Chapter 15
Not You
Abrennin called his wife. Talking to her, he had to invoke his strongest commanding voice to avoid giving out details. She could tell something very important was happening, and after an initial promise to tell her everything once she got home, she agreed. He sat back and tried to put some pieces together. Nothing was making complete sense. There were too many variables. Who was helping Haylwen? Who was Stephan working for? How much did they know? Why was this happening now? He had a few guesses, but none fit together. Maybe Crystyn knew something...
He got up to check on Haylwen. He knocked softly on Haylwen's door, and when there was no response, he peeked in. She appeared asleep. Poor kid, getting caught up in this. But if she could defend herself... which brought him back to the thought he was trying to avoid. He shut the door softly and leaned on the wall next to it. I had taught! How was it possible? He felt a momentary twinge of doubt before his rationalizations started. They had forced him to Swear! When the Oath was still intact—he couldn't say anything, couldn't even breathe when he had tried.
He went into the kitchen to make some tea. As he waited, he reasoned it out. He hadn't really tried to teach since Swearing, maybe the teaching part never took? Not likely. Maybe there was something about the wish wand? It only amplified magical energies, not likely. Something about the Ring of Fire or the Necklace of Vision? Neither had anything to do with Swearing. He realized he was avoiding the obvious line of thought. There must be something about Haylwen.
The front door opened, and he jumped, spilling some of his tea. He cleaned it up, waiting. Probably Crystyn and Cadarn, but with what has been going on, he centered, readying the energies for anything.
He heard the front door slam and his son's music, much louder than what would have been acceptable on another day. Today, he was glad for the noise. He monitored the music’s movement through the small apartment and its abrupt quieting. Good, Cadarn was in his room with the door closed. His wife came into the kitchen, her aura shimmering in reds, blues, and yellows. They both stood there, soundless for a moment. Abrennin gave her a look which interrupted her before she started to talk. He felt for Cadarn and Haylwen, making sure they were stable. He drew the energy he had gathered into a burgeoning white sphere in his hands. He flung his arms out wide as he breathed the command, and released the energy in an explosion. Crystyn gave a little gasp as the spreading energy wave flowed through her. The front door rattled for just a second.
“You tell me what is going on right now!” she whispered, fixing him with her eyes, and he didn't need to read her energy to know she was scared.
He nodded and led her to the study. He sat, and motioned for her to sit, but she just glared at him. He shrugged and told Haylwen's story. Crystyn abruptly sat down after a couple of sentences. Abrennin watched closely as he mentioned the Ring of Fire, and Crystyn's eyebrows shot up.
“Where did she get a Ring of Fire?” she interrupted.
Abrennin sighed. He knew her mother had worn a Ring of Fire and he was half-hoping Crystyn was the one who gave it to Haylwen, or at least knew who did, but her reaction was genuine. He didn't answer, and instead continued the story. When he related how Haylwen kept a hold of her backpack and the Wish Wand in it, she again gaped.
“A legendary Wish Wand? That’s impossible. From the same person?” she said.
He raised one eyebrow, and told her about the Necklace of Vision. She looked at him, eyes narrowing.
“You never mentioned it... you thought I gave it to her?” She sat back in shock.
He shook his head. “At the time, I thought it odd, but I believed her story about finding it. It was odd, but possible. Now, with the ring and wand, I can only imagine they are all from the same person.” He looked at her. “I feel like I am missing something. Do you have any idea who it could be?”
She looked at him fiercely. “No, and if I did, I would have told you immediately!”
He rubbed the back of his neck ruefully. “Yeah, I deserve that.” With that hint, he said, “Oh, and I taught Haylwen.”
Crystyn looked confused. “Huh? Taught her what?”
He told her about the incident with the energy bubble. She nodded slightly at the Wish Wand’s power, but didn't blink at the fact he might have been injured. She gaped when he told her about the inverse energy bubble and stood up when he related how he tested it for Haylwen. When he reached the point of actually telling Haylwen about Fire and Earth, she interrupted.
“You... you can't! You Swore!” she said.
“Maybe the Oath is wearing off?” he tried.
“How is that possible?” she said.
He started to say something, shook his head, then took a deep breath. “I have no idea.”
She sat heavily. “We'll have to move, again. Shortest stay ever.”
He shrugged. “The Necklace was before we moved the last time. Either we did a terrible job of staying under the radar, which is very unlikely, or they have a way to follow us.”
Crystyn slowly shook her head. “No, it can't be.”
“The evidence points to Haylwen,” he said.
Crystyn shook her head again. “There is no way she...”
“Unless she didn't know she was doing it.”
Crystyn stared at him. “But we have had her suppressed, well, somewhat, since before we moved.”
“I know,” he said, “but she got the necklace before we moved, and I am sure she didn't have the wand in her things when we moved. Either you or I would have felt it. Hayl didn't even know what it was, maybe didn't even know she had it. It was formed into a ceramics tool, and she had her first ceramics class here.” They left unsaid what that meant.
Crystyn glared at Abrennin and clenched the arms of the chair. “You've done something. I don't care what it takes, but you stop it! Do whatever it takes, but you make it stop! You gave your word you wouldn't do anything anymore!” She was shaking, tears rolling down her face.
Abrennin got up to go kneel in front of his wife. “The day you told me we were pregnant, I gave my word, of my own free will. I promise, I have done nothing to tarnish that.” He smiled bitterly. “I observe the Flows of energy, offer my expert opinions to the Conclave, who are all experts themselves, and they pay me more than I could possibly make as a no-mu. And with that leash of money, they drag us all over the map and keep an eye on me.” His eyes searched her face. “Don't get me wrong, I am grateful, but you know I would never tell the Conclave anything about our children. The work isn't bad, but we needed the money and I only did it for you and the kids.” He choked up a bit, but made it through the next sentences, at a whisper. “Since I Swore, I have completely broken off all contact with anyone who was with the Guidants or any Rogues. If someone even tried to contact me, I would tell you.” He looked sincerely into his wife's eyes, and took her hands between his own. “I can only guess that this is someone, well, arranging things for their own grab for power.” He waited and saw her make the connections. “Maybe someone is trying to influence you.”
Crystyn searched his face, and then took one of her hands back to wipe her tears. She nodded and leaned back. “But why give such powerful magical items to Haylwen? I mean, a Wish Wand! It makes no sense.” She paused for a moment, then looked at him. “Wait. Where are the items?” She searched his face. “You let her keep them! Are you insane? Would we let Cadarn keep a helicopter?” She got up to leave.
“Wait.” Abrennin’s command voice didn’t always work with his wife, but it at least let her know he was serious. “She can't get into too much trouble; she doesn't know how to get the helicopter off the ground. In fact, you know that women can't use the male magic of a Wish Wand at all. Besides, if it blends with her, it will be invisible and with enough time, even harmless. Maybe we need to have her keep them.”
Abrennin got up and stood, facing his wife. He still held her one hand in his, and looked over her shoulder at the study door. “Maybe they are just trying to impr
ess us with how much power they have, that they can just throw away such items. Maybe they are showing us how easy it is to get to Haylwen.” He shook his head. “Those don't really feel right, though.” He looked at his wife, and slumped a little. “I hate to say it, but there is another possibility, something that would make it vital that we not interfere.”
Crystyn turned to face him fully.
Quickly, before his mind could avoid it, Abrennin said what he feared the most. A part of his mind saw how it all made sense from that perspective. “Maybe this isn't about us at all,” he said softly, pointing at the books scattered around the room. “I don't remember where, but I do remember a dragon prophecy. One dragon will lead them all out of hiding, back into the world, toppling kings. If Haylwen is holding those items for a dragon, we dare not interfere with prophecy and risk destroying the world!”