Elantris

the sight of Iadon, slumped in his chair, elbows on the desktop and head cradled in his hands. The king was sobbing quietly to himself.

BY the time Sarene reached Elantris, the new orders had long since arrived. Iadon's guard stood uncertainly before the gates. She told them to go home, but their captain refused, claiming that he had received orders not to attack, but he didn't have any orders to return. A short time later a courier arrived, delivering commands to do just that. The captain shot her an irritable look, then ordered his men back to the palace.

Sarene stayed a little longer, making the strenuous climb to the top of the wall to gaze down at the courtyard. Her food cart stood abandoned in the center of the square, overturned with broken boxes running in a jagged line before it. There were bodies, too-fallen members of the attacking party, their corpses rotting in the muck.

Sarene froze, her muscles stiffening. One of the corpses was still moving. She leaned over the stone railing, staring down at the fallen man. The distance was great, but she could still see the distinct lines of the man's legs- lying a dozen feet from his chest. Some powerful blow had separated him at the waist. There was no way he could have survived such a wound. Yet, insanely, his arms waved in the air with hopeless randomness.

'Merciful Domi,' Sarene whispered, her hand rising to her breast, her fingers seeking out her small Korathi pendant. She scanned the courtyard with disbelieving eyes. Some of the other bodies were moving as well, despite horrible wounds.

They say that the Elantrians are dead, she realized. That they are the deceased whose minds refuse to rest. Her eyes open for the first time, Sarene realized how the Elantrians survived without food. They didn't need to eat.

But, why then did they?

Sarene shook her head, trying to clear her mind of both confusion and the struggIing corpses below. As she did so, her eyes fell on another figure. It knelt in the shadow of Elantris's wall, its posture somehow bespeaking incredible sorrow. Sarene felt herself drawn along the walkway in the direction of the form, her hand dragging along the stone railing. She stopped when she stood above him.

Somehow she knew the figure belonged to Spirit. He was clutching a body in his arms. rocking back and forth with his head bowed. The message was clear: Even a tyrant could love those who followed him.

I saved you. Sarene thought. The king would have destroyed you, but I saved your life. It wasn't for you, Spirit. It was for all those poor people that you rule over. Spirit didn't notice her.

She tried to remain angry at him. However, looking down and sensing his agony. she couldn't lie-even to herself. The day's events disturbed her for several reasons. She was angry at having her plans disrupted. She regretted that she would no longer be able to feed the struggling Elantrians. She was unhappy with the way the aristocracy would see Elantris.

But she was also saddened that she would never be able to see him again. Tyrant or not, he had seemed like a good man. Perhaps… perhaps only a tyrant could lead in a place like Elantris. Perhaps he was the best that the people had.

Regardless, she would probably never see him again. She would never again look into those eyes that, despite the emaciated form of his body, seemed so vibrant and alive. There was a complexity in them that she would never be able to unravel.

It was over.

She sought refuge in the only place in Kae she felt safe. Kiin let her in, then held her as she fell into his arms. It was a perfectly humiliating end to a very emotional day. However, the hug was worth it. She had decided as a child that her uncle was very good at hugging, his broad arms and enormous chest sufficient to envelope even a tall and gangly girl.

Sarene finally released him, wiping her eyes, disappointed in herself for crying again. Kiin simply placed a large hand on her shoulder and led her into the dining room, where the rest of the family sat around the table, even Adien.

Lukel had been talking animatedly, but he cut off as he saw Sarene. 'Speak the name of the lion,' he said, quoting a Jindoeese proverb, 'and he will come to feast.'

Adien's haunted, slightly unfocused eyes found her face. 'Six hundred and seventy-two steps from here to Elantris,' he whispered.

There was silence for a moment. Then Kaise jumped up onto her chair. 'Sarene! Did they really try and eat you?'

'No. Kaise,' Sarene replied, finding a seat. 'They just wanted some of our food.'

'Kaise, Ieave your cousin alone,' Daora ordered firmly. 'She has had a full day.' 'And I missed it,' Kaise said sullenly, plopping down in her seat. Then she turned angry eyes on her brother. 'Why did you have to get sick?'

'It wasn't my fault,' Daorn protested, still a little wan. He didn't seem very disappointed to have missed the battle.

'Hush, children,' Daora repeated.

'Ifs all right,' Sarene said. 'I can talk about it.'

'Well, then,' Lukel said, 'is it true?'

'Yes,' Sarene said. 'Some Elantrians attacked us, but no one got hurt-at least, not on our side.'

'No,' Lukel said. 'Not that-I meant about the king. Is it true that you yelled him into submission?'

Sarene grew sick. 'That got out?'

Lukel laughed. 'They say your voice carried all the way to the main hall. Iadon still hasn't left his study.'

'I might have gotten a little carried away,' Sarene said.

'You did the right thing. dear,' Daora assured her. 'Iadon is far too accustomed to having the court jump when he so much as sneezes. He probably didn't know what to do when someone actually stood up to him.'

'It wasn't that hard,' Sarene said with a shake of her head. 'Beneath all the bluster he's very insecure.'

'Most men are, dear,' Daora said.

Lukel chuckled. 'Cousin, what did we ever do without you? Life was so boring before you decided to sail over and mess it all up for us.'

'I would rather it stayed a little less messed up,' Sarene mumbled. 'Iadon isn't going to react too well when he recovers.'

'If he gets out of line, you can always just yell at him again,' Lukel said.

'No,' Kiin said. his gruff voice solemn. 'She's right. Monarchs can't afford to be reprimanded in public. We might have a much harder time of things when this is all through.'

'Either that or he'll just give up and abdicate in favor of Sarene,' Lukel said with a laugh.

'Just as your father feared,' Ashe's deep voice noted as he floated in the window. 'He always worried that Arelon wouldn't be able to deal with you, my lady.' Sarene smiled feebly. 'Did they go back?'

'They did,' the Seon said. She had sent him to follow Iadon's guards, in case they decided to ignore their orders. 'The captain immediately went to see the king. He left when His Majesty refused to open his doors.'

'It wouldn't do for a soldier to see his king bawling like a child,' Lukel noted. 'Anyway,' the Seon continued, 'I-'

He was interrupted by an insistent knock at the door. Kiin disappeared. then returned with an eager Lord Shuden.

'My lady,' he said bowing slightly to Sarene. Then he turned to Lukel. 'I just heard some very interesting news.'

'It's all true,' Lukel said. 'We asked Sarene.'

Shuden shook his head. 'It isn't about that.'

Sarene looked up with concern. 'What else could possibly happen today?' Shuden's eyes twinkled. 'You'll never guess who the Shaod took last night.'

CHAPTER 30

Hrathen didn't try to hide his transformation. He walked solemnly from his chambers, exposing his damnation to the entire chapel. Dilaf was in the middle of morning services. It was worth the loss of hair and skin color to see