Chapter Nineteen

 

Outside the guild house, a group of Magians met Mithrais when he arrived, having heard the spreading news of their comrade’s elevation. He accepted their congratulations with embarrassed grace.

“I still can’t quite grasp you will be Lord of Cerisild.” Colm clapped him on the shoulder.

“Nor can I,” he confessed.

A grinning Cormac reminded him with glee, “Rodril isn’t going to be happy. His temporary commission just became a permanent one.”

The thought of giving up his commission as Westwarden hadn’t yet occurred to him, and Mithrais stumbled a bit on the answer. “Knowing Rodril, I’m sure he’ll train a replacement faster than he trained me.”

“The King is really here, then?” Eirion offered Mithrais a soldierly clasp of welcome and congratulations. He returned it, struck speechless by his comrade’s appearance.

Grown even more haggard in the fortnight since he last saw him, bones were prominent beneath the hand Mithrais rested on Eirion’s shoulder. His skin clung to sharp cheekbones and jaw in skeletal relief. Eirion noted his dismay, shrugged off the hand with nonchalance, and continued, “I never thought I would see the day he’d come to the Wood.”

“It is a brief visit only, but he promises it will not be the last.” They were apart from the others for a brief time after they entered the guild house, and he lowered his voice. “My friend, what can I do to help? Surely we can do something to stop this wasting.”

“I’m fine. I just find it difficult to eat most things now. I can see them—” he stopped and gave Mithrais a thin-lipped smile. “I’m working on it.”

The arrival of Telyn and Emrys gave Eirion an excuse to slide away from the conversation. Inside, the rest of the Magians and the Tauron Elders waited. White-haired Conlad caught sight of Telyn and Mithrais and hobbled to meet them, leaning on his staff.

“My congratulations, Mithrais. The sons of Cerisild have long served in the Tauron. It’s been my privilege to know two lords in waiting, now. And Telyn, how good it is to see you again!”

“And you, Conlad.” She returned his greeting with warmth. “Are you well?”

“The storm wrought havoc on my old bones and joints, I fear, but the heat will soon return. Cormac has been able to ease some of the pain for me, but there’s nothing really to be done. Far too many years of traversing the Wood on foot.” His eyes flickered to Emrys. “And who might this be?”

“This is Emrys Harpmaster, a true bard in service to King Amorion.” Mithrais beckoned to the other three Elders. “Emrys, these men are the governing body of the Tauron. This is Declan, Elder Watchwarden. Jona is Elder Martial Semias is Elder Heartspeaker, and Conlad is our Elder Historian.”

“An honor, gentlemen.” Emrys bowed. “I am here on the King’s behalf to observe and make a report. I hope my presence will not be distracting.”

“No, of course not,” Declan reassured as they all took seats, but his answer came a bit late. Several of the Magians also appeared doubtful. Semias echoed his agreement, but the Elder Martial’s eyebrows knitted together in consternation.

“Mithrais, there are things we cannot discuss in front of an outsider.” Jona glanced at Emrys with an earnest apology. “I mean no disrespect, Lord Harpmaster, but we are speaking of tactical secrets no one outside the order should know.”

“You mean, the Gwaith’orn?” Emrys asked, and silence fell. “I have already met one, Elder Martial. Forgive me, but they don’t appear to be hiding.”

Jona’s mouth opened and closed, at a loss for words. Mithrais glanced at the rest of the Magians, who wore varying expressions of surprise. “They appeared to Emrys one night and spoke to him on the Eastern Road, and in the garden to one of our other guests. I think they want to be known, but we can discuss this in our council.”

The tables were rearranged so the Magians faced one another across the expanse. Emrys sat just behind Telyn and Mithrais, where they could assist him if questions arose. All nine Magians were back in the fold. The remainder had returned only that morning from the deep Wood.

Declan wasted no time in getting down to business. “How go the communication issues?”

Gaelen gestured with a noncommittal motion of his hand. “Improving. Still not what they were prior to the fulfillment of the covenant, but we’re testing a theory.”

“What theory?”

“Magical items which can be activated by heartspeakers.” Andai, only six months senior to Cormac and one of the youngest Magians, sat up as his peers gave him their attention. “Beacons I created to sound through the resonance. We can equip each warden with a set, perhaps even for specific circumstances. The first set is filtering through the ranks now on the Eastern Road, and we’ll pass it on from there. So far, no one has trouble activating it, and they don’t require the cooperation of the Gwaith’orn.”

“Taking a bearing is still more difficult. The only way to be sure where you are is to follow the roads. In the deep Wood, it’s almost impossible to navigate unless you know the landmarks. The older Gwaith’orn are slightly more cooperative, but the sprites?” Kevan snorted. “It’s like trying to harness the wind.”

“These markers are what we need in the deep Wood as well.” Colm tapped on the table. “The Circle has already been set for the obvious center point, and Mithrais confirmed it can be heard at even the most remote borders of the Wood. Could we place these markers at other landmarks, like the Rift in the west, and use them as fixed navigation points?”

“Maybe with less powerful beacons in each Ward to help the wardens navigate their own territory?” Andai brightened at the thought. “Tal figured out how to keep them self-powered using the natural magic in the Wood. No Magians required. I think we could do this. It would take a bit of time to set up though. Tal and I have been using rock crystals.”

“For stronger beacons, I might have to seed the area we want to mark and grow some large crystals.” Tal shrugged. “It can be done, but they wouldn’t be natural to the area and very easy to see.”

“Easy targets for anyone who wants to disrupt navigation.” Jona considered this with a frown. “All this magic is well and good, but let us not forget we are first and foremost a military order charged with the defense of the Wood and its people. Can we find a less visible way to accomplish the same ends and lower the risk of our methods being discovered?”

“Who’s going to attack us?” Kevan scoffed, but Mithrais came to Jona’s aid.

“That’s why Jona is Elder Martial. He’s our expert in strategy and defense. We can’t trust everything to magic, tempting though it may be. Tal, do you think there’s a way to use stone with high crystal content? There are bluffs and stone formations all over the Wood.”

Tal’s eyes closed, inwardly focused to access the knowledge imprinted in his mind by the Gwaith’orn. “I would think so.” He shook himself and returned to the present. “The compass stone in the Circle had the right properties, not as strong as crystal, but for navigation purposes it should be adequate.”

“Do you have to be in contact with the stone to work the change?”

“Yes, but it won’t be difficult with Tal helping me.” Andai looked hopeful. “It would take some time, though. I still think we should work the compass points first and have you verify them, Mithrais. Were you able to travel all four borders in a day?”

“No, my strength gave out at three, but I could easily make two a day.”

Emrys leaned forward. “Forgive me, but... How can you possibly reach two borders within a day’s time? It’s two days’ journey on the eastern road from the edge of the Wood to Cerisild alone, and I suspect at least that long from the south.”

“Magic.” Telyn gave Emrys a sidelong glance and wiggled her eyebrows, and Mithrais apologized.

“I know this is confusing for you. It’s new to us too, and as you hear, we’re still working things out. I received knowledge of spells that allow me to travel over great distances—at least within the Wood. Some of the other Magians can travel with magic too, but it’s easiest for me.”

Jona shifted in his seat. “Mithrais, how many of our secrets can we afford to have known?”

“What do you mean?”

“Tactical advantages like these we’re discussing. Do we want them to be known outside the Wood? If the King knows, this information will undoubtedly be shared with the high lords, and then who knows what ears will also hear it?”

Colm regarded Jona with some consternation. “In regard to magic, it doesn’t belong to us. It will be available to anyone who has the ability to tap into it. The Gwaith’orn told us we have a responsibility to teach others regardless of their allegiance.”

“But perhaps not how we will use it to defend the Wood.” Jona turned pleading eyes to Mithrais. “I am not being deliberately difficult, please understand. I feel the secrets of the Tauron Order should remain confidential, or I fear we become vulnerable.”

“The Three Realms have been at peace for one hundred years,” Emrys reminded Jona. “The only hint of trouble is in the Southern Realm, and for now, it’s internal fighting. I don’t think you have to worry about being attacked any time in the near future, least of all by the King you serve.”

“I serve only the Lord of Cerisild,” Jona stated. An uncomfortable, silent moment followed. “Even though King Amorion is here now, for most of us in the Wood he has remained unseen and unknown, never our true ruler. We have never been anything but independent, Lord Harpmaster. I mean no disrespect. I feel compelled to warn against too many of our secrets getting out. Especially since the greatest of those appear they no longer want to be a secret. It may be the fears of an old soldier, but with so many of the things we depended upon to give warning now unreliable, I cannot condone it.”

The faces around the table wore varying degrees of agreement. Cormac and Andai were less certain, but the older Magians concurred. Declan’s standing as Elder Watchwarden made him responsible for the final position of the Tauron Order. He appeared torn between worry about insult to the King’s representative and his own opinion. At last, he turned to Mithrais with deference. “This would appear to be a concern only you can address at this time, my lord.”

Mithrais could not miss the honorific, nor did anyone else around the table. It took a long minute to formulate his answer.

“I have always tried to keep the circumstances of my rank separate from my service in the Tauron, but it is becoming more difficult of late.” He paused. “My father recently assured the King of our loyalty to him, and you know I was confirmed his successor today. I have ties of blood and fealty to King Amorion, but I have also shed my blood on the stone in the Circle as part of my Tauron vows. In my heart, those vows hold me more strongly than any other.” Although he understood the ramifications, he could give no other answer. “We will discuss Tauron business at another time, in private.”

Jona sat back, satisfied, and his comrades around the table appeared pleased with Mithrais’ response. But Mithrais could sense Telyn’s concern even without physical contact. Emrys also understood.

He had just declared his overwhelming loyalty to the Wood and not to King Amorion.