“Can you manage one more today?” Dansa shares a glance with Evain.
“I can try,” Karis answers. With the sheer amount of Radiance he absorbed from the crown, he feels like he could spend the next week straight performing magic without tiring. He wonders how much more power he’d get from actually holding it.
Evain removes another book from under Alice’s paws, ignoring her disgruntled mew. He flips it open to a bookmarked page and slides it towards Karis. The pages are yellowed, but the ink drawing taking up the right-hand page is crisp and clear. A longsword with a dark blade and a darker hilt, the grip wrapped in leather and a gemstone set in the pommel. The hilt is otherwise unadorned. Grooves like claw marks stretch down the flat of the blade.
Karis doesn’t need the caption to know this is Ka Dravos’s sword.
After studying the drawing, he closes his eyes.Vara? I’m guessing you can’t do this one, since it’s directly tied to the binding. But if you could give it a shot…
Silence, as expected. He keeps his eyes closed for another moment, letting a few golden sparks dance around his fingertips in a proper show of effort, then relaxes and opens his eyes. “I’m not sure if I’m tapped out, or if it’s too well-hidden. Or it could be something about the divine relics in general. Captain Tanner had me try to scry for the Crown of Vara plenty of times, and it never worked.”
“I told you,” Evain tells Dansa.
She shrugs, unperturbed. “It was worth trying. We’ll just have to wait for Leth to get started, like we planned.”
“Who is Leth, anyway?” Karis asks.
“He’s boring,” Evain says seriously. “No fun at all. You’ll hate him.”
Dansa slams the book shut, nearly taking Evain’s finger. “Leth’s a sword-witch. He was a Riverswords mercenary before Ronan recruited him.”
A vision takes hold in Karis’s head of a grizzled, dour-faced mercenary, face leathered by years in the wilds, a greatsword over his shoulders. “Where is he right now?”
“He’s investigating Fort Tarhaeg.” Dansa scratches Alice’s chin, smiling as the cat leans into the touch. “He should be back any day now.”
***
Any day now arrives three days later, while Karis is upstairs scrying out order movements. Before he can catch a glimpse, the mysterious final member of the Locksmiths disappears into the basement with Ronan and Dansa. Karis joins the others congregating in the kitchen, somewhat disgruntled. Ronan has been scarce too, the past few days.
“How about we toast to celebrate?” Coira proposes, drifting towards the cupboard. “We’re finally all back together. Well, in the same building, anyway.”
“Yes,” Evain answers, at the same time that Melanne says, “No.”
Melanne wins that argument. She and Coira proceed to bicker about anything and everything, with occasional interjections from Evain playing both sides of the debate, while Karis sits back and just absorbs. Nobody’s paying attention to him, and he sends a thought towards his constant companion.
Anything you want to say about any of this?
The answer’s immediate, like Vara’s been waiting for him to ask.You’re doing well.
I know. Thanks.He stops himself from pursing his lips.What about any divine guidance? I’m kind of doing a lot for you right now. Betraying the order and all.
Pray more often during the day,Vara answers immediately.Your magic will grow stronger.
Only years of practice at hiding his secret conversations prevent Karis from rolling his eyes. It’s true that prayer will strengthen their connection, but it always sounds self-centered coming from the god himself.
“Karis?” Coira waves in front of his face. “You there?”
He straightens up. “Just spacing out.”
“You’ve made him scry too much this week,” Melanne accuses Evain.
Evain shrugs. He’s once again lounging in his red silk robe, holding a mug of something. “Blame the medical expert. I’m just the cook.”
Footsteps and voices from the living room interrupt them. Karis heads quickly to the door for a look. Because he’s curious about Leth. Definitely not because he’s eager to see Ronan again.
Karis’s expectations of a stern, grizzled sword-witch are swiftly broken. The allegedly boring Leth proves to be only a few years older than Karis. His light brown hair hangs to his shoulders, with black beads braided in here and there around his face. A sword and dagger hang from his hip, and Karis gets the distinct sense that those are just the weapons he can see.
Leth is also much shorter than expected. Just a few inches over five feet, barely taller than Dansa.
