I don’t want this to come to trouble.
As the sky began to darken, Mirei rose and made her way up the mountain.
26
Starfall
Miryo’s knowledge told her which way to go; Mirage’s kept her hidden and quiet as she moved. She passed a group of unarmed Cousins, off on some errand; Mirei concealed herself and waited until they were some distance away before continuing on. It couldn’t hurt to be careful.
That same thought provoked her, when she came to the mountain’s peak, to not declare herself to the guards.
The two women flanking the road were more of a formality than anything else. They existed to welcome and guide the infrequent visitors to Starfall, not to keep anyone out. And there was no wall around the buildings, which took up the space of a small town. There was one small ward, more a strengthened version of a sentry spell than anything else; Mirei, having learned from her past mistake, managed to soothe it into tranquility without setting off any ripples of unfamiliarity. It was accustomed to letting witches through, and it recognized her as one of them.
Which, technically, I am. Satomi gave me the pendant, although I imagine she’d like to take it back.
Full dark had descended by the time she reached the cluster of buildings that was the heart of Starfall. Mirei was just as happy; it made sneaking in much easier. She eyed the place from the shadow of a tree and put together her strategy, based on Miryo’s knowledge and Mirage’s skill.
Now, the question is, where are the Primes right now? I probably won’t find them all in one place. Satomi might be in her office; I should start there. If I can get her to listen to me, she can call the others to a formal audience or something.
But how to get to Satomi, without going through everyone else first?
Mirei studied the buildings. The answer was quite obvious, and didn’t even require a spell. At least years of climbing the roof will be good for something. If I can get onto the well house, that support they built across to the students’ hall when the wall started to weaken will get me to that line of sculptures. From there, the roof should be no problem.
Good. Now do it.
She slipped through the shadows to the well house’s side. There she paused; a pair of Cousins were chatting inside, and she didn’t want to risk them hearing her. Before long they left, and she lifted herself up to the well house roof.
One side sported the lower end of a buttress that ran the short distance to the students’ hall. Now it became Mirei’s road. She reached the shadow of the wall and found easy climbing there; it was one of the sections with sculpture, which made for good handholds. It took only a moment, and then she was on the familiar terrain of the roof.
She arrived at the building’s far side and considered her next options. A series of shallow scissor arches connected the students’ hall to the main building where much of Starfall’s administrative work went on. Satomi should be there. Mirei walked along the edge of the roof, trying to remember the layout of the interior, until she came to the arch that would likely bring her closest to the Void Prime’s office. Then, checking first to ensure that no one was looking, she ran across.
Halfway across, she again experienced that strange dichotomy. Mirage thought nothing of this stunt; Miryo was amazed at the casual attitude she took toward it.
With that thought, one foot slipped.
Mirei caught her balance, exhaled once, and ran onward to the safety of the other side. I need to stop doing that. What if I find myself distracted in the middle of a spell? That wouldn’t be good at all. I need to stop thinking about what I’m doing, and just do it.
She gave herself a moment to rest, then searched for an open window. When she found one and slipped through, she found herself in the exact hallway she had hoped for.
From here she proceeded carefully, listening for voices or footsteps. The administrative hall was generally a busy place, filled with Heart and Head witches going about their various tasks.
Now, however, it was dead quiet.
In fact, Mirei saw no one at all in the halls.
Her confusion was completed when she peered around a corner to the door of Satomi’s office and found no one there. She had expected the Void Prime to be working; she usually was, at this time of night. But the customary guard of two Cousins was absent from her door.
So where in the Maiden’s name is she?
The realization smacked her, and Mirei felt extremely silly. Tonight, if she was counting the days right, was one of the nights when the Primes held court in the ruling hall. There they made announcements, heard cases, and dealt with the affairs of Starfall itself. All students were required to attend, and many witches currently at Starfall did as well.
You should have remembered that, idiot. Start thinking more clearly, or you’ll not have a snowflake’s chance in a bonfire of convincing the Primes of anything.
At least, she reflected wildly, this would save her some trouble. All the Primes would be in one place, and she’d get her formal audience.
She took a moment to quell the absurd laughter welling up inside her. It was nerves, and nothing more. She couldn’t let them interfere.
When she felt calm, she set out again, this time to the adjoining building where court was in progress.
Two Cousins stood on guard outside the hall’s door.
Mirei eyed them and wondered what to do. Present herself to them, and ask to be announced? Freeze them with a spell? No, the Primes would sense that. Void, every witch in there would sense that.
The question was, then, did she want to be announced or not?
I think not.
Applause from inside the hall gave her the cover she needed. Mirei put on a burst of speed, and before the clapping died down, both of the guards were unconscious, without any magic at all. She took a moment to lay them to one side before facing the door.
Deep breath. Straighten your uniform; you want to look good.
She had never done anything quite like this, in either of her lives. Adrenaline raced through her, making her muscles tingle. She had to consciously stop her hands from trembling, and keep them away from the hilt of Eclipse’s borrowed sword.
Let’s go.
She sang, and the doors, carved with the symbols of the Elements, swung open.
The voices inside the hall died down as she began the long walk down the aisle. Witches and students filled the benches to either side of her; heads turned to look as those in front realized something was happening. Before Mirei had passed the second rank of grave slabs, there was silence. She stepped evenly, deliberately, her heels tapping on the stone in the silence of the hall.
Whispers rose and fell in her wake as women recognized her.
The Primes, at the far end of the hall, rose from their chairs. Mirei kept her eyes on Satomi, standing dead center, outlined by the unadorned blackness of her Elemental banner. To their credit and her relief, they waited until she had reached the front before saying anything.
She stopped in front of their dais and bowed.
“What are you doing, Miryo?” Satomi asked in an icy voice.
Mirei smiled at her, trying to fight down the whirlwind of nerves and exhilaration inside her. “Wrong.”
The Void Prime’s eyes narrowed, and in them was a touch of fear. “The doppelganger, then. You have no right to wear that pendant.”
She grinned again. “Not that, either. Can’t you guess?”
Murmurs from behind her. Mirei spread her arms wide. “Miryo, And Mirage. And proof that we’ve been doing things wrong for all these centuries.”