Savage Empire

"I have no right to wear it anyway," said Lenardo.

"I think you will earn that right," Aradia told him quietly.

Lenardo was left alone for most of the day, although it was easy enough to keep track of comings and goings about the castle. While Aradia's troops continued to gather and practice war games, Lenardo Read northward and found another army on the march-toward the west When Wulfston brought him his evening meal, he gave him the information.

Wulfston nodded. "Hron. We were afraid of that. He'll have to go out of his way to avoid crossing Aradia's lands, but he could still be at Drakonius' stronghold hi a five-day march. From what you've said, Drakonius will probably move out to meet him, so we have less time than that Aradia won't want to leave Nerius."

"He's not going to die now, Wulfston. Or harm anyone."

He rubbed the back of his neck, where the cuts from the chain had healed over so he could barely feel them. "He didn't even do me any serious damage when he was afraid I might hurt Aradia."

"Have you Read him today?"

"Yes-he was sleeping again. His body is functioning normally, as far as I can tell. What I can't tell is how his mind is functioning, or the balance of elements in his blood. I just hope Aradia's diagnosis is correct-then he'll be himself soon."

At noon the next day, Aradia came to get Lenardo. "My father has agreed to speak with you. He is deeply concerned that I made a pact with a Reader, yet grateful that you saved his life."

"He no longer thinks I came here to harm you?"

"Let him tell you."

Nerius was sitting up in the armchair, a loose robe covering the thi

Lenardo sat, taking the time to choose his words carefully. "I agree, Lord Nerius-but why do you address me as Master?"

"Only a Master Reader could be Reading Drakonius at such a distance and reporting his activities… unless, of course, you are lying."

"I am not lying."

"Perhaps withholding the truth. It is difficult for an honest man to play a false role. From what my daughter tells me, you have no reason to harm us. Indeed, I owe you my life. That fact is indisputable. And yet, when I look at you again hi the full light of day, it is indisputably your face I saw in my dreams. I could not see you-I was blind-and yet you appeared to me as a danger to myself and a deliberate threat to my daughter. What do you make of that, Master Reader?"

Two pairs of violet eyes were, fixed on Lenardo, Aradia's wide and wondering, Nerius' calm and demanding. All he could do was speak the truth. "Were you yourself a Master Reader, and given to precognitive dreams, I should say that you were right. As you are not a Reader, and as I know that I mean no harm to you or your daughter, I must say that I ca

The old Adept studied Lenardo dispassionately. "I owe you too much not to give you the benefit of the doubt," he said at last. "Further, my daughter trusts you, and I trust her judgment. Wulfston has argued on your behalf, and I must remember that he is no longer of an age to be swayed by a boy's enthusiasm for an exotic person with unusual powers." He smiled. "Has Wulfston told you how that enthusiasm brought him here, almost at the cost of both our lives?"

"Father, he was only a baby!" Aradia protested. Nerius looked toward his daughter. "Yes, and now he is 'a grown man and has become your protector in my absence. I almost dread to see what else has changed while I was ill."

He turned back to Lenardo. "My daughter has made an agreement with you. My life for your freedom."

"That is correct," said Lenardo. "However, I agreed also to aid Ar-the Lady Aradia with my abilities." He hoped that the flash of a

"Indeed?"

"Perhaps the Lady Aradia has told you that I am here in search of Galen, a Reader, a boy I myself trained. I regret that my teaching was not entirely successful. Galen was unable to accept the empire's refusal to attempt to make peace with her… attackers. For publicly opposing government policy, he was exiled.

"Two years passed. When Galen was detected aiding the enemy, I volunteered to come for him, to get him out of the enemy's hands. In order to move safely here, I had to be an exile. So… I agreed with Galen, saying things I did not then believe."

"And now?" Nerius prompted.

Lenardo glanced at Aradia, and then back to her father. "The irony is that since my exile, I have come to Galen's point of view. You see, the empire knows nothing of you, your daughter, the Lady Lilith-Adepts who would be willing to make an honest peace. All they know is Dra-konius… and you must admit that it would be impossible to make a treaty between Drakonius and the Aventine Empire."

"Not so long as Drakonius thinks he can conquer you," Nerius agreed.

"But other Adepts are now opposing Drakonius. If you had the Empire, the army, its Readers, aligned with you- if Drakonius has the intelligence with which the Lady Aradia credits him, he would not dare attack. There could be peace, and if there were peace between your people and mine, think what progress could be made with Readers and Adepts working together!"

"I, of all people, ca

"First, I must remove Galen from Drakonius' influence. He appears to have adopted Drakonius' philosophy of violence. Then, when I return to tell what I have learned here, I will go to the senate and present my case. If I can take with me a statement of your willingness to negotiate…" "Master Lenardo, you are a- No, you are my guest and my ally; I will not call you a fool. You are an idealist who has seen little of the world outside the walls of your academies. Don't you knOw what will happen if you appear at the gates one day, with or without Galen?"

"I must contact the Readers who sent me. Otherwise, as an exile, I would be driven away or killed if I tried to re-enter."

"Yes. You would be allowed to re-enter. They don't want you out here, aiding the enemy. Let us suppose, for the sake of argument, that they would not execute you or throw you in prison, but simply return you to one of the academies."

"Of course I will eventually return to the academy," Lenardo said.

Nerius studied him. "It may be too late for you, raised against nature like a bird taken from its nest by children, that returns to its cage rather than flying free-" "Lord Nerius-" Lenardo began in a

"Of course it does!" said Nerius. "Just look at Drakonius. But he has misused his power. His people hate and fear him, and if another conquers his lands and is a gentle and generous master, they will forget Drakonius and become loyal unto death to their new lord." "You?"