The Rogue

“Who would want to do that?”

“I don’t know.”

“What does she have that others might want?”

“Money. She inherited her father’s fortune when he died.” Lilia’s heart skipped. “Maybe she found out who killed him!”

“If she did, she’s probably dead.”

Lilia felt her heart constrict. She didn’t want to think about that.

“What if she isn’t dead?” Lilia asked. “What if she’s being held captive? What if she’s being blackmailed?” What if someone is trying to force her into telling them the instructions in the book on black magic?

Lorandra was silent for several breaths. “I guess you won’t know unless the Guild finds out and bothers to tell you. Do you think they will?”

Lilia’s heart sank. “I don’t know.”

“It sounded like Sonea had her doubts.”

“Did it?” Lilia thought back. She couldn’t remember. Her mind had been caught up in shock and worry over Naki.

“Yes.” Lorandra tapped quietly on the door, as if drumming her fingers in thought. “Once, I would have been able to find out for you. I have contacts in the city. Many, many contacts. Most aren’t particularly respectable ones, but that’s partly why I’m in here. If I was free, I would help you find your friend, or find out what happened to her.”

Lilia smiled, though she knew the woman couldn’t see it. “Thanks. It’s nice to know you would, if you were able to.” How strange that this woman, who the Guild regards as a criminal, understands better than anyone else what I’m going through. Well, it’s said that loyalty is important to Thieves and people in the underworld.

“Your powers were blocked before they put you in here, weren’t they?”

“Of course.” Lilia frowned at the change of subject.

“Have you ever tried to break the block, or get past it?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I … why bother? Black Magician Sonea put it there. I’m hardly going to break a block she made. I’d just give myself a headache trying.”

“So … it makes a difference how strong the magician is who makes a block? Or if that magician is a black magician?”

Lilia shook her head. “I don’t know. All I know is that it separates your will from your power, so it doesn’t matter how strong you are.”

“It can’t separate all control, though. Otherwise we’d be dead.”

“Of course.”

“How do they do that?”

“I don’t know.” Lilia winced. She’d been saying “I don’t know” a lot today.

“It seems to me that black magicians are not just stronger than normal magicians but have a different kind of magic. A different way of controlling it.”

“They’re not stronger unless they’ve taken power from other people,” Lilia corrected. “Though Sonea and Kallen were both stronger than most magicians before they learned black magic, they’re no stronger than that. They aren’t allowed to take power without permission, and it would only be given if the lands were under attack, or faced some other threat.”

“Really? Then I’m right. It’s a different kind of magic.”

Lorandra’s tone was that of someone who had just learned something, and was very pleased about it. If she didn’t know that … should I have told her? She’s right, though. I didn’t learn black magic by taking power; I learned it by trying out a different way of sensing it.

“So their powers are different,”

Lorandra pointed out. “They can do things other magicians can’t. Like read minds. They can get around someone’s defences, unlike ordinary magicians.”

“Yes.” That much was obvious.

Lorandra paused again, but not for as long.

“It seems to me that being able to do different things with your mind ought to mean any block in that mind would have to be different, too. Did Sonea put the usual kind of block in your mind? Don’t answer that,” she added. “I’m just thinking aloud. But answer this if you can: has anyone put a block on a black magician before?”

“Not that I know of. There’s nothing in the history lessons that mentions it.”

“I think you should try to get past the block. If nobody has put one on a black magician before, and black magic gets around normal restrictions, then how do they know they got it right?”

Lilia stared at the door. Her heart was beating a little faster. She wanted to point out that Sonea would simply replace the block. If she found out it was gone. So long as I never used magic when anyone was here nobody would know. But she was ignoring the obvious consequence of succeeding: Lorandra wouldn’t be content with remaining in the Lookout. She’ll want me to get us out.

Normally Lilia would have refused. She would have stayed put, knowing that Sonea and Kallen would chase her down, and the punishment for escaping would be worse than mere imprisonment.

They’d probably execute me.

But if she found Naki, perhaps it would be worth it. Reason told her that she did not know the city well enough to find Naki before the Guild caught her, but here was a woman who knew the city well. Who knew the underworld, where Naki was most likely imprisoned. Who wanted to help Lilia.

Lilia wanted more than anything to find Naki, but what did Lorandra want?

Well, she wants to exchange her help for me busting her out of this prison, Lilia thought. I should get her to agree to some conditions.

“How long will it take to find Naki, do you think?”

Lorandra chuckled. “You’re a quick one, Lady Lilia. I can’t tell you exactly. I’d have to locate my people, and if they don’t already know they’d have to spend some time finding out.”

“Do you think we could slip away each night, then return by morning, without the guards knowing?” That would gain us more time than if we left and the Guild started hunting for us. We could spend weeks searching for Naki, if necessary. If they did find we’d been slipping out, they might forgive me given that we returned each time. We might even find Naki without the Guild knowing we’d ever left the Lookout.

“Possibly.” Lorandra’s tone was hard to read. “It depends on whether we can get in and out of here without anyone noticing. If I had access to my powers I could levitate …”

“I can do that,” Lilia said quickly. She did not want to be talked into unblocking Lorandra’s powers. It was bad enough letting the woman loose, but releasing her on the city in full control of her powers was another matter entirely. “So … if I get us out of here, do you promise to help me find Naki?”

“Yes.”

“And we’ll try to slip away and back without anyone noticing?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll do it. If I can undo the block.”

“If you learned black magic in the first attempt, I suspect it’ll be the same for this. Either you’ll be able to do it, or you won’t.”

“I hope so. While I’m trying, you think about how to get us out of here.”

“I will. Good luck.”

Lilia stepped away from the door. She cast about, then moved to the chair by the window and sat down. Closing her eyes, she started a breathing exercise to calm and focus her mind.

When she felt ready, she sent her attention within. At once she was aware of the block. All other times she had done this, she had found the ball of energy within herself straightaway. Now there was something in the way. It