presence at the forest edge. It was the only building other than the Guildhall that had survived from the beginnings of the Guild’s formation. For over seven centuries it had accommodated the most powerful magician of each generation. Lorlen had no doubt that the man living there now was one of the strongest magicians it had ever housed.
Taking a deep breath, he started down the path to its door.
For now, forget all that, he told himself. He is your old friend, the Akkarin you know well. We will talk about politics, our families, and Guild matters. You’ll try to persuade him to visit the Night Room, and he’ll decline.
Lorlen straightened his shoulders as he reached the residence. As always, the door opened at his knock. Stepping inside, Lorlen felt a twinge of relief as neither Akkarin nor his servant stepped forward to greet him.
He sat down and considered the guestroom. Originally, it had been an entry hall with a well-worn staircase on either side. Guestrooms had become a common feature of homes centuries after the time of the residence’s construction, so previous High Lords had entertained in one of the inner rooms instead. Akkarin had modernized the building by arranging for walls to be constructed to conceal the two staircases. By filling the space between them with comfortable furniture and warm carpets, he’d created a pleasant, if narrow, guestroom.
“What’s this?” a familiar voice said. “An unexpected visitor.”
Turning, Lorlen managed to smile at the black-robed man standing in the doorway to the stairs.
“Good evening, Akkarin.”
The High Lord smiled and, after closing the door behind him, moved to a narrow cabinet holding a store of wine and a selection of glasses and silverware. He opened a bottle and filled two glasses, choosing the very wine that Lorlen had decided not to buy the previous day.
“I almost didn’t recognize you, Lorlen. It has been a while.”
Lorlen lifted his shoulders. “Our little family has been a handful of late.”
Akkarin chuckled at Lorlen’s use of their pet name for the Guild. He handed Lorlen a wineglass, then sat down. “Ah, but they keep you occupied, and you get to reward them for good behavior now and then. Lord Dannyl was an interesting choice for the Second Guild Ambassador for Elyne.”
Lorlen felt his heart skip a beat. He masked his alarm with a frown of concern. “Not one you would have made?”
“He is an excellent man for the role. He showed initiative and boldness by seeking and negotiating with the Thieves.”
Lorlen lifted an eyebrow. “He should have consulted us first, however.”
Akkarin waved a hand dismissively. “The Higher Magicians would have argued about it for weeks, then made the safest decision - and they would have made the wrong one. That Dannyl could see that, and risked the disapproval of his peers for the sake of finding her, shows that he is not easily cowed by authority when its methods are contrary to the good of others. He will need that confidence when dealing with the Elyne court. I was surprised you didn’t ask my opinion, but I’m sure you knew that I’d approve of your decision.”
“What news do you have for me?” Lorlen asked.
“Nothing exciting. The King asked me if the ‘little rogue,’ as he calls Sonea, had been included in the summer intake. I told him she had, and he was pleased. That reminds me of another amusing incident: Nefin of House Maron asked if Fergun could come back to Imardin now.”
“Again?”
“This is the first time Nefin has asked. The last one to ask was Ganen, about three weeks ago. It seems every man and woman in House Maron intends to approach me about this. I’ve even had children ask me when they’ll see uncle Fergun again.”
“So what did you tell him?”
“That uncle Fergun had done a bad, bad thing, but not to worry, as the nice men at the Fort would make sure he was well looked after for all the years he stayed there.”
Lorlen laughed. “I meant, what did you tell Nefin?”
“Precisely the same. Well, not in exactly the same words, of course.” Akkarin sighed and smoothed his hair. “Not only do they give me the satisfaction of refusing, but I’ve had no marriage proposals from House Maron since Fergun departed. That is an even better reason to keep the man tucked away in the Fort.”
Lorlen took a sip of wine. He had always assumed Akkarin was uninterested in the frivolous women of the Houses, and would eventually find a wife among the women of the Guild. But now he wondered if Akkarin had resolved to remain a bachelor to protect his dark secret.
“Both House Arran and House Korin have asked if we can spare Healers to tend their racehorses,” Akkarin said.
Lorlen gave a sigh of exasperation. “You told them we can’t, of course?”
Akkarin shrugged. “I told them I’d think about it. There may be a way we can turn such a request to our advantage.”
“But we need every Healer we have.”
“True, but both Houses are inclined to hoard their daughters, as if they, too, were more valuable for breeding than anything else. If they could be persuaded to let the girls who have talent join us, we would eventually have more than enough Healers to replace those who leave to tend the horses.”
“In the meantime, we have fewer Healers and must expend more of our existing Healers’ time training the new girls,” Lorlen argued. “And those girls might not choose to become Healers when they graduate.”
Akkarin nodded. “Then it is a question of balance. We must gain enough girls to ensure we eventually make up for the Healers we send to tend the horses. Ultimately, we’ll have more Healers to call upon if there should be a disaster, such as a fire or riot.” Akkarin tapped the arm of his chair with his long fingers. “There is another advantage. Lord Tepo spoke to me a few months ago about wishing to expand our knowledge of animal healing. He spoke quite persuasively. This might be a means for him to start his studies in the field.”
Lorlen shook his head. “It sounds like a waste of Healers’ time to me.”
Akkarin frowned. “I will discuss both ideas with Lady Vinara.” He looked up at Lorlen. “Do you have any news for me?”
“I do,” Lorlen said. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. “Terrible news. News that will disturb many in the Guild, but will affect you personally most of all.”
“Oh?” Akkarin’s gaze sharpened.
“Do you have any more of that wine you’re drinking?”
“It is the last bottle.”
“Oh dear.” Lorlen shook his head. “Then the situation is worse than I thought. I’m afraid that’s the last of it. I chose not to renew our supplies. After today, no more Anuren dark for the High Lord.”
“That’s your news?”
“Terrible, isn’t it?” Lorlen turned to regard his friend. “Are you displeased?”
Akkarin snorted. “Of course! Why didn’t you order any more?”
“They wanted twenty gold a bottle.”
“A bottle!” Akkarin leaned back in his chair and whistled. “Another good decision, though this time you should have mentioned it to me first. I could have said a few words here and there in court... well, I still can.”
“So I’ll expect a more reasonable offer to arrive on my desk in the next few weeks?”
Akkarin smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
They sat in silence for a moment, then Lorlen drained his glass and rose. “I should move on to the Night Room. Are you coming?”
Akkarin’s expression darkened. “No, I have someone to meet in the city.” He looked up at Lorlen. “It was good to see you again. Come by more often. I don’t want to have to arrange meetings with you just to find out Guild gossip.”
“I’ll try.” Lorlen managed a smile. “Perhaps you should visit the Night Room more often. You might hear some gossip yourself.”
The High Lord shook his head. “They’re all too careful when I am around. Besides, my interests lie outside the confines of the Guild. I’ll leave our family scandals to you.”
Placing his wineglass on the table, Lorlen moved to the door, which opened silently. He glanced back to see Akkarin sipping wine contentedly.
“Good night,” he said.
