Black Magician 03 - The High Lord

by Trudi Canavan

  Exclamations echoed through the hall as the Guild expressed its horror. Rothen nodded to himself as he remembered the knife Sonea had described Akkarin using when she had spied on him so long ago. Lorlen raised a hand and the noise gradually subsided.

  "What did you do then?"

  "I took her name and noted the workplace on her token. At your request, I sought her out the next day. Her employer told me that she had not returned to work that morning, and gave me her family's address. Her family were concerned, as she had not returned to her home that night either.

  "I feared that she had been murdered," Barran continued. "Later that day we found her body. Like Lord Jolen, his household, and many of the other murders I have investigated these last few weeks, she bore no wounds except for a shallow cut."

  He paused, and his eyes strayed to Akkarin, who remained calm and outwardly unmoved.

  "Though I was able to identify her as the witness, we called the family to the Guard House to verify. They told us this woman was not their daughter, but confirmed that she was wearing their daughter's clothing. They were distraught to find that another dead girl we had discovered, naked and apparently strangled, was their daughter. Another puzzling discovery was that the witness was found carrying a knife just like the one she had described the murderer carrying. Needless to say, all this casts some doubts on the integrity of the witness."

  The hall echoed with subdued voices. The Captain looked back at Lorlen. "That is all I can tell you for now."

  The Administrator rose. "We will take a break to discuss and examine the evidence. Lady Vinara, Lord Balkan and Lord Sarrin will convey your views to me."

  At once the hall began to echo with raised voices as ma-

  gicians gathered into groups to discuss and speculate. Yaldin turned to face Dannyl and Rothen.

  "The knife could have been planted on the witness when she was killed."

  Dannyl shook his head. "Perhaps, but why would she lie about who she was? Why was she wearing the other woman's clothes? Was she paid or bribed to take the other woman's place, without realizing she would be killed? But that would mean it was all prearranged."

  "That doesn't make sense. Why would Akkarin arrange for a witness to identify him?" Yaldin asked.

  Dannyl drew in a quick breath. "In case there were other witnesses. If this one's story was disproved, any others would be cast into doubt."

  Yaldin chuckled. "Either that or there's a black magician out there trying to have Akkarin blamed for his crimes. Akkarin could be innocent."

  Rothen shook his head.

  "You don't agree?" Dannyl asked.

  "Akkarin uses black magic," Rothen told him.

  "You don't know that. They found books on black magic in his rooms," Dannyl pointed out. "That doesn't prove that he actually uses it."

  Rothen frowned. But I know he does. I have proof, I... I just can't tell anyone. Lorlen asked me to keep our involvement secret, and Sonea wants me Jo help Lorlen.

  At first Rothen had assumed the Administrator was trying to protect them both. He had realized later that Lorlen's position in the Guild would be weakened if he revealed that he had known about Akkarin's crime for years. If the Guild suspected Lorlen of conspiring with Akkarin, it would lose confidence in someone it needed to trust.

  Unless . . . was Lorlen still hoping to avoid a confrontation with Akkarin by allowing him to be proven innocent? Rothen frowned and shook his head. One crime had been proven without a doubt: Akkarin and Sonea had both been in possession of forbidden books. That alone would have them expelled from the Guild. Lorlen could not prevent that.

  Rothen's stomach sank. Every time he thought about

  Sonea being expelled, it hurt. After all she had gone through—believing the Guild wanted to kill her, nearly losing control of her powers, capture, being blackmailed by Fergun, enduring the harassment of the other novices, bearing the scorn of magicians, becoming Akkarin's hostage, giving up Dorrien's affection—she would lose everything she had worked so hard for.

  He drew in a deep breath and brought his mind back to the question of Lorlen's intentions. Perhaps Lorlen hoped that Akkarin would accept expulsion and go. If Akkarin was faced with execution, however, he might not be so cooperative. And if the threat of execution pushed Akkarin into fighting the Guild, Sonea would probably help him. She might die in the battle. Perhaps it would be better if the Guild expelled them.

  But if the Guild expelled Akkarin, it was required to block his powers first. Rothen doubted Akkarin would accept that either. Was there any way they could resolve this without it coming to a fight?

  Rothen was vaguely aware that Dannyl had left to speak to Lord Sarrin. Yaldin seemed to have realized that Rothen was deep in thought, and had left him alone. After several minutes, Lorlen's voice echoed through the hall.

  "Please return to your seats."

  Dannyl reappeared, looking smug. "Have I told you how much I love being an Ambassador?"

  Rothen nodded. "Many times."

  "People listen to me now."

  As magicians took their seats, quiet returned to the hall. Lorlen looked down at the Head of Warriors.

  "I call on Lord Balkan to continue."

  The Warrior straightened. 'Two nights ago, after learning of the murders, Vinara's conclusions, and examining the evidence and the witness' story, it was decided that the High Lord must be questioned. I soon learned that the residence was empty, but for the High Lord's servant, so I ordered it searched."

  He looked at Sonea. "The first disturbing discovery we made was of three books on black magic in Sonea's room. One had small pieces of paper inserted between the pages, with notes written in her own hand."

  He paused, and a disapproving murmur followed. Rothen forced himself to look at Sonea. She was staring at the floor, her jaw set with determination. He thought of her excuse: "To understand my enemy."

  "Continuing our search, we found all doors unlocked but one. It was bound by powerful magic and appeared to lead to an underground room. The High Lord's servant claimed it was a storeroom and that he had no access to it. Lord Garrel ordered that the servant turn the handle, having guessed that the man was lying. When the servant refused, Lord Garrel took hold of the man's hand and placed it on the handle.

  "The door opened and we entered a large room. In it we found a chest containing more books on black magic, many of them quite old. Some of these books had been copied by the High Lord. One contained his own records of his experiments and use of black magic. On the table ..." Balkan stopped as the cries of outrage in the hall drowned his words.

  Dannyl turned to Rothen, his eyes wide.

  "Use of black magic," he repeated. "You know what that means."

  Rothen nodded. He could barely breathe. The Guild, by law, must execute Akkarin. Lorlen was not going to be able to prevent a confrontation now.

  And I have nothing to lose by trying to prevent Sonea from being expelled.

  From where he stood, Lorlen could see heads shaking and arms moving in rapid, expressive gestures. Some magicians were still and silent, obviously stunned by this revelation.

  Akkarin stood calmly, watching it all.

  Lorlen considered how the Hearing had gone so far. As he'd expected, Captain Barran's news had caused the magicians to question the evidence, and the possibility that Akkarin was the murderer. Some had asked why the High Lord would walk boldly out into the street after committing a crime. Others had proposed that Akkarin had deliberately arranged for a witness to come forward and then be discredited so that any other witnesses might be dismissed, too.

  This could not be proven, however. More than one magician had noted the cleanly cut edges of the scrap of cloth. Surely Akkarin would have noticed if Jolen had cut away part of his robes. He would not leave such a damning piece of evidence behind.

  Lorlen was sure Akkarin would not have been found guilty of murder if the books on black magic had not been discovered. But now that the Guild knew of Akkarin's secret, it
would believe him capable of anything. The murder charge was irrelevant. If the Guild followed its law, it would vote for his execution.

  Lorlen drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. There were tantalizing references to a group of magicians who used black magic in Akkarin's notebooks. Lord Sarrin was worried about the possibility that such a group still existed. Akkarin had said there were good reasons for what he did.

  Now, at last, Lorlen could finally ask what it was.

  Standing up, he raised his hands for silence. The clamor died away surprisingly quickly. The magicians were eager to hear Akkarin questioned, Lorlen guessed.

  "Does anyone have further evidence to offer this Hearing?"

  A moment of silence followed, then somewhere to the right came a voice.

  "I have, Administrator."

  Rothen's voice was calm and clear. All faces in the hall turned toward the Alchemist. Lorlen stared at him in dismay.

  "Lord Rothen," he forced himself to say. "Please come down to the floor."

  Rothen descended to stand next to Balkan. He glanced at Akkarin, and the anger was clear in his face. Following his gaze, Lorlen saw that Akkarin was looking up at him. He slipped his hand in his pocket and felt the smoothness of the ring.

  —I asked him to stay silent, Lorlen said.

  —Perhaps you didn 't ask nicely enough.

  Rothen dropped to one knee and swore the oath of truth. Standing up again, he looked at the Higher Magicians.

  "Sonea told me that the High Lord practiced black magic over two years ago."

  The hall filled with whispers and murmuring. "She had witnessed him taking power from his servant. Though she did not understand what she had seen, I did. I ..." He looked down. "I had heard much about the High Lord's strength and feared what he might do if challenged by the Guild. I hesitated to speak out. Before I could decide what to do, the High Lord learned that we had discovered his secret. He claimed Sonea's guardianship, and since then she has been his hostage, ensuring that I would not reveal his crime."

  As exclamations of anger and outrage filled the hall, Lorlen sighed with relief. Rothen had concealed Lorlen's part in it, and had risked nothing by mentioning his own. Then he saw why Rothen had spoken out. By revealing that Sonea had been Akkarin's victim, he might have given her a hope of reprieve.

  Looking around the hall, Lorlen read shock and concern in the magicians' faces. He noted that Dannyl was staring at Rothen in open-mouthed amazement. He also noted that the novices now gazed at her in sympathy and even admiration. For a long time they had thought her unjustly favored by the High Lord. Instead she had been his prisoner.

  Is she now? Lorlen wondered.

  —No.

  Lorlen looked from Akkarin to Sonea. He recalled the way she had obeyed Akkarin's every word when they were arrested in the underground room! He remembered her expression as she had joined Akkarin in the Entrance Hall. Something had changed her opinion of Akkarin. He felt a stab of impatience.

  Lorlen raised his hand again. The magicians quietened reluctantly. He looked at Rothen.

  "Do you have anything more to tell us, Lord Rothen?"

  "No, Administrator."

  Lorlen looked up at the hall. "Has anyone any further evidence to offer this Hearing?" When no answer came he looked down at Akkarin.

  "Akkarin of House Velan, will you answer our questions truthfully?"

  The corner of Akkarin's mouth twitched. "I will."

  "Then swear it."

  Akkarin looked up above Lorlen's head, then dropped to one knee.

  "I swear that all I speak in this Hearing will be the truth."

  The Guildhall was utterly silent. As Akkarin rose to his feet, Lorlen turned his attention to Sonea.

  "Sonea, will you answer our questions truthfully?"

  Her eyes widened. "I will."

  She dropped to one knee and spoke the oath. When she had risen to her feet again, Lorlen considered all the questions he wanted to ask. Begin with the accusations, he decided.

  "Akkarin," he turned to face his former friend. "Did you kill Lord Jolen?"

  "No."

  "Have you studied and practiced black magic?"

  "Yes."

  A murmur rose in the hall and quickly subsided.

  "How long have you been studying and practicing black magic?"

  The slightest frown passed over Akkarin's face.

  "The first time . . . was eight years ago, before I returned to the Guild."

  A momentary silence followed that revelation, and then the hall filled with the buzz of speculation.

  "Did you teach yourself, or did another teach you?"

  "I learned from another magician."

  "Who was this magician?"

  "I did not learn his name. I know only that he was Sachakan."

  "So he was not of the Guild."

  "No."

  Sachakan? Lorlen swallowed as foreboding began to grow in the pit of his stomach.

  "Explain to us how you came to learn black magic from a Sachakan magician."

  Akkarin smiled. "I was wondering if you would ever get around to asking."

  17

  The Terrible Truth

  Sonea closed her eyes as Akkarin began his story. He spoke briefly of his quest to find ancient magical knowledge, and how what he had unearthed led him to enter Sachaka. There was a self-mocking tone to his voice, as if he thought that young man he had been was a fool.

  Then he described his encounter with the Ichani, Dakova. Though she had heard him recount this before, she had been too caught up in what he was telling her to notice the slight hint of remembered dismay and horror in his voice. Then bitterness crept in as he related the years he had been a slave, and the cruel ways of the Ichani.

  She realized he had probably never told anyone about that time in his life until the day he had related the story to her beside the spring. He had hidden that part of his life for years, and not just because it revealed that he had learned and used black magic. It pained and humiliated him to

  recount what he had seen and endured.

  Opening her eyes, she almost expected to see some of that pain in his face, but though his expression was serious, no emotion showed.

  To the magicians in the hall, he appeared to be calm and in control. They probably didn't notice the tension in his voice. Neither would she have a few months ago. Somehow she had grown so familiar with his manner that she could see a little of what lay underneath.

  She heard regret in his voice as he told of the Ichani who had offered to teach him black magic so he might murder his master. He explained that he did not expect to survive; that, even if he managed to kill Dakova, the Ichani's brother, Kariko, would hunt him down in revenge. He spoke of killing the other slaves, and then Dakova, with cold simplicity. Then he described his long journey home in a few short sentences.

  His voice softened a little as he spoke of his relief at reaching the Guild, and how he had only wanted to forget Sachaka and black magic. He told how he had accepted the role of High Lord to keep himself busy, and so he could more easily keep an eye on the Ichani. He paused then, and the hall was utterly silent.

  "Two years after my election I heard rumors of strange, ritual murders in the city," he said. "The Guard said the victims were marked in a certain way to indicate that they had been punished by the Thieves. I knew better.

  "I followed the cases closely, and disguised myself so I could enter the slums, where the murders had taken place, to question and listen. When I found the murderer, he was exactly what I had suspected: a Sachakan black magician.

  "Fortunately, he was weak and easily subdued. From his mind I read that he was a slave, freed and taught black magic in exchange for undertaking a dangerous mission. Kariko had sent him to gauge the strength of the Guild and, if the opportunity arose, assassinate me.

  "Dakova had told Kariko much of what he had learned from me, including that the Guild had banned black magic and was much weaker than it had once been. Bu
t Kariko dared not attack the Guild alone. He needed to convince others to join him. If he could prove that the Guild was as weak as his brother had claimed, he would easily find allies among the Ichani."

  Akkarin looked up. Following his gaze, Sonea saw he was looking at the King. The monarch watched Akkarin intently. Sonea felt a spark of hope. Even if the King did not completely believe Akkarin's story, surely he would feel it prudent to check. He might allow Akkarin to live and stay at the Guild until...

  The King's gaze suddenly shifted to hers. She found her

  self staring into a pair of unwavering green eyes. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to hold that gaze. It is true, she thought at him. Believe him.

  "What did you do with this slave you found in the city?" Lorlen asked.

  Sonea looked back down at the Administrator, then at Akkarin.

  "I could not set him free to continue preying upon the people of Imardin," Akkarin said. "Nor could I bring him to the Guild. He would relay everything he saw, including our weaknesses, to Kariko. I had no choice but to kill him."

  Lorlen's eyebrows rose. Before he could ask further questions, Akkarin continued, his tone dark with warning.

  "In the last five years I have tracked down and killed nine of these spies. Through them I have seen Kariko's attempts at uniting the Ichani fail twice. This time, I fear, he will succeed." Akkarin's eyes narrowed. "The last spy he sent was no slave. She was Ichani, and had no doubt read Lord Jolen's mind and learned all that I hoped to prevent the Sachakans from discovering. If she had made Jolen's death look natural, and left his family and servants alive, none of us would have thought to question it, I might not have realized the Ichani knew the truth about the Guild. Instead, by trying to make it look as though I killed him she has forced me to reveal the existence of the Ichani to you." He shook his head. "I only wish that was to your advantage."

  "So you believe this Ichani woman murdered Lord Jolen?"

  "Yes."

  "And these spies are the reason why you started practicing black magic again?"

  "Yes."

  "Why didn't you tell us of this five years ago?"