It led him back through the doorway, through a couple of ante-chambers, and out into another large domed room. Pillars of a gleaming jewel green surrounded a seating area with curved stone benches with thick cushions. A carved stream of water wound its way across the floor, decorated with bronze and gold insets of water plants, insects, and frogs. Ceilinel sat on one bench, facing two other groundlings. One was of a similar species to Ceilinel, with gray skin and a headcrest, but larger, more heavily built, and its hair was light-colored. The other was slim, smaller, its head of an oddly triangular shape, the rest of it mostly concealed by the silky drapes wrapped around its body.
Moon’s unwilling guide went to Ceilinel and said, “He’s awake again.”
Ceilinel glanced up and spotted Moon. “That’s all right, Vata.”
Vata retreated hastily out another doorway.
The other groundlings faced away from Moon, and hadn’t looked around. The big gray one said, “Surely you realize how dangerous it is keeping that creature here.”
Ceilinel’s brows lifted and spread. “I’m not sure why you seem so certain of that, Gathin. The Raksura are a relatively unknown species, but the Jandera seem to find them peaceful enough.”
Gathin made a noise Moon could only interpret as skeptical. The other strange groundling said, “The Jandera who seemed to find them so are all missing or dead.” Its voice was low and deeper than Moon had been expecting.
Ceilinel regarded it. “That’s inaccurate, according to the messages we’ve received from the coast.”
“But none of them are here to speak for themselves,” Gathin said.
Since there was apparently no objection to his presence, Moon went in, his bare feet silent on the cool tiles. He stopped at the first bend of the carved stream, tempted to put his toes in the shallow water.
The slender groundling said, “The only difference between these creatures and Fell is that we know less about them.” It leaned over. “You are putting yourself and your retainers in danger by allowing one of those things, no matter how injured, to remain in this house. You should release it from the conclave’s custody so it can be contained.”
Moon let out a silent hiss of derision. Ceilinel clearly wanted him to hear this, though he already understood just how precarious his situation was. He waited for Ceilinel to indicate that the creature was in the room, but she said, “I don’t feel that I or anyone else is in danger. Should we not take this opportunity to find out more?”
Gathin said, “We don’t have the leisure for that kind of inquiry.”
Moon couldn’t tell what Ceilinel’s game was, but he didn’t want to participate. He said, “Why not?”
Gathin twisted to look at him, surprised. It said, “Who is this?” The other turned more slowly. Its eyes were huge blue circles above a small nose and a thin-lipped mouth. Something about it reminded Moon of that brief glimpse of the carved face in the foundation builder city.
Ceilinel said calmly, “This is Moon of Opal Night, consort to Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud court.” She added to Moon, “This is Gathin, she is the speaker of the Imperial Boundaries, and Utreya-cal Doyen, who has taken on the duty as speaker for Hia Iserae.”
Gathin stared. Her expression seemed to be conveying both horror and chagrin. It was always chancy reading the expressions of unknown species, but Moon thought this was a pretty safe guess. Doyen blinked slowly, the lids coming from the side of its eyes. Ceilinel said, “Moon, please sit down. You aren’t recovered yet.”
Moon stepped over the stream and went to the bench between Ceilinel and Gathin. His legs quivered at the last instant and the movement pulled at all his new and half-healed skin. He winced and settled on the cushion, trying to breathe slowly. Ceilinel took in Gathin’s expression with some impatience, then asked Moon, “Were the books to your liking?”
He wasn’t sure if she was testing him or showing off the extent of his civilized skills for Gathin and Doyen. Moon said, “The Natural History of the Kish Imperial Origin looks interesting.”
Gathin had managed to recover a little from the shock. She said, “You are the Raksura found in the ruin.” Doyen didn’t react in any way that Moon could see, but there was something about its gaze that he wanted to interpret as predatory, even though its slim hands and delicate fingers were as unthreatening as possible.
“Are there any other Raksura here?” Moon asked.
“I hope not,” Gathin said, sounding aghast at the idea.
It had the unmistakable sound of the truth. Moon hadn’t really kept a hope that Ceilinel was lying and the others were locked up here somewhere, but it didn’t hurt to be sure.
Doyen asked Ceilinel, “Will he cooperate with the conclave?”
“Let’s ask him.” Ceilinel turned to Moon. “A claim has been made by a group of Hians that Callumkal attacked their ship in a dispute over a valuable foundation builder artifact. They say this dispute was what made the ruin fall from the sky and that it caused the deaths.”
Moon didn’t understand. “The deaths? You mean the Hians who were in the ruin?”
“No. The ruin fell into the border area between Kish-Majora and Kish-Jandera, near the city of Kedmar. Though it fell in an empty plain, many Janderi and Janderan in nearby towns were struck ill, and at least fifty-three were reportedly killed outright. There were probably more. They are still attempting to ascertain the extent of the damage.”
Moon was frozen for a moment, too stricken to react. Two thoughts hit him simultaneously: did it get as far as the Reaches? and they meant to bring it down right on top of Kedmar. He managed to say, “Callumkal can tell you that’s a lie. So can Kalam and Rorra and the Jandera who were with him.”
“The Hians claim Callumkal is dead, killed by Raksura. A flying craft will be arriving tomorrow from Kedmar-Jandera and the speaker for Kedmar has asked the conclave to wait for its arrival before formally hearing the Hians. I’m hopeful Callumkal, or some other representative, is on the craft.” Ceilinel leaned forward, suddenly intent. “Whoever the craft brings, you will be asked to tell your story to the speakers in the conclave. Will you be able to do this?”
“Yes,” Moon said, because there was no choice. He was the worst possible person for this. Did the Hians making this accusation know who had accidentally brought the artifact out of the foundation builder city? And would anybody believe it was an accident?
“Why would Raksura attack Imperial Kish?” Gathin asked suddenly.
Moon managed not to hiss, though he could feel the muscles in his throat work. “Raksura wouldn’t, because they’re completely indifferent to its existence.”
Ceilinel’s brows quirked. Gathin glanced at Doyen, then asked Moon, “You don’t trade with other species?”
“Only some of the swamplings who live in the Reaches.”
Doyen turned to Ceilinel to ask, “And what did the Raksura gain from this encounter with the Hians?”
Moon answered, “Nothing. We were trying to keep ourselves and the groundlings with us alive. We didn’t completely succeed.” Song. Magrim and Kellimdar and the other Jandera. Kethel. Hopefully not Callumkal, since it sounded as if he was the only one whose word the Kish would take. Doyen clearly didn’t believe Moon.
“What do you want?” Gathin asked.
“I want to go back to my family.” Moon was getting tired of stupid questions. “Why do you care?”
Ceilinel said, “Gathin will be your speaker in the conclave.”
Moon stared at her. “You’re joking.”
Gathin looked offended. Ceilinel said, “She is pledged to uncover the truth for the conclave.”
It was funny that they thought he was naive enough to believe that. “Is anybody uncovering the truth from the Hians? Are they locked up somewhere?”