Canavan, Trudi - Black Magician 03 by Canavan Trudi

Canavan, Trudi - Black Magician 03 by Canavan Trudi

Author:Canavan, Trudi
Language: eng
Format: epub


But silence was his only reply.

21

A Dangerous Road

Ninth day of the fifth month

We were forced to stop this morning when we encountered a landslip that had blocked the road.

The servants have spent the day digging, but I fear we will not move on until tomorrow. I have climbed to the top of a hill. The mountains are now a dark line across the horizon. Looking ahead, I see dusty hills continuing to the north. These wastelands seem endless. Now I understand why Kyralian merchants do not often trade with Sachaka. It is an impossible journey, and Riko tells me it is easier for the Sachakans to trade with lands in the northeast. And, of course, they distrust

the Guild...

A knock at the door interrupted Rothen. He sighed, lowered the book and willed the dooj open. Dannyl stepped into the room, his brow creased with a frown.

"Dannyl," Rothen said, "would you like some sumi?"

Dannyl closed the door, walked to Rothen's chair, and stared down at him. "You volunteered to go to Sachaka?"

"Ah." Rothen closed the book and set it down on the table. "So they told you."

"Yes." Dannyl seemed to struggle for words. "I want to ask why, but I don't have to. You're going to look for Sonea, aren't you?"

Rothen shrugged. "In a way." He gestured to a seat. "Sit down. Even Ifeel uncomfortable when you're towering over me like that."

Dannyl sat down and stared across the table at Rothen.

"I'm surprised the Higher Magicians agreed. They must have realized finding Sonea might become more important to you than discovering if the Ichani exist."

Rothen smiled. "Yes, they did consider that. I told them that if there was a choice between saving Sonea and completing the mission, I would choose to save Sonea. They accepted that condition because I have a better chance of persuading her to return—and because I am not the only spy."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" "I only volunteered this morning." "But you must have been thinking about it before then." "Only since last night. After I watched you dealing with Garrel, I came to the conclusion that you don't really need my help." Rothen smiled. "My support, perhaps, but not my help.

Sonea, however, does need my help. I've been unable to do anything for her for so long. Now I finally can."

Dannyl nodded, but he did not look happy. "What if Akkarin's story is true? What if you walk into a land ruled by black magicians? He said any Guild magician entering Sachaka would be killed."

Rothen sobered. It was going to be a dangerous mission. He was not a little frightened by the possibility he would encounter the magicians Akkarin had described.

If the Ichani were not real, however, then Akkarin must have had a reason to invent them. Perhaps he'd done so simply to ensure the Guild allowed him to live. Perhaps it had been part of some greater deception. If that were so, he would be anxious to hide the truth. He might be the black magician who killed any Guild magician who entered Sachaka.



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