Of Truth and Beasts

To Chuillyon’s further surprise, his tone was almost apologetic—and quite out of character. Gyâr’s dark yellow eyes were troubled or angry, which was not out of character. A stray strand of light brown hair hung forward over one of his eyes, as if he was too distracted to notice it.

“What is wrong?” Chuillyon asked.

“A journeyor arrived from Calm Seatt with a message for the high premin.”

Chuillyon took a deep, slow breath. “You mean young Hygeorht?”

“You know her?”

“Yes. What has she done now?”

Gyâr took a folded paper from inside his dark robe. Its wax seal had been broken.

“High Premin Sykion of Calm Seatt sent this,” he said, holding it out.

Chuillyon hesitated. “What is it?”

“Read it.”

“Really,” Chuillyon scoffed. “Is all this drama necessary?”

But he took it just the same. It was double wrapped, and he unfolded both enveloping sheets to view the letter within.

Dear T’ovar ...

Chuillyon stalled at the informal opening, but he read onward.

The bearer of this message poses a threat. She has proven herself without conscience or reason, and is set on a course that will undermine guild efforts, safeguards, and preparation for what may come. For her own goals, she risks exposing hard-won knowledge to the masses. We cannot allow this before we are fully prepared for the panic and backlash that will come if what we learn leaks out. I believe she comes to scavenge your archives in the hope of finding support for her interpretations and theories concerning the ancient texts still being translated.

Although she is under my authority, and is my responsibility, I have no further way to keep her from the texts other than to let her go abroad. I will not tolerate further interference with our efforts, yet I cannot expel her, and thereby lose limited control over her.

You have my leave to do what is necessary—and to do so now.

May you live in wisdom’s eternal cycle.

Your friend, Tärtgyth Sykion

Chuillyon stared at the note’s end and grew suddenly anxious over what Gyâr had done. He lifted the letter to look at the two enveloping sheets. The outer with the broken wax seal was unmarked, but the inner was addressed only to T’ovar.

Chuillyon could barely catch his breath. “This is—”

“A personal letter, not a guild communication,” Gyâr finished.

The admission was not an explanation.

Chuillyon scanned the letter twice more, his thoughts turning over the varied truths and lies, as he knew them. Wynn was certainly in full possession of both her reason and her conscience, though she had a reckless penchant with information best kept secret. Now things were so much worse.

One high premin secretly asked another to cut off Wynn. One of the three who sat on the entire guild’s High Premin Council had stepped beyond protocol into personal manipulation and favors. Gyâr, in the absence of their own high premin, had illicitly intercepted that communication, suspect as it was, and taken action with his temporary authority.

A deceit wrapped in a collusion just to block the efforts of one young sage.

Chuillyon worried where this would lead the guild as a whole.

“T’ovar will know this was meant for her eyes,” he said.

Gyâr pulled the letter’s addressed inner wrap out of Chuillyon’s hand and slowly crumpled it into a ball.

Chuillyon shook his head in disbelief. If Gyâr thought that was enough to claim he had not known it was private before opening it ...

“I have closed the archives,” Gyâr said.

Chuillyon swallowed hard. This was not just about Wynn. Gyâr was using her as an excuse for something more.

“Considering your rare, present residency,” Gyâr went on, “I want your support to convince the council my decision was correct. T’ovar has longstanding doubts concerning the two human branches of our guild, but she has been too hesitant—”

“Fair-minded,” Chuillyon corrected.

Gyâr glared at him and continued. “Too overly empathetic where they are concerned.”

“Do not do this,” Chuillyon warned.

“You have expressed like concerns, as well. You know we must maintain safeguards and secrecy.”

“It is too far ... and too soon!”