Brother Qown hesitated. “Wait, the sword—” He looked toward Kihrin’s waist, where Urthaenriel rested.
“Should still work,” Kihrin said. “As long as I don’t try to dispel it or Urthaenriel thinks it’s a threat to me. You’re affecting the air, not my body or tenyé, right?”
“Right.” Qown touched Kihrin’s forehead with a finger and drew something. Qown then moved on to the next person. Immediately, the air tasted sweet and fresh. Kihrin couldn’t smell smoke anymore. He stood up and watched as the smoke parted around his head as if there were an invisible barrier there. Kihrin couldn’t see very far into the smoke beyond, but at least he could stand. And breathe.
“Horses first,” Janel ordered to the room at large. “They’ll end up on the ground fast.”
“Somebody put those hearth fires out.”
Kihrin almost volunteered before he remembered he carried Urthaenriel. No magic for him. As much as he’d have liked to help, he wouldn’t set her down.
He wasn’t sure Urthaenriel would let him set her down.
“What can I do to help?” Kihrin shouted.7
“Check the back rooms,” a man answered. “Make sure there’s nobody sleeping or … whatever.”
Kihrin couldn’t see far enough to find the back rooms, but he had a rough idea. He stumbled his way over to them and started opening doors. “Anyone back here?”
The inn offered rooms for overnight guests.
The last of which was occupied.
Kihrin turned away. “Okay, people. Put your clothes on and hurry out here. Stay low—the fireplaces are blocked.” He left as soon as he heard the trio yell back their agreement.
When he returned, the smoke had thinned. Given Urthaenriel’s grousing, he had to assume someone had used magic to dissipate it. Janel came back from the stables with Arasgon, Talaras, and Hamarratus. No one seemed to think that strange.
“Attention, everyone!” Ninavis shouted. “Let’s settle down. It’ll be a while before any cold seeps its way down here. We’ll clean up the smoke. Maybe even see if we can heat these stones up for warmth.”
“Did Aeyan’arric do this on purpose?” someone asked.8
“I don’t think so,” Janel answered. “All the accumulated snow and ice must have finally blocked up the chimneys. This doesn’t change a thing, so everyone relax.”
The crowd didn’t disperse, but they settled down. People pushed chairs and tables to the side. Since most felt it too early for bed, this seemed like less a sleeping arrangement than a lounging arrangement. Everyone sported glyphs on their foreheads, some drawn in ash or chalk, but most formed from elegant glowing yellow lines. Clearly magical in a land that notoriously hated magic.
Kihrin hoped they had enough warning to remove the marks before the last person Janel expected arrived.
If not … they wouldn’t be fooling anyone at all.
16: BLACK LOTUS
Jorat Dominion, Quuros Empire. Three days since a woman finally became emperor
When everyone had finished cleaning or dealing with various minor emergencies, Kihrin settled down on a seat at the bar next to Star. “Hey there. My name is Kihrin. What’s your name? And would you mind introducing me to the lovely woman who’s been monopolizing your attention all evening?”
Star stared at him for a second before making a face. “Keep calling me Star. I don’t mind.”
“I’m Dorna,” the old woman said. She looked Kihrin up and down. “Huh.”
Kihrin had no idea what that meant.
Janel sat down next to Kihrin, so close their thighs touched. He was ridiculously aware of their thighs touching. Every nerve of that leg felt alive. Every time he came anywhere near Janel, the air between them felt charged.
A second later, Ninavis walked behind the bar, grabbed a bottle of aris, and began pouring a glass for everyone.
“Water for me. We’ve all been drinking fit for a wedding or a wake tonight.” Dorna pointed to the group. “You all should start drinking water too, you hear me?”
“Yes, Mother,” Star said.
“So this absent friend of yours—” Kihrin said.
Janel kneaded her knuckles into her temples. “We’re waiting on a wizard who knows how to open gates. I don’t expect him to use the front door.”
“And he was supposed to be here by now?”
“Yes, but—” Janel paused as Brother Qown arrived, taking a seat next to Dorna.
Brother Qown pushed away the aris. “Do you have tea?”
“I’ve a pot of coffee in the back.”
“Even better,” Brother Qown said.
“Qown, any word from Thurvishar?” Janel asked.
“Thurvishar?” Kihrin blinked in surprise. “You’re expecting Thurvishar D’Lorus?”1 He had mixed feelings about the Lord Heir of House D’Lorus. Thurvishar had worked for the evil necromancer Gadrith D’Lorus, but only because he’d been gaeshed as a child. With the gaesh removed, Thurvishar had proved himself more willing to help Kihrin than assist Gadrith’s other associates—including Relos Var.2 Plus, Thurvishar was indeed a damn powerful wizard. Powerful enough to be able to open a gate on his own, no Gatestone required.
“I told you we know all the same people, didn’t I?”
“Who’s Thurvishar D’Lorus?” Dorna asked. “Besides no-good royalty scum.” She glanced over at Kihrin. “No offense.”
Kihrin shrugged. “Oh no. I’m with you.”
“I’ve been leaving messages,” Qown said. “Nothing yet. Oh, thank you, Ninavis.” He reached for the coffee.
“Wait, you can communicate with Thurvishar? How?” Kihrin looked past Star and Dorna to address him.
Brother Qown bit his lip. “It’s—”
“Do not say it’s complicated,” Kihrin said.
Brother Qown swallowed. “My Cornerstone, Worldhearth, allows me to see through heat sources at a great distance. That’s one way we know Morios hasn’t started attacking Atrine yet—I’ve been checking through a lantern in the city. I can also, uh … I can also cast spells through to any location I see, which is how I leave messages.”
Kihrin whistled. Any Royal House in the Capital would give a dozen favorite sons and daughters to have that ability.3 Hell, Teraeth would be a very happy little assassin to have that ability too. Kihrin almost felt jealous—the Stone of Shackles had been an artifact you hoped to never use. Brother Qown’s Cornerstone seemed a lot more helpful on a day-to-day level.
“Have you checked on Atrine recently?” Janel asked.
The priest nodded. “Just before dinner. Still nothing.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way. The three of us were just—” Janel looked around the bar. “We were in the middle of something earlier. Dorna, Ninavis—” She looked at Star. “Uh—”
“Star,” he replied.
“Right. I know I’m being rude, but could you let us have a bit of space—”
“Oh no you don’t,” Dorna said. “I haven’t seen either you or Qown here since the Great Tournament, and you know how that went. It’s been years. We’ve got some catching up to do. I’m staying right here.” She crossed her arms over her chest for emphasis.