Smoke and Memories (The Dark Sorcerer #3) - D.K. Holmberg Page 0,41

some stories say they can take human form, but they are not human. I think that’s where the stories of them being dragons come from. All stories say they are filled with power. A dangerous and hot sort of rage filled them.”

Jayna glanced over, but Eva had tensed again, and there was something to her posture that struck Jayna as unusual. Suddenly, Eva spun and headed out of the shop, leaving Jayna alone with Raollet.

“Did I say something that offended her? They are just stories.”

“Stories can hurt,” Jayna said. “But it’s more than that. She’s having a hard time these days.”

“Well, there are many who have struggled lately. The city has been unpleasant.”

“You’re telling me,” Jayna said.

Raollet looked up, holding her gaze, and shook his head. “I don’t need to inform you of that, I suppose. You have seen it firsthand, haven’t you?”

Jayna frowned at him. She wanted to hear more about the Ashara. It was the first time she’d heard anything that might help her understand Eva, even if they were just stories. “What can you tell me about what happened with them?”

“Rumors, nothing more.” He took the book, closed it, and hopped off his stool to tuck it onto the counter. When he was done, he leaned back, stretching. Already he seemed healthier than he had before, as if time had started to restore him. Jayna could almost imagine him filled with magic that recovered him, but she didn’t have any sense of power coming off of him, nothing to make her believe he had any magical potential on his own.

“There have been quite a few rumors in the city,” Jayna said.

“More these days than there have been in the past,” he said. “Unfortunately, many of those rumors have a way of spreading. As I’m sure you are fully aware.”

“As I’m aware,” Jayna agreed.

“There was one particular rumor about a festival that took place. I believe it was shortly after your arrival in the city.”

Jayna watched him, trying to get a sense of what he was after. “There was?”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the counter. “I believe it was not long after you attacked my shop.”

“Again, I wasn’t attacking your shop.”

“It doesn’t matter. I understand the reason you did it.”

“Do you, now?”

He shrugged again. “You thought to prevent something else from taking place.”

“I thought to free three El’aras you had captured.”

“They were captured for a reason,” he said, his voice low. “If you had any understanding of the power that exists within the El’aras, you would have . . .” He took a steadying breath and leaned back. “Perhaps that’s not the point. You did what you thought was necessary.”

Jayna just shrugged. “Yes, I did what I thought was necessary.”

“And is that why you are here now?”

“I’m here now so I can try to find a better understanding,” Jayna said, being deliberately vague.

“An understanding of what?”

If she didn’t share more with him, she worried she would not find the answers she wanted, and the longer she spent here with him, the more she began to question whether he knew more than he was letting on.

“There was a festival, called the Festival of Mourn. Sorcerers use it to gain dark power—or free it, in this case.”

His eyes widened. “Which one of the twelve?”

He knew.

This was the person she needed answers from. “Yes. They were followers of someone called Asymorn.” He sucked in a hissing breath, and Jayna leaned forward. “You’ve heard of him. What do you know?”

“I know not to speak of him,” he said.

“You don’t have to fear him. He’s not here. We stopped his followers.” Or most of them, she didn’t add. They hadn’t returned, though she’d remained on edge, fearing they might come back.

“Speaking his name will draw his attention.” He looked around, then reached under the cabinet and took out a circular enchantment with heavy embroidery around the perimeter. When he raised it up, he squeezed it. Suddenly, a burst of light flowed through the object as he activated it. “Even now, I have probably said too much.”

“His followers were defeated,” Jayna said.

He looked across the counter at her. “There is no defeating him, though. Only slowing him. He will be back. If he had business within the city, then he will return.”

“You can relax,” she said.

“Relax? How can I relax when I understand the dangers? How can anyone relax when there are such dangers?”

Jayna glanced back toward the door, wishing Eva had remained here to give her some insight. “You know about