The High Lord

about the way he carried himself that she hadn't seen before. He had expressed none of the fear or awe of Akkarin that she had expected. They spoke as if they had dealt with each other before.

No doubt he was one of the men helping Akkarin find the spies. But why didn't Akkarin tell me Cery was involved?

Cery unlocked a hatch at the back of the stall and held it open.

'Lead the way, Gol.'

The large, silent man bent double and stepped through, then began to descend a ladder. Takan followed, then Akkarin. Sonea paused to look at Cery. He grinned.

'Go on. We'll catch up when we get to my place.'

She climbed down the ladder into a large passage. Gol held a lamp. Familiar smells brought back old memories of the Thieves' Road. As Cery joined them, he nodded to Gol, and they set off through the passage.

They travelled for several minutes, then passed through a large metal door into a luxuriously furnished guestroom. A low table at the center was covered with several plates of food, glasses, and bottles of wine.

Sonea collapsed into a chair and helped herself to a few morsels of food. Akkarin sat down beside her and picked up one of the bottles. His eyebrows rose. 'You live better than magicians do, Ceryni.'

'Oh, I don't live here,' Cery said, taking another of the seats. 'This is one of my guest places. Takan's been staying here.'

'The Thief has been generous,' Takan said quietly, nodding at Cery.

The Thief? Sonea choked, swallowed, then stared at Cery. Catching her look, he grinned. 'Only just clicked, did it?'

'But...' She shook her head. 'How is that possible?'

He spread his hands. 'Hard work, clever moves, good connections... and a little help from your High Lord.'

'So you're the Thief who helped Akkarin find the spies?'

'That's right. I started after he helped you and me with Fergun,' Cery explained. 'He wanted someone to find the murderers for him. Someone with the right connections and influence.'

'I see.' So Akkarin has known about this since my guardianship Hearing. She turned to glare at him. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

Akkarin's lips curled into a faint smile. 'Initially, I couldn't. You would have believed I had forced or tricked Cery into helping me.'

'You could have told me after I had learned the truth about the Ichani.'

He shook his head. 'I am always wary of revealing more than I need to. If you were captured by the Ichani, they might discover Cery's connection to me from your mind. As it turns out, I do need the association to remain a secret.' He turned to Cery. 'It is important that our presence in Imardin does not become common knowledge. If the Ichani read it from someone's mind, our only chance of winning the battle will be lost. The fewer who know we are here, the better.'

Cery nodded. 'Only Gol and I know you are here. The other Thieves think we're just going to talk about what's stirring up the city.' He smiled. 'They'll be surprised to see you.'

'Do you think they will agree to keep our presence a secret?'

Cery shrugged. 'Once they know what's going on and see that they'll lose everything they've got if the Sachakans win, they'll mind you like their own children.'

'You told Takan you had been considering ways of killing magicians,' Akkarin said. 'What were you—'

- Balkan?

Sonea straightened in her seat. The mental voice belonged to—

- Yikmo? Balkan replied.

- The Sachakans are nearing Calia.

- I will advise you shortly.

'What is it, master?' Takan asked.

'A communication,' Akkarin replied. 'Lord Yikmo reported that the Ichani are approaching Calia. He must be there.'

Sonea felt a shiver run down her spine. 'Surely the Guild hasn't gone out to meet them?' She looked at Cery. 'You'd have heard if they had left the city.'

Cery shook his head. 'Nothing like that has been reported.'

Akkarin frowned. 'I wish Lorlen would use the ring.'

'About twenty magicians left the city four days ago,' Gol interjected. 'In the morning.'

- Yikmo?

- Balkan.

- Take your time.

- We will.

Sonea frowned at Akkarin. 'What does that mean?'

His expression darkened. 'No doubt it's a prearranged code for an instruction. They can't tell Yikmo and his men what to do without giving away their intentions to the Ichani.'

'But what does it mean?'

He drummed the tips of his fingers together. 'Twenty magicians. Four days ago. They left before the Ichani attacked the Fort. What purpose could they have had?'

'A guard for the South Pass?' Sonea suggested. 'Balkan left our escort at the Fort. Perhaps he thought the South Pass needed guarding, too.'

Akkarin shook his head. 'We would have passed them on the road. They must have been north of Calia, where the road forks. Whatever the reason, they could not have travelled so far before the attack that they could have returned to Imardin again. They have remained in Calia for a reason.'

'To report the Ichani's position?' Cery suggested.

'All twenty of them?' Akkarin's frown deepened. 'I hope the Guild hasn't planned something foolish.'

'That would be a surprise,' Takan remarked dryly.

Cery looked down. 'We better eat this, before it goes cold. Wine anyone?'

Sonea opened her mouth to reply, but froze as an image flashed into her mind. Three carts trundled down a village main road. Several men and women rode in each cart, some of them splendidly dressed.

The horses pulling the first cart halted, and their driver slowly turned to face the viewer. Sonea recognized Kariko with a shiver. He handed the reins to a man sitting beside him, then jumped to the ground.

'Come out, come out, Guild magician,' he called.

A strike flashed from the window of a house on the other side of the street, followed by several more from both sides. They struck an invisible shield around each cart.

'An ambush,' Sonea heard Akkarin mutter.

Kariko turned full circle, surveying the houses and street, then looked at his allies.

'Who wants to hunt?'

Four of the Ichani stepped down from the carts. They separated and started toward the houses on either side. Two brought yeel with them, the animals barking with excitement.

Then the view shifted. She caught a glimpse of a window frame, a room, and a Guild magician.

'Rothen!' she gasped. The images stopped, and she stared at Akkarin in horror. 'Rothen is with them!'

It has been far too many years since I had a Warrior lesson or a bout in the Arena, Rothen thought as he hurried across the yard to the back door of the house.

Yikmo's strategy was simple. If the Sachakans could not see their attackers, they could not fight back. The Guild magicians would strike from concealed places, then change position and strike again. When they had no more power, they were to hide and rest.

Rothen hurried as fast as he could through the house to the front room. The villagers had been sent away hours before, and the doors and windows had all been unlocked in preparation for the ambush. Peering out, he saw a Sachakan man reach out to the door of the next house. He threw a powerful strike, and was gratified to see the man stop.

Then his heart sank as the man turned and started toward him. He stumbled over a chair and hurried out of the room.