Page 24 of Path of the Dark
In the meantime, he did one of his own. The vast chamber they stood within was an absolute mess: jumbled stacks of books towered against moldy walls; and shelves groaned under the weight of dusty boxes, bottles, and piles of parchment. The shutters to the chamber were shut, despite the bright day out. Oil lamps illuminated the darkness, perched on the few clear surfaces within the space.
Even the floor wasn't clear. He and Saskia had been forced to weave their way to the center of the room through piles of parchment and trays bearing the remnants of meals. Some of the trays looked like they’d been sitting there for weeks, judging from the furry green mold covering them.
Unlike her room, the High Enchanter herself was neat and tidy. Mysandra was a large woman, dressed in flowing white pristine robes. It was hard to discern her age. She had a mane of immaculately coiffed white hair but a smooth unlined face. Her features were beautiful: a delicately molded mouth painted scarlet, a straight nose, and perfect skin. High arched eyebrows framed startling green eyes.
“Greetings, High Enchanter.” Gael dipped his head. “Thank you for seeing us.”
Mysandra’s painted mouth curved. “What a surprise … Anthor enchanters finally pay us a visit. I was beginning to think you were going to ignore this House forever.”
Beside Gael, Saskia shifted impatiently. “I lead a party from Mirrar Rock’s House of Light and Darkness.”
The woman inclined her head, her attention remaining upon Gael. “And you are?”
“Gael is assisting us,” Saskia replied, her tone sharpening. She didn’t like that the High Enchanter was ignoring her.
It pleased Gael, however. He smiled, meeting Mysandra’s eye. “I’ve offered to train the enchanters of this House.”
The High Enchanter stiffened, her mouth pursing. “That’s presumptuous of you.”
Watch this one, Shade warned him, and he felt her wriggle against his collar bone.She’s cleverer than you think.
For once, Gael didn’t agree with his familiar. Mysandra wasn’t any sharper than the woman standing next to him, and no more dangerous. However, she was head of the Order and that made her prickly. “I’d prefer to think of myself as generous.”
“I train our apprentices … we don’t need you.”
“This House is a mess,” Gael replied, gesturing around the pig-sty of a chamber to demonstrate his point. “Your Order has been degraded and torn down, piece by piece, for years. I’m a powerful enchanter, and I can bring you back to greatness.” Gael uttered the last sentence without an ounce of arrogance. He was merely stating fact.
Silence fell in the chamber.
The High Enchanter didn’t look impressed. Her green eyes smoldered, and her hands clenched upon the desk before her. “Why would you concern yourself with us?”
“The King of Anthor has made you his business,” Saskia spoke up. “He wishes you to stand alongside the enchanters of Mirrar Rock to defend this city—or take part in any attack—should he ever need you.”
Mysandra let out a slow breath and leaned back in her chair. Her gaze was now guarded, her shoulders tense. Gael sensed her annoyance, boiling just below the surface. However, the High Enchanter was a prudent woman, for she eventually nodded. “Very well … how can I assist?”
Gael smiled once more, inclining his head in thanks. “I’d like to meet your enchanters.”
Gael swept his gaze over the crowd amassed before him and frowned.
The group of two dozen enchanters standing in the courtyard before him wasn’t an impressive sight. Most of them were his age, in their thirties, or older. Daric, the youth who’d escorted them earlier, appeared to be the youngest of the group. The enchanters of Thûn dressed in robes of a similar cut to those of Rithmar, although the similarities ended there. Their smoke and slate-grey robes were shabby: stained and threadbare.
The lad, Daric, cast a questioning gaze over Gael’s shoulder at where Mysandra stood. However, the High Enchanter remained silent, her arms folded over her matronly bosom. She’d done her part and called the enchanters to a meeting. Gael could do the rest.
A few feet away, Saskia stood looking on. She shifted her gaze to Gael and smirked. “I hope you can work miracles?”
Gael forced a smile. He didn’t have any experience in teaching, having worked alone for most of his life.
The time has come to extend yourself, Shade whispered to him. As always, his familiar knew when to urge him on.You need these men and women.
He’d exaggerated during his meeting with Reoul—he didn’t have the information he’d boasted of, not yet anyway. He was close though; a few more evenings bent over those parchments, and he’d have the answer he was looking for.
Then it wouldn’t matter how useless this lot was.
