Abaddon's Call

Chapter Fifty

Trild walked into the winter formal with Alena on his arm, dressed in Kaulu gold—a colour caught between orange and yellow. They floated across the dance floor and found their reserved table.

His father informed him that Pan had an announcement. Kaulu was to react however Trild pleased, but his father didn't care one way or another. Trild could choose violence if he so desired, and Kaulu would follow suit.

Yet there was no indication of what Pan was about to announce.

He learned that Lord Lugh had his proofing. The fact that it was not yet announced meant not that it was questionable but rather the opposite. Lord Lugh had managed something worthy of being a lord of the Seven. Whatever his proofing might be, the lords didn't want it spoken about.

Didn't want others thinking it possible.

Trild hadn't properly considered Lord Lugh.

He and Nendan had a passionate time together, and then Nendan moved on. Still unable to track Lord Lugh's movements, Trild had no idea what the man might have pulled off.

As he sat at his table with his wife, he watched the students enter.

"Shouldn't I have entered with the first years?" Alena asked at one point.

"What do you mean, you aren't a first year," Trild said without consideration.

He felt her pout. She became withdrawn. He sat considering his mistake through most of the second years. No one named Selifer arrived.

Yet he was more concerned with Alena's reaction. She was not the sort to pout. He kept her in books, encouraged her education and curiosities. There was no reason to pout.

Naena entered wearing a matronly dress in Salord green. Her hands were clasped before her, covered toe to jaw. The dress had long sleeves and barely showed her hands. The protestation of her bloodline concerned Trild.

Pan hated Salord. Trild understood the necessity and historical basis for the feud. Pan would take on Salord bastards but had never been friendly with the family. Anytime Pan took on a Salord bastard as a shield, the feud was renewed as both recalled the history.

And the brilliance Salord attempted to destroy because he had been imperfect.

Like Bo.

Yet they forced Naena to wear that colour. Trild knew she hadn't chosen the dress. She had obtained a black dress that he hadn't been able to track ownership of. As far as he knew, it had simply shown up. Even the seamstress couldn't be found. That dress had been a statement her sword wanted her to make, with no allegiences to the mages or the Seven.

Trild dabbled in the idea that Graydon Pan had paid for the dress, yet he could find no indication in the man's accounts that indicated he had. Every coin was accounted for, nothing appeared abnormal or drew attention to the accounts. Clothes, food, and incidentals required for basic comfort. That was what Graydon spent his coin on.

If Graydon had paid for the dress, it was a powerful statement, that nothing could be traced.

The new one was a statement made by Graydon's father.

Graydon Pan and his invisible dress. Nendan Lugh and his red booked proofing.

These were the men Trild had to concern himself with. These were his peers, his competition, and his possible executioners.

Mages plotted and thought they were clever.

Trild knew what all the mages were planning. All except Jasor Salord, unfortunately.