Chapter 41: Interlude - Boring Developments (2)

Chapter 41: Interlude - Boring Developments (2)

Purattus eyes narrowed slightly. Isnt it supposed to be secret?

High Mystic, Archon Shabadras said, as I explained in our previous meeting, our group was selected for a very specific reason. Were all members of the One Faith here.

Purattu didnt see what that had to do with it. Although it was true that he believed in the One Faith, whose members were generally viewed as being paragons of honesty and loyalty he didnt know Archon Shabadras or General Kamaru-Ayyabu personally. And because of that, he was hesitant to trust them outright.

Unfortunately, they outranked him, and he could tell that they wanted an answer to the question.

Jehannemid, he said. The Keys on Jehannemid. It was the starisle where hed run across almost an entire continent in a morning, while the Seers hed conscripted had pissed the day away on shopping and sightseeing.

Jehannemid, the general said, tapping his cheroot free of ash. Why there? Or was it random?

I dont do random things, Purattu answered. Of all of the nine starisles subsidiary to Humusi, Jehannemid has the most tenuous political climate. The Mage Parliament is aligned with the dominant faction, but there are other sovereign states which vie for supremacy. One of them is ruled by Sheik Hatim, whos married to one of High Archon Kingallus daughters.

Kingallu has a daughter on Jehannemid? Archon Shabadras said.

No surprise, said General Kamaru-Ayyabu. The mans over six hundred years old. Hes had dozens of wives through the years, and thats not to mention all the concubines. I wouldnt be surprised if he has hundreds of progeny. Thousands even.

Shabadras frowned. He has a family member of Jehannemid. So?

So he cares for her, Purattu said. Before leaving for Humusi, I paid for information about the starisles I visited. I found that, as General Kamaru-Ayyabu just suggested, High Archon Kingallu does have progeny scattered throughout dozens of the starisles subsidiary to Ku-Aya, which is where he originated. But there are only a few that hes truly interested in. His daughter on Jehannemid is one. Her marriage to Sheik Hatim was the result of political network considerations spanning dozens of starisles. Kingallu himself personally attended the wedding.

On Jehannemid? Shabadra said in shock. A Stricken starisle?

I cant prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt, Purattu said, but Id bet money on it.

Its not uncommon for mages to go to lower starisles, the general said, but for a High Archon to go to such an ignoble place is definitely out of the ordinary.

Whats more, he regularly corresponds with the girl. When I found out about that, an idea occurred to me. So I dug for some more information about Jehannemid. And when I was there, I took the liberty of placing some gold shekels in the right hands to, well he cleared his throat set up a bit of an insurrection.

What? Archon Shabadras blurted. You did what?

The general frowned. Our goal is to have all of the new students reach the High Seer level before we deploy them.

Is that more important than getting the Key?

The general and the archon glanced at each other.

It will take even more finesse with Kingallu, Shabadras said, but we can probably make it happen.

Good, Purattu said. In the meantime, what do I do? Go back to Ku-Aya and try to flush out the cultist assassins?

Id prefer if you kept a low profile, Shabadras said.

I was kidding.

The general stubbed the final bit of his cheroot out in an ashtray. Very funny. Go back to Ku-Aya and stay low. Maybe try to spread the word of how convinced you are that you didnt have the real Gateway Key.

Isnt that what theyd expect the person with the real Key to do?

You werent supposed to know that you had the real Key.

How do people like this end up in charge of things? Purattu thought, closing his eyes so the two men wouldnt see him roll them. If I figured out which one was the real Key, dont you think others might have been able to also? I put the pieces together with information, not by doing tests on the thing.

Shabadras and General Kamaru-Ayyabu exchanged a glance.

Anythings possible, the general said. Just do whatever you can to confuse the enemy. Get ready to send that message, and also plan out your route once the entire operation is carried out. You have six months.

Or less, Purattu said.

Or less.

Purattu pushed his chair back and stood from the table. Sounds like things are going to be boring for a while.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)