James Islington - The Shadow Of What Was Lost

Davian stared at the Elder, puzzled. “Of course I have.”

“We think that Taeris knows,” said Driscin. “What we do know is that he is the one who brought you to Caladel as a child, who dropped you at the school’s doorstep. He’s followed you, followed your progress your entire life. It was no coincidence that he found you in Desriel, nor that he was there that day three years ago.”

Davian shook his head again. “He would have told me something like that,” he said, with more confidence than he felt.

“There’s more,” said Driscin. “He set up that encounter in Caladel, Davian. He told those men you were from the school. He wanted them to attack you, so that you would be forced to defend yourself, to discover you had powers.”

Davian scowled, his head spinning. “I don’t believe that.” It couldn’t be true - though there was no black smoke, nor any pain in his temples to indicate Driscin was lying. Davian snorted, ignoring the sudden sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. “How could you possibly have information like that?”

Ishelle shifted. “You surely didn’t think I’d miss the opportunity to Read you and your companions, back at Thrindar? There wasn’t time to get everything from him, but Taeris was far too preoccupied finding a way out of Desriel to worry about shielding himself." Her lips curled upward. "I know what you were thinking when you bumped into me, too, by the way.” She winked at him, and he felt himself blush furiously.

Davian took a few seconds to recover, then shook his head. "No. Either you’re mistaken, or this is some sort of trick. Taeris isn’t like that."

Driscin sighed as he saw Davian’s defiant expression. “Perhaps this is something you need to resolve for yourself.”

“And how can I do that, exactly?”

“Ask him.” Ishelle stepped forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. “You know how to see whether people are deceiving you - I’ve watched you do it for the last few minutes. You know we’re not lying to you, Davian. You owe it to yourself to at least find out if we’re right.”

Davian gritted his teeth; he still wanted to argue the point, but he knew it would just look like he was being unreasonable. “No matter what I find, it won’t change my mind about Tol Shen,” he said, a little defensively now.

“I don’t understand. Where else would you go?” Ishelle crossed her arms. “You don’t know anyone at Tol Athian, even if they were willing to take you in. The only other survivor from your school was Torin Andras, and you can be certain he won’t be spending his time around the Gifted.”

“How did you….” Davian trailed off, grimacing. “Oh. Well, if you know that, then you know we’re friends. I can do more by working with Wirr – Torin - than I could by joining Tol Shen, anyway.”

Driscin shook his head. “Don’t delude yourself on that front, lad,” he said, his tone gentle. “He’s a prince of the realm, the Northwarden’s son. You might be friends, but whatever passed between you at the school, don’t imagine you’re equals. Even if he wants to welcome you at the palace gates with open arms, he won’t be able to."

Davian frowned. "Meaning?"

"Meaning if you stay in the city to aid Prince Torin, you’ll be forever hiding, living your life in the shadows. It will be years before he can afford to be publicly associated with an Augur, regardless of how soon the Treaty is changed. Years before he can acknowledge your existence.” He looked at Davian with a serious expression. "Your influence would be limited at best. It would be a waste of your talents."

Davian gave Driscin an angry stare. The Elder’s argument was sound, but it wasn’t what Davian wanted to hear. He’d assumed that once he made it to Ilin Illan, made contact with Wirr, things would work out somehow. That he’d find a way to stay, to help the only friend he had left.

Driscin sighed as he watched Davian’s expression. "You are not convinced - that’s fine; perhaps we can change your mind in time. You at least agree that the Boundary needs to be sealed?"

Davian nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Good." Driscin stood. "Then do what you must, for now - go to Ilin Illan, help where you can. But think about what I’ve told you - and once these invaders are defeated, come and find me at Tol Shen. If you still want only to seal the Boundary and return to Ilin Illan, then there will be no pressure to join us permanently. You have my word.”

He nodded to Davian, then gave Ishelle a tight smile. Without further pleasantries, he left the room.

There was a long silence as Davian and Ishelle looked at each other awkwardly.

“Am I free to leave?” asked Davian eventually, his irritation at the way he’d been treated bubbling to the surface again, making him sound ruder than he meant to be.

Ishelle held up her hands in mock defence. “You are. But I thought perhaps a full stomach might make you a little less prickly,” she said, with a smile to show she was only teasing. She gestured to some buttered bread on a tray next to the bed. “You must be hungry. You should eat.”

Davian gave the tray a mistrustful glance.

Ishelle laughed as she saw his expression. “Nothing unusual in the bread. I swear it.”

Davian thought about refusing the offer, but at that moment his stomach growled. He hadn’t eaten since the small amount of drugged food he’d managed to ingest. And it would look petty. And, he may not get another opportunity to eat properly until he reached Ilin Illan.

Scowling, he took a cautious bite of the bread. When he was still able to move his arms and legs satisfactorily, he wolfed down the rest, all the while watching Ishelle with a wary expression. Despite her apparently having intended him no harm, he couldn’t bring himself to trust her again so soon.

He finished, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “I’ll be on my way,” he said, standing. “I’ve wasted too much time as it is.”

Ishelle frowned. “To Ilin Illan? Tonight? Surely you need some rest.” She gestured to the bed. “You can have this room free of charge, if you like.” She grinned, a dimple appearing in each cheek. “As compensation for being drugged.”

“Thanks,” said Davian in a wry tone, " but I don’t need it."

Ishelle kept smiling, unfazed. “How about we make a deal. To show there are no hard feelings, at least take a free meal. A proper meal. No drugs. And my company for the evening.”

Davian snorted. “You almost had me until the last part.” Ishelle continued to smile at him cheerfully, and he wilted, sighing. A proper meal was too good to pass up. “Very well,” he said reluctantly, making a weary gesture in the direction of the door. “Lead the way.”

They made their way downstairs into the common room. The innkeeper, a short, rotund woman of middle age, was soon bringing them their meals. When Ishelle offered to pay, the innkeeper refused, insisting that Ishelle’s coin was no good to her.

Ishelle shrugged at Davian’s questioning glance. "I’ve been here a month. She likes me."

"Your knowing exactly what she’s thinking has helped, I’m sure," observed Davian. He’d seen the thin lines of kan, stretching from Ishelle to the innkeep. Minute, almost unnoticeable, but definitely there. His new companion had been Reading her.

"Nothing wrong with that."

Davian snorted, shaking his head. Malshash had been clear about this, but it was barely more than common sense. Common decency.

Ishelle looked at him with genuine surprise. "You disagree?"

Davian gave an emphatic nod. "Yes. These people… regular people, they have no way of defending themselves against us. What right do we have to go prying inside their most personal thoughts?"