Eliseth emerged from Vannor’s chamber, clutching the basket that contained the grail hidden beneath a cloth, and laughing inwardly to see the circle of anxious faces that waited to greet her. Thanks to her illusion of an ancient hag, these fools had no idea of her true identity. All had gone according to plan. She had dispatched the merchant with another dose of poison, and brought him back to life again using the grail. He had no memory of what she had done.—Though he did not know it yet, Vannor now belonged to her.
The Mage risked a sidelong, venomous glance at Zanna as the woman stepped forward anxiously. “What happened, goodwife? How is my father?”
Collecting herself quickly, Eliseth composed her features into the illusion of a toothless smile. “Be at ease, my lady, all is well. Your father was far gone indeed—but my skills have drawn him back. Even now, he is recoveri—” She was talking to empty air. With a joyous cry, Zanna had flown into her father’s room, with Dulsina following close at her heels.
Tarnal stepped forward with a smile. “You must forgive them, old mother—they aren’t really ungrateful. This family owes you a debt beyond all paying, but we will do our best, for you’ve brought us a miracle tonight. I’m sure they will be back directly, once they see for themselves that Vannor is all right.—In the meantime, would you like to come downstairs and refresh yourself?”
Eliseth shook her head. “Thank you, but I will wait here,” she replied firmly.—She did not have long to wait, however. After a short time Zanna emerged, her glowing face transfigured with delight. “He was awake! He knew me! He’s going to get well again!” Collecting herself, she turned to Eliseth. “Good mother, how can I thank you? Whatever is in my power to give you is yours—you only have to say the word.” She waited expectantly. The Mage shook her head. “My Lady, I ask for nothing. To see our dear Lord Vannor restored to health is reward enough for me.
“But there must be some way to repay you,” Zanna protested.
“Truly, I want nothing. By your leave, I will go now,” Eliseth replied.—Leaving the Mortals openmouthed behind her, she went downstairs and scurried out of the house, remembering that she was meant to be an old woman, and therefore must not stride. No one attempted to stop her—which was just as well for them.
You’ll repay me, Zanna, never fear, Eliseth thought as she took the river road back toward the Academy. I’ll receive my reward when your precious father kills your husband and children before your eyes—leaving you to be dealt with by me. The Mage smiled grimly. Vannor’s escape from the Academy seven years ago had cost her a good deal of embarrassment and inconvenience, and Zanna was to blame. But she had made a grave mistake in crossing Eliseth. Revenge would be sweet—but sadly, it must be postponed for a time. If she wanted to rule the city through Vannor, it was vital that he act as he usually did—or suspicions would be aroused. Besides, when Aurian came back into the world Vannor would be among the first people she contacted. Eliseth would have the earliest possible news of her enemy’s movements and plans, and that would give her an inestimable advantage.
Eliseth made the most of the fact that it was early morning, and few people were up and about, to slip back unnoticed into the Academy. On entering her chambers, she freed Bern from the time spell that had held him immobile in her absence. Over the last few days, she had convinced the baker that it had been he who had murdered his wife and children, and that the guards were combing the city for him. In return for her sheltering him in the safety of the Academy, he had sworn to serve her—but she did not trust him enough to go out and leave him unattended. Bern had been sunk deep in guilt and misery since the deaths of his family and she would not put it past him to go down into the city and turn himself in—betraying her presence in the process. That would be a catastrophe, but even if he were simply to take his own life out of guilt, it would be an inconvenience. It was beneath her, as one of the Magefolk, to take care of herself.
Having sent Bern to make some breakfast, Eliseth took the grail from her basket and filled it with water from the jug on the table. Before she ate, she would check on Vannor, and see how his so-called recovery was progressing. She wanted to make quite sure she could control him, for she could think of many tasks for him to perform, to secure the city for her return and bring the recalcitrant Mortals under her control. And one of the first of his tasks, she thought grimly, would be to mount an attack on those accursed Phaerie! Though she knew that Vannor stood little chance of defeating the Forest Lord and his subjects, he might at least weaken them sufficiently for Eliseth to succeed where he had failed. And if a few hundreds of Mortals were lost in the process—so what? They bred like rabbits anyway—there would soon be more.—The Mage looked into the depths of the chalice and concentrated on summoning the image of Vannor. She found the merchant sitting up in bed and eating soup, surrounded by his family, who were watching the progress of every spoonful from his plate to his mouth.
Tentatively, Eliseth wormed her way into Vannor’s mind, reading his thoughts like an open book as she sifted through hopes, dreams, fears, and plans. As an interesting bonus, she found out what had happened to Aurian during her enemy’s travels across the sea, for the Mage and Anvar had told the entire tale to Vannor on their return. Eliseth committed the details to her memory—they might very well come in useful one day. Then she turned her attention back to her victim. She wanted a test of her control that would not alert or alarm Vannor’s loved ones. After a moment’s thought, she exerted her will, and made him drop the spoon into his bowl, splashing hot soup on the coverlet.
Dulsina started up with an anxious cry. “What happened? Are you all right? Do you feel ill again?”
Vannor shook his head, mopping ineffectually at the soup stains on the quilt.
“I’m all right love, don’t fuss. I can’t think what came over me—my attention just wandered for a minute. I must still be tired, I expect.”
Smiling smugly, Eliseth withdrew from his mind and returned to her own body.—Her triumph lent extra savor to her food. She had dealt successfully with Vannor—and now it was time to deal with Anvar. To a Mage, knowledge was power, and her appetite had been whetted by the information she had picked up from Vannor’s mind about Aurian’s adventures. She wanted to know more about the Southern Lands—and Anvar had actually been there. Still smiling, she went downstairs and selected a long, keen dagger from the guardroom armory. Then she returned to her room, filled the grail to the brim with water, and, carrying it carefully in both hands, she made her way up to the rooftop where Aurian’s lover lay.
The air outside was thick and oppressive, almost humming with tension. Thick, heavy towers of black cloud had massed across the city, and Eliseth could hear the low, menacing growl of distant thunder. She felt a shudder of ecstasy run through her. As the raw, wild power of the storm drew closer, so the strength of her magic would increase. Through the viscous, copper-tinged gloom she could make out the faint blue glimmer of her time spell across the roof and hurried toward it, walking carefully so as not to spill the water from the grail. Anvar lay facedown on the roof where she had left him, a long dark form whose identity was indistinguishable beneath the crawling, flickering blue web of the spell. Eliseth set down the chalice with a decisive click on the roof’s smooth paving, and laid down the dagger close to her hand. “At last,” she breathed. “It will take more than Aurian to save you now.” Then gathering her powers, she arrowed them toward him, and dissolved her spell.