Beyond the Boundary Stones (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 3) Read online

  “I’m not criticizing you,” Elkan reassured him. “I’m glad you sought us out today.”

  Vigorre dropped his eyes. “I couldn’t stay away.”

  Elkan clapped him on the shoulder. Josiah noticed an oddly speculative look in his master’s eyes. “That shows you’re a true servant of the Mother.”

  Vigorre met his gaze for a moment, then looked away, flushing. “I—”

  Raised voices dragged Josiah’s attention to their source. The guards were in heated conversation with yet another petitioner. He headed in that direction. If it was someone else who’d prove as useful as Vigorre, he wasn’t about to let them get away.

  He froze when he caught a glimpse of the girl’s face. Then he rushed forward. “Nirel?”

  Nirel was taller than he remembered, and the Ramunnan dress she wore accented her figure far more than Tevenar-style clothes. It had to be her, though. Kevessa had said Nirel had come to Ramunna. The two girls had become friends. But Josiah had never expected to encounter her here.

  Nirel grinned sheepishly at him. “Hey, Josiah.”

  “It’s great to see you again! What are you doing here? Wait, come over and see Elkan. He’ll want to hear the whole story.” Josiah wanted to throw his arms around Nirel, but from the way she hung back he didn’t think that would be very smart. So he contented himself with grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

  The guard let her pass with a resigned look. She followed him to the table where Elkan and Vigorre were standing, speaking quietly. They turned to greet the new arrival. Nirel stopped, nearly jerking Josiah’s arm from its socket before she yanked her hand from his. “Vigorre?”

  Vigorre’s face was equally stunned. “Nirel? I thought—”

  With two long strides he was at Nirel’s side. He put a possessive, protective arm around her shoulders and glared at Elkan and Josiah. “I don’t know why Nirel’s chosen to make her presence in Ramunna known to you, but you need to be aware that she’s under my protection, and my father’s, and the Matriarch’s. We won’t allow you to detain her or take her back to Tevenar. Whatever crimes she may be accused of there, here she is an honored guest. The Matriarch will consider any action against her an insult to Ramunna.”

  Elkan spread his hands. “Calm down. We’re not watchers. The joint operation between the Wizards’ Guild and the Watch that Guildmaster Dabiel authorized to stop Ozor’s band ended when they were captured, so I have no authority to take her into custody on that account. And the Mother rescinded the Law of Isolation, so she’s no longer in violation of it. As far as I’m concerned, Nirel is free to do as she pleases. I’ll have to report to the Watch that I’ve seen her when I return to Tevenar, but I don’t think that needs to cause a problem between us now.”

  “Yeah. Me, too.” Josiah rubbed the hand that had been holding Nirel’s against his breeches. He was very aware of the way Vigorre was staking his claim on Nirel, the way her body pressed against his. “You know you can trust us.”

  Nirel shrugged. “That’s what I hoped you’d say.” She put a hand on Vigorre’s chest and raised her face to meet his swift kiss. “See, Vigorre, it’s all right. They’re my friends.”

  He studied her with a furrowed brow. “If you say so. But you told me—”

  She waved off his concern and slipped out of his embrace. “I heard about all the good work they were doing here, healing people, and I wanted to help.” She blinked at him. “I never expected you to be here, though.”

  Vigorre looked even more baffled, but he quelled her with a short shake of his head. “I’ll explain later.”

  “Yes.” With a last worried look at Vigorre, Nirel squared her shoulders and turned to Josiah. “I guess Kevessa must have given you my message.”

  “Yeah.” Josiah shuffled his feet and looked away. “I was glad to know you were all right.”

  Elkan took Vigorre’s arm. “Would you assist Tobi and me for a while? Nirel can work with Josiah. It will give them a chance to catch up. And I’d like to get better acquainted with you. Tell me about your work as a Keeper.”

  Vigorre looked as if he didn’t like the idea of leaving Nirel in Josiah’s company, but he let Elkan lead him away. Josiah flashed Nirel a half-hearted grin and headed to where Sar waited beside the cot. She trailed behind him. He didn’t look at her as he spoke. “Vigorre was speaking with patients, getting them ready, keeping people company while we healed their family members. Could you do that, too? I bet your Ramunnan is a lot better than mine.”

  “Sure.” Nirel moved past him and addressed the man at the head of the line. “Sir? Come this way and have a seat. What’s your difficulty?”

  The man’s ankle had been crushed and set badly. He limped to the cot. Sar sent power through Josiah, and they determined that the injury was only a few months old. Recent enough for the Mother’s power to reverse what healing had taken place to the point where they could arrange the bone fragments properly and set new healing in motion.

  Josiah leaned against Sar and let his thoughts drift as the donkey kept a steady stream of power coursing through him. Mending bone was slow and took a lot of energy, but no attention on Josiah’s part. He needed the chance to sort out his confused feelings.

  So Nirel had taken up with a Ramunnan. He didn’t have any right to object; it wasn’t as if he had any sort of claim on her. But he cared about her and didn’t want to see her hurt. She was so young, more than a year younger than he was. True, he’d immediately liked Vigorre, but first impressions weren’t everything. Who knew what he might be hiding? There had certainly been something strange going on between him and Nirel just now.

  He shot a surreptitious look at her. She was chatting easily with the next few people in line, smiling and relaxed. She seemed to be doing a good job of making them feel more comfortable. He saw her point to where golden light enveloped their patient’s ankle. Probably she was explaining what it was and what they could expect when it was their turn. Of course, Nirel had seen the Mother’s power at work lots of times and wasn’t intimidated by it the way the Ramunnans were. Once she’d admitted to Josiah that she’d dreamed of becoming a wizard, of controlling the magical golden light. That had been before he knew the truth about the relationship between wizards and familiars and had harbored similar dreams himself.

  He bet Nirel would make a good wizard. She cared about people. She was doing as good a job assisting as Vigorre had, and Josiah was sure Elkan was already sizing Vigorre up as a potential wizard. The Mother had declared that her power was no longer reserved for Tevenar, and that from now on she would be giving it to the whole world. That meant she would have to choose new wizards in Ravanetha. Kevessa surely wouldn’t be the only one. Although Josiah wasn’t sure how that would work, since the Guildmaster wasn’t here for the Mother to name new apprentices to. Maybe the familiars would take matters into their own hands, the way Nina had done with Kevessa. And Sar with Josiah, for that matter.

  Elkan wouldn’t be staying in Ramunna forever. Eventually, after the Matriarch’s heir was conceived and safely born, he’d go back to Tevenar. He hadn’t talked much about it, but Josiah thought he intended to make sure a new branch of the Wizards’ Guild was well established here first.

  Josiah wasn’t sure what he would do. There was so much to learn and see here. He was deeply fascinated by Gevan’s experiments and inventions and wanted a chance to find out a lot more about them. He wanted to visit the University and sample the vast array of knowledge taught there. He wanted to travel to more of the exotic places he’d heard of, Marvanna and Giroda and others. All that would take much longer than the year or two Elkan planned to stay.

  And of course, Kevessa belonged here. And now Nirel lived here, too. He wouldn’t mind staying in Ramunna and serving with the new guild if it meant getting to stay near them.

  Although neither of them appeared to have any interest in him. He sighed and returned his focus to his work.

  When the man’s ankle was sound enough to hold together while
it healed the rest of the way on its own, Josiah called a halt. It was especially important today not to spend any more energy than absolutely necessary. The man thanked them profusely and limped away. Nirel sent over the next patient, and Josiah and Sar set to work again.

  A few dozen patients later Josiah finally had a chance to talk to Nirel, as a mother worked to settle a distraught child so she’d hold still enough for them to examine her. He hung back and kept his face pleasantly neutral so he wouldn’t scare the girl more than she already was. “What have you been up to since you got here? Still hanging out with Ozor?” His contempt for the bandit leader probably came through in his voice, but Nirel already knew how he felt about him.

  “Yes. The Matriarch let us settle in a village about three miles north of the city. I live there with my father. We’ve got some farmland, and Ozor’s been taking the ship on trading voyages.”

  The stolen ship, but Josiah thought it wiser not to bring that up. It hadn’t been Nirel’s idea to take it. “The Matriarch is something else, isn’t she? I guess she likes Ozor a lot.”

  Nirel shrugged. “She was excited to find out about Tevenar and wizards.” She shot him a sidelong look. “Everyone must be awfully angry at Ozor for telling her how to find you.”

  At least he could reassure her. “Actually, it turned out to be a good thing he did. After you left, a nasty disease hit the wheat crop. The weather was already bad, so not much else was harvested either. If Gevan hadn’t shown up and agreed to send food in exchange for a wizard coming to help the Matriarch, a lot of people would have starved.”

  She blinked, startled. “Oh. I guess that was good, then.”

  The little girl had stopped thrashing, and her wails had quieted to hiccuping sobs. Josiah kept his eyes fixed on her. “So. You and Vigorre, huh?”

  Nirel’s voice was carefully flat. “Yeah. We met at a ball in the autumn. It’s pretty serious. He’s talked about having his father arrange a betrothal.”

  “Oh.” Josiah tightened his fingers in Sar’s mane. “Congratulations.”

  Nirel stepped between him and the patient so he was forced to look at her. “It never would have worked out between you and me, Josiah.” She gave him a crooked smile. “Can we forget about it and be friends?”

  Josiah wasn’t going to forget the kiss they’d shared, but it looked like that didn’t matter. “Sure.” He forced a smile. “Friends.”

  “And Vigorre, too. You’ll like him.”

  Josiah felt distinctly less warm toward the young Keeper than he had earlier, but he shrugged. “I guess.”

  “Great.” Nirel jerked her head toward the girl and her mother. “She’s got her settled down. I’ll let you work and get back to the line.”

  “Yeah. Thanks.” Josiah headed toward the cot. Come on, Sar. He grinned at the girl, although the expression made his face feel like it might crack. What do you think? I’m guessing it’s an ear infection.

  We’ll see soon enough. Sar sent golden light pouring over the girl. Her face screwed up, but as she became aware of the pleasant sensation of the healing she blinked, gave the donkey a puzzled look, and broke into a hesitant smile.

  Josiah snuck a glance at Nirel. She’d stopped before reaching the waiting patients and was staring back at him with a deep, troubled frown.

  No, not at him. At the golden light spilling from his hands.

  Nine

  Vigorre glanced at the sun descending toward the peaks of the mountains west of Ramunna. As Elkan pulled away from his latest patient and rubbed his forehead wearily, Vigorre approached him. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to leave soon. It’s getting late, and my family’s expecting me for the evening meal.”

  The wizard echoed his glance at the sun, looked at the still extensive lines of people waiting, and sighed. “I suppose we’re going to have to call it a day before long. Although I hate to send people away when they’ve waited so many hours. They’ll have to stand in line all over again tomorrow.”

  Vigorre frowned at the weary crowds. “We could give them numbers, like merchants do when the market’s busy. Then these can go to the front of the line in the morning.”

  Elkan looked puzzled for a moment, then brightened. “An excellent idea. I’ll speak to the guards and have someone fetch paper and pens from the palace. Tobi needs a break, anyway.”

  He caressed the huge cat’s head. She butted his chest and padded to the water bucket, the strain of the day’s work showing in her heavy step and drooping tail.

  Vigorre swallowed and looked away. A demon. That’s what the beast was. Its sleek fur, eagerly pricked ears, and warm, intelligent eyes were a disguise, designed to fool the ignorant into complacency. Those eyes could glow red if the demon’s true purpose was threatened. The affectionate companionability both she and her human slave feigned would vanish when they were no longer observed by outsiders. It was a lie, a trick, a deception by the Lord of Demons. He couldn’t allow it to take him in.

  Joyful exclamations drew his eyes to Elkan and Tobi’s most recent patient. The woman embraced her husband and displayed the smooth new skin where a few minutes ago an oozing red rash had covered her cheeks and neck. She’d tried to hide the discomfort it caused her, but it had shown in her tight lips and tense hands as Vigorre had talked with her about what to expect and led her to the cot. Now her pain was gone.

  Elkan was watching him when he turned back. The wizard gave him an understanding smile. “Will you be back tomorrow? You’ve been a tremendous help. I think you find the work as rewarding as I do.”

  He should go to Yoran Lirolla tonight and demand to be released from this assignment. The Purifier leader would have to find someone else to befriend the wizards, spy on them, betray them. Vigorre was the wrong person for the job.

  Because, dear Mother, yes, he found the work rewarding. He’d never in his life been so tired in every muscle and bone, or so deeply satisfied. Hundreds of people had walked away relieved of their burdens of pain and weakness and fear, dozens more than the wizards would have been able to help without Vigorre’s aid. The healing was real. Whatever evil purpose underlay the wizards’ actions, today they had done a tremendous amount of good. The helpless frustration he’d felt on every previous visit to the Beggars’ Quarter was gone, swept away by the satisfaction of being able to do something.

  A few more days like this and he’d be begging the demons to possess him.

  He swallowed. “I’ll have to ask my father. I’ve got duties at the Temple I’m missing. But he’ll excuse me if I insist.”

  Elkan nodded slowly. “I hope you do. Let’s explain your idea to the guards. Then, if you’ve got a moment, I’d like to have a few words with you before you leave.”

  “All right.” Vigorre followed him to the guards’ station. It didn’t take long to convey what they wanted. One guard was dispatched to the palace, while others started down the line, explaining what would be done.

  Vigorre hoped Elkan would forget his desire to speak further, but no such luck. Despite his pointed looks back toward the cot and the line of patients, and comments about how hungry he was and how his stepmother hated him to be late, Elkan headed toward a quiet spot near where the familiars were eating again.

  “I won’t keep you long,” the wizard promised. His voice was quiet but urgent. “I just wanted to let you know that we haven’t come solely to treat the Matriarch. On the surface that’s what brought us here, but now I understand the Mother’s real purpose. Ramunna needs its own Wizards’ Guild. I’m sure the same is true of Marvanna and Giroda and every other part of Ravanetha, but it starts here.” He cast a bleak look at the unserved multitudes. “This is wrong. We’ve never had enough wizards to meet every need in Tevenar, but it’s so much worse here. We must begin to redress that inequality. Tevenar will suffer for it, because there’s a limit to the number of familiars the Mother can touch without disrupting the balance of the world. But that can’t be helped.”

  Could the demons read his thoughts? Wha
t Elkan was saying so closely reflected what Vigorre felt it was uncanny. It must be a ploy designed to tempt him. He longed to turn his back and walk away, shutting out the wizard’s seductive words.

  But to do that would be to disobey Keeper Yoran’s orders and break his new-sworn vow. So he nodded and kept listening, fighting not to let his heart be swayed.

  “The Mother intends to choose new wizards from among the people of Ramunna. It’s already begun, although I’m not free to speak of the details. In Tevenar she calls young people at the traditional age of apprenticeship. But there’s precedent for her granting her power to those who are older. The Histories tell us that the first wizards were all adults when their familiars came to them. Gurion himself was a grandfather already.”

  Elkan used the ancient Marvannan pronunciation of the name, but Vigorre still felt as if lightning had struck him. “Who?”

  Elkan blinked at the vehemence in his voice. “Gurion Thricebound, the founder of the Wizards’ Guild. His surname was Elero before he helped institute the system of guildnames we use now. Gevan tells me he’s revered as a prophet here.”

  “Guron Erlorre. The father of the holy Yashonna.” Vigorre’s hands balled into fists.

  “That’s right. He was the first bonded wizard. After the ancient wizards’ powers were lost, they faced circumstances even worse than what we’ve dealt with today.” Elkan grimaced. “Gurion begged the Mother to return her power to the world. He nearly sacrificed his life to compel her to listen to him. Together he and the Mother came up with the idea of tying power to animals in order to prevent people from misusing her power. She touched a rat to create the first familiar and bound him to Gurion.”

  “A rat,” Vigorre echoed. Anger displaced his initial numb horror. How dare this foreigner slander the sacred prophet? He was more honored by the Temple than any save the Mother herself. It sickened Vigorre to hear his name linked to this whitewashed version of the demon’s origins. Diabolically clever indeed, to appropriate Guron’s name and reputation to lend themselves an air of legitimacy.