Maker of Fire

Emily, Singing Shrine, Cold Season, 1st rot., evening of the 3rd day

(continued from 3.59)

As I sat in bed, Lisaykos began describing recent events, starting with the fever that took so many Coyn lives. My predictions had been correct. Both the epidemic and the Coyn reaction were what I described to Aylem and Lisaykos before Kayseo's wedding, more than half a year ago. Sometimes, it sucks to be right.

"Twenty-seven thousand five hundred and thirty-six died of the fever," I remarked. "So many needlessly dead."

"Where did you hear that number? That's several hundred more than the official count."

"Mugash, this morning."

"Are you speaking to Mugash again? Finally? Was this at the parting grounds?"

"Watching the rites, I wondered how many had died, and Mugash answered. Then, I wondered if the epidemic was over yet, and Mugash asked if I wanted it to be over. Of course, I said yes, so Mugash decreed that no more Coyn would die of the Black Falls Fever."

"Then I can only assume that we have an incomplete count of Coyn deaths."

"You may need to look for missing Coyn, Coyn who work independently, Coyn in small remote villages and camps, and Coyn on the free holdings along the Ahkeseld River."

"Wait, I need to write this down," Lisaykos fished her wax tablet out of a pocket and started scribbling.

"Seriously?"

"I have a good memory, dear heart, but it's nothing like yours or Sarfaz's. If I take notes, I don't forget."

"Who's Sarfaz?"

"What? Oh. Right. Sarfaz is my new scholar attendant. You will meet her tomorrow. Don't fret. I've already coached her on all your bad behaviors. She'll be prepared for you."

"I should have stayed in Mattamesscontess."

"Too late now." Then she smiled and shook her head. "It's so deceptive, the sight of you resting calmly, relaxed and half-asleep. I'm enjoying the illusion of a peaceful Emily. Too bad you're thinking of a quick trip to your valley with Asgotl. You want to find Gertzpul's crystal. No, Emily, you can't go without taking someone with you. No, not Tom. I mean someone who's a shrine-trained mage, carrying supplies in case you get snowed in. The snow is late this year on the flat, but the passes are closed. There will be snow in your valley. Can't the crystal wait until Planting Season?"

"The crystal will be fine. It's me I'm worried about. I keep thinking about it, that gorgeous crystal waiting to be found. Knowing it's waiting for me is like listening to something dripping, except I can't find the leak."

"I will talk to my son. He may have time to take you to your valley. Since the gods listen to you these days, consider asking Sassoo for good weather."

Someone knocked. I didn't recognize the pattern.

"Come," Lisaykos said, and Twipdray walked in.

"A bird came for you, Mistress." Twip handed Lisaykos a strip of thin linen.

"Oh! I guess I'm not getting much sleep tonight. Twipdray, will you please send down to the mounts' residence to have Hekees saddled? Emily, will you please bring my bag back to the shrine in the morning? I need to leave right away."

"What has happened?" I asked, worried. Lisaykos wasn't someone who ran off for no reason.

"Nothing bad," she smiled. "Arma has just started labor. I promised her I would do the delivery. I should get there in plenty of time if I leave now."

"Everyone's having kids," I grumped.

"You'll have your own soon enough, and then you too will join the multitudes of parents who never sleep for the first year of each infant's life."

"I'm not poor. I think I'll hire someone to change the diapers."

"Yes, that's what I did. I don't regret it."

"Tell Arma I say hi. Well, I guess I'll see her tomorrow, won't I? Oh gods, Mieth will be there." I groaned. Alma's mother, the High Priestess Mieth, was uncompromising about protocol and proper use of honorifics. "She's a lovely lady, but she's so stiff."

Lisaykos laughed. "I know."

"Lisaykos?" I worked to keep my voice calm. I had to change the subject. "A moment, before you go?"

"Emily?"

"I want the flashbacks and the nightmares to stop. I can't keep falling apart like this. I think I want to talk to the Revered Lyappis, if she has the time and would consider my case." There, I got it out. I had to face it, now, or I would find ways to put it off. Telling Lisaykos would trap me into moving forward. I flopped back on the pillows as my muscle tension let go. I hadn't realized I was tense.

Lisaykos studied my face. "Before today, when was the last time you had a memory hallucination?"

"Two rotations ago, except it was more like five days ago to me. It was after we won the attack on the pirate port. The burnt corpses, they . . . no, stop. Change the subject. Now."

"I must be going. Do not spend the next bell by yourself – but don't stay up too late talking. Besides my son and your Tom, a delightful boy by the name of Sidros wants to greet you. They've been sitting in the corridor playing cards. It's probably time to let them in. Our little chat gave Tom time to teach Sidros something called Texas Holdem. I should interrupt them before my son loses any more money."

Imstay, the King's bedchamber, Cold Season, 1st rot., evening of the 3rd day

"You should post Snow Bear to the palace for the next year and a half," Aylem cuddled next to me and purred.

"And just why are you suggesting I hobble my number two wraith? Whatever for?"

"Arma is about to have her baby. If you assign Snow Bear to Is'syal, then I have an excuse to move Arma and her child into the nursery here at the palace. I get Arma for company, and she doubles as a shrine-trained healer. The twins get a friend. You get a full-time wraith to follow you around. Usruldes gets more time with his family. And Lyappis will finally allow herself to go home."

"I see." I lightly traced a line up her arm toward her shoulder in a way that made her moan. "I will discuss it with Usruldes to see what we might arrange."

Third floor corridor of the palace at Is'syal, Cold Season, 1st rot., 4th day

Welladay, Revered One," Lyappis intersected Garki in the hallway outside the royal family dining room.

"Good morning, Revered One," Garki bobbed a quick bow, unnecessary for someone of equal rank, but polite because Lyappis was also an elder. Garki's manners were perfect.

"Might I steal your ear for a moment?" the old healer smiled, looking like a friendly grandmother. Garki wasn't fooled. This old lady could twine both the King and the Queen around her pinky, if she wanted.

"Revered One?"

"I heard you met him," she leaned toward Garki, "the new Revered One at the Singing Shrine. What's he like?"

"Wary."

"What?"

"Revered One, Sidros watched Foskan soldiers kill his family. His real name, whatever that might be, is certainly on our list of Impotuan high nobles to eliminate. He may be a sacred person, but he doesn't believe he's safe yet. He's eleven years old and he's scared. He goes out of his way to avoid garrison gals. He's prepared to flee at any moment. He's jumpy, and he's got that hard edge you acquire from surviving day-to-day on his own. So, yeah, he's wary."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Lyappis sighed. "So many non-combatants hurt or killed," the old lady shook her head. "That sort of trauma is hard to carry, especially at his age."

"If you're done pumping me for information, might I go? My morning repast is calling me, and I need to rescue it before I'm late for attendance at the shrine."

Usruldes, Valley of the Vanishing River, Cold Season, 1st rot., 4th day

"Found it," Emily's muffled voice said. All I could see were her tiny feet. She had scrambled into what she called a vug. She slid out on her back. "It's bigger than my head. It needs to be separated from the surrounding rocks."

"You didn't bring any cold chisels or hammers, Em," Tom said. "How are we going to do this without tools?"

"I brought a tool," she grinned up at me. "It's fast, too."

"Alright, what do I need to do, little one?" I asked. She finally remembered that a mage is better at refining crystals than any miner.

"Can you feel the shape of the crystals in the vug? Or do I need to give you more generic directions?"

I placed my hand on the outcrop above the entrance to the vug thing. The crystal forms inside spoke to my magic.

"Why are the rocks humming, Big Guy?" Tom asked.

I picked my hand up, and the sound stopped. "I don't know why the rocks were humming. I've never heard rocks do that before. I can feel every crystal inside the cavity. Why don't I try this?" I cut the cavity in half, guiding my mind's hand to separate crystal faces wherever practical. Then, I floated the top half up, flipped it, and lowered it. With the top off, I could see a large pink six-sided crystal surrounded by a bed of smaller crystals. The big crystal was about three hands high and almost as wide.

"You could buy the city of Is'syal with that pink crystal, Emily."

"It's not being sold. It's going straight to Sutsusum so she can make the memorial to the fever victims."

"Even the smaller crystals are impressive. I think the geese of the Convocation will be dancing in the streets when this lot of gems goes up for auction. But there's too much to bring back in one trip."

"The contents of this vug are indeed amazing. For now, you could remove the big crystal and then put the top back on the vug," Emily suggested. "We can worry about the rest of the crystals next year. Since you're working to get the crystal back to Foskos, I insist you take a cut of the profits, and that's an order. Besides, I think the big pink crystal is bigger than I can lift. I'd have to rig up some block-and-tackle or hire someone to move it, regardless, so it might as well be you. And you already know what to do to separate the crystals from one another."

I had to loosen thirteen smaller crystals before I could lift the large pink crystal out of the ground. It was tricky mind magic, feeling out where the planes were located between the crystals. It took longer than I thought, but I removed the crystals one at a time to free up the large one for the memorial.

"I've never seen a completely transparent rose quartz before," Emily said, caressing the rock. "These little ones aren't bad either. I'm sure your mother will be able to sell those off for a good price. I've noticed that many Cosm silverhairs like these capped prisms for focus gem pendants. Well, let's get them wrapped up and head home. I hope Arma will have had her baby by the time we get back, poor lady. Who knew she'd be in labor all last night?"

"Labor for Cosm usually lasts at least a day, often more for the first birth," I pointed out. "It's not common to go two or three days. I know it's shorter for Coyn."

"Two or three days? To give birth? That's terrible! It's enough to convert a person to celibacy!"

Emily, Aybhas, Cold Season, 1st rot., 4th day

I thumped the signal for Asgotl to land outside the west gate into Aybhas. He would have flown straight to the shrine otherwise. Tom and Spot circled and landed behind me, followed by Usruldes and Cadrees. All of them looked confused.

"Why are we stopping here?" Tom called out as I climbed off of Asgotl.

"The current rule in Aybhas is that all Coyn must stop at a gate and show their healing charm gem. I assume that neither of us is exempt."

I found the sight of his gaping mouth delightful.

One of the bemused garrison gals pointed out a pathway marked with guide ropes that led to a newly built Coyn-scaled shed to the left of the gate. I got into the short line of Coyn entering. Inside, a middle-aged man in an Aybhas city mantle sat at a table with a large vellum codex, a box of blank vellum cards, and a box of charm gem pendants on black-and-white cords. I noticed that a pair of "Kayseo" crutches were leaning against the wall behind his chair.

"Card, please? Thank you. Next. Card, please? Thank you. Next. Card, please?"

I pulled out my charm gem on its chain. "I do not have a card. Do I need one? I thought I just needed a gem to enter."

"You don't have a card, youngster? First time in Aybhas?"

"No, but the first time since the fever. I've been traveling."

He picked up his quill, inspected the tip, and dipped it into the inkpot. "Alright. Name?"

"Emily."

He started writing and then looked up at me. He noted the Shrine of Mugash mantle and then looked at my eyes. "Emily. Right. Address?"

"Healing Shrine, fourth floor, south wing."

"Responsible Cosm?"

"None."

"On foot, wagon, or boat?"

"None of those. I came on a griffin. This was the nearest gate."

"Right, Flying mount. And where are you traveling from?"

"Black Falls." It wasn't exactly a lie since we started from Black Falls this morning. I figured telling him we had just come from the Valley of the Vanishing River would be too confusing.

"Where did you get your charm gem?"

"From the Queen."

"How long ago?"

"About a year ago. Why is that a question?"

"The healers asked that we ask. I think they wanted to see how many days it took to be safe from the fever after getting a gem. The answer seems to be around five to seven days."

"That makes sense."

"Because you live here, you get a card, Great One. You can show the card at any of the gates and skip showing your gem and answering all these questions. I've made a record of your information along with your card number. We consolidate all the entries from all six gates daily, so the healers can consult the records when one of us gets sick.

"It's been several days since I've had to make out a new card. Try not to lose it. It's a fine of one bronze if you forget your card, and ten bronze to replace it. If it gets ruined by weather or you fall in the river, a replacement card is one bronze, but you need to go to the city records office to get a new one. Keep your card handy. The city guards can demand to see your card and your gem at any time, so always keep both with you. If you're caught without your gem, the punishment is three rotations of garbage duty at one of the city's chapel shrines or public halls and a fine of fifty bronze."

The card had block-printed lines, which the man filled out. He handed me my card.

Number: 32,575

Name: Emily

Household/Owner: None

Mantel: Mugash

Address: Healing Shrine, fourth floor, south wing

Gem origin: Queen

Gem issued: Imstay 19

"Thank you." I stashed the card in my pouch. "Your turn," I said to Tom.

"Card, please?"

"Sorry, I'll be needing to get one."

"Gem?"

Tom pulled off his flying mitten and held up the back of his left hand so the man could see the embedded gem."

The man whistled. "I haven't seen one of the old gems in a while."

"Most of us from the Villa kept ours," Tom explained. "The same goes for the Coyn at the Singing Shrine."

"Huh. I didn't know that. Name?"

"Py'oask nat Tom."

"They'll never believe me down at the Surd Hall when I tell them I had a prophet and a revered one get gem cards this afternoon. Responsible Cosm?"

"None."

"Address?"

"Healing Shrine, fourth floor, south wing."

"Is that a mantle from the Fated Shrine?"

"Sure is," Tom smiled. I knew he was fond of the mantle. Kamagishi gave it to him, bright red with cat's paw prints embroidered in white along the edges. It satisfied the vain streak in him.

"Flying mount?"

"Yep."

Coming from Black Falls?"

"Yep, again."

"Where did you get your gem?"

"Queen's Villa."

"And when did you get your gem?"

"Imstay 4."

"I'm sure you heard everything I just told the Great One, Revered One, so I won't repeat it. Here is your card."

"My thanks." Tom jogged to catch up with me as I left the little building and headed back to Asgotl. "You know, we could have skipped the gem inspection."

"You think? No, we need to stop every time we enter Aybhas and go through the same inspection as every other Coyn in the city," I declared. "Just because I'm lucky enough to have a flying mount, that doesn't exempt me from the city's public health measures during an epidemic."

"I thought Mugash said the fever was over," Tom protested.

"News of that hasn't spread. And it's not over until Lisaykos says it's over, from the perspective of the healers. They're the ones who decide when to lift quarantines, erect or dismantle field hospitals, and police charm gems. We need to follow the rules until the folks who administer the city . . ."

"Namely, your housemate."

". . . decide to lift the restrictions."

"Are you two done?" Usruldes-as-Irhessa said from his perch on Cadrees. "And the Revered Tom has a point, Great One. You, of all people, can skip the gate inspection."

"Nope. Wrong. The city's Coyn were close to another riot because of the fever and the charm gem rules. It sends the wrong message if the Prophet decides she's too special to follow the rules all the other Coyn must live by. Of all the Coyn in the Aybhas, I'm the last person who can skip the inspection."