The Harsh Light of Day (27)

The light of victory shone in the Agalin mage's eyes.

Go back to the INDEX.

There was very little ceremony involved. The same Agalin mage came to my cell one day, followed by an interpreter, this time a young woman with ivory skin and plum-red hair, eyes to the ground. 

The Agalin spoke, and after a moment the woman informed me, without looking up at all, that my sentence was concluded, that I was free to go, and would soon be reunited with my scant belongings.

The Agalin spoke again, the light of victory in his eyes. The interpreter said, "I hope you have learned to appreciate Agalin justice, just as I appreciate the help you gave in the earlier matter."

Clearly, this interpreter was not meant to be privy to such details.

"I do. I understand completely. And I'm grateful for the lesson." This was the truth, at least in that moment. My future success depended on my humility, my total acquiescence to Agalin authority. The Agalin mage needed to believe both. 

It seemed he did. He nodded, indicated the open door, and walked out. The interpreter followed. So did I. 

There was no other guard. I clearly posed no threat. They led me down long stairs into the bowels of the prison, and to a small room where a slight, bald Agalin scribbled in an immense tome by mundane lamplight. 

A few words were exchanged, and he departed for some minutes, returning with my pack. He held it out to the mage, who took it and handed it to me with a curt instruction.

"Check," said the interpreter.

I opened the backpack, and a quick rummage told me everything of importance was still there, although the book seemed a little more worn than I remembered. I assumed they'd at least read it, perhaps even transcribed it for further study. I didn't yet know whether such efforts were worth their time, regardless of Mother's recommendation.

Satisfied, I said, "It's all there." This concluded our business, and I was soon at the main gate, stepping out into light and liberty.

The road led off in the straightest of lines, between wide parks and gardens grander than any royal palace I'd seen. I thought I could see the sour almond tree where the night bird made her nest. 

When my eyes turned back to the road, I noticed a figure on it. Mother. 

I gave her credit for the inconvenience. The empty heart of a Folly could be miles wide, wider still in the tropics. She would have faced a long walk and an early start, as it was only mid-morning.

But then, from one instant to the next, she was no longer hundreds of yards away, but a handful of paces before me. "Surprise!"

"You farsended!" It shouldn't be possible — unless ....

"You're not the only one with secrets, Araled. What happened to your hair?"

"Long story."

"The road is long." She smirked

"Obviously the road doesn't need to be long."

"Still, let's walk it a while. Did it hurt?"

"What?"

"The whitening of your hair."

"Excruciatingly so. But I think you already knew that."

"Perhaps. It's an incredible feat. I'm proud of you."

"I did very little. I was a mere vessel."

"I got your letter."

"Good."

"Although you missed out a few details."

"Of course. Things written can be read."

"And you found the book."

"Yes. I made the Lanstone read me your letter to Alariyon. He hadn't taken your advice, so I did, but reading materials weren't a part of my punishment."

"At least you have it now. You'll get as much benefit from it as your brother would. Perhaps more."

A silence. It lengthened uncomfortably. I had tired of the pleasantries, and there were more important things to speak of. "You knew I'd be imprisoned."

"Yes. And that it was necessary."

"Only if I need to discover a truth about father's death that you don't already know."

She didn't say anything.

"Do you?"

She sighed. "A little."

"Then it was all for nothing."

"Not at all."

"I want you to tell me as much as you can. I wouldn't expect it to be everything." I couldn't keep the sneer out of those words. "This road seems the ideal place for it."

She nodded. "Agreed." A pause. "Your father's been watching Agali for some time. Had been. But he had friends here, or so he thought."

"He knew he was coming into danger."

"He did. And he took some precautions against it. He knew Alariyon would send you, and what would happen to you. He knew you'd need to cooperate with the Agalins if you were ever to get to the bottom of all this."

"But you were here. You don't know? He didn't need me for anything."

"When he left Azillan, he didn't yet know if I'd agree to see him, or help him. We didn't part on the best of terms, after all. Without my presence, you would now be facing an uphill battle against polite Agalin bureaucracy, and I think that would have mired you down for as long as your sentence, if not longer."

"And yet you came."

"I met him at the Adreot, we farsended to the Agalin border, and crossed together, on foot, as all must."

I snorted at that.

"I don't suppose incarceration was easy, but I've found that isolation allows a clarity of thought one can't otherwise achieve."

"Agreed. It did."

"Good. You made proper use of the time?"

"Yes. I had a lot to consider, after all. Like how father could possibly have allowed himself to be killed. It's completely out of character for him not to be in complete control of matters." 

"As he thought he was, the last time we spoke."

"Go on."

"It's difficult to talk about."

"You've had months to process the grief. And you weren't exactly close before that. I bet you hadn't spoken for years. What changed? Why did you meet him?"

"Curiosity. A thirst for knowledge. Ambition."

"Ambition?"

"Of course. I've spent these years scouring the world for any other way to free you of the Curse. Beyond the obvious."

"That would be disruptive, to say the least. There's a reason the Curse is still intact."

"And to break the Curse in that way would be unconscionable. I've searched for an alternative, one that will free you but keep the Seal intact. I have found none."

"I wouldn't expect you to. I don't see how it is possible."

"I will never give up hope."

"I don't expend very much hope on that subject. But on the subject of Father, I hope you have a plan for how to uncover the circumstances of his death?"

She smiled. "I do ...."

I wondered if she would ever lay out all her secrets to me. But before we left the road, she had laid out a few of them. 

Continue reading with Part 28.