Magi, represented by Sigurne Mellifas, would likewise offer no comfort, but she offered words to the woman who wore the quartered moon. To her Chosen she had offered a grim silence, no more.
"Were they hunting your girl?"
"I had hoped that the Council of the Magi would offer an answer to that question."
"We are not all-seeing, Terafin. We labor under an understanding of the demon kin that is very little improved since the last time we were forced to deal with their presence in the streets of Averalaan."
"A motion was made, or so rumor would have it, that the forbidden arts be once again a subject of study within the Order. It was defeated by a narrow and forceful margin."
"You have, as always, impeccable sources, Terafin. Enough so that you will refrain from insulting my intelligence; you know the vote carried, and the head of Council exercised her right of refusal."
"You credit me with better sources than I have," The Terafin said quietly. "I was not aware of the rule in Council that allowed the head of council such a veto."
Sigurne Mellifas was frail; her skin was the color of light on water. Hard to imagine a woman such as this could successfully veto the decision of the most powerful members of the Order of Knowledge. Until she smiled, the amusement mixed with momentary appraisal. "We are both too blunt, Terafin."
"Indeed. Perhaps because we can be."
"You haven't the excuse of age and ill temper."
"Nor have you, although as any ruler does, you choose the excuse that's expedient."
"The excuse, yes, but not the veto, it seems."
The Terafin was silent. At last, she said, "I would know when to trust my own and when to have them watched. But I am not a mage; my sense of the expedient, where magical study is concerned, would be tempered by ignorance."
Morretz's brow rose a fraction; fell again before either woman could notice the ripple of expression.
You trust this woman, Amarais
.
Silence. "I don't know whether or not they were hunting, as you call her, my girl," The Terafin said quietly. "But I would have to guess, without further investigation, that hunting or no, they found her."
"Oh?"
"Terafin has ways of contacting its ranking members during a crisis." As was proper, she offered no further comment.
"I see. I will, if you desire his aid, offer Member APhaniel the choice of service to your House. I believe he has already served your House in some capacity." She knew, of course, what capacity he had served in, and when; the only detail she was unlikely to know was the amount of money that had exchanged hands, although Morretz would not have been surprised if she did.
"I believe that Meralonne APhaniel has pledged service to the Crowns in the South."
"True. And you think that the two—your girl and the South—are unconnected?"
"A good point."
"Would you know if she was dead?"
"I am considering the purchase price of such an enchantment in future, but understand me; I would not waste your time with questions if I already knew their answers. We have too much to do to waste each other's time with such tests of knowledge or power."
Sigurne smiled. "You chastise me, and I accept it; you have no idea how envious most members of the Order would be." The smile vanished. "I have trusted my instinct for all of my adult life. I do not think Jewel ATerafin is dead."
"No?"
"No."
The Terafin was silent a moment, and then she offered the unexpected: a smile.
"Let me clarify that. I do not believe that she died
here
."
The smile froze and then vanished, like northern ice sublimating. "Please explain," she said softly, in a tone of voice that belied the possibility that the two terse words were a request.
"You are familiar with translocation?" Sigurne unexpectedly turned and began to walk to the west. The Terafin fell in step by her side; Morretz fell in behind them.
"I am unfamiliar with most of the magi's arts, but if you mean the passage from one place to another as if nothing existed between the two points,
"Were they hunting your girl?"
"I had hoped that the Council of the Magi would offer an answer to that question."
"We are not all-seeing, Terafin. We labor under an understanding of the demon kin that is very little improved since the last time we were forced to deal with their presence in the streets of Averalaan."
"A motion was made, or so rumor would have it, that the forbidden arts be once again a subject of study within the Order. It was defeated by a narrow and forceful margin."
"You have, as always, impeccable sources, Terafin. Enough so that you will refrain from insulting my intelligence; you know the vote carried, and the head of Council exercised her right of refusal."
"You credit me with better sources than I have," The Terafin said quietly. "I was not aware of the rule in Council that allowed the head of council such a veto."
Sigurne Mellifas was frail; her skin was the color of light on water. Hard to imagine a woman such as this could successfully veto the decision of the most powerful members of the Order of Knowledge. Until she smiled, the amusement mixed with momentary appraisal. "We are both too blunt, Terafin."
"Indeed. Perhaps because we can be."
"You haven't the excuse of age and ill temper."
"Nor have you, although as any ruler does, you choose the excuse that's expedient."
"The excuse, yes, but not the veto, it seems."
The Terafin was silent. At last, she said, "I would know when to trust my own and when to have them watched. But I am not a mage; my sense of the expedient, where magical study is concerned, would be tempered by ignorance."
Morretz's brow rose a fraction; fell again before either woman could notice the ripple of expression.
You trust this woman, Amarais
.
Silence. "I don't know whether or not they were hunting, as you call her, my girl," The Terafin said quietly. "But I would have to guess, without further investigation, that hunting or no, they found her."
"Oh?"
"Terafin has ways of contacting its ranking members during a crisis." As was proper, she offered no further comment.
"I see. I will, if you desire his aid, offer Member APhaniel the choice of service to your House. I believe he has already served your House in some capacity." She knew, of course, what capacity he had served in, and when; the only detail she was unlikely to know was the amount of money that had exchanged hands, although Morretz would not have been surprised if she did.
"I believe that Meralonne APhaniel has pledged service to the Crowns in the South."
"True. And you think that the two—your girl and the South—are unconnected?"
"A good point."
"Would you know if she was dead?"
"I am considering the purchase price of such an enchantment in future, but understand me; I would not waste your time with questions if I already knew their answers. We have too much to do to waste each other's time with such tests of knowledge or power."
Sigurne smiled. "You chastise me, and I accept it; you have no idea how envious most members of the Order would be." The smile vanished. "I have trusted my instinct for all of my adult life. I do not think Jewel ATerafin is dead."
"No?"
"No."
The Terafin was silent a moment, and then she offered the unexpected: a smile.
"Let me clarify that. I do not believe that she died
here
."
The smile froze and then vanished, like northern ice sublimating. "Please explain," she said softly, in a tone of voice that belied the possibility that the two terse words were a request.
"You are familiar with translocation?" Sigurne unexpectedly turned and began to walk to the west. The Terafin fell in step by her side; Morretz fell in behind them.
"I am unfamiliar with most of the magi's arts, but if you mean the passage from one place to another as if nothing existed between the two points,
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