The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume II

for each battle. Combined with Rollett and Maalin, he could up the price to about six pieces of gold per battle. Without the girl’s ingenuity and creativity with fire, the two journeymen were only the equal of a mediocre Battlemage.
    “I know of Lord Kammeryl’s pretensions,” Quinnault said.
    Of course he knew. Ackerly had told him after one of his brief communications with Moncriith.
    “D’Astrismos claims the right of kingship from his genealogy,” Quinnault continued. “I have always suspected the insertion of the Stargods at the top of his family tree to be false, but that is not important now. The presence of a Bloodmage has yet to be verified. No one has reported lost livestock, prisoners, or pets that could be sacrificed for such an evil magician. How could a man draw power from the pain of another?” Quinnault shuddered a moment. Silence reigned in the room as he looked to each man present for an explanation.
    After a moment he returned his gaze to the plans on his desk. “Have you looked for the child before this? Did she have reason to run away?” Quinnault studied Stuuvart in that direct way of his. Practiced scoundrels were known to babble everything they knew under that gaze. If they could remember who they were or what the question was after the lord’s rapid leap from subject to subject. Ackerly avoided that gaze whenever possible.
    “The child was well behaved, a loving and devoted daughter until we enrolled her in this man’s supposed School for Magicians.” Stuuvart pointed accusingly at Ackerly. “Almost immediately, she rebelled and fought the use of her talent. She hated Ackerly, but she remained devoted to her mother and younger siblings. She would not have run away unless provoked. I wonder that perhaps Ackerly found a way to hold her for ransom. He has not mounted a serious search for her.”
    Ackerly glared at the steward. He hadn’t cared about Kalen until the question of money came up. Now he was using her absence to demand coin in redress, coin he should have offered for her return.
    “My lord,” Ackerly said with his hands open before him in a gesture he meant to show his honesty. “Kalen was a very intelligent child with a great deal of talent. I tried to teach her the necessity of control of that talent. She was frightened badly by the impostor Moncriith before she came to my school. She had been mistreated by Stuuvart, who claims to be her father but isn’t. She had no true reason to run away after she came into my care. Granted she was quiet and didn’t make friends easily, but she was more afraid of her talent and Stuuvart than truly rebellious. If Moncriith does indeed march with d’Astrismos, it’s possible he kidnapped Kalen. We both know his attitude toward traditional magicians—especially females.”
    The only difference between a female magician and a witchwoman was the formal training all magicians underwent to gain control of their talents. Moncriith wouldn’t see that control as a difference. He wanted to burn them all.
    “You have a point, Ackerly. I shall send a message of inquiry to Lord Kammeryl. One of your journeymen can do the honors. Do you know if Moncriith uses a traditional method of summons—a flame through a glass?”
    “ I heard that Lord Kammeryl d’Astrismos has denounced magicians and intends to win the crown without a Battlemage,” Stuuvart said. “You’ll have to send your message by fleet steed and rider. It will take weeks to get a reply. I’ll go myself. With your permission, sir.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. No one can win a battle without a Mage to protect the troops from other magicians,” Ackerly protested.
    “If only Nimbulan hadn’t died. He always seemed to be able to keep track of what was happening in all corners of Coronnan.” Lord Quinnault shook his head sadly. “He’d know who marched with d’Astrismos. He’d also know why the little girl disappeared.”
    “But Nimbulan is dead,” Ackerly replied. “He’d never have been able to build up the school as you and I did—to make it big enough to provide defense for your united lords. He’d not have attracted the large numbers of tenants who have settled and will defend your islands. He’d be so lost in a Tambootie trance, he’d forget to eat or teach his classes, or look in his glass for the information we seek. The addiction to the drug of magic ruled him, my lord. Perhaps it’s best the weed took him.” Ackerly paused a moment in a pose