Paladin of Souls - Lois McMaster Bujold [134]
He glanced up sharply at this. “Arhys still leads us—does he not?”
“For the moment. It’s clear his reserves are drawing down.”
Illvin, reminded, took another bite of bread and dutifully chewed. His face screwed up in thought. He swallowed, and said, “It occurs to me that we do have one here who must know all the inward plans, if such exist, of whoever in Sordso’s court is behind this. The demon itself. We should question it again. More firmly.” He added after a reflective moment, “It might be better if Arhys were not present this time.”
“I . . . quite see your point. Here, perhaps, tomorrow?”
“If it may be arranged. Not sure if Catti will agree, without Arhys persuading her.”
“She must be made to,” said Ista.
“I will have to leave that part to you.”
With some relief, if Ista read him right. She said, “But were these losses all of Jokona’s sorcerers, or two of many? If all the elementals that have lately been found in Chalion are lost or escaped from the same source, how many more were captured as intended? And how? Perhaps these two were sacrificed, as a commander with many men would send some into a breach, knowing he will bear losses, but counting the gain to himself worth the cost. But not if he has few men. Unless he is very desperate . . .” She tapped her fingers on her chair arm. “No, it cannot be Joen. She would not put a demon into her own daughter.” She glanced at Goram. “Unless she were terribly ignorant of their nature and effects, and in that case I can hardly see how she could control one sorcerer, let alone many.”
Illvin cast her an odd look. “You love your own daughter very much, I take it.”
“Who would not?” Ista’s smile softened. “She is the bright star of Chalion. Beyond my hope and my deserving, for I could do little enough for her during my dark times.”
“Hm.” He smiled curiously at her. “And yet you said you’d never loved anyone enough to guess at heaven’s hope.”
She made a little excusing gesture. “I think the gods may give us children to teach us what true love really is, that we may be fitted for Their company at the last. A lesson for those of us whose hearts are too dull and inert to learn any other way.”
“Inert? Or merely . . .”
The rope of white fire was beginning to attenuate; his hand fell back weakly to his coverlet. Goram glanced with dismay at the amount of food still left on the tray. Ista watched Illvin sink back, his eyes closing, and clenched her teeth with frustration. She wanted that mind in her service against this conundrum, but Arhys’s body seemed equally needed today. She wished it were winter, that she might steal another hour for Illvin. But it was too beastly hot to let the march start to rot.
“Come again, shining Ista,” he breathed with a fading sigh. “Bring Catti . . .”
Gone. It was like watching him die, every day. She did not desire the practice.
ISTA TURNED ASIDE AT THE STAIRS DOWN TO THE STONE COURT. “Learned, please attend upon me. We must talk.”
“And I, Royina?” said Liss hopefully.
“You may . . . make yourself comfortable within call.”
Taking the hint, Liss strolled away to a bench on the court’s far end. After an uncertain moment, Foix followed after her, looking not displeased. They put their heads together the moment they sat down.
Ista led dy Cabon back to the bench in the cloister walk’s shade and gestured him to a seat. He settled himself with a tired grunt. The days of riding and anxiety had told on him; his stained white robes hung loosely, and his belt was cinched in a few new notches. Ista, remembering the god’s immense girth and overflowing abundance in dy Cabon’s dream-borrowed body, could not, on the whole, regard this shrinking as an improvement.
She sat beside him, and began, “You say you witnessed the banishing of an elemental, when the ferret’s rider was discharged from the world. How exactly was it accomplished? What did you see?”
He shrugged his thick shoulders. “There was not a great deal to see with my poor eyes. The archdivine of Taryoon led me into the presence of the divine who had volunteered for the task.