“Has anyone inquired as to how my brother came to lose his powers?”

  “The overarching conjecture is settling into the belief that the Immortal became such by stealing the powers from the Syakaran.” Kadesh waved a hand dismissively. “Doesn’t make sense, but I suppose the theory appeases the little people. Still—” he peered at Braph. “That does leave the question of exactly how did this Aris— It was him, wasn’t it? The officer from Quaver? How did he come to obtain Immortal powers? I’m quite certain we would have known about it if he’d possessed them more than a couple of months ago.”

  “In that, Mr President, you may find that your little people were onto something. It seems he was already Immortal but lived the last nine hundred years powerless after some mishap.”

  “Like the ‘mishap’ that befell Jonas?”

  Braph shook his head. “No, I believe something more natural than that.”

  “And how did he get them back?”

  Braph chuckled. “You’re learning. I like that.”

  Kadesh glowered at him. Braph smiled. Out of the two Turhmos presidents Braph had dealt with, Kadesh was growing to be his favorite despite their history. What was a hand between professionals, after all?

  “To re-obtain them he killed the unborn Immortal child of Jonas and Llewella.”

  “The what? Of Jo—. And my Syaenuk girl?”

  Braph nodded.

  Kadesh sneered. “That brother of yours spreads himself around, doesn’t he?” He folded his arms. “That explains why Gaemil of Brurun was asking after the Syaenuk. Jonas, I could understand, since the weakening of Quaver’s forces is going to have Brurun questioning if neutrality is still their best defense.” A smile played across Kadesh’s features and melted away again. “But their questions after the girl had me perplexed. Now I wonder if there was some personal element beyond diplomacy.”

  “I can confirm the Syaenuk had ingratiated herself with Lord Tovias’s future bride.”

  Kadesh’s eyes narrowed. “Brurun wouldn’t have anything to do with—”. He waved vaguely at the floor, beneath which lay Turhmos’s remaining Aenuk barrack, from where Llewella had escaped during Jonas’s display fight.

  Braph shook his head. “You may be surprised how resourceful Llewella can be in her own right. She eluded my efforts to locate her for some years.”

  “You and our Syaenuk. Jonas and the Syaenuk girl. None of the histories remember the time of the Immortals fondly.” His attention strayed to Orin, and his eyes narrowed. “So, tell me, what did happen out there?”

  Braph sensed Orin’s mood darken, but didn’t spare the child a moment. It was true. Humans loathed most that which they feared. He spread his hands in a shrug. “I killed the Immortal, for which everyone, Quavens and Turhmosians alike, is very welcome.”

  “Yes.” Kadesh’s gaze remained on Orin. “But, what—” He waggled his fingers at Orin, perhaps referencing the visible transfer of magic from Aris’s corpse to Orin. “—happened?”

  Braph returned his hands to Orin’s shoulders.

  “You have two hands,” Kadesh blurted.

  “Indeed.” Braph raised his right hand, turning it palm up and down. “As is a man’s right.” He tugged at each fingertip of his glove, loosening it, before pinching the tip of the middle finger and sliding his new, metal hand free and flexing the fingers. As much as it was his own design and his own handiwork, it still titillated him to see the metal digits move as if they were his own. He supposed they were. And with each day that passed, they became more so.

  As expected, Kadesh seemed as fascinated as repulsed by the sight. The remaining guard shifted behind Braph, but he didn’t deign to spare a glance that direction.

  “Through hardship, a man proves his mettle. Isn’t that what they say, mister President?”

  “Well … Yes. I believe you have. That’s fine work. Fine work, indeed. And does it, ah— Does it do your magic?”

  “It does.” Braph raised his sleeve, revealing the connections between his arm and the device. He twisted his arm to display the deep violet, almost black, crystal locked in place.

  “Right. Right. Yes. That is rather dandy, isn’t it?” Consciously or not, Kadesh rocked back.

  “Indeed.” Dandy. Pfft.

  Kadesh was fixated on the metal hand, which Braph rested back on Orin’s shoulder. The boy lifted his chin slightly, no doubt proud of the part he’d played in constructing the hand.

  “Yes. Of course.” Kadesh pulled his eyes from the hand and met Braph’s gaze. “One of the reasons you are here; I need to know: Where is Jonas now? Clearly, he’s not with you.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “Unfortunately, I don’t have an exact location for you. But I can tell you he is still within Turhmos’s borders, and not only is he powerless, he is now also crippled after the fight. He has sought medical treatment, which one of your doctors with experience in amputations has provided.”

  “That’s … specific.”

  Braph smirked and waggled his metal hand between them.

  “Is my Syaenuk with him?” Kadesh asked.

  “Yes,” Braph conceded. “I can’t tell you where they are right now, but I can tell you where they are likely to run for refuge.”

  “That farm at which you spent some time?”

  Braph nodded, impressed with Kadesh’s perception.

  “You’re confident they’re not there already?”

  “Quite confident. My guess is they are within a day or two’s ride from Duffirk, if not still within the city itself. They can’t have gone far, not with the injury it appears Jonas was suffering. And now he’ll need time to heal from a surgery. But, they know how to break the Aenuk-Karan barrier to heal him, though I doubt they would do so without first getting to an Ajnai tree, of which there are several at said farm.” Braph smirked again, well aware of the value of the knowledge he imparted.

  “Ajnais? They still exist?”

  “Oh, yes. And they grow incredibly fast.”

  “I will have to visit this farm.”

  “Yes. Imagine what your Aenuks could do with an Ajnai in every town, or a forest of them near the Quaven border. You’d never lose a soldier again.”

  Kadesh nodded, his eyes distant as he imagined. “You’ve given me much to work with, and I thank you. Now, I still wish to understand the events in the arena more fully, because I suspect my public would appreciate some leadership on the matter, hmm?” He smiled like it was something of a joke, but Braph read the uncertainty in his eyes. With an election fast approaching, Kadesh would be growing desperate. “So, please, do tell me about this young man.”

  “First and foremost, he is my son.” Braph gave Orin a comradely shake. Orin looked up at him with a smile. Perfect. Well aware of his use of repetition, Braph was angling to unequivocally assert his paternal rights.

  “Right.” Kadesh licked his lips and considered Orin, then Braph. “And he was Immortal before all the—” He wiggled the fingers of both hands at Orin. “Magic, I suppose you would call it?”

  “Oh, yes. Karan plus Syaenuk …” Braph brought his hands together in a dramatic clap plus finger-wiggling flourish. “And now, not only is he the first Immortal to be born in over nine hundred years, he is also the first to have absorbed the powers of another Immortal in the same time frame.” Braph couldn’t help himself. He smirked and angled his metal hand to show off the crystal made from Orin’s blood again.

  Kadesh’s eyes narrowed as his gaze returned to Orin, his jaw chewing over his thoughts. “His mother is our Syaenuk.”

  “Who was free when I found her and under my care when she fell pregnant and delivered the child, before Turhmos even knew she existed. Turhmos has no claim to him.” Braph enunciated this final sentence clearly. “Besides, I wouldn’t recommend trying to control an Immortal. Much better to—” Coerce, manipulate. “—be their friend. Family. And, as we know, a mere Syaenuk girl escaped your warren.”

  Orin glowed at being someone no one else could control. It suited Braph for him to believe so. Kadesh, however, scowled at the reminder of Llewella’s escape from beneath this very fortress.

  “During the spectacle you arranged.” Kadesh spoke lightheartedly, almost in a jocular manner, keeping any hint of accusation from his expression and tone.

  “Come now.” Braph smiled. “You gave me the Syaenuk I wanted, and I am quite sated with her love. And as for desiring a source of power—” Braph raised one hand to, yet again, present Orin as Exhibit A. “My son cannot make use of his full powers, yet. But I can. I have no interest in Llewella. I can assure you, I did not aid her escape.”

  “Fine. You have your son, and your woman. And you’ve given me quite the gift of intelligence today, as well as a Syakaran son. I am, it would seem, in your debt.”

  Braph chuckled. “I can also assure you, I have no designs on your leadership.”

  “And Quaver’s?”

  Braph did laugh this time. “Gods, no. I have no time to meddle in the lives of others. Except, perhaps, that of my brother.” He conceded. “In fact, if I am expected to make a demand in exchange for my assistance, that would be my one request; that my brother’s life be spared. He is powerless, there is little to be gained in killing him. And if anyone is to kill him, I would prefer it be me.”

  “You wish to kill your brother.”

  “In a fair fight.” Which was growing less and less likely.

  Kadesh’s grunt suggested he had come to the same conclusion. “You’ve said my Syaenuk knows how to heal him. What chance does she have of returning him to full strength?”

  “Very little. My own experiments suggest the micro-organism must be obliterated within the host’s body before a lasting recovery can be achieved. I managed it when I was partially weakened, taking myself nearly to death, but with the wherewithal to remain fully in control. By now, Jonas will be on a downward spiral, growing weaker and weaker until he doesn’t even have the energy to eat or breathe. He’s as good as dead.” Braph’s sorrow at the thought reared again. He really had to get over that. His fair fight – the unequivocal proof of which Vastergaard brother was superior – would never happen. Then again, that meant he had already won. He should be happy.

  Braph left the meeting a little while later satisfied that he was a free man, with a woman to love and a son … if not to be proud of, then at least to provide a delicious power. His brother was dying, and with him Braph’s lifelong vision of brains beating brawn, and he was simply going to have to live with that. Sucking in a breath, he infused his body with a taste of power from the crystal. He could live with that.

  He returned home and went straight to his workshop and woke half a dozen spider-like flying automatons and one by one he directed them into his ‘goop’ cabinet, had them inject their proboscis down the narrow air hole in a rubber stopper and fill their back-mounted globes with the coagulation. With a focused thought, he raised his I-am-not-Karan barrier again, and instructed one of the metallic creatures to seek Kara, then duplicated that instruction to the rest, and added the command to inject the goop, then he stepped from his workshop, walked down the hallway and opened his front door wide. The automatons whirred out into the street, tasted the air for a few seconds, and then headed off in the general direction of Quaver.

  “It must be much like watching your children leave home for the first time,” Nilv spoke behind Braph.

  “Perhaps.” Braph felt little more than a quiet satisfaction. He doubted he would feel that over Orin leaving. His exact feelings would likely depend on how successful his journey to the Taither Ajnai was. “They will return while I am away. Please ensure they can access my workshop when they arrive. Orin has provided a number of the mini crystals that should allow them to make multiple trips between here and Quaver, but they will need you to make the switch between the used and the fresh crystals.”

  “Yes, master. Quaver will be an interesting place by the time you arrive.”

  “It will indeed.” And fruitful, hopefully.