Free The Law of Isolation by Angela Holder Page A

wonderfully enthusiastic reaction. In his fondest dreams of how this audience might proceed, he’d seldom dared imagine such a positive response. “At present, I have only discovered how to bring the image of distant things close. The further effect, of bringing events of the past to appear in the present, remains to be produced. I am in the midst of ongoing experimentation to determine the precise combination of lenses necessary to achieve it. I’m confident my efforts will bear fruit in the near future. But I felt it my duty to bring my earliest successful efforts to your majesty’s attention. Although they remain incomplete, my hope is that even this poor and limited first step can be of use to you.”
    “You were right to do so. I greatly anticipate the marvels your future research will bring.” She turned to a man in a heavily decorated military uniform at her side. “Admiral Nesh, I presume the military applications of this device are as apparent to you as they are to me?”
    The admiral nodded stiffly, his eyes focused greedily on the window-glass. “Indeed, your majesty. I request the opportunity to examine the device at your earliest convenience.”
    Her hands lingered reluctantly on the metal tube, but she passed it to him. “Professor Navorre, instruct him.”
    Gevan stepped to the admiral’s side, but Nesh had no need of further direction. He lifted it to his eye and set about studying every distant corner of the room.
    The Matriarch turned to survey the rest of the hall. A hushed murmur had arisen, as everyone whispered with their neighbor in surprise or delight or outrage. They fell silent as her eyes traveled over them. Gevan was close enough to see one corner of her mouth turn up ever so slightly. She fixed her gaze on First Keeper Emirre. “First Keeper, give us your thoughts on this matter. Is it fitting for the Matriarch of Ramunna to wield the Mother’s power as the ancient wizards did?”
    He rose and addressed the crowd. “I wish to examine the device for myself. But your majesty’s reaction shows me that it does indeed grant the sight the ancient wizards enjoyed. The ramifications will require a great deal of study, meditation, and prayer before I can render my official opinion on the Mother’s view of this development. But I will venture a few preliminary thoughts. The ancient writings tell us that someday, when the Mother judges us worthy, she will return her power to us. It seems entirely possible that illustrious day may be upon us. And who better to entrust with her power than her chosen representative in this world? Your majesty rules in the Mother’s name and by her grace, and I find it entirely fitting that you should wield whatever power she chooses to grant.”
    The Matriarch nodded as he seated himself. She was definitely smiling now, Gevan saw. Tiny lines creased the powder around the corners of her mouth. She turned to where the black-robed Purifier silently fumed. “Keeper Yoran, I see from your expression that you wish to speak. Tell us, what is the view of the Purifiers on this development? Do you dispute the worthiness of the Matriarch to bear the Mother’s power?”
    Yoran leapt to his feet and threw his hood back. “Blasphemy! To suggest this, this… thing can in any way contain the Mother’s power—it is a mockery of all that is holy!” At the shocked gasp from the crowd, he shook his head and took a deep breath. “Not that I am accusing you of such, your majesty. You are deceived by the false scholar who claims to have produced by human insight wonders that are reserved for the Mother alone. His device is nothing but a cheap imitation of what the ancient wizards could do. Didn’t he say it cannot look into the past? Nor, I think, can it look within walls or behind doors, as the ancient writings clearly describe windows being able to do. And what of sound? Does this device bring distant voices close, also? I thought not. By all these signs, I know that what he