Light of the Heavens

XVIII. The Prick of Thorns

 The debate was amusing to Vassa, Anen's traditionalist bent crashing headlong into the blunt-force charm that was the High King's favorite mage. Despite her appreciation for the Kingdom of Ethilir's lack of true spell casters, Vassa would have been lying if she said it displeased her to see Adéla and her spellguards. She enjoyed the combination of good nature, healthy competition, and surprisingly potent intelligence behind the mage's pretty face. Kamil's staunch protective instincts were comforting and familiar, an echo of Vassa's own, and coupled with a healthy sense of humor. Zdislav, she enjoyed more for his relentless romanticism and way with words as much as his blade.

Vassa also knew from experience that the three were each fearsome opponents and even more devastating when working together, mostly because their connection was seamless despite Adéla's relative youth. Both spellguards had inner reserves immense for humans, the channeling markings more than enough to make the drain more efficient. If Adéla was on her game, which was true far more often than not, she could outpace even a djinn in terms of sheer destructive power.

Even in the High Kingdom, the largest concentration of mages in the south, the number of magically active people was less than one in a thousand. Less than one in a hundred of those would ever be anywhere close to battle-mage territory. The High Kingdom prized Adéla as more than a diplomat: she was a weapon, living and breathing, rare even in her homeland.

Which left Vassa with an interesting puzzle: why was the mage here? What could be worth risking such a weapon? They had forced her mundane guards to wait outside of the Ashen Tower, something surely the Leyans knew would happen when they approached their ancient rivals. Kamil and Zdislav were incredibly capable, but they were only two men. Trusting that numbers would not overwhelm was a gamble at best.

Whatever the High King wanted was a pearl of great price, if he was willing to place Adéla's fate into the hands of the gods so.

"What artifact could you possibly possess that would be worth our toleration of this request?" Anen demanded, temper only somewhat contained.. "You have done enough damage for a hundred lifetimes on the field of war, witch. If you think we will tolerate your probing into our secrets—!"

"I care nothing for your secrets," Adéla said, a hint of irritation flashing across her face. It was so swift that Vassa was likely the only one who caught it. "Truly, the inner workings of Ethilir's djinn-collaring could not be farther from my concern."

The masked woman smiled faintly. Patience was a virtue she knew Adéla sometimes struggled to find, particularly when she felt her way being closed off.

The same drive that had fueled the mage's meteoric rise in Zaeylael also nipped her in the heels. Fortunately, the mágissa had her spellguards to bring her back to a more even temper. Adéla sat between the two men and Zdislav already had a hand resting against her thigh, subtly applying just enough pressure to remind the mage of his presence.

"Then pray tell, what is your concern?" Duaenre asked, steepling his fingers.

"I told you," Adéla said with a hint of an edge of sharpness to her tone. "The High King has a question for your oracles."

Duaenre chuckled a little, shaking his head. "We will need more information about this question of yours," he said. "Surely you understand that we must ensure the protection of our kingdom as well."

Kamil looked to his mage, studying her a moment before leaning in. Vassa's ears were keen enough to catch his statement. "It is not unreasonable, darling," the spellguard advised. "Out of context..."

Adéla gave him an almost imperceptible nod. She held a hand out to Zdislav, who produced a pouch containing some kind of hard angular object. She drew a spar of dark red crystal out of the bag, almost ruby in hue, etched in swirling silver symbols. Vassa identified it as the God-Tongue, but the sigils seemed almost infinitely more complex than even that used by the Eth, thousands of thread-like veins of silver coming together in twisted patterns. "This is what we offer," she said, letting fingertips brush over the smooth surface of the crystal. "Your djinn should be able to activate it, since you do not have the draw of power yourselves."