The Warden

Chapter 54

Who's she? asked Charlan, knowing full well who he meant.

Manu, of course.

Even now the tugging connection that linked Charlan to Manu told her the conniving moon had since risen into the sky. That tug, ever present, ever binding, always hunger inducing, reminded Charlan of her own mesmer. Did those she mesmerize resist a similar tug? Could they sense her nearby? Did they resist the compulsions she put into them? Was she just a puppet for Manu as so many had been for her?

It's truly fascinating to think about, isn't it? asked Andsek's voice earnestly. Are we to her as we are to others? Our puppet master? Our conqueror?

Charlan shrugged the notion away, not missing a step as they continued down the long, stale course. Masis padded feet made no noise. Only the faint whiff of his breathing disturbed the perfect stillness.

This was my goal, insisted Charlan to herself. This has always been my goal, even when I was still human.

Was it though? All mocking had left the specter's words. Now earnestness, even pleading, an urgent push to remember, inhabited her dead son's voice. Somehow it seemed natural. Was it really? Wasn't there a time when all you wanted was the assurance that humans would remain dominant over the Animal Kingdom? Didn't you think their dominance and safety of paramount importance at one point?

I...

Long buried and moldering thoughts grimaced their way to the forefront of Charlan's mind.

Once so many centuries ago, she had been an ambitious, eager idealist faced with the insulting reality that animals had somehow gained an equal status to humans, their obvious superiors. Granted they could speak and even reason on some level, but they still operated a great deal on that primitive instinctual drive, impulses that humans had mastered. How any sane, rational person could think about coexisting with such creatures had been beyond her.

Quite a few of her fellow mages had agreed, and so they had organized, plotted, waited, until they had garnered enough power, laid away enough favors and resources, to achieve their goal: toppling the Animal Kingdom and wiping out all Changed beasts, thus ensuring the humans' rightful place as the dominant species.

Their plan had worked. It had worked even better than they could have hoped for.

The Great Wolves upon seeing their imminent destruction had done something that no one thought possible: they struck a deal with Manu, the bitter, dark moon.

Of course, the ancient religions and mythologies said that the celestial bodies had conscious, active minds. Even Werold, the world upon which they walked, supposedly lived in some form or another. But no one—no rational thinker that is—believed the faith of some old Bards and their followers that helped peddle their bogus mythos.

In that instant, Charlan had had to reevaluate everything she had thought she knew about existence. Apparently, Manu had a mind. If that were true, it stood to reason Mona and Mani did as well. If the three moons thought, Wilo probably did too. And if all the things in the sky above had a mental existence, why not Werold as well?

Such knowledge had saved her and her fellow mages later.

The Warden at the time—Lady Kyla—had not thought the attack and diminishing of the Animal Kingdom the great boon Mistress Charlan did. Her fury and retribution had come swiftly and she had very nearly sussed out every last mage that had taken part in the plot. She would have too, if Mistress Charlan had not remembered that little tidbit about the Great Wolves' dealing with Manu.

And so, Charlan and her people had brokered a deal with Manu, but they were careful not to let what happened to the animals happen to them. Possessing a far superior intellect than any beast, they had felt confident in negotiating a deal with an ageless being that was traditionally known as the Deceiver.