Mordecai by Michael G. Manning
“If you can hear them, what are they saying? If they don’t know anyone can listen, they might give away their secrets,” said Conall.
“Encryption,” said Gary.
Before he could launch into an explanation, Matthew interrupted, “I’ll explain that to you later Conall. The important point is that their messages use a code that we can’t break.”
“I’d like to know why they were targeting my mother,” said Gram.
Rose sighed. “That’s obvious enough, son.”
Gram shook his head. “No, it isn’t. Sure, you’re important to me, and you’re important to Lothion, but we are dealing with machines from some foreign dimension. Why would they be interested in you?”
“Strategy and tactics are always based on similar principles no matter what the nature of the mind behind them,” explained Lady Rose. “In this case, they wanted eyes inside the castle, and they sought to implant one of their metal bugs into me for that purpose. They couldn’t target Irene because she was too close to Mordecai. Moira has already shown them that wizards are capable of detecting their presence in human hosts. They wanted someone important enough to learn valuable information, but far enough away from the Count’s family to avoid detection.”
I watched Rose carefully as she spoke, and as usual I couldn’t help but be impressed at her objective calm as she discussed the possibility of her own body being used as a host for the enemy’s body controlling machines. I also noticed that she tucked her hands into her sleeves, to hide her trembling.
Moira spoke then, “I don’t understand how this connects with what happened to Lancaster. None of it makes sense.”
I looked at Lynaralla, my gaze steady as I spoke, “It doesn’t. I think we’re dealing with two completely separate events.”
Lynaralla met my gaze without flinching. If anything, there was a question in her eyes. I honestly didn’t think she knew anything, but if she did have any guilty thoughts, I didn’t want to miss the signs.
Moira frowned. “Why are you looking at her?”
“I believe the Illeniel She’Har are responsible for what happened at Lancaster,” I responded. Then I let my eyes move to Moira’s face. “But I have no idea how, or why.”
That statement produced another commotion as everyone began asking questions at once. Questions we had no answers to. Eventually, Matthew got control of the conversation again. “He’s right. What I sensed at Lancaster was definitely translation magic, and the hexagonal shape of the land that shifted was a likely indicator that it was done with spellweaving. The problem, is that we don’t know of any current She’Har with the numbers or power to do something that large.”
“Could there be some hidden group neither of you know about?” asked Rose.
“Doubtful,” I answered. “And it had to be Illeniel She’Har. Only they have the gift to accomplish it.”
Lynaralla asked the question everyone was wondering, “Do you think it was my parents?”
“Can Tyrion spellweave?” I asked. “How long has he been in human form?”
“Only a few weeks,” she replied. “He was still an elder when I returned to the Grove. As an elder he could spellweave, but as a human—I have not seen him do so.”
“So, it could have been him,” said Conall. “He had time to travel to Lancaster.”
“How did your mother react to him abandoning the grove?” I asked simultaneously.
Lynaralla answered carefully, “He never left while I was there, and though he took human form, his elder body remains. It still provides pollen for mother’s flowers, but it has no mind while he is apart from it. I do not think he could have done this.”
As much as I wanted to blame her murderous psychopathic father, I was inclined to agree with her. Which left, what? “We’re going in circles,” I said at last. “We need more information.”
Rose nodded agreement, and after a short discussion everyone agreed, so we moved on to other things.
I stood up. “For now, we have a number of things we can do. Matthew, you and Gary need to come up with a plan for these antennae he mentioned. Ring gates would probably solve the distance problem, but I want you two to determine what locations to build the antennae, and I’ll need a detailed accounting of what materials and support you will need. Elaine, I want you to work with Gary as well. See if you can create a veil that only blocks the signals that ANSIS uses. If you can, then perhaps we can ward the castle in such a way to create a dead zone for them here.
“Conall, I need you to go to Arundel. Tell George he needs to come here. It’s no longer safe for us to be in separate locations. I want as many mages as possible here, so we can watch and guard one another. The last thing we need is for something like what almost happened to Rose to happen to one of us.
“Moira…”
“I know,” she said with a smirk. “Spellbeasts. You want as many as possible and you want them stationed with the guards and in Washbrook to help make certain ANSIS doesn’t get a foothold here.”
It was disconcerting having a daughter who could read my mind almost at will, despite whatever mental barriers I put up. I grimaced but let it go. Then I added, “I’d like one or two in Albamarl also. The Queen will be staying with us much of the time, but she will have to be there during the day, and I don’t want to leave Ariadne unguarded.”
“Gram, you’ve personally been host to one of ANSIS’s bugs before. We’ve kept a lot of that information quiet to avoid a panic, but you need to have a discussion with Captain Draper. Tell him everything you know. I want the two of you to prepare our guards for this threat. They have to know what to expect.
“Rose, you and Carissa are moving. You will live with us. Your apartment is unlivable at present, and I don’t like the thought of you being anywhere without appropriate protection.”
Conall put a hand up. “Dad, I don’t think we have enough room.”
“Then we’ll make room. Lynaralla can construct an additional temporary room or two from nothing but spellweaves. In the meantime, you can assist the workmen in building a permanent addition to the house.”
“What about Albamarl,” suggested Matthew. “Our house there is better guarded than this one, other than the fact that its location is well known, and that’s gotten to be less of an advantage these days anyway. Why don’t we build a gate between it and here? We could use both together as though they were one house.”
That was actually an excellent idea. “I like it,” I said, beaming at him. It was definitely simpler than what I had been thinking. Recently I had started considering the idea of using his interdimensional abilities to create a home within a pocket dimension. If it could be done, it would provide us with a place completely secure and unassailable by any…
A shiver ran down my spine as my thoughts came together. Of course! Pieces began to fall into place in my mind. There were still plenty of gaps and things I didn’t understand, but I knew where to look now. Most importantly, I knew who was responsible for what had happened at Lancaster, and just as importantly, I know who wasn’t.
“Mordecai?” asked Rose, studying me. “You have something to add?”
Damn, she was almost as much of a mind reader as Moira. “No,” I lied. Not yet. Later I would need to talk to Matthew, Lynaralla, and Gary. The three of them together might be able to shed some light on my suspicions. Facing the room again, I finished, “Let’s get to work.”
As everyone started moving, Elaine made as if to follow Matthew and Gary, but Rose called out to her. “Elaine, not today, you need rest, and food. Your part can wait a while.”
The young woman looked at me, and I shrugged. “She’s right.”
Moira took Elaine by the arm. “You can sleep in my room.”
“I don’t think I can sleep,” protested Elaine.
“You will,” said Moira firmly, “and I’ll make certain you have no dreams either.” Then she took Rose’s hand as well. “You too Lady Rose. You need sleep even more than Elaine does.”
“Rose,” I said, interrupting her. When I had her attention, I leaned over and kissed the top of her head, while at the same time touching her pendant and cutting her off from its protection. “Shibal,” I whispered, sending her into magically induced slumber. I caught her as her body slumped.
Moira grinned at me. “That was a dirty trick. You should have let me do it. I could have gotten past the pendant without the extra showmanship.” Then she looked pointedly at Elaine.
Elaine held up her hands. “I’ll come along quietly, no need to force me.”
Together, Moira and I levitated Rose and escorted Elaine to Moira’s room where we tucked them in for a long rest.
Chapter 20
The next few days passed peacefully, full of work and activity. Irene and Penny both awoke after the first day. My daughter was confused, but otherwise normal. She did indeed suffer a significant amount of nausea, but we all assured her that it would pass within a week. It would just take a while for her brain to adjust to the new input from her magesight.
Penny was more difficult. She didn’t talk much at first, which was certainly unusual for her. She rejected every effort I made to discuss what had happened to her, and I sensed an underlying anger within her.
Naturally, I felt she must be angry with me, but Elise took me aside and counseled me otherwise.
“Losing a limb is like losing a loved one,” she said. “The survivor goes through a process of grieving, and in the beginning, that often means anger and denial. It isn’t you she’s angry with. It’s the world itself.”
I still felt responsible, and that made it hard for me to be objective on the matter, so I did much the same as my wife. I didn’t talk about it. Penny was keeping her thoughts to herself to avoid inadvertently hurting me with her inner anger, and I kept my mouth shut to avoid burdening her with my selfish guilt.
In short, we weren’t a lot of fun to be around.
Other than that, things at home were busy, hectic, and at the same time comforting. With Rose, Elise, Carissa, and Gram living with us, there were always people around. It almost felt like a holiday. Irene in particular loved it, once she began to get over her constant vertigo. She was probably the most outgoing of anyone in my family, and Carissa was her best friend.
Rose even got into the domestic spirit of things and attempted to cook a meal. When I got word of this I tried to discourage it, but Moira and Conall had already told her it was a great idea.
Lady Rose Thornbear was many things—diplomat, politician, strategist, chess player, and a wise counselor—but I knew from experiences during our younger days that she was no cook. Raised from birth as a noblewoman, she had never been expected to perform such mundane tasks. She could sew, tat lace, and innumerable other things, but cooking was not in her repertoire. Brewing the occasional cup of tea when her maid had a day off was about the extent of her skill.
Penny and I had both been raised commoners, and as such, we had both learned to cook a variety of things from an early age. Penny really enjoyed it, and she often sought to arrange her official duties so that she would be able to cook a breakfast or dinner for the family now and then. I did the same, though not quite as often, and consequently all of our children had learned the basics, along with the joys of washing dishes.
Seeing them take turns at the task inspired Rose to try her hand at it, and I knew things wouldn’t end well.
What I didn’t factor into my calculation was Moira’s ability to read people. She not only encouraged Rose, she offered to assist, and with her advice and help, things didn’t turn out too badly.
I sniffed at my bowl of pottage suspiciously when it was put before me. Everyone else began eating immediately, and I didn’t hear any sudden outcries of agony or vomiting. “What’s in it?” I asked casually.
“Lamb, barley, carrots, and onions,” answered Rose immediately from the other side of the table.
Glancing at Moira, I saw her wink at me. How bad is it? I asked her, sending a silent thought to her.
It’s fine, Dad, really, came her reply.
Then I spotted a grimace on Conall’s face. I knew it! We’re going to die, aren’t we?
Moira stifled a laugh, then wiped her face. The meat was seared a little too much, that’s all. Try it.
“Is something wrong with your dish, Mordecai?” asked Rose sweetly.
“Oh, no,” I said quickly. “I was just lost in thought.” I popped a quick spoonful into my mouth. My first impression was that it lacked salt, and someone had gotten a bit heavy handed with the thyme. The meat was tough, and it had been slightly burned, imparting a faint bitterness to the broth.
But it was edible. In fact, compared to her last attempt at cooking over a decade ago, it was practically a miracle. Encouraged, I took a bite of the bread she had made and regretted it. It was as dry and tough as hardtack. I dropped one end into the stew and hoped it would soften, but it appeared impermeable to the liquid.
I focused on the stew after that. Matthew finished his first and asked for seconds.
Delighted, Rose filled his bowl again. “You ate quickly, Matthew. Do you like it?”
“Not really,” he answered with brutal honesty, his tone matter-of-fact. “I’m just very hungry today. I skipped breakfast.”
Rose flinched but kept her composure. Moira’s response was quick, though: “Matt! What is wrong with you?”
“What?” he asked in confusion. “She asked. I’m just being honest. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s not bad, it just isn’t good either. It’s edible, though.”
The table erupted in loud talk and argument as everyone began offering their compliments or condemning Matthew for his remark. Meanwhile, Rose took her first bite. After a moment she spoke, “Well, he’s right. It isn’t very good, but it’s edible.” Then she laughed and patted him on the arm. “Thank you for being honest, Matthew.”
Things quieted down after that, and everyone finished at least one bowl. The bread was a lost cause, however. “I appreciate everyone letting me try my hand at cooking,” said Rose, “but perhaps I should leave it to others from now on.”
My first instinct was to agree with her, but after a moment’s thought I said, “Actually, if you enjoyed it, you’re welcome to try any time you like. Everyone improves with practice.”
Irene piped up, “Like Conall’s eggs! They used to be awful, but now they’re only moderately bad!”
“Hey!” said Conall, outraged. “They’re pretty good now!”
Gram spoke up, “I hope so, because I remember when you brought your first batch down and tried to give it to Cook to add to his slop bucket. Even the pigs wouldn’t eat them.”
Everyone laughed and as things quieted down Rose stood up, a faint smile on her face. “I’ll take a bowl to Penny.”
“Let me do that,” I protested.
Rose held up a hand. “No, I’ll do it. If it’s too bad, I’ll accept responsibility.”
***
I finished the second portal to Albamarl in just under two days. Both of them appeared to be normal doors that opened from the back wall of a small room at the end of the central hallway in our mountain cottage. For security, I added an attunement enchantment to the room itself that would deactivate both portals if it failed to detect the aythar of one of the people I had chosen. I did the same thing at the other end of each of them.
The one that opened into my house in the capital was located within the chamber of circles. I merely coopted one of the circle niches and built the portal doorway within. The one in the palace opened into a closet in Ariadne’s bedroom.
Since the portals were an inherent risk, I kept the number of people attuned to them small. The list included myself, my family, Ariadne, and the Thornbear family. My initial design still had a flaw, though. A hostile enemy could potentially use one of the attuned people to keep the portals open while they or others passed through.
This meant that an enemy would have to have one of the attuned people and know, or at least know about, the password. If someone learned it, for example, by hearing it spoken while being allowed through on one occasion, they would still require the presence of one of the attuned people to use it. I also made certain I could easily change the password, in the event that I knew someone outside the family had learned it.
Of course, even with that, nothing was perfectly safe. If the enemy knew about the password and already had possession of one of us, they could torture that person to force them to reveal it and then use it and that person’s living body to pass through the portal.
To minimize that, I made sure only a few of them knew that a password even existed: myself, Penny, Rose, Matthew, and Moira. I told the rest that the portal could only be used for themselves and left the extra protective measure out of my explanation.
Was I paranoid? Damn right I was. I had been for years, and despite my best efforts, my enemies had managed to harm me and my family. Just a few months prior, my daughter Irene had been kidnapped from my supposedly secret mountain home.
While I had been involved with that project, Elaine, with Gary’s help, had learned to create a privacy ward that would specifically block a wide range of signals that ANSIS might potentially use. Since it was a type of barrier, rather than a type of invisibility veil, she was also able to teach it to the rest of us, which she did with the exception of Irene. Irene was just beginning to learn to shield herself, so she had a ways to go before she could attempt anything as complicated as warding or creating enchantments.
Once we understood the technique, I gave Elaine the task of adding her special privacy ward to the enchantments that protected my home, and when that was done, she moved on to Castle Cameron itself. Gary suggested creating interior barriers as well, so that if any ANSIS units managed to enter, they could not coordinate with one another.