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He exhales with relief when Doroth Zain finally replaces Perl’s own pale face in the mirrored surface.
Doroth Zain looks drawn and stern. His voice cold when he says, “Do you have good news for me? Do you have Iceheart?”
This is always Doroth Zain’s first question. Ensuring every conversation they have begins with Perl’s failure. As if he would simply have Iceheart.
“No,” Perl says and before he can speak further, Doroth Zain interrupts him.
“I received a message from Princess Karo in the Ivory Palace. Kerik is not there. When he didn’t arrive she assumed he had been taken by your witch. We all did. What has happened to him?”
Perl’s mind swirls with guilt and shame. Few mortals have done more than Doroth Zain and Princess Karo to help him on his mission. And few mortals would know exactly what they would face if they lost the Magician. “I did not send him to Ceruleum. I brought him with me. I decided it was safer to take him to Vylenor.”
He sees the relief in Doroth Zain’s eyes as he says, “So he is safe? He is with you?”
“He is as safe as a mortal can be in Vylenor.”
Doroth Zain’s face hardens. “And yet you thought it was wiser to take him there than send him to Ceruleum as we agreed?”
“Yes. I hope I am right. There were no better options.”
“And you could not contact me sooner and let me know so we would not all fear him lost?”
Perl nods. He has only been here in Vylenor for a single day. However he should have known better than that about the ways of Faerie. “How long has it been,” he says, “since last we spoke?”
“It is Gi moon.“
Gi moon. When they left it wasn’t even Alios day. An entire moon has waxed and waned while they have been here. “It has been less time in Faerie.”
“And you do not have Iceheart.”
“Exeinil has agreed to grant me a boon. But the price is high.” Perl takes a deep breath before he says, “As I have Kerik here as my thrall. We have been challenged to the four tests of devotion.”
Doroth Zain looks awkward for a moment. No doubt the High Word of Zai is repulsed by such a concept. Doroth Zain for all his willingness to support Perl’s cause has the contempt for magic one would expect of the High Word of Zai and, Perl has often suspected, equal contempt for Perl himself.
For all his acceptance of what Perl has told him about the fate of the world, Doroth Zain is still part of the empire.
But when he speaks his voice is measured. “You need to leave. Bring him to Ceruleum. I will meet you there.”
“We agreed that we need Iceheart.”
“Not if the price of it is the Magician. Iceheart is worthless without him.”
Perl shakes his head, resigned. Perl does not relish the thought of once again explaining the complexity of the workings of magic to Doroth Zain while he winces as if Perl is showing him a rotting animal carcass. “Even if I wanted to, I cannot leave. And nor can Kerik. When we were challenged we became bound by a bargain with Queen Exeinil. I will not be able to leave Vylenor until I do as I swore.”
Doroth Zain looks at Perl as if he is not sure if this is the truth, although Perl has explained to him many times that he cannot speak untruths. Perhaps it would have been easier not to let him know what had happened. He’s made so many mistakes. He is, and he knows it well, the worst person who could ever have been asked to complete this mission. The world was surely doomed as soon as it was entrusted to him. Even trying to undo his past mistakes just leads to yet more.
“And you could not,” Doroth Zain says, slow and icy, “have simply refused this bargain?”
Refused the Queen? With Vane threatening to spill his secrets? But he cannot bear to tell Doroth Zain about that. Instead he says, “You know what happened to my father. I cannot afford any missteps here.”
Doroth Zain sighs, heavily. As if he expected nothing better than this from Perl. “And yet, you took Kerik there.”
“I do believe,” Perl says, “that being here in Vylenor is awakening Kerik’s magic. He has already performed some small feats. Far beyond what I would expect from a mortal. Even one with fae blood. I think the natural power of Vylenor is affecting him.”
“Then I suppose all you can do is carry on with this,” Doroth Zain says. “Tobi is already in the forest. If the writings we have are right about him, the Fool will be the one who brings forward the new form of Ur-Durik. The one that will begin the last great battle. There is very little time left. The Immurite says she has had visions that confirm this. I will leave Attar tonight for Ceruleum to speak with the Shard and I will share with Karo what you have told me. But I believe it may be time to begin the final stage.”
Perl nods. “Very well,” he says. “How goes Jemel’s work?”
Doroth Zain nods, far more comfortable talking about the Scholar. The prince he is closest to. The one he finds the simplest to understand. “He works on the project every moment when he is not required by Gelen the Green. He has discovered much more of Batraous’s writings in the library, but they are written in a complex type of Old Magaar. Translating them is taking much time. Although Jemel is diligent, he is but one man. Since we lost Pershel, I believe there is no one else in the world who would be able to complete his task.”
