The Diviner: Journals of Evan Tailor Book Two, page 10
“Too many people already today. I don’t think I can go out. I’m sorry,” I said. I felt bad that I wasn’t going to be able to go out with him because of my weakness.
“That’s fine,” he said with a smile, though it didn’t hide the concern in his eyes. “Do you want me to get some food and bring it to our room? Or would you rather I give you some time to yourself and eat alone?”
I probably should ask him for alone time, but I already felt guilty for not being able to go out. And it wasn’t like I minded spending time with him.
“We can have it in the room, if you want to eat with me,” I finally said. “But you by no means have to. If you want to go out to eat without me, please do, I won’t be upset at all.”
“I think I want to eat with my boyfriend,” Osheen said with a wry smile.
Once I’d had some time to eat and relax in the privacy of our room, I was feeling a bit better.
“I wanna try something,” I said, looking up at Osheen, who was sitting on the bed.
I opened my third eye, then slipped the metal sphere from my backpack, placed it on the ground, and whispered the command word.
There was a ripple of magic in the air around me, and I saw as the ambient Aura twisted and writhed a moment later, and a square opening about twice the size of a door bloomed in the air, its edges faintly glowing with a blueish light.
Inside the door was a… space. It was strange. The ground, walls, and ceiling were all flat and smooth like glass. They seemed to be faintly gray, and I felt as if I could see through it, but there wasn’t anything beyond. Like it was an infinitely deep wall of glass.
There was light, but it was shining from nowhere and everywhere as if it seeped out of the glassy surfaces.
The space was large, easily ten feet deep and eight feet across, and it had a large wooden crate and a pair of smaller boxes shoved in one corner. There were also some strange bits of detritus—dust, shards of wood, and small bits of cloth were scattered all over the place. It looked like it was in need of a good cleaning. Then again, since it only stayed open for two minutes, I supposed it would be pretty hard to clean.
Osheen took in a sharp breath of surprise.
“Where’d you get one of those? Did Draven give it to you?”
“Nope,” I said as I walked inside and placed down the bags of components, books, and small trinkets that we’d gotten from Zheren into the storage space, though I left out the twinned pair of studies on Aura capacitors and inductors. “It was a gift from the princess.”
It was technically the truth, but I still felt a bit bad about the whole thing. I wondered if there was any way to bring Osheen into the Ligature. He wanted to help change Paerús for the better, so he may be able to qualify.
Osheen followed me in and glanced at the crate and boxes.
“You should still be somewhat careful then. For these sorts of things, the owner can always make a backdoor to get in. They’re not supposed to, but it happens.”
That made sense—it was probably how the Ligature’s marks worked, after all. A single small space that anyone could access.
“They won’t burgle components or books. They have no reason to do that.”
“True, but what’s to stop them from using this to smuggle in something dangerous or using it to track you and get information about you?”
“They don’t have a reason to want me dead. Trust me,” I said with a chuckle. “As for tracking me…”
Well, if the Ligature wanted to track me, they could do it from the knot. But there was no guarantee that Finnalir’s mother would have my best interests at heart. Smuggling an elite task force into it, or even some remotely controlled spy constructs could be possible.
“I suppose it’s possible,” I admitted. “But I am a diviner, and I can see magic. If they do that, I’ll know. But I get your point, and I’ll be careful, I promise.”
Osheen relaxed and let out a long breath.
“Good. Still, this is a valuable gift. It needs an enchanter and a druid working in tandem to create. My father has a few dozen of them, but each one easily sells for twenty thousand crowns, and that’s for a small space that can only be held open for a minute or two. A medium space like this?”
He started to say more, but abruptly, we tumbled out of the space as it winked shut. As we landed on the ground, I blinked.
Well, if it couldn’t hold living people, maybe she couldn’t use it to smuggle in a task force. She could still smuggle in golems or other spell constructs, of course, but that was a lower risk in my opinion.
Osheen and I stood and dusted ourselves off.
“Well,” he continued, “even if it only holds open for a short amount of time, I can only imagine a space of that size would sell for thirty thousand crowns. More if it has an especially good recharge.”
“Twenty-two hours,” I responded, and he nodded.
“Quite a gift,” Osheen said, sounding suspicious.
I paused and fought with myself for a moment, then looked at him seriously.
“Osheen, I won’t have this for very long once we return to Paerús. I need you to trust me, though. I’ll try and see if I can tell you. I trust you.”
Osheen’s eyes widened some, and he gave me a serious look.
“I have things I can’t talk about, not by my choice,” he said. “Is this like that?”
I nodded silently. I was brushing up against the edges of my compact, but I wasn’t breaking it.
He studied me seriously for a few long moments.
“This has something to do with the Silver Queen. I saw how you reacted when you spotted Finnalir’s mother. Do you both work for her?”
“I don’t work for her,” I said, deliberately not saying anything about her involvement. Osheen seemed to pick up on that as he nodded.
“I won’t press,” he said.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Silver Queen
That night, I drafted out a letter to the Ligature. There had been a lot going on in a few days, and I needed to update them and to ask about Osheen. I wrote through several drafts of the letter before I finally reached one that I was somewhat satisfied with. I wound up leaving out the strangeness involving the oath—Osheen thought he’d be able to explain more soon, and it’d be better to report a clear picture, rather than half-baked suspicion.
Dear Ligature,
I hope this report finds you well. I am aware that my normal monthly report is not due for some time, but I felt it was worth sending it early in this case.
I feel that I must bring up some relevant information about Archmage Draven Luis. He continued his interest in me and one of my companions and investigated me up to a certain degree. I misled him to believe that I was working for the Silver Queen, but I wanted to warn you. In addition, he is looking to bond to a familiar from the Silver Queen’s court, in order to allow him to replace his magical sight arch-star.
In addition, I have received the private space from your agent in Zheren. When and where should I drop it off?
However, I have a mix of a personal request and Ligature work. In your letter after the Elderspawn-summoning incident, you indicated that you were willing and able to work with the nobility in order to help achieve your goals. I am certain you are aware that I am dating a cast-out member of the nobility, Osheen Roark. I believe that he could make an excellent member of the Ligature. I say this for a variety of reasons.
Firstly, I genuinely believe he could make for a good member of the Ligature. He has, on multiple occasions, expressed a desire to help improve Paerús. He has found himself awed by Zheren and wants to help model Paerús to be more like that. He actively turned down an offer to be reinstated as nobility under House Luis, as he wanted to be able to use the title to better Paerús, which he wouldn’t have been able to do in that position.
Secondly, he possesses a variety of connections that would be of use to the Ligature, as well as insider knowledge of the nobility. I am aware that Archmage Zachary Dormer is a member, but he and his allies seem to be in opposition to House Elide, Heenling, Roark, and the rest of their cabal. Osheen possesses intimate knowledge of these targets, which Archmage Dormer may not have.
Finally, I believe that making him a member of the Ligature would allow me to operate more effectively as a member. Part of this is due to his information, as discussed above, but part of it is simply the ability to discuss ideas, the lack of need to hide my actions from him, and the assistance of having someone to help think through ideas.
I apologize if this letter comes off as self-serving or self-aggrandizing.
Regards,
Evan
Once I had put the note inside the Ligature mark, I had trouble sleeping that night, too nervous to do anything.
Osheen and I spent the next several days exploring Selt. While we did visit a few bookstores to grab books, most of the time was spent on leisure since there wasn’t much more we could get.
We dined at a dozen different restaurants, visited parks, and even visited a photographer’s shop.
I’d never seen a camera in person before. It was smaller than I expected, and I could see strange silver alchemical mist swirling throughout a glass, pressing into the papers. We had several small ones made, and I even had a picture of us put inside a small locket. It was a cheap thing, nickel plated with a thin layer of silver, but… I liked it. It was just small enough to fit a universal anchor on it, so maybe I’d do something with it someday.
On the night of the second-to-last day before we left, my sleep was interrupted by me materializing inside a familiar tree. It wasn’t Yesgol.
I was in the palace of the Silver Queen, now for the second time in my life.
At least this time I wasn’t dying. That was a marked improvement.
I glanced around, curious, then looked at the Silver Queen. She was just as regal and powerful as before, if not more so. The ley lines I’d given to her had grown her power.
“How am I here? I’m dreaming, I assume, but isn’t that the domain of mind spirits and the Dreamscape?” I asked.
I didn’t know much about Druidry, but I figured a place called the Dreamscape would probably have dominion over dreams.
That seemed to actually catch the Silver Queen off guard. She must not have been expecting an academic question.
“Mortal…” she purred, “you should know better than to expect answers for free.”
“Phillip did say your summoning incorporated aspects of the Dreamscape,” I reasoned aloud. “I think you may not be entirely Fae. Perhaps you’re part Fae and part spirit? Enough sway over minds and dreams to take me here in my sleep, but still a Fae Queen?”
I wasn’t entirely speaking out of curiosity. The Silver Queen was a powerful person, and she had sway over me. I wanted her on the back foot as much as I could.
Even if that meant having to talk more than I’d like.
“Oh, sorry,” I said, doing my best to only seem mildly interested in her as I kept glancing around. “I’m being rude, you must have called me here for a reason.”
A moment later, the Silver Queen sighed and tapped her talons on her chair.
“Not a bad show, manling. A bit overdramatic and droll, but hardly the worst I’ve seen from your kind. Now, if you’re done trying to outmaneuver me, let’s begin.”
I nodded. It had been worth a shot.
“Give me your hand,” she commanded.
“Why?” I asked, trying to not sound defensive or accusatory.
“I need to pass on a spell for you to use on an Osheen Roark. You were subjected to the same searching spell when you summoned my lovely nephew, Oracle, but that Human cannot afford to bind a second familiar.”
She sounded almost bored as she said it. I supposed she might be, at that. The last time we’d spoken, I’d been at her mercy. My very survival had depended on her, and I had a lot to offer.
This time it was just Ligature business.
I extended my hand to her, and she took it in hers. A moment later, a glowing silver mark appeared on my hand. Then she dropped a small silver knot into my hand.
“That’s for if he passes,” she explained. “You should already know how to do it. Just make sure if he doesn’t that he doesn’t ever talk about it.”
“Did the Ligature warn you that vampire Archmage Draven Luis is going to attempt to contact you?” I asked. They probably had, but given that I owed her a favor, anything I could do to get a bit of favor would help.
“Yes,” she said, “it’s such a shame I’ve agreed to only give my owls out to the Ligature and prospective members of the Ligature. Why, even the Ligature agent I spoke to thought it was a shame—I could have used it to spy on him.”
As she spoke, her voice changed as a syrupy sweetness crept into her tone.
There was clearly something that I was supposed to pick up on. But what would it be?
“Is there a way to transfer a familiar from one person to another?” I asked. She smiled, not saying a word.
Of course, there had to be. Otherwise, how would Druids be able to capture a spirit and store the summons in a scroll for another to use, or even summon a spirit for someone else to bond to?
My mind started to race, and I spoke quickly before my courage could fail.
“If you could store access to one of your owls in a scroll, you could give it to me. I am a member of the Ligature. If I was to then trade away my personal scroll to Draven, that wouldn’t be your fault. You would have held to your word.”
I’d be doing her a favor with that, though. I’d be doing the Ligature a favor, too, but I would be helping her also. Maybe I had a chance to get out of the debt I owed her?
My mouth went dry as I pressed on.
“Of course, we’d need to discuss payment for the service rendered. I understand you can’t make me do it with my favor owed—then you’d be giving it to him. But still, if I were to do this favor for you, could we then call it even?”
She let out a throaty laugh at that.
“You are clever for a mortal so young and wise to attempt to clear your debt as quickly as possible. No, I won’t remove your favor for something so small as this. This benefits your organization more than me, and I plan to use that favor to further my own goals.”
She put an emphasis on the word my.
“But we do need to discuss payment,” she conceded. “What do you desire?”
“Freedom,” I said, “not just from my favor with you, but also from the debt I owe to Paerús’ military. We may not be going to war, but I think I can do more as a free agent than a military weapon manufacturer. But to get that, I need money.”
The Silver Queen tilted her head.
“Money. Hah. You mortals are all so obsessed with it, and I never understand. I do not have your money.”
I was getting frustrated at this point—I’d tried on multiple bartering attempts to buy myself out, and it seemed like it simply wouldn’t happen.
“Fine,” I said, “I need magic, then. Not a druidic gift bound to me—I’m not a druid, and that would mess up my Aura too much. A Fae-made artifact or a Fae-made imbued item. Or perhaps my consumer glove. Even an artifact or imbued item of mortal make may be acceptable.”
The Silver Queen’s eyes narrowed to slits.
“I will not give you your glove back. Magic from that sealed place is a rare commodity and not worth this. Nor will I give you an imbued item, the cost of those is too high. But an artifact?”
She let out a tinkling laugh and extended her hand.
“You have a deal.”
“No, I don’t,” I said. “We haven’t talked about the terms of what sort of artifact you’d be giving me.”
“Oh, you’re no fun,” she said, her voice dropping to a pouty tone. “I had been planning to give you a worthless bauble.”
I let out a slow sigh of relief that I hadn’t offended her by pressing for more.
“I wielded Silver Power. Briefly, but I did. It’s a balanced sort of power. Good at veils, offense, and causing magic to slip away,” I said, deciding to ignore the jibe about me not being any fun. I didn’t want her to start seeing me as a plaything.
Though, it may be a bit too late for that.
“This is true.”
“I already have a veil,” I continued, “and I have a potent luck armor. But my only offense is a sword. A good sword. But a sword. I need an offensive artifact. I’d like the offensive artifact that you think would be the most beneficial to me as a mage and combatant.”
“No,” she said with another laugh. “The most beneficial? That’d be far too much for your small favor.”
“The most beneficial that falls within what the limits of my favor entails,” I responded.
The Silver Queen was quiet for a long moment, looking me up and down.
“You,” she finally said, “should have been a druid. You would have been good at it, I think. You’d favor the Fae and Dreamscape. A strong nightmare spirit, a Fae of my court, and perhaps one of Queen Medb’s Winter Lords… Yes, indeed.”
“Is that a deal, then?” I asked.
She extended her hand a second time, and there was a flash of silver as I took it.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ligature
And then I woke up. It was early morning, about fifth or sixth bell, and Osheen was asleep next to me.
I glanced down at my hand. A silver mark was glowing faintly on it, and it was clutched around three objects: A silver knot, a silver summoning scroll, and a silver wand.
The wand almost looked like it was made of wood, but it didn’t flex or bend at all in my hand. There weren’t any visible runes on it, so I was about to open my third eye and investigate it, but Oracle buzzed with excitement as he saw it. He sent me a series of rapid images and emotions—me sending a tiny trickle of Aura into the wand to activate it, then the wand releasing a stream of several silver darts that swarm at a target, even curving to follow it as the target moves. Then the same image, but with a single dart. Then a dozen more images and emotions in rapid succession.
