Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(49)

"If we are at Avii Castle, perhaps we can convince Kaldill to transport us on Eight-day to Kondar to have a meal with my father and discuss what is happening in both places," Berel suggested.

"I worry that things may deteriorate quickly; the poison is much, much worse," I replied. "I'd look forward to many dinners with your father, if that weren't growing beneath our feet. The people of Kondar are already complaining about food prices and the lack of approved seafood. Everything is being poisoned. Getting the people of Fyris to a safe place is only the beginning. I fear our conversations may not be pleasant ones to recall in the future."

"I know. I just want it to be," Berel shrugged. "I want to see you at dinners with Ampah."

"Ampah?"

"It's slang—colloquial for father. Ampah means father, Gampah means grandfather."

"What about your mother?" I asked.

"She died when I was ten," he said. "An assassination attempt on my father went wrong. They hit her, instead."

"I'm sorry," my wings tightened at the sadness in Berel's story.

"Ampah blames himself. It's one of the reasons he won't consider marrying again."

"That's sad. I hope he isn't lonely."

"You know what that is, don't you?"

"Yes. Even with many around me, I was alone. Does that make sense?"

"Of course. You didn't speak, they all treated you like a slave—I can see that easily."

"Your Ampah carries a heavy burden. He knows what it's like, too."

"If the people of Kondar die as they are dying here, the burden will triple."

"What are we going to do?" I whispered.

"I don't know. I hope the scientists figure this out soon," Berel whispered back.

*

Harifa Edus

"I wanted to bring you first, so you could see where your people will live," Reah said. "There are fields outside New Fyris where the farmers and herders can grow vegetables, grains and livestock. We have people ready to show them how the farming equipment works so they won't have to do so much by hand or with horses or oxen. The sea, as you can hear, lies to the west. New Fyris' fishermen can safely fish these waters, as boats have been supplied for such."

Amlis, Rodrik and Beatris gazed at the castle at the heart of an enormous city. The castle had been constructed (after a fashion) like the one in Lironis, only this one was built of a single color of stone and wasn't crumbling away in places.

"You'll find your suites and such exactly where they were inside your old castle," Reah explained. "We've added modern plumbing, with written instructions. You'll also have comp-vids available to speak with me or Queen Lissa's staff, if you have questions or need help."

"Those people are?" Rodrik nodded toward a crowd of people, all of them dressed in green, who waited in the courtyard.

"The healer's staff. Each person who arrives will be given medicine to combat radiation sickness, and then given the address of their home in the city. Or, if they are a farmer or herder, they will be transported to the farms, dairies and such outside the city. Everything is laid out to be self-sustaining, although there are supplies in each house to keep the inhabitants eating for several weeks."

"Whom do we owe for this miracle?" Amlis breathed. That's what it was—a miracle.

"You owe the Larentii, Queen Lissa, several of her mates and Quin."

"Quin?"

"She made sure you were alive to see this, or do you not recall that, now?"

"I recall," Beatris sighed. "I wouldn't be standing here if she hadn't healed me. Rodrik, shall we visit our new quarters and see the whole of the miracle?"

"I think Quin healed more than poison sickness in Beatris," Reah informed Amlis as Rodrik and Beatris walked toward the castle. "It won't surprise me if Beatris gets the child she wants within a year."

"Then I'm grateful that Quin has a forgiving heart," Amlis said. "Thank you, lady, for this. Thank the Queen I have not met, and express my gratitude to Quin. So much would be different without her."

"If Marid hadn't tapped the core and made things so much worse on Siriaa, she would have continued to protect Lironis. As it is, even she can't hold the growing threat back. I worry for the whole planet." Reah disappeared, leaving Amlis to his thoughts.

He didn't have much time to reflect, however. People from Fyris began appearing by the dozens.

*

Lironis

Quin

Wolter, Yann, Deeds, Fen and Orik stood outside the door of Kaldill's suite. "We want to stay with you," Wolter announced.

"But," I began, confused. "You'll be so much safer with the others."

"We know. We want to help here," Wolter smiled.

"I barely recall you smiling in the kitchens," I pointed out as I invited them in with a gesture.

"There was little to smile about," Wolter agreed. "Now, I feel as if I'm a free man, making my own choices for the first time. I no longer answer to a despot who thinks himself a king."

"I'm glad Yevil's gone, too," I said. "Have you eaten? Kaldill says he's transporting Berel and me to Kondar first, until we hear from the Avii King as to whether we're welcome there as ambassadors."