He paused, his thoughts dark. Once the story had seemed interesting but removed from him, something that could not stir emotions he no longer acknowledged having. But Mari had made him see that other people were not just shadows, and now the thought of the suffering disturbed him. “No one knows how many citizens of the city died during the retaking of Marandur. But when the assault was over, every rebel had been slain as they fought to the last, and the city was a wasteland of ruins populated mostly by the dead. That was when Palan decreed that Marandur would stand as an eternal monument to the costs of rebellion. After giving any survivors a very short period to leave, the ruins of the city were declared sealed on pain of death, a quarantine enforced by Imperial soldiers ever since. Palandur was built as the new capital.” Alain pointed at Mari. “Some artifacts and wealth were removed from the wreckage of the Imperial palace, but by the emperor’s decree no one else was allowed to bring objects out of the ruins of Marandur.”
She took a moment to realize what that meant. “The vaults at the original Guild headquarters. I was told that the rebels overran the Mechanics Guild headquarters, which was blamed on the guards not being alert. That’s why apprentices get told about it, since apprentices stand the routine security watches in Guild Halls. The Guild Hall in Marandur was certainly badly damaged, if not destroyed, when the legions retook the city, but the vaults might still contain manuscripts. If the Guild had copies elsewhere—and there are always supposed to be copies of important documents—and if the Guild believed that the ones in Marandur had probably been destroyed anyway, it might not have contested Palan’s decision. Blazes, the Guild would have known that the Empire was keeping everyone out of what was left of Marandur, the legions inadvertently guarding those old vaults better than even the Mechanics Guild could have. If those vaults are still sealed, which they well could be because they would’ve been very strong, those manuscripts might’ve survived intact.” Mari was getting visibly animated as she spoke. “It’s possible. Alain, it’s just possible. I can open those vaults, given time.”
Mari clenched her fists, gazing toward one wall. “Maybe…maybe the technology in those vaults could change things without a war. Maybe that army you saw me with would never be used. Maybe the big battle in Dorcastle wouldn’t have to happen. That’s possible, right?”
“That is possible,” Alain said. “The visions showed only possible futures.”
“And we’re already together again. Oh, Alain, this could give me the tools I need to fix things without some kind of war happening. The prophecy doesn’t say there will be a war, does it? It just says the Great Guild will be overthrown.”
Alain nodded, thinking. “As far as I know, that is correct. But will either the Mage Guild or the Mechanics Guild surrender without fighting?”
“I don’t know,” Mari said. “I have to try.” She looked at him, a different kind of worry visible now. “But it’s an automatic death sentence from the emperor to go to Marandur. That doesn’t matter as far as I’m concerned, with so many people who will want me dead when they discover about that prophecy. But you…I can’t let you be sentenced to death as well.”
“I am already under a death sentence from my Guild,” Alain reminded her. “It would not matter if that were not so, for I meant what I said. If you die, it will only be because I have already fallen protecting you. If you go to Marandur, I will go also.”
Mari looked at him for a long time, then to Alain’s surprise smiled in a very sad way. “I’m such an idiot. Do you know why? Because you and I are going to Marandur. I still don’t believe that I’m that person, but I’m going to keep trying to fix things.” Mari came over to hold Alain tightly. “You’re forgiven for not telling me.”
“I tried,” Alain said, once more bewildered.
“In your own silly Mage way, yes, you did,” Mari agreed. “But you have to promise me something.”
“Anything,” Alain said.
“Never say that,” Mari insisted. “I don’t own you. I don’t have any right to ask you to promise anything I want. But this one thing I need you to do. Please promise you will not call me that name. I can’t control what other people do, what other people might say, but I need to remain Mari in your eyes. Not…her.”
“I promise, Mari.”
She started laughing softly, alarming him again. “The word of a Mage. I just got a Mage to promise me something.”
“Many people would not understand why you bothered,” Alain said, relieved. “Do you feel better?”
“No. I’m in denial right now. I’m scared and overwhelmed and my mind is racing. But,” she paused and looked at him. “You’re here. You just gave me hope. You also just scared the blazes out of me. I’m no longer sure that I’m the most difficult person in this relationship.”
“I remain sure of it,” Alain said.
“Did you just make a joke?” She pulled away a little and stared at him, smiling more like she usually did. “Are you making fun of me, Mage?”
Alain couldn’t remember how long it had been since he had laughed. The act was completely alien to Mages, to the training he had endured since he was a small child. But now he laughed, the sound rusty and halting, yet he knew it was a laugh, and it felt so good to be laughing and holding Mari that Alain wondered what Mage art or other promised reward could possibly be worth giving up such things.
Mari looked at him, blinking away tears. “You’re laughing. What a wonderful sound. My Mage is laughing. Our Guilds want to kill us, everybody thinks I’m somebody I’m not, and we’re going to a ruined city where the Emperor has decreed any trespassers must die. And we’re happy. Do you want to leave for there tomorrow?”
Alain stopped laughing long enough to answer. “Certainly.”
Then the moment vanished as they both heard an odd sound, like a distorted voice.
Mari flung herself away from him, toward her pack. Digging in the pack frantically, Mari surfaced in a few moments with the boxlike thing Alain had seen her use to call other Mechanics in Dorcastle. He heard a strangely raspy voice speaking in barely audible words. “I repeat, Master Mechanic Mari, please respond. Your Guild is concerned for your safety. If you will please come to the Guild Hall here in Severun we will ensure you are taken care of and that you are protected. Please respond—”
Mari did something to the Mechanic device and the voice cut off. “We’re not leaving in the morning. We’re leaving now. Somehow my Guild suspects that I’m in this city. Get everything together. I want us out of here as fast as possible.”
Chapter Fourteen
Fortunately, packing required nothing more than throwing a few things back into their packs and then heading for the door. The room had been paid for already, so Alain just had to wait while Mari tossed the key into a slot at the owner’s door, then they both hastened out of the hostel. “We go south,” Mari said. “Marandur is that way, and neither one of our Guilds will expect us to go south from here.” She felt dazed from the many emotional ups and downs of this day, which obviously had not ended.
The daughter? Her? How could she possibly be that person? Mari shook her head violently, trying to drive the thoughts away. Focus on here and now, on getting away from my Guild here, or that prophecy might end badly in a few hours.
Alain looked back for a moment, toward the waters of the lake, and came to a momentary halt. “I see a black haze when I look to the north. Danger comes from the lake.”
“Mechanics?” Mari asked, tugging Alain back into motion and increasing their pace.