The milling group of distant mages lingered in the main courtyard before making their way to the palace’s formal dining hall. Knowing they would be there for some time, I forced my mind back to the task of packing Evermund’s letter writing kit. But I hadn’t made much headway when a hurried knock sounded on the internal door of the suite.
I raced over to pull the door open, confused as to why Karielle would be searching for me. She stepped into the room as soon as the way was clear, looking around with a rushed glance before turning back to me.
“Where’s Evermund? I don’t suppose he’s with Master Augusta?”
“Is she missing?” I asked, bemused.
Karielle groaned. “We haven’t seen her since before she went to greet the delegation, and Adabella is insisting she needs to consult her on a matter of urgency.”
Karielle’s tone suggested she wasn’t equally convinced the matter was urgent, but as Augusta’s second, Adabella possessed the same authority over Augusta’s apprentices as the Master of Plants herself. But Adabella had only been newly assigned to the position and was clearly nervous about being left behind at the Guild to oversee the plants affinity in Augusta’s absence.
I was about to say they’d all stayed to have the evening meal at the palace when Karielle spoke again.
“She’s not in the palace dining hall, but neither is Evermund, so I thought you must know where they are.” She gave me a pleading look.
I bit my lip, glad I hadn’t spoken. I’d developed a reputation among the apprentices for always knowing where Evermund could be found, although none of them knew the real reason why. If I’d blurted out my assumption that he was with the diners, I might have found it difficult to backtrack with his actual location.
A moment’s sweep of the Guild located Evermund, along with Augusta.
“I believe the Triumvirate are all meeting in Master Colton’s suite,” I told her. “Along with Evermund. Last minute preparations for our departure tomorrow, I imagine.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Karielle exclaimed. “I have enough to do tonight without trekking all over the Guild knocking on doors. Thanks, Cadence.”
She began outlining her list of last minute tasks, and I stepped out into the hall with her while she talked. When we reached the first corner, she stopped herself with a rueful twist of her lips.
“Listen to me, chattering on when you must have a list of your own just as long. At least I have Blake to share the load with, even if Zeke and Nikolas haven’t been much help. We’ve hardly seen them lately.”
I laughed off her concern. “Evermund isn’t a demanding master. My biggest challenge was finding all the books he wanted to take.”
“Books?” Karielle shook her head. “Not exactly helpful luggage for a tour. Thank goodness we’re not responsible for transporting everything. Although I don’t think Master Augusta packed a single volume. She’s taking a full wagon’s worth of seeds, though.”
“Seeds?”
“It’s been a long time since she left Tarona. Once word got out that she’d be leaving the capital, plants mages all around the kingdom started putting in requests for her time, expertise, and any unusual seed requests.” She rolled her eyes. “The kingdom will be a wonder of greenery by the time we make it back to the Guild.”
“That’s a good use of the tour, though,” I said, refraining from adding that it seemed like a better use of time than the politics Evermund was always immersed in.
Karielle’s demeanor changed, a hint of excitement creeping in. “I’m actually looking forward to it—although it’s easy to forget that in the middle of all this last minute work. I was fortunate to win a position as a Triumvirate apprentice to start with, but this is a totally unique opportunity. I’m hoping to learn a lot.” She stopped herself short again. “I can think about all that once we’re on the road. Thanks again for the help, Cadence!”
She waved at me as she took off down the corridor at a half-run. I watched her go with a bewildered shake of my head. When I’d first met Karielle, I wouldn’t have dreamed the sophisticated apprentice ever dashed through the halls—or that she’d come to me for help with anything.
I sent my ability ahead of her, checking the masters were all still in Colton’s suite. Reassured on their location, I turned back to Evermund’s suite.
Distracted by the rest of the Guild behind me, I didn’t pay any attention to the empty room in front of me as I stepped back through the door.
A wave of something familiar, and yet twisted enough to feel wrong, washed over me, stronger than I’d ever felt it before. My stomach roiled, writhing and spinning so rapidly that I faltered, dropping to my knees as I fought to keep from losing my last meal all over the fancy carpet.
With an effort, I looked up, straight into the eyes of an older woman I didn’t recognize. She wore simple clothes, nothing like the garb of a Guild mage or the livery of a servant. And her face blazed with determination.
The room wasn’t empty, after all.
Chapter 6
Cadence
I gasped, the shock driving back the wave of nausea enough that I managed to stagger to my feet. I opened my mouth to scream for help, but the woman held up both hands in a placating gesture.
“Wait! Please! I’m not here to hurt you.”
I let my breath out in a huff, surprised. My eyes narrowed as I gave her a closer look. I would have guessed her to be middle-aged, rather than elderly, but her face was lined and drawn, her skin gray and her eyes tired behind the determination. She didn’t look as if she could overpower a kitten let alone a person.
“Who are you?” I asked warily.
Her shoulders slumped slightly, as if relieved to be past the first hurdle.
“I’m Dara.”
“And you’re with the raiders.” I didn’t say it like a question, although nothing in her manner or appearance fit with the previous raiders I’d encountered.
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “But I’m not like Lawson. I just want to talk to you.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Lawson? Is he the plants mage I met a few days ago?” My sarcastic emphasis made her wince.
“I told them that was a bad idea.” She sighed. “At least the General agreed I could come as a backup plan of sorts. I would have preferred to try words first and force second, rather than the other way around, but…”
“So you’ve been here since this Lawson attacked me?”
I leaned slightly forward despite myself. After so many days puzzling over the matter, I couldn’t walk away from an opportunity to get some answers.
She nodded slowly. “I…” She paused and gave me a considering look. “I helped him sneak in. I’m sorry about what he did. He was supposed to abduct you, not put your life in danger.” She frowned, a flash of anger crossing her face.
“So you were behind the shield?” I stopped abruptly, a sliver of excitement taking hold as a possibility occurred to me.
Reaching out with my ability, I tried to probe at hers. I’d never needed to search for someone’s ability before, it was as obvious a feature as their hair color or height. But the writhing, twisting sensation that surrounded her like a shroud shielded any sense of her ability.