She gave herself a mental shake. She’d known this was necessary if they were to win the brotherhood. Tobazim would make a good all-father, and he would take her choice-son into his brotherhood.
‘Imoshen?’ Tobazim was concerned.
She shook her head as Ardonyx joined them, going to Tobazim’s side.
He could never stand at her side, not unless she eradicated the brotherhood-sisterhood divide. But how could she overcome a distrust that went back beyond recorded history? It always came back to this...
‘Imoshen?’ Ardonyx sensed her distress.
Before Imoshen could speak, Gift-tutor Deimosh came over to Tobazim. ‘Forgive the interruption, all-father, but those who killed their own brothers this night fear being dragged onto the higher plane.’
‘You’re busy. I should go,’ Imoshen said and slipped away.
Ardonyx escorted her to the mid-deck.
‘He’s a good man,’ she said.
‘He’s also smart. We’ll have to be careful, or he’ll realise what you and I share. He once likened the deep-bonding to betraying the brotherhood, and now that he’s the all-father, his instinct will be to protect the brotherhood at all cost.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
T
HE MORE
J
ARAILE
observed her tired army, the more she worried they would crumple when confronted with Eskarnor’s forces.
Her army would reach port by dusk tomorrow night. They’d had little rest, eaten cold meals, and were wary of Sorne. They’d been uneasy ever since the T’En warriors had killed Baron Ikor in her defence. It didn’t matter that Sorne had sent the three T’En warriors away. She’d seen the looks they cast him and heard them muttering about half-bloods belonging with their own kind. Baron Ramonal took every opportunity to lecture her.
Fools, didn’t they realise she needed him to plan the attack? How Eskarnor would laugh, if he knew.
And something the baron had once said came back to her.
She edged her tired mount closer to Sorne. ‘I’ve been thinking. It was a mistake bringing you along. I should send you back to the Wyrds.’
She saw his face grow guarded, and realised she’d phrased this badly.
‘As a ploy. You said we need to convince Eskarnor to send his army into a trap. Now that Charald is in his dotage, Eskarnor believes you’re the only man in Chalcedonia who can outwit him on the battlefield. He thinks the rest are fools. If he hears I’ve sent you into exile, he’ll be much more likely to believe my army is retreating and fall for the pincer move you showed me.’
‘Jaraile...’ A slow smile split Sorne’s face.
It made her stomach feel funny.
‘Do it,’ Sorne urged. ‘Banish me tonight, in front of all your barons and captains. I’ll ride off as if I’m heading for Shifting-sands Bay, then double back and ride for port, slip in and seek out Kerminzto. I’ll tell him what you’re planning. He can slip out of port to meet you and you can claim the pair of you came up with the battle strategy together. Ramanol and the rest are more likely to accept the plan if they think I had nothing to do with it.’
‘You don’t mind?’
He shrugged. ‘Give Aingeru command of your centre. It will infuriate Eskarnor and entice his men to follow them when they retreat.’
She nodded.
‘I ask only one thing. I want to be in the middle of the front ranks, disguised as a common man-at-arms. I want to judge when the centre should crumple and signal Aingeru.’
‘You could be killed.’
‘That’s always true in battle.’ He laughed softly. ‘But I plan to live.’
They rode on in silence for a while.
‘The shift happened the moment Graelen killed Baron Ikor,’ Sorne said. ‘Before that, they didn’t like me, but they tolerated me.’
‘Yes. I’m sorry.’
He shrugged again.
‘You could use me as bait,’ she suggested. ‘Eskarnor needs me to legitimise his claim to the throne. If I were in the centre –’
‘Not on your life, Jaraile.’
If she was honest, she felt relieved.
‘Although we may be able to use you to raise the stakes, so he fully commits his men.’
‘Wouldn’t he fully commit them?’
‘Charald would hold men in reserve and send them to where his lines faltered.’
That evening, Jaraile banished Sorne, and he rode out of the camp to the jeers and taunts of her men-at-arms. It made her face burn with shame, but she knew she’d done the right thing when Baron Ramanol congratulated her on ‘getting rid of that arrogant half-blood.’
Four years of marriage to King Charald had taught her to hide her true feelings. She smiled sweetly and nodded.
A
RAVELLE WATCHED THE
healer’s ship, hoping to spot her brothers. Earlier, she’d seen Ronnyn set off for the isle of ruins with the sisterhood leaders, but her little brothers might come out on deck. Meanwhile, Saskarleaned against the rail, facing towards the mast.
‘So this new all-father, Tobazim, sent his voice-of-reason to invite us to his cabin tonight, to renew the vow Kyredeon made, giving us safe passage on this ship.’ Saskar had a habit of speaking about the brotherhood leadership as if he was one of them. Since he accompanied them to all-council meetings, it was almost as if he was. ‘Hueryx doesn’t know what to make of Tobazim. How could such a young adept win the brotherhood from Kyredeon? Not that we aren’t relieved. Anyone would be better than Kyredeon. The causare has called an all-council for later this afternoon. She’ll have him give his covenant vow then. But what our all-father wants to know is why the causare came to this ship after the challenge last night.’
‘She was here?’
Saskar nodded. ‘Along with the sisterhood healer. They were spotted leaving when the fog started to lift.’
‘Lots of warriors were injured. The healer –’
‘Her gift is not all-powerful. We have to petition her to heal one of our people. And if she does, it makes our all-father beholden to her. If Imoshen and the healer came aboard in answer to Tobazim’s petition, then he must be beholden to her. And no all-father wants to start his leadership beholden to two of the most powerful sisterhood leaders.’
‘Perhaps he thinks it’s worth it, to save his brothers’ lives?’
‘And perhaps he cheated.’
Aravelle was shocked.
Saskar laughed.
She blushed and turned away. A boat was leaving the
Perseverance
. ‘Are you sure the all-council meeting is later?’
‘Why?’
She pointed. ‘Isn’t that All-father Dretsun and his two seconds rowing towards the island?’
‘Yes, but –’
‘The causare, the healer and their seconds are on the island. I saw them row over with some others a little while ago.’
Saskar cursed softly. ‘Come on.’
He darted over to Hand-of-force Reyne, and by the time Aravelle reached the all-father’s cabin, the three brotherhood leaders had stripped down to their breeches, to don their torcs of office and formal brocade robes.
Reyne knelt, releasing his long hair. ‘Do something formal. Be quick, Saskar.’
The voice-of-reason followed suit. Saskar indicated that Aravelle was to do Dragomyr’s hair, while he did Reyne’s. She mimicked Saskar, as he plaited and pinned with speed and precision.
‘See, there is an advantage to short hair,’ Hueryx said, binding his back in a simple knot at the base of his skull.
‘You look like a barbarian Mieren,’ Dragomyr said.
Aravelle gave his hair a sharp tug.
‘Ow... take care, clumsy girl.’
She apologised, but Hueryx knew she didn’t mean it. He caught her eye, a smile tugging at his lips. It infuriated her; she hated him.
He laughed, selected a silver skull cap and settled it on his head. ‘How’s that? Will I pass?’
Aravelle finished plaiting Dragomyr’s hair and came over to study the all-father. The skull cap looked severe, but strangely enough... ‘It suits you. It emphasises your cheekbones.’
Hueryx blinked.
Reyne laughed. ‘A compliment!’
‘The best kind.’ Hueryx’s forehead crinkled, reminding her of Ronnyn. ‘Because it was given freely, by one who does not like me.’
Fearing she would get a clip around the ear, Aravelle backed up a step. But the all-father was not Charsoria.
Hueryx turned to the others, radiating energy. ‘Ready to confront the causare and this new all-father?’
As the three of them walked out, Aravelle felt a wave of male gift roll off them, full of aggression.
She wondered what the causare had been doing on this ship after the challenge, and what would happen to All-father Tobazim, if it turned out he had cheated to win the brotherhood.
I
MOSHEN SMILED AS
the two lads ran on ahead. They’d come back to the island to view the T’En ruin and hear what the historians had deduced. Sketches had been made of the frescoes and saved for posterity. Imoshen’s sisterhood historian had a different theory about the ruin’s origin from Reoden’s, and the two were arguing spiritedly, while Scholar Igotzon looked on.
Now that they’d seen the ruins and heard the theories, they were going to have a picnic, debate alternate views and hear a poem composed to commemorate the discovery.
The party headed through the trees towards the clearing, where Iraayel and Saffazi were setting up the meal. It was Iraayel’s last day with the sisterhood. Later this afternoon, Imoshen would declare him dead to her and he would be given into his brotherhood, but she would never turn her back on her choice-son.
Before that meeting, she needed to call an all-mother-council. They could not afford the divide between brotherhood and sisterhood. It was time to amend the covenant vow, time to foster better relations with the brotherhoods.
Ronnyn and Sardeon darted between the trees.
Reoden leant closer to Imoshen. ‘I swear Sar is more like a normal boy every day. I’m hopeful his gift will finally manifest and he will begin to grow again. If not, Ronnyn is very protective of his little brothers. I’m sure he will stand by Sar anyway.’
‘Does he know the truth about Sardeon?’
‘No. I’ve left it up to Sar to tell him.’
Behind them, Imoshen could hear their seconds discussing the passing of Kyredeon and what it would mean for the balance of power between the brotherhoods.
‘Sar told me he’d like to be a scholar,’ Imoshen said. ‘He’s amazingly well-read.’
‘That’s what happens when you spend four years in seclusion.’
‘You said his gift was just starting to manifest before...’ Imoshen did not want to mention the day Reoden’s daughter died. ‘Did you get a hint of its nature?’
‘No...’ Reoden paused. ‘What are those two up to?’
Both lads had stopped at the edge of the clearing.
Imoshen and Reoden came up to stand behind them, only to find Dretsun and his two seconds confronting Iraayel and Saffazi. The seventeen-year-olds were unarmed and, on Imoshen’s arrival, they edged around to join her, never turning their backs on the brotherhood leaders.
‘What are you doing here, all-father?’ Imoshen stepped into the clearing, placing herself between Dretsun and her companions. Autumn leaves swirled down, carried on an errant breeze. Her gift reacted to the acrid tang of aggressive male power.
‘You called an all-council,’ Dretsun said.
‘For later.’ Imoshen’s voice hardened. Had Dretsun brought more warriors to flank her party? She glanced over her shoulder to see Kiane and Cerafeoni slip quietly away. ‘I ask again. Why are you here?’
‘There is a rumour that All-father Tamaron will not be coming into exile. I want to know what’s happening to the remains of his brotherhood.’
‘That’s brotherhood business. The causare doesn’t interfere in the internal running of the brotherhoods.’
‘Yet you and the healer were on the
Victorious
last night.’ Dretsun’s eyes gleamed with triumph and Imoshen felt his gift surge. ‘All-father Tamaron’s survivors have been given shelter there and Kyredeon’s brotherhood has new leadership.’
‘It wasn’t brotherhood business that took us to the
Victorious
,’ Imoshen said. Behind the belligerent all-father and his seconds, she saw her hand-of-force hurrying down the path and raised her voice. ‘What is it, Kiane?’
‘The rest of the all-fathers are on their way here with their seconds, and Cerafeoni is escorting the all-mothers up from the beach.’
‘It seems we are about to hold the all-council here,’ Imoshen said.
‘You haven’t answered my question, all-mother,’ Dretsun said.
‘Since this is now an all-council, you’ll address me as
Causare
Imoshen,’ she corrected.
Just then the all-mothers and their seconds arrived. As they took up their places on Imoshen’s side of the clearing, she beckoned Iraayel and Saffazi. ‘Take the lads and the historians into the trees. Stay within hearing distance, but keep Igotzon out of sight. If the brotherhood leaders see a Mieren near the all-council, they’ll take it as an insult.’
‘Wait,’ Egrayne said. ‘Since we are all gathered here, Imoshen, you can hand Iraayel over to the new all-father. I’ll prepare him.’
Saffazi made a sound of pain in her throat.
‘You knew this day would come, choice-daughter.’ Egrayne’s voice was cold and hard. ‘Don’t shame me. Do as the causare told you and stay back.’
Imoshen’s heart raced and she drew a deep breath. At seventeen, Iraayel was no longer a child; his gift could protect him. As Egrayne said, she’d always known this day would come, and Tobazim’s brotherhood was the best possible option for Iraayel. But that didn’t stop the pain.
Before she led Iraayel away, Egrayne added, ‘While I’m preparing him, you can take the new all-father’s covenant vow.’
Imoshen found the idea of forcing a gift-empowered vow on Tobazim repugnant. The covenant vow and the way it took their children from them was the core reason the brotherhoods feared and resented the sisterhoods. The all-fathers hated knowing the vow gave the all-mothers the ability to reach into their gifts and cripple them.
As long as one group had power over another, the T’Enatuath could never be united.
And she believed removing the T’En children from the brotherhoods only exacerbated their violent nature. After her daughter had been born, she had seen how being around small T’En children had a calming effect on the male gift.