Elantris

processes to bring about His will. A plague will kill Fjordell as well as Arelene.'

'Jaddeth would protect his chosen.'

'Of course,' Hrathen said distractedly, shooting one more dissatisfied glance down the hallway toward the throne room. He had made the offer out of duty, knowing that the easiest way to save Arelon would be to convert its ruler, but he hadn't expected Iadon to respond favorably. If only the king knew how much suffering he could forestall with a simple profession of faith.

It was too late now; Iadon had formally rejected Jaddeth. He would have to become an example. However, Hrathen would have to be careful. Memories of the Duladen revolution were still stark in Hrathen's mind-the death, blood, and chaos. Such a cataclysm had to be avoided. Hrathen was a stern man, and a determined one, but he was no lover of carnage.

Of course. with only three months' time, he might not have a choice. If he was going to succeed, he might have to incite a revolt. More death and more chaos-horrible things to throw upon a nation that had still hadn't recovered from its last violent revolution. However, Jaddeth's empire would not sit still and wait because a few ignorant nobles refused to accept the truth.

'I suppose I expected too much of them,' Hrathen mumbled. 'They are, after all, only Arelenes.'

Dilaf made no response to the comment.

'I noticed someone odd in the throne room, Arteth,' Hrathen said as they

turned and walked out of the palace, passing both sculpture and servant without so mueh as a glance. 'Perhaps you can help me identify her. She was Aonic, but she was taller than most Arelenes, and her hair was much lighter than the average Arelish brown. She looked out of place.'

'What was she wearing, Your Holiness?' Dilaf asked.

'Black. All black with a yellow sash.'

'The new princess, Your Grace,' Dilaf hissed, his voice suddenly hateful. 'New princess?'

'She arrived yesterday, the same as yourself. She was to be married to Iadon's son Raoden.'

Hrathen nodded. He hadn't attended the prince's funeral, but he had heard of the event. He hadn't known, however, of the impending marriage. The betrothal must have occurred recently. 'She's still here,' he asked. 'even though the prince died?'

Dilaf nodded. 'Unfortunately for her. the royal engagement contract made her his wife the moment he died.'

'Ah,' Hrathen said. 'Where is she from?'

'Teod, Your Grace.' Dilaf said.

Hrathen nodded, understanding the hatred in Dilaf 's voice. Arelon, despite the blasphemous city of Elantris, at least showed some possibility for redemption. Teod, however, was the homeland of Shu-Korath-a degenerate sect of ShuKeseg, the parent religion of Shu-Dereth. The day Teod fell beneath Fjorden's glory would be a joyous day indeed.

'A Teoish princess could be a problem,' Hrathen mused.

'Nothing can hinder Jaddeth's empire.'

'If nothing could hinder it, Arteth, then it would already encompass the entire planet. Jaddeth takes pleasure in allowing His servants to serve Him, and grants us glory in bending the foolish before our will. And of all the fools in the world. Teoish fools are the most dangerous.'

'How could one woman be a danger to you. Your Holiness?'

'Well, for one thing, her marriage means that Teod and Arelon have a formal blood bond. If we aren't careful. we'll have to fight them both at once. A man is more likely to think himself a hero when he has an ally to support him.'

'I understand. Your Grace.'

Hrathen nodded, sweeping out into the sunlight. 'Pay attention, Arteth, and I will teach you a very important lesson-one that few people know, and even fewer can properly use.'

'What lesson is that?' Dilaf asked, following close behind.

Hrathen smiled slightly. 'I will show you the way to destroy a nation-the means by which the man of Jaddeth can topple kingdoms and seize control of the people's souls.'

am… eager to learn, Your Grace.'

'Good,' Hrathen said, looking across Kae at the enormous wall of Elantris. It rose above the city like a mountain. 'Take me up there. I wish to view the fallen lords of Arelon.'

When Hrathen had first arrived at the Outer City of Kae, he had noted how indefensible it was. Now, standing atop the wall of Elantris, Hrathen could see that he had actually underestimated how pathetic Kae's fortifications were. Beautiful. terraced steps ran up the outside of Elantris's wall, providing outside access to the top. They were firm. stone constructions; it would be impossible to destroy them in an emergency. If Kae's inhabitants retreated into Elam-is, they would be trapped, not protected.

There were no archers. The Elantris City Guard members carried large, unwieldy spears that looked like they were far too heavy to be thrown. They held themselves with a proud air, wearing unarmored yellow-and-brown uniforms, and they obviously considered themselves far above the regular city militia. From what Hrathen had heard, however, the Guard wasn't even really necessary to keep the Elantrians in. The creatures rarely tried to escape. and the city wall was far too large for the Guard to patrol extensively. The force was more of a public- relations operation than a true military; the people of Kae felt much more comfortable living beside Elantris when they knew a troop of soldiers watched the city. However, Hrathen suspected that in a war, the Guard members would be hard-pressed to defend themselves, let alone protect Kae's population.

Arelon was a ripe jewel waiting to be pillaged. Hrathen had heard of the days of chaos directly following Elantris's fall, and of the incalculable treasures that had been plundered from the magnificent city. Those valuables were now concentrated in Kae, where the new nobility lived practically unguarded. He had also heard that, despite the thievery, a large percentage of Elantris's wealth-pieces of art too large to move easily, or smaller items that hadn't been plundered before Iadon began enforcing the city's isolation-remained locked within Elantris's forbidden walls.

Only superstition and inaccessibility kept Elantris and Kae from being raped by invaders. The smaller thieving bands were still too frightened of Elantris's reputation. The larger bands were either under Fjordell control-and therefore wouldn't attack unless instructed to do so-or had been bribed to stay away by Kae's nobles. Both situations were extremely temporary in nature.

And that was the basic reason Hrathen felt justified in taking extreme action to bring Arelon under Fjorden control-and protection. The nation was an egg balanced on the peak of a mountain, just waiting for the first breeze to plunge it to the hard ground below. If Fjorden didn't conquer Arelon soon, then the kingdom would certainly collapse beneath the weight of a dozen different problems. Beyond inept

leadership, Arelon suffered from an overtaxed working class, religious uncertainty, and dwindling resources. All of these factors competed to deIiver the final blow.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of harsh breathing behind him. Dilaf stood on the other side of the wall walk, looking our over Elantris. His eyes were wide. like those of a man who had been punched in the stomach, and his teeth were clenched. Hrathen half expected him to start frothing at the mouth.

'I hate them,' Dilaf whispered in a harsh, almost unintelligible voice.

Hrathen crossed the wall walk to stand beside Dilaf. Since the wall had not been constructed for military purposes. there were no battlements. but both sides had raised parapets for safety. Hrathen rested against one of these, looking out to study Elantris.

There wasn't much to see; he'd been in slums more promising than Elantris. The buildings were so decayed that it was a miracle any of them still had roofs, and the stench was revolting. At first he doubted anything could possibly be alive inside the city, but then he saw some forms running furtively along the side of a building. They were crouched with their hands outstretched, as if prepared to fall on all fours. One paused. looking up, and Hrathen saw his first Elantrian.

It was bald, and at first Hrathen thought its skin was dark, like that of a member of the Jindo noble caste. However, he could see splotches of light gray on the creature's skin as well-great uneven pale masses, like lichen on a stone. He squinted, leaning forward against the parapet. He couldn't make out the Elantrian's eyes, but somehow Hrathen knew they would be wild and feral. darting around like those of an anxious animal.

The creature took off with its companions-its pack. So this is what the Reod did, Hrathen mused to himself. It