Shadow Dagger Ch. 07

Reynar scratched his signature onto the document and then looked up. "Of course. Why do you think you are still alive? Your goals are aligned with mine, for the time being."

Raynolt slouched in his chair in stunned silence as the servant dripped wax onto the bottom of the parchment. He handed Reynar the royal seal. Reynar pressed the seal into the wax and rolled the parchment up. He handed it to Raynolt.

Raynolt took it hesitantly. "What if I didn't want war with the Magi Victus?"

"You already know the answer to that. I took no action while Boltus was Grand Master because I respected him, though I disagreed with his stance on the Magi Victus. He was a good man and close to the end of his life. I can be patient when needed. Once I found out about your plot, I decided not to intervene."

He knew about my plans? He knows too much. That decides it; there is a spy somewhere in my circle. But who? Aloud he said, "You allowed Boltus to die?"

"It was a necessary sacrifice," he said regretfully. He closed his eyes for a moment. "So many sacrifices..." He seemed to be speaking to himself.

"But why do you wish war with the Magi Victus?"

Reynar opened his eyes and gave him a quizzical look. "Are you reasons not good enough for me as well?"

"I don't think it's as simple as my reasons. I sense that you have a more complex plan."

"So there is some intelligence there," Reynar teased him. Raynolt felt his face flush again but Reynar continued before he could say anything. "Very well, I will tell you my true purpose. The Magi Victus need to be eliminated in order to save the world."

He sat back in his chair and gave him a sly smile. "Save the world?" Raynolt repeated. He shook his head. "What nonsense is this?"

"That is all you need to know," Reynar said brusquely. "Now, I understand you have men out looking for Evelyn Ventus. Have you had any luck finding her?"

"No," he replied slowly. "Why?"

Reynar shrugged, as though it was of no importance to him. "I would like to be informed if you do find her. But forget about that for now. I have one more piece of business to discuss with you tonight." He pointed at the scroll in Raynolt's hands. "That order to eliminate the Magi Victus does not extend to Jon Laurent. I want him captured alive."

"I see Jon Laurent isn't just a thorn in my side," Raynolt said slowly. "You want him alive? You might as well try to catch the sunlight in your hands. That man is too powerful to take alive."

"So you think. But again, we come back to the idea of intelligence," Reynar replied. "Do you know why I am a much more powerful Magi than you?"

"No, please enlighten me," Raynolt said through gritted teeth.

"Because I use my brain. All Magi are born on equal footing. One Magi is not given more access to magical energy than anyone else. Magic is infinite, as is our access to it. So, what then, makes one Magi more powerful than another?"

"Are you going to lecture me on the basics of magic all day long or do you have a point?" Raynolt said. He hated how he treated him like an ignorant child. I was the youngest Magi to ever enter the Emporium!

"You might learn something about power if you listen. What determines a Magi's power is a combination of focus, intelligence, and various physical attributes. Focus deals with casting spells. Physical attributes like endurance play a vital role in magical power. Casting spells, as you know, is not just mentally draining, but physically draining as well. Also, the dexterity of your hands helps with the manipulation of spells."

"But intelligence, my dear Raynolt, is what truly separates Magi. The more you understand the nature and complexity of the language of creation, the more powerful you will become."

"I have a perfect grasp of the language!" Raynolt cut in angrily.

"Do you really? Tell me, how many spells have you invented yourself?" Reynar paused and waited for Raynolt's response.

"Does it matter?" he finally replied. Inside, he was seething with anger and embarrassment.

"You strut around the halls of the Emporium, impressed that you can cast complex spells faster than anybody else. But all you know is what other Magi have already discovered for you. You are nothing more than a well-trained parrot."

The anger inside of Raynolt was reaching a boiling point. It was even more frustrating to know there was nothing he could do against Reynar.

"I study the language itself. I continuously strive to understand the reasoning behind each word and phrase. As a result, I am far beyond any Magi in the Emporium. My knowledge of the language has granted me power the likes of which you have never seen."

Reynar fell silent. Raynolt struggled to get control of his anger. "What does any of this have to do with Jon Laurent?" And I will take your advice, Reynar. The next time I attack you, you will be very surprised for the split second before I take your life

"You said that Jon Laurent was too powerful to take alive. I spoke to you of intelligence to open your mind to the truth. Have you ever asked yourself why? Why is Jon Laurent so much more powerful than the rest of the Magi Victus?"

Raynolt searched his mind for an intelligent answer. He was tired of looking like a fool. "It's hard to say. We have never discovered the secret behind those Shadow Daggers. Your answer lies there."

Reynar shook his head in disappointment. "The Shadow Daggers offer protection from spells and can penetrate magical barriers. But why is Jon Laurent so good? No other Magi Victus is even close to him in power. You think a dagger, no matter how powerful, has anything to do with that?"

Raynolt shrugged. "I tire of these mind games."

"Intelligent conversation is very hard to come by," Reynar muttered in disgust. "Did you not recently lose three members of your Tier?"

Raynolt felt his eye twitch. He stilled his features to calmness. "I didn't even tell the council about them yet. How do you know these things?"

"Never mind how I know. How do you think they died?"

Where is he going with this? "Jon Laurent was helped that night. I believe Evelyn Ventus and Ashford Caulston both helped him enough to kill my men."

"So you believe a 5th Tier and 9th Tier Magi were powerful enough to kill all three of your men?" Reynar asked skeptically.

Raynolt hesitated a moment, but could not think of any other possibility. "Who else could have killed them? Job and Elyus were killed by magecraft."

Reynar leaned in eagerly. "And yet you do not believe that Evelyn and Ashford are capable of that type of power. I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. You are fairly certain that the only people in that house were Jon Laurent, Evelyn and Daminus Ventus, and Ashford Caulston?"

"Yes, my men have already searched the house thoroughly. Those were the only people there that night."

"If you don't really believe they were killed by two weaker Magi, then what other possibility is there?" Reynar asked tauntingly.

Raynolt didn't like where this was going. He can't really be suggesting what I think he is? This from the man who preaches about intelligence? "I know what you are suggesting, but it's impossible. Even if it was possible, he never trained in the Emporium and would be nowhere near powerful enough to kill three of my best men."

Reynar smiled knowingly. He leaned back in his chair and seemed to be contemplating something. Finally he said, "Oh, it's certainly possible. In fact, I'm afraid it's true. Jon Laurent is a Magi."

His statement hung in the air before registering in Raynolt's mind. He felt sweat run down his back. He could tell from Reynar's posture that he wasn't joking. He actually believes it... "Here I thought I was the fool. Now I just think your loneliness and desperate need for intelligent conversation has driven you mad. We have tried several times to infiltrate the Magi Victus. They can spot us almost instantly. Jon Laurent would have been killed within a day of joining."

"Nevertheless, Jon Laurent is a Magi. Like I told you earlier, I have studied my histories. I know who Jon Laurent is."

"Histories?" Raynolt asked, baffled. "Are you suggesting that Jon Laurent is a historical figure?"

Reynar didn't respond; he just smiled. Raynolt couldn't help it; he threw back his head and laughed. "You are mad!"

He continued to laugh until his ribs hurt. He wasn't even sure why he was laughing so hard. There was something in the back of his mind that he refused to acknowledge. The thought floated up anyways. What other possibility is there? And if Jon Laurent is indeed a Magi, he would have to be a historical figure. Otherwise, I would have recognized him during his time at the Emporium.

His laughter slowly died off; fear replaced it. "Who is he?" he asked reluctantly.

Reynar shook his head. "I'm not going to give you all my secrets. I told you about intelligence in the hope that you can figure some things out for yourself. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a busy night ahead of me. And you have a war to prepare for."

Raynolt blinked at the sudden dismissal, but then stood as the servant opened the door. He turned to leave when Reynar's next words stopped him cold. "Oh, Raynolt, don't think I have forgotten the fact that you killed three of my best friends and intend to kill a fourth. When the day comes that I no longer need you, I will kill you slowly and with great pleasure."

Raynolt turned around slowly and then wished he hadn't. The look that Reynar gave him sent a sliver of ice down his spine. He saw the truth in those eyes. He turned from that murderous glare and quickly left the room.

"What happened in there?" Lenard asked as Raynolt joined him in the hallway.

Raynolt shook his head and started walking. He needed to re-evaluate his plans. He knew what his first order of business would be; flushing out the traitor.

***

Reynar watched Raynolt leave and released the breath he had been holding. It had taken all his strength not to tear him limb from limb.

Sereph turned from the door. "Well, that certainly was interesting."

Reynar sighed. "I hate having to use that man. I would much rather avenge my friends. But he is perfectly placed to carry out my plans."

"It is necessary, my lord. If it comforts you, I think he may have pissed in his robes at that last threat."

Reynar chuckled. "You know what? It does comfort me. Not as much as tearing out his arms and beating him to death with them...but I will settle for now."

Sereph cleared the table as he spoke. "Was it really necessary to taunt him with all those secrets? Despite what you think, Raynolt is very sharp and perceptive. The strong hints of the spy in his ranks, in particular, are what scare me."

Reynar waved his hand absently. "He won't figure out anything I don't want him too. I want him focused on finding the spy. That way, my plans won't be jeopardized by his meddling."

Sereph nodded. "Once again, your mind goes in different directions than anyone else. You are always two moves ahead. Now I understand why you told him you discovered Jon Laurent's true identity from the histories. I can just envision him spending many countless hours searching the library of the Emporium looking for that knowledge."

Reynar smiled in satisfaction. "I wonder how long it will take him to realize that his identity won't be found in those books." He frowned and gazed at something only his mind could see. "Jon Laurent...I would see him dead at my feet."

Sereph walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "He will die eventually. Your plan will work. You will save the world."

Reynar stood up and walked to the window. His eyes searched the night. "I need to find her, Ser. She is the key. I need to find her before Jon figures it out."

"She will be found, my lord. I have several of our best men looking for her as we speak."

Reynar sighed and turned away from the window. "Sometimes I regret what I found in Raves. My life would be easier right now. Ignorance truly is bliss."

"You would be dead right now," Sereph replied gently. "You know that. That's why you went searching in Raves. Without the knowledge you found there, Jon Laurent would win and the world would be doomed."

"I have made so many sacrifices, Ser," he replied. "I hope they will be worth it. And I hope I have enough strength to defeat Laurent."

Sereph stepped toward him. "You do. He may have a little more experience, but..."

Reynar laughed. "A little more? The man has been alive for almost 3,000 years."

***

Sophina opened the bedroom door slowly and peeked inside. Evelyn was still sitting in the chair by the bed, exactly as Sophina had seen her the last time she checked on her. She sighed to herself and walked inside. Evelyn was staring vacantly at the wall.

Sophina approached her and squatted on her heels. She grabbed her hand and said, "Evelyn? I am going to take you to the bathhouse with me. And you are going to get a nice haircut. Doesn't that sound exciting?"

Evelyn gave no indication that she had even heard her. Sophina squeezed her hand and stood up. She pulled on her hand until she got Evelyn on her feet. Evelyn's body still worked, but her mind was gone. She walked whenever Sophina pulled her and would stop whenever Sophina stopped.

It's like she's a puppet, Sophina thought sadly. She led Evelyn into the living room where Jon and Ashford were waiting for her.

"Here, put these on," Jon said, throwing her two black cloaks. She wrapped Evelyn in the cloak and pulled the hood over her head. She did the same for herself.

Jon nodded. "Keep the hoods pulled low. We will be staying in Beggar's Hell so we don't have to go far. The bathhouses here aren't as nice as other districts, but there is less of a chance of being spotted here. Besides, I am somewhat protected here," he finished quietly.

Sophina glanced at Ashford, who shrugged. "Why is that?" she asked.

Jon looked up, as though just recalling where he was at. "Nevermind. Let's go." He strode up the stairs, leading the way.

Sophina sighed in relief when she walked out into the night. It was good to be outside again. They made their way out of the ruined house and into the streets. Jon kept them close together. Sophina continued to pull Evelyn along. She kept her other hand on her sword, constantly scanning the streets for any threat.

She felt naked without her armor, but she knew she would stand out like a sore thumb. She didn't need to Jon to point that out as he did earlier that night. He seemed distracted when he told her to get Evelyn ready for the bathhouse and the barber.

"You are a fugitive now, so you must learn to move unseen and unmarked," he had told her with a distracted air. He ran his hand through his hair and then gave her a sharp look. "You must always be wary, Sophina. Trust no one and expect the worst; that way you will never be surprised. Are you any good with that sword?"

The change of topic had startled her. There was something about his behavior that frightened her. "I am good enough," she had finally managed to say. He only nodded his head and left her to take care of Evelyn.

Sophina focused her attention on the present. She was glad that Jon had allowed her to bring her sword and the dagger that she hid in her boot. She wouldn't dare step outside if she didn't have at least a couple of weapons on her.

Jon quickly led the way to a run-down building several blocks from his house. Yellow light poured from the windows and the open doorway. Sophina looked at the other buildings on the street. If there were any other businesses, they were already closed for the night. The only source of light came from this bathhouse.

"Are you sure about this?" Ashford asked, the distaste plain in his voice.

"You could continue to smell like an unwashed beggar if you want," Jon replied.

Sophina smirked and led Evelyn into the bathhouse, past a grumbling Ashford. The proprietor walked up to Jon with a wide smile on his face. He was a tall man with dark eyes and a hooked nose. "Master Laurent! It's good to see you again, my friend." His eyes swept over Sophina and Ashford. "I see you brought some companions to my humble bathhouse."

Jon removed a heavy bag from his belt and pulled open the drawstrings. "It's good to see you again, Tom. My friends here are in need of a bath. A private bath," he added. The silver in his hands glistened in the lamplight.

Tom's smile widened as his eyes darted to Jon's outstretched hand. "Of course, of course! Anything for you, Master Laurent." He walked behind his counter and pulled a small bell from underneath it. He rang it as he extended his smile to everyone in the room. Sophina didn't like him. She couldn't put a finger on the reason why, but there was something not right with him.

Jon must have sensed that too because he said, "And I trust our visit here will go unnoticed?"

Tom bowed low to him. "That goes without saying, Master Laurent, as always."

A man and a woman appeared from the hallway behind the counter and bowed low. Tom turned to the man on the left and said, "Karp, please escort Master Laurent and his male companion to the men's bath." He turned to Sophina and gestured at her and Evelyn to the woman on the right. "Ladies, you can follow Helena here to your bath. She will see to all your needs."

Sophina nodded and pulled Evelyn's arm. She stopped when Jon spoke. "Remember what I told you earlier," he said. "Keep silent and talk to no one."

His gaze held her for several seconds before he turned and left with Ashford. She felt a small knot of fear in her stomach. What is he trying to tell me?

The proprietor watched the exchange with an avidness that Sophina didn't like. He smiled at her and motioned her to follow the woman. She kept her hand on her sword all the way down the hallway. She had a funny feeling that something odd was going on.

The hallway branched to the left and right. The woman turned right and Sophina pulled Evelyn along. The woman opened the door at the end of the hallway and held it open for them.

A long stone fireplace took up the entire far wall. Several cauldrons of water were hung over several of the fires. Several large tubs circled the room. The floor slanted down to the middle of the floor where the drain was located.

Two other women were already filling a tub with steaming water. "I shall prepare another bath," their escort said.

Sophina held out her hand. "That won't be necessary."

The woman bowed. "As you wish." In moments, the tub was filled. The other women bowed low to her and departed swiftly. Their escort turned toward them. "If you need anything, I will be on the other side of the door."

Sophina waited until she shut the door before she relaxed her hand on her sword. She didn't like this feeling of being on edge. She was beginning to regret her desire to go to a bathhouse. With a sudden clarity, she knew what being a fugitive truly meant.

"Let's get cleaned up, shall we?" she asked Evelyn, trying desperately to make it sound like a great treat. Evelyn made no response but continued to stare vacantly at the wall. Sophina sighed and undressed Evelyn and led her to the tub. Sophina splashed her hand inside and decided the heat was tolerable. She had to pick Evelyn up in her arms and set her down carefully inside the tub. If the water was too hot, Evelyn showed no sign of distress.

Sophina propped her sword up against the tub and quickly stripped off her clothes. She stepped into the tub and sighed with pleasure as the heat of the water sapped the weariness from her bones.

"This is nice, isn't it?" Once again, Evelyn made no response. At least she is sitting up and not letting herself drown. That has to mean something.