“There’s no way to know,” Dread said. “You’ll have to go through the spells, line by line, and see what he did to them.”
Johan shook his head slowly. “If he’s that powerful,” he said, “why did he wait until now?”
“I don’t know,” Elaine said. “It couldn’t have taken him a thousand years to produce either Deferens or myself.”
“The Empire was stronger then,” Dread pointed out. “And more people knew the dangers of allowing anyone to sit on the throne. A thousand years after the wars and the various kingdoms might start to demand independence from the Grand Sorcerers.”
“Or the Empire itself would become corrupt,” Johan said. “It allowed people like Jamal to flourish.”
“You may be right,” Elaine said. “If the Witch-King was trying to ensure that no one like you survived long enough to develop magic, he would have needed centuries to make sure that everyone got the message.”
“But he didn’t expect the Levellers,” Dread said. “Or either of you.”
Johan frowned. Something was missing, he was sure. But what?
The Witch-King had deliberately set out to ensure that wild magicians were killed before their powers developed. That much was obvious … and he’d been so successful that Elaine, someone with the collected magical knowledge of the Empire in her head, hadn’t recognised him for what he was. Or had he been aiming for something else? If the spells intended to test for magic helped everyone who could develop magic before they turned twelve, what did they really do to them?
Gave them high magic at the price of not being able to control wild magic, he thought. But what did that do to them?
It seemed a puzzle. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t see any weaknesses … apart, perhaps, from an inability to deal with a wild magician. His power had been impossible for Elaine to counter, while he’d burnt through wards as if they were made of paper. And yet, the other magicians seemed so much more versatile. They could do all sorts of spells that Johan, for all his power, had been unable to duplicate. Potions, too, were beyond him. If using high magic was a curse, it was a very odd one.
“We’ll keep working on the problem,” Dread said, as they kept walking up the path. “Right now, reaching Ida is still our priority.”
Johan smiled at Elaine, who was still holding his hand, then slipped back into his own thoughts. Raw power versus the ability to control it, to make the most of what one had … it was hard, perhaps, for him to choose. But if magicians were identified as magicians before they turned twelve …
“Elaine,” he said, slowly. “What do students actually learn at the Peerless School?”
“Magic,” Elaine said.
Johan shook his head. “I mean … when you went, what happened?”
Elaine gave him an odd look. “They tested all the children at the orphanage,” she said, after a moment. “If someone had manifested wild magic beforehand, they were taken away at once and adopted by magical families. Someone like me … I was given a scholarship to the Peerless School, but expected to stay in the orphanage until I was old enough to live on my own. There wasn’t much hope of being adopted.”
“You’re lovely,” Johan said. “Why didn’t anyone want you?”
“The older the child, the less likely anyone would want to adopt,” Elaine said. There was a hint of bitter pain in her mind. “Older orphaned children tend to have problems in adapting to a new home, even if the parents are kind and loving. Magic … doesn’t make it any easier, even if they go to a family used to magic. And I didn’t have the power to make it worthwhile.”
Johan felt her pain and winced. His family hadn’t wanted him either, but at least he’d had a family. Elaine … had no one. Her father and mother had abandoned her as soon as she was born, then come back into her life to exploit her. Even her birth had been the result of cool calculation rather than a loving marriage.
“So you went to the school,” he said, slowly. “What happened?”
Elaine took a moment to gather her thoughts. “We were tested, again, once we passed through the gates, then assigned wands and dorms,” she said. “The first five years of schooling covered everything from potions to divination, although we were expected to study government and the social graces in our own time.”
Johan fought down a smile. Elaine had probably hated trying to learn how to comport herself in public, or in a Great House. His mother had drilled a few lessons into his head, although she’d given up when it had become clear that Johan wasn’t likely to be leaving the house anytime soon. They’d been bad enough for him, but for Elaine they had to have been naked torture. She was too shy and retiring to like the thought of attending social gatherings.
“Sixth and seventh years were more focused around potential careers,” Elaine continued, after a moment. “We spent a lot of time practicing spells … I failed several courses because I couldn’t build up the power to cast the spells time and time again. I was very lucky to scrape through with a pass, thanks to my theoretical work. The practical exams were disasters.”
Johan blinked. “You couldn’t pass?”
“I couldn’t cast some of the spells,” Elaine said. “Like I said, I was very lucky to scrape through.”
“I see,” Johan said. He had the odd feeling he was missing something important. “And then you went straight into the library?”
Elaine smiled, wistfully. “I’d always liked old books.”
Johan turned to Dread. “What did you do?”
“I was apprenticed to an Inquisitor and put to work,” Dread said, shortly. “I had the opposite problem. My theoretical work was never up to standard.”
“I can’t imagine you having problems with anything,” Elaine teased, lightly.
“But I did,” Dread said. “It always struck me as tedious.”
Johan contemplated the issue as hours passed and they walked further up the path. He was missing something, but what? What was nagging at the back of his mind?
“Ho,” a voice called. “We see you!”
“Stay still,” Dread ordered, tightly. “They may be friendly.”
Johan looked up. Five men, wearing bright red and yellow uniforms, were advancing down the path towards them. They looked far too obvious against the white snow, which might have been the point. They’d certainly be hard to miss.
“This path is closed,” one said. “Why are you here?”
“We’re here to see the Queen,” Dread said, producing the dead skull-ring and holding it out to the soldier. “Please can you escort us to her?”
The soldier looked at the ring for a long moment. “Do you expect us to just take you into her throne room?”
“No,” Dread said, in tones of heavy patience. “I expect you to take us up to Ida and hold us until the Queen is informed of our presence, whereupon she will order you to bring us to her.”
“Very well,” the soldier said, after a moment. “Come with us.”
Johan couldn’t help noticing that they kept a sharp eye on their uninvited guests, their hands always near the pommels of their swords. They might not be precisely unfriendly, but they weren’t taking chances either. He did his best to ignore them, concentrating instead on the feel of Elaine’s hand against his. She felt surprisingly warm.
“She’ll remember Dread,” Elaine reassured him, quietly. “I think she’ll want to meet with us.”
“I hope so,” Johan muttered back. “The soldiers don’t look that welcoming.”
Chapter Nineteen
Elaine took a moment to consider her own feelings as they were escorted up the rest of the path and through the walls of Ida. Johan … Johan had risked everything, including his life, to save her, even though he’d had no idea how to fight a mental battle. Elaine knew, all too well, that it could easily have been disastrous, if they hadn’t already been linked together by the bond. She would have died, despite his presence; only combining her knowledge with his power had saved them both. And now …
She held his arm tightly, recalling the kiss that they’d shared. It was enough to warm her, she thought, despite the cold. Ida had been cold when she had visited months ago, but now it was colder; ice and snow lay everywhere, despite the best efforts of the tiny kingdom’s population. She felt Johan’s amazement as they were escorted through the paved streets, passing hundreds of stone houses, before they were finally led into the castle. The population seemed happy enough, as far as she could tell, but there was a faint undertone of nervousness in the air. Had they realised there was an occupying army in World’s Gate?
They know they’re under suspicion, Elaine reminded herself. Even if they don’t know why, even if they don’t understand what happened to the Crown Prince, they know the Grand Sorceress suspected them of something.
She kept that thought to herself as the soldiers led them through a stone gate and into the keep. A trio of guards met them and there was a brief exchange of words, before their escorts marched them through a set of doors and into a comfortable but sparse waiting room. It was clearly intended to be secure, she noted; a handful of locking spells crawled over the door as soon as it was closed. They weren’t exactly prisoners, but they weren’t exactly honoured guests either.
Johan gave her a sharp look. “What now?”
“We wait,” Dread said. “The Queen will decide the next step.”
Elaine nodded, then sat down on one of the chairs and carefully removed her outer layer of furs. The water had frozen, unsurprisingly; she cast a handful of spells to remove the ice and dry the furs, then pulled them back around her. There was literally nothing else to wear until the Queen saw them. She helped Johan with his clothes, then offered the same to Dread. He shook his head, then resumed pacing the small room. Elaine watched him for a moment, holding Johan’s hand tightly. If Dread was wrong, if the Queen wasn’t pleased to see them, they’d be trapped in the midst of a hostile kingdom.
The door opened thirty minutes later, revealing a middle-aged man wearing a green suit and black hat. “The Queen will see you in the small audience chamber,” he said. “I have been commanded to escort you there.”
“It will be our pleasure,” Dread said. He turned and led the way towards the door. “Which way is it from here?”
Elaine followed him through a maze of lit corridors. She hadn’t had much time for sightseeing last time she’d been in Ida, but she had to admire the sheer determination of the builders. Ida was easily the strangest state she knew, a tiny little kingdom protected by towering mountains. Even with her suspicion that the Witch-King had something to do with it, she had to admire the achievement.
“Your Majesty” their escort said, as they stepped through a purple curtain. “I present to you our guests.”
Elaine smiled as she curtseyed in front of Queen Sacharissa. The queen had cut her long red hair, somewhat to Elaine’s surprise, but otherwise she hadn’t changed that much from the girl who’d escaped her kingdom, only to return and become its Queen. Sacharissa gave Dread a welcoming smile that promised much, if he was prepared to abandon his oaths, then swept her gaze over Elaine and Johan.
“I’ve heard disturbing rumours,” Sacharissa said. “It is very good to see you again.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Dread said. His voice was curiously flat. He was no longer an Inquisitor and no longer had his duty. “We have much to tell you.”
“Start with the army in World’s Gate,” Sacharissa said.
Dread nodded, then started to explain. Sacharissa listened carefully as he explained that Deferens had taken over the Empire, then set off with a colossal army to level Ida and take something from the catacombs under the kingdom. They’d already agreed not to mention the Witch-King to Queen Sacharissa, just in case she was already one of his pawns. She didn’t have any magic, as far as Elaine knew, but one of the magicians in her kingdom could easily have put her under his spell.
Or Trebuchet could have done it, Elaine thought. Trebuchet had been King Hildebrand’s Court Wizard, but he’d almost certainly been working for the Witch-King. Sacharissa hadn’t been considered a serious candidate for the throne, yet the Witch-King knew not to overlook her merely because she was younger than her brother. But if she had been under a spell, why would she have helped us escape Ida the first time?
“So he has dragons and magicians and an army and he’s coming here,” Sacharissa said, finally. “Why? What do we have that’s so important?”
“Deferens is a small man, Your Majesty,” Elaine said. She recalled the Witch-King’s words and shuddered. “Your brother competed against him, seven months ago. It would not be out of character for him to want revenge.”
“But you said he wanted something hidden here,” Sacharissa said. “What? Is it something we can turn against him?”
“I doubt it, Your Majesty,” Dread said. “It’s something from the distant past that cannot be used without risking utter disaster. We dare not talk about it now.”
Sacharissa gave him a long look. Elaine wondered just what she thought she’d see. Dread was easily twenty years older than Sacharissa, with decades of experience in concealing his thoughts and feelings. But Sacharissa had grown up in a Royal Court, watching the courtiers try to manipulate her father into doing their bidding. Sacharissa would hardly be blind to nuances that Elaine knew she had no hope of seeing.
“He’s coming,” Dread said. “He’ll overwhelm your kingdom and put it to the sword.”
“I understand,” Sacharissa said. She took a long breath. “You had people coming up from World’s Gate, didn’t you?”
Elaine smiled, before she could stop herself. They’d made it?
“Yes,” Dread said. “What happened to them?”
“They took up residence in one of the inns,” Sacharissa said. “I shall have messengers sent to bring them here.”
“You must,” Dread said. “Your Majesty, your kingdom is not going to be shown mercy.”
“I’ve heard rumours of what happened to Falcone’s Nest,” Sacharissa said. “This kingdom is not an easy place to attack.”
“You’re not facing a normal foe,” Dread said. “He has dragons.”
“Then we shall prepare our defences,” Sacharissa said. She gave him another long look. “You can speak with me, privately. Your companions will be escorted to rooms of their own, where they can wash and change their clothes. We will discuss our defence plans at dinner.”
“Gather your magicians,” Elaine said, as the Queen clapped her hands to summon a servant. “I have spells they need to learn.”
“It will be done,” Sacharissa said. “And I hope to talk to you soon, Elaine. It has been too long.”
Elaine nodded, then allowed the servant to lead Johan and her out of the room. Sacharissa must have recognised them from the description, because the servant led them directly to a room that had already been prepared for her. Johan would have the room next to hers … she shook her head, gently. The thought of being apart for longer than a few moments was horrific. They’d only grown closer when they’d merged their minds.
“There are clothes in the dresser,” the servant said. “The Queen hosts Evensong Dinner at seven. Will you require an escort?”
“Yes, please,” Elaine said.
She stopped, unsure of herself. Was it customary to tip servants in Ida? The servant withdrew before she could decide to offer one of the remaining coins in her pouch to him, closing the door so lightly she barely heard a sound. And Johan was right next to her … she could feel his pulsing desire, merging with her own. It made it hard, so hard, to think clearly.
“You risked everything to save me,” she breathed, as she turned to face him. Had she always thought of him as stunningly handsome or was it just the bond, adjusting her feelings to make sure they were compatible? “You could have died in my mind.”
“I couldn’t let you go,” Johan said. He seemed to be quivering, torn between the impulse to take her in his arms and fear – however irrational – of rejection. “I don�
��t think I could live without you.”
Elaine met his eyes. He meant it. He meant every word. The bond had drawn them so close together that neither of them could live without the other. And the way his power had merged with her knowledge … was this how it had been, before the first set of necromantic wars? A wild magician mated to a high magician?
“I know,” she breathed.
It was suddenly very easy to take a step forward and bring her lips against his. He kissed her back, hard; his hands started to work on her furs, tearing them away from her bare skin. It felt different from the time Bee had touched her, taking her virginity … and yet, it felt perfect, as if each successive kiss was making her more and more excited. She pulled him towards the bed as he stumbled out of his clothes, then fell backwards onto the soft blanket …
… And then there was no room for anything, but each other.
***
Johan watched Elaine sleeping, her naked body streaked with sweat. He felt … odd. He’d never slept with anyone, not even one of the maids, before now. He knew she hadn’t been a virgin – he’d seen some of her memories when he touched her mind – and yet it didn’t bother him. All that mattered was that she was his now …
He’d watched Jamal’s courtship technique with a mixture of envy and disgust. Envy, because it seemed to work; disgust, because there was a fine line between Jamal’s technique and outright rape. But then, Jamal was a powerful magician. It was unlikely there was anything he could do to the household maids that would get him punished, by either his parents or the Inquisition. Everyone knew the maids were there to be used.
But he couldn’t have acted like Jamal, not really. It wasn’t just that he didn’t have the power, it was that he knew what it was like to be helpless. Instead, he’d tried to be nice and sweet and it had never been enough until now. He’d hated being a virgin, yet now … now it had paid off, in the best possible way. He could feel Elaine’s presence in his mind as easily as he’d felt her body pressed against his. And her experience had made it better for both of them.
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