Fire Study (22 page)

Moon Man released the emotional turmoil of his visions. He wouldn’t forget the

images, but they would no longer strangle him. I gathered his grief and guilt and

anguish to my soul. So much carnage and blood. All to boost the Vermin’s power.

So many dead. Too many. How to soothe those victims? Stopping the Vermin from

increasing their strength might work. What if they tried again? Perhaps destroying the

power blanket to keep everyone from using magic would work. A drastic and

desperate measure that might not even be possible.

Letting go of my hand, Moon Man stood.

“What you said about my future. Is it true?” I asked.

“Yes. You will become a slave to another.” The discussion over, Moon Man

returned to the campfire.

We ate the stew in silence. Packing up, we mounted and spurred the horses

toward the Avibian border. When we reached the road located between the plains

and the fields of the Greenblade Clan’s lands, we turned north toward the Citadel

and slowed the horses to a walk. At this late hour, the road was empty.

Being out of the plains gave us at least an illusion of safety, but I wanted to ride a

little farther before we stopped for the night.

The next three days dragged. With hardly a word spoken between the three of us,

an awkward hush resulted as we traveled to the Citadel. Moon Man’s comment

about my future repeated in my mind, grating on my nerves like a high-pitched

squeal. I wanted to know who would force me to be a slave and when, but I knew

Moon Man would reply with a cryptic remark and I wouldn’t be smart enough to

figure it out. The air turned cold and damp as we went farther north, and one night

sleet pelted us, making our ride miserable.

Seeing the welcome sight of the white marble walls of the city on the third day, I

spurred Kiki into a gallop. Gone from the Keep for eighteen days, I missed Irys, my

old mentor who answered my questions with a refreshing directness, and my friends

at the Magician’s Keep.

After crossing the south entrance gate of the outer wall, we walked the horses

through the streets of the Citadel. Puddles of icy muck peppered the walkways.

Citizens hurried through the intermittent rain, and the grayness cast a mournful

facade over the expanse of marble buildings. The smell of wet wool clung to the air.

We aimed for the Council Hall, which was located with the other government

buildings in the southeast quadrant of the Citadel.

Home? Kiki looked with longing at the four towers of the Keep.

Soon, I said. Rest here for now. A stable for the Councilors had been erected

behind the building. At least you’ll be out of the rain. Once Kiki and Garnet were

settled, we entered the hall.

A guard informed us a Council meeting had just finished and we should go in

before the Councilors left for the day. Entering the Great Hall, I spotted Irys talking

to Bain Bloodgood, Second Magician. Groups of Councilors and aides formed

small knots and the noise of their discussions filled the room. By the harsh tones and

strident voices, I sensed the discussion hadn’t gone well and an undercurrent of fear

trembled against my skin.

Moon Man and Tauno went directly to their Councilman, Harun Sandseed. I

hung back, not wanting to interfere with the Sandseeds. Irys hurried toward me. She

wore her stern Fourth Magician expression. She was worried. I scanned the clumps

of Councilors with more care and I discovered the reason for her concern.

Cahil stood with Roze Featherstone and another Councilor. He laughed and

talked as if he belonged there.

I MOVED TO CONFRONT Cahil. He should be in the dungeon for aiding and

abetting a murderer, not standing in the middle of the Great Hall having a

conversation with Roze. My alarm increased when I saw a few Vermin inside the

Hall.

Irys had other plans. She grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

“Now is not the time,” she said, appealing to me.

“What is going on?” I demanded.

Irys glanced around the room. A few Councilors stood close enough to overhear

us, so she switched to our mental communication.

Cahil claims he’s been on an undercover mission this whole time, she said. He

says that he didn’t free Ferde.

Why would anyone believe that? I asked.

Because Roze corroborated his story.

A lightning strike of shock ripped through my body. I hoped I misunderstood

her. But her grim expression didn’t change.

It gets worse, she said. Cahil says he caught Marrok rescuing Ferde and, after

interrogating him, Cahil discovered Ferde was on his way to rendezvous with others.

Cahil followed the Soulstealer to discover what they plotted.

That’s ridiculous. We know Cahil beat Marrok to find out about his birth parents.

It’s Cahil’s word against Marrok’s at this point because there is no evidence to

say who freed Ferde. Especially since Ferde can’t be questioned. Irys frowned.

We’ll talk about your actions later, but whatever you learned from Ferde’s mind

can’t be used as evidence.

Why not?

Because you were emotionally involved with the Soulstealer and your impartiality

is suspect. I know—she went on, sensing my protest—it isn’t right, but when the

Council discovered what you had done to Ferde, it confirmed their fears about you

being a Soulfinder and validated Roze’s warnings.

I sighed. It had confirmed my fears, too. Where’s Ferde now?

In the Citadel’s jail, waiting for the Council to decide what to do with him.

Although I think executing him would be a kindness.

Her censure hurt and guilt welled. I forced my thoughts away from Ferde and

concentrated on Cahil. There had to be a way to show the Council the truth about

his involvement. Where’s Marrok? What has he said?

Marrok is being held for questioning. He claims he didn’t free Ferde. He had no

motive. But Cahil says Marrok wanted to frame him for the escape so Marrok could

lead Cahil’s men. And also that Marrok lied to him, and Cahil really has royal blood.

My mind spun. Cahil had an answer for everything. So why was Cahil traveling

with Ferde?

He says it was part of the undercover mission. Once he caught up with Ferde, he

convinced Ferde he wanted to be a part of their plans. While he traveled with the

Daviians, Cahil says he recruited them to switch sides. She gestured to the Vermin in

the room.

Did he mention the Vermin using blood magic and the Fire Warper?

No. He didn’t, but Leif tried. Leif attempted to discredit Cahil and many of the

Councilors thought he exaggerated about the Daviians. Unfortunately, Leif’s

reputation for seeing doom and gloom in everything worked against him.

Did Cahil say what the Vermin plan to do? Half of me didn’t want to hear Irys’s

response. I steeled myself.

According to Cahil, the Daviians’ leaders are in league with the Commander of

Ixia. Together they plan to assassinate the Council and Master Magicians and, in the

ensuing chaos, the Daviians will offer to help Sitia battle the Ixians. But there won’t

really be a war and the Daviians will eventually turn Sitian’s government into a

dictatorship.

Exactly what the Council feared since the Commander took over Ixia, and,

combined with the resultant bad feelings from the Ixian Ambassador’s visit, the

Councilors were primed for Cahil’s lies. So now it seemed Roze was right to warn

the Council about the Commander. And I had no evidence to prove them wrong.

What about my training? I asked.

I didn’t think Irys could look any more upset, but she managed to deepen her

scowl. The Council has given Roze permission to “assess” your involvement in

these events and to determine what risk you pose to Sitia.

I’m sure that would be impartial. Do I have any say in this?

No. But the other Masters will be there as witnesses. All except me. My

objectivity is considered compromised by our friendship.

Moon Man and Tauno finished their conversation with Harun. They came toward

us.

Did you hear about the Sandseed massacre? I asked Irys.

Yes. Horrible news, and it gave Cahil more proof of the Daviian threat. The

Council is preparing the Sitian army for war.

I didn’t even have to ask. Irys saw the question in my eyes.

War against the Daviians and against Ixia.

So much for my job as Liaison. War between Sitia and Ixia was the one thing I

had hoped to avoid. There had to be more going on with the Daviian Vermin,

though. I knew the Commander would never team up with them. They used blood

magic, and he wouldn’t condone the use of any magic. Besides, he could attack Sitia

without the Vermin’s help. Again, I had no proof.

Moon Man and Tauno joined us.

“There are about a dozen Sandseed survivors,” Moon Man said. “They came to

the Citadel and are staying here for now. Only one Story Weaver besides me

survived. It is Gede, and he is the one we need to talk to about the Fire Warper.”

Irys said, “Who—”

Moon Man kept talking. “You said Master Bloodgood has a few books about the

Efe, right?”

“Yes,” I said.

“We should examine them. Gede and I will come to the Keep tomorrow

morning.” Moon Man turned and walked away.

I watched his back, feeling uneasy. His whole attitude toward me had changed

since he had tried to drag me into the shadow world. He acted as if he had given up

on me.

“That was rather abrupt,” Irys said.

“He’s been through a lot.”

“And so have you. Tell me about this Fire Warper. Leif had only sketchy

details.”

I reported all our adventures to her as we left the Council Hall and headed toward

the Keep.

The next morning we assembled in Bain Bloodgood’s study. Occupying the

entire second floor of his tower, Bain’s office was ringed with bookcases. They had

been built around the long thin windows and every shelf overflowed with texts. A

desk, a few wooden chairs and a ratty armchair looking as old as Bain resided in the

center of the room. The sharp tang of ink permeated the air. Ink stained the desk’s

top and Bain’s fingers. And the only space on the floor without a pile of books was

a foot-wide path from the door to the desk.

The tension in the room pressed on my skin. Moon Man had folded his large

frame into one of the chairs. He appeared uncomfortable and he glanced with

longing outside. I shared his discomfort. The room felt crowded and tight even for

me. Bain sat behind his desk, with Dax Greenblade standing next to him. Dax was

Bain’s apprentice and he had the unique talent of being able to read ancient

languages. His help in finding Ferde and rescuing Gelsi had been vital.

Irys stared at the other Sandseed Story Weaver with ill-concealed dislike. Gede

had arrived with Moon Man and he had pushed his way into the room as if he

belonged there. He carried his bulk with authority and appeared to be taller than he

was. It wasn’t until he stood next to Irys that his true height was revealed. He

matched Irys’s five feet eight inches.

“Those books belong to me,” Gede said.

Silence met his statement. Dax glanced at me. Incredulity flashed in his

bottle-green eyes.

“My ancestor labored to banish all the knowledge about the blood magic, yet

there they sit—” he gestured to the two open books on Bain’s desk “—for anyone

to pick up and read.”

Irys said, “I doubt anyone but Master Bloodgood and Dax can read or

understand the language—”

Gede cut her off. “It is all you need. One person to read it, to get ideas and to

experiment with the knowledge. Blood magic is like no other—once you start you

can not stop.”

“It appears the Vermin have discovered the information without these books,” I

said.

“How do you know?” Gede asked. He peered at Dax with open suspicion.

“Perhaps someone has been feeding them information.”

I stepped in front of Gede before Dax could defend himself. “Not from here.

Besides, having these books might prove to be an advantage. Your ancestor Guyan

defeated the Efe and perhaps the books contain information about how to counter

the Vermin’s blood magic and to defeat the Fire Warper.”

“All the more reason to give them to me,” Gede said. “The Sandseeds will

deduce a way to oppose the Daviians. After all, they are our problem.”