The Geomancer Read online

  Adele held his eyes with sympathy. “Tell me about Dr. Goronwy. Did you know him well?”

  “Not really.” Selkirk returned to leafing through the book, stopping and reading certain passages. “In Wales, we would discuss various topics. He was interested in my opinions on geomancy.” He looked around the room, peering toward the filtered sunlight of the draped French windows. The vague shadows of soldiers on the balcony were visible. “I lived at his institute.”

  Adele glanced again at Greyfriar and mouthed Bedlam. Then to Selkirk, “Did you assist Dr. Goronwy mapping the lines?”

  “I believe we did work on that. I had my maps of Britain, and some of the original set from Equatoria and Asia that Mamoru had made.”

  “I see.” Adele produced the blue talisman she had taken off the vampire in London. “Is this one of the projects you two worked on?”

  Selkirk eyed the crystal. “It looks like something he was toying with. Cesare wanted to protect his people from your daughter. Goronwy fashioned crystals that could negate her energy, technically diffuse it, I suppose. I must admit I never fully understood what he was doing, but it was simple for him.”

  “Why was Dr. Goronwy interested in the subject?”

  Selkirk sighed patiently and shut the book. “Let me see if I can put it in simple terms. Your daughter was trying to kill vampires.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, the primary patron for Dr. Goronwy’s research at the time was Prince Cesare.”

  Adele waited.

  Selkirk tilted his head condescendingly. “Prince Cesare is a vampire, you see. He wanted to find a way to stop your daughter from killing his people. We were close, successful on a small scale to blocking her geomancy with those crystals you have there. It wasn’t enough for Prince Cesare. Typical impatient patron. So I was assigned to just kill your daughter. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best.”

  Adele tried to tamp down her rising anger. She remembered that day she was surprised by Selkirk’s blank face down in the family tomb. A hand lifted to her chest as if she could feel the pressure of his cold dagger sliding into her. Her legs had grown weak and she had fallen to the hard floor of the crypt. She could still remember the frantic, muffled cries of Greyfriar as all she could do was stare at the cold tomb of her father where she lay bleeding.

  Selkirk continued as if giving a casual lecture. “What was actually more exciting than our work to stop your daughter was Dr. Goronwy’s belief that her power could be reversed, or I should say, altered to work in an opposite direction.”

  Adele forced her attention back to the present. “What do you mean?”

  “What she did, in effect, was to accelerate the energies of the Earth, which served to burn up the vampires.” He leaned forward with excitement. “What Dr. Goronwy discovered, with my help, was that the process could work the other direction. The energy of living beings could be extracted. Geomancy could be used to kill anything. Or, in theory, everything.”

  “Everything?” Adele felt the blood seeping from her brain and extremities. The air suddenly turned very cold on this warm afternoon.

  General Anhalt muttered, “Utter rubbish.”

  “Theoretically.” Selkirk raised a finger to punctuate his word. “Of course, theoretically, you could also kill everything with poison gas. But practically speaking you can’t manufacture enough gas, and it spreads and weakens. You see? It’s possible to theorize anything, but in the real world, there are boundaries.”

  “So this application of geomancy to killing humans is limited, yes?”

  “Of course.” He was calm and reassuring. “It would be very difficult and require complicated crystal arrangements to draw and focus the rifts. Under normal circumstances, the geomancer’s reach would be very limited. To achieve real value, we required an amplifier of sorts.”

  “Did you have one?”

  “No. Such a thing only exists in legend.”

  “What legend are you referring to?”

  Selkirk sat back, taking up his cup of tea now. He was settling into shop talk. “Years ago, when I was a student at Mamoru’s academy on Java, there were a few teachers who would talk about concepts and applications of the science similar to those that interested Dr. Goronwy. Of course they only did it when Mamoru was far away; he had no patience for anything that didn’t apply to his mission of removing vampires from the Earth. He had committed himself to his search for the perfect tool in human form. I think it had to do with his late wife and her view of geomancy, which had shaped his own. However, I was very interested and did all I could to learn about those fringe studies. In any case, these instructors used to talk about a particular artifact, quietly and without much seriousness. But I started to wonder. When I finished my lessons, I conducted my mapping practicum in the Himalayas.” He stopped as if that explained everything.

  “Why the Himalayas?” Adele poured another cup of tea, hoping that her hands didn’t jangle the spoon against the cup.

  “That’s where the Tear of Death was said to be.”

  “The Tear of Death?”

  “Yes, it took years of following clues, but I finally worked my way to the northern face of the Himalayas, where I visited a village that claimed knowledge of the actual artifact. The elders said it was locked away in an ancient monastery in the mountains above them. There was no way for me to climb up there, so I never tested their theory. I had to return to Java, but hopefully I’ll be able to return at some point and search for the Tear. I wanted to find it and bring it to Mamoru in case your daughter’s discipleship didn’t work out.”

  Adele was fascinated and frightened by his calm professionalism, but confused by his words. She had no idea what he was talking about. She wondered if he had strayed off into lunacy. “What exactly is the Tear of Death?”

  Selkirk gave another condescending smile, warming up to his role as expert among the ignorant. “The easiest way to explain it is that it’s a catalyst of some sort. That’s what your daughter was, which is why Mamoru wanted her. But supposedly, with the Tear of Death, a normal geomancer can walk in all the world’s rifts at once, from anywhere on Earth. He could do extraordinary good, or terrible evil. But that’s not for scientists to decide.”

  Adele groaned softly. Was that all she had been to Mamoru? An instrument of death? Was that all she was to the world now? She shoved her despair aside. She would not show emotion in front of this man. Her face fell into a numb stiffness. She held up the blue stone in her trembling hand. “Is this Tear some sort of crystal?”

  “I have no idea, actually. No one knows for sure. There are many stories. A crystal. A statue. A weapon. A book. No one alive has ever seen it. There are no drawings. There are no written records of it.”

  “Do you believe Dr. Goronwy would have an interest in this relic?”

  “I can’t see why. Dr. Goronwy has excellent theoretical groundings, mind you, but his patrons are driven by results, not theory. And the only practical use of the Tear is to spark a catastrophic event that would kill millions.” Selkirk took a civilized sip of tea and patted the cover of the book.

  Adele leaned forward, gripping the crystal ever harder. “And you don’t think his patrons would want that to win the war?”

  “Oh. You’re right.” He settled back with a look of bemused surprise. “I suppose they might at that.”

  “If I showed you a map of the Himalayas, could you locate this village where they told you about the Tear of Death?”

  “Certainly. I recall it very well.”

  Adele’s blood chilled as she nodded to her guards. “Well, thank you for your assistance, Mr. Selkirk. I found our talk quite informative.”

  Selkirk registered surprise that shifted to disappointment that the conversation had come to a conclusion, but he covered himself well, rising to his feet and setting the cup and saucer down. “Of course. Thank you for the tea. Your generosity in light of certain matters is ­remarkable.”

  Under Major Shirazi’s dark stare, Se
lkirk was escorted to the door, where he paused. “I just want to say, ma’am, that you understand that it’s better that your daughter was killed, don’t you?”

  “How so?” Adele struggled to retain a conversational tone.

  “What she was doing was extremely damaging to the Earth. She may not have known it. Perhaps neither did her teacher, but Goronwy knew. It was clear enough.” He bowed to her in sympathy and proceeded out of the room with his guards.

  Adele sat quietly.

  Anhalt clasped his hands behind his back. “Your Majesty, I’m certainly no expert in geomancy. So this Witchfinder found a way to negate your abilities on some level, to send vampires safely into Britain. You have witnessed that; you know it to be true. But this next step, to believe that he can adapt that power into a way to kill every human on Earth? You don’t give credit to what that man says, do you? Selkirk is utterly insane.”

  “Caterina said the Witchfinder was flying far to the east.” Adele slowly opened her clenched fingers. The blue crystal lay there unaffected. Any other stone would have melted to silvery liquid under the pressure of her power. “Have Edinburgh prepared for a long journey.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Simon stood across the room from a trunk and threw wadded up clothes into it, or at least at it. Shirts, pants, and underwear were scattered in piles around the foot locker and draped over its rim. He wore a once-smart navel uniform, now unbuttoned and wrinkled. A tossed shirt made it into the trunk, and the boy whooped in triumph. As he spun around with joy, he saw Greyfriar in the doorway. Simon’s face lit with excitement, but then froze in dread.

  He immediately understood the reason for Greyfriar’s visit. “She can’t. She can’t!”

  “Simon, I—”

  The prince pointed at the disaster area around the foot locker. “I’m already packed. I’m leaving on Saladin tomorrow.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I knew it.” Simon slumped. “I knew she’d never let me go.” He kicked the trunk. “So where are you two off to now?”

  “The Himalayas.”

  The boy gave a snuffling laugh to suppress a sob. He clenched his mouth tight.

  “It can’t be avoided, Simon. It’s very important.”

  “It’s always very important. And she’s always the only one who can go.”

  “That’s actually true this time. Adele has certain unique skills that—”

  “Do you really believe that geomancy nonsense? Or do you just go along with it because you love her?”

  Greyfriar grew stern. “You’re right, I do love her. And it isn’t nonsense.”

  Simon held out his hands in frustration. “Let’s be serious. There can’t be some magic out there that killed every vampire in Britain.”

  “Then what do you believe happened to them, Your Highness?”

  “General Anhalt destroyed the clan chiefs when he crashed the Bolivar into Buckingham Palace. With their leaders dead, the rabble fled to the Continent.” Simon sounded as if he was spouting rhetoric he had heard endlessly around Alexandria. He sighed and buttoned his tunic. “Vampires are animals. Once you spook them, get them on the run, they can’t stop running. You should know that. It’s not magic. It’s war.”

  Greyfriar stepped into the room. “There were clan lords in Britain who weren’t killed by Bolivar. Why would all the vampires flee the island rather than fight?”

  “Disease.” Simon pulled rumpled clothes out of the trunk. “Most of the members of the Imperial Academy believe the vampires are suffering from some sort of plague. Except for Sir Godfrey Randolph, of course. He talks about geomancy all the time, but he’s always been a little odd, and he’s the richest man in the empire so he can say what he likes. Any real scholar thinks we’ll soon see the vampires dying off in droves and abandoning the cities.”

  “So you don’t believe in geomancy?” Greyfriar studied the suddenly methodical movements of the prince as the boy folded his clothes and set them in orderly piles.

  “Nobody does. Everyone laughs at it. Ley lines. Earth energy. It’s ridiculous.” Simon paused with a pair of striped trousers in his hands and stared off into the distance. His expression actually turned to worry. “She’s going to go too far.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Adele was never a favorite of the old families, but now they openly talk against her. All this magic. These stupid stories about her waving her magic wand and vampires bursting into flame. She was held prisoner by the British clan, and now she believes she destroyed them? That’s convenient.” Simon shook his head, unable to say what he thought, and slammed the lid of the empty trunk. “She should just stop talking about it. She doesn’t know how it is here. I do.”

  Greyfriar could hear the conflict in the boy’s voice. He sat on the arm of a sofa. “She seems popular still.”

  “Oh, she is. The common people love her.”

  “What of the army?”

  Simon put a thoughtful finger to his chin, weighing his answer, considering his position like an adult rather than a child. “Her support is still strong in the ranks. Some of the older High Command were never fond of her, but they keep their mouths shut generally.”

  “Because she’s winning the war?”

  Simon nodded. “Victory counts. They’re willing to overlook her peculiarities and her allies as long as we’re winning.”

  “Her allies? You mean me?”

  “No.” Simon laughed. “Everyone loves you. Everyone. I mean the vampire prince in Scotland.”

  Greyfriar paused in confusion, then said, “Oh, yes. Gareth.”

  “Yes. Him. Have you met him?”

  “I have.”

  Simon saw himself reflected in the lenses of Greyfriar’s glasses. “What do you think of him?”

  “Not much.”

  “Traitors of any kind are disgusting, even if they’re useful. Some people say he might be controlling Adele, that he’s been controlling her since she was his prisoner. They say he was one of the bloodiest leaders of the Great Killing, and now he’s using her to take power among his own kind.”

  “No. He’s a beaten man.”

  “Man?” Simon’s voice cracked with surprise.

  “Vampire.”

  “Did he truly turn on his own kind?”

  “He did.”

  “But why? If he’s nothing but our prisoner now, what did it gain him?”

  Greyfriar felt a coldness seep through him. He was suddenly aware of the scarf covering his face and the slight deflection of light through his glasses. “I don’t know.”

  Simon sat down at his desk and placed a hand on a stack of folders. “What has he gained other than a castle in Scotland, which he had anyway? Is he the last of his line?”

  “Yes. His clan is no more. Gareth is alone.”

  “Good,” Simon snarled, but then glanced at Greyfriar. “Did vampires kill your family? Is that why you’re the Greyfriar?”

  “Nothing quite so heartbreaking and romantic, I’m afraid.”

  The young prince stared at the swordsman. “Then why did you become the Greyfriar? I mean, you were someone before this. Why did you stop being him and become you?”

  “I’m sorry, Simon.” Greyfriar unconsciously tightened the scarf around his face. “I can’t tell you.”

  “You’ve told Adele.”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Your family knows at least, right?”

  “I have no family left alive.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” Simon leaned forward as if in commiseration, as an adult would share a moment, but sounding uncertain and young. “Do you miss them?”

  “I find that, with time, I miss my father a great deal.”

  “Me too. I wish mine was still here.” The young prince tapped his fingers on the folders. He stared at them for a long moment, sliding them around to see the labels on each, from top to bottom of the pile. “When are you leaving for the Himalayas?”

  “Tomorrow morning, if possible. Adele wanted t
o come tell you, but I asked her if I could instead. I’ve seen so little of you since we came to Alexandria.”

  “Thank you. What about General Anhalt?”

  “He requested to come along. He does speak the local languages. But there are other available translators, and Adele is concerned about his health. She is more disposed to leave him here to help you.”

  “No!” Simon objected. “You have to take him. Adele tries to protect others too much. He needs to go.”

  “But there are times he can barely walk without a cane. Where we’re going, that’s very dangerous.”

  “It doesn’t matter! He needs to go. Trust me. He would rather die in service than sit behind a desk of papers. Please. Convince Adele to take him. I have plenty of advisors here. But General Anhalt has only one purpose—to protect Adele. You understand that, don’t you?”

  Greyfriar nodded after a moment. “I do. I will speak with her. I would welcome General Anhalt at my side under any circumstances. One day, I hope you and I will share an adventure or two.”

  Simon offered an attempted smile. “You’ll watch out for her, won’t you?”

  Greyfriar replied, “Of all people, Adele hardly needs anyone watching over her.”

  Simon put his foot up on the desk and gazed out a window to the harbor. He took a deep wistful breath. “I’m worried about her. So take care of her. I don’t want to be emperor.”

  “Have no fear.” The swordsman rose and reached out to the boy. “You’re a good man.”

  “Thank you.” Simon shook the gloved hand. “So are you.”

  Greyfriar didn’t reply.

  CHAPTER 17

  HMS Edinburgh broke through the clouds into a dome of blue sky, the world below lost in a white fog. The early streaks of sunrise smudged the horizon like saffron paint over rice paper. The snow-capped tops of the Himalayas floated around them like icebergs on a misty sea. High winds blew plumes of snow off craggy surfaces flaring behind the monoliths like streams of white ribbons.

  The scenery dwarfed the airship. It was a medium-sized ship, considered a brig because she sported only six masts. The sun glinted off her aluminum cage surrounding the dirigible from which the wooden hull was suspended. The masts extended from the dirigible, two along the top and two laterally from each side. A miraculously complex system of cables and shrouds connected the deck and the masts and the yards, and these were currently crowded with men taking in sail.