Chapter 18

The word among the other Mages was that Guild Master Q'ixanna was not a morning person. Q'yros' personal experience had told him that he was little more an afternoon or evening person, either. Thus Q'yros took his chances and called upon the senior Mage first thing upon rising the next morning.

Q'yros did not flinch in the least when the Guild Master's Farview image glowered at Q'yros upon hearing his request. As this was typically the same dour expression he had most of the time, it hardly had any impact anymore. Not to mention the fact that Q'yros had even more seniority at the Guild than Q'ixanna. Only politics was keeping Q'yros from attaining the Guild Master position again.

Politics and a meddling Emperor, Q'yros had reminded himself sullenly.

"There is no need to examine those artifacts any further, Q'yros," said Q'ixanna in a deep but raspy voice. "Whatever magic that device had is long drained away."

"I am aware of that, Master Q'ixanna," said Q'yros with forced patience. "I am not looking for it to have any substantial magic remaining. I simply suggest that there may be something residual in the design or composition of the materials. I might remind you, Guild Master, that it was your esteemed self that authored the seminal work 'The Effects of Magical Resonance on the Structure of Matter.' You said yourself that strong magic can leave an afterimage in..."

"You have a serpent's tongue, Q'yros, you do realize that."

"I have been told this on occasion, yes," Q'yros said smoothly, folding his hands over the end of his staff.

The Guild Master's thick eyebrows knit together as his dark eyes burned. "And it will get you nowhere with me. You ask us to conduct a fool's errand."

"And why is discovering the mystery behind these foreign Portals a fool's errand, Master Q'ixanna?"

"Do not twist my words around, Q'yros! I will have none of that. That may work on some of the simple-minded fools that pass for Mages here at the Guild, but you will cease to attempt to apply it to me."

Q'yros bowed respectively. "I shall cease," he said, though there was a bit of an edge to his voice. "However, I still have a valid point. Why should we not consider everything?"

"We do not even know if there is a connection. You should not have learned of the artifacts' existence! That was classified as a state secret. I have no idea why the Emperor would be so foolish as to confide it in you."

Q'yros suppressed the smug smile he so wanted to give at this point. What Q'ixanna was really upset about was the fact that now he had one less bit of leverage over Q'yros. Politics at the Mage Guild was built largely around information. Whoever controlled the information could control the Guild. Q'ixanna was a master at it. The possession of the artifacts themselves was of little consequence, since the Guild Master was likely correct in that the magical essence of the former Portal device was gone. But it was one more piece of information that Q'ixanna had controlled, and he had lost that control now that his biggest rival knew as well.

Nevertheless, it also likely meant that no one else at the Guild knew about it, either. Q'ixanna was going to be reticent about revealing the artifacts to the others.

Q'yros decided to play it straight with the Guild Master. "Let's put all these petty little games aside, Master Q'ixanna."

The Guild Master's eyebrows rose.

"Surprised to hear me say such a thing are you? That is how much this concerns me, Guild Master! Each day that passes without resolution, each day that passes where we discover two more questions for every one we answer is another day I grow more worried."

"The Guild has been devoting all its available resources to it, Q'yros," Q'ixanna said in irritation.

"Well, it's not good enough, is it?"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"The fact that the entire Mage Guild, even with half their time taken up with stupid political games, cannot solve this riddle means either we do not have all the information we need, or new thinking is required."

"New thinking? Such as yours?" Q'ixanna said in a scoffing tone. "If you think I have any intention of getting you out of this appointment at the Imperial court..."

Q'yros shook his head. "You didn't hear me, Master Q'ixanna. I said I am through playing games. I do not desire to come back to the Guild Hall right now."

This was a bit of a lie. He did very well want to go back. He knew he had little chance of advancing any further after this, but he at least wanted to perform some damage control and insure himself a healthy retirement once this crisis was over. He had essentially given up on his plans to become Guild Master again.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Believe what you wish, Guild Master. But I am serious in what I have said."

"And you think a drained and useless Portal device will tell you anything?"

"I cannot say until it is examined. But even if it does not, I believe I am right in that we may need to approach this from another perspective. For instance, have you discovered the focus energy yet?"

Q'ixanna's glower deepened. "No."

"Perhaps you should stop looking for one."

"What??"

"Perhaps there is none. At least none at the point of egress."

The Guild Master uttered a humorless laugh. "And to think I have been sick to death of hearing about how great your supposed prowess is in the area of Portals! A reputation obviously not as well-deserved as they think!"

Q'yros raised an eyebrow at this. Perhaps he was held in more favor than he had thought. It explained why Q'ixanna was being so hostile, or at least more so than usual.

"Just how do you propose that someone open a Portal with any kind of accuracy without the need of a Focus?" the Guild Master demanded, as if half-expecting Q'yros to declare that he had invented something to that effect himself.

"That is what I am talking about, Master Q'ixanna. Perhaps we need to rethink the problem. Perhaps they have found a way to direct a Portal without the need of a focus. Or the focus is somewhere we cannot see."

"That is a preposterous idea."

Why, because you didn't think of it yourself? Q'yros thought. "Yes, it is, isn't it? But it's the only one that fits the facts."

"You realize what something like that would mean if it were true, Q'yros?"

"Of course I do. Why do you think I am worried?"

Q'yros' tone softened near the end of his statement as he scrutinized the now suddenly troubled look on the Guild Master's face. Why, you bastard, Q'yros thought angrily. You did indeed think of it yourself and you dismissed it.

Q'ixanna frowned deeply and shook his head. "No, I cannot see that being possible. Portal mechanics simply do not work that way."

"Great gods, Master Q'ixanna!" Q'yros exploded, thumping his staff on the already cracked stone floor of his quarters. "Do not continue to dismiss this simply because you do not like what it implies!"

"You are asking me to completely ignore several centuries of knowledge of Portal Magic!" the Guild Master thundered. "How do you expect me to react?"

"I am not saying what we know of it is invalid, simply that someone may have discovered something new."

"I would think that anything we could possibly discover about it has been discovered. There has not been any significant advance in this field for three centuries, save for piercing the trans-universe barrier."

Q'yros tried not to bristle at this. Q'ixanna was quite obviously ignoring Q'yros' own significant contribution, that of detecting Portals opening from a distance.

"Nevertheless, Guild Master, this brings me back to my original request. From what the Emperor has told me, it is possible that the ones behind the incursion into Colos are the same ones behind these Portals, and a study of those artifacts may confirm this link."

Q'ixanna was silent for a long moment. For all his faults, the Guild Master tended to do the right thing when it came down to it. Q'yros was hoping for that now. Finally, the old Mage said, "I cannot release those artifacts without Imperial order. Obtain that from the Emperor and I will have them studied."

Q'yros was a bit stunned to hear the Guild Master give in so soon. He had expected to spend at least another candlemark arguing with him. Obviously Q'ixanna was more worried about this than he let on. "I will obtain that now, Master Q'ixanna. I am sure I will have no trouble convincing him."

Q'yros was not entirely sure of that, as Z'haas was even more paranoid about controlling the flow of information than Q'ixanna was.

"Fine. Contact me when you have done so."

The Guild Master terminated the Farview before Q'yros could say another word.

Q'yros sighed as he retrieved the pearl and placed it back with his other personal affects. He headed out of the room, throwing the door open before him a bit roughly and causing the guard in the hall to flinch.

The Mage glanced idly at the guard, and then at the wall opposite his door, which still bore the scars of several doors having been bashed into it in his anger. He gazed at it with a tired look. Yes, retirement was looking more attractive to him every day. Like many involved on either side, he wanted this crisis over with so everything could return to some semblance of normalcy.

Q'yros sensed a great deal of tension in the guards outside the Emperor's throne room. Even though they had since been given orders to always allow the Mage entry whenever he wished, they were still wary of what he might do. Q'yros decided to do nothing that would alarm them, even to the point of allowing them to open the doors for him rather than use a spell.

Every time that the Mage had visited his sovereign, he had found Z'haas alone. Thus it was some surprise to him to find that the Emperor had a visitor this time. The visitor's voice echoed to him upon the doors opening.

"... must reiterate the limits of our agreement with you, your Highness. It is imperative that we are clear on this matter."

Q'yros stiffened as he entered the chamber. Addressing a leader as "your Highness" had fallen out of vogue on this side of the ocean for nearly a century. However, it was quite the standard form of address on the other side.

Sure enough, the Mage's eyes fell upon a man who could only be a Urisian. Tall and rather fair-skinned, sporting a bushy mustache under his nose that Q'yros thought looked ridiculous, he spoke in the rather snooty tone that Q'yros had come to expect of Urisi diplomats.

The man turned at the sound of the Mage's entry and cast a speculative eye towards Q'yros. There was a hint of disdain to it as well.

Q'yros caught this but ignored it and the Urisian completely. "If I am interrupting, my Emperor," he said, emphasizing the honorific faintly.

"No, Q'yros, not at all," said Z'haas politely as he turned back to the diplomat. "Rest assured, Mandas, I am aware of all stipulations of your generous agreement with us."

Q'yros raised an eyebrow at the Emperor's tone and watched the two of them curiously. He only now realized he had never seen Z'haas' diplomatic skills in action.

Mandas' gaze lingered on the wizened Mage for a moment before returning to the Emperor. "Nevertheless, I have been instructed by His Majesty's government to reinforce the key provision of the treaty," said the Urisian in a lofty voice. "It is understood that our men will engage only those forces deemed hostile to the Oceanus nation. That will be their only use."

"The treaty was forged with a specific purpose in mind," said Z'haas in a businesslike but casual voice. "And I have not forgotten that. I will honor the treaty and the trust your nation has placed in me."

Mandas sniffed and nodded once, not looking particularly impressed, though Q'yros reasoned that it was a diplomat's job not to look particularly taken with anything he heard. "Very well. His Majesty also wished me to convey that he hopes this will be the start of a broader relationship between Urisi and Oceanus. He feels there is much benefit for both our nations."

Ah, a fishing expedition, Q'yros thought.

"Please inform His Majesty that I agree," said Z'haas, smiling.

The Mage raised an eyebrow. It was the first time he had ever seen the Emperor smile. He had been unsure if Z'haas even knew how.

"Surely when this campaign is concluded, we can work something out," Z'haas continued. "Perhaps more equitable trade agreements? A relaxing of some tariffs and customs fees?"

A very small smile played on Mandas' face. "And perhaps a gentle nudge towards those that, ah, tend to withhold their goods from us?"

Z'haas paused a moment before responding in a darker tone of voice. "Withhold? In Oceanus? Are you quite sure of this, Mandas?"

The diplomat's tone became more self-assured as he sensed a weakness. "Quite sure, your Highness." He paused and gave Q'yros another disdainful glance. "Perhaps we can speak of it in more detail when we have more privacy."

"You may speak freely here. Mage Q'yros is my most trusted adviser."

Q'yros smiled and nodded politely to Mandas, though there was a hint of smugness to his eyes.

Mandas regarded the Mage with a disinterested gaze for another moment before continuing. "Very well. Urisi has recently supplemented its own lucrative slave trade with goods from your nation's Overlords. We have been satisfied with them, but the best have been withheld from us."

Z'haas' expression hardened. "Yes, the Overlords can sometimes be a difficult lot. I shall sort that out soon after the Colos issue is dealt with."

"You need only 'sort out' one of the lot. Roquan D'ronstaq."

The Emperor bristled at the name but otherwise kept his demeanor calm. "I will definitely look into this, Mandas. If Urisi is offering a fair price, no Overlord should have reason to refuse."

"Nevertheless, he has found a reason, as petty as it might be. His Majesty would be most pleased if this matter were resolved."

"I will see to it. The Overlords in general need to be brought in line."

Q'yros frowned. It was obvious that Z'haas was not very skilled at this. He was giving away far too much information. Already the diplomat knew that Oceanus was having internal problems, and this just gave him more potential leverage over the Emperor.

Q'yros also knew why that stipulation about the use of Urisi forces was in the treaty, and he hoped that Z'haas understood it as well.

Mandas offered a polite smile of his own. "I believe that concludes the business that His Majesty wished me to conduct with you, your Highness. I wish you luck in dealing with your internal matters."

He gave the Emperor a slow, formal bow before leaving the throne room, the guards opening the doors for him as he approached.

Q'yros' brow creased as he watched the man leave. That last statement had been something of a dig at Z'haas. It showed that the Urisi Nation was well aware of the growing instability within Oceanus. It was only after the doors had closed behind Mandas that the Emperor let it be known that he understood this as well.

"Meddling upstart," Z'haas muttered from behind clenched teeth.

"It is a diplomat's job to be such," said Q'yros. "I daresay our diplomats are no less annoying to their hosts."

"And now Roquan is yet again a thorn in my side!" the Emperor thundered. "With his westward trade route cut off, you would think he would clamor at the chance to trade with the Urisi. He is likely doing this simply to spite me."

Q'yros did not have the patience for this line of conversation and decided not to pursue it. "My Emperor, I wish to request..."

"Q'yros, I may need some assistance from you on this matter."

The Mage hesitated. "I beg your pardon?"

"You have had contact with Roquan. You can best advise me on dealing with him."

Q'yros sighed. "As much as I wish I could claim knowledge of the man's thoughts, this is beyond even me. He is unlike any of the other Overlords I have dealt with."

"Could he be privy to any privileged information from the Imperium?"

"Impossible to say, my Emperor."

"Q'yros, it is vitally important that we protect all aspects of the Colosian campaign from the Nobility when they arrive. It is bad enough that the Urisi ambassador knows of our internal difficulties. We cannot allow any more vital information to leak out in such a manner."

The Mage remained silent.

Z'haas turned to him. "You said you had a request of me, Q'yros?"

"A request? Ah, yes. I wish to request that the two visiting Mage apprentices report to my room this evening so they may assist me with the final preparations for the tracking spell I intend to use on the Noble Lords."

The Emperor frowned. "And why do you need my permission for that? They are in your charge."

"Indeed, but I know you had them on some pest eradication work in the gardens..."

Z'haas raised a hand in dismissal. "They are your responsibility. Assign them as you see fit. Now, was there anything else you require of me? I have a very busy day ahead of me."

"No, my Emperor. I shall take my leave of you. Good day."

Keeping his expression even, he left the audience chamber and headed back to his room. Once there, he closed and locked the door. He fetched the Farview pearl and placed it before him, waving his hand impatiently over it. Q'ixanna's image shimmered into view moments later.

"I have secured permission from the Emperor," said Q'yros. "You may commence with studying the artifacts."

"Wake up, Amanda."

On the third try, the voice was accompanied by a nudge to her shoulder. It did not make Amanda any more willing to open her eyes.

"We need to tend to Master Duric's bath. He will be upset if we are delayed."

Amanda's eyes finally blinked open in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean, Siri... um... oh..."

She squinted a bit as she sat up in bed. Only now did she see that the room had a window, and a rather sizable one at that, rising from the floor to the ceiling, and stretching nearly as wide. Bright sunlight took on a milky radiance as it shone through the curtains that were drawn before it.

She blinked blearily at Tanyee and remembered where she was. It was like the first day after she had been collared all over again: the same sense of disorientation and feeling out-of-place.

"I'm sorry I have to rush you, Amanda," Tanyee said, taking Amanda's hand and coaxing her out of bed. Amanda came, reluctant and a little groggy. "I tried to let you sleep a little extra but..."

Amanda shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "It's all right, Tanyee. What am I supposed to do?"

Tanyee smiled. "Just come with me."

Amanda nodded and followed. She had not had a good night. She had fallen asleep fairly quickly, but she had awoken in the middle of the night and had had trouble getting back to sleep. Lying there in bed, her worries had come back to haunt her. She worried whether she had found a good spot to hide the pearl. She worried about when she would find the chance to use it. She worried if she would ever see her scrolls again.

They emerged from their quarters in time to see Duric finish disrobing. At the sight of the two of them, he smiled, and his semi-hard manhood began to swell. "Cutting it a little close there, are you?"

"I am most sorry, Master," Tanyee said, bowing her head. She gave Amanda a nudge.

Amanda bowed her head as well, though she made no spoken apology herself.

Duric stepped up to Amanda and cupped his hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. He cocked his head slightly to one side. "Is there a problem, Amanda?"

"Problem? No, Master," Amanda responded after a brief hesitation.

"I do hope you found your quarters to your satisfaction. I believe Tanyee finds them most luxurious."

Amanda wondered now if Duric were testing her somehow. "Yes, Master, you're very generous. Thank you."

One corner of Duric's mouth tugged upwards a bit before he let his hand drop. "Tanyee, you will conduct my bath as normal. I have something else in mind for Amanda."

"Of course, Master," said Tanyee.

Amanda gave Duric an inquisitive look. Duric simply returned it with a smile and said nothing more.

Tanyee silently bid Amanda to fall into step beside her as she led her Master towards the bath, proceeding through a curtained door and into a wide passage. Tanyee moved slowly, as if in a precession, causing Amanda to outpace her. Duric placed a hand on her shoulder and pulling her back towards him as they walked.

"I'm sorry, Master," Amanda said sheepishly.

"No need, Amanda," said Duric. "In fact, I was rather enjoying it."