Sister of the Dead - By Barb Hendee & J. C. Hendee Page 0,63

tale that surfaced in Wynn's thoughts.

"You mentioned that Vordana wore something around his neck. "

Stefan nodded. "A small brass vial on a chain. A token of some kind, I assumed. "

"Some conjurors use brass containers, " Wynn continued, "to trap conjured or summoned elemental material, including that of spirit—even a human spirit. But to do so as preparation against one's own death, or to reconjure one's own spirit back from death... It would be impossible. "

Wynn felt Chap pawing at her leg. The dog snatched the rolled hide sitting on the bench and pulled it to the floor. She reached down and finished unrolling it, and Chap began tapping upon it with his paw.

"What is he doing?" Elena asked.

"It's a bit much to explain, " answered Leesil.

Wynn followed his movements until he stopped and looked up at her.

"Tolealhan"... will-craft?" she asked in puzzlement.

At first it made no sense, but when clarity struck, she wished it had not.

"Sorcery, " Wynn whispered. Chap barked once to confirm it before she continued. "I know what was done. Vordana placed a has upon Lord Stefan. "

"Sorcery is outlawed, " Leesil said. "And what do you mean?... What's this has?"

"It is Numanese, my language, " she answered. "I do not know a Belaskian word for it. Tolealhan' is Elvish and could refer to a mage of the mental realm. That is sorcery, just as the arcane of the physical realm is thaumaturgy, and that of the spiritual is conjury. In the Elvish of my continent, has translates to gyeas. It is a task set so deeply into one's mind that the victim would 'will' its own death rather than fail to accomplish it. "

She looked at Stefan, and though there was twisted justice here for what he had done to keep his position, she pitied him.

"Magic does not hold a gyeas in place, " she said to Stefan. "It becomes part of you, your thoughts, like a hidden memory you refuse to forget. Deep inside, you believe beyond doubt what will happen if you fail to obey. Only a countering gyeas might break this. "

"And that would require a sorcerer, like Vordana, " Stefan replied, his gaze distant.

There was nothing more Wynn could offer, and the following silence bore down on her. Leesil finally changed subjects.

"Your replacement was sent by the prince's man, " he said to Stefan. "Why didn't someone come to investigate when you never reported for your new duties?"

"Perhaps it was all a lie, and Baron Buscan didn't know. " Stefan pulled the blanket tighter, shaking his head. "And all I did was for nothing but fear. "

"That seems unlikely, " Magiere said. "Anyway, all that matters is what we can fight. "

"Sorcery is not just used upon victims, " Wynn cautioned.

"It can be used to expand the powers of the sorcerer's mind. It is the most insidious of the three magics, but it is not what brought Vordana back. To do this, he would also have to be a master of conjury, with power I have never read of. Even in studies with Domin il'Samaud, there were few legends of individuals who mastered and combined all three magics into what is called 'wizardry. '"

"Oh, lovely, " Leesil groaned. 'Then there's someone else who did this for him. "

Magiere's expression hardened as she paced once before the hearth's expanse, tossing her head toward Stefan.

"So, now we decide... whether or not we help a murderer. "

Wynn's own surprise at such harsh words was broken as Elena spat back with equal venom.

"How dare you? You've no idea what he's suffered. Will you help our people or not?" Her tiny hand remained protectively on her lord's shoulder.

Stefan raised his one hand to cover hers. "Enough. It's all right. "

Wynn stared up at Magiere. "It is the people here who need our help. "

"We need to discuss this ourselves, " Magiere said bluntly. "Alone. "

Stefan nodded and stood, heading for the archway. Elena followed him with Geza close behind.

Until leaving Bela on this journey, Wynn had always lived with the sages and worn simple gray robes. For a moment, watching Elena with her lord, she wondered what it would be like to have a mass of wheat-gold hair, to wear a dress, and to have a man grasp her hand. She pushed such thoughts away.

"Magiere, you know we can't refuse, " she insisted. "Vordana may take his time in torturing Lord Stefan, but he does so through the people of this fief. Sooner or later, he