“Actually,” said Lehr. “Probably not. That’s what Mother and I were doing when Rinnie was taken. We walked up to the place where the huntsman thought he found Father’s remains. The bones weren’t Father’s. We think a group of human mages surprised Papa and took him.”
“Alive,” said Alinath. “Tier is alive?”
“Alive?” asked Rinnie, grabbing Jes’s hand in a tight grip.
“I think so,” said Seraph.
“Ah,” said Karadoc, “then Volis was one of a group of corrupt mages who helped him in his evil doings. He was responsible for a number of terrible happenings, Tier’s disappearance… oh, I’ll think of a few more things. I’m sure someone had a pet die in the last month or so. Volis has been watching your farm with his magic—”
“Magic doesn’t work like that,” said Seraph. “Not even solsenti magic.”
“They won’t know that,” said Karadoc repressively. “When he saw that you were away from home, he kidnapped Rinnie. Alinath saw him take Rinnie by the bakery. She came to my temple to get Bandor, who had come to talk to me about suspicions that he had about Volis. I am an old man. Bandor and Alinath confronted Volis—he hurt Alinath, and Bandor killed him.”
“What about us?” asked Seraph.
“You, none of you were here. I don’t know who you are, young lady,” he said to Hennea, “but I can see what you are, and you’d be safer away from here.”
“She can sleep at the farm tonight,” said Seraph.
“How do you know that Tier is alive?” asked Alinath.
“Because they took him to use his magic,” replied Hennea. “They can’t use it with him dead—not this soon.”
“Liar,” said Alinath, rising to her feet. “My brother had no magic.”
From his position on the floor, Bandor reached up and took his wife’s hand. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, he did.”
Alinath froze, staring at the hand she held. At last she sank down again.
“Do you know where they took him?” asked Karadoc when it became apparent Alinath wasn’t going to say anything further.
“To Taela,” answered Hennea. “To the imperial palace at Taela.”
“Before we leave here, Hennea and I will search the temple to make sure there’s nothing left that could hurt anyone,” said Seraph tiredly. They’d find all the Order stones, too. She glanced at Volis, but his hands were bare. Hennea must have already taken the rings Volis had worn.
“We’ll go look for Papa tomorrow?” asked Lehr.
Seraph considered it. “The day after. We’ll have to pack for the trip.”
“If you leave, the Sept’s steward will take away your land rights,” observed Alinath.
“No,” replied Karadoc. “He won’t. He’d never get anyone else to farm that close to the mountains. I’ll have a talk with him myself.”
CHAPTER 11
Early the next morning, Alinath came to call. Seraphhad already sent the boys and Rinnie out to the barn to sort through the tools and harness for things that they would need on their travel. Hennea was still asleep in the loft.
“I didn’t know how soon you were going,” said Alinath, in a sideways apology for the hour of her call. “I brought this.” She set down a large basket of journey bread on the table. “We made it yesterday so it should last you a month or more if you need it.” She hadn’t met Seraph’s eyes since she came in.
“How is Bandor?” asked Seraph.
“Almost himself again, though he doesn’t remember much,” said Alinath, at last looking up. “Thank you for giving him back to me.”
“I’m glad you came,” Seraph said after they’d both taken a seat on the kitchen bench, which was pulled away from its customary place at the table. “Otherwise I would have come to you. The trip to Taela is a long one, and getting Tier back might be dangerous. I hate to take Rinnie on a journey like that. Would you watch her for me?”
“Of course,” Alinath said after a moment of shock. “Of course I will. There’s plenty of space—she can have Tier’s old room.”
“Thank you,” smiled Seraph. “I told her that Bandor would not be feeling well for a while and you needed her help. Give her something to do so she doesn’t think I’m a liar.”
“I’ll do that,” said Alinath. “Karadoc wanted me to tell you that the other Elders were happy with his story. All except Willon, who saw Bandor carrying Rinnie up to the temple. But Willon agreed to keep the real story quiet.”
Alinath reached into a large pouch she carried and brought out several pieces of folded parchment. “Willon sent these. Maps, he said. And Seraph”—Alinath set a bag of coins on the table—“these are from the bakery’s accounts. Use them as you need to—I’d like to have Tier back also.”
Seraph took the coins. “Thank you. I won’t deny that these will make the journey easier.”
“I’ll come tomorrow morning about this time,” said Alinath, getting up briskly. “To get Rinnie, and to see you safely on your way.”
“Thank you, Alinath,” said Seraph.
Alinath stopped at the doorway and turned back. “No, Seraph. Thank you. I appreciate your trust, especially after…”
“He had no choice,” said Seraph. “Remember that. Even shadowed, Bandor believed he was saving Rinnie.”
The next morning was cold and the sun a pale line against the mountain as they adjusted the packs on Skew. Gura whined at Seraph from his self-appointed guard post by the packs still to be loaded.
“Fool dog,” Seraph said, not unkindly. “You’re coming, too.”
“But not me,” said Rinnie from the porch.
“I need you to take care of your aunt and uncle for me,” said Seraph. “Aunt Alinath would like nothing better than to drop everything and come with us, but she needs to take care of Bandor and the bakery.” She took a deep breath, “And I need you safe. Please.”
Rinnie stared at her hard. “All right,” she said. “I’ll stay.”
Seraph, Hennea, Jes, and Lehr set out for Taela before the sun was full up while Alinath and Rinnie watched from the porch.
A few miles to the south, the path from the farm joined to the main road. Though Willon’s maps were useful, finding a road to Taela was no more difficult than finding a stream that would lead to the ocean.
“It’s hard leaving Rinnie behind.” Lehr patted Skew’s neck. “I miss her already.”
“I miss everything,” said Jes happily.
Lehr lost his grim air and thumped Jes on his pack where it rested between his shoulders, “I see that you do.”
“Do you know where your clan is?” Seraph ask Hennea, who walked beside her at the back of the small caravan.
“No,” said Hennea. “But I can find them when I want to. I’ll be of more use to you than I’ll be to them.”
“Hennea,” said Seraph softly.
“Yes?”
“If you ever lie to me for your own ends again—as you did when I killed the priest for you—there will be a reckoning.”
“I will bear that in mind,” Hennea said.
“See that you do.”
Seraph deliberately cut the first day’s travel short. Hennea was looking pale and drawn; though her arm was healing nicely, it was still painful. The tent that they’d brought was the old one Seraph had used when she’d traveled with her brother. Seraph expected it would take a few days of practice before they could put it up in the dark.
After supper, she left the boys to clean up and took out Isolda the Silent’s mermora.
“So you are the last survivor of your clan,” said Hennea.
Seraph loosened the top of her bag so Hennea could see the assorted mermori she carried. “The last of any number of clans,” she said.
“How many?” Hennea asked in a horrified whisper.
“Two hundred and twenty-four,” replied Seraph.
Hennea frowned. “Why did they all come to you?”
“You mean as opposed to a clan leader who actually had a clan?” Seraph shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve given it a lot of thought over the years. The last eighty-three I found in one cache, presumably taken from one leader. That could mean that the mermori are being drawn by the other mermori. The more mermori someone has, the more likely it is that a lost clan’s mermori will come to them. Or perhaps Shadow’s Fall might have some influence on it.”