Beastwalker (Pharim War Book 3)

by Gama Ray Martinez

  “I think it might be worse than both of them put together. Come on. Let’s go somewhere we can talk privately. I’ll tell you everything.”

  CHAPTER 7

  “A pharim lord was in your room?” Lina asked for the third time.

  “Yes,” Jez said. “Can we please move past that?”

  “This room right here?”

  “Yes. He was standing right over there.”

  “Sariel himself?”

  “You saw a pharim at Rumar,” Jez pointed out. “Why is this so much harder to believe?”

  She banged her hands on the table in frustration. “Yes, but...Sariel.”

  “He’s actually pretty nice.”

  The flickering lantern light combined with the moonlight streaming through the window made Osmund’s grin look wicked. Lina’s jaw dropped, and she gaped at him for a second before turning to Jez who nodded.

  “Osmund met him last year when we were dealing with the sleeping sickness.”

  “Sariel?”

  Osmund let out a breath, and though he did an excellent job of hiding his smile, Jez could hear the laughter in his voice. “I think you broke her.”

  That snapped her out of it, and she turned to glare at the giant boy. “Maybe I’m just surprised he would show himself to a freak like you.”

  Once, those words would’ve angered Osmund, but then, once Lina would’ve actually meant them. Instead Osmund just laughed, and Lina blushed.

  “Sorry,” she said. “This is all just so much.”

  “Do either of you know what beast mind is?” Jez asked.

  Lina nodded. “When someone changes forms, they gain the instincts of a beast. Students aren’t allowed to even attempt it until Master Horgar is convinced their will is strong enough to avoid being overpowered by it. Otherwise, the instincts would take control. If that happened even changing back to human form wouldn’t help.”

  “Why did Rael think it was impossible?” Jez asked.

  Osmund raised an eyebrow. “And how do you know so much about beasts?”

  “I know about the mind,” Lina said. “Master Rael says I have a gift.”

  “Why did she think it was impossible for Toden to have a beast mind?” Jez asked again.

  “Because Toden is an adjutant. He knows what he’s doing. An adjutant of beasts would have to be transformed for weeks or months before something like this happened. It can’t happen in a single day. It would be like Osmund losing a fight to a farmer armed with a stick. It’s just not going to happen.”

  “Do you think Aniel is somewhere nearby?” Osmund asked.

  Jez shrugged. “I don’t know. Sariel said the disruptions would be happening everywhere. They just might be more concentrated wherever Aniel is. Maybe if it happened again, but I don’t think this tells us anything for sure.”

  All three of them jumped when someone started banging on the door. Jez got up and answered it. Kosor, the adjutant of knowledge who had been raised earlier that day, stood on the outside. The stout boy looked from Jez to Osmund and Lina.

  “It’s happened again,” he said.

  “What has?”

  Kosor absently waved his hand behind him at where the bull had attacked, though the damage to the tower had already been repaired. “A student transformed into a wolf in the middle of town.” For a second, he looked like he was going to be sick. “Three people were killed before she was restrained.”

  “Killed?”

  Kosor nodded. “Besis sent me to find you. He wants to see you right away.”

  Jez nodded. “I’m on my way.”

  Kosor nodded and ran off. Jez and his friends walked out of his room, but before they parted ways, Osmund grabbed his arm.

  “So do you think Aniel is nearby?”

  Jez was about to nod, but paused. It just didn’t feel right. He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  CHAPTER 8

  The protection master’s home was the same size as Horgar’s, though it was decorated completely differently. A massive fountain stood in front, and symbols of protection had been carved into the walls. Jez lifted his hand to knock, but the door swung inward before he got a chance. Besis stood on the other side.

  “Jezreel, good. Please, come in.”

  Shields from different noble houses hung from the walls, and Jez instinctively sought out the closed fist that had belonged to Dusan. It hung right next to the blue starfish that Jez had taken for his own sigil. At some point in the past year, Besis had acquired half a dozen suites of armor that stood neatly at one end of his receiving room. He motioned for Jez to sit on a cushioned chair near the fireplace. Besis took a seat next to him.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “About what?”

  “About this madness.”

  Jez blinked at him and spoke slowly, trying to figure out what the master was getting at. “I don’t know sir. I’m not a healer.”

  “Is it like the sleeping sickness?”

  “Sir?”

  Besis let out a breath and leaned forward in his chair. “By the time we knew the sleeping sickness was being used to feed power into Dusan’s ritual, it had already spread too far to stop. Maybe if we had caught it early, we could’ve prevented a great deal of suffering. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. You helped carry one of the inflicted earlier today. Was it caused by demonic power like the sleeping sickness?”

  “Master Besis, I didn’t even think to look for that.” Jez bit his lower lip and shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. That’s not something I would’ve missed.”

  Besis sighed. “I don’t know if I should be happy that it’s not what we’re dealing with or upset because we’re still no closer to finding out what is the matter.”

  Jez pursed his lips. “I may know something.”

  “Oh?”

  “Sariel came to me earlier. I was on my way to tell you when Toden attacked.”

  It only took a few minutes to explain. Besis, for his part, was more ready to accept his story than Lina had been. When he was done, Besis let out a breath.

  “This is even worse than I thought. A high lord of the pharim, missing.”

  “What happened to Barash?” Jez asked.

  Besis blinked at him. “He died.”

  “I know, but why?”

  Besis let out a breath. “Horgar said he ran into a family of apes. They were more hostile than they normally are, but Toden still should’ve been able to handle that. He didn’t though. He didn’t even transform, though he apparently tried to do something. Whatever it was didn’t work though and the apes beat him. Before Horgar could interfere, they had collapsed his chest.”

  “I thought Horgar could calm animals from a long way away.”

  Besis shrugged. “Normally he can, but it’s not a precise magic, especially if a creature is feeling a strong emotion or is diseased. Distance weakens it too.”

  Jez nodded. “So maybe that’s what Barash was trying to do, and the animals were too angry to respond.”

  Besis raised an eyebrow. “Would you fail to banish an imp from a few inches away?”

  Jez snorted. Imps were such minor spiritual beings that, on occasion, they had been banished by housewives with wooden paddles. Jez could deal with one without breaking a sweat. Besis grunted.

  “Where are you going to look for Aniel?”

  Jez glanced out of Besis’s window. It faced the center of the city, and Jez could barely make out the central spire. He turned back and met the master’s gaze.

  “There have been two incidents here. It only makes sense to start with the basement of the tower.”

  “You can’t go into the lower levels without special permission.” Jez shrugged, and Besis rolled his eyes. “Why there?”

  “There are wards on the lower levels, and they were put there with the power of an erupting fire mountain. I can’t think of any other place that has even a chance of holding Aniel. We might have had more than just the two incidents, if I’m right about Horg
ar struggling to transform.”

  Besis frowned. “You noticed that, did you?”

  Jez shook his head. “Not right away. After Sariel left, I thought about it and realized what I’d seen. That’s probably why he had to use a contingent to restore Toden.”

  Besis stared at him for a second before chuckling. “You seem to have unraveled all of Horgar’s secrets. I’ll take you to the lower levels, but I doubt you’ll find a trapped pharim lord there.”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “Grinta, the student who turned into a wolf, was one of those who came back with Horgar. Barash’s magic failed him when he was doing his trial, and Horgar was there too. Aniel could be at their training ground. We can speak to Horgar. He may have more information.”

  Jez nodded. “I’ve been trying to think of way to get him to talk to me.”

  “I’ll take care of it. It’ll have to wait until after the trial though.”

  “What trial?”

  Besis raised an eyebrow. “A student used transformation magic to kill three people. We can’t just ignore that. Grinta has to be tried. I’m afraid there’s little doubt she’ll be found guilty and most likely, sentenced to death.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Jez sat with Osmund and Lina among a dozen others as Grita, her hands tied together, was led into the large house in the district of shadows. Her coarse black hair stuck out in every direction, and her eyes looked wild. She bared her teeth at the gathered crowd. Another rope bound her feet, though there was enough slack on that one to allow her to walk. It didn’t do any good. She tried to run, but she tripped and slammed into the ground. The violet robed adept moved to help her up, but Grita snarled at him and he drew back. He looked up at Master Kerag who was seated with the other masters at a long table at one end of the room. The shadows master sighed and glanced at Rael who was seated next him. She waved a hand at Grita and the student calmed. She stood up with her eyes half closed and shambled forward listlessly until she’d reached the center of the room. Balud narrowed his eyes.

  “We need her able to answer questions not be asleep on her feet.”

  Rael shook her head. “Her mind is gone. It’s been shattered so completely by the wolf that it may as well not be there. This trial is pointless.”

  “It isn’t,” Horgar said. Rael glared at him, and he raised a hand. He looked like he hated himself for what he was about to say. “We cannot allow a mad mage to roam the world, and you cannot cage a wild animal without consigning it to a slow death. I will not permit that for one of mine, and I will not pass sentence on a mage such as her without a trial.”

  “She’s sick, Horgar, not a killer.”

  “She’s both, and she’s extremely dangerous.”

  “But...”

  “My lords?” It was a soft, squeaky voice that spoke. A stout man whose hair had been reduced to a few tufts of grey stepped out of the crowd. He was wringing his hands, and took Jez a second to recognize Mishor, the mayor of Tarcai. “We depend on you to protect us from things like that.” He pointed at Grita, seeming not to notice the nearly universal glares the students were giving him. He had just unwittingly insulted every mage in the room. “If you’re not going to do that, please tell us now, and I’ll arrange for an evacuation.”

  “Calm yourself, Goodman Mishor,” Besis said as he waved his hand to placate the mayor. “I assure you, we will deal with this matter appropriately. Now, please sit.”

  They mayor sat down next to the families of Grita’s victims. He muttered something Jez couldn’t hear to the woman sitting next to him as Grita was led to a chair in front of the masters. She stared blankly up at them. Kerag glanced to Balud who shrugged and nodded.

  “Grita Anendatter, you are accused of the murder of Aownen Hakendatter, Odar Sakerson, and Brenon Kasison. What do you say to this?” She just stared at him blankly. Kerag turned to Rael. “Restore her, please.”

  “It won’t do any good.”

  “I can’t put a person one trial while they’re under the influence of mental magic and have it be fair.”

  “It won’t be fair regardless,” Rael said.

  “Do it,” Balud said.

  “But chancellor,” she began.

  “I don’t like it any more than you do. Let’s get this over with as soon as we can.”

  She scowled but nodded. She raised a hand. Almost instantly, Grita raised her head and howled. The sound sent shivers running down Jez’s spine, and many of the gathered people twitched in their seats. More than one threw a glance at the door. When the howl faded, the room was completely silent. The mayor and those with him looked ready to run. Most of the students were doing better, though some weren’t by much. Grita leapt forward, but she was still in the air when Fina waved at her and a gust of wind forced her back down. The destruction master stood.

  “This is ridiculous. She’s little more than an animal. Horgar, can you take care of this?”

  “What do you mean take care of it? I’m not going to put her down, if that’s what you mean.”

  “This is your dominion. Do with her as you will.”

  “The mage law,” Balud started.

  Fina made a slashing motion with his hand. “By any reasonable standard, that girl is no mage. If her mind is restored, we can try her. If not...you don’t punish a wolf for being a wolf.”

  “He’s right,” Rael said.

  One by one, the other masters nodded until only Balud was left. The chancellor looked from the masters to the families of the victims. Finally, he nodded.

  “Grita is a wild animal. As such, what happens to her is rightfully under the jurisdiction of Master Horgar. If she is ever seen in the city with her mind restored, she will be tried. Until such a day, the matter is closed.” The mayor stood up and started to speak, but he went silent at Balud’s glare. “What would you have me do? Look at her.”

  The mayor kept his eyes on Balud for almost a full minute. Behind him, some of the people glanced at the bound girl, but most avoided looking in her direction. A woman with dark skin and hair shook her head and walked out without saying a word. As if her departure had opened the floodgates, people started trickling away until only the mayor was left. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. He walked out without saying a word, and Jez let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

  CHAPTER 10

  People trickled out of the trial room until the only ones aside from the masters were Jez, Osmund, and Lina. Balud looked at Jez in the eye and opened his mouth to speak but Besis touched his arm and shook his head. Balud nodded, but Jez told his friends to go. Osmund looked like he was going to argue, but when he saw the look on Jez’s face, he inclined his head. Lina looked between the two of them and nodded. The pair left without saying a word. Jez turned back to walk up toward the platform of the masters but was surprised when he saw Horgar heading right toward him.

  “Besis said you wished to speak with me. Do you know what’s going on with beast magic?”

  Jez looked nervously at the other masters. None, aside from Besis, seemed to be paying attention, but he still hesitated to speak. Horgar glanced over his shoulder and nodded. He motioned for Jez to follow. Lina and Osmund were waiting outside. They moved to come after them but stopped at a shake of Jez’s head. After a short walk, Jez and Horgar arrived at a small building in the beasts district. Horgar pushed open the door. It was full of sacks of grain and seed. To Jez’s surprise, the beast master plopped down on one, releasing a cloud of grain dust, and a faint sweet smell reached Jez’s nose. The masters had always seemed regal and noble to him, but Master Horgar looked perfectly natural sitting on a sack of grain, and the sight made Jez smile, but he stopped when Horgar met his eyes.

  “Now, tell me what is the matter.”

  For a second, Jez was unsure about how to start. “Have you ever met Aniel?” he asked eventually.

  Horgar let out a sharp breath and inclined his head slightly in what Jez suspected was an unconscious motion. “T
he lord of beasts himself? No, I’ve never had the honor, not him nor any who serve him. Why?”

  Jez bit his lower lip and tried to think of the best way to say it. Finally, he just let it out.

  “Because he’s missing.”

  “Who’s missing?”

  “Aniel.”

  Horgar stared at him for a few moments before speaking. “Jezreel, this is no time for jokes.” He stopped speaking when he saw the expression on Jez’s face, and he paled a little. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” Jez nodded. “Is this another one of those pieces of knowledge that rises up from your scion?”

  Jez nodded and hoped Horgar didn’t see the lie on his face. Aside from Besis and a handful of others, everyone believed that Jez’s power and flashes of insight were the result of him being a limaph, a person descended from the pharim. Some limaph, such as Osmund, could transform into a being akin to a pharim, though nowhere near as powerful. Occasionally, limaph knew things they had no way of knowing, and it was a convenient story Jez had occasionally used. Horgar nodded.

  “Besis speaks highly of you as does Rael, and your word carries a lot of weight with them, especially in matters concerning the pharim. Otherwise, I would think you were making up stories.”

  “You believe me?”

  Horgar sighed and placed his hand on the sack he was sitting on. A spider climbed onto his finger, and he lifted it in front of his face. He stared at it for several seconds as it crawled up his finger. When it reached his wrist, he allowed it to crawl back onto the grain sack. He shook his head.

  “I wish I didn’t. Two people have suffered beast mind when that should’ve been impossible. I can’t think of anything that would cause it, but a missing pharim lord? Who knows what effects that could have?”