Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(33)

Tamblin growled softly but refrained from expressing his opinion with words anyone could understand. "Seat him here," Karzac pushed a stool toward Justis, who, with Ardis, held Tamblin between them.

Justis shoved Tamblin onto the stool when he attempted to resist. Tamblin sat, his anger apparent as his face darkened. Karzac approached him, gesturing for Justis and Ardis to back away.

Tamblin thought to escape when they took their hands off him. With an unconcerned wave of a hand, Karzac's power shoved Tamblin down again. He didn't attempt to rise a second time; instead, his body trembled at the power employed to hold him in place.

"Please observe," Karzac turned toward the table and nodded. Reaching out a hand, he held it for a moment at the back of Tamblin's neck. Tamblin shrieked as something burst from his neck and slapped into the physician's hand.

Ordin, sitting across the table, gasped at what Karzac had done. I blinked in astonishment—something had been buried in Tamblin's neck, for who knew how long? He wasn't aware of it, I knew that much. I'd have seen it in him, otherwise.

After using his other hand to heal the bloody wound left on Tamblin's neck, Karzac strode toward the table and set the tiny object before Teeg. Teeg examined it closely for a moment before lifting his gaze and nodding to Karzac.

"It's a controller," Reah's voice trembled.

"Where did that come from?" Justis strode forward and lifted Yevil by burying a fist in his shirt collar and jerking him from his seat against the wall.

"My father," Yevil spit in Justis' face.

*

"This device is so old it operated intermittently, which ensured that Tamblin at times had control over his thoughts. At other times, when the controller worked, he was under Yevil's spell," Karzac explained.

"At this point, there isn't enough of his mind left to heal," he added. "It appears that many of Yevil's commands coincided with Tamblin's desires, so it would be more than difficult to sort controlled actions from uncontrolled ones."

"It matters not to me—a murderer is a murderer," Justis growled.

"I feel the same," Karzac nodded. "It is not my position to interfere—I merely wish to explain what I know. The decisions based on those facts will be yours to make."

"I want to know where it came from; I've not heard of such in Camryn's treasury, which now belongs to Jurris," Gurnil fumed. "I doubt you can believe anything that liar Yevil says. He is the same as his father, who also spoke nothing but lies."

"We know those ancient weapons used by Yevil to kill the Avii King and Queen were kept there," Justis said quietly. "While I know of nothing like this controller device, that doesn't mean that it also didn't come from there. My question is this—why were those weapons in Camryn's treasury in the first place? Berel says there are none such as these created on Siriaa, and neither Fyris nor the Avii have the technology required to produce them."

Silently I sat and listened to the debate as it went on; Amlis and Rodrik had left only a few moments earlier, after ordering as many men as they could muster to travel with them. I had the idea that someone might transport them to the army so any damage caused by that now headless horde could be held to a minimum.

Somehow, in my mind, I understood that the unusual weapons and devices had arrived when the Avii and Fyrians did, but I had no guess as to when that was or from where. It was a puzzle that I had few resources to solve, after all, no matter how much I wanted to do so.

Had the metal box been transported at the same time? That thought was so far-fetched I discarded it immediately. I was no ancient object, after all. I was flesh, blood and bone; I bled when cut or whipped and my bones had broken—I'd experienced all those things in my brief lifetime.

"It is clear that Treven stole from Camryn," Justis said. "And Yevil used that stolen property to kill. I would prefer that we take him to the King and allow Jurris to pass sentence. If I know my brother, he will force Yevil through the gate."

"What about Tamblin?" Omina asked. "I'd prefer that Jurris pass judgment upon him as well."

"Amlis asked us not to kill him," Justis muttered.

"Amlis is on his way to the army Tamblin conscripted. Tell me Tamblin didn't order them to perform heinous acts against the people of Fyris," Rath spoke for the first time. "He attempted to kill my sister and me. How do you think we feel about that?"

"He and Yevil tried to kill Amlis—several times," I spoke without realizing. "By poison, twice by ambush; these are the acts of mad men," I concluded. "Both are responsible in some way for Timblor's death."

"I have no doubt those things are true," Omina wept. I knew she cared for her eldest, but he'd aptly followed his father's lead, rather than taking a stand against his injustices. I would speak no support of Timblor, whether he was loved or not. He'd taken pleasure in my beating when I'd acted to save Amlis' life. He would have made a cruel king, had he taken Tamblin's place.

My dear, I see the sorrow on your face. Do not fret—all will come right, Kaldill spoke in my mind.

At that moment, I knew two things—first, I wanted to huddle against him while past memories plagued me and new ones troubled me more. Second, I wanted to tell him those things, but dared not. The answers to the ensuing questions could harm me more than the questions themselves.