Disclaimer: BMT belongs to Trudi Canavan
The aftermath of Sonea's mental communication made it impossible for Lorlen to get even a wink of sleep. Rothen's nervous collapse and the magicians' demands that he called a Meet gave him much to do in the short nightly hours. He wished he had Osen to help him with the upheaval, but his assistant was still stuck in the Fort with Lord Balkan and Akkarin's escort.
Akkarin, Lorlen mused. He needed to know, to be reassured. He put a hand into his pocket and slipped a ring onto his middle finger.
Akkarin!
Lorlen projected at the ring, but his only answer was silence. He had been trying to contact Akkarin through the ring ever since he put the ban on mental communication. He had tried to warn them, but it now appeared that he had failed.
Akkarin! Answer me!
A simmering anger at the edge of his thoughts was the only sign that Akkarin's patience was at an end. The former High Lord was well known for his dispassion, but even so, there were limits to everything. The effort he was putting into ignoring Lorlen had to be irksome.
Akkarin, at last!
He wasn't expecting the wave of relief which accompanied the realization that his old friend was alive.
What do you want, Lorlen?
He was annoyed. Lorlen swallowed hard. Of course he was, hadn't the Administrator been instrumental in the verdict which had led to Sonea's death?
I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Akkarin. I knew there were other Black Magicians in Imardin, and yet I...
You cast us out.
Lorlen recoiled at the hostility of Akkarin's thoughts.
We saw what happened, Akkarin. You must be devastated, but so are we. Rothen…
There were no words. Lorlen let his thoughts skim over the experiences in the Night Room. He shuddered at the memory of a hollow, empty look in Rothen's eyes.
Is that remorse?
Akkarin's voice was harsh.
Akkarin, I…
Akkarin cut him off.
Take off the ring, Lorlen. I won't be used as a balm for your troubled conscience. Get out of my head!
Lorlen winced and removed the ring hastily. It was unnerving to discover that Akkarin was dead right. This realization came without a sugar coating, Akkarin was never one to present unpleasant truths in a better light to make the recipient feel more at ease. Never Akkarin!
Lorlen laughed without humour. He felt guilty and responsible for Sonea and Akkarin's fate, and he wanted consolation from Akkarin of all people, to be told that he understood and didn't blame him. But, of course, he wouldn't get it. He well knew that the King had made a mistake sending Akkarin and Sonea away, and the Guild was responsible because it did not object.
A knock at the door interrupted his musings. He looked up. He waved his hand, and the door swung open. The other Higher Magicians filed into his office. The bleary-eyed Lady Vinara graced him with a tight smile.
"You look tired, Administrator," she said.
That made him chuckle.
"Sit down, please," he told them. "I have something to show you."
He waited for them to settle into the chairs arrayed before his desk. When they looked at him expectantly, Lorlen put his hand in his pocket and brought out a silver ring with a large ruby.
Lord Sarrin sucked in a breath as he saw it.
"You know what that is," Lorlen observed.
"Yes," he breathed. "A blood gem. An artifact of Black Magic."
Lorlen smiled weakly.
"It enhances the mental communication between the maker and the wearer," he added. "The maker sees and hears whatever the wearer sees and hears. He also absorbs what the wearer thinks."
The Higher Magicians exchanged awed glances.
Lorlen nodded.
"Where did you get it?" Director Jerrik asked, eyeing the silver band as if it was a wild animal.
"From Akkarin," he admitted, his tone added the 'of course'. "He presented it to me after we disagreed over Sonea's guardianship."
The Head of Alchemists gasped.
"He spied on you?" Administrator Kito was appalled.
Lorlen sighed.
"Yes," he sighed. "Much as it disturbs me, I don't hold it against him, now, that I understand his reasons," he shook his head. "Also, I cannot deny that this ring is our only save means of contacting Akkarin."
"You are much too forgiving, Lorlen," the Head of Healers chided him.
Lorlen's shoulders lifted. He picked up the ring, his expression defensive.
"You want to continue using it?" Lord Peacon spluttered.
Administrator Kito frowned with disapproval.
"I already have," Lorlen replied coldly, but he set the ring down.
The Higher Magicians were shocked. All except Lady Vinara who met his gaze with interest.
"And?" she prompted.
Lorlen grimaced. He massaged his temples to ease a headache that had come up after the mental communication.
"He's alive," he sighed. "But angry."
"Angry?" Lord Telano echoed.
Lady Vinara gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Of course, he must be upset," she mused. "Does he blame us?"
"Blame us?" Expatriate Administrator exclaimed in outrage.
Lorlen shook his head.
"I don't think he blames anyone other than himself," he told them. "But he doesn't want others to burden him with their remorse as well. He doesn't want to talk to anyone," he sighed heavily.
Before the magicians could start discussing Akkarin's frame of mind, a rap at the door interrupted them. Surprised, Lorlen looked at the uniformed figure hesitating at the doorstep. A royal messenger. Here we go…
The young man bowed gracefully.
"Administrator," he spoke respectfully. "His Majesty King Merrin bids you return to the palace immediately."
Lorlen nodded.
"Thank you," he said, nodding. "I shall arrive promptly."
Lorlen looked out of the window. The dawn had come already.
"We will continue our discussion later," he told his fellow magicians.