Vuldaroq's lips thinned. 'My dear General, The Raven had retired. And while Denser was fully in support of our early efforts to find Lyanna alone, it subsequently became clear we needed more help, hence The Raven and your good selves.
'And you are right, Xetesk does share our interest, but they have an agenda other than our own. They want to see a return to the One Way of magic and that would spell, if you'll pardon the pun, the end of Dordover, Lystern and, for that matter, Julatsa.'
'I can't see why Xetesk would desire that. Not now – surely they are as anxious as any of us to maintain equality among the Colleges?'
'Well, that rather depends on whether they feel they can survive and become the dominant force without the need for battie. And I believe that's exactly what they think.'
Darrick nodded, though Vuldaroq could see he remained unconvinced. 'And what of Erienne and Lyanna's feelings and desires?'
'They are Dordovans,' said Vuldaroq sharply. 'And it is our right as well as our duty to train them in the Dordovan ethic. Lyanna will, of course, be allowed to expand her compass to other disciplines but she should remain, at root, one of ours.'
Darrick raised his eyebrows. 'Surely Lyanna is a child of Dordover and Xetesk, at the very least, and perhaps of all Colleges.'
'Ry, please? I'll explain later.' Heryst looked oyer his shoulder.
Darrick shrugged. 'They are my friends, my Lord Mage. I am merely anxious to see right done by them.'
'And it will be,' assured Heryst.
'There is far more at stake here than friendship,' said Vuldaroq.
Darrick regarded him coolly. 'No, there isn't,' he said. 'Not for me.' He bowed to both mages and left the Chamber of Reflection.
Vuldaroq scowled. 'You keep your General in line,' he said. 'We've already got The Raven out there and I can't have any more mavericks. This is too big.'
'Don't worry, Vuldaroq. Darrick may be possessed of a big heart but he is also possessed of an unflinching loyalty to Lystern. He'll do as I ask.'
'See that he does.'
Lyanna was walking alone down the corridor to her room as Erienne hurried into the house, a confrontation with the Al-Drechar on her mind.
'Lyanna?' she called, a little more sharply than she'd intended, taken aback that Ren'erei wasn't shadowing her.
The little girl stopped and Erienne felt the air move about her. She turned a scowling face to her mother and walked towards her. Erienne had seen that scowl a hundred times before but this time she felt threatened, though the notion was absurd.
'Oh Lyanna, what's happened? Don't look like that,' she said gently, crouching down. 'Come and give me a hug.'
'I don't feel well,' said Lyanna. 'Ephy's very tired and Myra was sick. I hurt them, Mummy, and I hurt you.' She was close to tears.
Erienne frowned. 'You didn't hurt me, darling. I was just worried about you, that's all.'
But Lyanna shook her head. 'No, Mummy, I know what I did.' A tear rolled down her cheek. Erienne wiped it away then pulled Lyanna close.
'You could never hurt me, Lyanna. I love you.' She stood, picking her daughter up and taking her to her room, setting her on the bed. 'Tell you what, why don't you tell me what you did today? What made Ephy so tired?'
T draw pictures,' said Lyanna, her tone a little brighter. 'Of what the magic inside me shows me. Then they tell me how to hold the wind it makes in my head.' Lyanna looked up and more tears were in her eyes. 'But I can't make it work and they have to help me and it makes them ill and things happen. I know they do because they all look so frowny and then they have to stop and make my mind quiet again.'
She started to grizzle and Erienne held her tightly, her heart lurching. She couldn't grasp exactly what Lyanna was trying to explain but one conclusion was clear enough. The Al-Drechar weren't coping.
'Will you be all right here on your own for a little while?' she asked.
'Yes. For a little. Maybe Ren will come.'
'If I see her, I'll ask her to visit you.' Erienne smiled and leant to kiss Lyanna's cheek. It was wet with tears. 'Don't worry, my sweet. Everything will be fine.'
But as she hurried along to the dining room where she hoped to find the Al-Drechar, her words echoed in her mind like betrayal.
They were there, as she had hoped, sitting around one end of the table as always. Myriell had the pipe in her hands though it was only late afternoon.
'Sit, Erienne. Sit.' Cleress waved a hand wearily at the empty chairs. Erienne chose one where she could face them all.
'I think it's time you told me what is really going on,' she said.
'You sound as if you think something's wrong,' said Aviana.
'And it's time you dropped that illusion too. It's as full of holes as the one I flew over just now.' There was no reaction. Erienne pointed at her eyes. 'These work, you know.' Then her ears. 'And so do these. So why don't you drop the high and mighty all-conquering Al-Drechar bit and tell me what's happening.' Erienne felt her anger stir. She saw a frown flash across Ephemere's face but it was Cleress who spoke.
'Your daughter is an exceptionally talented individual but her abilities are unfocused. It is taking longer than we anticipated to calm her mind. Then we can begin to train her to use the Way.'
'Gods, I get straighter answers from Lyanna,' Erienne said. 'Look, I don't know whose benefit all your bluff is for but I'm not buying it. I may not be Al-Drechar but I know when I see a major illusion disintegrating and I know what that causes in the mana spectra. I also know when I see four exhausted old elves and I'm looking at them right now. I'm asking you, please, don't fail because you're too proud to call on me to help.'
The Al-Drechar were silent, expressions neutral while they conversed with each other. Erienne waited and presently Ephemere focused on her.
'Erienne, the depth of your daughter's potential power exceeds our hopes but brings such problems. Her youth makes her mind so vulnerable to surges and uncontrolled expression of mana and we have had to absorb and refocus so much as she learns to accept the feelings within her.
'She is not currently at risk because we are able to accommodate her energies but, as you have made clear, it has depleted our own and leaves us somewhat exposed.'
'Somewhat? Look at you Ephy, Myra – all of you – taking the pipe
in the afternoon, sitting like it takes all of your remaining energy to stay upright. And that illusion above our heads is a liability. Why do you even sustain it?' Erienne felt a crawling in her chest. The Al-Drechar looked so frail. Such power and venerability reduced to sunken-eyed exhaustion.
'It is our only defence,' said Aviana. 'We are so few and our enemies are so near.' She sounded close to panic.
'But how long can you go on, Ana? Gods, you're killing yourselves. Let me help, I implore you. Tell me what I can do.' She searched their faces through the wisps of smoke, 'deny? Ephy?'
'We have already taken steps,' said Cleress.
'Ren'erei is leaving on the predawn tide,' said Ephemere.
'To do what?'
'To seek mages who can sustain the illusion and allow us to focus all our energies on Lyanna,' replied Cleress.
'Where's she going? I mean, do you have mages you can trust?'
Cleress shook her head. 'I'm afraid it's a little more urgent than that. We have no mages in the Guild and Ren'erei goes to Calaius to recruit those who believe in our myth.' She tried to smile. Erienne was horrified.
'You're going to invite total strangers here? Think of the consequences!'
'And think of them if we don't,' said Myriell harshly, her voice thick with pipe smoke.
'No, no. Sorry, Myra but you misunderstand,' said Erienne. 'I'm talking about trust and betrayal. You've spent so long keeping your location secret, you can't afford even the slightest risk that Ren'erei finds the wrong people.' She paused, her heart swelling in her chest, ashamed at the rush she was feeling. 'I'm going with Ren'erei but not to Calaius because you need people, and not just mages, that you can trust utterly. We're going back to Balaia. You need The Raven.'