Adversaries Together (40 page)

“
Nearly a hundred years
ago.” Sondra stared at the vellum map, “What does it matter? This
geography lesson?”

“
The Siracene Highlands
were purged of the Athingani with the blessing, if not on the
directive, of The Cathedral. The division of those lands made the
world we know today. Now The Cathedral wants to remake the
world.”

“
You think they want to
dissolve Essia in the same manner?” Neve asked.

“
I think they want Essia as
their territory because it’s too difficult to move east on their
own.” Tamas eyed his map not taking notice of the
others.

“But why get us to do it?”

“
Because we have profited
most by having Rikonen closed off. The Blockade has done exactly
what we hoped it would—made our nation the center of trade and the
destination for Lappala’s bithumin.”

“
That resource has made our
farmlands more than triple their yields.” Sondra said.

“
We’re the breadbasket of
the world.” Tobin got up to get another drink.

“
But why would The
Cathedral challenge us now?” Neve asked.

“
Because The Cathedral has
no interest in bithumin. They know it’s a poison.” Tamas
asserted.

Tobin spun around guffawing, “The Aral is
poisoning our farmland with a resource that triples yield, is what
you’re saying—just so I’m clear.”

“
The Aral is barren.” Tamas
said calmly.

“
Because it’s a desert.”
Tobin retorted.

“
Why not use the resource
themselves? There are rivers; we’ve seen dry climes use
irrigation.” Tamas asked.

“
Their water table is too
deep. And using the resource requires soil; last I knew the Aral is
still a desert. Water sand all you want and pour resource all over
it, nothing happens.” Neve explained.

“
It wasn’t
always.”

“
A thousand years ago it
was a verdant paradise,” Tobin mocked, “We’ve all read the
histories; we’ve all read the illuminated manuscripts; we know the
myths.”

“Yes, well, obviously you haven’t thought
about them.”

“
And what would you have me
think?”

“
I believe that the
Lappalans used bithumin to make the Aral the bliss of the annals.
Then the resource caused the death of the land. With only bithumin
available to them, they began to trade it, to ship it out to the
rest of the world.”

Sondra shook her head, “The Essians weren’t
the first to import the resource. If we follow your line of
reasoning, wouldn’t that suggest that the first city to buy the
resource from the Lappalans should be experiencing the same kind of
poisoning?”

“The Adrenines used it. But theirs was a
limited venture, they relied more on the sea. Other cities had
other means.”

Neve nodded, “Paraonen is still a whaling
center, all oil comes through it.”

“Yes it is and yes it does. But that doesn’t
mean that it didn’t need more. Essia wasn’t always the bread
basket, it became such.”

“Once it began importing from Lappala?”

“Once it discovered how to refine
bithumin.”

Tobin flopped back down in his seat, “So
what then?”

“So the refined bithumin increased the yield
to what we know today and increased the toxicity of it.” Neve
ventured.

Tamas nodded, “I believe so. I believe our
blockade, through no intention of our own, forced the Essians to
discover the end effect of the resource sooner than would have
happened on their own.”

“
It’s still makes little
sense.” Tobin wasn’t convinced.

“
I don’t understand the
process but I am certain it is the case.” Tamas replied.

“
I don’t know.”

“
I know.”

“
You need to let us know.”
Tobin threw his glass on the floor; its shattering turned all eyes
toward him, “I am sick of this pedantic teasing. You weren’t the
only one that has worked to make this decree happen. You didn’t
sway the majority all on your own no matter how fine a speech you
made. We!” Tobin gestured around the table, “We made it happen, the
four of us together.”

“
I didn’t know credit meant
so much to you.” Tamas tried to sound above reproach.

“
Acclaim be damned, I don’t
consider any praise from any of you to be worthwhile.”

“Good to know.” Neve said coldly.

“
He’s not wrong. Although,
he is drunk.” Sondra spoke up, and then pointed at Tamas “You need
to be less elliptical.”

“
I’m sorry.” Tamas turned
to Tobin, “I am sincerely mistaken. I’ve been in…so embroiled with
the assembly I’ve forgotten that you all are actually my peers.”
Tobin looked slightly satisfied.

“Peers, we’re more than a cohort,” Tobin
said more calmly now and with less venom than before, “We could
change the balance of power in this city for generations. We all
have the long view,” he turned and winked at Sondra, “Even if some
of us have a blurry vision of the future.”

Tobin rose, but Tamas made a gesture for him
to stay seated. He turned around, “Let me get you something.”

“
Thank you.” Tobin
sat.

“
So Essia is in the midst
of a drought but you believe that drought is because of the
bithumin. That somehow the refinement of it not only makes it a
more potent fertilizer but also destroys the soil faster than it
typically would. Is that about it?” Sondra said.

Tamas nodded with his back to the others. He
poured a glass of raki and downed it instantly, then poured
another, “I think, if The Cathedral wants Essia we should let them
have it and we should tell the world about Lappala,”

“
That would make us two
powerful enemies.”

Tamas shook his head as he approached Tobin,
set his drink down, and sat, “A different Patriarch might be less
interested in consuming Essia.”

“
I could imagine us
orchestrating a more favorable candidate at the next conclave but
that’s not for years.” Neve said.

“And even that, would require deep
planning.” Tobin added sipping his drink and seeming much more
focused.

“
I’ve already planted the
seeds for a…cleavage.” Tamas said.

“Assuming we pull them from Patriarch Arius
and to us. What does that provide us with?” Sondra asked.

“A Silvincian patriarch, a Silvincian
praetor which makes for all intents and purposes one kingdom.” Neve
suggested.

“That could happen,” Tamas conceded, “But I
see something slightly grander.”

“
And that would be?” Tobin
swirled his drink staring at Tamas from over the brim of the
glass.

Tamas gave a wry grin, “An Essian
patriarch.”

The Cruor

The soldiers rounded the small wood where
the road ended and strode into the glen two by two their aspis
shields caught the early evening sun to shine golden. From Kira
stood at the ready with Wynne two windows over from her, he too was
watching the unit’s procession.

“
That’s what? Fifteen?” She
asked.

Wynne nodded, “Thereabouts.”

“
That’s not so bad,
right?”

“
Those are Silvincian
soldiers.” Wynne muttered, “So who knows just how good or bad
they’ll be.”

Below them at the fire pit, Goshen stood with
Declan and Fery flanking him. Goshen’s eyes were narrowed as he
stared at the men marching toward him.

“
They’ll spread out in a
moment. Maybe three wide and five deep, maybe five wide and three
deep.”

“
Do you think they’ll come
at once?” Fery asked.

“
Yes and no,” Goshen
replied as the soldiers began to fan out, they split into two
groups.

“
Not quite what you had in
mind.” Declan added.

“
I don’t know if they have
archers but it doesn’t quite look like it. I think they’ll send one
group up at first and wait to see what happens before they send the
other.” Goshen’s head wobbled as though he were weighing
option.

“
I suppose I’d rather have
two to one than four to one.” Declan muttered.

“
We’ll need to draw them in
to us,” Goshen was grave, “We can’t go to them or we’ll get caught
too far out.”

“
So we wait for them to
come up here.” Fery said. “Will they though?”

“
I wouldn’t,” Declan said,
“I’d just stand there in all my intimidating glory and wait for us
to break.”

Goshen smirked, “You know more about
soldiering than I thought.”

Declan scoffed as he drew his sword. Fery
stood twirling her degens, “Maybe we feint.”

Goshen nodded, “We go just so far, we freeze,
then we retreat—look a bit fearful, it’ll make them come after
us.”

“
This is so fucking
stupid.” Declan began to walk forward.

“
There seems to be only
three, sir.” Lance Carrick spoke calmly as he handed the monocular
to Asa who quickly grabbed it and peered up the slope to the Cruor.
He saw the sculpture in the cliff face, and then panned down over
the pool before he saw the three.

“A paladin.” He said rather impressed, “And
a woman and another man…who both look rather shady.”

“A paladin?” Carrick replied, “Sir, we
certainly can’t take up arms against the Cathedral.”

“
One paladin isn’t the
Cathedral, lance.” Asa dismissed the soldier’s concern as he
lowered the monocular, “Besides, for this task I am the
Cathedral.”

“
Yes, sir.” Carrick
acquiesced, “Shall we send the first unit to meet them?”

Asa thought a moment as he looked at the two
units of Spire soldiers he had at his disposal, “Garren,” he
called.

A stout, rough looking sailor came up to him,
“Aye, captain.”

“
Come with me, bring the
boy.”

“
Sir?” The lance broke
in.

“
Lance you will follow with
both units when I signal you.” Asa barked then lightened his tone,
“First we need to discuss terms.”

Asa stepped forward ahead of the soldiers and
began to walk toward The Cruor. Garren soon followed pulling Colm
by the arm. When the paladin saw that it was just Asa, Garren, and
the boy he froze in his tracks and the two with him did as well.
The two groups stood about thirty feet apart when Asa spoke.

“
Where is he?”

The paladin didn’t break his gaze, “Who do
you mean? And who are you?”

“
You know who I am and you
know who I mean.”

“’
Fraid it’s just us here.”
Declan chimed in.

“
I very much doubt that,”
Asa said, “I am looking for the man who assaulted the Silvincian
navy along the Blockade. Chances are he kidnapped a ward of the
Spires, an alm with some rather powerful connections.”

“
That sounds like more
false than true.” Fery piped up.

Asa chuckled, “Which part?”

“
I tell you there’s no one
here that knows what you’re talking about.” Goshen said.

“
Now that’s false.” Asa
waved a finger at Goshen then reached out and grabbed Colm, “You go
and tell him that I’ll kill his friend’s son if he doesn’t show
himself.”

“
That must be Reg’s boy.”
Fery whispered.

“
Who’s that now?” Declan
asked.

“
Never mind it,” Goshen
growled, “I’m not letting him kill that boy.”

Asa stood with a look of disinterestedness,
then casually pulled a knife from his belt and held it to Colm’s
throat. The boy was already pale but seemed to turn into a ghost
when the metal touched his skin, “I’d rather like an answer sooner
than later gentlemen…and lady.” Asa winked at Fery, who
shuddered.

“We’ve no feud with you. There’s no reason
to harm the boy.”

“Hear that, Colm?” Asa sounded playful,
“”I’ve no reason to hurt you. Thank the Light that I don’t need
reasons.” Asa glared at Goshen, “You give him to me and I’ll let
the boy go. I’ll let the boy go and our little troupe will walk
away to leave you here at your ruins in peace.”

“
We can’t let him kill
him.” Fery said.

“
He’s gonna do it whether
we give up Roth or not, you can see it in his eyes.” Declan said,
“This one is spoiling for revenge.”

“
Neither of you are wrong.”
Goshen whispered.

Asa nodded to Garren who then signaled
Carrick; the soldiers began to come forward, “As you can see, I’m
growing tired of this.”

Goshen gripped his mace with both hands,
bent his knees and seemed to dig in to where he was standing and
called out to Asa, “There’s no need for this, but if it’s what you
want we’ll oblige.”

“
There ya go,” Declan
smiled and moved out a bit wider, his sword raised.

Both units of soldier were nearly where Asa
stood when Garren seized up griping his neck. A thick gurgling came
and soon blood was pouring from between his fingers and he slumped
to the ground.

“
What the fuck?” Asa kicked
Colm in the back sending the boy face first into the ground and
drew his rapier. He kept an eye on the paladin but turned to face
the forest to his left where Roth emerged, knife in hand. “There
you are, you bastard,” Asa’s face brightened with a sinister
grin.

Colm tried to raise himself but froze when he
came eye to eye with Garren’s blank stare, the blood still
streaming from the man’s neck. Roth called out in the cant and it
seemed to draw Colm’s attention back to the world around him.