The High Lord

behind the trees. 'I was greeted warmly and welcomed back. When asked where I had disappeared to, I related my experiences in the allied countries, then made up a story of retreating to the mountains to study in solitude.

'Then, soon after my return, the High Lord died. Custom dictated that the strongest magician take the position. I never considered I might be a candidate. I was only twenty-five, after all. But I had accidentally allowed Lord Balkan to sense my strength. I was surprised when he proposed that I be considered, and amazed at how much support the idea had. It is interesting what people will overlook when they desperately want to avoid electing a man they don't like.'

Intrigued, Sonea opened her mouth to ask who, but Akkarin continued.

'Balkan said that my travels had matured me, and I had experience in dealing with other cultures.' Akkarin snorted softly. 'If he had known the truth, he might not have been so insistent. While the idea seemed absurd, I began to see possibilities in it. I needed to distract myself from the memories of the previous five years. And I had begun to worry about the Ichani. Dakova and his brother had talked many times of how easy it would be to invade Kyralia. Though Kariko was alone now, and would probably never get the other Ichani to join him, an invasion was not impossible. What if he regained the favor of the King and convinced him to invade? I decided I needed to keep an eye on the Sachakans, and it would be easier to do that if I had the resources of a High Lord. And it was not difficult to convince the Guild to elect me, once I let them test my strength.

'After a few years I heard about murders in the city that sounded suspiciously like black magic. I investigated and found the first spy. From him I learned that Kariko had been stirring up the other Ichani with ideas of plundering Imardin, taking revenge for the Sachakan War, and forcing the Sachakan King to accept them again. He first had to convince them that the Guild does not use black magic. I have been convincing them otherwise ever since.' He smiled, then turned to face her. 'You are a good listener, Sonea. You did not interrupt me once. You must have some questions, now.'

She nodded slowly. Where to start? She considered the questions that crowded her mind.

'Why didn't you tell the Guild about the Ichani?'

Akkarin's brows rose. 'Do you think they would have believed me?'

'Lorlen might.'

He looked away. 'I am not sure of that.'

She thought of Lorlen's outrage when he had seen her memory of Akkarin performing black magic. When Akkarin had read her mind, he would have seen that outrage. She felt a pang of sympathy. It must have hurt to have their friendship spoiled by a secret he dare not tell.

'I think Lorlen would believe you,' she said. 'If he didn't, you could let him perform a truth-read.' She winced as she said it. After all that mind-reading from Dakova, Akkarin probably never wanted another person probing his memories again.

He shook his head. 'I can't risk that. Anyone reading my mind could easily learn the secret of black magic. That is why I stopped your mind-read of Tavaka last night.'

'Then... the Guild could send several magicians to Sachaka to confirm your story.'

'If they entered in large numbers and started asking dangerous questions, they would be considered a threat. It might start the very conflict we fear. Remember, too, that I knew there was no immediate threat from Sachaka when I first arrived here. I was so relieved to be home, and there seemed no sense in revealing that I'd broken the magicians' vow unless I had to.'

'But now there is a threat.'

His gaze flickered. 'Not until Kariko convinces the other Ichani to join him.'

'But the sooner the Guild knows, the better prepared it would be.'

Akkarin's expression hardened. 'I am the only one capable of confronting these spies. Do you think the Guild will allow me to continue as High Lord if it knows I have learned black magic? If I told them now, they would lose all of the trust they have in me. Their fear would blind them to the real threat. Until I have found a way for them to fight these Ichani without black magic, it is better they know nothing.'

She nodded, though she could not believe the Guild would punish him once they heard what he had just told her.

'Is there another way?'

'I have not found one yet.'

'So what will you do?'

'Continue hunting spies. My allies in the Thieves are proving more effective than those I previously hired to locate them.'

'The Thieves.' Sonea smiled. 'I thought so. How long have you been working with them?'

'About two years.'

'How much do they know?'

'Only that they are hunting rogue magicians with a nasty habit of killing people, and that these rogues all happen to come from Sachaka. They locate them, inform me, and get rid of the bodies.'

A memory flashed through her mind of Tavaka, pleading for his life. Promising to be good, while intending to kill as many Kyralians as he could so he might return to Sachaka and join the Ichani. If it weren't for Akkarin, Tavaka would be doing just that right now.

She frowned. So much depended on Akkarin. What if he died? Who would stop the spies then? Only Takan and she would know what was really going on, but neither of them knew black magic. Neither could do anything to stop the Ichani.

She froze as the implication of that rushed over her like icy water.

'Why did you tell me this?'

He smiled grimly. 'Somebody else needs to know.'

'But why me?'

'You knew much already.'

She paused. 'Then... can we tell Rothen? I know he'd keep quiet if he understood the threat.'

He frowned. 'No. Not unless we must reveal everything to the Guild.'

'But he still believes that I... What if he tries to do something? About me.'

'Oh, I'm watching Rothen closely.'

In the distance a gong rang. Akkarin pushed himself to his feet. The hem of his black robes brushed across her hand. Sonea looked up at him and felt a strange mixture of fear and respect. He had killed many times. He had learned and used the darkest magic. Yet he had done it to escape slavery, and to keep the Guild safe. And nobody but she and Takan knew.

Akkarin crossed his arms and smiled. 'Go back to your lessons now, Sonea. My favorite does not skip classes.'

Sonea dropped her eyes and nodded.

'Yes, High Lord.'

8 Contemplating a Crime

The corridor of the University echoed with the voices of the novices. The two who followed Rothen, carrying boxes of the chemistry tools and substances used in the previous class, were having a fascinating conversation in low voices. They had observed a girl watching them at the horse races last Freeday, and they couldn't decide which one she might be interested in.

Rothen was having a hard time keeping a straight face. But his mood darkened as a slight figure appeared at the top of the stairs. Sonea's expression was tight with annoyance. A large stack of heavy books filled her arms. She turned into the side passage that led to the Novices' Library.

The boys behind Rothen stopped talking and hummed with sympathy.

'Guess she asked for it,' one said. 'Got to admire her guts, though. I wouldn't dare skip classes if he was my guardian.'