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Authors: Garrett Robinson
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words.”
“Leave Mako out of it, then,” said Ebon. “But we must stop Isra as quickly as we can. I have not forgotten the sight of Oren’s corpse—nor Credell’s, nor poor little Vali’s.”
“And do you think I have?” Her eyes flashed. “She has left a longer trail of bodies than that, though how can I blame you for remembering only the goldbags among them?”
Ebon stopped walking and squared his shoulders, looking her in the eye. “That is not fair.”
She glared back for a moment, but then she sagged. “I am sorry. I know you do not think of it that way. It is only … Ebon, I am frightened.”
“We all are,” said Kalem. He put an awkward hand on her arm. “Who knows when Isra will appear again?”
Theren shrugged. “Who cares for Isra? I am afraid for Dasko, and for the mindwyrd I keep him under. I am afraid for all of us, and what will happen if we are discovered. And I am afraid to use the mindwyrd to pry information from Dasko’s mind. I never wanted this power, and now I cannot stop using it.”
They stood a moment in silence. Then Ebon tossed his head. “Come. Time stops for no one.” They fell into step beside him. “I feel your fear as well. But we could at least speak with Lilith. Mayhap she can help, and mayhap not. If not, we can leave it alone, and it will never reach Mako’s ears at all.”
She sighed. “Mayhap. Let me think upon it. It is no decision to make lightly.”
“Of course.”
They reached the Academy a little while later, and no sooner had they passed through the front door than the curfew bell rang. Theren redoubled her pace, making for the white cedar doors that led out to the grounds.
“I am almost late. I will see you both on the morrow.”
But Ebon increased his pace to keep up with her. “I will come with you.”
“And I as well,” said Kalem, who scampered along with them.
Theren did not stop moving, but she tried to wave them off. “There is no need. I can do it myself easily enough—I have the practice, certainly.”
“I told you, Theren. We are in this together.”
He caught the faintest quiver in her chin. “Very well,” she said, her voice wavering. “Thank you both.”
The grounds were as cold as the streets had been, but better lit, for the groundskeepers had already been around to kindle the lanterns. They went for the place in the hedges where they always met Dasko. He was there when they arrived, sitting by himself on a stone bench. Kalem waited at the entrance to the sitting area, standing just out of view where he could keep watch.
Dasko stood as soon as he saw them. Ebon stopped short. He had not seen the man in some time, a week at least. Something about him seemed … off. It was not just his face, which had grown a touch more gaunt, nor the grey at his temples, which seemed to have spread some little way into the rest of his hair. It was a weariness, a thinness, as though the instructor were only half there, and half an Elf-dream. But perhaps Ebon was only imagining that. So far as he knew, no one else had remarked on Dasko acting strange.
Theren reached into a pocket of her robe, and Ebon knew she was holding the amulet of Kekhit. “You will not remember that you have seen us here tonight,” she began. “You will return here tomorrow just before curfew, and remain until I come to see you. If anyone asks, you will not tell them why you are here waiting, but will invent some excuse.”
“Yes,” said Dasko, nodding. Ebon shuddered at the lifeless monotone in his voice.
Kalem and Theren had explained a bit to him in the days since they had first placed Dasko under control. Theren had thoroughly erased his memories of these meetings. If they released Dasko from mindwyrd, the danger was not that he would remember them—the danger was that there would be gaps in his memory, and he would start showing withdrawal from the control. That would prompt an investigation by the faculty, and that could lead to Ebon and his
“Leave Mako out of it, then,” said Ebon. “But we must stop Isra as quickly as we can. I have not forgotten the sight of Oren’s corpse—nor Credell’s, nor poor little Vali’s.”
“And do you think I have?” Her eyes flashed. “She has left a longer trail of bodies than that, though how can I blame you for remembering only the goldbags among them?”
Ebon stopped walking and squared his shoulders, looking her in the eye. “That is not fair.”
She glared back for a moment, but then she sagged. “I am sorry. I know you do not think of it that way. It is only … Ebon, I am frightened.”
“We all are,” said Kalem. He put an awkward hand on her arm. “Who knows when Isra will appear again?”
Theren shrugged. “Who cares for Isra? I am afraid for Dasko, and for the mindwyrd I keep him under. I am afraid for all of us, and what will happen if we are discovered. And I am afraid to use the mindwyrd to pry information from Dasko’s mind. I never wanted this power, and now I cannot stop using it.”
They stood a moment in silence. Then Ebon tossed his head. “Come. Time stops for no one.” They fell into step beside him. “I feel your fear as well. But we could at least speak with Lilith. Mayhap she can help, and mayhap not. If not, we can leave it alone, and it will never reach Mako’s ears at all.”
She sighed. “Mayhap. Let me think upon it. It is no decision to make lightly.”
“Of course.”
They reached the Academy a little while later, and no sooner had they passed through the front door than the curfew bell rang. Theren redoubled her pace, making for the white cedar doors that led out to the grounds.
“I am almost late. I will see you both on the morrow.”
But Ebon increased his pace to keep up with her. “I will come with you.”
“And I as well,” said Kalem, who scampered along with them.
Theren did not stop moving, but she tried to wave them off. “There is no need. I can do it myself easily enough—I have the practice, certainly.”
“I told you, Theren. We are in this together.”
He caught the faintest quiver in her chin. “Very well,” she said, her voice wavering. “Thank you both.”
The grounds were as cold as the streets had been, but better lit, for the groundskeepers had already been around to kindle the lanterns. They went for the place in the hedges where they always met Dasko. He was there when they arrived, sitting by himself on a stone bench. Kalem waited at the entrance to the sitting area, standing just out of view where he could keep watch.
Dasko stood as soon as he saw them. Ebon stopped short. He had not seen the man in some time, a week at least. Something about him seemed … off. It was not just his face, which had grown a touch more gaunt, nor the grey at his temples, which seemed to have spread some little way into the rest of his hair. It was a weariness, a thinness, as though the instructor were only half there, and half an Elf-dream. But perhaps Ebon was only imagining that. So far as he knew, no one else had remarked on Dasko acting strange.
Theren reached into a pocket of her robe, and Ebon knew she was holding the amulet of Kekhit. “You will not remember that you have seen us here tonight,” she began. “You will return here tomorrow just before curfew, and remain until I come to see you. If anyone asks, you will not tell them why you are here waiting, but will invent some excuse.”
“Yes,” said Dasko, nodding. Ebon shuddered at the lifeless monotone in his voice.
Kalem and Theren had explained a bit to him in the days since they had first placed Dasko under control. Theren had thoroughly erased his memories of these meetings. If they released Dasko from mindwyrd, the danger was not that he would remember them—the danger was that there would be gaps in his memory, and he would start showing withdrawal from the control. That would prompt an investigation by the faculty, and that could lead to Ebon and his
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