season avatars 03 - chaos season (16 page)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Lex’s Study

Sophia whirled on Ysabel and demanded, “Is this true?”

Charles inspected his nails. “It would be so much more convenient if it was.”

Convenient!
Jenna wanted to spit the word back at him. They were thoughtlessly discussing the death of Ysabel’s father right in front of her. It might be hard for her to love someone who’d handed her over as a sacrifice, but she was obviously upset about the whole affair. She shouldn’t be involved in this at all.

As Jenna brought a chair over, she and Gwen exchanged glances. On this, they had to work together for the good of their sister Avatar. Before either of them could protest, however, a quiet voice spoke.

“He must be given a chance to repent.” Somehow Kay had glided into the center of the room without them noticing. She spread her hands, appealing to all of them. “Whatever happens, Ysabel’s father must be given a chance to save his soul before Winter freezes it forever.”

“He won’t,” Ysabel’s voice was equally quiet, swallowed up by the season paintings on the walls. “He’s been Salth’s man as far back as I can remember.”

“By All Four Gods and Goddesses, does he expect Salth and Sal-thaath to save him?” Gwen asked.

Dorian crossed his arms. “According to Kron, they don’t save anyone. Just the opposite.”

“Why would anyone worship such dreadful…whatever they are?” Charles asked.

“I never understood it myself.” Ysabel groped around as if searching for her reticule. Pouncer jumped into her lap and gently batted her cheeks.

Gwen patted her shoulder. “Did you want to see him again, talk to him? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

She clutched her cat and buried her face in his fur. Finally she lifted her. “I don’t want to, but I have to. My little brothers and sisters would never forgive me otherwise.”

“You won’t go alone,” Gwen said. “We’ll all come with you.”

Jenna and Kay nodded agreement.

The older Season Avatars exchanged glances among the three of them. Surprisingly, Dorian spoke first. “I’ll accompany you as well.”

Kay winced. What if she chose to stay behind to avoid him? That wasn’t fair. Jenna wasn’t the leader of the group, but she knew they should stay together as much as possible, both to strengthen their ties to each other and in case a Chaos Season occurred.

Gwen bobbed her head at him. “I appreciate your offer, Dorian, but I’m sure we’ll manage just fine on our own.”

“But I insist.”

“We do need another witness,” Charles said. “Someone impartial.”

“Another Avatar wouldn’t be impartial.”

Gwen’s words gave Jenna inspiration. “Maybe not another Season Avatar, but what about the War Avatar?”

“The War Avatar?” Sophia raised her eyebrows. “You would invite him back here?”

“We would have to send word to Wistica and wait for him to return,” Dorian said. “That would take another quarter-moon.”

“What would?” Kron asked as he returned.

Gwen explained the situation to him, and his expression darkened. He studied Ysabel, still curled up with her anilink, and edged a little closer to her.

“I could be the witness you need,” Kron said when she was done.

“The War Avatar would be an even better witness,” Jenna pointed out, “second only to the king himself. And if the Selathens try to attack us again, who better to be on our side?”

Sophia shrugged. “All of you can go, if you wish. I’ll stay here. I’ve no desire to visit such a Four-forsaken city.” She pulled the bell-rope in the corner of the room. A manservant appeared moments later. “Take the prisoner away and secure him with the others.”

“I have a better idea,” Kron said. “I can create a portal to the Temple or to the Avatars’ house in Wistica tonight to speak to the War Avatar. Perhaps I can bring him the other Selathens as proof of what happened.”

“An excellent idea,” Sophia said. “We should turn them over to the Watch. The sooner these men are out of here, the safer we’ll be.”

As Charles, Dorian, and Kron discussed the best ways to secure all of the attackers, Gwen beckoned Jenna and Kay closer. She still had one hand on Ysabel’s shoulder, and she offered her other hand—the scarred one, Jenna couldn’t help noting—out to them for a link. Jenna took a few cleansing breaths before accepting it.

This attack affects our quartet directly,
Gwen told them all.
Someone should go with Kron and the others to make sure the War Avatar listens to us. I don’t like splitting the group, but this errand should only take a couple of hours, not days.

I’ll do it,
Jenna offered. Thoughts of Lex’s muscular, unclothed body popped into her mind, for all to see.

By All Four Gods and Goddesses, he’s your child’s real father?
Kay asked.

A spark of interest from Ysabel shone through her gloom.
How did that happen?

Jenna clamped down on her memories of a giant rosebush sheltering her and Lex.
I’ll tell you some other season.

Do you think he’ll listen to you?
Gwen asked.

He will if I have to unclog his ears with a thornbush.

Gwen permitted herself a brief snort of amusement.
Then do so. We’ll stay here with Ysabel. If we need you, she’ll send Pouncer or another animal through the portal. May the Four keep you safe.

They released the link and separated, the three of them to huddle together and comfort Ysabel, and Jenna to check on her son. He slept soundly in his cradle. She pulled the light blanket away from his mouth, then returned to her quarters to wash her face, apply fresh powder, and restyle her hair. By the time she returned downstairs, Kron had secured each prisoner’s hands behind his back with leather straps.

“Do we need to bring fighting sticks with us?” she asked.

“They won’t escape from those bonds,” he replied.

Even if they did, with Dorian twitching his fingers as if he was preparing to summon lightning, they wouldn’t get very far.

Kron created a portal in a door way, showing the dark courtyard of the Avatars’ house. He led the way, with Charles reluctantly following, the prisoners next, and Dorian and Jenna at the end. As Charles roused the household and Kron checked on the prisoners, Jenna edged closer to Dorian.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“I could ask the same of you. Why did you offer to come?”

“Margaret would have wanted me to,” he replied.

That had to be an excuse. What was he really planning? Jenna resolved to keep a close eye on him during this errand.

It took a while for the staff to send a messenger to the Watch and prepare a carriage to take them to the Palace. By the time all the arrangements had been made and they were on their way, Jenna was nodding off in the carriage. She jolted awake when they arrived. A pair of guards escorted the Season Avatars—the prisoners were taken in a different direction—to the same conference room where Gwen and Jenna had first met the king. This time, Lex sat in his brother’s place. While his uniform was as immaculate as ever, his eyelids drooped. The stuffy, warm air in the room tempted her to yawn. Servants brought them hot chocolate. Jenna stirred spoonfuls of cream into hers to cool it. The drink was still unappetizing, but she forced herself to sip it anyway.

Lex steepled his fingers, not touching his chocolate. “Ava, Avis, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon under such circumstances. Tell me what happened.”

Since she had been there for the entire attack, Jenna told the tale, skipping over the reason she and Gwen had been outside in the first place. She watched Lex closely, gauging his reaction. His posture relaxed slightly after she described how they’d defended themselves. Kron added a few terse words about Selathens being foolish for worshipping Salth and how Ysabel’s father didn’t deserve her. When they were done, Lex stared into his mug as if expecting his god to advise him through it.

“The Selathen threat must be addressed,” he said. “This may be the first battle in our war against Time. Even after we capture the Honored Lathatilltin, Salth may send other enemies against us. I will therefore take command and move my center of operation to the One Oak.” He glanced at Charles. “With your permission, of course.”

“Granted, Your Highness,” Charles replied, turning pale.

Jenna came to full alert. Having Lex live at the One Oak would allow them to interact daily. Perhaps she could make him change his mind—or better yet, reach his heart. That frozen man seemed to think love was war and shielded his emotions even from her. Hopefully her sister Avatars would help her woo him without Lex realizing what was going on.

“Do you think Salth can be destroyed outright?” Dorian asked.

“No enemy is invincible, Avi.” Lex smiled as if relishing the challenge. “Even Time must have a weakness. It is simply a matter of finding it and applying our strengths against it.”

Dorian cocked his head. “What would happen if Salth is defeated, then? What happens to Time?”

Everyone turned to stare at Kron, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Time existed before Salth did.” He seemed to draw confidence in his own words. “Defeating her shouldn’t cause Time to stop. The only thing that will stop when she can no longer use magic is the death and destruction she’s brought to the Dead Land.”

Jenna wondered if the Selathens would leave Challen if Salth was defeated. Maybe then they would stop hating magic—and Avatars.

“Wouldn’t it be better to seize her magic instead? If we had time magic, imagine what we could do with it.” Dorian touched the pocket where he kept his watch, which in turn held a locket of his wife’s hair. “Why, we’d be able to tame Chaos Season in a heartbeat!”

Kron winced. “Dorian, Salth is the one draining the Dead Land and sending Chaos Seasons to Challen. Magic is as much a part of her as it is of us; we can’t take it from her. And if we remove her, Chaos Season will stop.”

“What would happen to us then?”

“I don’t know. The Four chose you and the rest of the twelve before Chaos Season started, so They must have other tasks for you.”

“This is all very fascinating,” Lex said dryly, “but I have much to prepare before I can join you at the One Oak.” He turned to Kron. “I trust you will create a portal for me from here to the One Oak?”

“A temporary one.”

“I may need to return here in an instant, so I prefer if you keep it open.” Jenna knew this was a demand, not a preference. “If you can make another portal from One Oak to Tradetown, we will confront the Honored Lathatilltin tonight. Eagle Talon, it’s after midnight! We should rest.” Lex rose, forcing them all to stand. “Will you spend the night in Wistica or back at the One Oak?”

“At the One Oak.” Kron studied the room. “Your Highness, if you do want to have a portal created between the Palace and the One Oak, it needs to be in a secure area. Will this room do, or do you have another place in mind? Ideally, I need a doorway that can remain dedicated to the portal, so one that’s rarely used.”

“Then my study would be the best place,” Lex said. “Come with me.”

He led them into one of the palace towers and up a long staircase. Even Jenna was winded by the time they stopped at a landing with a locked door. Lex opened it with a plain iron key and gestured them inside.

The circular room was covered with maps in every scale, from ones showing the entire world—how strange to think Challen was just a small part of it!—to one detailing every building in the University in Wistica. Jenna studied it, fancying she could see individual students and professors going about their daily business. Bookshelves squared off the other end of the room. A large table dominated the center, with a map of the Dead Land held down by a spotted shell, a toy soldier, an old medal, and, most curiously, a book in the Fip language. Jenna could only speak a few phrases and certainly couldn’t read it, but she flipped it open anyway, hoping there would be pictures to give her some sense of what Lex was interested in. A faint whiff of jasmine rose from the pages. Short lines of what appeared to be verse clustered together as if hiding from the world outside the wide margins.

While Kron, Charles, and Dorian moved the bookshelves, Lex came over to Jenna and gently pulled the book out of her hand. “Eagle’s Talons, I’d forgotten this was still here.”

“What is it? What does it say?”

The tips of his ears turned pink. “Nothing important.”

“Is it poetry?” Perhaps an old lover had doused it with her perfume before giving it to him.

“Are you sure you can’t read Fip?”

She smiled and looked up at him. “Even if I could, I’d much rather you read it to me.”

He shook his head slightly, as if he meant to refuse. Then he glanced back at Kron, who was explaining to Charles and Dorian how portals worked. Something about reaching through a magical space that held all space—it didn’t make sense to Jenna. She leaned closer to Lex, inhaling the masculine scents of his soap and aftershave. He bent down so his head nearly touched hers.

“I can’t translate it very well,” he said, lowering his voice. “It sounds better in Fip. The best I can do is this:

My heart is hidden

Behind the strongest shield

But one glance from your eyes

Makes me surrender.

Come visit me now

In our secret garden

Where we will shed these robes….”

He broke off. “That last line isn’t suitable for a public audience.”

Freeze it, that was probably the best part. Jenna wanted to urge him to continue, but Kron called out, “The portal’s done.”

She reluctantly turned to face it. Kron’s doorway was smaller than normal. The lintel was level with the tops of the bookshelves, so they would all have to duck to pass through. The green furnishings on the other side indicated the portal led to a small parlor in the Summer Wing. Perhaps that would make it easier for Jenna to encounter Lex.

Charles and Dorian passed through quickly, with only a minimal amount of complaining. Kron held off, as if he expected Jenna to precede him. She had to keep up a pretense of formality in front of him, so she curtseyed to Lex. “Thank you for reading the poem to me, Your Highness.”