The Grand Crusade (22 page)

She slowly descended and heard the scrape of Crow’s boots as he followed her. On that main floor three groups were prepared to argue. Centermost was a knot of sorcerers from Vilwan. Off to the left waited Peri and Resolute. To the right, Dranae, Rymramoch, and a powerfully built female, who apparently was another dragon in human form, had gathered.

The leader of the Vilwanese contingent turned, saw Alexia, and smiled. “Very good. Now that they are here, we can proceed.”

Alexia recalled the woman’s name and rank from the general councils. “I have only just been summoned, Magister Tadurienne; I do not know what this is about. Has there been some change in Kerrigan?”

The woman folded her hands into the sleeves of her grey robe, which had

black striping at cuffs, collar, and hem. The color matched her hair and proclaimed her to be skilled in the arts of conjuration. “No change in his condition, but there is a change in his status.”

Alexia frowned as she joined her sister and Resolute. Crow stood behind her. The princess looked toward King Fidelius. “Please, Highness, enlighten me.”

He gestured with his good hand toward the Vilwanese. “Because Kerrigan is a minor citizen of Vilwan, they are petitioning to take custody of him and return to Vilwan with him.”

Alyx frowned. “They wish to extradite him like a criminal? On what charge?”

“No charge, Princess.” Tadurienne kept her voice respectful. “This is not extradition. It is a compassionate repatriation.”

“ ‘Compassionate’? How can that be, Magister? Unless I am misinformed, you’ve not been able to figure out what is happening with him.”

“True, but we have hopes.” She waved a hand toward the dragons. “Even they have been unable to unlock the magick Chytrine used, but on Vilwan we have the greatest minds assembled, who will be able to do what they cannot.”

Crow cleared his throat. “How is it that Kerrigan is a citizen of Vilwan? I understood that all students on Vilwan were subject to the nation of their birth until they reached the age of consent, at which time they may renounce their old citizenship and become citizens of Vilwan. Heslin never did that, and remained an Oriosan until Chytrine took him.”

Tadurienne smiled. “It is simple. Kerrigan was born on Vilwan.”

“That is a lie.” The puppet Rymramoch clapped gloved hands together. “Had he been born on Vilwan, the taint would have been there. I studied him. He did spend virtually his entire life on Vilwan, and he may have been born on an island, but it was not Vilwan.”

The Vilwanese Magister held a hand up and conferred with her compatriots. “I have no information about the place of his birth. His parents are full Vilwanese citizens. He has no other home. He is ours.”

Resolute glanced over at Rymramoch. “Why do you say he was born on an island?”

“It’s obvious.”

Dranae smiled easily. “Resolute, for us, reading the traces and taints on a person is as easy as reading gibberkin sign is for you. I never read Kerrigan, but with you the mark of Vorquellyn is strong, no matter that you’ve spent ten times as many years away from there.”

Tadurienne opened her hands. “As fascinating as this discussion about taints and traces is, it really has no bearing on the case at hand. Kerrigan Reese came from Vilwan, was trained on Vilwan, and is of Vilwanese extraction. No one here has the capability of helping him, and we do. If you want what is best for him, you will give him to us now. Time, you can all plainly see, is of the essence.”

Crow again spoke. “With all due respect, Magister, but Kerrigan’s last tutor,

Orla, gave him deathbed instructions. She told him he was to stay away from Vilwan. In Meredo he defied your attempts to lure him back.“

“He is but a child, subject to childish fancies.”

“But Orla was not. She was your equal in rank. He sought to obey her orders, and she gave the responsibility for him to Resolute and me.”

“Did she?” Tadurienne pointed to the twitching body. “And you chose to leave him on Vael for instructions in magicks no human has ever mastered, andthisis the result! I would submit, King Fidelius, that Crow has proven himself unsuitable as a guardian. Regardless, Orla had no authority to turn her charge over to either of these adventurers. Before she left Vilwan she had a discussion with her superior which, I have been led to believe, resulted in a difference of opinion. That doubtless prompted her giving Kerrigan the orders she did, not any true concern for the boy.”

Scrainwood toyed with his goatee. “Magister Tadurienne’s objection to Crow’s stewardship of Kerrigan Reese does bear weight. By his own admission, he who lost the Norrington now has lost Adept Reese.”

King Fidelius nodded in accord, but King Augustus waved that notion away. “By all accounts, Adept Reese was powerful and wise beyond his years, and certainly more skilled at magick than the Vilwanese assembled here. He had the trust of the Draconis Baron, which we all know was not easily earned. Kerrigan Reese, could he speak for himself, would undoubtedly hold all but himself blameless for his current condition.”

Fidelius nodded. “Your point is well-taken, Augustus, but the legal problem still exists. Orla did not have the authority to transfer custody to anyone. While she might have suggested he stay with Crow and Resolute, she could not give him over to them. Their claims in this matter must be rejected. As to why or if she told Kerrigan to stay away from Vilwan is likewise immaterial.”

“Thank you, Highness.” Tadurienne smiled cautiously. “If there are no other objections.”

“I have one.” Rymramoch raised a hand. “You referred to this as a compassionate repatriation, and you cited having the greatest magickal minds present on Vilwan to help deal with this problem. I would submit that is not true.”

The grey-robed woman bowed her head. “I will agree we do not have dragons with us, but were you wishing to come, we would welcome your assistance.”

“You mistake me, but I do not think deliberately so. I will be going nowhere until my compatriot, Bok, is ready to travel.” The puppet clasped its hands together. “My point was simply this: all the minds you have gathered there will be unable to plumb the depths of this spell.”

Tadurienne’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “I can appreciate thatyouhave had difficulty in that matter, Rymramoch

”

The dragon’s puppet cut her off. “And you’ve had less than I?”

“No, but

”

^Permit me a question. Do you knowwhyyou have had difficulty learning -roything about the magick on him?“

The Vilwanese woman grew cautious. She spoke in low tones with the other two sorcerers, then shook her head. “No.”

“It is because that is the nature of the spell she cast. It is meant to frustrate magick cast upon it.” The puppet looked up at the three kings. “Even I have heard the story of Chytrine’s first assault on Fortress Draconis. She cast a spell that undid the healings that had been performed. This spell functions much along the same lines. If it were a swordsman, it would be adept at parrying every attack thrown at it. The pitifully simple fact of the matter is that there are a limited number of diagnostic spells available to any race. I have tried all I know and they have failed. Even the magick I use to move this shell around is affected by the one she cast.”

Fidelius sat back and rubbed his right hand over his face. “So you are saying there is nothing the Vilwanese can do to save his life?”

“There is no way they can determine what her spell is doing to him. They are afraid of something, however.” Rymramoch nodded toward the body. “They’re afraid the spell she cast will change Kerrigan Reese into one of hersullanciri”

Alexia gasped and pressed back against Crow. That possibility had never occurred to her. “Could that be happening?”

Tadurienne held her hands up. “It cannot be discounted. If he were to become asullanciri, he would be most powerful and dangerous. On Vilwan he could be contained and destroyed.”

Crow laughed. “I am unaware of anysullanciriwho have been slain by Vilwanese agents—save Neskartu, whom Kerrigan slew after he distanced himself from Vilwan.”

The King of Oriosa shook his head. “Please, Hawkins, no petty displays of temper and jealousy.”

Alexia felt Crow shiver at the accusation coming out of Scrainwood’s mouth. She reached back, found his right hand, and squeezed it. “More games, lover.” She kept her voice a whisper and felt her hand squeezed in return.

Fidelius frowned. “It is likely true that he could be best contained on Vilwan. It seems the only course is to grant their petition.”

“Wait, Highness.” Resolute held up a hand. “There is a question that has yet to be answered. Magister Tadurienne, you said you have no information about where Kerrigan Reese was born. Did I hear you correctly?”

“Yes.”

“I would like you to tell us, then, the purpose of the Vilwanese expedition that went to Vorquellyn at the time of his birth. There your people engaged Aurolani forces in fierce fighting, then withdrew again.”

Alexia had no idea what Resolute was talking about, but the blood drained from Tadurienne’s face. “I believe you are mistaken, Resolute.”

Rymramoch waved a hand and, just for a heartbeat, Resolute’s magickal tatos glowed blue. “Of course, yes, the island. Kerrigan Reese has the same taint

you, Resolute. He was born on Vorquellyn.“

Resolute’s voice gained an edge. “How many were there, Magister? How many ere born on Vorquellyn? Were you thinking the children born there would be ble to forge a link to the homeland as we do? Had you heard of Chytrine’s breeding experiments and the dismal results, then decided you could do it better than she could?”

Tadurienne lifted her chin and clasped her hands at the small of her back. “I am aware there was an expedition sent to Vorquellyn. I do not know its purpose. I do know there was great loss of life. It could be as suggested that the purpose was for children to be born there. I do not know, nor do I know if Kerrigan Reese was one, or if any others yet live. That is all I can tell you on this matter.”

Resolute snorted. “You have told us enough. Kerrigan Reese was born on Vorquellyn. Orla knew that, which is why she turned him over to me. My claim to him would supersede any Vilwanese claim.”

Tadurienne shook her head. “You are not lord of Vorquellyn, Resolute. If you shape your case that way, then Chytrine has the best claim to him.”

“Then I will act as her agent in the matter, unless there is anyone else here who wishes to do that.” Resolute looked around the room and Scrainwood seemed to shiver when the Vorquelf’s gaze landed on him. “No? Good, it is settled.”

The Magister took a step forward. “It is not settled at all.”

Resolute’s hand dropped to the hilt of his sword. “It can be very settled, if you so

”

“Resolute, stay your hand.” The words came in a new voice and Alexia turned to face the speaker. Up at the head of the stairs she saw another elf with a flowing mane of white hair and skin fair enough to match. Her eyes seemed at first to be solid copper, but as she descended the step, Alexia saw they had white dots in the center. She wasn’t certain if the elf was a Vorquelf, but she clearly was blind.

Resolute immediately crossed to the stairs and mounted them, then took her hand in his and guided her down. His attention and devotion to her surprised Alexia, for Resolute had only ever been stern, stiff, implacable in combat and ill-humored even when apparently happy. Given that her hair matched his, the princess wondered if they were brother and sister.

Her attention remained on them for only a moment. Another figure appeared at the head of the stairs, tall and strong, with his wings furled. Peri cut a joyous squeal short and her father winked one big amber eye at her. Then he nodded at Alexia and she returned the nod.He must have brought the elf, but how and why?

Resolute led her to the center of the floor, but she began to shake as they neared Kerrigan’s body. The silver-eyed Vorquelf steadied her and moved her back away, interposing his body between her and the twitching mage.

“My lords, this is Oracle. She is the one who uttered the Norrington Prophecy.” He turned to her. “What are you doing here?”

“Seeing, Resolute. Doing what I always do.” She smiled beautifully and had a playful tone in her voice that broadened Alexia’s smile and even seemed to lighten Scrainwood’s expression. “There are things I have seen, messages I have been given. One of them is for you. The Norrington is waiting.”

Resolute stared at her, opened his mouth, then closed it again. “But Will isdead.”

She reached up and traced fingers over his furrowed brow. “The Norrington is waiting. He awaits you within the Saslynnaecorüescion Vorquellyn.”

“What? How?” Resolute staggered back a step, then shook his head. “That can’t be. It’s impossible. Why would he be there?”

“To redeem Vorquellyn, he must be born of it, Resolute.” Oracle’s voice remained soothing. “The Norrington is reborn there so he can fulfill the

prophecy.“

“Just like Will to get himself stuck in the heart of enemy territory.” Resolute closed his eyes. “Not only do we have to defeat her troops, to get in there we need a Vorquelf who is bound to the homeland.”

Confusion contorted King Fidelius’ face, so Crow explained. “When the Aurolani despoiled Vorquellyn, the Vorquelves who had been bound to it felt intolerable pain. They have passed from this world and away from their pain.”

“Could not someone like Resolute be bound to the land?”

“Yes, Highness, he could, or Oracle, but the prophecy says the Norrington will redeem Vorquellyn. To get to him, however, we have to get into a sealed site on Vorquellyn, and we can’t do that without a Vorquelf who has been bound to the homeland.”

The king closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. “A snake swallowing itself, yes. Is there no other way in?”

Resolute shook his head. “Even Chytrine has tried to get in and has been unsuccessful. Thecorüesciwards are powerful enough that I don’t think dracomagick will break them.”

Rymramoch canted his head. “It could, but there would be nothing left of the place you wish to use.”

Fidelius sighed. “Without the Norrington, Chytrine goes unvanquished. Is there nothing that can be done? Isn’t there any other way?”