The Inner Circle: The Knowing

by Cael McIntosh

  *

  Far-a-mael stood in silence as he watched the Dome of the Sixth become nothing more than a pile of slowly melting rubble caving into an immense sinkhole. He’d been close to the exit when the lightning struck and had wisely abandoned the place. ‘You see now, don’t you?’ He turned to the somewhat shorter man standing solemnly to his right.

  ‘Indeed,’ Gez-reil murmured breathlessly. ‘And you’re certain she’s responsible?’

  ‘I’m quite familiar with her Way, my dear old friend.’ Far-a-mael nodded, glancing at the sky where a giant black ball of cloud swirled menacingly. ‘You and I . . .’ Far-a-mael continued. ‘We’re able to read the Ways. Seteal . . . she is able to write them.’

  ‘What do you plan to do?’ Gez-reil’s voice shook as an entire section of the dome fell in on itself.

  ‘I will bring war to Old World.’ Far-a-mael shrugged.

  ‘I was talking about the girl,’ Gez-reil corrected him.

  ‘Seteal?’ Far-a-mael frowned. ‘I intend to do nothing.’

  ‘Nothing?’

  ‘Absolutely nothing,’ Far-a-mael confirmed. ‘When she is ready, she’ll come for me.’

  ‘How can you be certain she won’t return to Gor Narvon?’ Gez-reil pushed.

  ‘She won’t.’ Far-a-mael chuckled. ‘The girl’s greatest weakness is her anger, her lust for revenge. She’ll never let go of what happened to her. It’s quite simply a matter of time before she comes looking for me.’

  ‘I wonder where she got those characteristics from.’ Gez-reil squeezed Far-a-mael’s shoulder and gave him a sarcastic glance before making his way through the mourning crowds.

  ‘Perhaps she is like me,’ Far-a-mael muttered to himself. ‘That’s how I know her every thought.’

  Far-a-mael stared at the crumbling building. He knew Seteal was in there somewhere and he knew she wasn’t dead. She would survive if only to seek him out, and when she did, he would once again find a way to make her do his bidding. If she did happen to die, however, it wouldn’t matter terribly. Her mere presence had gained him the office of War Elder and no one could take that away.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  THAW