Enigma: We all needed a lot more fluff before he died. It's so rushed between the two of them. I'm so glad you are enjoying my story so much. It's always a pleasure to read your comments.
Yalishandela: Ah, if Osen and Rothen were to team up, that would be a really big danger for Akkarin. But it's not in their personality to share their knowledge of this secret, so it's unlikely to ever happen, I think.
I love the relationship between Akkarin and Lorlen in the books too. There are all these little hints... but I don't like Canavan's solution to their problem. There are so many hints that Akkarin is doing nothing wrong and Lorlen would have trusted him with his life. It just doesn't make sense for Lorlen to judge Akkarin like that without knowing everything.
Akkarin was already waiting for Sonea when she returned from her last lesson. He looked at her with folded arms and a petrified expression.
"Good evening, Sonea"
She bowed to him, but not very deeply. He could clearly see the rebellious twinkle in her eyes.
"Good evening, High Lord"
The greeting was icier than usual, but she was careful not to reproach him. In a way, Akkarin was amused by her quiet rebellion, which was so typical of Sonea. Under other circumstances, he might even have let her, but this was too dangerous for him to allow. Lorlen might call him a monster for it, but it was necessary.
"How were your classes?" he would cut to innocuous topics before mentioning Dorrien.
Sonea contorted her face into a grimace that clearly expressed her disapproval. "We were in the arena," she evaded his question.
"And Regin has defeated you once more," the High Lord concluded. He pointed to the two comfortable armchairs. "Show me your fight".
She complied with his silent request and sat down before extending her hand to him. It had become a regular ritual for Sonea to show him her struggles and for him to analyse them and point out her mistakes. It did not achieve the effect Akkarin had hoped for, yet he continued this form of teaching.
This fight was no exception. "You're wasting your energy," he noted once more. "And you're distracted."
He could clearly sense Sonea's embarrassment at the thought-speech, as well as her tender affection for the young healer. He withdrew his hand before she could sense his distaste for Rothen's son. He didn't know himself what bothered him about the young man.
They both opened their eyes and looked at each other for a moment until Sonea looked away blushing.
Akkarin suppressed a sigh. How had he missed their tender relationship? This went deeper than he would have liked.
"You will break off contact with Lord Dorrien," he demanded harshly. Sonea crossed her arms in front of her chest defiantly.
"You can't forbid me to have a friendship," she snapped at him.
Briefly, Akkarin was tempted to tell her that he could and did, but he knew from experience that Sonea was more cooperative when she understood the background.
"I don't mind if you make friends Sonea," he began, realising that he was not at all comfortable with this kind of conversation. He was rarely at a loss for words, but now he found it difficult to make his thoughts clear.
"Then why do you forbid me the only friendship here?"
"For one thing, because it's Rothen's son. For another, because this goes beyond friendship and that, in turn, is something I must forbid you to do."
She stared at him in disbelief. Her mind was literally screaming her confusion at him, although he had not set out to read her mind.
"I don't see what you care about my possible romantic feelings for Lord Dorrien," Sonea hissed. "You can't control everything and everyone around you".
Amused, Akkarin raised an eyebrow. "Can't I?" he asked mockingly, but then became serious again. "In this case, however, it's not about me, but about you. Romantic relationships sooner or later lead to sharing a bed" Akkarin could not believe that he was really talking to his novice about possible sex.
"What?" Sonea asked, confused, but immediately regained her composure. "It's none of your business who I share a bed with and who I don't" she clenched her hands into fists.
"It's my business if you're doing it with another magician," he tried to insinuate, but realised at the same moment that she couldn't understand him because she had never experienced it. He frowned. "When two mages share a bed, their natural barrier lowers and it is not uncommon for them to share their thoughts."
Sonea blushed, then paled. "That means I can never..." she murmured. It was obvious how embarrassed she was to talk about such things with her mentor. Regretfully, Akkarin raised his shoulders and lowered them again. "At least with a mage. One can also establish this form of intimacy with a non-mage, but then the contact must actively come from the mage"
Sonea turned even redder, if that was at all possible. With a vague gesture, Akkarin pointed to the stairs to the upper floor to relieve them both of this situation. Besides, he believed she had understood what it was all about. "You may retire".
Lorlen took a deep breath before opening the door for Lord Rothen. He had invited him to his office for the next day to talk to him about Dorrien after his conversation with the High Lord.
With a welcoming gesture, Lorlen invited the alchemist in and closed the door behind him before offering him a seat.
"Thank you, I prefer to stand," Rothen remarked.
Lorlen shrugged. "Suit yourselves."
Nervously, Rothen kneaded his hands in front of his stomach. "What can I do for you, administrator?"
"Your son is showing a great deal of interest in Sonea. Did you have something to do with it?" Lorlen got straight to the point. They were among themselves, beating around the bush was useless here.
The alchemist sighed. "To be precise, I have tried to stop him from pressing Sonea further, but I fear my influence on him is too small."
Lorlen breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared for a short time that the older mage was up to something foolish.
"Akkarin is not pleased, but he is unlikely to punish her for a friendship," the administrator replied, hoping he was right. He had not seen her since the encounter at the spring. "Your son had better stay away from her anyway".
In a tired gesture, Rothen massaged the root of his nose. "She could really use a friend" He sounded tired, worried and annoyed.
"That is what I told the High Lord. I wish I could do more for her and the Guild in this matter, but at the moment my hands are tied."
"So you have no idea yet what we can do about him?"
Lorlen stepped to the window and looked out into the courtyard of the guild so as not to have to look at the alchemist. How could he brood over ways of getting rid of Akkarin when he just believed him more and more? But he could not tell Rothen that. He would think Lorlen had let himself be tempted into black magic. Was that what had kept Akkarin from telling the truth all these years?
"No," he finally replied simply.
Sympathetically, Rothen put a hand on his shoulder. "It must be hard for you. If there's anything I can do..."
"Get your son to leave Sonea alone. That will help me the most for now"
"Of course. Is there anything else? I have to go to my class"
"Of course, go ahead," Lorlen said absently, his mind once again on the conversation of the night before.
Akkarin had said that he had made mistakes that had led to the black magic thing. Perhaps Lorlen should call Dannyl back. At the source, Akkarin still hadn't told him the whole truth, but for a tiny moment Lorlen had been able to see the lostness in his best friend's eyes.
Whatever had happened on his travels had shaped and changed Akkarin. And it had been serious enough that his best friend had learned black magic. Someday I will learn the whole truth, Lorlen thought grimly, then sat down resolutely at his desk. He took out a piece of paper and wrote a letter to Dannyl telling him not to continue with his studies. Briefly he considered explaining his decision to the ambassador, but decided against it. Dannyl didn't know anything, he would assume that Lorlen had got the information he was looking for. And somehow that was true.
The High Lord's duties were many, but one of the most important was liaising between the Houses and the Guild. Normally, Akkarin enjoyed conducting his little intrigues at court in the process and steering families with a pointed remark here and there.
But on that day, Akkarin felt he could not be more out of place at court among the families.
In the morning, the hospital in the hut district had been opened. Akkarin had refrained from being there, it would have been strange. But he would have liked to be there. Besides the political necessity, this project of the guild had become important to him.
Moreover, the thief had sent him a message that there had been new murders. This was much earlier than Akkarin had expected, after Sonea had killed the last spy. He had suspected that the spy's death would set Kariko back in his plans. But apparently they had not given up on it yet. After all, thanks to Sonea's help, he was stronger than ever.
Aberw it worried Akkarin that with the opening of the hospital, mages were now on the move in the slums and a welcome target for particularly brave slave levies. So far he had found no satisfactory solution, except a deal with Ceriny. The thief had the building permanently guarded and reported anything suspicious to Takan.
Sonea had also asked to be allowed to help in the hospital in her spare time. The High Lord had allowed her to do so, on condition that she carried his blood jewel with her. She had agreed.
"Akkarin," a familiar voice snapped the High Lord out of his thoughts. Reluctantly, he stopped and turned around.
"Vilem," he greeted politely but coolly.
The older man contorted his face a little, but he did not comment on the tone.
"I wanted to speak to you again before the meeting with the King".
Akkarin made an impatient gesture to indicate that he should continue speaking.
"Do you still want to keep this girl from the huts as your novice? House Maron refuses to do business with our family for so long..."
It took Akkarin some restraint not to interrupt his father. Akkarin's bond with his family had never been particularly strong, but since he had made Sonea his novice, it had hit rock bottom.
"Her name is Sonea and she is an extremely strong, intelligent novice. So no, I will not give up the education of such a promising young woman for your business," he replied matter-of-factly. To nip any discussion in the bud, Akkarin pointed to the door in front of them. "We should not keep the king waiting.
Vilem snorted indignantly, but obediently opened the door. Together they entered the richly decorated meeting room where the king was already waiting impatiently. Synchronously, they bowed to the ruler before going to their seats.
"I heard there were riots in the cottage district at the opening this morning. Will the hospital still serve its purpose?" the king got straight to his request.
"The timing of the opening was probably not a wise decision so soon after the clean-up. Nevertheless, I am confident that the hut people will overcome their reluctance at the prospect of free help. Besides, Sonea will help once a week. I think it will have a certain signalling effect."
The king nodded with satisfaction and then turned to his advisor. "Make sure that there are sufficient funds for the hospital".
Astonished, Akkarin raised an eyebrow. "What do you plan to do if we find more children with great magical potential?"
The king shrugged his shoulders. "How much magical potential can there be in the huts?"
Akkarin preferred not to answer him. Less with every year, he thought grimly. And yet more than you think, Your Majesty.
