The Spell Realm (The Sorcery Code #2)(14)

“You think they’re going to go after her?”

“I’m almost certain they will. With us dead—and staying dead for now—the Council doesn’t have anyone they can rely on to fight their battles. If I know Augusta, she will convince them that this threat needs to be eliminated.”

“She thinks you’re dead. You know that, right?”

Barson nodded. “Yes. But that’s a good thing for now. I will go see her after the vote. For now, if she has any feelings for me, it might be best if I stay out of sight.”

Dara regarded him with a smile. “I see. That’s one way to nudge the vote in the direction we need, I suppose. If they do decide to go after this sorceress, are you going to let Augusta go as well?”

“No.” Barson shook his head. “At that point, I will tell her everything and have her stay back with me. This is a golden opportunity for us, and we could use her help when we put our plan into action.”

“And it’s not because you don’t want her dead?”

“Of course I don’t want her dead.” Barson stared at his sister. “She’s mine, and I intend to keep her.”

Dara grinned. “I thought as much.”

“I need your help with this as well,” Barson said, returning back to the topic of the vote. “Do you think you could subtly influence your new mentor, Jandison, to vote the right way?”

Dara looked thoughtful. “Yes, I think so. I can tell him that I heard the rumors—and that I fear both my brother and my fiancé are dead. That’ll start the conversation, and I’ll play it by ear from that point on.”

“Good,” Barson said approvingly. “By the way, how did Ganir react when Augusta called the meeting? I thought that was the Council Leader’s job.”

“It is,” Dara said, smiling. “Rumor has it that he was livid. The other apprentices said that Jandison was quite amused by that.”

Barson considered that for a moment. “If you think the old man doesn’t like Ganir, try to use that when you talk to Jandison.”

“Of course, brother.” Dara inclined her head. “I know how to go about this.”

“I know you do.” Barson smiled at her. “Just be careful. We’re almost there.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“We also need to keep a very close eye on Ganir in the next few days,” Barson said. “Make sure he doesn’t get in our way.”

“Do you want me to talk to our allies in the Tower?”

“No,” Barson said. “I’ll do it this time. They need to get used to dealing with me directly.”





Chapter 8: Gala





Lying down on a thin pallet in her tent, Gala stretched out and closed her eyes, listening to the familiar murmur of Maya and Esther getting ready for bed. She felt tired after their long trek, but she also felt exhilarated. The discussion she’d had with Blaise about the universe swirled in her mind, and as she slowly drifted off to sleep, she wondered about the grandeur of the world she found herself in.



*



Gala slowly became conscious of being someplace strange. Taking a look around, she found that the place—if it could be called a place—was achingly familiar. She had a sudden strong sense of déjà vu. She’d had this experience before. This was where she was born. This was the Spell Realm.

It was also a place she had once seen in a dream.

She had to be dreaming now, Gala realized. From what she’d read, the knowledge that it was a dream was supposed to wake one up, but in her case, nothing changed. She was still there, in that mysterious place that her mind sought to comprehend.

She had a sense that she had a body, or at least eyes, nose, and ears. Yet at the same time, she knew that the Spell Realm allowed no bodies, or any kind of matter, in fact. There was no energy, no time, and no space here. Thinking back to her conversation with Blaise, Gala became certain that this Realm was not the same universe as the stars they were looking at. It was something else. A place of potentials, of abstract information. If something could be said to exist here, it was patterns of order . . . and some of these patterns were capable of thought.

There were intelligences here, she realized with amazement. Intelligences quite different from human beings, and from her. There was also something out there . . . something familiar that was broadcasting what she could best describe as a feeling.

A feeling that seemed to be curiosity about her.

In a sudden change of scenery, her dream mind seemed to take her to this entity.

Without knowing how she determined it, Gala knew she was in the presence of the curious intelligence. She saw a kaleidoscope of slashes, colors, and lights forming unusual shapes. She could smell exotic scents, hear sounds that appeared to form something like music. And all of this was happening without light, chemistry, or air to vibrate.

Suddenly, an external thought entered her mind. What are you?

I am Gala, she thought back, surprised. What are you?

For a moment there was silence. Then another thought reached her.

I am Dranel.





Chapter 9: Augusta





Pacing around her room, Augusta mentally ran through the list of Council members.