The High Lord

formed. This fell from the tip of the shard into Kariko's palm.

Kariko closed his fingers around it and shut his eyes. Something stirred at the edge of Rothen's thoughts. He sensed another mind and caught a glimpse of what this strange ritual meant. His mind was linked to the glass now, and to anyone who touched it. Kariko intended to make it into a ring and—

Suddenly the link broke. Kariko smiled and turned away. Rothen felt the force holding him to the wall dissipate. He gasped as his shoulder flared with pain. Looking up, he watched in disbelief as the Sachakan walked away through the ruined front of the house toward the broken carts.

He let me live.

Rothen thought of the little sphere of glass. He thought back to Lord Sarrin's briefing about the uses of black magic, and realized that Kariko had just made a blood gem.

The sound of voices outside sent a chill through his veins. I must get away now, he thought, while I still can. Turning away, he hurried through the house to the back door, and stumbled out into the night.

Looking at Sonea, Cery felt unexpectedly calm.

He had expected to be tormented by conflicting emotions at the first sight of her. There had been no thrill of excitement and admiration, as in the early days, nor any of the painful longing that had lingered after she had joined the Guild. Mostly he felt fondness - and concern.

I suspect I'll always be worrying about her for one reason or another. Watching her now, he noted how her attention constantly returned to Akkarin. He smiled. At first he had assumed this was because Akkarin was her former guardian and she was used to obeying his every command, but he wasn't so sure now. She hadn't hesitated to confront him about concealing Cery's status. And Akkarin hadn't been too bothered by her defiance either.

They aren't Guild magicians any more, Cery reminded himself. They probably had to abandon all that guardian-novice stuff.

But he was beginning to suspect there was more to it than that.

'Do you have my knife?' Akkarin asked his servant.

Takan nodded, rose and disappeared into one of the bedrooms. He returned with a sheathed knife hanging on a belt, and offered it to Akkarin with his head bowed.

Akkarin took it solemnly. He draped the belt across his knees, then suddenly looked up at the far wall. At the same time Sonea drew in a sharp breath.

The room fell silent. Cery watched the pair gaze into the distance. Akkarin's brows came together and he shook his head, then Sonea's eyes widened.

'No!' she gasped. 'Rothen!' Her face drained of all color, then she buried her face in her hands and began to sob.

Cery felt his heart twist with concern, and saw the same emotion on Akkarin's face. The magician pushed the belt to one side and slipped out of his chair to kneel beside her. He drew her against him and held her tightly.

'Sonea,' he murmured. 'I'm sorry.'

Clearly something terrible had happened. 'What is it?' Cery asked.

'Lord Yikmo just reported that all of his men have been killed,' Akkarin said. 'Rothen, Sonea's guardian before me, was among them.' He paused. 'Yikmo is badly injured. He said something about successfully delaying the Ichani. I think that may be why they ambushed them, but I don't know why the Guild needs the delay.'

The sound of Sonea's sobs changed. She was clearly trying to stop. Akkarin looked down at her, then glanced at Cery.

'Where can we sleep?'

Takan gestured to a room. 'Through there, master.' Cery noted that the servant had indicated the room with the larger bed.

Akkarin rose, drawing Sonea to her feet. 'Come on, Sonea. We've not slept a full night for weeks.'

'I can't sleep,' she said.

'Then lie there and warm the bed up for me.'

Well, that leaves no doubt, Cery thought.

They moved into the room. After a moment, Akkarin returned. Cery stood up.

'It's late,' Cery said. 'I'll return early tomorrow, so we can talk about the meeting.'

Akkarin nodded. 'Thank you, Ceryni.' He returned to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Cery regarded the closed door. Akkarin, eh? An interesting choice.

'I hope this does not upset you.'

Cery turned to regard Takan. The servant nodded toward the bedroom.

'Those two?' Cery shrugged. 'No.'

Takan nodded. 'I thought not, since you are now occupied with another woman.'

Cery felt his blood turn cold. He glanced at Gol, who was frowning. 'How did you know about that?'

'I heard it from one of my guards.' Takan glanced from Cery to Gol. 'This was meant to be a secret, then?'

'Yes. It is not always safe being friends with a Thief.'

The servant looked genuinely concerned. 'They did not know her name. A young man like yourself would be expected to have a woman, or many women.'

Cery managed a grim smile. 'Perhaps you're right. I'll have to look into these rumors. Good night, then.'

Takan nodded. 'Good night, Thief.'

31 Preparations for War

The guide led Lorlen into a spacious room. Early morning sunlight streamed through enormous windows on one side. A small crowd of men surrounded a large table in the center. The King stood at the middle of this, Lord Balkan on his left and Captain Arin, his military advisor, on the right. The rest of the group was made up of captains and courtiers, some familiar, some not.

The King acknowledged Lorlen with a glance and a nod, then turned his attention back to a hand-drawn map of the city spread before him.

'And how soon until the Outer Wall gate supports are finished, Captain Vettan?' he asked of a gray-haired man.

'The Northern and Western Gates are ready. The Southern will be finished by this evening,' the Captain replied.

'A question, Your Majesty?' This came from a finely dressed young man standing on the other side of the table.

The King looked up. 'Yes, Florin?'

Lorlen regarded the young man with surprise. This was the King's cousin, a youth no older than a new novice, and a possible heir to the throne.

'Why are we fortifying the gates, when the Outer Wall has fallen into disrepair around the Guild?' the young man asked. 'The Sachakans only need to send scouts out to circle the city, to discover this.'

The King smiled grimly. 'We're hoping the Sachakans don't try that.'

'We are expecting the Sachakans to attack us boldly.' Balkan told Ilorin, 'and since these slaves are a source of power to them, I doubt they will risk sending them out as scouts.' Lorlen noted that Balkan did not mention the possiblity that the Sachakans had read this weakness from the minds of the Warriors at the Fort, or Calia. Perhaps the King had asked him to keep the true hopelessness of their position from his cousin.

'Do you believe these fortifications will stop the Sachakans?' Ilorin asked.

'No,' Balkan replied. 'Slow them, perhaps, but not stop them. Their purpose is to force the Sachakans to use up some of their power.'