There were many more reasons to go than not, however. First, there was Tyvara. He could not contemplate abandoning her. If he didn’t speak on her behalf at the trial, she might be executed. She had saved his life, and might die for it. Which would make it entirely his fault.
Even if I knew she would be fine, the thought of never seeing her again... His chest tightened and his heart began to beat faster. He frowned. There is more to this than an obligation to help her. I like her. A lot. I couldn’t abandon her, even if she doesn’t have the same feelings for me.
He thought about what Chari had hinted at. “Not any and every man for our Tyvara. Don’t worry about that.” The woman believed that Tyvara found him attractive. But Tyvara wasn’t behaving that way. She seemed determined to repel him, frowning and scowling when he talked to her, and trying to talk him into going home. Each time she did, Chari assured him that Tyvara felt guilty for not telling him earlier about the price for entering Sanctuary, and didn’t want him sacrificing his freedom for her sake.
But if I let her talk me into going home, she’d have not only saved me, but possibly sacrificed her own life for me. I can’t let that happen.
Tyvara wasn’t the only reason he ought to go to Sanctuary. To have come so far, got so close to these Traitors, and not attempt to set up negotiations between them and the Guild would be a waste of a great opportunity. He doubted that strangers often had the chance to enter Sanctuary and make such proposals. Even if the Traitors didn’t like the idea, at least he’d have put it into their minds.
But how realistic was it to hope that a people so secretive would, one day, decide to trade with the Guild?
Well, if they want Healing knowledge they’ll have to.
It was possible that the Traitors would decide it was safer to reject Healing and remain hidden to the world, keeping him trapped in Sanctuary. But it was worth the risk.
He had to admit, he did feel a nagging obligation to atone for his father’s betrayal. Though he would never give them Healing knowledge without the permission of the Guild, he could work toward gaining that permission. He felt like he owed the Traitors that much.
And if all goes to plan, we’ll get something in return. Perhaps only this ability to block mind-reading, but I have a feeling they have more to offer than that. I’m sure the mind-blocking is done with some sort of gem like the blood stones. That could be a whole new area of magic to be explored.
There was no way the Guild would agree to a trade with the Traitors while they had Lorkin imprisoned. Eventually, if the Traitors wanted Healing knowledge, they would have to let him go. In the meantime... Chari had mentioned records. Having been hidden away for several centuries, the Traitors must have historical information that Dannyl had never encountered before. Records that might lead to the rediscovery of ancient magic. Magic that the Guild could use for its defence.
Assuming that such magic does exist, can be used for defence, and I ever manage to get the information to the Guild.
Lorkin sighed. Perhaps he was being too optimistic, thinking that one day the Traitors would ally themselves with the Guild and the Allied Lands, and he would regain his freedom. Maybe it was wishful thinking.
Yet the Traitors were much better people than those that ruled the rest of Sachaka. They hated slavery, for a start. They counted all as equals, men and women, magicians and non-magicians.
They also had an incredible amount of influence over the country through their spies. He had to admit, the possibility of them taking over Sachaka one day was appealing. He had no doubt the first thing they would do is abolish slavery. He doubted they’d give up black magic, though. Still, it would be a big step toward Sachaka becoming one of the Allied Lands.
How can I give up and go back to Arvice, after all I’ve seen there? The slaves, the awful hierarchy based on inheritance and black magic. The Traitors’ society can’t be worse than that.
So many reasons to go to Sanctuary. So few to go back to Arvice.
He hadn’t realised he’d stood up until he found himself on his feet. The feeling of determination and decisiveness was exhilarating. He stepped past dozing women and walked to where Savara leaned against the rock wall, her eyes closed.
“I’ll come to Sanctuary,” he told her, guessing that she wasn’t asleep.
Her eyes flew open and snapped to his. She stared at him, her gaze disconcertingly intelligent. He found himself thinking that she must have been quite a beauty in her youth.
“Good,” she said.
“But you’re going to have to let me deal with Ambassador Dannyl,” he added. “He’s not going to give up. If you’d met my mother you’d understand why. Eventually he’ll either find Sanctuary or you’ll have to kill him. I rather like him, and would appreciate you not killing him. And if you did, there would probably be consequences that would not be good for the Traitors.”
“How will you persuade him to stop following you?”
He smiled grimly. “I know what to say to him. I’ll need to speak to him alone, though.”
“I doubt the Ashaki will let you go, if they see you.”
“We’ll have to lure him away from them.”
She frowned as she considered this. “I think we can arrange that.”
“Thank you.”
“Go sleep. We’ll have to let them catch up with us again, so we may as well get some rest in the meantime.”
He walked back to his mattress and found Tyvara sitting up, glaring at him.
“What?” he asked.
“You had better not be thinking there is more between you and I than there actually is, Kyralian,” she said in a low voice.
He stared at her, feeling doubts starting to creep in. She stared back, then abruptly turned away and lay down with her back to him. He settled onto his mattress, feeling worry starting to eat at him.
Perhaps this is a one-sided thing...
“Don’t worry,” Chari whispered. “She always does this. The more she likes someone the more she pushes them away.”
“Shut up, Chari,” Tyvara hissed.
Lying on the hard ground, Lorkin knew that sleep was going to be impossible. It was going to be a very long day. And he was beginning to wonder if there might be a significant downside to living in a city of women like these.
As Regin related the final stages of the Ichani Invasion, Sonea cursed Cery again and tried not to listen. After leaving the Guild, she and the Healer who had brought the message had hurried to the hospice by carriage.
So many hours have passed since then, it feels like something that happened yesterday.
There had been a delay, she remembered. A Healer new to the hospice had pinned her down with questions about protocol. Sonea had told the man that he could ask such questions of any Healer there, and some of the helpers, but he didn’t seem to trust them. By the time Sonea extracted herself, Regin was there, waiting for her.
He arrived in a covered cart used to transport supplies to his family home. She had felt strangely out of place, riding in the back of an old cart, the both of them using empty crates as seats. But it was a smart move. They would attract too much attention if they arrived in a Guild carriage.
He’d also brought some threadbare old coats to wear over their robes. For that she was immensely grateful, and a little ashamed that she hadn’t considered how they were going to disguise themselves.