Temple of the Traveler: Empress of Dreams (33 page)

“The gods have trained humanity to suppress what they do not already know, to mock what they cannot control. Their system survives only if things stay the same. Do you know what I value most about you?”

“I blow things up?” guessed the wizard.

“You ask questions.”

“What good does that do?”

Pagaose whispered, “The right question answers itself. A good question tells you something another has hidden. And the best question challenges you where you have been blind in your own preconceptions.”

Then came the feast—twenty unending courses. How many types of soup and bread and aspic were there? He laughed and nodded at all the right places. Yet the crown weighed more with each passing bit. After the first dessert, Lady Evershade excused herself due to her pain.

Sarajah also bid Pagaose good-bye. She warned him, “Don’t trust Majah. Until I saw her talking with her hands, I didn’t see the resemblance. But now, the nose, the voice patterns . . . I think she’s related to Vinspar.”

“The Imperial general? Clever,” the emperor noted. “That makes her family third-tier. My enemy snuck a pretty she-wolf in with the sheep. To what end?”

“I didn’t press her because I didn’t want to show your cards.”

“Thank you for your warning. Are you sure I can’t see you off?”

“With everyone in the world watching you? It’s best you not tip off the spies.”

Pagaose laid his hand on her forehead. “May you and your people find success in your mission as well as happiness.”

She gave him a brief kiss on the cheek. “Tashi says you were like a father to him. I just wanted you to know that you did a good job.”

The Archanos expedition returned to the palace for one last check of their rooms and to collect the prisoners.

When Majah left the room to lead one of the orphans to the privy, Pagaose followed. She held the child’s borrowed dress jacket while she waited for him in the hall. The emperor looked the girl over: wholesome, simply dressed, with a ponytail and a ring of white flowers in her hair. Other than height and a slight regal bearing, her features may have been average in her homeland; however, the bloom of youth made her glow with promise. He sighed and gestured to the guards that he wished a word in private. Having cornered his quarry, he approached for a word. “Why would a daughter of a northern lord come to my court?”

Majah’s hand trembled so much that the child’s jacket slipped from her grasp. The emperor retrieved it. “P-pardon?” she stammered.

“Your father is Lord Vinspar, is he not?”

She knelt and extended her arms for the shackles.

He shook his head. “Failure to choose the proper parents is no crime.”

“I didn’t know their plans for sinking the ship, sire.”

“Hmm. Then answer truthfully and we might come to an arrangement. What are your goals?”

She breathed so rapidly he feared she might pass out. “My mission had three steps. First, I am to determine whether you are a good ruler. Second, I should verify the authenticity of your copy of the
Book of Dominion
. If you pass these two tests, my father would be willing to defect to your camp . . . given certain assurances.”

“And how do I fare so far?”

“No one speaks a word against you except those who want the throne for themselves. In my opinion, this only improves your report.”

He gave a polite bow. “I try to displease at least one member of the aristocracy with each action.” She covered her face to hide the giggle. “If I let you examine the Book, will you tell me his terms?”

Her mouth dropped open. “You’re serious?”

“Tomorrow morning, I can have Lord Ashford escort you to peruse it. One page in five should be enough evidence.”

“It should, and more than I hoped. Why, highness?”

“There doesn’t need to be blood and suffering.”

“You give your word?”

He nodded.

“Then I shall tell you his terms now. My father wishes a retirement home, a royal pardon, ten thousand gold weeks, and . . . for the emperor to marry his daughter.”

He sighed. “How do you feel about this requirement?”

“His majesty is most handsome and kind, but in honesty, making me full-blooded Imperial would be enough to secure my . . . hand.”

“How many men does he bring with him in this moral awakening?”

“A full ship’s worth of Sandarac’s troops.”

“Tempting,” he said, gazing at the girl’s flawless face. “Would first wife be a requirement or would a lesser title do?”

The girl looked down. “We have heard that his highness favors the widow Togg. Your first wife, you may choose for love. My father will understand this, as he did the same. But after her, my child must have first claim to the throne. I should bother you for no more than one . . . unless it pleases you to do so.”

“The money is too much. I will double whatever he has saved from his tenure with the Pretender, no more. I am not a rich man, but there will be plenty of opportunity for profit in the reunified empire.”

“His officers’ bribes must be paid from his tribute.”

“If I double their savings, and throw in a spot at the Dance for the unmarried officers?”

“It seems fair, but he is the final arbiter. I would gladly relay such a counteroffer.”

“Lady, however my negotiations with Sandarac turn out, I will keep your offer foremost in my mind. How would I indicate to your father my acceptance of his terms?”

“I will whisper this in your ear once you have taken my virtue.”

****

After the third dessert, which included a fire juggler, the emperor rose from the banquet table. “I implore you to enjoy these festivities and celebrate the restoration of our empire. Sadly, no one gave me the day off. Tonight, I sail to confer with Sandarac at sundown in an attempt to avert a civil war. Since I will need my wits about me well into the night, my physicians have advised a nap.”

Upon entering his palanquin on the street, Pagaose immediately removed the offending crown and the onerous fur cloak. Through the open curtain, he said to Scribbles, “I need a lining for this crown before I leave. Bare metal or fabrics worn by another shall not touch my brow again.”

The scribe nodded and accepted the crown with gloved hands. “As you will, sire.”

Pagaose waved patiently to all the commoners that he passed in the street. They cheered and called his name.

When he reached his bedroom, the curtains were already drawn and a guard placed at his door to prevent interruptions. He scribbled some ideas on the form and materials for his meta-ward experiment and placed the note in the back of his pillow book. The moment he saw Lady Evershade’s picture, he couldn’t delay a moment longer. He slid the lady’s gift from his glove and inhaled its perfume. Waves of acceptance and adoration swept him into bed. He closed his eyes, wondering how he could sleep with such anticipation. The dream training provided by Sarajah helped him enter the antechamber to eternity.

Lady Evershade waited for him in dream, reclined on his throne, under the corona of the magical light from the Door. When he appeared, she stepped to the side and patted the throne. “Sit here where you belong.”

Pagaose obeyed and asked, “Are you going to give me
your
personal present?”

She smiled. “There is a page Queen Sarajah didn’t have time to illustrate and a source of royal embarrassment. If you hold perfectly still, all will be explained.”

Lady Evershade placed her well-manicured hands on her hips, red-and-gold painted nails pointed down. The slow-dance music from the night before played in his mind as she gradually pushed the skirt down, an inch at a time. When the skirt puddled around her feet, he was frozen, spellbound. No frillies there. She stalked forward like a leopardess, naked from the waist down. She placed one cream-pale foot on the padded arm of his throne and he could see every pore and hair. “This is your female anatomy lesson.” She then described, in detail, what each part was called, inside and out, and how it functioned.

When the noblewoman finished, she asked, “Any questions?”

He searched her light-blue eyes. “You risked your virtue for me.”

“A magic assistant must trust her wizard completely.”

“Thank you for that gift. I shall add it to my list of honored firsts.”

“Now for the male anatomy lesson.”

“I don’t think . . .”

She knelt in front of his throne, opened his trousers, and the object of the lesson presented itself. She touched each part, starting at the lowest and rearmost. Her explanations stretched on, but he watched with rapt attention. When she touched the tip, he gripped her hair tightly to avoid reaction.

“Thank you,” he gasped. “You teach me the mysteries of my own body. My debt to you
increases
by the moment.”

Still kneeling before him, she chuckled wickedly at his difficulty with speech. “For the next part of the demonstration, where I label the phases, you may wish to maintain your grip on my hair.”

“Pha-phases?”

“Of its release,” she explained with a twinkle in her eye. Then she bowed her head onto him and initiated him into another first.

After he woke, the emperor called his head guard in and made a list of the people he wished to take with him to Abranega, the dragon isle. “Ashford loaned us the fastest yacht in the marina—the
Elegance
. I’ve been so busy, I forgot the crew. Racing champions would be ideal. I trust Serog’s word, but choose men to travel with me who can swim, preferably ones who can play instruments as well. Use some of Frond’s boys if necessary.”

“As you wish, but why, sire?”

“I need to stall for as long as possible to give those grain ships the best opportunity of survival—hence the musicians. I can add another half-hour to my entrance that way. Frond’s boys have protective tattoos in case we encounter spirits. Since its destruction, the island is no longer considered the realm of men. It will be infested with all manner of foul creatures. My entourage must all swim because I may need to leave unceremoniously, and most soldiers refuse to learn water survival because it’s considered a woman’s art.”

“I swim, sire,” noted Niftkin. “All ferrymen do.”

“You’re staying here.”

The guard’s face paled. “What did I do wrong?”

“I need you to coordinate the defense while I’m gone in case they try a sneak attack. I’m relying on you to make sure no one harms my dancers. Majah is a spy for Lord Vinspar, but we have an accommodation for now. Keep an eye on her all the same. I’ve endorsed Lord Pangborn as head of the Council in my absence. Coordinate with him. Use the Evershades to sway him if necessary.”

Niftkin relaxed in obvious relief. “Aye, sire”

“If anything should . . . befall me, I rely on you to help the girls escape retribution from the enemy.”

“How shall I know, sire?”

“Lady Evershade has been studying the dreaming arts under Queen Sarajah. She will be able to tell if the worst occurs, and I can get a message to you if I’m captured.”

“That’s amazing. She’s mastered so much in a week?”

“She’s a raw talent with incredible will. I’ve informed the Council of this communication method.” He dressed in a traditional Imperial military uniform trimmed in red-and-gold sun symbols. “The invaders should leave Lady Evershade alone; I’ve had Scribbles appoint her as Violet’s replacement: chief harem instructor, complete with a stipend.” He handed his guard a sealed proclamation. “In the name of protecting the girls, this letter allows you access to any ship in the islands, military cooperation, funds from the treasury, etc.”

“It’s awfully thick.”

Pagaose put on his padded crown and adjusted it in a mirror. Almost casually, he explained, “Since the morality committee may object to women traveling unescorted, a second document permits you to marry one of them in the event of an extreme military emergency.”

Niftkin fell onto his face. “Sire, I beg your mercy.”

“I knew she loved you from the first day. You just needed to see. I knew you’d succumbed to her when she left her veil off at my coronation.”

“Sire, I beg, tell my family I died fighting the enemy.”

“No one’s dying, boy, but keep it in your pants and don’t be so obvious.”

“Highness?”

“Your apartment reeks of her perfume. I had to tell the maids you spilled a gift I gave you to wrap, and demand they clean it. I won’t be here to cover for you, and Nightglow doesn’t listen to suggestions or follow rules well.”

“No sire,” the guard laughed, almost crying.

“I’m serious, young pirate. If you soil her or her reputation, I’ll have no choice but to whip out my sword and make an example of you in front of the nobility.”

“As you should, highness. What I’ve done is unpardonable. Why have you excused me?”

Pagaose patted the man’s back. “You saved my life, and she’s young enough to be my daughter. Besides, the rules of Archanos say everyone gets a second chance. This is yours. Understand?”

“My life is yours, sire. At your word, I will fall on my sword.”

The emperor waved the comment away. “Just get the crew.”

****

The crew of the
Elegance
made record time for the first leg of the journey. The emperor had to tell them, “Slowly. There’s an enemy warship shadowing us to the north. Don’t show our enemy what this vessel can do yet. I wish the people on Abranega Island to see me on the horizon in the twilight and wait for me.”

Quilliwara, Frond’s youngest son, laughed involuntarily. “You use a woman’s trick.”

“I have to feed my people, Quill. Pride means little next to that.”

The large, tanned, and tattooed man bowed. “Which is why we serve you, sire.”

As they approached Abranega, Pagaose could feel the seam in reality before anyone spotted the island. Where the Door energy was clean and potent, the seam leaked power in fits and bursts. The taste was wild onions for someone expecting apples. He searched through the telescope until he saw the steam and smoke mingled in a haze. When he could see fragments of land, most of the island had been leveled in an eruption similar to that of Center’s, and half the rest had been burned. Eucalyptus coated the scorched ground like mold on damp bread. Some older orange and palm groves had been spared. Hills protruded from the waves in the oddest places, as if the former landscape had sunk. Barren rocks were scattered as if dropped from the sky. No ship could intrude for fear of being dashed against these stone fingers. Caves were visible in several places. In spite of the extreme violence that had created the island, there was a peace about the place. Exotic birds chattered from the branches of the trees, and no other islands were visible as far as the eye could see.