Chapter 18
Mouhra' Lah stood as the latch of the door to her tower prison rattled with someone trying to get in. She'd been sitting idle for days now. She was going mad with tedium, but more with worry. There was nothing she could do. Before she had always been able, been free to act. Now, being shut up in the tower had taken her power. All she could do was wait and worry.
She stood as the guard entered, wary. He was new, one she'd never seen before. Tranthra' Joh must be pulling these men from the outer areas, buying their loyalty. Surely none of the palace guard would have accepted him over me!
"Tranthra' Joh has requested to see you."
Mouhra' Lah nodded then followed as the guard turned and gestured for her to proceed him through the door.
On their way down through the palace, Mouhra saw that the corridors were again abandoned, and she'd picked up two more guards that kept pace. She wouldn't be able to break away, nor did she figure that calling out would do her any good. Tranthra' Joh must have had all people move out of this part of the palace, at least during the time of her audience.
I can't believe how fully he's been able to take over. Isn't there anyone who's resisting this? Surely some of the people must have noticed that something is wrong, especially with all the nobles in the dungeon. Their families should be asking about them.
Mouhra and her escort arrived at the audience chamber. She didn't recognize the two guards stationed there either. They swung the heavy doors aside and beckoned her to enter. Her escort stayed outside as she entered.
Tranthra' Joh was again seated on the throne.
"Ah. I see you have kept yourself well," he said. He looked her up and down in a possessive way that infuriated Mouhra' Lah, but she held herself without expression. I'll not give him the satisfaction!
"Oh, I see you're still not speaking to me. Well, that'll change when you hear my news."
He looked at her again. Mouhra' Lah continued to school her expression. This time she glanced around the room, noticing the changes he'd made, removing some art, replacing it with more martial pieces. Guards still surrounded the upper deck, constantly at attention, but she was sure that one false move and she'd have the bows drawn on her like earlier when Sauros and Javin was here.
That thought made her again relive the last scene in this room, where Javin and Sauros, her beloved, had gone through that horrible machine. Tranthra' Joh believed them dead, but something in Mouhra' Lah's heart told them it wasn't so. Javin was Mulda' fi. Certainly if anyone knew of the operations of the ancient artifacts, Javin did. After all, he'd told her, in that strange way of his language, to wait. That wasn't exactly what he'd said, but she was sure that was his meaning.
"Princess?" Tranthra' Joh interrupted her thoughts. "I was saying that you might want to know that we've found your sister."
Mouhra snapped her eyes back to Tranthra' Joh. He couldn't! They can't have found her. Not this soon, at least.
"I see you've finally decided to pay me some attention." Tranthra' Joh smiled. "And if you don't believe me, let me just say that we found Dierni' Lah in a most unusual place. We never would have thought to look there . . . without help."
Who would help him? Who could have helped him? I told no one but Siri' Bhu.
"A most unlikely place indeed," Tranthra continued. "Rest assured. She'll not be harmed. I've just received word that she is now in custody and should be arriving shortly. Not too many days away, but just far enough. I commend you on your ingenuity."
Maybe he's still bluffing, hoping I'll give him some clue. Something that will help him find out. Mouhra continued to carefully hold her features bland, expressionless.
"It's no use, you know," Tranthra said. "I don't need to question you. I'm telling the truth. I just wanted you to know so you can be thinking about your options.
"They are exactly these: You may accept me as your husband then at the right time, proclaim me king of my fair city, or you may refuse. In which case, your darling little sister will have the privilege of being my new bride. And you, I'm afraid will have an unfortunate accident in a far country, trying to negotiate a treaty along with the Council of Nobles, who've escorted you there. It will be a sad day for our city. But many, along with your sister, will realize that strong leadership will be required to guide Putra' Fi Sorro through such dark times back into the light."
So that's how he's done it! He's foisted some fable about my being off with the nobles in the dungeon to negotiate some fool treaty. But there surely will be some people who won't believe it. A Princess would never be away from her city during a time such as this, when a succession was pending.
Then she realized she'd already played right into his hands. She had left the city, trying to find Sauros. But that was different. She wasn't planning to be gone long, and she was hoping that people would realize she was gone and hold Tranthra' Joh accountable. Then she would be able to come back with her Prince, and take up the reins, and reassure her people. Instead what she'd done is open the door for Tranthra' Joh. It was working for him instead of against him.
What have I done? What could I have done? It was either stay and try to fend him off, or leave and try to find Sauros. Either way, since he already held Sauros, there would have been no way to change it.
But in my leaving I found Javin, a Mulda' fi. Will it make any difference in the end?
Javin, Mouhra' Lah pleaded in her thoughts. I hope you're on your way back here. She just knew that he and Sauros were still alive. They had to be!