The Burning Stone

“But her skill made her enemies among some of the churchfolk. Later, a deacon came to the skopos’ palace in Aosta and laid charges against Biscop Tallia, saying that the biscop had indulged herself in base sorcery. This deacon claimed to have taught the young Tallia, and testified that she had been forced to flee when she discovered the terrible practices of murder, augury, and blood sacrifice that Tallia and her companions used to work their will upon others, even upon the emperor. By this time Taillefer had put aside his later concubines and married the young Radegundis as his fifth wife. Although he was still hale and hearty, he was quite old. The young queen pleaded with him to let their marriage be like that of the angels, fulfilled in mind only, but in time she became pregnant and her body was irretrievably stained by the touch of the Enemy, which is mortality.”



“But how do we know that angels feel no desire—!”



“I have not yet done.” Anne did not need to raise her voice. Liath bent her head obediently, but anger burned inside her. Of all the things she had done in the two years since Da’s death, marrying Sanglant was the only one that rang utterly right in her heart.



“You are young,” added Anne, “and Bernard’s influence still weighs heavily on you, as do the temptations of the world and the flesh. Let me continue, and if you will be patient, you will see that I am almost done.” She had to pause to recall her place. “At this time the skopos, under the influence of the deacon, was alarmed at these tidings of sorcery and malifici at the court of the powerful Taillefer. She went herself with an embassy to inquire into the truth of these accusations, and soon after they arrived in the company of the aforesaid deacon, the great emperor fell ill. Everyone feared for his life, and Biscop Tallia hurried from Autun to be at his side. There, in the sight of all, she unveiled the deacon who had brought the charges against her as the very same Desideria whose plots and contrivances had long plagued the emperor and his family. She had gone unrecognized because of the peculiar youth which still resided in her face. Some said she had used magic to keep herself young, but when she was brought before Biscop Tallia she claimed only that hate had kept her young. In this way, she came into Tallia’s keeping as a prisoner.



“However, at that time the skopos, the third Leah to take the title, had no love for the family of Taillefer and in particular little love was lost between Mother Leah and Biscop Tallia, who was not overly proud of her learning and her blood but might seem so to those who envied her all that God had given her. Taillefer died, and the vultures flocked round to despoil his empire. His young queen feared for her life and fled the palace with her handmaiden Clothilde, the same one who was once bondswoman to Tallia. The skopos took Desideria away and not two years later this same Desideria testified at the Council of Narvone about the practices of Biscop Tallia. At that Council, under the influence of Mother Leah, the assembled biscops outlawed the practice of certain sorceries, including that of the mathematici, and Tallia herself was placed under a ban and no longer allowed a seat in the church council. After that testimony, Desideria vanished, and no one knew what happened to her. Although no one could prove it, there was no doubt that by poisoning Taillefer, Desideria had in the end revenged herself upon Taillefer for the insult given her when he set her aside in favor of another woman. In this way her spiteful rage, wielded so unremittingly, brought an end to the reign of Taillefer and his descendants in the kingdom of Salia.”



She smiled slightly, but only as a gesture to show she had finished. “Both Desideria, who wanted dominion over the world, and the skopos Leah, who wanted dominion over the arcane knowledge of sorcery but could not master it herself, envied those who had what they most desired. Desideria poisoned Taillefer in the body, and Mother Leah poisoned Tallia in the church. That is why desire is a sin, because it allows the Enemy to hook claws into our skin and drag us down. We cannot ascend to the Chamber of Light as long as we are burdened with desire. Do you understand what I am saying, child?”



Irritated, Liath said nothing, but started up, surprised, when a new voice answered.



“You say that Desideria ended the reign of Taillefer and his descendants. But there’s one question you yourself asked that your story didn’t answer.”



Liath grinned sheepishly and sat back down. She had been listening so intently that she hadn’t noticed Sanglant lounging at the door at the borderland between cool magelight and the black of night.



Anne responded coolly. “What question is that, Prince Sanglant?”



“‘Did I say that those were the only legitimate male children born to Taillefer?’” He ducked his head under the lintel and came inside, but was careful not to sit next to Liath, although he could not have distracted her any more than he did whether he sat a hand’s breadth or a chamber’s breadth from her. She was so painfully aware of him, his physical body, his presence, the way he flinched at unexpected noises and tried to cover his reaction, his habit of scenting, like a dog, as he scouted out the lay of the room. He found the half-warm bowl of stew, settled down cross-legged, and set the bowl on his knee.