To Be A Maestro (The Maestro Chronicles) (49 page)

“I am here and have brought my Sapling, as requested, how may we serve you Maestro?” Barnabas inquired.

“I apologize in advance for the method,” Talmon began and then nodded to Tobermin.

A nimbus the color of
jade formed around the Five-bolt and he focused the spell at the Sapling’s forehead. Galloway’s good-natured countenance hardened. “What is the meaning of this? To strike at my Sapling as if he is untrustworthy and a suspect of some misdeed is an action unbefitting a person of your station. You could at least have asked a question before resorting to such a measure.”

Tobermin stepped closer to the Three-bolt. “I did not hear the honorific. You are addressing the Maestro of the Eagle Guild.”

The Senior Forester barely glanced at the Five-bolt before addressing Talmon. “The omission was intentional. The action you ordered moments ago was not honorable and I demand the spell be lifted immediately.”

“Simon Trenca, are you a spy for the Serpent Guild?” Tobermin asked
, rightly ignoring the demand.

The slim young Accomplished did not hesitate to answer, “No,” not that he could refuse while under the influence of Truth Speak.

“There, are you satisfied?” Barnabas spoke with unveiled contempt.

Tobermin ignored the Senior Forester and continued the questioning. “Simon Trenca, have you in the past and are you now working with the rogue Accomplished?”

The young man actually smiled. “No and No.”

Talmon had been so sure the answer would be in the affirmative. A person being questioned cannot lie while under the spell, yet the look in those hazel eyes and that smile. “Vice-Maestro Tobermin, rephrase the question. He may not share your definition of rogue.”

“Simon Trenca, have you in the past and are you now working with Daniel Benhannon?” the second in command compelled the truth.

The young man clamped his mouth shut, striving mightily not to answer, and his face flushed a deep shade of red. A tear flowed from his right eye from the strain, yet he could not hold back the truth. “Yes and Yes.” The reply came in a tight voice.

“Simon, I respect devotion to a friend, but not to the point of throwing away a promising career. Did I not make it clear to you that any fraternizing with Daniel Benhannon after he failed to honor the decree of the Grand Maestro would be a criminal act?”

Trenca had such respect for his mentor that he answered without being compelled by Tobermin. “You gave me fair warning.”

“Why are you helping Daniel Benhannon?” The Vice-Maestro demanded before Galloway could ask the obvious question.

Trenca showed no signs of trying to hold back his answer, clearly not one bit ashamed of his violation of the law. “Because Daniel is the Chosen Vessel, the Creator’s Champion, and his destiny is to lead us against the forces of
Tarin Conn. It is we Accomplisheds of Aakadon who are currently the rogues. The battle of ages is upon us and you are hindering Daniel, thereby helping the Dark Maestro.”

Tobermin backhanded the Sapling right in the mouth. “H
ow dare you speak such things?”

The young Accomplished smiled as blood trickled from his split upper lip. “Because I speak the truth, you made sure of that, and I am not afraid of you. Go ahead, hit me again.”

“Hold,” Talmon spoke up when the zealous Vice-Maestro raised his hand in response to the taunt. “There is no need of slapping, I need answers, and this clever Sapling is baiting you with a delaying tactic. Now, is Benhannon assisting us? Is he helping to drive off the assaults of the Serpent Guild?”

“Answer the Maestro’s questions!” Tobermin demanded, even though the Sapling had already opened his mouth to reply. The command ensured the answer would be truthful.

“Yes. When I told him we were going to Lobenia and about Maestro Reese being the leader, Daniel figured out the rest, and decided to contribute to the success of the mission,” Simon Trenca replied more thoroughly than the compulsion spell demanded.

“Surely you do not believe him,” Tobermin said, even knowing the young man could only speak that which he believed to be true.

“Barnabas, what do you think?” Talmon asked of the Senior Forester, who had become quiet all of a sudden.

“As a mentor, I believe my Sapling speaks the truth,”
Galloway replied and stared at the young man for a few moments before continuing. “As an experienced Senior Forester and next in line to be a Scholar of Aakadon, I believe Daniel Benhannon is the Creator’s Chosen Vessel.”

“But he defies the Grand Maestro. The true Champion would have come to Aakadon and taken oath as every Accomplished should,” Tobermin insisted.

“Aakasears, historically speaking, have a difficult time conforming to the strictures we Aakacarns must follow. I am not surprised we are temporarily at odds with each other, yet an accommodation must be made for the good of the mission,” Barnabas replied.

Talmon made a decision, the ripple affect of which will carry all the way to the Grand Maestro, and then prayed, may the random notes eventually come together in harmony. “Vice-Maestro, remove the spell from Accomplished Trenca.”

“Thank you,” the Sapling spoke in a soft voice as the order was obeyed.

Talmon sat down on his solidified chair. “How is Accomplished Benhannon tracking us?”

Trenca shrugged his shoulders. “He has not shared with me whatever resources or methods are involved,” he replied and glanced at Tobermin. “Daniel is aware of Truth Speak.”

“Can you get a message to him?” Talmon needed to know.

Trenca started laughing and Tobermin seemed on the verge of once again slapping the Sapling. “Be respectful,” Barnabas chided.

The young Accomplished stifled his laugh and assumed a more dignified demeanor. “No, Maestro, I cannot communicate with Daniel directly.”

“I want to meet with Accomplished Benhannon and see if we can reach the accommodation suggested by your Mentor,” Talmon replied, earning widened eyes from Tobermin and Galloway.

The Vice-Maestro audibly drew air through his nostrils and focused on the Sapling. “Is Sherree Jenna also in league with Daniel Benhannon?”

When Trenca kept his mouth shut, Talmon drew his own conclusion. “I want Accomplished Jenna brought to my hut immediately.”

Tobermin smiled. “Your will be done, Maestro,” he replied and went off to carry out the task.

“I didn’t say anything,” Trenca blurted.

“Your silence spoke volumes and I find it incredulous at this point to believe Accomplished Jenna, one of Daniel Benhannon’s most ardent supporters, is not working with you. I also find it interesting how the two individuals considered to be the least significant to this mission are now in the center of this particular swirling of events,”
Galloway remarked in a scholarly manner.

Silence prevailed until Tobermin returned with Sherree Jenna and Fenton Chen,
a lean man with light brown skin and black silky hair cut short. His brown eyes were ovoid in shape and his mustache neatly trimmed, sloped around his chin and into a thin beard along his jaw line. His gaze met the eyes of each person in the room before locking onto the highest ranked Accomplished. “Maestro, how may we be of service?”

Talmon nodded to Tobermin and the jade nimbus appeared around the Vice-Maestro and he focused the spell at the forehead of the Lobenian-born Accomplished. She stared back at him as if he was nothing more than an annoying insect. “If you have a question, ask it,” Jenna chided him.

“The spell did not work on her,” Tobermin spoke the words as if stating something clearly impossible.

“I concur with my Intern. If you have a question, ask it,” Chen spoke in a calm voice and with a face devoid of expression. The man rarely displayed emotion.

“They used Truth Speak on me,” Trenca had the nerve to say without being prompted, clearly not knowing when to be quiet.

Jenna nodded to him. She must be shielded in some way, a spell to blocked Truth Speak, and a reason why she did not seem intimidated at being in the presence of two Five-bolts, one of which is a Maestro. Talmon decided to proceed and judge the truthfulness of her answers based on his decades of experience listening for lies. “I know Daniel Benhannon has been helping us fight off the Serpents. We know Simon Trenca has been working with the Ducaunan and suspect that you are as well. I want to arrange a meeting with Accomplished Benhannon.”

“Daniel has no reason to trust you. After all, it is your signature on his arrest warrant,” Jenna replied.

“If he had come to Aakadon as instructed and given oath, Accomplished Benhannon would not be an outlaw and neither would Accomplished Trenca. You stand before a Maestro of Aakadon and accuse him of being untrustworthy, while it is your loyalty to your own guild that is in question,” Tobermin responded to the Intern’s disrespectful tone, and justly so.

“I know Daniel is the Chosen Vessel and have openly stated my belief. My mentor can attest to the fact, having heard me speak on the subject often, and I have spoken plainly of this to Maestro Barroon. You do not need to cast Truth Speak on me to learn that I am a supporter of the Creator’s Champion. I say it plainly.” The girl had plenty of audacity, far more than one would expect from a recent initiate to any guild.

Talmon set his gaze on Chen. “What can you attest to us concerning your Intern?”

The Senior Practitioner did not bat an eye or show any reaction during the questioning, as if she had revealed nothing he had not heard before. “Accomplished Jenna’s past is well known, she has spoken of it candidly, and I believe her accounting of events. Since reuniting with my Intern days ago, I have observed her closely, and have seen no evidence to support the belief that Accomplished Jenna is working with Daniel Benhannon to interfere with the mission. She was in my direct line of sight before, during, and after each assault and I can attest to the fact that she showed no outward signs of communicating with anyone.”

Tobermin pointed to the Intern. “So you believe her story about being a Condemned and then fully restored to health, does this mean you believe Benhannon can control her actions?”

To Talmon’s great surprise, the Senior Practitioner nodded affirmatively. “I believe Sherree Jenna is a mind-slave of Daniel Benhannon and is incapable of disobeying him, which is probably why Truth Speak does not work on her.”

The Intern flinched at hearing the words of the Senior Practitioner and her eyes widened in disbelief. “Then why did you accept me back?”

Talmon wanted to hear the answer to that question as well. “I too would like to know why you would bring someone you consider to be a mind-slave on such a vital mission.”

Chen stared at his Intern the way a researcher might examine a newly discovered species of insect. “I have had the opportunity over the years to examine Condemneds and find this one to be unique. A neophyte Aakasear has modified the spell composed by
Tarin Conn and used the Melody to refashion this creature to her original form. I have never seen a Condemned who can act of their own free will, yet this one knows everything Sherree Jenna knew before she encountered Serin Gell, is able to learn the spells I have taught her in the last few days, and can function independently of her master. She is a fascinating study and has provided me the opportunity to better understand what Benhannon has accomplished. Look at her hands and that face. His work is flawless and while I am disgusted by what he has done, I admire the skill. I am a Scholar of the Aloe Guild and my intellectual curiosity needed to be satisfied.”

Chen offered an explanation with no apology and Talmon would have reprimanded the Senior Practitioner if the circumstances had been different. Accommodations must be made and much more than this breach in protocol would need to be smoothed over before this mission is completed. Talmon observed how the set of Jenna’s eyes went from shock, to sad, and now was beginning to harden. It must have been difficult to be spoken of so dispassionately by someone she clearly respected and be referred to by him as a creature and a mind-slave. Her reaction proved to Talmon she had control of her mind, enough to make her own decisions. “Accomplished Jenna, I still want to meet with Daniel Benhannon, and will sign a temporary stay-of-warrant. This mission is vital and since he is demonstrating a willingness to assist us, I believe we have a greater probability of success if we work together.”

Jenna’s green-eyed stare fixed on him as if she was looking for any trace of deceit. She gave a quick nod of her head, removed an amulet from her cloak, and held the gem against her forehead, an action instantly proving her guilt in associating with Benhannon. She kept the conversation private, did a good job of controlling her facial features and even so Talmon could tell by the widening of her eyes that she was not in full agreement with Benhannon’s decision. She put the amulet away, deliberately did not look at her mentor, spared a glance at Trenca, and then focused on Talmon. “He is coming. The nearest clearing is spans away so his arrival will not be instantaneous. Alert your Senior Soarers to expect him and not to focus potential at him or his Sentinels. If this is a trick to arrest him, you will regret it.”

“You are addressing the Maestro of the Eagle Guild, whose word is beyond question. Your master should know better than to end such a communication with a threat,” Tobermin was quick to correct her show of disrespect.