Merchants and Mages (Highmage's Plight Book 2) (30 page)

Seeking an Audience

Chapter 52

G
alt saddled the mount as half asleep apprentices gathered provisions for his saddlebags.

 
“Where are you off to?” Talik’s old servant, Hynrik, demanded, coming out of the main building.

 
“Oh, I’m pulling a Talik,” Galt replied.

 
The old man frowned, “That why you’ve ordered the other Faeryn here to stay in Lyai.”

 
“Trust me, Hynrik. You really don’t want to know.”

 
‘Hurry,’
the voice urged.

 
“I’m going!”

 
Hynrik frowned, but Galt had already turned his back and finished casting an illusion of invisibility as he left the Faeryn Hall’s grounds, knowing the last thing he needed was for anyone to be scrying on him –– particularly at a time like this.

 
An apprenticed yawned, then asked, “Hynik, who was he talking to?”

 
“I don’t think either of us want to know. Not when he’s assuredly pulled a Talik.”

“Uh, Je’orj, I really don’t think this is such a good idea,” Se’and muttered.

 
“It likely isn’t,” he replied, leaning on his staff. “But Master Terhun seemed rather insistent, dear.”

 
Archmage Constandine’s Guild representatives were watching them. A few had their hands on their dagger hilts.

 
They worked their way through the outer Provincial Courts to the inner one over the course of hours. Raven and a fake bandaged Fri’il, both dressed as servants, carried along their master’s sample wares.

 
Staff never stirred. Then again between Se’and and Fri’il they had a lot of

throwing knives concealed but readily accessible.

Dustin spent the night in Faeryn Hall, which was little more than a former inn where Talik called meetings and gave guests lodgings. One of Dustin’s duties was to see to the place’s maintenance twice a week. The Faeryn tended to congregate here most evenings and Dustin figured that there was no better place to try to ascertain what Master Galt’s interest in the healer might be when Galt found him.

They felt the sudden drawing on the Hall’s ancient wards –– something keyed to their Archmage. It was only for a moment.  Dustin took in a quick breath and heard someone with a very lovely voice say, “The Dark One’s likely not having a good day today, either.”

 
He turned and saw Master Galt with a lovely young woman in elvin chainmail of all things. “My bet’s on Talik.”

 
The young woman smiled.

  Galt grinned at Dustin, “Ah, just who I am looking for?”

  Nervously, Dustin feared what the Master would surely ask him about his interest. But what Galt said had nothing to do with that.  Instead, he asked Dustin for a favor, a particularly thorny one.

 
“Who, me?”

  “As Talik’s protégé you can deliver the request – directly to the Lyai.”

  “But –– a request for an audience has to go through official channels...”

  Galt smiled wickedly, “Of course, but we both know what will happen when I try that.”

  “Lord Amberlet will forestall it simply because…”

  “
Talik, the Heir Designate, happens to be the Faeryn Archmage of

the Province, and has been accu
sed of providing secrets to the

Empire’s enemies… secrets that have been scryed out.”

  Dustin swallowed. Why did these things keep happening to him? “This is that important?”

  “On my honor, young journeyman.”

  Dustin took the letter and headed for the palace, already having decided that his best chance of getting the letter through to the Lyai would be through Terhun. Well, it was time to make some demands of his own wasn’t it? Well, it should, he kept telling himself all the way to the palace.

#

Esperanza entered the Provincial Court with Galt at her side. He was

dressed flamboyantly as a mage and bore the sheathed black sword across his back.

  The herald immediately reported their request to Lord Amberlet, chancellor of the Lyai’s Court and the former regent to the Lyai, who had recently come of age. “Ah, Master Galt, there you are.  And this would be?”

 
“Scryer Esperanza of the Consecrated’s Tower,” he replied.

  “Lord Chancellor,” she bowed
. “It is urgent I speak with Lord Lyai on a matter of gravest urgency.”

 
He frowned. “Galt, the Lyai has agreed to see her –– but you must leave. I’ll not have His Majesty criticized for involving himself with a Faeryn mage.”

  “Even one sent here by the Heir Designate?”

  Amberlet grimaced, “Until the day he’s been cleared of the charges against him, policy is policy. Now leave us.”

  Galt bowed, “So long as you take her immediately to Lord Lyai.”

  “Oh, I shall, I promise.”

Esperanza had not liked the old elf’s smile, but her message was too important to doubt herself now. Lord Amberlet led her into his offices and gestured for her to speak. “I’ll not bring you to Lord Lyai

without knowing the reason for this impromptu audience.”

  She hesitated, then told him of the Lady Mother’s treason. How Niota had been deliberately mis–seen in their scrying by a powerful spell of illusion. Even now, Niota was under siege by enemies of the Empire.

“This is a horrifying tale you tell, young lady.”

  “That is why the Lyai must send more troops immediately. The fastness resists the Trelorian troops, but the Lady Mother must be stopped before her mageries can harm anyone further.”

  Amberlet sighed, “If you are to be believed.”

  “I swear on…”

  ”But she stands already foresworn,” the Lady Mother announced stepping through a side door. “It is as I told you, Lord Chancellor.” Esperanza gasped and raised her hand to voice a spell and only a strangled sound was uttered. “See? Esperanza would raise a foul conjuring in your very presence, Milord! She has joined Lord Talik in darkest treason. She has poisoned our scrying and would see you send troops away from protecting the Lyai. This tale of Niota under siege is a total fabrication.”

 
Esperanza turned to run as the door opened behind her. Imperial guardsmen strode forth, then dragged her, helplessly, away.

Amberlet is being far too helpful,
Galt thought to himself as the Lord Chancellor led Esperanza away. He looked about him and noticed the approach of the next petitioner. Two Guild mages entered the room and raised a warding blocking the exit behind him.

 
The enchanted dagger was highly toxic, and the man’s drawing it was Galt’s only warning. Instinctively he grabbed the black sword’s hilt and only partially drew it before the assassin’s magery was loosed.

The spell and metal touched. The enchanted dagger shattered. The explosion deafened them shaking the walls and floor. The assassin was flung backward to the hard stone of the far wall. The assassin felt his neck break just before he died, even as Galt was brought to his knees and released his grip on the sword, which snicked back into its sheath.

The floor shook as Amberlet watched the traitor carried away. “What in the Empress’s name was that?”

  The Lady Mother frowned, “I don’t know. But I think w
e should find out.”

 
Amberlet gasped, “Oh, no, it must be Galt!”

  They ran, but it was too late. Lord Amberlet shouted at the guards to alert the Imperial mages that Galt was a rogue and had to be brought to justice. The guards rushed to obey. Two Imperial mages lay unconscious from no imaginable cause, and a corpse lay sprawled not far away.

Terhun stared at the message Dustin handed him. He had torn the envelope open before the young Faeryn mage could argue.

  “I’m sorry for the delay, but I’ve waited hours to see you!”

 
The Imperial agent read it and blanched. “Drat –– the Lady Mother arrived here earlier today. She’s been in conference with Lord Amberlet ever since.”

  The floor trembled. Dustin paled. “Galt.”

  “Your friend is in a great deal of trouble –– we’ve little time! Come with me!” They ran down the corridor.

The Lyai turned at the noise. His bodyguards drew their bane swords as the figure ran across the room toward the far door, then noticing where he was and hastily stopped. “Uh, beg pardon, your Majesty. Just passing through.”

 
Blinking the Lyai stared at the mage, then recognized him, “Galt?”

  “Hmm, you do remember me. It’s been a long time. Did you get my letter by any chance?”

  “Letter?”

  “Uh huh, I’ll have to have a long talk with Dustin about that.” The far door opened and Terhun raced in with the young journeyman mage in question at his heels. Galt smiled, “Ah, good lad, but I think you are a bit late delivering my message.”

  Dustin swallowed and nodded as the Lyai, his guards, and everyone else in the room stared at one another. Terhun broke the tableau by clearing his throat, “Majesty, we seem to have a bit of a problem…”

Mother Knows Best

Chapter 53

T
he Lady Mother smiled thinly as she carefully warded Esperanza. The young woman groaned as Amberlet’s guards tried to tear off her chainmail, trying to search for hidden talismans or charms which she might use to try to free herself.

  “Ow,” she said yet again.

  “It won’t come off,” one said to the other.

 
“Well, we’ll just have to tie her up and get a binding ward.”

 
“Uh, you have one?”

 
“Idiot! I thought you did!”

 
“Ah, I won’t tell Lord Amberlet, if you won’t.”

 
“Argh, help me tighten the bindings, then go get one –– fast!”

She tried to explain, but that only made nearest strike her before the other hastened from the room to get the binding talisman. He returned only moments ahead of Lord Amberlet and the elvin lady.

All Esperanza could do was stare at the Lady Mother, who finished her spell. No sound issued from her mouth, Esperanza’s bindings were apparently very inclusive.

The Chancellor frowned, “Do you really think this necessary?”

  “We should take no chances, particularly with her Faeryn lover on the loose,” the Lady Mother cautioned, then gave Esperanza a quick, wicked, smile.

  “Lover?” Amberlet rasped.

  “Surely you do not doubt that it was the Faeryn who turned her from proper magery and to evil?”

  Amberlet’s gaze clouded. “I put nothing past the heretics.”

 
“Leave me alone with her and I will get her to admit the truth.”

  “I –– uh –– I can’t permit torture. That must be the Lyai’s decision.”

  “How can you trust that he will not feel sympathy for her? Is she not beautiful?” she asked as the old elf glanced at Esperanza uncomfortably. “The Lyai is practically a child!”

  “I know that, but…”

  The door burst open. “What is this?” The Lyai demanded. His bodyguards entered with their bane sword drawn stood taking defensive positions around him.

  The Lord Amberlet stared and stammered, “Your Grace.”

  “Why have you done this, Amberlet?”

  “She’s an assassin, Your Grace,” he replied. “She’s a servant of the Demonlord, himself.  The Lady Mother barely arrived in time to warn us!”

  “Lady Mother, you are far from your Tower. Why did you not seek me out immediately?”

  She bowed graciously. “Your Grace, I would have done so long before now had not this traitorous woman come here so quickly.  I pray we can unravel her foul plans as soon as possible. Your life is in terrible danger!”

  “From her?” he muttered. “Bound and warded? What harm can she expect to do me?  Leave us now. I will speak with you after learning the truth for myself.”

  The Lyai raised his hand and chanted an elvish word of power. Magelight bathed her bound form. “Young lady, you will give me your Oath, compelling you to tell me the truth.” He gestured for one of his guards to remove the binding talisman.

  The Lady Mother’s gaze narrowed as she felt the warning sting of an ancient and great mageries. She bowed, “As my lord wills.” She nudged Amberlet to accompany her, thinking furiously. She suddenly knew what must be done. The moment the talisman was removed and the scryer was freed to speak the Lady Mother cried

out in seeming agony, “She’s breached my wards!”

  Amberlet shrieked, “Stop her! She’ll kill the Lyai!”

  Galt stood next to Dustin in the hallway and stiffened when he heard the woman’s cry. He raced forward into the room, unsheathing the black sword as one bodyguard bodily shoved the Lyai backward. The other raced toward the furiously struggling Esperanza, who stared at the sword in Galt’s hands, “GALT, NO! SHEATH IT!”

  There was a terrifying explosion as the Lady Mother finished whispering a

deadly spell. The guards were flung off their feet dropping their bane swords, one of which almost cut Galt as he dove through the explosive.

  The Lord Chancellor shouted for help as he found himself on the floor.

 
Galt squinted, trying to find their nemesis, then he saw Lady Mother stagger to her feet, her ears ringing. Uncertain what had happened, she knew she had to stop Esperanza. She shouted a spell and raised a wraith, its form appeared amidst the smoke and falling dust from the ceiling. It coalesced, taking form as the Lady Mother pointed and cried, “Kill her!”

  Galt did the only thing he could. He threw the black sword at the thing with all his might.

The Lady Mother felt the wrongness, sensed her minion’s recoil, then fear, as the dark sword was cast spinning toward it.

  The blade struck just as its deadly ebony touch reached Esperanza. The creature exploded out of existence, rending the Lady Mother’s energies at the same time. She cried out in agony that was no longer feigned.

Coughing, Galt struggled to his feet as Dustin struggled to rise off the floor yet again, “Master Galt!”

  “Here,” the Faeryn mage croaked, half stumbling amid the rubble.

Dustin reached him quickly. “See to the Lyai,” he heard himself say distantly.

  Esperanza’s chair had been knocked over and her chainmail felt strange. Frost covered it where the wraith had touched it, but shaking her head she realized she was all right. Then she was being untied. “You all right, Milady?”

 
She turned head and muttered, “Majesty?”

 
The young elflord smiled at her, “And you likely thought Galt had such a good plan.”

 
The Faeryn master retrieved the black sword and sheathed it, saying, “Esperanza, great safety tip.”

 
Amberlet was coughing as Dustin helped right Esperanza’s chair. One of the Lyai’s surviving bodyguards helped the Chancellor rise. “Are you all right, Your Grace?”

  Galt took a deep breath and knelt by the slumped Lady Mother, who was

writhing in pain. 

  The Lyai removed the talisman binding Esperanza, muttered, “Duty calls,” and strode across the room to the semi–conscious figure. He set the binding talisman on
the Lady Mother. “Cart this traitorous woman to the most strongly warded chamber we possess!”

 
Esperanza stood up, her legs feeling wobbly as Dustin helped steady her. That’s when she felt terribly cold and fainted.

  Galt grasped Dustin by the arm, shoved him aside and knelt beside the scryer. Her chainmail was changing, flowing like water and in its reflection he glimpsed… He shouted, “Go to the Healer in the Lower City. Bring him here as quick as you can!”

  The Lyai rushed over, “What’s wrong?”

  “
The wraith’s done something to her.”

 
Swallowing hard, Dustin ran as fast as he could, hearing the Chancellor muttering, “I – I don’t understand.”

The Lyai shouted, “Get out of my sight, you old fool!”

Dustin did not know how he could reach the Lower City fast enough until he noted the carriage with the Scryer’s Network’s markings. The driver gaped at him as he leapt to the seat and took up the reins. “Hey, you can’t do that! Get down from there!”

 
“Make way!” Dustin cried while kicking free the brake. “By order of the Lyai!”

  The guards quickly got out of his way as the horses raced forward out of the palace’s courtyard.

Amira remembered a nightmare. She was to be bound to this land forever –– and wed by the will of the spirit of the keep to the boy with his ogre bodyguard. She was to be bred for Niota’s line. It was monstrous.

  It was full morning when she heard her name being whispered.   “Esperanza?” she muttered.

 
Niota is safe I see.

  Amira looked about her, trying to ascertain from what vantage her dearest friend was scrying her from. “It was Talik that sensed them first.”

 
You will need to form a proper Tower and reform the Scryer’s Network that has been broken by treachery.

  “
You will come here then?  Between the two of us I…”

 
No, I’m sorry I don’t think that is to be my fate. Amira, you are strong. Niota is stronger for your presence there. I can feel it.  I have accomplished what I set out to do. Goodbye, my friend. 

 
Amira felt the link between them fade and shivered.  She felt a terrible sense of foreboding. She began to run, “Master Talik!”

“There is little I can do, Milord.”

 
The Lyai had the elvin woman set in his own bed. “But, but she looks physically unharmed,” the Lyai rasped, thinking that she had been young and beautiful. Now all that was changing. Esperanza was

growing winkled and haggard with age.

 
‘Galt, draw the sword and place it by her side.’

 
“Will that cure her?” he muttered under his breath.

 
‘No. But it will slow the curse’s progress.’

  “How long has she?” the Lyai asked as Galt did as the voice bid.

  The healer replied, grimacing at the sight of the sword. “I’m sorry, but I cannot say –– the magery that has done this is like none I have ever seen.”

  Galt growled at the healer. “The sword will slow its effects. I just pray he gets here in time.”

  Terhun frowned, entering the chamber. “Who?” There was only one stranger in the city he could think of that might challenge this woman’s fate.

  “Oh, a healer of greater skill than any I have ever heard tell of –– a healer worthy of Faeryn mastery.”

  The Lyai’s healer grimaced. “There is no such thing as a Faeryn healer!”

  “Perhaps not,” Galt offered. “But this one’s skill would impress even Archmage Talik –– so should you not accept him, we shall most graciously.”

Balfour looked up from the young boy, whose arm he had just healed.  His father was offering to buy him an ale that night as payment. “Cle’or,” he whispered, hearing someone running up the stairs.

  She tensed, seeing the Faeryn journeyman mage come to the door. “Master Healer!” Dustin cried, out of breath. “You must come with me. Come with me to the palace. I fear there’s little time!”

  Balfour grabbed his things and the two of them ran shouting at Me’oh that they would return as soon as they could. Dustin hurried them, “I’ve a carriage waiting!”

Esperanza dreamed. She knew she was dying, felt her life force

ebbing. She said goodbye to Amira, having been afraid that perhaps she had left her friend to as dim a fate as her own.

  Yet, seeing Amira in Niota
buoyed her. She knew that all would be well there now. Her spirit was as strong as the stones of that keep. She would form a tower there, a place from which they could watch all the Lowlands, including part of the northern Crescent likely better than their fellow scryers had watched the Northlands in recent years.

She flinched, feeling a stinging sensation, which became an unbearable itch.
Is this what it feels like to die?

  I would hazard not,
averred a voice in her mind.

  Esperanza thought she knew that voice.
But from where?
    

Talik came running with young Thomi not far behind. “Amira, what’s wrong?!” Talik shouted.

 
“It’s Esperanza! She’s dying!” Amira cried sitting up in bed, then shrieked, “Where are my clothes?”

 
“What’s going on?” Thomi shouted worriedly. “Is it another attack?”

 
“What happened to my mail?” she cried.

 
Talik glanced at the lad, who hesitantly replied, “Uh, well, I was sitting at your bedside, and pushed back a strand of your hair.” She was glaring at him. “That’s when… well… uh… your mail turned to water and, uh, splashed all over mine. But a moment later I was dry. That was really odd.”

 
“His mail’s thicker than it was.”

 
“You’re wearing my mail?” she muttered.

 
“Um, I, uh, think so.”

 
She held out her hand, “Give it back!”

 
“Uh, how?”

 
Talik chuckled, then said, “Yes, how?”

 
She beat her arms on the blankets, “How am I supposed to know?” Then she remembered. “Oh.”

 
“What?” Talik asked.

 
Amira blushed. “Never mind, it’s not important. It’s Esperanza I’m worried about,” Amira replied hastily. “She came to me in my dreams. I felt her dying. I must scry her immediately –– but we’ve no links up, and Lyai is too far away for me to do it alone!”