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“Lio’s idea sounds promising,” Hoyefe agreed, “but it will have to wait until another night.”
“We’ve also heard from Lord Hadrian,” Karege explained. “The Charge and I are passing messages between his camp and Patria. He has sent his batch of Aithourians packing.”
“Already?” Mak grinned. “He’s efficient.”
Lyros smiled as well. “Excellent strategy, Lio. Your idea of letting them take the blame for the attack seems to have worked.”
“How soon can we go and ward the camp?” Lio asked.
“Tonight,” Karege said.
Lio shook his head. “We need to search for the letting site again tonight.”
“I say we ride,” Lyros suggested. “We can search another area for the letting site on the way.”
“No,” Lio said. “It will take most of the night to cast a proper thelemantic ward over the entire camp. That won’t leave us enough time to work on Cassia’s quest.”
“I tire after an hour or so of searching,” she said. “We can go to Lord Hadrian’s camp after that. We mustn’t leave them without protection.”
Everything within him rebelled at one more delay. “The Charge can stay on guard for one more night.”
She wound her fingers in his. “You said yourself that wards will keep everyone safer than patrols.”
“We’ll ask the Charge to cast the ward,” Lio said. “Rudhira’s Field Masters can do it. Zeno is a mind mage, and Tahmina is a powerful warder. Their Grace bond will strengthen the spell.”
“I’m afraid it has to be you three.” Karege pointed at Lio, Mak, and Lyros. “Lord Hadrian will allow the Charge patrols, but for casting spells near his soldiers, he wants the Hesperines who proved themselves to his men in battle.”
Hespera, grant me patience with these stubborn Tenebrans, Lio thought. “Politics tie our hands in both camps!”
“I could try to persuade Lord Hadrian to let the Charge cast the ward,” Solia said.
Cassia shook her head. “Lord Hadrian’s trust in you has only recently been restored. You must choose wisely about when to push him. And most of all, Tenebrans’ trust in Hesperines is new. The fact that Lord Hadrian and his men will accept Hesperine spells at all is astonishing progress.”
Lio knew this better than anyone. But still he wracked his mind for an alternative.
Before he could think of one, Tuura spoke. “You should cast the ward tonight. While you’re at Hadria, I’ll remain on vigil to ensure the Collector doesn’t return here.”
“Peanut, you’re already keeping Patria safe during the day single-handedly. You need a good night’s sleep.” Karege looked ready to point his fangs at anything that threatened Tuura’s well being.
Lio knew that feeling. He also understood how it felt when the magic of the woman you loved complicated the question of immortality. But after they found the letting site, Lio could look forward to Cassia finally joining him as a Hesperine. Karege must have no hope at all, if he didn’t even dare drink from Tuura to find out if she was his Grace.
“I can sleep tomorrow night, when Lio is here,” Tuura said.
Karege’s frown deepened. “The Silence is tiring you. Adjusting your spells for it takes too much effort. You need rest.”
Lio hated this. Dealing with the Silence must only remind Karege how impossible it was for Tuura to sacrifice her connection to the ancestors to live forever with him.
Tuura rested her hand on Karege’s, a soft gesture, somehow more powerful than the comforting touches she so easily gave to everyone she cared about. “There are causes more important than my comfort.”
Not to me. Karege’s thoughts said it loud and clear, although he voiced no further protest.
“What do you advise, Lio?” Solia asked.
They were united in this—neither of them wanted to put anything ahead of finding Cassia’s magic. He sensed that Solia regretted putting him in this position. He certainly had not expected his first recommendation to her as an adviser to grind against his every instinct to protect his Grace.
But he knew the Collector. And he was determined Pakhne would be the last innocent the necromancer destroyed in this conflict.
“Yes,” Lio said. “We should go to Lord Hadrian’s camp tonight.”
