The Unmage by Jane Glatt

him. Including ignoring the sudden madness of the previous Primus. Now Rorik took direction from his mother. He leaned his head on his hand and sighed. “Knowing why Inigo hates me doesn’t help me decide what to do.”
    “Come to Old Rillidi,” Mole said.
    “Now?” Timo asked. “I’m not sure.”
    Mole nodded. “You don’t trust me.”
    “I don’t know you,” Timo said. “You claim to be a friend of Kara’s but I’ve only met her once.”
    “And my name never came up.” Mole grinned. “Sure, sure. You haven’t stayed alive this long by trusting easily.” Mole eased himself to his feet. “I’ve said what I came to say. No Assassin will take Hestor’s contract and you will be welcome on Old Rillidi anytime.” Mole peered out the door before slipping through it. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.” He winked at Timo just before he shut the door.
    Timo sent a flash of mage mist to secure the door. He would be a lot more careful in the future. Not against Mole—he didn’t trust him completely, but he believed he’d come on Kara’s behalf and wouldn’t hurt him. But Hestor and Inigo had tried to hire an Assassin. When Warrior Guild refused, they might try to hire someone else. Mole was proof that not everyone with the skills to kill him was Guild.
    Two months. He had to stay alive for two months. Then he would go to Old Rillidi—he didn’t really have another choice—but it would not be as a runaway. Even his mother wouldn’t be able to stop Mage Guild from trying to kill him if he was a runaway.
     
    ARABELLA GLARED AT Inigo’s retreating back, plastering a smile on her face when he reached the door and turned to look at her.
    “Was there something else, Master Mage?” she asked sweetly.
    “Just wishing you a good day, Secundus,” Inigo said. He tilted his head and left Rorik’s sitting room.
    Arabella wanted to throw something, preferably a spell that would kill that devious fiend. Her only consolation was that he was just as angry as she was.
    “He used a spell on me,” she hissed. “To try to make me speak the truth.”
    “Are you certain?” Rorik leaned close and peered at her. “He could be put to death for that.”
    “I’m sure,” Arabella said. She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I had already set a defensive spell. It was triggered by whatever mischief Inigo flung at me.” He’d tried to hide his fury from her but he’d known his spell had been deflected.
    “Shall I convene the council?” Rorik asked. “To try him?”
    “No. He will deny it and ask for proof.” She shook her head. “And none exists. It will be my word against his. He has enough council votes to win if we put it to a vote. We must do nothing.” At least until Timo was her Journeyman. She should never have let him Apprentice to Rorik, but at the time it had seemed the safest thing to do. Inigo had just gained control of council, and of all of them he was the most suspicious of Kara Fonti’s continued existence. It hadn’t been long before he’d realized the truth and accused her of keeping secrets about the girl’s magical talents. So she’d had Rorik take Timo on as his Apprentice. But it meant she’d had to keep her distance or risk even more scrutiny than she was already under.
    “Do you really think Timo’s accidents are a result of his clumsiness?” Rorik asked.
    “No,” Arabella said. “There are too many and they have been going on far too long. They are using my son’s humiliation to shame me. But continuing to blame it on clumsiness lets them believe we don’t know they are behind them.”
    “You should talk to the boy,” Rorik said. “He should know that he’s in danger.”
    “He’s not in danger!” Arabella said. “They will not seriously hurt him. They wouldn’t dare.” They would—she thought they had already tried—but Timo had survived. It gave her hope that he had his sister’s talents—unmagic that she would use against Inigo once