A Shout for the Dead by James Barclay Read Free Book Online Page A

make-up had covered most of the lines on her face but she was always careful to ensure she looked authoritative, ignoring the trend to try and appear as young as possible. That did not befit the Advocate at the age of eighty-two. She was proud of the grey in her hair. Signs of a life spent in the service of her citizens. Nonetheless, Herine still felt vibrant and refused to contemplate old age. She adjusted the circlet of gilded leaves in her hair and ran her finger along her nose, wishing as ever that it had been more sculpted. She smiled to herself before turning back to Tharin; that she should still suffer vanity at her age.
    'You know there is a man not two hundred yards from here who could cure you, whatever it is you have. And there will be more like him. Able to save citizens who once had no hope.'
    'They represent your greatest weakness, Herine,' said Tharin. 'I would rather die than have one of your Ascendants touch me.'
    'You will undoubtedly get your wish,' snapped Herine.
    'Don't you see they are the root cause of the Conquord's struggles since the war?'
    'I know the job of education is not complete.' Herine retook her seat and stared across the table at Tharin, wondering where she had gone wrong with this man.
    'Is that what they tell you? Your advisers and the Ascendants? The sweetened story that nothing is wrong that a little teaching won't cure?'
    'You think I don't know the poison that the Order is spreading?' 'And there you sum up the problem you face,' said Tharin. Herine paused and frowned. 'Speak.'
    Tharin took a deep breath and composed himself, dabbing at his mouth and his forehead. Sweat was on his brow.
    'You are the appointed representative of the Omniscient on this earth. And yet your disdain for your own Chancellor is common knowledge. In pursuit of your Ascendants, you have turned your back on your own religion.'
    'Oh!' Herine threw up her hands in exasperation. 'A decade and still you don't understand? The Ascendants are part of the Omniscient, they do his work. They are not a replacement. You know what we have uncovered. You know this strand of our religion existed before it was outlawed by those who feared its capacity to undermine their power. That fear still drives Felice Koroyan. So be it. I no longer recognise the religion the Chancellor claims to follow. It is not mine. I only regret the Senate's refusal to let me remove her.'
    'I understand exactly what you think you are doing, Herine. But the ordinary citizen has not seen what you have and you cannot be surprised that they remain scared of this new power they see you supporting. The citizen is confused. He no longer knows if the generations of Omniscient beliefs he has taken to his heart are true. He feels undermined by you, his Advocate, and he fears the violent influence of the Chancellor.
    'He cannot trust what he always took to be the truth. You should talk to Felice. She'll tell you. For every citizen who keeps faith with her doctrine or who chooses to turn to the Ascendancy strand, ten revert to the ancient faiths that dominated before the Conquord came. You're breaking the Conquord more effectively than any action Dornos takes ever could.'
    'You're attempting to render me responsible for Dornosean treachery? Ridiculous. Refusal to pay levies has nothing to do with religion.'
    'No, no,' said Tharin. 'Your refusal to read the accounts has done that. Your confusing signals over the Omniscient are merely cement over the cracks. My people are poor and they are hungry. And they will not pay any more to keep you in wine, Estorr in fresh paint and your legions staffed to wage war. That time has passed. Peace and stability must rule. We want the friendship of the Conquord. We want trade and alliance. We can no longer suffer dominion. It is ruining us.'
    Herine laughed. She couldn't help herself.
    'You think the Conquord is no longer in danger? God-embrace-me, do you never look beyond your borders? The Omari have not ceased their aggression