Tests of Blood - 23. Chapter 23

“How may the Healers help you this evening?” A polite young woman wearing the pale green of a Trainee Healer asked Dalen as he stepped inside the Healer’s Hall welcoming hall. This area was always staffed by trainees who would see people that came here for help.

There were probably a dozen Healers in private practice around Haven, but Healer’s Hall always kept their doors open for everyone. A Crown grant ensured they had enough money to operate, so all they ever charged was enough to recover the costs of providing care, although they would accept grants from richer patrons that they used to cover the cost for those that could not afford to pay for a Healer’s services.

“I need to see Healer Bladric.” Dalen said, naming a senior Healer he knew personally. The girl looked at his attire, and then at his arm. He had not yet removed it from the sling.

“If you need care for your arm, I am sure I can find someone to assist you.” The girl said as she stood up from the chair she sat in and came forward. “Healer Bladric is quite busy and a simple arm does not need a Healer of his caliber. With the recent changes your care will be expensive enough…”

“I do not need to see just any Healer.” Dalen said firmly as he shrugged his arm out of the sling and stared at the girl, who stepped back in surprise. “I do need to see Bladric, though, and I need you to do it quietly.”

“Who are you?” The girl squeaked and Dalen smiled at her in what he hoped was a gentle manner. Ever since he’d entered the Inner City of Haven he’d felt a headache building, and his nose and ears were reacting to changes of pressure the way they would during a massive thunderstorm. Since there were no clouds in the sky, he had a good idea of the source of the feeling.

“My name is Dalen, and I think that is enough for now.” Dalen said quietly and the girl squeaked again before bobbing in a slight curtsey and running off. He started to worry when she was gone for nearly ten minutes, but when she did return, it was with Healer Bladric and not anyone with dark skin.

“Your highness, what are you doing here?” Bladric asked him as they got close enough to talk without being overheard. “When Jasie told me someone claiming to be you was here in the entry I thought she was being pranked. Still, well your hair’s dyed but I can tell it’s you. Why aren’t you at the Palace with your mother? Everyone has been worried sick about you.”

“I need to see Dell, and I need to see him without everyone knowing I am here.” Dalen said while giving the man a steady look. “I trust Healers to maintain confidentiality.”

“None of us will say a word about your visit, my lord.” Bladric said after taking a long breath and holding it for several heartbeats. “We are all worried about Dell. He should be recovering. Granted he was in bad shape when they first brought him in, but his physical injuries have been cured. He is this way. Jasie, resume your duties and speak of this to no one, especially not any of your fellow trainees.”

“I won’t, Healer.” Jasie said and she curtsied again towards Dalen.

“Everyone has been worried about your highness.” Bladric said as he began to guide Dalen through the halls of Healer’s. “The kingdom is in a crisis and I fear you’re the only person both sides will trust.”

“I know that, Bladric.” Dalen snapped in a worried tone. He was feeling unsettled between the effects of Haven Heartstone on the edge of going rogue, and a queasy feeling in his stomach as well. The cause of the queasy feeling was the spider web of mage lines he’d detected on entering the Inner City. He’d barely had time to shield himself before they sensed his presence. They were foreign magic; he reckoned the work of the Haighlei.

“Where have you been?” Bladric asked him in a calm, worried voice. “Is it true the Royalists have held you hostage all this time? If your father freed you, why are you here in secret?”

“My father had nothing to do with me coming here.” Dalen snapped and took a deep breath to try and calm himself. “Sorry, Healer, this is a difficult situation for all of us right now. I was on my way back to Haven when I was delayed. My Gate was misdirected by something that has nothing to do with the current situation and it took me a while to get back here.”

“I see.” Baldric said. “I trust you will give a more detailed explanation later?”

“I will.” Dalen promised. “For now, please believe it when I say that it had nothing whatsoever to do with what has been happening in Valdemar, and I got back here as fast as was possible.”

“I do believe you.” Baldric said as they neared the long-term treatment ward. Baldric led him to a small door and paused outside. “I’ve been tending Prince Dellinar since the day of the explosion. I was one of the first Healers on the scene. Physically he is recovered from the injuries he suffered that day. We have been able to keep him alive and nourished, but he has lost muscle mass with his forced inactivity. I have a team of trainees tending him daily, and I see him myself each and every day.”

“I trust you have been giving him the best care you can.” Dalen said.

“Enunciate Diers testified last week about the results of his investigation.” Bladric continued talking softly. “King Kalachman’s own Truthsayer was here for the testimony, and they used Truth Spell. Everyone saw the blue glow around Diers. We know he spoke the truth.”

“What did he say?” Dalen asked calmly.

“He said that it was a black powder bomb set in the Council Chambers that caused the explosion.” Bladric stated. “It was set off by one of the Heralds outside that is known to have a touch of Firestarting. That would be Herald Cindall who died when the council doors crushed the Heralds outside.”

“He was the Herald for the Lord Martial.” Dalen said flatly, disbelieving the explanation. It just didn’t sound right at all.

“I hear the disbelief in your voice.” Bladric said with a shake of his head. “I had a hard time believing it, but I saw the glow of Truth Spell, so it wasn’t just the word of the Truthsayer that I took. We’ve had Truth Spell here ever since the founding of Valdemar.”

“Who cast the Truth Spell?” Dalen asked.

“Enunciate Avers.” Bladric answered. “You might remember her. She was a mage in the Court’s employ before the explosion.”

“I remember her.” Dalen said with a frown. “I didn’t know she was ever taught the spell to summon a Vrondi. She’s never focused on summoning other-world creatures.”

“She said she was taught it when she went through Enunciate training.” Bladric answered.

“What is that?” Dalen asked.

“All gifted must be a part of the Priesthood, except Healers of course.” Bladric answered Dalen’s questions. “For trained mages, it’s just a three week session of study and they are given the rank of Enunciate in the priesthood.”

“So these are people who have sworn loyalty to the Black Kings.” Dalen answered.

“There’s nothing about swearing loyalty to King Kalachman.” Bladric said in a very defensive tone. “The Priesthood is independent of the government and sworn to the service of the Gods and of all people.”

“Or at least that is what they tell you.” Dalen snapped.

“After you have seen Prince Dellinar, you can ask them for yourself.” Bladric said cautiously. “I am sure you will want to meet with them, and with your mother. Every time I have seen her, she has commented how she wished you were home.”

“Thank you, Healer.” Dalen said flatly and Bladric opened the door without saying anything else. The sight of Dellinar, looking so frail and weak in the bed almost unnerved him, but he went to Dell’s bedside and took one of the man’s hands in his. It was emaciated, and yet Dalen knew instinctively it was more from inactivity than receiving poor care. A bottle of liquid was hanging near the bedside and ran in a line to the Prince’s arm.

“The line contains nutritious fluid that meets his body’s needs for survival.” Bladric explained as he shut the door. “It’s a rather new invention, or the Prince would have long since died despite all our care. As I said before, his physical injuries are taken care of, but for some reason he has not yet woken. We can find nothing wrong with him, nothing to explain why he is still in a coma.”

“Have you let a mind-healer see him?” Dalen asked.

“Only old Margaret Elhaleen is experienced enough for something like this.” Bladric answered. “She’s retired to the countryside since everything’s begun. I know she had a new student she was training, but he was a Herald-Trainee and so had been kept under arrest. The Regent would never have let him near the Prince anyway.”

“No, of course she wouldn’t.” Dalen murmured angrily as he extended his own Healing gift and Mindspeech into the Herald-Prince. Healers rarely had Mindspeech, and it was the only one of his other gifts that Dalen felt safe to use. Magic would set off the spider webs he’d sensed earlier.

“You can see he’s healthy considering the circumstances.” Bladric said when Dalen had pulled his gifts out of Dell’s body. He fixed the Healer with a stare.

“Has anyone with Mindspeech been in here to tend him?” Dalen asked.

“No.” Bladric frowned. “Why would that make a difference?”

“Because Healer, not every problem is caused by the body’s injuries or illness.” Dalen snapped angrily and reached out mentally, drawing the Healer into a reluctant rapport. When Dalen showed him what he’d found in Dell’s mind, he sat down in a nearby chair with an audible thump and his mouth hung open.

“I never thought…” The Healer murmured.

“No, you didn’t.” Dalen snapped and then cursed himself silently. “Has anyone tried talking to his Companion? She would have known what was happening.”

“The Companions are all locked in Companion’s Field under a mage-shield.” Bladric said softly. “Three weeks ago there was an attempt by the Heralds to break out of their confinement. They tried to reach this room, but were driven back. The Regent said it was evidence of their intent to kill Dellinar before he could wake and testify against them. The investigation said that the Prince was repudiating them when the bomb went off and they were keeping him from saving the King. Diers said that under Truth Spell!”

“I can imitate Truth Spell if you want.” Dalen stated flatly. “It can be imitated you know.”

“Then how do we know the Heralds have used it justly all these years?” Bladric responded with a sigh. “Now we’ll never be able to trust Truth Spell again.”

“You’re wrong about that, Healer.” Dalen said with a sigh. “Until recently I’ve never given much thought to the old stories, but do you know why every school child learns about how Companions came to Valdemar?”

“No.” Bladric frowned. “What does that have to do with everything happening now? That was almost two millennia ago!”

“It has everything to do with our situation.” Dalen said with a sigh as he found a nearby stool and sat on it after laying Dell’s hand back on the bed. “What do you remember of the story of King Valdemar and the first Companions?”

“The King was a good man, of course.” Bladric said. “He’d led his people out of the Eastern Empire which was corrupt and took them to a place of safety here in Haven. When he grew old, he began to worry about the future of Valdemar. His son was a good man, but what about the King after him, and the next one? Valdemar wanted a way to make sure that all of this kingdom’s Monarchs were good people that cared about the regular people of Valdemar.”

“Yes.” Dalen agreed. “So he went out into what is now Companion’s Field and he prayed. Who did he pray to that night?”

“All the gods that he knew and any he didn’t know.” Bladric frowned at Dalen. “Every child understands that is why Valdemar doesn’t have an official religion, or at least we didn’t until now. Those gods answered King Valdemar and sent him a Companion, a being of supernatural nature, as intelligent as a man and incorruptible. The Companions would only choose good people, incorruptible people, who would look after the people of Valdemar first…”

“Yes, the type of people that would plant a bomb to kill the King just because he was doing something they disagreed with?” Dalen asked and Bladric paled.

“How do we know that still holds true?” Bladric countered. “It’s been two millennia. Maybe the Companions today aren’t the same as the Companions back then.”

“They are.” Dalen said with a sigh. “They are and always have been. It is next to impossible to impersonate a Companion, is it not? Even the best magical illusions only work so far, and have never convinced a real Companion.”

“If… if the Heralds didn’t plant the bomb, who did?” Bladric asked. “It couldn’t have been the Haighlei. Their ambassador died in the explosion, and he was searched before being allowed in the Council Chambers.”

“Those are questions I hope to answer one day, but for now I have other things that must be dealt with, and quickly.” Dalen said sadly. “First off, we must end what is happening to Dell. Each and every night he is being mentally assaulted by someone. We know it isn’t the Heralds, so I would assume it is one of the Haighlei. They are probably trying to wrest the key to the Heartstone from him. The Heartstone probably knows what is going on and that is why it has been acting oddly.”

“What can you do about it, my lord?” Bladric asked as he shook his head. “Dear Gods, all those Heralds, they were trying to help the Prince, not hurt him!”

“What happened to them?” Dalen asked.

“They’re guarded by King Kalachman’s troops.” Bladric said with a grimace. “None of the Valdemaran Guards would perform the duty. Since the outbreak, well there are more volunteers for the duty. The Heralds broke through the shields put in place by the priests, and headed right for here. There was fighting in the halls of Healer’s! The King’s soldiers stopped them. We tried to save as many as we could, but fifteen Heralds and seven Trainees died. Nearly forty of King Kalachman’s soldiers died too, and the Crown had to pay a heavy forfeit for them.”

“How bad for them.” Dalen growled. “My mother shouldn’t have given them a single copper.”

“The Regent needs their support.” Bladric countered. “You don’t understand, they have good reasons for what they’ve done, and well, once we resolve the issue of magic, they are good friends to have. Their soldiers have helped keep Karse and Rethwellan from invading.”

“Why would those two countries invade us?” Dalen asked in surprise.

“They’re angry about the troops they lost when the Regent pulled our soldiers out of the fighting down south.” Bladric answered.

“She did what?” Dalen asked. “I thought the fighting was over.”

“It is now.” Bladric shrugged. “The Shin’a’in still fight, but they’re mostly beaten back to the Kaled’a’in settlement and the surrounding area. Rethwellan and Karse had to pull their surviving troops out. As of last week the word is that they are arraying on our border.”

“They’re probably worried about the Black Kings coming for them next.” Dalen said sourly.

“You have to stop referring to them like that.” Bladric said. “They dislike that term. Their king is Kalachman, they are the Haighlei Empire.”

“Thank you for the advice, Healer.” Dalen said flatly.

“What are you going to do?” Bladric asked him. “Are the Royalists actually telling the truth when they say they have your support? Do you intend to unseat your mother and take rule yourself?”

“I would prefer to never be in that position.” Dalen answered honestly. “My mother though has no right to be Regent. There is someone in line for the throne that should be in charge. That person is Herald-Trainee…”

“He can’t.” Bladric said in a toneless voice.

“Why not?” Dalen asked. “If you mean this whole house arrest thing, well we’ve already discussed why it is rubbish.”

“He is dead.” Blaric informed him and Dalen closed his eyes.

“How?” Dalen asked.

“He was one of the Trainees killed in the breakout attempt.” Bladric answered. “We didn’t know until later, but four of the Heralds that died that day were trying to get two of the Trainees to Companion’s Field. I assume it was to help them escape. One of the two survived, but he was gravely wounded. In fact, he’s still being cared for here, but is under guard directly by the Haighlei. I heard he was the new Monarch’s Own since the old one died in the explosion, but then we don’t have a Monarch, do we?”

“Oh dear gods above and below.” Dalen said as he hung his head. It really was on him now, and there was no shirking his responsibilities.

“Don’t worry, your friend Bart is okay.” Bladric assured him.

“Bart?” Dalen asked in confusion. “Was he involved in the breakout attempt?”

“He’s the new Monarch’s Own.” Bladric said.

“That’s impossible.” Dalen snorted. “He’s chosen by Wren, and she’s not the Monarch’s Own Companion.”

“No, there’s a new one from what I could tell.” Bladric answered. “The old one died, along with another Companion trying to get the two boys to safety. Bart survived, if barely and they say another Companion appeared in the Field that night.”

“I’ve got to see him.” Dalen said with a frown.

“There’s no way you will get to him.” Bladric frowned. “Even if I helped you, he is under direct guard of the Haighlei. Word is that he will be executed as soon as the Regent gives in and signs the order.”

“Over my dead body.” Dalen growled. “Wait, my mother is stalling them over Bart?”

“She knows he is a friend of yours and doesn’t want to have to tell you that she let him be executed.” Bladric explained.

“Well maybe there is some hope after all.” Dalen said, feeling good that no matter what else she’d done, she had not sunk that low.

“She is doing her best for Valdemar.” Bladric said firmly. “You should talk to her, share what we’ve talked about. Maybe together, you both can figure out something.”

“First, I have other things to tend to, but I will be doing that.” Dalen said as he looked back at Dell. “I need to resume control over the key to the Heartstone. That will help it stabilize. The only problem is, when I do that, the Haighlei are going to know I am here.”

“They won’t harm you.” Bladric said. “The most they will do is have you go through the three-week training sessions at their temple.”

“That will not happen.” Dalen said firmly.

“You may have no choice.” Bladric said calmly.

“There is always a choice.” Dalen said just as calmly. “Now, since there is no way that I can take the key without them knowing, I’m going to bring Dell back at the same time. His coma is being induced from the outside because he refused to give them the key and if he’s conscious they can’t guarantee he will cooperate with them.”

“Why don’t you just leave the key with him?” Bladric asked with a raised eyebrow. “Are you that anxious for the power of the Heartstone?”

“He’s too weak.” Dalen answered simply. “If he tried to use the Heartstone in his current condition, it will kill him and could go rogue with his death. Do you think that would be wise, Healer?”

“No.” Bladric responded. “Maybe you could give it to someone else?”

“Who?” Dalen asked with a raised eyebrow. “Why are you so concerned with me having the key?”

“It’s just, well I don’t want to see Valdemaran fighting Valdemaran.” Bladric said with a sigh as he looked at Dalen. “I am sick of the bloodshed.”

“I don’t want to see us fighting each other, Healer.” Dalen said. “If I can do this without one Valdemaran being injured, then I will.”

“You can’t harm the Haighlei either.” Bladric insisted. “They will take it as an affront and more Valdemarans will be hurt for each of them hurt.”

“We will see.” Dalen said, putting the Healer out of his concern for the moment and turning to Dellinar. The moment he started working, he’d set off the alarms of those spider web spells. Then he’d probably have a few minutes before they located him, and another few minutes before people arrived here physically. If they tried to attack him magically, he’d have less time. With a sigh he realized there was no help for it, so he let his tight shields relax a bit as he pulled on his own magic.

There was some type of block over the Heartstone keeping him from accessing it right now. With the key, that would no longer block him, but the shield he cast around the room was one made from his own personal powers. He could feel the alarm spells shrieking as he did so, and set to work, sinking his mind and powers inside Dellinar’s tightly wrapped mind.

It was like peeling back the layers of an onion as he undid the spells and mind-magic barriers that were holding Dellinar in a coma. Each layer he peeled off and destroyed revealed another layer underneath. He worked feverishly, still it took him several minutes of valuable time to undo all the layers.

Within seconds of his first starting, he could feel the probing of other mages. It wasn’t just one, but rather several different mages probing at his shields around the room. They didn’t attack though, just tested his shield and probably examined his magical signature to see if they recognized it at all. If they’d looked at some of his shield work around Haven when they first arrived, they probably did recognize his signature. Certainly if Diers was one of them, he would recognize Dalen’s work.

Around the time that the last layers of the onion were peeled back, there was the sound of footsteps in the hallway and pounding on the door. Bladric started to get up, but Dalen motioned for him to stay seated. The voices on the other side, demanding it be opened had strange accents.

“Those are Haighlei out there.” Bladric said vehemently. “They will arrest us both if we refuse to open the door.”

“We are in Valdemar, Healer.” Dalen snapped. “You will stay seated. That is an order.”

“You can’t order me…” The man started to say as Dell moaned aloud. Dalen had freed the last of the outer spells holding his mind trapped and now the man was unraveling his own defenses. Bladric went silent as he realized Dell was waking, and then rushed to the Prince’s side, pouring his own Healing energy into the man.

Whatever his problems with the man, Dalen had to admit that the Healer was dedicated to helping Dellinar. His healing energy helped Dellinar fight his way towards consciousness. No matter what he did, Dalen knew they did not have a great deal of time until he had to face the repercussions in the form of the Haighlei and his mother.

As Dellinar slipped back to the edge of consciousness, Dalen could feel the panic and near despair of the Herald Prince. Seven weeks of near-constant mental torture had taken its toll on him and at first he assumed Dalen was a projection, an illusion to confuse him. It was feeling his Companion for the first time in all these weeks that convinced Dellinar that this was for real, and he reacted quickly.

The first thing that happened was that Dellinar surged the access key for the Heartstone across the rapport with Dalen. When it came, Dalen grabbed onto it and let it settle inside him with a great deal more ease than he had that first time. While it was still blocked, having the key gave Dalen a firmer link with the stone. It would take some work, but Dalen knew he could fix the problems with the stone and return it to its normal function.

He gasped though, when Dellinar seized his mind in a mental vice grip and began to shove images into his mind. At first they were nothing but a jumbled mish-mash, but as Dell relaxed his mental grip, Dalen began to make sense of them. They left his mind reeling though as he pieced them together.

“Damn it!” Bladric gasped as Dellinar’s eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he passed out again. The Healer turned and twisted his fist into Dalen’s tunic. “What the hell did you do to him? He’s out of the coma but he passed right out and he’s going to have a damn reaction headache when he wakes.”

“You said you were one of the first responders on the day of the explosion.” Dalen said flatly, staring at the Healer’s face that was just a few inches from his own. The Healer had brown eyes, Dalen noted, and had something with garlic in it for lunch.

“What does this have to do with Prince Dellinar’s condition?” Bladric demanded while a blast of magic lit up the shields Dalen had placed over the room. He reached out with his physical hands and pulled the Healer’s fist out of his tunic. At the same time he reached out with his mage-senses and pushed his way through the shields surrounding the Heartstone. Those shields crumbled even as the Healer’s hands came away from Dalen’s tunic. With a cry that was almost audible, the Heartstone leaped into Dalen’s ‘grasp’, pouring its power into him, ready for his use.

“You’re glowing.” Healer Bladric stated as he stepped back a pace. There was a pale glow in the room, and Dalen wouldn’t be surprised if it was because the Heartstone was still pouring power into him. All that power had to go somewhere, so for now he set it in shields around the room. The lighting in the room returned to normal and Dalen frowned as he realized something he’d missed before. Gas lights lit the room instead of mage lights.

“I’ve got the Heartstone.” Dalen said flatly. “When I get a few moments, I’ll set it on the process of cleansing itself and returning to its normal operation. Now, answer my question, Healer. When you responded to the Palace after the explosion, what did you smell?”

“Blood.” The Healer responded. “I smelled blood, and bile. Some of the first people on the scene had lost the contents of their stomachs. Then there were these huge bronze-covered doors with people trapped under them, and there was smoke, and fire. I remember those things. Why?”

“Do you remember smelling powder?” Dalen asked. “You know what black powder smells like after it has been burned.”

“I know what it smells like.” The Healer snapped in a worried tone. “What does this have to do with Prince Dellinar’s condition?”

“Do you or do you not remember the smell of burnt black powder on the day of the explosion?” Dallen asked him sharply and the Healer frowned at him. The mage outside had given up on blasting his way inside the shield and was now trying to probe the edges of the shield for weaknesses.

“I–I don’t think I remember smelling any.” Healer Bladric said with a frown. “That’s impossible, if it was a bomb. I’d smell that powder if there was enough of it to shatter the room and hurl those doors like that explosion did.”

“There was no bomb, or at least not one we’re used to seeing.” Dalen said flatly. “The Prince’s memories of that day are quite clear. The Haighlei Ambassador was an Adept-level mage and had all but demanded King Rothar clear the room of all Heralds before he would continue. The King and Monarch’s Own stayed, but everyone else left. That was when the Seneschal’s Herald got a flash vision and told Dellinar they had to go back inside. It was too late though, the bastard had already started his Final Strike.”

“I’m not familiar with that.” Baldric said with a frown.

“It’s the last strike of a mage about to die.” Dalen said with closed eyes. “The mage will overload his power centers and blast them out in a solid blast of power. It’s what Vanyel Ashkevron used to destroy the Dark Servants army. Another Herald-Mage of the time used it to stop a swarm from killing the daughter of the King. More recently Herald-Mage Shania used it in the fight with the pirate bands in Evendim when they breached the seaport’s village.”

“I’ve heard about that one.” Baldric said flatly. “She took out nearly a hundred of the pirates in one blow, but there were only pieces of her and her Companion left when it was over.”

“Yes.” Dalen nodded.

“Dearest heavens, it was the Black Kings that did it.” Bladric frowned.

“I thought you said not to use that name.” Dalen said with a raised eyebrow.

“Your hair, it’s…” The Healer noticed and Dalen cut him off.

“That’s its natural color now.” He explained. “The brown was a dye. Look, Healer, I need to know, where do you stand?”

“If they killed our King, they cannot be trusted, my lord.” Baldric said with a bow of his head to Dalen. “I will swear any oath you desire, but I stand with Valdemar.”

“That is enough for me, Baldric.” Dalen said firmly. Then he had a long list of instructions for the Healer. When he was done, he had the Healer repeat the instructions, correcting him once or twice until he had it perfect. Then he nodded his head and reset the shields around the room. “This room is secure. You can come and go as you please. Dellinar will awake, and I want you to make sure he gets his strength back. I’ve given you the password. Just think it as you pass the threshold of the door and anyone with you will be allowed entry as well. You must be with them though, and if you think any other word, it will let you in but repel any others with you.”

“What are you going to do?” Baldric asked him. “There’s probably a dozen or more of them outside this room right now.”

“There is a time to sneak around, and a time to be bold.” Dalen said with a grin and crossed the room to the door, taking a deep breath before throwing it open. There were more than a dozen dark faces staring at him, including two mages that he could sense right away. Those were in Priest robes, but everyone looked deadly as they stared at him. Dalen just smiled, stepped outside the shield and looked the more powerful of the two mages in the eyes. “I am Prince Dalen Valdemar Ashkevron, son of Selenay Ashkevron. You will escort me to see my mother immediately.”

Sometimes it paid to be bold.