The doors to the audience hall stood open. The two Hgirh standing to either side of them did not even acknowledge two more Isyar entering the hall. Jorvanultumn had watched at least three dozen go through those doors. It was going to be packed in there.

Word had spread in the last two days—word that the human, Meleng Drago’s kidnapper were Isyar. And not just any Isyar—Isyar who were part of a group of Darkness Worshippers, something that, as far as most understood, did not exist. Even worse, two of those Darkness Worshippers were on the Lamdritta. There were a lot of people in Chithishtheny very angry at their Lamdritta.

Jorvanultumn did not blame them. He was pretty angry himself. He did partially understand, though, why the Lamdritta had not wanted anyone to know about this. It absolutely was causing chaos. But it was a chaos Chithishtheny needed to endure.

“I am holding you personally responsible for this, Fevionawishtensen!”

Jorvanultumn turned at the sound of Mikranasta’s voice. She was storming down the hall, looking back behind her at Fevionawishtensen’s agitated signing.

Me? How is this my fault?

“They were in your custody! You are responsible!”

“What’s going on?” Jorvanultumn asked as Mikranasta stormed past him. She only hissed in response as she stormed into the audience chamber.

Fevionawishtensen extended her forefinger and pinky and flicked her hand towards Mikranasta’s back.

Jorvanultumn held up his hands as she got close to him. “Please tell me what’s going on?”

Fevionawishtensen stopped and took a couple deep breaths before responding. She is insufferable sometimes.

Jorvanultumn could not disagree. Mikranasta could be slow to anger, but her rage could be terrible once roused. “Why is she angry at you? What does she think you did?”

Fevionawishtensen sighed and lowered her face into her hand. She slumped over slightly, then looked up at Jorvanultumn with sorrowful eyes. Nascanmat and the elementalist are dead.

“Wha…?” He could not quite form the whole word.

We found them a couple hours ago.

“How?”

We don’t know for sure, but mentalism magic was used. It looks like they just...stopped. Like someone got their minds to just stop their heart beating.

“Is that even possible?”

She looked at him askance and signed agitatedly, They’re dead, aren’t they?

“Yes, sorry, stupid question.” Gods, this was not good. Questioning Nascanmat and the other one—they had not even identified the other one yet—had been the only hope of uncovering more of what the Pundritta were up to. No wonder Mikranasta was angry.

Fevionawishtensen leaned against him, her body convulsing slightly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “This isn’t your fault.”

She wiped her eyes and stepped back a bit to sign. Yes, it is. Mikranasta’s right. They were under my jurisdiction. They were my responsibility.

He put his arms around her and touched his wings to hers. “If it was a mentalist capable of stopping someone’s heart, what could you or any of your people have done? A person that powerful could sneak past anyone.”

She sobbed for a moment, then sniffled and pulled back from him a bit. It doesn’t matter. I failed. My diare is going to kill me.

Jorvanultumn shook his head. “I’m sure he’ll understand.”

She looked at him askance again.

He sighed. That was fair. He had only met Abatorwishtensen a few times, and only for a short period on each occasion. However, he had come away from those meetings believing Abatorwishtensen was the most intimidating person he had ever met. Jorvanultumn could easily believe he would not understand. “If you want, I can go with you when you speak to him.”

Oh, you’ll be with me. He’ll be here soon.

“Wait, he’s coming here? To this meeting? I didn’t even know he was in town.”

She nodded. He arrived last night. And he almost certainly already knows about the deaths.

Jorvanultumn gulped. “Do you have anything you can tell him? Any leads? Any idea who did it? Could it have been Paydamat?”

She shrugged. I wouldn’t have thought even Paydamat was that powerful, but I don’t know. Maybe.

“And it would mean she killed her own siare.” Something was very wrong. Before the battle, Jorvanultumn had thought it had all been a little too simple, a little too convenient. But finding Nascanmat standing by Meleng had convinced him. Yet, as he thought back now, Nascanmat had been terrified, but had it been terror of being caught? Or had it been the terror of being falsely accused? He claimed not to know how he had gotten there. Could that be true? Could someone have mind-controlled him just as they had Itra? And then they killed Nascanmat and the other one to stop anyone finding out Nascanmat was not involved. And perhaps Paydamat’s disappearance was not because she had fled, but because she was dead too.

Jorvanultumn shuddered. These were terrifying thoughts, as it meant whoever the mentalist was, they were more powerful than either Paydamat or Mikranasta.

Fevionawishtensen wiped her eyes and face again, then straightened up. I’d better get inside. Are you coming?

“I’m just waiting for Sinitïa. I’ll join you soon.”

She nodded, and quickly touched her forehead and wing tips to his, then hurried into the audience chamber.

It turned out she was just in time to avoid her diare, as Abatorwishtensen, flanked by two other Hgirh, came into view down the corridor just as Jorvanultumn turned to face that way. He was broad-figured, but with Abatorwishtensen, it was more than just his wings. He was broad-shouldered as well, muscular, and somewhat tall—not a giant, but taller than typical for a male Isyar, at least a couple inches over five feet.

Jorvanultumn always found himself drawn towards Abatorwishtensen’s short, white beard. It was incredibly rare for an Isyar to be able to grow facial hair (or any hair at all), and Jorvanultumn suspected it played a large role in making him appear so intimidating. There was also the swagger stick he always carried, often tapping it in his opposite hand. That added to the intimidation factor. As Jorvanultumn thought about it, the least intimidating thing about Abatorwishtensen was the red, instead of yellow, trim of his uniform marking his rank, but even that managed to be intimidating.

As Abatorwishtensen got close, Jorvanultumn straightened his posture and tried his best to not look intimidated.

Abatorwishtensen stopped in front of Jorvanultumn and snapped his feet together. The other two Hgirh snapped to attention beside him. He held out his left hand. “Jorvanultumn.”

Jorvanultumn clasped his hand. “Hgirham Abatorwishtensen. I hope you are well.”

“As well as can be expected given recent events. These are disturbing times. Darkness Worshippers in Chithishtheny’s Lamdritta. Kidnapping. Murders. Very disturbing indeed.” He waved his swagger stick in Jorvanultumn’s direction. “Your name seems to be in the middle of a lot of it, too, though mostly on the positive side of it all, at least. It seems we may even have you to thank for coming through this at all. Well done.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Thank you, sir.”

Abatorwishtensen tapped his swagger stick in his opposite hand. “Though there is also the matter of your elispt. Your Lamdritta may have absolved you, but it will still bring complications. Many will not be happy with you. It is good you are leaving again, soon.”

Jorvanultumn resisted the urge to gulp. “Yes, sir.”

“Is Fevionawishtensen here? I have words to speak with her, though they will have to wait until after the meeting.”

“She is inside.”

“Very good. We will speak later, Jorvanultumn.” Abatorwishtensen slapped his fist holding his swagger stick against his chest. “Pleasant thoughts.”

Jorvanultumn tried to be just as intense slapping his own chest. He almost winded himself. “Pleasant thoughts, Hgirham.”

Abatorwishtensen turned on his heel and entered the audience chamber, the other two Hgirh falling into line with him.

Once they were inside, Jorvanultumn took a long, deep breath.

Over the next several minutes, more Isyar arrived and entered the audience chamber. Finally, Sinitïa arrived with Captain Gen and Miana Ting. Sinitïa was carrying several papers in one hand. Upon seeing Jorvanultumn, she rushed forward and threw her arms around him. “Meleng’s awake!”

At last, some good news!

Jorvanultumn hugged her, doing his best not to ruffle the heavy blue gown she was wearing. He hoped she was not too cold. “Thank the gods.” Even though Mikranasta had said it would take awhile, Meleng had been unconscious so long, Jorvanultumn was starting to worry he would not wake at all. This news was truly a relief.

When Sinitïa let go of him, she was bouncing about on her feet. “He’s still a little woozy, and he kept wondering if I was real, but he’s awake.”

“Mikranasta did say he might question reality,” Jorvanultumn said.

“I know.” Sinitïa smiled. “Is it time to go in?”

“Are you ready?”

She nodded vigorously. “A little nervous. And cold. But ready.”

He offered her his arm. She took it and they headed into the audience chamber. Gen and Miana Ting followed behind them.

Sinitïa gazed about wide-eyed. “There are so many here.”

Jorvanultumn gave her a reassuring smile. “I know. It is more than I expected.”

Gen leaned forward, touching her shoulder from behind. “You’ll be fine, my dear.”

Jorvanultumn led them through the throngs of people until they were just inside the central circle made by the pillars. This area was mostly empty apart from Mikranasta, Abatorwishtensen, Fevionawishtensen, and a few Hgirh keeping the other people back.

A few jeers of “Eliïspt!” erupted from within the crowd, but they fell silent at stern looks from the Hgirh.

“It’s so big.” Sinitïa gazed up. “Do they really sit up there? It’s so high. I’d be afraid of falling.”

“Don’t forget, Isyar have wings,” Gen said.

Mikranasta came up on Sinitïa’s other side. As she did so, a loud clang reverberated throughout the room from above. Everyone fell silent and looked up. A moment later, Maramintorin and Griholbovroh entered the audience chamber on their respective bridges above. They marched slowly to their perches, Maramintorin on the fifth and Griholbovroh on the sixth.

Griholbovroh slammed his cane onto the floor of his perch, the clang reverberating around the chamber again. “Citizens of Chithishtheny, we are grateful for your presence here today. We know you have many questions.”

“Questions? More like complaints!” someone in the crowd called. Others murmured agreement.

“I can understand them,” Sinitïa said. “They’re speaking Arnorgue.”

Abatorwishtensen raised his arms. “Silence! You will have your chance to speak.”

I am translating for you, Mikranasta said telepathically. Jorvanultumn assumed she was sending it to both him and Sinitïa, and possibly others. How else did you expect to give a speech they can understand?

“Oh, that make sense. I—”

Jorvanultumn gently squeezed Sinitïa’s hand with a soft shush.

If you wish to speak to me, do so mentally, Mikranasta said.

Mentally? I don’t understand how does one do that I don’t know how to do that I just want to talk and give my speech what do you mean mentally… A sensation of rapidly changing blobs of colour accompanied Sinitïa’s thoughts, a new colour with every word, some colours Jorvanultumn was not even certain he recognised. Indeed, the colours seemed to be the words. How was that possible?

People think in different ways, Jorvanultumn, Mikranasta said. Sinitïa, focus on the words you want to say. Pretend you’re about to speak them, but stop just short of saying them out loud.

Okay, I’ll try I’m not good I wish Meleng was here I’m trying he would know what to do he’s not sure I’m real what if he thinks I’m fake and hates me am I doing this right?

The sensation of colours continued to course through Jorvanultumn’s head.

Wait. Were colours a sensation? He had never thought of them that way before.

Whatever the case, they were making it difficult to focus on what was being said aloud in the room. Griholbovroh had spoken for a little bit, and now Maramintorin was speaking, but Jorvanultumn could not make out what he was saying. It was like Sinitïa was screaming in colour in his head.

Then it stopped.

I’ve removed you from mental contact with her, Mikranasta said. She needs time to get used to this. At the moment, she’s sending literally every thought she has.

Thank you, Jorvanultumn said.

The crowd erupted in yells and jeers. Abatorwishtensen and the Hgirh yelled for quiet, and Griholbovroh slammed his cane into the floor of his perch. The crowd took longer to quieten this time, and even as they were finally falling silent, someone yelled, “Why should we trust anything you two have to say?” And the crowd erupted again.

Someone shoved Jorvanultumn. “Eliïspt!”

Jorvanultumn resisted the urge to turn around and see who had done it.

“Enough!” Abatorwishtensen’s voice was not only loud enough to be heard over the crowd, but loud enough it hurt Jorvanultumn’s ears. “If you wish for arrests to start, I am happy to oblige. Otherwise, you will be silent!”

The crowd fell mostly silent. A few angry mutters remained, but they faded quickly too.

“That’s better,” Abatorwishtensen said, his voice returning to a normal volume. “Your Lamdritta has promised you an opportunity to speak, and you will get it, but only when called upon and in an orderly manner. Lamdirh Maramintorin, I believe you were speaking.”

“Thank you, Hgirham Abatorwishtensen.” Maramintorin rose from his seat and stood at the edge of his perch. “As it happens, I would like to take this opportunity to answer the question of why you should continue to trust us. It is true that some unfortunate things have happened in the last few days, and that there were two active Darkness Worshippers on the Lamdritta. For this, we must accept the blame of not recognising what they were, but I would also remind you all that, until a few days ago, we—and I include both the Lamdritta and all of you in that—did not even know this Pundritta existed or that it was possible for an Isyar to worship the Lord of Darkness.”

Maramintorin went on for a while to much growing dissatisfaction from the crowd. When he finished, the Hgirh again had to calm the crowd.

As Maramintorin sat down, Griholbovroh stood up and tapped his cane on the floor of his perch, though not quite as heavily as on the previous occasions. “At this time, I would like to call upon Princess Sinitïa Alessia Deanna Folith to speak. She is visiting us from Arnor and was directly involved with the incidents leading to today’s situation. Princess?”