The Chosen - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 01 by Ricardo Pinto Page A

peered close, feeling the beads. Rows of them. Jade, minutely carved.
    Carnelian heard the door closing. He looked up and saw Tain's sullen face. His brother stared back at him. Neither spoke during the cleaning. At first they tried to put the robe on so that the panels were to the front. With much cursing they found that only when they put them to his back could Carnelian put his arms into the sleeves. Tain hooked the robe closed from top to bottom. It fitted well enough, though it was not sufficiently thick to keep out the cold. Carnelian did not allow his body to shiver. He took his mask from Tain's hands and put it on. 'I'll see you later.'
    'As the Master commands,' Tain said, a cold fire in his eyes.
    Carnelian had finally made up his mind. The destruction he saw everywhere strengthened his resolution. He reminded himself of the empty storerooms and the gluttony of the ship. He catalogued all the desperate looks he had seen on the faces of his people. But when he reached his father's door all he felt was the shivering cold.
    Through the doors he saw a huge shape standing before the fire. It lifted up a hand in a sign of welcome. Carnelian crossed the floor to it. Its face was a shadow.
    The Ruling Lord Aurum has brought you this,' said his father's voice.
    The mass of his body swung round and Carnelian could see the hand held out in the firelight. He approached it. On the palm there was something like a hole. He reached out and took it. It was hard and warm. A ring of iron. A blood-ring that entitled him to cast votes in the elections of the Masters. He turned it in the firelight. Around the band's edge were the raised glyphs for his names and the spots and bars of numbers.
    'He was given it by the Wise who had it set aside for you.' He gave his son a tender look that Carnelian did not see. The ring had him wholly in its spell. Its symbols were in mirrored form so that it could be used as a seal with both ink and wax. The eleven numbers confirmed the fractional tainting of his blood. He knew that it should be put on the smallest finger of the right hand. As the right hand signified the world of light so its smallest finger signified purity. It was too big.
    There is no time for proper ritual. Even the preliminaries take many days. But there is much that is not essential. It is the Examination and the Rite of Blood that are the very nub and core of it.'
    Carnelian looked up warmly at his father, then froze when he saw Aurum's face floating beyond his father's shoulder. Turning round he saw that Vennel was there too, his pupils the merest spots, and Jaspar with his idolic smile. Carnelian felt betrayed, as if his father had led him into an ambush.
    Suth saw the change come across his son's face and said quickly, 'Witnesses are essential.'
    The Masters circled Carnelian like sleek predators.
    'Shall we begin?' said Aurum. His voice reverberated round the chamber. 'Lord Jaspar, it might please you to read the rings.'
    Jaspar gave a little bow and accepted something from Aurum's hand.
    The blood-rings of the Lord Suth and of his Lady wife, now long expired,' said Aurum. He turned to Vennel. 'Perhaps, my Lord, you would care to read the scars.'
    'My hands do not have the seeing of the Wise.'
    'Nevertheless, my Lord, we wish to be certain of impartiality, is that not so?'
    'Oh, very well!'
    Vennel began to move round behind Carnelian who, alarmed, turned to keep the Master in sight.
    'Keep still, my son,' his father said.
    Carnelian stopped turning and felt Vennel come up behind him.
    The robe must be opened for your taint scars to be read as proof of your parentage.'
    Carnelian fought a grimace as he felt the robe begin to slip off as Vennel undid the hooks down his back. He hunched his shoulders so that the robe would not fall to the ground.
    'Exquisite,' he heard Jaspar say.
    He closed his eyes. His perception was all in the skin of his back. He could not suppress a shudder when he felt Vennel's hands on him. Fingers sliding