opening, Tyzen spoke up. “Preter will teach you the fire spell.”
Aerax already knew one spell. He did not wish to know more.
For Lady Junica had it wrong. Varrin might have defeated the Destroyer, true—but in his own time, Varrin had also been a destroyer. And Aerax would never let himself become what Varrin had been.
When he made no response, Lady Junica aimed a small frown at Preter. “We have heard the monks of Radreh are courting dark magics again, but I know not if it is only rumor. Do you know?”
The monk gave her a wry smile. “That is something I am here to find out. They purged the viswan from their numbers many generations ago. But have they invited them back? We would like to know, as well.”
Degg frowned at them both. “The viswan?”
“As I said, everyone can learn to wield natural magics,” the monk told him. “But without a conduit or an affinity, it takes acute focus and years of study . . . and the result is often lacking in power. So there are those who took easier paths.”
“They killed a snow-haired princess,” Lady Junica told Degg. “And drained her of blood.”
Realization swept over the councilor’s face. “I knew that a murder was the reason for the rift between our realms. But I did not know that was the reason for the murder.”
Preter nodded gravely. “They hunt the Hanani, too, and use the blood as a conduit for their magic.”
Aerax’s gaze flew to Caeb, who prowled a few paces ahead of their group, before meeting Lizzan’s eyes and seeing his alarm reflected in hers.
“And now we bring a snow-haired prince to their realm? And a moonstone-eyed prince, too?” Degg shook his head before turning to Lady Junica. “Is that a risk we take?”
“Aerax is not without protection,” Lizzan reminded them. “Vela herself tasked me to remain at his side.”
“Tyzen is not unprotected, either,” Kelir said.
Lady Junica sighed heavily. “If the Radrehi monks have truly purged the viswan, then Prince Aerax’s presence could heal the rift between our realms . . . which may be necessary if any alliance is to be formed.”
“The monks may be of more use than against the Destroyer,” Preter pointed out. “If Goranik is in truth the leader of the bandits who are attacking Koth, the monks would be a valuable ally against a sorcerer . . . and I may also have time on that journey to take their measure and to determine whether we can trust the magics they use.”
“So our approach is to be hopeful, but not foolish,” Lady Junica said.
With a faint smile, Tyzen nodded. “Though in truth, that has been our approach this entire journey.”
Though that drew a laugh of agreement from the Parsatheans, Aerax saw the worry that settled into Lizzan’s expression. “What is it?”
“I wonder if we have been fools since we have left Oana,” she said on a sigh. “For I have just recalled what Riasa told me—that she did not like what she had heard coming out of Radreh.”
“Those are the same rumors we have all heard,” Lady Junica said. “That they are practicing dark magics again.”
Lizzan shook her head. “What strikes me is not that there are rumors, but that they came out of Radreh. We have been on this road for nearly a full turn, and what has come out of Radreh? Nothing at all. The only travelers we have met were from the villages between Radreh and Oana—and none who came from farther north. Has no one at all from Koth or the broken clans traveled south in this time?”
“Perhaps everyone is done fleeing the Destroyer and now they are settling in and shoring up their defenses.”
“So I thought, too. But the plains road is still choked with travelers fleeing toward Krimathe and Stranik’s passageway,” Lizzan said.
“And an empty road points to some danger upon it,” Preter said quietly.
Lizzan nodded. “I thought the woodstalkers must be to blame. But we have been upon this road for so much longer now . . . and it is still near empty.”
Aerax saw her worry reflected in all other faces now. “Is there another route?”
“No route but the way we came.”
“What do you suggest?” he asked her.
She shrugged, looking to Kelir and then to Ardyl, who also shrugged. “I suppose that it is too late to turn back,” she said. “So let us be hopeful . . . but not foolish.”
CHAPTER 23
LIZZAN
The sheer cliffs that formed the haggard face of the Radreh monastery loomed