Chapter 11 #2
The magic accelerated after that, and Sinan no longer needed to expend his limited reserves of energy into what followed.
Saint Letha had been awakened, and she no longer needed Sinan to return to where she had spent so many hours in the company of those who would eventually condemn her to death and gloat as she died screaming in the flames.
Revenge was always a potent incentive for a spirit to return, and Letha had good reason to hate the Synod.
Another bony arm grasped the table, and a headless skeleton faced the horrified faces of Sinan’s enemies.
More bones boiled up from the disrupted earth and began to form the base of a seat.
The skeleton sank into a sitting position, leg bones morphing into the bottom of the chair.
The additional skeletal material became more varied, with rows of incomplete small skulls from young infants mounted on the throne’s arms, and ribs of different sizes splaying out to form the shape of wings on the seat’s back.
The intricate bones of an adult skull, from large curved plates to the delicate pieces that fit into the empty nasal cavity, flew together.
One of the skeletal hands held the newly recreated skull up, as a bony fist on the other arm opened to reveal a gold sphere.
That hand popped the object into the left eye socket, then reached up to rest the skull on the crest of the throne.
Sinan blew out a stream of air and shadow at the throne. Dust and grime flew up into a dark mass in the air, and a face took shape—a woman with hawk-like features who had one eye open and glaring and the other gleaming a dull gold.
Letha opened her dust-cloud mouth and screamed.
Gallmau and Meri jumped, but other than moving to shield the queen with their bodies, wisely made no move to attack Saint Letha.
Jacques lost the last of his self-control and sent a fireball at her that lit up the room and sent out a searing blast of heat.
An arc of water struck the flames as Abarsam moved to counter the incensor’s attack, leaving only a mist of vapor.
Letha hung in the air a moment longer, her features contorting into a sneer of dismissal, until her dust dispersed into the air in the room.
“Enough, Jacques!” Abarsam bellowed the command at the younger mage, all pretense of diplomatic poise dropped. “You have no concept of the risk you’re taking.”
Sinan’s knees shook, the toll of his expenditure of power hitting him hard. His reserves were far too low—Valentina alone could take him in a fight—and his only recourse was to bluff his way out of this.
He walked over to the new Throne of Letha, sat down, and leaned back.
“Thank you.” Sinan draped an arm over the fused bones of the throne and addressed Jacques. “This seat will do nicely.”
The incensor flushed, both hands gripped into fists, as Sinan waited to see if Jacques would incinerate him with a surge of fire.
He couldn’t even muster up a shadow shield at this point, so if Abarsam hadn’t been truthful about the truce curse applying to everyone, Sinan would die on a chair fashioned from the remains of Saint Letha the Ever Despairing.
Even his mother would approve of a death like that.
A snort of laughter broke through the tension, and Gallmau touched two fingers to his head and gave a mocking salute. “You walked right into that one, Jacques.”
“If it’s not too much trouble”—Valentina had recovered enough to put a sarcastic bite in her words to the incensor—“perhaps you could avoid provoking our necromancer guest into summoning vengeful spirits into the conference room until after I’ve left it.”
Abarsam cleared his throat. His outward calm had returned, even as his words held an undercurrent of anger. “I believe it’s best to wait to address what has occurred until the full Synod meeting later tonight. Our current discussion is about the rescue of the Dauphine of Soissons, and that is all.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Jacques reached into his suit jacket—Sinan watched closely to see if he would pull out a magical weapon—but the incensor threw a rolled sheet of parchment tied with a red silk tie onto the table.
“Magus Zhang Jue sent out letters for assistance prior to his death, along with strict instructions regarding the composition of each rescue party—a group of no more than three, comprised of a mage capable of slaying a necromancer and two companions of his choice. The Grand Vizier and I, accompanied by our chosen guards, will be the only ones involved in the rescue.”
“I have the same letter.” Valentina also produced a rolled parchment. “We don’t know what abuses or injuries the princess may have suffered during her captivity, and it’s crucial she have access to medical care as soon as possible. I’ve hired two guards with military experience. They will suffice.”
Gallmau spoke next, his amusement over Jacques’s discomfort gone, replaced by irritation. “I’ve got a letter too, and Meri and I know something about killing Bone Lords.”
More than merely something. The Lioness and her prince partner were infamous killers of the Blessed, but they had taken down other mages as well.
“You don’t have a sorcerer, dear Prince.
” Abarsam gestured to the chair across from him, featuring a stylized catfish underneath a cloud divided in half by a jagged line.
The throne of the fulgari guild, which the recently murdered Sorcier du Roi had belonged to, sat empty.
Zhang Jue had been more than a mere electromage, though.
His command of weather magic and knowledge of Artifacts was legendary, as was his ruthless cruelty toward any of the Blessed unfortunate enough to fall into his clutches.
“I have no doubt my dear friend Zhang Jue reached out to you and Lady Meri hoping for the two of you to stand by his side. You both have bravery and honor in abundance, but without a skilled practitioner of the magical arts you won’t be able to assist in this battle. ”
It was odd Zhang Jue would ask the king’s exiled son and his notorious Tomb Fighter partner to serve as his bodyguards, when he had his choice of blindly loyal Shields to choose from. Then again, everything about the abduction of the princess of Soissons been bizarre from the start.
Gallmau glared at the Grand Vizier, but Meri wasn’t paying attention to his speech. She had crouched down to whisper into the Queen’s ear.
“The death witch doesn’t have an invitation.
” Jacques substituted an insult for Sinan’s name, since there wasn’t much else he could do with the truce curse in place.
“His false protestations that Karakoncolos had nothing to do with this crime aside, the Sorcier du Roi chose only a select few for this mission, and we represent those able to travel by tomorrow.”
“Why is this so convoluted?” Sinan had no way to refute the incensor’s point that he didn’t have a letter from a member of the benandanti asking the Prince of Shadows for help, but he had to point out the absurdity of this entire affair.
“Both the government of Soissons and the Noviodunam are willing to start a war with my people over this incident, yet the matter isn’t important enough to send more than one incensor and an aquamage.
The princess was abducted weeks ago, but you waited until a formal dress ball to announce she had been taken.
If Zhang Jue asked for help from Kush, he must have asked for the same from his own country.
Why would you wait for a feast but not for the best sorcerers Qing has to offer? ”
“I can’t believe I’m defending Sinan of Karakoncolos, but he makes a valid point.
” Valentina was an unusual source of support, but the two mages’ refusal to allow her to help had made him and the medica unlikely allies.
Gallmau and Meri had grown oddly quiet, and Sinan couldn’t guess what the Tomb Fighters were thinking.
Queen Xiaolian, who had leaned over to listen to another whispered comment from Meri, turned her head to look at Abarsam after Valentina spoke.
The Grand Vizier avoided her gaze and folded his hands in front of him.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the reasons behind our strict timeline in the present company and neither is Magus Jacques.
Both Magus Valentina and Monsieur de Rohan have the Synod’s eternal gratitude for their offers of assistance, but we cannot accept them.
As for you, Magus Sinan,” Abarsam used the standard honorific, albeit grudgingly, “you came to the Noviodunam to be heard, and we have provided you with both the privacy and safety to do so. We will do no more.”
“In gratitude for this unprecedented courtesy, you unleashed an undead spirit into the conference room and restored that monstrosity you’re sitting on.
” Jacques jabbed a finger at Sinan. “Technically you didn’t attack us with magic directly, but unleashing Letha is worse.
Our recommendation to the Queen is that Karakoncolos is too great a threat to her kingdom and the world to remain standing, and you have only proved that tonight. ”
This exchange with Jacques was pointless, and Abarsam wasn’t about to divulge any more information. Fine. Sinan needed to speak to the only person in the room who could compel information from the Synod.
“Maybe the members of the Noviodunam in attendance aren’t at liberty to discuss the details of your daughter’s abduction because they’re the ones that took her.
” Sinan focused on the Queen and no one else.
“A new declaration of war against their enemies, public sympathy for their fight against my people and maybe”—Sinan extended his hand in Gallmau’s direction—“a new heir to the throne who doesn’t share your reluctance to get involved in the affairs of witches. ”
Gallmau looked ready to say something, most likely ill-advised and threatening, but Meri hissed a warning, and he kept quiet. Jacques, of course, managed to outdo anyone else in the room when it came to losing his temper.
“How dare you accuse me of being involved with the princess’s abduction.” Jacques was out of his chair now, and he cupped two fireballs in each hand, as his voice choked with anger. “Zhang Jue was like a father to me, and I would die for Rixende.”
“Enough.” Abarsam slammed his fist against the table, and the flames in Jacques’s hands fizzled into vapor.
“The invitation, a magus of sufficient ability, and the ability to travel between dawn and dusk tomorrow. These are the absolute requirements, and the full Synod will vote to agree with us tonight. This discussion has ended.”
“No.” Meri drew both of her weapons, and the rasp of her blades sliding out silenced the room. “It’s only just begun.”