“Are we just, like, rounding up every darkmage in the city?” I asked as we embarked from the Maginox bridge, flying off on our third excursion since the diviner-champions returned.
“It will be interesting to see how the Magisterium chooses to classify zese – these bounties…”
“You can give it up, Miss Reyd,” Jaevette cut in. “Don’t think I don’t know you now I’ve watched you, been with you up close – I can smell you’re the same –“
“Ah, excuse me?” Killstop piped up as we started flying above the milk-glass of the Noxway. “Jaevette? Pretty creepy.”
“Totally creepy,” I said.
“Totally confidential, too, right, Jaevette?” Glancefall cut in, overly-casual curiosity in his voice. “Jaevette Astraman, whose thoughts I can see with slightly better clarity than she thinks I can? It just so happens, I didn’t know who Stormsword was.”
Killstop took back over: “Which is a serious breach of the Magisterium ethical code, Jaevette –“
“Violation eighty-three, clauses six through nine,” Em interjected quietly.
“And I’m afraid I foresee that, as you’re unaccustomed to talking and flying at the same time –“
That incensed the druidess. “I beg your pardon!”
“– whilst on a mission, by your own admission,” Killstop continued, unperturbed, “if you continue using the link you may perform at a less than satisfactory level. Should you insist on speaking –“
“Listen, you little twerp –“
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“– despite the warning of a powerful arch-diviner, the command of your supervisor, and the general disapproval of your peers –“
“Peers!”
“– I’m sure Glancefall will oblige me in creating a secondary link…”
“I was ready for that,” the enchanter said; suddenly I couldn’t hear Jaevette in the background anymore. “Don’t push her too far, Killstop. She’s in shock too, you know. If anyone says something urgent, I’ll filter it through.”
“Thank you.” Em sounded a bit embarrassed about her slip-up.
Tanra continued. “And to answer the damn question, Feychilde, no, this isn’t even close to the darkmage population of the city. What, do you think anyone even has a clue? What fraction of them do you even think are active, on any given day, year, decade?”
Her response sent chills up my spine.
“I – I have no idea…”
“No, you have no idea at all. I don’t! The only reason we’re finding these is because we have her as our focus – the dragon. These aren’t random. This is her army, the force she’s been building up over years.”
“If she’d wanted us finished, she could’ve killed us all, any time she wanted.” Glancefall had a tone of revelation in his voice. It seemed the enchanter was still only just getting it. “I admit – I don’t understand…”
I decided to field this one. “That’s why there might be some sense to what the druid was saying, in the conference hall. I still agree, Storm, that we have to finish her – but if we can try to trick her into giving us answers beforehand… wouldn’t it be worth something?”
It took Stormsword a moment to reply, but when she did, the response was considered. “Not at the expense of letting her back into our minds, Feychilde.”
“I don’t know – perhaps we could use that lull her into a false sense of security?” I was sceptical even as I projected the words, but it was better to table an idea than shelve it, when we were so very low on ideas. “Sure, maybe everything at the palace was just a bit of fun, but what Timesnatcher said about the twins, their destiny he can’t see… They’ve got to be the catalyst, haven’t they?”
“We’ll find out,” Killstop said, and her certitude filled me with confidence. “Glancefall, get Jaevette on the link. We’re here.”
* * *
It was dark, dark and still raining, before the report we’d all been waiting for arrived, relayed by Zakimel via glyphstone. I’d never thought I’d be so glad to see the highborn’s bristling moustache, his severe gaze. At the time it came through, the five of us were crossing Oldtown with a darkmage named Scorchtorn in tow, heading for Magicrux Falwyn.
There was none of the usual preamble. The declaration as to who would receive the report must’ve been preset beforehand, our names cast into the stone in advance.
The core of the message was expressed in his first three words, short and sweet.
“We have her.”
* * *