The Ambassador's Mission

Forlie stared at Sonea, then nodded.

Reaching out to gently touch the woman’s temples, Sonea sent her mind forth. Fear and anxiety washed over her as she touched the woman’s mind. She let herself waft into Forlie’s thoughts, which were of her daughter and two grandchildren, and the men who had taken them. Sonea recognised the man who had blackmailed Forlie – he was the roet-seller who had been with Forlie when she was captured.

Remembering that moment, Sonea recalled the magical force she’d felt come from Forlie. Someone else must have sent it. Perhaps the real rogue, watching them through the windows.

— Who used magic when we found you?

— I don’t know.

— Where are your daughter and grandchildren now?

A maze of alleys and makeshift houses flashed into Sonea’s mind, then settled on one house in particular. Forlie’s family were in one of the remaining poor areas of the city.

— We’ll find them, Forlie. We’ll punish the people who did this.

Opening her eyes, Sonea withdrew her fingers. Forlie’s expression was hopeful and determined now.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Turning to the Higher Magicians, Sonea related what she had learned. “I recommend that one or more of us go with Forlie to free her children as soon as possible.”

There were many nods of agreement. A small noise drew their attention to the foreign woman. Her face, caught between Kallen’s hands, expressed a mixture of surprise and dismay.

All watched in silence, and when Kallen finally released her Sonea heard a collective sigh of relief. Kallen stepped back, then turned to face the Higher Magicians.

“Her name is Lorandra,” he announced. “She is from Igra, the land beyond the great northern desert. It is a strange place, where all magic is taboo and punishable by death. Yet those who watch for and punish magicians are magicians themselves. They steal the children of those they execute in order to maintain their numbers.” He shook his head in amazement at this hypocrisy and cruelty.

“Lorandra learned magic as a young woman and was forced to flee her country with her newborn son. They managed to cross the desert to Lonmar, then travelled through Elyne to Kyralia. Here they were taken in by a Thief, who protected them in exchange for magical favours. The Thief eventually adopted the boy and made him his heir. He trained the boy in crime, while his mother trained him in magic.”

Kallen looked at Sonea and frowned.

“The son’s name is Skellin, one of the Thieves that Black Magician Sonea and Lord Regin enlisted to help them find the rogue. Of course, he did not want them finding his mother, so he arranged for Forlie to be caught in her place. He even used his own magic to make it look as if she had attacked them.”

He looked back at the Higher Magicians. “Skellin has been sending his mother out to kill off rival Thieves since he came to power. Through murder and alliances he intended to make himself king of the city’s underworld.”

Sonea’s heart skipped a beat. This woman is the Thief Hunter!

Kallen paused and his frown deepened. “And he imported roet to help bind people to him. Not just the poor but the rich as well. And magicians. He seemed to think we would be easy to manipulate once we’d all been introduced to the drug.”

A murmur of voices rose as the magicians began to discuss what they’d learned. Sonea caught dismissive remarks about Skellin’s delusions, but a chill had run down her spine at the mention of roet. She thought of Stoneworker Berrin, whose addiction she had tried and failed to Heal away. If roet addiction could not be Healed, and Skellin knew it, then his grand plan might have succeeded.

“What are you?” the foreign woman said. She was staring at Kallen. Her eyes slid to Sonea. “And you?”

Sonea answered the question with a small smile. Skellin and his mother were magicians, but clearly they weren’t black magicians. That’s something to be grateful for. Hopefully we can assume Igra isn’t a land of black magicians, too. We don’t need another Sachaka to worry about.

Administrator Osen now turned to face the hall and raised his arms. Voices quietened to a near silence.

“We now know the truth. One of our captives is innocent, the other is a murderess and a rogue. We have another rogue in our city to find and deal with. Lorandra will be imprisoned. Forlie is free to go. Certain actions must be taken immediately, so I must end this meeting now.”

The hall filled with the sound of hundreds of magicians standing up and bursting into conversation. Osen strode over to Sonea.

“Take Forlie and find her children quickly,” he ordered quietly. “Before Lorandra thinks to inform Skellin of her betrayal.”

Sonea stared at him in surprise, then nodded. Of course. She only has to communicate with him mentally to tell him what happened here. “I’ll take Lord Regin as backup, if that is acceptable.”

He nodded. “I’ll send Kallen after Skellin once they’re safe.”

She felt her heart warm with appreciation. Osen might be cold toward her, but he wasn’t a man without compassion for others. As he walked away, she looked around the room and found Regin standing by one of the stairs, watching her. She beckoned to him.

“Is that appropriate?”

Kallen’s voice reached her over the chatter and footsteps of the Higher Magicians. She looked over to see him frowning at Osen.

“If you can rouse the support of the majority of Higher Magicians to oppose her going in the next few minutes, I’ll consider sending someone else.”

Kallen glanced at the magicians filing out of the building, then at Sonea, and his lips thinned.

“It’s your decision,” he said. “Not mine.”

As Regin reached her side, Sonea smiled to herself, enjoying a moment of triumph. If Osen now trusted her enough to send her into the city, perhaps the rest of the Guild would forgive her for breaking the rules so often in recent weeks.

“Care to assist me in my next assignment?” she asked Regin.

His eyebrows rose and he almost managed a smile. “Always.”

She hooked an arm around Forlie’s. “Let’s go find your family.”

Lorkin was not completely sure how long had passed since he’d been put in the room. It had no window, so he had no sunlight to track the time of day. He’d shifted from travelling at night and sleeping during the day when with Tyvara to the opposite when travelling with Chari, so he couldn’t judge what time it was by when he grew sleepy. Nor could he judge it by hunger, as he’d been eating whenever opportunity came rather than at regular times.

The meals that were brought to him seemed to follow a pattern, so he was counting the days that way. A simple meal of grainy sweet mush and fruit was followed a few hours later by a larger meal with meat and vegetables. Then after another interval a light meal of flat bread and a cup of warmed milk was served. It was basic food, but wonderful after the scavenged fare he’d had for the weeks he’d been travelling with Tyvara.

He’d been told he had to stay there until Tyvara’s trial. Two and a half days had passed so far, he guessed. He’d kept himself entertained by reading his notebook, and writing observations about everything he had learned about the Traitors so far. He also listed questions he would seek the answer to, when he was free to do so. Each time food was brought, Lorkin glimpsed the Traitor keeping guard on his door. Always a woman, but not always the same woman. Were there no male magicians? Or none willing to guard him? Or did they not trust a man to guard another man?

He’d spent a lot of time sleeping, too. Though he’d been able to Heal away soreness and weariness, it was always better to let the body regain its energy and health through natural means.

Light came from a gemstone set into the ceiling. He’d got a closer look at it by standing on the bed. It was too bright to stare at for long. He’d reached up to it, finding it didn’t give off any heat. The surface was faceted, like stones in jewellery.

Had it naturally formed the shape, or had a human carved it? Would it go on glowing forever, or eventually