Sien stared intently at him. "What will you pay for her recovery?"
Confused, Caelan reached for his belt. If it was a matter of a healing fee- "No," Sien said as though he had read the thought in Caelan"s mind. "Put away your coinage, fool. It is answers I want. Where do you come from? What sp.a.w.ned you? Why do you serve those who are doomed? Why do you resist us? Resist even your own kinsman Agel? What powers enable you to fight like no other man alive?"
Caelan"s chin lifted, and his eyes grew steely. "I have no answers for you."
Sien backed away from the empress and stood up. "Then I have no help for her Majesty."
Furiously Caelan moved on him fast, pinning him with enough force to make the priest"s shaved head thump against the wall. Eyes narrowed, Caelan glared at Sien. "No matter what unholy shadows you serve, your duty still lies here. Attend her Majesty now, or-"
Sien"s long fingers curled around Caelan"s, and Caelan felt sevaisin sevaisin leap into him from the other man. leap into him from the other man.
For the first time in his life, he experienced the joining from the other direction. It was strong but clumsily done. It was an invasion, a violation. And he could feel himself shifting also to sevaisin, sevaisin, as though to make the link doubly strong. as though to make the link doubly strong.
Horrified, Caelan held himself back, refusing to cooperate with what called to him.
He could have snapped the link with severance severance, but caution warned him not to reveal the other side of his gift.
That left him with no choice but to endure Sien"s exploration of his feelings and his thoughts, even parts of his memories.
Then the priest withdrew with sinuous slowness, his questing coldness fading away. Shuddering, Caelan broke free of the man, shoving himself back. His legs felt wobbly and weak. His stomach was roiling. He felt both chilled and hot, as though a fever had seized him. Most of all, he felt defiled, as though he had been bathed in slime.
A slow smile of satisfaction spread across Sien"s face. "Thank you," he whispered. "That was very informative."
Caelan jerked out his dagger and held it on the man, ready to plunge it deep to end that smirk forever.
"I have a piece of you now," Sien said fearlessly. "If you want it back, you must come to me of your own free will and ask for it."
"No," Caelan said hoa.r.s.ely.
"You will come," Sien said with soft a.s.surance. "And you will give me the rest of your secrets in exchange."
"Never."
Laughter ghosted from Sien"s throat. His deep-set eyes glowed at Caelan with a madman"s fervor. "The shadow G.o.d wants you. He knows of you now. You are marked, and you cannot escape what awaits you."
"You"re lying," Caelan said defiantly. He closed his ears to what Sien was saying, refusing to believe it. "I know what you serve. You are darkness and blasphemy. You have betrayed the emperor and brought destruction down on the city. You"ll pay for it."
Sien spread out his arms, the smile still lingering on his lips. "Why not now? Take vengeance for all those who have died tonight, and strike me down. It will teach you much."
Caelan"s hand tightened on the hilt. Thoughts of the guardsmen, courtiers, women, and servants who had died needlessly tonight boiled through his mind, igniting his rage anew. He knew Sien was mocking him now, egging him on as though to test the limits of his temper. With all his heart he craved the satisfaction of killing the priest, but he stayed his hand. He would not do it, if only because the priest asked for it.
"Oh, come," Sien said in false disappointment. "Do not hesitate. You are a champion in the arena. You have killed more men than you can count. Death walks at your shoulder. You call him friend. Are you not his best reaper?"
"No," Caelan whispered, but his mouth quivered as he spoke.
"You take life so efficiently," Sien said. "It is your talent. Tell me, in your culture what is a taker called?"
Caelan stared at him, skewered with guilt exactly as Sien intended. Loathing against both Sien and himself burned in his throat.
"Take my life," Sien taunted him, "and learn. So much awaits you. Besides, do you not crave vengeance against your enemies? And I have conspired with them, have I not?"
"Why aren"t you with Tirhin right now?" Caelan asked around the lump choking his throat. "Why aren"t you out there, enjoying your triumph? The empire is destroyed-"
"Oh, not by half," Sien said impatiently. "The head has been severed from the body, but neither are dead yet. They could easily be rejoined. Especially since the emperor is preparing to take the secret ways to safety at this moment. And the empress lies here at our feet, very close to joining her sovereign lord." Anger flashed in Sien"s yellow eyes. "My work is far from finished."
Caelan felt his entrails drawing into a cold knot. Drawing on his courage, he forced himself to go on facing the priest with defiance and contempt. "If you are so busy," he said, "why don"t you run to Tirhin and help him?"
Sien laughed. "Can you really be so naive, so stupid as to think I want the prince to a.s.sume the throne?"
Caelan frowned at this monster in human guise. This was the man who had persuaded Tirhin to trust the Madruns and to ally his cause with theirs. This was the man who had abandoned his prince to the attack of the shyrieas shyrieas that night on the mountainside. This was the man who had counseled Emperor Kostimon for years, yet tonight had turned on him in betrayal. that night on the mountainside. This was the man who had counseled Emperor Kostimon for years, yet tonight had turned on him in betrayal.
"You want the complete destruction of everything," Caelan said slowly. "You want everything pulled down. You are working against everyone in the imperial family."
A smile spread across Sien"s face. "Perhaps I have given you a small piece of myself in our joining," he said in approval. "Your perception has improved."
"It isn"t hard to fit the pieces together," Caelan said angrily.
"No, it isn"t. Especially when I make it easy for you."
A soft moan from the empress kept Caelan from retorting. He turned and knelt beside her as she stirred.
Moaning again, she lifted one hand to her brow and opened her eyes. She seemed lost and confused for a moment; then comprehension flooded her gaze and her eyes filled with tears.
She sat up, choking, and Caelan wished he could gather her tightly in his arms and hold her.
But she was the empress, and he was no one with the right to offer her such comfort.
"You are safe, Majesty," Caelan said quickly, putting rea.s.surance in his voice. As he spoke, he glanced up at Sien standing apart from them in the gloom, and hoped he told the truth. "We are beneath the temple."
She glanced at Caelan fearfully and brushed back a strand of hair from her face. "The shadow-"
"It is gone," Caelan rea.s.sured her.
She groped for the embroidered pouch that hung around her neck, gripping it so hard her knuckles turned white. "Did you destroy the creature?"
He had a sudden fear that she might reveal to Sien the magical jewel she carried. "The shadow is gone," Caelan said firmly.
Her eyes met his, and she seemed to see the warning in his gaze. Frowning, she looked away and swallowed. Her shoulders were trembling, and she drew up her knees, trying weakly to stand up. "It will return."
"Not down here, Majesty," Sien said with an unctuous bow.
At the sound of his voice, she gasped and stiffened. Caelan put a large hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.
Sien stepped closer to them. "Nor can the Madruns break through our safeguards for a short time yet. Your guardsman has spoken the truth when he said you are safe. Are you ready to join the emperor?"
Elandra ignored the priest and looked at Caelan. "a.s.sist me to my feet," she said.
Although her voice was sharp and imperious, he could see how frightened she really was. In silence, he obeyed her and steadied her when she swayed. Then she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin regally, looking every inch an empress. Only her pallor and her tight grip on Caelan"s fingers betrayed her.
"Lord Sien," she said unsteadily, "are you saying my husband is nearby?"
"Yes, Majesty."
"Is he-is he alive or dead?"
Sien"s eyes widened. "Why, alive. Your Majesty need not fear."
A reverberating crash from overhead made all of them look up.
Caelan"s throat tightened, and he reached for the hilt of his dagger. "The Madruns have broken through. Go on. Majesty. I will try to hold them as long as possible-"
"You fool!" Sien said sharply before Elandra could respond. "There are sufficient safeguards in their path that will hold the barbarians better than even you can. Let us go forward, however. The emperor cannot wait much longer."
As he spoke, he gestured at the shadowy corridor stretching ahead of them. Caelan moved to take the lead, all his senses alert, his dagger in his hand. He had the edgy, uneasy feeling that they were walking into a trap. Sien could not be trusted, whether he helped them or not. The priest was far more dangerous than he appeared, and his dark powers made him formidable. As Caelan strode along with Elandra and the priest following, he glanced often at the dagger in his hand. Could mere steel, even if thrown swift and true, destroy this minion of the shadow G.o.d? Caelan had the feeling that at any moment he might have to find out. Sweating, he tried to stay calm and ready for anything.
"Stop," Sien said.
Caelan obeyed so quickly Elandra nearly b.u.mped into him from behind. He stepped aside with a murmured apology to her. Inclining her head, she flashed her eyes to his, then looked away.
Caelan faced the priest. "What now?" he asked suspiciously.
Sien smiled, his yellow eyes glittering. He gestured. "Open the door."
Caelan had seen no door, but now as he spun around in surprise, a carved wooden barrier blocked the corridor where none had been before. Astonished and more wary than ever, Caelan stared at it. He could not tell if it was real or imagined. He dared not touch it to find out.
"Open it," Sien said softly. "The emperor is just on the other side in the cavern."
Elandra"s face lit up. "He"s been waiting for me?"
"Yes," Sien said. "Twice his officers have had to dissuade him from going back to search for your Majesty. His distress has been great. But naturally he could not be allowed to jeopardize himself. If the enemy manages to break through my special defenses within the temple and get this far, it is possible they will be able to follow him even through the secret ways."
"I must join Kostimon," Elandra said. New strength filled her voice. She stood tall and queenly, her grace and confidence returned.
Caelan gazed at her, glad she so readily believed the priest"s smooth lies. He met Sien"s gaze, and the truth flickered between them for just an instant. In the initial confusion of tonight"s attack, Caelan had seen the emperor refuse to send guardsmen to rescue Elandra, claiming he could not afford to split his meager forces unnecessarily. Caelan knew the emperor had not waited for her, had thought only of his own safety, had abandoned her with his concubines and his staff. It was better she did not know. Caelan himself would not give her such hurt for the world.
Gathering up her skirts, Elandra stepped right up to the door and stopped there. She glanced at Caelan over her shoulder. "Open it."
He hesitated just long enough to bring a frown to her eyes; then he stepped forward to obey. It was hinged to swing toward them.
Cautiously, not trusting what might perhaps really await them on the other side, Caelan gestured for the empress to stand back.
She did so, and he reached for the latch.
Before his fingers actually touched it, however, it opened itself. The door swung inward on its own.
Caelan flinched back from it, then crouched with his dagger ready.
Past the doorway stood a s.p.a.cious cavern filled with men and milling horses. The area hummed with frenzied activity. On the opposite side of the cavern, the emperor"s banner hung limply from a staff, and the guardsmen themselves were men Caelan recognized as loyal. Relief swelled in his throat.
He stood aside to let Elandra precede him.
On the threshold, however, she seemed to b.u.mp into something unseen.
Gasping, she recoiled and backed away quickly.
Cursing himself, Caelan reached her side immediately. "Is your Majesty hurt?" he demanded.
She shook her head. Her eyes were still wide with fear. "What in Gault"s name is it?" she whispered, clutching her jewel bag.
Caelan returned to the doorway. When he reached out, his hand struck an invisible barrier that was as firm as a stone wall. It was neither cold nor hot to his touch. It was simply impa.s.sable.
Gazing through it in mounting frustration, he could see the guardsmen saddling horses and loading provisions, but he could not step through to join them.
No one in the cavern glanced his way. Caelan decided they could not see him. The thought stirred fresh worry inside him. Were the guardsmen really out there, or was this all an illusion?
He turned around to face Sien. Inside him, rage and resignation were building. He"d known all along the priest was going to pull some trickery. Now it had to be dealt with.
"Careful, warrior," Sien said softly. "Do not make a mistake you will regret."
Caelan bared his teeth as he brandished his dagger. "Did you not ask me to strike you down just a few minutes ago? Your memory is short, priest."
"On the contrary," Sien replied, "my memory is excellent. I recall asking you what price you would pay for the lady"s recovery."
Elandra"s head whipped around sharply. "What?"
Caelan felt a slow rage heating inside him, molten in his loins, burning hotter and hotter in his chest, rising through his neck, his cheeks, his eyes. He glared at the priest, in no mood for games.
"You didn"t cure her," he said hoa.r.s.ely.
Sien smiled with pity, and Caelan suddenly understood that the priest meant Elandra"s return to the side of the emperor. It was a cold drenching of comprehension that left him standing there stricken and silent.
"No," Elandra said softly, horror in her voice. She looked from one man to the other. "No."
Caelan ignored her. His gaze was only for the priest, whose eyes were now rapacious and gleaming. Sien licked his lips, and something in the air smelled burned.
"Dark magic!" Elandra cried in warning. She stumbled against Caelan, perhaps to push him to safety or perhaps to grip him for rea.s.surance.
He swept her aside with his free arm and moved toward Sien slowly on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet. In his temple his pulse throbbed with the desire to kill this bald old viper, but he kept his emotions in check. He must use his wits here, not his brawn. Physical attack was not the answer; if Sien used magic to defend himself, Caelan knew he would not stand much chance against the priest.
"I ask again," Sien said. "What price will you pay?"
"What price do you ask?" Caelan countered.
"No!" Elandra said. "Caelan, I forbid this. Do not bargain with this traitor."
Caelan frowned, wishing she would be quiet. She was distracting him. He narrowed his gaze on the priest, wondering how he could make the man drop the spell on the doorway. "You wanted answers from me, and you took those. What is your price now?"
Sien laughed, a horrible gloating sound. "If I could give you a way to go back and save the life of your father, would you take it?"