Sorcerer Rising (A Virgil McDane Novel) (9 page)

Her eyes focused, once again on myself. She gave a weary sigh, shaking her head. “Not long left either, Sorcerer. Please, come in. We have much to discuss.”

Father Solomon’s library was one of the largest and most complete collections of arcane knowledge in the world. I was
n’t exactly sure what Sol did before he became a man of the cloth, but I knew many of his volumes were rare, several illegal.

It was divided into several rooms but the Mother Superior led me to his sitting room, nestled in the smallest room of the library.

Father Solomon Bronner sat behind a large, book laden desk. At least eighty, he was frail but spirited. He kept his head shaved and a short, white beard covered his face. He wore thick wire-rimmed glasses perched low on his narrow, beak-like nose and they gave his eyes a large, watery look. His long frame was draped in the priest’s black, his white collar two sizes too large around his neck.

He looked up as I came in; giving me a grin full of large, square teeth. His eyes show
ed his true personality. They were green, the color of new grass, lively and full of spirit.

“Virgil, my boy! Temperance said you were coming!” His voice held the deep, raspy sound of a lifetime smoker with a faint Israeli accent.

Like I said, the Cathedral was different in more ways than one.

He stood up and even with his stooped over frame he was a foot taller than me. He picked up his redwood cane and shambled over to me.

I gripped his large hand, noting his grip wasn’t quite as firm as the last time I remembered. “How are you doing, Sol?”

He grimaced, making his eyes squint comically behind the thick spectacles. “I’m eighty, Virgil. The Lord’s been waiting for me to get to the Gates for a while now.” He shrugged. “I think he’s starting to get impatient.”

The Mother Superior took his arm gently. “Come Solomon, you need to sit down.”

She led him over to a large leather recliner and he sat down, placing his cane next to it. He smiled at her while I pretended not to notice.

“So what brings you to us today, Virgil?” he asked. “It seems like the only help we ever offer you is another way for you to get into trouble.”

I plucked one of his books off of a shelf. It was a history of Pan, the fairy continent. It was written by Proseus Techla, a chang
eling of some note. “No, I get into trouble just fine on my own,” I said, scanning through the pages. “Ya’ll just make sure I survive it.” The book was Techla’s original handwritten copy, with his own personal notes and thoughts scribbled in the margins. I smiled. It was probably worth enough to give even Cyrus pause. I gently put the book back in its place.

“I have a client who is arranging an expedition to pursue the Arcus,” I said. “I know the legends, enough to get by anyway. But I was hoping that you would have a greater insight.”

The Mother Superior said, giving me that same analyzing look, “You seem to already know a bit about this. I don’t think we can tell you much more.”

I frowned. “I don’t know anything. Whatever you can tell me would help.”

Solomon frowned, his eyes distant. “I’m sorry Virgil. Chasing the Arcus is…well, that’s something completely different from your usual endeavors. There have only been a few volumes written on the matter. Almost all are theoretical or poorly recorded sightings.”

Well, damn. I was betting on the Sisters having known something. They had surprised me before. I guess the s
urprise this time had been their not knowing.

Solomon continued. “I can give you a few books that may help.” He wrote a series of titles on a piece of parchment and gave the list to the Mother Superior. “Temperance, would you please retrieve these volumes?”

She nodded, frowning at the list as she left. I didn’t need their sight to see a lecture on the proper treatment of Solomon’s books in my future.

Solomon folded his hands in his lap, his large eyes studying me carefully. “This is not like you, Virgil. What would convince you to take up such a foolhardy venture as this?”

I shrugged uncomfortably, not wanting to meet his eyes. “I’ve taken more dangerous jobs than this, Sol. It’s not as big as it sounds.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “
It is quite different. This is foolish, my son.”

I took off my hat, running my fingers through my hair. I respected Sol a lot. For him to call me foolish hurt. “You know what business is like competing with the Guild. I’m being paid enough to be foolish.” I shrugged. “Besides, I’ll most likely just end up hiking all over Africa and then turning around.”

Solomon snorted. “Bah, the hell you will, boy. I’ve known you for what, eight years? Nine?”

I smiled. “Ten actually.”

He waved a hand. “Whatever. Ever since you came to Mare City and joined the Guild. You don’t give up. Too hard headed is what you are. Don’t try to tell me you’ll come back if you don’t find anything. You’ll do this for years if you have to.” He looked at me with that same steady gaze. “Too many have assumed that those who vanished did so because they failed. What if success was the reason for their disappearance? Are you ready for that?”

That sent a chill down my spine. “I have to be.”

And that was true. Things were tightening like a noose. Had been for over a year. When I’d left the Guild, I was angry and bitter and unwilling to lie down. I was still all those things, but I was getting tired. And the world was changing. Being a Sorcerer was getting harder and harder, especially if the Guild had it out for you.

The Mother Superior returned, interrupting my thoughts. In her short, frail arms she carried a stack of books, which she placed gently on the table.

She set that hard gaze on me. “Solomon may not be able to tell you much, Virgil, but I can look at you, tell you the Truth.”

Solomon and I traded looks. The Mother Superior had never really been one to offer her assistance to me. And considering their gifts, their assistance was nothing to laugh at. You see, the Sisters
could see the Truth of All Things. Nothing can hide from their sight. No lie could fool them, no illusion blind them. It was a remnant of the blood they carried, the blood of Fairy nobility. Each nun in the Cathedral of His Eternal Truth was a descendent of Veras Honos, a changeling sired by one of the most powerful Lords of Pan.

The Cathedral of His Eternal Truth was founded by his descendants.
It wasn’t a lie detector, more like prophecy, though they got mad if you called it that.

There were limitation of course, there always were. They had to think a certain way, go through difficult and inhuman thought processes to weed through an infinite amount of possibilities. Most of the women were in the convent for their own protection. The infinite Truths of our world were not meant to be known to all, and no one person should have to know everything about anything. Especially in this city.

And she had never, ever, used her gift on me. Not all the way.

“Good or bad?” I asked.

She shook her head. “It is not that simple. I saw part of it when you were at the door. I have been feeling some of it ever since last night. I’ll have to look at you some more.”

I thought about it for a moment. Did I really want to know what she could tell
me? Things were never simple with what a Sister could tell you. They barely understood it themselves.

Finally, I nodded.

She and I sat down while Solomon watched from his chair. The Mother Superior met my gaze. It was all I could do not to look away, but my pride wouldn’t allow it.

She took a deep breath and I felt it happen.

All mages have senses. It was the first thing they taught you in the Tower and the most basic thing any mage picked up as he learned about magic. It was the only way the various nuances of the Aether could be studied. Two nights ago, I had used my sight to look Deeper the constructs as I breathed them into reality. It was only one of the techniques taught to me but perhaps the most versatile, so ingrained into my being that the Brand hadn’t removed it.

What I felt from the Mother Superior made me feel like a blind man though.

Her pupils dilated rapidly, becoming larger and larger, changing shape until they were like a cat’s. The flecks of color in her eyes flashed and burned, creating a tapestry of light within the cold steel of her irises.

I felt a torrent of power hit me, like a dam being opened
, a dam holding back a sun’s worth of energy. I felt every defense I had accumulated over the years, every mental barrier and magical shield on my person penetrated. It didn’t hurt, it wasn’t even really all that uncomfortable. All the same, I knew this was a power so absolute that nothing I was capable of, nothing I had
ever
been capable of, would have been able to hide anything from this woman.

It lasted about thirty seconds
before she snapped her eyes closed with a scowl. She swayed gently on her feet but Sol, anticipating her reaction, was already up to catcher her. He led her to the chair and placed her in it much the same as she had him.

“Easy,” he said softly. “Take it easy. Rest.”

She nodded, keeping her eyes closed. I waited as she gathered her strength. Finally, she opened them. They had returned to normal, but the color in her irises was more pronounced, more vivid. They practically glowed.

“I cannot see anything,” she said, her voice harsh.

Sol sat forward, his face mirroring my own confusion. “Nothing at all, Temperance? How is that possible?”

She rubbed her eyes. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Is it hidden?” I asked. “I didn’t think anything could hide from your sight.”

“Not hidden,” she said. “There are just too many possible ways that your path can follow, too many absolutes that contradict themselves. I haven’t been this lost since I was young.”

“You can’t tell anything from that?” I asked, hoping to get something out of her.

“I cannot,” she said. “I am sorry, Virgil.”

“Could Sarah?” asked Solomon.

The Mother Superior gave him a dark look. “I do not think that would be appropriate, Solomon,” she said.

“Who’s Sarah?” I asked.

She turned her fierce gaze on me.
“Sarah is none of your business.”

I don’t take hints very well though. “Solomon,” I said, facing him and ignoring her g
lare. “Who’s Sarah?”

Solomon looked between me and the Mother Superior. “Sarah is new to the convent,” he said slowly.

“Solomon!” she yelled.

“You yourself said that it would be good for her to use her sight
.” His tone was gentle but firm. I loved Sol, he was probably the only man on earth who would challenge Temperance Valentine’s authority. “Virgil has come to us for aid. If there is anything that we can do, we will do it. We must.”

“I do not want him interfering,” she said. “She is still recovering and we have no way of knowing how he
will affect her.”

“Wait,” I said, holding up my hands, “Why are we even brin
ging this up? What can she do that you can’t?”

Solomon stood up. “You will see for yourself, Virgil.” Then to the Mother Superior. “We must do all we can.” His tone softened. “For her own good as well as
his.”

Her face softened and she nodded.

Solomon put a hand on my shoulder. Weaker though his handshake may have become, the weight of his presence, the power behind his gaze was as strong as ever. “We will talk on the way, Virgil. Follow me.”

“She came to us just a few weeks ago,” he said, filling me in on this Sarah’s appearance as we made our way toward her.

“She came to you?” I asked. “On her own?”

That was strange. The Cathedral valued its anonymity. It was their first line of defense. Right before the walking rocks and creepy as hell shadows. The sisters were usually sought out, that was the whole reason behind the Cathedral’s priesthood.

“We thought it odd ourselves,” Solomon said, following my train of thought. He had always been good at that. “We took all our usual precautions. She is definitely a descendant.” He frowned. “Only she is the strangest one we have ever seen.”

“How so?”

“She is unique,” replied the Mother
Superior. She was holding on to Sol’s other arm, supporting the side without the cane even though he towered over her by several feet. “Our power is limited. Purely the effect of Honos’ bloodline.

“Sarah’s power is different. She is greatly weakened by using her power but its flexibility is amazing. She can do things with the sight that have never been seen in a Sister. See to such a depth that the normal teachings we undergo are almost irrelevant.”

“So she’s gifted,” I said. “Is that so peculiar?”

“It is more than a gift,” she replied. “In the handful of days she has been here, she has shown an aptitude for things well beyond a Sister’s capabilities. The arts of the mind, the elements.” She gave me a hard look over her glasses. “Magic, Virgil.”

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

Someone with both the power of a Sister and a mage
would be potent to say the least. They had to know how dangerous that was. The Convent held much more than just the Sisters of Truth. I would elaborate but I could only hypothesize and what I hypothesized scared the hell out of me. All I knew was not all the gargoyles faced outward and the shadows stirred within the building just as much without.