To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) (51 page)

Sherree smiled at him. “Accomplished Tyrone Bareen, I am ready and have the perfect arrival point in mind.”

“I didn’t know you had any spies in Aakadon,” Daniel mentioned.

Sherree shrugged her shoulders. “You didn’t know I had any in New Oben either. You never asked before so I did not bother you with such small details.”

Since he had a tendency not to chatter about what he considered minor details, the response was nothing he could argue with. He kissed her, seeing as he would not be able to do that while in Aakadon. “It is good to have a wife who knows not to bother her husband with small details,” Daniel playfully responded.

“That’s right. I’ll just keep on handling the small details and let you know when one comes along that is big enough to trouble you with,” Sherree replied, equally as playful, and then touched the diamond-bladed knife hidden in her cloak.

The absence of all external senses lasted about three heart beats and then they were standing, not outside the city, but in the stables. Daniel was surprised by the location, having expected to arrive in a remote location near one of the bridges. The horses stomped their hooves in protest, startled by the sound of whips. Amber light again radiated from Sherree, this time aimed at the equines, and they immediately calmed. “I used the spell, Relax, to make them settled down.”

Seriously, someday people will stop explaining to him what a spell he composed is supposed to do, but evidently not soon. Rather than comment, Daniel led the way out into the street. Her spell must have also affected the grooms, seeing as none had come out to investigate the noise.

The stables of Aakadon were multi-storied and massive with winding inclines for the horses, leading up to each level. Horses belonging to Talenteds were at ground level, half of which was taken up by the grooms’ residences; whereas areas dedicated to members of the Aloe Guild were on level three, nine tenths of which was shared with the Willow Guild, they being the society having the most equines. Daniel wondered why she did not appear there or outside for that matter. The mounts of the Aqua Guild took up most of the second level with a small fraction of the stalls reserved for members of the Stone Guild. Level four was equally shared by members of the Zephyr and Sun Guilds, while the Eagles had the entire fifth level to themselves.

Daniel leaned down toward her ear and asked, “Why the stables?”

“It is unlikely anyone would be in the stables at this hour and it is for sure no Talented would be,” Sherree informed him as they walked casually from the facility. “Arriving outside and entering through the gate would have taken more time and I want us to be exposed to as few people as possible. Our disguises are good but why take chances?"

Daniel nodded acknowledgement and they walked calmly among the many Accomplisheds going to and fro, some in groups and others alone. “Take a right on South Street,” Sherree needlessly told him.

They passed the coliseum, ignored the half opal half jade building of the Aqua Guild, and especially the equally tall topaz building of the Aloe Guild. Sherree tensed a little at the sight of her former association. He was tempted to take hold of her hand, but that sort of behavior would stand out in the minds of the male and female Accomplisheds they were passing on the street. So far not a soul paid them any attention. A man with a deep tan, dark of hair and eye, stepped out onto the street and glanced every which way as if taking in every detail in order to store the information away for future analysis. Daniel’s breath caught at seeing who was coming toward him.

“Good evening, Maestro Reese,” Sherree said along with a respectful nod of the head.

Talmon eyed her and Daniel, who quickly gave a nod of respect. The king Eagle returned the nod without commenting one way or the other, evidently not having an opinion on the quality of the evening, and also proving their disguises to be more than adequate.

They reached the home of the Zephyr Guild and entered the lobby. A sky blue carpet lay just within the entrance. Three couches, placed to the left against the wall, were for people waiting on appointments, of which there were none at the moment. Sherree went right up to the clerk behind the desk. “Is Maestro Barnes available?”

The white-haired young man looked up and his blue eyes noted Daniel but his gaze settled on Sherree. “I doubt you can get a formal appointment with him sooner than three days from now, but he is in dining area two, and may be open to an informal and brief discussion,” he informed without questioning why she wanted to know or even asking their names.

So far, so good
was Daniel’s thought. Now all he and Sherree needed to do was fool everybody else. He was keenly aware of the arrest warrants with his and her names on them and the risk they were taking.

“Thank you Accomplished,” she replied and headed for the lift. “Dining area two is located on the ninth floor.”

Daniel nodded and was grateful for the information, seeing as he was only familiar with the lobby and Terroll’s office area. The diamond-walled corridor seemed endless but eventually led to a sliding door. Inside was a shaft that stretched up to the very top floor of the building, with sliding doors at each level. Sherree entered the lift and he cast the spell to raise the platform to the second level. “Let me do the spell casting,” She told him before the doors opened. “My entire body glows every time I summon potential and so do those of every spell-caster I have met, except you. There is a chance, here in the bosom of our adversaries, that other people may know you are the only one who has demonstrated this skill.”

He knew her to be correct and realized further similar actions would only increase the risk of getting caught. “I will be guided by you in this,” he replied just as she opened the door on the second level and they stepped out into the hall. When she did not move right away, he added, “Guided by you in not casting unnecessary spells and to the dining area, seeing as I have no idea where to go from here.”

Sherree smiled and headed to the left. They passed two female Senior Cyclones and three male Cyclones, all with the letter, C, on their belt buckles, none of which did more than glance at two Gusts who were obviously on their way for an evening meal. Upon entering the dining area Daniel spotted Terroll Barnes sitting at table two of ten. The Maestro of the Zephyr Guild wore four golden lightning bolts on the shoulders of his scarlet on black silk cloak and a golden buckle with a diamond encrusted letter, Z, indicating his office. He was a tall man, when standing, and clean-shaven with skin the color of ebony.

At the table with him was his Chief Aid, Bernie a Two-bolt Accomplished with yellow-gold hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. Sitting with them were five Senior Cyclones, one a female Daniel recognized immediately and the rest were males he did not know. A Cenkataaran with three lightning bolts shook his head in disgust. “How does the Chosen Vessel believe he can win the approval of any respectable Accomplished if he keeps breaking every tradition we hold sacred?”

“Maestro, our distinguished colleague does have a point,” his fellow Three-bolt stated, whose bald head reflected the white light of the sphere glowing above the table.

Terroll seemed on the verge of responding when Rondara Kapes glanced at the pair who had just expressed their opinions and spoke up. “Simeon, Chelton, you fail to understand something I learned on the mission to Shantear; Daniel Benhannon does not seem to care what we hold sacred and I doubt he believes gaining our approval is even possible no matter what choices he makes,” the Four-bolt explained, accurately, in a calm tone devoid of emotion. Her black silky hair shimmered in the light as her ovoid eyes focused on Terroll, “Did you know the young mountain Potential you discovered and tutored would turn out to be the Creator’s Champion?”

Terroll shook his head. “It was only after he cast the spell of Ranking that the idea flickered in my head. I rejected the notion, not because of Daniel, but because of the implications such a truth would bring. I was not ready to accept Tarin Conn breaking free of entombment or the War of the Champions being waged in my lifetime.” He took a sip from his cup.

“It would have been easier for us if you had done a better job of teaching your former student the proper behavior of an Accomplished,” commented a skinny Accomplished, whose long nose was the only part of his face visible from the confines of his hood. Daniel felt the bold statement to be disrespectful, but Terroll seemed to ignore the tone and kept drinking until his cup was empty.

“Accomplished Jenna betrayed her guild for him. It is not surprising she would break tradition and marry him as well. Even if Benhannon’s education did not prove adequate to keep him from entering matrimony, the same cannot be said for her, she knew the rules well before entering Aakadon,” a plump man with a goatee said in deep sonorous voice. Before him was a half-eaten plate of noodles with some sort of red sauce and cheese. Daniel did not care for his choice of food or his criticism of Sherree.

Chelton, the bald fellow, nodded gravely. “It must be mind control. He commanded her to be his wife and she obeyed.”

Hearing such talk from Sherree’s sister was one thing, Daniel perceived the accusation was born of familial concern, but Shiny Head was not family and therefore not entitled to have his allegation go unanswered, and so Daniel thought nothing about stepping right up to the table. “Truly, it is no wonder the Chosen Vessel cannot expect to gain the approval of people who accept lies as truth. If you who claim to see him as the Creator’s Champion believe such trash without any proof, how are those who have not made up their minds going to perceive him?”

Sherree’s dark eyes locked onto him and she hurried over to the table. “Tyrone Bareen, is this how a One-bolt Accomplished addresses his superiors? Had I known you would speak so to our leaders, I would have suggested we go to one of the other dining areas.”

Terroll’s eyes had locked onto Daniel before he completed the first sentence and his eyebrows seemed to have been attempting to climb his forehead by the time Daniel had asked the question. By the time Sherree spoke up, the Maestro of the Zephyr Guild had his facial features under control. “No, it is quite alright, Accomplished, what is your name?” he replied to her, even though his eyes reflected recognition, causing Daniel to wonder what his old friend would do next. They had not altered their voices and so Terroll knew the true identities of the pair of Accomplisheds standing by the table.

“Sheila Van Tarran,” Sherree replied in a softer tone than she had used on Daniel. She did not look at the scowling Accomplisheds seated around the table. Those scowls seemed to deepen the more she ignored them.

Terroll nodded his head as if accepting the name as true, which meant he would play along with the ruse, at least for a while. “Gust Van Tarran, I encourage free speech and would very much like to hear more of what, Gust Bareen, has to say on the subject of Daniel Benhannon, but not at this table. My office is a much better place to discuss the subject and the prudence, or lack thereof, of you choosing this time to bring him here.”

Bernie dropped his fork into his mashed potatoes, splashing brown gravy onto the table. “But Maestro you are scheduled to meet with Maestro Beyers in three quarters of a mark and the only way to squeeze in a meeting now is to cut your dinnertime short. Surely, anyone one here at table can hear the theories and opinions of these Gusts and remind them to have a more respectful tone when addressing superiors.”

Chelton nodded approval of the notion and fixed a stare into Daniel’s eyes. The gleeful smile at the prospect of teaching respect began to fade and he looked away just before sweat broke out on his forehead. Not many people can stare into the disapproving eyes of the Chosen Vessel for long without getting nervous, even if, as in this case, the person did not know into whose eyes he was staring. Chelton wisely chose not to comment.

Rondara’s right eyebrow arched up speculatively, even if she did not recognize the voices, she certainly knew Terroll’s reaction to be unexpected and the stare down more so. After all, what One-bolt Accomplished would be brash enough to chastise and try to intimidate a pair of Senior Cyclones? She nodded her head, evidently reaching some conclusion, but fortunately kept whatever she had determined to herself, and wisely left the matter to her Maestro.

Terroll stood up while shoving his chair back from the table. “These two deserve the lecture I am about to give. Tyrone, Sheila, come with me. No, Bernie, you stay here and finish your dinner.”

The Senior Cyclones continued to stare while Daniel followed his former teacher out into the hall with Sherree beside him. No one said a word, not on the way to the tenth level, not in the hall leading to Terroll’s office, and not until the Maestro was seated at the desk facing them. “Daniel, I trust you have not come here to request admittance into this guild.”

Sherree’s eyebrows lifted as if surprised the Maestro had recognized who came to call. “What gave him away?”

Terroll smiled, evidently amused by the question, yet there was no joy reflected in his eyes. “Accomplished Jenna or should I call you Benhannon, I have heard the sound of your voices in the past and thanks to Daniel’s first spell, I have a perfect memory,” he replied and then focused on his former student. “You joining the Zephyr Guild and becoming a Maestro of Aakadon is no longer an option now that you have gone against thousands of years of tradition and married a fellow Accomplished. I knew from the short time we spent together on Tannakonna that the prohibition on marriage would be your most difficult adjustment to make.” His face registered resignation rather than disappointment.