Deckard nodded, then explained Obel’s instructions on how to free his spirit.
“If we’re on such a short timeline,” Rafferty said, “shouldn’t we take care of Hewitt after we’ve got the Relics and Allund’s all set?”
“It has to be done as soon as possible,” Deckard insisted. “When I summoned Hewitt, I stole his soul from his body. Obel said that if a Mage dies before releasing any ghost thatthey’ve summoned, those souls are locked in the ethereal plane until another Mage comes along to summon them, which isn’t recommended. If I die before releasing him, Hewitt could be trapped there forever with no way to find rest.”
Evylin’s breath caught at the thought of Deckard’s death and Hewitt’s perpetual unrest, but she forced her mind to focus on the matter at hand. “Then we have to release him,” she agreed. “Immediately.”
Deckard nodded. “As soon as humanly possible,” he promised.
Turning back to the troop, Deckard raised his chin. “Once we’ve made it to Loclight, we’ll have to meet with King Ephren, I’m sure.”
“Weren’t we supposed to be communicating with the old sot along the way?” Rafferty asked.
“I’ve kept in contact with him via Lord Carlile,” Auden explained. “Our time in Wauld has forestalled our communications, but Carlile’s taking care of it. I planned to send him an update once we’ve arrived in Ephria.”
“That’s good,” Deckard said. “We need to retain his favor. And we’ll have to formulate a story as to why we have so few Relics in our possession when we return. You three won’t be able to join us either,” he said to Vayden, Isla, and Brea. “Your presence will be too difficult to explain.”
“Pity,” Vayden said lightheartedly.
“With luck,” Deckard continued, “we’ll manage to find the Space Keep without any interference from King Ephren. Once we have the Relic, we will have control of half of them. From there...” He turned to Auden and Ilain. “I’d imagine our next step will be awaiting Blount’s arrival in the capital. If we can stay ahead of him, then we can ambush him as he tried to do to us and take back the Relics he stole.”
Around the room, the team members shared looks, each nodding and taking in the plan. Evylin couldn’t quite fathom the idea of completing their assignment. They’d been traveling for so long that she hardly remembered what it was like to have a home.
“Is it just me,” Brea said, hands folded in her lap, “or does it seem we’re overlooking the glaringly obvious facts?”
Everyone turned to her, expectant and silent.
“Just me, then. Great.” Brea sat up straight. “Here’s the thing: We have no idea what Blount is going to do. The Alliance’s intelligence says that he’ll be heading for the Terrae Relic in...Estshire, is it? Reaching it will take him a vastly long time to get there. However, we don’t truly know what plans he has or what he’s capable of.
“Just the other night, Auden informed the whole of the Alliance that Blount not only ambushed you before the Water Keep, but he followed you into the Day Keep under a shroud and stole the Day Relic out from under your noses.” She scanned them all. “Then he had the Night Mages waiting for you outside the Night Keep. He couldn’t have known when you’d arrive. That means he told them to patrol outside the Keep until you came through. They were waiting for weeks. Same with the Order of the Wind. And then again with Renaul’s liege officers at the Time Keep. Beyond that, he put out a writ on you.”
Brea took a breath, letting the facts settle in. “Blount is cunning, he’s manipulative, and he’s unpredictable. We can’t risk doing what’s expected because he won’t do what’s expected. And we’ll be putting our mission in danger if we behave exactly as he predicts.”
“What are you suggesting, Lieutenant?” Deckard asked.
She met his gaze. “We have to assume that Blount is going to outsmart us again.”
“We’ll be in Ephria,” Thom returned. “It isn’t like he has a mistress there who can send her lackeys after us.”
Brea raised her brow. “Do you know that for sure,mi’caro? Do you have spies among his men who are telling you of his plans?”
He blinked. “No.”
She smiled dryly. “No. And we can’t make plans based on information we don’t have.”
“How are we to compensate for that lack of knowledge, then?” Deckard prompted.
Brea turned her wry grin on him. “We’re working off assumptions,” she said. “But so is Blount.”
Clarity hit Evylin all at once, and she nodded. “We have the chance to outplay him,” she said. “Blount is notorious for outmaneuvering us and letting us do the work for him. If we want to beat him, we have to do something he won’t expect.”
“Won’t you and Jonn going through the Bonding ceremony already cover that?” Thom asked.
“It’s good,” Evylin said. “But it isn’t enough. Blount knows our goal is to retrieve the Relics. He’ll make his plans according to those facts.”
“And what?” Auden asked. “You want to subvert his expectations by letting him recover them?”
“It isn’t about our plans,” Brea said. “It’s about understandinghis.”
