“So they left it a wasteland.”
“Partly. Beyond the wasteland there is fertile soil, farms and towns. And Arvice, the capital.”
Tayend frowned. “Do you think Akkarin went there?”
“I’ve never heard anyone say that he did.”
“So if he visited Sachaka, why did he keep the fact to himself?” Tayend paused, thinking. “Perhaps he spent all those years researching the Sachakan Empire and found nothing, and was too embarrassed to admit it. Or,” Tayend smiled, “perhaps he spent the time in idleness and didn’t want to admit that—or he did something the Guild would not approve of—or he fell in love with a young Sachakan girl, married her, and vowed never to return, except that she died, or left him and he—”
“Let’s not get too carried away, Tayend.”
Tayend grinned. “Or perhaps he fell in love with a young Sachakan boy, and was eventually found out and expelled from the country.”
“This is the High Lord you’re speaking of, Tayend of Tremmelin,” Dannyl said sternly.
“Does it offend you that I suggest such a thing?” There was a hint of defiance in the scholar’s tone. Dannyl met Tayend’s gaze levelly.
“I may be digging up a little of his past to aid my research, Tayend, but that does not mean I have no respect for the man, or his position. If he would be offended, or his position was threatened by speculation, then I would discourage it.”
“I see.” Sobering, Tayend looked down at his reins.
“But even so,” Dannyl added, “what you suggest is impossible.”
Tayend smiled slyly. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because Akkarin is a powerful magician. The Sachakans expelled him? Ha! Unlikely!”
The scholar chuckled and shook his head. He was silent for a while, then he frowned. “What will we do if we learn that Akkarin did travel into Sachaka? Will we go there, too?”
“Hmmm.” Dannyl turned to look back down the road. Capia had disappeared behind the undulating hills. “That depends on how much time it takes me to perform my duties as Guild Ambassador.”
When he had heard Errend groaning about his coming biyearly tour of the country, Dannyl had offered to take his place, thinking it would be an ideal opportunity to leave Capia and continue his research without raising questions about shirking duties. Errend had been delighted.
To Dannyl’s dismay, he had learned that the journey would wind about the entire country, that he would be required to spend weeks in places where there were no private libraries, and that he wouldn’t be leaving until summer. Impatient to start, Dannyl had persuaded Errend to arrange the trip earlier, but there was no way he could omit any of the destinations from the schedule.
“So what exactly will you be doing?” Tayend asked.
“Introducing myself to country Dems, checking on magicians, and confirming magical potential in the children the King will be sending to the Guild. I hope you won’t find it all very boring.”
Tayend shrugged. “I get to snoop around private libraries. That’s worth ten journeys. And I get to visit my sister.”
“What is she like?”
Tayend’s face lit up with a bright smile. “She’s wonderful. I think she worked out I was a lad long before I did. You’ll like her, I think, though she has a way of getting to the point that is quite disconcerting.” He pointed down the road. “See that row of trees on the hill ahead. That’s where the road to her property begins. Let’s move on. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry!”
As Tayend urged his horse into a trot, Dannyl felt his own stomach rumble. He looked ahead at the trees Tayend had indicated and nudged his mount’s flanks with his boots. Soon they were turning off the road, riding beneath a stone arch and starting toward a distant country mansion.
Returning to the library after her evening lesson, Sonea noted the shadows under Tya’s eyes.
“Did you stay much later last night, my lady?”
The librarian nodded. “When these deliveries come in, I have to. There’s no other time to sort them.” She yawned, then smiled. “Thank you for staying back to help me.”
Sonea shrugged. “Are these boxes for the Magicians’ Library, too?”
“Yes. Nothing too exciting. Just more textbooks.”
They picked up a stack of boxes each and made their way through the passages. Lord Jullen’s eyebrows rose as Sonea followed Tya into the Magicians’ Library.
“So you’ve found yourself an assistant,” he remarked. “I thought Lorlen refused your request.”
“Sonea has offered her time of her own choosing.”
“Shouldn’t you be studying, Sonea? I should think the High Lord’s novice would have better things to be doing than carrying boxes.”
Keeping her expression neutral, Sonea looked around. “Can you suggest a better place to spend my spare time, my lord?”
His mouth twitched, then he sniffed. “So long as the time is spare.” He looked at Tya. “I am retiring now. Good night.”
“Good night, Lord Jullen,” Tya replied.
When the stern magician had left, Tya started toward the storeroom. Sonea chuckled.
“I think he’s jealous.”
“Jealous?” Tya turned and frowned. “Of what?”
“You’ve got an assistant. The High Lord’s novice, no less.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve put a high value on yourself.”
Sonea grimaced. “That wasn’t of my choosing. But I’d lay a bet that Jullen’s a bit peeved that you’ve got a willing helper.”
Tya’s mouth tightened, as if she was resisting the urge to smile. “Hurry up, then. If you’re going to be of any help, don’t stand around speculating.”
Following Tya to the back room, Sonea set the boxes down on top of a chest and began unpacking them. She resisted the temptation to look at the cabinet of old books and maps, instead concentrating on stacking and sorting. Tya paused to yawn several times.
“How late did you stay back last night?” Sonea asked.
“Too late,” Tya admitted.
“Why don’t you leave me to do this?”
Tya sent her a disbelieving look. “You really have too much energy, Sonea,” she sighed. “I shouldn’t leave you here alone—and you’ll be locked in. I’ll have to come back and let you out.”
Sonea shrugged. “I’m sure you won’t forget me.” She looked down at the books. “I can help with this, but not the cataloguing work. You may as well go back and finish it.”
Tya nodded slowly. “Very well. I’ll come back for you in an hour.” She smiled. “Thank you, Sonea.”
Following the librarian to the door, Sonea watched her walk away. She felt a growing excitement as Tya’s footsteps faded into the distance. Turning, she regarded the library. Dust hung in the air, tinged yellow by the glow of her globe light. The shelves of books extended into darkness, as if they stretched on forever.
Smiling to herself, she returned to the storeroom and stacked up the textbooks as quickly as possible. She counted the minutes, conscious that she only had an hour. Once the boxes were unpacked, she abandoned them and moved to the cabinet.
She inspected the lock carefully, both with her eyes and her mind. Tya had spoken of a lock, and it made sense that an important store of knowledge would be protected by magic. Her search proved her suspicions right.
Though the physical lock was no more complicated than any she had picked before, she had no idea if it was possible to foil a magical one. Even if she managed to, the meddling might be detectable, and the meddler identifiable.
When Cery had taught her how to pick locks, he had told her to look for another way first. Sometimes there were quicker ways to get into something than picking. She looked for hinges on the doors, and cursed softly as she saw they were on the inside of the cabinet.
She began to examine the entire unit, inspecting the joints and edges carefully. The cabinet was old, but sturdy and well made. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, then fetched a chair and stood upon it so she could check the top of the cabinet. No weaknesses there, either. Sighing, she stepped down to the floor again.