Chapter 6 #3
Gareth opened his mouth, then shut it and ran a hand sheepishly through his hair.
“Well, through an extremely complex series of spells conducted by a highly controlled team of Anointed magicians drawing upon an incredible power source, something even stronger than their combined magic. We haven’t yet settled upon what that power source should be, exactly,” he added reluctantly.
“But the theory is sound.” Then he glanced at Gemma with an apology in his eyes.
“We would need an artificer to do the actual surgical work—”
Gemma went pale at the mention of an artificer—the same kind of being who had altered her body at our parents’ command.
General Haldrin let out an incredulous laugh.
Even General Pallien looked shocked. “An artificer, Professor? You wish to bring an Olden being into a process as sensitive as this?”
“They’d sabotage the entire operation!” the impatient advisor blurted out.
“Not every Olden being is a bloodthirsty murderer,” Gareth said, “as all of you know quite well. Their societies are as varied as ours.”
He looked to me for confirmation. Reluctantly I nodded. “While that’s true,” I said, “we would have to rigorously investigate any artificer who offered their services, which would take time.”
“And which my teams are fully prepared to do.”
“And which I hope the entire council would fully support,” added Gemma, “since keeping the gods safe from Kilraith is instrumental to winning this war.”
Gareth shot her a grateful smile, which she returned. Talan took her hand, and she grasped it tightly while staring coolly at the generals, as if daring them to say another word.
“Once we have all the necessary personnel,” Gareth continued, “the procedure itself is quite like a dance, although of course the entire operation is rooted in magical mechanics. If your goal, for example, is to transfer Caiathos from one body into another, those who possess magic of the earth would take the lead and be placed physically near each of the hosts. So, elementals, wayfarers—”
He stopped, catching sight of Farrin, who was giving him a wry look.
“But perhaps now is not the time to delve into the specifics,” he said. “Though I’m happy to do so for anyone who might want to keep me company for a few hours after we adjourn.”
He said this with the slightest plaintive hint in his voice, as if he dearly hoped someone would share his fascination and take him up on his offer. His enthusiasm was contagious, and there was no trace of sly roguishness on his face when he spoke of his work.
I couldn’t help it.
I very nearly smiled.
Nearly.
“Wait a moment,” said General Haldrin, rising to his feet with authority. “Before we send anybody anywhere, I must mention the thing that apparently no one else has the courage to speak of.” His gaze landed squarely on Gareth. “Can Professor Fontaine be trusted with this work?”
Gareth’s face fell. It was as stark a change as a cloud passing over the sun.
“Your complaints about Professor Fontaine have already been lodged, General,” said Thirsk quietly, “and duly noted.”
“Yes, but now you’re talking about sending the man and his team of mad librarians to the Middlemist. To Rosewarren, for gods’ sake—to the heart of the Order.
How are we to be certain that he isn’t an anchor of the ytheliad?
” He looked around at everyone in disbelief.
“Have any of you actually read the report of what happened in that wretched city? What Kilraith did to the people he held captive there? What Professor Fontaine did as well?”
Farrin watched the general through narrowed eyes. “Gareth has been thoroughly examined by multiple healers and by every member of the royal councils, General, including yourself. He has been deemed healthy, of sound mind, and free of all Olden influence.”
“Nevertheless, the fact remains that Professor Fontaine was a tool of Kilraith and Jaetris while in Mhorghast. He has firsthand knowledge of the ytheliad anchors that none of us possess, with the exception of the demon.”
“His name is Talan, General,” said Gemma, her eyes flashing.
“And if you refuse to properly address him,” Ryder added, “you will no longer be welcome in these meetings.”
General Haldrin gestured incredulously at the advisors. “Thirsk, are you hearing this? This man has no authority here.”
“No, but I do,” Farrin replied. “And I agree with Lord Ryder. Talan will be addressed properly, or you will be dismissed. I will not tolerate any prejudice against him.”
“Fine. Talan, then. He and Professor Fontaine are the only ones in this room who have been directly under Kilraith’s thrall by way of the ytheliad anchors. And now you want one of these tainted men to set up camp among the Roses? This man with traces of gods-know-what lingering in his veins?”
“General Haldrin does have a point, Lady Farrin,” General Pallien said quietly. “Kilraith is a being beyond our current understanding. We don’t know what he’s capable of or what latent weaponry he and Jaetris might have implanted in Professor Fontaine’s mind.”
Gareth shot her a sardonic smile. The happy light was gone from his eyes; in its place was a startling flatness, just as I’d seen in the ballroom, as if everything good in him had vanished.
“I assure you, Generals,” he said, “if there were a dormant piece of foul magic living in me, waiting with bated breath to be awakened by some secret act of malice, it would have come to life during this conversation and flattened you both.”
Ryder let out a choked laugh before he could stifle it.
I looked at Gareth with new eyes. Saying such a thing in front of the royal councils and the generals of both armies required nerve I hadn’t realized he possessed.
“Gareth,” Farrin said, a warning in her voice.
“Some might consider what you just said a threat, Professor,” said General Pallien.
“Some might, yes, and I do,” added General Haldrin. “And that right there should be enough evidence to convince you all of his inherent instability. May I remind you that he is a Fontaine? He would not be the first in his family to crack under pressure and become a danger to everyone around him.”
Gareth blanched. I didn’t know what the story was there—Farrin had never mentioned his mother—but his face told me enough. That was a deep, old wound. I hated the sight of his hurt. It was unfair. And this was an injustice I actually had the ability to correct.
“Are you a reader of the Fairhaven Courier, General Haldrin?” I asked. “It sounds as if you may have read one too many columns authored by an acquaintance of mine.”
The general frowned, but before he could talk over me, I pressed on.
“The Warden knows better than any of you the strength of the women under her command. She has read the Mhorghast reports, same as you have, and yet she has still requested the professor’s presence.
That should be enough to satisfy everyone here today.
And,” I added, “I must ask you, General: What of the soldiers under your command? What of the Roses under mine? The violence they have committed, the horrors they have witnessed—do these things make them dangerous? Should they, by your logic, be under lock and key along with Professor Fontaine?”
I hadn’t meant to say quite as much as all that, but it seemed to do the trick. General Haldrin glared at me for a moment and then returned to his seat without another word. I was glad to receive that glare of his. It was fearsome, but so was I.
“Lord Thirsk,” I said, turning to the man, “I will of course facilitate the relocation of the professor and his team to Rosewarren. Shall we consider the matter settled? I wonder what the next item on our agenda might be.”
A soft wave of relieved laughter passed through the room as Thirsk began reading from his notes. I caught Talan’s and Ryder’s stifled smiles and the merriment flashing in Gemma’s eyes. Even Farrin, dutifully stoic, looked ever so slightly amused.
And Gareth—I sensed him looking at me and couldn’t resist checking his face.
That was a mistake. When our gazes locked, the emotion in his was so raw and grateful that it embarrassed me.
He gathered himself quickly and tucked whatever he was feeling behind a mask of bland attention.
I did the same, determined to listen carefully to what Thirsk was saying.
But my cheeks were warmer than they should have been, and for the rest of our meeting, I couldn’t seem to cool them.