The Memory of Darkness (on hold until October)

5 - The Man Who Said Too Much

Well, that was... unexpected.

She looked again at the necklace. It seemed ordinary, though the stone was warmer to the touch than she would have expected. If it was supposed to distort her signal, then she supposed it must be enchanted. This was an area of magic that she knew nothing about.

By now, Coren had returned to her side. "What did he want?" he asked.

Arianna sighed, placing the necklace into her cloak pocket. It seemed that today was going to be a day for placing her trust in people, and she was certain that Coren was a worthy choice. "I'm going to tell you something that you may find concerning. Please try not to overreact."

"Concerning?" he asked. "You know, if you tell someone not to overreact, there's every chance that they're going to do just that."

"At least try," she said. "I'll keep this brief. A few days ago, I was helping to investigate an old temple cave, and a rather odd man appeared out of nowhere and started talking about one of the Elder Gods, and who I should or shouldn't marry."

"A Mage?"

She nodded. "Most certainly. This was all rather strange, but it took a turn for the unpleasant when I tried to leave. He grabbed hold of my arm, and this happened." She pulled back the sleeve of her dress to show him the bruise, noting with some satisfaction the look of alarm that crossed his face.

"Do you bruise easily?" he asked.

"Not at all," she said. "Which is just as well, usually. He had a grip like a vice. He only let go when I shot flames at his head, and then he vanished. The day after that, you arrived, and now here we are. I'm certain I injured him, and I hope that's scared him off, but part of me worries that he'll come looking for revenge."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" he asked.

"I didn't want to worry you," she said. "I'd hoped that would be the end of it."

"Worry me?" he queried. "I'm a Telvarel Guard; a professional worrier. Every flickering shadow could be something that threatens the people I'm sworn to protect. Some of whom I'm more fond of than is really appropriate." He stopped, as if concerned that he had said too much, before deciding to return to the original subject. "How does Felix Malberg come into this?"

"Malgard," she corrected. More fond of than is really appropriate? I think we'll discuss that one later. "He says that he knows the man in question. One Lorcan sil Vaddrin."

"A sil Vaddrin?" queried Coren. "Well, that gives us something to go on."

She eyed him quizzically. "What are you planning to do?"

"Gather information," he said. "I'll start with the Register, see what abilities he has, then-."

"The bloody Register!" she snapped. "What if he's not in it? The Turas Vale necromancer isn't there. You can't assume it's perfect."

"I don't," he said.

Arianna folded her arms tightly across her chest. She knew that there was no point in taking out her frustrations on him, he was a most undeserving target. "There are other things that bother me," she said, eventually.

Coren nodded. "Such as how did Felix Malgard know that you'd be here? Or how he knows anything about this sil Vaddrin character?"

"Yes," she said. "Things like that."

They stood in silence as a small party of travellers passed by, chattering amongst themselves, but still too close for comfort.

"What did Malgard give you?" asked Coren, once the group were out of earshot.