The World Weavers by Kelley Grant Page B

when we hear from our spies.”
    The Herald slumped to the table, her deity gone. Parasu disappeared from Jonas’s mind, and he took a moment to take full control of his body again. He walked around the table to help the Herald sit up, and he gave her water.
    â€œThat’s a good lad,” the Herald said, as he helped her to the door. Her own ­people were waiting and took over the support of her. Jonas followed them into the corridor. He glanced around for the Magistrate, and not seeing him, ducked into the Temple of the One.
    Alannah wasn’t in the temple, but Counselor Elida was, speaking with a green-­cloaked Vrishni. She beckoned with one hand before he could duck into the shadows, indicating she wanted to speak with him. He waited while the Counselor finished speaking to the Vrishni, and then approached the altar.
    â€œAlannah is gone,” the Counselor told him. She handed him a folded and sealed paper. “She has ridden south. She wrote you a letter before she left.”
    Jonas tried to swallow his disappointment. “When will she return?” he asked.
    Counselor Elida hesitated, and then shook her head. “I don’t know. A man came asking for help down south. It could be a long time before she returns.”
    â€œIs this about the Counselors the One selected at the Southern waystation?” Jonas asked.
    The Counselor’s hesitation and shifting eyes told him she was about to lie. “Yes,” she said. “She has gone down to guide the new Counselors.”
    â€œI see,” Jonas said, trying to puzzle things out. “Thank you. I will miss her company while she is gone.”
    The Counselor smiled and nodded, and Jonas turned away, heading to his own altar, his mind racing.
    What was going on? he wondered. The Templar was murdering Southerners, the Crone was murdering Northerners, and the One was stealing acolytes from all the altars. He bowed to parishioners at Parasu’s altar before going into his office. And now Alannah, his only confidant, had gone south in the middle of all the intrigue. And Counselor Elida was lying about why Alannah had left.
    The Magistrate opened the office door, and Jonas slipped his letter underneath the stack of papers and put on a pleasant face. “Parasu and Aryn gave us much to do when they spoke,” Jonas told him, putting his thoughts aside. “I will need your help. Let us begin.”

 
    CHAPTER 5
    T he sun had not yet risen when Kadar packed the last of the supplies onto the humpback he was loading and ordered it to rise. He nodded to the humpback tender, who led the beast to the string of loaded humpbacks heading into the Sands with Turo and Kadar.
    â€œI wish they’d let me go with you,” Abram said. He handed Kadar a sack of supplies to fasten to his humpback. “I want to fight Voras’s men.”
    Abram had ridden back with them to train with the warriors of the One, ignoring his mother’s protests.
    â€œYou’re trained as a merchant, Abram, not a fighter,” Kadar said harshly, irritated his cousin had choices he did not. Abram looked hurt, and he softened his tone. “As am I. The fight will come here, and sooner than we wish. But by the time it does, you’ll be trained and ready.”
    They’d ridden back to the Hasifel family warehouses in only two days, pushing the mules and riding into the night. Kadar had kissed his daughter goodbye once again, leaving her in the safety of the river town. He’d avoided his Aunt Raella the last day in Tsangia. It hadn’t been difficult with so many of the Tashara clan bustling around, loading mules up with supplies and iron ingots. She’d been more focused on Abram’s mutiny than on Kadar.
    Turo joined Kadar and Abram in the courtyard, gazing in satisfaction at the humpback train. The Hasifels were giving the Tigus a thousand humpbacks and the beasts were being strung together by ropes in their nose