Read Online Treachery's Tools by L. E. Modesitt Jr. - Free Book Online

afternoon, Maitre,” replied the imager third.
    Janya nodded and said timidly, barely above a whisper, “Maitre, sir.”
    â€œHow did you know I was there?” Alastar asked Charlina. “Under a concealment.”
    For a moment, Charlina did not reply.
    Alastar waited, a pleasant expression on his face.
    Finally, Charlina said, “I didn’t know it was you, sir. I could just feel that someone was there, and I watched to see who it might be. It happens here in the factorage now and again. I began to notice when it happens in the last few months, especially the last week or two, but before, you never dropped the concealment.”
    Alastar managed not to show any surprise. He’d observed study sessions under concealment before, but hadn’t visited the factorage using a concealment in months, not since spring, as he recalled. “Sometimes, it’s necessary. Can you always sense a concealment?”
    â€œNo, sir. I don’t think so. Just when someone’s close, I mean.”
    â€œThat might be a useful skill, Charlina. Most imagers can’t sense that. Please keep working at it.”
    An expression of surprise crossed the third’s face. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
    â€œBut don’t neglect developing your other imaging skills,” Alastar added. “You have the potential to do much better than you’ve shown.”
    Charlina’s eyes dropped. “Yes, Maitre.”
    â€œHaving great potential is a terrible burden, young woman,” Alastar went on dryly, “but you’ll survive it. All the maitres have.” With a parting smile, Alastar turned and slipped from the factorage. He had already decided not to make his way to the other end of the factorage where a handful of student thirds were working on imaging fine papers and stationery. At least one or more would have seen him, and he would have learned little that he did not know.
    The fact that someone else was using a concealment to visit the factorage concerned him, unless it happened to be Akoryt, since overseeing student discipline and learning was his concern, but Akoryt hadn’t mentioned doing so, and doing so without mentioning it would have been out of character. Still …
    Once he was back in his study, Alastar wrote out a note to High Holder Meinyt, requesting a few moments of his time in the next few days, and then had Dareyn dispatch it with one of the older junior imagers used as couriers and messengers. The next task was considering with which other members of the Factors’ Council he should meet. He was pondering whether to approach Factor Kathila or Factor Elthyrd first, when the study door opened slightly.
    â€œMaitre…” Dareyn stood in the study doorway, holding an envelope. “This just arrived.”
    Even from his desk, Alastar could see the black and gray seal that signified that it had to have come from either the branch of the Collegium in Westisle or from Mont D’Glace, the remote imager facility set in the foothills of the Montaignes D’Glace far to the north where failed imagers, either blind or partly so, were exiled. “Mont D’Glace or Westisle?”
    â€œWestisle, sir.”
    That could mean anything, but Alastar had a good idea what it might mean. Either another appeal by Voltyrn to name a successor to Zhelan or a letter announcing Zhelan’s death . Alastar stood and took the envelope from Dareyn, then slit it open and began to read.
    Maitre Alastar—
    With great regret, I must inform you that Maitre Zhelan died in his sleep last night. His steps had slowed some in the past year, but his mind remained sharp, and while we knew his days were numbered, the suddenness of his death came as a shock, beloved as he has been.
    Alastar wasn’t that surprised. Maitre D’Esprit Zhelan had been in his early sixties when Alastar had left Westisle thirteen years ago. And, of course, Voltyrn’s letter of a