The High Lord (13 page)

“Dakova had been gathering strength over many weeks. I might know the secret of black magic, but I had no time to grow strong. The man understood this and told me what I must do.

“I did as the Ichani instructed. Returning to Dakova I told him I had been knocked unconscious in the fall, but had found a storeroom full of food and treasures on my way out. Though annoyed that his enemy had evaded him, Dakova was pleased at this find. He left me and the other slaves to cart the bounty out of the mines to his tent. I was relieved. If Dakova sensed even the slightest surface thought of betrayal, he would read my mind and discover the plot. I sent a slave out with a box of Elyne wine. The dust coating the bottles reassured Dakova that they hadn’t been tampered with, and he began drinking. They were laced with myk, a drug that confuses the mind and distorts the senses. When I left the mine, he was lying in a dreamlike state.”

Akkarin fell silent. He stared out into the trees, his gaze fixed on some distant place. As the silence lengthened, Sonea began to worry that he would not go on.
Tell me,
she thought.
You can’t stop now!

Akkarin drew in a deep breath and sighed. He looked down at the stony ground, his expression bleak. “I did a terrible thing, then. I killed all Dakova’s new slaves. I needed their strength. I could not bear to kill Takan. Not because we had been friends, but because he had been there since the beginning and we had got into the habit of helping each other out.

“Dakova was too addled by the drug and the wine to notice much. He woke as I cut him, but once the draining of power begins, it is almost impossible to use your powers.”

Akkarin’s voice was low and quiet. “Though I was now stronger than I had ever imagined I could be, I knew Kariko was not far away. He would try to contact Dakova soon, and then come looking for an explanation for his brother’s silence. All I could think of was leaving Sachaka. I didn’t even think to take food. I didn’t expect to live. After a day I realized Takan was following me. He had packed a bag full of supplies. I told him to leave me, or Kariko would kill him too, but he insisted on staying—and on treating me like an Ichani master. We walked for weeks, though sometimes in the mountains it seemed like we had spent more time climbing than walking. Finally, we found ourselves in the foothills of the Steelbelt Ranges. I realized I had evaded Kariko and made it home.”

For the first time, Akkarin looked up to meet her eyes. “All I could think of was returning to the safety of the Guild. I wanted to forget everything, and vowed never to use black magic again. Takan wouldn’t leave me, but by making him my servant I felt as if I had freed him as best I could.” He looked toward the Guild buildings hidden behind the trees. “I was greeted warmly and welcomed back. When asked where I had disappeared to, I related my experiences in the allied countries, then made up a story of retreating to the mountains to study in solitude.

“Then, soon after my return, the High Lord died. Custom dictated that the strongest magician take the position. I never considered I might be a candidate. I was only twenty-five, after all. But I had accidentally allowed Lord Balkan to sense my strength. I was surprised when he proposed that I be considered, and amazed at how much support the idea had. It is interesting what people will overlook when they desperately want to avoid electing a man they don’t like.”

Intrigued, Sonea opened her mouth to ask who, but Akkarin continued.

“Balkan said that my travels had matured me, and I had experience in dealing with other cultures.” Akkarin snorted softly. “If he had known the truth, he might not have been so insistent. While the idea seemed absurd, I began to see possibilities in it. I needed to distract myself from the memories of the previous five years. And I had begun to worry about the Ichani. Dakova and his brother had talked many times of how easy it would be to invade Kyralia. Though Kariko was alone now, and would probably never get the other Ichani to join him, an invasion was not impossible. What if he regained the favor of the King and convinced him to invade? I decided I needed to keep an eye on the Sachakans, and it would be easier to do that if I had the resources of a High Lord. And it was not difficult to convince the Guild to elect me, once I let them test my strength.

“After a few years I heard about murders in the city that sounded suspiciously like black magic. I investigated and found the first spy. From him I learned that Kariko had been stirring up the other Ichani with ideas of plundering Imardin, taking revenge for the Sachakan War, and forcing the Sachakan King to accept them again. He first had to convince them that the Guild does not use black magic. I have been convincing them otherwise ever since.” He smiled, then turned to face her. “You are a good listener, Sonea. You did not interrupt me once. You must have some questions, now.”

She nodded slowly. Where to start? She considered the questions that crowded her mind.

“Why didn’t you tell the Guild about the Ichani?”

Akkarin’s brows rose. “Do you think they would have believed me?”

“Lorlen might.”

He looked away. “I am not sure of that.”

She thought of Lorlen’s outrage when he had seen her memory of Akkarin performing black magic. When Akkarin had read
her
mind, he would have seen that outrage. She felt a pang of sympathy. It must have hurt to have their friendship spoiled by a secret he dare not tell.

“I think Lorlen would believe you,” she said. “If he didn’t, you could let him perform a truth-read.” She winced as she said it. After all that mind-reading from Dakova, Akkarin probably never wanted another person probing his memories again.

He shook his head. “I can’t risk that. Anyone reading my mind could easily learn the secret of black magic. That is why I stopped your mind-read of Tavaka last night.”

“Then… the Guild could send several magicians to Sachaka to confirm your story.”

“If they entered in large numbers and started asking dangerous questions, they would be considered a threat. It might start the very conflict we fear. Remember, too, that I knew there was no immediate threat from Sachaka when I first arrived here. I was so relieved to be home, and there seemed no sense in revealing that I’d broken the magicians’ vow unless I had to.”

“But now there is a threat.”

His gaze flickered. “Not until Kariko convinces the other Ichani to join him.”

“But the sooner the Guild knows, the better prepared it would be.”

Akkarin’s expression hardened. “I am the only one capable of confronting these spies. Do you think the Guild will allow me to continue as High Lord if it knows I have learned black magic? If I told them now, they would lose all of the trust they have in me. Their fear would blind them to the real threat. Until I have found a way for them to fight these Ichani without black magic, it is better they know nothing.”

She nodded, though she could not believe the Guild would punish him once they heard what he had just told her.

“Is
there another way?”

“I have not found one yet.”

“So what will you do?”

“Continue hunting spies. My allies in the Thieves are proving more effective than those I previously hired to locate them.”

“The Thieves.” Sonea smiled. “I thought so. How long have you been working with them?”

“About two years.”

“How much do they know?”

“Only that they are hunting rogue magicians with a nasty habit of killing people, and that these rogues all happen to come from Sachaka. They locate them, inform me, and get rid of the bodies.”

A memory flashed through her mind of Tavaka, pleading for his life. Promising to be good, while intending to kill as many Kyralians as he could so he might return to Sachaka and join the Ichani. If it weren’t for Akkarin, Tavaka would be doing just that right now.

She frowned. So much depended on Akkarin. What if he died? Who would stop the spies then? Only Takan and she would know what was really going on, but neither of them knew black magic. Neither could do anything to stop the Ichani.

She froze as the implication of that rushed over her like icy water.

“Why did you tell me this?”

He smiled grimly. “Somebody else needs to know.”

“But why me?”

“You knew much already.”

She paused. “Then… can we tell Rothen? I know he’d keep quiet if he understood the threat.”

He frowned. “No. Not unless we must reveal everything to the Guild.”

“But he still believes that I… What if he tries to do something? About me.”

“Oh, I’m watching Rothen closely.”

In the distance a gong rang. Akkarin pushed himself to his feet. The hem of his black robes brushed across her hand. Sonea looked up at him and felt a strange mixture of fear and respect. He had killed many times. He had learned and used the darkest magic. Yet he had done it to escape slavery, and to keep the Guild safe. And nobody but she and Takan knew.

Akkarin crossed his arms and smiled. “Go back to your lessons now, Sonea. My favorite does not skip classes.”

Sonea dropped her eyes and nodded.

“Yes, High Lord.”

The corridor of the University echoed with the voices of the novices. The two who followed Rothen, carrying boxes of the chemistry tools and substances used in the previous class, were having a fascinating conversation in low voices. They had observed a girl watching them at the horse races last Freeday, and they couldn’t decide which one she might be interested in.

Rothen was having a hard time keeping a straight face. But his mood darkened as a slight figure appeared at the top of the stairs. Sonea’s expression was tight with annoyance. A large stack of heavy books filled her arms. She turned into the side passage that led to the Novices’ Library.

The boys behind Rothen stopped talking and hummed with sympathy.

“Guess she asked for it,” one said. “Got to admire her guts, though. I wouldn’t dare skip classes if
he
was my guardian.”

Rothen glanced behind.

“Who skipped classes?”

The boy flushed as he realized he’d been overheard. “Sonea,” he said.

“The High Lord punished her with a week’s work in the library,” the other boy added.

Rothen couldn’t help smiling. “She’d like that.”

“Oh, no. The
Magicians’
Library. Lord Jullen makes sure punishment really is punishment.”

So Sonea
had
skipped a class, as Tania had said. He wondered why and where she had gone instead. She had no friends to slip away with, and no other hobbies or interests that might tempt her away from lessons. She knew that he and Lorlen would quickly become suspicious if she went missing. If she had risked alarming them, she must have had a better reason for skipping the class than a rebellious whim.

The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. He listened as the boys resumed the conversation, hoping to glean more information.

“She’ll turn you down. She turned Seno down.”

“Maybe she turned Seno down because she doesn’t like him.”

“Maybe. It doesn’t matter, anyway. The punishment was for a week. That probably includes Freeday. She won’t be able to come with us.”

Rothen resisted the urge to turn and stare at them in surprise. They were still talking about Sonea. Which meant that they, and another boy named Seno, had considered inviting her out to the races. He felt his mood lighten a little. He had hoped the other novices would eventually accept her. Now it looked as if some might even be interested in more than just friendship.

Then Rothen sighed. She had turned down this boy called Seno, and he knew she would probably turn down any other offers, too. It was a cruel irony that now the novices had started to accept her, she dared not befriend any for fear of complicating the situation with Akkarin.

As the carriage pulled up outside the mansion, Dannyl and Tayend regarded each other doubtfully.

“Nervous?” Tayend asked.

“No,” Dannyl assured him.

Tayend snorted. “Liar.”

The door of the carriage opened, and the driver bowed as they stepped out. Like many Elyne mansions, the front of Dem Marane’s house was open to the air. Arched openings allowed access to a tiled room decorated with sculptures and plants.

Dannyl and Tayend stepped through an archway and crossed the room. A large wooden door barred entry into the enclosed part of the house. Tayend tugged a rope hanging beside the door. A distant ringing sounded somewhere above.

They heard muffled footsteps inside the house, then the door opened and Dem Marane greeted them with a bow.

“Ambassador Dannyl. Tayend of Tremmelin. You are most welcome in my home.”

“We were honored by your invitation, Dem Marane,” Dannyl replied.

The Dem ushered them into a luxuriously furnished room. He continued through two more, until they arrived at another open room. Archways allowed views of the sea and the carefully tended garden falling in tiers to the beach below. On the opposite wall, benches lined with cushions supplied seating for six other men. A woman sat demurely on a small couch in the center of the room.

The strangers stared at Dannyl. They looked tense, and fearful. He knew the combination of his height and robes made him an imposing figure.

“May I introduce the Second Guild Ambassador to Klyne, Lord Dannyl,” Royend announced. “And some of you already know his companion, Tayend of Tremmelin.”

One of the men stood and bowed, and the others hesitantly followed suit. Dannyl nodded politely in return. Was this all there was of the group? He doubted it. Some would not reveal themselves until they were sure he could be trusted.

The Dem introduced them one by one. Royend was the oldest, Dannyl guessed. All were Elyne aristocrats of one wealthy family or another. The woman was the Dem’s wife, Kaslie. When he was finished, she invited them all to sit while she fetched some refreshments. Dannyl chose an empty bench, and Tayend sat close beside him. Dannyl could not help feeling a twinge of anxiety as he saw the others taking note of this.

Idle talk followed. Dannyl was asked the usual questions: what he thought of Elyne, if he had met certain famous and important people yet. Some demonstrated that they had gathered information about him by asking about his journey to Lonmar and Vin.