Lights of agramont trilo.., p.44
Lights of Agramont Trilogy, page 44
Nivalaya holds him close to her chest. “I know. Shh … it’s okay. She’s somewhere peaceful and filled with the music she loved. She is surrounded by the friends who care about her and she doesn’t want to be anywhere else. Don’t cry for her anymore.”
Kriv wipes his eyes on his sleeve. “Does she think about me?”
“I know she does. Every single day. No one can forget about you, Kriv.”
*
Kriv leads Niv back inside where Lens Aren and Serilom are sitting in uncomfortable silence staring at each other. It’s no secret that Serilom detests bards with a strange and unrequited passion. They join them and Lens Aren holds out a caramel cake, much to Kriv’s elation. “You know me too well, Lens.”
“How could I forget?” Lens Aren asks. “It’s practically all you ate the entire time you were here. You alone kept that bakery in business.”
“True.” Kriv says with a smile.
“So Kriv, I see where you learned to be like you.” Nivalaya says as she nibbles at a piece of caramel cake.
Kriv rolls his eyes. “Like I said … bad habits are hard to break.”
“No, I love it. You’re perfect the way you are.”
Kriv kisses her head. “Thank you. You are very sweet.”
“So how do you and Lens Aren know each other? There has to be a story there.” Serilom says as he holds Kriv in his arms.
“Well, not really. We were just pretty close friends and I shared a room with him for ten years. He was my one and only roommate. We performed together sometimes. He was the only person who gave a damn about me besides Raesa. I guess one of the reasons we were close was because he’s a mage too. Of Garonwon. So we had that to talk about.”
A very tall man with a blonde braid running down to his ankles stomps his way into the building and flashes a bright smile under a thick beard. “Where is he? I know he’s here.” His grey eyes meet Kriv’s and he draws his dagger from his belt. “Well, well … if it isn’t the little Hero of Alamay … I have been waiting for this day. So why are you here, Tide-Storm? Ravier give you a headache? He’s good like that.” The man snaps his fingers and fire travels up his arm. “Are we going to fight or what? The day you left, you screamed at me from your boat that you were going to kick my ass. Now you’d better make good on that promise, bard.”
Kriv stands and draws his revolver. “I think I win this, Zixis.”
“Kriv … you just keep getting manlier. Come here. I’ve missed you.” He says as he holds out his arms and the fire dissipates.
They embrace and Kriv can’t believe this is happening either. Crazy pirate. “Niv, Serilom, this is Zixis Ameris, Mage of Ravier. He’s also a bit of a pirate, but don’t say that too loud. Lens, I believe you two know each other.”
The two of them share a cold unwelcoming glare.
Kriv claps his hands together. “All right! It’s just like old times.”
Serilom eyes him curiously. “You know, Kriv … for someone who said that no one cares about him, you seem to have some loyal fans.”
Zixis grabs Kriv and picks him up then puts him over his shoulder. “You said we don’t care about you? Tide-Storm … I’m hurt. You’re coming with me. Lens, I need your help too.”
“Where are you taking me? Hey … no … put me down, Zixis. I have stuff to tend to. Zixis!” Kriv hits at his back, but Zixis is too strong so he eventually just lies there as Zixis carries him through the streets. He calls back to Serilom and Niv. “I guess I’ll see you later … don’t leave without me.”
*
They take him to a small house up against the city walls and toss him on the bed in the middle of the room. Kriv looks around. As they light lanterns, the light illuminates hundreds of maps and documents pinned to the walls from floor to ceiling. There are drawings of officials and the Judges. This isn’t good. Kriv fears he might be somewhere illegal and knowing his record in this country, he needs to be as far away from illegal activities as possible.
Lens Aren pours them some rum as Zixis picks up a book and flips through it. He pulls up a chair next to Kriv. “What’s wrong, bard? Don’t like our little hideout? It’s small, but it serves its purpose. Get used to it. You will be spending a good amount of time in here. Surely you have some knowledge of the surrounding countries to add to our stockpile of information. Information is the most valuable commodity, even in the wealthiest country in the world. Information and blood.”
“What is all of this, Zixis?” One paper catches Kriv’s eye and he pulls it down. He studies the sketch. “Is this me? What does it say here … you thought I was a spy?”
Lens Aren shrugs. “There were rumors. There were also rumors that you were dead.”
Kriv laughs nervously. “Yah … those are some crazy rumors …”
“Anyway, there’s a reason we brought you here. Not that we don’t want to catch up on the past ten years, but there are more desperate discussions we need to have. Do you know what happens when a government gets too big for its own good? When the people are oppressed to the point of desperation? What happens?”
Something in these words makes Kriv uncomfortable and he looks around nervously. “Listen … I just got here after being exiled and I don’t think they’d like their spies finding out that I am talking about revolutions.”
“Oh no, it’s not against the Judges or anything to do with Agareth.” Lens Aren says as he hands Kriv a glass of rum and sits next to him. “What did the great warrior Faultruxis say when he killed the man who taught him everything he knew? You know the story, Tide-Storm.”
Of course he knows it. It’s from a play. He knows every line from the well-known plays. “The blade you find in your back is duller than the one placed lovingly in your chest.”
“So you see where we are going with this, then.” Lens Aren says with a dark grin on his face.
“Um … not really.”
“The Honored.” Zixis says as he throws a knife across the room and it sticks in a drawing of the Mage Council building. “We don’t need them anymore. They are a threat to the innocent people. We are mages so we already have their magic. They’re useless now. All they do is sit on that mountain all day and pretend to be useful. We need to be the hand and the voice of the common people. We can take their place just as Serilom took Tilidus’s. It can’t be that hard if he was able to do it. No offense to your lover.”
This has to be a joke. Now he’s insulting Serilom? Kriv glares at Zixis. “You want to kill the Honored?”
“It’s better that we, their trusted mages, do it than some crazed radicals in an uprising in the future. We can kill them humanely and quickly. We need that gun of yours. We’ve heard stories of how good you are with it. You will be our little executioner.” Lens Aren says as he laughs maniacally.
Suddenly, Kriv doesn’t feel like drinking. He sets his glass down and sighs. “Surely there are other guns in Agareth.”
“There were until the Judges confiscated them. So we need you. The universe needs you. Plus … your little lover boy can get us in there without anyone questioning us. We will spare him, of course. So don’t worry about that. He will give us the authority and the power to get things done. The people can rally behind one of the Honored and expose the rotten core of the system.”
They want to use Serilom to go against the others? This is not something that Kriv wants to be involved with. Nothing good can come from talk like this. “Gentlemen, it was nice to see you two again, but I must be going now.” He stands and heads to the door.
Lens Aren runs to him. “Come on, don’t go alone. It’s getting dark. Not in this city. We’ll talk more on the way.”
Zixis calls to him. “You know that if you say anything about this place, we will kill you, Tide-Storm.”
“Shut up, Zixis. You couldn’t kill me if you tried. Your hair would get in the way.” Kriv says.
“You’re just jealous that I still have my long hair. How does it feel to not have yours anymore after Briggan took it from you?”
Kriv stops and turns to Zixis. “Don’t say another word, Ameris. You know what my hair means to me. You can try to kill me all you want, but no one touches my hair. Not again. Is this what you’re doing now? Finding my deepest wounds and rubbing salt in them? No, I don’t have my long hair anymore, but I will never be jealous of someone like you.”
“Kriv … I was joking.” Zixis says. “I’m sorry. I was out of line.”
“Forget about it.”
“You could grow it back out, you know?”
Kriv shakes his head. “No. I’ve moved on from that. I’m done talking about this. Let’s go, Lens. I’m getting tired of pirates.”
3
Kriv follows Lens Aren down the streets and breathes the warm summer night air that is sticky with salt from the sea. He knows that this conversation will never be over until he expresses some interest in helping them. However, sometimes stupidity needs to be snuffed out before it engulfs the world. “Lens, surely you aren’t really following Zixis’s plan. This is treason, blasphemy, and … suicide. No one can kill the Honored.”
“So you don’t think anyone can kill Serilom? We can change your mind about that.”
Kriv stops in the middle of the street. “Is that a threat?”
Lens Aren’s teeth glint in the light from the streetlamps. “Make of it what you will. Maybe if Serilom isn’t a factor holding you back, then you will be more accepting of this.”
Kriv draws his revolver. “No one threatens my blood brother. You wouldn’t dare.”
Lens Aren shrugs. “No, probably not.”
“You’re a lying, slippery bard.”
“I can say the same about you.”
“Very well.” Kriv lowers his gun. “But if you so much as look at Serilom, I will make you wish you had never met me.”
“Deal. Then if you so much as breathe a word of our conversation to Serilom, I will make you wish you had never returned to Agareth.”
They take each other’s hands and giggle the same mischievous laugh.
“I’m gonna miss you, Lens.” Kriv says.
“Why? I’m coming with you to Cierson.”
“What?”
“I invited myself to come with you.” Lens Aren says as he grins and skips beside Kriv.
“How big do you think my boat is?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll sleep up on deck with my Honored’s daughter … she’s so pretty.”
“Nivalaya is to be married to Ravier.” Kriv says.
“Oh? Earth and fire usually don’t go so well together.” Lens Aren says. “Either way, I don’t want to make Ravier angry so I won’t touch her. I bet Serilom isn’t scared of Ravier. Water can extinguish those flames.”
They walk on in uncomfortable silence.
“He’s been with her, hasn’t he?” Lens Aren asks.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kriv lies. He doesn’t want to think about this.
Lens Aren puts his arm around Kriv’s. “You’re just jealous because Serilom had sex with Nivalaya. Do I really have to say it so bluntly? You forget that I can read you like a book, Tide-Storm.”
“Yes, and you never stop reminding me. He only did it to get his magic back. She healed his mind.”
“Oh I bet he enjoyed it.” Lens Aren says as he nudges Kriv in the side.
“Can we talk about something else?” Kriv isn’t feeling so well.
“You and Serilom. Weird. I never thought you would be with a man. I know all about your fascination with women. You really love him, don’t you?”
“I do. Is that a problem?” Kriv asks.
“Not at all. Just don’t let it get in the way of your true purpose.”
“What do you think my true purpose is?”
“You will be the one to lead the people out of oppression and fear.” Lens Aren says. “You have the ability to be the savior of every soul here. We need you, Kriv. The innocent people need you. They just don’t realize it yet. I know so much about you it’s almost scary. I know all your little secrets.”
Kriv doubts it. He has a lot of secrets. Many of them aren’t so little. “How do you get all of your information, anyway?”
“Ever heard of the Black Veil?” Lens whispers to Kriv.
“Isn’t that the spy network here in Agareth?”
“Yep. Who do you think the spymaster is?”
“Not you.” Kriv says.
“Then you’re wrong. It’s me.” Lens Aren giggles.
“Of all the people in this country, why is it you?”
“I have many hidden talents and being a bard was always the perfect cover. I’m surprised you never caught on. That just shows how good I am.”
None of this makes any sense. “I see. Well … I am exhausted and my friends are waiting on me so I need to get back. I’m not sure where they are exactly.”
“A room in the inn by the docks. Last room on the right. They went there about an hour ago after buying some bread from the market.” Lens Aren says.
“You’re telling the truth about the spy thing, aren’t you?”
“You can bet your boat on that, Tide-Storm.”
*
Kriv steps into the room and Serilom runs to him, taking him in his arms. “Where have you been? We were worried.”
“I’m fine. Zixis and Lens Aren had to talk to me about some stuff. Nothing big. Why are you so worried about me?”
Nivalaya finishes braiding her hair. “The way you were so scared earlier had us on edge. I personally think this is a wonderful country. Everything is so beautiful and elegant.”
“And corrupt.” Kriv says as he slips his boots off and falls back on the bed. “Nothing’s what it appears to be in this place. Agareth is perfect and alluring until you wipe away the pageantry and false smiles. It’s worse than Vernition. No offense, Serilom.”
He lies next to Kriv and stares up at the ceiling. “None taken. I don’t particularly care for that country anyway.”
“How did you pay for this room?” Kriv asks.
“I’m an Honored. They let me do almost anything I want. This bed is huge. Niv, join us. There’s plenty of room for us all to sleep here. No need sleeping on the floor.”
She giggles and slips between them. “Just don’t try to get all romantic on top of me.”
“Don’t worry.” Kriv says. “We’ll be sleeping. It’s a long day of sailing tomorrow to get to Cierson. It will probably take three weeks or more to get from here to there. We will need to stop in Vernition on the way for more supplies.”
“Vernition? They’ll slaughter us.” Niv says as she moves close to Serilom and lays her head on his chest.
Kriv notices and he’s not amused. He almost says something to her, but he doesn’t want to start anything. “Oh, that’s right. Cierson is still at war with Vernition and they’re bound to remember me. It’s a little out of the way, but we’ll have to go to Liora first then.” He glares at Niv. Why is Serilom smiling at her? They are looking into each other’s eyes. Kriv stands and pulls one of the blankets from the bed.
Serilom sits up. “What are you doing, Kriv?”
Kriv spreads the blanket on the floor and lies down. “Giving you two some space. What did you do while I was gone? Kindle and old flame?”
“What? No. What are you talking about? Oh … Kriv, she was just trying to get comfortable.”
“Well you two can be comfortable together. I don’t want anything to do with it.” Kriv says.
Niv moves to Kriv’s blanket and takes his hand. “Believe me, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to do anything. I would never hurt you like that again. I swear it. Come back to bed.”
“Fine but I’m in the middle.”
*
Kriv screams and jumps out of bed. He wipes the sweat from his face and tries to catch his breath as he paces around the room. It was just a dream, nothing more. He is shaking. Just a nightmare. If this is what Serilom has dealt with for his entire life, then Kriv has so much more respect for that man.
“Kriv?” Serilom joins him and takes him in his arms. “Another nightmare? Breathe, it’s all right. We’re safe.”
Kriv shakes his head. “We’re not safe. It’s going to happen. Don’t you see?”
Niv wakes up and yawns. “What’s going on?”
“Kriv had a nightmare. Go back to sleep.”
“It wasn’t just a nightmare.” Kriv says. “Haven’t you realized this by now? The night before Vernition attacked and Argrin shot me, I had a nightmare. In it, I saw my death. It happened just as it did in my dream. Before that, I had a nightmare that Briggan was hurting you. Then we went to Vernition and it happened. I’m having prophetic dreams.”
Nivalaya tilts her head. “Prophetic dreams?”
“Alonel had prophetic dreams in some versions of the legend.”
Serilom takes Kriv’s hand. “We’re not Alonel and Pariel. Your dreams were just a coincidence.”
“Really? We will do an experiment then. If what I just dreamed comes true in the next few days, then we know I have prophetic dreams.”
“Fine. What did you dream?” Serilom asks and leads Kriv back to the bed.
Kriv sits between Serilom’s legs and holds onto him. “I was somewhere else … somewhere I’ve never been. A castle … a throne room. Some voice was there, but I don’t recall anything it said. I was being branded and beaten. Niv, you were there too … you were raped.”
“Was it in Agareth?” Serilom asks.
“No.”
“Then it can’t happen in the next couple of days. We are staying right here in this city and you aren’t leaving my sight. Nothing is going to happen to you or Niv. I won’t let it.” Serilom says.
“Mark my words, Serilom. It will happen one way or another and there isn’t anything that any of us can do about it.” Kriv says.
4
“Kriv Tide-Storm … welcome to my castle and my lovely country of Gorantha. Nice, isn’t it? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
