Pathfinder Tales--The Redemption Engine by James L. Sutter

Author:James L. Sutter [Sutter, James L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2015-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

The Path of Knowledge

“You let him go?”

“He made some good points.”

Reunited with Malchion and Nemeniah once more, Salim’s expedition made its way up the mountain on another of the stone paths, this one running along the spine of a rocky outcropping. Behind them, Arathuziel’s crystal dome grew small, a sparkling diamond stud on a cushion of green felt.

“But the description …” Malchion pressed.

“Could have come from anyone who’d even heard of him,” Salim said firmly. “Which, from what I gather, is most everyone.”

Malchion radiated disapproval. “He’s still the most likely culprit. And now you’ve played your hand and given him time to ready his defenses. The next time your investigation leads you to him, I fear you’ll find him better prepared.”

“You seem awfully sure he’s responsible.”

The angel grimaced, and Nemeniah broke in.

“You’re of course right to reserve judgment until you’ve finished collecting evidence,” she said soothingly. “My brother simply fears that you’ll face great difficulty in taking Arathuziel if he’s forewarned. The Redeemed are powerful, and if he’s indeed flouted Heaven’s law …”

“He submitted this time,” Salim reminded them. “Knelt on the stone and presented his neck for the blade. If he’s willing to commit heresy, why would he hand himself over for execution?”

“Perhaps he believes that strongly in his cause,” Malchion said. “If you’d killed him without further interrogation, any associates he might have would remain free to continue his work.”

“Or it was simply a ruse,” Nemeniah noted. “Your sword might never have completed its stroke.”

“Perhaps,” Salim acknowledged. But he didn’t think so. He’d seen the angel’s eyes as he’d knelt. They’d showed hurt, and betrayal, and a deep anger—yet also resignation. Arathuziel had believed himself about to die over a mistake—worse, over outright prejudice—and he’d gone to the gallows anyway, to prove a point. Anything else would have marked him as the traitor the others all thought him to be. He’d been willing to die rather than forsake his hard-won place in Heaven’s celestial order.

Malchion and Nemeniah still looked displeased, yet they didn’t press the point. They continued up, leading the group on toward the Great Library as Salim had instructed. Salim himself slowed until he was at the rear of their procession, and this time the siblings let him, trusting to the dramatic cliff face to his left and perilous drop-off to his right to keep him on the path.

Arathuziel hadn’t been exaggerating the angels’ prejudice—that was clear enough. Faralan had seemed more moderate, but if Nemeniah and Malchion were typical examples of the reception the Redeemed faced in Heaven, then it was small wonder the Chained chose to live near Heathen Shore. At least there, the second-class citizens could all be discriminated against together.

The worst part was the fact that, from a certain point of view, angels like Nemeniah and Malchion were absolutely correct. Constant vigilance was part of their mandate. Never mind that redemption was just as crucial to their faith—they couldn’t afford to make mistakes that might endanger Heaven, and their focus on the greater good was all-consuming.

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