Description: Arram is forced to entertain the guests at dinner before another omen destroys the remainder of the evening.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce.
Author's Note: I don't know if you find yourself hating Ozorne more than in the books, but I certainly do. There is worse yet to come…
Key point: With no Numair to save from Stormwings, Daine never needed to resurrect the birds in the marsh. Sinthya wouldn't care about a horsemistress and her assistant. Myles and George would have used another means to infiltrate his Fief and get their information. In my head the operation went smoother without Numair.
Chapter 8
Daine had never seen anything so horrible as the torture being inflicted in front of her. Kitten screeched and struggled against Kaddar who was restraining her as best he could while the dragonet tried to reach the mage. Emerald lightning raced over Arram's skin while he screamed in agony, his body rigid and spasming. All the young woman wanted to do was cover her ears and run from the scene. What was worse were the reactions of the ambassadors from the slave countries who nodded like this was an acceptable punishment!
After what felt like an eternity, the emperor finally ended his persecution, dark face twisted with malice. "Don't ever speak to me that way again! Now, speak a word of power."
Arram gasped and trembled for several seconds before lifting his face. "Please..."
Ozorne raised his hands about to strike again when the mage spoke a word. The air pressure built until it became almost unbearable before the lake exploded into a thousand fireflies, rising into the sky in a twinkling of light. Everyone gasped and applauded for which the emperor took full credit. Daine was caught up in the beauty of the moment until she spotted Arram with his forehead pressed to the floor. The young woman tried to get the attention of Harailt of Aili, who was sat at her table, to ask what a word of power did but he shook his head and pressed a finger to his lips.
Using the fire of his magic, Ozorne wrote a rune above the mage which made his cuffs glow again before the emperor retook his place leaving Arram discarded on the floor. Everyone clapped as the impressive pastry, in the form of the Imperial Palace, was brought out on a cart but Daine barely spared it a glance, too worried about the mage who still hadn't moved from his position on the floor.
I thought my owner was cruel, but the Monsterboy never did anything like that to me, Zek said from the young woman's shoulder.
Kitten had finally ceased her racket, but her scales were now a fiery red with lightning racing over them. Daine had never seen the dragonet do that before but didn't have the heart to scold her for it. She wouldn't mind showing her own objection to what had just happened if it wouldn't start a war. A female scream had the young woman looking towards the cake when a swarm of brown rats burst out from the centre. Three of them were crawling up Varice's skirts who had been the one shrieking in fright until she collapsed in a dead faint. Everywhere there was chaos: ministers jumped to their feet crying out in alarm, slaves scattered to hide, Alanna tried to reach for a sword she didn't hold, while mages ineffectually tried to blast the rodents with their magic.
"Your Majesty, even you cannot continue to ignore the portents!" One of the emperor's ministers beseeched. "You must –" His protest was cut off in a scream as Ozorne pointed his finger and incinerated the man with emerald fire.
Daine narrowed her eyes and stood up reaching for her magic as Arram had shown her the previous night. Copper strands ensnared four of the brown rats closest to the young woman, holding them tight.
Stop this! What are you doing? You're scaring everyone! Daine spoke with her mind, pleased when it worked the first time.
Our mistress demands to be heard, the largest of the rats said.
Who is your mistress? The young woman bore down on the rodents with her will.
You'll find out soon enough, the rats squeaked.
Take the food if you must but leave the people alone, Daine argued.
The rats bared their yellow teeth, tiny eyes glittering blackly. We don't take orders from you. Our mistress if far more powerful than the puny magic you wield.
A blast of fire from one of the Carthaki mages scorched two of her captives and the young woman lost grip on her magic, crying out in distress. She hadn't meant to get the rats killed. People were fleeing the gardens in all directions, chased by brown rats while more mages appeared to battle the infestation. Kaddar had long since left as had the majority of the ambassadors.
Daine spun around spotting Arram sat on a stone bench looking grey and drawn. Grabbing a glass of water from the table she hurried over to him and held it to his lips, helping the mage to drink. He smiled gratefully when the young woman brought him a second glass which he accepted in trembling fingers and drank himself.
"Enjoying the evening's entertainment?" the mage asked with a hint of a smile.
"I'm so glad you can joke about all this," she scowled at him reproachfully.
"I must. His Majesty will undoubtedly take his displeasure out on me later for this incident." A black sparkling barrier formed around them when five rats charged in their direction. The rodents squeaked in frustration and left to find someone else to annoy.
"He's going to hurt you again?" The idea of this man being tortured like that again made her feel sick.
"I disobeyed an order from my master in front of witnesses. He will want to ensure that doesn't happen again," Arram said calmly as if they were discussing the weather.
"Can't you escape or something?" Daine knew it was strictly forbidden to talk about freeing slaves, but she really couldn't care less who heard her. "No one's around. I won't tell anyone."
The mage's eyes softened as he regarded her. "I am bound to this place," he tapped his collar. "It's inscribed with arcane sigils. If I attempt to leave the palace grounds my heart will slow until I pass out."
"How'd you meet us at the docks then?" the young woman frowned.
Arram smiled dispassionately. "A temporary transfer of ownership. Ozorne's Chief Mage held my leash as it were. I had to remain within fifteen feet of him until I was returned to the palace."
"And the cuffs? What do they do?" she pointed to the iron manacles.
The mage sighed, twisting his wrists to show her the shackles. "The cuffs restrict me from accessing my Gift. Ozorne used blood magic so that no one else can command my Gift except him and decide how much of it I can wield. I am quite literally the emperor's weapon," he muttered bitterly. "Years of unquestioned loyalty and service has permitted me to hold a whisper of my power so I can perform small magics without permission –"
"Like lifting me out of the river," Daine smiled gratefully.
Arram nodded his head. "I can feel it there…" he held out one large hand, fingers caressing the empty air. "Just out of reach – like an endless torment."
Kitten rose on her haunches, amber eyes examining the cuffs, before she emitted a loud croak. With a click, the collar and cuffs opened and clattered to the floor.
Arram's jaw dropped as he looked at the dragonet, tears forming in his dark eyes. "You…?"
"Kit's good with locks," Daine explained with a grin.
The mage fell to his knees and gathered Kitten into his arms, stroking her scales reverently. "You are a true wonder! If I had anything left to give, it would all be yours." He carefully placed the dragonet on the terrace. "I never thought to taste freedom again, and I thank you for it – but I cannot accept it." Arram retrieved the cuffs and placed them back around his wrists.
Kitten screeched angrily while the young woman stared at him in horror. "Why?"
"There is still much to do. No –" he placed a gentle hand over the dragonet's muzzle before she could croak off the shackles again. "I adore you for your compassion, sweetling, but I must remain as I am. For now." The mage looked like he might say more, instead he picked up the collar and replaced it around his neck. "Do not let His Majesty know that you can do this. He already wants you for his menagerie and I would hate to see you behind bars."
Daine wanted to shake the idiot mage. Why didn't he just leave? What was so important that he couldn't board the nearest ship and get as far from here as possible? "Kit can't be caged."
"Truly?"
She nodded watching him closely. "She can break any lock."
"I think I'm in love," the mage chuckled, caressing the dragonet's neck and back tenderly.
For her part, Kit nuzzled the man's long fingers, climbing into his lap and making a complete spectacle of herself. Daine wasn't sure she'd ever seen the dragonet behave like this for anyone else when food wasn't involved.
She finally decided to ask the question which had been bothering her. "Why'd you refuse what the emperor asked you to do?"
"The word of power?" The young woman nodded curiously, and he sighed heavily. "Words of power are interaction force pairs; for every action there is an equal reaction elsewhere in the world. For instance, I could change a loaf of bread to stone, but elsewhere in the world the opposite transformation would occur."
"So, turning the lake into fireflies means that somewhere a swarm of fireflies turned to water?"
The mage smiled gravely. "Precisely. It was the most innocuous thing I could think to do that would stop the emperor asking for anything more – spectacular."
"Why not just turn Ozorne to stone while you had the chance?" It's what she'd have done given half a chance.
"For one, the result of that would have turned an innocent rock into a man, which would be offensive enough, however I cannot use my Gift against His Majesty." Arram tapped his shackles. "There are sigils to prevent that."
"They think of everything," Daine grumbled.
A tender expression crossed the mage's face before he quickly smothered it and got to his feet. "I thank you for your concern, Daine, but I think you should be getting back." He handed the dragonet to the young woman. "Your Lioness would prefer we spend no more time together."
She settled Kit more comfortably on her hip and avoided his gaze. "I was thinking I might visit the emperor's birds again and try to heal more of 'em."
"Sweetling, you drained yourself last night and I highly doubt you allowed yourself to fully recover today," Arram explained with strained patience.
"I'm fine!" the young woman insisted. "Would you be able to let me in? Or I could ask someone else if you need more time to recover."
"Daine –" the mage's voice was resolute.
"The others don't believe I have magic," she said quickly, looking up into his eyes to check he wasn't lying. "They said you tricked me into believing I healed the birds."
Arram closed his eyes, shoulders sagging. "I dealt with similar levels of criticism when I postulated the existence of wild magic. The masters have a very narrow view on tribal magic believing themselves above it. They don't even teach it at the university anymore." He opened his soulful brown eyes to look at her. "Not that I expect you or your friends to believe me, but I cannot heal. My Gift is too great."
"Well, excuse me mister high and mighty," Daine retorted.
"It's nothing to be proud of. Maybe once I was excited by the things I can do…" the mage looked at his hands, face full of anguish. "I wish healing was all I was capable of." The young woman reached out to lay her hand on his arm, not liking the pain etched into his features. Taking her hand in his, Arram squeezed it gently before meeting her gaze. "Don't doubt yourself. Promise me that. You could become a great healer of animals one day if you study and practice," he leaned forward and kissed her forehead unexpectedly. "Can you find your way back safely or would you like me to escort you?"
Daine swallowed, ignoring the flutter in her stomach. "I'm not going back. I'm going to heal more birds!"
The mage steeled himself and frowned. "I'm not going to argue with you about this –"
"Seems to me that's exactly what you're doing," the young woman pointed out. "I'm going. You can either help me or I'll manage myself."
"I can't go with you." His voice was so soft Daine almost missed it.
"Why not?" She suddenly found herself wanting him there more than she could explain.
"Ozorne asked me to spy on you." That would have been more hurtful if the young woman couldn't see the regret on the mage's face.
"So, you won't help me? More birds will die if we don't heal 'em! I can't do this on my own. Please, Arram," Daine pleaded.
The mage took in the stubborn set of her chin and heaved a reluctant sigh. "I am only going because I don't like the idea of you fainting in the aviary and being discovered by the emperor or his slaves in the morning." He held out his arm for her.
"I'm not some dainty court lady," the young woman refuted, placing Kitten in his arm instead of taking it herself.
"I didn't mean to imply that you were. When mages drain too much of their power, they can feed off their lifeforce. I intend to make certain you don't do anything so foolish!" he set off towards the aviary with Daine trotting beside him, grinning broadly.
Arram mentally chastised himself the entire way while Kitten kept nuzzling his chest, silently begging for head scratches. He had no defence against Daine's selfless devotion to these birds. The mage was fairly certain he shouldn't be such a pushover against one woman and her dragon but apparently there was mounting evidence to the contrary.
The moment they entered the aviary, Daine immediately went to hunt out the weakest of the birds once he'd formed a light-globe. The young woman sat cross-legged on the floor without any regard to the elegant clothing she wore and looked up at him imploringly.
"You don't need me anymore," Arram said in a reassuring voice. "You know how to remove the shadow."
With her face set, the young woman focused on her patient. Daine had healed five birds when she first started to show signs of exhaustion. By the seventh, the young woman was swaying dangerously on her feet when Arram approached and touched her shoulder.
"You've done all you can tonight. Don't make me regret bringing you," he said gently.
"No, I can still heal one more." The sweat was pouring off her and what had once been a beautiful dress was now completely soaked and ruined by bird droppings.
"Daine –"
The young woman shoved his hand away and took two steps before her magic exploded out of her. Arram squinted at how brightly she shone in his magical sight when just as suddenly the light vanished, and Daine collapsed. The mage had to react quickly before she hit the floor and spent several terrifying seconds examining her before he confirmed the young woman was indeed alive and well. The Lioness was most certainly going to make good on her threat now. There were ancient stories passed down through tribal chiefs of wild magic acting without the user's consent which must have been what he'd just witnessed. The birds need had drawn the healing magic directly out of her. Thankfully, Daine didn't seem to be harmed from the experience.
Arram carefully lifted the young woman into his arms informing Zek he would be better to ride on Kitten considering the state of Daine's dress. Laying the young woman onto her bed once they reached her rooms, the mage looked down at the state of his chest which was now smeared with faeces. Grabbing a tissue from the vanity, Arram cleaned off what he could before pausing to examine the paper more thoroughly. The dung was of a thicker consistency than it should be, almost like a paste. Reaching out with his Gift, the mage found traces of lead in the faeces and his eyes widened in surprise. Using another tissue and some lip paint, he left a brief note for Daine about his discovery before exiting her rooms intending to return to the aviary. The mage was crossing the gardens when six armed guards blocked his path.
"Come with us."