Rorik,” Santos said. “Even if Inigo can convince council to move against Arabella, most of them won’t tolerate all-out war against both the Secundus and the Primus.”
“That sounds right,” Mole agreed. “The attacks against Timo, as well as the Assassin contract, have all been done by Inigo’s Journeyman.”
“So nothing out in the open,” Santos said. “Inigo needs his name kept out of this—at least for now.”
“We need to warn Timo,” Kara said. “He’s in more danger than he knows.” She wanted Timo here now. It was the only place in all of Tregella where he’d be safe.
“Founders Day is in two weeks,” Santos said. He glanced out the window before shaking his head and meeting Kara’s gaze. “I think it’s time the true Primus attended. I will, of course, require an entourage.”
“One of whom will meet Timo,” Kara added. “And convince him to leave with us.”
“Arabella won’t let him go without a fight,” Reo said. He gripped her hand and squeezed it. “Especially if she’s been planning to use him to save herself.”
“I’ve learned a lot about my talents since I last battled my mother,” Kara said. “I’ll manage her.” Timo would get to choose—Kara would make sure of that—and what her mother wanted didn’t matter.
Chapter 4
TIMO SHIFTED THE stack of scrolls he held and eyed the door. He’d been able to stay inside Rorik’s house for two days. Two days when he’d been reasonably safe from attack, safe from Hestor and Inigo. But now Rorik had signed these scrolls and they had to be delivered— he had to deliver them. And to the council! The last place Timo should go, knowing what he knew, knowing that Inigo wanted him dead.
His mother would be there. Could she keep him safe? Would she? She didn’t even understand the danger he was in.
Timo hadn’t seen her since he’d overheard her conversation with Rorik. Mole was convinced his mother had been protecting him from the council for years, and maybe she had, but that didn’t mean she would continue to. Especially if the choice was between protecting her son or saving herself. He’d be wise to remember that she’d tried to kill her own daughter. That wasn’t a mother he could rely on.
There were two traps that had been set for him, neither of which were particularly dangerous, so by the time he reached the hall leading to the Mage Council chambers, Timo was dishevelled and a couple of new bruises were starting to form, but he wasn’t really hurt. Before he approached the clerk, he paused to re-order the scrolls he carried.
“Mage Guild Primus Rorik sent me,” Timo said when the clerk finally raised his eyes to him. “I have documents to deliver to the council.”
The clerk’s eyes narrowed. “You’re his Apprentice?”
“Yes,” Timo replied. He leaned over to drop the scrolls onto the desk. “I’ll just leave these here?”
“No,” the clerk said. The smile he gave Timo had no hint of humour in it. “I’ll let them know you’re here.” He waved his hand, and a puff of orange mage mist headed towards the door.
“But there’s no need . . .” Timo’s voice trailed off when a second, golden puff of mage mist raced from the door to the clerks’ desk. A small bell that sat on the desktop rang once.
“Go right in,” the clerk said. This time his smile held humour, but Timo was certain that he wasn’t going to find anything to laugh about.
Timo stepped up to the door. Multiple threads of mage mist swirled around it, no doubt put in place by distrustful council members. He recognized his mother’s purple and Mage Master Inigo’s gold. And there, that pale blue colour. He’d been looking for that ever since he’d met Kara, ever since he’d understood that Rorik had been cursed. The door opened, and Timo had no choice but to enter.
The room was smaller than he’d expected—a room for working, not for show. Inigo sat at the head of a
“That sounds right,” Mole agreed. “The attacks against Timo, as well as the Assassin contract, have all been done by Inigo’s Journeyman.”
“So nothing out in the open,” Santos said. “Inigo needs his name kept out of this—at least for now.”
“We need to warn Timo,” Kara said. “He’s in more danger than he knows.” She wanted Timo here now. It was the only place in all of Tregella where he’d be safe.
“Founders Day is in two weeks,” Santos said. He glanced out the window before shaking his head and meeting Kara’s gaze. “I think it’s time the true Primus attended. I will, of course, require an entourage.”
“One of whom will meet Timo,” Kara added. “And convince him to leave with us.”
“Arabella won’t let him go without a fight,” Reo said. He gripped her hand and squeezed it. “Especially if she’s been planning to use him to save herself.”
“I’ve learned a lot about my talents since I last battled my mother,” Kara said. “I’ll manage her.” Timo would get to choose—Kara would make sure of that—and what her mother wanted didn’t matter.
Chapter 4
TIMO SHIFTED THE stack of scrolls he held and eyed the door. He’d been able to stay inside Rorik’s house for two days. Two days when he’d been reasonably safe from attack, safe from Hestor and Inigo. But now Rorik had signed these scrolls and they had to be delivered— he had to deliver them. And to the council! The last place Timo should go, knowing what he knew, knowing that Inigo wanted him dead.
His mother would be there. Could she keep him safe? Would she? She didn’t even understand the danger he was in.
Timo hadn’t seen her since he’d overheard her conversation with Rorik. Mole was convinced his mother had been protecting him from the council for years, and maybe she had, but that didn’t mean she would continue to. Especially if the choice was between protecting her son or saving herself. He’d be wise to remember that she’d tried to kill her own daughter. That wasn’t a mother he could rely on.
There were two traps that had been set for him, neither of which were particularly dangerous, so by the time he reached the hall leading to the Mage Council chambers, Timo was dishevelled and a couple of new bruises were starting to form, but he wasn’t really hurt. Before he approached the clerk, he paused to re-order the scrolls he carried.
“Mage Guild Primus Rorik sent me,” Timo said when the clerk finally raised his eyes to him. “I have documents to deliver to the council.”
The clerk’s eyes narrowed. “You’re his Apprentice?”
“Yes,” Timo replied. He leaned over to drop the scrolls onto the desk. “I’ll just leave these here?”
“No,” the clerk said. The smile he gave Timo had no hint of humour in it. “I’ll let them know you’re here.” He waved his hand, and a puff of orange mage mist headed towards the door.
“But there’s no need . . .” Timo’s voice trailed off when a second, golden puff of mage mist raced from the door to the clerks’ desk. A small bell that sat on the desktop rang once.
“Go right in,” the clerk said. This time his smile held humour, but Timo was certain that he wasn’t going to find anything to laugh about.
Timo stepped up to the door. Multiple threads of mage mist swirled around it, no doubt put in place by distrustful council members. He recognized his mother’s purple and Mage Master Inigo’s gold. And there, that pale blue colour. He’d been looking for that ever since he’d met Kara, ever since he’d understood that Rorik had been cursed. The door opened, and Timo had no choice but to enter.
The room was smaller than he’d expected—a room for working, not for show. Inigo sat at the head of a
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