gratefully rested one hand on his offered head. He was as stiff as Teller. Minutes passed. The Oracle did not release Teller’s wrist; nor did he seek to free himself. But she watched him, her lips compressing, her eyes—all of stone—narrowing. Only when the light emitted by the crystal began to fade did she release him.
“You are bold,” she whispered. “I would have once said you were foolish.”
Teller did not reply.
“I will leave you now, ATerafin. Viandaran.”
He bowed. “Firstborn.” He was the only person in the room who remained unaffected by the events he had witnessed.
“There are three endings that I see for you. Will you hear them?”
“No. What my Lord will not countenance on her own behalf, I will likewise deny myself.”
“Very well. Let me say this: roads are opening to her which you yourself could never master, when mastery was your chief concern. If you do not cleave tightly to her, you will fail utterly in your charge.” She cupped both palms around the crystal, returning it to her chest in a fashion that was at least as disturbing as its withdrawal. “Yes, Terafin. There is pain. There is always pain. And there is exposure. You will come to understand this, if you survive.”
“I’ve been told—”
“That you exist in the future? You do. But not in all futures; no one of us, but one, does. Return to me.” Before Jewel could reply, the wall shifted in place, flowing outward to engulf her. Teller took three quick steps back as the Oracle became submerged in stone, until she, like the other statues, remained half-chiseled in place.
Even then, he didn’t turn to face Jewel for a long, long moment.
Chapter Seventeen
10th of Fabril, 428 A.A.
Hall of The Ten, Avantari
SHADOW ACCOMPANIED JEWEL down the hall that led to the grand Council chamber. So did Teller and Avandar, but it was the cat who drew obvious attention—and given the very strict standards imposed upon visible servants in Avantari, obvious was perhaps the wrong word. The Kings’ Swords were notably more numerous, but Jewel found this neither surprising nor distressing.
The one good thing about Duvari was it was very hard to take his suspicion and disdain personally. To do so required work. Although there were men and women of notable power across the Empire who were willing to make the effort, Jewel was not one of them. She didn’t like the Lord of the Compact, but she understood his loyalty to, and his concern for, the Kings. She couldn’t despise it.
She hoped, at this point, to survive it.
Duvari was not a man who liked to take risks. Men like Jarven appeared to live for them, and given the two approaches, Jewel found herself in sympathy with the Lord of the Compact’s, something she would never say aloud.
Even thinking it, she felt Avandar’s glacial disapproval, although she knew her domicis respected Duvari.
What I mean by the word respect is not, sadly, what you mean by it. You will be early.
Jewel nodded and glanced at Teller. Probably better that way; it will give everyone else less chance to reach difficult agreements about the subject of the meeting behind my back.
The door of the Council chamber was open, and Jewel, flanked by Shadow and Teller, entered; the room was not empty. She was surprised, but she suppressed all outward signs, passing beneath the door’s frame with a confidence she did not feel.
The Kalakar, seated, rose to greet her, and with her, Verrus Korama. Had Ellora been Terafin, Korama would be right-kin; there was no like position within House Kalakar, and very few woman like Ellora. She lifted brow at Shadow. “Your cat appears to be larger.”
“We’re overfeeding him,” Jewel replied.
“I imagine that must be expensive.”
“Not really. He has his pick of the assassins that seem so ubiquitous within my manse.”
Jewel.
But Ellora laughed. The stiff formality of proffered bow slowly deserted her, although her posture would never descend to the slouch in which Jewel most often worked. “It has been an eventful few months for House Terafin.” As she spoke the last word, her expression shifted. “I am not enamored of the politics required by House governance.” She once again resumed her seat.
Korama moved papers laid out against the great table, which Jewel presumed was his show of disapproval. His expression gave nothing away.
“But I regret my absence at The Terafin’s funeral. Amarais was cunning, but graceful when she stooped to conquer. I think even she would find the current situation difficult. You are here rather earlier than