Enigma: It's always so wonderful to read your comments! We're not getting anywhere with all the subplots in this chapter, but we will in the next one - I promise. I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway!
Sighing, Lorlen looked at the letter in his hand. Part of him was glad to finally see and understand more, another part of him would have preferred to remain ignorant in many ways. Now he would go back to thinking about everything over and over again, trying to analyse the past and wondering when their friendship had failed so badly.Sighing, Lorlen looked at the letter in his hand. Part of him was glad to finally see and understand more, another part of him would have preferred to remain ignorant in many ways. Now he would go back to thinking about everything over and over again, trying to analyse the past and wondering when their friendship had failed so badly.
Lorlen looked up when there was a knock and opened the door with a little magic. He was not surprised to see Osen enter. But unlike usual, his assistant carried a tray with food on it and placed it on the small table where there was always too little space.
Lorlen raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Is it lunchtime again?"
"I thought I'd bring you something to eat," Osen replied.
"Thank you." Slowly Lorlen folded up the letter from Captain Barran that a messenger had brought that morning. He was still investigating the murders, keeping Lorlen informed.
"What are you reading?" asked Osen curiously, pointing at the letter. Genuine interest was in the assistant's eyes.
Lorlen briefly considered how much he could trust the other man with. He trusted Osen blindly and he appreciated the clever, empathetic man, but these murders were a delicate matter. Because if the guild was interested in murders, that meant they had to do with magic. Otherwise, it did not interfere in the affairs of the city - apart from the purge.
Lorlen decided that by now the murders had also become a topic of conversation in the houses and he didn't have to worry about it casting a false light.
"This is a report from Captain Barran about the murders in the city." Lorlen put the neatly folded letter in a drawer and looked at the food in the bowls on the tray his assistant had brought. It gave off an enticing aroma that made his stomach growl.
Osen, meanwhile, looked surprised. He drew his eyebrows together thoughtfully. "What have you got to do with the murders?" He inquired.
Lorlen forced himself not to look caught. He wondered if he had revealed too much. After all, it was not known that the guild was also interested. On the other hand, it was not the guild that was interested, but Akkarin. Lorlen decided to tell Osen part of the truth. "Captain Barran, a friend of mine, is investigating the murders and has asked for my opinion" He hoped that Osen would not get suspicious that way. "Have you eaten yet?" He deftly changed the subject.
But Osen would not be shaken off so easily. He pointed to the drawer. "Why does the captain want your opinion?"
Lorlen cursed inwardly because he had given so much away. Why hadn't he said something about private correspondence? After all, he actually knew that Osen was a clever man. He hadn't chosen the young man as his assistant for nothing. Outwardly, Lorlen remained calm.
"I have a penchant for detective cases," he confessed with a small grin. It wasn't even a lie - as a novice he had literally devoured all possible detective novels. "And the captain told me about these unsolved murders over a meal together. That piqued my interest and I asked him to keep me informed."
"So it has nothing to do with the guild?" Inquired Osen, looking relieved.
Lorlen nodded and pulled the plate towards him. Invitingly, he pointed to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Have you eaten yet? I'm sure there's enough here for two".
Osen shook his head. "Thank you, but I have work to do. Enjoy your meal."
Lorlen looked regretfully after his assistant. He was thoroughly fed up with solitary meals. Once upon a time he had often eaten with Akkarin, if their little time allowed, but that had been before he had made Sonea his hostage. And I'm not innocent of either of those things, he admitted to himself. All at once his appetite was gone and he was already taking the tray from himself. Instead, he took the report out of the drawer again and looked for the place where he had last read.
There had been no more murders for a few weeks, so the captain had used the time to look through the files of his predecessor.
"The first files of similar murders are seven years old," he wrote. "But they all follow no pattern. Some cases fit together, then suddenly something changes again. The only thing common to them is that there is rarely an obvious reason for the victim's death and cuts are found in random places."
Lorlen remembered what Akkarin had told him. He killed Assasins who were masters of black magic. All at once the High Lord's explanation fitted the murders. There was not just one murderer - there were many. Unless the High Lord was killing his victims differently to create that impression, he reasoned. He shook his head. To what end should he do that? If Akkarin had been murdering for so long, he would long ago have enough magic to destroy all of Kyralia. As High Lord, he used as little magic as the Administrator in his office - they were both more concerned with administrative tasks.
All at once, Lorlen felt he had been doing Akkarin an injustice for all the time since the hearing. For almost a year he had doubted his best friend, had tried to see through his intentions, and had suspected that Akkarin was only deceiving and manipulating him. Instead, the High Lord must have made the guild look stronger than it really was.
The bad conscience almost threatened to overwhelm the administrator. He had almost destroyed their friendship, although he should have supported Akkarin better. But then he remembered that Akkarin could have simply trusted him long ago.
Sighing, Lorlen looked at the letter in his hand. Part of him was glad to finally see and understand more, another part of him would have preferred to remain ignorant in many ways. Now he would go back to thinking about everything over and over again, trying to analyse the past and wondering when their friendship had failed so badly.
With a pounding heart, Lorlen followed the path to the spring. After much struggle, he had decided that he needed to talk to Akkarin. No matter how many times he thought about it, he would never know the truth unless his best friend revealed it to him.
So he had asked Akkarin to meet him at the spring in the afternoon. The place was special in their friendship - how many hours had they hidden here from their teachers? How many secrets had they confided there? How many times had they reconciled after an argument?
The incline forced Lorlen to take a break and he wondered if the path had always been this strenuous. For a brief moment he even considered simply levitating, but immediately dismissed the idea.
"You've become lethargic, old friend" Lorlen winced as Akkarin suddenly appeared beside him. He didn't seem to mind the walk at all, he wasn't even a little out of breath. Lorlen felt the old familiar feeling of envy for his friend rise up inside him. Akkarin seemed perfect as always.
The administrator shrugged his shoulders to cover his feelings. "Duty holds me tightly in its clutches".
They started moving together. "You should take time off more often. Lord Osen should be able to represent you adequately."
"I wouldn't have a moment's peace"
Akkarin laughed softly. "Your perfectionism in all honour, but the guild can manage without you for a few days".
"I'll think about it," Lorlen returned. They both knew it wouldn't come to that. They both lived for their little family.
They had almost reached the spring when they heard voices. Astonished, they exchanged a glance, this had never happened to them in all these years. Hardly any mages bothered to come here. That's why it had always been 'their' place. Their own personal retreat.
Akkarin's face darkened almost imperceptibly as a bright laugh rang out. Astonished, Lorlen raised an eyebrow when they finally had a clear view of the source:
Lord Dorrien stood there in front of Sonea and held her hand. She in turn laughed boisterously, but when she noticed the High Lord she fell silent and snatched her hand from the healer to bow.
"Sonea. Lord Dorrien," Akkarin greeted icily. "I believe you are about to have a lesson in the art of war Sonea. I recommend you do not miss it".
Sonea blushed, but withstood her mentor's piercing gaze.
"Of course, High Lord," she agreed. Lorlen didn't miss the defiant undertone any more than he missed the rebellion in her gaze. He looked at Akkarin, whose expression was neutral as ever.
"We'll talk tonight," the High Lord held out the prospect.
Sonea bowed before taking Dorrien's hand and pulling him away with her. Frowning, Akkarin looked after the two young people.
"You should talk to Lord Rothen about keeping his son in check," he remarked.
Lorlen folded his arms in front of his chest.
"Don't you think a friendship would do her good?"
"Not this friendship," Akkarin growled. It was clear that the subject was over for him. But he didn't give Lorlen a chance to protest further either. "But that wasn't why you called me here, was it?"
Lorlen wrestled with himself for a moment, then groped over the rock in search of their old hiding place. He didn't have to look far to find the hidden mechanism and unearth the game hidden in the small compartment. "Let's play a game."
He could tell by Akkarin's face that he wanted nothing less right now, but instead of protesting, the High Lord settled down on the floor. "If you tell me what's bothering you while you're at it".
Lorlen sat down on the floor opposite Akkarin and began to put the game pieces in starting position, trying to sort out his thoughts. He had thought so much about what he wanted to say, had had this conversation over and over again in his mind, but now nothing came to mind.
Akkarin gave him time. Instead of following up, he made his first move. Lorlen was grateful to him for that. Almost automatically, Lorlen moved his token before taking a deep breath.
"You told me that Sachaka sends assassins to test the strength of the guild and that you learned black magic to kill them. These murders in the city have been happening since you returned from your travels. So why didn't you tell me about it sooner? It has something to do with your travels, doesn't it?"
Akkarin stared at the guild sprawling before them and took his time with his answer. It seemed to Lorlen as if the High Lord was fighting an internal battle and he wondered exactly what was so hard about the truth. When Akkarin finally answered his face was again a perfect, emotionless mask.
"I made some mistakes on my travels that led to me having to learn black magic to save my life. When I returned, I wanted nothing more than to forget that. I had sworn never to use black magic again, so why tell anyone about it and risk being executed?" Akkarin's lips twisted into a humourless smile. "When I returned we had not seen each other for many years Lorlen. I did not know if our friendship was still what it had once been. You had changed and so had I. Then suddenly the murders began and I knew my mistakes had caught up with me. But by then it was too late to talk to you. Besides, I still wasn't sure you wouldn't betray me to the higher magicians. And now don't tell me you haven't thought about it."
Ashamed, Lorlen looked away. That had indeed been his first impulse at the time. But now he believed Akkarin, even if he still did not tell him the whole truth. "You can trust me now. I will not talk to anyone about this as long as you do not harm the guild"
Akkarin smiled briefly before turning serious again. "You see, your loyalty, like mine, lies first and foremost with the guild. That's why I never took you into my confidence, it was too risky. If I die the guild is defenceless against the black mages of Sachaka" An indefinable expression flitted across Akkarin's face and briefly it seemed as if he wanted to add something to that, but he remained silent.
Lorlen waited a moment to see if he would change his mind, but Akkarin remained silent. Softly he sighed. "I wish you had trusted me. It would have saved me and Sonea a lot"
"Perhaps it would have. But would you really have believed me, old friend?"
Lorlen had to admit to himself that he probably wouldn't have. Even now a stubborn residual doubt lingered, though everything fitted together.
"You see," Akkarin murmured, drawing his token. A mischievous twinkle entered his eyes. "At least you're still playing the same way you did back then."
Lorlen looked at the board in disbelief. Akkarin had defeated him with an ease that left Lorlen speechless."
"I should demand a revange" he muttered, glad not to have to reveal his doubts to Akkarin.
Regretfully, Akkarin raised his hands. "Some other time. I have an appointment in the city"
Suspicious, Lorlen's eyebrows drew together and Akkarin laughed softly. "A highly official appointment. It will be a few weeks before I have to deal with the Assasins again"
Lorlen put the game back in its place and smiled wanly. "I too have work to do"
They said goodbye to each other and Akkarin left the spring with long strides. At the edge of the forest he stopped and turned around once more. "Lorlen? Do us both a favour and don't ask me about my interests in the city. It's better if you don't know anything about it." He took a step and turned around again. "And Lorlen, don't forget to talk to Lord Rothen." Then he was gone and Lorlen was left alone with his thoughts at the spring.
