"Probably. Unless this is a ruse Akkarin has arranged," Balkan said. "He could have employed two people to have that discussion, so he could relay it to us."
"Why such an ambiguous message, then?" Sarrin asked. "Why not have them mention Kariko, or his intention to invade Kyralia?"
"I'm sure he has his reasons." Balkan yawned, then apologized. Vinara gave him a penetrating look.
"Have you slept since you returned?"
The Warrior shrugged. "A little." He glanced at Lorlen. "Our meeting with the King continued late into last night."
"Is he still considering asking one of us to learn black magic?" Sarrin asked.
Balkan sighed. "Yes. He would rather that, than call Akkarin back. Akkarin has proven himself untrustworthy by breaking the Guild's law and his vow."
"But if one of us learned it, he or she would also be breaking that law and the Magicians' Vow."
"Not if we make an exception."
Sarrin scowled. "There should be no exceptions where black magic is concerned."
"Yet we may have no choice. It may be the only way we can defend ourselves against these Ichani. If one of us was voluntarily strengthened by a hundred magicians each day, that magician would be strong enough to fight ten Ichani in just two weeks."
Sarrin shuddered. "No one should be trusted with that much power."
"The King knows you feel this way," Balkan said. "Which is why he believes you would be the best candidate."
Sarrin stared at the Warrior in horror. "Me?"
"Yes."
"I couldn't. I... I'd have to refuse."
"Refuse your King?" Lorlen asked. "And watch the Guild and all of Imardin fall before a handful of barbarian magicians?"
Sarrin stared at the ring, his face white.
"It would not be an easy burden to shoulder," Lorlen said gently, "and not one to take on unless we were sure there was no other choice. The spies will leave in a few days. Hopefully they will discover, once and for all, whether Akkarin spoke the truth."
Balkan nodded. "We should consider sending reinforcements to the Fort, too. If this overheard conversation is real, it suggests that this woman is meeting a group of Ichani in the north."
"What about the South Pass?" Vinara asked. "Parika was returning there."
Balkan frowned. "I will have to consider that. It is not as defendable as the Fort, but their conversation suggests a larger gathering in the north. We should have the road to the South Pass watched, at the least."
The Warrior yawned again. Clearly he was struggling against weariness. Lorlen caught a meaningful look from Vinara.
"It is late," he said. "Shall we meet here, early, to discuss it?" The others nodded. "Thank you for coming here so promptly. I will see you in the morning."
As the trio rose and bid him good night, Lorlen could not shake a feeling of disappointment. He had hoped Akkarin would show them something that would prove his story was true. The conversation between the Sachakans hadn't revealed much, but it had pointed out some flaws in Kyralia's defense.
But now the ring was gone, and with it went his only link to Akkarin.
24
Secrets Revealed
The whisper of robes and the shuffle of booted feet was a constant background noise in the Guildhall, even during Lorlen's short speech. We're all restless, Dannyl mused. Too few questions were answered this Meet.
There was a collective sigh as Lorlen announced the Meet concluded.
"There will be a short break before the Hearing to judge the Elyne rebels begins," the Administrator told them.
At the announcement, Dannyl's stomach flipped over. He looked at Rothen.
"Time for me to face the rumor-mongers."
Rothen smiled. "You'll be fine, Dannyl. You've gained quite an air of competence since you left for Elyne."
Dannyl looked at his mentor in surprise. Competence? "You mean I didn't have one before I left?"
Rothen chuckled. "Of course you did, or you would not have been chosen for the position. It's just stronger now. Or did you bring back some of that awful Elyne scent with you?"
Dannyl laughed. "If you thought scent might give me an air of competence, you should have suggested it earlier. Not that I would have taken your advice. There are some habits best left to the Elynes."
The older magician nodded in agreement. "Well go on, then. Get yourself down there before they start without you."
Dannyl rose and made his way to the end of the seats. As he moved to the front of the hall, he noted that Expatriate Administrator Kito was descending to the floor in preparation to lead the proceedings. The magician glanced to one side, where a row of men and women were entering with an escort of guards. Dannyl recognized Dem Marane's group of friends and co-conspirators. Royend walked beside his wife. He looked up at Dannyl and narrowed his eyes.
Dannyl returned the man's gaze steadily. The hatred in Royend's eyes was new. The Dem had been angry on the night of the arrest, but during the journey to Kyralia and the wait for the Hearing that anger must have matured into something stronger.
I can understand his hatred, Dannyl thought. I tricked him. He doesn't care that I was acting under Akkarin's orders or that he was breaking the law. He just sees me as the man who ruined his dreams.
Farand stood on the other side of the room, beside two Alchemists. The young man looked nervous, but not frightened. A heavy clunk drew eyes to the rear of the hall, where one of the great doors was swinging open. Six Elynes strode down the aisle. Two were the magicians from the ships that had brought the rebels to Kyralia, Lords Barene and Hemend. The others were representatives of the Elyne King.
As Kito directed the newcomers to the seats at the front of the room, Dannyl considered where he should position himself. He decided to stand near Farand, knowing that this would be taken as a gesture of support for the young man. When all were settled, Lorlen rang a small gong, and the hall quickly fell silent. Kito glanced around and nodded.
"We have called this Hearing today to judge Farand of Darellas, Royend and Kaslie of Marane, and their co-conspirators..."
Catching a noise from an unexpected direction, Dannyl looked up to the topmost tier of the seats for the Higher Magicians. He blinked in surprise when he saw that one of the King's Advisors was present.
But of course, he thought, our King would want to be sure that anyone from another land caught trying to start their own magicians' guild was appropriately punished.
"... Farand of Darellas has been accused of learning magic outside of the Guild," Kito continued. "These men and women have been accused of seeking to learn magic. The Dem Marane has also been accused of possessing knowledge of black magic."
Kito paused to look around the room. "The evidence to support these accusations will be presented for us to judge. I call forth the first speaker, Second Guild Ambassador to Elyne, Dannyl."
Dannyl drew in a deep breath and stepped forward to stand beside Kito.
"I swear that all I speak in this Hearing will be the truth." He paused. "Seven weeks ago I received orders from the former High Lord to find and arrest a group of rebels who were seeking to learn magic outside the influence and guidance of the Guild."
The audience was silent as Dannyl told his tale. He had considered for weeks how much he ought to reveal when it came to explaining how he had convinced the rebels to trust him. The entire Guild had probably heard of the Dem's claims by now, so Dannyl didn't need to go into great detail. But he couldn't avoid that part of the story completely.
So he told them he had arranged for the Dem to learn of a "false secret" so the man thought he could blackmail Dannyl. He then went on to describe his meeting with Farand. The Elyne courtiers' faces grew tense as he explained that Farand had been denied entrance into the Guild after he had learned something the Elyne King wanted concealed. Dannyl explained, for their benefit, that Farand had been in danger of losing control of his powers, and what the consequences would have been if that happened.
Dannyl then described the book that Tayend had borrowed from the Dem. He told how the contents had convinced him to arrest the rebels immediately, rather than continuing to visit the Dem in the hope of identifying more of them. Finally, he finished with a warning that he may not have found all of the members of the group.
Kito turned to Lord Sarrin for a confirmation of the book's contents, then asked for Farand to be brought forward. The young man was ushered to the front.
"Farand of Darellas, do you swear that you will speak the truth during this Hearing?" Kito asked.
"I swear."
"Is Ambassador Dannyl's story true in regard to your part in it?"
The young man nodded. "Yes."
"How did you come to be a part of Dem Marane's rebel group?"
"My sister is his wife. He thought it was a waste that I wasn't able to become a magician. He encouraged me to listen into mind conversations again."
"And this, I understand, is how you learned to release your magic."
"Yes. I overheard a discussion about it."
"Did you hesitate before trying what they said?"
"Yes. My sister didn't want me to learn magic. Well, she did at first, but then she started to worry that we didn't know enough and it might be dangerous."
"So what overcame your hesitation?"
"Royend said, once I started, it would get easier."
"How long have the Dem and his accomplices been meeting with the intention of learning magic?"
"I don't know. Longer than I've known him."
"How long have you known him?"
"Five years. Since my sister was engaged to him."
"Are there any other members of the group who are missing today?"
"There are more, but I don't know who they are."
"Do you believe Dem Marane sought to learn magic himself?"
Farand hesitated, then his shoulders drooped. "Yes."
Dannyl felt a pang of sympathy for the young man. He had chosen to help, knowing that the Dem and his friends would be punished regardless, but it must not be easy.
"And the others in the group?"
"I'm not sure. Some probably did. Some came along just for the excitement, I think. My sister was there because of Royend, and me."
"Is there anything else you wish to add?"
Farand shook his head.
Kito nodded, then turned to face the hall. "I wish to add that I have truth-read Farand, and can confirm that all he has revealed is true."
A low murmur followed. Dannyl looked at Farand in surprise. Allowing a truth-read was an indication of how willing Farand was to cooperate.
Kito turned to regard the Higher Magicians. "Any comments or questions?" Heads were shaken. "Return to your place, Farand of Darellas. I now call on Royend of Marane to be questioned."
The Dem walked forward.
"Royend of Marane, do you swear to speak the truth during this Hearing?"
"I do."
"Is Ambassador Dannyl's story true in regard to your part in it?"
"No."
Dannyl suppressed a sigh and braced himself for the inevitable.
"In which way is it incorrect?"
"He says he made up this story about his secret affair with his assistant. I believe it to be true. Anyone who has seen the two together would know there was more to it than just... just a trick. No one pretends that well."
"Is this the only part of his story that is incorrect?"
The Dem stared at Dannyl. "Even Dem Tremmelin, Tayend of Tremmelin's father, believes it to be true."
"Dem Marane, please answer the question."
The Dem ignored him. "Why don't you ask him if he's a lad. He swore that he'd tell the truth. I want to hear him deny it."
Kito's eyes narrowed. "This Hearing has been called to judge whether the law against the learning of magic outside the restrictions of the Guild has been broken, not whether Ambassador Dannyl has been involved in dishonorable and perverse practices. Please answer the question, Dem Marane."
Dannyl just managed to stop himself wincing. Dishonorable and perverse. No doubt the Guild's opinion of him - and his story - would change completely if they knew the truth. And the Dem knew it.
"If he's lied about that, then he could have lied about everything," the Dem spat. "Remember that, after you've put me in my grave. I will not answer your questions."
"Very well," Kito said. "Return to your place. I call Kaslie of Marane to be questioned."
The Dem's wife was nervous but cooperative. She revealed that the rebels had been meeting for ten years, but assured the Guild that their interest had been purely academic. As the other rebels were questioned, only small details about the group were revealed. They all claimed they had not intended to learn magic, only learn about it.
A short discussion followed in which Farand's poisoning was considered. Dannyl was not surprised to learn that the Elyne magicians' investigations had not revealed the poisoner. From the look on Lady Vinara's face, Dannyl guessed the matter would not end there.
Kito asked for the accused to be enclosed in a barrier of silence as the Guild discussed their punishment. The hall filled with voices. After a long break, Kito called for all magicians to return to their places and for the barrier of silence to be removed.
"It is time to make our judgment," he declared. He held out a hand and a globe light appeared above it, then floated upward. Dannyl created his own, and sent it up to join those from the rest of the Guild.
"Do you judge that Farand of Darellas is undoubtedly guilty of learning magic outside of the Guild?"
All of the globe lights turned red. Kito nodded.
"Traditionally, punishment for this crime is execution," he said, "but the Higher Magicians feel that, under the circumstances, an alternative ought to be offered. Farand of Darellas is a victim of circumstances and the manipulations of others. He has been helpful at all times and has submitted to a truth-read. I recommend he be offered a place in the Guild with the condition that he remains within the grounds for the rest of his life. Please change your lights to white if you agree with my recommendation."
Slowly the lights shifted to white. Only a few remained red. Dannyl breathed a sigh of relief.
"Farand of Darellas will be offered a place in the Guild," Kito announced.
Looking at Farand, he saw that the young man was grinning with relief and excitement. But as Kito continued, the smile vanished.
"Next: do you judge that Royend of Marane is undoubtedly guilty of seeking to learn magic, and of possessing knowledge of black magic, outside of the Guild?"
The Guildhall filled with an eerie glow as the globe lights all turned red.
"Again, the Higher Magicians feel they must offer an alternative to execution," Kito said. "The crime is a serious one, however, and we believe nothing less than imprisonment for life would be appropriate. Please change your lights to white, if you wish to reduce the punishment to imprisonment."
Dannyl changed his globe light to white, but felt a chill as he realized that fewer than half the magicians had done the same. It must be years since the Guild has elected to execute someone, he thought.
"Royend of Marane will be executed," Kito announced heavily.
A gasp came from the rebels. Dannyl felt a stab of guilt and forced himself to look at the group. The Dem's face was white. His wife gripped his arm tightly. The rest of the rebels looked pale and uneasy.
Kito glanced at the Higher Magicians, then turned back to face the hall and spoke another rebel's name. The rest were granted the lesser punishment of imprisonment. Clearly, the Guild saw Dem Marane as the leader of the group and wanted to make an example of him. His refusal to cooperate had done him no favors either, thought Dannyl.
When it was Kaslie's turn, Kito surprised Dannyl by speaking out in her defense. He urged the Guild to consider her two children. His words must have sufficiently moved the magicians, because they granted the Dem's wife a pardon, allowing her to return to her home.
The Elyne magicians then asked if they could mentally communicate the judgments to the Elyne King. Lorlen agreed, on the condition that no other information was communicated. He then announced the Hearing concluded.
Released from his role at last, Dannyl felt an overwhelming relief. He looked for Rothen in the crowd of magicians descending from the seats, but before he had located his friend, a voice spoke his name. He turned to find Administrator Kito approaching.
"Administrator," Dannyl replied.
"Are you satisfied with the result?" Kito asked.
Dannyl shrugged. "Mostly. I have to admit, I did not think the Dem deserved his punishment. He is an ambitious man, but I doubt he would ever succeed in learning magic in a prison."
"No," Kito replied, "but I think the Guild resented his attack on your honor."
Dannyl stared at the magician. Surely that was not the sole reason for the Guild choosing execution?
"You find this disturbing?" Kito asked.
"Of course."
Kito's gaze was unwavering. "It would be particularly disturbing, if his claims were true."
"Yes, it would be," Dannyl replied. He narrowed his eyes at the man. Was Kito baiting him?
Kito grimaced apologetically. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to insinuate that they were. Will you be returning to Elyne soon?"
"Unless Lorlen decides otherwise, I will stay here until we are sure there is no threat from Sachaka."
Kito nodded, then glanced away as his name was called. "I will speak to you again soon, Ambassador."
"Administrator."
Dannyl watched the man move away. Was what Kito had suggested true? Had the Guild voted for execution out of anger at Dem Marane's accusation?
No, he thought. The Dem's defiance had swayed the vote. He had dared to seek what the Guild felt it has the sole right to, and he obviously felt no respect for laws or authority.
All the same, Dannyl could not find it in himself to agree with the Guild's vote. The Dem did not deserve to die. But there was nothing Dannyl could do about that now.
Walking back through the underground passages of the Thieves' Road, Cery considered his latest conversation with Takan. Akkarin's former servant was difficult to read, but his mannerisms had betrayed both boredom and anxiety. Unfortunately, Cery could do little about the former, and nothing about the latter.
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