Auguries of Dawn

Their walk to the forum that morning was a subdued affair. With only four men left to the fifth round the danger had spiked considerably, and all were feeling it.

  Madi glanced over at Oliveah as they pushed through the marketplace, making their way to the arena. Her friend had been awake half the night, praying to every Patron in existence that Taleb would draw Baiel today. Madi, often sensitive to the feelings of others, could literally feel the panic emanating from her, despite that her expression remained hard and fixed. Nathon was worried as well, although he was also trying to keep this concealed. Sabian’s thoughts were anyone’s guess, as he’d been holding to his typical quiet so far this morning.

  Taleb appeared the only one unaffected by the looming confrontations. Whether this was confidence or delusion on his part Madi wasn’t sure, but she did know Taleb’s destiny was somehow tied to Dhanen’Mar itself, and that if he fell today, the entire country would somehow bear the consequences. Since she was not privy to the deeper truth of this, her own worry was settled upon the simple fact of not wanting to see her friend die here this day. She had performed a toss of her augury stones at dawn that morning, hoping to gain some hint as to the results of the day, but they had only shown her a conflicting convergence of events that even she could not decipher. The only surety was that this Fourteenth-day, ruled by Magic, would prove an eventful one.

  The warlords, adorned in their deep red cloaks, were not difficult to find in the crowd, and Madi spied the three of them, along with their young squire Qyn, secured upon the first row of benches at center-field, directly across from the royal council.

  “There,” she said to the others, starting in the warlords’ direction.

  Baiel Maves was proving to be a distraction she really did not need this week, but she was finding it impossible to discourage him. Also a consideration was what she’d glimpsed about him at the time of their first meeting, a matter that continued to intimidate her to no end, and one she’d spoken of to no one, not even Oliveah. She tried very hard not to think of it when she was with him, but wasn’t always successful. If nothing else, it gave her absolutely no cause to worry for him while he remained a part of the Challenge, no matter who was drawn against him; there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that he would come from these games the victor.

  Baiel smiled at seeing her approach and slid down the bench to make room for her. “Sleep well?” he asked, as she lowered herself.

  “Not particularly,” she told him. “I will be very happy once these duels are finished.”

  He nodded. “I look forward to their end as well. Although, I am not as anxious to leave Aralexia as I was a few days ago. Are you departing with your troupe directly following the conclusion of the Challenge?”

  She paused. Knowing full well just how terrible a liar she was, she instead thought furiously for a bland explanation that would not be too much of an untruth.

  “Actually,” she began slowly, “Sabian and I will be setting off on an errand given to us by my great-grandmother, Danetria Savannon. Diviner business,” she added, in hopes of discouraging any further questioning.

  “You and Sabian alone?” he frowned. “I presume you won’t be traveling anywhere dangerous?”

  Since there remained an as-yet unidentified third person to join their party, meant to act as their protection, Madi wasn’t certain how to respond. Finally she simply said, “We’ll be fine.”

  This answer didn’t appear to satisfy him, but the sudden cheering of the crowd brought his attention to the field, where the royal jester was now making his way to the goblet. Much like his previous drawings, Devlin Alvik didn’t seem to be approaching the task with much enthusiasm, likely wondering if he was about to inadvertently bring about the death of the one he’d been trying so very hard to protect.

  “Gliddion Xaz!” the jester called, reading from the first slip of parchment.

  Madi drew in a breath, waiting to hear the next name. While shocked over Rydin Kale’s behavior during the course of his fights, she still couldn’t bring herself to disregard her concern for him, not wanting to see him harmed. This did not leave her many options in regard to how she should hope for these drawings to play out.

  The slight pause next given by the jester seemed to imply the worst, and apparently Oliveah came to the same conclusion for Madi heard her sudden cry of despair a split second before he called Taleb’s name.

  “Taleb Okin faces Gliddion Xaz in the first match!” Alvik called.

  Madi turned sharply to Baiel. “Tell me truthfully. Does he stand any chance?”

  He considered only a moment. “Yes. Taleb is very skilled, Madi. Exceptionally so, for having received no formal training. But to best Xaz, he will have to match his lack of mercy. And while that may sound like a simple thing, truly it is not.”

  “Will you tell him so? As well as anything else that may help him?”

  “Of course.” Baiel looked back to the field where Alvik had just called his name. “I guess this leaves me with Kale,” he added, the words sounding as an afterthought.

  Madi suddenly realized the truth of this, and found it to be the only favorable aspect of these pairings. Baiel would oust Rydin without doing him any harm, and then move on to the final duel where he would face either Taleb or the Balshan. Either way, she further realized, Gliddion Xaz’s breaths were numbered, leaving only the question of whether it would be Taleb today or Baiel tomorrow who would ultimately cease them.

  Uncertain of what she would find, Madi steeled herself, leaned forward, and turned to take in Oliveah. Her friend appeared to have more or less gotten a hold of herself, but her gaze remained wild. Considering the pressure she’d been under all week, with so many secrets balanced upon her shoulders, Madi thought it a wonder she hadn’t yet come completely undone.

  Madi suddenly turned her attention onto Sabian, who was sitting to her opposite side as Baiel.

  “Taleb,” the young man was calling, beckoning Taleb over to him.

  Taleb approached Sabian somewhat cautiously. Like most, he tended to find the man in question rather disturbing.

  “Eugan wishes to relay some intelligence,” Sabian told him, smiling slightly.

  But rather than unsettle Taleb further, these words instead seemed to ease whatever hesitation he’d been feeling. “I’m listening,” he said, nodding.

  “An injury taken years ago has weakened Xaz’s right knee. Winters pain him, which is why he has come south to Dhanen’Mar.”

  To judge by Taleb’s expression, Madi saw this was incredibly valuable information. All the warlords were listening to the exchange by now as well, their first experience with Sabian’s unique talents.

  “Anything else?” Taleb asked.

  Sabian cocked his head, evidently listening to words only he could hear. “The vision on his right side is not spectacular either. Eugan thinks that if you are quick enough, you may be able to surprise him if you can strike from the correct angle.”

  Taleb nodded. “Thank you, Sabian. And . . . Eugan,” he added, looking uncertain again.

  Armed with this new and clearly exciting information, the warlords convened about Taleb just a few steps from the field and, so far as Madi could guess, proceeded to give him advice on how to deal with his upcoming duel.

  Madi shot another glance to Oliveah, seeing Nathon was somehow keeping her calm. With Sabian retreating back into his own thoughts, Madi turned to Qyn, who was watching the warlords silently and with interest. There was something about this boy Madi found troubling, and it had nothing to do with a divination.

  With his black hair, gray eyes, and tellingly familiar features, she was almost positive he was a Savannon. After learning from Baiel that he’d been abandoned at the keep at only days old, she’d had no choice but to come to the conclusion that one of her relations was the boy’s mother, perhaps leaving him with the warlords out of shame because he’d not been born to Commerce as all male Savannons were. Furthermore, Madi
was now forced to wonder how many other babies were born to her family line and not reported, how many other males not born to Commerce and females not born to Destiny were ousted from the family in a similar fashion—if not a worse one. The conclusion led her to much reflection, and an intention to bring the matter up with her great-grandmother Danetria the next time she was in Kohtala.

  The time until Seventh-hour flew by quickly, and it seemed only minutes had passed before Taleb was entering onto the field in answer to the bell-ringer’s first summons of the day. Gliddion Xaz, Madi saw, was approaching from the southern end, wearing a smile as he waved to acknowledge the hisses and jeers from the members of the crowd who’d all come to hate him.

  Madi looked over as Baiel re-seated himself on the bench next to her.

  “Are you certain you wish to remain for this?” he asked her seriously.

  She really wasn’t, but since Oliveah had refused all of Nathon’s attempts to make her leave the forum, she couldn’t, in good conscience, abandon her friend now.

  “I’ll stay,” she told him, trying to overcome her dread and force her eyes back to the field.

  Taleb and the Balshan were now crossing blades, entering into the starting position. The bell-ringer, Madi noted, had apparently taken a lesson from the day before and was now standing several paces back from the combatants in an obvious attempt to preserve his own life.

  The bell sounded, and Madi’s vision was suddenly overtaken, for the briefest of moments, as it flashed back to the owls.

  With the sight clearing as quickly as it had come, she saw the fight begin on a vicious note, and not to Taleb’s favor. The Balshan opened with a feint and then landed the point of his sword deeply into Taleb’s side. Blood welled instantly from the wound, staining his shirt and dripping to the ground, and he lurched himself backward several paces to regroup.

  Peripherally, Madi saw this had already been enough for Nathon to take matters into his own hands; having slung Oliveah over his shoulder, he was now on his feet and removing her bodily from the forum.

  “Madi . . . .” Baiel began.

  The owls again flashed across her second sight. She did not know exactly what this implied, but presumed the Death these creatures predicted was somehow tied to whether or not Taleb made it off this field alive.

  “No,” she returned firmly to Baiel, keeping her gaze ahead and fixed.

  Taleb had by now recovered his stance, although the blood continued to gush from his side. He blocked Xaz’s next strike, and the next, and then moved offensively to deliver a shallow nick to the man’s shoulder.

  “Stay on his right,” Madi then heard Baiel murmur from beside her, as the owls flashed across her vision yet again.

  The men made a few more passes, and then Taleb moved to take the offensive once more. Xaz blocked, spun, and struck his second blow, a deep slash across Taleb’s back. Taleb again fell back to recover himself, but this time the Balshan allowed him not even an instant.

  Xaz pounced, bringing his sword down from above his head with both hands. Taleb saw it coming and threw himself backward, just managing to avoid the swing and bring his shield up in time to catch the follow up blow.

  “Go for his knee!” the warlord Geves was now exclaiming from down the bench.

  Taleb appeared to be of the same mind, sweeping his sword in from the side as he remained on the ground and behind the safety of his shield. Not seeing the move in time to entirely avoid it, Xaz sprung back but not before Taleb’s fist, gripping the hilt of his sword, connected with his knee. The Balshan stumbled and retreated, giving Taleb the few precious moments he needed to spring back to his feet and begin circling to Xaz’s right.

  The owls flashed again, and Madi, now completely transfixed, kept her gaze riveted on the action playing out before her.

  The hit he’d taken appeared to be serious, for the Balshan was now limping slightly to keep pace with Taleb. It seemed he was also trying to get Taleb onto his other side, a vain attempt that was not being allowed. They exchanged wounds once more, but these seemed only minor; Taleb taking a cut to the arm, and the Balshan one to the thigh.

  The crowd, Madi realized distantly, was going absolutely wild.

  Staying to Xaz’s right, it was obvious even to her that Taleb was waiting for precisely the right moment to sweep in and take advantage of the Balshan’s less-than-perfect eyesight. Finally he made his move, slashing in with his blade aimed at the center of Xaz’s chest.

  Baiel was suddenly inhaling sharply beside her. “Too soon!” he muttered.

  Baiel was right. The Balshan saw the strike coming and reacted instantly. Moving his shield in to take the blow, he positioned his sword outward and all but let Taleb’s own momentum carry him onto its point. The sword sank into the right side of Taleb’s stomach, and there was no doubt it was a serious hit.

  Taleb doubled over, blood now pouring from his numerous wounds, but still managed to bring his sword about in what looked to be a blind thrust. If it was, fortune blessed him, for it managed to sink into Xaz’s shoulder joint and caused the man to back away sharply with a few hurried steps.

  Taleb now seemed incapable of straightening completely, the blood from his stomach wound beginning to saturate the front of his pants as well as his shirt. It was clear he was laboring.

  “Get back on his right!” the warlord Yuri burst out.

  This time, Taleb did not follow the desired instructions. Instead, and in a move that even seemed to surprise Baiel, he hefted his shield and ran straight at the Balshan. Xaz raised his sword but its point skidded harmlessly off the face of Taleb’s shield just before the men crashed together and went to the ground.

  What followed was much grappling, and several passes of steel flying through the air as both men sought the killing stroke that would prove their only chance for survival. It was difficult to discern exactly whose limbs were whose as their bodies continued tumbling about over the ground, and then both swords seemed to come up and descend nearly simultaneously. All movement upon the field then stilled.

  Madi suddenly realized she had a death-grip on Baiel’s hand. “What happened?” she demanded.

  The audience, equally ignorant, had grown quiet, waiting for any sign of movement from upon the field.

  “I think they each landed a serious blow,” Baiel said, his own eyes not leaving the scene before them.

  Devlin Alvik suddenly appeared from the spaces of royal seating, hurrying forward to take in the damage done. He reached the bodies and fell into a crouch. He then appeared to be feeling for lifebeats, putting his fingers to one neck, and then the other.

  “Healers!” he suddenly bellowed.

  Two men and two women immediately ran in from the sidelines, and Madi felt her breath catch and hold as she waited to see who they would attend to. Neither man had yet moved, and the jester’s cry for the Healers had been loaded with urgency. While one of the combatants clearly continued to live, it seemed more than possible that he was fading quickly.

  “It’s Taleb,” Baiel said, as the four Healers reached his inert form and knelt in a circle all about him. They went to work immediately, stripping off his torn and bloodied shirt to better get at his injuries.

  “I have to tell Oliveah,” she blurted, moving to get to her feet.

  “Wait,” he cautioned, laying a hand on her arm. “Not until we’re sure the Healers can mend him.”

  “Oh,” she said, nodding numbly. “Yes.”

  The crowd remained subdued and almost motionless as all waited for some sort of official verdict. After nearly twenty minutes, the jester finally gave it to them.

  “The victor of this match is Taleb Okin!” he shouted from center field. “While gravely injured, rest assured our Healers will have him back to full health in a matter of hours, fully capable of participating in tomorrow’s final duel!”

  The crowd erupted in a deafening roar, quickly taking up a chant of Taleb’s name which he was likely in no co
ndition to acknowledge or even hear. Madi brought her head down to her hands in utter relief. Not only would Taleb live, but they would have no more reason to worry about his safety. Tomorrow he would fight Baiel, and then be free to start safely on his way to Lutarre Keep, where he needed to be. It was over. Taleb and Nathon had both made it safely from the Challenge.

  Madi suddenly found herself smiling, and again started to rise before seeing that her aim was now unnecessary. Both Oliveah and Nathon had entered onto the field and were heading for Taleb. Alvik intercepted them, and a brief conversation ensued before he allowed them to pass. They approached the Healers but hung back to remain clear of their way, as little doubt Taleb still required all of their attention.

  After another ten or so minutes, it appeared his condition had become stable enough to remove him from the field, and this was accomplished by way of a litter, brought forth and carried away by several Justice officers. Nathon and Oliveah went with him, leaving the arena and following along to wherever Taleb was being taken to see out the rest of his healing.

  Feeling as though a great weight had been lifted from her spirit, Madi asked Baiel if they could walk about the marketplace before his duel so she could stretch her legs. Leaving Sabian and Qyn behind with Yuri and Geves, they headed across the forum and into the bustling marketplace.

  The talk surrounding them seemed to consist of nothing but excited rehashings of Taleb’s fight with Gliddion Xaz. It was evident the Balshan had no mourners here, and Taleb seemed to have won himself much acclaim for being the man to have finished him off. Personally, Madi was hoping his victory granted peace to Eugan, allowing his spirit to now move on to whatever lay beyond the living realm.

  Because the Healers had stayed so long with Taleb, there remained little time until Baiel needed to take the field himself. After securing a box of cinnamon pastries and several flagons of juice to take back to their companions, they headed back into the arena and started for their first-row seats. Madi wasn’t surprised to see Oliveah and Nathon hadn’t yet returned, figuring both would likely remain near to Taleb until he’d been fully healed.

  She and Baiel distributed the food and drink to Geves, Yuri, Sabian and Qyn, and then had just enough time to sit and enjoy a couple of the pastries before he was called forth by the first gong. Madi wished him luck, knowing he would not need it, and then sat back feeling content that this would be one duel she would not have any trouble viewing.

  Rydin was approaching from the south, his sword unsheathed and slung casually back upon his right shoulder as he moved with an unhurried gait to center field. Madi watched him for a long moment, still unable to completely stifle her curiosity. Despite all recent evidence to the contrary, a part of her still refused to believe he was motivated by evil, instead seeing him as a puzzle she just hadn’t yet figured out. Again, she found herself thankful these games would not be seeing the end of him.

  Baiel and Rydin didn’t appear to exchange any words as they took up the starting position before the bell-ringer, simply crossing their blades and then holding in the official fashion. The bell-ringer took two giant steps backward in another obvious attempt at caution, and then sounded the gong.

  Baiel swung first, his blade arcing out before him. Rydin, still fighting without a shield, forced his sword downward into a block, while simultaneously bringing his left fist about to land a punch to the side of Baiel’s head. Baiel took the hit with only a slight shake of his head and brought his wrist back to deliver a quick slash to Rydin’s leg, drawing blood.

  With the initial injuries now delivered, both men backed off a step and circled slowly. Watching them, Madi slowly began to realize that the warlord’s victory might not come so easily as she’d assumed, and a heavy knot of disquiet started to form in the pit of her stomach.

  Their next exchange evidenced similar results, with Rydin now taking the offensive and bringing his sword in from the right in a vicious slashing motion. Baiel parried, deflecting the blade and making a shallow stab into Rydin’s arm. Rydin ignored the hit completely, bringing his own sword about to deliver his own shallow gash to Baiel’s thigh. Both men backed off and began circling again.

  Rydin was the first man in the competition to have landed a wound on Baiel at all, and, realizing this, Madi glanced uncertainly over to Geves and Yuri. “I don’t understand this,” she appealed to them.

  Yuri leaned in slightly to answer her.

  “They’re still feeling each other out,” he said. “This fight hasn’t truly begun yet, but you’ll know once it does.”

  She stared at him. “What are you saying?”

  He tilted his head, his eyebrows raised. “I think Baiel’s finally found himself a worthy opponent.”

  Dumbfounded, Madi looked back to the field. This just couldn’t be right—not after what her second sight had shown her. Was it actually possible Rydin was a match for him?

  After two more quick exchanges that saw both combatants receiving nothing worse than minor nicks, the truth of Yuri’s prediction exploded in a sudden flurry of movement. Both Baiel and Rydin simultaneously seemed to unleash themselves, their movements becoming a dizzyingly rapid chain of unrelenting strikes and blocks that Madi found impossible to even follow.

  Beside her, Geves, Yuri, and Qyn were all making noise, but she found herself unable to focus on their words as Baiel and Rydin went on spinning relentlessly across the field with not even the slightest pause or hesitation. Madi realized that the first of them to break from this narrowed and intense focus was going to lose—and that the end of this could now result in a wide variety of ways. While certain Baiel would find no reason to end Rydin life’s, she could not in all honesty claim the opposite was true. Rydin’s actions in the previous four rounds had simply proven too unpredictable to make any accurate guesses as to what he might do now, if he did indeed somehow manage to gain the upper hand here.

  The duel was quickly becoming the longest of any yet seen in this year’s Challenge, and she could only imagine the amount of strain both were under as they went on and on, their blades a blur as neither ceded nor gained even an inch in the action continuing to tear its way all about the field. Even to someone as unschooled in swordplay as she, Madi knew she was witnessing something truly spectacular here and now, a fight the likes of which few had ever seen.

  Its conclusion, when it finally came, was as unexpected as the very nature of the fight itself. Baiel and Rydin, both still locked within their whirlwind of ferocity, were now almost back at center field, and it was only because of this that Madi had a clear sight of the steel blade suddenly flying through the air, up and away from the combatants. At first, she assumed one had at last managed to disarm the other. But another moment of quick observation showed her this was not exactly the case, as both men now held utterly still.

  Baiel’s blade had snapped in two almost at the hilt, and with no weapon left to defend himself with, Rydin now had his own sword tip leveled at the warlord’s throat.

  Staring in horror, Madi, along with the rest of the crowd, waited to see what Rydin would next do.

  He seemed to hold to the position for an interminably long time. Finally, he upended his sword and stepped back, giving a clear signal that the duel would end here.

  The crowd appeared not to know how to react, likely because not a one of them had expected Baiel to lose this fight. Madi herself remained stunned, but was furiously fighting with her mind to regain some semblance of order. In doing so, she then realized what this further meant.

  Taleb was going to have to face Rydin, and not Baiel, in the final duel. It was unlikely he would stand a chance at winning it, but that was far from the greatest concern. Historically, there were very few final duels that did not see death, and with Rydin’s actions continuing to be so very unpredictable, Taleb might find himself in some serious trouble again the following day. Oliveah was not going to react well to this.

  Madi blinked, forcing the world ar
ound her back into focus, and saw there was now some sort of commotion happening on the field. Not only the jester, but the captain of the knights as well as the commander of the Legion, had come forth from their seats and all three appeared to be interrogating both Rydin and Baiel.

  Madi stared forward, frowning. She had absolutely no idea what this could be about and shot a glance to the warlords. Their conversation offered a quick theory.

  “No chance did Baiel’s blade just happen to snap in such a fashion. Our weapons are forged from the strongest steel in all of Dhanen’Mar!” Yuri was issuing furiously.

  “There is something not at all right about Kale,” Geves agreed, looking angry. “Taleb and Nathon suspect he wears a Secondary of Magic, and I’m not tempted to argue the theory. It would certainly explain all the oddities that keep happening about him.”

  Madi took this in with a great deal of surprise. Neither Nathon nor Taleb had ever mentioned anything of these suspicions to her, and must not have to Oliveah either, for she’d have no doubt relayed them. But in any case, it was an interesting theory. It would also prove deadly were it true—for any use of Magic in the Challenge was strictly prohibited, carrying a sentence of death as the penalty.

  The activity on the field continued, and then it seemed Baiel, at least, was dismissed, for he began making his way back to them. His words, once he arrived, confirmed the suspicions evidently shared by Nathon, Taleb, Geves and Yuri.

  “They think Kale’s somehow using Magic,” Baiel told them, still breathing deeply from his efforts on the field as he stopped before them. “Between the lightning, the bee, and now my sword snapping when it had no business doing so, the council is trying to discern a way to uncover the truth.”

  Discovering whether or not Rydin was using Magic was not going to be an easy task. Even the king could not demand that he reveal his Secondary if he did not wish to, and this left little to no options. Their only recourse occurred to Madi suddenly, a split second before the king himself stepped forth from the royal seating and moved out to address the crowd.

  “I require the services of a diviner!” King DeSiva bellowed. “If there is a diviner anywhere in the arena, I demand you come to me now!”

  Madi felt her entire body stiffen in abrupt terror at those words. Unable to even blink, she stared forward, a hundred thoughts now shooting through her mind.

  Without Oliveah here to advise her, she had absolutely no idea how to react to this summons. True, the king was calling for her to read Rydin, not himself, but that could change very quickly once she revealed herself for what she was. She noted Baiel staring at her curiously, clearly wondering why she was not coming forward, but she could do no more than shake her head back at him helplessly.

  The king remained where he stood, still putting forth his summons to the crowd. He received an answer just a moment later, by way of a tall, distinguished-looking man rising from the section reserved for the highborn class.

  Madi recognized him at once and realized exactly what was about to occur.

  “My liege!” Eward Savannon called in response, moving himself to the edge of the field to address the king. He gave a low bow.

  “Speak!” his majesty barked at him.

  “My niece, Madilaine Savannon, is a diviner, and I happened to have glimpsed her not long ago in the marketplace. Certainly she is nearby, and would be honored to offer her services to you in any fashion that you require.”

  This appeared to please the king. “Certainly there are none better than a Savannon diviner!” he bellowed. “Madilaine Savannon, come forth and see out your duty to your king!”

  Madi lowered her head and closed her eyes, fighting back tears of panic. She now had no option but to comply; trying to sneak her way from the forum would only draw attention, and outright ignoring the summons would only lead her into even greater trouble.

  Taking a breath, she raised her hands to shed the shawl she’d been wearing all week and rose to her feet. Baiel was still staring at her in confusion, understanding nothing of her reactions.

  “Baiel,” she said, stepping up to face him. “I need something of you.”

  “Then you have only to ask.”

  “Once he takes me, I need you to find Oliveah and tell her of this,” she said as calmly as she could manage.

  He was frowning now. “Takes you? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

  “I know. Just promise me you’ll do this.”

  He was clearly frustrated, but nodded. “I will.”

  She turned away and started onto the field. The crowd gave her a generous round of applause which she barely heard over her racing thoughts, which were trying to anticipate exactly how this would play out. The only conclusion she managed to draw with certainty was that she was now at the mercy of circumstances far beyond her control.

  As she neared center-field, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing to the jester. Clearly anticipating this, his returning gaze beseeched her to remain calm. She strove to do so, pausing before the king and lowering herself into a deep curtsy.

  “Your majesty, I offer my services to you,” she said, straightening.

  King DeSiva was a man of about fifty years, still tall and imposing, with only slight threads of silver streaking through his dark hair. His eyes, however, seemed to confirm every rumor of madness currently circling about Aralexia. Those eyes were taking her in now as he nodded.

  “It is my command that you perform a reading on Kale. Should it be found that he is possessed of Magic, his life will be forfeit.”

  “As you command,” she said, lowering her head respectfully, even as her thoughts again thundered. Was she about to get Rydin killed? Could she bring herself to lie to save him if she did see Magic?

  The king gave a dismissive wave to grant her retreat, and she was nearly trembling as she stepped away to approach Rydin. Taking him in, she was then briefly distracted from her own worries by observing his obvious amusement. With his hand resting casually upon the pommel of his sheathed sword, he in no way seemed worried that his life was in danger.

  Taking her in as she drew near, his grin widened. “Lady Savannon,” he greeted. “It seems we’re making a habit of meeting under the most dramatic of circumstances, wouldn’t you say?”

  She could not force an answer, still desperately trying to hold herself together.

  He frowned, inspecting her closer. “You don’t appear pleased to be performing this task for your great, mighty, and completely insane king. I can’t say I blame you,” he went on, “but it’s certainly no reason to become upset.”

  She looked back at him, then drew a breath and turned to speak over her shoulder. “I need everyone to step away so as not to interfere with the reading.”

  Once all gathered had retreated to a generous distance, Madi turned back to him. “I do not wish to see you dead. What will this show me?”

  His shrugged, appearing amused once again. “I’m rather interested to see that myself. We don’t really hold to this sort of thing in Jennen, you understand.”

  She exhaled in exasperation. “You are an insufferable man, Rydin Kale. Take a seat.”

  They both lowered themselves to the grass, and Madi withdrew her fortune cards from her satchel. It was rare for any of her kind to ever be without at least one divining tool, and instinct had instructed her to bring her cards this morning. She told him to shuffle and cut the deck with his left hand.

  He followed the direction in a manner that made it clear he took none of this seriously, and that he was only humoring such a silly display.

  Completely at her wit’s end with the circumstances of the day, Madi snapped at him. “Keep on with that behavior and I’m going to smack you,” she growled. “Right here, in front of everyone!”

  He set the deck down before her after making his cut, continuing to grin. “Are you this demanding of all men, or is it something I just happen to bring out in you?” he asked.
br />   “Rest assured, it is only you,” she replied smartly, reaching to flip the first card of the fifteen that would make up her chosen spread. “Well, I suppose this is of no surprise,” she murmured a moment later, glancing up at him briefly before lying Chaos down upon the grass between them.

  Rydin’s gaze turned speculative, but he said nothing.

  Madi drew the next card, and the next, until all the following fourteen were circling the symbol of Chaos at their center. She stared at them for several minutes, trying to discover some meaning in this drawing, for there appeared to be absolutely none. To every figure shown there appeared its opposite, canceling out every possible meaning she was struggling to determine.

  “You seem perplexed, diviner,” Rydin finally observed after much time.

  She looked up at him, completely bewildered. “I have never before seen the likes of this. I’ve read for those born to Chaos, and knew to expect some level of confusion . . . but this is . . . utterly without purpose or reason!”

  He didn’t appear bothered by this conclusion, or even surprised. “That’s hardly incentive to change my point of view regarding all this divination business, you realize?”

  She snarled at him and looked back to the cards almost desperately. But she’d made no error—absolutely nothing could be divined from this drawing, save for one thing. Nowhere in the cards was there any hint to the presence of Magic.

  “Well, you are no mage, at least,” she said, raising her head with a jerk.

  “Certainly not,” he agreed.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Who are you, then?”

  The question made him smile, but he gave no response.

  She took him in seriously. “Why did you kill those men?”

  “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

  She frowned. “In the competition! You have killed three of your opponents, but left the other two alive. I would know why.”

  “I’m pleased to note you’ve been so closely following my progress,” he told her, smiling.

  Her eyes narrowed again.

  He laughed and held up his hands. “All right, don’t get excited. There is much corruption in this city, diviner. Trust that those who faced me and breathe no more very much deserved it.”

  She stared back evenly. “So you will find no reason to seek death in tomorrow’s final duel?”

  Rydin regarded her thoughtfully at that. “I have no reason to desire the demise of Taleb Okin. A friend of yours, I presume?”

  She nodded.

  “Then you have my word. I will not kill him.”

  Madi exhaled deeply. Even if this day saw her own death, she had at least secured Taleb’s safety; and with it, quite possibly all of Dhanen’Mar’s.

  “Thank you, Rydin,” she told him with all sincerity.

  He cocked his head at her, almost seeming puzzled.

  “There is one last thing I would ask you,” she then went on, beginning to smile.

  “What was the purpose of reading my cards if not to bypass this pesky question and answer session?”

  “I do not think the cards would have answered this one, even if you had produced a normal reading,” she replied.

  “In that case, I’m intrigued. Go on.”

  She paused, hesitant but curious. “Did you help me in the jail only so I would pay your fines and see your release?”

  “No,” he answered. “I admit, I was hoping you would do it. But such was not my motivation.”

  Vindicated, Madi nodded, glad she hadn’t let the more negative opinions of others influence her on this matter. “You know, you are not at all what I expected after watching you on the field all week,” she then told him truthfully.

  He shrugged. “Do not be fooled. I am not so different from your assumptions either.” He paused and glanced back. “I believe they’re growing impatient.”

  Madi blinked quickly, somehow having almost completely forgotten the trouble awaiting her only twenty paces away. Turning, she saw the council did indeed appear to be growing anxious, staring her way and, in some cases, glaring. King DeSiva was actually moving toward her and Rydin now, with the jester right on his heels.

  Rydin rose deftly to his feet and then took her hand to help her up. Straightening beside him, she turned to regard the king and jester.

  “Your majesty,” she began, with another low curtsy.

  “What is the verdict?” the king snapped.

  “He is possessed of no Magic. If there is another explanation for the bizarre events that seem to follow him, it’s most certainly coincidence.”

  “A diviner who believes in coincidence,” King DeSiva snorted. “I could almost discount your credibility just for that. But seeing as you’re also a Savannon, it’s probably best I not doubt you.” He paused and turned his attention onto Rydin. “You are free to depart. Much as I find Jennites disgusting, if you are responsible for no Magic here then I have no reason to keep you from tomorrow’s final duel.”

  Rydin didn’t seem to favor being called “disgusting”, and he gave the king a humorless look. “I’m only here for the gold. Fear not, your majesty, for I will be sliming my way from your city soon enough.”

  “I am happy to hear that, Jennite scum!” the king returned with an enthusiastic wave of his arm.

  Rydin’s brows rose and his eyes widened as he looked away, making clear his opinion of the king’s evident lunacy.

  “Lady Savannon, you shall be coming with us back to the castle,” King DeSiva then went on in a completely changed tone, staring at her. “Today is the annual Challenge Ball, and I wish for you to read for my guests.”

  Madi fought for outward calm as her fear surged anew.

  “Perhaps she should be allowed to return to her place of lodging first, so she can prepare herself properly,” Devlin Alvik then suggested, clearly an attempt to allow her the chance to flee the city.

  “I don’t believe that is necessary,” the king replied. “The feast will begin in only a few short hours, and I’d like her to attend to my guests as soon as they begin to arrive. Have your attendants see to her readiness, Devlin,” he ordered.

  “As you command,” the jester replied.

  Rydin was looking from one to the other. “Why am I not invited? You did say this was a Challenge Ball, after all, and I am one of the final combatants.”

  The king sneered at him. “I would not disgrace my home with your filthy presence.”

  “Master Kale,” the jester spoke up, “I believe his majesty has dismissed you.”

  “But you haven’t officially declared me the victor of my fight yet.”

  “Go!” Alvik snapped at him.

  Rydin grinned faintly. “Diviner,” he said, nodding to her before sweeping away to start down the field.

  Madi watched him go, wishing desperately that she could follow.

  “Come now, Lady Savannon,” Devlin Alvik then said, moving up beside her. “I will ensure you are well looked after.”

  Hoping he meant those words in every sense possible, she stepped after him, moving with the royal party as they departed the forum.

  Chapter 43