darkened blade_ A fallen blade novel - Kelly McCullough Page 0,36
a cushion. I know that none of you will have failed to notice these.” I reached over and touched the sword hilt that jutted over Faran’s right shoulder. “They belonged to Master Parsi—given to her by the goddess—and Faran claimed them from her corpse. One of the better reasons Kelos is still alive is that Malthiss thinks he can help us to properly seal them to Faran so that we can make her the first new Blade the order has seen since the temple fell.”
“Is that possible?” asked Xin. “I mean, without Namara’s personal blessing?”
“Malthiss thinks so. My own swords belonged to Alinthide Poisonhand before they came to me, just as Jax’s and Siri’s swords came to them after other masters. Malthiss says that we must go to the ruins of the temple to attempt it. If we can do this thing, I intend to proceed directly from Faran’s investiture to a search for the place where Namara kept those swords that were not currently sealed to a living master. If I can find them, I will induct all of you who are of the proper age.”
There were tears on Roric’s scarred cheeks as he choked out, “I . . . that would be . . . I mean: Thank you!”
“I hope that I will be your First Blade for some years to come, but I believe the next thing I must attempt after the visit to the temple, is to address the problem of the Son of Heaven.” I still had very serious misgivings about whether that was the right path, especially given the cautions of the goddess and Toragana’s visions of war, but the idea of it would help to unite the order I hoped to build. “Without the aid of Kelos, I can’t see any way to succeed there—another reason he lives yet. There is no guarantee that I will survive the experience. If I die in Heaven’s Reach, I want those of you who are left behind in the best shape to continue the order that I can manage.”
There. At least for the moment, that should reduce any impulses to advance Jax’s case for First Blade via a dagger in my back. In the days of the goddess, such an idea would never even have occurred to me. But now, with all the betrayals I’d faced over the last few years, and the simple fact that I was leading a society of assassins, it was a possibility I couldn’t afford to ignore.
“Does anyone else have any questions before I tell you where we are with respect to the forces of Heaven’s Reach and how we got here? It will take me some time to get through it all, but hopefully by the end you’ll see why Kelos yet lives, why I have a Hand in my train, and understand the full story of the fall of the temple.”
Jax raised a hand. “I want to know what is going on with Devin and the other traitors, and what you intend to do about them.”
“To the extent that I know anything about the first part, I’ll get there. As to the second, that will be a matter for the new shadow council. It’s not a decision I feel that I should make alone.” As much as kill them, kill them all appealed to me at the moment, I suspected it wasn’t the best choice.
Jax nodded and looked thoughtful.
Inaya’s familiar Ssayath, spoke from the wall behind her next. “Master Aral, in that same line, I would like to know what you intend to do about Master Kelos and Resshath Malthiss.”
“Assuming that they and I both survive our visit with the Son of Heaven, I think that we will have to bring him before the shadow council as well. His crimes were against all of us, and all of us who remain should have a part in deciding his fate.”
“Thank you,” said Ssayath.
Once, you would have said that his crimes were against the goddess. . . . Triss sounded sad and wistful in my mind. You have changed so very much these last few years.
For the better, I hope. I am no longer as certain of things as I once was, but I feel wiser.
Even as Triss and I continued our silent conversation, I began to speak aloud, relating all that I knew and had guessed about the Son of Heaven, the fall of the temple, Kelos, and, well . . . everything I had been doing since Maylien had