84 - I Have to Tell Da!

Kyrus found himself backed against the rear wall of the butcher’s shop, hands splayed on the stone to either side of him as if he could push into the wall, staring at the Amir as if the man had just offered him up a snake on a plate rather than his sword.

There was a wild ringing in his ears and he gulped air. “W...w...w.. hat?”

“I am the first to greet the new Siwion of Lainz,” the Amir said from his knees. “Do you see me?”

“I... I... I... see you, of course I see you! You’re kneeling in the street in front of me!”

“I thank the Siwion.” He stood up with a military snap, sheathed his sword and re-clipped his veil in place.
 

“Stop calling me that!” Of a sudden Kyrus was wildly conscious of his own bare face, the mountain wind blowing across bare skin. “I’m Kyrus Talain, yes! But... but...”

“His Radiance has discovered that your line was sprung from the sheen of his loins, though not from her Lustre. The Empire is in need of you, to rise to the Golden Throne when His Immutable dies, forgive my bluntness of speech, Siwion. I’m sure the Hive-Lords would make their words sweeter.”

“But... But...”

“His Immutable was with a woman by the name of Shabat, who, when it was discovered she was with child, was married by a Hive-Lord by the name of Riyish Talain.”

“My... my... ancestor?”

“That boy... was called Diryish Talain, everyone thought, in honour of the Radiant Lord’s friend, the Emperor. You are the last son of the line.”

“But... isn’t the Hive-Lord Diryish Talain still among the living?” Somehow Ky’s brain was crawling into motion. This is terrible, this is awful, this is a disaster...

“No, Siwion. The Unknown Radiant One went into his death cell five years ago. You must pack up your life here and come home to Lainz with the Emir-al and I – we will be your constant bodyguard from this day forward – and His Radiance will likely name you Kraganzh.”

“But... But... That’s the Heirship to the High Seat... not just ‘Prince’!”

“Nevertheless. Your Empire needs you, Siwion.” The war-bird behind him shifted, raised one clawed foot to scratch its bent neck behind the hood.

“So... You’re not just Hive-Birds, you’re Rasheem. He ran his eyes over the bare cuffs of the Amir’s uniform. “Why aren’t you showing it?”

“Being Siwion to Lainz... possibly the Kraganzh, is a dangerous position. The less pomp we held, before we found you, the less likely someone would guess we were looking, Siwion, and try to kill you.”

Oh. Oh this is just getting better and better. I need my... Da... they don’t know he’s still alive. They’re still talking like he’s dead! Oh, Light and Dark. HE is the true possible Kraganzh. Oh Twins of Light and Dark... Oh Twins! I have to... I have to... “I... understand, Amir.” He stepped forward as if finally accepting that he couldn’t press himself through the building. “I... think I need at least a cup of tea before even trying to figure out what all this me–“

He cut off again and this time ran straight up to the Unity. Behind him he heard the curse and the scramble as the Amir leaped onto his bird and gave chase. It took him a precious moment or two, long enough for Ky to dodge into a maze of yards and alleyways. The war-bird screeched when confronted with flapping lines of laundry and the irate washer, waving a clout-beater over his head.

At the Unity he flipped the other war-bird’s tie loose and spooked it, slipped as quietly he could into the building, skirted around the main hall, all the way around and up the back stairs to the back door that opened toward the Ancestor stones. He could hear the chaos he’d left on the other side of the building.

 
I have to tell Da. I have to. This is an emergency!