Shadow Dagger Ch. 05

Ashford frowned. "Yes, she is. I don't see what..." Ashford trailed off, his eyes widening in surprise.

Jon nodded and sat back in his chair. "Yes, those were at least 9th Tier spells. I admit, I don't know much about her, but I do know from common knowledge that she was more a defensive mage than offensive. Am I right?"

Is it possible for this night to hold anymore secrets? "Yes, you are correct. Daminus was a great offensive weapon; she was not. She was his protection during battle."

"Yes, I have heard that," Jon said. "She is something of a legend for women in this city. A 5th Tier Magi who could cast a very advanced protection spell when her lover was in danger. That was her bond-gift, I assume?"

Ashford nodded. "Yes. Whenever Daminus' life was in danger, she was capable of casting a protection spell more advanced than she was normally able to."

Jon stood up suddenly and walked to the fireplace. He grabbed the poker and stirred the flames. "And yet tonight she cast a powerful ward around herself and got off an icicle attack of at least the 9th Tier."

Ashford rubbed his eyes. "I don't understand it. Her gift only applied to protection spells and only when Daminus was in danger."

Jon stared into the flames for so long that Ashford thought the conversation was over. "What was his gift?" he asked finally, turning away from the flames.

"His gift? You mean his bond-gift?" Ashford asked. Jon nodded. "We never knew. I would always tease him about it; that he never discovered what his bond-gift was. It bugged him a great deal but Evelyn would always laugh it off. She would always say his love for her was the only gift she needed."

"But in every soul-mate relationship, some type of gift is given between both partners," Jon replied. "I knew a man once who could share thoughts with his soul-mate. She, in turn, always knew exactly where he was and how his health was."

Ashford shrugged. "Well, we were never able to discover what it was. Believe me; he tried all kinds of experiments."

Jon nodded. "I believe you."

They sat in silence for awhile, each lost in their own thoughts. "So why do you want to know? What does this have to do with Evelyn?" Ashford finally asked.

Jon mulled his thoughts over for a few moments. "Those spells were very advanced, even for a more powerful Magi. That icicle attack was made of three parts; the direct attack itself, the hundreds of shards when it hit the wall, and the magical poison contained within each icicle."

Ashford was shocked. "The attack was poisoned?"

"Yes. And the ward she set around herself was very complex. I doubt there are many Magi who could have disarmed it."

"What does this mean?" Ashford asked.

"Did you ever see Daminus cast either of those spells?" Jon asked instead.

Ashford thought it over. Did I? I know for sure I never saw him cast the ward spell. But the icicle? With poison? "No...I don't think he was capable of those spells," Ashford said.

"Interesting," Jon replied. His eyes looked...more alive than Ashford had seen there before.

"Care to share?"

"No," Jon replied. Ashford gritted his teeth in frustration. Jon looked up and spotted Ashford's expression. He smiled a little as he said, "At least, not yet. I need to think this over some more."

Ashford opened his mouth angrily but stopped as they both look around when Sophina walked in. "Can you heal her, please?" she asked.

Ashford frowned at her. Her voice sounded like she had been crying and her eyes were puffy. "What's wrong with you?" he asked gruffly, trying not to think of her naked.

They both ignored him. Jon got up and patted her on the shoulder. He disappeared down the hallway. Sophina collapsed into his chair.

"I am exhausted," she said.

Ashford snorted. "Welcome to the club. At least you haven't been living in fear the past few days."

"Don't start," she said, holding up her hand.

Ashford almost replied, but was too tired himself. "What are we going to do?" he asked quietly.

Sophina laughed softly. "I have no idea. Earlier tonight I was just doing my job. It was just like a thousand other days. And now here I am, consorting with Magi and assassins."

Ashford glanced over at the hallway. "Do you really think we can trust him?" He didn't have to explain who he was talking about.

"Are you crazy? Trust a Magi Victus that just killed my...Evelyn's husband?"

What was she about to say? Ashford didn't feel like pressing the issue. She was definitely acting weird, though. "We are all involved in this. So, for now, I think we have to work together to figure it out."

Sophina sat up straight. "Speaking of which, you never really explained what we are caught up in."

"Yes, I would like to know that, too," Jon said, walking back into the room.

Ashford threw up his hands. "Ok, fine! Look, a group of us grew up together with the King. We were..."

Ashford continued his tale long into the night.

***

Raynolt Teryus hovered by the doorway in the Grand Master's office while the rest of the council surveyed the room. The council was very somber as they took in the total destruction of the office. Raynolt, however, could barely suppress a smile.

If only they knew it was I who caused this devastion. As much as he hated to, he restrained from telling the truth. He just hoped that one day people would know who truly took down the Grand Master Boltus, who was considered the most powerful Grand Master that the Emporium had seen in almost a thousand years.

Halas Winstrum squatted down next to Boltus' body. "What a sad day," he whispered quietly. Most of the council was looking anywhere but at the body. Safra Howe, Master of the 2nd Tier, was openly weeping.

"He was a brave man to the very end," she gasped.

Halas sighed deeply as he got up. He turned and faced the council. "Come, we need to make preparations. We have a lot to do." He motioned to the guards standing next to him. "Take the Grand Master and Darrius' bodies to the burial chamber. Have the priests prepare them for burial."

"Yes, Master Winstrum," they intoned, saluting him.

The council walked slowly from the room. Raynolt let most of the council walk past him but held Halas back long enough for the rest of the council to get out of earshot. Halas raised his eyebrows questioningly as Raynolt motioned him to start walking.

"The 5th Tier needs to select a new Master tonight," Raynolt said.

Halas sighed. "Yes, I know. I hate to rush this type of decision, but I have the feeling the Magi Victus won't give us the luxury of time."

They walked in silence for a few minutes while Raynolt decided how to bring up the next subject. Finally, he decided to be straightforward. "I am putting my name in for the Grand Master position." He felt a thrill as he said those words. He could feel the power they held. He had dreamt of saying those words for so long.

Halas eyed him sideways but said nothing. Raynolt was beginning to feel victory when Halas spoke. "As I am," he said simply.

Raynolt almost missed a step as the shock of what Halas said hit him. Halas? That buffoon? "I...I am surprised, Halas. I never took you for the type who could lead the Magi."

"I think it will be you that will be surprised. Not everyone has such a short memory. Why, I seem to recall that pretty little wife of yours who went missing all those years ago. Tell me, what ever happened to her?"

Raynolt felt his face redden in anger. He clenched his hand to keep it from strangling the life out of him. "Maybe you should consider how impressed the rest of the council was that I captured the Grand Master's killer," he said through gritted teeth.

Halas smiled. "Ah yes, your little show of bravery. I wonder, though, how is it that you came upon the Grand Master as he battled for his life?"

This man is too dangerous to be left alive. Raynolt cursed silently. Halas' murder would look too suspicious and the cocky bastard knew it. "I told you, the Grand Master wished to discuss my proposal."

"Did he? That's funny, I distinctly remember him throwing you out of the council meeting last month and telling you not to bring up that subject in his presence again." His tone barely concealed a very real sense of danger.

Raynolt knew what he was implying. He felt his heartbeat speed up as a small seed of fear took root in his mind. "The Grand Master possessed a volatile temper, you know that. Once he cooled down he extended his hand in apology and wished me to meet with him to discuss my proposal privately."

"And so late at night, too? Why, he was very generous indeed," Halas replied sarcastically.

Raynolt stopped and turned in front of him. "Are you suggesting I had something to do with the Grand Master's death?" He made sure Halas heard the venom in his tone.

Halas didn't blink. "I wouldn't have the faintest idea of that. Regardless, there is no evidence to suggest it. However, if someone were to whisper in the council's ear...why, I don't think they would look too kindly on you for the Grand Master's position." He smiled.

Raynolt was almost tempted to open himself to the magic and be done with this fool. Not yet...but soon. I will see you die, Halas, if you get in my way. Raynolt smiled back, showing his teeth. "Are you so scared of my position that you would seek to poison the council against me?"

Halas dropped all pretenses. "It will be a cold day in the nine hells before I see you take the Grand Master position," he snarled. "Daminus would agree, if he were here. Tell me, what befell him tonight to keep him from answering the summons?"

Raynolt snarled right back at him. "Damn if I know. He was probably too busy giving it to that soul-mate of his."

"So help me Raynolt, if he turns up dead, I will see you clapped in irons and on your knees before the council."

He brushed past Raynolt and stalked down the hallway. Raynolt glared at his back until he disappeared from view. You have it the wrong way, Halas. It will be I who sees you humbled.

Raynolt took off for his office in a foul mood. He threw opened the door when he arrived and instantly embraced his magic. Sanje was leaning against his desk.

"What in the nine hells are you doing in here?" he snarled. He didn't release the magic but readied several deadly spells in his mind.

"We have business to discuss," he said, smiling. His hand drifted to his dagger as he stared into Raynolt's silver-filled eyes.

Raynolt took a deep breath to control his temper. He released the magic. Sanje smirked and took his hand off the dagger. "I arrange the meetings, not you," Raynolt said, gritting his teeth.

Sanje shrugged. "I was going to leave you a message but I spotted your man Lenard outside the gates. He sent me ahead to bring word to you to meet him outside the gates."

"What is it? What did he find?" Raynolt snapped his mouth shut. He hated playing Sanje's games.

"I wouldn't know; it's none of my business. Shall I meet you there?"

Raynolt nodded. "Tell him I will be there shortly."

Sanje moved and then simply disappeared. The papers on Raynolt's desk fluttered. "Did you hear all that?" he asked, apparently speaking to the empty room.

His bookcase swung open silently as Morgana stepped out from the hidden alcove. "Yes. If Lenard asks that you meet him outside the gates, then I fear it's not good news."

"Then we best hurry," he replied.

If this night takes another wrong turn, I swear I am going to kill somebody.

***

Jon leaned back in his chair and soaked in the information Ashford had imparted. It's amazing what these Magi have discovered. I wouldn't have thought it possible...

"So you dedicated your life to protect the King?" Sophina asked. She sounded impressed.

Ashford nodded. "We all loved him. Nobody can deny that he is the greatest king in a long time. And he is only 200 years old. He still has plenty of time to go."

Sophina shook her head. "I can't believe how long you Magi live. We are lucky to have a good king. I can't imagine waiting 400 years for a bad one to die."

Jon snorted. Ashford looked over at him. "Have something to say?" he said angrily.

"I can't understand people that would let a bad king rule for so long."

"We don't have much of a choice," Ashford explained, as though Jon were a child. "It's the bloodline the God declared to rule. The other 11 bloodlines are his council, to help guide his decisions. It's a system designed to balance great powers."

"Why is King Reynar's bloodline so important?" Sophina asked when it became clear that Jon wasn't going to respond.

"It was Roshard the farmer who had faith that the visions the God sent the 12 to meet in the Fields of Summer was true. He struggled hard and long to convince the other 11 to meet. The God awarded Roshard for his unwavering faith. He declared that his line shall be king."

"And so, like fools, you followed that rule for over three thousand years," Jon cut in.

Ashford leaned forward in his chair. "Who are you to question the will of the God!" he spat.

Sophina held up her hands. "Stay calm, Ashford. Jon may possess magic but he is not a Magi. I don't expect him to hold to the same beliefs as you."

Sophina so reminded Jon of Sara in that moment that he winced in remembered pain. She was ever the peacekeeper, even when she chose Berrick over me. The memory of that ancient pain was still able to pierce his heart. He stubbornly refused to remember it.

Everyone fell silent. Sophina, of course, broke the silence. "There is something about your story that I don't understand. How did this Raynolt find out your secret?"

"It was Christiana. She was a very proud woman. She had created a legendary technique and it bothered her that nobody could ever know about it. Raynolt can be a very charming man and Christiana was not immune to his charms. One drunken night, after he complimented her so many times over her brilliant research work, she finally couldn't take it. So she told him everything."

Sophina groaned. "You must have hated her when you found out."

Ashford shook his head. "Actually, we didn't blame her. We knew her nature and we also knew that our secret couldn't last forever. So it was almost a relief when she finally told someone. But before we could approach Raynolt to talk to him about maybe joining our group, Christiana was murdered."

"How do you know all this?" Jon asked quietly. "Weren't you in Raves at the time?"

"Braxus wrote me a letter soon after she told Raynolt. She came to Braxus the next day, filled with remorse, and begged his forgiveness. He requested that I come back immediately to help deal with the situation. But by the time I made it back, I found out that all my friends had been...." Ashford trailed off and stared into the fire.

I know that pain. Jon looked down into this glass of wine. The wine must have knocked down old walls because for some reason he couldn't stop the memories from coming. Even coughing up blood, Sarah was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She had asked his forgiveness with her last breath.

By the time he whispered his answer, the light had already faded from her eyes. He was glad for that small mercy.

Because he had said no.

"But why try to assassinate the king?" Sophina asked, startling Jon out of his painful memories.

"That answer is always simple," Jon whispered. He touched the dagger at his side. "Power," he said simply.

Sophina's eyes widened. "Are you saying...that Raynolt wants to be king?"

"It makes sense," Ashford replied. "That man was always power hungry. He was the youngest Magi to ever join the guild. And he became the youngest Magi to make the 10th Tier. He is only 150 years old."

"Can't the King do something about this?" Sophina asked desperately.

"The King's power lies with the council. If Raynolt somehow controls the council, then he would be nothing more that a figurehead. He can't be assassinated but Raynolt could at least make him irrelevant. The King will know he is being held hostage and with no power to do anything but to go along with whatever Raynolt wants."

"But does this Raynolt control the council?" Sophina asked.

"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time. He is the Master of the 10th Tier and Grand Master Boltus is very old."

"So he is the next in line for the...what is it called? The Grand Master?"

Ashford shook his head. "No, the council has to vote in the Grand Master. There are 10 council members and someone hoping for the position needs the majority votes. Most of the time, the next Grand Master is very obvious. Boltus was elected with all 10 votes."

"And you think that Raynolt is not so obvious a choice? You said he was very powerful and very young." Sophina looked nervous.

"Raynolt has a certain stigma attached to his name. There were whispers years back when his wife was exiled for having an affair with a non-Magi. She disappeared completely after her exile. Many people suspect that Raynolt killed her for humiliating him."

"It doesn't matter," Jon said. "A man like him will find some way to seize power, one way or another."

Ashford nodded. "I suspect it is so. So where do we go from here?"

Ashford and Sophina focused on him. Yes, where do we go from here? "For now, we should go to bed. It has been a very long day. Sophina, you can sleep with Evelyn. That way you can keep an eye on her."

Sophina nodded, her eyes showing her gratitude. "Ashford, I have some bedding you can use out here. I will sleep in my room all the way down the hall. Now, if any of you think it would be better to be rid of me, I must warn you: I am a very light sleeper."

Ashford and Sophina both laughed nervously. When they saw his expression they stopped immediately. He got out of his chair, careful to hide his smile.

As he gathered Ashford's bedding, his mind drifted back down the past. Sarah's death had only been the beginning. Berrick was gone not long after; after all, how does one survive the death of their soul-mate?

***

Raynolt cursed his luck as the heavens opened up and poured rain down in a steady stream. The guards next to him held up the sputtering torches as they approached Lenard. He was standing next to a large cart pulled by two horses.

"You just had to drag us out in this downpour, didn't you? Morgana hissed at Lenard. Her blonde hair was stuck to her face.

The tall Magi ignored her. He had pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. Rain dripped silently past his face as he waited for Raynolt to approach.

Raynolt stared warily into the cart. There were a couple of large bundles draped with cloth.

"Bodies?" he asked Lenard.

Lenard nodded. "It's not good, Master Teryus."

Raynolt sighed. It looks like I will be killing someone tonight. He gestured for Lenard to remove the cloth.

Lenard leaned into the cart and pulled back the cloth from the first bundle. Raynolt gestured to the guard to hold the torch up higher. He peered over the edge and wiped water from his face.

It was Daminus.

A slow smile spread across his face. He turned to Lenard. "What in the nine hells do you mean that it's not good? This is wonderful!"

Lenard grimaced and pulled back the rest of the cloth. Raynolt stumbled back as a rancid stench hit his nostrils. Morgana ran to the side of the road and vomited. Raynolt removed a cloth from his sleeve and held it over his mouth. He approached the cart slowly.

It was Corman. He was covered in head-to-foot in blood. Raynolt leaned in closer. Other than the hole in his forehead, he couldn't find any other reason for him to be covered in blood. He reached out and grabbed a dark chunk from Corman's robe. He held it up to the torchlight.

What is this? Flesh? He looked closer at Corman's body. He was covered in these chunks of what looked like flesh. He held up the flesh to Lenard. "What is this?"