I made sure to keep my hand away from Grim Whisper.
It wasn’t what I’d expected. Actually, I hadn’t known what to expect. I mean, these mages guarded a library. How dangerous could they be? If the energy signature of the leader was any indicator, they were dangerous enough.
“Tristan Montague, to what do we owe this pleasure?” the woman said with a melodic voice that carried a slight accent. “You haven’t been here in ages. Critical studies in your last year at the Circle, if I recall?”
“Roma, the pleasure is all mine,” Monty said with a slight nod which Roma returned. “We need to see her.”
THIRTEEN
“I see,” Roma said, glancing my way quickly. “All three of you?”
“Yes, it’s urgent.”
“Does she know you’re coming?”
“No, this is all rather spur of the moment.”
Roma’s eyes narrowed.
“You know she doesn’t do ‘spur of the moment’, ever.”
“It can’t be helped,” Monty said. “We are somewhat pressed for time and need information.”
Roma made a slight gesture and the air around us became thick. The sounds of the park, which were clear a moment earlier, became muffled. She had created a sphere of silence around us with barely a finger twitch.
“Information?” Roma asked. “What information?”
“We need the location of the Balfour Enclave,” Monty said. “We have reason to believe they are being targeted.”
“Who would dare target the Balfours?” Roma asked. “That would be suicidal.”
“Shadow Company,” I said from behind Monty. “Usually, they are suicidal.”
“Simon Strong,” Roma said, giving me the once over. She lingered a little longer this time. I wanted to think it was my irresistible attractiveness that gave her pause, but judging from her expression of mild irritation, I doubted it. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Roma, Captain of the Archive Guard. Tell me why a clandestine organization, like Shadow Company, would target one of the two most powerful dragon enclaves in existence?”
“A pleasure,” I said with a nod. “One of the leaders of Shadow Company lost his daughter to a dragon, Slif.”
“Cassandra Rott, yes.”
“You knew?” I said, opening my eyes wider in surprise. “How?”
“We are an archive,” Roma said. “It is our business to know. Information is the most precious currency in the world, Marked of Kali.”
“Whoa, now that’s just creepy,” I said, staring at her. “How long did you know that?”
“The moment I saw the mark upon you. Observation is just another way to gather information,” Roma said with a small smile, before turning to Monty. “Tristan, why are you here? What does this have to do with either of you, or a hellhound?”
“Simon once belonged to—”
“Shadow Company, yes, we know,” Roma finished, crossing her arms. “Archive?”
“My apologies. Of course,” Monty continued. “They have requested his presence in their next mission.”
“Which is?”
“You don’t know?” I asked. “I’m surprised.”
Monty gave me a sideways glare.
“What? She knows everything else, I figured she knew this, too.”
“We are not psychics, nor can we see the future,” Roma said. “We possess information of what has occurred, not what will occur.”
I raised a hand in surrender.
“My mistake,” I said. “I just figured—”
“Deny the request,” Roma said with finality. “Tell them you can’t join them on this mission. It sounds ill-formed and suicidal.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Both,” I said. “I’m partially responsible for Cassandra’s death, and I need to stop them. Hunting dragons sounds like a bad idea for everyone all around, don’t you think?”
“The events that led to Cassandra’s death were out of your control and always were,” Roma said. “She was going to die the moment she encountered Slif, whether you intervened or not.”
“You can’t possibly know that,” I said. “There were too many factors involved. If I had kept her back, away from the action—”
“She would have died later,” Roma said, softly. “It was out of your hands.”
“No, no it wasn’t,” I countered, keeping my anger in check. “It was my call, and she died because of it.”
Roma just stared at me in silence for a few moments.
“You cannot change the past,” Roma said. “However, hunting dragons could destabilize the delicate balance between the two major enclaves. If the Balfour weakens, the Obouros would seize the opportunity to strike. That would be…catastrophic.”
“Exactly. I’d like to prevent the catastrophe,” I said. “Can we go see the Auer person now?”
“You? No. You’re not even a mage,” she said, turning her attention to Monty again. “To see her, you would need—”
“A formal audience,” Monty said, shaking out his hands. “I agree.”
Roma raised an eyebrow and smiled in typical mage style. I knew this was bad. It was one of those smiles that said: There will be pain in ample doses for everyone here—prepare.
“Monty? Can we discuss…?”
“A formal audience?” Roma asked and moved a hand. Two of the four mages from the back stepped forward and walked behind us. We were effectively surrounded by a cabal of librarian mages. Yes, I had been studying. “Are you certain?”
“Yes,” Monty said. “Will you grant me passage?”
“You know the way to gain passage, better than most,” Roma said. “If you are successful, you, Mr. Strong, and his bondmate will be granted passage. Do you need time to prepare?”
“One moment,” Monty said, raising a finger. “I need to clarify some things with my associate.”
“Of course,” Roma said. “You have five minutes, or your request is null and void.”
“Thank you,” Monty said with a slight nod as he approached me.
“Why is it never simple with mages?” I asked. “Let me guess, gaining passage is some crazy fight to the death?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Monty said, waving my words away. “It’s not that kind of battle.”
“It is a battle though, right?”
“Well, yes. A duel.”
“Is there a potential for a lethal outcome?”
“Everything has its risks. You know this,” Monty argued. “Merely crossing the street—”
“Nope,” I said, raising a finger. “Wrong. If I’m crossing the street alone, there is zero risk. Do you know why?”
“No, please enlighten me,” Monty said with a small sigh. “I can hardly contain my
