The Eighth Warden Ch. 019-020

He stepped forward and spoke with a tone of authority she'd never heard him use before. "A pleasure to meet you, Your Grace. I am Corec Tarwen, third son of Lord Ansel, Baron of Tarwen, out of Larso." He waited until the bishop had acknowledged him with a nod, then continued speaking. "About two months ago, I ran into Katrin, here," he laid a hand on her shoulder, "at an inn. We didn't speak that night, but around that same time, my arm and her head started itching. They kept itching until the next time we met, about nine or ten days later, when the runes appeared on those spots. The one on my arm is an exact match to the one on her head."

He rolled up his sleeves, having foregone his armor for the visit to the temple. The match to Katrin's rune shone on his right arm, just above the one matching Treya's own. Shavala's rune glowed on his left.

Lastal stood, then, and came around his desk to peer at all of the runes, finally stopping in front of Treya. "And you have a similar story?"

"Yes, Your Grace, though Shavala's came first." She indicated the elf girl.

"Mine took eleven days," Shavala said.

"Though, as best we can remember, the itching didn't start until the day after we'd met," Corec added. "And we weren't separated the entire time in between. She joined us several days before the runes appeared."

Treya said, "For me, the itching started right after we met. It took nine days for the rune to appear, but I was with them the whole time, other than the two nights I spent at the Three Orders chapter house in Four Roads."

"We spoke to a wizard here in Tyrsall," Corec said. "This was before we met Treya. He said they were binding runes and were the result of a binding spell. He tried to banish the spell, but it didn't work. Treya thought we should come here."

"I don't believe there's anything I can do about a binding spell," Lastal said. "Do you know who cast it?"

Corec shrugged. "I think it must have been me, but I don't know how I'm doing it. I'm some sort of...well, not a wizard, but something like it."

"I was under the impression that a binding spell took some time to prepare."

"Yes, that's what the wizard said. He doesn't think I'm responsible, but I don't see how anyone else could have done it."

Treya said, "Could it be be some sort of curse? Either the binding spells themselves, or the fact that they keep happening?"

"Telkin mentioned you'd asked about that," Lastal said. "But no, curses are more direct than that. Get sick, grow weak, feel pain. A curse can't cast a spell, and it certainly can't keep casting the same spell over and over again. Still, it won't hurt to try it."

He reached up and touched her forehead, concentrating. He didn't say anything, but Treya felt something happening, almost a sense of anticipation. Then the feeling passed. She could still see her rune reflected in his eyes.

"No," he said, "there's no curse to be broken, either demonic or demonborn."

"Demonborn?"

"Demonborn can sometimes inherit the abilities of their ancestors, just as godborn can."

"Godborn?" Corec said in surprise. "I thought they were a myth."

"Oh, they exist, but they're rare, and even the godborn themselves seldom know they're different than anyone else. They aren't born with the stigma of a demonborn. Usually." He glanced back at Treya. "I tried healing you as well, but there's nothing wrong with you."

She slumped. It had been a long shot, but she'd still been hopeful he'd be able to help. "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"Or any way to keep it from happening again?" Corec asked.

"Let me examine each of you more carefully," the bishop said. He stepped away and faced them, his eyes becoming cloudy as the irises turned white. After a moment, they returned to normal. "You don't think it's unusual that you're all mages of one sort or another?"

"What?" Katrin said. "I'm not a mage!"

"Are you sure about that? I've met a druid before, and of course our little cousin here can use divine magic. You have arcane magic, like your young man, though both of you use it in ways I've never seen before."

"I...I'm a bard. I have the talent for it, anyway."

"Ahh, that would explain it. Bards don't like to refer to their abilities as magic, but they are. All four of you have some sort of magic—do you think it's a coincidence that you all came together like this?"

Treya exchanged glances with her companions.

"Does that mean anybody who isn't a mage is safe?" Corec asked.

Lastal hesitated. "Who can say? That depends entirely on what's actually happening."

"Is there anything else we should try, Your Grace?" Treya said.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually, but I'd suggest staying together until then, just in case. What else were you planning to try?"

Corec said, "The wizard we spoke to said there's another wizard who might be able to help. Rallus?"

"Rallus? I've met the man. He'll want something in exchange."

"We're prepared to pay him."

"Hmm. Perhaps, then. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be of more help."

They said their goodbyes then, and Telkin escorted them out of the building.

As they walked away, Corec said, "I don't trust him."

"Telkin? Why not?" Treya asked.

"No—the bishop. I think he knew more than he was saying."