Revelation (Seeds of Humanity: The Cobalt Heresy) (44 page)

Zhivel nodded, and a warm smile came over her face when she made eye contact with the little girl as she sat down in the chair.

Mikan repeated his preparation for the spell which would activate the magics in the orb, and after a few seconds’ longer pause than usual the orb flared once, twice, a third, a fourth, and then an unlikely fifth time with a deep, red light.

The Librarian nodded appreciatively. “Five, Crimson,” he said, unable to hide his surprise.

Arch Magos Zhivel positively beamed with pride as she confirmed, “Five, Crimson.”

The Librarian made the note in his ledger, and the next child was ushered into the chair.

The next four were given their turns in the chair and the results were remarkable, even to me. There were two more grade fives, a grade four and a grade three among the children of House Listoh. It was almost unheard of for a single Great House to be responsible for so many grade fives in a single year’s batch of ‘discoveries,’ or ‘hopefuls.’

Then the moment I had been dreading was upon us.

“And the last applicant, please,” instructed the Librarian, who finally looked to be wearing down after nearly three hours of continuous Reading.

Marizzi stepped forward, carrying the little boy who was nearing his second birthday.

“Name of the child?” asked Mikan.

Marizzi thrust her chin out proudly. “Alistair, son of Marizzi von Magenta of House Listoh…and Jezran ‘Cobalt’ Wiegraf,” she replied after a brief hesitation.

“Patents and written acknowledgment, please?” he prompted, which caused Marizzi to flush slightly as she looked over at me.

Frankly, I would have rather been anywhere else at that particular moment—including in a pitched battle with the Iron Butcher—but I was stuck.

The Arch Magos broke the silence. “These are somewhat…unique circumstances, Librarian Mikan, as the father is actually in attendance for this momentous occasion,” she said, her previously warm tone cooled somewhat.

Mikan raised his eyebrows. “Now, that is rather unusual,” he agreed. “And where is this,” he looked over the ledger, “Jezran ‘Cobalt’ Wiegraf?”

I stepped forward, wanting nothing more than to get this whole thing over with as quickly as possible. “I am Jezran ‘Cobalt’ Wiegraf,” I said, relieved that the frog in my throat stayed out of the way long enough for me to get the words out.

“I see,” replied the Librarian, “and do you attest that this child was issued from your body?”

I couldn’t help a smile from erupting across my face at the wording he had chosen. Never in the last year of dreading this moment had I considered that he would ask me a question that I could actually answer truthfully without inviting unwanted attention!

I cleared my throat, since even if he was employing a truth-detection spell I knew I would pass with flying colors. “Yes, Librarian Mikan, the child was issued from my body.”

Mikan gave me an appraising look for an agonizing second, his eyes looking over his reading glasses as he did so, before turning back to Marizzi. “And do you confirm that this child is the result of union between yourself, Marizzi von Magenta of House Listoh, and Jezran ‘Cobalt’ Wiegraf?”

Marizzi nodded quickly. “I do so confirm, Librarian,” she said almost so fast that she stuttered.

“Very well,” he replied, marking his ledger. “Please, present the child,” he instructed, and Marizzi moved to place little Alistair (whose name I had never even learned until that moment) in the chair that only a while ago held a monster waiting to erupt from its host for who knows what reason.

I actually felt a pang of responsibility at that moment, and also a nauseating fear of what might happen if something similar had entrenched itself inside my—or, more accurately, Jezran’s—child.

But I didn’t have time to let the worrying get the best of me, as the Librarian closed his eyes and prepared for what he clearly hoped would be the last Reading he would do tonight.

The orb flashed a brilliant, deep blue light once. Twice. A third time. A fourth! I was in absolute awe of the entire spectacle as the orb flashed an unbelievable fifth time!

Then the unthinkable happened: it flashed a sixth time, which caused a chorus of gasps from the crowd followed by a round of whispers.

For some reason, I went red-faced. I couldn’t understand why I suddenly felt so attached to this child when I had literally nothing to do with his conception, having myself arrived in this world after he had!

“Again?” asked Librarian Mikan, and Arch Magos Zhivel’s previously proud expression had withdrawn into the icy mask she had worn throughout the previous sessions of Reading the ‘hopefuls.’

“Again,” agreed Arch Magos Zhivel, her voice hollow and cold.

Mikan repeated the spell, and the orb once again flashed a deep, brilliant blue once. Twice. A third time, then a fourth. When it flashed the fifth time, it seemed like I could feel the entire room hold its breath. Then the sixth flash came, and that breath was released in a collective sigh suffused with every negative emotion one could express.

The Librarian, whose affect had been the very definition of the calm professional throughout most of the evening, choked slightly as he tried to call out the Reading’s results. “Si—,” he coughed to clear his throat, pausing for a moment before continuing, “Six, Cobalt,” he said, looking to Arch Magos Zhivel.

Arch Magos Zhivel nodded stiffly. “Six, Cobalt,” she agreed and stood from her chair, striking a regal pose. “Let us thank Librarian Mikan for his assistance in this historic event,” she said, raising her hands to applaud, prompting the entire room to follow suit.

Librarian Mikan motioned for his servants to collect the pedestal, ledger and orb as he stood. After they had taken the articles from him, he bowed low in a practiced fashion and turned to Arch Magos Zhivel. “I hope that this will broker a greater trust and friendship between the Archives and The Guild,” he said graciously.

“As do I,” replied Zhivel, who never flinched and whose eyes never left him until the Librarian had exited the chamber.

When the Librarian had left, the Arch Magos turned and strode purposefully toward me, stopping less than a foot from my face as she towered over me. I hadn’t exactly expected her to be so forward, so I was a little taken aback.

“It would appear fate has decreed that the interests of House Listoh and House Wiegraf are more deeply intertwined than we had believed,” she said in a voice so low only I could hear her. “House Listoh does not abandon her children, under any circumstances,” she said in a cold, hard tone which became a hiss, “and we will most certainly not abandon little Alistair.”

I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed, so I tilted my head as respectfully as I could. This wasn’t how I had envisioned the evening playing out.

Arch Magos Zhivel snapped her fingers at Marizzi, who was now in barely-controlled tears but kept her face a stoic mask as she clung to her son.

“Give Alistair to his father,” the Matron of House Listoh ordered, “as per the agreement between our Great Houses.” When Marizzi defiantly held her ground, Zhivel moved over to her with a single, sweeping step. “House Listoh keeps her bargains,” she hissed through gritted teeth into her rebellious daughter’s ear, “no matter the price!”

That sounded strangely familiar, but I had to try averting disaster before it was too late. I didn’t have time to think about where I had previously heard that particular line about keeping bargains.

I raised my hands as if in self-defense. “Arch Magos Zhivel,” I said, prompting her to snap her head toward me, and I saw the steely resolve in her eyes which had allowed her to lead her house to the highest level of Veldyrian politics.

She composed herself almost immediately. “Yes, Journeyman?” she asked imperiously.

I stepped toward them, looking down at Alistair, who was clearly confused by what was going on. “I understand that we have an agreement regarding Alistair’s custody,” I began in a low voice, “but there’s really no need to go through with it this very moment. If I understand correctly,” I continued, glad to see the Arch Magos relax, even if just a little, “our Great Houses have reached an accord this very night which, at the very least, allows for whatever transition may have to occur for little Alistair to take place in a more gradual, controlled manner.”

Zhivel was clearly torn between some sense of duty to uphold the letter of the law, and doing what was best for Alistair. The poor boy had essentially become my adopted son on the strength of the night’s Reading, and more than that, his fate had been more or less sealed. There was little possibility he would live to see his teenage years.

Marizzi opened her mouth but I held a hand up to stop her, which she actually did. I leaned close to Zhivel and whispered, “We don’t need to make this little boy’s life any more difficult than it already is, do we?” I urged, feeling a knot form in my stomach as I realized the truth of my words.

The Arch Magos looked in my eyes for a long moment before nodding curtly. “I can see my daughter was mistaken about you,” she said in an overly gracious tone. “Your consideration in this matter will not be forgotten.”

I saw Marizzi unexpectedly mouth ‘thank you’ to me before her Matron turned her attention back to Alistair.

“But House Listoh keeps its bargains,” the Arch Magos reiterated, her voice rising enough for the people around us to hear. “This Reading was an unscheduled event, so it is only proper that House Wiegraf be given time to prepare for Alistair’s inclusion in their ranks.”

I bowed graciously. “The Arch Magos is wise, and House Wiegraf will abide by her decision,” I agreed.

Zhivel tilted her head toward me before turning and making her way toward the door where poor Klauteus had been taken.

A man I didn’t recognize stepped forward, wearing an all-white version of the butler’s uniforms. “That will conclude the evening’s events,” he said in a loud, carrying voice. “House Listoh wishes to thank her guests, and requests that they now depart the grounds.”

And just like that, I had managed to dodge yet another bullet before it turned my grey matter into cheap wall art. Very soon I was going to have to figure out what to do with my new son, but I had other matters to attend to first.

Chapter XXVIII: An Unwanted Ally

Pi’Vari, Dancer and I returned to Wiegraf Estate as soon as we had reunited in front of House Listoh’s Main House. After we had set foot on Wiegraf Estate’s grounds, Pi’Vari broke the silence, “How did House Wiegraf fare in the negotiations?”

I shook my head, images of Klauteus being dragged away burned in my memory. “Better than we could have hoped for,” I replied absently.

“Oh?” he asked before prompting, “Do tell.”

“One third is ours clean, and The Guild agrees to pick up the legal defense, as well as provide a reasonable level of physical defense of the material and the immediate area,” I explained.

Pi’Vari furrowed his brow. “And exactly what does House Listoh consider a ‘reasonable’ measure of defense?” he asked, clearly unhappy with that particular aspect of the agreement.

“Two High Wizards,” I replied, “full-time, stationed on-site and sworn to assist us in any defense that’s considered likely to jeopardize the extraction process.”

Pi’Vari stopped in his tracks and I threw a tired look back at him. “Two?” he confirmed incredulously.

“Yes, Pi’Vari,” I snapped, “two. And frankly, we’re lucky to get that considering the way things could have gone.”

My herald didn’t argue my point, so I considered it a victory and moved on.

When we reached the Main House, Chester was waiting for us in the foyer. “Good evening, Lord,” he said with one of his trademark bows.

I rubbed my eyes as everything looked a little too blurry. “I think it’s a little more like morning, Chester,” I replied.

“Of course, Lord,” he replied without breaking his tone. “Message for you from the Great Tower, sir,” he said, producing a small square of paper. “It bears the seal of the High Magister’s office, if memory serves.”

I shook my head in exasperation. “What now?” I muttered and took the letter, turning it over in my hands a few times before coming to the certain conclusion that Chester was right: this was from Arch Magos Rekir’s office, and that wasn’t a good sign.

“I thought you said the Arch Magos asked you to return the day after tomorrow?” said Pi’Vari with obvious puzzlement.

“He did,” I confirmed. With a sigh, I opened the letter and read its contents, which were a single line, followed by the High Magister’s Seal:

Jezran ‘Cobalt’ Wiegraf

Come to my offices as soon as you receive this message.

High Magister Rekir ‘Crimson’ Tyrdren

I crumpled the paper in my hand as I felt the invisible noose tightening around my neck. It looked like I was going to have to beard the dragon in his lair again, and I doubted this time I could conceal the nature of my meeting with House Listoh.

It seemed that sleep wasn’t in my immediate future after all.

I waited in the lobby of the Magisterial wing of the Great Tower, the same lobby I had followed Pryzius into when first arriving in Veldyrian yesterday.

Then the elevator we had used opened, and out stepped Pryzius with a difficult-to-read expression on his face. He motioned for me to enter the lift and, acting against the gnawing sensation in my gut, I did.

We wordlessly rode the lift until it opened on the level of Arch Magos Rekir’s offices. After the short walk down the hallway, Pryzius opened the door without knocking. It was noteworthy a change in protocol from the last time I had come into these offices.

Rekir was inside, seated in the same chair he had used during both of my other visits to his private study. “Jezran,” he said, looking up over a pile of papers he looked to have been reading, “thank you for your prompt attendance.”

I was back in the lion’s den and there was no way I could fight my way out, even if I had brought every single scrap of House Wiegraf’s accumulated power to bear on the situation. My only option was to survive until I could escape the clutches of House Tyrdren once and for all—and whatever I had to do in order to accomplish that goal was the only thing on my mind. Well…that and a piece of sage wisdom I’d once heard involving how to find the truth in a politician’s words.