A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (48 page)

In the end, the whole ordeal wasn’t as bad as Caldan thought. A first offense and no one injured. Penalties amounted to a stern talking to, some extra training to ‘keep his mind on his development,’ as one master put it, and a fine of four silver ducats. The masters wasted no time and sent him packing within minutes of seeing him.

Back in his room, Caldan sat on his bed, back against the wall. Some solid thinking was in order. The four silver ducats hurt the most. He needed all he had to purchase the metals for his
crafting
, and if he couldn’t use the apprentices’ workshop he was in a pickle. Taking Miranda out for the long delayed dinner he owed her would also have to wait. The day had been a complete disaster.

“
Ah, Caldan, there you are.
”
An apprentice sorcerer hurried up to him, slightly out of breath. She carried a leather satchel and ignored him a moment while she rummaged through it.

“
I’ve been looking for you everywhere,
”
continued the girl.
“
This came for you.
”
She held out a sealed letter. Caldan’s breath caught in his throat.

“
Take it. I haven’t got all day. The rest of these need to be delivered.
”

He took the letter — expensive paper, smooth in his fingers — noting the plain seal of yellowish beeswax imprinted with what looked like a bird. On the front, in a neat feminine hand, was his name, ‘Sorcerers’ Guild – Protectors’, and the words, ‘Deliver Soonest’.

“
Ahem.
”

He looked up to see the girl still standing there, hand outstretched, palm up. She raised her eyebrows at him.

“
Oh, sorry,
”
Caldan said as he fumbled in his pocket for his coin pouch, taking out a copper ducat and handing it over.

The girl smiled before turning heel and hurrying off.

With trepidation, Caldan turned the letter over, noting nothing unusual apart from the quality paper. He didn’t recognize the seal, but there was only one letter he was expecting. The seal must be Avigdor’s or Felicienne’s.

Abandoning his errand, Caldan scurried back to his room, closing and locking the door behind him. He sat on his bed, broke the seal and drew the letter out. After reading a few lines, of the same feminine script, he was left in no doubt it was from Lady Felicienne.

Dear Caldan,

Forgive my familiarity, but after the other night I feel we already know each other well. Not as well as we could have, had you taken up my offer to escort me home, but I understand your reluctance.

We need to meet to discuss Avigdor’s findings on your trinket. Please come to my offices in the keep at your earliest convenience. And by that I mean as soon as you receive this letter. Don’t keep me waiting.

I should inform you that this doesn’t discharge my debt to you. In ordinary circumstances I would count it as paid, but… there is one reservation which I will detail later.

Felice

Caldan glanced out the window at the darkening sky. Sunset was close, but Felicienne did say as soon as he received her letter.
What had she uncovered that was so urgent? Could it be related to his family’s murder?
No, he thought it unlikely that whatever was in the
trinket
records could have led to her finding anything on that. But something had Felicienne intrigued, at least. It was worrying.

He stood and paced his room for a while but couldn’t pull away from the fact that he wanted to see Felicienne and find out what she now knew. Any danger he envisioned was probably in his imagination.

At the keep, Lady Felicienne’s name drove away any reluctance the guards had shown him, and he was passed swiftly along through various functionaries until one deposited him in a room with instructions to wait. A short time later, Lady Felicienne walked in. She looked as he remembered, slender, with plain but expensive shirt and pants, though now her hair hung loose, making her face softer, less severe.

Felicienne gestured at Caldan to take a seat then gathered up a few sheets of paper before she spoke.
“
Our people are very efficient, otherwise I wouldn’t employ them. It didn’t take long to find what they were after; the empire’s records on
trinkets
are quite thorough.

“
Forgive me, Lady Felicienne, but this was all I was after. The information, I mean,
”
replied Caldan.
“
Anything you found will be enough.
”

“
Please, call me Felice. And I have quite a bit of information on your
trinket
. It makes for a fascinating story.
”

Caldan’s heart thumped in his chest, and he hardly dared breathe.
“
Is that it?
”
he asked softy, nodding at the paper she held. Would the page reveal the answers he’d been looking for? After all this time, would it be so easy?

“
Yes. Your
trinket’s
history is quite interesting, especially since the last known entry on it was over a hundred years old. Purchased by the emperor’s procurers, no less, from a bankrupt noble family, then it was presented as a reward a few years later for ‘unspecified services’ to one Karrin Wraythe.
”
She looked Caldan in the eye.
“
Does the name mean anything to you?
”

Caldan shook his head.
“
No, I’ve never heard it before.
”

“
Well, it’s all very innocuous, unless you dig a little further, which Avigdor did. It seems that Karrin was in the emperor’s employ, but strangely enough there were no records as to what her function was. I’ve come across this before, though, as the emperor likes to keep the functions of certain individuals and groups secret from all but his closest advisors. Those with unique talents and those whose aptitude eclipses others in their professions, usually sorcerers and those versed in the more arcane arts. To speculate more would be hearsay.
”
She paused in order to read the next sheet of paper.

“
How would it have come to be in my parents’ possession?
”

Felice snorted.
“
I’m hardly in a position to guess. Can you tell me more about them?
”

Reluctant to do so, no matter how helpful Felice had been so far, Caldan decided to be cautious.
“
Not really. They died when I was very young. I scarcely remember them.
”
Though the day they died was burnt into his memory.
“
I’m sorry.
”

“
No matter. A little more digging and I’m sure we will find something.
”
Felice gave him a smile. He wasn’t sure whether it was friendly or knowing, or both.
“
What Avigdor did find was that the function of the ring is unclear, though the amount paid for the t
rinket
, a rather substantial sum, indicates a certain efficacy. We can infer from this that the ‘unspecified services’ were quite important and substantial. Notes on the sale indicate the t
rinket
has warding and focusing properties, but there were no specifics. Does that sound correct? What can it do?
”

“
Nothing yet, so far as I can tell. I haven’t worn it long, I’m afraid, only since learning how to use a shielding amulet.
”

“
Ah… that’s… a skill usually for journeymen and above, is it not?
”

Blushing, Caldan looked away.
“
With having the
trinket
, I felt I needed to concentrate on that skill. I eventually worked it out.
”

“
I’m impressed. Though I wouldn’t rely on it. People can be creative when it comes to stealing
trinkets
, or anything of value for that matter.
”

Caldan nodded, grateful for her concern.
“
I’ll keep it hidden when I can. I have a neck chain to hang it on so it’s out of sight.
”

“
Hmm… There was another note appended to the t
rinket
record.
”
Felice kept her eyes averted from his and brushed at some dust on her sleeve.
“
Was there a bone ring along with the t
rinket
?
”
she asked casually.

Far too casually to Caldan’s mind. Hanging from around his neck, the bone ring suddenly felt like it had gained a few pounds. He froze for a moment before managing to smile weakly and shake his head.

“
The
trinket
is all I have. There was a fire… our house… if there was a bone ring it would have burned.
”
He hoped that would stop her questions, but from the look in her eye there was more to this. There was no reason to think the bone ring meant anything, was there? No, it was fairly plain and far less valuable than a
trinket
. But… for a note to have been made of it and for Felice to be interested in it was a bad sign.

“
Probably. Anyway, it’s not important.
”

Then why ask about it?
thought Caldan.

“
Alas,
”
said Felice,
“
we come finally to the bad news. An addendum added to the entry almost forty years ago stipulated that anyone with information regarding the t
rinket
was to inform the emperor’s advisors at once, more specifically the First Adjudicators. I felt I should tell you this, and that’s the reason I consider my debt to you not fully reckoned. Because the addendum was so old, and because you intrigue me, I haven’t yet decided whether to dispatch a missive to the First Adjudicators. Actually, I have to, but I can delay doing so for a while.
”

Caldan groaned audibly. His heart felt fit to burst.
“
I… but why, if it was so old? Who cares anymore?
”

“
Because that’s what I was asked to do.
”

“
I mean, why do they need to be informed?
”

Felice shrugged.
“
It doesn’t say, which is a pity. If I knew why, I could decide whether to arrest you or not. Sit down! I’m not going to!
”

Having leapt to his feet, Caldan stood poised between making a break for the door and subduing Felice. Both very bad options. Taking a few deep breaths, he calmed slightly when no guards came bursting in.

Felice’s laughter brought him to his senses. She seemed genuinely amused at his reaction.
“
Please sit down,
”
she repeated between chuckles.
“
If I wanted to arrest you, you would have been taken as soon as you walked into the keep. And why bother sending a note to summon you?
”

“
Ah… yes, I can see that now. I just…
”
The bone ring pressed guiltily into his chest.

With a wave of her hand, Felice dismissed his embarrassment.
“
The addendum was very specific, but I like you, so here’s what I am going to do. You,
”
she pointed a finger at Caldan,
“
are going to sit tight. Don’t leave Anasoma while I make further inquiries. A few weeks’ delay informing the First Adjudicators won’t matter after all this time. And if there is anything you’re not telling me, you would be wise to rethink your reluctance and be forthright. Am I clear?
”