The High Lord (28 page)

The Heads of Disciplines exchanged glances.

“Thank you, Captain,” Lorlen said. “Is there anything else?”

The young man shook his head. “No. I will return tomorrow morning, as you requested, unless further information comes my way.”

“Thank you. You may go.”

As the door closed, Vinara sighed. “No doubt the guard will find her body in the next few days. He was certainly busy last night.”

Balkan shook his head. “But it doesn’t make sense. How did he know about her? If he’d detected her watching, he would have ensured she didn’t reach the Guard House.”

Sarrin shrugged. “Unless he was unable to catch up with her. Then, when she left the Guard House, he made sure she’d be unable to give any more evidence against him.”

Balkan sighed. “It’s not behavior I would expect of a black magician. If he cared about hiding evidence, why be so careless earlier in the night? Why not disguise himself? Why—”

He stopped at another knock on the door. Lorlen sighed and willed it open. To his surprise, Dannyl stepped inside the office. Dark shadows lay under the Ambassador’s eyes.

“Administrator,” Dannyl said. “Might I have a word with you? In private?”

Lorlen frowned in annoyance. “Is this about the rogue, Ambassador?”

“Partly.” Dannyl glanced at the others and appeared to choose his words carefully. “But not solely. I would not come to you if I did not feel I had urgent matters to discuss.”

Vinara rose. “I am heartily sick of speculation, anyway,” she declared. She gave Sarrin and Balkan direct and meaningful looks. “If you need us, Administrator, just call.”

Dannyl stepped aside and inclined his head politely as the three magicians left the room. When the door closed, Lorlen moved to his desk and sat down.

“What urgent matter do you speak of?”

Dannyl approached the desk. “I’m not sure where to start, Administrator. I am in an awkward situation. Two awkward situations, if that is possible.” He paused. “Though you said my help was no longer needed, I continued researching ancient magic out of my own interest. The High Lord, when he learned of this, encouraged me to continue, but by then there was little left to discover in Elyne. Or so I thought.”

Lorlen frowned. Akkarin had
encouraged
Dannyl to continue?

“Then, when my assistant and I were gaining the rebels’ trust, we discovered a book in Dem Marane’s possession.” Dannyl reached into his robes and drew out an old book. He placed it on Lorlen’s desk. “It answered many questions we had about ancient magic. It seems the form of ancient magic known as higher magic is actually black magic. This book contains instructions on its use.”

Lorlen stared at the book. Was this a coincidence, or had Akkarin known the rebels had the book? Or had he been working
with
the rebels? He drew in a quick breath. Was this how he learned black magic?

If so, then why turn them in?

“So you see,” Dannyl said. “I am in an awkward position.

Some might consider that I have researched black magic with the High Lord’s permission, and that Akkarin’s orders to capture the rebels were an attempt to gather more knowledge.” He grimaced. “In truth, I have read part of that book, which means I have broken the law against learning about black magic. But I didn’t know what it contained until I began reading.”

Lorlen shook his head. No wonder Dannyl was worried. “I understand your concern. You could not have known what the research would lead to. I didn’t know what the research would lead to. If anyone thought to suspect you, they would have to suspect me as well.”

“Should I explain all this at the Hearing?”

“I’ll discuss it with the Higher Magicians, but I don’t think it will be necessary,” Lorlen replied.

Dannyl looked relieved. “There is one other matter,” he added quietly.

More? Lorlen stifled a groan. “Yes?”

Dannyl looked at the floor. “When the High Lord requested that I find the rebels, he suggested that my assistant and I cause them to know something that could be used to blackmail us into cooperating. Akkarin said he would ensure the Guild knew that this information was merely a deception created to gain the rebels’ trust.” Dannyl looked up. “But obviously Akkarin is no longer in a position to do that.”

Abruptly, Lorlen remembered a conversation with Akkarin beside the Arena, while they were watching Sonea fighting.

“The Guild will lose interest in the murderer once Ambassador Dannyl arrives with the rogue, Lorlen.”

Had he been referring to more than the existence of the rebels? What was this information that Dannyl had created to gain the rebels’ trust?

He looked at Dannyl; the man glanced away, clearly embarrassed. Slowly Lorlen began to piece together scraps of gossip he’d heard, until he had guessed what Dannyl had let the rebels believe.

Interesting,
he thought.
And a bold move, considering the troubles Dannyl faced as a novice.

What should he do? Lorlen rubbed his temples. Akkarin had been so much better at this sort of thing.

“So you fear that nobody will believe what Akkarin says about you, because his integrity is in question.”

“Yes.”

“Is the integrity of these rebels any stronger?” Lorlen shook his head. “I doubt it. If you are worried that nobody will believe Akkarin, then let people believe it was your own idea.”

Dannyl’s eyes widened. He straightened and nodded. “Of course. Thank you, Administrator.”

Lorlen shrugged, then looked at Dannyl a little closer. “You look as if you haven’t slept for a week.”

“I haven’t. I didn’t want someone to undo all the hard work I’d done in saving Farand’s life.”

Lorlen frowned. “Then you had best go back to your rooms and rest. We may need you tomorrow.”

The young magician managed a tired smile. He nodded at the book on Lorlen’s desk. “Now that I’ve got
that
off my hands, sleep shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Thank you again, Administrator.”

As he left, Lorlen sighed.
At least someone is going to get some sleep.

Sonea’s first thought as she began to wake was that Viola hadn’t come to wake her, and she was going to be late for classes. She blinked away the fuzziness of sleep. Then she felt sand between her fingers and saw the faintly illuminated stone wall of the Dome around her, and she remembered.

That she had slept at all amazed her. The last she could recall of the previous night was lying in darkness, thoughts of the day to come running in circles through her mind. It had taken all her will to resist calling out to Akkarin mentally, to ask him if she should tell the Guild anything yet, or simply to know where he was, if he was being treated well… or if he was still alive.

In her worst moments of doubt, she could not shake the thought that the Guild might have passed judgment on him already, without telling her. The Guild of the past had been frighteningly thorough in its efforts to rid the Allied Lands of black magic. Those long-dead magicians would have executed Akkarin without delay.

And me,
she thought, with a shiver.

She wished again that she could talk to him. He had said he would tell the Guild about the Ichani. Did he intend to admit to learning black magic, too? Did he mean for them to know she had as well?

Or was he going to deny using black magic? Or admit to it himself, but claim she had done nothing wrong?

But she
had.
An unwanted image of the dead Ichani woman flitted through her mind. With it came intense, but contradictory feelings.

You’re a killer,
a voice in her mind accused.

I
had to,
she thought in reply.
There was no choice. She would have killed me.

But you would have done it anyway,
her conscience replied,
even if there had been a choice.

Yes. To protect the Guild. To protect Kyralia.
Then she frowned.
Since when have I been so concerned about killing, anyway? I would have killed without hesitation, if I’d been attacked in the slums. In fact, I may have killed already. I don’t know if that thug who dragged me off the street survived after I stabbed him.

That’s different. You didn’t have magic then,
her conscience pointed out.

She sighed. She could not help thinking that, with all the advantages that having magic abilities gave her, she ought to be able to avoid killing anyone. But the Ichani had wielded magic, too.

She had to be stopped. I happened to be in a position to stop her. I don’t regret killing her, only that I had to in the first place.

Her conscience fell silent.

Keep bothering me,
she told it.
I’d rather that, than kill and not feel bad about it.

Still nothing.

Great.
She shook her head.
Maybe that old superstition about the Eye is true. Not only am I having conversations with myself, but now I’m refusing to talk to me. This has got to be the first sign of madness.

A sound outside drew her attention back to the room. Sitting up, she saw the Warrior guards step aside as Lord Osen stopped in the doorway. A globe light flared above his head, filling the spherical room with light.

“The Hearing is about to begin, Sonea. I’m here to escort you to the Guildhall.”

Suddenly her heart was racing. She stood up, brushed the sand off her robes, and walked to the door. Osen stepped back and allowed her to pass.

A short set of stairs led to another open door. She paused as she saw the circle of magicians waiting beyond. Her escort was a collection of Healers and Alchemists. The Warriors and the stronger magicians of the Guild would be guarding Akkarin, she guessed.

They watched her intently as she stepped out into the middle of the circle. Seeing the suspicion and disapproval in their expressions, she felt her face grow warm. She turned around to see that her two Warrior guards had completed the circle. Osen stepped through a momentary break in the barrier they held around her.

“Sonea,” he said. “Your guardian is accused of murder and of practicing black magic. As his novice, you will be questioned about your knowledge of these matters. Do you understand?”

She swallowed to wet her throat. “Yes, my lord.”

He paused. “Due to the discovery of books on black magic in your room, you will also be accused of learning about black magic.”

So she, too, was to be judged.

“I understand,” she replied.

Osen nodded. He turned to face the gardens beside the University. ‘To the Guildhall, then.”

The escort kept pace as Osen led her to the path alongside the University. The grounds were empty and eerily quiet. Only their footsteps and the occasional chirrup of a bird broke the silence. She thought of the families of magicians, and the servants that populated the grounds. Had they been sent away, in case Akkarin sought to overtake the Guild?

When the escort had nearly reached the front of the University, Osen suddenly stopped. The magicians surrounding them exchanged worried looks. Realizing they were listening to a mental communication, she focused her senses.

—...
says he will not enter until Sonea is here,
Lorlen sent.

—
What shall we do?
Osen asked.

—
Wait. We will decide.

Sonea felt her heart lighten a little. Akkarin was refusing to enter the Guildhall without her. He wanted her there.

Osen and the escort were tense with anxiety, however, obviously fearing what Akkarin might do if Lorlen refused. They had no idea how strong Akkarin was.

She sobered.
Neither do I.

As they waited, she tried to estimate his strength. He had taken energy from her and Takan for two weeks before the fight with the Ichani. Sonea had no idea how strong he had been before then, but the fight would have diminished his store of magic considerably. He might still be several times the strength of a Guild magician, but she doubted he was powerful enough to fight the entire Guild.

And me?

She was aware of a great increase in her strength since she had taken the Ichani woman’s energy, but she could not guess how much more powerful it made her. Not as powerful as Akkarin, she guessed. He had been winning the fight with the Ichani before Sonea had stepped in so the Ichani would have been weaker. The power Sonea had taken from her couldn’t have been as much as he had.

Unless the Ichani had been pretending to be weaker for some reason…

—
Bring her
.

Lorlen did not sound happy. Osen made a small noise of disgust, then began walking again. The escort followed. As they neared the front of the University, Sonea’s heart began to race again, but this time in anticipation.

A crowd of magicians milled around the front of the building. They turned to watch as Sonea’s escort appeared, then parted as it started up the stairs.

Akkarin stood in the center of the Entrance Hall. She felt a thrill as she saw him. The corner of his mouth curled up in a familiar half-smile as he saw her. She almost smiled in reply, but schooled her expression as she saw the tense faces of the magicians surrounding him.

The Entrance Hall was crowded. Akkarin’s escort was made up of over fifty magicians, most of them Warriors. Nearly all of the Higher Magicians were present, looking nervous and angry. Lord Balkan’s expression was dark.

Lorlen stepped forward to regard Akkarin.

“You may enter together,” he said, his voice full of warning, “but you must remain out of each other’s reach.”

Akkarin nodded, then turned and beckoned to her. She blinked in surprise as her escort stepped back to allow her through.

Murmuring filled the Entrance Hall as she moved into the circle of magicians surrounding Akkarin. She stopped beside him, but far enough away that they could not have reached out to grasp hands. Akkarin looked at Lorlen and smiled.

“Now, Administrator, let’s see if we can sort out this misunderstanding.”

He turned and started down the passage to the Guildhall.

Rothen had never felt so ill. The last day had been one of the longest in his life. He had been dreading the Hearing, yet was also impatient for it to begin. He needed to hear Akkarin’s excuses, and to know what had drawn Sonea into breaking a law. He wanted to see Akkarin punished for what he had done to Sonea. Yet he also dreaded the moment Sonea’s punishment would be announced.