pensively, "It feels strange, when I look for her. Even when I went up to the sacred caves and sought her in the ancient fires there, while waiting for Baran to return from Emeldar. It's as if..." She shook her head. "As if she's not in either world. Not this one or the Other one, but not lost or gone, either. Almost as if she's... I don't know... hovering somewhere."
Tansen had no idea what she was talking about, but he tried to be comforting. "I'm sure she's dead by now." He wasn't at all sure, but didn't know what else to say. "If I find out anything, I'll send word to Belitar."
She nodded. After a quiet moment, she changed the subject. "What will you do now?"
"I need to establish our influence across the central portion of the country, spreading through the mountains from Shaljir to Adalian."
"You intend to separate Kiloran's foundation of power in the west from the Idalar River and the mines of Alizar?" she guessed.
"Yes. And to separate the eastern and western waterlords from each other." He asked her to speak to Baran about the mines of Alizar, and also to find out whatever she could about the rest of the Society, particularly the individual weaknesses of the waterlords whom Baran knew.
"I will," she promised. "But I don't know how cooperative he'll be. All he cares about is destroying Kiloran. I don't think he cares who wins the war, or what happens to the Honored Society, the Guardians, or anyone else."
"Now that ," Tansen said, "I believe." It was even comforting in a way. If Baran's priorities remained unchanged, and he saw Mirabar as essential in his fight against Kiloran, then he really would protect and care for her.
Still thinking, Tansen flexed his hand, where the shir wound acquired in the ambush on Dalishar still troubled him from time to time.
Mirabar noticed. "Surely whatever force healed the wound at your side, which was much worse, should be able to heal that, too?"
Tansen shrugged. "It's getting better by itself."
"Maybe if you tried—"
"I don't remember how it happened the first time," he reminded her. He'd been unconscious in a cave, tended only by a frightened sea-born boy, when the deadly wound in his torso suddenly healed, leaving only a silvery scar.
"Maybe if Zarien tried," Mirabar suggested.
"I've been wondering..."
"What?"
"Do you think he might be the sea king?"
"I don't know." She frowned. "Why do you think so? Because of the way the wound healed?"
"It could be the answer, couldn't it?"
"I don't know," she repeated. "I don't know what the sea-born say about the sea king. Anyhow, if that wasn't it, then why—"
"Something the Olvar said when Zarien and I visited the Beyah-Olvari in the tunnels beneath Shaljir."
"This boy will be," the Olvar said to Tansen, "more than you imagine. Perhaps more than you can accept."
"He said..." Tansen stopped, remembering other things the wizened Olvar, the gentle leader of his ancient tribe of small blue-skinned beings living in secrecy, had said.
"There are other Beyah-Olvari," he said slowly, crying with joy. "Others like us. Alive. Somewhere in Sileria."
Tansen almost told Mirabar this extraordinary news, but then he recalled the prophecy of the Olvar's which had made his blood run cold while he was in Shaljir.
"He told me," Elelar said, "that Mirabar's going to kill me."
Staring stupidly at Mirabar now, Tansen suddenly realized that she had married someone who could help her kill Elelar, or even do it for her. Someone who could do it easily and—knowing Baran—cheerfully.
He had no idea what to say to her about Elelar now. Besides, Mirabar was about to leave for Belitar. Tansen didn't know when he'd see her again—didn't even know if they would both live to meet again—and he didn't want his last memory of her to be soiled with yet another fight about the torena .
"Tansen?" Mirabar prodded.
"Huh? Sorry."
"What did the Olvar say?"
"Oh. It's not... It doesn't matter."
"Tansen." She sounded
Tansen had no idea what she was talking about, but he tried to be comforting. "I'm sure she's dead by now." He wasn't at all sure, but didn't know what else to say. "If I find out anything, I'll send word to Belitar."
She nodded. After a quiet moment, she changed the subject. "What will you do now?"
"I need to establish our influence across the central portion of the country, spreading through the mountains from Shaljir to Adalian."
"You intend to separate Kiloran's foundation of power in the west from the Idalar River and the mines of Alizar?" she guessed.
"Yes. And to separate the eastern and western waterlords from each other." He asked her to speak to Baran about the mines of Alizar, and also to find out whatever she could about the rest of the Society, particularly the individual weaknesses of the waterlords whom Baran knew.
"I will," she promised. "But I don't know how cooperative he'll be. All he cares about is destroying Kiloran. I don't think he cares who wins the war, or what happens to the Honored Society, the Guardians, or anyone else."
"Now that ," Tansen said, "I believe." It was even comforting in a way. If Baran's priorities remained unchanged, and he saw Mirabar as essential in his fight against Kiloran, then he really would protect and care for her.
Still thinking, Tansen flexed his hand, where the shir wound acquired in the ambush on Dalishar still troubled him from time to time.
Mirabar noticed. "Surely whatever force healed the wound at your side, which was much worse, should be able to heal that, too?"
Tansen shrugged. "It's getting better by itself."
"Maybe if you tried—"
"I don't remember how it happened the first time," he reminded her. He'd been unconscious in a cave, tended only by a frightened sea-born boy, when the deadly wound in his torso suddenly healed, leaving only a silvery scar.
"Maybe if Zarien tried," Mirabar suggested.
"I've been wondering..."
"What?"
"Do you think he might be the sea king?"
"I don't know." She frowned. "Why do you think so? Because of the way the wound healed?"
"It could be the answer, couldn't it?"
"I don't know," she repeated. "I don't know what the sea-born say about the sea king. Anyhow, if that wasn't it, then why—"
"Something the Olvar said when Zarien and I visited the Beyah-Olvari in the tunnels beneath Shaljir."
"This boy will be," the Olvar said to Tansen, "more than you imagine. Perhaps more than you can accept."
"He said..." Tansen stopped, remembering other things the wizened Olvar, the gentle leader of his ancient tribe of small blue-skinned beings living in secrecy, had said.
"There are other Beyah-Olvari," he said slowly, crying with joy. "Others like us. Alive. Somewhere in Sileria."
Tansen almost told Mirabar this extraordinary news, but then he recalled the prophecy of the Olvar's which had made his blood run cold while he was in Shaljir.
"He told me," Elelar said, "that Mirabar's going to kill me."
Staring stupidly at Mirabar now, Tansen suddenly realized that she had married someone who could help her kill Elelar, or even do it for her. Someone who could do it easily and—knowing Baran—cheerfully.
He had no idea what to say to her about Elelar now. Besides, Mirabar was about to leave for Belitar. Tansen didn't know when he'd see her again—didn't even know if they would both live to meet again—and he didn't want his last memory of her to be soiled with yet another fight about the torena .
"Tansen?" Mirabar prodded.
"Huh? Sorry."
"What did the Olvar say?"
"Oh. It's not... It doesn't matter."
"Tansen." She sounded
Similar Books
