Emissary (7 page)

Lazar’s eyes narrowed. ‘How can I forget?’

‘I was there. I was in the corridor with him when he was captured.’

‘What?’

Pez nodded. He needed to tell it all. ‘So was Boaz.’

Lazar stood and Pez could see the effort it took. He watched Lazar lean against a nearby tree. ‘Tell me.’ It was an order—just like the old Lazar.

‘I needed to divert Boaz’s attention. It was an impulsive decision. I thought he might like to see the girls being chosen for him.’

‘Wait,’ Lazar interrupted. ‘Pez, I’ve known you a long time and I know you do nothing on a whim. Tell me the truth, all of it.’

Pez sighed. Lazar was right. He should hear everything. ‘I can’t explain it, Lazar, and I know you won’t want to hear this, but I felt a calling towards Ana. I’d never met her, I didn’t know of her existence. But from the moment she entered the palace I became aware of her. It was not knowledge so much as a sensing of the arrival of some sort of force or power.’

Lazar looked bewildered. ‘Ana is enchanted?’

‘No,’ Pez replied emphatically, then he relented, somewhat confused. ‘Well, in truth I don’t know. I sensed her. I needed to know what the pull towards whatever this thing was. Until
I saw her I had no idea it was a young woman. Anyway, I was telling the truth that I needed to divert Boaz, so I killed two birds with one stone, you could say. Sadly, we stumbled upon Kett and, without going into the details, suddenly all three of us were in the forbidden area. But if Kett hadn’t sneezed we’d have been safe.’

‘And when he did?’

‘I could only shepherd Boaz and myself.’

‘Shepherd?’ Lazar knew he sounded like one of the Zar’s parrots in its gilded cage, repeating what it hears, but this was an extraordinary revelation from Pez.

‘I made us invisible,’ Pez explained coyly.

Lazar had nothing to say to this. It was too incredible. He stared at Pez open-mouthed.

Finally he said: ‘And the next time?’

‘To aid Boaz in facing Horz’s death. I simply channelled some strength to him.’

‘Strength?’

Pez shrugged. ‘Courage. He was nervous, terrified that he would let us all down and not be able to face the execution.’

‘I hear Horz was incredibly brave. Zafira tells me the city was abuzz that he died without murmuring so much as a sound when they impaled him.’

‘He was a good man. He did not deserve to die badly and for a crime we both know he did not commit.’

‘And so you helped him too,’ Lazar replied, the
pieces of the jigsaw slotting into place in his mind.

‘Not using magic. I used the Lore on Boaz only. Do you believe me?’

Lazar clamped his jaw shut, studied Pez before answering. ‘Of course I believe you. You can change yourself into a bird, why not become invisible?’

Pez felt the bite of familiar sarcasm but didn’t react. ‘The bird business is something entirely different. It has nothing to do with the Lore,’ Pez assured.

‘But that’s just it, isn’t it, Pez? It’s probably because of the Lore or because of what you possess that you have been chosen to be Iridor. I can’t believe I say that so blithely. Iridor! Messenger to Lyana!’ He shook his head. ‘And your connection to Ana is real—we know that now. It is not coincidence.’ He made a sound of disgust as he banged the tree trunk with his open hand. ‘I feel as though we’re pieces in some grand game, being manipulated towards some final goal.’

Pez nodded. ‘That’s a very good analogy, Lazar. I used to think I had complete control of myself and my life. The deception of madness was all part of that control. But ever since Ellyana appeared to me and my clever disguise was suddenly seen through—by her anyway—I’ve felt as though someone else is orchestrating things.’

It was Lazar’s turn to nod. ‘Ellyana knows,’ he said sagely. ‘She just didn’t bother telling us
before she vanished.’ He sat down again. ‘What news from the city?’

‘Plenty. It’s why I’m here unexpectedly.’

‘So tell me.’

‘Who first?’

‘Ana.’

No surprises with that answer. It was time for truth, Pez had promised himself. ‘She’s more beautiful and graceful than ever. She’s also still filled with sorrow about you and not getting past the notion that she is to blame for your death. You know this but it’s getting worse rather than better. It is unbearable to be around her, I have to tell you. A year on and none of her grief has eased.’

Whatever small sense of optimism had put Lazar into a good humour this day now evaporated. ‘You did not—’

‘No, I didn’t!’ Pez replied. ‘There are times when I wonder why we are keeping this charade going, and then find myself agonising over the thoughts of what it will do to her to discover that you aren’t dead.’

Lazar looked pained and Pez could tell the former Spur was as uncertain about this decision as he himself felt. ‘Hopefully she will never learn the truth. Ellyana wanted to preserve the secret.’

‘Ellyana wanted a lot of things but she gave no clue why,’ Pez returned caustically. ‘Why is Ellyana in charge of us? Why does she still command us? She’s not even here.’

‘Pez, you yourself admit that she was touched by a powerful magic. Do you remember saying that to me?’ The dwarf grimaced and kept a grumpy silence. ‘Well, do you?’ Lazar prompted.

Pez relented. ‘I do.’

‘Then you and she are inextricably tied—you both possess enchantment and I’ve seen it with my own eyes to know I’m witnessing fact. She was definitely the same woman that Ana and I met in the market that first night in Percheron. And I maintain that my eyes did not deceive me, I saw a chain as the item being negotiated for money. Ana did too. But when we ended purchasing the piece, it turned into the statue of Iridor. You tell us she visited you in the harem: one moment an old crone, the next a fresh-faced young woman.’

‘All true.’

‘And now you have a new and happy knack of transforming yourself into an owl—Iridor, no less—and I go along with it as though it’s the most normal thing in my day.’

‘Magnificent, aren’t I?’ Pez said.

‘Annoying as well,’ Lazar said.

‘There’s nothing normal about your days,’ Pez retaliated sulkily.

Lazar ignored Pez’s gripe. ‘As I was saying, you and she are linked, there is no doubt. We are all unwittingly linked through both of you. We being Zafira, Ana and myself. We’re the pieces in Ellyana’s game, you might say.’

Pez nodded in agreement, his heavy brow creased in thought. ‘There is another.’

‘Another pawn?’ Lazar asked, and Pez nodded. ‘Who?’

‘I don’t know but I feel him and he’s no pawn.’

‘Him?’

Pez shrugged. He wasn’t ready to discuss this. ‘I think it’s a him. When I was talking with Boaz after Kett’s unfortunate capture I felt a disruption in the Lore. Someone was eavesdropping on our conversation and that person was not around in the flesh.’

‘Magic?’ Lazar asked, gawping.

Pez nodded. ‘I believe so.’

‘What did you do?’

‘Took instant precaution. Fortunately my seeming madness is my best protection and of course Boaz is very used to me suddenly acting the lunatic. I wrote him a note telling him to hold his tongue, that we were being listened to.’

Lazar made the leap, understanding that Pez had revealed the truth to the Zar. ‘You told Boaz about the Lore.’

‘I had to—he wasn’t going to let me get away with the shepherding trick without an explanation. But although he might have forgotten my caution over the eavesdropper, I haven’t.’

Lazar sighed. ‘Pez, you know something and you’re not telling me. Either be direct or stop alluding to a threat I don’t understand.’

‘I’ll stop, then,’ Pez said, frowning. ‘I’m not ready to say more until I myself understand more.’ He gave Lazar a look to beg his trust. ‘Suffice to say, his name is Maliz.’

Now Lazar looked incredulous. Maliz was a name he recognised from ancient myth surrounding Percheron and many of its older, more exquisite carvings. ‘The one who turned Beloch and Ezram to stone? Lyana’s nemesis?’

The dwarf nodded unhappily.

‘You think
he
was watching you?’

‘I told you, I don’t know!’

Lazar could barely give voice to his shock that they were talking about Maliz, the warlock…the man turned demigod. He shook his head in confusion. ‘All the more reason to trust Ellyana perhaps,’ Lazar finally said in an effort to settle Pez’s rising frustration. ‘If we accept that she is our guide and trusts us, then we shall all have to trust one another.’

‘We don’t have much choice.’

‘So we must listen to her advice. She was firm about not letting Ana know that I was still alive. She obviously chose not to even let poor Jumo in on this, which probably explains his disappearance and us having no knowledge of his whereabouts,’ Lazar said, scratching his newly golden hair.

Time for truth, Pez reminded himself. ‘Lazar, I do know something about Jumo,’ he said, feeling awkward, and at the look of hope on Lazar’s face he decided to wait just a little longer before his
friend disowned him. ‘But let me finish my report first. I must return to the palace swiftly or I run the risk of being missed.’

Lazar looked anxious to hear about his former manservant but nodded. ‘I will remind you of Jumo, though.’

‘I’m sure you will. Ana has had a meeting with the Valide.’

At this the former Spur looked back at his short friend sharply. Pez told him everything that Ana had told him.

‘Herezah’s plotting something.’

‘My thoughts exactly.’

‘You have to find out.’

‘I intend to.’

‘How?’

‘That’s my concern. The fact is I came here today to tell you that Ana is vulnerable and her weakness for you is not helping her to be strong when she needs to be. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what an odalisque is required to do should the Zar’s eyes fall favourably upon her?’

Lazar scowled. ‘No, you certainly don’t.’

‘Well, that time is rapidly approaching, Lazar. And I can’t change that—Lore or not.’

‘I don’t expect you to.’

‘No? Then why do you lose hours staring at the palace, or—’

‘Don’t, Pez,’ Lazar warned.

The dwarf ignored the warning. ‘Lazar, Boaz is going to choose her, you know this!’

‘And there’s nothing I can do about it,’ Lazar roared, ‘so why keep rubbing it in my face!’

Pez decided not to point out that this was the first time he had mentioned it. But he knew full well that Lazar probably thought about little else. ‘Forgive me,’ he said instead.

Lazar stood and walked away a few paces, his emotions raw. ‘She was his from the moment I paid forty karels to her grasping mother,’ he groaned. ‘She was always going to be his,’ he added softly.

‘But she is part of this “game” as we call it.’

‘Because Ellyana singled her out with the owl statue.’

‘That as well, but I think it was the other way around. I can’t shake the knowledge that I was drawn to the power that Ana gave off long before I even knew of her existence. And now that I do know her I can feel it emanating from her. I believe Ana chose Ellyana; Ana is the power, not Ellyana.’

‘What makes you think this?’

‘Because whenever I hold Ana’s hand or inadvertently touch her I feel a thrum of some sort of powerful force pass through me. I don’t think she’s aware of it and I’m now so used to it I don’t flinch each time. She recognises nothing in me as far as I can tell, so it appears we are not sharing our secrets.’

‘But it’s not the Lore that she has?’

‘Definitely not. I wouldn’t even term it magic. It is a force all of its own and I can’t access it. I’ve tried. All I can do is sense its presence.’

‘A bit like you sense the “him” you spoke of?’ Lazar reminded.

At his friend’s words it was as if a dawning had occurred in his mind. Pez couldn’t believe he had been such a dullard in not bringing the two together until now. It took Lazar’s sharp observation to cut through his misty thoughts. ‘Of course! I’m so stupid,’ Pez exclaimed, hopping around. ‘That’s it, that’s precisely it, Lazar!’

The former Spur had to smile even though he didn’t feel in the mood for humour. ‘Nice jig, Pez. Are you going to explain?’

‘I’m not sure I can. But I’ll try.’

But before he could speak further, Zafira hobbled out of the shadows. She realised immediately that she’d interrupted something.

‘Forgive me, gentlemen. I came to offer quishtar?’

At the intrusion of the priestess, Pez was reminded of the urgency of his return to the palace. ‘I don’t have time, Zafira, but thank you. The Zar has not seen me in days and he will begin to question my absence. Although it is very hard to refuse your quishtar.’ She smiled and nodded.

‘What about Jumo?’ Lazar asked.

‘We have much to discuss. I will do my best to visit often now that I know you are well enough to
see me at length but for now I must go.’ He grinned apologetically at his jest, but his mind had already fled to the danger waiting for him. ‘Forgive me,’ he murmured distractedly to them both.

The Zar had invited the Valide to meet the young men being presented.

‘They are primarily for my protection, mother, but I would like to put them at your service as well.’

Herezah felt a stab of joy. So her son hadn’t forgotten her. ‘Me?’ she said, all innocence.

‘Of course. Mother to the Zar? I cannot have you under any threat.’

Now the Valide smiled at her son. ‘Thank you, Boaz, although I cannot imagine any danger to me within the harem.’

‘It’s Tariq we owe gratitude to,’ Boaz admitted and Herezah’s joy turned sour.

‘Oh?’

‘This is his idea. He wants all-day, all-night protection. He suggested this morning that I should include the Valide in this special ring of security.’

‘I see,’ Herezah said, trying to disguise the chill in her tone with a forced smile. ‘I must thank him. Is there a threat to concern ourselves with?’

Boaz reached for one of the huge redberries piled on a silver platter. He dipped it into the glistening bowl of honey nearby before putting the fruit in his mouth. Finally he answered her. ‘No, I don’t believe so. Tariq just wants to ensure that we tighten up our security generally.’

‘He fears what?’

‘Well,’ Boaz began, licking his lips free of the sticky honey, ‘he feels that the Crown of Percheron has never been more vulnerable. Our enemies might think now is a good time to take advantage of a new Zar, a young one,’ he said.

‘He is right in principle. But who does he believe might make such a move?’

‘The Galinseans, I suspect, although he’s not coming out and saying as much.’

Herezah arched her eyebrows. ‘Perhaps Ana is right,’ she murmured.

‘Pardon?’

‘Oh nothing, my beloved. One of our odalisques wants to learn Galinsean. I was surprised to hear it but perhaps she has a point. A translator—now that Lazar is no longer with us—may be valuable.’

Boaz gave a snort. ‘Are you talking about Ana?’

Herezah bristled at the familiarity. ‘The odalisque known as Ana, yes.’

He laughed again. ‘She speaks Galinsean with ease. Her command of it is amazing and it sounds very different to the Galinsean I know. She says
it is more a pidgin version of the streets used by foreigners but I suspect she’s being diplomatic’

Herezah pursed her lips before replying, calming her rising irritation, knowing that time with the Zar was precious and should not be spent in snarls. She felt as though she were living her early life all over again, waiting for the Zar’s favour to fall upon her. Except this time it was wrong. This Zar was her son! She deserved better than having to yearn for time with him and then feel as though she were subservient in his presence. It was never like this in her daydreams. She was the Valide, the most powerful woman in Percheron. She should be ruling, not discussing boating trips for the harem! An expert in guile, Herezah showed none of this inward turmoil on her now serene expression. ‘She did say she had begun to teach herself.’

The Zar was eating another redberry. He chuckled as he chewed, irritating her still more. ‘Well, I’m hazarding she speaks courtly Galinsean as though it’s her mother tongue, and now she’s moved on to mastering it at the colloquial level.’

‘Has she indeed? And how do you know this, Boaz?’

‘I’ve spoken to her about it. She used to practise now and then with me but, as I say, I became useless to her after a while. She has found a new teacher, one of the slaves, a Merlinean.’

‘You seem on very friendly terms with Odalisque Ana?’ Herezah probed. ‘I should tell you that I
approve. I met with Ana yesterday to discuss her taking a more leading role in harem life. She has a fine mind and the innate knack for leadership. I shall reward her if she rewards me with honesty and trust,’ Herezah added, keen to ensure he understood that the harem was her seat of power.

She could tell Boaz hadn’t expected this, could see by his hesitation that he wasn’t sure how to respond. ‘I intend to be on very friendly terms with all in the harem, mother. You know I am relaxing some of the more archaic rules.’

‘I’d heard.’

Boaz gave a sly sneer. ‘I imagine Salmeo shares everything.’

Herezah was not to be treated with disdain by her own child. ‘Need I remind you that’s his role, my son. He and I run the harem.’

‘No, you don’t need to remind me,’ Boaz replied, glowering now. ‘But perhaps I should remind you that this is the same man who taunted and persecuted you for a great deal of your life. The same man—if you can call him that—who tested your virginity at eight years old and then viciously destroyed it at barely thirteen, no doubt smiling that gap-toothed grin of his the whole time. Perhaps I don’t understand women well enough yet, but it strikes me that all of this might leave a lasting memory on someone like you, who bears grudges.’

Herezah’s fury had gathered during this tirade. She knew he hated Salmeo, having lived under
his rule for so many years of his childhood, and she knew that Boaz would not forget her own endless nights of weeping at Salmeo’s harshness. But she would not let him turn his years of hate for the eunuch on her. She had worked too hard for Boaz to have this position and status, which he now enjoyed because of her alone.

Her voice was icy when it came. ‘Salmeo did for your father, Boaz, precisely what he will do for you. And I am the one thing standing between his sharp fingernail and Odalisque Ana’s virginity. When the time comes—and it will, my son, trust me—and I see it in your eyes that she is your first choice, it will be only because of me that Salmeo is forced to be gentle. I would counsel you on taking a less disdainful approach with the chief eunuch and a less authoritarian approach with me. I am your mother. I demand respect.’

At this Herezah rose, bowed low and elegantly to her Zar and took her leave.

Boaz was still stunned at the reprimand. It made him feel like a child again, and reminded him of yet another aspect of his mother—when cornered she was at her most dangerous. He had to admit she was dazzling, and he could once again appreciate why his father had been so smitten by her.

He was intrigued by her discussion of Ana. Obviously something was playing on her mind, and her suggestion that Ana would make a good
Favourite made him smile inwardly. Having seen his mother’s reaction to Ana from the moment she met her, it was obvious that Ana was a prime choice. He had even gone so far as to enquire of Ana whether his mother had had much to do with her, and Ana had surprised him with the news that she had barely glimpsed his mother in the past few moons. He had expected Ana to be under his mother’s watchful eye constantly. However, the Valide’s distance didn’t necessarily mean that Ana was not being observed. Herezah and Salmeo were more than capable of spying effortlessly on someone as naive as Ana, he decided. And yet his mother’s mention of her had come out of nowhere, her surprise at Ana’s education in Galinsean was genuine and the Valide’s offer to reward Ana in return for her loyalty was amusing, for Herezah never acted with such simple motivation. There would be more to this move of his mother’s, he was sure. It was also reassuring, though. Boaz wanted his mother to get on well with Ana. They’d had a rocky start with Ana’s escape from the harem and then all the business with Lazar had clouded the early brightness of his mother’s intentions for this particular girl. But that seemed to be behind them, Boaz decided. If his mother was making an attempt to forge a relationship with Ana, then this could only be a good thing…for the harem, for himself and indeed for the Crown. Boaz had every intention of making Ana his Favourite.
With every sighting, every opportunity to talk with her, every chance to eat with the girls, as he tried to at least each new moon, it was Ana he was most interested in.

She was always courteous and gracious around the other girls, making sure as many as she could involve were brought into their discussions. But on the rare occasions that he could speak with her privately, Ana showed herself truly. She was a marvellous mimic and could impersonate the voices and mannerisms of Salmeo…and even more dangerously, the Valide, with hilarious precision. That she would risk sharing this with him warmed him.

He felt gladdened that she seemed to adore Pez. The other girls, especially the younger ones, were a bit scared of Pez and his unusual looks. They laughed at him rather than with him but Boaz could see that Ana, by contrast, cherished Pez. It occurred to him now, as he sat here waiting for Tariq to appear, to wonder whether Pez had shared his secret of sanity with Ana. Boaz suddenly straightened, his brow creasing in thought. That was it! Of course! Ana surely had such a deep relationship with Pez because he’d shared his great jest with her. The Zar felt a prick of intense jealousy but it lasted only a moment. If Pez had shared his secret, then it gave Boaz all the more reason to get closer to Ana. Pez trusted her as much as he trusted the Zar. That had to be worth something, Boaz reasoned.

He summoned Bin, his secretary, to give instructions to find the dwarf. It had been far too long since they’d spoken.

After nodding that he would find Pez immediately, Bin delivered his own message. ‘Zar Boaz, Grand Vizier Tariq has conveyed that he is ready to escort you now. The Making of the Mutes is about to begin.’

Boaz felt his belly twist, answering the nagging fear that had been with him all morning and probably the reason for his baiting of his mother. His natural inclination was to avoid what was clearly going to be a horrific ordeal to witness. And it would be so easy just to say no. He did not even have to give a reason, but Tariq and Bin and then many other palace servants no doubt would sense the cowardice. And that would not do. He could all but hear his mother saying it.

As he thought this he wondered whether his mother would care to attend such a ghoulish event. Although he’d invited her, he hadn’t anticipated that she would want to be present for the actual ritual itself that turned healthy men into mutes. But then again her inclination was always towards the cruel—she would no doubt accept whether she was still seething or not. He could make amends for mocking her slightly today.

‘Inform the Valide that a special event, the Making of the Mutes, is imminent, Bin,’ he said, glad to note his voice was steady. ‘Invite her to join me if she cares to, but please inform the
Valide that the Zar will not be in the slightest offended if she chooses to decline. And find Pez.’

Bin bowed. ‘I shall do this before I find Pez, my Zar. The Elim will escort you to the chamber.’

‘Where is this being held?’

‘Grand Vizier Tariq has chosen the Chamber of Silence, Majesty.’

‘Appropriate,’ Boaz murmured.

‘Yes, he thought so too, Highness,’ Bin added, before bowing again. ‘May I tell the Elim you are ready, my Zar?’

Boaz shook his head. ‘I shall be ready when I’m ready,’ he replied, not intending to be so sharp, but the threat of blood and shrieks at Tariq’s upcoming showpiece unnerved him. He could use some of Pez’s strengthening Lore magic right now. It irked that Pez had been so elusive and his absence had now begun to play on the Zar’s mind. On top of this, did he detect a high-handed tone in Bin’s voice? He hoped not. ‘They can wait.’

‘My Zar, forgive me but—’

He glared at the servant. ‘Begone, Bin. I’m not sure why you’re still here and not conveying the message I expressly asked you to deliver to the Valide,’ Boaz said, his frown actually saying far more.

‘I am gone, my Zar,’ Bin said very humbly, bowing as he withdrew.

There was a sound of clapping behind him as the door closed on Bin and Boaz turned. ‘All hail the Zar and his mighty power.’

‘Pez!’ Seeing the dwarf and recognising an easy target for his surging emotions, Boaz struck. ‘Were you hiding?’

The palace clown leapt nimbly down from the sill of the open window. ‘Absolutely not,’ he said, sounding indignant.

‘That’s a mighty fall beneath the window. What are you doing here?’

‘I’ve come to see you,’ Pez’s voice was mild.

‘I realise this,’ Boaz said more pointedly. ‘But where were you that you could appear at my window so many shevels from the ground? Where were you this high that you could sneak up on me and eavesdrop on my private conversations?’ It was too late to change this path now. He secretly wished he hadn’t taken it but he was picturing proud young men waiting to have their tongues torn out. And for some reason all he could think of was Lazar and hearing his old friend sighing with regret that Boaz had already sunk this far that he was maiming healthy Percherese in the archaic manner of the Zar’s forebears.

‘Well, I can see I’m not welcome,’ Pez grumbled, still not outwardly offended. ‘And there was I thinking you might have missed me.’

‘Stop it, Pez. Were you using your Lore skills?’

Pez hesitated. His large forehead creased. ‘Are you upset about something, Boaz?’

It wasn’t patronising but the Zar chose to take it that way because it suited his suddenly stirred mood. ‘Don’t take that attitude with me, Pez.
Remember your place. You may have the ear of the Zar but you remain his servant and servants should not miss luncheons with their royal.’

Pez looked at him with an expression Boaz struggled to read; it was a mixture of deep disappointment and shock. He watched with private regret as the small man gathered himself, cleared his throat. ‘My manner of arrival was just a jest, my Zar. A surprise,’ he said and bowed, his hand touching his heart in the formal manner used for everything from salutations to apology in Percheron. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he added with a slight tone of injury and it sounded genuine to Boaz, as did the swift move into attack that followed, so unexpectedly. Pez was certainly no coward. ‘You don’t seem to really need my company these days, Highness, not now you have your grovelling Grand Vizier to play with.’

Boaz bristled. ‘You know he’s not grovelling. Quite the opposite.’

‘I don’t know anything any more, Highness, because you don’t include me. Although I regret deeply missing breaking bread with you. I’m sure the Vizier kept you company, though.’

‘Oh, you’re not jealous are you, Pez?’ Boaz’s voice dripped sarcasm. He couldn’t help himself.