The Rogue (22 page)

The sound of the underground river surrounded Lorkin as he stepped out of the tunnel. Tyvara was sitting on the bench seat, as before, gazing thoughtfully at the sewer waterwheel. He was tempted to call out to her mentally, but even if it would not reveal that they were meeting, the Traitors had even stricter rules forbidding mental communication than the Guild, since they could not risk that even the shortest call would be picked up by other magicians, and lead searchers to Sanctuary.

So he waited until she noticed him and beckoned.

“Lorkin,” she said as he stepped onto the ledge. “I wasn’t expecting you to have time to visit for a while. Isn’t the chill fever in the second stage?”

He nodded and sat down beside her. “It is. It’s why I’m here. But first, how are you?”

Her eyebrows rose in amusement. “You Kyralians. Always so formal. I’m fine.”

“Bored?”

She laughed. “Of course. But I get visitors. And …” She pulled a ring from one of her fingers and held it up for a moment before stowing it into a pocket. “People keep me informed on what’s happening in the city. I’ve just been told that Kalia is furious at you leaving, by the way.”

He shrugged. “I don’t have time to wait for things to quieten down.”

Tyvara frowned. “You’re not neglecting my people because of me, are you?”

“Yes and no.” He grimaced. Even with magician volunteers helping out in the Care Room, there was a lot of work to do. He couldn’t stay long. It was time to get to the point. “I need your advice.”

Her gaze became wary. “Oh?”

“It was inevitable that someone would get sick or be injured so badly that the only way they’d survive is if I Healed them,” he said. “I’ve always planned to help them. I’ve always known there would be consequences. I want to know what you think they’ll be, and if I can avoid or reduce them.”

She regarded him in silence, her expression serious, then nodded. “We have discussed this,” she said, and somehow, by a subtle change in her tone, he knew that she did not mean her and him, but her faction within the Traitors.

“And?”

“Savara thought you would refuse to Heal them. Zarala said you wouldn’t, but you’d wait to be asked.”

“
Should
I wait? Is Kalia ruthless enough to let the girl die?”

“She might be.” Tyvara scowled. “Her excuse will be that you made it clear Healing wasn’t something you were willing to give, and she was respecting your decision by not pestering you. People will have to decide if it was worse that she did not ask you, or that you did not offer, and they will probably favour her. You haven’t used your Healing powers before, and have not indicated that you would do anything but refuse if asked to.”

“So I shouldn’t wait. Will people regard my using Healing as flaunting what I refuse to teach them, and what my father failed to?”

“Perhaps. Not so much if you use it only in greatest need, when the patient would die otherwise.”

“What about those in pain?”

“It would show you have compassion, if you helped them, too.”

“A toothache hurts. As do many everyday ailments. At what point will people feel it is reasonable for me to refuse Healing? Will they expect I treat everything, once I start?”

She frowned, then suddenly grinned. “It might be worth the trouble, if it put Kalia out of a job.” Then she grew serious again and shook her head. “But that would be foolish. Kalia has too many supporters.” Her shoulders rose and fell in a sigh he couldn’t hear over the rushing water. “There will be different opinions on when it is reasonable for you to refuse to Heal with magic, and a person’s opinion may change if they happen to be the one with the toothache. I think most people will agree that there’s a point where you are right to refuse, but it will be interesting to see if they allow you to be the one to decide that.”

He nodded. “Anything else?”

“Make sure you get the patient’s or parent’s permission before you do anything,” she added.

“Should I ask Kalia?”

She winced. “Zarala was most concerned about this. If you ask Kalia, she will forbid you to use magic to Heal anyone, insisting that you teach her how to instead. Then if the patient dies, it is still your fault for refusing. If you do not ask her, you will not have respected her as your superior, and as a man that is especially bad. But if you save someone’s life, people will forgive that disrespect. As many people dislike Kalia as support her.” She spread her hands. “In your defence, point out that nobody here has to seek permission from Kalia before treating a sick or injured Traitor. Patients
choose
to go to the Care Room.”

Lorkin sighed. “I can’t avoid annoying Kalia, but so long as I annoy as few other people as possible I’ll have to live with that.”

“And you’ll be saving lives,” she said.

He smiled in reply. “You Traitors have the easier decision,” he told her. “Keeping stone-making knowledge to yourselves doesn’t involve anybody dying.”

“You enjoy the benefits of the stones even if you don’t make them yourself,” she pointed out. “So why shouldn’t we get the benefits of magical Healing in return?”

He grinned. “Well, that makes it sound very fair and reasonable.”

“It would be, if it weren’t just one Kyralian benefiting from the stones and many, many Traitors potentially benefiting from your Healing magic.”

Meeting her gaze, he saw something there that made his heart lighten.
She understands. And she’s letting me know that she understands – and perhaps agrees – with my reason for being here.

He suddenly had a strong urge to kiss her, but resisted it. After all, she hadn’t shown any sign of agreeing with his other reason for being in Sanctuary: her.

“Thank you,” he said, standing up.

“Good luck,” she replied.

Reluctantly he turned away and headed back to the tunnel. Though he knew that the decision he’d already made was going to cause him a lot of trouble, talking to Tyvara had reassured him that he could make it without the consequences being any worse than they needed to be.

The only decision he needed to make now was
when
.

When Dannyl arrived at the Guild House, returning from Achati’s home, he found Tayend and Merria enjoying a late-night drink and chat in the Master’s Room. He paused to consider them. Achati’s arrangements for the journey to Duna were coming together quickly, and Dannyl would have to tell his assistant and the Elyne Ambassador about them sooner than he expected.

No point putting it off
, he told himself. Walking over to the stools, he nodded toward the bottle of wine.

“Any left?”

Tayend grinned and waved to a slave standing against one wall. “Fetch another glass,” he ordered, then patted the larger stool in the centre of the seating meant for the house’s master. “We saved it for you.”

Dannyl snorted softly and sat down. Though he was the person of highest rank in the Guild House, he doubted Tayend would have avoided the seat for that reason.

“What have you both been doing?” he asked.

Tayend waved a hand dismissively. “More important people to visit, more delicious meals to consume. That sort of thing.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Dannyl told him. He looked at Merria.

She shrugged. “I went to see my new friends and gave them Black Magician Sonea’s message. You?”

The slave returned, offering the wine glass with bowed head and lowered eyes. Tayend picked up the bottle and filled the glass. Dannyl took a sip, then sighed with appreciation. “Ashaki Achati and I have been planning a trip to Duna. Looks like we’ll be leaving sooner than I expected: in a week – maybe even a few days.”

Merria’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Research or ambassadorial duties?” Tayend asked, a knowing look in his eyes.

“Mostly research,” Dannyl admitted. “Though it won’t hurt, politically.”

“It was the books from the market, wasn’t it?” Tayend looked smug.

“I guess in a way they did lead to Achati suggesting a research trip.” To Dannyl’s satisfaction, the smug look vanished.

“So when are we leaving?” Merria asked.

Dannyl lifted an eyebrow at her. “We?”

Her face fell. “You’re not taking me with you?”

He shook his head. “I can’t.”

“It’s a habit of his,” Tayend murmured. “Always leaving people behind.”

Dannyl gave Tayend a reproachful look. The scholar’s eyes widened in mock innocence.

“Surely you’ll need an assistant on this journey,” Merria persisted. “More so than you do here, anyway.”

“I – the Guild – needs you to stay here,” Dannyl told her. “To take care of things, in the unlikely event that something comes up. We can’t leave the Guild House unoccupied by Guild magicians.”

“That’s true,” Tayend agreed, quietly. “They’d kick me out, since I’m supposed to be finding my own premises.”

“But,” Merria was beginning to sound panicky. “If anything important comes up, they won’t want to deal with a woman.”

“They’ll have to, or else wait until I return. If it’s urgent …” He pursed his lips and considered. He would have to leave Osen’s blood ring behind, so that Merria could consult with the Administrator if anything important came up. So she could pass messages on to the Guild, and Sonea.
If only I could make my own blood ring. Or had someone else’s … ah, of course! I have Sonea’s ring. Perhaps she would agree to me leaving it here for Merria.
He would contact her tomorrow, he decided.

“If it’s urgent, you will contact Osen or Sonea via one of their blood rings. I’ll take one with me and leave one here.” Dannyl straightened and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll be fine, Merria. You have found your way into the hidden world of Sachakan women and established links with the Traitors, all in a remarkably short time. I have no doubt that, if something comes up – which seems unlikely – you’ll be able to hold things together.”

“I have no doubt of it either,” Tayend added.

Her strained smile was more like a grimace, but she did look calmer and less uncertain, though disappointed.

“How long will you be gone?” she asked.

“I don’t know exactly,” Dannyl told her. “A few weeks, maybe more. It depends on seasonal winds or something and whether the tribesmen agree to see us at all.”

Merria made a small huffing sound. “Now you’re rubbing it in. I’d love to visit the tribes.”

“Perhaps we’ll go back there someday,” he suggested. “Once I know if they are as restrictive in their regard for women as the Sachakans are.”

Immediately her eyes brightened. “The men in the market were friendly.”

“Yes, but we can’t assume they are all like that. Traders have every reason to relax whatever customs they might normally follow in the pursuit of customers.”

She frowned. “What if a message comes from Lorkin while you’re gone?”

“You’ll pass it on to the recipient via the blood ring,” he told her.

She nodded. “Perhaps the Traitors could get one to you.”

“I doubt they have connections in the tribes,” he pointed out. “And it may be wise to not grow too reliant on the Traitors. They aren’t our enemy, as far as we know. But they aren’t allies, either.”

The Administrator’s office was full of Higher Magicians. As always, there were more magicians than chairs and Sonea was amused to note who was sitting down and who standing up. The Heads of Disciplines were traditionally the more vocal of the group. Lady Vinara, Lord Peakin and Lord Garrel were seated closest to Osen’s desk. Though High Lord Balkan outranked them, he chose to stand against the wall to one side, arms crossed.

The Heads of Studies, Lords Rothen, Erayk and Telano, and University Director Jerrik were also sitting down, but on the plainer dining chairs that had been brought over from the little table Osen had in the room. Sonea had often wondered if Osen ever had small dinner gatherings here and, if so, how often. She had never been invited to one.

The Healer and Alchemist who had been in Naki’s guest room when Sonea arrived were also present, standing at the back. One of the king’s advisers sat to one side, and Sonea, not for the first time, wondered if they received training in how to avoid attracting attention – remaining unobserved while observing all.

As always, she and Black Magician Kallen were standing. Kallen had been looming over the others when Sonea arrived, and though she told herself that it would be easier if they could all see her when she reported her findings, she had to admit there was a small, defiant part of her that didn’t want to seem less authoritative than he, sitting down while he towered over everyone.

The door opened and all turned to see Novice Director Narren enter the room. The man was younger than his predecessor, Ahrind, had been when Sonea was a novice, but he was equally strict and humourless. As Osen welcomed him he looked around and nodded politely. When his gaze fell on her and Kallen he frowned.

“Who is guarding Lilia?” he asked, alarmed.

Sonea looked at Kallen and saw a flicker of the same amusement she felt. “Lilia is no stronger than her natural limit,” she reminded him. “The two magicians guarding her will have no more trouble restraining her than myself and Black Magician Kallen would.”

He blinked, then flushed a bright red. “Ah. Forgive me. I forgot.”

“So Lilia hasn’t taken power from anyone?” Vinara asked, looking at Sonea.

“I detected no unnatural level of power within her. She may have taken power, then used it, but she doesn’t recall doing so, except—”

Osen cleared his throat and raised his hands to indicate they should stop talking. “Forgive me for interrupting, but we should begin at the beginning.” He looked to the back of the room. “Lords Roah and Parrie, please tell us when you first learned of Lord Leiden’s murder.”

The Healer and Alchemist moved forward. All turned to observe them, but it was the latter who spoke.

“I was talking with Lord Roah when a message came from Lady Naki that her father had been murdered during the night. We went straight to her house, where she showed us Lord Leiden’s body, and told us that Lilia must have killed him. Lord Roah examined Leiden and found he was drained of power, while I questioned Naki on why she thought her fellow novice was responsible.” He paused and looked troubled.