and—” Upturned hand, a regal gesture of magnanimity. “Well done. There'll be a little something in the new season's list for you, no doubt.”
The courtiers bowed out. Archeth seated herself on a cushion at Jhiral's left hand and watched them go, torn between envy and scorn. As soon as the veils had fallen behind them, Jhiral leaned across and gripped Archeth's jaw tightly in his hand. His fingers were still damp, still scentedwith the white woman's cunt. He pulled Archeth to him and stared at her as if her skull were a curio picked up from some bazaar stall.
“Archeth. You really must get it through your head, the Kiriath have
gone.
They left you behind. You do accept that, don't you?”
So here was the punishment after all. Archeth stared away over Jhiral's shoulder and said nothing. The Emperor shook her jaw impatiently.
“Don't you, Archeth?”
“Yes.” The word dropped out of her mouth like rotten meat.
“Grashgal refused to take you with him, and he said they wouldn't be coming back.
The veins of the earth will take us from here as once they brought us. Our time and tasks are done.”
Jhiral's voice was kindly, avuncular. “Wasn't that it, the An- Monal valediction? Something like that?”
Her throat lumped. “Yes, my lord.”
“The Kiriath age is over, Archeth. This is the human age. You'd do well to remember that, and stick to your new allegiances. Eh?”
She swallowed hard. “Majesty.”
“Good.” He let go of her jaw and sat back. “What did you think of her?”
“My lord?”
“The girl. She's new. What do you think? Would you like me to send her to your bedchamber when I'm finished with her?”
Archeth forced down the scalding behind her eyes and managed a dry, self-possessed voice.
“My lord, I fail to see why I would want such a favor.”
“Oh come, come, Archeth. Do you see an invigilator in here? We are alone— and worldly, you and I, soaked through with the storm of education and experience this world has given us.” The Emperor gestured with his scented hand. “Let us at least enjoy the pleasures that derive. Laws graven in stone are all well and good for the common herd, but are we not above such paltry considerations?”
“It is not given to me to question the Revelation, my lord.”
A swift borrowing of the Prophet's words, weighty with the echo, and solid coin as a result. Jhiral looked miffed.
“Clearly not, Archeth.
To none in the material realm is it given.
But consider, as even the Ashnal interpretations do, that there must surely be compensation for the burden of leadership, a loosening of ties intended for governance of those less able to govern themselves. Come, I shall send the girl to you as soon as you return.”
“Return, my lord?”
“Oh yes. I'm sending you to Khangset. It seems there's been some disturbance there. Some kind of reavers. The reports are rather incoherent.”
Archeth blinked. “Khangset is a garrisoned port, my lord.”
“Just so. Which makes it all the more strange that anyone would be stupid enough to launch an attack on it. Ordinarily, I'd simply send a detachment of the Throne Eternal my father was so fond of, and then forget about it. However, the messenger who brought the news seemed to think there was some kind of sorcery at work.” Jhiral saw the look Archeth gave him and shrugged. “Science or sorcery, the man's a peasant and he's not clear on these distinctions. I can't say I am myself, come to that. Anyway, you're my resident expert on these things. I've had a horse saddled for you, and you can have that detachment of the Throne Eternal I mentioned. With their very own and most holy invigilator attached, of course. Since you're feeling so pious these days, that should suit you down to the ground. They're all waiting in the west wing courtyard. Quite impatiently, by now, I should imagine.”
“You wish me to leave immediately, my lord?”
“Yes, I would be immensely grateful if you would do that.” Jhiral's
The courtiers bowed out. Archeth seated herself on a cushion at Jhiral's left hand and watched them go, torn between envy and scorn. As soon as the veils had fallen behind them, Jhiral leaned across and gripped Archeth's jaw tightly in his hand. His fingers were still damp, still scentedwith the white woman's cunt. He pulled Archeth to him and stared at her as if her skull were a curio picked up from some bazaar stall.
“Archeth. You really must get it through your head, the Kiriath have
gone.
They left you behind. You do accept that, don't you?”
So here was the punishment after all. Archeth stared away over Jhiral's shoulder and said nothing. The Emperor shook her jaw impatiently.
“Don't you, Archeth?”
“Yes.” The word dropped out of her mouth like rotten meat.
“Grashgal refused to take you with him, and he said they wouldn't be coming back.
The veins of the earth will take us from here as once they brought us. Our time and tasks are done.”
Jhiral's voice was kindly, avuncular. “Wasn't that it, the An- Monal valediction? Something like that?”
Her throat lumped. “Yes, my lord.”
“The Kiriath age is over, Archeth. This is the human age. You'd do well to remember that, and stick to your new allegiances. Eh?”
She swallowed hard. “Majesty.”
“Good.” He let go of her jaw and sat back. “What did you think of her?”
“My lord?”
“The girl. She's new. What do you think? Would you like me to send her to your bedchamber when I'm finished with her?”
Archeth forced down the scalding behind her eyes and managed a dry, self-possessed voice.
“My lord, I fail to see why I would want such a favor.”
“Oh come, come, Archeth. Do you see an invigilator in here? We are alone— and worldly, you and I, soaked through with the storm of education and experience this world has given us.” The Emperor gestured with his scented hand. “Let us at least enjoy the pleasures that derive. Laws graven in stone are all well and good for the common herd, but are we not above such paltry considerations?”
“It is not given to me to question the Revelation, my lord.”
A swift borrowing of the Prophet's words, weighty with the echo, and solid coin as a result. Jhiral looked miffed.
“Clearly not, Archeth.
To none in the material realm is it given.
But consider, as even the Ashnal interpretations do, that there must surely be compensation for the burden of leadership, a loosening of ties intended for governance of those less able to govern themselves. Come, I shall send the girl to you as soon as you return.”
“Return, my lord?”
“Oh yes. I'm sending you to Khangset. It seems there's been some disturbance there. Some kind of reavers. The reports are rather incoherent.”
Archeth blinked. “Khangset is a garrisoned port, my lord.”
“Just so. Which makes it all the more strange that anyone would be stupid enough to launch an attack on it. Ordinarily, I'd simply send a detachment of the Throne Eternal my father was so fond of, and then forget about it. However, the messenger who brought the news seemed to think there was some kind of sorcery at work.” Jhiral saw the look Archeth gave him and shrugged. “Science or sorcery, the man's a peasant and he's not clear on these distinctions. I can't say I am myself, come to that. Anyway, you're my resident expert on these things. I've had a horse saddled for you, and you can have that detachment of the Throne Eternal I mentioned. With their very own and most holy invigilator attached, of course. Since you're feeling so pious these days, that should suit you down to the ground. They're all waiting in the west wing courtyard. Quite impatiently, by now, I should imagine.”
“You wish me to leave immediately, my lord?”
“Yes, I would be immensely grateful if you would do that.” Jhiral's
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