the fabric that the High Bishop was with them, surrounded by other members of the Palace household, and trailing a line of monks. Gradyn walked with Dynan on one side and Dain on the other. Each held an arm out for him to lean on and they moved with slow care.
While he seemed all right, Maralt thought Gradyn was just holding on until everyone left. It was difficult to tell because of the glowing white light that enveloped him. Standing inside that nimbus was probably the only reason he was still on his feet.
“Forgive me for the distraction,” Gradyn said, “and the disruption. The reception would have been the most enjoyable part of the day.”
Dynan shook his head without looking up from the floor though he did smile for a second. Maralt could feel his relief.
“We don’t mind, Eminence,” Dain said for him. “Really, we don’t.”
“Of course. I suppose the best part is having it all over with,” Gradyn said with a dry laugh. He patted Dynan’s hand. “I think today, I completely agree. Thank you again for your quick reaction. You saved me quite a bruising. Both of you.”
“Are you sure you’re all right now?” Ambrose asked as he stopped at the intersection of halls. “Dr. Elger can stay if you want him to.”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary. It’s passing. Eldelar doesn’t have a cure for old age anyway.”
“Not yet, though I do keep asking him to work on it,” the King said with a slight smile. “All right then. We’ll leave you to a much more restful afternoon, and don’t worry about the reception. We’ll have something in a week or two at the Palace. You can come over for that. If you’d like.”
“I’d like it very much, Your Majesty. I appreciate your understanding.”
Dynan and Dain let him go and at their father’s nod left the building through the side door. The hall seemed suddenly plunged into darkness.
Maralt waited for all the pleasantries to conclude and for the rest of the Royal exit before moving to Gradyn’s side, sensing that he was at the end of endurance. The door closed, cutting off the warble of the transfers pulling away.
Maralt wrapped his arms around Gradyn as his knees gave out. He dismissed the other hovering monks with a wave of his hand, holding the High Bishop up.
“What is it?” Maralt asked as Carryn moved to help on the other side.
Gradyn couldn’t speak, though he tried to, clutching at Maralt without effect.
“The Room of Orbs—” Carryn started to say, but Gradyn cut her off.
“He’s gone,” he said.
Maralt tightened his grip as the High Bishop collapsed unconscious. Carryn looked with bewildered eyes as Maralt leaned and picked him up. He hardly weighed anything at all.
“Who?” she said. “Who’s gone?”
~*~
Chapter 6
Maralt knocked softly at the door to the High Bishop’s bedroom and then didn’t wait for an answer to look in. Carryn sat in the small room by his bedside and she shook her head in response to the unasked question. They’d taken turns through the night watching over him, but Gradyn hadn’t stirred. He was breathing. His heart beat as usual. A Temple physician had checked him again and found nothing wrong.
“I’ve got this,” Maralt said. “Go get some sleep.”
She shook her head again, but dragged to her feet. “What’s happening at the Palace?”
“Nothing. They spent the rest of the day in their rooms yesterday. Dain was drawing and Dynan was...I don’t know exactly.”
“Does he have it?”
“I couldn’t tell. It’s hard to get near him without Dain coming right in. It’s like they never separate. Since yesterday, every time I tried to reach Dynan, I ran into Dain instead. I’m not sure I could stand that kind of over-protective, constant presence.”
“You’re the same way with me,” Carryn said.
“I am not.”
“Are too,” she said. “You don’t even realize you’re doing it. I don’t mind. I imagine that Dain is the same way toward Dynan.
While he seemed all right, Maralt thought Gradyn was just holding on until everyone left. It was difficult to tell because of the glowing white light that enveloped him. Standing inside that nimbus was probably the only reason he was still on his feet.
“Forgive me for the distraction,” Gradyn said, “and the disruption. The reception would have been the most enjoyable part of the day.”
Dynan shook his head without looking up from the floor though he did smile for a second. Maralt could feel his relief.
“We don’t mind, Eminence,” Dain said for him. “Really, we don’t.”
“Of course. I suppose the best part is having it all over with,” Gradyn said with a dry laugh. He patted Dynan’s hand. “I think today, I completely agree. Thank you again for your quick reaction. You saved me quite a bruising. Both of you.”
“Are you sure you’re all right now?” Ambrose asked as he stopped at the intersection of halls. “Dr. Elger can stay if you want him to.”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary. It’s passing. Eldelar doesn’t have a cure for old age anyway.”
“Not yet, though I do keep asking him to work on it,” the King said with a slight smile. “All right then. We’ll leave you to a much more restful afternoon, and don’t worry about the reception. We’ll have something in a week or two at the Palace. You can come over for that. If you’d like.”
“I’d like it very much, Your Majesty. I appreciate your understanding.”
Dynan and Dain let him go and at their father’s nod left the building through the side door. The hall seemed suddenly plunged into darkness.
Maralt waited for all the pleasantries to conclude and for the rest of the Royal exit before moving to Gradyn’s side, sensing that he was at the end of endurance. The door closed, cutting off the warble of the transfers pulling away.
Maralt wrapped his arms around Gradyn as his knees gave out. He dismissed the other hovering monks with a wave of his hand, holding the High Bishop up.
“What is it?” Maralt asked as Carryn moved to help on the other side.
Gradyn couldn’t speak, though he tried to, clutching at Maralt without effect.
“The Room of Orbs—” Carryn started to say, but Gradyn cut her off.
“He’s gone,” he said.
Maralt tightened his grip as the High Bishop collapsed unconscious. Carryn looked with bewildered eyes as Maralt leaned and picked him up. He hardly weighed anything at all.
“Who?” she said. “Who’s gone?”
~*~
Chapter 6
Maralt knocked softly at the door to the High Bishop’s bedroom and then didn’t wait for an answer to look in. Carryn sat in the small room by his bedside and she shook her head in response to the unasked question. They’d taken turns through the night watching over him, but Gradyn hadn’t stirred. He was breathing. His heart beat as usual. A Temple physician had checked him again and found nothing wrong.
“I’ve got this,” Maralt said. “Go get some sleep.”
She shook her head again, but dragged to her feet. “What’s happening at the Palace?”
“Nothing. They spent the rest of the day in their rooms yesterday. Dain was drawing and Dynan was...I don’t know exactly.”
“Does he have it?”
“I couldn’t tell. It’s hard to get near him without Dain coming right in. It’s like they never separate. Since yesterday, every time I tried to reach Dynan, I ran into Dain instead. I’m not sure I could stand that kind of over-protective, constant presence.”
“You’re the same way with me,” Carryn said.
“I am not.”
“Are too,” she said. “You don’t even realize you’re doing it. I don’t mind. I imagine that Dain is the same way toward Dynan.
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