The Currents of Magic

Chapter Forty

The sun was setting by the time Meyer and his friends reached the edge of Lampern. The wind had picked up, and as they broke free of the buildings, they remained to the road, their shadows long and faded as the last rays of light sunk down to the horizon.

"It doesn't make sense," said Meyer, as the town disappeared behind them.

"You think Syburn is a fraud?" said Ander.

"I don't know," said Meyer, "but he couldn't explain why I was having visions of Eschera with the ring, and that's what I'm most eager to know."

For what seemed the hundredth time, Meyer finger the ring in his pocket. He was tempted to slip his finger through the metal band—to try to see Eschera again—but Syburn's parting words restrained him.

I advise caution with the ring, the old man had said.

Meyer shook his head. He had worn the ring earlier in the day and there had been no consequences—granted nothing had happened at all, no matter how hard tried to reach into the Currents...

"I'm not sure," said Damian quietly. "Maybe you managed to reverse the sensory portal... You're very talented at magic..."

Meyer looked over at Damian. His friend was staring at him earnestly, but Meyer couldn't allow himself to believe it. He simply wasn't that exceptional at magic. He may have surpassed the ability of his friends, but to have reached the level of one of the most powerful sorcerers... He hadn't known anything about sensory portals until that afternoon. The suggestion that he would be able to reconfigure one was beyond farfetched...

"Damian could be right," said Cade. "Sometimes magic isn't about skill as much as natural ability... Perhaps to reverse the sensory portal requires only a great affinity for magic..."

Meyer wouldn't accept the explanation. It was the easy answer. He wouldn't allow himself to believe it for convenience sake.

"In fact," continued Cade, "the more I think about Syburn's insights, the more everything starts to make sense. If there is someone not to be trusted living in the Dale, presumably that ring might have belonged that person. He or she would have used the ring to receive secret messages from some master... Remember when Ander put the ring on—he heard a voice saying 'my followers'. That would align with Syburn's explanation that this ring is one of many decryptor rings receiving messages from a single master."

"Slow down," said Ander. "How can we even be sure there is someone untrustworthy in the Dale?"

"We've already been over this," said Cade.

"You mean the Blood Capsule being tampered with?" said Ander. "That's the only evidence we have, and for all we know someone outside of the Dale tried breaking it."

Meyer glanced sideways. "Trant also told me not to trust anyone in Eldrin's Dale," he said quietly.

"What?" said Damian.

"That makes sense," said Cade.

"Who cares?" said Ander. "Trant's the type to be paranoid of his own shadow."

"I don't know..." said Damian.

"Besides," continued Ander. "Who is this mysterious 'master'?"

"Maybe Eschera," said Damian. "That could be why Meyer is having visions of her."

Meyer shivered. The sun had fully set and darkness was quickly settling around them. Could one of Eschera's followers be hidden in the Dale? It hardly seemed logical. Eschera was focused on the Outlands... If she had anything to do with the High Provinces, Moon would known about her—but as of several weeks ago, the lord had never even heard of her... unless... if she had hidden her servants among Moon's very own ranks... Then maybe Moon wouldn't know about her...