Magus (Advent Mage Cycle) (28 page)

Shad, being the brat he is, straightened in his chair and asked, “Now what’s this? I haven’t heard this story.”

“Don stored it in a crystal; we can show it to you later.”

I groaned. That was exactly what I
didn’t
want to hear.

“Crystal?” Shield repeated in confusion.

“Magicians can store knowledge or memories in crystals, so that other people can see them,” Chatta explained. She too, was very excited and curious. “I’ve heard this story before, but I’d like to see it too.”

I looked at her woefully. Did she have to encourage this?

Sallah couldn’t take her eyes off of me for long. “We were so surprised to see you—to finally have another Mage in the family. For so long, it’s just been us!”

“I never expected it,” I admitted. “All of the family history was lost—I was never told anything about the Rhebens being a magical family.”

“We’ll have a marvelous time filling you in,” she laughed. “And I can have a copy made of the family history book so you can take it back with you.”

I nodded gratefully. “Please? My parents are going to want every detail.”

“I’m sure,” she murmured in complete understanding. "I'm delighted to have everyone else here, too. We've been watching all of you—” she turned so that she could see everyone in the room "—and have been cheering you on from here as you rescued people. We also have some information for you, as well. Another Elemental Mage has appeared on the Chahiran coast. Don marked down his location so that you could collect him."

We all perked up at that. "I'd appreciate it if he could show me where on the map," Xiaolang said firmly. "Is this person in immediate danger?"

"It didn't look like it," she refuted thoughtfully. "He's usually by himself in the mountains. Still…he's so young. Perhaps eight or nine years old. I hate leaving him where he is for much longer."

Xiaolang and I exchanged glances. We hadn't planned on staying here for more than a day or so. But that might be too much time. "Wait or go?" I asked him.

"…wait," he finally determined. "We'll trust her judgment in this. One day shouldn't hurt."

"Sallah, where is Don?" Raile asked her mildly.

She blinked, realization dawning on her face. "Oh, shoot! He’s in his workshop. Wait, I’ll go get him.”

I didn't like the idea of a pregnant woman running around alone, so I followed her out the front door. "Night, will you go with Sallah?"

He raised his head from the grass, looking at her curiously. "
Your cousin, correct?"

Sallah stopped dead when she saw him, mouth hanging. "Y-you're—”

I felt like smacking myself in the forehead. Of course, they hadn't been introduced yet. "Sorry. Sallah this is my Nreesce, Night. Night, my cousin Sallah Bender."

Night lifted one hoof and ducked his head, his version of a bow. "
A pleasure, Sallah
."

She bowed back, arms spread. "We seek the balance." The look she shot me was surprised and a little…uneasy, perhaps? I couldn't decide what that look meant. "You are very young to be trusted with a Nreesce, cousin."

I rubbed the back of my head ruefully. "Um, actually, I was there when he was born. He adopted me as his Rider when he was five minutes old." When I thought back on that night, I groaned. "I'd barely been in school for a day when it happened!"

The odd look on her face grew more intense. "How do you get into all of these strange situations?"

Night had the gall to snicker.
"He has a gift for finding trouble
."

I had this childish urge to stick my tongue out at him. “See if I feed
you
peanut butter anymore.”

He gave a disdainful toss of the head, dismissing the threat. “
Where are we going, Sallah?”

She blinked, whatever thought she had been entertaining vanishing from her mind. “Oh, just down the street. I need to get my brother-in-law.” With a smile at me, she scampered down to the street, Night trailing at her heels.

I was watching them walk side by side when Terran came up from behind, coming to lean against the railing. “Rhebengarthen, I should warn you that I’m going to reveal who Night truly is.”

I shot him a look from the corner of my eye. “Is that strictly necessary?”

“Yes.” There was no compromise in his tone.

“Why?”

“For one thing, it means that we can stop searching for you.”

It was a valid point, so I couldn’t argue against it. Unfortunately.

“No one knows, do they?” he murmured, eyes trained on my face. “About who he really is—or who you really are.”

“Two people know, aside from us,” I answered quietly.

“Your friend Chatta, I assume?”

“…no,” I reluctantly admitted.

“No?” he repeated in surprise. “I felt sure…”

“I barely knew Chatta when Night adopted me,” I explained uneasily. “I wasn’t sure who to trust with the whole truth at that point. Besides…one of the last things that Advent Eve said to me was his name, and who could be trusted with that name. I just…” I blew out a breath, frustrated that I couldn’t find the right words to explain this. “I just feel that
secret
and
sacred
should go hand in hand.”

For a long moment Terran mulled that over. Then his eyes lightened, crinkling at the corners. “Trivoxor did well when he chose his Rider.”

I flushed slightly, shifting under that regard, not knowing exactly how to respond.

“But your secret isn’t going to remain that way much longer.” He spread his hands in a rueful gesture. “Prepare yourself, eh?”

“I think we’re both experienced enough now to handle it.” Hopefully. After all the hype that’s been attached to us, with my ridiculous reputation, this can’t be more than one more drop in the bucket, right?

Somehow, that thought didn’t quell the sense of impending doom looming in the back of my mind.

“Didi! Quit!”

I groaned. Now what had he done? I ducked back inside the house, looking for a small, winged creature that was soon to be on the Endangered Species list. Sure enough, he had found some elaborate afghan with bright patterns in it, and was attempting to unravel it. Chatta had her wand out, facing him down like she was in a duel.

“You put that down right now or I’ll zap you!” she growled, one clenched fist shaking in obvious threat.

Didi’s ears went flat in dejection, and he clutched the afghan even tighter. “Diiiiiiiii,” he said plaintively.

I thought this time might come, and I’d come prepared. Before leaving Del’Hain, I’d asked Trev’nor to come up with an elaborate braided puzzle for our winged friend. Trev’nor had taken great delight in devising a system of knots so complicated it would take
weeks
for Didi to unravel it all. I drew it out of my pocket with a smile of sheer anticipation. “Oh, Didi?” I sing-songed cheerfully.

Didi looked at me cautiously. “Di?”

“Trev’nor gave me a toy for you,” I informed him, presenting the knot with both hands. “He said that it would be nearly impossible for you to unravel
this
.”

The Meuritta’s bright eyes fastened onto the string in my hand like a starving man would eye a banquet. “Di!”

Knowing that I had a little under a second before I was pounced on, I started to put it back into my pocket. “Of course, if you want the afghan instead…”

“DI!” he wailed in protest.

“Trade?” I offered innocently.

He emphatically nodded, tossing the afghan to me without a second of hesitation. I caught it with my right hand, tossing him the toy with my left. He nimbly caught it, chittering happily.

Chatta relaxed when all of his attention was diverted to the knot in his hands. “When did you get
that
?” she asked in gratitude.

“Night before we left.” I grinned at her. “I thought it might come in handy.”

“Thank heavens you were thinking ahead.” Her eyes went to the afghan in my hand. “Now, how to undo the damage…” She tapped her wand thoughtfully against her jaw for a moment, considering. Then she pointed it at the unraveled edge. “
Repair
.”

In seconds, it re-weaved itself back into the original pattern. I studied it carefully, but it looked fine. “Good as new.”

“Good,” she said in relief.

I carefully put the afghan out of sight, just in case Didi couldn’t resist having
both
toys.

We all turned toward the doorway when we heard the heavy tread of boots crossing the porch. The door opened, a rather heavyset man entering…only to bow to a stop when he saw us. He was dark, like a Hainian, but with vivid blue eyes. Those eyes lit up in recognition as they passed over the occupants of the room. “Y-you’re…”

“Indeed, Aral,” Raile drawled in amusement. “They came for a quick visit and to use the pool. May I formally introduce Captain De Xiaolang of the Red Hand and his team—Shield Garbracen, Hazard Harewood, Eagle Sevar, and Aletha Saboton. Then we have Witch L-Chattamoinita Delheart, Captain Riicshaden of Chahir—” Aral’s mouth dropped at that, apparently he recognized Shad’s name “—and the one you’ve been looking for all this time: Magus Rhebengarthen. Garth, this is Aral Bender, Elemental Mage and Sallah’s husband.”

Aral looked like a feather could knock him over. His eyes fastened on me, like his wife’s had, with joy and relief and incredulity.

I walked to him, fighting a smile, and offered my hand. “Well met, cousin.”

He laughed as he accepted the handclasp. “I guess we are at that, several times removed! We never expected for you to actually come
here
. Sallah was making noises about tracking you down when the baby was born, and perhaps visiting your parents.”

“They’d love that,” I assured him. “We never knew that magic ran in the family. They thought I was an anomaly.”

“You are,” Chatta assured me brightly.

I shot her a glare, but it only bounced right off her innocent smile. I’d get her for that comment later…

Aral snorted, releasing my hand. “And where is my wife?”

“She went to fetch Don,” Raile informed him.

“She’ll be back in a moment then,” he acknowledged. He turned to look at Shad, and there was child-like wonder in his face. “Captain Riicshaden, I’m very glad to see that you’re out of that crystal.”

“Thank you,” Shad replied with twinkling eyes. “I’m very glad to
be
out of the crystal.”

“I’m sure!” Aral responded, mouth curving up in a rueful manner. “But how did you survive so long in there? By the time that we started reviewing history, and putting the pieces together, it had already been a hundred years since you were put in there. We were sure it was too late.”

“The crystal was tied directly to a ley line,” I offered when Shad floundered. “It was sustaining itself.”

Aral nodded. “I see. You pulled him out, then?”

“Yes.”

“Amazing,” he murmured to himself. “There are two walking legends in my living room.”

“And a third on his way,” Terran noted in amusement.

“Eh?” Aral frowned at him, puzzled.

“
Terran
,” I warned.

“They have to know sometime,” Terran pointed out in an oh-so-reasonable tone. “And you can trust everyone in this room. You know that.”

That wasn’t the problem. I’d kept this secret so long it felt like… like I was committing some major sin to let it be spoken aloud.

“Trust us with
what
?” Chatta was watching me closely, brow furrowed in a slight frown.

I was saved by Sallah’s voice coming from the doorway. “Aral, you’re home!” She was flushed from her quick walk and nearly bouncing in place from excitement. “Don!” she called impatiently through the door.

“I’m coming, you impatient woman, I’m coming!” a light tenor responded, heavily colored in exasperation. “You’d think that the end of the world was coming the way you’re carrying on…” Finally the speaker appeared. His voice matched his looks; he was tall, thin, with dark auburn hair and gray eyes. He took one look at the occupants of the room and his words dried up.

Raile introduced us all again. Don’s eyes grew slightly bigger with each person, and when they reached me, I thought they were going to fall out of their sockets. “You’re actually here…” he breathed.

“We are indeed,” Xiaolang replied, lips twitching.

“What did you mean, about the third one coming?” Aral asked Terran in confusion. “You can’t mean Don.”

“I meant Garth’s Nreesce, Night,” Terran corrected. “Or, as Night is properly known, Trivoxor.”

Every magician in the room froze.

Aw
rats
, that did it! I lifted one hand to cover my eyes, fighting to remain still and not bolt for the outside. “Terran,” I growled, “did you have to mention this
now
?”

Night chose this moment to stick his head through the door, so he could see me. “
What’s going on?
”

“Terran decided to bust open the keg,” I answered tersely.

“Wait.” Chatta’s eyes were bouncing between me and Night, watching us as if our eyebrows had just turned fluorescent green. “You’re telling me that
Night
is
Trivoxor
? As in, the legendary Nreesce that will choose the most powerful Mage as his Rider?”

Night and I shared panicked looks.

“
Um, I’m going back to mowing the lawn.
” He scurried backward, disappearing at lightning speed.

“Coward!” I yelled after him.

“Garth, what is this about?” Xiaolang’s voice was deceptively mild.

I’d get Night for this later. Abandoning me to all of these questions…maybe I’d get Didi to braid fluorescent pink braids into his tail. I longingly eyed the door, but alas, there were three people blocking me from the entrance. Besides, Shad was faster than I was—so was Xiaolang, come to think of it. I’d never make it to freedom.

“Garth,” Chatta warned in a dark tone, “don’t even
think
about making a break for it.”

Busted buckets, she knows me too well. I sighed, shoulders slumping. No choice, I’d have to come clean. “Night is the only son of Advent Eve, the mother of the Nreesce Race,” I explained in a near monotone. “And, well…there’s sort of a prophesy attached to him.”