“Let’s wait on that decision.” I glance down the valley. “We may come upon somerealclothes we can pilfer, or purchase—or atleast some examples of clothes to model your magic upon.” I shrug. “Xendus and I will be presentable enough in our riding gear, but you, Surath—I meanSarah—you should wear a simple gown.”
“Like this?” Her clothes transform into a long, deep red gown, close to the color of her hair. Tightly cinching her waist, the gown accentuates her breasts, and its neckline’s adorned with pearls.
“Far too fancy,” I tell her. “We’ve been traveling, remember? I suggest something simpler.”
She nods and her dress changes into a faded, blue frock made of linen, perhaps hemp.
“Much better.” I smile. “Shall we set off? It’s a more than two day’s journey.”
We walk together, sticking to the edge of the forest where the grass is easier to pass through, and Surath sneezes less often. Soon, the sound of the Kantar River fills the air. As the valley narrows and the forests thin, we’ll be even closer to the water. We should be able to follow its banks for most of the day, keeping an eye out for an easy place to ford it. Soon after, we’ll meet up with the north road which will lead us directly to the castle.
I’m excited to see Khotor again. It’s been well over a year since I left—even longer from my family’s perspective. Their past five moon cycles, passed in only five days for me. The last time I saw any members of my family was the eve of Rosomon’s marriage to my grandfather.
“Will anyone be able to tell what you are?” I ask Xendus. “You look like normal humans to me,” I add quickly when he frowns.
“Not unless they have Darkness,” Xendus says.
Doubt rises inside me. “Klericks can spot Darkness in children.”
“Not possible,” Xendus says. “Not in the Light.”
“When I was a young boy,” I tell them, “one of our groom’s sons—a boy I often fenced with in the courtyard near the stables—was suspected of harboring Darkness. The klericks took him away.”
“How do the klericks detect Darkness?” Surath asks.
I shake my head. “To be honest, I’m not even positive they can. But theyclaimto have this ability. It’s one of the main ways the klericks use the fear of Othrix to control people.”
“Fear of Othrix?” Xendus asks.
“It’s just another saying.” I hope neither of them question too many things while we’re at court. While some things are likely expressed differently in Catha, I expect that the religious sayings are the same. And Catha is the most religious of all the kingdoms. Perhaps I should change our story…
“Only those with Darkness can detect it in another,” Surath says. “And Darkness should not exist on this side of the veil.”
Xendus nods toward her, then turns to me. “Our identities as shifters won’t be exposed.”
“Unless there are other superi present,” Surath adds.
“What are superi?” They’ve used the word a few times.
“Creatures with access to the Darkness,” Surath tells me. “Superi is a general term that encompasses many powerful creatures, and also humans who simply have magic—like basic mages.”
“Oh.” I’ve never heard the word superi before, although it’s similar to supernatural—a word Ihaveheard spoken in hushed tones. Supernatural is another word that no one dares utter, lest a klerick overhears.
“I take it that this Othrix is part of a religion,” Surath snaps. “The Seven Kingdoms were meant to be secular.”
Zogar said this too, but it’s hard to believe. The Tenets of Othrix are so woven into life in the Light that I can’t imagine how society would function without them. Zogar said the kingdoms were meant to be governed, based on some list of principles. Don’t principle and tenet mean the same thing? Perhaps the Founding Principles he mentioned are now called the Tenets of Othrix.
“I’m not very religious,” I tell them. “And I pretty much abandoned all my religious beliefs, after becoming a dragon rider. But most people in the Light closely follow the Tenets of Othrix.” I frown, remembering the Khotori ensigns on the klerick’s tunics and robes. And the symbols of Othrix on Roule and Treacher’s jackets.
“While we walk, I’ll tell you all that I can.”
CHAPTER 14
Zogar
Standing at the large glass and steel dining table in the apartment Lucian loaned Rosomon and me, I roll up the last of the maps that Eldrath provided. Despite my distrust, the elf has proved quite useful.
Using these elven maps, I was able to determine where my hoard should be. The cave is in an area now overtaken by the city itself, in one of its largest parks. Unfortunately, that park is marked with danger signs on the elves’ map. Since when do elves fear a forest? Perhaps the danger is to warn others away from the elves’ dwellings.
