2 To Light A Candle.13 (25 page)

"I should have known!" Vestakia burst out. "I should have known that was why I felt so strange!"

"We should all have known that They wouldn't just leave us in peace," Kellen said bitterly. "But we didn't."

"Do you think you can walk as far as the House of Leaf and Star?" Idalia asked. "I've healed you, but you're still very weak. You'll need rest, and care, and food."

But the unicorn's head came up again at that. "I have to go back," Calmeren said, sounding frantic. "I have to save the children!"

"No," Kellen said, his voice hard. "You have done your duty, and more than your duty, Calmeren. You aren't strong enough, even healed; now your duty is to pass the task on to someone else. You only have to tell me where to go. I'll save them. That's my job."

LESS than an hour later, the Elven Council had gathered again. This time Vestakia was present as well, so that they could hear what she could tell them about what she had sensed that morning.

On the way to the House of Leaf and Star, Kellen had heard the rest of what Calmeren had to tell him.

"Not the Enemy—" Calmeren shuddered. "And not Elves. But enemies!" She shook her head so hard she staggered, and Shalkan, walking beside her, leaned into her to steady her.

She'd managed to slip away as the hooded ones moved among the wounded Knights and unicorns, finishing off any who still lived. She knew—she knew that she was only one wounded unicorn, and that to stay would be to die, but to run would be to bring help. So she had run, as hard as she could, stopping for nothing, back along her trail to bring warning to Sentarshadeen. Along the way, she'd seen the slain bodies of the rest of her friends—every Knight, every servant, every destrier that had ridden out from Sentarshadeen a fortnight ago was dead.

"But they did not die alone," Calmeren said with grim satisfaction. "They were able to take some of their attackers with them, and so I could see what else had been hunting us. Ice-trolls and frost-giants. A small war-band, but enough."

"Both creatures of the Dark, long-time allies of Shadow Mountain," Shalkan said.

"And they knew exactly where to strike, and when," Kellen said. "And how to sneak right up on the caravan without being seen. How?"

"With help," Shalkan answered. "The question is… whose?"

NOW Kellen stood before the Elven Council and told them everything that Calmeren had told him.

"Calmeren said they were careful to take Sandalon and the other children alive," he finished. "That isn't good, but it's better than it could be. It means we have a chance of getting them back. First, we need to find them, and I think we have a way of doing that."

"Tell us," Andoreniel said simply.

"Vestakia can track them. You know she can sense when They are nearby, or when They're working strong magic." He glanced at Vestakia.

She bowed her head a little. "Yes. I could sense the presence of the Demon-taint on Calmeren when she came close enough—I think my powers are growing stronger. If there is Demontaint near the Crowned Horns, I should be able to follow the trail it leaves." She brought her head up again, and now her eyes shone with tears, and with anger, as well as justifiable fear. "I will gladly do all I can to rescue the children."

Kellen patted her shoulder, knowing what those brave words had cost her. If Vestakia fell into Demonic clutches, her fate would be too terrible to contemplate.

"While of course we all appreciate Vestakia's kind offer in the light in which it has been extended," Councilor Sorvare said, "it might be in the best interests of the children to consider matters carefully at this delicate pass. Certainly, as no one will deny, our ancient Enemy seeks to weaken us by striking at our most vulnerable point. We must analyze the situation carefully from all possible aspects before moving forward, lest we overlook an avenue of possible threat."

Kellen wasn't sure what Sorvare was getting at, but from the looks on An-doreniel's and Ashaniel's faces, they'd had no trouble at all unraveling his little speech.

"I say again—and for the last time—that I repose all trust in Vestakia," Andoreniel said, an edge of true anger in his voice. "She is a citizen of Sentar-shadeen, as much as any of us here, and gladly and willingly do I place the life of my son in her hands."

Oh. Oh. Now that he'd had it translated for him, Kellen felt angry as well. Sorvare had as good as called Vestakia a traitor, saying she'd probably lead the rest of them into a Demon-trap.

"There is going to be a rescue party," Kellen said, cutting off Dargainon as he began to speak. "And you might as well resign yourselves to the fact that it is going whether or not you like it; debate all you want in our absence, but we are going, and going now. I am not going to leave the children in Enemy hands for a single moment longer than it takes to reach them. Idalia, Jermayan, Shalkan, Ves-takia, and I have already agreed. You can send anyone else you like, but it leaves at first light tomorrow morning, and anyone who goes had better be able to keep up."

"I would say that you handed some of the Counselors a rather stinging rebuke," Idalia said, sounding surprisingly calm, as the three of them walked back toward the house a little while later. "I think you shocked them."

"How could he say something like that about Vestakia?" Kellen burst out.

"It's all right," Vestakia said. "I do know what I look like, Kellen."

"It's the Council's business to be cautious," Idalia added. "Not just to agree with everything Andoreniel and Ashaniel want to do."

"But not to be idiots," Kellen countered angrily. "For the Light's sake, Idalia, the Enemy has the children! And one of them is Sandalon! How could they stand there and even think about debating when every moment that passes could mean—"

"Well, you won," Idalia said, "and I don't think half the Council will ever get over the shock." Now she smiled, though grimly. "That's the price of having Wildmages around, and I think that they'd forgotten that. Now, Vestakia and I both have a lot of packing to do before morning—and shouldn't you get over to the House of Sword and Shield and see what knights you want to take with you for tomorrow?"

"Me?" Kellen said, stopping and staring at her in confusion.

"You," Idalia said, giving him a little push in the right direction. "You're the only Knight-Mage we've got—and unless I'm very much mistaken, you've just appointed yourself the leader of this rescue party."

THE cellar was damp and cold, located at the edge of the Low Quarter of Armethalieh. It was, however, well lit. Balls of Mage-light hovered near the ceiling, illuminating every corner with a spectral azure glow.

Before he'd become an Entered Apprentice, Cilarnen would not have been able to imagine that such a place could exist. That he had come to enter it at all, however, had little to do with that, and much to do with his new friend, Master Raellan.

In Master Raellan, Cilarnen had found an ally and confidant who did much to fill the aching void left by his father's continuing displeasure. Master Raellan shared Cilarnen's love for the City—and more, his fear that all was not as it should be.

Now that his eyes had been opened, Cilarnen could see the signs. Oh, not everywhere. There was no change in the lives of the Mageborn. But among the people they served, there were subtle indications everywhere he looked. Not of unrest, of course. But of confusion. All was not as it had always been in the Golden City, and the change was not for the better.

Despite the best efforts of the Provenders Councils, prices were rising, and wages were not rising to match. Some foodstuffs had simply disappeared from the regular markets. And all because the High Council—pushed by Lord Volpiril— had removed Armethaliehan protection from the Home Farms. So far as Cilarnen knew, there was not actual hunger in the City yet, but the day was not far off when there would be. The sellers of small luxuries that did not happen to be edible were looking anxious; when bread cost twice what it had in the summer, people had to stop buying other things to afford it.

Something must be done. And if the High Council would not—or could not—set things right, then the Mageborn themselves must act. For the good of the City.

It was a terrifying thought, one that would have paralyzed him completely without Master Raellan's support. But Master Raellan seemed to know his thoughts almost before he voiced them. It was Master Raellan who assured him that many of the High Council felt just as he did. They merely needed to be brought to see that it was safe—in fact, vital—that they speak openly. Someone had to be brave enough to make the first move, to begin saying aloud what others only thought. Someone young, but known for his good sense and devotion to the City and his duty. Someone charismatic enough to lead.

Someone like Cilarnen…

Thus supported, Cilarnen began making cautious overtures among his fellow Entered Apprentices, to see which—if any of them—might have the wit and the stomach to do more than grumble around a table in the Golden Bells.

Gillain he dismissed at once. The young lord was far too reckless, and could not keep his mouth shut to save his life. Besides, he was notoriously scatterbrained—he'd actually managed to lose his City Talisman on more than one occasion! Viance and Flohan were too timid—while they were more sensible than Gillain, neither of them would be willing to do what it would take to save the City.

He would certainly have despaired had not Master Raellan steered him gently toward a different group of Mageborn.

Jorade Isas was the great-great-grandnephew of the Isas who sat upon the Council.

Geont Pentres was the youngest son of House Pentres, a minor Mageborn House which was distantly allied to the Breulin line, and thus much at odds with the Volpirils at the moment.

Kermis Lalkmair's family had the rare and odd distinction of never having held a City office or a Council seat. The Lalkmair line produced scholars exclusively, and it was said that Lord Lalkmair would rather Burn the Gift out of one of his sons than see him hold a seat on any of the City Councils.

Tiedor Rolfort was the son of a tradesman. His Gift had appeared early, and he had been fostered with House Arcable. He had repaid the House's kindness with utter loyalty, and complete devotion to his new class.

Margon Ogregance was the son of High Mage Epalin Ogregance, who oversaw the Merchant's and Provender's Council. More than any of the others, he knew exactly what was going on with the City's food supply, and knew just how bad things were.

"We shall starve by spring," he said bluntly.

The other five stared at him in shock, unused to such plain speaking.

"Well?" Margon said impatiently. "Isn't that what you wanted to know? Isn't that why we're all here? Jorade—Cilarnen—Tiedor—Kermis—Geont—we didn't all slip away from our families and hide out in this drafty cellar to take tea."

"But…" Tiedor began.

"Starve," Margon repeated flatly. "The Home Farms can't—or won't—supply us with what we need at any price. I suspect the answer is that they can't; without us to control the weather and the pests, they have only enough to feed themselves. The Council has already authorized Father to contract with the Selkens for grain, but that's not to say it will get here in time. And one can't depend on foreigners, you know."

"Besides," Jorade said slowly, working it out, "to ask them to bring in food— and so much food—that tells them we're weak, doesn't it?"

"They'll attack us, not help us," Geont said, looking at Cilarnen. "And it's all your father's fault."

"The Peace of the Light be between you," Kermis said firmly, raising his hand. "If not for Lord Cilarnen, none of us would have the least idea how bad things really were, let alone that there might be something we could do about it."

"But what?" Tiedor asked.

And that, indeed, was the question.

The six young men looked at each other. Finding one another and daring to meet—and openly criticize the High Mages—had been hard enough, both to imagine and to do. To actually go from words to deeds…

"Master Raellan will know," Cilarnen said firmly. "We must try to come up with a plan, and I'm sure he will have an idea of how to implement it."

But though they talked until Second Night Bells rang out, none of them was able to come up with any practical notion of how they might cause the High Council to realize the gravity of the situation, or to avert the danger to Armethalieh that they all saw so clearly. They did manage to agree to meet here again in three days' time, with Cilarnen to bring Master Raellan if he could.

Discord in the City of a Thousand Bells

A GIRLS' SEWING-CIRCLE would make more efficient conspirators, Anigrel decided, entering the now-deserted cellar a chime later and triggering the spell that would release the stored memory of the boys' conversation into his consciousness. An evening's worth of pretty speeches, and not one sensible—or useful, from his point of view— suggestion among them. The young idiots could talk from now until the City walls crumbled around them, and do nothing more treasonous than flout curfew! That would hardly be enough for Anigrel's purposes.

With a sigh, he dismissed the globes of Mage-light that the boys had forgetfully left burning. It would hardly do for anyone to wonder why Mageborn had been lurking here. Not just yet, anyway.

And it seemed he would have to take a more active hand in this "conspiracy" than he had first intended. It was just as his late father had said. "1/ you wanted something done right, you had best do it yourself"

IN the sennights that followed, Cilamen found himself split into three people, and none of them got much sleep. There was Cilamen the dutiful son and student, who attended lectures at the Mage College and ate his meals at House Volpiril. That role was easy to play: he'd been doing it all his life. And if it was harder now, it was only because he now knew there was so much more to Life than he had once thought. But he dutifully went through the motions, studying hard—for the High Magick obsessed him now more than ever—and being all that was polite to the father he saw ever more infrequently.