The Dark God: Servant Part 69

"Yes," said Argoth. "But even if we're able to convince the lords of the Shoka, the Fir-Noy will not go along. And if they turn against us, three of the other clans will follow."

"In the beginning," said s.h.i.+m, "they will resist us, but it will not last. The Prime is with us. Bosser as well. Furthermore, I have reports. The death of the Skir Master has shaken Mokad. The lords of Nilliam are pressing this advantage. Mokad, more than ever, has no resources to spare. The Fir-Noy will receive no help."

"They have weaves," said Argoth.

"How many? A dozen? And every day we will add to our numbers. In a few weeks we shall have hundreds. And then we shall raise dreadmen who need no weaves. Men like yourself. When the Bone Faces come and these Mokaddian loyalists have to contend with them on their own, they will find their objections are small things."

"Yes," said Arogth, "But we do not fight against the men of Mokad or Cath or even the Bone Face s.h.i.+ps. We fight against their masters. We have attacked, maybe killed, one of their kind."

"You think the glorydoms will join forces against us?"

"Look at how Seekers work. They hunt soul-eaters across the glorydoms of the earth, and none bar their way. Why? Because they hunt a mutual threat."

"Perhaps you are right," s.h.i.+m said. "But perhaps they are not so different from us. Who is to say that some of these creatures might not find it in their interest to stand aside, to delay, in order to weaken an enemy? From what you told me of the creature in the cave, they are not unified."

"We should prepare for the worst," said Argoth.

"If they come at us with all their might, can we withstand them?"

Argoth had witnessed the power of the Skir Master first hand. He'd felt the might of the being in the cave. She'd raised living things from stone. She'd smitten him so powerfully with the illusion of her beauty that it echoed in his heart still. "The old G.o.ds once fought them, kept them at bay for years. But it's clear have lost much. And we've let the lore we do know lull us into a false sense of security."

"Then we shall find a way to open the seal on this book of yours and learn the things we forgot. We shall raise an army of dreadmen. And we will find someone who can bear the weight of the Victor's crown. We cannot hesitate, my friend. Mankind's hour is in our grasp."

Argoth looked at s.h.i.+m and wondered. The man had a weave his family had pa.s.sed down; he had an ancient device-what was his history? Not all humans could wield the powers of life with equal effect. Not all could quicken themselves to the same degree. Bloodlines mattered. Was he simply a man with a powerful family heirloom? Or was s.h.i.+m part of a line that stretched back to the old ones?

Argoth felt as if he'd had this conversation once before. Indeed, had not both Nettle and Ummon, his son of long ago, been asking him to fight? To step fully out of the shadows? Perhaps Hismayas had never intended his Order to hide itself so deeply.

He realized it was time, whether he wanted it or not. The wheels were in motion. The Order was going to stand forth in the sun.

Argoth said, "We can raise an army from Koramite and Shoka, from Vargon and Burund." He thought of the Groves scattered through the many glorydoms. He thought of the dark days before he joined the Order. Of the men and women who yet walked those forbidden paths. "And we shall send out a call. There are many in every nation who will answer. If Mokad gives us enough time, you will have your army."

49.

Purity's Choice THE VERY NEXT morning in s.h.i.+m's hold Argoth told Serah everything. She did not weep. Instead, she fell silent, and her face turned hard as stone. Later in the day Matiga, without invitation, showed up with pot of spicy sausage and barley and her famous currant rolls. The girls ate it all with relish, but neither he nor Serah touched their food. They both knew he had stolen her son, and that she had every right to hate him.

When the cleaning was done, Matiga sent everyone but Argoth and Serah outside. Then she turned to them both.

"I a.s.sume he's told you all?"

"Yes," said Serah.

"At least he got that right," said Matiga. "And I a.s.sume you know what will happen if you tell your sisters before Lord s.h.i.+m brings this before the Council."

"I do."

"We will bind you with an oath," she said. "And you will keep it."

"I need no binding," said Serah. "But I will take it anyway."

"Good," said Matiga. "He was stupid not to bring you in. Women provide ballast. And that's something this one desperately needs."

"Indeed he does," said Serah.

Matiga didn't seem to see it, but Serah was a pot of simmering fury.

Argoth tried to take her hand, but she moved it away.

The Creek Widow said to Argoth, "You realize the importance of what we learned in the cave? Every Glory in every land is ruled by such a creature. Every Glory is cultivating a field and delivering its harvest. We are a race of cattle."

"Are we sure?" Serah asked.

"I saw the woman that held the Skir Master's chain when he enthralled me. I saw the woman here. The glamour was the same. I can feel it even now-the rotted roots of the thrall I wore still work in me."

"That will pa.s.s," said Matiga.

So said the books, but he still felt a compulsion and prying. A door somewhere was still open. A door to another being like the one they'd faced in the cave.

"We don't have the knowledge to fix this open door in me," he said. "We don't know their powers. I'm a risk."

"We don't have the knowledge," Matiga agreed. "But we will. We have the gifts of Hismayas: we have the Book and the Crown."

"The book has always resisted us."

"But I think I understand a few things I did not before. I think we should try to open the book again."

"And if we fail?" asked Serah.

"What worthwhile thing is ever achieved without risk? We have the seafire," said Matiga. "We have our lore. We might know less than we'd like, but we know enough. If we cannot unlock the secrets of The Book, then we shall prepare with the knowledge we do have. At the very least our eyes have been opened."

Serah looked at Argoth, her furious indignation at what he'd done to Nettle still simmering in her eyes.

He tried again to take her hand, but she moved it away. Argoth thought of Nettle's face, of the trust and pain that had shone in his eyes as Argoth drew forth his Fire. "Nettle was a man," he said. "He made a man's choice."

"I'm not angry with Nettle," she said, the pain and frustration flas.h.i.+ng in her eyes.

Argoth waited.

"You said you'd tell me a story about a woman who married a monster. You revealed the monster. Now you need to wait for me to tell you how that story ends."

Argoth nodded. He would wait. He'd wait, if he had to, until the Creators raveled the earth.

The Creek Widow looked to Serah and then Argoth. "Nettle is separated, not lost. We only need to learn how to bring his parts together again."

There was a knock on the door then River barged in. "Purity," she said. "She's failing."

Sugar knelt next to Mother on the bed and stroked her arm. "You're going to be okay, Mother." But Mother's face was bloodless, and the thing about her neck seemed to be feeding on her.

Legs sat on the other side. "River's bringing the Creek Widow and Argoth."

"You need to listen to me," Mother said. "Back at the house there's a stone on the right side of the hearth. You can remove it."

"I know it," Legs said.

She looked at Sugar. "If you remove it, you'll find a stone box. Inside are things that must not fall into the Fir-Noy's hands. They are your heritage."

"They burned the house," Sugar said.

Mother struggled to speak. She was exhausted. "Promise me you'll retrieve them."

"I promise," Sugar said.

"Learn the lore," Mother said. "Keep your hearts right." Then she slumped back, spent, as if saying those few words had used up all her energy. She took a breath. "I'm proud of both of you."

Oh, where was River?

As if on cue, the door to the chamber flew open, and River, the Creek Widow, and Zu Argoth hurried in.

The Creek Widow sized Mother up and down and began to roll up her sleeves. "You don't look good, my girl," she said. "Is it that collar?"

"I think so," said Mother.

"We're cutting it off you."

"Matiga, that may kill her."

"It's killing her now."

"No," Mother said.

The Creek Widow turned to River. "Get me a pair of hoof nippers."

"No!" Mother said more loudly.

The Creek Widow looked down at her. "We're taking it off, Purity."

Mother shook her head and mustered her strength. "I saw things in the cave," she said. "The woman took me abroad one night. Showed me the world of souls. Things are not right."

"What does that have to do with this collar?" Zu Argoth asked.

"The ancestors," Mother said and trailed off, too exhausted to finish her thought. "Sparrow is in danger. He doesn't know the ways. If I don't go, I risk . . ." She stopped again.

"What do you risk, my dear?" The Creek Widow asked.

"The children," she said and squeezed Legs's and Sugar's hands.

Arogth, the Creek Widow, and River looked at each other confused.

"I think she's out of her mind," Argoth said.

"No," Mother said forcefully. "Everything has become clear. I must go."

What was Mother talking about? "They can heal you," Sugar said. "Just let them cut that thing off your neck."

Mother smiled wanly and turned to Sugar. "You take care of Legs," she said and winced. "I will find your father, and we shall prepare a place for you, so that where we are, you may be also."

She had only just recovered her. Mother couldn't go now. "Mother," said Sugar. "Please."

Mother spoke slowly, carefully, just as she did when she wanted Sugar to listen closely. "I will go hence"-she took a resting breath-"so that you may follow. Trust me, my love. Trust me."

Tears rolled down Legs's face. "I trust you, Mother."

Sugar found tears in her own eyes. She trusted Mother as well, but surely there had to be another way. How could all those future dreams, all those days as mother and daughter, be ripped from her again?

The Creek Widow knelt down beside Mother and took her hand. She felt her forehead. "Purity," she said.

Mother looked at her clear-eyed. Some silent communication pa.s.sed between them, and then the Creek Widow nodded.

"Be safe," Mother said. "Learn the ways on the other side."

The words fell like boulders, crus.h.i.+ng Sugar's joys. Sugar closed her eyes. "I love you, Mother."

"I love you," Mother said and stroked her hair again. "I love you both. I will be waiting with your father in brightness."

Sugar and Legs both pressed into her. Clutched her.

Mother took a handful of labored breaths. And then her grip fell slack. Her chest stopped heaving.

"Mother," Legs said.

Mother did not respond.

Sugar looked up and around the room, not knowing for sure where Mother's soul would be. "Tell Da I love him," she said. "Tell him I will act, and not just be acted upon."

Then the pain of parting welled up inside her, and she buried her face in her mother's neck. And as the fountains of her tears rose so did a resolute determination: come what may, Sugar, the daughter of Sparrow and Purity, would follow their footsteps; she would learn her mother's lore. She would fight the enemy and become Purity's daughter in very deed.