Remelin went to her bedroom to put on some warm clothes, coming back into the main room in time to hear Ninian say, "We need some protection."
"But the shield didn't keep it out," Remelin said.
"No, but I have other methods," Jhond said, meeting and holding Ninian's gaze.
Remelin watched them, recognizing they had something in mind. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it and just watched. After a minute or so, Ninian dropped his eyes and removed his Judral stone from his pocket again, using it to create a table and chairs. On the table's surface were three mugs. Jhond murmured a spell and there was a roaring fire in the grate in an instant.
"That's it?" Remelin queried.
Jhond turned to her. "What did you expect, fireworks and a fanfare?"
She shrugged. "Well, something other than you two glaring at each other."
"We're not glaring," Ninian stated. Remelin raised an eyebrow, and he sighed. "We were combining our talents to create a powerful spell, which concocts a bubble of invisibility."
Remelin frowned. "So you hid us from view, but the entity already knows where I live, so what good does that do?"
"Jhond wove a deflection spell into the invisibility one. The deflection is more important than the invisibility, but the invisibility masks it, which makes it doubly effective."
"And it's more powerful than a simple shield?"
"Yes, but there's nothing simple about Jhond's shields."
"If that's true, why did it reach me here?" She was still confused.
"That's something we need to find out." Jhond's comment seemed to end the conversation for the moment.
"Anyone want an early breakfast?" Ninian asked.
"Later," Remelin replied. "A warm drink will suffice for now."
Jhond agreed, and Ninian was quite happy to wait as well. They took seats at the table, a steaming cup in front of each of them. Remelin and Ninian looked at Jhond for answers, but he needed information from Remelin first.
"Can you tell me why you went to the cellar?"
She stared at him for a moment and then said, "Can I ask you a question first?" Jhond inclined his head in acceptance, and she went on, "How is it that you failed to destroy it?"
Jhond's back stiffened, and he looked flustered. He glanced at Ninian and said, "I can't answer that yet."
Remelin took this to mean he didn't really know.
"Tell me about the cellar," he added firmly.
Deciding it was best to bide her time, she said, "It seemed like a dream at first, and perhaps it was. I was in the cellar trying to make one of my spells work, but, of course, it wouldn't. Then I began to think perhaps I could make it work now I know how important the protection circle is. Next thing I knew, I was descending the steps into the cellar. I was aware you two were present and something had happened, but somehow that wasn't important." She frowned. "All that mattered was I touch the wall...let it know I understood. Except I
don't
understand because I believed the wall was gone. Then you broke the spell."
"I see. Let it know you understood what?" Jhond asked.
She gazed at him, her eyes wide. "I don't know. I...I... It was controlling me, wasn't it? Making me do something that would've been bad for all of us. But what? I've touched the wall before and nothing has happened. Why would it go to such lengths when you two were here? When you'd already shown how powerful you were with the shield and everything?"
"I don't know, not yet," Jhond said.
"Perhaps that's it, Jhond," Ninian said. "We don't know enough about what's going on, but whatever that thing is, it recognized if it didn't get out of its prison now, it likely never would. It might have been playing a waiting game with Remi before, allowing her to increase or control her power before it coaxed her to do whatever it needed. I don't know. I'm guessing here, but I can't help thinking it has to do with our arrival and that we've shown it what power we have."
"And now I've let it out of its prison."
Remelin could hear the remorse in Jhond's tone.
"But it's still trapped in the nunnery or why else bring me there?" she asked. Remelin chewed her lower lip and added, "Unless..."
"Unless it's now only trapped by my shield," Jhond said.
Remelin pursed her lips and said, "I was going to say unless there is some truth in what my father claimed that Mother denied."
The two magi looked at her confused. It was Ninian who asked, "What?"
"Privately, Father claimed he was really descended from the old Thail line. That his branch had changed the spelling to Laith, wanting the hide the truth, but not lose their inheritance completely...there was much to be proud of in the family's history. It was the one thing I remember him telling me shortly before he died, but when I mentioned it to her a few years later when I was old enough to understand what it meant, she denied it was true, and said it was just another of Father's fairytales." Remelin sighed. "I have never been sure who to believe."
Jhond glanced at Ninian. "Is that possible? Likely?"
"I don't know," Ninian admitted. "The family had been disgraced, but there has been much dispute over the truth behind the supposed cause of it. It's possible a branch of the family hid themselves for their own purposes, but I just don't know." He paused, looking thoughtful. "And I don't know whether such a fact would matter to whatever this entity is."
"No," Jhond agreed. "Just one more question to add to the list. Except"--he smiled at Ninian--"perhaps it explains after all why the crystal showed Remelin to you."
Ninian's expression brightened, and he turned to Remelin. "Then that is your answer...your father spoke the truth."
"So I
am
a Thail?" There was a touch of awe in her voice.
"Perhaps the last one," Ninian said. "It would explain your mage talent and why it seems so powerful."
"But now we need to get back to our present situation," Jhond said firmly.
"Yes. First off, we need to know more about this thing, but how?" Ninian said. "Nothing in any of the writings gives any indication what the entity actually is."
They were silent for a while, each with their own thoughts. Remelin waited with bated breath for what they might come up with. Then Ninian sat bolt upright.
"The artifacts...one of them might be of help."
"Hellas, but I'd forgotten all about them. What sort of Eynan does that make me? I even forgot about the metallic library. Thank you, Ninian."
"Well, I rather think we've been somewhat distracted," Ninian said.
"Artifacts? Metallic library?" Remelin almost bounced on her seat she was so excited. "Can I see them, please?"
Jhond smiled at her enthusiasm and explained about the artifacts without giving away too much detail, though he was less reluctant to discuss the metallic library as that covered general subjects such as history, geography, science, and literature. The more she heard, the more interested she became. She was curious about the library, but fascinated with the idea of the artifacts in general.
"Can I see them? Right away?"
"Perhaps later," Jhond said. "Ninian and I need to investigate first to see which ones, if any, will be of assistance in our present predicament."
"Oh, but--"
"Patience," Ninian interrupted. "All in good time. You need to understand that some of the artifacts may be dangerous for the uninitiated."
Remelin sagged, but nodded. She shot Ninian a hopeful glance, saying, "But you'll let me see the...the safe ones as soon as you can, yes?"
Ninian held her gaze. "When we're sure you're ready."
Remelin sensed his disquiet and thought perhaps she'd pushed too hard.
Jhond unexpectedly grasped her hands. "Go and get some rest. You'll need to be bright-eyed and clear of mind later."
Holding his hands tightly in return and staring deep into Jhond's eyes, smiling hopefully, she asked, "You will help me gain control of my mage talent, won't you?"
"You know I will."
Taking a chance, she kissed his cheek before returning to her bedroom. She glanced over her shoulder to find Jhond gazing at her. She smiled as she closed her door. She just knew he was interested in her. She also knew she would have to take her time; the man was far too perceptive.
* * * *
When she was out of sight, Ninian said quietly, "I'm a little uncomfortable with how insistent she is to see the artifacts. She seems a little too eager to get to grips with things beyond her power."
Jhond glanced at Ninian, but seemed distracted. He lifted his chin and took a breath before he said, "Perhaps, although I believe we can trust her."
"Maybe, but I still think we need to keep a close watch on her." Even with their protection spells, Ninian wasn't a hundred percent positive the being wasn't having some kind of effect on Remelin even now. If the damned thing could survive an attack by the Eynan, what else could it do? Ninian was also unsettled by how Remelin seemed to affect Jhond. "She really needs to understand how to use her talent properly before we face this creature. It's powerful and has a link to her that we can't seem to break."
"Not yet," Jhond agreed.
"I think we were precipitate in the action we took without properly investigating the situation."
"I certainly was," Jhond said ruefully. "I was so sure I could destroy it and failed spectacularly."
"Can't argue with that," Ninian said. He gripped Jhond's shoulder and made the younger man meet his gaze. "You can't blame yourself for thinking you're all-powerful because that was how it was laid out at the time of the Withdrawal. What else were we to believe? Perhaps we were too quick to accept what the old writings said about the power of the Eynan," he added with a smile.
Jhond sighed. "Maybe so, but now we need to earn it. Let's get to work."
"Thing is, we checked each artifact we have with us while on board the
Horologue.
The only ones I don't know much about are those you reacted to, but didn't bother to explain their use to me. You said they weren't important. I was hoping perhaps one of those--"
"Sorry," Jhond interrupted, "but they won't be much help now either; at least not fighting the entity, though eventually they may help with Remi. They contained advice and instruction for using different kinds of talent...nothing you or I need since we already have control over our own. I didn't want to be negative in front of our young magi friend, but when you mentioned artifacts, my thoughts went straight to the cracked crystal that pointed me in this direction. I think it probably has the information and hopefully the answers we need."
Ninian frowned. "But that's back in the Temple of the Magi. And it's extremely dangerous. Even the Eynan was hurt by it."
"Oh, I know," Jhond agreed, shaking his hand in memory of the pain it caused. "But I think we need it, no matter how dangerous it might prove."
"So we're going to go back to the Temple of the Magi?" Ninian queried.
"Not we, just me. You need to keep an eye on Remi."
"You don't think your spell will protect her?" Ninian hadn't expected that.
Jhond was pensive for a moment, then he said, "No. I admit it was a shock when my spell failed, but it's more that I don't trust her not to want to do some investigating on her own."
That surprised Ninian even more. "I thought you trusted her and it was only the entity you were afraid of."
Jhond's expression showed he was as bewildered as Ninian. "It's not I don't trust her inner spirit, but I feel her desire for the power of a mage. Before we came, she was confused and unsure what was happening because nothing really worked as she believed it was supposed to. She doubted whether she had any talent at all. If it wasn't for the entity pressuring her...
"We've already shown her the proper way to cast her spells using the protection circle. I sense how much she's drawn to the sensation of wielding the power of a mage and that now she believes in herself again. I think the entity might have even more power over her if it could get her into the cellar again without us."
"I understand. I'll keep a close watch while you go and retrieve the device. You do feel confident now you can return using the pendant?"
"Oh yes. Returning from the temple will be no problem because I'll use you as my guide back here to the cottage."
Ninian smiled. "Of course. Good."
"If all goes well, I should be back before she awakens anyway."
Ninian watched Jhond twist his pendant one quarter turn on the surface of his ring and simply vanish from sight. It didn't matter how many times he'd seen Jhond do that; it still impressed him. He heard a sound behind him and turned to find Remelin watching him from the doorway. From her expression, Ninian's first thought was she had seen Jhond disappear, too, and was in awe, but as he studied her expression, he realized it was more than awe. There was also anger there. It occurred then that she must have heard his conversation with Jhond.
She walked up to him. "Another of his remarkable abilities, I assume. What was that device he was using?" Her voice was calm, which only made Ninian more concerned.
"It's actually the joining of two artifacts that allows Jhond to travel swiftly through space from one location to another. But yes, it's one of his abilities that allows it to work; I cannot do it." Ninian wanted to ask her how much she had heard, but didn't want to give her ammunition if she had really heard very little. He waited.
"Yes, he's very skilled." She glared at Ninian. "He's also very clever, very intuitive. He hardly knows me, yet..." She let the words slide away.
"So you heard what we said?" he asked softly.
She walked to the window, pushed apart the curtains and stared outside. "I heard enough to know he doesn't trust me." She turned to stare back at him. "And you, do you feel the same way?"
He met her gaze squarely and said, "I'm not sure."
She gasped and turned aside.
"Please understand, Remi. We don't only have a right to be cautious, we'd be fools not to. You've been under the influence of a very strong being, one whose identity we don't even know yet. One even the Eynan couldn't destroy. I can understand how frightening that must be to you, and it's also very reasonable you want to get free of it. As you said, Jhond is intuitive and he sensed how you feel, how you might want to act."