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Behind Harok, one of the Exceli shouts, “Hail Diazuul, protector of the Solwen.”
Harok isn’t certain, but he is sure he can sense some of the Solwen of Urynwud agreeing, cowards who are not brave enough to publicly declare their support of the Exceli. Cowards who are not as brave as the man Harok has on his knees.
“You do not believe I slayed Diazuul in the pit below Susal-ur-Bellan?”
“No, Your Majesty,” says Gil. “No man can slay a God.”
No man can slay a God.
Harok drops his blade. It clatters on the stone floor. He pulls his sword from his back. He swings it around and touches the blade to Gil’s neck as if lining it up to take the man’s head. “Are you sure?” he growls.
He feels the crowd around him hold its breath. Bracing to see their Irgo take off a man’s head in front of them. He has done so before.
Gil swallows. His face is paling as if he regrets his treachery. “Please, Sire, my Irgo, grant access to Susal-ur-Bellan for those that wish it.”
Plainly, Harok says, “Asking for such a thing is heresy.” He looks at Gil. He is clearly shaking with fear. But he is willing to die here. To die for his faith in Diazuul.
Behind him, Harok hears Mereli say, “Your Majesty, please. Not on the day you anoint your kushir.”
Gil takes a breath.
Harok sighs. Mereli’s counsel is always wise. He lowers the sword. He has no belly for this today. “Not on the day I anoint my kushir.” He resheathes his sword. He looks at Gil as relief floods him, then says, “Lock him up. See what he says on the morrow.”
The guard beside Gil nods. “Yes, Your Majesty. And the Exceli prisoners?”
Harok turns back to look at them. “Behead two of them. Flog the other and turn them out of the gates naked to return and tell the Exceli forces they will retreat to ten leagues from Urynwud or I will slay them all.”
He turns to the gathered Ambolk and barks, “Diazuul is dead and gone. The Exceli will leave us in peace or be destroyed. Any in Urynwud who wish to join their cause may do so. Leave Urynwud and join the heretics. But know that they, and all Exceli, will face my wrath.”
“Irgo,” says one of the guards holding the Exceli, as Harok turns to go, “which one of the heretics do you wish to spare execution?”
Harok turns back and looks at the three kneeling Exceli. “You choose. Or let them.”
He turns away and stamps through the crowds back into the Sacred Hall. As he does so, he sees Lymok, rushing towards him, “Irgo,” Lymok says, “I wish to speak with you.”
“Not now, Lymok,” Harok snaps back. “I have duties for you.”
Lymok gives Harok a small bow, “Yes, Irgo.”
“See to the kushir. He’s with his beast. Take him to his bedchamber. Have him bathed and prepared for the anointing in the zhilvar. And answer any questions he has.”
8
TOBI
Tobi wonders what he is meant to do now. Although there is nothing he wants to do quite so much as stay where he is with his face buried in Baby’s fur, cooing sweet noises to her.
Baby, at least, appears to be adjusting to these strange circumstances. And he will have to adjust to his.
When Tobi is rescued from this place he will be able to tell great tales in Attar. About how Urynwud is beautifully built and unlike any place anyone from Azuria has ever seen, glittering with wealth, but also at peace with the forest that surrounds it. If Tobi had thought about the Ambolk at all before, he would have assumed that the Ambolk lived in caves and trees, not great castles covered in leaves. But Urynwud is warmer and far finer than many buildings Tobi has been inside in Ceruleum, and perhaps even rivals the Azurian Palaces.
How long will he remain here before his father sends the Imperial army to free him? That soldier had claimed there were thousands of men at Fort Serus awaiting the move into Ismagaar. Surely it would be a simple matter to divert some of them? Despite Cyrus’s skepticism, despite how his father has ignored him in the past, Tobi is certain, the Azurian Empire would not simply leave a Darek to a fate like this. The army will come. Until then he will simply have to make the best of things.
He is the kushir of King Harok. Just another part to play. Tobi is good at mimicry. He can imitate voices and pick up words. If he is to imitate an Ambolk kushir, it would do him well to learn as many Ambolk words as possible.
Like kushir.
His thoughts are interrupted by someone else coming into the stables. He sits up, thinking it might be Harok returning for him. But it isn’t. It’s Lymok, the man who spoke Artemian at the campground. He had travelled back with the party who took the ford. Tobi had forgotten about this man, but now he sees him, he feels thrilled to realise this is someone he will be able to speak to.
