The Raven Ring (31 page)

“Don’t fuss, Karvonen,” Jakella said. “Do you think I’m an amateur? I’ll show you a nice solid spot to anchor your rope. And no, Freelady, my employer has no interest in the defenses of Lord tir Vallaniri’s home. It’s my own personal escape route. Not that I’m likely to need one, this job, but—”

Eleret nodded in understanding. She’d never done any reconnaissance work herself; there’d been less need since the Emperor forced his peace on the Syaski. But everyone still got basic training, and one of the first things Raken beat into his students was the need for a way out.
If not for you, then for the things you’ve learned,
the teacher’s voice rang in her head.
What good is information if you can’t get it home
?
Secure your way of escape, no matter how unnecessary it looks, and then worry about the rest.
Apparently Jakella knew her job.

Five minutes later, they were on the roof. Jakella provided the rope, as well as showing them where to anchor it. To Eleret’s surprise, they had their choice of three possible spots, all of which would allow them to descend without being seen from the street in front of the house.

“Isn’t this a little odd?” Eleret asked.

Oh, the Ciaronese aren’t worried about people getting
out,
” Jakella said. “In fact, there are times when it might be convenient to slip someone down the side wall and away. It’s people coming
in
that they fret over.”

“Then why aren’t there any guards or watchmen up here?”

“If there were a war on, or if the Vallaniri were in
orilista
feud with another family, there would be more than enough lookouts to satisfy your Cilhar caution,” Karvonen said. “When things are quiet, they don’t bother.”

“I thought you were in a hurry,” Jakella said. “And if you aren’t, I am. I can’t spend all day up here, you know.”

With an apologetic nod, Eleret took a firm grip on the rope and slid over the edge of the building. The descent was smooth and easy. When she reached the ground, she shook the rope twice to let them know she was down. Karvonen’s head appeared, checking; a moment later, he started after her.

He came down hand over hand without using his legs, a display of strength and skill that impressed Eleret in spite of herself.
He’s showing off, but at least
he’s
got something to show.
Amused by the thought, Eleret watched, taking pleasure in seeing something done well.

“That was easier than it should have been,” Karvonen said as he dropped the last two feet to the ground. Looking up, he gave a low whistle. The rope trembled, then began to rise as Jakella reeled it in.

“Now, where did you— No, not that way!” Karvonen said as Eleret started for the main street. “Do you want Daner’s overly enthusiastic doorman to see you? Not to mention any stray Syaski and shapeshifters and Shadow-born who might be keeping an eye on the place?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then come
this
way.”

Karvonen led her toward the rear of the house, then down a narrow alley to a series of dark, smelly back streets. Compared to the avenues she had traveled the day before, these were nearly deserted. An occasional barrow-man trundled by with his wheelbarrow full of trash, and now and then a second-floor window opened to spout dirty washwater or kitchen garbage, but that was all. Eleret attracted a few curious glances, but most eyes were drawn to Karvonen’s uniform, not to her. No one approached or followed them, and within half an hour they had crossed the last avenue and reached the Islander’s school.

Prill answered the door. When she saw Eleret, her eyes widened. “Oh! I…ah… Welcome, er, Freelady. Sir. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to talk to Adept Climeral,” Eleret said. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, he’s quite— That is, I’m sure he’ll be surprised to see you. This way, Freelady.”

Eleret frowned. “Has Daner been here?”

“No! That is, I don’t know. I haven’t seen him.” Prill shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

“You aren’t a very good liar. He’s told you about the shapeshifter, hasn’t he? And you think I’m…somebody else.” Eleret’s frown deepened. “That’d be a knot in the bowstring for certain.”

“I’ll vouch for you,” Karvonen offered.

“I wouldn’t know anything about that, F-Freelady,” Prill said a little desperately. “If you want to see Adept Climeral—”

“More than ever.” As they started down the hall, Eleret glanced sideways to make sure Karvonen was following.

Karvonen saw the glance and stopped. “Perhaps I’d best leave now. So you won’t have to make any awkward explanations.” His grin looked a little forced. “Arriving in the company of a thief won’t do much for your credit with the Adept.”

“How can you vouch for me if you aren’t here?” Eleret said, unsettled by Karvonen’s unexpected attitude. Then she remembered his aversion to wizards, and sighed. “I suppose I should have expected this, and you’ve already done a great deal. Though I don’t see what difference one more wizard makes at this point.”

“One more wizard—Oh. Right. I think—”

“Are you two
coming
?” Prill said in a tone much more like her usual one.

“On our way,” Karvonen said. “Let’s be off, Freelady. Mustn’t keep the young woman waiting.”

Eleret fell into step beside him, shaking her head. “I thought you were leaving.”

“I changed my mind.”

“You are the most inconsistent person I have ever met.”

“On the contrary. I’m probably the most consistent person you’ve ever met. I only look inconsistent because you don’t understand me.” Karvonen made a lugubrious face. “Nobody understands me.”

“Maybe they would if you stopped talking in riddles.”

“Ah, but then I’d lose my air of mystery. An air of mystery is very important for those of us who lack Lord Daner’s looks, money, and sense of fashion. It attracts the ladies.” He gave her a sidelong look.

“You know some ladies?”

Karvonen blinked, then grinned. “
Armies
of them. Of course, none of them would ever admit it in public…”

Just ahead, Prill stopped and threw open a door. “Freelady Salven’s here, Adept Climeral,” she announced, and motioned Eleret forward.

Warily, Eleret moved to the doorway. If Prill thought she was the shapeshifter then so must Climeral; and if the Shee Adept chose to do something about it… But Climeral stood, relaxed and smiling, beside a table piled with small brass bowls, pottery jars, and oddly shaped glass tubes. Eleret paused at the threshold. “Karvonen, come here. I want you to meet—”

There was a soft popping noise on her left, inside the room, followed by Daner’s voice: “Ow! Blast that ring! Eleret.. . But this
can’t
be Eleret!”

“Well, I am,” Eleret said. “If you don’t believe me, ask Karvonen. Not even a shapeshifter can imitate two people at the same time.”

“Karvonen?” Daner appeared, shaking his right hand as if something had stung him. “What are you doing with that—that—”

“Thief,” Karvonen said blandly. “At least, I believe that’s the word you’re looking for. Though I suppose you might be thinking of something more specific, like ‘cutpurse’ or ‘bandit. “Pirate,’ on the other hand, would be completely inaccurate, since—”

“Will you stop your irrelevant babbling?” Daner said.

Karvonen looked thoughtful. “What are you offering? Babble comes cheap, I admit, but I think the unusual circumstances rate some sort of bonus, don’t you?”

“No! That is—Eleret…” Daner stopped, torn between irritation and uncertainty.

“Eleret and her companion had better come in and sit down,” said Climeral. He glanced at Daner, then looked away, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Prill, would you move that bench a little closer? … Yes, that will do nicely. Freelady Salven?”

Swallowing the remnant of her own amusement, Eleret seated herself on the bench. Prill gave her an uncertain look, glanced at Climeral, and with a farewell nod left the room. As she crossed in front of Daner, Karvonen slid sideways and sat down on the other end of the bench. Daner glared at him, then hooked a stool toward himself with one foot.

Climeral surveyed the group with some satisfaction and nodded. “Now, I think we had best begin again. Greetings and good day to you, Freelady.”

“And to you also,” Eleret responded, falling automatically into the familiar formal pattern for greeting and introductions. “I wish to present my friend Karvonen Aurelico, who has been of service and help to me. His knife is as my own.” Then her mind caught up with her mouth, and she wondered what had possessed her to claim Karvonen as a trusted battle companion. Not that he didn’t deserve it, in a way, but she hadn’t intended to make a public declaration. Still, it was almost worth it just to see his face—from his expression, he understood exactly what she had just committed herself to, and he hadn’t anticipated it any more than she had.

Climeral’s eyebrows rose. “I am honored by the acquaintance. And what brings you here, Freelady?”

“Yes, and how did you—” Daner broke off at a reproving glance from Climeral.

“I have some questions that need answering,” Eleret said. “I was hoping you could help.”

“Your questions would appear to be urgent ones,” Climeral said with another glance at Daner.

Eleret, too, looked at Daner. “I don’t like being cooped up. And nobody asked for my parole.”

“Parole?” Daner said, stung. “You talk as if you were a prisoner.”

“Wasn’t I?”

“I shut up the house for everyone’s
safety
!”

“I know. And it was a good idea, certainly, to keep people out. Maybe even to keep some in; you know your folk better than I do. But I’m not in your command.” Eleret shrugged. “You did what you thought you should; so did I. That’s all.”

“All
right,
then.” Plainly, Daner wanted to continue the argument but was reluctant to do so in front of Climeral and Karvonen. “But how did you get out?”

“Down the north wall on a rope from the roof,” Eleret said. “It wasn’t bad.”

“You could have been killed! Half the merlons will break away from the roof if you put any weight on them.”

Resisting the impulse to glance at Karvonen, Eleret said, “Somebody mentioned that a while ago. I was careful.”

“Which brings us back to the question of
why
you chose to take such, ah, unusual steps,” Climeral said.

“Two things. First, I wanted to ask you about—about Shadow-born.”

“Shadow-born?” Daner snorted. “Is
that
why you risked your neck—to find out about
nursery stories
?”

“Before I came to Ciaron, I thought the Shee were nursery stories.”

“Which we are not,” Climeral said. “And you are right to think the Shadow-born are as real as I. But they are bound, and have been for centuries. What cause have you to ask of them?”

“Did Daner tell you about the card-charting?”

Climeral nodded.

“Well, according to his aunt, Jonystra left a lot out when she did mine. There’s a card called the Shadow-Mage—”

“
That
card turned up in your chart?” Climeral said, frowning. “In what position?”

“Lower left-hand corner,” Eleret said. “And when Jonystra and Lady Kistran both said it was the source of opposition…”

“I can see why you would be concerned.” Climeral’s frown deepened, and he shook his head. “Yet the card has other meanings, or it would not have appeared in any chart laid out in over two thousand years.”

Daner was staring at them as if they had both run mad. “Adept Climeral, are you saying that Shadow-born actually exist? That they’re not just legends?”

“Most legends have some truth in them,” Climeral replied. “This one, unfortunately, has more than most. Still, they’ve been bound so long that no one is even certain where they lie. I doubt that there’s any real need to worry about them.”

“All Cilhar have reason to worry about Shadow-born,” Karvonen said unexpectedly. “The Cilhar played a big part in the Wars of Binding, and the Shadow-born won’t have forgotten that, even if everyone else has.”

“How do you know that?” Daner demanded.

“Family records.” Karvonen gave Daner his most irritating smile. “I’d offer to show them to you, but I haven’t got them with me, and besides, they’re strictly confidential.”

Climeral shook his head. “Even if you are correct about the past enmity between the Cilhar and the Shadow-born, I don’t think we should assume, on the strength of an admittedly flawed card chart, that—”

“I’m not assuming anything,” Eleret broke in. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to ask you if you know a way to find out for certain whether there’s a Shadow-born at the bottom of things or not. One way or another, I’d like to know.”

“Ah.” Climeral’s expression cleared. “I think I know how to reassure you. A scrying spell—and if I can find a deck of cards, I’ll use one as the secondary enhancer. I wonder…”

“Nijole has a deck,” Daner said. “I asked her about charts last year, when my sisters started getting interested, and she brought them out to demonstrate a proper, full-fledged chart spell.”

“Good. I’ll borrow them as soon as we’re done here.” Climeral looked at Eleret. “Two questions, I think you said. The second is…?”

“It’s about Ma’s ring. Daner may have mentioned it—”

“Not specifically. He said the shapeshifter who attacked you appeared to be trying to obtain an item that had belonged to your mother, but he didn’t go into details. I assume the ring is the source of your difficulties?”

Eleret nodded, pleased that Daner had, for once, been as discreet as she would like. “We think so. It seems to have some magical properties—”

“Seems to—hah!” Daner flexed his fingers. “It bounces spells better than a Major Ward. My hands are still stinging.”

“What were you trying to do?” Karvonen asked. “Paralyze her? Melt her weapons? Turn off the magic she doesn’t have? Or—”

“If you must know, I cast a spell to see whether she was the shapeshifter,” Daner said. “Can we get on with things?”

“You were the one who interrupted,” Karvonen pointed out. “Twice.”

“The ring also…warns me, sometimes,” Eleret said to Climeral. Briefly, she explained what she knew of the ring’s history and summarized her own experiences with it. “I’m hoping you can tell me more, or at least untangle what we know already.”