“You’re going to sentence him to death because of an old grudge that your school has?” Corwin asked, his tone saying that he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  Astinak’s words shocked Vash as well. He knew the Eth Mitaan avoided mages as a rule, but he never knew why.

  “I’m not doing anything of the sort, .” Astinak said, emphasizing Corwin’s rank. “His sentence results from his own actions, not any decision of mine.”

  “That’s an awfully convenient excuse.” Galia said, giving Astinak a look of disdain.

  “Watch your tongue, Amneris.” Astinak snapped. “We aren’t in Osterlan, we aren’t even in Harper’s Crossing. Your family name doesn’t have the same weight down here that you’re used to.”

  “No? You seem to be the only one bringing it up, Master Astinak.” Galia said, showing no hint of intimidation.

  Astinak glared at her, then narrowed his eyes. “Why are you still here? What have you got to do with this elf’s situation?”

  “Nothing.” Galia said, shrugging. “I just met him when he was trying to get into the tower to see you.”

  “I see,” Astinak said, steepling his long fingers over his chest. He sank back into the high-backed chair, elbows resting on the armrests. “Do you know what caused this whole mess, Magus Amneris?”

  “I heard it had something to do with a part-blood slum getting razed by the Duke of Sathsholm.” Galia said, glancing at Vash and then back at Astinak. “Which isn’t surprising, given Duke Adolus’ reputation.”

  Astinak sighed, giving a theatrical shake of his head. “I don’t know why I expected you to know better? Your father was always rushing into situations without knowing the full details as well. The Duke was attempting to retrieve one of the five tablets of Surinos.”

  Galia blinked, her expression turning to one of shock. “What?”

  “Yes, the Eth Mitaan are up to their old tricks, it seems. They stole the tablet from the vault of the Kellover Collegium in Sathsholm.” Astinak said, his tone casual, but his eyes still held a sort of malicious enjoyment at seeing both Galia and Vash squirm. “The Duke sent his Inquisition in to confront the Eth Mitaan and retrieve the tablet; however, many civilians suffered as a result.”

  “Easy, Vash.” Corwin said, his voice calm, low, and steady, like he was soothing a wild animal.

  Vash glared at him. Only then did Vash realize how tightly he’d clenched his fists, turning his knuckles white. Forcing himself to relax, Vash opened his fists, seeing small bloody crescents in his palms. “It wasn’t a confrontation, it was a slaughter. Most people in Ragpicker’s Hollow were just innocent folk on hard times. Families.”

  “And your kind used them as living shields.” Astinak said.

  “No, they were our people,” Vash said firmly. “We worked very hard to keep the folk in the Hollow safe. Glauch and the other inquisitors knew we cared for the part-blood folk, and they used it to flush us out.”

  “Hiding amongst the part-blood folk that you for?”

  “We weren’t hiding.” Vash said, trying to keep calm while visions of fire and blood raced through his mind. “Everyone knew where we were. The Inquisitors could have walked right up to our door and no one would have gotten in the way.”

  Astinak gave Vash a speculative look. “You didn’t think they’d come after you when you stole the tablet?”

  “Nothing we could have taken would justify what they did.” Vash said, vehemently.

  “You have no idea what you stole, do you?” Astinak asked, sounding actually curious. “The Tablets of Surinos? The writings of the great Sorcerer Lord himself? No idea how dangerous it was to have it out in the world? If even one tablet got out, the things that even a hedge wizard could do…”

  Astinak trailed off for a moment, then looked grim. “Well, the deaths in your slum would be a mere drop in the bucket.”

  Vash looked away. He had known Iona and Byar stole something from the Collegium, and the assault on the Ducal Palace was a cover for an attempt on the Duke’s vault.

  Vash buried the thought, not letting himself go down that road.

  “Nothing to say?” Astinak asked, his tone so neutral that Vash couldn’t tell if he was seriously asking or just mocking him.

  “What could I say that would help?” Vash countered, feeling suddenly tired. “You have obviously made your decision. I could say that I never heard of this tablet, which is true, though I doubt you’d believe me. The Eth Mitaan robbed the Kellover Collegium. That much is true, but I wasn’t involved in that job. When we attacked the Ducal palace, I thought we were there for vengeance for our friends, not to commit another robbery.”

  Astinak said nothing, watching Vash with sharp, coal-black eyes

  “Then my friends left me behind. Left me to either rot in prison or face the headsman. I’m assuming some of them got away, while else would the Duke have any interest in someone like me?” Vash said. “The Wayfarers have given me a second chance, and I intend to make the most of it. If that’s not enough to earn your support, then I can’t think of anything I could say that would change your mind.”

  Silence descended between the assassin and the master mage. Astinak did not blink, merely studied Vash curiously, like a strange bug crawling across his desk.

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  Eventually, Vash looked away and gave a quick bob of his head. “Thank you for your time, sir.”

  Corwin and Vash started for the stairway, but before they reached the door, Master Astinak spoke up. “You make an interesting case, Vash. However, ignorance of your group’s activities does not gain you an automatic reprieve in the eyes of most masters in the Guild.”

  Vash looked back. Astinak was sitting up, hands folded on the desk in front of him and a thoughtful expression on his face. “I had always assumed that the Eth Mitaan were fanatics, and that all members were involved in their activities. Perhaps that assumption was…hasty.”

  Galia blinked, “You believe him?”

  “I didn’t say that,” Astinak cautioned. “But he what he was saying was the truth, at least he believes it’s the truth.”

  Astinak gestured to a small device on his desk. A complicated set of copper inlays formed a ring in a circle of dark wood. In the center of the device, a small crystal glowed with a green light. “A TruthGate is little more than a bauble, but it is very useful in this sort of situation.”

  “They only sense intent —,” Galia said and opened her mouth to elaborate, but Astinak held up one long-fingered hand.

  “He merely convinced me to take another look at my assumptions.” Astinak said in that maddeningly neutral tone.

  “What does that mean for the vote tomorrow?” Corwin asked, giving voice to the question Vash desperately wanted to ask.

  “It means that I am willing to be convinced.” Astinak said. “So, you may place me in the ‘undecided’ category at this time.”

  Vash felt relief flood through him. It’s not over yet.

  “Keep in mind, I will need a good deal of convincing.” Astinak said. “More than just that little sob story. Think on that before we see each other again.”

  Galia shot another quick glance back at Vash and Corwin as they descended the stairs. Vash tried to ignore it, like he had the last few times she’d done it.

  . Vash thought.

  As soon as Astinak had mentioned the Tablets of Surinos, Galia’s entire demeanor had changed. She’d gone from open and friendly to being decidedly cold and suspicious.

  Vash thought with some satisfaction.

  Galia lead them, in silence, into the entry hall and then opened the hidden doorway with quick, deliberate motions. Vash passed her, giving a brief nod of appreciation, knowing that any earlier feelings of camaraderie were likely gone.

  Corwin stopped just before exiting and held out one hand. “I don’t get to meet many wizards. Me and Jabez usually just take jobs that involve punching and stabbing. If you ever need a sword at your back, let us know.”

  Galia looked up at Corwin’s sincere, open smile, then glanced at Vash, confusion on her face.

  Vash kept his expression blank.

  Hesitantly, Galia reached out and took Corwin’s hand, giving it a polite shake before letting go. “I’ll…I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Corwin opened his mouth to say something else, but a loud from a huge raven cut him off. The blue-black bird fluttered between him and Galia, feathers ruffling and letting out a serious of raucous caws, before perching on Galia’s shoulder and eying Corwin and Vash with stern golden eyes.

  “Took you long enough.” The bird said in a surprisingly pleasant baritone with just a hint of brogue. “I was thinking I would have to fly into Astinak’s office myself.”

  “Calm down, I wasn’t gone that long,” Galia said, brushing the raven’s feathers out of her face. “You’re getting moody in your old age.”

  The raven made an indignant , then fixed Corwin with a suspicious glare. “And who are these two?”

  “Petitioners to Master Astinak. There’s a Council vote tomorrow.” Galia said, keeping the details to a minimum.

  “Corwin Walker, at your service, mister…raven?” Corwin said, confused, but elated to be talking to a bird. “I’d heard that ravens could mimic speech, but this is something else entirely!”

  “Odal doesn’t mimic speech, Corwin.” Galia said, reaching up and stroking the bird’s chest feathers. “He’s a fully sentient being with thoughts and opinions of his own. Opinions which he feels very free to express.”

  The raven gave an irritated croak. “Never had a problem with my opinions before.”

  “He’s my familiar, and my friend,” Galia said, smiling warmly at Odal. The bird croaked again in the same irritated tone, but seemed to preen and look very proud of himself. “So he is more than just a raven.”

  “My apologies, Odal.” Corwin said, giving the raven a shallow bow.

  Odal twitched and leveled his golden gaze at Corwin. “No apologies necessary. It isn’t every day that one meets a magically enhanced creature.”

  Vash considered the puffed-up raven. He knew little about familiars beyond their role in children’s stories. During his few encounters with mages in Sathsholm, they didn’t seem to have their familiars around them, if they had one at all.

  Maybe hedge wizards out adventuring have more of a need for such things. Vash thought. A glint from Odal’s leg caught Vash’s eye. He carefully let his eyes slide from normal human vision to his sharper elvish sight. Trying to ignore the odd feeling of lenses shifting within his eyes, Vash focused on the raven’s leg. Just above Odal’s clawed feet were five small golden bands.

  Trying not to draw any attention, Vash gave Odal a thorough looking over.

  It took a few moments, but he eventually spotted a small bronze medallion on a chain around the bird’s neck. The medallion hid in Odal’s feathers, but as he moved and preened, Vash could make out the conjoined runes that made up the Wayfarer’s sigil on its weathered face.

  Vash thought, confused.

  “Is something bothering you?” Odal’s voice broke through Vash’s reverie. He looked up to see the bird with its eyes fixed on him. The unwavering golden stare felt like it pierced into his soul.

  “No,” Vash said quickly. “I’ve just never seen a raven this close before.”

  Odal croaked out something that might have been a snort, if a human had done it. “Don’t stare, it’s rude.”

  Vash nodded and looked away, down the hill and towards the grove of the School of the Wyld. “We shouldn’t linger here, anyway. One more stop to make.”

  Corwin looked disappointed, but nodded in agreement. “You’re right, we should get moving. The day’s almost gotten away from us.” Corwin glanced skyward, where the sun hovered above the mountains to the west. He turned to Galia. “We’ll likely stop in at the tavern tonight. Will we see you there?”

  Galia hesitated, glancing at Vash, then back to Corwin. “Possibly. I have a lot of reports to go through, and not a lot of time to do it in.”

  “I’ll try to remind her to make an appearance.” Odal said with an almost fatherly air. “She’ll get lost in the stacks all night and forget to eat. Then what good will she be?”

  Galia gave the bird an irritated look. “We’ll see you later, much later.”

  Odal clacked his beak in a very birdlike approximation of a chuckle. Galia turned back into the tower, with Odal perched on her shoulder. The stones slid closed behind them, leaving Vash and Corwin alone outside the steep gray walls.

  “They seem interesting.” Corwin said, starting down the path that wound to the base of the hill.

  “They’re hiding something.” Vash countered, following Corwin.

  Corwin shrugged. “She’s a mage. It comes with the territory.”

  “Worked with many mages?”

  “A few,” Corwin admitted. “Most are sticks in the mud or outright weirdos. Galia seems pleasant enough. Also, we’re going to need mage support if we ever want to take on Silver or Gold ranked quests.”

  “Bold to think that I’m not getting sent back to Sathsholm in chains tomorrow.”

  “Be an optimist about these things, Vash!” Corwin said. “Doesn’t do you any good to dwell on the possibility of failure.”

  Two votes against, one for, and one undecided. Vash thought. Makes it more than just a possibility of failure.