Page 19 of Grave Situation

There’s a round of gasps at my audacity, and Master sends me a warning look, but over it all comes the stone’s clear answer.

~Yes~

I quirk a brow at my master. Does he want me to ask the obvious follow-up question?

He sighs. “You will choose a champion to act on your behalf against this danger?”

~Yes/No~

“Ugh, not again,” I mutter. Beside me, Master Cranch slowly turns his head in my direction, and I slump down in my seat, avoiding his gaze. Best not to antagonize the chair of the Council of Mages.

Not more than usual, anyway.

The room is filled with yammering again as everyone argues over what that could mean. It’s like they don’t even know that the only way they’ll get any answers is byasking the stone.

As if it can hear me, the stone blasts its displeasure again, and the assembled councilors fall silent.

Master waits a beat, then asks, “You willnotchoose a champion?”

~No~

He lifts a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, and I know he’s getting frustrated. He usually does that right before blasting something.

“Master Samoine, if I may?” One of the dragon riders comes forward, and I recognize her. She was one of Tia’s teachers years ago, one of the few who would tolerate me hanging around the dragon riders’ mess. The others tended to kick me out whenever they could. What was her name?

Jania? Janesy? Jillian?

“Of course, Rider Kanesha.”

Wow, I was way off.

She clears her throat and faces the stone. “Have you already chosen your champion?”

~Yes~

A buzz of excitement goes through the room.

“Can you name them for us?”

~No~

Damn. So close.

She casts a desperate look around at the assembled councilors. “Is it… one of us?”

~No~

The collective sigh of relief would be funny in other circumstances.

Master speaks again. “Will you guide us to finding them?”

~Yes/No~

The relief turns to a rumble of frustration. I gobble down a tiny tart while they debate the next question.

“Will you guide someone to finding them?”

~Yes~

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