The Emperor's Mirror Read online

  The Emperor’s Mirror

  By Emily Holloway and Amanda Crowe

  Prologue

  The dragon that guarded the Imperial family was one of the most magnificent to ever live in the ancient realm. Except for some hints of deep purple that matched his ruff and whiskers, his scales were a dark, burnished gold, as were his wings. Few people had ever seen him, but his legend had spread far and wide.

  It was believed that the Imperial family had been watched over by this dragon since time began, and he was both loyal and beloved. For generations, his only thought had been to protect the family he served.

  Then, slowly, things began to change.

  “Let me ask you something,” the prince said, leaning against the dragon’s side. The dragon had his own quarters, but was apt to lounge around in the courtyard in good weather. He preferred to spend his time basking in the sun whenever possible. The enormous flagstone courtyard had been designed with just this purpose in mind, and both the dragon and the prince loved it. The stones soaked up the sunlight, giving the entire place a warm glow. A little stream followed one edge of the yard, shadowed by thick hedges that added privacy. The water tumbled down over the rocks and into the koi pond. The dragon could remember when the prince had been a young boy, and he would stand on the rocks and try to count the koi, identifying them by their brilliant patterns of orange, gold, white, and black. A stand of red maples stood in one corner to provide shade when the sun became too fierce.

  “Do you ever get bored?”

  The dragon shifted his massive body. / Sometimes. The scenery can get boring, since I cannot leave the palace. /

  “Have you ever wanted to leave?” the prince asked, turning so he could look up at the dragon. He knew full well that the palace could sometimes feel like a prison.

  / Yes, sometimes I used to, / the dragon admitted. / When there was no one here I was close to. /

  A faint smile danced on the prince’s lips for a few moments. “We could leave together,” he suggested, knowing as he said it that it was nothing more than an idle fantasy.

  / If I was ever going to leave with anyone, it would be you, / the dragon replied.

  The prince looked up at him, then away. “For a moment there, I almost forgot that the Emperor has to be self-sacrificing and place the needs of Empire above his own.”

  The dragon sighed. / It might not always be that way. /

  Now the smile returned to the prince’s face. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “Even if I’m always taking care of my people, you’ll always be there to take care of me.”

  / Of course I will. / The dragon smiled, though there was no sign of it on his face.

  “Will we always be together?” the prince asked, watching the leaves fall. There was a chill in the air. Winter was coming.

  / I wish us to be. I’ve never asked the gods for anything before. /

  There was a long silence. The prince reached out and caught one of the maple leaves as it fell. “They say if you make a wish when you catch a falling leaf, it will come true,” he mentioned.

  / What did you wish for? /

  “Well, I can’t tell you that,” the prince admonished him. “Or else it won’t come true.”

  The dragon rolled over onto his back, lolling in the fading sunlight. / You’re so mean to me, / he said.

  “Don’t you ever forget it,” the prince said primly. He cast the leaf into the koi pond and abruptly reverted back to their previous topic of conversation. “Are you going to ask the gods?”

  / Of course I’m going to ask. I don’t want to be here if I can’t have you. /

  The prince smiled again. “Thank you.”

  / I love you. /

  “I know. It’s going to get you into trouble someday.”

  / Don’t be such a pessimist. / The dragon abruptly shifted into his human form and pulled the startled young prince into an embrace. The prince let out a small yelp and the two of them began to tussle in the courtyard until they fell into the koi pond, where the koi were very surprised to see them.

  The dragon laughed, shaking water out of his hair.

  “Idiot,” the prince grumbled, pawing his bangs out of his face. “Everyone thinks you have dignity. I know better.”

  “Dignity is so boring,” the dragon replied.

  “Says you.” The prince stood, drawing himself up straight. Even drenched, wearing only a loose robe, he somehow managed to look regal. “See?” he asked, sniffing at the dragon.

  The dragon stood up and picked a strand of pondweed out of the prince’s hair. “You’re dignified enough for the both of us,” he replied.

  “You got me wet.” The prince glared at him.

  “You got me wet, too.” The dragon stuck out his tongue out at the prince. “I didn’t do it all by myself.”

  “Think what you wish,” the prince said loftily, straightening his robe. “But some of us have to worry about catching cold, so I think I’ll retire inside for the rest of the day.”

  “Am I allowed to follow?” the dragon asked.

  “That depends,” the prince replied. “Are you going to help me change into dry clothes?”

  “If that’s what the prince commands . . .”

  “And if the prince commands you to behave?” the prince asked archly.

  “That all depends on what type of behavior the prince would like.”

  The prince raised his eyebrow, but then broke into a grin despite himself. “Then let’s get out of here before my oh-so-honorable father finds us playing around in the koi pond and yells at us. Again.”

  “We’ll get yelled at for dripping on the floor. Again.”

  “Well, if one of us could steer away from nearby bodies of water . . .” The prince headed for the door.

  “Then why did you steer us that way?” the dragon asked innocently.

  Moments later, the dragon found himself yet again in the koi pond.

  “Idiot,” the prince muttered with a fond smile, and went inside.

  * * *

  Chapter One

  “Just a simple job,” the Oracle’s bird had said. “You can get it done on your way back to Kan Shou. No problem for you.”

  That had been three days ago, and in the duration, Tallis had been bruised, battered, and hung upside down by his feet. As he arrived at the local Warder office, he reflected to himself that the Oracle’s definitions of ‘simple’ and ‘problem’ were obviously different from those of a normal person. It would have been easy to get irritated, but to be honest, Tallis loved his work.

  Even if he hadn’t, there was something innately satisfactory in a job well done, and the parents of the girl he had rescued were eagerly waiting. He smiled at their happy reunion, awkwardly brushing off their thanks. They soon noticed the man standing behind Tallis, who was bound physically as well as magically, and Mason, the local Warder, hastened to get the loving family out of the office before the girl’s father could get any ideas about revenge.

  “You’ll take this one back to Kan Shou?” Mason asked briskly, giving the mage who had kidnapped the girl a surreptitious look.

  “Yeah,” Tallis said. He felt somewhat uneasy in the local Warder’s presence. Normally, the case would have gone to Mason, but the Oracle had broad discretion in assignments, and Tallis was sure that the older, more experienced, but less powerful Mason wouldn’t have been able to handle the rescue. He wasn’t sure that Mason agreed. At nineteen, Tallis was one of the youngest Warders currently on duty, and he knew that some of the older Warders believed him to be nothing more than a snot-nosed kid who had somehow, through money or flattery, won the favoritism of the Oracle. “That’s where I’m headed anyway.”

  “All right, good,”
Mason said.

  Tallis breathed out a quiet sigh. Between himself and the criminal, he knew which one Mason really wanted gone. He pushed his hands through his tawny gold hair, securing it in a short ponytail. His bangs had fallen into his face, as usual; the ponytail would keep them out of the way for just long enough for him to get his horse tacked up before they would inevitably escape their tie.

  He was pondering what sort of farewell might be appropriate when a small white bird flew through the window. He and Mason startled a little, then both of them lifted an arm to give the bird a place to land. It headed for Tallis, and alighted on his wrist, shimmering briefly before dissolving into origami.

  “Orders?” Mason asked.

  “Yes,” Tallis said. He unfolded the piece of paper. It was not overly informative; it gave him the name of a town, a date and a time, and told him that his contact would meet him there. “Do you know where Hazleton is?” he asked.

  “’Bout two days west of here as the horse rides,” Mason said. “I can give you a map if you need it. No point in Gating – there isn’t any Gate near here.”

  “I’m supposed to be there by tomorrow night,” Tallis said.

  Mason snorted, some of his earlier annoyance fading. “Sometimes the Oracle really doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘convenience’. You can make it by nightfall tomorrow if you ride the night through.”

  “You’ll take custody of this one?”

  “I’ll see him to Kan Shou myself.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “Good journey,” Mason said, and clasped his hand. “And good hunting.”

  * * *

  Tallis had wondered why the inn wasn’t named in the message. Upon arriving in Hazleton, it became obvious. The town was so small that it was barely a dot on the map. A high wall made of dirt and stone surrounded it, inside which were several dozen houses, a general store, a blacksmith, and a few other shops. All the buildings were tightly packed together, allowing Tallis and his horse only just enough space to move down the narrow dirt alleys. The town seemed rather austere; the houses were built from simple gray brick, their peaked roofs made of clay tile.

  The inn was the largest building in the town. Tallis hitched his horse outside; it had been a long ride and the animal was grateful for the rest. It was just before sunset, and Tallis gave the horse a good grooming before turning him over to the hostler. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the hostler; it was simply that sometimes, a little extra attention was necessary in order to get back in his horse’s good graces.

  It appeared that most of the town’s population had already gathered at the inn’s tavern. Amused, he got a pot of tea from the waitress and settled at a small table in the corner to wait for his contact. He was a little early; night had not yet fallen.

  The waitress brought him a bowl of rice and some fish stew, which appeared to be the dish of the day; everyone was eating the same thing. He didn’t mind, as he had only stopped to eat once during the day, and found that he was ravenous.

  A hush came over the bar, and he glanced up to see that a singularly stunning young woman had walked in. With her gorgeous figure, dark brown curls, and perfect skin, Lady Calessa of Raynor had a tendency to stop conversation wherever she went, and she never seemed to get tired of it. She smiled disarmingly, won the hearts of the men in the bar by getting a bottle of hot sake, and then sidled over to the table where Tallis was sitting.

  “This seat taken?” she asked, as everyone in the bar eyed Tallis and wondered why he was lucky enough to get the girl, when he hadn’t even tried to catch her attention. Tallis had drawn quite a few stares himself upon his entry into the tavern; he was not traditionally handsome, but his gold hair and eyes were unusual and gave him an exotic appearance that attracted attention both positive and negative.

  “It’s all yours,” he said politely, glancing around the crowd. “But I may get lynched if you take it.”

  Calessa chuckled and said, in a voice that was just loud enough to be heard by the whole crowd, “Tallis, dear brother, how long it’s been!”

  “Too long, my dear sister,” he said, standing long enough to give her a brief embrace. The enmity from the men at the bar faded to manageable levels, and they both snorted with hidden laughter. After a few moments, the crowd went back to their own meals and conversations. “You’re good,” he said, wondering how often she had to pretend men were related to her in order to keep hostilities from overflowing. It had to be a cover story she used often; certainly she and Tallis did not look anything alike.

  “I’ve had practice,” she said. “I suppose we should observe the formalities?” she asked.

  “Always,” he said, lifting his arm and pulling up his sleeve enough to show her the elaborate tattoo just above his wrist. She examined it for a moment, then returned the gesture. “Good, good,” he said. “I always like to know I’m not a fake. How about you?”

  “Charmed, I’m sure,” she said. “But fancy meeting you here; I haven’t seen you in months. Do you think it’s a big job?”

  “I’m trying to figure out how anything in this town could be big,” Tallis replied.

  They both jumped slightly as a slight woman with mouse-brown hair done in a hasty bun sat down in the third seat at their table. “Good evening,” she said.

  “I hate the way you do that,” Calessa said, clutching a hand to her chest. “It’s completely unfair to be that quiet and inconspicuous, Sienna.”

  “My apologies,” Sienna said, lifting her wrist long enough for both of them to see her tattoo, then giving both of theirs a quick glance. Her memory being far better, it took her only a cursory look to verify them. She noticed that the others in the tavern were clearly interested in this odd party, shooting furtive glances their way. Without missing a beat, Sienna began to trace some runes on the table that would muffle their conversation from any would-be eavesdroppers.

  “That’s three of us,” Tallis mused, gazing at his fellow Warders. He knew both of them, although not well. Both were several years older than him, though Calessa had only graduated from the Academy the year before him. He had worked a few cases with each of them, but not often. He tended to work alone; ‘wait for backup’ was not a phrase that existed in his vocabulary. “I think we may be in for an interesting ride.”

  “It’s a puzzle,” Sienna agreed. “Certainly, this town is too small for a regular Warder, but why bring in the three of us?”

  “A puzzle,” Tallis said. “You must be thrilled.”

  “Already?” Sienna asked, amused. “I am not given to move so quickly to emotional heights.”

  Before the others could reply, a man took the last seat at their table. He was carrying a plate, but no tankard, and was dressed in a simple red and yellow habit. His clothes and shaved head marked him clearly as a follower of the old gods. “Good evening, sir, ladies,” he said, beginning to eat. “The inn is quite crowded today, so forgive me if I impose upon you.”

  “Not at all,” Calessa said, smiling at him. This seemed to have no effect on the monk, and she concluded immediately that he either took his vows very seriously, or simply had no interest in women.

  “I didn’t know there was a monastery nearby,” Tallis said.

  “There isn’t, not really,” the monk replied. “It’s about a three-hour ride south of here. However, it’s quite isolated and Hazleton is the nearest town. Oh, forgive my manners. My name is Brother Kendrick. How do you do?”

  “My name is Sienna,” the woman said formally. “This is Lady Calessa of Raynor, and Tallis.”

  Kendrick nodded and bowed to each one of them in turn. “You are the only strangers in the inn, so it stands to reason that you are the Warders we sent for.”

  “Points for logic,” Tallis said. “What can we help you with?”

  Brother Kendrick folded his hands in front of himself and studied them each in turn. “I must ask you to accompany me to the monastery,” he said. “I cannot discuss it here. Elder Edrich will explain
things to you there.”

  “I’ll have to get some apples,” Tallis said. “Otherwise, my horse will rebel.”

  “Still misbehaving?” Sienna asked, amused.

  “Sometimes I want to turn him in for a different one,” Tallis said.

  “We shouldn’t leave together.” Kendrick finished his food. “I will meet you outside when you are done. Our honorable elder does not wish to attract attention to our little problem.”

  “Agreed,” Sienna said crisply. She waited until the monk had gone. “A puzzle, indeed.”

  They ate in silence for a few moments, considering. It was unusual for someone from the old religion to request help from anyone, let alone the Warders. The Warders were an entity that existed outside the bonds of any Nation-State or culture; they were completely neutral in all conflicts, existing only to do their own job of magical regulation and law enforcement. Their secular nature made the Elders of the old religion wary of them. Some of the monasteries were self-sufficient to the point that they could go years without any outside contact. All three of them were wondering what sort of crime would have resulted in the Warders being called for aid.

  “Well,” Sienna finally said, pushing her plate aside. “It was lovely seeing you again. Drop me a line when you have the chance, hm?”

  “Of course,” Tallis said.

  Sienna left the table. She made her way up to the front desk, inquired about the price of a room, and after paying for it along with her dinner, vanished up the stairs.

  “We’d better go too,” Tallis murmured. “Some of the drunks are starting to give you looks again. I think they’ve forgotten that I’m your brother and might start having fights over who gets to take you home.”

  “I love being adored, but sometimes it gets inconvenient,” Calessa said. She raised her voice. “Would you like to stay here tonight, or would you like to try to make it to uncle’s house before it gets much later?”

  “Let’s continue on,” Tallis said. “He’s expecting us.” He stood up and offered her his arm, to which she smiled graciously and accepted. The lustful stares of the men followed her through the door as they made their way outside and to the stables. Tallis’ horse gave him a look when he saw them approaching. “It’s not my fault,” Tallis protested.