The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

  I blinked in surprise. Why would I want your love? Youre a monster, Itempas, destroying everything you claim to care for. I see such loneliness in you, such sufferingbut all of it is your own doing.

  He flinched, his eyes widening. I sighed, shook my head, and stepped close, lifting a hand to his cheek. He flinched again at my touch, though I stroked him until he quieted.

  But I am only one of your lovers, I whispered. Havent you missed the other?

  And as I had expected, Itempas looked at Nahadoth. Ah, the need in his eyes! If there had been any hope of it, I would have asked Nahadoth to share this moment with us. Just one kind word might have speeded Itempass healing. But it would be centuries before Nahadoths own wounds had healed enough for that.

  I sighed. So be it. I would do what I could to make it easier for both of them, and try again when the ages had worked their magic. I had made a promise, after all.

  When youre ready to be among us again, I whispered to Itempas, I, at least, will welcome you back. Then I kissed him, and filled that kiss with all the promise I could muster. But some of the surprise that passed between us was mine, for his mouth was soft despite its hard lines. Underneath that I could taste hot spices and warm ocean breezes; he made my mouth water and my whole body ache. For the first time I understood why Nahadoth loved himand by the way his mouth hung open when I pulled back, I think he felt the same.

  I looked over at Nahadoth, who sighed with too-human weariness. He doesnt change, Yeine. He cant.

  He can if he wants to, I said firmly.

  You are naive.

  Maybe I was. But that didnt make me wrong.

  I kept my eyes on Itempas, though I went to Naha and took his hand. Itempas watched us like a man dying of thirst, within sight of a waterfall. It would be hard for him, the time to come, but he was strong. He was one of us. And one day, he would be ours again.

  Power folded around Itempas like the petals of a great flower, scintillating. When the light faded, he was humanhis hair no longer shining, his eyes merely brown. Handsome, but not perfect. Just a man. He fell to the floor, unconscious from the shock.

  With that done, I turned to Nahadoth.

  No, he said, scowling.

  He deserves the same chance, I said.

  I promised him release already.

  Death, yes. I can give him more. I stroked Nahadoths cheek, which flickered beneath my hand. His face changed every moment now, beautiful no matter how it lookedthough the mortals probably would not have thought so, since some of his faces were not human. I was no longer human myself. I could accept all of Nahadoths faces, so he had no need of any one in particular.

  He sighed and closed his eyes at my touch, which both gratified and troubled me. He had been too long alone. I would have to take care not to exploit this weakness of his now, or he would hate me for it later.

  Still, this had to be done. I said, He deserves freedom, same as you.

  He gave me a heavy sigh. But his sigh took the form of tiny black stars, surprisingly bright as they sparkled and multiplied and coalesced into a human form. For a moment a negative phantasm of the god stood before me. I willed it to life, and it became a man: Nahadoths daytime self. He looked around, then stared at the shining being who had been his other half for so long. They had never met in all that time, but his eyes widened with realization.

  My gods, he breathed, too awed to realize the irony of his oath.

  Yeine

  I turned to find Sieh beside me in his child form. He stood taut, his green eyes searching my face. Yeine?

  I reached for him, then hesitated. He was not mine, despite my possessive feelings.

  He reached up just as hesitantly, touching my arms and face in wonder. You really arent her?

  No. Just Yeine. I lowered my hand, letting him choose. I would respect his decision if he rejected me. ButWas this what you wanted?

  Wanted? The look on his face would have gratified colder hearts than mine. He put his arms around me, and I pulled him close and held him tightly. Ah, Yeine, youre still such a mortal, he whispered against my breast. But I felt him trembling.

  Over Siehs head, I looked at my other children. Stepchildren, perhaps; yes, that was a safer way to think of them. Zhakkarn inclined her head to me, a soldier acknowledging a new commander. She would obey, which was not quite what I wanted, but it would do for now.

  Kurue, though, was another matter.

  Gently disentangling myself from Sieh, I stepped toward her. Kurue dropped immediately to one knee and bowed her head.

  I will not beg your forgiveness, she said. Only her voice betrayed her fear; it was not its usual strong, clear tone. I did what I felt was right.

  Of course you did, I said. It was the wise thing to do. As I had done with Sieh, I reached out and stroked her hair. It was long and silver in this form of hers, like metal spun into curls. Beautiful.

  I let it trail through my fingers as Kurue fell to the floor, dead.

  Yeine. Sieh, sounding stunned. For the moment I ignored him, because my eyes happened to meet Zhakkarns as I looked up. She inclined her head again, and I knew then that I had earned a measure of her respect.

  Darr, I said.

  Ill see to things, Zhakkarn replied, and vanished.

  The amount of relief I felt surprised me. Perhaps I had not left my humanity so very far behind after all.

  Then I turned to face everyone in the chamber. A branch was growing across the room, but I touched it and it grew in a different direction, out of the way. You, too, I said to Scimina, who blanched and stepped back.

  No, said Nahadoth abruptly. He turned to Scimina then and smiled; the room grew darker. This one is mine.

  No, she whispered, taking another step back. If she could have boltedanother branch had covered the stairway entranceIm certain she would have, though of course that would have been pointless. Just kill me.

  No more orders, Nahadoth said. He lifted a hand, the fingers curling as if to grip an invisible leash, and Scimina cried out as she was jerked forward, falling to her knees at his feet. She clutched at her throat, fingers scrabbling for some way to free herself, but there was nothing there. Naha leaned down, taking her chin in his fingers, and laid a kiss on her lips that was no less chilling for its tenderness. I will kill you, Scimina, never fear. Just not yet.

  I felt no pity. That, too, was a remnant of my humanity.

  Which left only Dekarta.

  He sat on the floor, where he had been thrown during the manifestation of my tree. When I went to him, I could see the throbbing ache in his hip, which was broken, and the unstable flutter of his heart. Too many shocks. It had not been a good night for him. But he smiled as I crouched before him, to my surprise.

  A goddess, he said, then barked out a single laugh that was remarkably free of bitterness. Ah, Kinneth never did things by half measures, did she?

  In spite of myself, I shared his smile. No. She didnt.

  So, then. He lifted his chin and regarded me imperiously, which would have worked better if he had not been panting due to his heart. What of us, Goddess Yeine? What of your human kin?

  I wrapped my arms around my knees, balancing on my toes. I had forgotten to make shoes.

  Youll choose another heir, who will hold on to your power as best he can. Whether he succeeds or not, we will be gone, Naha and I, and Itempas will be useless to you. It should be interesting to see what mortals make of the world without our constant interference.

  Dekarta stared at me in disbelief and horror. Without the gods, every nation on this planet will rise up to destroy us. Then theyll turn on each other.

  Perhaps.

  Perhaps?

  It will definitely happen, I said, if your descendants are fools. But the Enefadeh have never been the Arameris sole weapon, Grandfather; you know that better than anyone. You have more wealth than any single nation, enough to hire and equip whole armies. You have the Itempan priesthood, and they will be very motivated to spread your version of the t
ruth, since they are threatened, too. And you have your own fine-honed viciousness, which has served well enough as a weapon all this time. I shrugged. The Arameri can survive, and perhaps even retain power for a few generations. Enough, hopefully, to temper the worst of the worlds wrath.

  There will be change, said Nahadoth, who was suddenly beside me. Dekarta drew back, but there was no malice in Nahadoths eyes. Slavery was what had driven him half mad; already he was healing. There must be change. The Arameri have kept the world still for too long, against nature. This must now correct itself in blood.

  But if youre clever, I added, youll get to keep most of yours.

  Dekarta shook his head slowly. Not me. Im dying. And my heirsthey had the strength to rule as you say, but He glanced over at Relad, who lay open-eyed on the floor with a knife stuck in his throat. He had bled even more than I.

  Uncle Scimina began, but Nahadoth jerked her leash to silence her. Dekarta glanced once in her direction, then away.

  You have another heir, Dekarta, I said. Hes clever and competent, and I believe hes strong enoughthough he will not thank me for recommending him.

  I smiled to myself, seeing without eyes through the layers of Sky. Within, the palace was not so very different. Bark and branches had replaced the pearly Skystuff in places, and some of the dead spaces had been filled with living wood. But even this simple change was enough to terrify the denizens of Sky, highblood and low alike. At the heart of the chaos was Tvril, marshaling the palaces servants and organizing an evacuation.

  Yes, he would do nicely.

  Dekartas eyes widened, but he knew an order when he heard one. He nodded, and in return, I touched him and willed his hip whole and his heart stable. That would keep him alive a few days longerlong enough to see the transition through.

  I I dont understand, said the human Naha, as the godly version and I got to our feet. He looked deeply shaken. Why have you done this? What do I do now?

  I looked at him in surprise. Live, I said. Why else do you think I put you here?

  * * *

  There was much more to be done, but those were the parts that mattered. You would have enjoyed all of it, I thinkrighting the imbalances triggered by your death, discovering existence anew. But perhaps there are interesting discoveries to be had where youve gone, too.

  It surprises me to admit it, but I shall miss you, Enefa. My soul is not used to solitude.

  Then again, I will never be truly alone, thanks to you.

  * * *

  Sometime after we left Sky and Itempas and the mortal world behind, Sieh took my hand. Come with us, he said.

  Where?

  Nahadoth touched my face then, very gently, and I was awed and humbled by the tenderness in his gaze. Had I earned such warmth from him? I hadntbut I would. I vowed this to myself, and lifted my face for his kiss.

  You have much to learn, he murmured against my lips when we parted. I have so many wonders to show you.

  I could not help grinning like a human girl. Take me away, then, I said. Lets get started.

  So we passed beyond the universe, and now there is nothing more to tell.

  * * *

  Of this tale, anyhow.

  APPENDIX

  1

  A Glossary of Terms

  Altarskirt rose: A rare, specially bred variety of white rose, highly prized.

  Amn: Most populous and powerful of the Senmite races.

  Arameri: Ruling family of the Amn; advisors to the Nobles Consortium and the Order of Itempas.

  Arrebaia: Capital city of Darr.

  Blood sigil: The mark of a recognized Arameri family member.

  Bright, the: The time of Itempass solitary rule after the Gods War. General term for goodness, order, law, rightness.

  Darkling: Those races that adopted the exclusive worship of Itempas only after the Gods War, under duress. Includes most High Northern and island peoples.

  Darr: A High North nation.

  Dekarta Arameri: Head of the Arameri family.

  Demon: Children of forbidden unions between gods/godlings and mortals. Extinct.

  Enefa: One of the Three. The Betrayer. Deceased.

  Enefadeh: Those who remember Enefa.

  Gods: Immortal children of the Maelstrom. The Three.

  Godling: Immortal children of the Three. Sometimes also referred to as gods.

  Gods Realm: Beyond the universe.

  Gods War: An apocalyptic conflict in which Bright Itempas claimed rulership of the heavens after defeating his two siblings.

  Heavens, Hells: Abodes for souls beyond the mortal realm.

  Heretic: A worshipper of any god but Itempas. Outlawed.

  High North: Northernmost continent. A backwater.

  Hundred Thousand Kingdoms: Collective term for the world since its unification under Arameri rule.

  Irt: An island nation.

  Islands, the: Vast archipelago east of High North and Senm.

  Itempan: General term for a worshipper of Itempas. Also used to refer to members of the Order of Itempas.

  Itempas: One of the Three. The Bright Lord; master of heavens and earth; the Skyfather.

  Ken: Largest of the island nations, home to the Ken and Min peoples.

  Kinneth Arameri: Only daughter of Dekarta Arameri.

  Kurue: A godling, also called the Wise.

  Lift: A magical means of transportation within Sky; a lesser version of the Vertical Gates.

  Maelstrom: The creator of the Three. Unknowable.

  Magic: The innate ability of gods and godlings to alter the material and immaterial world. Mortals may approximate this ability through the use of the gods language.

  Menchey: A High North nation.

  Mortal realm: The universe, created by the Three.

  Nahadoth: One of the Three. The Nightlord.

  Narshes: A High North race whose homeland was conquered by the Tok several centuries ago.

  Nobles Consortium: Ruling political body of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

  Order of Itempas: The priesthood dedicated to Bright Itempas. In addition to spiritual guidance, also responsible for law and order, education, and the eradication of heresy. Also known as the Itempan Order.

  Relad Arameri: Nephew of Dekarta Arameri, twin brother of Scimina.

  Salon: Headquarters for the Nobles Consortium.

  Sar-enna-nem: Seat of the Darren ennu and the Warriors Council.

  Scimina Arameri: Niece of Dekarta Arameri, twin sister of Relad.

  Scrivener: A scholar of the gods written language.

  Senm: Southernmost and largest continent of the world.

  Senmite: The Amn language, used as a common tongue for all the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

  Shahar Arameri: High Priestess of Itempas at the time of the Gods War. Her descendants are the Arameri family.

  Sieh: A godling, also called the Trickster. Eldest of all the godlings.

  Sigil: An ideograph of the gods language, used by scriveners to imitate the magic of the gods.

  Sky: Largest city on the Senm continent. Also, the palace of the Arameri family.

  Stone of Earth: An Arameri family heirloom.

  Tema: A Senmite kingdom.

  Time of the Three: Before the Gods War.

  Tokland: A High North nation.

  Tvril Arameri: A grandnephew of Dekarta.

  Uthr: An island nation.

  Vertical Gate: A magical means of transportation between Sky (the city) and Sky (the palace).

  Viraine Arameri: First Scrivener of the Arameri.

  Walking Death: A virulent plague that appears in frequent epidemics. Affects only those of low social status.

  Yeine Arameri: A granddaughter of Dekarta and daughter of Kinneth.

  Ygreth: Wife of Dekarta, mother of Kinneth. Deceased.

  Zhakkarn of the Blood: A godling.

  APPENDIX

  2

  A Clarification of Terms1

  In the name of Itempas Skyfather, most Bright and peaceful.
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  The Conspirators, as they are properly called, 2 are like all gods in that they possess complete mastery over the material world 3 as well as most things spiritual. Though not omnipotentonly the Three, when united, were so giftedtheir individual power is so great relative to that of mortals that the difference is academic. However, the Bright Lord in His wisdom has seen fit to greatly limit the power of the Conspirators as a punishment, thus enabling their use as tools for the betterment of mortalkind.

  Their disparate natures impose further limitations, different for each individual. We refer to this as affinity, since gods language appears to have no term for it. Affinities can be either material or conceptual, or some combination thereof. 4 An example of which is the Conspirator called Zhakkarn, who holds dominion over all things combat-related including weaponry (material), strategy (conceptual), and the martial arts (both). In actual battle she has the unique ability to replicate herself thousands of times over, becoming a literal one-woman army. 5 However, she has also been observed to avoid any gathering of mortals for peaceful purposes, such as holiday celebrations. Indeed, being near religious paraphernalia symbolizing peace, such as the white jade ring worn by our orders highest devotees, causes her acute discomfort.

  As the Conspirators are in fact prisoners of war, and we of the family are in fact their jailors, understanding the concept of affinity is essential as it represents our only means of imposing discipline.

  Additionally, we must understand the restrictions imposed upon them by Our Lord. The primary and common means by which the Conspirators have been limited is corporeality. It has been observed that a gods natural state is immaterial, 6 thus permitting the god to draw upon immaterial resources (e.g., the motion of heavenly bodies, the growth of living things) for sustenance and normal function. The Conspirators, however, are not permitted to enter the aetheric state and are instead required to maintain a physical locality at all times. This restricts their range of operability to the limits of their human senses, and it restricts their power to that which may be contained by this material form. 7 This restriction also requires them to ingest food and drink in the mortal fashion in order to maintain strength. Experiments 8 have shown that when deprived of sustenance or otherwise physically traumatized, the Conspirators magical abilities diminish greatly or entirely until they have returned to health. Due to the Stone of Earths role in their imprisonment, however, they perpetually retain the ability to regenerate aged or damaged flesh and revive from apparent death, even when their bodies are virtually destroyed. Therefore it is a misnomer to say that they have mortal forms; their physical bodies are only superficially mortal.