years ago, when she had come from Galla to Tortall after her mother’s death. Now she knew him all too well. Most Tortallans believed it was this emperor who had managed to break the walls between Mortal and Divine Realms on frequent occasions, turning loose the creatures known as immortals to prey upon Carthak’s enemies. Daine herself, working with Numair a year ago, had found evidence that Ozorne was helping to plan a rebellion against the rulers of Tortall. When the monarchs of the other Eastern Lands, those countries north of the Inland Sea, had learned of Emperor Ozorne’s plot against one of them, they had united. The threat of the entire northern continent going to war against the southern one had caused Emperor Ozorne to back down, and to open peace talks with Tortall.
Her first sight of the infamous Emperor Mage filled her with awe. She had thought the prince was fine, but he was a barnyard rooster to his uncle’s peacock. Gold frosted Ozorne’s hair; gold beads hung from a wealth of thin braids. Gold paint shimmered on lips, brows, even his eyelashes. Gold rings marched up the curve of each ear; a diamond hung from his left earlobe. His neck was ringed with six rows of deep-blue stones that sparked with many-coloured fires: black opals, expensive stones prized because they could hold magical power. Beneath them he wore the calf-length, short-sleeved robe of his people in heavy gold brocade. Looped at his right hip and passing over his left shoulder was a crimson drape. The long end of the cloth was linked to the emperor’s left wrist by a gold bracelet. Each finger sported a ring. His sandals were gilded. Like the prince, he wore toe rings, and added to them ankle bracelets.
She’d heard of Carthak’s wealth and power, but it was one matter to hear such things, another to see one man decked out like an idol in gold and gems.
Duke Gareth had finished. Now the line of Tortallans started forwards as Duke Gareth gave their names, each bowing to the emperor as they were presented. Watching them, Daine felt a rush of pride. Carthak might be proud and great, but Tortall had sent wise and famous people to work out a peace settlement. Alanna the Lioness was a legend in the Eastern and Southern Lands, one the Carthakis couldn’t match; and as far as Daine was concerned, Numair was the fish their hosts had allowed to get away.
At last her name and Kitten’s were called. Taking a deep breath, Daine walked up to the first step of the dais on which the throne stood, and curtsied, spreading her blue skirts at her sides. The queen had worked on the movement with her for hours, and she was glad to do her teacher proud. Kitten walked up the steps, halting only when she reached the emperor’s feet.
‘Greetings, dragon child. This is a pleasure.’ He reached down. Kitten sniffed his fingers, and sneezed. Grasping his hand with her forepaws, she examined the gems on his rings with interest. ‘And you are her keeper?’ enquired the emperor. ‘The one who is also a healer of animals?’
She didn’t like that word, keeper, but she nodded. Lord Martin cleared his throat, and she realized she was supposed to answer the ruler of Carthak. ‘I take care of her, Your Imperial Majesty. And I have wild magic with animals of all kinds.’
‘How was she taken, your dragon? A trap, or a pit? A net?’
Daine swallowed. Traps or snares for Kitten? ‘I don’t think you understand our relationship, Your Imperial Majesty. I’m not a keeper; I didn’t take her. Kit’s – Kitten’s – ma died to protect my friends and me. She left Kitten to my care.’
‘Indeed?’ He looked at her with curious amber eyes. ‘It is true, then. You are able to commune with the immortals.’
‘The ones like animals, sire. The griffins, and winged horses. Dragons. The ones that are part human, no.’ She made a face. ‘They can communicate without my help.’
Kitten, bored with the conversation, voiced a whistle-croak. The gems on the emperor’s fingers blazed with light.
‘Amazing!’ he cried, delighted. ‘Has she always been able to do that?’
‘No, sir. She learned a year ago, from a basilisk. She learns things fast.’
‘Then she is blessed, as we are blessed to look upon her.’ He nodded a dismissal, and Daine stepped back to join the others.
Introductions over, the emperor said, ‘To you, representatives of our royal cousins Jonathan and Thayet, we say, welcome to Carthak. We pray that peace will reign between our lands and know that with such a distinguished company to smooth the way, peace is all but assured. And now, there is food outside, and drink, music, and good company. In your time among us, we have arranged for entertainment that we hope will arouse wonder and interest in our empire. Enjoy all these things, please. If you desire anything, only voice it to our servants. Within reason it shall be granted you.’
Dismissed from the imperial presence, the Tortallans bowed as they backed up, until they were outside again. Once they had left the area closest to the door of the audience chamber, a gong sounded and a grinding noise filled the air. Everyone, guests and servants, froze in place. Slowly the walls that cut the audience chamber off from the antechamber sank into the floor. Now the emperor’s dais commanded a view of the combined rooms. Everyone bowed or curtsied deeply to the golden man on the golden throne. He waved a hand; talk and movement picked up where they’d left off. A slave knelt beside the throne, offering a bowl of fruit. The emperor selected a fig, and nibbled it.
Daine felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Luckily niches in the walls held couches, with brightly coloured pillows to cushion those who wished to sit. She nearly fell into the closest one. Zek squeaked and left his place of concealment to climb into her lap. Duke Gareth and Numair sat beside her, and the remaining Tortallans gathered around.
‘Are you all right?’ Numair asked softly, cupping her cheek with one large hand. ‘I had forgotten how intimidating he can be when he has all his imperialness on.’
The girl looked at the gilded figure on the dais. ‘I noticed. Are you all right? Did he say anything to you?’
He smiled. ‘No. If I’m lucky, he’ll ignore me for the rest of our stay. That’s how he always managed such things when we were boys, anyway. If someone bested him at anything, he just pretended that person didn’t exist. He got to be very good at it.’
Duke Gareth remarked, ‘It went quite well. You did us credit, Daine.’
The girl blushed and smiled at him. ‘Thank you, Your Grace.’
Gareth the Younger and Harailt, who had quietly left them, returned with servants bearing trays of cups. ‘Fruit juices,’ the mage said as his companions helped themselves.
‘So far, so good.’ Lindhall had come with the servants. ‘Numair, did he speak to you?’
‘He didn’t even look at me. He spoke the most with Daine.’
‘But what about his birds?’ the girl asked, confused. ‘I came all this way to see them, and he didn’t mention them at all.’
‘Rulers don’t act as other men,’ Duke Gareth told her. ‘All requirements of protocol must be met before personal considerations may intrude. You must be patient until he sends for you.’
‘But more of them might get sick then,’ she muttered. Numair looked at her and put a finger to his lips. Daine sighed, but obeyed the command to be quiet.
‘Arram,’ said a female voice. Everyone looked around. A blue-eyed blonde in an open mage’s robe of cream-coloured silk approached, hands out. Her pretty face was artfully coloured with the contents of pots like those that were on Daine’s dressing-room table. Under the robe was a northern-style dress of rose-petal pink, cut to accent a narrow waist and a richly curved figure. Daine, thinking of her own modest curves, sighed with envy.
Numair rose, a stunned look on his face. Alanna slid into the place he’d just left.
‘Varice?’
‘The same old Varice Kingsford,’ the newcomer replied, smiling. ‘I’m surprised you remember me.’
Numair kissed first one of her offered hands, then the other, and continued to hold both. ‘How