The Memory of Earth (30 page)

Eiadh smiled sweetly.

“Lady Rasa,” said Elemak, “I don’t know what the future will hold. I have to meet with Gaballufix today, and I don’t know how that will turn out.”

“Then
don’t
meet with him,” said Rasa, her expression turning quite serious. “He’s become very dangerous, I think. Roptat is convinced that there was a plot to kill him in that meeting at the coolhouse, the day that Wetchik left. If Wetchik had been there, as agreed, Roptat would have walked right into a trap. I believe him—I believe Gaballufix has murder in his heart.”

Elemak
knew
he had; but he also had no idea what might come if he confirmed Rasa’s suspicions. For one thing, Rasa and Eiadh might wonder how Elemak could have known of such a plot, and if he did, why he didn’t give warning to Roptat himself. Women didn’t understand that sometimes to avoid the thousands of casualties of a bloody war, it was kindest and most peaceable to prevent the conflict with a single timely death. Good strategy could so easily be misunderstood as murder by the unsophisticated.

“Perhaps,” said Elemak. “Does anyone really know someone else’s heart?”

“I know someone’s heart,” said Eiadh. “And mine holds no secrets from him.”

“If it isn’t Elemak that you’re referring to,” said Rasa,
“then poor Elemak might start contemplating some hot-blooded crime of passion himself.”

“Of course I’m talking about Elya,” said Eiadh. She took his hand and held it in her lap.

“Lady Rasa, I’m not going to Gaballufix unnecessarily. Father sent me. There’s something he needs that only Gaballufix can give.”

“There’s something we
all
need that only Gaballufix can give,” said Rasa, “and that is
peace.
You might mention that to him when you see him.”

“I’ll try,” said Elemak, though of course they both knew he wouldn’t.

“What is it that Wetchik wants? Did he send any message to me?”

“I don’t think he expected me to see you,” said Elemak. “It was a vision from the Oversoul that sent me. Actually, all four of us came—”

“Even Issib! Here!”

“No. I left them outside the city, in a safe place. No one but the two of you will know they’re here, if I can help it. With any luck, I’ll get the Index and be out of the city before night, and then I have no idea when we’ll be back again.”

“The Index,” whispered Rasa. “Then he can never come back.”

Elemak was disturbed to hear her say that. “Why? What
is
it?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I mean, I don’t know. Only that—let’s just say that if the Palwashantu realize that it’s gone . . .”

“How can it be that important? I never heard of it before Father sent us back for it.”

“No, it’s not much spoken of,” said Rasa. “There hasn’t been much need for it, I guess. Or perhaps the Oversoul didn’t want it known.”

“Why? There are lots of indexes—dozens in every library in the world, hundreds in Basilica alone. Why is this one
the
Index?”

“I’m not sure,” said Rasa. “Really I’m not. I only know that it’s the only artifact from the men’s worship that is also mentioned in the women’s lore.”

“Worship? How is it used?”

“I don’t know. It never
has
been used, to my knowledge. I’ve never seen it. I don’t even know what it looks like.”

“Oh,
that’s
good news,” said Elemak. “I assumed it would be like any other index, and now you’re telling me that Gaballufix could hand me anything and call it the Index and I’d never even know if he was cheating me.”

Rasa smiled. “Elemak, you must understand. Unless he wishes to lose his leadership of the Palwashantu, he will
never
give you the Index.”

Elemak was worried, but not dismayed. She clearly meant what she was saying, but that did not necessarily mean that she was right. Nobody really knew what Gaballufix might do, and if he thought he could get some advantage out of it, he’d trade away anything. Even their mother, if Gabya ever thought old Hosni might have some value. No, the Index could be had, if the price was right.

And the more he realized how important this mysterious Index was, the more he wanted it, not just to humor Father, not just as part of the game he was playing to take possession of the future, but for the sake of having the Index himself. If so much power came to the one who had it, then why shouldn’t it be Elemak’s?

“Elemak,” Rasa said, “if you do, somehow, get the Index, you must realize that Gaballufix won’t let you keep it. Somehow he’ll get it back. You’ll be in terrible danger then. What I’m telling you is—if you or any of your
brothers need refuge from Gabya, then trust no man. Do you understand? Trust no
man
.”

Elemak was unsure how to answer. He
was
a man; how did she expect him to respond to such advice?

“There are few women in this city,” said Rasa, “who would not rejoice to see Gabya deprived of much of his power and prestige. They would gladly help the taker of the Index to escape the grasp of Gaballufix—even if the Index had been obtained by some means that ordinarily might be viewed as . . .”

“Criminal,” said Elemak.

“I hate the thought of it,” said Rasa. “But your Father is certainly right that it would be a harsh blow against Gaballufix, to lose the Index.”

“It wasn’t Father’s idea, really,” said Elemak. “He said it came to him in a dream. From the Oversoul.”

“Then it might happen,” she said. “It might. Perhaps . . . who knows whether the Oversoul might still have enough influence over Gaballufix to make him—what, temporarily stupid?”

“Stupid enough to give it to me?”

“And stupid enough not to find you and strike you down once you have it.”

Elemak felt Eiadh’s hand in his, her body leaning against him. I came here for refuge, and out of desire for you, Eiadh—but it was Rasa whose help I really needed. Imagine if I had gone into Gabya’s house, not realizing how important this Index really is! “Lady Rasa, how can I thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

“I fear that I’ve encouraged you to risk your life in an impossible endeavor,” said Rasa. “I hate to think Gaballufix might really harm you, but the stakes in this gamble are very high. The future of Basilica is the prize—but I fear that the getting of the prize might harm the city so much that it isn’t worth the game.”

“Whatever happens,” Elemak said, “you can be sure that I will return for Eiadh if I can, and if she’ll have me.”

“Even if you’re a pariah and a criminal?” said Rasa. “Would you expect her to go with you even then?”

“Especially then!” cried Eiadh. “I don’t love Elya for his money or his position in the city, I love him for himself.”

“My dear,” said Rasa, “you’ve never
known
him without his money or his position. How do you know who he’ll be when he doesn’t have them anymore?”

It was a cruel thing for her to say; Elemak could not believe that she had even thought such a thought, let alone brought it to her lips. “If Eiadh were the sort of woman whose heart followed her coveting, Lady Rasa, then she would not be a woman I could love, or even trust. But I
do
love her, and no woman is worthier of my trust.”

Rasa smiled at him. “Oh, Eiadh, your suitor has such a beautiful vision of you. Do try to be worthy of it.”

“The way my Aunt Rasa talks, you’d think she was trying to talk you
out
of loving me,” said Eiadh. “Maybe she’s the teensiest bit jealous of me for having such a fine man courting me.”

“You forget,” said Rasa. “I already have the father. What would I want with the son?”

It was a tense moment; things were being said that should not—
could
not—be said in polite company. Unless it was as a joke.

At last Rasa laughed. At last. They joined in her laughter eagerly, in relief.

“May the Oversoul go with you,” said Rasa.

“Come back for me soon,” said Eiadh. She pressed herself against him so tightly that he could feel where every part of her body touched him, as if she were imprinting herself on his flesh. Or perhaps taking the
imprint of his body on herself. He embraced her back; she would have no doubt of his desire
or
his devotion.

It was midafternoon when Elemak got to Gaballufix’s house. By habit he almost slipped down the alleyway to the private side entrance. But then he realized that his relationship with Gaballufix had changed in unpredictable ways. If Gaballufix regarded him as a traitor, then a secret arrival, completely unobserved, would give Gabya a perfect opportunity to be rid of him with no one the wiser. Besides, to come in the back way implied that Elemak was of a lower station than Gaballufix. He had had enough of that. He would come in openly, obviously, through the front entrance, like a man of importance in the city, an honored guest—with plenty of witnesses.

To his pleasure, Gaballufix’s servants were deferential, ushering him inside immediately, and there was very little waiting before Elemak was led to the library, where he had always met with Gaballufix. Nothing seemed changed—Gabya arose from his chair and greeted Elemak with an embrace. They spoke like brothers, gossiping for a few minutes about people they both knew in Gaballufix’s circle of friends and supporters. The only hint of tension between them was the way Gabya referred to Elemak’s “hasty midnight departure.’’

“It wasn’t my idea,” said Elemak. “I don’t know which of your people talked, but Father woke us up hours before dawn, and we were out on the desert before the meeting was to have taken place.”

“I didn’t like being taken by surprise,” said Gaballufix. “But I know that sometimes these things are out of one’s control.”

Gabya was being understanding. Relief swept over him, and Elemak sat back more comfortably in his chair.
“You can imagine how worried I was. I couldn’t very well slip away and warn you what was happening—Father was on us the whole time, not to mention my little brothers.”

“Mebbekew?”

“It was all I could do to keep him from loosing all his sphincters on the spot. You should never have brought him into the plan.”

“Shouldn’t I?”

“How do you know he wasn’t the one who warned Father?”

“I don’t know that,” said Gaballufix. “All I know is that my dear cousin Wetchik left, and my brother Elemak with him.”

“At least he’s out of the city. He won’t be interfering with you anymore.”

“Won’t he?’

“Of course not. What can he do from some secluded valley in the desert?”

“He sent
you
back,” said Gaballufix.

“With a limited objective that has nothing to do with the whole debate over war wagons and Potokgavan and the Wetheads.”

“The debate has moved far beyond those concerns anyway,” said Gaballufix. “Or, perhaps I should say, it has moved far
closer
than those concerns. So tell me—what is your father’s limited objective, and how can I thwart him?”

Elemak laughed, hoping that Gabya was joking. “The best way to thwart him, I think, is to give him what he wants—a simple thing,
nothing,
really—and then we’ll go away and it’ll be between you and Roptat, the way you wanted it.”

“I never wanted it between me and anybody,” said Gaballufix. “I’m a peaceable man. I want no conflict. I
thought I had a plan whereby conflict could be avoided, but at the last moment the people I counted on fell through.”

He was still smiling, but Elemak realized that things were not as steady between them as he had hoped.

“Now tell me, Elya, what is the little thing that you think I should do for your father, solely because your father asks for it?”

“There’s some Index,” said Elemak. “An old thing that’s been in the family for generations.”

“An Index? Why would I have one of Wetchik’s family indexes?”

“I don’t know. I assumed you’d know which one he meant. He just called it ‘the Index’ and so I thought you’d know.”

“I have dozens of indexes. Dozens.” Then, suddenly, Gaballufix raised an eyebrow, as if he had just realized something. Elemak had seen him put on that same performance before, however, so he knew he was being played with. “Unless you mean—but no, that’s absurd, that’s nothing that ever belonged to the Wetchik house.”

Elemak dutifully played along. “What are you talking about?”

“The
Palwashantu
Index, of course,” said Gaballufix. “The whole reason for the clan having been established in the first place, back at the dawn of time. The most precious artifact in all of Basilica.”

Of course he would play up the value of it. Just like any merchant who was eager to sell. Pretend that what he’s selling is the most valuable thing ever to exist on the planet, so you can set some absurdly high price, and then work your way down.

“That can’t be the one, then,” said Elemak. “Father certainly didn’t think it had that much value. It was more of a sentimental thing. His grandfather owned it, and
lent it to the clan council for safekeeping during his travels. Now Father wants to take it with him on his travels.”

“Oh, that’s the one, then. His grandfather had it, but only as a temporary guardian. It was delegated to the Wetchik by the Palwashantu clan; he wearied of the burden, and gave it back. Now another guardian has been appointed—me. And I’m not weary. So tell your father I’m grateful that he was willing to help me with my duties, but I’ll struggle on without his help for another few years, I think.”

It was time for the price to be mentioned. Elemak waited, but Gaballufix said nothing.

And then, when the silence had stretched on for several minutes, Gaballufix arose from behind his table. “Anyway, my dear brother, I’m glad to see you back in the city. I hope you’ll be here for a long time—I can use your support. In fact, now that your father seems to have run off, I’ll certainly use my influence to try to get you appointed Wetchik in his place.”

This was not at all what Elemak had expected. It asserted a relationship between Elemak and his own inheritance that was completely intolerable. “Father is Wetchik,” he said. “He hasn’t died, and when he does, I’m Wetchik without any help from anyone.”

“Hasn’t died?” asked Gaballufix. “Then where is he? I don’t see my old friend Wetchik—but I do see the son that stands to profit most from his death.”