by Imogen Elvis
“I will.” Briar bit her lip. The more they talked about this, the less confident she was that she could actually convince Master Talor of anything. He was a master on the song council. Why would he listen to a little no-name novice like her?
“Kade, we’re also going to need to take some rooms in an inn, seeing as you’re so against staying at my home,” Lara said. “How about The Gilded Pony? It’s in a central location, which is more convenient for us, and it’s respectable at the very least.”
“I don’t know of the inn,” Kade said. “But if you think it’s suitable, I’ll take some rooms for us.
Lara handed over some coins, which Kade tucked safely away in his purse, drawing the strings tight with a snap. Briar glanced around the street but, though a few carts rumbled by and the first early risers made their way out of their homes, no one gave them a second look. It was almost like the vastness of the city made them invisible. No one looked at them, or if they did, no one cared who they were.
Lara’s eyes flicked to the sky. “It’s getting light. I’ll need to hurry if I’m to reach Lady Madella before she leaves for the castle.”
“Be careful,” Kade said. “If anyone recognises you-”
“Trust me. I know what I’m doing. Lady Madella is our best chance for an ally.”
“I do trust you,” Kade said quietly. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t also worry.”
“Thank you.” Lara grinned suddenly. “It feels good to finally be doing something at last.” She slowed, turning to Briar and Kade. “I’ll see you both at The Gilded Pony. Look out for Kade, won’t you, Briar? Someone has to look after him.”
“You don’t think I’m capable of taking care of myself?” Kade’s eyebrows rose.
Lara shrugged. “The more eyes watching out for you, the better. Anyway, I’ll see you both later.” She waved airily over her shoulder, veering off down a nearby side street without a backwards glance.
“Take care,” Briar called after Lara, her chest clenching. Lara was smart. She would be fine. But still, there was so much that could go wrong with both their plans. Briar’s throat tightened at the thought.
“I suppose we should go too,” Kade said, after a moment’s pause. He tugged his hood down securely, and they hurried onward.
The sun peeked out between the buildings, buttery gold and sleepy, and with it came the people, appearing from the streets and laneways, and filling the central road with their bustle and noise. More people meant more eyes on Briar and Kade, and yet it was comforting to be surrounded by so many strangers. No one seemed to know who anyone was, and in a crowd, the soldiers might not look twice at them, should they pass by.
“How far is it to the Order house?” Briar asked.
“It’s a bit of a walk,” Kade said. “I know that it’s south of the castle. The central road reaches a large square, and the Order house is there. It’s impossible to miss it.”
Briar was pretty sure she could somehow manage to miss it, no matter how carefully it had been placed. This city was so huge. Kade and Briar kept walking and walking and passing more and more streets, and more and more unfamiliar faces who didn’t so much as glance their way. It was like she was no more than a grain of dust in this place.
Did these people know they were in danger? Did they know about the children camped barely more than a day’s walk from the walls of the city, and about the damage they could do? Looking at the people around her, so completely focused on their own lives, Briar found it hard to imagine that they did. Who could be so calm if they knew what trouble lurked outside their city?
“Do you really think you can persuade Talor to believe you?” Kade asked. “He serves on the council with Sachio.”
“I know,” Briar said. That was the thought she had trouble getting past. “I can’t be completely certain that he’ll believe me. But Mistress Rhosmari’s death would have left a space in the council. She was their leader. I can’t imagine that Master Sachio would have let anyone else fill her place. And, from what I know of Master Talor, I don’t think he’s the sort to just blindly accept that.”
“I could certainly believe that Sachio would try and take control of the song council.” Kade’s voice was sober. “The more power he has, the easier it will be for him to ascend to the throne without anyone ever questioning him. I can only hope you’re right.”
“Me too.” Briar’s mind spun endlessly, trying to find the right words to use to persuade Master Talor to hear her without throwing her out of the Order house, or calling the guards. It was impossible to predict what she’d need to say, though. She couldn’t prepare for every eventuality, no matter how hard she tried.
As Kade said, the central road eventually widened into an enormous square, similar to those found in most towns, only this one was on a much, much larger scale, easily ten times the size of any market square Briar had seen. People and carts passed through from all sides, heading from one side of the city to the other. It should have been messy, chaotic and hectic. But the whole square was filled with trees, set into the cobbled road, their spreading branches casting a cool, green shade across the square. Somehow, they softened the edges of the city. It was the oddest thing to be walking beneath the shelter of the leaves, and yet to tread over cobblestones. Briar cast her eyes up at the dappled canopy and smiled, just a little. It was nice to know that, in a place as big as this, filled with people, houses, shops, and other buildings, someone cared enough to bring the trees into the city as well.
“We’re here,” Kade said as they reached the edge of the square.
Briar could have picked out the Order house, even if Kade hadn’t told her which one it was. The building they faced was far larger than the one in Osman, but it was built from the same smooth grey stone, sung into shape by the earth singers, its walls featureless and unadorned. As in Osman, the door hung open, inviting passers-by to enter. And there was that spark in the air, the tingle of magic that sent a thrill over Briar’s skin. It was all so familiar.
Only, now that she was here, Briar didn’t feel so much excited as sick with nerves. Now more than ever, she missed the comfort of her simple habit. It might have been worn, travel-stained, and quite ragged, but at least it marked her out as a magician. It marked her as one of them. This blue dress was pretty, but it would be no help in there.
“Are you going to be alright?” Kade asked.
Briar forced herself to smile, trying to appear more confident than she felt. “Of course.” She settled her medallion on her chest, smoothing it down with fingers that trembled ever so slightly. “We need this, don’t we?”
He nodded. “But we also need you. Be careful, Briar.” He looked earnestly into her face and for a moment, Briar thought he was about to say something else, but in the end, he remained silent.
“I’m always careful.” Briar managed one final tight smile. “I’ll see you soon. Stay safe out there.” Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned away from Kade and headed for the open door of the Order house. She couldn’t hesitate. Not while he was watching her. She couldn’t show him how much she doubted herself and her plan.
Briar glanced back, just once, expecting Kade to have vanished into the swirling crowds in search of The Gilded Pony, but instead, he stood exactly where she’d left him, watching her go. It sparked something warm inside Briar’s chest. It was nice not to be alone just yet.
Taking a deep breath, Briar stepped in through the open door of the Order House. The small entrance hall was dim and cool after the brightness of the morning outside. There were a couple of stools placed against the back wall, and a little silver bell hung next to another door that led further into the building. Briar rang the bell. It gave a tinkle that echoed through the hallway beyond the closed door. Drawing a deep breath, Briar smoothed back a wisp of hair. She belonged here.
At first, there was no sign that anyone had heard the bell’s chime, and Briar was about to ring again, when the inner door finally swung open, and a mistress stepped throug
h, closing it gently behind her. She was younger than Briar had expected, maybe in her late twenties at most. Her wispy blonde hair was scooped up into a soft bun on the back of her head. The mistress smiled at Briar with real warmth, and when she spoke, her voice was soft and welcoming.
“Good morning. My name is Mistress Arloa. How may I help you?”
“I’m Novice Briar.” Briar forced the corners of her mouth to twist up into what she hoped was a friendly smile. “I’ve come from the Order house in Osman.” Her chest tightened. Why did she sound so awkward?
“From Osman?” Mistress Arloa’s frown deepened. “The name is familiar-wait.” Her eyes widened. “Wasn’t Osman attacked not so long ago?”
Briar nodded. So, news of Osman’s attack had made it this far.
“I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been for you.” The mistress’s face melted into an expression of purest sympathy. “Welcome to Mizra, and to the Order House.”
“Thank you.” And Briar really was grateful. It wasn’t until she stood here, inside the plain grey walls of the Order house, talking to a fellow magician, that she realised how much she missed being a novice. If only her story was as simple as the fact that she was here to live at this Order house. But nothing was ever that easy. “I… I’ve come here to speak to Master Talor. It’s about the attack on Osman.”
“He was there,” Mistress Arloa said. “The whole council was.”
“I know. But I learned something about the attacks, about the people behind them. I think I know who did it. It… It was horrible.” She didn’t have to fake the quiver in her voice as the memories pressed in, thick as choking smoke, accompanied by a chilling fear of the Nameless Ones. “The council should know. So many Order houses were attacked…” Briar let herself trail off there, leaving space for Mistress Arloa to consider what she’d said.
The mistress bit her lip. “If you have information on the attacks, they will certainly want to hear it. I know many of us want to have the people responsible brought to justice. We lost many good magicians. So many friends.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “I was at Kenlan when it fell.”
Briar’s heart skipped a beat at the familiar raw tone of pain that washed through Mistress Arloa’s voice. She reached out and took the woman’s hand. “I am so sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
“Nor did you, I’ll wager.” The mistress’s lips trembled, but she managed a smile. “But we survived. And we owe it to those less fortunate to make sure this never happens again.” She took a deep breath. “We’re not usually supposed to disturb the councillors, but I’ll see what I can do. You might have to wait, though. Master Talor is a busy man.”
“I’d be happy to wait here all day,” Briar said. “I owe it to everyone.” And she did. She owed it to all those who had been hurt by Master Sachio. All the people in the towns he’d attacked. Her friends. Ava.
Mistress Arloa smiled then. “I think we can do a little better than that,” she said. “Come with me. You can wait in one of the private studies if you’d like.”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”
The mistress pushed open the interior door, holding it open as Briar followed her into the main hall of the Order house. One step closer. Briar bit her lip as she followed Mistress Arloa down a short passageway and into a small room off to one side. She’d not met other survivors, not since she’d left Osman. To see the effects of the Nameless One’s first attacks even as far south as Mizra, it was heartbreaking.
And they faced all that again if Master Sachio’s army of children marched on Mizra. Briar couldn’t let that happen. She lost Ava when Osman was attacked and that night still haunted her, like the attack on Kenlan obviously haunted Mistress Arloa. The memories would never quite leave. They scarred too deeply. Briar promised herself that she would do everything in her power to stop Master Sachio before anyone else had to go through those horrors.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mistress Arloa led Briar down a stone-lined hallway, deeper into the Order house. Brown, woven matting covered the floor, muffling the sound of their feet. They passed several doors, all shut tight before the mistress finally opened one. “This is one of the private studies. I’ll inform Master Talor that you’re here. I’m sure he’ll come as soon as he can.” She smiled at Briar, before shutting the door
The room was only small: five paces one way and five the other, sparsely furnished, with only the bare minimum of furniture. A desk stood at the back of the room, facing away from the narrow slot of a window that looked out into the busy square. A chair sat on one side of the desk, and on the other was a stool. There were no shelves, papers, or personal belongings in this room. It was private, but by no means personal.
Briar perched herself on the edge of the stool, her hands clasped in her lap. Maybe Master Talor, intrigued by the news that someone had information on the attacks, would come quickly. Surely, they would still be interested in knowing who was behind the death of the head of the song council.
But what if they thought that it was suspicious that a novice would have come from Osman with information? Especially as the council had been there when the attack happened. They would have known that the magicians were rebuilding the Order house. They would know she wasn’t here for refuge. What if they didn’t trust her, and sent for the soldiers immediately? Or maybe they would want to handle this themselves, and she would be trapped in the Order house
Fixing her eyes on the small wedge of blue sky visible through the narrow window, Briar tried to calm the wild beating of her heart. Mistress Arloa did say it would take a while for Master Talor to be free to speak with her. That was all this long wait was. Briar got to her feet and paced the length of the tiny room. She should be using the time to prepare what she was going to say. She couldn’t just blurt out that Master Sachio was a traitor after all.
Maybe they had decided that the attack in Osman was a closed matter and that it was better to move on and forget what happened. Perhaps she was wasting her time, and Master Talor was never going to speak to her. Briar sank onto her stool again, capturing her hands between her knees. She couldn’t believe that they wouldn’t be curious anymore. Not after everything that happened. She just had to be patient-
The door behind Briar opened. She sprang to her feet, smoothing down the folds of her dress with clammy hands as she turned to face the master who entered. “Master.” Briar bowed her head in respect. Master Talor was one of the only song councillors she actually recognised, though it was very doubtful he would remember her. To him, she had just been another nameless novice.
“Arloa told me you’re here with information about the attack on Osman.”
“I am.” Briar lifted her head, trying to appear at least semi-confident. If she didn’t believe in herself, how was he ever going to believe her?
“Tell me what you know.” Master Talor walked behind the desk and turned to face Briar. He didn’t sit but instead rested his knuckles on the top of the table.
Briar twisted her clammy hands into the folds of her skirt. “Well, I was at Osman when the attacked happened. I know the council was too. The bandits who attacked were powerful magicians, stronger than the council even, though I’m sure you knew that already.” She could be reasonably certain of that fact.
“We do. What else?” The implication was clear from Master Talor’s tone. Tell him something he didn’t know before she lost his interest.
“The reason they’re so powerful is because they stole leaves from the Crystal Tree.”
Master Talor’s brow furrowed. “What makes you say that?”
“All the bandits wore little crystal leaves around their necks, like our medallions.” Briar’s fingers tapped on her own battered medallion. “The leaves, they came from the Crystal Tree. They enhanced the bandits’ magic, making them more powerful even than the councillors.”
“I knew that they wore leaves made of crystal.” Master Talor frowned and paced towards the window. “It’s an inter
esting theory that they came from the Tree. How do you know this?”
“It’s…a long story.” Too complicated to get into just yet, not until she’d convinced him to trust her. “The bandits stopped attacking after they destroyed Osman because they got what they wanted.”
“The death of Mistress Rhosmari.” Master Talor’s face darkened. “I know.”
Briar shook her head. “That wasn’t their goal.”
“What then?”
“They stole a song catcher.”
There was a beat of silence as Master Talor stood completely still, his eyes fixed on her, his gaze so piercing that Briar had to look away. “We never told anyone that the catcher was missing. It is a secret, known only to the council. Sit down. Tell me how you know.”
Briar sat on the edge of her stool again, hands clasped in her lap. Master Talor took a seat himself, facing Briar over the desk. “When you’re ready,” the master said. “Tell me the whole story, beginning to end.”
Alright. The truth. Briar took a deep breath. “After the attack on Osman, the bandits left and went north. People call them the Nameless Ones.” She related an abbreviated version of events, omitting all mention of Lara or Kade, or even Ava. “The Nameless Ones finally stopped when they reached their stronghold, not far from the northern mountain range,” Briar said. “Which was where they met their master.”
“Their master?” Master Talor’s eyebrows rose.
Briar nodded. “Someone gives them orders, tells them where to go, which towns to destroy, tasks them to fetch things, like the song catcher. People too. Novices, children from the towns. All gifted with magic. When they fled north after attacking Osman, they took prisoners with them, which they delivered to their master, along with the song catcher.” Briar took a deep breath and a gamble. “The stolen children are the same ones who march towards Mizra now.”