Fire Study (38 page)

slowed long enough to determine his house was empty.

I made another loop around the street to make sure, then slipped behind the

building. Using my picks, I unlocked the back door and startled a woman.

“Oh my!” She dropped a rake. It clattered on the edge of the stone heath, and the

fire she had been stirring to life dimmed.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” I said, thinking fast. “I have an urgent appointment

with Councilman Zaltana.”

“I don’t remember him telling me about a guest. And certainly no guest would

come creeping in the back door!” She swept up the iron rake and hefted it in her big

hands. She wore a type of loose tunic the Zaltanas preferred, but it was hard to see

in the semidarkness.

I chanced it. “We just set the meeting today. It’s regarding clan business.”

“Oh my.” She bent and raked at the coals. When a flame ignited, she used it to

light a lantern. She peered at me through the glow. “Goodness, child. Come in then.

Shut the door. This is all highly unusual, but I don’t know why I’m surprised. These

are unusual times.”

The woman bustled and fussed about the kitchen, claiming the Councilman

would soon be home and would want his supper. I helped her by lighting the lanterns

in the dining room and living room. Bavol’s home was decorated with jungle art and

valmur statues. A pang of homesickness struck me.

When I heard someone at the front door, I hid in the kitchen.

“His guard dog doesn’t come in the house,” the woman said. “The Councilman

won’t allow it. The day that dog is allowed in will be the end of the Sitian Council.”

But would the Warper use his magic to scan the interior? Would I feel the power?

I hovered by the back door just in case.

The woman said, “Call me Petal, child,” and invited me to join them for supper.

She shooed away any protests about my limited time. “Nonsense, child. Let me tell

the Councilman you’re here.”

“Ah, Petal,” I said, stopping her. “Perhaps it would be best if you just asked him

to come in here? Dogs have very acute hearing.”

She tapped a finger to her forehead and then pointed to me before leaving. Bavol

came into the kitchen with Petal on his heels. He greeted me with a tired smile.

“Smart to come before me,” he said in a soft voice. He rubbed at the dark

smudges under his eyes. Worry lines etched his face and he stood as if he strained

under a heavy weight. “If you’re discovered…” He sank down to perch on an edge

of a stool. “You can’t stay long. If they hear or see anything out of the ordinary, the

Warper will barge in and I will tell him everything.”

His matter-of-fact statement about his response to the Warper sent a ripple of

fear through my body. What were the Warpers doing to gain information and

cooperation?

“I’ll be quick then. Why did the Council allow the Daviians to come?”

Alarm flashed on Bavol’s face and he clamped his hands together in his lap.

“Petal, could you please get me a glass of whiskey?”

She eyed him with annoyance. Even though she stirred her stew pot on the other

side of the kitchen, she had been leaning toward us, trying to listen to our

conversation.

With a huff of indignation, Petal left the kitchen.

Bavol closed his eyes for a moment and grimaced. But when he focused on me,

his old confident self returned.

“We should have let them die,” he said.

“LET WHO DIE?” I ASKED, but Bavol ignored me.

“At first the Daviians required minor things from us to keep them alive. A vote

one way or another. The requests became more frequent and alarming. Visitors grew

in numbers and the next thing we knew we had agreed to everything.”

“Keep who alive?”

“We made a mistake, but you’re here now. Perhaps it’s not too late.”

“Bavol, I don’t—”

“The Daviians have our children.”

I stared at him for a moment in stunned silence. “How?”

Bavol shrugged. “Does it matter how? Our families live with our clans most of

the year. We’re not home to protect them.”

“Who do they have?”

“My daughter, Jenniqilla. She disappeared from the Illiais Market. I’ve been

instructed not to tell anyone. But from the other Councilors’ faces I knew the

Daviians had gotten to everyone. Eventually, we talked about it amongst ourselves.

All the Councilors with children had one taken. For the others, the Daviians

kidnapped Councilor Greenblade’s husband, and Councilor Stormdance’s wife.”

“Where are they keeping them?”

“If I knew I wouldn’t be here talking to you,” he snapped.

“Sorry.” I considered the implications. Petal returned with two glasses of

whiskey and handed one to me. She went back to stirring her pots.

“When?” I asked, thinking about Valek’s comment that the Vermin had been

planning this before Cahil had gotten involved.

“Fourteen days ago,” Bavol whispered.

I thought back. Fourteen days seemed like fourteen years when I sifted through

everything that had happened. The Vermin had grabbed the Councilors’ families

right after I fled the Citadel. It wasn’t Roze influencing the Council after all.

“Do the Master Magicians know?”

“Master Bloodgood and Master Jewelrose suspected when we wrote the letter to

the Commander. Master Featherstone interpreted their refusal as an act of treason.

And the Daviians forced us to agree with her and sign their arrest warrant and help

incarcerate them in the Keep. They cooperated,” Bavol added when he saw my

concern. “It’s a shame Master Cowan is still too young to exert much influence on

Master Featherstone.”

“Do you think Roze is working with the Daviians?”

“No. She would be horrified to know they are making the decisions. We are

voting with her, so she is content and the Daviians are offering her support in her

campaign against the Commander.”

“Couldn’t she learn of your dilemma from your thoughts?”

Bavol’s gaze snapped to me. “That would be a serious breach of the Magician’s

Ethical Code. Master Featherstone would never resort to invading our private

thoughts.”

I had a difficult time believing in Roze’s high moral standards, but I possessed

no evidence to the contrary.

“Should I set an extra place for dinner?” Petal asked.

Bavol and I both shook our heads no. His anxious expression reminded me I

needed to leave soon. She tsked and carried a stack of plates from the kitchen.

Finding and rescuing the Council’s family members became a priority. There was

one way I could discover where they were being held, but I would have to use

magic.

“Bavol, I may be able to find your daughter through you. But I can’t do it in the

Citadel. Is there any chance you can leave?”

“No. My guard is with me always.”

“Could you slip out the back door?”

“I have to make contact with my guard every hour. It is the only way he will give

me any privacy.”

“What about when you’re sleeping?”

“He sits in the living room. Petal doesn’t know about it, since she retires so early

and sleeps like a log. I haven’t been able to sleep since Jenniqilla’s capture. I’m up

before the sun and can send him back outside.”

“It will have to be during the night, then. I’ll make arrangements. Just don’t be

surprised if you have company in your bedroom tomorrow evening. And leave the

back window open.”

“That’s Petal’s room,” he said.

“Perhaps you can make sure she remains asleep?”

He sighed. “I long for the simpler days. Never again will I complain about

Councilor Sandseed’s stubbornness or Councilor Jewelrose’s petty problems.”

“Dinner’s ready,” Petal called.

“You should go,” he said.

“Do you know any way I could get into the Keep?”

“The emergency tunnel. But I don’t know if it has collapsed or been sealed up.

The magicians dug it when they first constructed their Keep, during the clan wars

long ago. I hadn’t known it existed until recently. Second Magician mentioned it to

me a few days before they arrested him and Fourth Magician.”

“Are Bain and Irys still being held in the Keep’s cells?”

“As far as I know.”

“Did Bain tell you where the tunnel is located?”

“He said something about the east side of the Keep, and about how it was big

enough for a horse.” Bavol stood. “We have lingered too long. I expect to hear from

you again. Stay safe.” He went into the dining room.

I waited a moment, then opened the back door. Peeking out, I scanned the dark

alley. It appeared to be deserted, but without my magic, I couldn’t be sure. I risked

it and left Bavol’s. The Citadel’s quiet streets alarmed me. Only a few people walked

on the roads, and most of them were Vermin. Even the taverns remained dark and

desolate.

My chances of getting through the north gate undetected didn’t seem likely. I

considered going to one of the inns, but the Vermin could have people there

watching for strangers. The longer I stayed on the street increased the danger of

being caught.

In desperation, I found a house with an outside staircase reaching the ground of a

narrow alley. Climbing up to the top of the steps without making too much noise, I

stood on the handrail and reached for the edge of the roof. I discovered a problem

with marble buildings as I tried to use the wall to push myself onto the roof. My foot

slipped and I just managed to regain my balance and avoid plummeting four stories

to the ground.

In the end, I employed my acrobatic training and made a leap of faith onto the

roof. Good thing these same marble walls were thick enough to mask the sound of

my thud.

I lay on the flat roof, gasping, glad Valek hadn’t been here to see my awkward

ascent. His ability to scale the Commander’s castle walls was now more impressive.

I wondered if he would be worried when I failed to come back. Perhaps it was for

the best that I had stayed too long with Bavol. Multiple trips through the gate would

arouse suspicion.

The night air turned cold. I huddled in my cloak and slept. Dreams of fire haunted

me. No matter where I ran to or where I hid, the flames always found me. Always.

I woke sweat soaked in the morning light, achy and feverish. The prospect of

climbing down from the roof unseen and finding Fisk was as appealing as taking a

cold bath. At least descending proved easier than ascending the roof. I made it down

the stairs and into the alley without incident. Although the thumping in my head failed

to stop.

Bleary-eyed and tired, I searched for Fisk at the market. Remembering his

meeting room, I hid nearby and waited for him.

The group of children who left the building caused me to smile. So intent on their

day’s work, they moved with purpose and carried themselves with a businesslike air.

After they disappeared from sight, Fisk appeared beside me.

“Did something happen?” he asked.

“Nothing bad. I have another job for you.” I told him what I needed and he

thought he could help me. “I don’t want anyone to get into trouble, though.”

“Don’t worry, you picked a good night.”

“Why is it good?”

“It’s Midseason’s Night. We celebrate the midpoint of the cold season. Gives

everyone something to look forward to.” Fisk grinned. “Doesn’t Ixia have something

similar?”

“Yes. They hold an annual Ice Festival. People display their handcrafts and get

together to exchange ideas. I just hadn’t realized we were this far into the season.”

“The celebration’s bound to be quieter this year, but there should be enough

activity to hide ours.” This time Fisk’s smile held a hint of mischievousness,

reminding me of Janco.

I’d bet Janco had been pure trouble as a kid. At least I hadn’t upset him and Ari

before leaving Ixia. Then again, since I hadn’t brought them along, they could be

annoyed with me, too.

We made plans for the evening and Fisk told me of a place where I could stay to

wait for the night. After he left, I walked over to the Council Hall. I made a loop

around it while trying not to appear as if I held any special interest in the square

structure. The activity on the wide steps leading to the first floor was busy. The

Councilors’ offices, the great hall, record room, library and Citadel’s jail all resided

inside. My interest lay in the record room. Information from all the clans had been

stored there, and I wanted to find any mention about the magician’s emergency

tunnel within the records. Or perhaps the library would have some reference to the