Mickey Reichert - Flight of the Renshai

"True." Jeremilan smiled. "But the man who sees the worst in everything rarely walks into danger."

"Only because he never walks into anything."

Jeremilan clearly did not see that as the insult Saviar intended. The old man merely smiled. "We have survived as long as we have because we remain secluded, like elves. No one knows we exist, and we wish to keep it that way. I have lived through the rise, fall, and destruction of many Northern tribes, including the one that tried to utterly destroy the mages."

Saviar hesitated, at first thinking that Myrcide had survived two attempted massacres.Then it occurred to him that Jeremilan referred to the Renshai, that the elder did not realize the tribe had refash ioned itself and returned, much the way the Myrcidians had. Saviar saw no reason to correct that misconception now. It might goad him to break his promise to his brother. "You've remained safe because humans who had no knowledge of magic and elves would have no reason to seek you. These invaders, however-"

"Are an unknown threat that reportedly might know some magic, according to you. We'd rather face that unknown than the known certainty of war."

Saviar pursed his lips. He had absolutely nothing more to say. "That's your final answer?"

"It is." Jeremilan's response held no hesitation.

Saviar glanced around the room at the silent adults. "Is no one brave enough to defend his home, his tribe, his family?"

A few murmurs swept the crowd, but no one came forward.

"Very well," Saviar said, walking toward his brother. "You have tonight to reconsider. Subikahn and I will be leaving in the morning."

"No!" Jeremilan's voice seemed to thunder through the confines. "You may not leave."

The demand blindsided Saviar. He whirled back to face the mages' leader, hand falling to his hilt. "You mean to hold us prisoners?"

Subikahn silently moved away from the wall.

The entire room seemed to shift backward, though no one seated actually arose. Jeremilan's tone softened, and his gaze followed Saviar's hand to his sword. "You have to understand. The mages must stay together; we cannot risk anyone finding us."

Saviar appreciated their point, but it did not matter. He would damn himself to Hel before abandoning Bearn to thugs and murderers. "The West needs us; we're going. The only way to stop us is to kill us; but, if you try, we will take many of you with us."

"No!" Chymmerlee popped to her feet. "No fighting." She ran to stand directly in front of the twins. "Pawpaw, can't you make an exception? I'm sure they won't tell anyone about us." She turned to face Saviar. "Would you?"

"I wouldn't," Saviar promised. Subikahn, he noted, said nothing.

Several of the mages shifted.

Saviar clamped his hilt tighter. "At the first sign of a flaring aura, any sign whatsoever of magic, I'm going to attack."

The mages went deliberately still. Jeremilan's nostrils flared. "You can't kill all of us."

"Perhaps not." Saviar would not dub any battle impossible. "But how many mages can you spare, Jeremilan?"

They stood in silent stalemate for several moments. Saviar stared out over the group, watching for the slightest glow. Blind to any potential magic, Subikahn waited anxiously behind his brother. Any threatening movement Saviar made would translate into a lethal assault on the mages by his brother. Realizing that, Saviar made no overtly hostile motion.Yet.

Jeremilan spat. "We never should have saved your life. We should have let you die in the dirt like a wounded deer."

Chymmerlee sucked air through her teeth.

Mean as the statement was meant to be, Saviar could hardly argue. "I appreciate what you did for me, but it does not change the fact that the West needs us. Your mistake, Jeremilan, was not saving me. It is in choosing not to stand with the West-and fight."

Jeremilan turned away in a savage movement, but made no other motion Saviar might construe as magic. Beside him, Subikahn stiffened. Chymmerlee edged closer to both Renshai. "Grab me," she whispered.

The request caught Saviar off his guard. "What?"

Subikahn took over. Seizing Chymmerlee around the waist, he drew her closer. A knife appeared suddenly in his other hand, migrating to Chymmerlee's throat. "Let us go unimpeded, or we kill her."

Chymmerlee jerked her head to look sideways at him, and Subikahn had to readjust to keep from accidentally cutting her. Though Chymmerlee had made the suggestion, she had clearly expected Saviar's touch, not Subikahn's.

Jeremilan whirled back to face the young men. "No!" he screamed. Light flared momentarily.

"No!" Chymmerlee repeated. "Don't do it."

To Saviar's relief, the magic died as swiftly as it had arisen. He had no real intention of killing either of them.

Jeremilan sagged, wearing every one of his years. "Please." His tone lost all of its former belligerence and strength. "Go, then. Just don't hurt our Chymmerlee."

Saviar hated to leave things this way. "I promise, sir. So long as your mages do not attack or harass us, we will leave in peace. Chymmerlee will be released, unharmed, we will say nothing to anyone of the mages, and we will return here when we can."

Subikahn had to speak. "So long as you allow us to do so safely."

Jeremilan waved a hand feebly. Every mage's eye followed their leader, hung on his every word. "Thank you. Will you, at least, allow us to seal this deal with magic?"

Saviar hesitated.

Subikahn did not. Still clutching Chymmerlee, he explained in no uncertain terms, "We don't use magic, and we have no way of knowing exactly what spell you've placed upon us."

"Nor do we know if we can trust your word," Jeremilan countered.

Saviar knew he could remind the mages that he currently held the upper hand, but it seemed better to save that as a last resort.

Again, Subikahn took over the negotiations. "Saviar's father is a Knight of Erythane. His grandfather is the Knight-Captain who allowed himself to be executed rather than break a vow, even to one who deserved no loyalty."

"That sentence got commuted," Saviar explained, so as not to seem a liar in case Jeremilan ever discovered that Knight-Captain Kedrin still lived. "And lifted when the rightful king retook his throne, but not through any action of my grandfather's. I take the integrity of my line extremely seriously."

"A fact that never ceases to irritate me," Subikahn said softly, though at least a few of the mages probably heard him. "Saviar intends to follow his father into the knighthood."

Though startled by Subikahn's knowledge, Saviar made a effort not to demonstrate his surprise. No matter the source of the statement, it was truth nonetheless.

Jeremilan wrung his hands. Saviar could almost hear the insides of his skull spinning, considering his options from every angle. The situation clearly did not afford him the time he needed to think through every possibility. "You promise to release my great granddaughter…"

Great granddaughter? Saviar realized that explained why Jeremilan had given up so abruptly. It occurred to him that she appeared to be the youngest of the mages, which meant they had not had a healthy baby born in many years.

"… unhurt, keep our existence and whereabouts a secret, return to us, and…" Jeremilan fixed his gaze on Subikahn, "… assure that your brother does the same."

"I so vow, but only with the reassurance that we are free to come and go as we please from this time onward." Saviar could hear the hissing of exchanged whispers behind him, between Subikahn and Chymmerlee, but could not make out what they said.

"Agreed." Jeremilan heaved a great sigh. "Now, release my great granddaughter."

"Not yet," Subikahn said, before Saviar could answer. "Not until we're safely beyond reach of your magic."

"You don't trust me?" Jeremilan's face purpled. "We've saved your brother's life. I've promised. What more could you possibly need?"