In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

must be broken. The Magi of Askela must be freed," he agreed. "It will take time though to make copies of this—"

"Not as much time as you think," Andre interjected. "Geri could make many copies of it in a small amount of time."

"Yes," Rebecca agreed. "And something else too. When we linked with the war machine, I could feel lines of force stretching out to many other places of power."

Andre looked startled. "I thought there were only seven."

"Seven powerful Gates like Ironlyn, but the journals say there are other, lesser places. If we could send the copies to them, perhaps they could distribute them as well."

"What other places?" Lewys demanded. "Are they sympathetic to our cause?"

"That is something we need to know before we give them this," Andre said somberly. "I think for now, until the traitor is revealed, we shouldn't tell anyone but family about this document. Agreed?"

Lewys frowned. He knew Andre was referring to his old friend and his son. "They are part of the Cadre," he protested. "They will hear about it anyway from other sources."

"Then let them hear about it from those other sources," Rebecca agreed. "This information must be disbursed without it being known to come from us. You know that Grandpa."

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "Make a copy and I will send it out through the normal channels."

When they returned to the keep, Selene handed Lewys a missive received from the Trade Station while they were gone.

"Catrin went to get them, she thinks one of them is a pregnant woman. The message said the Proctors were in the Station, hunting for a pair of dangerous criminals. Catrin said to put food, bedding and fresh clothing the underground chamber where we put the McTavishes," Selene reported."

"You did exactly right," Andre told her. "How long ago did Catrin leave?"

"About an hour ago."

"What about this?" Lewys patted his pocket.

"Let's give it to Geri for now," Andre suggested. "He can get started making the copies."

When they went to the alcove, Rebecca suggested Selene be the one to open the room.

Selene looked frightened. "What if it won't open for me?"

"It will."

The girl followed Rebecca's encouraging directions and placed her hand on the opening. The door slid open easily.

"Welcome, Draconi," Geri's disembodied voice said.

Lewys took the papers out of his coat hand handed them to Rebecca, who went forward and placed the sheets on Geri's scanner. "We need several copies of this made, Geri."

"How many is several?"

"Ah—ten? I will be back later for them."

"As you wish."

She stepped back and the door closed.

"That's amazing," Lewys declared. "He can make copies for us?"

"Yes. He calls it printing."

"Could I read the journals too?" Selene asked timidly.

Her sister grinned at her. "I'm glad you asked. Now I won't feel as if I'm punishing you when I add them to your school curriculum. In fact, I think we all should read them."

"Rebecca and I need to go meet Catrin and our new guests so Rebecca can check their intentions."

"Then we won't have to lock them in there if they are okay?" Selene asked.

"That's right," Andre said. "However, depending on their story, it might be better if no one knows they are here. Some of the people we help will have committed what the Proctor's consider crimes so they will send hunters after them. We don't want it to get out that Ironlyn was the last place they were seen."

"Is there a price on me?" she asked, her eyes widening in fear.

"It doesn't matter," Rebecca assured her. "You are blood of Ironlyn. Ironlyn will protect you even if a Proctor comes here looking for you."

Andre gave her a hug. "And any Proctors will have to go through us first. You are safe here okay?"

She nodded, giving him a smile full of confidence and trust.

That afternoon, Selene brought her grandfather the copies of the Jacite offer. After reading through it, he kept one copy for himself, and bundled the others up in a packet to send off to a member of the Cadre who usually distributed messages for them.

His cover letter was simple.

"This was received from an Emissary from Jacite. I believe the offer to be legitimate, but do not name me as the source. Distribute this as widely as you can. It is of interest to all Magi

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For years, the Cadre had used symbols to identify themselves for fear of the Shahen's spies discovering their identities, a practice Lewys had taught all his spies. While they had been in Land's End, he had seen ship in the harbor whose captain was willing to deliver messages for the Cadre. He rode down to the Harbor and gave it to him.

A storm was just beginning to bring rain showers as he rode up to Ironlyn. "Anyone back yet?" he asked Selene, who was waiting anxiously in the hall.

"No. Do you think something happened to them?" she asked.

"It's starting to rain," Lewys told her. "Catrin won't want to take a newborn out in it. I expect they decided to stay in the shelter overnight."

Betrayal

THE NEXT MORNING, WHILE Rebecca and Catrin got Sylvie and Mikel ready for the journey, Andre walked down the trail to the concealed entrance into the hideaway. Looking through the screen of brush, he saw three of the Proctor's bounty hunters milling around outside the entrance.

"Can they get in?" Logan asked softly.

Andre jumped. He hadn't heard the other man approach. "Probably not; the Wards are supposed to conceal the entrance to the canyon as well bar anyone with ill intent from entering, but I don't like them this close. You are good on a trail, I didn't hear you following me."

Logan shrugged. "Lot's of practice." He frowned at the three men. "We could kill them," he offered.

"Yes, but someone would find the bodies. Even if we hid the corpses, someone would eventually come looking for them. No, for now, we depend on Ironlyn's powerful Wards.

Andre turned away. "Let's get your family down to the Keep. I'll send someone up here to keep an eye