The Guildhall filled with an eerie glow as the globe lights all turned red.
“Again, the Higher Magicians feel they must offer an alternative to execution,” Kito said. “The crime is a serious one, however, and we believe nothing less than imprisonment for life would be appropriate. Please change your lights to white, if you wish to reduce the punishment to imprisonment.”
Dannyl changed his globe light to white, but felt a chill as he realized that fewer than half the magicians had done the same. It must be years since the Guild has elected to execute someone, he thought.
“Royend of Marane will be executed,” Kito announced heavily.
A gasp came from the rebels. Dannyl felt a stab of guilt and forced himself to look at the group. The Dem’s face was white. His wife gripped his arm tightly. The rest of the rebels looked pale and uneasy.
Kito glanced at the Higher Magicians, then turned back to face the hall and spoke another rebel’s name. The rest were granted the lesser punishment of imprisonment. Clearly, the Guild saw Dem Marane as the leader of the group and wanted to make an example of him. His refusal to cooperate had done him no favors either, thought Dannyl.
When it was Kaslie’s turn, Kito surprised Dannyl by speaking out in her defense. He urged the Guild to consider her two children. His words must have sufficiently moved the magicians, because they granted the Dem’s wife a pardon, allowing her to return to her home.
The Elyne magicians then asked if they could mentally communicate the judgments to the Elyne King. Lorlen agreed, on the condition that no other information was communicated. He then announced the Hearing concluded.
Released from his role at last, Dannyl felt an overwhelming relief. He looked for Rothen in the crowd of magicians descending from the seats, but before he had located his friend, a voice spoke his name. He turned to find Administrator Kito approaching.
“Administrator,” Dannyl replied.
“Are you satisfied with the result?” Kito asked.
Dannyl shrugged. “Mostly. I have to admit, I did not think the Dem deserved his punishment. He is an ambitious man, but I doubt he would ever succeed in learning magic in a prison.”
“No,” Kito replied, “but I think the Guild resented his attack on your honor.”
Dannyl stared at the magician. Surely that was not the sole reason for the Guild choosing execution?
“You find this disturbing?” Kito asked.
“Of course.”
Kito’s gaze was unwavering. “It would be particularly disturbing, if his claims were true.”
“Yes, it would be,” Dannyl replied. He narrowed his eyes at the man. Was Kito baiting him?
Kito grimaced apologetically. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to insinuate that they were. Will you be returning to Elyne soon?”
“Unless Lorlen decides otherwise, I will stay here until we are sure there is no threat from Sachaka.”
Kito nodded, then glanced away as his name was called. “I will speak to you again soon, Ambassador.”
“Administrator.”
Dannyl watched the man move away. Was what Kito had suggested true? Had the Guild voted for execution out of anger at Dem Marane’s accusation?
No, he thought. The Dem’s defiance had swayed the vote. He had dared to seek what the Guild felt it has the sole right to, and he obviously felt no respect for laws or authority.
All the same, Dannyl could not find it in himself to agree with the Guild’s vote. The Dem did not deserve to die. But there was nothing Dannyl could do about that now.
Walking back through the underground passages of the Thieves’ Road, Cery considered his latest conversation with Takan. Akkarin’s former servant was difficult to read, but his mannerisms had betrayed both boredom and anxiety. Unfortunately, Cery could do little about the former, and nothing about the latter.
Cery knew that being cooped up in a hidden underground house, no matter how luxurious, was bound to become tedious and frustrating. Sonea had lived in a similar place when Faren had first agreed to hide her from the Guild. She had grown restless after a week. For Takan it was even more frustrating because he knew his master was facing dangers elsewhere and there was nothing he could do about it.
Cery also remembered how solitude and being unable to help someone he cared for had once made his every moment a torture. He still dreamed, though now only occasionally, about the weeks he had spent imprisoned under the University by Fergun. When he remembered that Akkarin had found and freed him, he was even more determined to help Takan in any way he could.
He had offered to provide any sort of entertainment Takan might crave—from whores to books—but the man had politely declined. Cery asked the guards to chat with his guest now and then, and he tried to visit every day, as Faren had once done for Sonea. Takan was not a talkative man, however. He avoided discussing his life before becoming Akkarin’s servant, and spoke little of the years after. Cery eventually drew out some humorous stories that servants liked to tell about the magicians. It seemed even Takan didn’t mind indulging in a little gossip.
Akkarin had only communicated with Takan a few times in the last eight days. When he did, Takan always reassured Cery that Sonea was alive and unharmed. Cery was both amused by and grateful for these updates on Sonea’s welfare. Obviously the servant had learned from Akkarin about Cery’s former interest in Sonea.
That’s in the past, Cery thought wryly. Now I have Savara to mope about. Had Savara to mope about, he corrected. He was determined there would be no pining, this time. We are both sensible adults, he told himself, with responsibilities that can’t be neglected.
They reached the beginning of the maze of passages around his own rooms. Bricks whispered against bricks as Gol opened the first hidden door. Cery nodded at the guards as he strolled through.
She said she might come back, Cery reminded himself. To “visit.” He smiled. That sort of arrangement has its advantages. No expectations. No compromises...
And he had bigger concerns. Imardin faced a probable invasion by foreign magicians. Cery had to consider what he would do about them—if he could do anything about them. After all, if the Guild was too weak to face these Ichani, what hope did non-magicians have?
Not a lot, he thought. But that’s better than nothing. There must be ways ordinary people can kill a magician.
He thought back to a conversation he’d had with Sonea over a year and a half ago. They had jokingly discussed how to get rid of a novice who was bothering her. He was still thinking about it when one of his messenger boys informed him that a visitor was waiting to meet him.
Entering his office, Cery sat down, checked his yerim were still in his drawer, then sent Gol out to meet the visitor. When the door opened again, Cery looked up and felt his heart skip. He rose from the chair.
“Savara!”
She smiled and sauntered to his desk. “I have surprised you this time, Ceryni.”
He dropped down into his seat again. “I thought you left.”
She shrugged. “I did. But halfway to the border my people spoke to me. They decided, at my urging, that someone should stay and witness the invasion.”
“You don’t need my help for that.”
“No.” She sat on the edge of the desk and tilted her head to one side. “But I did say I would visit if I came back. It could be some time before the Ichani come, and I might get bored while I am waiting.”
He smiled. “We can’t have that.”
“I did hope you would think so.”
“What are you offering me in return, then?”