Unbroken Chain

CHAPTER TWENTY

Vedoran Left Tower Athanon and weaved slowly through the trade district. He picked a random path and checked often to see if he was being followed. Not that he expected Ashok to try to come after him. He’d been too shocked when Vedoran had left him.

Smiling to himself, Vedoran cut across the stone remains of a cluster of dwellings and ducked inside a two-story building marked as a warehouse belonging to his master’s trade consortium. It was not a warehouse, but his master often used the building in discreet business transactions and encouraged those closest to him to do the same.

Inside on the upper story, there was a room with no windows. A candle burned in a copper dish on the mantle of a boarded-up fireplace, and several chairs were arranged around the fireplace as if it were still a source of heat.

Traedis sat in one of the chairs. He looked up when Vedoran entered the room.

“You’re late,” he said.

“Forgive me,” Vedoran said. “I was meeting with Uwan and Ashok.”

Traedis’s eyes narrowed. “And is it certain?”

“Yes,” Vedoran said. “I confirmed it just now.” The look in Ashok’s eyes had told him all he needed to know. “Ashok’s was the enclave that slaughtered Ilvani’s scouting party. He knew the trail and those tunnels far too well for it to have been otherwise.”

“Amazing,” the cleric said, shaking his head. “Why did no one else have your insight? There were others with you in the caves.”

“All of whom believed they were following a vision sent by Tempus,” Vedoran said. “But if you take the god out of the mission, it was easy to see who was truly leading us.”

“Yet he helped you,” Traedis said. “Ashok betrayed his own people. Why?”

“Because he wanted a better life,” Vedoran said quietly, “an existence that wasn’t shameful to him. I could have given that life to him. But he chose Uwan instead.”

That part burned inside Vedoran almost more than anything else. He’d asked Ashok to consider his loyalties, but in his heart he knew Ashok had already chosen.

“Your life has been touched by many misfortunes,” Traedis said, drawing Vedoran out of his memories. “But this will be a new beginning for Ikemmu and for Vedoran.”

Vedoran nodded. “There is still an obstacle,” he said.

“Natan,” the cleric said. “Yes, I’d thought of that.”

“His visions are disturbingly accurate,” Vedoran said. “He could uncover our plans before we carry them out.”

“If that’s true, have you considered that Natan may already know Ashok’s true identity?” Traedis said.

“If he did, he would have told Uwan long before now,” Vedoran said.

“Not necessarily,” the cleric said. “Not if it meant he could have his sister returned to him safely. We can’t know what knowledge he has of Ashok.”

“I’ll speak to him,” Vedoran said, “find out what visions he’s received. Then I’ll decide how to proceed.”

“Wait,” Traedis said when Vedoran moved to the stairs. “I will not see you again until the thing has been set in motion. You must swear the oath before you go, and accept protection.”

Vedoran felt a wave of involuntary disgust. “You want me to swear faith to Beshaba. I’ve told you-”

The cleric laughed. “I don’t need your faith, Vedoran, for what we intend,” he said. “Only the appearance of it. When Tempus’s false emissary is exposed, the shadar-kai will need a rallying point. You will play that role.”

“In Beshaba’s name,” Vedoran said.

“Yes.” Traedis shrugged. “Power shifts, and you will have the recognition you want. Things will be different. We will not abuse the city in Beshaba’s name, as Uwan has done with the warrior god.”

The cleric smiled. Inwardly, Vedoran laughed at the futility of it all. First it was Tempus, then Beshaba, and in the future whatever god won out in the struggle for Ikemmu. Whatever happened, the gods would always have a collar around the shadar-kai.

But at least there, at that moment, Vedoran would choose the god.