Dolanna skillfully Warded the room against all prying eyes and ears, and then nodded to him. As always, Dolanna's weaves were strong, efficient, and well woven. Dolanna was an excellent Sorceress.
"Alright then, on to serious matters. Dolanna, Allia, you have to convince the Keeper to prepare for war."
Tarrin went over everything that Jegojah told him, then related much of his conversation with Keritanima. Dar and Dolanna blanched quite a few times as he almost casually dropped a cartload of shocking news on them in a very short time, but Allia looked rather sober, almost grim.
"It's a pretty clever plan, Dolanna," Tarrin said, addressing his teacher. "Clever and thorough."
"Very clever," Dolanna said absently, tapping her chin with a finger, as she often did while in deep thought. "It does not leave us with much room. You say that Shiika is sending her Legions?"
"And herself and her daughters," he replied. "She wanted me to have you make sure that her daughters aren't attacked when they arrive. They'll be on our side."
"The same ones that tried to kill you, Tarrin?" Dar asked.
Tarrin nodded. "At that time, we were on opposing sides. Now we have a common interest."
"War often makes strange allies, Dar," Allia told him calmly.
"Very strange," Dolanna agreed.
"In a couple of days, as soon as I'm sure Jenna is up to it, I'm going to have her tell mother to have Grandfather stop the war with Tykarthia," Tarrin said. "Grandfather can do it, especially if mother is standing behind him holding her axe. The Ungardt will be a little sulky over not having someone to fight, at least until we can convince them to help us fight off the ki'zadun. Ungardt love a good, rousing war. This will certainly pique their interest."
"Are you certain that your mother can do such a thing?" Dolanna asked.
"My grandfather can," Tarrin said confidently. "He's chief of one of the biggest clans. He can call all the chiefs together and explain that the Ungardt were deceived into fighting against Tykarthia, when they didn't do anything wrong. Ungardt may love a good war, but they don't fight unless they have a good reason. As soon as they find out that the atrocities that started the war with Tykarthia were actually the work of the ki'zadun, they'll apologize to the Tykarthians and then come after the ki'zadun."
"Sounds like the Ungardt have honor," Allia said approvingly.
"Something like that, but not as refined as you, Allia," Tarrin told her. "Kerri beat it into me that the most critical thing I can do is have you find out what the weather's like in Draconia and the Petal Lakes. That's where the ki'zadun is massing their army, and they can't start marching until the snow melts."
"That will be easy," Dolanna told him. "The Citadel of the Hill is on the Tykarthian border. They can find that out for us."
"They should be warned of what's coming," Dar said.
"Not yet," Allia told him. "This is best kept a secret for now. Let us not tip our hand just yet."
"That's a good idea," Tarrin agreed, "but you're going to have to go to the Keeper and tell her about this. But only the Keeper. That spy is still loose in the Tower, so you can't have it get out that you know they're coming."
"We have had no luck finding her," Dolanna sighed. "She has buried herself so deeply that there is not even a hint of her anymore. Those few who knew of her are dead, and nobody has seen any assassins moving about."
"They're not supposed to, Dolanna."
"Tarrin, this place is like a prison," Dar told him. "There are guards everywhere, and Sorcerers watching each other. A mouse can't run across a countertop without three reports of it landing on the Keeper's desk inside ten minutes."
Tarrin chuckled. "Sounds like you're quite serious about it."
"The problem is that some suspect that our spy is adept at either Mind weaves or Illusion, or perhaps both, and is hiding her tracks," Dolanna told him.
"Jula can find her," Tarrin told them. "Set her to finding the spy. Jula's nose and her magic will ferret her out."
"That, is not a bad idea," Dolanna said after a moment of thought. "Since she is Non-human, our spy cannot use Mind weaves to turn her mind aside from its task, and Jula's senses will penetrate any Illusory disguise."
"Were-cats are born hunters, Dolanna. Have Triana point her in the right direction and set her loose. Jula will find the spy."
"It is a good suggestion, Tarrin. I will have a talk with Triana about it."
"Do that. We can't make any serious preparations until that spy is found and removed. Until then, you're going to have to move carefully."
"I should talk with the Lord General, and ask him to return with the Knights," Allia proposed. "The Knights on the Tower grounds should calm things greatly. The danger to Suld itself should convince him that it is time to stop the self-imposed exile."
"He deserves to know what's going on anyway," Tarrin told them. "He's a brilliant military man, sister. He can give you a great deal of help, and his status and rank will make sure things get done."
"True," Dolanna agreed.
"I'm starting to get tired, so I have to go very soon. Just do what you can as quietly as you can until Jula finds that spy. I can't be doing this every day, so the person who's more or less in charge of this little operation is Keritanima. She's in the middle of it, and most of it depends on her and her ships anyway. So if you have questions about anything, she's the one you need to take them to."
"Alright," Dolanna said. "Keritanima would be the best choice."
"Just remember that using the amulets isn't totally secure, so be very careful what you say."
"That is going to cause problems," Dolanna told him. "Some things must be said."
"I know, but since none of you can do what I'm doing now, there's no other way."
"What are you doing, Tarrin?" Dolanna asked curiously. "I can feel your weave, but not you."
"That's because I'm a couple thousand leagues east, Dolanna," he replied. "My body is in the desert."
"How can you weave all the way over here then?" Dar asked curiously.
"It gets very complicated, Dar," Tarrin told him. "Let's just say it's a trick that I picked up. I'll explain everything when I get to the Tower."
"I will hold you to that, dear one," Dolanna promised.
"I have to go now. Sarraya is tugging at my ear for some reason. Just let Jula loose, then step back and let her find your spy. I'll do this again if it's something important." He looked at them, his friends and his sister, and he felt the same thing as he did when looking at Keritanima. Not homesickness or an ache to be with them, but a calm, serene knowledge that all of them-any one of them-was always within his reach. He could see them and talk to them any time he wanted, and that considerably softened the impact of being so far away from them. Until he could hold Allia in his arms and have her scent wash over him, looking at her and knowing she was well and good was enough for now. "Be careful and watch out for each other."
"Farewell, Tarrin," Dar called.
"May the Goddess watch over you, dear one," Dolanna smiled.
"May the Holy Mother put the wind at your back and sweet water in your path," Allia said with luminous eyes.
"Be well," he nodded, and then let the Illusion unravel. He pulled his awareness back to his body, to where Sarraya was yanking on his ear urgently, and opened his eyes. "What?" he demanded in a surly tone.
"Tarrin, you won't believe this!" Sarraya said with a laugh.
"What?"
"Guess who I saw in the city?"
"Well? Out with it!"
"Var and Denai!" she laughed. "They must have followed us!"
"They didn't!" Tarrin said hotly, standing up.