Silk Fire by Zabé Ellor

Author:Zabé Ellor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Publisher: Rebellion Publishing Ltd

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Hive, the Street of Inversions

23rd Dzeri, Year 92 Rarafashi

“In the Hive, like bees, we serve the common good and plate out the honey of knowledge. Alone we sting; together we soar.”—Reve Raźa reru Mokli, third High Master of the Fire Weavers.

“The children of War shouldn’t hear their district slandered. There were two sides to the Brass War, though the Engineers deny it. Such offensive distortions must never be taught in schools.” Judge Tharithara II, Year 3 Tharithara

“I’m so sorry,” Ria whispered once we were alone. “I didn’t understand. In my worst dreams, I never imagined your father had hurt you so deeply.”

Then you’ll never accept the truth. I squirmed from her gaze, my nerves still fizzing with restless energy. “Where can I hire a herald? Akizeké should know what happened. I can contact her quickest through the warehouses she rents beneath the Hive.” She’d ordered me to go there tomorrow to pick up her holdspark bribe. She’d be pleased to learn she could keep the goods.

Thank Dzkegé’s mercy, Ria let my story drop. “Use the power-mind and talk remotely.”

“The what?” She’d used the phrase riryu-popá, which meant nothing to me.

“Right, you don’t have those in War any longer.” She tapped an owl-shaped panel on the wall. Its round face unfurled in a spray of metal feathers, revealing a holdlight screen. “Mass communications technology was invented in the War District, on Shadowcoin Street, but your judges banned it after ancient generals used it to incite atrocities. We allow it, though it’s regulated where and how we send data. We can certainly make direct calls to business addresses.”

“I never learned any of this in my history lessons.” And I suspected the omission was purposeful. “Toźätupé made a reference at dinner I didn’t quite understand—you truly are the Muruná Davé to my Trochäná Efuä. Who were they?”

“A famous pair of lovers. The founders of the Fire Weavers, sort of. Trochäná Efuä was a landlady who hid millions of historical relics from the invading dzaxa. Among her collection were weapons, which her girlfriend, the insurgent Muruná Davé, smuggled into occupied buildings to liberate the slaughter camps. There’s like fifty movies about them.”

“Those movies are probably banned in my district. But they sound incredible.”

Ria winced, her fingers still flying over the screen. “They mostly leave out the ending. Trochäná Efuä’s building was besieged. Muruná Davé went to Voro, the God of Engineering and begged for aid. The god gave her a powerful amulet, one the High Masters carry to this day. When Muruná Davé returned, she discovered Trochäná Efuä had surrendered, on the condition she, her lover and her archives would go unharmed. Muruná Davé marched in as she hosted the dzaxa at dinner, and unleashed Voro’s power, killing herself and everyone at the table.”

“Oh. Then… it’s a bit odd for Toźätupé to compare you?”

“It’s a common saying. Just means two people who love each other with a big fucking disagreement between them. She wants to be judge. I don’t know what I want, but I’m sure I don’t want to be a judge’s partner.

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