the woodlanders had accepted.”
Chandra rubbed her hands over her face and wondered what to do. The Keralians were united in their absolute, unconditional, unanimous rejection of Walbert’s demands. Mother Luti had held two meetings at which the matter was discussed and voted on; one immediately after Chandra’s recent return, and another last night, by which time it was clear how devastating the siege was going to be.
Not one single Keralian was willing to turn Chandra over to the Order.
It wasn’t personal. Well… maybe in a few instances, it was; several of the Keralians, including Mother Luti herself, as well as the boy Brannon, were fond of Chandra. But, mostly, the refusal was based in the Keralians’ way of life.
Being who and what they were, they would not bow down to anyone, give in to any ultimatum, surrender to any threat, or back down in the face of any challenge. They would not secure the safety of their monastery at the cost of Chandra’s individual freedom. And nothing could induce them to abide by rules or conditions set by the Order-or by anyone else.
“What I still find puzzling,” Luti said, “is Walbert’s obsession with you.”
“I’m puzzled, too,” Chandra said.
“I’ve been thinking about it. It has to be because you’re a planeswalker,” Luti said. “Walbert’s reasons for pursuing you-and planning to execute you, I suppose-are presumably the fire in the Western Wood, the attack on the ghost warden, and your encounters with his men. But none of that really explains all this.” Luti waved a hand toward the window, indicating the siege that lay beyond the monastery’s sheltering walls. “And since this man you’ve described to me, Gideon, is also a planeswalker…” The mother mage shook her head. “Well, it’s obviously not as if Walbert believes you’re the only planeswalker on Regatha. So whatever it is that Walbert fears or wants from you, it must be due to something about you in particular.”
“But he doesn’t know anything about me in particular.”
“Well, he knows one thing,” Luti said. “So I deduce that it must be the crucial thing: Unlike Gideon, you wield fire magic.”
“So what?” Chandra said. “I still don’t understand what he wants with a planeswalking fire mage or why he’s doing all this.”
“I don’t it understand, either. Is his obsession with you a symptom of madness? In which case, can we hope he’ll be assassinated soon and replaced by someone who’ll end the siege and go home?”
“Gideon knows him, and Samir has met him,” Chandra said, “and neither of them seems to think he’s mad.”
“Oh, well. Wishful thinking on my part.” Luti added, “You could just planeswalk out of this problem, you know.”
“No,” said Chandra firmly. “I won’t flee to safety and abandon you to deal with the consequences of my having been here. Besides, what will that accomplish? Will Walbert be merciful to you because you let me escape rather than surrendering me to him?”
“It’s very interesting,” Luti said pensively.
“What’s interesting?”
“Walbert was convinced you would come back, and you did,” the mother mage mused. “Now he’s evidently convinced you won’t leave… and, indeed, you won’t.”
That gave Chandra a chill. Did Walbert know more about her than she realized? Gideon hadn’t seemed to think so… but that might only mean that Walbert hadn’t confided fully in him.
For the first time, Chandra wondered if she should leave Regatha.
But then she thought of the Keralians, who’d be left in the middle of this mess, and of Samir, who had risked so much to protect her… and she couldn’t believe that abandoning them all was the right course of action. Even though her being here didn’t really seem to be right for them, either.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said to Mother Luti.
“Neither do I,” Luti admitted. “Not about this, anyhow. But I have come to a decision about something else.”
“Oh?”
“I have decided not to tell Brother Sergil what you’ve told me about the scroll.”
“Why not, Mother?”
“Because I don’t want the monks to pursue this any further.”
“You don’t?” Chandra said in surprise.
“No. It’s much too dangerous.” Luti frowned thoughtfully as she continued, “An ancient scroll that was that fiercely protected? A mysterious plane-which may or may not exist-where mana works differently than anywhere else in the Multiverse? And an artifact of such immense power that it will certainly be sought, coveted, and fought over by people far more ruthless than any Keralian…” Luti shook her head. “If there is such a place as Zendikar, and if the artifact described in the scroll really can be found there… No,” she said with finality. “I don’t want it brought back here. I don’t want anyone ever coming here to look for it. And I don’t want Keral Keep to be involved with an object as dangerous as I believe that artifact must be.” She gave a brief sigh and shrugged. “So I will tell the brothers that you couldn’t find the original scroll and believe it has been destroyed. They’ll study the copied text a little while longer… and then get frustrated or bored, set it aside, and move on.”
They’d only move on if they survived this siege, Chandra thought. But she didn’t say it. “As you wish, Mother.”
Luti studied her. “Butyou’re still interested in the artifact, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Chandra admitted.
“I thought so.” Luti nodded. “Fair enough. Individuals must pursue their own choices and destinies. My decision is made only with regard to what’s best for this monastery.”
“And if I someday find the artifact,” Chandra said, “you’re sure you don’t want me to bring it here?”
“Chandra, if you ever find that artifact, I don’t even want to know about it,” Luti said with certainty. “Nor would I encourage you to tell my successor, whoever that may be.”
And Chandra thought again that they were talking about the future as if the monastery definitely had one. Which wasn’t at all certain at the moment.
Chandra awoke from her nightmares sweating and breathing hard, with a scream on her lips.
The death of innocents was on her head. Because of her rash acts, her impulsive nature, and her reckless deeds.
She looked around her darkened bedchamber in Keral Keep and understood, for the first time in all the years she had been having this dream, why she had had it tonight.
The Keralians had welcomed her as one of their own kind when she first arrived here, and they had shared their home, their humble comforts, and their teachings and knowledge with her ever since then.
Now, as a result of that, soldiers and white mages were massed outside their walls, laying siege to their home, intent on destroying their way of life, and threatening to kill them.
All because of her.
Chandra swung her legs over the side of her narrow bed and, feeling nauseated, rested her head between her knees and concentrated on taking slow, steady breaths.
It’s happening again. Because of me.
She must prevent it this time. She must.
Chandra knew she couldn’t live with something like that happening twice. Indeed, she couldn’t even live with what had happened-she was always running away from it.
I can’t outrun two memories like that. I can’t.
And suddenly, sitting here in the dark, breathing hard, sweating, shaking, hunched over her knees and trying not to be sick… She knew exactly what she must do.
She had been confused and uncertain ever since returning to Keral Keep. Ever since things here had instantly spiraled into this crisis upon her return. She had floundered and vacillated. She had guiltily avoided eye contact with her fellow mages. She had expressed outrage when she mostly felt consuming guilt. She had considered fleeing and rejected it, and she had resolved to stay and then wondered if that was a mistake.
And all to avoid this, she now realized.
All to avoid the decision she knew she must make now-the one thing she could do to prevent the Keralians
