Untalented (29 page)

Saroya touched the thong around her neck. She suspected simple denial would not stop Loric.

“Very well. Please follow me.”

As Saroya trailed after Urdig and Dhilain into the hallway an idea occurred to her. She stopped short. When the men turned to see what was the matter, she took a deep breath—her future rested on whether she could convince them it was worth a try.

Saroya tried not to fidget in her chair. The Hall of Nobles, though grander, felt now to her much like the Healer’s Guild trial chamber. From her seat in the guest box, she faced the nobles assembled in the circular room, noting their curious stares. Those who had not been present when Loric made his initial claim studied her. Some appeared hostile, others smug. Urdig held court partway down the room to her right on the royal dais, Dhilain across the room in House Roshan’s customary seat. Eiden Callor entered with an unhappy Martezha towards the back of the dais. A group of blue-sashed healers clustered in a viewing box, deferring to a silver-haired woman resplendent in the gold-embroidered gray robes of a senior Adept: Eminence Daravela. Isolte sat stiffly next to Loric in House Dorn’s box, accompanied by a couple dressed in the slate gray of indentured peasants.

A chamberlain strode to the edge of the dais. “All rise for the royal anthem.”

Urdig turned to Martezha. “Martezha, if you would be so kind.”

Martezha appeared surprised, but took up a position at the front of the dais. For a moment, as she focused on the floor, she looked sick, but then raised her head and stared straight at the House Dorn box, and the people next to Loric. Long seconds passed, and Saroya thought Martezha might flee, but then her grim expression changed. Martezha closed her eyes, inhaled then launched into the most heartfelt rendition of the royal anthem Saroya had ever heard. Her beautiful clear tones floated throughout the Hall of Nobles.

Silence greeted the last lingering note. Martezha smiled then retired to the back of the dais. Saroya had never seen her so relaxed.

 
Loric approached the petitioner’s pulpit.

“My fellow lords, I requested this extraordinary session of the Great Circle of Houses to bring happy news. Unfortunately, duty prevails upon me a most unpleasant task as well.” Before Urdig could answer, Loric swept an arm round towards his box. “The healers bring great tidings—a cure for the plague!”

A cheer erupted throughout the hall. Saroya’s heart sank. How had Loric managed to take credit for her discovery?

Urdig stood and called for calm. “A cure? Why wasn’t I told first?” He glared at the master healer who was already making his way to the pulpit. The master healer bowed deeply.

“Apologies, Majesty. We have been working day and night testing a plant found only in the Vergal. When we feed it to plague patients, their fever abates, the sores disappear, and within a few days they are up and walking again, completely recovered. It is astounding.”

“What sort of plant?”

“A lichen, Your Majesty. It grows on the stones of an almshouse well in the Vergal.”

Urdig turned to Callor. “Send guards to this almshouse. When word gets out, they will be mobbed, and we cannot risk losing this plant. Master Healer, my congratulations. Your guild has proven its worth yet again. All U’Veyle owes you a great debt of gratitude.”

The healer inclined his head, an ingratiating smile on his face. “Were it not for Lord Dorn, Your Majesty … Lord Dorn apprised Her Eminence of the existence of a pocket of people free of disease, which brought the plant to our attention.”

Loric tried to appear modest, but Saroya saw right through him. Urdig cleared his throat. “Well, then, it appears Veyle also owes the same gratitude to House Dorn. And to the Adepts.”

Eminence Daravela stood in the box, her voice carrying across the hall despite her tiny stooped frame. “It was the Order’s duty to investigate.”

Saroya clenched her fists. Loric and Daravela must have sent men to every single almshouse in the Vergal after she left. They tricked Madam Abaya into telling them about the well. But what happened to Nalini? Saroya glared at the gray-robed eminence.
 

Loric smiled. “It pleases me to serve my country. It pains me, however, to do what I must do next. My Lords, a great fraud has been perpetrated upon the kingdom. The woman on the dais is not the royal princess.” Loric pointed at the peasants sitting next to Isolte, both of whom shrank at being singled out. “Those two are her parents. Indentured servants from Tarash. Untalents both.”

Saroya stared at the woman next to Isolte. Now that Saroya knew what to look for, the woman obviously bore some relation to Martezha. The blonde straggly locks faded to gray, but the jade eyes, while worn down at the corners by life and all its cares, showed a clear resemblance. Martezha flushed a beet red, but Urdig’s calm demeanor surprised Saroya.

“Are those the Baghores?” he asked.

Loric frowned, disconcerted that Urdig knew their identities. “Yes, they admitted leaving a child by the name of Martezha Baghore at the Cloister.”

“Then again, My Lord Dorn, it would seem that Veyle owes you yet another debt of gratitude for exposing this fraud. You may be sure we will punish the perpetrator.” Urdig’s face remained impassive but Saroya thought Loric looked nonplussed. Callor took Martezha by the hand and led her from the room. She did not look back at her true parents.

Loric spun and stabbed a finger towards Saroya. “Behold, the true daughter of Padvai of Roshan.”

Saroya felt the room grow smaller.

Urdig yawned. “So you claimed the other night. My men have yet to uncover any proof.”

“The ring she carries is not enough? The perfect mate to your wife’s ring?” Saroya clutched the ring where it nestled against her throat. “The family resemblance is too great. No, you deny her because she is Untalented.”

Eminence Daravela chimed in. “The Order has demanded more checks on Untalents for years. Now, the royal line is tainted! Do the Houses not wonder at the realm’s affliction by sickness? It is a sign.”

Shouts rang throughout the hall. Some nobles nodded in approval. Others appeared stunned. Saroya flinched at ugly comments aimed in her direction. Yet Urdig stayed composed.

Saroya stood up and cleared her throat. Several nobles jeered.

“There’s just one flaw to Lord Dorn’s argument,” she said. “I’m not Urdig’s daughter.” Loric mouthed,
You’re finished
. She pressed on. “I’m Dhilain’s.”

Loric looked as though he’d bitten into a rotten lemon. “That’s impossible. The ring!”

Dhilain stepped in. “Yes. A puzzle ring. When all her children married, my mother gave a piece of the ring to each of us. One to Padvai, one to me.” He looked Loric straight in the eye. “And one to Isolte.” Isolte gaped at him in incomprehension. “I’m not a sentimental man. I gave my piece to the girl’s mother.”

Loric purpled. “The original ring Martezha stole was in Mistress Bardan’s possession. Explain that away!”

Dhilain turned to Urdig. “Your Majesty, you have been the victim of a fraud, yes, but I say, the perpetrator of this fraud stands before you still.” He pointed at Loric. “Who ‘discovered’ the existence of your supposed heir? Whose wife had access to Padvai’s chambers and could have stolen the Roshan ring? Padvai might even have given it to Isolte as she lay dying, passing on a family heirloom. Little did she know the twisted purpose her sister would make of it. The whole thing’s a setup.”

Isolte shot up from her chair. “Lies! What lies are these, brother?” Saroya watched her face as she grasped at any straw. “Padvai told me herself! How else could we have stumbled across this particular girl? ‘Our child.’ The words came straight from her mouth.”

Dhilain shrugged. “A child of House Roshan, yes. Padvai never approved of the way I treated my paramour. It weighed heavily on her conscience. No fault of mine you chose to misunderstand her.” He continued. “You planted the first ring. But Loric’s plan to embarrass and create scandal was foiled when a spiteful young women stole it.”

“How dare you?” Loric asked. “I have always held the good of Veyle first and foremost. Isolte, tell them.”

Isolte glanced at Loric then said, “I regret telling my husband about the child. I had no idea he would abuse my trust in this manner. I thought this a private family matter.” She sat back down and ignored her husband.

Loric’s eyes bulged. “You can’t deny I have saved the city from the plague.”

“Actually, I can,” Callor replied. He turned to the door leading from the dais and motioned for the guard. Saroya watched Nalini, looking timid but determined, enter the hall. Nalini stepped forward and dropped a deep curtsy. Her hands trembled as they gripped her skirts.

“Are you the one who made this discovery?” Urdig asked as Nalini rose to her feet.

“No, Majesty.” The master healer tried to cut her off.

Eminence Daravela directed a withering stare at Nalini. “In the name of the Order and your guild oaths, I command you to be silent.”

“The Order holds no sway in the Hall of Nobles,” Urdig said. “Please continue, Mistress Ferlen.”

Nalini gulped, but lifted a shaking hand and pointed at Saroya. “This woman brought us the plant. She made the connection between the almshouse occupants’ health, and the well. If it wasn’t for her, we would still be searching for some way to stem the tide of fever.”

Urdig winked at Saroya. “Is this true?”

She flushed bright red and for once didn’t know what to say. Eiden Callor stepped forward. “My Lord, I can vouch for this story. Mistress Bardan took me to the almshouse in question, where we gathered the lichen. She insisted we bring it to the healers, and that they not know who delivered it.”

“Whyever not?”

Saroya jumped in. “I’m in disfavor with the Healer’s Guild. If they knew who brought them the plant, they’d ignore it.”

Loric broke in, yelling now. “Unbelievable! This girl is Untalented. You would believe her over a titled lord of the Great Circle of Houses? And a childhood friend of hers over the master healer? The eminence?”

Nalini stood her ground. For once, her honesty worked to Saroya’s advantage. “Captain Callor and I can both vouch for her.”

Urdig faced the master healer. “Master Healer, do you deny the testimony?”

The master healer, after only a brief pause, stepped away from Loric and shook his head.

“Eminence Daravela?”

Daravela’s lips thinned into a hard line. “This changes nothing. This monarchy is too soft on Untalents. The Order has the best interests of Veyle at heart.” She omitted a curtsy as she exited the hall.

Nalini rushed up to Saroya and hugged her. Saroya kept her attention fixed on Urdig.

“Captain Callor, you will place Lord Dorn and his wife under house arrest at Manor Dorn until such time as any evidence of treason can be proven or not to the satisfaction of the Great Circle.”

Callor grabbed Loric’s arm. “No!” Loric yelled. “You can’t do this!” Callor dragged Loric, still shouting, away. Saroya could not summon any emotion for him other than disdain. It was all he ever showed her, after all.

Saroya and Nalini sat together in a corner of Urdig’s study while they waited for the men to sort out with the healers how best to deploy resources distributing the cure.

“I haven’t thanked you yet, Saroya.”

“For what?”

“Mother was the first person I tested the water on. You saved her life.” Nalini’s voice shook.

Saroya hugged Nalini. All the tension in their friendship popped like a bubble when she released her. “Is she at least not giving you any more grief about being a healer?”

Nalini smiled. “I think they might be coming ’round.”

“There’s something I have to tell you,” Saroya said. Overhearing, Eiden Callor cast her a warning glance. She shook her head. “I’m going to live at Manor Roshan.”

“Really? Why? I thought …”

“I …” Saroya knew her friend would not appreciate being lied to. Her debt now to Urdig and Dhilain was binding, though. “It’s all been a big misunderstanding.” She said a silent goodbye to the mother she’d never known. “Queen Padvai wasn’t my mother.” Nalini gasped. “Apparently her brother, who I thought was my uncle, is my real father. He’s head of House Roshan.” She watched Nalini work out the trail of relationships in her head.