The High Lord

'That hardly inspires us to - trust you.'

'The reader may learn the secret of black magic from my mind,' Akkarin added. 'I will not risk that.'

Vinara's eyes narrowed. She looked at Sonea. 'Perhaps Sonea then?'

'No.'

'She has learned black magic, too?'

'No,' he replied, 'but I have trusted her with information that should not be shared, unless in the greatest need.'

Sonea's heart was pounding. She looked at the floor. He had lied about her.

'Is Rothen's story true?' Vinara asked.

'It is.'

'You admit to claiming her guardianship merely to force Rothen and Sonea to remain silent?'

'No, I also claimed Sonea's guardianship because she has great potential. A potential that was being shamefully neglected. I've found her to be nothing less than honest, hardworking and exceptionally gifted.'

Sonea looked up at him in surprise. She felt a sudden mad urge to grin, but managed to control it.

Then she went cold as she suddenly understood what he was doing.

He was convincing them to keep her within the Guild by telling them she had skills and information that they might need. Even if they didn't believe him, they might take pity on her. She had been his hostage. She had been deceived into helping him. The Guild might even pardon her. She had, after all, only read a few books, and then only at the instigation of Akkarin.

She frowned. This made Akkarin look worse, however. And he was encouraging them to see things that way. Since she had first learned of the Ichani, she had nursed the hope that the Guild, if it learned the truth, would pardon him. But now she wondered if Akkarin had ever considered that a possibility.

If he wasn't hoping to be pardoned, what was he planning? Surely he didn't mean to let them execute him?

No, if it came to that, he would fight his way out and escape. Would he make it?

She considered, again, how much of his power the fight with the Ichani woman must have used. Her heart began to race as she realized he could easily be too weak to escape the Guild.

Unless she gave him all her strength, including that which she had taken from the Ichani woman.

All she had to do was touch him and send him the power. The warriors surrounding them would try to stop her. She would have to fight them.

When they did, however, they would realize that she was using more power than she ought to possess.

And then they would not be at all inclined to pardon her.

So the only way she could save Akkarin was to reveal her own use of black magic.

'Sonea.'

She looked up to find Lorlen regarding her intently.

'Yes, Administrator.'

His eyes narrowed.

'Did Akkarin teach you how to read an unwilling mind?'

'Yes.'

'And you are sure what you saw in the spy's mind was true?'

'I am sure.'

'Where were you on the night Lord Jolen died?'

'I was with the High Lord.'

Lorlen frowned. 'What were you doing?'

Sonea hesitated. Now was the time to reveal herself. But Akkarin might have a reason for wanting her not to.

He wants someone who knows the truth to remain in the Guild.

What use will I be, though, with him dead? Better that we escape together. If the Guild needs our help, they can contact us through Lorlen's blood ring.

'Sonea?'

One thing I am sure of. I can't let them kill Akkarin.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her eyes to meet Lorlen's.

'He was teaching me black magic.'

Gasps and exclamations filled the hall. In the edge of her vision she saw Akkarin turn to stare at her, but she kept her eyes on Lorlen. Her heart was pounding, and she felt sick, but she forced herself to continue. 'I asked him to teach me. He refused at first. It was only after he had been injured by the Ichani spy that I—'

'You learned black magic willingly?' Vinara exclaimed.

Sonea nodded. 'Yes, my lady. When the High Lord was injured, I realized there would be nobody with the ability to continue fighting if he died.'

Lorlen glanced at Akkarin. 'Now there won't be.'

His words sent a chill down her spine. Clearly Lorlen had understood what Akkarin had been trying to do. Knowing that she had been right in her suspicions gave her only a bitter satisfaction.

Looking at Akkarin, she was shocked to see the anger in his face. She quickly looked away. I said I would do as he instructed. She felt doubts beginning to gather. Was I wrong? Did I just ruin some plan I wasn't clever enough to see?

But surely Akkarin had realized she would understand that he was sacrificing himself so that she could remain in the Guild. He must have considered that she might refuse to abandon him.

'Sonea.'

Heart still pounding, she forced herself to look at Lorlen.

'Did Akkarin kill Lord Jolen?'

'No.'

'Did he kill the witness?'

Her stomach fluttered at the question. 'I don't know. I haven't seen this witness, so I couldn't tell you. I can say that I have never seen him kill a woman.'

Lorlen nodded and looked up at the Higher Magicians. 'Any further questions?'

'Yes,' Balkan said. 'When we arrived at Akkarin's residence, neither you nor Akkarin were there. You arrived together later. Where did you go?'

'We went into the city.'

'Why?'

'To deal with another spy.'

'Did Akkarin kill this spy?'

'No.'

Balkan frowned at her but remained silent. Lorlen looked at the Higher Magicians, then turned to regard the rest of the hall.

'Does anyone have any more questions?'

Silence answered him. Sonea breathed a sigh of relief. Lorlen nodded.

'We will now discuss what we have—'

'Wait!'

Lorlen turned to the front. 'Yes, Lord Balkan.'

'One more question. For Sonea.'

She forced herself to meet Balkan's gaze.

'Did you kill this Ichani woman?'

Cold swept over her. She looked at Akkarin. He was staring at the floor, his expression hard and resigned.

What difference would it make to tell them? she thought. Only to show that I believe what he says is the truth. She lifted her chin and stared back at Balkan.

'Yes.'

The hall filled with exclamations. Balkan sighed and rubbed his temples.

'I told you not to let them stand together,' he muttered.