Wild Magic

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The Kassian Tai Wanameh took Faan’s arm and began walking back toward the Southbank.

Faan was exhausted, aching, and sad. Her family was scattered, her friends distracted and not really friends any more; she was too powerful and too strange now, it was as if another Barrier stood between her and them. Yet the power was useless, she couldn’t get the things she wanted most. All she could do was ruin everything she touched. It wasn’t fair, it just wasn’t fair.

Then the Wild Magic came flowing up from the River in a stream of silver that coiled around her, caressing her, singing their fizzing songs to her, blessing her. They didn’t mind her weirdness; they liked it. They liked her. That was comforting and it gave her the energy to move her feet and follow Tai back to the Low City.

Chapter 25. Gods And Rulers Share The Same Tunnel Vision

Ignoring the scandalized Anaxoa novices and the mutterings of the crowd of suppliants waiting on the kneeling stools, Famtoche Banddah stalked down the Aisle Major of the Public Audience Room, three hostas of Royal Guards behind him. He reached the stairs to the dais, clasped his hands behind him, and inspected the Primes seated in the middle three chairs of the seven. “Down,” he said.

Manasso Prime Fuaz Yoyote leaned forward. “Your authority stops at the Blessing Gate, O Amrapake.”

Famtoche nodded, a short sharp jerk of his head. “I. see.” He stepped to one side, waved his hand to his chief guard. “Do it,” he said.

Seated in the center chair, Famtoche Banddah clicked his painted nails on the wood and smiled down at the three groaning forms stretched out on the floor, their backs bloody from a guard’s flagellum, their faces in the dust where the suppliant’s mat had been. “My authority stops where I say it does. Fulaak.”

The chief guard stepped over the legs of the Adjo Prime, bowed stiffly. “Amrap.^-

“Boot up one of those robes out there, send it for the High Kasso; tell it if I have to go looking for that dhun, they’ll regret it more than this lot.” He waved a hand at the Primes.