Dangerous Waters (13 page)

‘There are merchants from Relshaz to Col who would have an interest in your proposal,’ Jilseth remarked. ‘If the Aldabreshi suspect northern magic at work in their islands, they will close their waters to northern traders.’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ Planir agreed.

Taine’s jaw jutted belligerently. ‘You invited us to come all this way merely to say once again that you will not help us?’

Planir looked steadily at him. ‘I invite you to consider every possible consequence so that you understand my decision. Do you know that wizardry is a capital offence among the Aldabreshi? A warlord must flay a mage alive to purify a domain polluted by sorcery. Which of my pupils or apprentices must suffer that fate for your sake, if they encounter outraged Archipelagans in Relshaz or Col who would knock them senseless and load them with chains?’

‘They would not dare!’ Baron Blancass was outraged. ‘Barbarians!’

‘Really?’ Planir mused. ‘No Aldabreshin would hang a starving man for stealing from a household with plenty to spare yet you would sanction that punishment, my lords, and the Archipelagans would call you barbarians for doing so.’

As the other barons gaped, Saldiray rose to his feet. ‘What of the consequences of doing nothing? Their first raids have already ravaged three villages between Attar and Claithe not a handful of days after the equinox.’

‘And the villagers?’ queried Planir. ‘Haven’t they found sanctuary inland?’

Jilseth didn’t need to see Saldiray and Taine exchange a sheepish glance. Flood Mistress Troanna had been scrying the Caladhrian coast since Cloud Master Rafrid first told Planir that the sailing season had begun.

‘If our people retreat from the coast, we risk ceding a permanent foothold to these vermin.’ Baron Taine glared at the Archmage. ‘We had to burn out one such nest in the Linney estuary last winter.’

‘Successfully?’ Planir nodded. ‘As I have always said, I have every confidence in Caladhrian strength of arms.’

‘So this has been a long journey and a tiresome voyage for no worthwhile return.’ Blancass rose to his feet, not bothering to conceal his anger. ‘Shall we catch the next tide, my lords?’

Jilseth had to curb a frown. She hadn’t expected such an open lack of respect even when the lords realised that Planir would not yield.

‘A moment more if you please, my lords, my lord Archmage.’ The only baron who’d remained silent thus far stood up.

‘Baron Licanin.’ Planir smiled. ‘I confess I’m curious to know why you’re here. Granted, the River Tantel is navigable for thirty leagues or so inland but your estates must be twice that distance from the sea, up by the headwaters.’

Jilseth was pleased to see the Archmage’s omniscience gave Saldiray and Blancass pause for thought. Then Licanin’s reply drove such thoughts from her mind.

‘I am concerned with the Halferan estates. My own wife is sister to the baron’s widow.’

Planir nodded. ‘My sympathies on her loss.’

‘Baron Halferan wasn’t lost,’ hissed Baron Blancass. ‘He was murdered by corsairs.’

Licanin shook his grey head. ‘My wife’s sister has lost far more than her husband.’

To Jilseth’s growing bemusement the barons looked horribly embarrassed.

Planir leaned forward in his chair. ‘Please explain.’

‘Baron Halferan was killed by corsairs a year and a season ago.’ Licanin cleared his throat. ‘A grant of guardianship was presented to the following Summer Solstice Parliament, according to custom. A mere formality to ensure the care of Halferan’s widow and children. The document was supposedly signed by Halferan himself and his neighbours attested to the fitness of his designate.’

He hesitated before continuing with visible effort. ‘But I have recently learned this supposed guardian was a stranger to Halferan’s wife. The grant of guardianship was a forgery. Worse, this man robbed the barony and has now disappeared.’

Now Jilseth understood. No wonder the barons looked so mortified, if their parliament had been so thoroughly duped.

‘A vile crime,’ agreed Planir, ‘though what—’

‘Wizards have long sought out the lost.’ Licanin looked up. ‘People and property. I have already asked a mage in Claithe for assistance. He was unable to find the man so suggested I seek help in Hadrumal.’

Planir nodded slowly. ‘It’s not always an easy task, for any wizard to find someone unknown to them. What is his name?’

‘Minelas Estadin,’ said Licanin.

Planir raised a hand to clarify his question. ‘The man you seek, not the mage.’

Licanin shook his head impatiently. ‘That is the man’s name, the thief’s.’

‘Forgive me, I misunderstood.’ Planir apologised swiftly. ‘What can you tell me about him?’

Jilseth sat, stony faced. This must be some different Minelas. If uncommon, the name wasn’t unknown in Caladhria and she’d never known him claim Estadin as his family.

Licanin’s expression lightened at the Archmage’s encouragement. ‘Zurenne tells me, my wife’s sister, that his accent was of Ensaimin. He mentioned a childhood home in Grynth.’

That did away with Jilseth’s hope of some harmless coincidence. Now she was desperate to learn what else this baron knew about Minelas.

‘He lingered through the summer seasons and into For-Autumn last year.’ Guilt clouded Licanin’s face. ‘He installed his own henchmen in the household and threatened Lady Zurenne and her children. It wasn’t till after he left that we learned of these deceits.’

So that’s where Minelas had hidden while she’d been searching. She had been so close!

‘When did he leave?’ Jilseth couldn’t help asking.

‘You’ve heard nothing since For-Autumn?’ Planir reclaimed Lord Licanin’s attention at once.

‘Not a word all winter,’ the grey-haired baron admitted. ‘But Lady Zurenne is tormented by the thought that he may yet return. She is distraught, my lord Archmage.’

It took all Jilseth’s strength of will to sit still, as expressionless as a statue. If Licanin knew of Minelas’s wizardry, he would say something, if only to lay these debts of dishonour at the Archmage’s feet.

‘Then the scent is cold.’ Planir shook his head dubiously. ‘But if this man spent some seasons in Halferan there may yet be something there tied to him. That could anchor a scrying spell. We can certainly try,’ he agreed with every appearance of goodwill. ‘Madam Jilseth, please see these lords and their ship safely back to Claithe with the next tide. Then you should travel to Halferan with Lord Licanin.’

‘I will be glad to help, if I can.’ Jilseth strove to match the Archmage’s calm and the sincerity of his deceptive assurances.

‘This – lady wizard?’ If Blancass was the only one who spoke, the rest were looking askance.

‘I have every faith in her considerable skills, as should you, my lords.’ Planir rose to his feet. ‘Please, until your ship sails, take your ease in the Boar and Elder tavern. Tell Master Sasper that you’re my guests. Madam Jilseth will join you once she and I have discussed how best to search for your thief.’

Planir clapped his hands and one half of the hall’s double door opened. A burly man in a midnight blue tunic looked through. ‘Archmage?’

‘Tornauld, kindly escort our noble guests to the Boar and Elder. See that they get a private parlour,’ Planir added.

‘Of course, Archmage.’ Tornauld bowed respectfully to the Caladhrians who were getting to their feet, surprised at the Archmage’s unexpected affability.

Jilseth breathed more easily. Tornauld’s wits were as sharp as a winter wind. He would realise Planir didn’t want these visitors adding anything to the potent mix of Hadrumal’s gossip.

As the door closed behind the noble lords, she gave way to her frustration. ‘I could have put a stop to Minelas’s plundering! If only I had followed the lodestone to Halferan’s manor instead of into the marsh,’ she castigated herself.

‘Only mainlanders think wizards are infallible.’ Planir surprised her with a grin before looking deadly serious. ‘You would have discovered this petty deceit but not his graver crimes in betraying Lord Halferan to the corsairs and taking their coin in return for his magic. Do you think he would have allowed you to search out the truth in the marshes, once you had discovered him installing himself as lord of that manor?’

Jilseth was faintly insulted. ‘No mage with an air affinity could disrupt my necromancy.’

Planir shook his head. ‘He wouldn’t have attacked your spells. He’d have tried to murder you too, with magecraft or a knife in the back, if the alternative was being unmasked as Lord Halferan’s killer and a renegade mage. Would you have been ready for that?’

Jilseth wished that she could say so. Honestly? She instinctively recoiled at the thought of one mage killing another. That wasn’t something she ever wanted to contemplate.

‘But they don’t seem to know anything of his magic.’ That was one consolation she could cling to. She looked at Planir, at a loss. ‘Why should I go to Halferan and act out some masquerade? What do you want me to do there?’

‘I’ve had enough of these chance discoveries of new twists to Minelas’s treachery,’ Planir said grimly. ‘Let’s learn everything we can from Halferan’s lady and from whatever bodies still lie out in the marsh. Let’s find out if anyone there has the slightest suspicion that wizardry has been so vilely misused.’

‘If I do discover someone who knew of Minelas’s magic?’ What did Planir expect her to do then?

‘We’ll spread that straw when we fear a stumble.’ Planir smiled once again, at Jilseth’s surprise hearing this homely wisdom. ‘I don’t know. What we’ll do will depend on who it is and exactly what they know. Kalion may imagine I spend my days plotting and planning for every possible twist of events and their outcome but I see no reason to waste my time as he does.’

Jilseth wasn’t overly reassured. ‘Shall I tell Halferan’s widow that she need not fear? That Minelas is dead?’

‘Not yet.’ Planir was adamant. ‘That’s an arrow we’ll keep in our quiver.’

‘But we will tell her?’ Jilseth appalled by her error. If only she had gone to the manor, this woman and her children would have been spared whatever grief Minelas had caused them.

After a barely perceptible delay, Planir nodded. ‘When we’re certain there’s no scandal smouldering. If there is, we may need exactly that news to snuff out the flames.’

Jilseth nodded reluctantly. ‘Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.’ If it did, some rumour would surely find its way to Kalion’s ear and the Hearth Master wouldn’t hesitate to use this fresh failing against the Archmage.

He had already challenged Planir before the Council of Wizards over Minelas’s crimes in Lescar, even though Sorgrad’s brother had killed the renegade before he could make good on his boasts to win the war for Triolle. Jilseth closed her eyes with a shudder at unbidden recollection of that bloody scene.

‘It’s unlikely you’ll find any cause for concern,’ Planir said sombrely. ‘If Minelas had worked any magecraft through the summer, your lodestone would have found him hiding in Halferan. I don’t doubt that wizardry’s efficacy and you shouldn’t doubt your talents.’

The Archmage sighed. ‘From what you discovered last year, he only used his magic to kill Lord Halferan in order to steal his barony and to enslave those men for corsair gold. Who could have witnessed such an outrage, who wouldn’t have already stepped forward to shout it from the rooftops?’

C
HAPTER
E
IGHT

The
Reef Eagle
, off the coast of Caladhria

16th of Aft-Spring

C
ORRAIN WAS BIDING
his time. He ignored the stench of sweat and piss, of vomit from the newcomers. Despite his own nausea in the heavy seas, he was grateful for every wave sluicing through the oar ports in the bulwark. That washed away some of the sloshing vileness. He hauled steadily on the oar polished smooth by countless dead men’s hands.

‘Where did we land?’ Hosh wasn’t expecting Corrain to know. He just wanted someone to share his desolation. So near and yet so far from a coast that might have once been home.

Corrain answered him nevertheless, albeit with a curt rebuke. ‘Quiet.’ The last thing he wanted was the whip master’s brutal attention drawn this way. If either of them were flogged, it could be the death of them.