Disclaimer: You know the drill – Tamora Pierce owns it.
Chapter 21 – The Fall of the Emperor
"Mithros, what am I thinking?" Numair shouted. "Zek. Where is she?"
Both Lindhall and Kaddar looked at Numair as if he had completely lost his mind. Rikash just looked intrigued. But Zek pointed and Numair wasted no time in mentally running down the list of things he knew to be in that direction.
"Is that the menagerie you're pointing to?" he asked the Marmoset. Zek nodded emphatically. That was all it took to send Numair racing toward the Menagerie.
The three men and one stormwing took the best path to the menagerie. They had to skirt the west wing as it was now ablaze. Numair ran through where the main doors used to be. The outer wall was gone and the entry was now a gaping, jagged hole. Every cage seemed to be empty. Rikash hovered just above. Kaddar came running in after, with Lindhall bringing up the rear. Numair scanned the rooms and didn't see her. There was a choice of directions, but Numair was not leaving it up to fate. "Zek, which way?" The marmoset pointed to where the immortals were housed.
Soon, Numair could hear the growls and yips of hyenas. Internally, he was praying all the way that he would make it in time. When he turned the corner he saw them. The hyenas surrounded the emperor, teeth barred. He recognized immediately the one that was Daine from the copper glow she admitted. She seemed to be preparing to strike.
"No!" Numair shouted and sent his gift to build a wall between them. He realized that Lindhall too had sent magic. The mix appeared like silver sparkling fire to envelope the emperor. The hyena that was Daine snarled and threw herself against the sparkling barrier, then yipped at the shock she received.
"You'll have to choose, Uncle," Kaddar said, stepping to the forefront. "Abdication and imprisonment – or the hyenas. You must give in. Your gift is almost used up. We can see you're taking it from your own life force now." This was true. It was clear that the emperor was spent, although Numair thought to himself that he would steal the hyenas' kill if it came to that. He would not risk Daine further.
Ozorne's fire had evaporated. He swayed, and his skin paled further under his streaked facial paint. "Abdi -- ? Never!" he growled rather than spoke. His voice was nearly gone with the strain.
"Then it must be the hyenas, Uncle, just as the Graveyard Hag promised."
"Give him to the animals!" cried the female Stormwing, Barzha. "They have worked hard for his flesh – let them have it! Let them feast so we can sup on his fear!"
If the desired effect was to further frighten Ozorne, it worked. He stared at the female immortal, fear oozing from his very pores. The hyenas howled in triumph – a sound so much like laughter that it sent a chill down Numair's spine. He realized that the hyena which was Daine was gnashing her teeth with particular relish. He now knew he would have to be cautious about everything said and done. She was too close to the edge for him to step forward and reveal himself.
"Promises, is it?" Ozorne said, his dull eyes brightening feverishly. "Well I have a promise in reserve!" He grabbed the hair on the back of his head, fumbling among its strands. Numair saw Rikash move to perch atop the cage of his queen, his eyes gleaming in triumph. He drew Daine's attention from Ozorne – a fact Numair was grateful for.
"See!" Ozorne cried. Numair realized he held a metal feather like that of a stormwing. He had pulled it from a braided strand of hair. "I have this promise!"
The hyena that was Daine threw herself at the barrier around Ozorne in snarling fury as he drove the feather through his arm.
Something exploded in a flash of brilliant light. Numair saw Daine fall through a vanishing barrier, slamming into a shard of metal. He wanted to race to her, but knew it would be the wrong choice now. When she was safely back on her four feet again, Numair pulled his attention away and realized that Ozorne was now a stormwing. Steel feathers and pristine talons gleamed in the soft light of the torch globes. He had a broad scar on his chest that had been a bleeding gash.
Chimes filled the air. One after another of the cages disappeared, releasing the inhabitants. The griffins and hurroks wasted no time in taking flight. Combined magic from Numair and Lindhall wrapped around the killer unicorns, spidrens and killer centaurs, holding them in place. Numair provided an extra protection to hold them in a unique weaving of magic he had learned from Alanna. The effect made the combined Gifts look smoky grey and murky. Peaceful centaurs fled. Coldfangs looked around but didn't threaten anyone which was good since they are unaffected by magic.
The dragonlet, Kitten was in a cell at the far end. She sat up and cheeped inquiringly. Numair saw Zek climb onto her back.
Barzha and Hebakh stretched their wings ominously. "Humans, stay out of this," the queen hissed. "Now he is in our form; he must answer Stormwing justice!"
Ozorne stared in dismay. "No! I am the Emperor Mage, lord of Carthak."
"No immortal may hold a mortal throne," Hebakh chortled, rocking to and fro. "Wake up Emperor Mage! Do you understand now the trap that was laid for you?"
"No immortal may rule over humans or use human magic." Rikash had drifted gently to earth, wings outstretched, when the Stormwing cage vanished under him. Now he stood behind his queen and her consort and glared at Ozorne with sadistic glee. "Go ahead – try it."
Ozorne croaked a barely audible word which was followed by a sonic boom. The force sent him end over end as if he had been blown by a powerful wind. He smashed into the wall at the far end of the menagerie and lay stunned.
"You forgot our earliest lessons, Ozorne," Numair taunted. "Once you take immortal shape, you can never change back." He noticed that Daine did not turn to look at him. His heart leapt into his throat as he feared the worst. She had not recognized his voice.
"We are free!" cried Barzha in triumph. "First I take payment from that motherless worm Jokhun and then I will tend to you, Ozorne!" She took to the air, Hebakh behind her.
Ozorne screamed and struggled to stand up on his awkward new claws. "I have magic! I – I have Stormwing magic!"
"Of course you do, sweetheart," Rikash taunted. "Do you know how to use it?" With that Barzha sent a scarlet bolt of lightning edged with gold which blew a hole in front of Ozorne. He stood there for a moment, irresolute, working hard to speak. Sweat rolled off of him and fear clung to him like a cloak.
"You'll get the hang of it in a few days or so," Rikash told him with false sympathy. "If you live that long, of course. There is a reason the former King Jokhun didn't want to fight Barzha Razorwing on her terms." Rikash could not have looked more delighted and Numair found it hard not to taunt as well.
A second bolt of lightening struck the flagstones behind Ozorne, spraying him with sharp fragments. They peppered his face leaving many small wounds. Ozorne cursed blackly, then leaped, pumping his wings clumsily. He dropped, rose again and flew awkwardly into the night.
Rikash sighed. "I must go after him. I wouldn't like him to lose interest, not after it took so much work to get him into the proper claws. Barzha will want him eventually, after all." He looked at the hyenas. "Is one of you Daine?"
Daine trotted forward as Rikash waddled to her. "If it counts for anything – though I'm not sure that it does – you have my gratitude. And things aren't as bad as you think. You might look around." Numair cringed inside. That was not how he wanted to tell her that he was alright. He heard Rikash's voice as it grew further and further away calling, "Ozorne, my precious, where are you?"
Numair saw Daine start to look around. When her eyes fell on him, she instantly returned to her human state and sat down hard, trying to hide her naked body. And then he heard her whisper as if horrified, "No. Gods this is too terrible. Don't do this to me."
The hyenas shifted to form a circle of furry bodies, concealing her as Numair walked cautiously toward her. Softly he said, "I'm real, sweetling. It truly is me."
"Kaddar and Varice saw them kill you. You're a – a ghost, or a – puppet. A simu-thing."
Numair had to convince her. He lifted a hand sending his Gift around it in a black, sparkling ball of fire. "Ozorne couldn't attach magic to a simulacrum, remember?" He let the fire die and watched her anxiously.
Daine swallowed. "Very well, then – you're one of Numair's simal –"
"Simulacra," he corrected automatically." That was his Magelet. She never could say that word. Quickly he tried to think of more proof to provide her. "Magelet, remember how we met? I was a shape-shifted hawk. You nursed me until Alanna helped me regain my true form. Last year, in the courtyard of Dunlath castle, I changed Tristan Staghorn into an apple tree with a word of power." He realized that he was leaving her vulnerable. He pulled off his cloak and tossed it with a shot of his Gift. It settled onto Daine, covering her.
She stood, shakily, wrapping the cloth around her. She looked as if she wanted very much to believe him. She started to reach for him, but then pulled away, as if his touch might burn. "Kitten?" she cried. "Is it really him?"
The dragon chortled happily and nodded.
Numair made a mental note to buy Kitten something extravagant and intriguing. He held out a hand to Daine, waiting to see if she was ready to accept him as alive. She looked frightened, but reached again and placed her hand in his. He couldn't help himself. He pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the floor, and embraced her as tightly as he could. He heard her sobbing into his chest and nearly cried himself out of sheer joy.
Numair nuzzled her hair, murmuring, "It's alright now, Magelet. I won't leave you again as long as you want me around." He knew once the words came out that they were true. He held her there for the longest time, reveling in the joy that was the feel of her in his arms. When she finally stopped crying, he pulled her handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.
Daine wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She lifted her face to look at his and asked, "Where have you been?"
"At the university. Once the emperor's men arrested my simulacrum, I had to play least-in-sight for a day or two." It was mostly true. The rest of the story could be told some other time.
"But – they knew – Varice and Kaddar were sure it was you."
"It was a very good simulacrum, my dear. I worked on it for weeks in secret and had it shipped to Lindhall from Tyra. I didn't quite trust Ozorne's good intentions, I'm afraid."
Numair knew by her face that this was news. He had failed to tell her. She had grieved for him as he had grieved for her, except it did not have to be that way.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
Numair sighed and smiled at her guiltily, "I have no idea. I think I forgot."
"Oh. "How'd you find out? About – all this, then?
"Kaddar made it across the river. We have enjoyed a most informative evening. Are you aware that the entire west wing and Astronomer's Tower are burning?"
She scuffed a foot on the ground and looked sheepish. "I thought they'd killed you. I lost my temper."
He felt himself smile at her. He thought he might never be able to stop smiling. "Magelet, that is the greatest understatement I have heard in my life."
"She had help," said a cracked female voice. "She couldn't have done it without me." The Graveyard Hag had appeared at the back of the immortals' enclosure, cane, eye patch and all. The Badger waddled at her side.
"That's true enough," Daine retorted venomously. "But if you'd done what you're supposed to, none of this would've been necessary."
"And I told you, we have rules." The coldfangs seemed to want to taste her as she walked by. They extended their tongues, catching her cape. "Oh, go away, you," the goddess ordered. Silver light gathered around the Coldfangs, and they were gone. "You too," she said, pointing at the spidrens, then the killer centaurs and unicorns. "I'll talk to you when I get back." Silver fire gathered, and they vanished.
Numair could not keep his eyes off the Badger. The last time they had spoken, the Badger had led him to believe that the Graveyard Hag had more or less forced him to help. Now, here he was tagging along like some sort of pet. "Interesting company you keep these days," he said sarcastically. In his arms, Daine stifled a yawn.
--If I'd had a choice, I would have given up the experience, -- was the grumbled reply. –You did very well, kit—he told Daine. Then his eyes flashed on Numair and he mindspoke – and so did you, Mage—Somehow Numair knew that no one but he could hear that last part.
Daine looked at the Badger and smiled. "Thank you, Badger. Coming from you that means a lot." Numair patted her shoulder to indicate he was in agreement.
The Graveyard Hag approached Daine and Numair. To Daine she said, "Well, dearie, it's been fun, but you have something of mine, and I want it back."
Numair put a protective arm around Daine's shoulders. In all the things he had read, Gods gave gifts to mortals of a permanent nature. Having them removed were usually fatal. "She doesn't have anything of yours, Goddess – does she?" If she took her gift back now, would Daine survive it?
"Bringing the dead animals back," Daine said, yawning. "That part's hers. You can have it," she said, extending a hand to the goddess. "It makes me nervous."
Numair's eyes flashed to the Badger. He simply nodded and Numair relaxed a little. The Hag wrapped a gnarled hand around Daine's. White light blazed, and vanished. Suddenly, Daine swayed and nearly fell. Numair caught her. He had half a mind to scream at both the Gods, but Kitten was faster. She leapt from the platform of her former cage with Zek on her back, trotted over, whistling angrily at the goddess while her scales turned pink. Numair again reminded himself to buy her something expensive and very, very intriguing.
"Oh, stop it," chided the Graveyard Hag. "She's just a bit tired. It's only to be expected."
"Goddess – will you listen to me for a moment?" Kaddar asked. They turned to look at him and found him down on one knee. "Please?"
Numair was glad he wasn't in the same position Kaddar was. He personally could not have groveled to the Graveyard Hag any time soon. He wished he could safely give her a piece of his mind.
The Hag was grinning and leaning on her stick, "What have you got for me, handsome?"
"Gracious lady, my uncle's palace is a shambles, its treasure burning or scattered or buried. His chief mage is dead, as are many of those mages who supported him." That was news to Numair who stared at Daine in shock. Then he realized Kaddar was still talking, "..people who feared to cross my uncle while he ruled. I know the gods are angry, but – please, will you stay your hand from more destruction? Intercede for us before Mithros' Court? Give us a chance to prove our worth. I represent a secret fellowship of nobles, academics, and merchants who genuinely wish things to change here. Carthak is not beyond hope."
Lindhall bowed deeply to Kaddar. "Your Imperial Majesty," he said.
It surprised Numair. He hadn't even given it a thought. "So he is," he remarked and bowed as well.
Daine, hesitated for a moment, copied, then yawed wide. When she straightened the hag was staring at her. "What do you recommend? Seems to me since you did the hard work, you ought to have a say." That, too, surprised Numair. He looked to Daine.
"Give him the chance," said Daine through another stifled yawn. "Prince – Emperor Kaddar, I s'pose – he cares about the land and the people. If you gods were only interested in destroying the empire, not saving it, you wouldn't have waited to use me. You'd've gotten on with it."
The Graveyard Hag grinned and looked at the Badger. "You were right about her. Sharp as a Shang blade, she is." She looked upward and said, "Well, my brothers and sisters? What do you think? I say let's give 'em the benefit of a doubt."
For a moment nothing happened. Then a rich wind filled the air. Overhead, thunder boomed again, a long, rolling crash that seemed to peal forever. When it ended, rain poured down in sheets, drenching everyone. Numair squeezed Daine's shoulder and whispered, "I'm proud of you." But he wasn't sure she heard. She was yawning again.
"Very good," the Graveyard Hag said with approval. Gripping her cane, she stumped over to the new emperor. "Get up," she commanded. "Silly for a ruler to kneel in a cloudburst."
Kaddar obeyed, looking dazed and very soggy.
"I hope your memory is better than Ozorne's, sonny," she informed him. "I won't be ignored! Not in my own empire! Now, give me your arm. We need to talk."
The young man swallowed and offered his arm to the goddess with a courteous bow. She took it and cackled.
"That's more like it," she said, leading him toward the gate. "Now, don't worry about the army and the Guard. They were told to stay put or they'd risk the gods' wrath if they came to help your uncle tonight. By dawn they'll be ready to go to work. Oh, wait."
She looked back over her shoulder directly into Numair's eyes. "Arram, or Numair – whatever you call yourself – put that girl to bed. She'll sleep for three days, give or take." She turned her attention back to Kaddar, but whatever she was saying Numair didn't hear.
"Three days?" he asked, worried.
--It was divine power moving through her, -- said the badger. Daine sat where she was and smiled up at Numair. It was a look that made his stomach flip. –Sleep is all she needs.—
Daine nodded, still smiling. Then she hugged Kitten and a very soaked Zek.
--Don't worry about the escaped menagerie animals. We animal gods will see to it that they reach their proper homes unhurt. It is the least we can do.—
Numair realized that Daine was already asleep. He sent some of his gift to create a bubble around them. The rain dripped off of the outside of the bubble musically. Another spell dried Daine's clothes with a soft hiss.
--Very good. You will take care of my kit then? –
"You know I will. Thank you for your help."
The Badger nodded. --I spoke to Gainel. Mortal dreams are usually between the mortals and Gainel or his creatures. The messages I sent you were special circumstances. But he said that no one else asked him for help. I won't ask what the fourth dream was. However, he said dreams are a way mortals work out what they want or need most in their lives. If somehow you got a warning before mine, you must already know that you need to take care of her. –
It all seemed a bit overly philosophical for the Badger and shook Numair to the core.
-- I don't know about all of that. I just know if you let her come to harm I'd be grouchy. You probably figured that out on your own.--
"Yes, Badger, I knew that. However, I have recently discovered that I'm none too friendly when she's in danger. Unfortunately for both of us, she is unlikely to stay out of the thick of a fight she feels she should be in."
--True.—There was a blinding flash of light and the Badger was gone.
Numair scooped Daine into his arms, cradling her. He needed to find her somewhere safe and dry to rest, and he needed to call back the peace delegation. He kissed Daine on the forehead tenderly, then whispered, "Don't ever scare me like that again."