Мария Снайдер - Fire Study - Study 03

I chanced it. “We just set the meeting today. It’s regarding clan business.”

“Oh my.” She bent and raked at the coals. When a flame ignited, she used it to light a lantern. She peered at me through the glow. “Goodness, child. Come in then. Shut the door. This is all highly unusual, but I don’t know why I’m surprised. These are unusual times.”

The woman bustled and fussed about the kitchen, claiming the Councilman would soon be home and would want his supper. I helped her by lighting the lanterns in the dining room and living room. Bavol’s home was decorated with jungle art and valmur statues. A pang of homesickness struck me.

When I heard someone at the front door, I hid in the kitchen.

“His guard dog doesn’t come in the house,” the woman said. “The Councilman won’t allow it. The day that dog is allowed in will be the end of the Sitian Council.”

But would the Warper use his magic to scan the interior? Would I feel the power? I hovered by the back door just in case.

The woman said, “Call me Petal, child,” and invited me to join them for supper. She shooed away any protests about my limited time. “Nonsense, child. Let me tell the Councilman you’re here.”

“Ah, Petal,” I said, stopping her. “Perhaps it would be best if you just asked him to come in here? Dogs have very acute hearing.”

She tapped a finger to her forehead and then pointed to me before leaving. Bavol came into the kitchen with Petal on his heels. He greeted me with a tired smile.

“Smart to come before me,” he said in a soft voice. He rubbed at the dark smudges under his eyes. Worry lines etched his face and he stood as if he strained under a heavy weight. “If you’re discovered…” He sank down to perch on an edge of a stool. “You can’t stay long. If they hear or see anything out of the ordinary, the Warper will barge in and I will tell him everything.”

His matter-of-fact statement about his response to the Warper sent a ripple of fear through my body. What were the Warpers doing to gain information and cooperation?

“I’ll be quick then. Why did the Council allow the Daviians to come?”

Alarm flashed on Bavol’s face and he clamped his hands together in his lap. “Petal, could you please get me a glass of whiskey?”

She eyed him with annoyance. Even though she stirred her stew pot on the other side of the kitchen, she had been leaning toward us, trying to listen to our conversation.

With a huff of indignation, Petal left the kitchen.

Bavol closed his eyes for a moment and grimaced. But when he focused on me, his old confident self returned.

“We should have let them die,” he said.

“LET WHO DIE?” I ASKED, but Bavol ignored me.

“At first the Daviians required minor things from us to keep them alive. A vote one way or another. The requests became more frequent and alarming. Visitors grew in numbers and the next thing we knew we had agreed to everything.”

“Keep who alive?”

“We made a mistake, but you’re here now. Perhaps it’s not too late.”

“Bavol, I don’t—”

“The Daviians have our children.”

I stared at him for a moment in stunned silence. “How?”

Bavol shrugged. “Does it matter how? Our families live with our clans most of the year. We’re not home to protect them.”

“Who do they have?”

“My daughter, Jenniqilla. She disappeared from the Illiais Market. I’ve been instructed not to tell anyone. But from the other Councilors’ faces I knew the Daviians had gotten to everyone. Eventually, we talked about it amongst ourselves. All the Councilors with children had one taken. For the others, the Daviians kidnapped Councilor Greenblade’s husband, and Councilor Stormdance’s wife.”

“Where are they keeping them?”

“If I knew I wouldn’t be here talking to you,” he snapped.

“Sorry.” I considered the implications. Petal returned with two glasses of whiskey and handed one to me. She went back to stirring her pots.

“When?” I asked, thinking about Valek’s comment that the Vermin had been planning this before Cahil had gotten involved.

“Fourteen days ago,” Bavol whispered.

I thought back. Fourteen days seemed like fourteen years when I sifted through everything that had happened. The Vermin had grabbed the Councilors’ families right after I fled the Citadel. It wasn’t Roze influencing the Council after all.

“Do the Master Magicians know?”

“Master Bloodgood and Master Jewelrose suspected when we wrote the letter to the Commander. Master Featherstone interpreted their refusal as an act of treason. And the Daviians forced us to agree with her and sign their arrest warrant and help incarcerate them in the Keep. They cooperated,” Bavol added when he saw my concern. “It’s a shame Master Cowan is still too young to exert much influence on Master Featherstone.”

“Do you think Roze is working with the Daviians?”

“No. She would be horrified to know they are making the decisions. We are voting with her, so she is content and the Daviians are offering her support in her campaign against the Commander.”

“Couldn’t she learn of your dilemma from your thoughts?”

Bavol’s gaze snapped to me. “That would be a serious breach of the Magician’s Ethical Code. Master Featherstone would never resort to invading our private thoughts.”

I had a difficult time believing in Roze’s high moral standards, but I possessed no evidence to the contrary.

“Should I set an extra place for dinner?” Petal asked.

Bavol and I both shook our heads no. His anxious expression reminded me I needed to leave soon. She tsked and carried a stack of plates from the kitchen.

Finding and rescuing the Council’s family members became a priority. There was one way I could discover where they were being held, but I would have to use magic.

“Bavol, I may be able to find your daughter through you. But I can’t do it in the Citadel. Is there any chance you can leave?”

“No. My guard is with me always.”

“Could you slip out the back door?”

“I have to make contact with my guard every hour. It is the only way he will give me any privacy.”

“What about when you’re sleeping?”

“He sits in the living room. Petal doesn’t know about it, since she retires so early and sleeps like a log. I haven’t been able to sleep since Jenniqilla’s capture. I’m up before the sun and can send him back outside.”

“It will have to be during the night, then. I’ll make arrangements. Just don’t be surprised if you have company in your bedroom tomorrow evening. And leave the back window open.”

“That’s Petal’s room,” he said.

“Perhaps you can make sure she remains asleep?”

He sighed. “I long for the simpler days. Never again will I complain about Councilor Sandseed’s stubbornness or Councilor Jewelrose’s petty problems.”

“Dinner’s ready,” Petal called.

“You should go,” he said.

“Do you know any way I could get into the Keep?”

“The emergency tunnel. But I don’t know if it has collapsed or been sealed up. The magicians dug it when they first constructed their Keep, during the clan wars long ago. I hadn’t known it existed until recently. Second Magician mentioned it to me a few days before they arrested him and Fourth Magician.”

“Are Bain and Irys still being held in the Keep’s cells?”

“As far as I know.”

“Did Bain tell you where the tunnel is located?”

“He said something about the east side of the Keep, and about how it was big enough for a horse.” Bavol stood. “We have lingered too long. I expect to hear from you again. Stay safe.” He went into the dining room.