While it was true Nathon found the idea of a ghost haunting the vineyard ridiculous, this wasn’t because he didn’t necessarily believe in them. In fact, he thought it quite probable such beings existed, lost souls left behind to haunt those who’d wronged them in life, or perhaps those unwilling to leave behind their true loves. What he was refusing to believe was that one had suddenly appeared in the vineyard for absolutely no apparent reason, and with the sole intention of proving itself a nuisance and scaring its inhabitants. It simply didn’t make sense.
He was therefore very disappointed when his and Taleb’s sweep turned up absolutely nothing out of sorts—no evidence that any of the fencing had been tampered with, nor the barbed wire strung along atop it, and it didn’t look as though anyone had attempted tunneling beneath, much less been successful at it. They’d even gone to investigate the outer perimeter, finding no clues there either. Nathon was left feeling extremely frustrated, but still unwilling to admit that the likely culprit was a ghost.
He knew another reason for his disbelief was because he had no idea how to protect the family from such a being, and admitting this, even to himself, struck a wound. How could he fight and defend from something he could not see? Especially if this was the true cause behind Oliveah’s tumble earlier that day—a possibility he found rather alarming. For what would stop this spirit from performing more similar behavior, perhaps at the top of a staircase next time? What could he possibly do to ward against such a scenario?
He and Taleb had discussed it briefly before going to report their findings—or rather, their lack of them—to Lord Ean. Taleb then revealed that this had been his primary motive for suggesting the presence of Sabian Reif. It was his hope, if it was a ghost they were dealing with, that Sabian could somehow convince it to leave, or at least find out why it was here and what it wanted. Clearly, the truth of Oliveah’s fall had greatly concerned him as well.
Nathon felt terrible telling Lord Ean that they’d found nothing to help resolve this mystery, but the man simply nodded and stated that his letter to Lord Guerin Reif was already penned and only awaiting his order to be flown off. He appeared to have full confidence in the fact that if his two masters-at-arms had found no evidence leading to a live culprit, then there was simply none to be found. He also had no objection to their further advisement of organizing a small team to act as a night watch within the house during the course of the sleeping hours. They were all in agreement to take no chances with the family’s safety.
Afterward, Nathon decided to perform another sweep of the castle, particularly its upper floors. He could not shake his instinct that the cause of all these disturbances was somehow linked to a real, live person, despite the fact that he had no way to explain how this person might have gained entrance to the vineyard or how they had so far remained undetected. So while Taleb went off to keep an eye on the castle’s outer perimeter, Nathon headed up the spiraling staircase of the north tower, figuring he’d begin at the top and work his way down.
At the summit of the tower sat the eyrie for their fifteen messenger-crows, presided over by a young slave girl of eleven who had a special love and talent for caring for the birds. She looked up from feeding her charges, giving a violent start of surprise as Nathon stepped into the eyrie, and then yelped as one of the birds nipped her finger.
“Oh—hello Nathon,” she said quickly, putting her now-bleeding finger to her mouth. “I’ve just sent off Lord Oslund’s letter to Lord Reif, if that is what you’ve come to check on.”
“Nervous, Bryn? Expecting the ghost, perhaps?” he teased while stepping closer.
She pulled her finger from her mouth and frowned at him. “It’s not as though you make any noise to announce yourself. In fact, even the ghost isn’t as stealthy as you are.”
He paused next to her and matched her frown. “Why do you say that? Did you hear something?”
Nodding, she reached into the sack at her feet for another handful of dried corn and spilled it into the crows’ feed dish. “It was so beautiful last night, the air so warm and the sky so clear, I decided just to sleep here in the eyrie. I awoke a little before First-hour, hearing footsteps on the tower steps. They sounded as though they were rising, getting nearer to me.”
“What did you do?”
“Well, I didn’t immediately think anything odd of it, figuring someone just had a late-night message to send. But then, just as I was getting to my feet, the footsteps reached the door and I swear I heard . . . well, a curse. But there was no one there! I even ran to check the stairwell, but it was empty.”
Nathon raised a hand and rubbed his forehead.
“I know how you feel about all this ghost business, Nathon, but it happened, I swear it,” Bryn insisted, staring up at him.
He nodded. “Have you told anyone else of this?”
“No. I went in search of you or Taleb earlier, but was told you were out inspecting the grounds.”
“All right. Just keep this to yourself for now, and know that we’re dealing with getting to the truth of this matter.” He started away, then paused and turned back once he reached the doorway. “Did you hear the steps descend again, after the cursing?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Only silence, after.”
“Did the voice sound male or female?”
“Male. No question.”
He nodded again and started down the tower stairs, fitting these new pieces into the overall picture his mind was now trying very hard to form.
Oliveah had said she’d run into something solid.
No one had seen this trespasser, but many had heard him—and it was definitely a him, according to Bryn.
There were no signs of anyone having gotten onto the property in any way but through the gates.
The bell.
Nathon suddenly realized what they were dealing with, and it wasn’t a ghost—it was Magic.
He sought out Oliveah first, finding her in the sitting room of her suite and in the company of her sister Navalee. They both looked up in surprise at his sudden entrance.
“What is it, Nathon?” Oliveah asked with wide eyes, taking in his expression.
“There’s someone on the grounds. You two need to stay here until Taleb and I find him. I am going to lock you in from the outside corridor.”
“Surely you’re not speaking of the ghost?” Navalee replied with a frown. “For I wouldn’t think a locked door would do much to stop it.”
“It’s not a ghost, it’s a man, and until I can determine what his aims here are, I’m treating this as a threat against all members of your family. I’ll return to release you once he’s been found and dealt with.”
“Be careful, Nathon,” Oliveah said, staring at him worriedly.
He nodded then turned to go, being sure to secure them within using the ring of master keys he always carried for every lock on the property.
He next went in search of Lord Ean, pausing only briefly to send one of his guards out to collect Taleb. He found the lord and lady of the house out enjoying the late afternoon sunshine in their generous gardens, surrounded by the numerous pink rose bushes Lady Lyllyn was expertly trimming as Lord Ean sat at a nearby table, sipping lemonade as he made figures in his business ledger.
Nathon skidded to a halt before the table, looking about. “Where’s Deakin?” he demanded.
Lord Ean looked up, instantly noted his expression, and laid down his quill. “With Master Spart. He’s been falling behind in his arithmetic, so I arranged some extra lessons.”
“What is it, Nathon?” Lady Lyllyn asked, setting aside her clippers and stepping closer.
Nathon took them both in. “We’re not dealing with a ghost, but rather a mage. More specifically, one with the power of invisibility. I do not know what he intends here, but I consider you all in danger until he is found.”
“A mage?” Lyllyn repeated, astounded. “What business would a mage have with us?”
“My lady, that i
s precisely what I intend to discover,” he replied. “Now come. We must collect Deakin and get you all safely sequestered.”
“Where are the girls?” Ean demanded quickly, getting to his feet.
“They’re safe,” Nathon told him. “I’ve locked them in Oliveah’s suite.”
He led them into the castle, first retrieving Deakin from his tutor, and then taking all three to the lord and lady’s private quarters. “I’m going to lock you in, as I did with Oliveah and Navalee,” he told Ean. “If you hear anyone outside this door besides Taleb or myself, I want you to sound the horn.”
Lord Ean sent a quick glance over his shoulder, to the mantle above the fireplace. It was nothing more than an old herding horn, used by generations of his ancestors when the Oslunds had kept cattle in addition to the vineyard, but as an important part of his family’s history he had given it this place of honor in his sitting room. Old as it was, however, it could still make a mighty and ear-splitting call, and that would be enough to serve the purpose required of it now.
“Nathon,” Lord Ean said in a low tone, meeting him at the door. “How exactly do you plan on catching this mage? As you’ve said, he’s invisible. Perhaps we should send for assistance from the Legion.”
Nathon looked back at him and offered a simple reply. “Taleb and I will find him.”
Ean stared a moment, then said, “Kill him if you have to, but its better we have a chance to question him first. I do not understand why any mage would have an interest in us, but I think we can agree that we’d best determine the reason for this if at all possible.”
“Of course.”
“Promise me the two of you will be careful, Nathon,” he then went on warningly. “A cornered mage is nothing to take lightly.”
“We will be,” Nathon vowed, before closing the door and locking it from the corridor.
He descended two floors and made his way outside. Taleb was just jogging into view, coming from the west field where, he quickly relayed, he’d been investigating a report of a stolen or misplaced dagger. The guard it had vanished from claimed to have donned it that morning, only to suddenly find it missing sometime during his rounds of a perimeter-check. Stealing was a very serious offense here upon the Oslund lands, earning a worker or slave banishment if they were caught doing so. Since most were happy with their lives here in the vineyard, this was not an offense that happened often; indeed, Nathon couldn’t think of a single occurrence anytime in the past five years. This led him to the only logical conclusion.
“So he’s gotten himself a blade,” he said.
Taleb frowned quickly. “Who?”
Nathon then proceeded to outline what he’d deduced, and the measures he’d already taken against any further moves the mage might make against the family. Taleb was left staring at him in wonderment.
“A mage with invisibility powers?” he said, disbelieving. “I can see how you came to the conclusion, but it’s not one I would have drawn with even a year to consider.”
“Perhaps this explains why I’m constantly foiling you at chess,” Nathon replied.
“I won’t argue with that,” Taleb told him. He paused briefly. “All right, so what all do we know about mages?”
“Not much,” Nathon admitted, “since we’ve never had one here at the vineyard.”
“Well,” Taleb began, “I do know, typically, one born to Magic is granted a certain mage-power, their main ability, but they’re also capable of performing spells.”
Nathon frowned. “What of those who choose it as their Secondary? Do the same rules apply?”
“I believe so, although the power they retain is much weaker.”
Nathon considered. “I think it very likely we’re dealing with one Magic-born, then. And one very powerful to have remained invisible all this time.”
“I doubt he has,” Taleb shook his head. “Likely he’s been reappearing during the nighttime hours to rest himself when all are sleeping.”
Nathon thought. “So, if enough of his power is exhausted, he’ll reappear?”
“Yes.” He paused. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because I know how to flush him out.”
Taleb looked interested. “Care to share?”
“Certainly. But first we need to evacuate the house, as well as most of the grounds. I want everyone—but for the Oslunds, of course, who will stay where they are—bunking down in the barns. All will remain there until we’ve found the mage. As for the guards,” he went on, “I want all ten camped before the gate, day and night until this is resolved.”
Taleb began nodding. “You figure if he’s forced to remain invisible long enough, and has no way to leave the grounds, his magic will eventually drain and reveal him.”
“Yes.”
“In theory, I suppose that may work,” Taleb countered, “but I think you’re forgetting just how large this vineyard is, and how many places to hide it affords him. Particularly with everyone kept at the barns.”
“Actually, I’m sequestering everyone there simply for their own safety. I wouldn’t want anyone getting in our way and inadvertently getting injured.”
“Ah,” Taleb began nodding, understanding now. “You and I are going hunting, then.”
“I don’t care if it takes us a week. We are going to scour every foot of these lands, as many times as it takes, until we find him. With no way to escape, and his magic wearing thin, he won’t be able to hide forever.”
Taleb was still nodding. “And then we kill him,” he stated.
“We’ll need to question him first. Lord Ean has no idea how he might have attracted the attention of a mage.”
“And that mind of yours hasn’t yet whipped up a theory, either?”
“No.” This wasn’t exactly true—he was playing with a couple of ideas, but wanted more time to properly think them through before speaking them.
Taleb pursed his lips, his expression pensive. “None of the Oslunds have had any contact with mages of late, or we’d have known about it. Except perhaps Oliveah. I think we should speak with her straight away.”
Nathon immediately understood where Taleb was heading with this. Since Oliveah was the only Oslund whose recent actions they couldn’t account for, it was very possible this mage therefore had some connection to her. And if that were the case, she could very well be his target.
“I’ll meet you up there,” Nathon said, “just as soon as I set the guard at the gates.”
Taleb nodded and hurried off, quickly disappearing into the castle. Nathon blew two shrill blasts on his whistle, calling all ten guards to him. He then spent the next several minutes apprising them of the circumstances and what he now needed of them, being sure to include a warning that the mage now had a dagger in his possession. It was possible the desperation he was soon to be feeling would cause him to panic, and Nathon wanted his men ready for anything. He then dispatched two of the guards to begin the process of evacuating all workers, slaves, and household staff out to the barns.
This business concluded, he entered back into the castle and started up to the third floor. He found Taleb in Oliveah’s sitting room, sitting in the chair across from her and Navalee.
“I’m sorry Taleb,” Oliveah was saying, clearly upset, “but I can’t recall interacting with any mages of late. I truly don’t see how this could have anything to do with me.”
Taleb appeared frustrated as he glanced up at Nathon’s entrance.
Nathon paused in the center of the room and took in Oliveah. “Are you certain you didn’t cross paths with one during Ardin’s Pride, perhaps? Certainly you must have interacted with hundreds of people that week.”
Oliveah stared at him. “Hundreds if not thousands! You can’t truly expect me to remember them all!”
Nathon backed off at once, realizing Oliveah’s frustration was aimed more at herself rather than him or Taleb; her inability to remember anything useful was clearly agitating her.
/> Taleb appeared to note this as well, for he issued his next question in an easy and conversational tone.
“Well, how about anyone else then? Any recent encounters or situations that just struck you as odd, or made you feel peculiar?”
Oliveah raised her hands at him helplessly. “Odd or peculiar during Ardin’s Pride? Are you serious? You were there, you know what it is like! The only oddness I would have noted that week would’ve been the lack of it!”
She was near tears now, but Nathon forced himself to press on with one more question.
“Was there anyone you talked to about the vineyard? Any strangers, I mean.”
She exhaled heavily, looking away.
“Take your time,” he said, watching her. “Think on it.”
As much as he was hoping for some sort of answer or clue, he wasn’t truly expecting one. In fact, now that he’d had some more time to think, he saw only three possible reasons for a mage to be running about the grounds shrouded in invisibility. The first was that someone had hired him to murder one or all of the Oslunds; an unlikely scenario simply because he’d no doubt had plenty of opportunity to carry out this aim in the two days he’d already been here. Unless it simply hadn’t yet been the right time, which led to Nathon’s second theory.
The Oslund vineyard was well-known throughout Dhanen’Mar, if not the world, and it therefore wasn’t so radical an idea to think one might try to take it from the family by force. And certainly this would be an opportune time, what with King DeSiva’s madness rumored to be more prominent than ever. But if this was indeed the case, it seemed likely the mage had been sent to spy out their defenses, or perhaps murder Lord Ean once this other force was set to attack.
The last possibility Nathon could come up with made him grossly uncomfortable. It was feasible Oliveah had simply gained an obsessed admirer, one born to Magic and here simply to spy on her for his own perverse pleasure. Should this turn out to be the case, the mage’s death wasn’t going to be quick.
Oliveah was turning back to them now, her face thoughtful. “Actually,” she said, “I do remember one conversation that struck me as a little suspicious, at least initially. And I did speak to this man about the vineyard, for he said he’d been here as a guest not long ago.”
Nathon and Taleb exchanged a quick glance of surprise.
“What man?” Taleb fired. “What was his name?”
Oliveah was quiet another moment, clearly trying to dredge the memory to the forefront of her mind, before responding.
“It was a strange-sounding name. Elvin, I think he said. Elvin . . . Vikdal. Yes, that was it. I remember because I was trying to figure if I knew him.”
“Elvin Vikdal?” Nathon repeated. “There’s been no one here by that name.”
“Why would you have known him?” Taleb followed without pause. “Was he familiar to you?”
Oliveah was frowning. “No, but he wore an Arts Birth medallion and claimed to be a storyteller, so I thought it possible our paths may have crossed.” She stopped and looked to the two of them. “Are you certain no one by that name ever stayed here? He claimed my father gave him lodging for a night, and knew him to be born to Harvest. Plus, he made mention of one of you. He didn’t give a name, simply making reference to a young man with a War Birth medallion.”
Nathon found this alarming, a feeling Taleb was obviously sharing as the two exchanged another look.
“What did this man look like?” Taleb asked.
“Approximately thirty years of age, yellow hair and blue eyes. Medium build and height. A pleasant face, but not one particularly remarkable,” she told them, her eyes quickly jumping from one to the other.
“What else was spoken?’ Nathon asked.
“Nothing really,” she shrugged. “We spoke for only a minute or two before he excused himself and left the tavern. I even promised to give my father his regards, but I’d completely forgotten the encounter until now.” She was still scanning both their faces. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, of course not,” Nathon told her.
Taleb was getting to his feet. “I’m going to go speak with Lord Ean. I think it best we rule out any possibly that he does actually know this man.”
Nathon nodded, watching him go. He then turned back when Oliveah said his name, her eyes full of confusion and worry as she looked at him.
“What does all this mean?” she asked.
He had no idea what to tell her.
Chapter 19