Tuok struggled to get the words out, his breath wheezing. "Miro, you must have known..."
"She is not a whore!"
Tuok got the words out with the last of his breath. "Not... a... whore..."
Miro let go and Tuok fell to the floor gasping, his face purple. Tuok began to cough in fits.
The strength went out of Miro. He fell to the floor beside Tuok.
"Oh, Tuok. I’m sorry. I thought she loved me."
Tuok coughed for a moment, gathering his breath. Colour started to even out on his face. His breathing slowed. "Miro, only once before have I seen a man move faster. I saw two bladesingers at practice in the Pens." Tuok shook his head. "You move like they do."
Miro groaned.
Tuok’s tone softened. "Why don’t you tell me about it?"
Miro stared at the wall for a moment, desolate. Then he started to speak.
"We went to her room. It was... amazing. We talked afterwards. She asked me all about Altura; I asked her about Tingara. She said her father had been mutilated by the streetclans, his hands cut off, accused of stealing. Then we did it again. It was... different the second time. It lasted longer. We talked some more. She said she thought the Emperor was going to try to bring the houses together in friendship. That’s why he called the Chorum, she said. Then we did it again." Miro noticed a small smile creeping on Tuok’s face. "It was... special."
Tuok calmed. "And then what?"
"And then I woke in the morning with a head the size of a house. A house with a thousand prismatic orbs exploding inside it."
"Sounds something like my morning," said Tuok with a wry smile.
"She was gone. And so was all my money. She didn’t leave a note, nothing. Tuok that was all my money in the world. I went downstairs to the bar and asked about her. A big man came up to me and told me to leave. We had some words."
"Words?"
Miro held up a fist, the knuckles scratched.
Tuok chuckled. "I’m guessing the man won’t be having words with you again any time soon? Be careful boy, the streetclans don’t mess about, and the whores... I mean, some of the girls... they belong to the clans."
Miro sighed. "I guessed something like that."
"I’m sorry, lad. Seranthia’s a tough city. You either leave out the gate with nothing but the shirt on your back, or you leave over the gate with only your shirt to cushion your fall."
Miro nodded.
One of the soldiers poked his head around the wall. "The Chorum’s over," he said.
Exchanging glances, Miro and Tuok followed him out.
~
HIGH Lord Tessolar and the other Alturan lords had quickly sequestered themselves in their quarters. The market house was rife with rumour. The Chorum had not gone well.
Miro asked around but different soldiers knew different things. Many said it was something to do with Raj Torakon. Others said it was the Halrana who were angry about something. No one knew for certain.
Then Captain Sloan moved from group to group, gathering the men. "The High Lord has requested a gathering of everyone in the market house. Assemble immediately."
Whispering to one another they followed the captain. Everyone in the market house had gathered — it was a surprising number of people. Merchants with emerald earrings stood side by side with soldiers in green tabards. Page boys and couriers vied for space with administrators and emissaries.
High Lord Tessolar stood on a podium, deep in discussion with Lord Marshal Devon. He nodded in response to something Devon said, and then gazed about the room.
Miro looked around him, there must have been two thousand people in the room, crowded up against the podium and looking at the High Lord expectantly.
"Raj Altura overcomes!" the High Lord began. He stood stiffly, one hand over his heart. His other hand touched first his lips, and then his forehead.
Everyone in the room followed suit.
"Raj Altura overcomes!" Miro shouted it along with the rest of them. He felt a surge of kinship with his fellow countrymen. Momentous events were taking place, he felt proud to be here sharing them with these people.
"Greetings, my countrymen, members of my House. Many of you are wondering what has transpired at the Chorum. I wish to inform you — you are my people and you have a right to know. However the tidings are grave, and a sign of dark days to come."
High Lord Tessolar paused, his hawk-like gaze sweeping the room. As he passed where Miro stood with Tuok, Miro was sure he was looking right at him.
"Firstly, let me tell you something you will soon hear from others. Raj Torakon is no more. The builders as we know them are no more."
A sense of shock flowed through the room. Confusion.
"How, you are wondering? No, they weren’t killed or conquered. They have volunteered to join Raj Tingara. They have surrendered their identity as a house and given their Lexicon over to the Emperor."