The only decision he needed to make now was when.
When Dannyl arrived at the Guild House, returning from Achati’s home, he found Tayend and Merria enjoying a late-night drink and chat in the Master’s Room. He paused to consider them. Achati’s arrangements for the journey to Duna were coming together quickly, and Dannyl would have to tell his assistant and the Elyne Ambassador about them sooner than he expected.
No point putting it off, he told himself. Walking over to the stools, he nodded toward the bottle of wine.
“Any left?”
Tayend grinned and waved to a slave standing against one wall. “Fetch another glass,” he ordered, then patted the larger stool in the centre of the seating meant for the house’s master. “We saved it for you.”
Dannyl snorted softly and sat down. Though he was the person of highest rank in the Guild House, he doubted Tayend would have avoided the seat for that reason.
“What have you both been doing?” he asked.
Tayend waved a hand dismissively. “More important people to visit, more delicious meals to consume. That sort of thing.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Dannyl told him. He looked at Merria.
She shrugged. “I went to see my new friends and gave them Black Magician Sonea’s message. You?”
The slave returned, offering the wine glass with bowed head and lowered eyes. Tayend picked up the bottle and filled the glass. Dannyl took a sip, then sighed with appreciation. “Ashaki Achati and I have been planning a trip to Duna. Looks like we’ll be leaving sooner than I expected: in a week – maybe even a few days.”
Merria’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Research or ambassadorial duties?” Tayend asked, a knowing look in his eyes.
“Mostly research,” Dannyl admitted. “Though it won’t hurt, politically.”
“It was the books from the market, wasn’t it?” Tayend looked smug.
“I guess in a way they did lead to Achati suggesting a research trip.” To Dannyl’s satisfaction, the smug look vanished.
“So when are we leaving?” Merria asked.
Dannyl lifted an eyebrow at her. “We?”
Her face fell. “You’re not taking me with you?”
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
“It’s a habit of his,” Tayend murmured. “Always leaving people behind.”
Dannyl gave Tayend a reproachful look. The scholar’s eyes widened in mock innocence.
“Surely you’ll need an assistant on this journey,” Merria persisted. “More so than you do here, anyway.”
“I – the Guild – needs you to stay here,” Dannyl told her. “To take care of things, in the unlikely event that something comes up. We can’t leave the Guild House unoccupied by Guild magicians.”
“That’s true,” Tayend agreed, quietly. “They’d kick me out, since I’m supposed to be finding my own premises.”
“But,” Merria was beginning to sound panicky. “If anything important comes up, they won’t want to deal with a woman.”
“They’ll have to, or else wait until I return. If it’s urgent …” He pursed his lips and considered. He would have to leave Osen’s blood ring behind, so that Merria could consult with the Administrator if anything important came up. So she could pass messages on to the Guild, and Sonea. If only I could make my own blood ring. Or had someone else’s … ah, of course! I have Sonea’s ring. Perhaps she would agree to me leaving it here for Merria. He would contact her tomorrow, he decided.
“If it’s urgent, you will contact Osen or Sonea via one of their blood rings. I’ll take one with me and leave one here.” Dannyl straightened and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll be fine, Merria. You have found your way into the hidden world of Sachakan women and established links with the Traitors, all in a remarkably short time. I have no doubt that, if something comes up – which seems unlikely – you’ll be able to hold things together.”
“I have no doubt of it either,” Tayend added.
Her strained smile was more like a grimace, but she did look calmer and less uncertain, though disappointed.
“How long will you be gone?” she asked.
“I don’t know exactly,” Dannyl told her. “A few weeks, maybe more. It depends on seasonal winds or something and whether the tribesmen agree to see us at all.”
Merria made a small huffing sound. “Now you’re rubbing it in. I’d love to visit the tribes.”
“Perhaps we’ll go back there someday,” he suggested. “Once I know if they are as restrictive in their regard for women as the Sachakans are.”
Immediately her eyes brightened. “The men in the market were friendly.”
“Yes, but we can’t assume they are all like that. Traders have every reason to relax whatever customs they might normally follow in the pursuit of customers.”
She frowned. “What if a message comes from Lorkin while you’re gone?”
“You’ll pass it on to the recipient via the blood ring,” he told her.
She nodded. “Perhaps the Traitors could get one to you.”
“I doubt they have connections in the tribes,” he pointed out. “And it may be wise to not grow too reliant on the Traitors. They aren’t our enemy, as far as we know. But they aren’t allies, either.”
The Administrator’s office was full of Higher Magicians. As always, there were more magicians than chairs and Sonea was amused to note who was sitting down and who standing up. The Heads of Disciplines were traditionally the more vocal of the group. Lady Vinara, Lord Peakin and Lord Garrel were seated closest to Osen’s desk. Though High Lord Balkan outranked them, he chose to stand against the wall to one side, arms crossed.
The Heads of Studies, Lords Rothen, Erayk and Telano, and University Director Jerrik were also sitting down, but on the plainer dining chairs that had been brought over from the little table Osen had in the room. Sonea had often wondered if Osen ever had small dinner gatherings here and, if so, how often. She had never been invited to one.
The Healer and Alchemist who had been in Naki’s guest room when Sonea arrived were also present, standing at the back. One of the king’s advisers sat to one side, and Sonea, not for the first time, wondered if they received training in how to avoid attracting attention – remaining unobserved while observing all.
As always, she and Black Magician Kallen were standing. Kallen had been looming over the others when Sonea arrived, and though she told herself that it would be easier if they could all see her when she reported her findings, she had to admit there was a small, defiant part of her that didn’t want to seem less authoritative than he, sitting down while he towered over everyone.
The door opened and all turned to see Novice Director Narren enter the room. The man was younger than his predecessor, Ahrind, had been when Sonea was a novice, but he was equally strict and humourless. As Osen welcomed him he looked around and nodded politely. When his gaze fell on her and Kallen he frowned.
“Who is guarding Lilia?” he asked, alarmed.
Sonea looked at Kallen and saw a flicker of the same amusement she felt. “Lilia is no stronger than her natural limit,” she reminded him. “The two magicians guarding her will have no more trouble restraining her than myself and Black Magician Kallen would.”
He blinked, then flushed a bright red. “Ah. Forgive me. I forgot.”
“So Lilia hasn’t taken power from anyone?” Vinara asked, looking at Sonea.
“I detected no unnatural level of power within her. She may have taken power, then used it, but she doesn’t recall doing so, except—”
Osen cleared his throat and raised his hands to indicate they should stop talking. “Forgive me for interrupting, but we should begin at the beginning.” He looked to the back of the room. “Lords Roah and Parrie, please tell us when you first learned of Lord Leiden’s murder.”