‘My Throne, we don’t know the nature of his bargain,’ said Fahren, trying to maintain calm for them both. ‘We don’t know if he is in the process of fulfilling it, or if it is yet to occur. He probably didn’t even know Iassia was the enemy when he made it.’
‘It is precisely the uncertainty that is troubling,’ said Naphur. ‘You say you cannot break the block that would allow him to speak?’
‘No.’
‘Then he is an enemy in our midst. For all we know, the deal was to pretend to be the boy’s father, entrench himself in the Halls and wait for the best moment to bring us all down.’
‘That seems overly elaborate, even for a weaver.’
‘But it’s possible, isn’t it? You yourself have said how inventive they can be. It could be anything – maybe Corlas is to wait until the very deciding moment, when the armies of shadow and light clash for the last time, then stab Bel in the back.’
‘Then why would Iassia give him away?’ said Fahren. ‘My Throne, I don’t think Corlas is a willing agent of the shadow.’
‘Perhaps not,’ growled Naphur. ‘I also would not have thought him capable of the crime he’s accused of. Even if he was, I would have listened to his explanations; I would have helped him if I could. But he has lied to us before, and now he lies to us again!’ Naphur began to pace. ‘I did as right by him as I could, did I not?’
‘Yes, I feel that you did.’
‘I was sorry for what he went through. I tried to make it up to him. I respected his counsel where the boy was concerned. I did not send him away, or cut off his access from Bel. We were friends. I bent to his will as no ruler is obligated to, even when it was against my better judgement, and this is how he repays me!’ Naphur came to a stop at the edge of the room, glaring out across the Halls. ‘What shall I do?’ he asked. ‘Even now, I would not see him executed.’
‘No, my lord, that would be most unwise.’
Naphur spun around – Fahren had seldom seen such a fierce expression on his face. ‘Banishment,’ the Throne said. Fahren raised an eyebrow, but let Naphur continue. ‘Banishment from Borgordus. I cannot kill him, but I cannot allow his presence when he could be working against us. He must leave. Today.’
‘My Throne, please stay this action a moment longer.’
‘Why? I am in no mood for advice at this time, High Mage.’
‘Naphur,’ said Fahren steadily, holding the Throne’s gaze, ‘ I have not betrayed you.’
Naphur’s eyes flashed, but a moment later he breathed out, and some of the redness faded from his cheeks. ‘Very well, Fahren. What is it?’
‘Do not forget that Bel is our primary concern in this. Any action must take him into consideration.’ The High Mage lit a brittleleaf roll with a spurt of flame from his fingertip, which was shaking slightly. ‘Right now Bel feels that it is we who are the enemy. If we send Corlas away, who knows if Bel will remain in the Halls afterwards, or ever listen to us again?’
‘I cannot let such crimes go unpunished,’ said Naphur.
‘I agree,’ said Fahren. ‘And Corlas is lucky you have chosen so mild a punishment. He cannot stay in the Halls, but neither can we afford to have Bel go chasing after him. We must work hard, and immediately, to re-establish his trust in us.’
‘What do you suggest?’
‘Think of it from his perspective. We are about to send away his father, and we have just put the girl he loves in jail. He’s been robbed of those he holds dear, and you and I will receive the blame.’
Naphur sighed. ‘When did my Throneship become all about this boy?’
‘He is potentially the most important person born in millennia,’ answered Fahren. ‘We need him. We need to prepare him, and he still needs our protection. We cannot afford to make an enemy of him.’
‘So what do we do?’ asked Naphur dully.
‘We let the girl go.’
Instantly Naphur became angry again, opening his mouth to object.
‘You are the Throne!’ interrupted Fahren. ‘You’ve been a just and fair ruler for decades, and you do this thing now for the good of the land! Not because of a personal desire, not because you are corrupt! The girl’s charge is small, and not important in the scheme of things. We can deal with Cydus, get him out of Kadass, order him back to that swamp he presides over.’
‘I don’t need a lecture on what I could do,’ said Naphur. ‘I could have done a great many things that I never chose to, and no one could have stopped me.’
‘I know,’ said Fahren. ‘And Kainordas is lucky to have such a leader. But this will not be an abuse of power, Naphur. It is necessary, believe me. If we don’t do it, Bel will have no reason to stay here and we will lose him to the world. Then, maybe, we will all be lost. You can never forget the shadows in the south, lord.’
‘I never do,’ said Naphur. ‘You know that.’
‘I do. So don’t let an ink-stained vase determine the course of our fate.’
Naphur stood silently, his mind ticking over.
‘Very well,’ he said eventually. ‘The girl will be freed – but Corlas will leave this very afternoon.’
‘You are charged with the murder of a peacekeeper,’ said Naphur through the bars.
To his left stood Fahren, looked perturbed, and to his right Baygis wore a steely expression. Corlas sat wearily in the cell on a wooden chair. He hadn’t bothered to rise when the three powerful men entered the cell, which he knew had not gone unnoticed.
‘What you are certainly guilty of,’ continued Naphur, ‘is consorting with the enemy. I treated you with respect, I tried to be compassionate. I thought we understood each other. Yet for any wrongs we may have done you, you wronged us in return twice over.’
‘I doubt that,’ said Corlas, scowling openly.
Baygis smacked the bars of the cell, making Corlas start. ‘If you show this disrespect to my father,’ he said, ‘because you imagine you are to be executed and therefore have nothing to lose, then cease to make such assumptions!’
Corlas was surprised by that.
‘I don’t know for sure if you are guilty of the murder,’ said Naphur, ‘but there will be no investigation. Your accusers will be told they were mistaken, and Baygis will not question you again.’
‘Why?’ asked Corlas, dumbfounded.
Naphur sighed. ‘For the sake of your son.’
‘For the sake of your control over my son,’ corrected Corlas, scowling again.
‘Are you saying you don’t wish to be set free?’
Corlas couldn’t believe his ears.
Naphur’s voice hardened. ‘Free to leave.’
‘Leave, Throne?’
‘My men will take you to your quarters to get your things, and then you will leave the Halls forever. You are banished from Borgordus, and if I ever see you here again, it will not be forgiven. Since we do not know the nature of this bargain you made with the weaver, and you cannot tell us what it is, I have to assume you are a threat. I don’t care where you go, but it had better be somewhere far enough away that I never hear of you again. And Bel will not know where you go either. You will not see him again, ever.’
Finally Corlas stood up. ‘You cannot ask that.’
‘I’m not asking,’ said Naphur. ‘And if you do not comply, I will have Baygis tear your mind apart in search of the truth. There will be a public trial, and a public execution too. All the good you have done in your life will be erased, and your name will be sullied forever. Shame will mark your passing. Go now, salvage some of your dignity, and leave Bel with the better memories of your time together.’
Corlas bared his teeth. Angry though he was, he thought of the trial and the admissions he would have to make. He thought, too, of his other son, that other part of Bel whom he’d never sought out. Perhaps now was the time to try. Finally, he thought of Iassia. Would the weaver be waiting outside the Halls, ready to ask his ‘favour’, whatever it may be? If only he could speak about it, tell them the bargain was not yet in effect, but would be if the bird found him. The words, as ever, would not form in his mouth. It seemed he would have to take his chances.