Sara Douglass – The Serpent Bride – DarkGlass Mountain Book 1

Perhaps he and DarkGlass Mountain are in league, eh? Perhaps they spy on you with those

pyramids, yes?”

“No. Lister knows nothing about DarkGlass Mountain. Nothing. It does not speak to

him.”

Oh, there was a question there begging to be asked, but Axis did not think Ba”al”uz was

aware of his slip, and he thought it best not to alert the maniac.

“How did Isaiah and Lister come to ally?” Axis said smoothly, leading Ba”al”uz away

from what he”d just revealed. “I cannot imagine they met in a tavern, or on a chance walk along

the riverbank.”

“Lister approached Isaiah two years ago,” said Ba”al”uz, his eyes narrowed, trying to

work out how Axis had suddenly assumed the lead in the conversation. “A whispered word from

a shadowed envoy. You were a king, you must know how these things work.”

Axis shrugged. “And then Lister sent the pyramids to you.”

“Yes,” Ba”al”uz said slowly, then added a trifle hastily, “We don”t trust him, you know.”

“Good,” said Axis, “for I doubt very much he is to be trusted. Now, the sun grows hot,

and I am somewhat wearied of the view of DarkGlass Mountain. Shall we go to Isaiah?”

Ba”al”uz nodded. Reluctantly, and with a final glance at DarkGlass Mountain, he led Axis

toward Isaiah”s private apartments.

The palace of Aqhat was an amazing collection of buildings, spires, minarets, echoing

audience and dining chambers, air walks, underground passages, hidden doors, soaring arches

and windows, and, above all, of dazzling displays of wealth and power. Gold and jewels glittered

on the walls and around the frames of doors and windows in every public chamber.

In stark contrast, Isaiah”s private chambers were almost bare. The walls were unadorned,

the furnishings simple if comfortable, and the few accoutrements present subtle. Isaiah allowed

few people in here: not even his many wives, for Axis had heard he kept a special chamber for

entertaining them in the evenings.

Apart from Ba”al”uz, Axis had never seen anyone else in the quarters, not even servants.

While here, Isaiah served himself.

Isaiah beckoned them to a group of chairs set by a window to catch a cooling breeze from

the Lhyl.

“You will not be surprised to hear,” Isaiah said to Ba”al”uz as they sat down, “that Axis

has agreed to advise me from time to time. I always think it best to have an independence of

opinion about my decisions.”

“I am indeed not surprised,” Ba”al”uz said smoothly. “Axis SunSoar has a wealth of

experience regarding the Skraelings. We would be wise to listen to him.”

“And thus he sits in on this conversation,” said Isaiah. “Ba”al”uz, I have talked to Lister,

and he and I agree that you must go north within the week.”

Isaiah looked at Axis. “As you have realized,” Isaiah said, “Lord Lister and I mean to ally

in an invasion of the north. Ba”al”uz is to go north for the next several months in order to, how

shall I say this, sow the seeds for our success.”

“Create mayhem and confusion,” said Ba”al”uz with a decidedly cheerful air. “A small

conflict or two as well, should I be lucky.”

“You want to divide the Northern Kingdoms before you invade,” said Axis. “Set them at

each other”s throats so they are less likely to notice you sneaking up at their backs, and far less

able to respond well. Divide and conquer is surely the first maxim learned by all good tyrants.”

Isaiah looked hard at him at the last, but did not comment on it.

“On the other hand,” said Axis, “you will find the Northern Kingdoms with their forces

already mobilized and battle-hardened. The ploy may work as much against you as for you. How

good are their generals?”

“The Outlanders have some good leaders, but they are experienced only in intertribal

warfare. I doubt they could manage a response to the kind of armies Lister and I can command.”

No one can manage a good response to an invasion of Skraelings, thought Axis.

“Pelemere and Kyros have several good generals,” Isaiah continued.

“Who I intend to take care of,” said Ba”al”uz, studying the fingernails on one hand.

“And the kings and princes?” said Axis, regarding the other two over steepled fingers.

“You need only one charismatic leader to take a hopelessly divided muddle of peoples and turn

them into victors.”

“As you would know,” said Isaiah. “But there are none who strike me as any potential

threat.” He paused. “Or is there someone you think I should know about…?”

Axis thought about it. It wasn”t so much that he needed the time to think of a name, but to

decide if he should mention it to Isaiah and Ba”al”uz.

“There”s a wild card,” he said finally. “Maximilian Persimius, King of Escator.”

Ba”al”uz smiled derisively. “Escator is a tiny kingdom, and all but ruined. It can hardly

raise enough policemen to keep market-day traffic under control, let alone an army to repel

forces such as Isaiah and Lister command between them.”

“I am not talking of forces,” said Axis. “I am talking of charismatic leaders.”

“You know this Maximilian?” said Isaiah.

Axis shook his head. “I have never met him, but my son Caelum did, and Maximilian

was for some time considered a match for my close friend Belial”s daughter. He is highly, highly regarded. You know his story?”

“That he was imprisoned in Escator”s gloam mines for…what…fifteen or more years?”

Isaiah said. “And that he was released on the endeavors of several youths and a cohort of ancient

monks, from what I can recall of the story. Maximilian has ever since been somewhat of a

recluse. Axis, why mark him as a charismatic leader?”

“I think of him only as a possibility,” Axis said. “The man survived seventeen years

under conditions that killed everyone else within six months. That says something for his

character and tenacity. It tells me that he is, to put it simply, a survivor, and that he has depths

that should not be lightly disregarded. He is also liked by all who meet him. Highly regarded, as

I said. The man has something.”

“But not an army,” said Ba”al”uz. “And unlikely to raise one anywhere. He is also stuck

far away on the west coast of the continent. He is no threat.”

Axis shrugged. “You asked, I told.”

Isaiah studied Axis a moment, then looked to Ba”al”uz. “When shall you leave?”

“Within a few days,” said Ba”al”uz. He smiled, all geniality and affability. “I do so like

the idea of a vacation.”

When Ba”al”uz was gone, Axis turned to Isaiah and said, “That man is your brother?”

“He terrifies me more than my other brothers did combined,” said Isaiah. “The trouble is,

I cannot know if he will be more trouble to me dead than alive. At the least he is traveling north

and I shall be rid of the man for a few months.”

CHAPTER NINE

The Road East, Escator

Well?” said Maximilian. “Tell me of this strange offering from the Coil.”

StarWeb flopped down on a stool in Maximilian”s chamber in the wayside inn, trailing

her wings to each side. She had arrived less than an hour previously, exhausted from the long,

arduous flight from the Outlands, but Maximilian had not even allowed her time to wash and

rest.

He wanted to know about Ishbel.

“She trails secrets like some women trail the scent of their perfume,” StarWeb eventually

said. “I don”t trust her.”

Maximilian crossed his arms and leaned against a window frame. “You don”t like her,”

he said.

“No.”

“Why not? Everyone trails secrets about them. It is a necessary condition of life.”

“I do not think she would be a good wife for you. She is too unquiet.”

“Hmmm. Unquiet is not good. Secrets I can tolerate, but not unquietness.”

“You”re making fun of me.”

Maximilian grinned. “Not at all. So tell me, how went negotiations? Did you broker me a

wife?”

“Yes. She agreed too readily.”

“To all the conditions?”

“Not quite. She agreed that the marriage would not be ratified until she is carrying a

child. She refused to wait until it was born. She also refused to hand over her dowry until the

marriage was ratified. I said that would ensure her your immediate amorous intentions.”

“You must have pushed her hard.”

“I think it is fair to say she loathes me.” StarWeb paused. “I told her I was your lover.”

Maximilian went very still. “That was not wise, StarWeb, and most certainly not fair to

Ishbel.”

StarWeb shrugged, moving away from Maximilian. “I was honest with her. I hoped to

startle some honesty from her in return, but was disappointed.”

“I am surprised she conceded as much as she did,” Maximilian said. “She must want me

very much.” Or perhaps she is under strict instructions.

StarWeb shot him a look. “I did not tell her you were a good lover.”

Maximilian raised a small smile. “Nonetheless, she wants marriage with me badly, it