17. Ignatius #3
Erys swirled his teacup, staring down at the miniature whirlpool his movement formed.
“Let’s just say that Matrim lacked the proper disposition.
” A dark chuckle bubbled out of him. “Why, he was always getting up to some mischief or another. Too impatient to do things the proper way, he had a knack for cutting corners that shouldn’t be cut.
Yes…I could see Matrim attempting magic that lies beyond him. ”
Eagerness bled into Alistair’s voice. “Where is this Matrim now? I’d like to speak with him.”
Erys smiled sadly and looked up from his cup. “That will be difficult, Sir Alistair, seeing as he’s one of the four villagers that’s gone missing.”
A chill raked Iggie’s spine. He glanced at Alistair and met the paladin’s concerned gaze.
The timing seemed too perfect to be a mere coincidence.
Perhaps Matrim hadn’t been abducted at all and had fled Singer’s Rest after conjuring that creature.
But…why? What had he hoped to gain by attempting such a ritual?
And what of the other missing villagers?
Were they his victims…or his willing accomplices?
“Did the others who disappeared also possess magical aptitude?” Iggie asked.
Erys shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of.” He gave a deep sigh. “Forgive me. I should have considered Matrim’s potential involvement before now, but it’s been several years since I last trained him, and like the others, I was blinded to the true threat by the presence of undead.”
A tendril of guilt squirmed through Iggie’s gut as Alistair stood. “It’s all right, Master Erys. What’s important now is that we pursue this new lead to its conclusion. Do you have any suggestions on where we should begin?”
Erys pondered that for a beat. “The town guard already searched Matrim’s home along with those of the rest who went missing and turned up nothing of interest, though I suppose you could doublecheck their handiwork.
” He tapped a wizened finger against his chin several times before his eyes lit up.
“Oh, you might also speak with Mistress Liliana. Matrim worked as one of her artisans. Perhaps she could offer more insight into his recent activities.”
Iggie suppressed a groan. Great. The only person more eager to mount his head on a spike was that Dark-cursed priest. The way this was going, no doubt he’d be their next stop.
Alistair didn’t seem to share his reservations. With a curt bow, he moved to the door from which they’d entered. When he yanked it open, Iggie half-expected to see some alien vista on the other side, but to his relief, it let out right where it should into the snowy clearing.
Iggie made to follow the paladin when a gentle touch on his arm brought him up short.
He froze, fixing Erys’ amicable face with a wide-eyed stare.
This is it. This is when he reveals his insidious reasons for defending me before the council, or perhaps when he takes advantage of Alistair’s distance to turn me into a toad.
“I know how hard life can be growing up as a wildling born with innate magic.”
Erys’ soft-spoken words differed so greatly from what Iggie had expected that it took him several heartbeats to process them. Erys continued, his voice laced with sadness.
“Though it was different for me given my runeflame, I can still imagine some portion of the challenges you must have faced, searching for a place where you belonged. People can be cruel when it comes to things they don’t understand, twisting their secret envy into hatred or fear.”
Erys pressing a hand to Iggie’s chest. Iggie held his breath, not even daring to move. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the mage’s timeless gaze.
“Your gift is precious. Never forget that. Nurture your magic. Explore its limits, and don’t be afraid to let it grow.
” His lips quirked into a grin. “And if you decide your innate gift isn’t enough, I’d be happy to teach you what I can.
Though my talent lies with runeflame, I know enough of duskflame to be of some assistance…
assuming you stick around long enough to learn. ”
Erys winked at him, and Iggie’s mouth fell open. Had…had the village’s mage just offered to let him stay here, even after they’d resolved the current crisis?
Alistair cleared his throat from the doorway, and a faint blush rose on Iggie’s neck. Ignoring the paladin’s questioning look, he gave Erys a jerky nod and forced his body into motion, stumbling to the door and out into the snowy landscape.
“Everything okay?” Alistair asked as he caught up in several long strides.
“Yep,” Iggie said, still a bit dazed. “Everything’s fine.”
“What did he say to you?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Iggie picked up his pace, trusting Alistair to follow. “Come on. We have an angry master artisan to interrogate.”
He could feel the paladin’s gaze searing into him, but he didn’t care. The last thing he wanted was to dwell any more than he already had on impossible futures. He’d help Alistair solve this mystery like he’d promised. Then, he’d go his separate way and never look back.