Part 9 (1/2)
Ditani's voice trembled, but he answered, ”Yes, Magus Vestul outlived all his relations and he had no children I am aware of.”
Oh, this will kick him. Self-interest is usually a good motivator. ”Well then, it isn't thieving to enter your room and take your stuff. It also isn't thieving to claim any remaining personal belongings, as you were his servant and without an heir, a personal servant may claim everything. Congratulations, Ditani, you just inherited the entire legacy of a great wizard.”
Instead of looking excited by the news, as she expected, Ditani looked scared. ”Ticca, Master, no. I couldn't claim it all. I would be afraid to approach any of his research, and I wouldn't know what to do with his library. I do not want for much and have no need of his wealth.”
What kind of servant would deny what is likely a small fortune? Looking at Lebuin to see if he was thinking the same, she saw he wasn't. Lebuin's eyes were lit like the noon-day sun.
Lebuin's eyes gave away that his mind was racing with possibilities. ”Well then, Ditani, perhaps you would grant me what you don't desire. This could resolve many issues for me. I would be immeasurably helped by his library. I could even ensure his legacy of knowledge is not lost and complete what work he started but now will not be able to complete. I would of course give him full accolades with the Guild. His name would not be forgotten. Where is his research?”
If he follows through with the credit, it would be a good legacy. I hope we can trust this wizard.
”Master, everything save what was intended to give to the Duke is at his home in Algan. I know how to open it physically, and with his death, many of his magical protections should be gone as well. Perhaps with you to investigate it would work well. My wife will not believe our good fortune.”
Lebuin truly smiled deeply for the first time. Lady, he is a handsome man when he smiles. ”Ticca, Algan is leagues away up river, too far for Magus Cune's ally to continue attacking. If we can get there, all this mess could blow over, and I can find everything I need for years to come. There is even a Guildhouse there, so I have no need to return to Llino for some time.”
Algan is a large enough city to have a Dagger Home. I could probably get some kind of guard or messenger commission back to Llino. Lebuin would be safe with his own base of operations. So all I need to do is get him there in one piece and, job done. Her heart agreed it was a good plan. ”True, it would solve that problem and some, if not all, of your questing requirements. What about who killed Magus Vestul? Do you want to investigate that?”
Lebuin's neck went a little red. ”Well, yes, but I think that is beyond my ability. With your information I can write a letter to the Guild and let the council take care of it. I need cycles to recover, in which time they could have solved it and brought the guilty to punishment. Also, there is the matter of the price on my head.”
He has coin, and it is a good point. ”Very well M'lord. What would you have me do?”
Lebuin straightened, He feels the power of leaders.h.i.+p and likes it, I think. ”First help me collect what Magus Vestul had in his room, next I need some time to go over these notes before I write letters to the Guild. Can you get a note to my family's business and one to the Guild?”
”Of course.”
”Then I'll write one tonight asking for a pa.s.sage for all three of us and our cargo on the next merchant s.h.i.+p heading towards Algan. It will likely be a few days or perhaps a week before pa.s.sage can be secured. Will we be safe here for that long?”
A week sitting in the Dolphin, that doesn't sound very entertaining. 'Course I cannot leave them totally unguarded, even here. ”I can keep you safe here that long. The trick will be to get you and Ditani out of here and to that s.h.i.+p unseen.”
”Well you'll have some time to come up with a plan. Now let's go see what Magus Vestul left behind.”
”Ditani, where is Magus Vestul's room and did he leave the shutters open?”
Ditani looked at her. ”It is the end room on this floor. Yes, I am pretty sure the shutters are open.”
Lady, we are being observed, and open windows at night does not sound like a good idea. Genne said Magus Vestul was paid through the cycle, so we have three whole weeks before the room is reclaimed. She held up her hand. ”M'lord, the room is secure and paid for three more weeks. The shutters are open, we know we are being watched. Let's wait until morning.”
Lebuin sat back down, frowning. ”You're right, and I'm tired. We can collect what we need in the morning without fear of observation. I think we all need to rest and consider the day.”
Ditani nodded and the two men stood up together. Lebuin asked, ”Can we safely go to the main room for our meals? I mean, how confined do you recommend we remain?”
Daggers will be there at all times, and they have been warned. Why would anyone risk the trouble when all they needed to do was wait for us to leave and deal with us only? ”M'lord, I don't suggest you get too near the front door; beyond that I would say you can go where you will.” She remembered the platform. ”I would also not go out on the landing platform. Technically it is still the Dolphin, but you'd be exposed to a bow shot or another one of those lightning sticks.”
”Wand.”
”What?”
”Lightning wand. It was an artifact that contained the essence of an attack incantation that looked like lightning. Any such device is called a wand.”
Laughing, Ticca stood up and escorted them to her door.
”Why are you laughing?”
”That explains why my Uncle called the switch he used to beat me with the 'Wand of Retribution'. I didn't get the reference until just now.”
Ditani and Lebuin both laughed and were smiling as they left. Both grabbed two more pastries each and full cups of arit as they left, making her chuckle once the door was closed. They might be more than they seem, but they are definitely men.
Turning back to the room, she popped a pastry in her mouth. It didn't take long to dress and prepare her weapons. Placing her gear close at hand, she placed her dagger and one knife unsheathed where she could get them from the bed. Needlessly dusting off her boots, she pondered, I wonder if these are the reason for the strange dreams I am having. Let's see if I have one without these on. She placed the boots on the floor where she could put them on quickly if needed and stretched out on the comfortable bed. Checking the dagger and knife distances and location of her pack a second time, she laid back and stared at the ceiling a minute. I have a commission, we have a plan, and there is a little travel included. All in all a good day. Setting the lamp to burn low, she checked that the wick spring was wound tight and fell asleep, feeling warm and happy.
The Temple was lit by the many braziers around the large s.p.a.ce. Acolytes and wors.h.i.+pers were kneeling or sitting in the pews. At the front, a choir of priests and priestesses sang hymns to Lady Dalpha. On the center dais the relics of the Lady were arranged around the golden lattice egg that contained the glowing sphere known as Dalpha's Light. The base of the dais was being cleaned by acolytes being overseen by a junior priestess.
Boadua paused in her progress, offering devotion to the Lady; she opened herself to the Dalpha's Light, and allowed her soul to share with the relic. Boadua felt her Lady's love and power and gave freely all that she could. Turning, she continued her measured gait to the door on the side of the dais. Opening it, she moved inside without hesitation. In the adjacent room was a large oval table surrounded by nearly two dozen comfortable, but business-like chairs. The chair at the head of the table had a much larger and ornate back and was occupied not by the High Priestess, known as The Great Lady, who normally sat there, but by Sula. Sula appeared to be a charming young woman, dressed in a simple cream-colored blouse, forest green skirts, with a wide belt and soft slippers. No matter where Sula chose to sit, to Boadua, that chair took on the aspect of a grand throne. Sitting next to Sula was the Great Lady Sayscia, who had removed her heavy robes of office and was dressed in a comfortable white and green frock with a soft leather belt. She still wore her tiara of office.
As Boadua entered the room, the two great ladies were bent over some papers on the table between them, debating some item that they were both pointing to on the pages. Sula's wide emerald eyes came up, looking at Boadua, and the conversation stopped. ”Is he well?”
Boadua stepped around the table and sat opposite the Great Lady on the other side of Sula. ”Yes, Holy One, Lebuin and Ditani have made it safely to the Blue Dolphin.” Placing the sack she carried on the floor next to her she s.h.i.+fted to get comfortable in the chair.
Sula frowned slightly at Boadua. ”I have told you to just call me Sula. It is my name after all.”
”Your will, Holy One.”
”Really, do we have to do this every time we start?”
”At least once or twice more.”
Sula frowned, but her eyes betrayed the mirth she felt. ”I hope so. You have confirmed they are safe at the Blue Dolphin?”
Boadua nodded, then, looking at the papers she realized there were more than at yesterday's meeting. ”Have we really pa.s.sed a new marker so soon?”
Sula nodded and pushed some of the papers closer to Boadua so she could read them. ”My Mother indicated we have moved past many of the possibilities and allowed that we should know the contents of three markers. The attack on Lebuin was unprecedented even with the new packets. The last few days' events indicate we have avoided several possible failures. The key event remains unknown and impenetrable as far as these go. Magus Vestul died almost two years sooner than all previous attempts and nine years before the initial attempt. In the final packet we just opened, he surmised there was no way to succeed without that sorry event. The latest indicates we are taking a great risk in the hope the accelerated events will mean keys will have to wait a period before other events cause their need and continued motion. Thus giving us time to actually trace them to find the needed princ.i.p.al and figure out how to interrupt it. I pray his sacrifice is not in vain. Have you found who tried to kill Lebuin? Have we been discovered?”
Boadua leaned back in her chair, a little defeated. ”I am as confused as anyone on this. I cannot find any news or hint that we have been discovered. Ticca's killing of the hired Knife before he reported back firmly and directly ended that possible diversion. I have consulted with numerous pract.i.tioners and none can fathom how he could have detected the hook, especially since he wasn't the actual target this time.”
Sayscia leaned back in her chair, frowning at the news too. ”Boadua, he appears to be a random element. We can find no indication he was key in any snap back, he just happened to be the Knife the Guild a.s.signed. We therefore remain free of any closed loop. We are on a new path which is unique. All hints indicated the correct selections have been made. Actually we cannot agree if we are looping, which seems good to me.”
Boadua skimmed over the new information. ”Sula, how many packets remain?”
”Only one remains.”
Sayscia and Boadua took a moment to take in the unexpected count. Sayscia spoke first. ”Which means that the year or so we thought remaining is now gone?”
Sula shrugged. ”Nothing indicates one way or the other. We must continue to act as we feel we should. We must also guard against directly acting or causing any specific action to occur based on this knowledge.”
Sula looked over the papers in front of them again and sighed. ”Lebuin is not only ill prepared, without any warning of what he must try to prevent, but now is totally stripped of his powers. We knew he should be ill prepared but there is no mention of being stripped of his powers. This is what we are worrying about. We have to remain external except where we specifically acted before to prevent becoming trapped. If we were to actively protect him, it would nearly guarantee becoming trapped forever ourselves.”
Sayscia shook her head. ”Sula, we don't need to act. I think we are well. Ticca is not involved due to any action on our part. So she would become involved regardless. Damega's progeny has much potential and is well-trained. If she remains under coin with Lebuin he will be safe.”
Sula nearly bounced out of her chair as she sat up rigidly straight. ”What do you mean by Damega's progeny?”
”Ticca is Damega's eighteenth generation granddaughter, and trained by the Traitor himself. You didn't know?”