour the dehara could
bestow.

‘
Okay,’ I responded warily.

‘
At once. Tomorrow. You have inspired me. I must capture you,
before you flit away.’

I sucked
my upper lip, at a loss for words. ‘Mmm.’

‘
I am utterly serious,’ said Sabarah, eyeing me
beadily.

‘
I’ll sit for you, if you would like me to,’ I said, wondering
if that was what Malakess would want me to do.

‘
I’ll make preliminary sketches. I can return any time to
complete the work, or I could have you brought to
Immanion.’

I smiled.
‘Tiahaar, I regret I would not have the time for such a
journey.’

Sabarah
raised his eyebrows. ‘What do you mean? I could have you over and
home again within an afternoon. Chrysm will accommodate all my
needs, and that includes sedu transport for the models I wish to
work with.’

I had no
idea what he was talking about. ‘It’s really up to my guardians,’ I
said. ‘Perhaps you should speak to them.’

‘
We can pay,’ Sabarah said frostily.

Anxiously, I glanced about, looking for Malakess. He was
still engaged in conversation with the Hegemon. I put out a plea in
mind touch, and at once Malakess turned and caught my eye. In that
moment, something happened. Everything in the room seemed to go out
of focus but for Malakess’s eyes. I gulped air, as if I’d surfaced
from drowning.

Malakess
excused himself from his companions and came to my side. ‘I’m sorry
to drag Gesaril from you,’ he said to the artist, ‘but there are
some introductions we have to make. Please excuse us.’

He took
my arm and led me away. ‘Are you all right?’

‘
No. No, I’m not.’

‘
Damn Gelaming. What did he threaten you with?’

‘
Painting me.’

‘
Hmm, oh well, you’re unscathed. Dinner will be served soon. I
think we can talk to somehar else now, don’t you?’

Suddenly,
I was in a daze, confused and befuddled. What had happened? I was
introduced to hara whose faces were mere blurs to me, whose voices
were like the twittering of birds. I felt hot, sick and yet
incredibly elated at the same time.

Presently, Iscane came into the salon and announced loudly
that dinner was ready to be served and would we all please proceed
to the dining hall. Malakess took my arm again. ‘You look very
hot,’ he said. ‘Are you all right?’

‘
Yes, yes, just hot.’

‘
Don’t let the Gelaming bother you. They were bound to target
you. Grow a thick skin, Gesaril. You’re going to need
it.’

Hara were
moving past us back into the hall, on the way to the dining area. I
felt as if they were swiftly moving shadows and Malakess and I were
held in a pool of stillness. ‘They want me to go to
Immanion.’

‘
Not surprising. You will go. I’ll take you sometime. Life
doesn’t begin and end for you here in Alba Sulh. You’re destined
for bigger things.’

Unaccountably, tears welled in my eyes. Malakess brushed away
the overspill that ran down my cheeks. ‘Hey,’ he murmured. ‘Don’t
be overwhelmed. Be an ambassador for your tribe.’ He held my face
in his hands and kissed my brow.