The Gathering Storm (Crown of Stars 5)

“Unlike Eagles, Sleepers do not retire, Brother. They die and are replaced. Sister Zoë no longer stands with us. Alas.”

“She is truly dead?”

“So she is, in the same conflagration in which we lost Liathano. I will miss her, the good woman. But we have found a strong mind to replace hers. He is called Hugh of Austra. Perhaps you know of him.”

“Hugh of Austra! Margrave Judith’s bastard son?”

“The same. With his help, Anne has unlocked the secret of the crowns and how the movement of the stars acts in concert with the stones. Now we are close to understanding the weaving by which our ancestors rid themselves of the Lost Ones.”

“The seven circles—”

“We are far beyond that. Seven circles, each of seven stones. We were deceived by erroneous notions. Sister Anne believed that the crown at Verna was the key, but it is not. Meriam now believes that the crowns were laid out to surround the land of the Aoi, that in this way the ancient sorcerers bound that land within the circle of the spell. Therefore, there must be at least one crown south of the middle sea, one east of it, one west, and so on. We have discovered unexpected allies in Alba among the tree sorcerers and their queen. With their help, we know where the westernmost circle lies. Brother Severus will journey there after he has identified the second circle, which we believe lies in southern Salia. I have myself in the course of my long search for you discovered a crown here in the east, in the wilderness between Ungria and Handelburg, at a place called Queen’s Grave. Do you know of it?”

“Bayan and Sapientia fought the Quman at a spot called Queen’s Grave about three years ago. There was a tumulus there erected in ancient days, so I heard—”

“The same. I ventured into the burial chamber, but it had been disturbed by grave robbers. I also saw the leavings from the battle, bones of horses and men picked clean, countless shards of arrows. There is a crown on top of the hill. The local folk were easily persuaded that it was in their interest to hoist the fallen stones upright with rope and dirt ramps, under my supervision. Yet you were not there when the battle was fought, were you, Wolfhere? How is it that we lost track of you? I see that you wear an amulet to protect yourself from aetherical sight. Are you hiding from us?”

“Nay. I was trapped by the cunning of one of my own comrades, an Eagle. My old nemesis, who hates me sorely. She retired to the service of Waltharia, the eldest child of Helmut Villam. When we passed by that way, she convinced Prince Sanglant that if he sought to act against sorcerers he must protect himself by means of such amulets. I couldn’t refuse to wear one without making him distrust me.”

“You should have left him months ago. It serves no purpose.”

“Do you think Prince Sanglant poses no threat to Sister Clothilde’s hopes and plans?”

“I think even if he can succeed in gaining allies, and these griffin feathers you speak of, that it will be too late, and too little, against us.”

“Perhaps. But how will we know how great a threat he poses if none of us are witness to what he is doing?”

“Any person can spy on Prince Sanglant.”

“Not any person can gain his trust.”

“That may be. I do not know how much of a dog’s instinct he has for enemies. But it matters not, Brother.”

“If you think it does not matter, then you are a fool.”

“You forget yourself! You were raised as Anne’s servant, not as our peer!”

The silence stank of anger and old resentment. Zacharias might have cheered to see Wolfhere spoken to in such a way, but he had himself been born to freeholders who had risked farming in the marchlands in order to be beholden to no lord, only to the regnant.

“I crave your pardon, my lord,” said Wolfhere at last in a tight voice.

“So you must. I expect you not to forget your place again. Now. As soon as my servant returns with slaves, we will cast off. There’s little enough tide in these waters.”

“Where do we go?” Was Wolfhere’s tone ironic? Or angry? Did the needle of rank still jab him? Was he humbled by Marcus’ disdain? He had such a hold over his emotions, and the muffling effect of the dark hold muted his voice just enough, that Zacharias could not guess how he felt. “Do we return to Darre?”

“Nay. We are to journey south to assist Sister Meriam in her search in the lands south of the middle sea. We hear stories of a crown set near the ruins of Kartiako. Meriam believes that another crown must lie south of the holy city of Saïs. It will be a pilgrimage into a new land.”

“A dangerous one. Jinna idolaters rule those lands.”

“It is difficult to know who truly rules the desert. But first I must deliver my cargo, and the child, to Darre.”

“The child.” The words, spoken so softly, barely reached Zacharias’ ears although he lay not a body’s length from the two men. “I am against it. It is dangerous to act so boldly.”

“As the time approaches, we must not fear to take risks. We have hidden for too long.”

“If we kidnap the child, Prince Sanglant will not rest until he recovers her.”

“Then he cannot hunt griffin feathers and sorcerous allies in the east, can he? He will have to choose. One, or the other.”