The High Lord

us.'

Farand frowned. 'I don't believe it.'

'No?' Dannyl forced himself to smile. 'When we get to Kyralia, the High Lord will confirm it. It was his idea to have us pretend to be lovers, so the rebels felt they had something to blackmail us with.'

'But what he's telling them is true,' Farand said softly. 'When I saw you two together, it was obvious. Don't worry. I haven't told anyone my views on the matter.' He yawned again. 'I won't. But I can't help thinking you must be wrong about the Guild.'

'How so?'

'You keep telling me the Guild is always fair and reasonable. But from the way the other magicians are reacting to this news about you, I'm beginning to think it's not. And it wasn't fair of your High Lord to make you reveal something like that if he knew this was how the other magicians would react.' His eyelids closed, then fluttered open again. 'I'm so tired. And I don't feel so good.'

'Get some rest then.'

The young man closed his eyes. His breathing immediately slowed and Dannyl guessed he had fallen asleep. No conversation tonight, he mused. It's going to be a long one.

He looked out of the window at the other ships. So Royend was taking his revenge. It doesn't matter if Farand believes it's true, he told himself. When Akkarin confirms that it was all a deception, nobody will believe the Dem.

Was Farand right, though? Was it unfair of Akkarin to have used him and Tayend in this way? Dannyl could no longer pretend that he didn't know Tayend was a lad. Would people expect him to avoid Tayend from now on? What would they say when he didn't?

He sighed. He hated living with this fear. He hated pretending that Tayend meant nothing more to him than a useful assistant should. He had no delusions that he could boldly admit to the truth, however, and somehow change Kyralian attitudes. And he missed Tayend already, like a part of himself had been left behind in Elyne.

Think of something else, he told himself.

His thoughts strayed to the book that Tayend had 'borrowed' from the Dem, now stowed with Dannyl's belongings. He hadn't mentioned it to anyone, not even Errend. Though finding the book had helped him decide it was time to arrest the rebels, it hadn't been necessary to reveal its existence. And he didn't want to. By reading those passages, Dannyl had broken the law against learning about black magic. The words were still in his memory...

Minor skills include the ability to create 'blood stones' or 'bloodgems' which enhance the maker's ability to mind-speak with another person at a distance...

He thought about the eccentric Dem he and Tayend had visited in the mountains over a year ago, during their second journey to search for information about ancient magic. In the Dem Ladeiri's impressive collection of books and artifacts had been a ring, the symbol for high magic carved into the red glass 'gem' in the setting. A ring that according to the Dem enabled the wearer to communicate with another magician without the conversation being overheard. Was the gem in the ring one of these blood gems?

Dannyl shivered. Had he handled an object of black magic? The thought made him feel cold. He had actually put the ring on.

... and 'store stones' or 'store gems' which can hold and release magic in specific ways.

He and Tayend had trekked up the mountains above Ladeiri's home to an ancient ruined city. They had found a hidden tunnel which led, according to Tayend's translation of the writing carved into it, to a 'Chamber of Ultimate Justice.' Dannyl had followed the tunnel to a large room with a domed ceiling covered in glittering stones. Those stones had attacked him with magical strikes, and he had barely escaped alive.

His skin prickled. Was the ceiling of the Chamber of Ultimate Justice made from these store stones? Was this what Akkarin had meant when he'd said there were political reasons for keeping the chamber's existence a secret? It was a room full of black magic gems.

Akkarin had said something about the chamber losing strength, too. Clearly, he understood what it was. Knowing how to recognize and deal with such magic would be the High Lord's responsibility. Which was all the more reason why the book must remain concealed for now. He would give it to Akkarin when he arrived.

Farand made a small noise of distress in his sleep. Looking up, Dannyl frowned. The young man was pale and sickly. The distress of capture had taken quite a toll. Then Dannyl looked closer. Farand's lips were darker. They were almost blue...

Dannyl moved to the bed. He grabbed Farand's shoulder and shook him. The man's eyes opened, but didn't focus.

Putting a hand to the man's forehead, Dannyl closed his eyes and sent his mind forth. He sucked in a breath as he sensed the chaos within the man's body.

Someone had poisoned him.

Drawing on his power, Dannyl sent Healing energy out, but it was hard to know where to start. He applied it to the most affected organs first. But the deterioration continued as the poison gradually spread through the body.

This is beyond me, Dannyl thought desperately. I need a Healer.

He thought about the other two magicians in the ship. Neither were Healers. Both were Elynes. He thought of Dem Marane's warning.

'You do realize the King might kill him rather than let the Guild discover whatever it is that he knows.'

Barene had been here when the meal had been served. Had he given Farand the poison? Best not to call him, just in case. The other magician, Lord Hemend, was close to the Elyne King. Dannyl didn't trust him either.

There was only one other choice. Dannyl closed his eyes.

- Vinara!

- Dannyl?

- I need your help. Someone has poisoned the rogue.

The other two magicians would hear this call, but Dannyl couldn't help that. He put a magical binding on the door. Though it would not keep out a magician for long, it would prevent surprise intrusions or interruptions from non-magicians.

The sense of Lady Vinara's personality grew stronger, full of concern and urgency.

- Describe the symptoms.

Dannyl showed her an image of Farand, his skin now very white and his breathing labored. Then he sent his mind back into the man's body and conveyed his impressions to her.

- You must purge the poison, then attend to the damage.

Following her instructions, Dannyl began a painfully complicated process. First he made Farand throw up. Then he took one of the knives used for the meal, cleaned and sharpened it with magic, and cut open a vein in the man's arm. Vinara explained how to keep the man's failing organs working, fight the effects of the poison, and encourage the body to make more blood as the contaminated fluid slowly drained away.

It took a great toll on Farand's body. Healing magic could not replace the nutrients needed to make blood and tissue. Reserves of fat and some muscle tissue were depleted. When he woke - if he woke - Farand would be barely strong enough to breathe.

When Dannyl had done all he could, he opened his eyes and, as he became aware of the room again, realized that someone was hammering on the door.

- Do you know who did this? Vinara asked.

- No. But I have an idea why. I could investigate...

- Let the others investigate. You must stay and guard the patient.

- I don't trust them. There. It had been said.

- Nevertheless, Farand is your responsibility. You can't protect him and look for the poisoner at the same time. Be vigilant, Dannyl.