Chapter Seventeen: The Hralhym's Question

Kagami leaves the cell, Koreth following, and they disappear up the steps and into the darkness. Kagami doesn’t close the cell door behind him. He’s intending, I guess, to lead us somewhere.

I get to my feet unsteadily, watching the others out of the corner of my vision. They’re all keeping an apprehensive eye on me, and Iarin trembles slightly as she helps me to my feet. Attaraya, after pausing to make a rather impolite hand sign at Kagami’s retreating back, turns to face me, her features taking on a very serious expression. Sae lifts her head from glaring at the ground to look at me instead, her expression varying to a glare mixed in with something else... sympathy? Annoyance? Amazement at my stupidity? Who knows?

“Emma,” Attaraya says eventually.

“Lying,” I find the strength to whisper. “Please tell me he was lying.”

The others don’t answer. They don’t have to. Their expressions make the point obvious enough.

“Why... why the...” I bite my lip, tasting blood. “Why the hell,” I ask, “did no one bother to tell me about this?”

“E-emma, what–?”

“You heard me! What the hell is with all of you? Did it ever occur to you that I might want to know this? Did you just not care? All that time... when I just... Koreth was...”

Please don’t worry about it anymore.

I was so stupid.

Spellweaving... that, also requires sacrifice. A... different sacrifice.

So freaking stupid.

Oh. I-I’m sorry.

It was so obvious.

I’m aware of that. And unfortunately for you, I don’t care all that much. You know why, I assume.

They all knew.

Iarin, Attaraya, Sae. The guard, the mayor, and all his precious voters. The Council of Chiren, with their high thrones and snooty voices, and all their underling politicians. The soldiers at Naroth. Zenna, her stupid kid, and her stupid Seer mother. Haren and Kaimi. The Hralhym and her big dead palace. Every single one of these people knew that Koreth was going to die. None of them told me.

Why the hell not? What made it so I deserved to be ignorant about it, huh? Koreth was as important to me as he was to any one of them. No, more. Half of them hadn’t even met Koreth. Guard, mayor, villagers, and Council wanted him dead. And... I... I’ve met very few people who mattered more to me than Koreth did... does. But I didn’t know what was going to happen. If I had, I would have protected him.

How? Koreth himself said, very long ago, that what was going to happen would happen, said something about a stupid decision that couldn’t be reversed. Now I know he was talking about becoming a Spellweaver. But... I would have done whatever I could. Even if it wasn’t enough. No matter what would have happened to me because of it, I really would have.

If I had known.

But it’s too late now. Now, because I was too stupid to figure out what was going to happen, Koreth’s gone. And it’s my fault. Mine, because if nothing else, I could have stayed in Chiren, and then the cave-in at Arael never would have happened, and Koreth and I never would have gotten separated. But noooo, I had to go and decide that the whole stupid world needed my help, not even vaguely comprehending what I might be getting myself into. I tried to be a hero, to make everything a simple game of good and evil, like a kid’s cartoon, like I could solve all the problems on Earth in twenty-two minutes with periodic commercial breaks. And Koreth was going to suffer because of it.

Koreth hadn’t wanted me to know what was going to happen to him, because he thought (correctly) that I might worry. That and... he might have thought that I would hate and fear him like the Council and the other Hanorans. Beckett, or whatever she was called, had said that all Spellweavers go insane in the end... Koreth might have thought that I, too, would feel scared and threatened and hateful, because I’d been one of the few allies he had. Which shows what trusting me will get you.

As for the others, I suppose they wanted to respect Koreth’s wishes. They were well-intentioned enough. I shouldn’t be blaming them for things. Especially things that are all my fault.

“I... I... I’m sorry,” I say lamely.

Iarin gives me a tight, worried smile.

“We’d better get out of here while we have the chance,” Sae says. “Besides, I’ve got to warn the Hralhym. I have to protect her from whatever Kagami is planning to do. Traitor or not.”

“Ugh, really?” Attaraya gives a rather drawn-out sigh, “Well, if we must. Though she probably won’t thank us.”

With very careful steps, checking left and right for guards, we make our way a few empty stone hallways up to where I remember the throne room being. We miraculously don’t run into any guards or stray servants on the way.

As we’re about to enter the throne room, Iarin stiffens slightly. “Th-there are two magical presences in here.”

Sae nods agreement. “I think it’s them.”

Iarin suddenly reaches out a hand to grab the edge of my sleeve, as though willing to pull me back if I do something stupid, like running headlong into whatever trap Kagami intends. But I’m not that dumb. I won’t charge directly into fighting Kagami. For some reason, I get the impression that not even the four of us together could be sure of beating him.

That’s why I’m startled by the commanding tone of the voice echoing from the room.

“Where were you?”

“Pardon?” Kagami asks, sounding not particularly interested in the question.

“You were ordered to teleport to Dara-Kozca immediately after the release of the nedra, is that correct?”

“Very much so.”

“So why did you not report back, as per those orders? Where did you go?”

“Suspicious, aren’t we? I thought you’d found your traitor.”

“I may have. Answer my question, Kagami.”

Silence.

“You’re not doing much to deny my suspicions here. Give me an answer, or I shall have you killed.”

Kagami sighs. “Threats, Your Majesty? I thought you were past such a childish phase. But still, that’s interesting. ‘I’ll have you killed,’ rather than ‘I’ll kill you, is it?”

“That’s enough! Tell me where you were!”

“If Your Majesty insists. I paid a visit to the Council of Chiren, as well, in order to advise them on manners of national security and point out a few of your key weaknesses.”

Startled, I lean around the wall slightly to have a full view of the room beyond. The Hralhym stands there, staring at Kagami, mouth open in a little “o” of surprise. Kagami stares right back, leaning lazily against one of the stone pillars, arms crossed. Koreth is between them, straight-backed and expressionless, one hand raised slightly.

“Kagami,” the Hralhym says very quietly. “You... you’ve betrayed us?”

“To an extent Your Majesty wouldn’t believe. I’m honestly a bit disappointed in you for not catching on. I thought you were a promising student.”

“How long have you been on the Hanorans’ side?”

“The Hanorans? I’m afraid you misunderstand, my lady. I’m not on anybody’s side. Not Hanora’s, nor indeed yours. The only interests I have to advance are my own. I’ve fed you about as much information about Hanora as I’ve told the Council about you. And, with a few exceptions, it’s all been true.”

“But... if you wanted to betray me... why... When I was a kid, you defended me. You even kept Seid from killing me that one time, so–“

”Because you, my unfortunate queen, have a grudge. A terribly useful grudge, now that I think of it. Do you remember when your predecessor was hoping to surrender, which the Hanorans said would result in the enslavement of her people? I advised the Council to draw up that particular little proclamation, because I knew it would keep you fighting. You see, my queen, this is why they say too much hate is bad for you. It makes it easy to turn you into a puppet. Your performance as such has been commendable, my lady. But,” he sighs, “You’ve started to get in the way, just like Hralhym Seid. It’s in my best interest to keep the little dispute between Hanora and Sareil going. Seid went against it, Council or no, so she had to be disposed of. The same to you, I’m afraid your usefulness is at an end. Very sorry, my liege, but your time on this little stage is over.”

Sae darts forward, and I do the same, her to save the Hralhym and I to... well, I’m not really sure. But Iarin pulls me back and Attaraya reaches out wildly, catching Sae’s bad arm so that she yelps in pain and stumbles backward. Meanwhile, the Hralhym, without a moment’s hesitation, opens her mouth to shout. “Guar–“

”No, no, no, Your Majesty,” Kagami interrupts. The Hryalhym’s cry dies in her throat. “Calling the guards? How tiresome. And cliché, come to think of it. Besides, in this case I think it best to leave them be. You’ll still die, of course, but if you summon your guard, they’ll be dying too. My associate is quite powerful, and obeys no command but my own. ...However, if you would be so kind as to consider letting me leave without any trouble, I might be inclined to spare you. Humans are inherently disposable, but you’ve shown your value as a puppet already. I might not be so fortunate as to meet another idiot like you. Look at yourself, you haven’t even realized what language we’re speaking.”

The Hralhym starts. “H-Hanoran.”

“That’s right. A few of our mutual friends behind the wall over there are not familiar with your language, and I wouldn’t want them to feel left out.”

Attaraya releases Sae, Iarin lets go of me, because since Kagami evidentially knows where we are, there’s not much point in hiding. But rather than running out to them, I slump back against the wall, my strength drained, and Sae, amazingly, looks from the Hralhym to me and remains at my side.

“You’ll regret leaving me alive,” the Hralhym says. “You’ll be dead before you get out of this country. I’ll kill you myself, if it comes to that. No one will ever get away with betraying my people the way you have.”

“Confident, aren’t you? Of course, the problem is that they’re not really your people, are they?”

The Hralhym’s grip on her staff tightens so much that I can see her knuckles turn stark white, I can hear her teeth grinding from here. But when she speaks, her voice is deceptively calm. “What was that?”

“Well, I’m on my way to speak with the Council, I’m afraid they need the same information you’ve been given. It’s terribly difficult, keeping things balanced at times... In any case, I’ll be sure to let them know you’ve got their backs all the way... Whatever is the matter? Hanorans trace their ancestry through the paternal line, you know. They’re your people.”

That taunt gets the best of the Hralhym’s restraint. She steps forward, staff raised and Spellweaver forgotten. And Sae bolts from the wall to go and defend her. I follow her, though I know I shouldn’t, because if Kagami sets Koreth against me, I know I won’t be able to hurt him. Cursing under her breath, Attaraya runs after me, Iarin abandons her bag of books in favor of chasing after me as well.

We all hurry for the throne room, where Attaraya draws a fistful of throwing knives (I have no idea how she kept the guards from getting those) and flames leap to life in Sae’s left hand. Iarin, of course, who couldn’t pick a fight against a field mouse, hangs back by the wall, prepared, I suppose, to Heal whoever gets hurt. As for me, I can’t do anything but stand there, stupidly, realizing that even though I can’t kill Koreth, Attaraya or Sae will. Sae’s already killed people, Renketh and that kid in the alleyway in Samei-Kozca, five years ago. Doubtless Attaraya has too, you don’t get to be head of Naroth’s guard by smiling and giving hugs, no matter how “merciful” they are. A great sick feeling fills me as I realize that I can’t defend them and I can’t defend him, either. I’m not sure who would kill the others first, but either way, I’ve lost.

But I don’t need to worry, because Kagami and Koreth are gone. The Hralhym stands there, a stunned expression on her face. She shakes her head as if to clear it, shouts a few Sareilian words that probably aren’t taught in kindergarten, and says, (in Hanoran, so I presume she’s speaking to us) “He must have teleported out.”

Too late, a guard comes from the side hallway, looking concerned. “Hralhym, desdae saca virenen, ena?”

The Hralhym seems a bit startled by this sudden entrance. “Huh? Oh. Deu. Hensi–”

But the guard, seeing us, darts forward, drawing his sword.

The Hralhym holds up a hand. “Des virenen! Tata. Des esael ren hasiel. Minirae esael hasi ikan haramin. Des virenen.” She turns to us. “Are you alright?” She notices our nervous looks in the direction of the guard. “It’s okay, I told him you weren’t our enemies. Now, are you all alright?”

“F-fine,” Iarin says, “B-but we should… we should go.”

“She’s right,” Sae says, “Kagami’s given us a specific location where he’ll be, it’s the only lead we’ve had in a long, long time. We’re going after him. No choice, he’s got a hostage and everything.”

“Sae’s right, as much as I hate to admit it,” says Attaraya with a sigh.

“I could... send someone with you, or something... You can’t go after Kagami all alone.”

"I don't think so," Attraya says, "Getting supplies together for a large group would take too long."

“Th-the best thing you can do right now, probably, is to let the world know what’s going on. K-kagami’s using Sareil and Hanora for something. The sooner this war ends, the s-sooner we can stop whatever he’s planning.”

“... I’ll do my best to alert people, but whether or not Sareil and Hanora make peace is none of your business, Northerner.”

“I-I-I-I understand,” says Iarin hurriedly, hands raised almost as though in self-defense.

So it looks like, Kagami or not, Hralhym’s still got her grudge. Not that I can blame her. I mean, if my dad was... Oh, God, I can’t even think about it.

“Look, I really don’t want to stick around here,” says Attaraya with a nervous glance at me. “Change of scenery will do us good. Let’s go as far north as we can today.”

“Y-yes, let’s,” Iarin says suddenly.

“What’s gotten into you?” Sae asks her.

“Oh... uh.. I... I just...”

“Before you go, I have a feeling you’ll need this back.” The Hralhym heads over to her throne and takes my sword from the floor by its side. I take it from her and put it in my belt, the way it was before.

“C’mon, let’s get going,” Attaraya says with a shrug, and takes hold of my arm to pull me forward, because I can’t seem to put one foot in front of the other. Dimly I hear the Hralhym speaking to the guard, saying:

“I’ll need to call the Circle of Elders together. I’ve found our traitor, and it’s no little girl.”

I realize in the back of my mind that this means Sae’s been pardoned, but I can’t be happy for her, all I can think of is the crackle of magical fire in her pale hand, the realization that she would have killed Koreth the way she killed Renketh. Or Attaraya, her cold, determined glare and handful of knives, or Iarin, ready to try and defend us from someone I care about, so very much, and as Attaraya leads me out of the dead palace, I know but would never admit that the warm dots of moisture on my cheeks don’t all come from the rain pouring down on our bowed heads.

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*pats Emma* Aw, cheer up, emo kid. D:

Aaaaanyway, we are finally out of Dara-Kozca! New places! New horizons! No more having to worry about the Hralhym's flimsy characterization! I'm freeeee!

*ahem* Anyway, this chapter was a bit more fun, as I remember, than any of the last few. Good God, I love writing Kagami's dialogue. XD Let's all hope I can totally be punctual like this and stuff for chapter eighteen. We're on the downhill stretch, everybody, only... *counts* eight chapters to go OTL. That's more than I thought...

Anyway, thanks for all you guys have done for me so far, I appreciate it times a billion. Rip this thing to shreds, and see you all... hopefully next week. ^_^