Absolution: Sanctuary Book 3

By PJ O'Brien

In Book 3 of the Sanctuary series, the last of the prosecutions relating to the coup attempt are winding down. Civil liberties are restored and there is a renewed movement to end mandatory marriage and to abolish the monarchy. Master Tehv, the son of the assassinated king, leaves the palace ostensibly to assist at his uncle’s training camp for the kinetically uncoordinated. His real reason is to avoid his Little Parents, whose political machinations he blames for his father’s death. His cousin, Prince Nor, goes to work in a transportation company after his younger brother is crowned instead of him. He busies himself tracking a mysterious stranger, who is described alternately as a champion for justice and a coldblooded terrorist. Meanwhile, a convicted mass murderer plots one last series of hits from his deathbed. As the palace-born cousins look for love and a new life in the commoner world, a war breaks out in neighboring countries that spills over into Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary series is a set of stories told episodically over the course of ten years. Over time, they were combined into books for easier tracking and distribution. Although background information is repeated periodically throughout the books to help those who haven’t read the earlier portions, many find it best to start from the beginning book, "Surviving Sanctuary" and then go on to "Grave-climbing" before beginning this one. Of course, you're always welcome to dive in anyway at any point you wish. Sanctuary is a very welcoming, if imaginary, place. The series itself was dubbed as a speculative ethnology and is set in a culture where alternative ways of looking at things is necessary for survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: PJ O'Brien
• Release date: Jan 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311921222

PJ O'Brien

It would not be fully truthful to say that the author was challenged to write a genre-bending mystery after losing an argument with ducks about the inevitability of violence. But it wouldn’t be fully false either.O'Brien, a somewhat optimistic rurally-raised resident of a US city infamous for its violence and hopelessness, decided to test a theory. After inventing a country devoted entirely to fairness and peace, she added characters that had to abide by the framework of their culture. They were given horrors that plague real people and were allowed to respond as they saw fit. They had only to be true to their culture, retain essential elements of modern humanity, and be charming when not dealing with threats that could potentially end the world as they knew it.After four books, they felt they had fully addressed the most essential questions of suffering, violence, love, and happiness, and still retain their sense of humor. And did they? That’s for you and the ducks to decide.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Office of the Royal Grandmaster, Royal Palace Complex, Southern Province, 15 September 2004

Master Dahnnah walked into the Royal Grandmaster’s palace office without waiting for his permission. He stopped his conversation with the prosecuting advocate in surprise and Dahnnah used the opportunity to announce, Your Excellency, dismiss the advocate. I have something you need to hear.

For a woman recently pardoned for abetting treason, the prosecuting advocate mused to herself, Dahnnah was remarkably free of humility. She said nothing aloud however and looked down at her papers to hide her annoyance.

The meeting that Master Dahnnah had interrupted was to finalize the judicial resolutions for the last of the conspiracy and treason cases from the palace violence in the spring. Judgments had been made, rehabilitation plans were proposed, and it remained only for each party to agree upon them. The prosecuting advocate, Shehnin of the House of New Moon, and the Royal Grandmaster, Fiij of Little River Garden, had previously signed off on all but ten cases. They had recommended minor changes to the rehabilitation plans of these, and had just received the responses from the defense advocates and the rehabilitation committees. Most had been negotiated verbally over the past several days, and the prosecution team hoped that this would finally put everything to rest. Shehnin would no longer have to make daily trips to the palace and the Royal Grandmaster could turn his attention to other pressing matters.

Apparently Master Dahnnah felt that a matter pressed strongly enough that she couldn’t wait an hour for the meeting to conclude, or for the few moments it would have taken to tell His Excellency the problem and allow him to decide how urgent it was.

She knew where they were meeting, despite his administrative assistant’s polite evasions, because chaperone customs in their country dictated workplace architecture. Private conference rooms and meetings held in offices where others couldn’t see in didn’t exist in Sanctuary. It was forbidden for those of childbearing age who weren’t married to each other to be alone together for significant amounts of time. Each meeting room had long glass panels in the walls so that even if the doors were closed, those in the hallways could see in. The walls were thick enough so that sound could not escape, but there was no corner of the room that the inhabitants could go without being seen from one angle or another.

The meeting room in the Royal Grandmaster’s palace office went one step further. Although it had a door that could be closed, it seldom was. It had a long, wide entryway with special flooring that magnified the sound of any footstep. Those meeting at the table in back could always hear someone approaching and could stop talking before they were overheard.

A fully-stocked weapons shelf was built into the wall behind the table. The table itself had a special defense against a sudden attack. Pulling a small lever triggered a mechanism which allowed it to be suddenly pushed forward for shielding. The table’s surface became a wall to hide behind that even bullets couldn’t penetrate.

Shehnin assumed that such defensive assets weren’t needed to deal with Master Dahnnah despite her impudent entry. No one had heard anything negative about her before she followed Pod’s orders to confine the king when he visited Grandmaster Mahr in his cell months before. She stayed resolutely mute while being interrogated and confined in the same cell block where she normally worked as guard. After weighing available evidence against her, they surmised her continuing silence came from fear. The prosecution and the Judicial Board had already decided that those who hadn’t committed violence would be pardoned if their abetting roles were a reaction to threats to themselves or loved ones.

After looking at the results of the investigation, Grandmaster Fiij decided that her circumstances resembled Vahnnah’s, who had been pardoned for similar reasons after Narl’s Fortress fell. In both cases, there was evidence that some physical coercion and threats to loved ones had gone on. Master Dahnnah was released from confinement just before her baby’s birth, and Grandmaster Fiij withdrew his request to the Masters Guild to have her investigated for Code violations. Instead, he suggested mentoring by a higher-ranked woman to improve her self-protection skills.

The Confinement Head intended to put her back into his guard rotation once she had completed her maternity leave, so he was stunned when she reported for duty seventeen hours after giving birth. He was further confounded when she could not be persuaded to go home.

After unsuccessfully encouraging her to rest, he agreed to her request to consult with her midwife about the consequences of returning to work so soon, and promised to accept whatever the health provider recommended. The midwife readily joined him in discouraging Dahnnah from active duty. She’d never heard of such a thing in Sanctuary before, not even from a master. Even during the Occupation, the most heroic lady masters hid for as long as they could after delivery to regain their strength and protect their babies. There was a difference between bravery and recklessness. But when pressed by Dahnnah after the examination, the midwife had to admit to the Head that she appeared in good health, and conceded that doing camera monitoring in the Head office shouldn’t overly tax her.

Master Dahnnah continued to report in five evenings a week thereafter, even though she was never scheduled on the duty roster. It soon became disruptive and confusing to those who were, and the Confinement Head asked Grandmaster Fiij’s advice. He had more than enough guards and he didn’t really need her in the near future. There were no more grandmasters in custody requiring a constant four-person guarding grid, and with the newly hired guards and the release of the non-violent and coerced detainees, he didn’t have a personnel shortage anymore. He’d already set up his rotation schedule for the next three months and he didn’t want to redo it. One change would inevitably cascade into several dependent changes and he’d already juggled everyone’s needs for holidays and family leave.

He had checked with the other palace guard units, but they were rebuilding cohesive teams after replacing their losses from the violence and didn’t want a temporary guard at present. Other than using her as an impromptu replacement in case of illness or House emergency, he didn’t know what to do with her when she insisted on turning up for work. He refused to decommission the new guards as she kept insisting that he do. He also ignored her reports of every minor mistake they made after her efforts to win them over were unsuccessful.

He could admit that she’d been helpful whenever Master Dahv, a new guard and the Honored Son of the Royal Grandmaster, had sudden fits of homesickness. Her presence allowed the Head to give Dahv the occasional break to go home to the High Northern Plains to see his parents, or the more frequent long weekend to the Purple Mountains to see his new House members or his older sister, Master Ledkii. Without Master Dahnnah filling in, Dahv would have had to be content with the occasional afternoon in the city to visit his younger sister, Master Nikkii. Even so, Dahv was a good and diligent worker and he pulled double shifts to make up for his absences. He also worked hard to subdue his case of the infamous Plains Kid Syndrome which made everyone who grew up on the Northern Plains long for their natal Houses ten minutes after they left it.

The most troublesome thing about Master Dahnnah was her attitude. She was convinced she’d been falsely accused and held unfairly, and insisted upon being Acting Head during every evening shift she worked. Neither the Confinement Head nor the confinement guards thought she should. No matter how much she insisted, they simply shrugged sympathetically and followed the assignment on the roster. This made her resentment deepen.

 Her Head told her that there might have been extenuating circumstances in why she’d betrayed her responsibility, but she still made some serious errors in judgment. She’d locked up the king and put him in danger. She’d confined one of the most respected holy guides as well. Her rationale that they were safest with Grandmaster Mahr was seen favorably in having her released, but not in returning her to a position of authority until her judgment had improved. Her insistence upon working during the neonatal protection period didn’t do much to convince him that it had.

Whenever she was asked why she kept coming back, she answered simply that it was her duty to report for work as long as she felt well, and she insisted that she did. The Head and her co-workers weren’t convinced, but since she wouldn’t say more about it, they were left to make their own assumptions. Perhaps she had tensions in her House and was trying to escape for a few hours. Maybe her baby was colicky and she needed a break from the constant crying. Maybe she was suffering from a bizarre form of postpartum depression. Everyone could sympathize with these reasons. All of them were married – it was required by law – and understood the occasional tensions with spouses. Most had children and knew the demands and stress involved in caring for them. But still, they had cut back on work assignments after each baby was born. They couldn’t understand why Master Dahnnah wouldn’t.

 After several days of reading the conflicting reports written by the assigned Acting Heads and the ones the Dahnnah insisted upon writing, the Head told her kindly, but firmly that she could come in for two hours every evening to augment the mealtime coverage if she wished, but that was all he would allow her to do until the next quarterly duty roster was drawn up. He assured her that her position and seniority would remain intact if she followed orders.

She didn’t look reassured, so he tried another tactic. He reminded her that she had the rest of her life to work, but children were given into a House’s safekeeping for only a brief time. Minutes might seem like hours to her when she was trying to soothe a fretful infant, but they would fly imperceptibly into years and then into decades. She would have to Send her child into the world soon enough; surely she didn’t want to wave goodbye at a Journey Send-off with a heart full of regret?

She lowered her face without speaking, so he thought perhaps the rumors regarding a conflict with a spouse were more on the mark. He adapted his advice accordingly. All married people had times when they wished to run away from home, he told her. He’d been married thirty-two years to his Initial and twenty-seven years to his other spouses. He understood that shared life wasn’t always easy. But while the occasional desire to escape a domestic issue was understandable, it didn’t solve the problem long-term. He conceded that most masters found work dilemmas easier to face than domestic ones, but their vocation required them to face any problem squarely, whether they wished to or not. She should treat a problem in her relationship as she would any challenge. She should analyze it fully and accurately, make realistic self-assessments, and devise a workable strategy. She should certainly not run away.

He assured her that if she cooperated with him, he would work her in whenever he had a sudden vacancy. But he told her unequivocally that she could not take on any Head responsibilities unless he assigned them to her. If she did, he would write her up for insubordination and lower her performance assessment in her dossier. If she continued despite that, he would dismiss her from the Confinement Guard. She murmured her agreement and cooperated from that point on, but never confided to him or to anyone else why she’d wanted so badly to work.

Grandmaster Fiij supported the Confinement Head’s handling of the matter, and other than listening to his concerns and approving his tactics, he made no effort to intervene. The Head was an experienced leader and a capable guard, and Grandmaster Fiij had bigger issues to worry about.

In fact, until the moment she walked in on his meeting with Shehnin, he hadn’t really seen Master Dahnnah since she was released from confinement. He knew Shehnin had her own concerns about her, but they both knew they couldn’t prosecute based on hunches. The advocate had confessed to him that she felt an intense dislike and an irrational mistrust of the woman and it mortified her. To ensure that the accused was treated fairly, Shehnin asked that His Excellency assign another prosecuting advocate for her case.

The Royal Grandmaster was curious about the antipathy, but didn’t press her to say more when she clearly didn’t want to. Dahnnah was rough and abrasive and the grandmaster himself thought she reflected poorly on the Guild. It embarrassed him that a civilian witnessed it and he was happy enough that an advocate who was also a master took on the prosecuting role for her.

Shehnin had had very little to do with anything relating to her from then on, and despite being frequently at the palace, she hadn’t seen Master Dahnnah since her release a few months before. But now as she watched her striding forward towards them, she fought down her almost reflexive aversion. It was an unusual feeling for her to have. In Shehnin’s line of work, she’d run across many people who merited her dislike, but she found that she could keep feelings about them neutral and unbiased. She didn’t have the physical reaction to them that she had to Master Dahnnah. Ashamed of herself for it now, she nodded diplomatically to their unexpected guest and stood up to leave.

Keep your seat, Shehnin, Fiij told her, before turning back to ask, Master, I assume this is an emergency of some sort?

It ought to be.

Does your Head think so?

I don’t know. I’m not sure whether he’s been informed.

The protocol is that you bring matters of concern to your Head’s attention first.

I think you’ll find the matter delicate, Your Excellency. You might prefer that he not know.

Shehnin stood up again and murmured that she would give them privacy. He gestured for her to sit back down and told her, The master and I will go into another room if it’s confidential. He turned to Dahnnah. Is it confidential?

She shrugged. I suppose it’s nothing the Prosecuting Advocate shouldn’t know. Unless, of course, you want enough time to get a defending advocate for them before you press charges. It does involve your relatives after all.

Then perhaps you’d better tell me in front of the Prosecuting Advocate. And I remind you again, Master: you were pardoned with the others because we want everyone who had minor roles in the conspiracies to come forward without fear of retribution. It wasn’t because there’s someone out there stronger than I am who’s forcing me to be nice to you. So get a better attitude and show some respect or I swear I’ll reassign you to cleaning detainee toilets.

And what would that say to those who haven’t come forward yet to snitch on their handlers? They’ll be pardoned but forced to clean toilets for the rest of their life?

Lose the attitude or we’ll find out.

Dahnnah turned to Shehnin and said, Is it legal for him to threaten me like this? Please warn him if it is; otherwise I’ll be inclined to think that you give into his demands, no matter what they are.

Shehnin forced a smile and said, The law doesn’t govern a master’s assignments from a senior unless it involves an order to commit a crime. Since this doesn’t, I’m afraid I can’t help you. If you have a complaint about master assignments, I suggest you report it to your Guild.

And who’s the head of our Guild? It’s coincidentally the master giving me punitive orders.

If he breaks the law, I’ll be the first to complain. Otherwise, I believe if you have a complaint against His Excellency, your recourse is to appeal to the full membership of the Guild. Its members as a body can hold him accountable. But you’re a master and I’m not; I’m sure you know the procedure better than I do.

I do. I don’t understand how you urban civilians get through life. The day after I gave birth, I was back at work. You can’t be more than six months pregnant and you walk around like the world should stop and take notice of you.

Fiij gave the traditional master signal ordering silence. He then asked patiently, What’s your concern, Master? What bothered you so much that you came to my office without an appointment or permission to enter?

Before she could answer, Fiij’s administrative assistant came to the door and said, Your Excellency, your wife Marnii is on the line and wishes to speak to you. She says it’s very important.

Tell her I’m in the middle of something and will call her back as soon as I can.

When she left, Fiij turned back to Dahnnah and asked her again what concerned her.

Vahnnah of Shimmering Sands is visiting her brother. I thought you should know. She turned to leave.

I haven’t dismissed you yet, Master. You came to tell me about a prisoner's visitor without going through the regular protocol. Why?

Two reasons, Your Excellency. The first is that this evening’s Acting Confinement Head didn’t think the visit was worth your notice and didn’t inform you. It's an odd thing, especially since the Acting Head this evening is your Honored Son Dahv, who is also, coincidentally enough, Vahnnah’s Honored Brother. It’s also interesting that the least senior confinement guard is allowed to be an Acting Head and I’m not.

He’s a Fourth level, Master, which makes him your senior and the senior of three-fourths of those working evening shifts. I don’t make roster assignments anyway. If you’ve got a problem with your status, go through the chain of command.

The other thing, she went on, ignoring his response, is that Vahnnah isn’t alone. Your Honored Mother Ahnei and your Honored Daughter Miinah are with her. Perhaps you should investigate that, too. May I be dismissed now, Your Excellency?

Yes, with these orders. If you’re off-duty now, go report our conversation to the regular Head. If you’re on, report to the Acting Head first and do as he orders until you’re off again. While you’re there in the Confinement Block, give my regards to my honored relatives if you see them. Encourage them to visit my office when they’re done with Stehf.

She turned to go without further comment. He waited until she was halfway across the room to call after her, One more thing, Master: I hope you show particular regard to Vahnnah of Shimmering Sands. Did Pod tell you that she was your Sister Wife? That’s the wrong term of course, because it was involuntary on her part, as I used to think it was on yours. The temples handled it that way for her. Perhaps I should ask a local holy guide to look more closely into your case?

She’d turned around as Fiij expected her to and he studied the conflicting emotions on her face. Shehnin’s hunch was right, he decided. Dahnnah probably wasn’t coerced as Vahnnah and the others had been. He had heard of so many raped and extorted women that he’d assumed everyone connected to the rogue masters was a victim.

That's not a logical thing to do, she said at last.

He looked at her long and intensely, but said nothing.

You have no proof of anything, she added.

None, except your baby’s DNA.

Again, not logical, Your Excellency. You should have checked to see if we had DNA tests run on him before you pretended to know the results.

I was the one who had the tests run on him. I ordered it before you took him home from the hospital when I found out that your House didn’t.

Why? I was free then and no longer a suspect.

You were released from confinement then, pending further investigation. You were still under suspicion. I didn’t recommend you for the pardon until after I saw the DNA results. I assumed you’d been assaulted and were uncooperative with us because you still felt threatened. I understand now that I was wrong.

She quickly searched his face to see if he were bluffing. When she realized he wasn’t, she snapped, You’d no right to order tests on someone else’s child!

You were being investigated for being in conspiracy with Pod, Master. Like all Narl’s confederates, he had a history of forcing himself on others. Narl required it as a way of proving loyalty, along with the occasional threat, abduction, or murder. We had evidence of you cooperating with him and wanted to know what hold he had over you. Since neither of you were forthcoming about it, we checked out every possibility we could think of.

You can’t do anything about it now anyway. The Assembly just passed the Administrative Marriage Moratorium bill. No marriage can be registered during the moratorium period unless both parties agree that it happened. Neither Pod nor I will agree. There’s nothing you can do.

A child has the right to every parent’s resources; the new law didn’t change that. The DNA tests give your House the proof it needs to press its rights to Pod’s House’s assets. And your spouses have the right to Externalize you if they wish.

My House will refuse to believe idle rumors by vindictive people.

How did you talk your husbands out of asking for DNA confirmation of the one believed to be the father? Most men do it routinely, if only to confirm their ability to interpret charts.

My husbands have great faith in their abilities to interpret charts. They’re also stingy about spending money. They saw no need to pay for a test to confirm what they already knew.

They knew Pod is your baby’s father?

They know my Initial is my baby’s father. If you ordered a DNA screen, you had no right and if you dare make it public, I’ll have you charged with harassment and slander.

It’s not slander if I can prove that it’s true.

If you do, I’ll ask for some tests to be run, said Dahnnah with a finger pointing at Shehnin. On her. You treat her like a porcelain doll. Everyone has noticed. I hope all your meetings have been fully chaperoned. There are some suspicions about the special attention she’s been getting. Maybe all your cases will have to be reviewed, too. Maybe some verdicts will get overturned.

 The cases are open for review anytime anyone wants to do it. You only have to worry about living a double-life and keeping things secret if you’re doing things you’re not supposed to be doing. Everyone else expects to have their work reviewed. As for the other matter, Shehnin’s House seems to be rather typical for urban professionals. If so, they’ll probably check the DNA to confirm the charts.

Maybe you have ways to fake them, just as you had mine faked.

Dahnnah, enough! If you came to ruffle feathers, you succeeded. Leave now.

I want my baby’s DNA records.

Then go to the civil court building and fill out a request form. The lab results are filed with the rest of the case materials and are part of the official judicial record. Anyone can see them under the Freedom of Information statues.

Maybe those records will conveniently disappear like the ones taken from the Forest Libraries that documented all the witchcraft.

The phone rang, with a light flashing indicating that it was on the internal crisis line. He gave Dahnnah a dismissal wave before picking it up. It was Master Dahv, informing him that Miinah, Vahnnah, and his Honored Grandmother Ahnei had suddenly appeared in the Confinement Block to see Stehf. I asked them to wait a few minutes while I checked it out, Your Excellency, but Vahnnah’s adamant. She says that Stehf doesn’t have any restrictions regarding family visits if they’re done during regular visiting hours.

Did she say why they suddenly want to see him?

I asked, but she said she didn’t have to tell us anything in order to see him: they weren’t breaking any rules. Honored Grandmamma was a little more diplomatic. She said she’d talk to you later, but timing was important. She didn’t want Stehf warned that they were coming. What should I do? Should I let them in?

Have you talked to your Head?

I called him. He said to inform you.

Tell them they can see him, but only in the presence of guards.

They already refused to have guards present in the room. Honored Grandmamma suggested that you could watch them through the glass or with video monitors.

Tell them that we’re enforcing the usual rules: they can take it or leave it. And tell them that I’ve already been tipped off by a palace guard that they’re here, so it’s possible that Stehf might know now, too.

Master Dahv said he didn’t think so. He’d been watching him all afternoon and he had no communication with anyone. He asked his Honored Father to hold the line while he went back out to discuss it more with his honored kinswomen. He came back shortly after and said, Miinah asked if you and I could be the only masters present.

I’ll do it if she promises to do some serious talking to me afterward.

When the call ended, Fiij apologized to Shehnin and asked that they finish the case summaries later. I don’t know what’s going on with Stehf, but it might take some time. It’s already late afternoon. If you want to go back to the city, we can pick up again tomorrow. I’m sorry to have you come out again when we thought we were done, though.

Your Excellency, I think Master Dahnnah was right about one point only. You do treat me as if I were far more fragile than I am. If she’s come to ridiculous conclusions about it, others might have similar ideas.

Then walk with me while we talk. I want to get over to the Confinement Block as quickly as possible. Don’t worry about what Dahnnah said. Palace gossip is in a class by itself. It’s particularly farfetched and sensational. I’ve heard that I killed the late king despite the fact that he was already dead when we arrived during the Coup. I've also heard that I’ve secretly married my ponies, random sheep, and all members of the Guard and I've murdered anyone who threatens to tell.

It’s amazing you could get any work done with all that activity.

I suppose I should feel complimented about the belief in my stamina. In any case, don’t worry about rumors. We’re both vigilant about chaperonage and most of our meetings are videotaped for the official record anyway. No one would seriously believe an illicit marriage between us. Dahnnah was only suggesting that to cover up her own behavior with Pod.

I assumed as much. But to go back to the original point, I don’t have a high-risk pregnancy. I’m very healthy. I only had some fatigue and queasiness in the first few months and I’m really ok now. I feel very good. I’m grateful for your kindness, of course, but you’re far too solicitous. Is it just because I’m a civilian? Did you treat your master wives so delicately when they were expecting?

I knew them better. I admit I’m more careful with those whose health I don’t know as well. Dahnnah’s wrong about masters being cavalier about having babies and maybe I overreact to compensate. I’ve lived in master Houses all my life, and when there’s a baby to be born, we all make room in our lives for it. She’s the only one I ever heard of to leave it with a sister wife and go to work the next day. Even my Royal Wife didn’t do that when she was the queen.

You had more people in your House to help out.

In our first year, all three wives were pregnant. It didn’t matter anyway. Even in later years when it was just one who was birthing, we all cut back on assignments until the neonatal period was over. Mothers and babies need protection from outside germs and stress.  If we can’t protect our own vulnerable House members, how can we have the credibility to look after someone else?

I suspect you still coddled your civilian wife more than your master ones during pregnancy and… she caught herself before she mentioned his daughters. She knew from experience that any mention of Nahlii and Princess Eilii being pregnant at age eighteen would set him on edge. She quickly thought of something else to say.  And…since she was Forest-born, Marnii has probably seen more births than most masters.

Marnii was a special case. We’ve always carried extra inhalers and emergency kits for her, even when she wasn’t pregnant. She’s had a lot of close calls. And she lost her first baby.

I heard.

It was ghastly. I hope you never have to know what that feels like.

I’m sorry, Your Excellency. I didn’t mean to bring up a painful memory.

I admit to being more careful than I need to be around pregnancies. Ten healthy babies to one prenatal death should keep me looking on the bright side. I just forget that sometimes.  If I go too far in being overly solicitous, just tell me so.

"I am telling you so. Thank you for your concern about me, but I’m fine. Really. And I think I should stay here until the visit with Stehf is over. If things go well with that, we can finish the paperwork to close out the pending cases. If things don’t go well, I should stay here in case we need to take some legal action."

He looked at her a moment and considered. Actually, it might be a good idea if you sat in the Head’s office and listened over the monitors. I don’t know what those women are up to, but in case unexpected confessions come up, perhaps you ought to hear them.

Fiij’s cell phone rang. The caller identification panel showed Little River Garden. He answered as he walked along. Yeah, Marnii; what’s up?

Are you done with whatever you were doing?

What do you mean?

When I called before and said it was important-

Oh yeah, sorry. I didn’t forget, though. Things are happening here.

My mother wants to visit Stehf.

I’ve just heard. I’m on my way over.

Miinah’s with her.

I know.

And Vahnnah is, too.

I know, Marnii. Can you give me a clue on why they decided to do this out of the blue?

Niiah’s visiting Vahk at his tower so-

Again, old news, Marnii. Give me something I can use.

Nahlii’s Talking to Meihlin, but that’s as close as she’s going to be able to get. I wanted you to know in case you need her.

Marnii, for the last time….

I’ll be with you unless you keep on with the attitude.

Marnii…

Or I’m Blocked…

What? By whom?

Yep. I’m Blocked.

What?! What’s going on?

I’m going to have to think this through…

Marnii, talk to me! Now.

Gotta go. ’Bye.

Chapter 2

Confinement Block, Restricted Access Area, Royal Palace Complex, 15 September 2004

Stehf hadn’t inherited Narl’s patience. He could never get used to being confined or constantly watched. Since his capture, he was frequently violent and smashed anything in reach when he was angry. As a result, he had only soft, padded objects in his room. He had long since broken his small table and chair and now ate while seated on a cushion on the floor. He had no books, but since he had no patience for reading, he didn’t miss them. He occasionally liked drawing, but his pencils were taken away after he tried to stab himself with them. He was given small, square crayons instead.

He reacted to being stared at through the observation glass by glaring back, throwing things, or urinating on the glass. A team of holy guides and doctors spent many hours with him, armed with patience and tranquilizers. But it was only when Master Pod had begun working with him months before the coup attempt that he seemed to make any progress. The others on his rehabilitation team were pleased but baffled. They watched the observation tapes of Master Pod’s interaction and couldn’t figure out what he said or did differently from the rest of them. Yet Stehf calmed when he approached and stayed peaceful for hours after the session was over. It was Pod’s remarkable success that prompted his colleagues to write glowing recommendations for him when he put in his application for Head of the Kingside Guards.

The events surrounding the assassination of King Mahn disturbed everyone. First there was the frightening lockdown of the Confinement Block. The guards barricaded themselves in and waited in silent darkness while the revolt raged outside and was eventually put down. They heard the sad report of Pod’s death, followed soon after by sporadic sightings of his ghost by some of the detainees and a handful of masters.

Then came the startling news that he was alive and responsible for a string of murders, including King Mahn’s. Even so, the confinement workers asked that he be rehabilitated by the Royal Temple. They were sure that they could help him with his temporary madness. They didn’t believe the emerging evidence that he’d been a secret ally of Narl’s for decades. They didn’t see how it could be possible. Pod only left the palace a few times a year and had been overheard more than once saying that the Little River Garden grandmasters would never be defeated by any known master. It was ridiculous to think he’d side with Narl against them. He was an accomplished gambler and would never go with such poor odds. The request for his transfer was refused however, and Pod remained in confinement at Blue Hills.

Stehf had taken Pod’s alleged death during the coup attempt with respectful resignation. He was one of many to see his ghost and he freely told his therapists that he had several in-depth conversations with it. It was the news of Pod’s subsequent capture and confinement that sent Stehf into alternating fits of rage and hysteria. It had taken many weeks of intensive interventions and a variety of medications to turn him from a human vat of raging energy into the silent grudge of a man that he was now. For months, he sat for hours and stared at the walls, stopping only occasionally to groan softly and chew at the inflamed scabs around the remaining bits of his fingernails. He often had to be restrained so that he couldn’t damage them further, which made him even less responsive. He had to be spoon-fed like a child. He even soiled himself frequently, with no sign of noticing or caring. After more therapy and changes in medication, he became responsible again for his own feeding and hygiene, but he scarcely spoke or seemed engaged in anything.

In view of his mental state, Grandmaster Fiij asked that the rehabilitation team leader be notified of the impending family visit. She arrived in the Confinement Block with Stehf’s primary therapist just as Fiij and Shehnin did. When they were seated comfortably in front of the monitors, Fiij stepped into the waiting room and beckoned to Master Dahv and the visiting women. The flood of expressions on Stehf’s face when he saw them through the observation glance reassured Fiij that he hadn’t been tipped off that they were coming.

I’m not so sure, Ahnei murmured to him softly, as they watched the door being unlocked.

Did I say that out loud? Fiij asked.

You must have, his Honored Mother replied with a quiet smile.

The door was open then and they filed in.

You!! Stehf yelled at Vahnnah. You’re still alive? Our father is slipping. He condemned you to death over a year ago.

He’s not my father. And he’s condemned us all to death, for all the good it will do him.

He is your father. Check the DNA.

Squiggles on paper mean nothing to me, Stehf.

What do you want?

Revenge.

Revenge? You want revenge here? Fine, go ahead and try to get it. See how far you get. They don’t understand the concept here. If I even suggest the word, I get a lot of injections and lectures about morality and forgiveness.

I’m not much for morality or forgiveness. Neither is your granddaughter, she said, with a nod at Miinah.

He snorted as he glanced briefly at her and turned back to Vahnnah. I’m disappointed in that one, I have to say. They let us watch her inquest last spring. I was so proud to hear that she’d been plotting to snuff the crown prince. She shouldn’t have gotten caught, of course, but the intention was good. But when I saw her on TV… He shook his head. What a slap in the face! I figured it had to be a mistake. That insipid, cringing, ugly freak was my Ehsper’s daughter? No way, Vahnnah. No way.

Of course she’s not her daughter, you idiot. Ehsper had a boy, not a girl. Don’t you remember? She had Mehk. This is Mehk’s daughter. I know you remember Mehk, Stehf. You were so proud of him. You told me so at the Fortress. You were boasting to everyone that he hadn’t cried out once when he was tortured. Then Narl heard you and got mad and that made it worse for him. Ehsper’s son’s death is on you. First you confirm that Mehk hadn’t been killed at birth after all-

That was old news, Vahnnah, and you know it. Narl knew about Mehk already. That’s why he had us get him.

Not because he worked for His Excellency?

That was just a sprinkling of sugar on the sweets.

She shook her head in disgust. Whatever made you think you could be the mastermind of anything?

I know more than you ever did. You’re wrong about this. Narl knew. He knew about us hiding him and sending him into foster. He had us put it in the House records so Mehk would find out-

He had you put Larv as Mehk’s father in the foster records-

Because that’s what our idiot father thought-

That’s right. You see? He didn’t know everything. He didn’t even know about the cozy little setup you and your brothers had with Ehsper.

Stehf smiled. No. He didn’t know about that. We had that over him for years. He looked again at Miinah and shook his head. I don’t see it, though. I don’t see any of Ehsper in her. She must have gotten all of her genes from her mother.

Not all of them.

Why are you here? he said to Miinah. What are you looking for?

She shrugged. My grandmother. Something to give me the slightest glimpse of her or her people. You knew them.

They’re not here. They’re gone forever and there’s no hope for it. Go on home and hide behind your prince.

I’ve seen where she’s buried. I know it’s her in the unmarked grave at Breath of God.

Stehf shrugged. Just bones in a grave, like a thousand other bones in a thousand other graves. She’s not there.

It has to be her buried there.

Yeah, but so what? There’s nothing left of her there. Take my word for it. Whenever I was at Breath of God, I’d slip out at night and try to talk to her. Only the wind and crickets would talk back.

I’m not much of a singer, Miinah said, so I asked my Honored Grandmother to come and sing something for me. She has a beautiful voice. Please, Grandmamma, will you sing Ehsper’s song for Stehf?

Ahnei began the lullaby, but stopped in the middle of the second line when Stehf slumped to the floor.

Miinah leaned forward as she shifted to a more comfortable position, but Fiij waved her back. Not so close, Honored Daughter. The man has killed several of his own kin already and isn’t remorseful at all. Ask him what he wants to do to his own father.

Miinah moved no closer to him, but slowly sank down to a squat to be at Stehf’s eye level. What do you want to do to your own father?

I’m going to kill him, he whispered fiercely. Just as soon as I get the chance.

Then what?

I’m going to kill myself. Then my ghost can go looking for her out on the Plains. People can’t see ghosts very well, but one ghost ought to be able to find another.

Your ghost won’t be able to find hers, though.

Yes it will.

No, Grandfather, it won’t. She’s not on the Plains anymore. Even if she has been all these years, she won’t be when we finish the proper Forest funeral rites.

I thought you were supposed to be a modern university girl. Don't listen to superstitions.

You must know more about me than you let on. My grandmother was a good woman. She chose generosity and kindness over greed and cruelty. She chose self-sacrifice over harm to others-

He laughed bitterly at her. You don’t know anything about her, do you? Do you want to know how many husbands she had? There were at least ten that I know of. Ten! Three of us were her own brothers. And she took all of us on willingly, I assure you. She had the four husbands from Crimson Firemint, she had the three of us from Tiger’s Lair, and she had that other guy when she ran from her House the first time. In fact, she hinted that there were more before we got her. Her blood ran so hot she’d ask for one of us every night and half the time, she’d crawl out of our arms when we fell asleep and wake up another husband. Take my word for it, Miinah. Ehsper’s a wandering ghost who can never be content and she always will be.

I don’t think so. Two of my Honored Mothers and I spent weeks on the Plains while our husbands were on international rescue missions. We saw a few ghosts, but not hers. They said she wasn’t there. If we wanted to say goodbye, we’d have to do it at a Forest Funeral Rite. Otherwise, she was too far away.

Which mothers? If you’re talking about the Forest Daughters, you can forget it. Forest Daughters think all the Exiles adore them, but they don’t. Most resent them. They resent them a lot, and they’re not going to tell them things that they don’t think they should know. Even Ehsper had some hard feelings from time to time. She thinks they should have helped her. Maybe she didn’t want to talk to them. And maybe the two of them didn’t know the Plains well enough to know where to look.

I went with my Honored Mother Marnii and my Honored Mother Hahzii. Master Hahzii is from Summer Lightning and knows the Plains very well, and the Honorable Marnii can speak to anyone or anything. And she was Exiled herself so grandmother wouldn’t resent her. They were both Exiles who loved masters. They’d understand each other. Ehsper would talk to her if she were there.

She’s out there, Stehf said, stubbornly. Didn’t you ask the Houses out there? They all know about the ghost lady.

The younger ones only know her from the stories. The older ones remember when she was still alive and you rode out at night together to warn the Exiles about rogue masters. She dressed like a wraith then because she knew that Narl’s people were superstitious and afraid of ghosts. And even if they weren’t, they wouldn’t put much stock in ghost stories from the Plains or strange paintings that no one understood.

It didn’t work, though he said softly. None of it worked.

Yes, it did. There are still Exiles on the Plains and on Cliff Heights and they’re safe now. The Forest people are still safe. Narl will be confined for the rest of his life, which won’t be too long: he’s sick now. My Forest kinswomen think he won’t live past Christmas. It worked, Grandfather. Your plans worked. Her people survived and you kept her son safe until he was grown. Up until he was caught last year, he lived a happy life-

Yeah, so what? He was a servant and a poof-

He was the right-hand of the Royal Grandmaster. He was one of the most influential men in this country and was highly respected.

The words of a delusional, mourning daughter.

Do you have any of those yourself?

What? Delusional, mourning daughters?

Yes.

No. I killed the one that would have been. When she was thirteen. On my father’s orders.

Why?

It was the way things were. He ordered it and I did it. We told everyone that her pony threw her. He sighed and stood back up.

Fiij held out his hand to help his Honored Daughter to her feet. She took it and stood up, too.

Why did you really come here? Stehf asked her.

To find myself.

Why would you look for yourself in a confinement cell?

Because I lost myself in a confinement cell.

There’s nothing here that you want. If there was anything good in me, it was gone a long time ago.

Then what do I see?

More delusions. More fantasies.

There’s nothing about me that looks like her?

He looked at her closely. He shook his head. I don’t see it. Do you smile even when you’re scared? Do lights dance in your eyes even when you’re calm? Do you have dimples? Do your ears have pointed tips, like an elf’s?

Vahnnah smiled at the last question and pulled back Miinah’s thick hair.

I’ll be damned, Stehf said with a laugh. He shrugged and said, Actually, you look a lot like pictures of my mother when she was younger. She was homely too. You inherited the dregs of the gene pool on both sides.

Maybe I got more than that, Grandfather.

Oh yeah? Well, who knows? I heard you seduced the prince. With a face like yours, that had to have taken something. But your body doesn’t look bad, from what I can tell from the sacks of clothes you’re hiding yourself in. What did you do, take them off in front of him?

No. It wasn’t a seduction.

I’ve seen pictures of his other wives. Except for the burned one, they’re beauties.

The burned one is a beauty, too.

His opinion or yours?

Both.

What’s his opinion of you?

Better than yours is of me. Better than mine too, actually.

Why?

She shrugged a smile and said, Apparently he likes elfin ears.

Stehf laughed again. I was partial to them myself.

They both fell silent. After a few moments, Miinah glanced at Ahnei to see if they should leave, but turned back when Stehf suddenly began to speak again. So, was it worth it to come here?

A little, yeah.

If you want to be like Ehsper, you have to believe in yourself. It doesn't matter what I think; I've never been anything but nothing to anybody. And it doesn't matter what the prince thinks. He can have anybody he wants and will drop you soon enough. But if he does like you a little, use that while you can. You might as well. You don't get many chances in life.

Miinah nodded non-noncommittally, but said nothing.

Stehf continued, When you get home, find yourself a mirror. Smile the way you did when you showed me your ears and you’ll see your grandmother. Practice that awhile and then smile that way for him. Combine it with some passion, a stubborn streak of loyalty, and a heart of gold and there’s nothing he can do but pull out his heart and hand it to you.

Fortunately for him, he’d already done that twice before he Initialed me and had it tossed right back at him. His heart is very adaptable now; it doesn’t hurt him nearly as much to lose it anymore.

Keep at it. No man’s immune to losing his heart and those who think so are the ones most easily beaten.

 I don’t want him to lose it for my sake. I like the way things are now. He can take it out and hand it to us whenever we really need it, and then tuck it right back in his chest whenever he needs it to beat for him.

But you, Stehf insisted, you be the one to keep it! From now on, you decide if and when it’s going to beat.

Miinah smiled again and shook her head. No thanks. I’m only willing to make it beat for him whenever he can’t do it for himself. I’m not romantic or sentimental. A man needs to take care of his own heart if he’s going to live a real life. And if I’m concentrating on holding another person’s heart so tightly, what happens to mine?

Suit yourself. But you’ll never have a man risking everything for you. You'll never have one pining for you for the rest of his life. No one will ever want to go through eternity looking for you.

Good, she said, and meant it. She turned to Ahnei and Grandmaster Fiij and said, I’m done now. I’m ready to go.

Ahnei looked at Vahnnah and asked, Anything more to say to your brother?

She nodded and said, We’re making regular visits to Narl now.

Why? Stehf asked, suspiciously.

To save his soul.

Why?

Vahnnah shrugged and cocked her head towards Ahnei. She wants to. It’s the way of the Ketchkanei.

But you’re not one of them. You can never be one. You’re an Exile and you’ve married a master. You’re disqualified.

Apparently you don’t have to be a Ketchkan to forgive someone.

I’ve never known you to forgive anyone. What’s the point?

I have my reasons.

Stehf looked intently at her and said, I’ll be damned! She’s going to let you do it anyway? He looked at Ahnei, who met his gaze silently. He turned back to Vahnnah and said, I suppose it makes sense. She’s got to do something against Marnii, that’s for damn sure. And you’re the only one who didn’t get sucked over to her side. That’s it, isn’t it? Your puny Master Sahn is less dangerous for Ahnei’s people than the cream of the Guild that Marnii’s got.

Vahnnah shrugged again.

Stehf remembered who was present. He inwardly cursed himself for saying so much in front of Grandmaster Fiij and Master Dahv. No wonder his father thought he was an idiot. And where did Miinah fit into all of this? She was Prince Nor’s wife and therefore Marnii’s Honored Daughter. Vahnnah could be counted on to make any alliance that gave her more control and she could switch sides at dizzying speeds, but he didn’t know anything about Miinah. Vahnnah either had her in her power or they were both under Ahnei’s power.

He’d heard that Ahnei had been afraid of Marnii even before she was born. All of them on the Cliffs had heard through Kahren’s kin how Ahnei and her spouses had been warned of her potential power when the pregnancy was announced. The warnings had plenty of reinforcement from the legends. Kahren insisted that they sacrifice her at birth to protect everyone else, but they didn’t. Kahren thought it was because they were too soft-hearted and moralistic. Narl had speculated later that they kept her because they thought they could control her and use her as a defensive weapon.

Stehf had heard that Ahnei tried to contain Marnii first by keeping her ignorant and humble, and then by keeping her away from the Forest. Then she tried to marry her off to Larv, even though she knew he was capable of murder. She probably assumed that Marnii allied with Larv was better than Marnii allied with Grandmasters Shahn and Fiij. Her efforts hadn’t worked and not only had Marnii married the grandmasters, she’d produced powerful daughters who had also married masters. Ahnei was in a very tough spot and needed allies anywhere she could find them.

He asked Vahnnah, Is forgiveness the price you have to pay to get back into the Forest rankings?

Something like that.

Why should I help you?

You can’t.

Why did you come?

Ahnei told me I had to if I wanted to follow the Forest Way.

There’s not going to be a Forest soon.

Not there, maybe.

Not anywhere in Sanctuary. The referendum’s going to pass, you know. All those city people living on top of each other would love to have a beautiful patch of soothing forest to cool their tempers in. They’ll buy their food cheaper from EasternNeighbor and they’ll take the Forest right out from under you.

They might.

Then what are you going to do?

I’m a Cliffie, Stehf. You know that. I never wanted to live in the Forest Hills. I won’t miss it.

I thought you were trying to follow the Forest Way.

I am. I’m going to follow wherever it leads. And when I get tired of doing that, I’m going to stop.

You just want the power and the influence.

And the revenge, Stehf. Don’t forget that.

Against him?

For starters.

Is revenge the Forest Way?

No. That’s why Great-Aunt Ahnei is here. To help me find my better nature. Or maybe to watch out for Miinah.

They both looked at Ahnei, but she gave them a mild look and said nothing.

So what do you want from me, Vahnnah?

I want you to visit him.

They won’t let me. They’re afraid we’ll try to kill each other.

Then stop talking about doing that. Reform a little. Remember, you have to get into heaven if you ever want to see Ehsper or your murdered daughter again.

Maybe neither of them wants to see me again. I’ve done things that they couldn’t stand if they knew about them.

If they’re in heaven, Stehf, wouldn’t they know about them? And they’re the forgiving type, right?

He shrugged.

Start praying; do it every night.

I don’t pray.

Neither do I, but we have to now. Start trying to pray, but if it doesn’t come, call Ehsper and your kid to your mind and ask them to pray for you. And start cooperating with your rehab team. Then ask to see Narl at Christmas. If he’s still alive.

Then what?

If they give you permission, send me word and I’ll go there, too. I’ll meet you there.

Then what?

He ruined our lives but we’re going to fix them. Then we’re going to fix him. We’re going to fix him for good.

Grandmaster Fiij had heard enough, Vahnnah, this visit is over. You can’t incite a detainee in rehab to violence. It’s a good way to get confined yourself.

I think I’m done now, Your Excellency.

You certainly are. I’m going to recommend a session for you with the Breath of God rehab team. I’ll make the arrangements for it, and if you don’t show up, I’ll know about it.

As you wish, Your Excellency.

Fiij looked closely at Miinah and Ahnei and shook his head. Let’s go, he told them. Visiting hours are over.

Chapter 3

House of Little River Garden, Blue Hills Province, 15 September 2004

Fiij intended to simply go back home to the city loft that night, but found himself driving past it and heading west. When he passed the city limits, he phoned Shahnei and told her he was going to the main residence in Blue Hills and would be back before noon the next day.

He supposed he could just call Marnii and discuss the visit to Stehf's cell, but he didn’t think their previous conversation had gone very well. She seemed to be ignoring his mental calls.

It was late when he got there, at least by master standards. He assumed Shahn would already be in bed, though he hoped that Marnii would be up painting. He stopped first in her workroom and frowned to see that there were no visible works in progress. Marnii painted whenever the urge seized her, or as she phrased it, whenever something screams to come out and play. No matter how happy or sad she was, there were usually at least a few brush strokes cavorting on a canvas or two.

There was the smell of paint in the air now, so he looked once more through the room. Sometimes she painted directly on the cave walls or the floor. While he was looking the studio over, he heard her come in.

Nothing right now, Fiij.

Nothing at all?

Nah.

Why not?

Sometimes there isn’t. How was the trip here?

Uneventful. He gestured to the canvases on the tripod. So what’s wrong? Do you have the painter’s equivalent of writer’s block?

Maybe. I was just looking at it as a painting holiday. But maybe it’s because I can’t think or talk about painting and do it at the same time.

So, don’t think or talk about it.

I’m enjoying my holiday. And I’m enjoying thinking and talking about it.

Talking to whom? Shahn doesn’t care anything about art and you’re too shy to talk about it to anyone outside the House.

You’re selling him short, she said with a smile. She pointed to a seemingly empty canvas. Shahn did this one.

He did? He peered at it and amended, Did what? It’s blank.

Not quite. I’m so proud of him. He’s gotten out of the stage where he just throws colors on willy-nilly. Now he and the surface can talk to each other. In a few days, I’m pretty sure he can start talking to his palette. Or more importantly, he can start listening.

You’re teaching Shahn to paint? Why? He’s to art what a tone-deaf person is to music.

He’s teaching me things, too.

I don’t want to hear about it. I don’t know what he’d want to teach you that didn’t involve being horizontal.

Not everyone is partial to being horizontal all the time, especially-

I don’t want to hear about it!

Anyway, sex isn’t the only shared interest Shahn and I have.

Since when?

Granted that was usually all we had time for in our earlier days. But now with everyone else gone, we’re discovering other things.

Fiij thought about it and reached a startling conclusion. Shahn’s not having problems with…?

With what?

With being horizontal? Or vertical? Or however you’re going about it…?

He was fine thirty minutes ago. Why do you ask?

It’s been a tough year. He had a tough time on the rescue missions. Stress can take a toll and he’s not getting any younger.

All systems are functioning normally, Fiij.

Then why does he want to paint? He thought again and decided, It’s for you, isn’t it? He saw you having the unexpected painting vacation and this is his way of helping?

Fiij, do you suppose we can ever get out of the little boxes that you like to put us in?

"Marnii, Shahn doesn’t do art. He doesn’t understand it