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Squirrel cats are terrible liars. They make excellent thieves and particularly enthusiastic murderers, but they’re rubbish at deception.
Second Talent of the Argosi is called arta eres, which means ‘graceful defence’, or as Ferius calls it, ‘dancing’. When she fights, it’s like watching water swirling at the bottom of a whirlpool: twirling, swaying, always moving, always in harmony with her opponents even when she’s beating the hell out of them.
But” nothing. Faith works the same way.’ She started walking again. ‘Leastways for the Berabesq and their spiritual mumbo jumbo. I gave him just enough doubt to shake his focus is all.’
An Argosi deck is always changing. Our cards are not slabs of stone but pools of water. People, nations, even history itself alters over time, for history is but a tale told to suit the present.
Thus must an Argosi be prepared to let go of any card within their deck, for recollection is forever incomplete, and even the most vivid memories must always be … suspect.
Reichis hopped over onto my shoulder and sniffed at my neck. ‘Jealousy. Smells like regret only more bitter.’
eventually I saw that there were two different card games taking place at our table: one between all the players, and another just between Ferius and the old man.
‘I came to find out who you are.’ ‘To you? Nobody. A breeze that passed you by on a quiet evening.’ ‘Then who are you to Ferius?’ ‘Even less than that if she keeps to herself. Something far worse if she doesn’t.’
I felt his little body relax against my chest. ‘Night. Skinbag.’ ‘Goodnight, Reichis.’
‘But I thought the discordances represent people or events that could alter the course of history – that could change or even destroy entire civilisations.’ ‘That’s the theory, kid.’ ‘How is a mechanical bird supposed to do that?’ Ferius, eyes still closed, gave me a smirk. ‘Welcome to the path of the Argosi, kid; neither straight nor narrow.’
Discordances are, by their very nature, deceptive. Every imperfect stroke, each shade of colour a fraction too light or too dark, is a question left for you by the Argosi who painted the card. They are the paths you must pursue as you investigate whether this discordance seeks to bring about peace … or destruction.
‘Young man, if I were to leave this room, I assure you Servadi Zavera would teach you the very meaning of terror.’ Here’s another thing most people don’t know about fear: while you never get used to it, there’s only so much of it your brain can handle. After a while you actually get bored of being afraid. ‘Then close the door on your way out, Credara Janucha. The light is interfering with my nap.’
She turned and peered at me as if she were probing the tiny gears of a stalled clock rather than gazing into the face of another human being. But this too told me something about her. ‘You knew before you came through that door that we’d arrive at this impasse, Credara Janucha. Which means you already have something to show me.’ Before she could respond, another piece of the puzzle came to me. ‘And the fact that you haven’t already offered that proof means you don’t understand it.’
‘Depends on the coin. There used to be loads of different ones. Sotocastra like this one to open locks, orocastra to help you find water or gold.’ He nodded to the man in the toga. ‘Castradazi like Savire here used to be folk heroes. Some years back the lords mercantile decided they were tricksters and thieves, sent the secret police after them. Now there aren’t but a few left, and probably even fewer of the coins.’
Now magic coins are an idea I want to take at some point
‘Sotocastra,’ Savire said. ‘Soto means both “to open” and “to speak the truth”,’ Durral explained. ‘In anyone else’s hands that coin is just a dead hunk of metal. But a castradazi can use it to unlock doors or tell if a fella’s telling the truth or not.’ He gave a sniff as if the thing were beneath him. ‘Course an Argosi don’t need no coin to do those things.’
