Thealos’ stomach twisted over. “He did.”
Abtalion nodded sagely. “The artifacts are of Silvan magic, for you would have been able to tell if they were Forbidden since you are Shae. Once the Mages of Safehome took all the records of magic, the Warders left behind could only pass on knowledge from master to student. It has been thousands of years since Ravin-Dranath, Thealos. Much of that original knowledge has been lost. Not every generation was able to teach all that it remembered. We have much of it—the Warders today are very powerful. So are the weapons they created for the Crimson Wolfsmen. There are other magics still that Silvermere brought. But I want you to remember this—the Mages of Safehome rebelled against the kings of the Shae. They refused to submit the records into the hands of those who, by right of blood, deserved them.”
“Who deserved them?” Thealos asked, feeling sick to his stomach. “The Shae do not have a true ruler. The heir of the house of Quicksilver was murdered.”
“He was. That is why Prince Silvermere left. He did not fight to rule a shattered kingdom. He left with those who believed in him and in his right. The other Shae kingdoms hated him for doing so. But their rulers were also murdered. Silvermere preserved the legacy of the Silvan way. Your forefathers, the Quickfellows, believed in him as well and renounced their rights. If you traveled to the East Kingdoms, you could claim any number of rights abandoned back then. But not here,” he concluded with a tone of finality. “Not in Avisahn.”
As much as Abtalion’s words sounded true, a wave of distrust mounted in Thealos’ heart. So many tangled motives. So much time had passed. Did Abtalion know the truth or only a slice of it himself?
“I can see why this coming to light now makes things… awkward, Chancellor. The Shae High Council just exonerated me of treason.”
Laisha’s words were full of venom. “Look at the Foretelling this way. When the Mages of Safehome left the Silverkin, they insisted that my family surrender rule of the Shae in Avisahn. Surrender it. I can see why my father never allowed the Silverkin to be used. The humans destroyed themselves. We did not have to use it.”
Abtalion looked over his shoulder at her. “But perhaps they knew back then that it would not be needed until now, Laisha.”
Thealos stood, steadied himself, and then started pacing on the other side of the room from Laisha. “How can these Foretellings be accurate if the Mages themselves are renegades?”
Abtalion stifled a yawn. “I don’t know.”
Thealos scrubbed at an itch behind his ear. “This does not make sense to me. Why will the House of Silver fall if the Silverkin is used?” His mind raced. Unless the House of Silver was based on some form of Forbidden magic that the artifact would destroy? Was there a Sorian manipulating Avisahn too? It felt outrageous, but what else could it mean?
“It could mean any number of things,” Laisha said, pacing. “If you used it to save our people, perhaps the people would revolt against my rule. Perhaps the magic has a consequence that will cause a devastation in this valley as happened in Sol-don-Orai, and we would be forced to flee the valley.”
“You are neglecting to mention a more obvious possibility, Laisha.” Abtalion’s voice was so soft it was nearly a whisper.
“What?” Thealos asked.
Laisha grit her teeth but did not stop Abtalion from speaking.
“My boy, do you remember what happened to the names of the ruling Shae families when royal houses intermarried?”
Thealos nodded mutely. The spark of understanding lit in his mind.
“Your family is the last line from the House of the Quick that I am aware of. Perhaps there is another in the East Kingdoms. I doubt it. If you married…someone…from the House of Silver, your children would bear both names. They would be Quicksilver. That would, technically, end the reign of the House of Silver.” Abtalion leaned forward, shaking his head slowly. “I cannot help but guess that your Sleepwalker knows this. That is why he came to you and not to us.”
Thealos needed the bench again.
“I think you’ve told him enough now, Chancellor,” Laisha whispered. She faced away from them both, staring into nothingness. She turned her head a little. “Go back to sleep, Thealos. If you can.”
Thealos stared at her, his heart churning with a surge of emotions. It was the first time since he had returned that she had used his name. What could he say? How could he reassure her?
“What will you do tomorrow?” he asked. “The Sunedrion will hear the representative of Dos-Aralon. What will you tell them?”
“Go to sleep, Thealos,” she repeated. “I haven’t decided yet.”
Thealos slowly rose to his feet, overwhelmed. “Perhaps you should sleep yourself. Thank you for summoning me tonight. I did not know…I didn’t…”