Chapter 38
Chapter
Thirty-Eight
-KADIAN-
As it turned out, what I could do was a whole lot of nothing. Each night of the past week, I had made my way to the library, up the never-ending stairs of the tower, to the bleak room. And each night, all I had found in there, in addition to the grooves on the floor, had been disappointment.
Court members are gifted magic.
Maybe I’m blocking myself? Maybe I have to open my mind. It wasn’t as if my mind wasn’t preoccupied with the loss of my best friend, the woman my body and soul yearned for with every waking moment, the murder of said best friend’s aunt, and the slow dissolution of government.
At this week’s Vitality Council, Thalius conveyed that Rai expected each new court member to perform. If not with their magic, then with something he would find pleasing. Noting that he is a fan of poetry.
The very idea of displaying your magic in front of members of other courts was, something that Illerium pointed to, complete insanity.
Going against the very nature of the sanctity of the magic.
“Whether or not someone chooses to display their magic and when is at their discretion. It is for the betterment of their court, that is why it is given to them by their Primal. It is not ordained by any king.” He’d spat before Qurasa had asked him to leave the room.
Another first, according to Sylar. My general understanding is that while Qurasa may be the oldest of the chancellors, Sylar had sat on the council the longest. A position I had yet to determine if he loathed or loved.
In addition to the performances, the Council discussed the erection of monuments to be built of Rai around Eldara, the materials for their construction, and who would front those costs.
It was Rai’s belief that each region in Eldara use their local resources and materials to build these dedications, and that they would be presented on his royal tour—which was set to take place in the coming months.
The council erupted into chaos at the mention of repairs being needed within Azmeer, cloisters that had been damaged, in addition to cracks appearing in the Celestial Corridor.
There was no money left, and no human workers would want to repair the palace.
Not with the new taxes being levied against them.
“There will be revolts soon enough.” I’d heard one of the librarians say to Tura as they parted ways.
Over the course of the week, Oz told us more of the plan he was putting in place.
“We need some sort of distraction. I can’t very well walk into the Eternal House with the two of you, looking as you do.
” He gestured to Iona and myself, before his gaze returned to her, “Not that there is anything wrong with the way you look. Quite the opposite, actually.”
“Oh, for Gods’ sake.” I moved in between them, ready to put an end to this madness. “You both look lovely. Everyone looks lovely. Now, can we focus?” I said, my eyes burning into Oz.
“Yeah, right. What we need is a distraction. A time when we know everyone will be out of the house, and I can bring you both inside without it being questioned.”
“As if a time like that will ever exist.” I ran a hand through my hair as I paced. I’d had little time to look over documents the past week. Tura had insisted I organize a new catalogue of books, on something or another. She’d then redone it after I’d done it.
“I know,” Oz said in agreement. “But I don’t see another way.”
Our focus shifted to Iona when she began laughing. “Are you serious?” She looked between us. Her face questioning. “Truly?”
“If you have something to say, then just say it,” I argued.
“We have an opportunity—the night of the festival.”
Oz’s eyes grew bigger, and I sighed for not having thought of it myself.
“The Court of Shadows and the Eternal Court each had the fewest number of inductees this past Courting. I’d be shocked if they do not begin with our courts.
In addition, my understanding is that the festival is said to go on well into the morning.
If we can manage to slip out while the other courts are forced to present, we should have enough time. ”
That had been the last we’d spoken of it. The plan was to each slip away without anyone noticing, make our way to the Eternal House, and into the binding.
The walk to the Center Court felt torturous.
I had attempted to prepare something, but still, my mind came up blank.
I will be forced to stand in front of a room full of people and will be able to offer them…
nothing. If I wanted to expose how my magic appeared broken and have grains of sand embed themselves into the crowd’s eyes, I could do that.
But that didn’t seem like the most prudent option.
I was praying to any Primal that would listen that something would occur to me before I took center stage.
My palms were clammy as the Court of Shadows entered the Center Court. Fayma insisted that the house travel as a unit. “A reminder that where one goes, we all shall follow.” She’d said, whether as a true reminder or threat, and to whom that threat was directed remained to be seen.
“For fuck’s sake,” Iona said as we took in our surroundings.
The banners of the four courts had been removed and replaced by a new banner. One with Rai’s new sigil. Flame and Shadow dancing, intertwining themselves, dancing over the three other court sigils. The ones I had seen and studied on the floor of the Room of Convergence.
“What a farce,” Iona muttered as she broke off from the group, making her way to the back of the room.
There were tables lined with food, but far fewer than there had been at the gatherings when we’d first entered Azmeer.
“A poor selection,” I overheard a group of elders say from the Court of Reflection.
“The famine is indeed spreading.” A man from the Eternal Court said to another court member as he helped himself to an array of small tarts.
Famine? Had it spread north? Would Escalia be affected?
What’s happening outside of these walls?
I thought of the first night in Azmeer, after our first task, when I’d reached for three glasses of champagne.
When Lil, Brida, and I toasted to new friends.
I looked around the room, and my gaze lingered on Iona before finding Oz in the crowd.
Half of our friends were gone, but we’d find a way to get back to them.
Each court stood in its own space, seldom interacting with members of other courts.
The tension in the room was clear; no one wanted to be here, save for Thalius.
While the majority of guests looked sullen and angered, Thalius beamed.
Donning a smile I’d never seen him wear, not even when he believed he’d successfully sold his niece into a marriage with a monster.
Had he succeeded? Were they truly married? Not if I had anything to say about it.
Chatter grew, mounting with the suspense of when Rai would arrive. The illusion of civility shattered when a gush of wind burst through the room, forcing everyone to stand at attention with the words. “Rise for the king,” whispered on the same breeze.
It was the same voice as the night of the weddings.
The one that had altered the minds of almost everyone in the room.
There was something different about it. Unlike the whispers of the Walkers that we’d heard regularly in Azmeer, this held an intensity, a force, a presence.
Something about it could not be ignored.
Save for this spark inside of me, which told me to resist. I am the mountain, and you will not move me.
The voice whispered inside me responded, but it was gone like smoke in the night.
A new crown sat atop Rai’s head. One made entirely of shadow, obsidian, with a blood-red ruby embedded in its center.
The spikes appeared to be made of volcanic rock, perhaps from Mount Kaiver.
It was sharp enough to cut—a warning to anyone who wished to touch it, to usurp it the way he had from Alvar.
In his hands, Rai carried… Gods, is that a scepter?
Its appearance was similar to torture devices we’d seen in one of our lectures with Illerium when we had been discussing the last uprising in Azmeer. The Fae had beaten humans to death with scepters.
A reminder of who was in charge, the Fae. And what would be done to any human who stepped out of line.
“Good evening,” Rai stepped forward, hands clasped together.
I squinted, but from my vantage point, I could not make out his hand.
If a mark rested there, it remained unseen by me.
“Welcome to the first of what will become an annual festival.” His smile was sinister, his small canines almost dripping with venom, waiting to take the first bite.
“It is a new dawn in Azmeer, and tonight we begin by showing the world our power, our might. For what are we if not the Courts of Eldara?” He made a point to find the chancellors in the room, each shifting uncomfortably, save for Thalius, who offered Rai a gracious bow and received a hideous smile in turn.
“I hope each of you came prepared. I hate to be disappointed.” With a click of his tongue, he made his way to the throne on the dais behind him.
It too was new. Red and black veined throughout what looked like carved bone.
Maybe it is. I hoped I was wrong, for there were few species in which I believed the bone would have come from.
“The Eternal Court shall begin.” Rai waved his hand, and musicians made their way to the front of the room. “Should you require assistance, do not hesitate to ask one of our experienced performers.”
A harpist, guitarist, and two singers stood before the stage. All looked foreign to me, save one. One of the guitarists had an air of familiarity, but I couldn’t place him.