The Return

Chapter 14: The Return

Edon’s eyebrows shot into his forehead.

“The Raiders? But why?”

Why, indeed? Why had Yesaré approached me, all those years ago? Sometimes I wonder what he must have seen in me... but this is not the time for these thoughts. Nor is it the time to speculate on them with Edon.

“Edon, we both know we don’t have time for this. So let me answer your real question: yes, there are things I can do that no other Wizard can, and I can do these things because of my arrangement with the Raiders. Now, if you can keep this between us, I’ll know I made the right decision in trusting you with this.”

And if I haven’t made the right decision, if he tries to betray me... My mind wanders in its darkest corners, where sheer survival forms the walls and ethical qualms the floor that is stepped on.

Edon is looking at me with a mixture of awe and revulsion. Does he suspect how I’ve acquired these abilities? Is he seeing me more as a Raider now or as a friend?

“Edon, I’m the same person you’ve known these last weeks. Only now, you know more about me. You know you can trust me.”

Reluctantly, he nods.

“I’ll keep your secret.”

“Even from Marinelle?”

He seems taken aback by the question, but nods again.

“Even from Marinelle.”

“Then we should return to camp as quickly as possible.”

I stand up, feeling the strain in my stiff muscles as I use them for the first time in hours. Edon reaches for me, gives me a hand as he sees my legs lock up under me. A rush of gratitude for him washes over me. It is both a burden and a relief to have one less secret hidden, even if only from one person.

As we start walking to camp, Edon suddenly looks at me with alarm.

“What are you planning on telling the Wizards?”

I smile at him warmly.

“What you suspected of me when we first met.”

As memory strikes, a chuckle passes his lips.

“Well, no offense, but you do look the part...”

He cuts himself off abruptly, but not before I guess the rest of the sentence.

“And act it?”

He grins at me sheepishly.

“That, too.”

“Then they should have no trouble accepting this as truth. You and Nelle will be the only ones who know differently.”

We walk back to camp, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The silence soothes me, an outward display of Edon’s trust and comfort around me. He trusts me, yet my recent display of trust in him still startles me. When did distrust, lies, and secrecy become such a part of me? I briefly allow my thoughts to wander back in time, to that first moment when I knew and accepted that the only life I could truly continue living was one rooted in betrayal. Had Yesaré known all those years ago where this would lead, what that first moment with the wand under the technoscope would lead me to?

As we begin to approach camp, I feel Liara twinge in my right hand. How would the wand faction wizards react to a wand that’s been bonded to me without their involvement? No, as much as it pains me to be separated from Liara, giving the wizards one more question to ask me would not be prudent. I release my hold on Liara, sliding her into the wand-holder hidden in my right sleeve. I keep Diago hidden in my left sleeve; I have no intention of giving other wizards access to potentially the most powerful wand ever discovered. Diago and Liara will remain mine and mine alone.

Edon watches me hide Diago and Liara, but mercifully keeps any questions he may have to himself. The time for questions has passed now.

We’re close enough to camp now for the Deranged to see us. Gripping Aichon firmly in my right hand, I motion for Edon to ready his wand as well. The wizards will have many questions for us, but I will not approach them unarmed. Though they have not come for me, there is still a chance—however small—that one or more of these wizards will recognize me by sight. Coming to the Wizardry at age 18 made me something of a curiosity, recognizable to wizards that would otherwise have no reason to know my face or my name. After all, I was merely a language researcher in the Spell Faction, hardly a glamorous vocation, even amongst the other members of my own faction.

The Deranged chatter as they notice our approach. I can’t yet see Marinelle or any of the wizards. The Baobab ship looms high behind the camp near the grove of wand trees. I’m relieved to see that it has indeed rooted—thick roots chain the ship to the ground. Whoever these wizards are, they’re stuck on this planet now until their ship has recharged.

The Deranged part in front of Edon and me. Again Liara pulses and again I ignore her.

And then I see them: Marinelle surrounded by three wand shepherds near the grove of wand trees, and towards the ship in what any military would recognize as a defensive maneuver are three battle mages. I quickly scan the faces of the wand shepherds, none of whom I recognize. Nelle sees me and waves me over. She doesn’t seem to be in any danger and I almost allow myself to relax. Knowing Nelle’s safe—for the moment—I turn my gaze to the three battle mages.

And I find myself staring at a man I hadn’t seen since Wizardry School, but had never forgotten: Emid, the battle mage who taught me; Emid, the battle mage who first inspired in me that all-consuming search for methods of making magic stronger.

Emid, the battle mage who had turned against me and vetoed my application to the Battle Mages, saying I was too unpredictable, too unknown—too Military—to join their ranks.

And now he sees me. I watch his mouth as it opens and time seems to slow and now he is shouting for all to hear.

“Wizards, Capella the traitor is here!”