‘They’re the ones sending the mercenaries to Hadrumal. They’re the ones intent on attacking the Archmage. They’re the ones we need to stop.’ Hosh matched Corrain stare for stare. ‘Cut off the snake’s tail and it’ll bite you twice to pay you back. Cut off its head and it’s dead before it can open its mouth. We learned that on the corsair island.’
Corrain shivered at an abrupt recollection of the furtive, dull brown snakes whose bite left men thrashing in agony for a day and a night before they invariably died.
Hosh pressed home his point. ‘I speak their tongue, Captain, and I can read their stars. I will find something in the heavens to convince them I’m telling the truth.’
And the lad wouldn’t even be lying, Corrain realised, even if the Archipelagans had no Artifice to tell them so. The fool boy was as ready to give credence to the islanders’ heavenly compass as he was to Kusint’s runes or to the blind and voiceless statues back in the Halferan Manor shrine.
‘They say they don’t want any bloodshed,’ Hosh shook off Corrain’s hand. ‘I’ll stay out of reach of their swords regardless.’
He continued walking and Lusken followed. Corrain could only fall into step behind the pair of them.
Hosh shouted out something in the Archipelagan tongue. The zamorin had been about to ascend the galley’s stern ladder. Startled, he stopped and turned back, saying something to Hosh.
Corrain had no notion what he meant but the zamorin’s combative tone was clear enough. So was the Archipelagan swordsmen’s challenge as they moved to stand between their silk-clad master and this unknown Caladhrian.
Hosh’s tone turned pleading as he undertook a lengthy explanation. Corrain watched the three swordsmen warily. He didn’t move his hand anywhere near his own hilt for fear of provoking them but he mentally measured the paces it would take for him to meet them before they could cut Hosh down.
Meet them, parry and surrender. That’s what he would have to do, however distasteful he found it. Not for fear of Caladhria’s Baron Halferan being disgraced by a dockside brawl. For fear of failing in his duty to his dead lord by leaving Ilysh a widow. If he fell, Zurenne and her children would be prey to those who would already have laid claim to them without the shield of his sham marriage.
The zamorin was talking to Hosh, fast and fluent. Hosh raised his hands and said something humbly apologetic. The zamorin scowled before continuing in the Tormalin tongue.
‘I asked how you know so much of Jagai Kalu’s purpose?’ His glance included Lusken and Corrain in his question.
‘As I have said,’ Hosh bowed humbly, ‘through this magic of the mind. Through Artifice’s enchantments.’
‘There are no such enchantments,’ the zamorin said unequivocally. ‘Wizardry is the evil we must counter and that is what we will do.’
‘Let us show you that Artifice is real.’ Corrain looked warily at the Aldabreshi swordsmen before returning his attention to the zamorin. ‘Let us prove the truth of what we’re saying.’
‘No!’
Hosh and Lusken spoke in the same breath.
‘What?’ Corrain saw that the zamorin was almost as startled as he was by their denials.
‘Excuse us.’ Hosh bowed low before turning to hurry back to Corrain.
‘I have already told you.’ Lusken’s amiable face was annoyed. ‘I will not work Artifice on anyone without their consent.’
‘I’m only asking you to prove to him that aetheric magic exists,’ Corrain protested before turning on Hosh. ‘That was why you wanted a mentor with us in the first place.’
‘To convince the mainland mercenaries who’ve already heard of aetheric magic,’ Hosh retorted.
‘How do you propose I do such a thing,’ Lusken interrupted, ‘without working some enchantment to make him see or hear something that his companions do not? Besides, who’s to say that whoever has already subjected him to aetheric influence hasn’t also warded him against anyone attempting to do such a thing? That’s what I would do, if I were so lost to honour to corrupt someone’s mind.’
Corrain glared at the young adept. ‘Then why did you come with us, if you’re not willing to use your magic?’
‘To learn more of this unsanctioned Artifice at work in our city,’ Lusken replied, undaunted. ‘I can tell you that there’s been a third adept at work. Convincing the Aldabreshi that they know how to find Hadrumal stems from a different enchantment to the two charms turning the common folk against wizardry and convincing these mercenaries to trust the Archipelagans.’
So those who used aetheric magic weren’t so different from those who used elemental wizardry, Corrain concluded. They were concerned, first and foremost, with their own interests and if they didn’t tell outright lies, they would readily hide the whole truth.
‘Using an enchantment to convince this zamorin that aetheric magic exists would be utter folly.’ Hosh stumbled over his words in his haste. ‘If Lusken did such a thing, the man would simply believe that he’s been contaminated by magic and he wouldn’t thank us for that. Either he’ll order those swordsmen to cut our throats in hopes that will cleanse him or he’ll kneel so one of them can take his head off.’
‘Would that shed enough blood to curse this whole endeavour with an ill omen?’ Though even he saw the shock in Hosh and Lusken’s eyes, Corrain knew that they couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t risk his own neck for Halferan’s sake and he had never been a captain to order other men to do what he wouldn’t.
He managed to curb an urge to shake the young adept by his shoulders. ‘Is there truly no way to use aetheric magic to do something, anything, which doesn’t involve touching his mind? Can’t you make something fly through the air?’
‘Then they’ll just think he’s a wizard,’ Hosh pointed out.
‘And hack my head from my shoulders,’ Lusken said forcefully.
‘Then this whole excursion has been a waste of time.’ Corrain wished he could deny what the two younger men were telling him but he couldn’t. All he could do was refrain from lashing them with his fury.
‘Not wholly,’ Lusken insisted. ‘I have a far clearer understanding of the Artifice woven by our enemies. I can help Mentor Garewin and the other adepts weave enchantments to counter it.’
‘Now we know that there’s scant chance of foiling the Solurans by depriving the Archipelagans of their mercenaries.’ Hosh shook his head, frustrated.
Corrain looked warily at the Aldabreshi still standing by the galley’s stern ladders. The swordsmen were watchful as ever. The zamorin merely looked irritated.
He forced himself to bend his neck in something approaching a respectful bow to placate the barbarian. Looking upwards he saw the sky darkening rapidly to winter’s early dusk. Were night’s bells already nearly here? On the other hand, this day felt as though it had lasted half a lifetime.
‘So we have something to tell the wizards and the mentors when we meet at the Prefecture. We had better find a gig to take us there.’
Corrain sighed heavily as he walked away, flanked by the other two. He strained his ears for any sound of the Aldabreshi swordsmen pursuing them.
Some small rebellious part of him wished that they would, so he could relieve his anger and frustration by cutting them down. The wiser part of him recounted all the reasons why even such a victory would be no victory at all, and why, moreover, any such victory was vanishingly unlikely.
As they left the docks, new fears crowded around him. If they couldn’t foil the Solurans’ malice or the Archipelagans’ plans, it was up to Jilseth, the Archmage and all the other wizards of Hadrumal to drive off this Aldabreshi attack.
After what Corrain had seen wizardry do to the corsair island, that was a fearful prospect. What unspeakable havoc might these mages wreak in defence of their homes and families?
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The Prefecture of Col
33rd of Aft-Winter
JILSETH WALKED TOWARDS the tall gates in the iron railings which barred access to t
he courtyard surrounded by the black brick building.
‘Good evening.’ A white-gloved black-liveried guardian approached.
‘I am here to meet with Mentor Garewin, Mentor Undil—’ Jilseth desperately searched her recollections for the other two adepts’ names. Fretting over what little she had to tell this gathering seemed to have wiped such details from her memory. Worrying about what she must conceal was still more distracting.
‘You’re expected, Madam Mage.’ The Prefect smiled and unlatched the gate. ‘This way, if you please.’
Once she had entered and he had carefully secured the gate behind her, the Prefect led Jilseth to a door in the off-hand angle of the hollow square. It opened onto a stairway and he preceded her up to the second floor. A long corridor flanked with closed doors ran the length of this northern wing of the building, ending in a window shrouded with dusk.
The Prefect opened the closest door into a room overlooking the central courtyard. Plain chairs crowded around a bare table. The four mentors were already present along with the two Caladhrians and Usara and Guinalle. Jilseth was startled to see the last but one chair occupied by Aritane, the Mountain woman from Suthyfer.
‘We had no success turning the mercenaries against the Jagai zamorin,’ Corrain growled without preamble.
‘Artifice has convinced them that whatever the Archipelagans wish them to do, this voyage will be a certain route to riches.’ The youngest mentor shook his head.
Lusken; that was his name, Jilseth was relieved to recall as she took the vacant seat opposite Aritane.
That relief was a pennyweight in the scales against her disappointment. So much for Planir’s confidence in Corrain’s ability to provoke unexpected disruption.
‘Thus far we have divined three distinct and complex enchantments contrived against the wizards of Hadrumal,’ Lusken continued, dividing his attention between Guinalle and his fellow scholars of Col. ‘One is stirring contempt and mistrust of magecraft among the populace. That was the work of the Soluran adept whom Corrain of Halferan killed. Without him to sustain it, we can hope that this Artifice will soon fade.’
‘All the sooner now that we have devised our own aetheric working to stifle it,’ Mentor Garewin said with satisfaction. ‘We have done just that this afternoon.’
‘My thanks, Master Adept, on behalf of Hadrumal and the Archmage. Planir will be very pleased to know that.’ Jilseth was glad to congratulate the scholar and the other two mentors but she still wanted to know what else they had to contend with.
‘Then there is the enchantment luring the mercenaries to take the Archipelagans’ coin. I truly believe that this will prove strong enough to convince these men that this proposed attack on Hadrumal stands at least some chance of success.’
As he ticked off the different workings of Artifice on his fingers, Lusken’s eyes flickered nervously to Aritane who was looking at him, expressionless, not offering any comment even when he paused after some speculation, looking hopefully at the Mountain woman.
‘Believing they have two chances out of three of living through a venture will be good enough odds for most hirelings to roll those runes,’ Corrain growled.
‘Especially since the survivors will share out the loot which the dead men can’t claim,’ Hosh added.
‘Lastly there is this enchantment telling the Archipelagans where to sail to find Hadrumal.’ Lusken looked apprehensively at Jilseth. ‘That spell is also convincing them that the wizard isle lies open and undefended now that the Archmage has exhausted every mage’s strength by unleashing such cataclysmic magic against the corsairs.’
She found her mouth was dry as she recalled Planir’s final question; the one he said needed an answer before he could devise any plan to safeguard the wizard isle. ‘Have you seen any indication that this Artifice has spread beyond the Jagai domain? Can we expect any other warlords to send their triremes and battle galleys?’
Lusken spread apologetic hands. ‘I have no way of knowing, Madam Mage.’
‘Would these Archipelagans who’ve visited Halferan have heard anything of such plans?’ Corrain scowled at Jilseth as though he knew of Planir’s hand in prompting the Khusro wives’ visit. ‘Can you ask Lady Zurenne by means of your magic?’
‘I can,’ she answered him coolly. More than that, she would ask Zurenne to ask the Archipelagan Kheda who was doubtless far better informed. Jilseth also decided to bespeak Velindre and Mellitha as soon as she got the chance. Even if they were so inconveniently pre-occupied in Parnilesse, she could hope they might still be able to make their own enquiries.
‘I believe we can devise some Artifice to pursue this malice which will show us how far it has reached.’ The eldest mentor looked hopefully at Guinalle. ‘With your assistance, Madam Adept?’
She nodded.
Usara spoke for the first time. ‘As yet we’ve seen no indications of preparations for warfare among the Khusro islands or in Miris or any domain south of that. The Archmage asked us to scry from Suthyfer in hopes of such concerns going unnoticed by these Soluran Orders who may well be spying on Hadrumal to see what magic is being worked there.’
He shook his head, his expression grim.
‘That’s scant comfort. The Jagai domain is readying a substantial fleet. They have bought up shiploads of slaves from Relshaz, just as they did when they sought to attack Anskal on the corsair island. They have also sent other zamorin to recruit mercenaries in Relshaz and from as far afield as the Carifate, according to our friends there. Hadrumal’s mages and Kellarin’s adepts have done what they can to hobble their plans but with limited success. They still expect to see a fleet of galleys depart at the turn of the season with a substantial mercenary force aboard.’
What was it the Caladhrians said, Jilseth mused; that every upright rune had one upside down on its reverse side. Just as she was relieved to think that Velindre and Mellitha were doing more in Parnilesse than remaking the Maubere inlet and its people for a profitable future, she learned that even those redoubtable magewomen were finding themselves outfaced.
‘Jagai plans on attacking Hadrumal from north and south,’ Corrain said suddenly. ‘One fleet will come from Col, the other will come from the Archipelago. They may even divide their ships and launch an assault on the island’s eastern and western flanks at the same time.’
He looked at Jilseth. ‘Can you defend Hadrumal on all quarters?’
‘I’m sure that the Archmage will make his plans accordingly.’ Jilseth had no doubt of that. A far more worrying question was how would the Council of Mages react? Was there the slightest chance that the most self-absorbed and contentious mages could set aside their fixations and simply do as Planir asked without arguing for so long that only a mercenary sword cutting their throats would finally silence them?
What of Hadrumal’s halls and those wizards who would at least be free of the Council’s rivalries and preoccupation with those thrice-cursed artefacts? Were there enough journeyman mages to watch every league of the island’s coastline? To sustain the magical misdirections that had defended their sanctuary since Trydek had first brought his followers there?
Despite the warmth in this small room, Jilseth felt cold. Had that ancient warding magecraft ever truly been tested or had awe of the Archmage and the rumour of the wizard isle’s unknown wizardry simply been sufficient to deter the curious and adventurous?
‘We must watch for further Artifice,’ she said abruptly. ‘There must be something more yet to come. I cannot believe that the Solurans would contrive this Archipelagan attack if they knew full well that these ships will simply become lost in Hadrumal’s mists or be blown back out to sea.’
‘Quite so,’ Usara agreed soberly.
‘However vigilant we may be for aetheric malice, and we will be,’ Guinalle promised, ‘the most certain way to be forewarned of their precise plan of elemental attack would be to search out these wizards whom we know wish Hadrumal ill and to look into their innermost thoughts.’
&
nbsp; The Col adepts looked at her, affronted.
‘That would be—’ Mentor Garewin’s face twisted with distaste ‘—an unconscionable abuse of our Artifice.’
Guinalle gazed levelly at him. ‘I do not say that we should, merely that we could.’
‘They’ve shown themselves more than willing to plant their lies in countless unwitting minds,’ Corrain interjected. ‘Why should we cripple ourselves with such scruples? Forewarned is forearmed.’
‘If we lower ourselves to their level, we are no better than they are,’ Mentor Parovil said sternly.
‘If a man goes into a tavern brawl expecting festival fisticuffs, he’ll be lowered soon enough by a boot in his stones,’ Corrain retorted.
‘That Soluran invaded Mentor Micaran’s thoughts,’ Lusken said abruptly. ‘Surely there can be no greater abuse of Artifice than using it to kill?’
‘Your point?’ Mentor Undil asked coldly. ‘Do you propose that we murder the Soluran adept’s allies in retaliation?’
‘Enough.’ Mentor Garewin raised a hand before the young adept could answer. The bearded scholar was sorely troubled. ‘I could not in good conscience sanction such unwarranted intrusion into anyone’s mind purely at a venture. We could perhaps reconsider, if we were to learn anything as we keep watch over these Soluran adepts which convinces us that some outright elemental assault on Hadrumal is truly intended. Then, and only then, we could brush against these wizards’ thoughts, to learn whatever might be most urgently preoccupying them. Only these wizards whom we know to be directly involved in this conspiracy.’
He raised his hand again to anticipate Mentor Parovil’s protests. ‘I know and I share your reservations, Master Scholar. I would not even contemplate such a thing if it weren’t for Micaran’s death. But Lusken is right. These people have abandoned all decency in their own use of Artifice.’
‘If we are to be on our guard against these other Soluran adepts, we need to know who they are,’ Madam Undil pointed out. ‘At the moment, we only know the fading echo of their enchantments through the aether.’
Defiant Peaks (The Hadrumal Crisis) Page 38