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Authors: Andrew Rowe
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the city to meet a famous scholar, and I assume gave you the most conspicuous object on the continent to bring along. Did they happen to give a reason why?” Jonan asked.
“To learn about my heritage,” Taelien explained, shaking his head. “My parents, well, they are not my real parents. They just took me in when I was a child, you see. They were given instructions to give me the sword when I came of age. I’ve been practicing with it for several years now, and my parents felt I was ready to come to try to discover where I came from.”
“You can use the sword?” Lydia recoiled, eyes widening slightly.
“Only in the loosest sense of the word ‘use’,” Taelien replied, sounding oddly embarrassed.
“Wait, who gave your parents these instructions?” Jonan asked.
“Erik Tarren did. He’s the one who left me and the sword with them. He said that I should come find him when I’m old enough.”
“This is quickly turning into an interrogation,” Lydia pointed out. “Taelien, you don’t have to be so quick to volunteer information. In fact, I’d advise against it.”
Jonan gave Lydia a pouty expression for spoiling his fun.
“It’s fine,” Taelien said. “I have nothing to hide. I’m sure you two are both thinking about using me – and this information – to your political advantage. I don’t really care. Telling you what I know is probably the fastest way to reach my own goals.”
“That makes things much easier, then.” Jonan flipped his dour expression into a grin. “So. Does your family have any enemies?”
Taelien shook his head. “None that I am aware of, and certainly none in this city. I suspect you’re overthinking this. My parents, not knowing the law, send me to find information. I, not knowing the law, blunder my way into an arrest. The sorcerers see a conspiracy, but I see little more than a coincidence.”
“Perhaps,” Jonan replied dubiously. “There is only one way to find out with any certainty, however.”
“Find Erik Tarren?” Lydia mused, folding her arms. “That’s doubtful, at best. The man stopped publishing books more than fifteen years ago. In all likelihood, that’s because he’s dead. He was over a hundred years old. Even a powerful sorcerer can only extend his life for so long.”
“You’re awfully quick to discard our only source of information,” Jonan wagged a finger at Lydia for emphasis.
“First, we haven’t even established that we’re actually on the same side. And second, searching for a presumably dead man while hiding a fugitive who is carrying one of the most valuable relics in the world is somewhat absurd, don’t you think?” Lydia countered, staring back at Jonan.
“Sounds like fun to me,” Jonan said, looking over at Taelien. “What do you think?”
Please be as impressionable and foolish as you look.
“That does sound pretty exciting,” Taelien said, nodding lightly.
Thank you.
Lydia shook her head fervently. “Look, I can’t just go running around the city with a fugitive. He needs to be out of the city, and then I can pursue this Erik Tarren business – if there’s anything to be pursued – without having to worry about having Taelien recaptured. Taelien, I’d be glad to bring Erik Tarren to meet you somewhere outside the city if I can find him,” she offered, a pleading expression on her face.
“Assuming, of course, that you work for someone we can trust. You’ve already clearly betrayed the government of Orlyn – who’s to say you wouldn’t just kill this Erik Tarren if you find him, or turn him in to your own people to steal his secrets?” Jonan leaned forward in his chair, narrowing his eyes. He was making a rough gamble and he knew it. He had to hope that Taelien’s lack of trust for Lydia was sufficient to put Taelien on his side.
Taelien, unfortunately, remained silent. He scratched at his chin, looking to Lydia, apparently seeking her guidance. Resh.
“All right,” Lydia said. “You tell
“To learn about my heritage,” Taelien explained, shaking his head. “My parents, well, they are not my real parents. They just took me in when I was a child, you see. They were given instructions to give me the sword when I came of age. I’ve been practicing with it for several years now, and my parents felt I was ready to come to try to discover where I came from.”
“You can use the sword?” Lydia recoiled, eyes widening slightly.
“Only in the loosest sense of the word ‘use’,” Taelien replied, sounding oddly embarrassed.
“Wait, who gave your parents these instructions?” Jonan asked.
“Erik Tarren did. He’s the one who left me and the sword with them. He said that I should come find him when I’m old enough.”
“This is quickly turning into an interrogation,” Lydia pointed out. “Taelien, you don’t have to be so quick to volunteer information. In fact, I’d advise against it.”
Jonan gave Lydia a pouty expression for spoiling his fun.
“It’s fine,” Taelien said. “I have nothing to hide. I’m sure you two are both thinking about using me – and this information – to your political advantage. I don’t really care. Telling you what I know is probably the fastest way to reach my own goals.”
“That makes things much easier, then.” Jonan flipped his dour expression into a grin. “So. Does your family have any enemies?”
Taelien shook his head. “None that I am aware of, and certainly none in this city. I suspect you’re overthinking this. My parents, not knowing the law, send me to find information. I, not knowing the law, blunder my way into an arrest. The sorcerers see a conspiracy, but I see little more than a coincidence.”
“Perhaps,” Jonan replied dubiously. “There is only one way to find out with any certainty, however.”
“Find Erik Tarren?” Lydia mused, folding her arms. “That’s doubtful, at best. The man stopped publishing books more than fifteen years ago. In all likelihood, that’s because he’s dead. He was over a hundred years old. Even a powerful sorcerer can only extend his life for so long.”
“You’re awfully quick to discard our only source of information,” Jonan wagged a finger at Lydia for emphasis.
“First, we haven’t even established that we’re actually on the same side. And second, searching for a presumably dead man while hiding a fugitive who is carrying one of the most valuable relics in the world is somewhat absurd, don’t you think?” Lydia countered, staring back at Jonan.
“Sounds like fun to me,” Jonan said, looking over at Taelien. “What do you think?”
Please be as impressionable and foolish as you look.
“That does sound pretty exciting,” Taelien said, nodding lightly.
Thank you.
Lydia shook her head fervently. “Look, I can’t just go running around the city with a fugitive. He needs to be out of the city, and then I can pursue this Erik Tarren business – if there’s anything to be pursued – without having to worry about having Taelien recaptured. Taelien, I’d be glad to bring Erik Tarren to meet you somewhere outside the city if I can find him,” she offered, a pleading expression on her face.
“Assuming, of course, that you work for someone we can trust. You’ve already clearly betrayed the government of Orlyn – who’s to say you wouldn’t just kill this Erik Tarren if you find him, or turn him in to your own people to steal his secrets?” Jonan leaned forward in his chair, narrowing his eyes. He was making a rough gamble and he knew it. He had to hope that Taelien’s lack of trust for Lydia was sufficient to put Taelien on his side.
Taelien, unfortunately, remained silent. He scratched at his chin, looking to Lydia, apparently seeking her guidance. Resh.
“All right,” Lydia said. “You tell
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