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The Quartz Key Chapter Fifty-Nine
by Lianne Burwell
March 2003
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Four days after the Lady had taught him how to see things 
happening at a distance, Judas was sitting in his room 
holding a silver metal mirror that he was using to watch 
Nemir with. After the lesson, he had woken to find his 
sight completely returned, and he remembered the Lady's 
comment that he saw more than he thought. He had not told 
anyone yet. He let them lead him around and tell him what 
to do, mimicking blindness while covertly watching 
everything.

The complete return of his sight, strangely sudden as it 
was, had restored his hope that he might eventually escape 
from the temple, but he had yet to see anything outside of 
the suite of rooms that were his prison. He had no way of 
knowing the layout of the building, and there were no 
windows, so he still had no idea how he would escape. 
Perhaps with practice he would be able to direct his sight 
at will.

But so far, all he'd been able to do was focus his sight on 
specific individuals, and even then, only ones he had met 
before. Attempts to view strangers or the dead -- he had 
wanted so badly to see his brother once more -- only made 
his head ache until his vision was clouded with sparks of 
light, scaring both his keepers and himself.

Still, he had experimented as much as he felt he could get 
away with when he was left alone. The tiny mirror in his 
hand had been the best tool he'd found so far, and he had 
looked far and wide with it. Once, he had even looked to 
Ajantha. Nemir's aunt, the Prince's sister, still lived, 
confined to the harem. She had no freedom and was watched 
carefully, but was otherwise unharmed. The guards who had 
helped them leave the city had managed to escape 
punishment, although they now rode the borders, which was 
probably the most dangerous duty of the Guard, since it was 
the border between the lands of Ajantha and the wilderness 
which was haven to bandits. Still, they seemed to be 
unharmed and in good spirits.

Once -- but only once -- he had even used this new talent 
to see what had become of Nemir's cousin. He did not 
remember Layla very fondly, and what he saw made his 
dislike turn to something both colder and hotter. Lord 
Morlan -- the man Nemir had warned him about so long ago -- 
governed the city, not as Prince, but as the God-King's 
appointed representative, and Layla stood beside him. He 
could not tell if they had married, but it would not 
surprise him. She had a connection to the dead Prince, if 
only through marriage, and he had the power, but wanted 
more. Perhaps they believed that together they could take 
the throne that was Nemir's birthright.

But in the end, it was Nemir he watched as the man traveled 
on with Markus and Dansen.

Judas watched as Markus rode next to the captain of the 
troop that Nemir and the others had joined with the day 
after Judas had first looked in on them. Nemir and Dansen 
rode in the back of the group, speaking when addressed, but 
not starting conversations, trying to avoid notice.

Judas had not seen what had happened that brought them 
together with the troop of soldiers. He only knew that the 
morning after he had managed to palm the mirror, he had 
looked into it to see not three men, but a dozen and three. 
For one brief, terrifying moment, he thought that they had 
been captured, but he quickly realized that they were 
thankfully not prisoners. However, he doubted that they had 
truly chosen to travel with a troop of soldiers.

His only regret was that while he could see Nemir, see what 
he was doing, he could not hear him, so he had no idea what 
the truth of the situation was.

He heard footsteps approaching the door before the door 
opened, and quickly slipped the mirror between the cushions 
of the reclining couch. He composed his expression and 
closed his eyes as if he had been dozing while waiting for 
his next instruction.

The door opened, and the footsteps slowed. Judas stirred, 
pretending to be waking, then stiffened. "Nahanna," he 
said. He did not turn to face her, but he also made no 
pretense of not knowing who was standing behind him.

"Judas," she replied confidently. "I trust that you have 
come to terms with who and what you are, and outbursts like 
the last time I saw you are a thing of the past?"

Now Judas did turn, and he smiled at her. He was pleased to 
see her flinch back from his expression. "What I have and 
have not come to terms with is none of your concern," he 
said coldly. "And if you are wise, you will leave now."

Fear flashed across her face briefly. Then she squared her 
shoulder, no doubt still certain that he could not see her. 
After all, what danger could a blind man be?  "You would do 
well to guard your tongue," she said harshly. "The lords of 
the clans are coming to the temple. They will be here in 
three days time. At that time, they will decide what is to 
be done with you, and I suggest that you learn to obey, for 
they will not appreciate threats or defiance."

Judas sighed. "You jump so quickly to their tune. A 
priestess, are you not? And servant to a Goddess. And yet 
you are no more free than any other woman of the south. The 
men snap their fingers, and you rush to do their bidding."

"I am well rewarded for what I do," Nahanna said. Her voice 
was tight with anger.

"Rewarded as a valued person or a valued tool? Do they see 
you as a person, or of no more importance than a beast of 
burden, treated well but in the end, disposable?"

Nahanna's eyes flashed. "Word games do not impress me. 
Remember, to them, I am the more valuable."

"For the children that will be fathered on you, whether you 
will it or not?" Judas shook his head. "Do not fool 
yourself. I am told that I am the first male born with the 
mark since the God-King killed the royal family. Girl-
children are far more common. Do not fool yourself into 
believing that they would choose you over me if they had 
to."

Nahanna clenched her fist, and there was a faint glow 
around it. Judas tensed, wondering if he had finally driven 
her to violence. If she did attack him, though, she would 
find that he was not helpless. He might not have a blade, 
but he remembered the knife lessons Nemir had given him so 
long ago. His time of captivity had not yet completely 
softened him.

But she controlled herself. Bit by bit, the tension bled 
away from her. "Perhaps you are right. But it matters not. 
Your only choice it to do as you are told. No matter what."

She spun around and stalked out of the room, leaving Judas 
to wonder why she had come. The message she had given could 
have been delivered by any of the others and he would not 
have minded it as much. Was her presence a message as well?

He remembered what the High Priestess had told him, of how 
the lords of the clans tried to breed a Goddess-touched 
male. Perhaps they intended to have Nahanna bear his child.

If so, they would be disappointed, for he would never 
consent to such a thing, and it would not be possible 
without his cooperation.

Judas's hand inched towards the hidden mirror. He wanted 
more than anything to lose himself in watching Nemir, but 
knew that it was too late. The sound of approaching 
footsteps simply confirmed that thought.

>>>~~~<<<

The next few days passed in a whirl of activity. Judas was 
fitted for new garments made from rich materials. Fine 
silks and smooth cotton, with boots of the softest leather. 
The clothing he had been wearing to that point had also 
been rich, but they had not been made for him. These 
garments fit him like a glove.

As well, his skin was massaged with scented creams and his 
hair was cut and set. In fact, he began to wonder at the 
elaborate preparations. He was being treated like a bride 
readied for her wedding. That thought did nothing to calm 
his nerves.

Despite the bravado of his conversation with Nahanna, Judas 
was terrified, although he was careful to conceal it. He 
hated it, but the men coming now controlled his existence. 
His life was literally in their hands.

Finally, the day came. He was dressed in the robes prepared 
for him, and for the first time since he had woken in the 
rooms that were his prison, he was led to the door and out.

>>>~~~<<<

Judas took in everything as they walked through long, 
windowless corridors, trying not to be obvious. The walls 
were carved stone, lit by generations of lamps that had 
left dark marks above them that not even the harshest of 
soaps would be able to remove. The stones were roughly 
fitted, giving the impression of great age.

They took so many turns as they went that Judas was quickly 
lost. It was like his early days in the palace of Ajantha 
before he had learned how to find his way around.

Finally they reached large doors made of ornately carved 
marble that swung open with amazing ease. On the other side 
was a large space open to the sky. Thankfully it was after 
dark, and it was lit with burning torches and moonlight 
instead of burning sunlight.

The details of the room escaped him, for at the center, 
seated in stone chairs that were more like thrones, were 
five men, all dressed in dark robes set with gems that 
sparkled like stars. The seats were set in a circle facing 
inwards, and at the center was a simple bench.

Judas was lead to the bench, and sat down gracefully, doing 
his best not to notice the piercing gaze of the five men.

The clan lords ranged in age from not much older than Nemir 
to one white-haired man who was older than Judas's 
grandfather had been at his death. But they all had the 
same hawk-shaped nose in common, and eyes so dark that they 
looked almost flat in color. He wondered what they thought 
of his own silvery-gray color. But Nahanna's eyes were an 
amber color, and the High Priestess's were a soft gray-
green. Perhaps strange eye colors were yet another sign of 
the touch of the Goddess.

The priestess who had lead him that far bowed to the silent 
men, then left, leaving Judas alone with them.

END CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE