Devan Chronicles Series: Books 1-3 (64 page)

Thinking about Mathius brought Julia’s own studies to mind. She had learned so much, but there was a seemingly infinite amount to learn. She doubted she would ever be finished. There was the realm of power that allowed her to talk to a mage mind to mind. Another was the realm of healing which allowed her to see auras of people but not inanimate objects—walls and other things appeared as random energy. Was it the soul that made the difference? Of course, animate and inanimate objects
were
very different in the real world, but everything was made of energy when you looked deep enough, so why did she need a different realm to see a recognisable pattern? Another question she had no answer for, but it didn’t prevent her from using it.

By using her mage sight to reach the healing realm, she could then change
focus
to see inanimate things better. It wasn’t like that really, but it was how she thought of it. Mathius used a different and more complex way of explaining it of course, but Julia preferred her own interpretation. Mathius had no interested in her patterns. He was much too busy trying to learn proven spells to have time to make his own. Her wish to discover a new way was driven by frustration. Most of the books in the library didn’t seem to work for her, though she was sure it was her own lack of understanding at fault.

When she examined someone’s aura in the healing realm, she saw random swirling energy everywhere she looked, but once she changed focus, the auras disappeared and the random patterns made sense. She had spent a lot of time over the winter learning the patterns of various objects hoping to learn something new. Whether it was new or not, she didn’t know, but she had learned that everything had a distinct and individual pattern. Stone was easiest to see, there was plenty at Athione to study. To her mind, Stefn’s bricks demonstrated the worth of her studies.

Julia entered the library and gently closed the doors shutting out the world.

Use me, and know your duty.

Julia paused as the silence of the library settled over her. It had never said that to her before. What was her duty? Perhaps her subconscious was telling her to do her duty regarding the common folk.

Julia found Mathius sitting in a corner frowning over a pair of leather bound books. She stood in the archway and watched for a moment. He was linked to his magic, but he didn’t seem to be using it. She could tell without needing to see the telltale glow surrounding him. What was he doing? He seemed to be comparing two different entries in the books and frowning over the result.

Grasping her magic, Julia spoke mind to mind. *
Have you found anything interesting?
*

Mathius looked up and grinned. “I think so. Did you know the fortress was built by sorcerers?”

“Brian told me when I first arrived.”

That was why Keverin assembled the books on magic. He wanted to resurrect the dual role of the fortresses—magical defences backed by the martial might of his guardsmen. With that goal in mind he assembled the books over a five year period when he realised that the Hasians wouldn’t be satisfied until they ruled all of Waipara. He bought them one by one from people all over Waipara. People who couldn’t even read brought books to Athione and sold them to him for gold. He was generous in his payments hoping to attract other book owners. Athione’s library was the result.

Julia moved to join Mathius at the table and like a gentleman he rose and helped her to a seat before seating himself opposite. Mathius rested a hand on the page he was reading to hold his place.

“In the time of the true sorcerers,” Mathius began. “Buildings and other things were routinely made with magic. Back then much of what they did was common knowledge and wasn’t written down. I’ve found errors in some of these books because people struggling to save the knowledge wrote them after the time of the true sorcerers. It seems many of the authors had an imperfect understanding of their subject.”

That didn’t sound good. How was she to learn anything if the books were wrong? Julia shrugged the thought aside. Much of what she had learned so far was by trial and error. The only thing she could point to that came from the books was her first try at lighting a candle. Even then, Mathius had to help her.

“How bad is it?”

“Oh, nothing to worry about. I have marked the errors and in some cases referred to another book that is correct. The problem is, I cannot know all the errors until I’m strong enough to try the spells.”

“What are you checking today?”

“This is something I’ve been trying to understand for a while. When Lucius was here, he mentioned communicating with Mortain via the mirror, and it puzzled me at the time. How could something like that be possible?”

Julia remembered thinking the same thing. “Well, I thought both of them must have scried each other at the same time. That would work wouldn’t it?”

Mathius was shaking his head. “That’s exactly what I thought. It
would
work, but only if you used an agreed upon time. I thought it would be better if we could somehow open both mirrors for scrying at the
same
time.”

“That’s an outstanding idea Mathius! Have you found something that will do that?”

“Not exactly… but I have found something that might be as good. This book explains the theory of contagion.” Before Julia opened her mouth, he hurried on. “And I don’t mean disease!” Mathius laughed.

Julia smiled. Mathius knew her too well. Anything to do with healing was intensely interesting to her. She was always willing to learn new ways to heal people.

“According to this,” Mathius went on. “When a sorcerer wanted to make an exact copy of something he used pieces of a whole to get his result. He constructed a matrix over the original he wished to copy and another identical one over the item he was making…”

Julia listened and the time flew by. This sounded important and she wanted to try it straight away. Kev would give her a big mirror if she asked him, and Master-crafter Deneen could probably recommend someone to cut it into sections once they had worked their magic upon it.

“…and that’s it. If we had a big enough mirror we could have dozens of people talking to each other,” Mathius said beaming.

Julia nodded thoughtfully. If it worked, instant communication would be born without recourse to the book in the vault. The changes such a thing would bring about were staggering to contemplate.

“I’m thinking of three Mathius. You, me, and Lucius.”

“That would be a good start, but a start only. I think we should have a different one for each of the four fortresses so that makes seven. Lord Keverin would like that very much. He could talk to Purcell and the others anytime he wanted!”

Whoa! Mathius was up and running with this one! “Calm down Mathius. We don’t know if it works yet.”

“Don’t know if what works?” Keverin said as he strolled in to the library.

Mathius hastily stood and inclined his head in greeting. Julia walked over to Kev and gave him a kiss. Mathius was a little red faced, and she rebuked herself for embarrassing him. In Deva, public displays of affection were frowned upon, but she couldn’t let Kev walk around kissless.

“Mathius is a genius, Kev!” Julia said taking his arm and walking with him back to the table.

Mathius blushed scarlet. “We don’t know if it will work.”

“Don’t be modest. It doesn’t matter if it works or not. It’s still a brilliant idea!”

“But it does matter—”

“Could someone tell me what we are supposed to be talking about?” Keverin interrupted. “I came to find Julia for dinner. Jessica is waiting. Do you like lamb, Mathius?”

“Do I… oh yes my lord, I do.”

“Good! You are hereby invited to dine with us. You can tell me what all the excitement is about at table.”

Julia walked on the arm of both men as they made their way to the small dining hall. She knew her way around the fortress as if born here now, but it was nice to have two handsome men escort her. Keverin towered over her as always, but she could have sworn Mathius had grown taller this year. He had filled out and his new confidence made him seem bigger than when they first met. He had looked like a pimply-faced boy, but now the girls in town and fortress alike sought him out. He had resisted any permanent relationships so far, but Julia thought one of the girls in the kitchens had caught his eye especially.

Thinking about Mathius and his string of admirers brought Julia’s thoughts to Lucius. “Have you heard anything from Purcell recently?”

Kev nodded. “I have as a matter of fact. There has been no sign of the Dark Brothers. Purcell has been looking and Lucius is very keen on stamping them out. They’re still after him apparently. Purcell is recruiting more guardsmen to replace his losses. Isolde is feeling better and Lysara is still chasing Lucius around the fortress.”

Julia laughed. Lucius was a confirmed bachelor, in his own eyes at least, but Lysara was picking away at his resolve. Julia had met Lysara at Malcor while recuperating from the war and had come to know her quite well. Lysara could be determined just like her father. Lucius’ bachelor days were numbered in her opinion.

“How are the new men coming along? I meant to ask you earlier but I forgot when Mathius told me about his brilliant idea.”

“
What
idea? You still haven’t told
me
yet!”

Mathius began to explain.

“Oh no you don’t!” Julia said interrupting him. “The least you can do is feed the poor man before picking his brains!”

They laughed as they entered the dining hall.

Jessica was already seated and waiting for them. “I hope you’ll still be laughing when I tell Janna that you let her lamb roast go cold!”

Julia apologised and the others did the same. Janna was the head cook and took her role to feed the masses seriously. If she heard her lamb special was ruined there would be hell to pay. Julia sat next to Mathius opposite Keverin. Pia quickly set an extra plate in front of Mathius followed by a wineglass. She curtsied to Keverin and left. Keverin quickly carved the roast while Jessica poured wine for each of them. Mathius sat wide-eyed watching his lord and lady serving him.

“I do believe we have shocked young Mathius,” Julia said trying not to laugh.

“Young!” Mathius squeaked in outrage. “I’m older than you are. And I’m not shocked, just…
surprised
that’s all.”

Julia laughed along with Jessica at the outrage on his face. “I know. I’m only teasing you.”

Julia ate her dinner and left the conversation until the end. Mathius explained his idea to Keverin who was intensely interested, and said he would find Mathius a mirror to experiment with.

Julia sipped her wine. “You didn’t tell me how the new men are coming along. Are they as bad as you feared they would be?”

Keverin frowned in thought and swallowed his mouthful. “Not as bad as I feared certainly, but not as good as I had hoped either. They all have armour now, and swords are not a problem. The Hasians left plenty of good steel behind. The problem is that many of the men come from towns and villages near Devarr. None have ever used a sword.”

“I bet that didn’t please Brian.”

“No it didn’t. As their captain he’ll have to train them until they can be trusted not to cut off their own…”

“That will do thank you,” Jessica said hastily. “I think we all know what you fear they will cut off!”

“I was only going to say fingers!” Kev said laughing.

Julia laughed at Jessica’s sigh of exasperation. This was how a family should be. Mathius was closer than a brother, and Jessica was like her mother, but Keverin was… he was simply the most important thing in her life.

“Let’s get married tomorrow, Kev.”

Mathius choked on his wine. Keverin looked taken aback, but Jessica was grinning fit to swallow her plate.

Julia stuck her lower lip out, pouting for all it was worth. “You
do
still want to marry me don’t you?” she said in a small voice trying not to laugh.

“Of course!” Keverin said jumping up and heading for the door. “I’ll get Gideon right now!”

“Whoa! I was only joking!” Julia said laughing. “I want all our friends here with us. Purcell, and Gylaren, and Lysara, and….”

Keverin walked back and sat down to listen to her list for the wedding invitations. “Maybe we should invite
all
the lords,” he mumbled quietly, but Julia heard him all right.

“You might be right! Do you think they would come?” Julia said. Jessica was watching her intently. She knew what her future daughter-in-law was up to all right.

“I was jesting, but you’re not are you?” Keverin said finishing his wine then reaching to re-fill her glass as well as his.

“No. But seriously Kev, I would marry you right now, but I think inviting the lords would be a good idea. I told you about my premonition while under the Tancred.”

“It’s called divining,” Mathius said.

“Thanks. I
divined
Malcor destroyed, and Athione deserted but for…” Julia broke off remembering the broken old man Keverin had become in that dark future. She concentrated on him as he was now to dispel the vision.

“Are you all right? You’re trembling!” Mathius said in concern.

“I’m fine. It’s just the memory of what I saw… anyway, I saw Deva conquered by the Hasians, but the common people were happy and prosperous. If we don’t start helping our own people soon, they won’t help defend Deva against the Hasians, and the future I saw
will
happen. I will fight to prevent it, but in the future I saw…” she broke off to whisper, “I was defeated.”

Keverin reached for Julia’s hand in concern. He squeezed gently. “You never told me. What else did you see? Please trust me.”

Julia didn’t want to tell him, but by asking her to trust him he had forced her into a corner. Without trust, there could be no love. “I saw you,” she said in a quiet voice. “You were old and blind with only one hand.”

There was complete silence. Julia looked up and saw horror on Jessica’s face. Mathius looked worried, but Keverin was smiling.
Smiling!
What was there to smile about?