To Be A Maestro (The Maestro Chronicles) (51 page)

The confident manner in which the rogue spoke impressed Talmon and made the report sound
believable.

“You gave off no nimbus of potential yet claim to have cast a spell to detect every Aakacarn within a five span radius of this camp,” Tobermin was the first to question the validity of the report. “And you seem certain we have a clear path ahead.”

The harmonic emanations ceased after what seemed like an eternity, but only lasted about a tenth of a mark. The crickets and frogs resumed their nightly chorus and the world settled uneasily back into nocturnal life.

The rogue smiled again and with a casual shrug of his shoulders dismissed the doubts expressed by the Vice-Maestro. “If Accomplished Galloway leads this procession directly west without veering north or south, in twenty spans you will come across a battle site where my forces encountered those of
Tarin Conn. If the scavengers have not dragged off the carcasses by then, you will find hundreds of dead Aakacarns and Condemneds. As for my report, go ahead and dismiss it. I don’t want you to become complacent about your safety. Remember, I told you the path is safe for now, this does not mean it will remain so.”

Talmon agreed with Tobermin’s observation concerning the lack of a nimbus and found the very idea of a spell granting the caster the ability to sense every Aakacarn within a five span radius to be ridiculous. The rogue is clearly trying to cloak himself in mystery and was doing a good job of it, going by the affirming nod of Rondara Kapes and those of fully half of the Accomplisheds present. Chen’s blank expression was impossible to read
.

“I think this went well as first meetings go,” the rogue announced while rising from his solidified chair. He tossed an amulet to Senior Forester Galloway. “There is a huge gap filled with mistrust between us that cannot be ignored after one visit. I don’t know you, Senior Forester, but Simon regards you with respect, and so I am choosing you to bridge the gap.”

Talmon was pleased when Galloway looked to him before agreeing to anything. “As a Maestro of Aakadon and leader of this mission, I believe what you propose has merit and have no objection to the Senior Forester acting as the first bridge over the chasm of distrust between us. Accomplished Galloway, will you give our temporary ally one of your communication amulets so he can advise us of any dangers ahead?”

“I am willing, Maestro, and hope to prove worthy of the trust you both are placing in me,” the Senior Forester replied formally, and then handed an amulet of his making to the rogue.

“Since it is clear you are preparing to depart, there is one other detail I would like to bring up before you go,” Tobermin spoke up. The rogue leveled a dark-eyed stare at the Vice-Maestro that caused the tough and experienced Lead Investigator to swallow before continuing. “The stay-of-warrant does not apply to Accomplisheds Jenna and Trenca. The Intern and the Sapling must decide whether to go with you or stay here and be arrested for violation of decree number three-two-eight-nine-seven-one, issued by Grand Maestro Efferin Tames.”

Jenna sprang to her feet. “I am going with Daniel,” she boldly announced.

Trenca glanced at his mentor and stood up slowly. “My deepest ambition is to serve the Chosen Vessel and I will go with him now.”

The only thing about the choice made by the two young Accomplisheds that surprised Talmon was the fact Tobermin gave them one. This had to be an attempt by the Vice-Maestro to gain the trust of Daniel Benhannon and also remove the pair everyone knew to be associates of the rogue. If so, it was a good ploy and Talmon chose not to interfere.

The rogue Accomplished of Ducaun smiled at his associates and they exited the hut together. Ralpen Pentrago, five-bolt Accomplished of the Aqua Guild, stood up as his chair of air vanished. “Maestro, do you actually intend to honor the stay-of-warrant and give him a full day to get away? You know he can teleport instantly back into his stronghold along with however many Aakacarns have associated with him.”

Talmon looked each Accomplished in the eye before choosing to reply. “What I have written and signed carries the full authority of my office and cannot be countermanded by any lesser or equal authority. Daniel Benhannon and his associates will have the time I have granted them and any of you who take action against him will be arrested. Have I made myself clear?”

Every Accomplished quickly assured him of their understanding, but it was Tobermin who asked. “You said lesser or equal authority. What if the Grand Maestro orders us to arrest the rogue and his associates sooner than you promised?”

Talmon rubbed the side of his nose. “I would of course obey the Grand Maestro.” 

-------

According to the Great Tarin
Conn, the army of Accomplisheds from Aakadon had just set up camp ten spans south of the mountain and no doubt planned to venture the rest of the way to it early in the morning. Serena Lowell stood facing them at the top of Mount Kelgotha, fingering her piccolo, and following the notes flooding her mind, coming from the Great One himself. The three members of her team faced north, east, and west, each playing the Melody on their instruments. She could hear Ferren’s trumpet, Ana’s flute, and Ursula’s Serinian horn as each person performed in perfect timing with the Supreme Maestro. The multiple links he had formed to their minds made it possible for him to guide them while each was wide awake. He took their combined crescendo-enhanced potential and focused it one eighth of a full radius to the south, forming a cone of light fanning out to a distance of thirty spans.

The radiant energy of the spell coincided with a continuous flow of harmonic waves which did not stop until
Tarin Conn formed a link to the mind of each person in the camp. The spell within the Supreme Maestro creating the ripples and the one in which Serena participated, both lasted a tenth of a mark, and ended at the same moment, she estimated. The fools from Aakadon will not understand what happened to them until they sleep and Tarin haunts their dreams, the thought amused Serena greatly.

“You did well,” his voice sounded in her head, and then nothing, as if he had cut her out of the link. She held her piccolo in the rest position and was about to address her team when his presence returned. “I have erased the Melody from the minds of your crew. Only you will be permitted to know and use the spell.”

“I will use it to your glory,” Serena assured him.

“I expect that you will,” Tarin replied. “Today we have created a safety zone for my guild to create a base the Accomplisheds of Aakadon will not dare approach closer than thirty spans. They might not even venture beyond the
Troas Mountains.”

“They will tremble at the sound of your name and this group will have to travel all the way back to Aakadon where Efferin Tames will then be forced to sever the link one soul at a time,” Serena replied and could not restrain from laughing.

She closed her eyes and Tarin appeared, standing in all his glory. “The multiple links I have formed to your mind will now be put to better use,” he told her. “I want you to form links to as many minds as you can, starting with the monarchs who are allied with Vance Cummin, and all of the high Lords and Ladies of the Land, along with legion generals and fleet admirals. Start with Pentrosa and then I will guide you where to go from there.”

The new assignment and accumulation of power sent a thrill surging through Serena’s soul and made her breathless with anticipation; even so she managed to regain enough control of her emotions to give thought to the practicalities. “Great One, Vance Cummin has reached agreements with King Xavier and all of the monarchs ruling Fon Kay, Demfilia, and Zune. He has similar ties with Lord Joppa in Taracopa and Prince Trogan of Ecoppia. While, as always, I will do as you say, may I know why you would have me link those rulers and military commanders to my mind?”

Tarin smiled at her, causing a thrill of a different sort to flow through her. “The links I have formed to you will bind them to me by extension. Each of those people has their own reasons for allying with Vance but they are not yet fully loyal to me. You just witnessed the maximum distance in which I can link to the mind of a person and that is with the help of you and your team. With you as my agent, I can reach any mind that comes within twenty paces of you, which is what I estimate to be your personal limit. Therefore, you, your team, and the traveling circle assigned to you will teleport to the various capitals. You will attend the balls, social functions, any gatherings where the people of importance are likely to be, and link them to your mind.”

The magnitude of the assignment was not lost on Serena. Yes, all those people will be servants of
Tarin Conn, but they would also be hers as well. “I am honored to be given such a task and anxious to begin linking those minds.”

In the three days and wonderful nights spent in the Southern Estate with her husband, Sherree had marveled at the underground complex beneath the grand surface. Daniel had told her his muster had grown some since she went to Aakadon not many months ago. Seeing as his house guard went from fifty to a force of over sixteen hundred, she felt he understated the growth more than a smidgen. She expected to see Jerremy, Reginald, Lassiter, and the Accomplisheds formerly of Tomlin Project living at the manor, and they were, just not only them.

When Daniel conveyed her and Simon from the meeting in the wild, they appeared in the southern estate and her husband called for a general assembly. Household staff, groundskeepers, grooms, and the entire southern compliment of the Benhannon Guard came running along with two hundred Accomplisheds who were living and working at the estate. The man she married announced in a strong voice, “I want to introduce to you all, Simon Trenca, a one-bolt Accomplished who is now one of us.” Polite greetings were exchanged as people acknowledged the newest member and then everyone began looking at the Two-bolt who was yet to be introduced. Sherree had stared into Daniel’s eyes and recognized the silent question he had for her, so gave a quick nod of her head and he looked out over the crowd and said, “You are in the presence of Sherree Jenna Benhannon, a two-bolt Accomplished, and my Lady of the Land.”

The crowd had burst into cheers with shouts of congratulations, including the vast majority of Aakacarns, all but those who were trained in Aakadon, even Simon’s jaw dropped at the revelation, and yet not a one voiced a negative word. That had been just the beginning of three hectic days of getting to know everyone and becoming familiar with the estate, above and below ground.

Touring the southern estate had been exciting and gratifying, yet none of it struck her as profoundly as the Northland Holding. Oh, the four buildings, stables, and the corral were the same; it was thousands of people in the huge complex under the ground that made her jaw drop. Hundreds were wearing blue silks like the ones she and Simon were now wearing, with the vast majority dressed as Sentinels. “Daniel, where did all these people come from? I thought we agreed you were not going to make me pump you for information,” She reminded him.

Her husband grinned while leading the way down the corridor, not the least bit contrite. “These people were formerly Condemneds and Aakademneds. Samuel and Sandra, I’ll introduce you to her later, have been tracking them down and bringing those they find here for me to heal,” he began to explain and winked at her before continuing his answer. “The growth has been so fast we would have to be in constant contact with each other for me to keep you informed, not that I would mind being in constant contact with you,” he added playfully. “You heard me say at the meeting we eliminated over four thousand Condemneds. We did not kill them all, only when the Sentinels had to choose between kill or be overwhelmed. The rest are here, over three thousand of them and I have been spending most of my time in the Health Wing. That’s where I was when you contacted me with news about Talmon wanting a meeting.”

Leah joined them from a side corridor. “I have interviewed the people you healed and each of them has expressed their desire to serve you. If the remaining Condemneds and Aakademneds feel the same after being restored, we will have a little over thirty eight hundred Sentinels and about seventeen hundred Aakacarns. The Stone Guild, fewest in number, has around seventeen thousand members, so we are still small in comparison, and yet growing.”

“With the weapons Daniel designed for the Chosen’s Sentinels and the Benhannon Guard, the strength of the Atlantan Guild is far greater than it seems,” Sherree pointed out. Her husband preferred to call his muster an association and only his wife could get away with using the name she had chosen without hearing some sort of correction or denial.

Leah gave the traditional bow of respect. “I agree with you, First Lady. The Atlantan Guild is growing by leaps and bounds, much stronger than we appear to be.”

Daniel’s eyes shifted between his wife and his First Accomplished. “Leah, set up appointments so I can meet the new recruits. I will be in the Health Wing,” he instructed in a flat tone, indicating he was not amused and it was time to tread lightly.

“It will be as you say,” the Four-bolt began to respond, looked carefully into his eyes and added, “Sir Daniel,” before turning away. There were times when the intensity in her husband’s eyes could give anyone pause, even the First Accomplished. Sherree would have bet the woman had been about to call him, Maestro.

Commander Herling, now possessing six gold bars, three on each shoulder, caught up to them just as they entered the Health Wing. “Sir Daniel, I understand you wanted to speak with me.”