Mystic: A Book of Underrealm (25 page)

“That is quite enough. Let us find comforts more pricey, yet honestly bought.”

“Who calls me dishonest?” said the wizard in mock protest. But he did not raise a finger to stop his friend. “Farewell, sweet maid! I will remember your eyes ever until I see them again! Farewell!”

Loren and Gem watched until the men had vanished through the inn’s front door, and then stared at the threshold for several long moments afterwards.

“What an imbecile,” mumbled Gem, his words thick with wine.

Just then, Jordel stepped inside the inn. He saw Loren immediately, and his grave look said he knew something was wrong.

He swiftly approached and sat on the other side of their table. Loren snatched Gem’s cup and shoved it towards Jordel, but the Mystic waved it away.
 

“What has happened? Vivien’s messenger seemed to think it most urgent that I get here quickly. Where are the others?”

“Vivien is bathing. Gem, go and fetch her.”

Gem paled. “But . . . but she is
bathing.”

“Do not be a child, nor open the door if it bothers you so.”

Still he hesitated, but Loren shoved Gem off his chair and prodded him to the room’s rear, where he soon disappeared.

“That is only one,” said Jordel. “Tell me: Where are Xain and Annis?”

Loren opened her mouth, but words would not come. She felt a hard stinging at the back of her eyes. All her shock at Xain’s actions seemed to descend upon her at once, and she felt her throat constricting.

Jordel’s eyes softened as he studied her face. “Speak, child. Hard words are yet better when spoken, and I will think no ill if you weep.”

Loren’s hesitation vanished, and she gave Jordel an evil stare. “Do not speak to me as a child. I do not need your sympathy or condescension but your aid, if truly offered.”
 

With that, she explained all that had transpired with Xain and Annis in the streets of Wellmont. She spoke of what had happened during the battle and after, though Loren did not tell Jordel all that Xain had said. Vivien arrived in the middle of her story, hair braided and still dripping from her bath. Gem stood red faced beside her, staring at the floor. All listened silently until Loren had told the full tale, and were quiet many long minutes afterward.

“I see,” Jordel said at last. “This is grievous news yet not so terrible as I had feared. At least they are both alive.”

“So far as we know,” said Loren. “Xain may have killed her to dispose of his inconvenience. He told me what happened upon the High King’s Seat, Jordel. That the King’s law pursues him for murder.”

Jordel’s eyes narrowed. “He told you that?”

“I should have known better,” said Loren. “I should have known he spun a tale before, for who would flee so ardently from constables only for some mage’s duel? After all he has done to me, I should not have been so surprised to—“

“Be still,” said Jordel. “Xain has deceived you indeed, but that does not mean you should be ashamed of your trust. For the lie was in his words today when he named himself a murderer. Xain took no life upon the High King’s Seat.”

Loren stared, speechless.
 

Gem said, “Why would he lie now? Who would willingly take the title of murderer? I have done wrong in my life but would fight anyone who accused me of that.”

“One who wanted to escape, and quickly,” said Vivien, her voice full of scorn. “You were a fool to believe him.”
 

“I had no reason not to,” said Loren angrily. “You might have told me the truth had you not slept through the ordeal.”

Jordel raised a hand, and Vivien’s violent response died on her lips. “It is done in any case. Arguments will not help us now. We must find the wizard, and quickly, before he devises some way to escape the city.”

Loren considered telling Jordel about the magestones, but Vivien’s presence would not permit the risk. She had heard the Mystic woman when she told Jordel about the wizards over the wall; she had said they ate the black stones and had called them
abominations
. What, then, would she think if she knew Loren had provided Xain with the stones?

“We would do well to rescue the Yerrin girl whole, if we can,” said Vivien. “Else I fear the family Yerrin will blame us for any harm that befalls her. Our presence here has not gone unremarked, and if her body is found in this city they will soon learn the truth.”

“We should rescue her because she is blameless,” said Jordel. “And we will. I do not believe for a moment that Xain would harm her, whatever he may have done to convince you in the moment.”

“Yet you do not know.” Gem’s words were angry, his cheeks flushed and eyes dark. The wine might have been a mistake.
 

“We will find her, boy,” said Vivien. “And faster without your help, I would guess. You look as though you need a nap.”

“You and yours may visit the darkness below for all I care,” said Gem, and there was no mistaking it now—the boy was drunk. “I will not leave Annis to her own with a wizard gone mad.”

Jordel said, “We will do all we can to see her safe.”

“Not fast enough.” Gem stood, shaking off Loren’s hand when she tried to steady him. “I shall find her myself, and sod the lot of you.”

“I wish you the best of luck, little master,” said Vivien, her voice sickly sweet. “Do come and tell us once you have finished.”

“Be silent,” snapped Jordel. “Gem, I think it would be best for you to stay.”

“I never asked you what you think,” said Gem. “Farewell.”

He bumped the table as he left but made steadily for the door. Loren ran after him. She seized his shoulder and spun him around before he stepped outside.
 

“Do not be an idiot. You are in no state to find her.”

“And what shall I do? Stay here and sit on my thumbs?”

“Stay and help us,” said Loren.

“You have no need of my help,” he muttered. “The Mystics seem to have everything well in hand.”

“You will
not
go out on those streets in this condition,” said Loren. “I will not allow it.”
 

Gem scowled, unmoving.
 

In the common room’s firelight, she saw his angry mask crack, the pieces crumbling to reveal a frightened child.

“I must do something, Loren. I keep seeing the flames and the buildings, and that woman . . .”

Loren shuddered, for Gem’s words brought to her mind the burning woman as they left her dying in the street.
 

“I see them too, Gem.”

“And she helped me, in the middle of it. How can I sit here and wait or tag along at your heels? Let me go. Let me try and find her, to help her as she helped me.”

Loren could think of no way to refuse him, so she slowly drew aside. “Very well. But if you fall drunk into the river and drown, I will slap you. And if you
do
find them, come and tell me. Do not try and rescue Annis yourself. Will you promise me that?”

“Of course,” he said with a smile. “Pickpocket’s promise.” Then Gem vanished through the inn’s front door and into the black of night.

twenty-nine

LOREN RETURNED TO THE TABLE and found Jordel had already devised a plan of action; together he and Loren would search the city for Annis and Xain. Jordel seemed to have many contacts behind the gate and felt confident he could uncover the wizard without too much trouble.

“I had already planned to comb the city for you both when I arrived. The search will be narrower now.”

“Very well,” said Loren. “When do you mean to start?”

“Now. For if Xain escapes the city, we may lose him entirely.”

“Then let us be off,” Vivien said.

“You misunderstand me.” Jordel looked at her coldly. “I mean to take Loren in my company while you return to the constables’ station and coordinate their search.”

Vivien stiffened, her gaze dropping from his, hands clenching on the table. “Have I displeased you, my captain?”
 

“You have only made me displeased with myself. For I should have known your lengths to protect this city. It was not the mayor who threatened to hang the men at the north gate if they opened it, Vivien.”

Her eyes grew hooded, but Vivien did not respond.

“By your counsel alone did Xain fight upon the wall, and because of that we lost him. Were it not for you, we should be riding hard for the north in retreat to Feldemar where we could plan our next step. Now, our schemes may be lost.”

“I did not mean for this to happen, Captain. Allow me to rectify my mistake.”

“I shall. But from the constables’ station, and not at my side. Use all your wit and cunning in aid of the search, and I shall call you forgiven. But if I should find that you take any further steps to keep the wizard from me—“

He slammed his hand on the table. A terrible wrath flashed in his eyes, and then it was gone, and he was only Jordel again.

“I understand,” whispered Vivien. “I will not betray your faith again, my captain.”

“I believe you. Now come, Loren. Wellmont is a wide city with many nooks and crannies for our wizard to hide.”

Together, they left the inn and set upon the streets. Nearly everyone had gone home, with only a few scattered passersby to give them curious looks. Jordel cut an impressive figure in his crimson cloak, and Loren felt small beside him in her midnight black.

“I may have made an error in placing my faith in that one,” said Jordel heavily. “If any great harm comes from it, I will not forgive myself.”

“Vivien, you mean? She seems . . . strange. It is as though she is a walking secret, with another mind behind the face she chooses to show.”

“And never is such a mind more dangerous. I can admire her focus and resourcefulness in pursuit of her goals, but her actions sit ill in my stomach. I wonder what it may portend, for us and especially for the Yerrin girl.”

Jordel stopped and turned to Loren. He placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her towards him.
 

Softly, he said, “Above all, I worry what it might mean for you.” He glanced over his shoulder and leaned in to murmur. “I have warned you already not to reveal the dagger, not to anyone but me or your friends. You must be doubly sure not to let Vivien see so much as a glimmer. You would spell your doom and the death of your friends. Even me, though I doubt you hold me as such.”

“Why her?” Loren said behind a flutter of terror. “What is it you fear?”

“’Tis not her but those I suspect she is in thrall to. I have told you some within my order would wish your death simply for holding the dagger. Unless I miss my guess by a berth, Vivien would report you directly in exchange for their favor. It seems within her character.”

“I will remember. And . . . I would not so hastily excuse yourself from the company of my friends.”

Jordel looked to Loren, and though he did not smile, she caught a softening in his eyes. Then he turned with a whirl of his cloak. She followed him towards the docks, her hand resting on the dagger’s hilt.
 

“Often have I visited Wellmont, and its captains are well known to me. With Vivien’s command, Xain will not leave the city by any gate—not, at least, without blasting it open, and then we shall hear of it quickly. He may think he can escape by the river, though, and so there we start our search. There are scant hours until dawn, and the captains will be awake.”

Loren thought of the way they had passed beneath the rivergate but dismissed it. Xain would not have Bubble’s skill at crafting a bowl of air. He would go by boat or not at all.
 

“One thing has troubled me,” Loren said. “What do you mean to do with the wizard once we find him?”

“I will not kill him, if that is your meaning. He has done nothing to earn such a punishment, and his powers are too valuable besides.”

“That is not what I mean. His powers are the problem. I gather you mean to subdue him. But how? He is a wizard, after all. Though I am glad for her absence, would it not be wiser to hunt Xain with Vivien by our side? She at least might stand a chance against him.”

“Anyone is vulnerable when surprised, and a wizard may be knocked senseless like any other. But you strike upon an important truth. I joined the Mystics as a mage hunter. A special force, well trained and with a single purpose: to subdue wizards who threaten the nine lands, either through magic or lust for power.”
 

“Are such services often required?” said Loren, surprised. “Wizards are few and far between, it seems. How often do they pose a danger?”

“Not often, and yet when they do it is awful indeed. Hence we must be ever ready, for
Only in Watchfulness Lies Safety
. Those are the words of our order, though many have left them forgotten.” Jordel’s eyes looked troubled. “But as I say, I spent my early years in that company. One of the first things we learn is to subdue the four types of wizardry. You know of the branches, yes?”

“I have heard. I know of firemages and mindmages. And weremages,” she added, thinking of Auntie.

“You have forgotten Alchemy—though of course any wizard would shake their heads and grouse at our use of such common terms. Amongst the learned, they are called Elementalism, Mentalism, Therianthropy and Transmutation. But no matter. Each type of magic relies upon a certain something, and each type of wizard may be cut from the source of their power. You have seen Xain cast his spells?”

“I have,” said Loren.

“What does he do?” said Jordel, his eyes careful upon her.
 

Loren felt a test and was determined to pass.
 

“He speaks words, and his eyes glow white. Then he moves his hands, and his fingers twist in just such a way.”
 

She tried to imitate one of Xain’s signs, but it was hard to remember. His fingers were always so quick.

“That is close to the sign for wind. But yes, his words are the true source. Thus by gagging an elementalist—a firemage, you would call them—they are rendered powerless until the gag is removed.”

Astounded, she said, “You mean you could tie a cloth in Xain’s mouth, and he would be like any other man?”