Regret for the loss of something I'd never actually wanted was stupid but it still cut me like a knife.
'Saedrin, who's going to tell his family?' Fresh tears tumbled down my face; I would not have believed I had any left in me.
'Were they close?'
'I think so. He talked about them a lot.' I was suddenly uncertain. How much had I really known about Geris? It hadn't seemed important before; now I wondered what I might have found out, if I'd taken the trouble.
I told Ryshad about Judal and the Looking Glass, about Geris' endless curiosity, his artless chattering on about everything and anything, Calendars and Almanacs, different systems of electing kings, writers ten generations dead and burned. As I talked, I realised how incompletely I had known Geris; where had his fascination with his stupid tisanes begun? I wondered. I recalled the fight at the Eldritch ring, Geris' bravery and his unexpected coolness in a crisis; where had he learned such courage?
When emotion threatened to choke me, Ryshad countered with his own stories, talking about his brothers and his lost sister, about horses he had owned and scholars he had met, anything that followed on from what I had been saying.
I don't know how long we talked. The room darkened and later was illuminated by the glow of torches from the yard above but, at the end, I was calm and Geris was at least alive in my memories again; I could see him as I had known him, not as the broken thing at the side of the room. Geris had told me the Aldabreshi reckon no one is truly dead until the last person who knew them is dead as well. I realised I might have some idea now of what they meant.
The Guest-house at the Shrine of Ostrin
Bremilayne, 2nd of For-Winter
Allin sighed at the triangular rent in the knee of Darni's breeches. She was sitting in the window seat, knees drawn up, glancing intermittently out into the narrow rain-dark street. She thought she'd escaped tedious tasks like doing everyone's mending and she did miss the hard, clear winters of Lescar, so unlike this drizzly place. A knock at the door startled her and she hastily put her feet to the floor, straightening her skirts.
'Come in.'
'Good day.' A man about Allin's father's age opened the door, lowering a wet hood to reveal neatly cut dark hair and a clean-shaven face. 'Are you Allin?'
'Of course she is.' A shorter man pushed past to warm himself at the meagre fire; he shed a tattered cape to reveal disordered grey hair and a ragged beard, and turned piercing blue eyes on Allin.
'This is a piss-poor fire, lassie. Ring for more coal!'
Allin didn't like to admit she hadn't dared to.
'Never mind that.' The dark man smiled at her, his grey eyes kindly. 'We're here to see Casuel and Darni.'
Apart from the Gidestan accent, he reminded Allin of her Uncle Wan-in. 'I'm afraid they're both out at present, sir. Can I tell them you called? You could leave a note.'
She put her sewing aside, remembering the social graces her mother had striven to teach her. 'Shall I ring for wine or tisane?'
'Thank you, wine would be very welcome.' The dark man hung their cloaks on the pegs and went to warm himself. His hands were white with cold, nails blue-tinged.
Allin clasped her own hands tight together and went to ring for a maid. The echo of the distant bell rolled around the silence in the room.
'Are you seafarers?' Allin hazarded an attempt at polite conversation.
'Of a kind.' The little man shot her a wicked grin and, to her chagrin, Allin felt her inevitable blushes rising.
'We are wizards, colleagues of Darni and Casuel.' The dark man smiled at some private amusement.
The door rattled and saved Allin from having to find an answer.
'Fine, tell me something I don't know, Gas!' Darni stormed in.
'Good day.' The dark man turned from the fire and Allin was treated to the rare sight of Darni at a loss for words.
'There's no—' Casuel's words trailed off as he entered. 'Planir?'
He swept a hasty bow and Allin managed a ragged curtsey before her knees failed her and she landed on the window seat with an audible thump.
'Archmage, Cloud-Master.' Darni made the deepest and most sincere bows Allin had seen him perform yet. 'You are very welcome.'
'What have you done about a ship?' Otrick scowled at him.
Darni scowled right back. 'No one's prepared to risk the currents, the storms, the sea-monsters, you name it.'
'Messire D'Olbriot is going to see if he can negotiate something for us,' Casuel added hastily.
'I'm sure someone would change his tune if Messire started issuing a few direct orders,' Darni grumbled.
'That's not how things are done in Tormalin,' Casuel snapped, before he remembered himself and looked nervously at Planir. 'Pardon me, Archmage.'
Darni ignored him and turned to Otrick. 'Who else is with you? How many swords?'
'At present, it is just the two of us. We thought we should come on ahead,' Planir answered with a glimpse of authority which stifled the waiting questions on Darni's lips. 'I was concerned about the potential problems of acquiring a ship at this time of year.'
'I'm sure we'll manage, I mean, Messire D'Olbriot has offered us every co-operation and I'm sure he'll get permission for us to approach other sailors,' Casuel insisted.
'If D'Olbriot's mariners won't sail in this season, I can't see any others agreeing.' Planir's tone was gentle enough but Casuel still looked as if he'd been kicked in the shins.
'Right, then we'd better try someone else.' Otrick rubbed his hands together gleefully.
'Who else is there?' Darni was clearly puzzled.
'Pirates!' Otrick said with relish.
The door opened before anyone could respond and the maid looked curiously round.
'Wine, please,' Allin said faintly. 'And more coal,'
'May I ask how your discussion involves pirates?' Esquire Camarl stepped around the maid and took his time hanging his wet cloak over a chair.
'Oh, Esquire, that is, well, my, that is…' Casuel looked from Otrick to the young noble in an agony of indecision.
'Esquire Camarl D'Olbriot,' Darni stepped forward, 'may I introduce Planir, Archmage of Hadrumal, and Otrick, Cloud-Master of the New Hall.'
Camarl swept a low bow which Planir returned while Otrick contented himself with a curt nod.
'I was saying that the only way to get a ship at this season is to ask a pirate.' Otrick's eyes shone with a challenge.
'That is an interesting proposition,' Camarl said cautiously.
The wine arrived and Camarl took his time adding warm water and honey; Planir joined him, which effectively silenced Darni.
'It is certainly possible that a pirate would agree to put to sea when a regular mariner will not.' The Esquire sipped his drink. 'However, we should have to pay an extortionate price for that rather dubious privilege.'
'Coin's not a concern,' Darni said robustly, refusing water for his wine and tossing it down.
'I confess I would not know how to contact a pirate.' Camarl shook his head with a slight smile. 'My acquaintance has been limited to watching them swing on dockside gibbets.'
'Oh, I can take care of that. I've sailed with half the rigging-slashers in these waters.' Otrick grinned with relish at the shocked expressions all around him.
'I can see that you find this a startling proposal,' Planir said smoothly as he looked around the room. 'However, unless any of you have new thoughts, I fear it is our only remaining option.'
There was a glum moment while everyone exchanged enquiring glances and rueful shakes of their heads.
'But what's to stop some pirate just taking us out of sight of land, cutting our throats and dumping us overboard?' Casuel burst out suddenly.