Page 56 of The Truth

“A great many things, brother. But foremost among them is the council and the wars that have taken place over the last century. We study the lies, we follow the coin, and we uncover the truth.”

When they reached the end of the corridor, they entered the chamber that sank a further ten feet into the earth and rose another ten above their heads. It swept about in a circle, filled with shelves, cabinets, desks, and an unending ocean of journals, notes, scrolls, letters and inks.

Six other mages moved about the chamber, every one of them stopping when Fane and Eltoar entered. He watched as their faces shifted from welcoming to fearful the moment they realised who Eltoar was.

“And you bring me here?” Eltoar said to Fane. “You bring the First Sword of the Draleid to a place where you are actively working to undermine the council?”

Fane looked back at him. “I bring Eltoar Daethana to a place where he might find answers to the questions that place darkness in his soul.”

Eltoar looked about the room, his gaze pausing on each mage in turn. He knew four of their faces, but the other two were strangers to him. “How many of you are there?”

“Here or in total?”

“Both.”

“At this moment in time… Machtus, how many?”

One of the mages Eltoar didn’t know answered Fane. “Twenty-six in the Reading Room.”

“The Reading Room,” Eltoar said with a laugh. “That’s what you call it?”

“Has a ring to it, does it not?” Fane nodded. “Twenty-six here. And somewhere in the region of three or four thousand across the continent.”

Those words took Eltoar off guard. “Surely not?”

“There are many souls who feel The Order that they love is being led astray, being corrupted by those who covet power but lack the means to seize it.” He gestured about him. “This is not about Alvira, my friend. This is about those who seek to control her. This is about saving what we love, about stopping innocent people from paying the price of others’ greed. Think of Orinhale. What did the people of that kingdom die for? Was it for food? Or safety? Was it in defence of a purpose, a higher calling? They died because one fool with a crown stole the wife of another fool with a crown. And what did The Order do? Sided with the crown that offered the most coin.”

Fane walked across the room and pulled a ledger from a neatly organised shelf. He opened it and flicked through, stopping when he found what he was looking for. He slipped a flattened out scroll from the ledger and read it aloud.

“Esteemed members of the council of The Order,

I write to you in response to the emissary who now sits beneath the roof of my keep but will most likely be standing before you as you read these words. He arrived two nights past, laden with golden words of your esteemed selves. I assure you he has been well fed and watered and sent back with a cart full of our finest silks.

As always, it has been nothing short of an honour and a pleasure to entertain an envoy of The Order. Though, moving forward, the honour would be greater were a member of the council to grace us with their noble presence, particularly in matters of such request.

It is with a heavy heart that I must refuse that which you require. Vastillion’s mines, while deep and plentiful, only yield so much with each passing summer. Though, rest assured, the tithes we offer to you will fully match those of the year prior, and those before.

Our loyalty remains firm,

Queen Valhira Sendiyal of Vastillion, Warden of the Silken throne

Earlywinter, Year 2576 After Doom”

Fane offered the letter to Eltoar while searching the ledger for another. “That letter I spoke to you of. Queen Valhira’s refusal to pay a portion of the mine’s production.”

Eltoar wiped his hands on his already saturated trousers, resulting in hands that were somehow wetter than they had been the moment before.

“Take it,” Fane said. “Everything in this room has been copied by the Exucendi ten times over. Though these are the originals, so perhaps pinch it between your fingers.”

As Eltoar looked over the letter, Fane found the next that he was looking for. He cleared his throat.

“Dearest Valhira,”

“Hmmm…” Fane said, giving a subdued laugh. “He didn’t even refer to her as queen in this one.”

“It is with a warm heart I received your letter from Eltoar Daethana’s hands.”

Fane stopped speaking and looked up at Eltoar, who stared back in disbelief.