To Be A Maestro (The Maestro Chronicles) (36 page)

Silvia glanced at her husband before saying, “I would be irritated with David if he failed to inform me someone nearly succeeded in killing him. Yes, Sherree will be upset and afraid for your safety, yet do not add to the emotion the fear that you will keep other such truths from her in the future.”

She made a good point, besides which, Daniel wanted to speak to his wife. “If one of you would fetch the amulet from the drawer over there, I’ll contact her immediately,” he replied while pointing at the dresser.

Even though the Sentinels had to have heard the exchange neither of them commented. Daniel was fairly sure Carn thought nothing more than another person who had been restored by the Chosen Vessel was concerned about his health. Jana’s eyes widened momentarily, she gave a quick nod as if coming to a certain realization, and then went to the dresser and brought the amulet to Daniel. “Thanks,” he told her and then placed the gem against his forehead.

“How is my wife feeling this beautiful morning,” Daniel sent through the device just as one of Tarin Conn’s harmonic waves washed once again through the world.

“Your wife is missing you but otherwise feeling fine,” Sherree’s thought came with a sense of longing. Wariness instantly began to mingle with the other emotion.

Daniel pressed on. “I miss you too. How are things going in Aakadon? Were you and the other Accomplisheds of the Tomlin project well received?”

“I am currently sitting on a couch, waiting for my appointment with the Maestro of the Zephyr Guild, and the harmonic waves from Kelgotha, like the one we just experienced, have people here in such a state they are not interested in talking about the Chosen Vessel. Every mention causes them to think of the Vessel under the mountain rather than you. Half of them think you are still Silenced and the rest believe Efferin Tames to be the better candidate, as if their choice counts more than the Creator’s,” Sherree replied.

The attitude did not surprise Daniel in the least. “What about Lassiter and the others?” he pushed, wanting to confirm Bella and Leah’s speculations.

A strong sense of disappointment attached itself to the longing and wariness. “He and the others have been declared dead and are temporarily staying at Caster Hall.”

Leah and Bella underestimated the reaction, believing the Accomplisheds would at least be allowed back into their respective guild premises until their status could be determined. “But all of them have lighting bolts, why place them with the unaffiliated graduates?” Daniel asked.

“Jerremy and I have been allowed into our guilds because neither of us has been declared dead,” Sherree replied and Daniel sensed she had more to say on the subject in the wordless emotion-filled pause that followed, and then, “What are you not telling me? It almost feels as if your thoughts are being focused through a screen,” her question, after the delay, caught him by surprise. She still did not answer what he asked of her.

His attempt at moderating his emotions only seemed to increase her wariness and made her more anxious rather than easing her concerns. He had hoped to convey the attempted assassination to be nothing more than a tiny setback. “The matter has been taken care of and steps have been taken to insure it does not happen again,” he began.

“What matter will not happen again?” Her question came back in a rush and the sense of wariness coming from his wife hit him like a flood.

“A member of the Serpent Guild, under a spell of invisibility, stabbed me with a knife, almost succeeded in killing me, and then died after David, Silvia, and half a score or so of Sentinels drilled him full of holes. Leah healed my wound and now I am recuperating after having lost quite a lot of blood. I’m feeling fit enough to get back to my chores but everyone insists I need to stay in bed until my blood supply is normal,” he replied and then waited for her reaction.

The tidal wave of emotions that came at him through the link was impossible to sort through although love, fear, and anger, were strongly in the mix. “You stay in bed until every drop of blood has been replaced. Now, tell me exactly what happened, what is being done to prevent this from happening again, and who is Leah, the one who put her hands on you?”

Daniel gave her all the details, how he located and restored Leah, her being the first Accomplished to officially associate with him, the coming assault on the Serpent Nest in Mount Tirana, and the multi-level complex being fashioned by Leah beneath the holding. The more he told Sherree, the calmer her emotions became, as if each detail made her feel closer to what was happening in his life. “So Loper is right here in the room with me and I have my personal shield in place even while lying in bed. I’m concerned about the others walking around so long with their shield amulets draining the life force energy out of them. In another day or so I want to refill their vats.”

Love and concern flowed through the mental link formed by the amulet. “Have Leah refill the vats. A four-bolt Accomplished should have no difficulty performing the task. I am not pleased about you throwing yourself back into danger at
Mount Tirana, yet I see why it must be done. The Serpent Guild has infested the world and most of the Accomplisheds in Aakadon believe the rogue guild has gone into hiding. The harmonic waves are another matter. People here are convinced the shield holding Tarin Conn is weakening and steps must soon be taken.”

“Actually, I believe the Dark Maestro is growing stronger and the potential locked into the shield is becoming less and less adequate for the task. If the spells holding him are variable, a Grand Symphony may be necessary to raise the potential far above its current level,” Daniel gave his opinion.

A sense of determination came through the link. “Maybe I will bring your idea up to Terroll Barnes. He seems to be the only one willing to grant me an audience, not even Janna Barroon has agreed to see me again,” Sherree sent along with a sense of frustration.

“I love you,” Daniel sent with all the emotion he could pack behind the words. It was not the reply she would have been expecting, but it is ce
rtainly how he feels about her.

“I love you, mountain man, so don’t go and get yourself killed. Stay in bed until you are completely well. I have an amulet to stay in touch and will take steps to insure you do not start on those chores before you are fit,” she replied.

Daniel bade her farewell and placed the amulet on the table beside his bed. “You were right,” he told Silvia, who nodded in total satisfaction.

The day waned on and Daniel continued to grow stronger. Jared visited him for a few marks before sundown and then went about his business. Shella and Jax were once again the Sentinels on night duty, David and Silvia went to bed, and Loper suddenly sat up sniffing with his nose pointed at the window.
Your mate comes.

A short time later Sherree entered his bedroom. “Yes, I am his wife,” she told the Sentinels. “Do not make the fact public knowledge.”

“She is,” Daniel confirmed after getting over being stunned by her announcement.

The pair of them saluted her. “It will be as you say, Lady Sherree,” they quickly replied, acknowledging her title as Lady of the Benhannon Holding, and leaving off the last name so as to respect her command.

“Loper and I can protect him. Find something else to do until morning,” Sherree instructed and they quickly complied.

When they exited the room, the beautiful Lobenian turned her attention to matters at hand. She came over to her husband, cast a spell to assess his health, after ordering him to temporarily remove his shield, and then nodded her head. “I just need to hold you tonight. Spells are cast on a near constant basis in the Aloe Guild between the training of interns and healing emergencies, so I found an empty chamber where the harmonic waves from Conveyance will go unnoticed among the other castings.”

Daniel needed no explanations. “I’m just happy to see you.”

She stripped to her underwear, climbed into bed, cuddled up, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms. The shield spells prevented anything more intimate from happening, yet they were necessary with the assassination attempt so fresh on their minds. Even so, having her
near made him feel much better.

Sherree woke before dawn, Daniel knew because he had awakened half a mark earlier. She quickly dressed and asked, “Why do you think the Serpent Guild infiltrated the holding?”

Daniel had some fairly strong suspicions. “I think the assassination attempt was an opportunity strike. They are coming after me for two reasons, the flute of Della Lain and the trumpet of Tarin Conn. They know Serin Gell had the flute and was expecting his associate, who I executed, to bring the trumpet. It is logical for them to assume I am in possession of both.”

Sherree stared at him for several moments and then asked, “Are you in possession of both instruments?”

Daniel was not at liberty to discuss the Ducaunan royal family’s ties with Della Lain and the trumpet, not even with his wife, and yet did not want to be dishonest with her. “Leah is guarding the flute while I am recovering and the trumpet is hidden in this holding,” he admitted while leaving out the particulars.

Sherree came back and sat on the edge of the bed. “I am asking you to take both of those instruments to Aakadon. Stop frowning. Hear me out. The Serpent Guild will never stop looking for those crescendos. You and I both know that.”

Daniel still did not trust the leaders of Aakadon to safeguard the instruments. “Serin Gell escaped their custody.”

“I remember. You may recall he Condemned me,” she replied, as if he could ever forget. “If the flute of Della Lain and the trumpet of
Tarin Conn are publicly known to be in Aakadon, I believe the Serpent Guild will refocus their efforts away from you to something else. I don’t really care where, so long as you are no longer the focal point. Please, think of one person in Aakadon you trust and take the crescendos to the Accomplished.”

Daniel truly wanted to refuse, his mountaineer steadfastness screamed at him to deny the plea, and keep the instruments where he knew them to be safe. Those emerald green eyes stared into his and he made up his mind. “How did your meeting go with Terroll?”

Sherree blinked several times, no doubt having expected an answer rather than a question. “He came to believe you to be the Chosen Vessel before or during your duel with Balen Tamm, I’m not entirely sure when exactly, but he does believe you to be the champion to lead us in the coming war against Tarin Conn.”

There were only a few people in Aakadon who could be trusted and Terroll was one of them. “In the near future, after I am fully recovered, I will take the crescendos to the Maestro of the Zephyr Guild.”

“Remove the shield from your face,” Sherree instructed him and then kissed him with a passion that made him wish she could stay longer. She moved back from the embrace. “I’m not sure when I can see you, but be assured I will be back and there will be no shields between us.”

Daniel looked forward to that day and was about to tell her so when there was an abrupt knock on the door and Leah walked in. The former Senior Soarer’s eyes locked onto the golden-haired Accomplished of Aakadon and took a deep breath. “You are Sherree Jenna, a member of the Aloe Guild
, going by the medallion, and a veteran of the Battle of Bashierwood.”

“I am and you are Leah Barryn, a four-bolt Accomplished recently associated with,” she paused and glanced at Daniel before continuing, “Maestro Benhannon of the Atlantan Guild.”

Daniel chuckled at the joke. “Where did you get that name?”

Sherree shrugged. “She is clearly not a Ducaunan, you will probably be recruiting other Aakacarns from who knows how many nationalities, and your association must be called something. You are the leader, so it all seems to fit.”

Leah did not smile at Sherree’s show of humor; at least Daniel believed it was meant to be humorous. The Ecoppian’s head slanted slightly to the right as if to give her a better angle on the person she clearly did not expect to find in this room. “Have you come to affiliate with us?”

Sherree’s gaze never wavered while she responded. “First, I want to thank you for saving the life of my husband and second, no one is to know he and I are married.”

Leah’s jaw dropped open, her eyes widened, and several minutes went by before she spoke, but not to Sherree. “I knew from the moment I chose to affiliate with you that I would have to make many adjustments. While I admit to being stunned, this is just another adjustment, and I might eventually come to see the relationship as nothing out of the ordinary. You are the Chosen Vessel and I will always serve you to the best of my ability no matter how many of our Aakacarn customs you cast aside,” that said she turned to Sherree. “As far as I am concerned, your marriage is sealed to the office of the Maestro, and I will not betray an Atlantan Guild confidence.”

Daniel grabbed his covers and was about to throw them off, when he realized there was nothing on his body except a pair of underpants. So much for standing eye to eye to deliver the retort, he had to settle for frowning at the grinning pair. “There is no guild and I am not a Maestro.”

Sherree smiled at him. “If you say so,” she said and then grabbed her diamond-bladed knife, glowed amber with potential, and disappeared in a flash.

Leah smiled at him. “There is always something new with you. I doubt boredom will ever be an issue. I came to make sure all is well before I go back to work on the underground project.”