She flinched and gave him a look full of daggers. He withdrew his hand.
“We might as well tell him, Laisha. If we tell the Sunedrion, which we must, the whole of Avisahn will know. Best make our preparations tonight.”
“What was in the book?” Thealos’ frustration overflowed.
“Tell him, Abtalion. Just tell him.” She turned away, brooding.
Abtalion scratched the back of his head. “It seems, young man, that your destiny is to upset this kingdom.”
All strength went out of Thealos’ legs and he caught himself on the arm rail of a cushioned chair. He lowered himself onto it, stunned past words.
“The Foretelling was hardly specific—it did not name you directly. I can only imagine how it must have baffled them seventy Silvan years ago.” His quiet voice played in the shadows of the chamber. “The Silverkin is a creation of magic by the Mages of Safehome. It is after the order of their strongest magic, the kind that can destroy any form of Firekin. It leaves the wielder sickened and weak for several days. There is even a warning that the wielder will die if it is used too frequently or if the channeling of the magic is too hard on the bearer. It was warded to prevent it from being used in Forbidden ways. Only a Shae can wield it—and only one from the bloodline of Quicksilver. That was very specific.”
“I know all of this so far,” Thealos said in a weak voice.
Abtalion smiled sadly. “I haven’t gotten to the Foretelling yet. The price for such a gift was high. Too high for the King of Avisahn to bear, actually. The Fortelling stated that when the Silverkin was properly invoked—when, mind you—it would mark the end of the House of Silver as the ruling family of the Shae.” He gave Thealos a piercing look. “Can you imagine then why the princess of Avisahn is a little upset?”
Thealos’ knees trembled, even though he was seated. “I did not know this was going to happen.”
“No, I believe you did not. But I think the Sleepwalker did. If he is from Safehome, as you told us, then they have begun meddling yet again.”
“Again?” Thealos leaned forward. “I’m sorry, Chancellor, but my whole life I’ve been given to understand that Safehome was a place that would return someday and bring the Shae back to Eroth. During my Foretelling, I saw a city emerge from the clouds over the Shoreland. I saw the Mages of Safehome…one of them sang. I don’t understand what it all means. But I have started to think that many of the truths I believed as a child were lies.”
Abtalion smiled and shook his head. “No, Thealos, we all learn truth in slices. What infant can swallow a whole pear? Certain truths are given to us when we are older…more able to understand them and their contexts. If your family worshipped Shenalle instead of Vannier, then these things would be better explained. The Mages of Safehome are a faction of Shae. A corrupt faction. Just because they named their flying city ‘Safehome’ does not mean that it is the true Safehome that will return for us. It’s part of the illusion of power they’ve cloaked themselves with. The Emperor of Sol-don-Orai had flying cities as well—though they were all lost after the destruction of his Empire.”
Thealos wrestled with the ideas. He had learned to trust Jaerod. Was that trust misplaced? The confidence in Abtalion’s voice rattled him.
“So you are saying, Chancellor, that the Mages of Safehome have a flying city like the Emperor of Sol-don-Orai did? What is their purpose then as you understand it?”
Abtalion sat back. “I’ve never known one of the Mages but their history goes back a hundred Silvan years. They date before the time of our first king, and my Elcorrel wasn’t even alive when Silvermere founded Avisahn in this valley. You were taught of the destruction of the Shae homeland…of Ravin-Dranath. Good, it’s a wise thing that we all remember that name. We nearly destroyed ourselves back then. The scar left in the earth over that destruction will never heal—not in another ten millennia. Our original homeland was destroyed. But the Mages of Safehome, who were the followers of Shenalle, took the records containing the purposes and methods of the Warders—of creating and empowering artifacts of Silvan magic. I’m sure the Sleepwalker you met had such weapons or artifacts with him. Correct?”