Markan Empire

  They reached a wide corridor, brilliantly lit by light crystals. A huge tapestry filled one wall. Small tables in front of it to either side obscured a portion. A hunting scene, with humans on horseback and a couple of sylphs stood to one side. Large enough to be life size and Neptarik marveled at the realistic depictions. Sylphs and humans looked real. The tapestry must have taken a long time to complete.

  "Done staring?" Tektu glowered.

  Neptarik nodded. He saw a couple of soldiers with the red flashes, but much to his relief, neither was his friend from the stable. There were doors on both sides as they walked along the corridor, probably leading to sleeping chambers and the like. Tektu led him to the door facing them at the end of the corridor.

  "This," she informed him, "is the Mametain's study."

  Neptarik nodded.

  "We clean in here tonight."

  Neptarik wondered why they were still standing outside.

  Tektu continued. "What you lift up, you put back exactly where you found it. Be very careful, things in here might harm you. Understand?"

  Neptarik nodded again. Some things in there might harm him? What sort of place was this?

  Tektu tapped gently on the door and, when no answer came, pushed it open. Neptarik assumed the study must be empty, and so it was.

  A fire had been laid in the huge fireplace, but remained unlit. It would provide plenty of heat on cold winter nights. Two leather chairs with high backs faced the fire, with small tables beside each one. A huge desk filled the center of the room. It sat on a rug of reds and oranges mixed together in some peculiar pattern. Papers and what looked like maps were piled high on the desk.

  Neptarik itched to inspect the maps but, as he was supposed to be illiterate, he kept still. There was a bottle of something he could not identify among the usual pens and inkwells.

  Something about that small bottle brought a shiver.

  Though the wooden floor looked like pine, dark oak paneling lined the walls to almost one-third of their height.

  "You clean the floor while I polish the wood," said Tektu. Her eyes were intent and burned into him. As if she might be reading his mind.

  Tektu is a fool, he thought and concentrated on it as hard as he could.

  The other sylph barely blinked, so he felt confident she could not read minds.

  Tektu rummaged in a side cupboard. "Well? You going to stand there all night? It will take at least two hours to get finished and I am not doing it all myself." She passed a small brush and pan for the dust. Neptarik's eyes narrowed at the brush.

  "Nothing bigger in there?" he asked.

  Tektu sneered at him. "Get on your hands and knees to do it," she commanded. "And stop whinging."

  Neptarik went to the floor with as much bad grace as he could muster.

  "If your attitude doesn't improve," Tektu continued, in a conversational tone, "I might send you to Egran. He enjoys inflicting pain, especially on sylphs. I once saw him take a sylph and..."

  Neptarik let it wash over him. Tektu's descriptions were graphic and horrifying – and likely invented for his benefit – but he had seen so much gore on battlefields that mere verbal descriptions could no longer make him feel ill. But nausea washed over him at the look in the other sylph's eyes. She was enjoying herself.

  "I just had to recruit him after that," Tektu finished, with a gleam in her eye. "If you are sick on that carpet, there will be trouble."

  Neptarik resisted an urge to snarl at her and began to brush furiously, raising small clouds of dust.

  "Slow up," prompted Tektu. "If that dust gets in the polish, it makes the work harder."

  Irritation flared. "You wanted me to stop whinging," he said. "You have done nothing but since." His eyes sparkled with anger.

  Tektu went very still and silent. Her gaze locked with his for what seemed a very long time.

  Now you have done it, idiot! he scolded himself.

  Still on hands and knees, Neptarik was transfixed, but he refused to look away or release the fear that threatened to surface. He would not be intimidated by this... thing.

  "The moment I saw you I knew you were no ordinary sylph." Tektu spoke quietly, her tone considering. "Impressive. Most of your race cower and whimper when I look at them."

  "You are not ordinary either." Neptarik had pushed his luck once and now he pushed it a little further. "What are you?"

  Tektu's expression did not change. A small muscle tensed in her jaw, the only sign of hidden emotion. "Get on with cleaning the floor," she said.

  Compliance gave Neptarik the only honorable way to break eye contact with the other sylph, though he hoped he did not look too eager to obey.

  He began to understand why so many sylphs were reluctant to work with the strange creature with him in the study. A sense of wrongness rolled off Tektu that would leave no sylph unaffected. Not the same as sensing sorcery or the Gift, but similar.

  Neptarik did not frighten easily, but he certainly felt something like it now. He had long since given up fearing the unknown; there were plenty of known things to fear without adding unknowns to the list. But Tektu was different. Neptarik felt no shame admitting to himself that she was someone to fear.

  He finished cleaning the floor before Tektu had done the walls, and he sat on his haunches to watch the other sylph polish the paneling.

  "Don't just loll around," snapped Tektu. "Start on this and meet me in the middle."

  Neptarik accepted some of the polish – soft red stuff that smelled odd – and used a cloth to rub it into the wood. Indeed, the panel looked better afterwards and he lost himself in concentration. Apply the polish and work it in with the cloth.

  As they started on the last paneled wall, Neptarik risked quick glances at Tektu. She certainly looked normal enough, her earpoints upright in concentration and just tall enough to reach the full height of the panels.

  But the feeling of something not quite right persisted. Tektu glowered at the panels as she polished them, as if resenting the chore, but she worked quickly and diligently.

  Neptarik felt fatalistic.

  "Why do so many leave after working with you?" he asked.

  Tektu turned her head and fixed him with that gaze again. It hadn't worked earlier and it didn't work now. Neptarik refused to be intimidated.

  "They fear what I might do," she replied. A quick grin followed. "With good reason."

  Neptarik's attention returned to his work. She wasn't even ashamed of herself! Tektu might wear the same clothes as all other sylphs in Castle Beren, but the absence of a collar and a special breast badge were not the only differences.

  "Unfortunately for me, my master has forbidden me from harming sylphs, except to save my life. That does leave a lot of wriggle room, but usually I must ask others to do my dirty work for me." Tektu smiled again. "Such as Egran."

  Neptarik judged that the panel he polished now would be the last, as Tektu had already started the one beside him.

  Thanks to the light crystals in the study, he had not noticed the darkness outside; at least, the deepset window in the study was dark.

  "You have a lot of anger in you," he said. "Why?"

  Tektu laughed aloud. "You are the first sylph to try and work me out. What are you? Redeeming angel? Conscience? Sent by Salamil?"

  "Sent by who?" Neptarik had no idea why, but he did not like the sound of that name.

  "Obviously not, or you would know Him." Tektu replaced the smile with her more familiar glower. "The Mametain will want his study soon. It is time to put this stuff away and move to the next task."

  Neptarik blinked. "Next task? It grows late now."

  Tektu's smile returned. "Did you think working with me was easy? Perhaps all those sylphs left because they were frightened of hard work."

  ***

  Mya left the sulking room and sat on the wall beside the sylphs' tower. It was still too early for sleeping, and she had not wish to gossip with the other female sylphs in their large dormitory, so she star
ed towards the northeast tower. Darkness had come, but she waited for Neptarik.

  She more than half feared he would return screaming, or a whimpering wreck, as other sylphs had before. Male, female or infertile, it made no difference. They all felt a certain... something... working with Tektu. Something unpleasant.

  Like Neptarik, Mya had no idea exactly what Tektu was, nor why she looked like a sylph, but she was definitely not a sylph. Unlike Neptarik, she neither needed nor wanted to know more.

  The Mametain genuinely liked sylphs, but she doubted if any order from him would stay Tektu's hand if she took it into her head to hurt one. She had never heard of Tektu harming a sylph, but she had no wish to learn the truth the hard way. She knew already that Tektu's reticence to harm sylphs did not extend to humans.

  Tektu had been involved in the interrogation and death of her owner, Talnan. Mya would never forget that early spring day on the walls, when Tektu had begged permission to interrogate the spy again.

  Definitely not a sylph.

  Mya screwed her eyes shut. And thought of Neptarik who, in his own way, unsettled her as much as Tektu. He kept secrets too.

  He knew things. No matter what he claimed, "just a sylph" failed to describe him, too. Though at least he was a sylph, a step better than Tektu.

  She wished she could sort out her feelings. Part of her wanted to get much closer to Neptarik. Tektu's threats to send them to separate stud farms were probably hollow. She hoped.

  Another part wanted to distance herself. Was she really falling in love, or merely trying to find a shred of security after her owner's death? She wished she could give herself an honest answer.

  Mya's breath caught. What was that on the walls? She only relaxed when she recognized a trick of Neptarik's walk. She flew along the wall to the north tower to meet him. As they met, he grinned and his eyes glowed faintly in the dark.

  "Well?" she demanded.

  Neptarik's smile broadened. "The easiest free day I ever earned," he said. "Hope you enjoy your time in the kitchens tomorrow. I feel a nice lie-in coming up."

  "What about her?"

  "I did ask what she was," replied Neptarik, matter-of-factly, "but she would not tell me."

  Mya almost fell over in surprise and her voice squeaked. "You asked her?"

  "Nobody else is giving me an answer, so it seemed a good idea."

  "You are mad! Insane!"

  Neptarik laughed. "What is the fuss about? Just a little pussycat. Almost eating out of my hands before we finished."

  "I do not believe you." Mya stared at him. "Come on, the truth."

  "Well, there is a sense of something wrong, but that is all. She likes to talk about some pretty disgusting things, but nothing to scare me."

  Mya looked solemn.

  "You might be terrified of her soon," she muttered.

  "Change of subject." Neptarik snaked an arm around Mya's shoulders. "Let us find a place where we will not be disturbed."

  Mya giggled.

  ***

  From the top of the turret atop the northeast tower, Tektu watched them go. Though the words had been faint, she had heard the sylphs as if she stood with them. So her warning about separate stud farms had gone unheeded. Eating out of his hands? A little pussycat?

  A snarl turned her lips. So Neptarik believed he was in for a free day tomorrow? Well, she would show him something that would have him whimpering in his sleep for months to come. Her lips twitched in anticipation. That one displayed far too much stroppiness. He must be brought into line.

  Subconsciously, she rubbed at the itch on her hand.

  Now she had reached a decision about Neptarik, a happy smile spread across her pixie features.

  ***

  Nijen da Re Taura looked at the map spread across the table. He barely registered the smell of freshly polished wood that suggested Tektu had done exactly as asked, for once.

  Dervra and Marshal Janost looked at the map with him. It showed much of the coastline between Re Taura and the mainland, as well as Marka and approximate positions of the Eldovan troops.

  Dervra tapped the map. "Marka already assumes that you're headed for Trenvera and they've sent their army to counter you there. We have regrouped and are marching east to take Marka. When we have the city and assured our victory, we'll send soldiers to Trenvera and trap the enemy fighting you. Then, we will have what we want and you are free to negotiate more preferential trading terms. And have a buffer state to protect Re Taura from absorption into any future Markan Empire that may rise on the continent."

  Nijen looked at Dervra. "You do not want Marka for yourself?"

  "No." Dervra's voice shook with laughter. "We wish only to destroy the city; it is against our interests for a resurgent Marka to reclaim lands it once ruled." He gave a thin smile. "In this our interests and yours coincide."

  Nijen nodded. "Do you still want our ships to blockade Cadister and the other ports of the Trading Council?"

  "Once you have landed your troops," said Dervra.

  "Indeed, yes." Janost nodded. "Eldova is landlocked, so we cannot ourselves enforce a blockade."

  Nijen nodded again. "Very well. It is sealed then."

  Dervra was all smiles. "Excellent. Eldova will not forget your invaluable help and will ensure you are well rewarded. Re Taura will always hold a fond place in our hearts."

  Nijen shook hands with both men. "If I knew where Tektu had disappeared to, we could celebrate with alovak. Are you sure you cannot stay for even one night? I am a poor host without giving alovak."

  Dervra inclined his head and Janost shook his. "You must understand that this is a fleeting visit. It is right that you know we are moving now. The sooner you put to sea the better."

  "As you wish."

  Dervra smiled again. Nijen caught a quick glimpse of a tent interior and again looked into the startled eyes of a servant, before he was alone.

  ***

  Back on the mainland, Dervra and Janost exchanged a quick look. There had never been any love lost between the two men, but Janost gave Dervra a more respectful look this time. Dervra glared at Sandev.

  "Alovak," he snapped. "Now."

  Sandev left the tent at a near run.

  "Well, you juggle better than any taynor I ever saw," remarked Janost, once they were alone. "After alovak, I'd best rejoin my part of the army."

  "Indeed, although it's a pity Nicolfer isn't here. She has her part to play in this, also." Dervra's smile broadened. "With luck, we'll have no need to send troops to relieve Nijen in Trenvera. With more luck, Re Taura will be the wedge between the two Vintner clans and take the brunt of the casualties. They are useful allies... and dupes."

  Janost managed a smile. Best he remembered that Dervra liked to double-cross. The man thought himself clever; yet, for one of the Ten, he could be surprisingly stupid at times. Or perhaps he did not understand people. "The men grow restless. I suspect they are eager to avenge their defeat from last year."

  Dervra nodded and gave a secret smile. "Good. Let us hope they perform better this time."

  Outside the tent, alovak brewing in the can beside her, a horrified Sandev eavesdropped. How could she get a message out? Could she get one out at all?

  Like almost everybody else, she had always discounted the islands off the east coast. Collectively powerful perhaps, but all highly individualistic and no threat whatsoever to Marka. Though sadly, the reverse was not always true.

  What could she do?

  ***

  Tektu had a restless night.

  She turned and turned as the itch grew. It spread from her hand, up her arm, across her chest. It felt as if something wanted to burst out through the skin. Not painful – at least, not yet – but extremely uncomfortable.

  "Not now," she grumbled. "Not now!"

  The itch took no notice.

  She must refresh herself. The body she inhabited needed renewal; if she ignored the urge, her body would rot around her. If that had not already started.


  There was only one way to stop it. She needed a sylph. A strong, healthy sylph whose death would renew her life.

  "No!" she almost screamed as a stronger spasm took her.

  She kept turning in her cot, throwing her blankets this way and that, walking up and down her small chamber. She even kicked the chamberpot until it smashed.

  Outside, night surrendered to the coming day.

  Another, stronger, spasm shook her and she fell to her knees. She hugged herself as discomfort grew into pain.

  As the birds sang outside, Siaba pushed open Tektu's door.

  "Breakfast, mistress," she said, a smile splitting her face.

  As Tektu looked up, Siaba pushed a fist into her mouth to muffle her scream.

  "Make yourself useful," hissed Tektu. Even her voice had changed. "Find Neptarik and bring him here. Speak to nobody else. Now!"

  "Se bata," squeaked Siaba, and fled.

  Tektu doubled over in pain again. A pity about Neptarik. Perhaps she grew soft as she aged; what she must do always wasted a healthy sylph, but one already dying would not suffice.

  It always came down to a question of survival. And her prime directive was... to survive.

  ***

  Chapter 18

  Tektu's Evil

  Neptarik intended to make the most of his free day. He slipped from the dormitory before dawn, ensuring he disturbed nobody. He dressed in the corridor and went to the kitchens to scrounge an early breakfast. Thankfully, someone always manned the kitchens.

  "Up early," remarked one of the human scullions.

  "Day off," replied the sylph, pitching porridge into his mouth. Finishing, he grinned at the scullion and patted his stomach. He pushed the bowl away.

  "You can wash that yourself," said the scullion, tapping his own unadorned neck.

  Neptarik gave the lad a good-natured grin, scrubbed the bowl and wooden spoon in the large earthenware sink and left the kitchen. He wandered to the gate and stared at the clouds scudding past, their undersides stained pink and orange by the rising sun.

  "Early bird," remarked Brinyard, leaning on his halberd. "Hardly light yet."

  "Free day, Neptarik?" asked Sergeant Jillar, leaving the guardhouse.

  The sylph nodded.

  "If you're headed for Taura, there's at least an hour to wait," said Jillar. "The first cart won't leave before then. Why not take a walk around the walls? The watch is about to change and you don't want to be here, or the Officer of the Day will give you something to do."