“My lord is very kind,” Orlad growled in Florengian. (distrust, pleasure) “You amply earned it all.”
Marno turned to look at Chies. (abhorrence!) Dantio was startled by the intensity of the doge’s hatred. And Fabia, too? Her smile at their half-brother concealed intense distrust and suspicion. Judging the situation only as a Witness and not as a family member, Dantio would conclude that Chies Celebre was in grave danger of his life.
What had changed? At Veritano Cavotti had been openly contemptuous of the boy, while in secret regretting the need to bully him. Indeed, his hidden sympathy for Chies had been the most startling of many startling things Dantio had noted about him, qualities unexpected in a Werist. At Veritano Fabia had not faked her support for her half-brother. Why had he suddenly fallen so drastically in their estimation? How had he alienated them both so quickly?
He obviously knew whatever was going through the ducal minds, for his polished, boyish smile hid screaming terror and murderous hatred. Mother of Lies! How was a boy like him managing to dissimulate so skillfully?
“Lord Chies,” Fabia said with careful formality, “you should have been sworn in as an adult citizen last New Year. The person responsible for your absence-” She shot a smile at her husband. “-regrets the inconvenience. He has ordered the chief priest to arrange a private ceremony, for you alone. Congratulations on reaching your majority, brother.”
Chies thanked doge and dogaressa profusely. (contempt, distrust)
“Congratulations,” Orlad said.
Chies turned the same false smile on him. “Thank you, too, packleader.” In perfect Vigaelian, he added, “Does this mean that you don’t want to tear my head off any more, brother?” (detestation)
“Not as much, anyway.” (scorn)
“Stop that, both of you!” Oliva shouted, but she was registering (fear) in addition to (anger), so even an extrinsic could sense the festering distrust.
Her outburst stopped the sniping. Everyone smiled as if they had been joking, and yet the emotional firestorm raged unabated. Orlad disliked the youth, both personally and as evidence of his mother’s abuse by Stralg. His feelings were nothing compared to the hatred of Fabia and Cavotti. Chies, however, seemed to hate Orlad most, the man who had slain his real father.
So?
So there was no proof and never could be proof as the Maynists knew it, but adding up what Dantio had seen that morning, plus whatever had aroused such emotion in Fabia and that peculiar story of the escape from Veritano, there was good reason to suspect Chies Celebre of being a Chosen. Less evidence than that had sent many to living graves.
“Doge Piero,” Marno told the boy, “deeded you an appanage at Fauniani. You know it?”
“No, my lord. Papa never thought it safe for me to visit it.”
“It isn’t safe now, but I am sure that won’t stop you, so ask one of the huntleaders for an escort. And you may keep your present quarters, here in the palace.”
Chies was being treated with astonishing generosity-most people in Celebre would agree with Orlad’s first thought on meeting the Stralg bastard, that his head should be removed right away. Chies was thanking the ducal pair, and so was Oliva, and all was sweetness and light on the surface. Underwater the sharks still circled.
Dantio shivered. It was past time that he left. He had broken his oaths once and could not expect a second forgiveness. Never meddle, never warn. He must leave Fabia and Orlad to fight their own battles, or rather he must leave Fabia to fight them. Orlad was a spectacular killing machine, but he wouldn’t have a hope against a Chosen, no matter how weedy and harmless the brat looked.
THE STRANGER
disembarked late in the day, when the shadows were long and the summer heat lay heavy on the city. Young and powerfully built, he leaped ashore even before the riverboat tied up. His bundle of possessions was notably slim, his loincloth frayed, and the rag around his neck was grubby and sweat-stained. Even his golden hair and beard could have benefited from some attention.
No one questioned him or contested his arrival, although most cities had rules for dealing with young men who wore scarves like his. Usually the authorities would send them packing right away. He might be given the option of removing the scarf, but only on condition that he immediately swear allegiance to the city and its horde.
The stranger barely glanced at the busy frontage, with its hawkers and stalls, its traders and porters, and all the cargoes being moved between boats and carts. He headed straight to the nearest alley and vanished into its shadows. Thereafter he kept to the right-hand wall and carried his bundle on his left shoulder, shielding his face. Although the streets were merely gaps between a jumbled maze of mud brick buildings, he strode along without hesitation.
Other pedestrians mostly moved out of his way. The few men who did not, and came face-to-face with him in contested passage, took sudden note of the scarf and his scars and the look in his eyes; then they, too, stepped aside, muttering apologies. It was the eyes, mostly.
At last he came to a turning he did not remember, a wall so obviously fresh that it must have been built within the last year or two. He had anticipated an open space there, but no space stayed open long in a heavily populated city. He tried bearing right, then left, and eventually found himself below a flight of marble steps and the facade of a large stone building. He had forgotten how big it was. He remembered other things, though. With a snort of annoyance, or possibly disgust, he strode up the steps and entered.
He stood, then, within a single large, circular chamber that resembled a giant birdcage. The entrance he had used was one of twelve, all very high, separated by twelve walls like elongated, curved pillars that supported a domed roof. On this sweltering day in late summer the interior was shadowed and cool, but it would be wildly uncomfortable in winter. The floor was notably devoid of furniture, a total waste of space, but there was a shrine at the base of each wall. Above each shrine stood a god or goddess, shaped from honey-colored marble. This was the Pantheon, home of the Bright Ones. Their images were so lifelike that the stranger could almost imagine Them stepping down at the end of the day and strolling off in laughing groups to Their carefree homes in Paradise.
One quick walk around and he could leave. If he could return to the riverbank before sunset he might find passage on a boat out; otherwise he would spend the night at the temple of Eriander and go as soon after dawn as possible. A dozen or so other people were at worship, mostly elderly women and attendant priests. Since they all happened to be to his right, the stranger turned to his left, feeling the marble cool and smooth underfoot.
The first idol was neither male nor female, just an ambiguous youth clutching a cloth in front of Himself or Herself. His or Her arm obscured His or Her breasts and the cloth covered His or Her groin. Yet why so sad? If the deity in charge of lust could not look happy, who ever could?
The stranger bowed his head and muttered the briefest possible prayer: “I honor You, holy Eriander; give me Your blessing.”
A fat, shaven-headed priest came shuffling over, rubbing his hands. Then he noticed the stranger’s neckcloth and cringed away from his glare. “If I can be of help, my-”
“No! You cannot.”
The priest offered a meaningless smile and limped away on very flat feet.
The stranger strode on to the next shrine. He had seen this statue before. Hiddi! He knew the model intimately and had many happy memories of tumbling her in Eriander’s temple. Even for a Nymph, she had been an incredible rollick. Here she depicted holy Anziel, holding a hawk on Her arm-goddess smiling down, bird turned to peer up at Her. Every feather on the bird was as perfect as every curl on Hiddi’s head. Just looking at her image was enough to arouse him. He felt certain that the statue’s leg would feel warm and supple to the touch.