working, then motioned toward Allan. “Come along. We need to meet with the captain and tell him what we found.”
They ducked out of the hidden room, through the stench of vinegar and brine, and back onto the street. A few people gawked at the Dogs’ activity from a safe distance, but none of them appeared to be a threat. Hagger ignored them, turning north out of the small square, moving at a brisk pace. Allan’s breath came in short gasps by the time they’d wound their way out of Eld and into Green.
A short time later, Hagger slowed, turning toward the base of one of the newest spires in Erenthrall. Allan tilted his head back and scanned the narrow tower’s length as they crossed the plaza where the spire had been grown. It was too thin to hold any rooms, more like the bole of a tree, but it soared well over the nearest buildings. Since the sowing of the main tower in Grass, twelve of these smaller spires had been grown in different parts of the city, four in the inner city surrounding Grass, and eight more in the outermost districts, set on two concentric circles that encompassed Erenthrall. None of the Dogs knew what they were for, and the Wielders had kept silent.
Allan spotted Captain Daedallen at the base of the tower, with Baron Arent, Prime Wielder Augustus, and another man at his side. The Prime Wielder was shouting at a group of Wielders working frantically around the tower’s base.
“—keep working, you fools! This subtower must be activated by the end of the day today or we’ll fall behind schedule. No, no, Parl, adjust your position, you’re too far to the left.” Augustus heaved a sigh and stalked over to one of the Wielders, seizing him by the shoulders and shoving him hard to the left. “My left, not yours. Now prepare yourself. Use the catechism if you have to. Barthen, are the others ready on the far side? What about those from the University? Good. Have the Wielders begin calling the ley, then.”
Hagger and Allan had halted a respectful distance away from the Baron, Daedallen, and the man Allan didn’t know, outside of their small entourage of Dogs and Wielders. None of them had noticed them yet, but when Augustus spun around, he caught sight of them and frowned.
He moved back to Baron Arent’s side.
“How are the preparations coming, Prime Wielder?” The Baron’s tone was mild, but Augustus grimaced.
“As well as can be expected, my lord Baron.” Augustus’ eyes flicked toward Hagger and Allan and both Baron Arent and Daedallen turned to look.
Daedallen waved Hagger forward, Allan at his heels. “Report.”
“We raided the house the Kormanley priest revealed to us during his interrogation and found a hidden room and two more Kormanley inside. We questioned them at the site, but they did not break. The entire contents of the room are being hauled back to the Amber Tower for inspection, along with the two prisoners. I expect they will be more forthcoming there.”
“What was found in the room?”
“There were books, maps, a set of pages with notes, and a few skins of oil. We believe the skins are like those used by the priest who set fire to himself at the sowing.”
Baron Arent stirred, face troubled. “So they are planning more immolations?”
Hagger bowed his head. “So it would seem.”
Prime Wielder Augustus cleared his throat. “You said there were notes? And maps?”
Hagger deferred to Allan. With a nervous start, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the pages, handing them over to Augustus, who snatched them from his grasp. As the Prime Wielder began glancing through them, he said, “These were scattered on the table that held the oil. I couldn’t decipher the notations, but I think there’s something in the maps that I’m not quite seeing. Something important. There was also a banner over the table with a strange symbol on it.”
The man Allan didn’t know glanced up sharply. “What symbol?” Allan realized he must come from the University,
They ducked out of the hidden room, through the stench of vinegar and brine, and back onto the street. A few people gawked at the Dogs’ activity from a safe distance, but none of them appeared to be a threat. Hagger ignored them, turning north out of the small square, moving at a brisk pace. Allan’s breath came in short gasps by the time they’d wound their way out of Eld and into Green.
A short time later, Hagger slowed, turning toward the base of one of the newest spires in Erenthrall. Allan tilted his head back and scanned the narrow tower’s length as they crossed the plaza where the spire had been grown. It was too thin to hold any rooms, more like the bole of a tree, but it soared well over the nearest buildings. Since the sowing of the main tower in Grass, twelve of these smaller spires had been grown in different parts of the city, four in the inner city surrounding Grass, and eight more in the outermost districts, set on two concentric circles that encompassed Erenthrall. None of the Dogs knew what they were for, and the Wielders had kept silent.
Allan spotted Captain Daedallen at the base of the tower, with Baron Arent, Prime Wielder Augustus, and another man at his side. The Prime Wielder was shouting at a group of Wielders working frantically around the tower’s base.
“—keep working, you fools! This subtower must be activated by the end of the day today or we’ll fall behind schedule. No, no, Parl, adjust your position, you’re too far to the left.” Augustus heaved a sigh and stalked over to one of the Wielders, seizing him by the shoulders and shoving him hard to the left. “My left, not yours. Now prepare yourself. Use the catechism if you have to. Barthen, are the others ready on the far side? What about those from the University? Good. Have the Wielders begin calling the ley, then.”
Hagger and Allan had halted a respectful distance away from the Baron, Daedallen, and the man Allan didn’t know, outside of their small entourage of Dogs and Wielders. None of them had noticed them yet, but when Augustus spun around, he caught sight of them and frowned.
He moved back to Baron Arent’s side.
“How are the preparations coming, Prime Wielder?” The Baron’s tone was mild, but Augustus grimaced.
“As well as can be expected, my lord Baron.” Augustus’ eyes flicked toward Hagger and Allan and both Baron Arent and Daedallen turned to look.
Daedallen waved Hagger forward, Allan at his heels. “Report.”
“We raided the house the Kormanley priest revealed to us during his interrogation and found a hidden room and two more Kormanley inside. We questioned them at the site, but they did not break. The entire contents of the room are being hauled back to the Amber Tower for inspection, along with the two prisoners. I expect they will be more forthcoming there.”
“What was found in the room?”
“There were books, maps, a set of pages with notes, and a few skins of oil. We believe the skins are like those used by the priest who set fire to himself at the sowing.”
Baron Arent stirred, face troubled. “So they are planning more immolations?”
Hagger bowed his head. “So it would seem.”
Prime Wielder Augustus cleared his throat. “You said there were notes? And maps?”
Hagger deferred to Allan. With a nervous start, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the pages, handing them over to Augustus, who snatched them from his grasp. As the Prime Wielder began glancing through them, he said, “These were scattered on the table that held the oil. I couldn’t decipher the notations, but I think there’s something in the maps that I’m not quite seeing. Something important. There was also a banner over the table with a strange symbol on it.”
The man Allan didn’t know glanced up sharply. “What symbol?” Allan realized he must come from the University,
Similar Books
