Arrogan had mentioned his sisters, and with all the stress and tragedy of the past few weeks, Will realized he had gone far too long without checking on them. Regular practice since the end of the war had made the task of slipping out of his body and into the astral plane almost routine. Sensory deprivation wasn’t necessary anymore; closing his eyes and taking a moment to clear his mind was all Will needed.

  Forming his intent silently, the image of Laina appeared before him, and the world around her came into focus. She was in her room in the house Mark Nerrow had acquired for the family in Cerria. Their original city home had been burned to the ground, but the new house was just as nice, though it hadn’t yet acquired the decades of expensive decorations and artwork that had adorned the former house.

  Laina was sprawled across a cushioned chair with one leg resting on a side table. She looked disheveled with her hair in disarray and dark circles beneath her eyes. Her attire was a match for her face, since she wore a linen shift that had seen better days. She wasn’t preparing for sleep, though, for she wore heavy leather work shoes on her feet. The dirt on the hem of her shift also indicated she’d been wearing it out and about.

  Will couldn’t imagine that Laina’s mother would have allowed her to leave her bedroom in such a state, but the evidence was clear, which probably meant she and Agnes were currently at war with one another.

  Unlike others that Will sometimes spied on, his sister Laina had acquired a sense of the astral after the events related to the vampire attack on the capital. The bond between their souls also made her sensitive to his presence, and though her eyes had been closed, they now opened. She turned her head slowly until her half-lidded eyes could focus on Will’s vantage point. “Go away,” she said in a hoarse voice that lacked energy or conviction.

  “Selene told me you went ahead with the third compression. Are you sick?” Will asked worriedly.

  Laina’s face gained animation for a moment as she snarled and hurled a firebolt in his direction. It passed harmlessly through him but left a black scorch mark on the stone wall behind his vantage point. “I was over that two weeks ago. Tabitha is almost over it as well. Get out.”

  He hadn’t realized she had done the same for Tabitha. Anger warred with relief, but there was little he could do in his disembodied state. “That was foolish.”

  “It was her choice. One of the few she can still make for herself,” growled Laina.

  Will clearly remembered the logic behind allowing Laina to leave, as well as not trying to find out what information Lognion had planted with her to tempt him into disaster, but his anxiety was too much. “What’s going on?” he asked. “I can’t bear it. You look like hell.”

  Laina started to curse him, he could see it in her expression, but then her face softened, filling with regret, or perhaps sorrow. “I can’t tell you. Please go. Selene was right.”

  “Tell me anyway.”

  “I can’t!” she shouted briefly, then lowered her voice before adding, “even if I wanted to.”

  “He wants me to know. You know that.”

  “Don’t try to find out. Do what you were planning. If you succeed, none of this will matter.”

  That wasn’t good enough. “You’re suffering. I can’t bear that.”

  “I won’t die. Who knows? There might even come a day when we can laugh about this,” she responded. The words were clearly meant to reassure him, but she didn’t sound as though she believed them. “Please leave me alone.”

  “This isn’t over,” Will warned.

  Her eyes opened wider, then narrowed in suspicion. “Don’t even think about spying on Tabitha.”

  “Farewell.” Then he let her fade from view and changed his focus. Tabitha appeared in his view, seated in a sunny garden. The house they had acquired had an expansive sunroom at its heart, and beneath its glass dome Agnes Nerrow had instructed the caretakers to plant an array of flowering plants. It was still very much a work in progress, and the topiaries still had a long way to go, but the room was already a haven of peace and beauty.

  Will’s younger half-sister had more charm than he or Laina. With thick, dark hair and bright eyes, her smiles and enthusiasm could light up the darkest of rooms. Today that was obviously not the case, however. Unlike Laina, she was properly dressed, and her hair had been brushed and decorated with braids and ribbons, but the light in her eyes was dimmer than Will had ever seen it. A somber mood seemed to hang over her.

  She appeared to have been tatting, as a half-finished piece of lace lay forgotten in her hands while Tabitha stared off into space, lost in thought. He wanted to speak to her, but unlike Laina, Will’s younger sister was entirely oblivious to the astral plane. She had no awareness of his presence and thus was entirely unable to see or hear him.

  A door opened on one side, and the baroness appeared, followed by a maid carrying a tray laden with tea and biscuits. Agnes’ face softened in sympathy as she looked at her youngest child. “Maybe we should visit some of your friends,” she suggested. “It isn’t good to brood at home.”

  Tabitha smiled wanly. “Forgive me, Mother. I’m not in a mood to entertain, or be entertained.”

  “Things aren’t so bad…”

  “Mother, please. I’d rather not talk about it. Just let me sulk a while without worrying at me. I’ll do my duty. Trust me.”

  Agnes’ features lit briefly with anger, but she hid the emotion quickly. It was still apparent in her voice, however. “Is that what you think of me? I care more about you than just fretting about duty.”

  “Then why am I here?” snapped Tabitha, her voice rising. “Father doesn’t even know!”

  “What would you have me do?” responded Agnes. She started to say more, but the same door flew open once more, causing the maid to stumble and drop her tray. The silver teapot spilled its contents, and the other treats scattered across the ground. Laina stood in the doorway, wide-eyed and breathing heavily. She had obviously been running. “By the Mother!” swore Agnes. “Isn’t it enough that you disgrace yourself but now you’re terrorizing the maids?”

  Laina glared back, uncowed. “Stop talking!” she barked. “You’re being watched.”

  “All the more reason you should bathe and put on proper clothes,” said Agnes angrily.

  Tabitha’s face brightened for a moment. “Is it him?”

  Laina’s eyes settled on Will, then she nodded. “Don’t talk about anything else until I make sure we have some privacy.”

  Agnes was frowning. “Are you referring to William? I don’t understand the fuss. After everything you’ve done for him, and what he’s done for us, you act as though he’s a threat. Is he here now? I could tell him the news and save the expense of a letter.”

  Laina’s eyes blazed as she glared at her mother. She was busily constructing a spell, and it was almost done as she replied, “I will explain, but give me a moment!” The spell finished coming together, and then a force dome went up around the women.

  Unlike in the physical world, force spells were entirely opaque to those in the astral plane. Will’s vision of Tabitha vanished, and without the connection, he quickly found himself back in his own body. Opening his eyes, he uttered a string of colorful epithets that would have made Arrogan proud, likely because he’d learned most of them directly from the old man.

  Evie leapt onto his desk, but she seemed to sense his agitation, for she lay down a small distance away, rather than seeking to get closer. Will agreed with her decision and did what he had learned so well. Rather than stewing in his own agitation, he turned that energy to more productive ends and threw himself into practice and study.

  If his younger self could see him now, he would probably be startled by some of the changes. Will’s anger seemed to vanish, replaced by an implacable resolve as he started running through spell casting routines. After half an hour of that, the rough seas within had calmed enough that he could actually think, and at that point he turned his attention to working on a new spell he had been considering.

  It was based on the principles of the spell that he had used to defeat the demon-lord, but if it worked the way he hoped, then it would give him a more useful endgame spell that could be used to eliminate even the worst opponents, but hopefully without endangering himself as much, or causing the same degree of collateral damage.

  That didn’t mean it wasn’t insanely dangerous, however, especially during the experimental phase. One bit of misjudgment could be the end of him, so it was important that he think through the spell construct carefully, and then rethink it. This was his third time going over the ideas and the tentative rune structure he had designed, but he would probably wait a few more days and go over it once more before attempting a preliminary test.

  After that, he started rereading the journal of the Wayfarer’s Society once more, to see if he could find some new clue to how they managed to teleport without using beacons. An hour of that and exhaustion, a welcome friend when he was worried, sent him to seek his bed.

  Selene joined him, and while they settled in for the night, he relayed to her what had happened during his astral surveillance. It wasn’t that he particularly wanted to revisit the topic, but he suspected his wife would have additional insights that hadn’t occurred to him.

  Her response was measured, more so than usual. “She’s obviously in agreement with our original thought. Whatever is happening is meant to draw you out and spoil our plans, or send you headfirst into my father’s latest scheme.”

  Will narrowed his eyes. “And what about the cost?”

  “Cost?”

  “Knowing Lognion, he’s baited his trap with something important, something I can’t ignore. Something I can’t afford to lose. By ignoring this, we might avoid the trap, but we also don’t know the price either.”

  She paused, gathering her thoughts, then replied, “That’s true, but you’re playing against the master manipulator. We won’t attain victory without paying for it. You know his methods. He needs to get at your emotions and spoil your judgment. You’ve picked your goal. The only question is whether there’s anything worth more than that. If not, letting him into your head will only ruin your chances, and then you’ll probably lose everything.”

  Will pondered that for a moment. His goal was Lognion’s death, while at the same time preserving Selene and his family from harm. His mother was safe, Selene was safe for the moment, and there wasn’t much the king could do to the Nerrow family.

  Yet it was his sisters he was worried about. “If he’s planning on killing Laina or Tabitha, that’s a price I’m not willing to pay.”

  Selene shook her head. “That wouldn’t make sense. The political cost would be too high. Not that he couldn’t pay it, of course, but it would be too much like losing for him. He wants to win completely, while simultaneously humiliating you. If he can’t have that, he might accept a lesser win, but he won’t want to lose anything to get it.”

  He felt as though Selene was circling something, but he wasn’t sure what it was. Will suspected she had a notion of what was going on, but she wouldn’t reveal her suspicions. “What do you think Tabitha meant by her ‘duty?’”

  “I’m not sure, but since she’s the younger daughter it probably isn’t serious. All the pressure falls on the eldest child. Tabitha’s main concern should only be to avoid bringing shame to the family.”

  Something didn’t ring true, but before Will could confront her about it, someone knocked on their bedroom door. Annoyed, he opened it while tightening the belt of his robe. “Yes?”

  The servant at the door was young and nervous. “Squire John has returned, milord. Master Blake said you would want to be informed.”

  “Oh!” Will glanced at Selene, who waved him on.

  “I’ll need a moment to change. Go ahead. Tiny won’t care what you’re wearing,” she told him.

  He nodded and was out the door, happy to see his friend once more.

  Chapter 8

  As quick as Will was, Tiny was already sitting comfortably in the parlor when he got there. The big man looked damp, which made perfect sense since it had been raining a short while ago. His boots were off, and someone had brought a stool for him to prop his feet up in front of the hearth.

  He still jumped to his feet when Will entered. “My lord!”

  Will frowned. “None of that! You haven’t sworn to me yet.” He stepped in to give his friend a hug.

  Tiny tried to dodge him, protesting, “I’m still wet and musty from the road!”

  Will caught him anyway. “Like I care.”

  “Your wife will, if you come back to bed with mud on you,” said Tiny, squeezing him with arms that seemed powerful enough to choke a bull. Pushing him back, the damp warrior returned to his seat by the fire.

  Will chose a chair close by. “Didn’t expect you for a few more days at the earliest.”

  Tiny grinned. “I was motivated, and Sir Kyle said he couldn’t bear to keep me any longer since it was clear my heart was no longer in it. Poor Thunderturnip will need a week to recover from my hasty ride.”

  “Thunderturnip?” That was Tiny’s nickname for Sir Kyle’s warhorse, a massive black charger with a fondness for turnips. “He lent you his horse?”

  “He gave him to me,” said Tiny. His eyes roamed the room, making sure no one had arrived unnoticed, then blushed faintly as he added, “Told me it was a wedding present.”

  Considering that an animal such as Thunderturnip was worth more than a small farm, Sir Kyle’s gift was generous indeed, but Will knew that the squire had saved his master from certain death on more than one occasion, so perhaps it was a reasonable expression of gratitude. Sir Kyle was known for being unstinting in both business and his personal relationships.

  They spoke for several minutes before a few others appeared. Emory showed up to chat briefly, and Sammy stepped in shortly thereafter. Neither stayed long, though, since it was already late and most of the house was already abed. Tiny kept eyeing the door, but Janice never appeared.

  “She’s probably asleep,” said Will, reading his friend’s mind.

  Tiny nodded. “I’m surprised I didn’t wake everyone else with my late arrival.”

  Will shrugged. “That’s almost everyone.”

  “What about your other students?”

  Will winced, but didn’t shy away from the subject. “Seth died of compression sickness a couple of weeks ago, then Matthew a few days back. Shawn almost died as well, but he seems to be recovering.”

  Shocked, Tiny hissed as his lungs drew in a quick breath. “Damn. I’m sorry. I remember you telling me how dangerous it was, but I thought maybe you’d gotten them all past it.” He lowered his voice. “What about your sisters?”

  “They went back to Cerria, but so far they’re fine, physically at least.”

  Tiny frowned. “They left? Why would—” Before he could finish that sentence, another thought interrupted him. “Oh! I passed a courier from Cerria yesterday. He gave me some letters for Rimberlin. I’m assuming they’re for you or Selene.”

  At the mention of her name, the lady of the house stepped in. Though she was garbed only by a simple gown and a housecoat, Selene still seemed to shine. Tiny rose and bowed quickly.

  Selene started to move forward for a hug, but she took note of Tiny’s state and hesitated. The warrior held up his hands. “Best not to dirty yourself, Your Highness.”

  Selene frowned. “I’ve told you not to be so formal. This is my home, not court.” Tiny bowed again, and then she turned her eyes on the letters in Will’s hands. “I’ll take those up and put them on your desk. I’m sure you two would like to catch up before you come to bed.”

  She seemed relaxed, but there was something odd about her as Will started to pass them over. Before she could take them from his hand, his fingers tightened as he noticed the royal seal on one of the letters. “Hang on. I should probably look at that.”

  His wife didn’t let go. “Tomorrow will be soon enough.”

  Will carefully pried the letter from her hand, letting her keep the rest. “You don’t want me to see this one, do you?”

  She pursed her lips, then seemed to relax. “If it’s from my father, then no. It may be something intended to provoke you.”

  She’s lying, or at best it’s a half truth, he thought. Stepping over to a side table, Will opened a drawer that held a selection of silverware meant for serving food. A small cheese knife served perfectly to cut the seam along the top of the letter, and moments later his eyes began scanning the page. After moving past some ornate decorations and calligraphy, Will got into the meat of the letter. Several words leapt out at him. “…cordially invited to the union of…”

  The page began to shake in his hands, and Will’s face reddened. After a second, his eyes glanced up and he could see that Selene was white knuckled as she gripped the rest of the letters. She knew. “When were you planning to tell me?” Will demanded, his voice low and threatening.

  Tiny edged back away from the two of them, noticeably uncomfortable, as Selene replied, “Preferably after he was dead.”

  “That’s still over a month away,” said Will. “The wedding is ten days from now.” The windows began giving off a strange hum, vibrating as though they could feel the tension in the air.

  Selene held her ground. “It won’t matter if he doesn’t survive for long afterward.”

  “Matter? Tabitha is my sister! I don’t want your father to be alone with her for five minutes, much less several weeks!”

  “It’s a marriage, not a death sentence.”

  “She’s barely reached her majority.”

  Selene finally snapped. “So what? This was her decision. She knows what she’s doing. Are you the only one allowed to make sacrifices?”

  The window shattered as Will answered. “Yes! Yes, I’m the only one allowed to make sacrifices. Not you! Not my family, not Tabitha!” He was roaring by the time he reached his sister’s name. “Why would you do this?”

  “I’ve done nothing. It was her choice—to help you.”