The Ambassador’s Mission

“I’ve made some enquiries and they’ve led to a few small ideas,” he said, then shrugged and looked at her. “Probably not worth the trouble and they may clash with your friend’s plans, but I thought I should share them with you.”

My friend’s plans? Suddenly Sonea understood. He was not talking about Lorkin, but about Cery and the hunt for the rogue. She shook her head. Of course, he doesn’t even know about Lorkin. I’m such a fool…

“No?” Regin took a step back, seeing her shake her head. “I can come back another time if it is more convenient.”

“Yes – come in. I’d like to hear your ideas,” she told him, beckoning and moving aside. He looked at her questioningly, then smiled faintly and stepped past her into her main room. She gestured to the chairs, inviting him to sit down, then closed the door with magic.

“Sumi?” she asked.

He nodded. “Thank you.” He watched her move to a side-board where she kept a tray containing the sumi-making utensils. “I thought you didn’t like sumi.”

“I don’t, but it’s growing on me. Raka makes me a bit edgy these days. Tell me about your ideas.”

As he began explaining, she carried the tray to the chairs and started making the hot drink. She forced herself to listen. He had met with a few of the magicians he suspected of having links to underworld traders, having befriended them a few months earlier in order to gain information for the Hearing.

Regin grimaced. “They were quite pleased about the result of the Hearing. Changing the ban from associating with criminals to working for them means they can help out their lowlife friends without censure – so long as they don’t get paid for it in any obvious way.” He sighed. “They’re quite pleased with us, which at least has the advantage that they’re still happy to talk to me. And to complain about a certain foreign magician receiving money in exchange for using magic.”

“Foreign, eh?” Sonea handed him a cup. “Cery said the rogue is foreign.”

“Yes.” Regin’s expression became thoughtful, his head tilting slightly as he considered her. “The law against anyone outside the Guild learning and practising magic isn’t always a practical one. It has worked only because the Allied Lands all agreed to it. But what of magicians from other lands? If they set foot on Allied soil and happen to use magic, they immediately break a law. That hardly seems fair.”

“Or practical,” Sonea agreed. “The king and Higher Magicians have been discussing this for years now. Of course, we are hoping that Sachaka will eventually join the Allied Lands and their magicians will become members of the Guild and bound by our laws. Achieving the first may be difficult, since they’d have to give up slavery. The second, in comparison, seems impossible.”

“The other alternative is to change the law.”

“I doubt the Guild would want to relinquish its control of magicians, especially foreign ones.”

“They’ve only ever been concerned with controlling those living in the Allied Lands,” Regin said. “But visitors from other lands might be allowed to enter them without the obligation to join the Guild.”

“With some time restriction to their visit, I hope.”

“Of course. And no trading of magic for profit.”

Sonea smiled. “Can’t have the Guild getting any poorer.”

Regin chuckled. “If the reactions of my magician friends with dubious connections are anything to go by, no foreign magician would gain permission to trade for long.”

“Do they know where this foreign magician is?”

He shook his head. “I could set them digging for information, if you think it won’t clash with Cery’s plans.”

She sipped her cup of sumi and considered, then nodded. “I’ll ask him. In the meantime it won’t hurt if they keep their ears open and pass anything on to you.”

Regin grimaced and set down his empty cup. “It’ll only hurt my sense of good taste. They’re hardly the sort of company I like to keep. Their idea of entertainment is…” His nose wrinkled. “Crude.”

Sonea kept her expression neutral. Regin had always been a snob. But then, there were plenty of magicians from the Houses, and not just the lower classes, whose liking for intoxication, whores and gambling were well known and disapproved of. Like some of Lorkin’s friends, it seems, she thought, remembering the young magicians found in a playhouse. Maybe Lorkin is better off away from Imardin.

Then the whole painful truth about his adventures in Sachaka flooded back, and she winced. Rising, she moved the sumi utensils and empty cups back to the side table.

“Hopefully Cery will find her soon, and you won’t have to deal with them,” she said. Turning back to Regin, she was relieved to see he’d taken the hint and risen to his feet. “Thank you for coming by.”

He inclined his head. “Thank you for hearing me out. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any further information.” He turned to the door and, as she opened it with magic, walked out.