Temple of the Traveler: Empress of Dreams (44 page)

“My beloved lives.”

“He’s an idiot. Pagaose was willing to restore his manhood and make your family rulers over half the world while he doubles the size of his empire.”

“You take his side against us?”

“No, daughter. I tell you that what Pagaose says, he will do, unless something kills him first. Your man is a weak charlatan by comparison.”

Humi set her jaw but said nothing to contradict the dragon. “Why not let warship wards expire or purposely erase them?”

“The waters are teeming with mindless feeders who sense the upcoming slaughter. Even if I could hold those off, every night the natives send waves of ghosts against us.”

“Fight back with our necromancers.”

The dragon hissed at the tone. “They’re the College of Wizards, child. If the emperor’s new toy hadn’t blown him apart with a lightning bolt, Lord Burningsand alone could have held your bumblers off behind Pagaose’s umbrella shield.”

“Could Lord Kragen’s Roseate Lens create a hole in the shield, the way he planned to do in the garden of the Spirit Temple?”

“Perhaps. The defenses are weakest on Shade Side. I found a weak ward there that I might be able to overwhelm with windblown sand. That would be the best place to experiment. Also, the new lighthouse extends beyond the protections. I have told Sandarac all this, but he feels that the residents of Center can be starved into submission.”

“What do you recommend?”

“This is now the war of a thousand stinging insects. Pagaose will make you pay for every misstep; such is the way of water. Prepare for a long siege, but do not expect to win. Already he places a bounty on the fire mages’ heads and offers amnesty to all Imperials.”

“How can we win?”

Serog sighed. “Pagaose must make a mistake. Goad him into using his final miracle and strike him from all sides while he is vulnerable. You might have a chance.”

“You won’t help?”

“I do all I can legally. Pagaose has committed no crimes. He is the legitimate emperor, and I can’t lift a finger against him directly without penalty.”

“Wouldn’t the penalty be worth it?” asked Humi.

“No. Pagaose has sworn not to harm me. He has already offered to take you as wife once Sandarac is slain. That would put your child on the throne just as well,” the dragon said, ripping the wooden top off the next cage. She turned the victim’s head to face her. Captivated by her terrible beauty, he couldn’t scream. The dragoness transformed his life-force into rainbow-colored vapors in record time. “Ah. Your offering has been accepted.”

Serog launched into the night, leaving the empress to fume. She would find a way to make the dragon obey her.

Komiko approached the small prison tower at the edge of the observatory complex. The white stone tower perched on the edge of the caldera, and the lone window on the third story faced the center of the smoky volcano. Lord Vapordoom had taken custody of the former Lady Evershade as soon as the
Elegance
docked and would hold her until her trial. The guard recognized the visiting witch by her height and glasses before he examined her papers. “You’re the emperor’s number-one consort. Is he interceding?”

“No,” said Komiko. “I come on my own. Corrie was our dance chaperone, and she was like a mother to me. I petitioned Lord Pangborn, and he said I was permitted visits.”

The guard searched her for weapons but found only a picnic basket of bread, wine, and roast fowl. He took the wine for his own lunch and opened the iron-bound door for her. “Half an hour, no more.”

The tower had one room per level and wooden stairs that spiraled upward. The rooms smelled of rotten eggs and bitter almonds. Komiko found Corrie gazing out on the ruin. “I brought you lunch.”

“If you love me, bring me some of the lotus honey Violet kept in her cupboards. I know how she felt, her dynasty gone but forced to live on as the example.”

Komiko whispered, “The Pleasure Dome has been plowed under except for the two pools closest to the harem. The rest has been converted into garden. Even his majesty’s hammock has been moved to his room.”

“Only Niftkin has been to see me this last week. He is a good son-in-law.” Corrie brightened for a moment. “Have you come to tell me I’m a grandmother?”

“No, but not for lack of trying.”

“Niftkin loves Nightglow enough to risk death, and he treated her like a noblewoman even when she had no title. I have no complaints. He’ll make sure I have plenty of beautiful grandbabies, and he’ll be the type to stick around to help them if they’re ever sick.”

Komiko bowed her head. “Niftkin went back to his majesty at the wreck in the harbor to plead your case. His highness was angry at his impatience with your daughter, and said, ‘I swore I would draw the sword and punish you.’”

Corrie put her hand to her mouth. “My Pagaose would never kill his most loyal servant.”

“No. The emperor made Niftkin guardian of the One True Sword. Now he has to sit in the middle of the harbor while Pagaose sits in the palace and tries to fight both council and enemy alike. The sword can’t leave the wreck or the shield is broken.”

“His highness is fair. Niftkin and Nightglow will learn patience.”

“Maybe. When that snake Majah hinted you were physical with the emperor, Niftkin immediately drew up documents attesting to your virtue. Everyone on the staff, including Anna and the other dancers, has signed the affidavit swearing you were never alone with Pagaose, and never said or did anything improper in his presence.”

Corrie had the decency to blush.

Komiko said, “It’s cost him, though. People cast doubt on his first-circle status, calling your new son Lord of the Harbor or Marquis of the Sinking Island.”

“Write down the names of the mockers, and I will get foxtails from them.”

Komiko smiled. “I wish you were my mom. You care for your loved ones and may the lava take the rest. Pagaose wanted to help you, but he’s not allowed to interfere with the courts in any way.”

Corrie allowed herself a single tear before clamping down on the pain again. “He has no further use for me. He has two healthy concubines and more who are willing.”

“No! Don’t say that. He hasn’t touched either of us. Pagaose’s so gloomy that the Council had Ember and I move into his bedroom. Even though that bed is seven feet wide, he sleeps in the hammock. Ember and I don’t even do anything until he leaves. I mean, he’s only there four hours a day. He talks to Anna about you constantly. He can’t say a thing around Majah, though, or the information goes straight to the enemy.” Komiko tried to look the other woman in the eye for emphasis. “He loves you so much that he hasn’t eaten since the night you were imprisoned.”

Corrie clasped both hands around her heart. “He still cares?”

“Yes. Now eat something.”

The noblewoman complied slowly, her hands fumbling through the basket.

When Komiko gasped at her impairment, Corrie said, “I told you on the yacht that I looked back to watch Pagaose perform the ceremony; I caught a glimpse of his true form.”

“Your vision hasn’t returned yet?”

“Not fully. I don’t have much cause for reading poetry or doing my accounting anymore. That’s enough of an old woman’s problems; how is the war going?”

“You’re not old. Pagaose concentrates on moving the last shipment from Bablios. Even people who didn’t want to pay their taxes help smuggle us food now that the Intagliosians are terrorizing the islands. Every day the Pretender acts against us, more people support our emperor. Yesterday, the College voted to implement his suggestions about magical defense.”

“Even a dull ox will steer away from a cliff,” Corrie said with a chuckle. She brightened when Komiko removed items from the basket and placed them on her bed: a bird figurine, a white feather, and a piece of gold fabric.

The witch said, “Ember cut this swatch from the chest of his robe, so you know there’s a hole over his heart until you return.”

Corrie wept openly, unable to contain the emotion. “How is Kitten?”

“I’ll smuggle him into your cell on my next visit if you answer one question.”

“Anything for you, my friend.”

“Anna could only give me hints. You hid the will and property well; it took us a week to track them down. I know you always have a good reason for your crimes; what did the apothecary do to deserve murder?”

“You want my confession? Who else knows of this?” Corrie bit her lip.

“Nobody knows, and nobody will. I only guessed because of how well I know you. We bulldogs stick together. Tell me and I can help,” Komiko said, laying her hand on the older woman’s hand.

“I’ll tell you, but do not help yet, I beg.”

“Why not?”

“You swear yourself to be my new kin?”

“I do.”

“Then hear all of what I have to say and do not spread it until the deed benefits Pagaose.”

“I knew you did it for him!” cried the witch snapping her fingers.

“Swear!”

“I swear.”

“The apothecaries took money from a certain noble to brew the purple poison used against the emperor.”

“You’ll be restored! That’s treason. Everything they owned is forfeit to the emperor.”

Corrie raised her hand. “I can’t reveal the plot without stirring an investigation. Pagaose needs the true culprit in order to succeed against the Pretender. As long as I hide the evidence trail, Pangborn will serve the emperor to the best of his abilities.”

“If he betrays the emperor again, you’ll ruin his whole family.”

“At the cost of my life. Neither of us can afford to condemn the other, so my trial is suspended indefinitely. However, if Pangborn stays loyal till the end of the siege, all will be forgiven on both sides. Rensalier will testify that the property I sold was forfeit to the crown. I used the property to pay for only the emperor’s coronation. For the gown, I used my own funds.”

“You could be free at any time, and you choose prison?”

“I choose to help my Pagaose in the only way I can. I beg you; tell him enough to get him to eat . . . and visit me in dreams.”

****

That night, as Ember and Komiko lay in the oversized bed, they heard the emperor moan in his sleep. At first they giggled. “The wicked vixen returns.” However, when the moans went on for over an hour, Ember said, “He sounds like he’s suffering.”

“Corrie’s eyesight is bad and . . . she might’ve taken some drugs to deaden the pain last week. Her dream skills are probably a little off because of both. Maybe he’s too drained from the shield spell to . . . participate. I’ll ask her tomorrow.”

“How are we going to sleep tonight?”

Komiko sighed. “I guess we
are
his concubines. I’ll handle it. I offered before, and it’s only fair.” She marched over to his hammock, grasped the problem, and soon after the emperor sighed in relief. In his sated state, he rolled over and put his arm around Komiko’s hip. She looked at her partner, pleading. Ember covered her mouth, lest laughter wake him.

Finally, Komiko could stand no more and whispered to Pagaose, “Sire, come to your bed; we think the guards may be checking the cause for the noises.”

He did so, getting another three hours’ rest before slipping off to exercise. He didn’t wake the ladies when he rose.

Komiko smuggled the fox in with breakfast. The noblewoman cooed over the pet, and it kissed her face, preferring a reunion with her to bacon—high praise.

“Someone was very chipper today,” Komiko noted. “Pagaose ordered a storm-crystal wand for you, just like Pinetto’s. He said you were the best magical assistant ever.”

Corrie’s eyes lowered. “We tried some things he’s never done before in the flesh. I couldn’t communicate with him well enough. I don’t think he trusts me sufficiently. Maybe I’m not stimulating enough for him anymore.”

“It’s probably just your eyes or lack of practice.”

“I have no idea why he succeeded. I couldn’t help him.”

Komiko looked at the ceiling, remaining silent. Corrie detected the avoidance immediately. “You?”

“I’m sorry. I was just trying to help. I didn’t do anything against the rules of night visits.”

The older woman’s face lit with possibilities. “No, this is good.”

“He’s also a snuggle-bear afterward. Ember takes care of that part. She likes cuddling and I can’t stand being held down.”

“You’re caring for my beloved in my stead.” After a pause, Corrie added, “You could be my beard.”

“Your what?” laughed the witch.

“When a man wishes to . . . court a woman he’s not supposed to, or doesn’t wish to ruin his reputation with, he employs a thin disguise. A good friend feigns interest in wooing the girl and the interested man just comes along to be social. The beard also delivers love letters and special gifts.”

“Sure.”

“If you’re willing, I want to experiment, giving him new sensations. I would be in your debt.”

“Maybe you could teach us a little more about dreaming and Archanos. I’d like to connect to Ember on a deeper level. I’m sure the military commanders would love to communicate over large distances. My school needs to teach something other than hexagrams.”

“Certainly, but don’t tell Pagaose you’re helping. Tell him the guards peeked in and you need him to share the bed to maintain the illusion. Offer to put a pile of pillows or a bundling board between if you need to. I’ll hold him in dream state and have him utter the words, ‘I am ready.’ That will be your cue.”

“For what?”

Corrie smiled wickedly.

****

The next night’s dream experience was so intense that Pagaose slept in for the first time in anyone’s memory. He worried that people could tell he was too happy and vowed not to visit Corrie again for at least a week, lest the dragon discover his secret; instead, he spent the evening writing notes in the pillow book for further magical experiments. At bedtime, he glimpsed the ladies naked as Komiko threw off her sheets. Later, the witch accidentally rubbed against him with her foot, and he was forced to visit Corrie for the sake of propriety. When he confessed this to Corrie, she put a finger to his lips and said, “Hush. These are the rules of the night visit.”