Festival of Mourn (The Dark Sorcerer Book 1)

by D. K. Holmberg

  And here she still had the enchantment with the dwaring in it.

  She hadn’t wanted to leave it behind, but she didn’t like it with her either. What they really needed was some way to destroy it. She didn’t have that yet.

  “At least one sorcerer. Maybe two.” She nodded to the men.

  “They don’t look anything like any sorcerer I’ve ever seen,” Eva said.

  “And how many sorcerers have you seen?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, irritation weighing in her voice.

  “The Sorcerers’ Society is enormous,” Jayna said. “There are sorcerers in every land, all serving the same Society.”

  “I know,” Eva said.

  Jayna shot her a look, which Eva ignored. “The Society aims to offer guidance.”

  “They aim to rule, not just offer guidance.”

  “Maybe,” Jayna said.

  In the year since she had left the Academy, she had seen some things from the Society that had surprised her. When she had still been within the Academy, she never would’ve expected that the Sorcerers’ Society wanted to rule, but the more she had seen and experienced, the more she started to question their goals. There were some places Jayna had been where the sorcerers were more than just advisors; there were some places where they had taken on leadership, either directly or indirectly.

  Jayna thought indirect rule was almost worse. At least with direct rule, there was no question about what was taking place. There was no doubting that the sorcerers were responsible for the good or the bad. When the Society ruled indirectly, influencing councils or kings, it was easier to blame someone else.

  “Anyway, I don’t know why they would be here.”

  “They’re after something in the market,” Eva said.

  “Obviously,” Jayna said. “Could they have detected the enchantment?”

  “It’s possible. Do you think Char said anything?”

  Jayna hoped he hadn’t, but relying on an old friend to keep her trust was dangerous, especially when dark magic was involved.

  “Where is he?” she asked, looking around for Topher. “Let’s find where he was attacked and see this marking, then we can move on.”

  He had agreed to meet them in the afternoon, though his absence wasn’t completely surprising. She had needed to cut him off from drinking too much of the wine, and the ale, and pretty much everything within Robert’s tavern. Now that she had removed the dwaring, and he had started to feel better, he had turned to drinking, as if he could wash away the effects of everything he’d been through.

  “You should have forced him to stay with us,” Eva said.

  “I didn’t get the feeling you wanted that.”

  “I didn’t want it,” Eva said. “But if you were worried about him coming to join us, then we should have kept him nearby.”

  Jayna just shook her head. She didn’t need somebody else staying in the small home they occupied. Having Eva there was enough. There were times when Eva was pleasant and useful, and then there were other times, like now, when she was more irritable—and irritating—than not. Those times left Jayna thinking that maybe she would have been better served staying on her own, and not having somebody like Eva with her all the time.

  “Maybe he’s not as concerned as he seemed to be about what happened to his friends,” Jayna said. Even that didn’t feel quite right. He certainly had sounded as if he were worried about what had befallen Robert and the other regulars in the tavern. “Maybe we should go look . . .”

  Jayna trailed off as she saw a figure coming through the market toward them.

  Topher had changed clothes. Now he was dressed in a deep green jacket and pants, almost out of place in this part of the city. There was something upscale about his new attire, and not at all what she would’ve expected from him.

  He flashed a wide smile as he neared. “There you two are. I wasn’t sure if you were going to come.”

  Jayna shook her head at his attempt at a joke.

  “What are you all dressed up for?” Eva asked. She eyed him differently, sweeping her gaze from head to toe.

  “I figured that now I’m feeling better, I should dress a little bit better.” He swept his hand along his jacket. “What do you think?”

  “I think you look like you belong in the kitchen,” Eva said.

  Topher chuckled. “I do like to cook, but what sort of kitchen help dresses like this?”

  “I never said kitchen help. Maybe in the oven instead,” she snapped.

  Jayna looked around for the sorcerers, but didn’t see them. “Let’s get moving. We can see what happened to your friend. Maybe you can start by showing us where you think he was abducted. And that marking you claimed was left behind.”

  “I can show you where I think I was poisoned,” he said. “I don’t know what happened to the others. I don’t even know if they were in the market. Gods, for that matter, I don’t know if they even came here. Just that I started getting sick after they disappeared. And afterward, I’d been looking into their disappearance.”

  The coincidence was enough that Jayna had to think the events were all related, though she wasn’t sure what to make of it. They headed into the market, and she took a deep breath.

  Something about the market itself seemed to change the smells within its walls compared to the rest of the city. On the other side of the wall, the air had the damp humidity to it that was common throughout the city, along with a hint of an earthy odor, whereas once she stepped through the gate, past the wall, the atmosphere had a very different aroma. Something of spice and smoked meats, and even a hint of sweetness that reminded her of home.

  Topher stopped near a food stand. The cart was a pale white wood, and the man standing behind it had on a wide-brimmed hat, a loose-fitting jacket, and baggy pants. He wasn’t from Nelar, but Jayna didn’t know enough about his clothing to identify his origins.

  “What are you doing?” Jayna whispered.

  He flashed a smile and stepped forward, slipping a copper onto the man’s table. “I’ll take some of your best meats.”

  The man looked down at the copper. “Not with that, you won’t.”

  Topher lifted the copper, slipping it back into his pocket. “How much?”

  “If you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it. Two silvers.”

  Topher’s eyes widened. “Two? You must have some pretty impressive food in there.”

  “No one has smoked meats like Petra.”

  Topher smiled. He reached into his pocket but didn’t pull his hand out. “How much do I get if I pay you two silvers?” He glanced over to Jayna and Eva. “You see, I do have two beautiful women with me. If I were to pay you two silvers, I would need assurances that my money is going somewhere.”

  “Assurances,” Petra said, waving his hand. “Gah! I give you assurances the food is safe. Nothing more than that.”

  “Then maybe I need to move along. I’m sure there are other vendors here.”

  Topher started away, but Petra reached across, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back. “You do not walk away from Petra. I give you enough smoked meats for the three of you. Two silvers.”

  “Show me.”

  “Listen, Topher,” Jayna said. “We need to keep moving. I don’t know what you are—”

  Topher glanced over, shaking his head.

  For whatever reason, Topher seemed to have it in his mind that he needed to provide meats for them. Jayna couldn’t deny that her stomach rumbled a little, but she didn’t need Topher buying food for her. She would rather have him pay her for the service of removing the dwaring from him the night before. If he had enough money to pay for these other things, then certainly he had enough money to pay for her healing.

  “See?” Petra said, pulling open a cabinet. The heavy smoke scent that drifted out filled her nostrils, and she couldn’t help but feel as if maybe Topher were doing the right thing by bargaining with this man. The meats did smell good. Perhaps she did want to try them. “Veni
son. Goat. Even jaral. Very few have jaral in this land.”

  “I want a selection of each,” Topher said.

  “Two silvers,” Petra said.

  Topher pulled out the coins from his pocket, cupping them in his hand. Petra began to pull meats from his cabinets, and handed some to Topher, some to Jayna, and some to Eva, who took them a bit reluctantly. She wrinkled her nose as she sniffed at them.

  Topher slipped the silvers into Petra’s hand. “There you go. Now what else do you have?”

  “I have nothing else. Just smoked meats.”

  Jayna used the opportunity to lean toward Petra. “How many sorcerers come through here?”

  He glared at her before glancing to Topher. “You’re asking the wrong man. I’m just a simple market vendor. Don’t know anything about the Society.”

  A hint of tension in his eyes suggested that he knew more than he let on.

  “I’m just looking for a man who assaulted us outside the city.” Let him think she needed his help. What kind of man wouldn’t offer it?

  “Go to the outpost and find out, then. Not here. Now, if you don’t want anything more . . .” He turned away.

  “I'm just looking into information. Nothing more than that. People have been targeted in the market.”

  Petra stiffened.

  He knew something.

  “If you know them—”

  “I don't know them.”

  He said it quickly. Almost too quickly.

  “At least show me where they were attacked.”

  Without turning back to her, he pointed. She noticed a small, darkened part of the market, where shadows pooled as two buildings tucked together. It was a place that could hide anything, even in the daylight.

  “Thank you.”

  There was something here. Now they had to figure out what and who, but she had learned where. It was a start. That was better than nothing.

  “What was that about?” Eva asked.

  “That was about me trying to help the two of you,” Topher said, obviously thinking she’d been talking to him. He took a bite of the meat, grinning. “You can’t tell me that you’re not hungry.” He looked over to Jayna and then to Eva. “I could hear your stomachs rumbling. I know mine was. After a night like I had . . .”

  “Thank you,” Jayna said, giving Eva a look to silence her before she snapped at him again. Something like this would help restore her even faster, though she wasn’t nearly as magically depleted as she would’ve expected, given how much power she had pulled on the night before. Rather, she felt simply weakened from lack of sleep. “Do you care to tell us a little bit more about what happened here?”

  “I’m not so sure I can,” he said. “I didn’t really see the guy. I was hit from behind.”

  “So you brought us here just because this was where you were attacked?” Eva said. “What if it wasn’t even here?”

  “Oh, it was here. I remember it. I was standing over there,” he said, pointing into the distance. “And having a bite of bread. The cart over there has some of the best breads,” he said, pointing to another cart. An older woman stood near it, then slouched down on a chair, sweeping her gaze around the inside of the market. “I don’t really know what happened after that. I tried to pay attention, but I didn’t get a good look at them.”

  Jayna made her way toward the darkened section, pausing at one of the carts as she passed by and glancing around. She didn't want to look as if she were going directly toward it, but she also needed to reach that part of the market so she could see if there were anything to be found there.

  This cart sold clothing—at least, mostly clothing. There were some fabrics as well. They were smooth, soft, and almost sheer.

  “You like my silks?” the man asked. He had dark hair, and as he grinned at her, she noticed that he seemed to be missing two bottom teeth. “Very high quality out of Indar. You won’t find anything like that here.”

  “Because they aren’t useful here,” Eva said, grabbing a fistful of the silk and twisting it. “And this is far too coarse for silk. Most of it is much more supple.”

  “You would question the quality of my goods?”

  Eva released her hand and took a step back, shooting a look at the man. “I’m not questioning your quality. I’m saying it stinks.” She turned to a dress hanging from a hook on top of the cart. “The stitching is good though.”

  “Yes. My daughters are quite skilled—”

  “But the embroidery could use some work.”

  Jayna frowned at Eva. What was she doing? There was no point in assaulting a merchant in the square.

  “They are considered gifted in my land.”

  Eva turned to him. “I’m sure they are. And I’m sure you have no difficulty selling your goods in other places, but you won’t be able to sell to my friends.”

  She strode off, leaving Jayna staring after her.

  Topher just looked at her. “Who is she?”

  “Sometimes I have no idea.”

  He traced his hand along the silk before looking at her. “She’s not wrong. These aren’t the highest quality silks.”

  “This is the best you will find in Nelar.”

  “This is the best we might find in this market. Certainly not the best in Nelar.” Topher strode forward after Eva, and Jayna just shook her head.

  This was not at all what she’d expected.

  She turned to the merchant. “I’m terribly sorry for those two. I don’t know what they were thinking.”

  “If you need anything, tell me. Perhaps a beautiful dress for a beautiful woman? I’m sure I have something that could go along with your red hair.”

  Jayna shook her head. “I don’t love wearing dresses.”

  “No? It seems to me that a dress would accent your figure. You have such a lovely bosom—”

  Jayna leaned toward him, and jabbed him in the chest with her finger. “That is the last time you will make any comment about my bosom.” She started to summon power through the dragon stone ring, almost unintentionally, and pain blossomed in her finger. She was filled with irritation at the man—and the fact that he would leer at her as he did.

  Jayna turned away and chased down Eva and Topher. She found them at a stand containing crafts. At first, she thought they were enchantments, but as she approached, she realized they were all too large for that. Despite being made of stone and their appearance demonstrating a certain level of skill, they didn’t have the same intricacy that she would’ve expected from a sorcerer, or even a dular.

  Basically, they were a bit rougher looking.

  Eva was talking to the man at the stand, leaning close to him and whispering. He was a bit older than her, with dark hair, a lean face, and narrow eyes. He wore a strange, flowing jacket of a velvety fabric, and moved his hands rapidly as he spoke. Jayna didn’t recognize the language, though Eva seemed to speak it fluently.

  “Who is she talking to?”

  Topher shook his head. “I didn’t know anybody spoke Urguin,” he said.

  “He’s one of the Urguin?” She’d never encountered any of them, though knew they used strange items to power their magic.

  He nodded. “They’ve had somebody here the last week. It’s not terribly common for them to come to the city, according to Robert. Not that I could say with any certainty.”

  “It's not,” Jayna said.

  Topher looked over to her. “You know them?”

  “I know enough about them to know they shouldn't be in Nelar.”

  “We don't see the Urguin in my village. Nothing really exciting ever happens there.” He grinned. “Do you recognize their language?”

  Jayna shook her head.

  “I don’t speak it. I’ve never known anybody who did,” he said.

  The expression of admiration in his eyes left Jayna chuckling. She could imagine that irritating Eva more than anything. It certainly wouldn’t impress her.

  “I’m going to see what else is in the market.”

 
Topher nodded. “I’ll stay with her.”

  Jayna turned away, but not before watching as Eva spoke quietly to the Urguin. She whispered, and there was an occasional snippet that Jayna heard, but not enough for her to understand what her friend was saying. It was an odd language, filled with harsh consonants and quick syllables, and it was far more rapid than she could keep up with.

  One more thing that she had to understand about Eva.

  She hurried through the market and glanced at other carts. Some of them had food—either more smoked meats, which seemed to be the most common, or breads and desserts—and others sold drinks. Wine and ale were the most common, though there were strange drinks too. Some had deep colorations, almost red or a pale green—drinks she would have no interest in consuming. There were other textile vendors, and craftsmen, and a variety of different merchants all scattered throughout.

  Many of them looked to be from Nelar, though there were far more than she would’ve expected from outside of the city. It was clear from the strange clothing, but also from the various languages she heard spoken around her.

  As she started to turn back to where Eva and Topher stood by the Urguin stand, she caught sight of a dark-haired man. She recognized his sloped forehead, wide cheeks, and strange facial hair.

  She’d seen him.

  He was one of the volar who had attacked her.

  Jayna crept forward, watching. He was speaking to somebody, though they were blocked by the wagon nearest them. Suddenly, the man reached across, taking something from the other person.

  Jayna could feel it. There was almost a sense of energy within the item, though she wasn’t sure if what she detected were real or not. Maybe that was just her imagination.

  She hurried forward, wanting to catch up to the volar. If nothing else, she needed to know what he might have known about her brother. As she reached him, he turned, his eyes widening, and then he sprinted away.