Dravo smirked. “I think that point was lost on the Lady Eriana.”
“She also left before you agreed,” observed Matt, pretending to look over the spell.
“I still have not agreed. It is not reassuring that the two most known for their honor have left in protest.”
Eric observed, “Korrin only left to appeal to Eriana, not to protest.”
“Ah, yes. Well, there’s little sense in getting technical, I suppose.”
“Listen,” began Eric calmly, “you know time is short. While we appreciate the steps you’ve taken to gain our trust, I’m sure you understand it is not quite enough.”
“I do not argue this. But what you propose is as invasive as the Lady Hope suggested. I am to be a king and yet you would have access to everything I know.”
Eric remarked, “If you don’t agree, you may not become a king at all, making your knowledge as useless as it is now.”
Prince Dravo laughed. “Your silver tongue needs a little polish, my friend. Is there a way to limit what this spell probes?”
Matt said, “Not really. However, you can assist me by picturing the relevant subjects. The path to the portal below us here, how it works, what is on the other side, the prison where the hostages are, the place where the king is likely to be, and where your forces are outside the city. I will be able to tell if you are hiding something about it.”
He wasn’t sure if that was technically true. He had never cast the Mind Trust spell on anyone before and wasn’t even sure how he would control what he saw. It was one reason he just said all of that, to get Dravo to help him without realizing it. A cooperative subject would likely make it easier the first time.
The thought made memories of Soliander doing it to other people besides him suddenly come to mind and he stood still for a moment, sorting through images, impressions, and feelings. The emotions were part of it, he now knew. This was how he could tell the subject was hiding something. Otherwise, getting what he wanted just seemed a question of searching through memories of events or time periods that were likely to produce them. The spell worked like putting a thought into someone’s head, as if they were reminded of a subject Matt sought, unwittingly leading him right to it. Matt wondered if this knowledge would make it easier to resist someone doing it to him.
The idea gave him pause. He knew just how wrong this spell was, but that was why they wanted Dravo’s cooperation. That, and making it easier on Matt. He and Eric had discussed the plan, which had included convincing Anna and maybe Ryan that they were going to do it whether or not the prince agreed. It was necessary. If Dravo agreed, they would not cast it, because the agreement would strongly suggest he wasn’t hiding something. But if he refused, that likely meant the opposite, though there were plenty of reasons to say no. Still, a “yes” spoke volumes. The plan was Eric’s, of course. Matt often wished he was half as wily as his friend.
“I have your promise,” began Prince Dravo, staring into the wizard’s eyes, “that you will seek only this?”
Matt stared back and tried to project reassurance, the dark elf’s red eyes creeping him out a little. “You have my word. I seek nothing more. I won’t have time for it anyway. The spell can last a long time, but I anticipate being done in just minutes, especially with your cooperation. You know we must do this raid on the prison tonight.”
This was especially important because of Dravo himself. His absence might have already been noted, but according to him, he had left guidance for the trusted few who had been allowed into the city with him and were staying in his quarters. If anyone asked, the prince was entertaining a young woman and was not to be disturbed. Like the rest of his family, his sister had been kept close to the Avaran castle in a virtual imprisonment. Her accommodations had not been far from Dravo’s. No one would look for her, in theory, but she was to be reported as unwell, if so.
Holding his gaze, Prince Dravo said, “I will accept.”
Matt made a show of consulting the spell book one last time and approaching the dark elf, even putting the fingertips of one hand on his forehead. “Closing your eyes will help.” Dravo complied and Matt stood still a few moments, looking to Eric, who nodded in satisfaction, so Matt stepped back. The elf opened his eyes in confusion.
“Thank you, Prince Dravo,” said Eric. “We didn’t need to actually cast it, though it would certainly help us. We only needed to trust you, and now we feel like we can.”
Dravo turned to him with a pleased smile and direct gaze. “Well done, Andier. I trust you more for this as well, since you did not go through with it. I imagine the Lady Eriana was not aware of your ruse? I suspect she will forgive but not be as pleased as I.”
“Our reputations have their advantages.”
“Indeed.”
When told of the ploy, Anna alternated between relief, exasperation, and acknowledgment that it was a brilliant idea. She seemed a little grumpy about it as the group made their way to the portal far below the city. They first left the castle with a score of guards accompanying them as an initial force to permanently guard the magic doorway—until or unless it was destroyed later. With over twenty prisoners expected to be coming back through it, several maids and healers were also coming. Dravo had reported that the dark elves kept most of the royals in poor conditions on purpose, and while they were alive, their needs were not exactly attended to. This included poor feeding, which had resulted in two sacks of food also being carried down to give the rescued more energy for the climb back
