Spirits of Light and Shadow (The Gods of Talmor) (13 page)

Once they were out of sight of the house, he kept a more respectful distance. “Which way?”

“South.” Her voice was so soft he barely heard her in the darkness.

Just under an hour later, they were near the furthest city gate, approaching the crowded slums of Four Keithing. There was no cobble on the roads here, and Korbin’s boots sank into a deep puddle in the center of the street. He felt the cold and stepped quickly to pull his foot from the frigid slosh.

“This way.” Octavia led him into a side street that smelled of rot.

Korbin wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but the air felt tense and quiet. No music poured out of the taverns; the usual night sounds seemed to have been stilled.

Octavia put her hand against a large door and rocked her knuckles back and forth, creating a soft, rhythmic tap. The door opened and a figure peered from within the brightly lit crack. “Senne?”

“Yes, child. I am Octavia.”

Light spilled into the dismal street as he opened the door. “Come in,” he said but stopped short when he saw Korbin. “Who is this?”

Octavia glanced at Korbin. “Someone to whom I owe a debt. Will you allow us to enter?” she asked, a slight challenge in her tone.

“Of course. My apologies. These days turned dark quickly.”

“Yes,” she acknowledged. “They have.” She entered, and Korbin followed closely behind. “I am seeking word of Senne Pendra. Has she gone into hiding?”

“Yes, Senne Octavia,” he said bowing his head as he showed the pair into a meager sitting room filled with silent, watchful Kilovians. Korbin wondered if they were relatives or they’d come into some kind of gathering, but no one offered introductions.

“Good,” Octavia said. “Does anyone here need assistance?”

The man bowed again. “You’re kind to ask, but no. We are all well enough.”

Korbin thought he saw a flicker of disappointment on Octavia’s face. She’d wanted to help.

“What of the other conduits? Any word?”

The man glanced at Korbin, then flicked his eyes back to Octavia. “None have yet been arrested.” He paused. “Is this the man called Korbin?”

Korbin sighed. His name would be all over the city.

“Yes,” Octavia said after a moment’s pause.

“There is a reward for information about his whereabouts,” the man said. “And for yours. We thought you left the city when no one heard from you for nearly two days.”

“A reward?” she asked, knitting her eyebrows together.

“Fifty declani.”

“Fifty?” Octavia gasped. “That would feed and house a poor family for a month. We should go,” she said to Korbin.

“Wait,” Korbin said. “I thought Kilovians would protect a conduit at all costs. Surely no one here would give you up for money.”

Octavia ignored the statement and looked at their host. “What have you heard?”

“We’re in a difficult position, Senne. When an accusation comes from one of the Sennestelle against another, who are we to choose a side?”

“A conduit accused us?” Korbin asked. “Which one?” He looked at Octavia and lowered his voice. “This might be the one we’re looking for.”

“No,” she said with a sigh. She nodded to the man and the silent onlookers in the dank, crowded room. “Thank you for your time. We will be leaving the city as soon as possible.”

“What?” Korbin couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“Well,
I
will be leaving. What you do is your own concern, but it’s time for me to move on.”

He didn’t understand the abrupt change, but he couldn’t argue with it, not with the hungry way the Kilovians were looking at him. They might not turn Octavia in, but nobody said they would protect
him
. For all he knew, the city watch would be on the street within minutes.

She added gently, “Just until we clear our names. We cannot put these people at risk.”

“I’ll go,” Korbin said. “If you’re safe here, you should stay.”

She smiled at their host. “I won’t keep you any longer. Long may your fires burn.”

“The power of the One forever guide you, Senne Octavia,” he replied.

“One question before we go,” she said. “You know of the main conduits in the city, of course, but is there a new practitioner offering services to the community? Someone outside the Sennestelle, even?”

“Outside your order?” the man asked, clearly confused. He looked to the others in the room and received blank stares in response. “I don’t think so, Senne.”

“No rumors of a rogue, even? Someone young? Maybe it seemed like a prankster. Nothing harmful, just gifted. If there is someone new, they may not be under the protection of the Sennestelle. I want to be certain none of my fellow conduits are in danger, even if they aren’t formally trained.”

The man relaxed. “Of course, Senne. Very kind of you. But I don’t know of anyone like that. Maybe one of the others has a new apprentice?”

“Perhaps. Fortunately, in that case such a person would be looked after.” She smiled again, and Korbin wondered how she could be so patient and generous at a time like this. “Thank you again.”

The man bowed. He showed the pair out and seemed happy to do so.

When the door closed behind them, Octavia moved at a quick pace, and Korbin hurried to catch up. “We need to get away from here,” she said.

“You think they’d betray you?” he asked, incredulous.

“If they thought I betrayed them? Perhaps. Someone has fed them lies.”

“You know who, don’t you?”

“I believe I do,” she said, her face grim in the yellowing lamplight.

“So what are you going to do? Are you really planning to leave the city?”

“Of course not,” she said. “Now we go visit my mentor. He will likely try to convince us to go, but he can at least tell us where the others are hiding.”

“Do you think he will?”

“Why wouldn’t he? He trusts me implicitly.”

“What I don’t understand is why you want to find the others. Now that we know they won’t help you, wouldn’t it be better if we find a place to hide on our own? I can go to Eliam again. Or I can get some money in the morning. Buy us some new clothing and a place to stay out of the way of prying eyes.”

“You can do those things if you want,” she said, directing him toward a surprisingly nice part of town, not a part of any immigrant quarter. “But with all the Sennestelle in hiding, that leaves only one conduit working in the city. Me.” She met his gaze. “And none of my people, or yours for that matter, have any defense against whatever that conduit may call from the power of the One.”

“What do you think this person’s plan is?”

“I don’t know,” she said, “But I doubt it is yet finished.”

∞

A knot of uncertainty settled in Octavia’s stomach as she led Korbin toward Sen Rhikar’s home. Her mentor, or perhaps she should now consider him her
former
mentor, was notoriously secretive. His life in Kilovia had been difficult, and he trusted few people other than the conduits he trained.

She glanced at Korbin. The two of them had incurred a debt to one another. More precisely, the entire Sennestelle were obliged to his family if wrong had been perpetrated by one of their members. If a rogue practitioner had done this, then Korbin was the key to finding the criminal and putting an end to his vile practices. Although she wasn’t certain, she thought of this adversary as a man. She reminded herself to be cautious about that assumption. One couldn’t tell simply by the stitching on a doll whether its creator was male or female. Still, something niggled at her instincts. She’d have to consider whether she noticed something she wasn’t remembering, or if she simply projected a wishful idea.

Korbin himself, although close to her age, was nowhere near her level of understanding or maturity. He seemed to have a good heart, but he tended toward carelessness and had devoted his existence to rebelling against a father who didn’t notice or care. His every move was one of spite while desperately wanting that same father’s approval. She hoped his quest to either destroy or rebuild his familial relationships didn’t interfere with her search for the dark conduit.

That phrase stuck in her mind:
dark conduit
. Every practitioner had to open herself to both sides of the One, but whoever had done this was more than open. The idea made her shiver.

“Are you cold?” Korbin asked.

“A little.” It was a question borne of kindness, and she was curious what he would do to alleviate her discomfort. If he had no intention to do so, why ask? Talmorans were a strange people. Even after several years amongst them, she wasn’t comfortable with their social niceties and peculiar habits. When Korbin simply nodded, she said, “Here,” and she gave a subtle gesture to a fine tobacco shop on the corner.

Korbin appeared surprised. “I’ve been in here before,” he said, as though that meant something.

Octavia reached into a slot near the door and pulled on a lever. A bell clanked inside. “My mentor owns this shop.”

“I think I remember a Kilovian working here. I didn’t realize he was the owner.”

She didn’t answer. Few people expected an immigrant to own a shop. They would be even more surprised to learn he was a citizen of Talmor. Not an easy feat for one not born here.

Within a few moments, Sen Rhikar opened the door. When he saw Korbin, he hissed through his teeth. He shot a sharp glance at Octavia. “What are you doing bringing someone here?”

“I have questions,” she said.

Rhikar grabbed her by the arm and pulled her inside. When Korbin stood motionless for a moment, Rhikar said, “Well, get in. Quickly.” He muttered, “Standing out on the street where anyone can see.”

“No one saw us,” Octavia said.

“How can you be certain?” Rhikar shot back. “It’s a busy street.”

“Not at this hour.” She stared at him levelly. What was wrong with him? “What’s happened? I went to see Hammil in Four Keithing. He indicated all was not well with the order in the city.”

Rhikar sighed. “Come through. We should indeed talk.” He shuffled down the dimly lit corridor to the living quarters behind the shop.

When they arrived in the small seating area, Octavia noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. “You haven’t slept.”

His expression softened a fraction. “No, not very much. And neither have you.”

She shrugged. She couldn’t deny it. Their night at Eliam’s guest house had been a strange and uncomfortable one. She couldn’t remember the last time she slept away from her flat, and she was surprised how much it felt like home. “These are difficult times.”

“Quite.” Rhikar gestured to the seats, watching Korbin closely as though he was a poisonous snake. She wondered if he’d ever had a Talmoran guest in his home. She doubted it.

“Lettoria has been speaking against me. Hammil practically accused me outright.”

Rhikar shrugged, but he looked troubled. “She’s wrong, of course. I know that. Don’t worry.”

“Her words are hurting our people more than they hurt me. When the squads came for us in Kilovia, it wasn’t only conduits who suffered. People remember that. People remember friends and family turning on one another to save themselves.”

His expression darkened. She could almost see the memories dancing in his mind, and a pang of regret shot through her at having brought up such painful images.

“Where have you been?” Rhikar asked after a moment.

“One of Korbin’s people gave us refuge,” she said. Rhikar would never betray her, but she owed Eliam a debt, and neither would she betray him.

Rhikar nodded. “That is good. Few will think to look for you among the Talmorans.”

Octavia shifted uncomfortably. “We cannot stay there. Where have you hidden the others? Are they together? In the city?”

“You should leave Vol,” Rhikar said. “As I plan to do.”

Nothing could have surprised her more. Of all the conduits, Rhikar was the least exposed. He owned a Talmoran business. Had a shop. Had even attained citizenship. “Forgive me, Sen, but that’s madness. Leaving would draw more attention than staying put. You must gather your nerve and be patient.”

He opened his mouth with an expression that said he planned to deliver a sharp reprimand, but he stopped short and sighed. “In two days, I’ve had almost no patrons. Those who did enter the shop left soon after asking to speak to the Talmoran owner. They did not want to do business with a Kilovian.”

“This is temporary,” Octavia said. “A panic caused by misinformation. We will learn the truth quickly, and things will return to normal.”

The doubt in his eyes told her he didn’t agree. “This is what you plan to do? Stay and learn the truth?”

“Of course,” she said. “Running would be to accept the blame for the attack on Dul Graiphen. But there is more than just my own reputation at stake. All Kilovians will be tainted by the accusation, perhaps even forced into devotion to the eight Spirits. And this is no small Talmoran outpost. This is the second largest city. If we are driven away from here, where in Talmor can we go?”

She felt Korbin watching her, but he said nothing. Concern was etched over his features.

Rhikar finally sighed, a sound signaling his resignation. “I will stay put for a short while,” he said. “A few days, at least. Perhaps there is no harm in that.”

“Where are the others?” she asked again.

“You mean to seek them out? Even though they have likely turned against you?”

“Only Lettoria speaks against me. I can handle that one.”

With a sideways glance at Korbin, Rhikar seemed to weigh his words. “Dramworthy.”

Octavia blinked. “I do not know this place.”

Speaking for the first time since their arrival, Korbin explained, “It’s a farm about ten minutes past the gates, down the Southern road. Quiet place. Near Ancothy Wood.”

“All the conduits are there?” Octavia asked with a frown.

“All save you and me,” Rhikar said. “Others as well, of course.”

She nodded. “What of food? Supplies?”

“They are taken care of,” Rhikar reassured her. “And as you said, we hope the need for refuge will not be ever present.”

She looked at Korbin. “We must go there. I wish to question the others of the Sennestelle, to try to learn something of the identity of the dark conduit.”