His Cure For Magic (Book 2) by M.R. Forbes

had made him livid.
    "How many people are in there?" Eryn asked. All they were seeing was a map, a simple representation. It gave them only a vague idea of the size.
    "It is hard to know for sure," Davin replied. "My estimate is at least one thousand."
    "A thousand people?" Eryn tried to wrap her mind around the number.  
    "There are over four dozen ore mines in the Empire," Davin said. "Washfall is one of the smallest."
    "The East Killorn mine has over ten thousand people in it," Silas said. "Or it did some time ago."
    Eryn couldn't conceive of it. How many people were there in the Empire?
    "What does he do with it?" Eryn asked. "The weapons are almost unbreakable, and I haven't seen the ircidium used anywhere else except the top of the palaces. If the mines have been in operation for years, he must have collected more of the metal than he could ever use."
    "It's a good question," Silas said. "I don't know if I ever knew the answer."
    What they did know about the metal was that it had an interesting relationship to magic. The power couldn't penetrate it from the outside, and yet it was able to be conducted from the inside. Was there a prison hidden somewhere, a place where all of the Cursed that didn't become Mediators were taken and held until the Curse killed them? Were the cells made of the metal? The fact that there were many more Cursed collected than there were Mediators had been a revelation.
    "They won't be expecting you today, Silas," Davin said, looking up from the map. "If word has reached them of your presence in Varrow, they'll be even more on guard."
    "I know, but we dare not wait. I'm expecting that they'll continue to underestimate what we're willing to do to put the thorn in his side." He turned to Andreaus. "Do you have everything you need?"
    The merchant nodded. "As long as we can get out of the city without being seen, I should be able to get the coin to the rebellion. I'll do whatever I can to get you the time you need."
    "Lance will return to report once the vintner is safe," Davin said. He reached into a drawer in his desk and lifted up the note from Patmos. He tore it into pieces. "Consider your debt paid."  
    "Come, my dear. We need to prepare." Silas bowed to Davin and Andreaus, and turned to leave.  
    "If you die, she'll die," Davin said behind them. "If she dies, I don't want to live."
    Silas bowed again, and led Eryn from the room. As soon as they had reached the hallway, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you can handle this?"
    She put her own hand on top of his. "Are you sure you can handle this?" she replied. "You're putting a lot of faith in Davin."
    "We have little other choice. We both want that journal he holds, and if Saretta can bring us to the Dark, we have to take the risk. I hate asking you to come with me, but-"
    "Don't worry, Silas. Amman didn't give me this power in order to stand by while others like me are hunted and killed. If I die trying to help them, then I will sit at his His side and bask in His glow, knowing I lived my life to the fullest I was able."
    She knew Silas didn't have the same faith in Amman that she did, but he smiled and took his hand away. He pushed open the door to the small guest bedroom where they had left their things and looked inside. "The clothes Davin left you are inside, and it looks like his people found our stash without being caught. He's a resourceful one."  
    Eryn slipped past him and pushed the door closed. There were two stacks on top of the bed. One was a pair of leather breeches and a small leather vest, a black cloth doublet, and another dress, stained and torn and large enough to be worn over the armor. Next to it was Silas' change of clothes - a stained cotton shirt and cotton pants, along with a pair of hard-soled slippers. Davin had offered him more substantial armor, but he had refused. It wouldn't protect him against the Mediator, and he didn't plan on being struck with a sword.
    The bundle they had buried outside of