CHAPTER 40
Lucan met Yanna first, considering their relationship was deeper and of greater consequence. After the assembly had ended, she’d guided him to a side room, where they both now stood, with only Elayne, her daughter, as their third.
“Lord Lucan.” Yanna gave him a smile. “We have seen this journey near to its end.”
Lucan smiled back. “Indeed. We might yet succeed, after all. I thank you for accepting my offer and standing with me.”
“It was my pleasure,” Yanna said. “I only wish that your allies can rise to the occasion and see this matter through.”
Left unsaid was that she wished he, too, would rise to it, but she wouldn’t question him to his face. Lucan kept his smile and nodded. “Fear not, Yanna. Even if it will ruin me, my treasury alone is enough to finish this undertaking, should the need arise.”
She nodded gratefully. “Then there is only one matter I must warn you of.”
“The Silver Blades?” Lucan cocked his head, expecting the warning.
“The Silver Blades.” She nodded. “They are already moving.”
Lucan tilted his head. “For me?”
Yanna shrugged. “I know not.” Then she sighed. “If they believe it’s too late to come for you because the deal is already struck, then they would put their efforts into disrupting our arrangements instead. If they, however, believe that you failing to return to your territory would disrupt the whole agreement, then they may be brazen enough to attempt to hinder you.”
“Or to attempt to kill me?” Lucan narrowed his eyes.
Yanna grew silent for a moment, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she spoke with determined sincerity. “With the upheaval in your realm, The Silver Blades would naturally be less deterred by the wrath of Barwalis. At least, even if they would not come for your life, they would hold no respect for your borders.”
“So they would not only attempt to disrupt your arrangements, but mine too,” Lucan said with a frown. Seeing Yanna nod, he nearly cursed out loud. Not only need I watch for a hidden blade from that guild, but I also need Lord Ravencroft to watch for snakes in the grass. “Very well, my people will stay vigilant.”
Yanna smiled again. “That is all I wished for, my lord.” She paused. “Though there is something else
Lucan raised a brow. I thought it was all you wished for. “Go on.”
“If you would have your steward exchange letters with me along with the guild, I would be most grateful.”
Lucan hummed thoughtfully. It seemed she wanted to guard her interests, should Fendrel or others try to push her out again. “That shall be arranged.”
“Thank you.” She bowed.
Lucan couldn’t hide his mirth. All this bowing and scraping had never been sincere, not here in the Union. These folk only valued what their efforts yielded, and if they needed to bow, they bowed. Even when the councilmen had offended him, it had been planned to see his response. He didn’t doubt Yanna’s gratitude or her interests, but he did doubt her bow. In truth, he was happy with her as his link to the Wheel. With her precarious position, fighting to keep the power of her bedridden husband in her hands, and at the same time fighting for power within the guild, he doubted she would ever be foolish enough to betray his trust. After all, she needed only a single push to lose her footing under the circumstances, and he would be happy to give it should she prove him wrong.
“If that is all,” Lucan said, giving her a smile, “I bid you farewell under these good tidings. I have pressing matters to attend to.”
“Of course. Farewell, Lord Lucan,” Yanna said, giving her daughter a look.
“Farewell, Lord Zesh,” Elayne said with a dull voice.
Lucan nodded to both of them, then left. He was still to meet the guildmaster of the Aegis, and he didn’t want to make the man wait. From this moment onward, haste would be his companion, at least until he returned to Barwalis.
After bidding them farewell, he was surprised to find that Guildmaster Sevaen hadn’t waited for him. Lucan headed out of the guild in a hurry. He had thought the man had understood his request to speak, but it seemed he hadn’t, or he didn’t intend to wait regardless. Followed by Ryder, Lucan strode towards the gates of the guild.
Fortunately, it turned out the man hadn’t truly left. It seemed he’d been waiting for him, though he hadn’t wanted to speak within the bounds of the Wheel. Lucan saw the man leaning out of a richly painted dark-blue carriage. Sevaen waved with a wide grin, inviting him in.
Ryder jumped onto the bench on the back of the carriage, joining one of the Aegis guards as Lucan accepted the guildmaster’s invitation and hopped inside.
Sevaen was a young man compared to his peers. If Lucan were to assume, he would say the man had seen no more than thirty years, though how well he groomed himself may have been deceiving. Even if his curiosity pushed him, however, Lucan would not begin their conversation by asking the man his age.
“Lord Zesh.”
“Master Sevaen.”
“You honor me with your presence,” Sevaen said, though he didn’t even dip his head. His brown hair reached his neck, combed over to give him a heroic look. Jewelry adorned him, but not in excess, just enough to ascertain his elegance. “How may I be of service?”
Lucan smiled, glancing at the sword lying beside the man. So he’s not a mage. “Guildmaster, as you know, Barwalis is soon to see a lot of turmoil.”
“Indeed.”
“Many noble houses will seek the service of competent mages,” Lucan continued.
“Indeed,” Sevaen repeated, his eyes betraying a smile that was otherwise suppressed.
“But as you know,” Lucan said. “Sending your guildsmen into that maelstrom can only yield losses. Grievious losses.”
Sevaen nodded with a grave countenance, though his eyes still betrayed what he truly felt. He knew why Lucan was here.
“We, in the south, however, are nurturing our peace,” Lucan continued, meeting the man’s eyes. “However, only with strength can peace be maintained. My estate does not lack for strong arms to fight for it, but capable mages are always in short supply.”
Sevaen cocked his head at last. “And you want mine.”
Lucan nodded. “You are insightful, Master Sevaen.” With the realm in turmoil, royal scrutiny had waned. The realm’s hostility towards the guilds was now aimed elsewhere, and Lucan could hire their services. And what service was better than trained mages capable of giving his troops some spine?
“Lord Zesh, my guildmen would be fortunate to serve in your ranks,” Sevaen said. “However, there are terms and provisions for our mages’ service; when it comes to warfare in particular.”
“Please.” Lucan gestured with an open palm.
“Foremost among our terms is to know who our mages are being sent to fight.” He didn’t wait for Lucan to respond, continuing, “Second is the length of the mage’s service, agreed upon before they enter it. They may not be coerced to stay after the length of their agreement, regardless of how prolonged the fighting has continued, unless they wish to stay. Third, should one of our mages fall, there will be a hefty due owed to their family and the guild.”
Lucan’s countenance grew tighter with each term, and still, the guildmaster continued.
“Fourth, all recompense shall be handled before service. Fifth, every mage in service and their apprentice, should they have one, will be granted proper amenities for their station and at least one guard to protect their person out of battle, and two to protect their person in battle. Of course, we expect the lord to keep our mages away from the fray.”
Lucan was now giving the guildmaster a flat look. “Anything else, Master Sevaen?”
The guildmaster grinned and raised his two hands in surrender. “I would not dare ask more.” Then he laughed, barking boisterously.
“How much coin would be expected from my estate for a mage’s service?” Lucan asked, suppressing his irritation.
Sevaen shook his head with an apologetic look. “I am afraid that is unknowable, Lord Zesh. It depends on the mage, their arts, their experience, and their capabilities. I would say that even for our most novice mage, we would demand at least ten gold for each moon spent in your service.” He appeared to have finished what he had to say, but then he raised a forefinger with a bright look on his face. “Ah, but should you hire one of our master mages and they bring an apprentice, you would not need to bear the apprentice’s recompense. You would have two mages while bearing the cost of only one!”
Lucan didn’t reflect the man’s fervor, knowing that hiring a master mage would likely be ruinous. By the Elders, ten gold every month? That’s as much as a man-at-arms’ wage for a whole year. “I thank you, Master Sevaen, for enlightening me on this matter. I shall send messengers should I need the services of your guild.”
“Of course, of course!” Sevaen, still grinning, said. “And let it not slip your mind, your lordship, that we also have able arms for hire, not only mages. Perhaps you’d like to come with me to the guild and speak about these matters in more depth?”
Lucan shook his head with a polite smile. “Forgive me, guildmaster, but I have pressing matters to attend to. I hope you will have your man leave us somewhere close to our dwellings.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate,” Sevaen said with a light frown. “But I suppose there will be ample opportunity in the times to come.”
Not long after, the carriage left Lucan and Ryder two streets away from the tavern, for which Lucan was thankful. He huffed as they marched towards the establishment. He’d always been vexed by the scarcity of mages in Barwalis, or at least the scarcity of those who were free enough to be hired, but perhaps that was not so bad compared to the exorbitant terms of the Aegis. He also didn’t think he could get the service of mages from guilds other than the Aegis easily. Often, mercenary companies and guilds were hired in gross, meaning he had to hire the entire company or a whole party from a guild, which would include a mage or two. He had no wish to waste such coin if he did need a mage someday, since he had his own men and planned to have more.
They entered the tavern to find Tomis already back, seated with Georg and Venn. They joined the three of them at the table.
“All’s well, my lord?” Georg asked.
Lucan nodded. “All is well.”
As the chatter began, Lucan found Tomis’s eye and tilted his head towards the stairs. Then they both left the table and returned to the room upstairs.
“Word?”
“The Silver Blades are getting restless,” Tomis said.
“We will be out of Varencourt soon enough. They can only take out their grievances on the guilds after we leave, for a time at least.” Lucan rubbed his chin. “What of the matter I told you about? Have the Coyotes agreed to meet you?”
“Aye,” Tomis said. “It took some time, but they’ve heard your wishes. They demand a hefty sum, though.”
Lucan had never intended to attack the Scars by his lonesome, but he did intend to deliver the killing blow. He didn't want Lyanna to fall into yet another gang’s hands, after all. Thankfully, the Scars had earned quite a few enemies over the years. The Coyotes were one such enemy, and they were close enough to the Scars’ territory to be convenient for his purposes. “How much?” he asked.
“Twenty gold.”
Lucan’s eyes bulged. “For a night and a day?” Tomis nodded. “One would’ve thought they’d pounce on the opportunity to undermine their rivals.”
“They are anxious to see harm done to them,” Tomis explained. “Yet they’re also curious. When they asked me about our plans, I divulged nothing.”
“It might have vexed them.”
“It has.”
“So be it,” Lucan said. “Take the coin to them now. Tell them it begins tonight.”