Exile (9 page)

“For Indigo!”

Showing unusual disregard for their disparity in rank, Ian plucked the ring from Yiloch’s fingers and eyed it closely. He whistled his appreciation, a huge smile cracking his lean face in two, and Yiloch found himself grinning in response to the young creator’s exuberance. Ian adored Indigo and had a strong admiration for her power and skill with ascard. The thought of applying his abilities to create a gift for her had him burning with palpable enthusiasm.

“I think I can come up with something. Perhaps work some defenses into it and strengthen the ring itself to keep it from harm. Though I imagine we won’t want anyone knowing it’s enhanced.” He glanced at Ferin. “Do you have someone who could work a masking into it to hide my enhancements?”

“Of course,” Ferin answered, his sleepy brain beginning to catch up with the idea. “If only we had her here, we could also tune it to her ascard signature…”

“We can,” Ian declared, his excited grin making him look more like a lanky schoolboy than an accomplished creator in service to the emperor.

Ferin stared at him, his blank gaze wanting for clarification, and Yiloch raised an eyebrow in question.

Ian looked between them both in puzzlement as though the answer were so obvious he expected them to come up with it themselves. When neither spoke, he grinned and explained. “The ascard links she created to you and I while she was here.” He gestured to Yiloch and himself. “Those links are still within each of us even if she can’t reach us through them from this distance. They bear her signature. We can use that to tune the ring to her. No one else will benefit from the ascard we work into it and, with a little help from a few other adepts, we can mask its nature from others. I can also add an extra bit of beauty to the stones. Make it the envy of all her friends,” Ian added with a pleased little chuckle, tossing the ring and catching it, his long fingers closing over the fine piece.

Yiloch nodded satisfaction. This task was in the best possible hands. “Ferin, see that he has the help of any adepts or creators he needs, then get some rest. You’re in charge, Ian. Make what you can of it. Make it worthy of her.”

Ian clapped Yiloch on the shoulder before turning to leave, enthusiasm overcoming his usual timidity. “It will be worthy of her, Emperor Yiloch,” he said, a tightness in his voice that betrayed the strength of his own feelings for her. “Don’t worry about that.”

Staring after Ian with a mystified look, Ferin followed the young creator from the room.

Adran shook his head, holding his silence until the door closed. “That project is in the right hands.”

Yiloch nodded. “It appears so.” Adran shifted, his gaze sinking to the floor and Yiloch suppressed a sigh. “What is it now?”

“Do you think there is anything to Suac Chozai’s warnings?”

Yiloch’s jaw tightened. He couldn’t believe that Indigo would ever betray him, but the prophet’s words lingered in his mind like a festering wound. None of the things he wanted to say in defense of her would come out. Instead, he simply said, “Does it matter now?”

“I suppose not,” Adran replied with a small shrug. “Though we could take some precautions.”

“Meaning.”

“You could make the ring a public gift officially recognizing Indigo for her efforts in the fight against your father. You would betray her other ascard abilities to her people under the guise of honoring her and they would have no choice but to take action against her.”

Yiloch gave him a long, shrewd look. “You would do that to her?”

Adran set his jaw. “To protect you, I would.”

“I suppose you would.”

Adran turned to the door. “Good night, my lord.”

“Good night, Adran.”

He turned away as Adran left the room and walked to the created crystal windows to gaze out over the water. He could feel the link she had left within him. He’d been furious when he first learned she had done it. The link was dormant now, with her so far away, and made him feel all the more lonely for its silence. He touched the crystal, pressing his palm flat against the cool surface, feeling the ascard woven into it; perfectly blended into the window, inseparable from its substance. It felt as if she were similarly woven into him in more ways than just that link of ascard. He hoped this blending was not so absolute, almost as much as he hoped it was.

CHAPTER SEVEN

For the next several days, Indigo made no objection to Serivar joining in their training sessions. His presence allowed her to avoid her confusion around Edan. Sensing emotions came easily to her once she understood the fundamentals, so now they focused on new things. Serivar had worked with Edan on developing a strong foundation in the basics of protections and masking before Indigo took over, teaching him to build upon that foundation. The man was a quick study, picking things up with a speed that matched her own, and the growing admiration she had for his skill made it more tempting to give him a chance. And yet, she couldn’t quite relax around him, so she used Serivar’s presence to force distance between them.

Today was the last day of training before her next rest day. Serivar lounged with a book at the lone table in the hidden training room while she fired arrows of flame at a target on the far wall. Her offensive skills were growing fast now that she’d given in to Serivar’s urging in that direction.

Edan practiced masking his ability while attempting to disarm her protections. At that moment, he was working on managing multiple protections at once, trying to mask his emotions while simultaneously masking his ascard activities. She could still feel the slight edge of frustration in him when he failed to break through her barriers even while she was distracted. She often sensed such frustration in him when he worked with her, but he remained polite and patient and she wondered again if she shouldn’t give him a chance. Would it hurt anything to see where it led?

She glanced at Serivar, holding back the wry smirk that tugged at her lips. The headmaster wouldn’t approve of their associating outside of the training room, which made it even more tempting.

Serivar’s head snapped up, his gaze cutting into her. “The target! Not the wall!”

She winced and stopped what she was doing.

Serivar used his ability to smother the fire she had started on the far wall.

“Sorry. I got distracted.”

“I couldn’t tell from my end,” Edan commented, a mix of grudging admiration and irritation coming through in his voice.

Serivar turned the cutting gaze on him. “There’s no room for petty jealousies here, Edan. Or have you forgotten that we’re all on the same side?”

Indigo started at the sudden flare of fury from Edan then flinched when a barrier slammed down over his emotions, knocking her ability aside. She met his eyes, her cheeks burning.

“I’m sorry, Edan. I should respect your privacy. I just get so caught up practicing new skills.”

There was an immense leveraging of self-control evident as he closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. Was he that angry? With her or with Serivar? Perhaps both.

She did a quick check on the barriers around the room before changing the subject. “What about the rumors of a threat against King Jerrin? Have you learned anything new?”

Worry ground the edge from Serivar’s gaze. “There were some arrests made, but it turned out to be a false trail.”

“How do we even know there is a real threat?”

“He’s a king, there’s always a threat,” Edan responded, the snap in his tone making it clear he was still annoyed with someone.

Indigo gave him a chastising look and stuck out her tongue, attempting to ease the tension with silliness. He shrugged it off, but she caught a hint of a smile tugging at his lips and a giddy sensation bubbled in her gut. She turned back to Serivar who was now scowling at them both.

“This is no joke.”

She did her best to look contrite, avoiding Edan’s gaze lest it bring the tickle of amusement back.

“There were traces of ascard found within the palace, signs that someone has been watching the king’s movements. They were extremely well masked, not only making it impossible to detect the source, but also making it clear that the watcher wasn’t supposed to be there. With our only lead turning up false, we’re at a bit of a loss right now.”

“I’d like to be more help,” she said, hoping he would take to heart the sincerity in her tone.

Serivar regarded her a moment and shook his head. “You’re not quite ready. Soon, I think, but I see no point in putting your life at risk with inadequate preparation.”

Edan opened his mouth to respond when something disturbed the barriers around the room from outside. His mouth fell shut and he glanced toward the door leading back to Serivar’s office. It appeared that he kept his ascard senses on alert as much as she did.

Serivar smiled. “Ah, there are some people here I would like you two to meet.” He rose. “If you’ll both join me in my office.”

With that, he left the room and Edan moved to follow. Acting on a whim before the moment of boldness could pass, Indigo intercepted him, touching his arm to stop him then stepping back to a polite distance. Edan eyed her, a certain wariness and cautious hope in the way he drew in his breath and held it, his lips ever so slightly parted as if about to whisper something. She forced herself to speak past the sudden tightness in her throat.

“Does the offer for supper still stand?”

He smiled, releasing the breath. “Of course it does.”

“I think I would like to take you up on it,” she blurted, her pulse quickening and nerves dancing so wildly she wondered if this might be a bad idea after all.

“Wonderful. How about this evening? Around seven?”

Taken aback, she stared at him in silence for a few seconds then said, “That isn’t too soon? There would only be a few hours for Serivar’s wife to prepare.”

He grinned. “It will be fine. I can help Lady Vera. I’d love to have you join us.”

His grin was infectious and she returned it. “Very well. Tonight. We should join Serivar.”

Edan nodded and gestured for her to precede him down the hallway, his brighter mood apparent to her ability even with his careful masking. When they arrived in his office, Serivar shut the hidden door behind them and went to his chair, gesturing for them to sit across from him. He started to speak then, but halted and looked up at the door. Now that she was paying attention again, she could feel someone outside the room searching out Serivar with ascard. Mere seconds after the search swept through, there was a knock on the office door.

“Come in.”

Serivar rose as the door opened to admit five individuals, a healer in student’s robes, two Lyran men, and two Lyran women. One of the men, a slender individual with pale, neatly cropped blond hair and pale gold eyes, caught Indigo’s attention. She stood and Edan followed suit.

“Lord Serivar,” the healer bowed between the headmaster and his guests, “may I present Adept Captain Lord Ferin of Lyra, and Adepts Kade, Sine, and Galyn.”

“Thank you.” Serivar responded with a dismissive nod. The young healer left the room, shutting the door as the headmaster greeted the light-skinned Lyran adepts. When he turned to introduce Indigo and Edan, Ferin smiled and stepped forward, taking her hands in his.

“My Lady Indigo, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I trust you have recovered from your efforts in Lyra?”

She returned his smile, pointedly ignoring the scrutiny she was receiving from the rest of the room’s occupants. A quick and discreet ascard sweep of their audience told her that most of the others were surprised at Ferin’s warm greeting, though Edan’s emotions were more carefully masked than ever. The rather beautiful woman introduced as Galyn responded to the greeting with a twist of jealousy and Indigo flushed at the implications.

“Lord Ferin, it’s a pleasure indeed. I am well. And you?” She yearned to ask him of Yiloch, but it would be unwise to express too much interest in the Lyran emperor before her Caithin colleagues. Only Caplin knew the depth of that relationship, and she meant to keep it that way.

“Very well.” He held her hands a moment longer, his eyes alight with some unspoken message that stirred hope in her, then he released her hands and faced Serivar. “Apologies my Lord Serivar, but, as you can see, we are already acquainted.”

“Yes.” Serivar bit off the word, tension in his voice accompanied by a flare of anxiety that puzzled her. “The Lady Indigo and Lord Edan will be working with your adepts part of the time. Indigo is one of our most skilled healing students. She and Edan are also developing other skills that your adepts may have experience with.”

Ferin nodded. “Of course.”

“Lady Indigo, Lord Edan, if you would please excuse us. I need to go over some things with our guests. There’s no need for you to stay.”

The Headmaster’s words didn’t exactly deny them the right to stay and Indigo was tempted to push the matter, but Edan touched her elbow and made for the door. Not wanting to cause a scene, she nodded to Serivar and started to follow.

“Lady Indigo.” She turned back to Ferin, trying not to appear as hopeful as she was for some word—any word at all—from Yiloch to prove that he still cared for her. “Perhaps we can find a chance to catch up before I head back to Lyra. I will be staying here for a while to see that things get off to a smooth start.”

Again, she sensed a puzzling surge of anxiety from Serivar and struggled not to look askance at him since she didn’t have his permission to be poking about his emotions. “I would like that, Lord Ferin.”

“I will search you out later in the week perhaps.”

How about now?
She nodded. “Until then.”

Ferin returned the nod and she received a sense of satisfaction and anticipation from him. Whatever he wanted to share, it must not be bad, or he wouldn’t be so pleased. Turning away to hide an eager smile, she left the room with Edan. When the door closed behind them, Edan fell into step with her.

“Lord Ferin. He’s one of Prince Yiloch’s closest captains, isn’t he? Part of his inner circle?”

She glanced at him, her step faltering. “You mean Emperor Yiloch.”