To Therelin’s delight, Maia didn’t lead him toward any of the archives he had studied in already. When they headed north of the Grey Temple and wandered amidst enormous, ancient, brick buildings, Therelin finally asked her where she was taking him.
“To the Library of the Atmos Septi.” Her reply took a moment to sink in for Therelin. The low-tier research pass he paid for through the Academy of Ular Graan did not allow access to this Library. When she saw the look on his face, Maia added, “Master Nolicrin’s pass,” and flashed a badge at him.
Therelin grinned. “Do all of his apprentices get one?”
“We share two or three. I’ve had this one since before he went to Starath,” she explained, with a spring in her step. “I already have read everything in the Hall.”
So, the Master of the Hall of Three Winds had gone to Starath. Another piece of the puzzle? Therelin wondered. He knew very little of Starath, aside from it being the closest city to the Great Isle that was not on the Great Isle. When Therelin had first sought out the Hall, Master Nolicrin had been away; now Therelin knew where.
They were cordially welcomed to the Library and given a quick tour of sections. Maia and Therelin’s goals were clear—they were here to investigate if a sect of the Grey Brethren was known simply as the Conclave. Therelin’s subtle secondary agenda was to determine if Maia was involved in Master Nolicrin’s plans.
Regardless of the latter, Maia helped him earnestly. They scoured dozens of books throughout the morning, from directories and listings to historical accounts—astounding primary source material that spanned the last 600 years. Even this opportunity was exhilarating to Therelin, which was good because they did not find anything about a group known only as the Conclave.
They took a short break for a noon snack. Beside the main building, there was a sitting area full of priests and scholars. Even amidst the twenty others breaking their fast, Therelin felt less crowded than he had inside the prestigious premises. The sky was a whirlpool of cloudy streaks and grey-blue. Near the horizon, the slowly rising dot of Caidolis drew glances from many outside. Therelin always felt it seemed new to him, though he had seen it rise and set times in his life. It reminded him how far beyond their comprehension the sun and moon spirit was.
After their lunch, the duo split up to locate further texts in the two-story Library. Every stack of books was perused by at least one other scholar. Therelin found a book describing the most dangerous cults of Gethra and another treatise on early political involvement of the Grey Brethren.
“…a magician leads it,” said one of the quiet voices in a nearby study alcove. Therelin lowered the book he had been examining and listened. He could see only a few men with silk tunics and one priest in a grey robe.
“How’d you hear that?” asked one of the others.
Therelin saw one of them shrug—the first speaker. “Sailors in Sheld, escaped from pirates. Letters from Starath seem to confirm it, says another of my contacts. The Great Isle is falling to a damned mage of all things.”
“By Atmos himself,” said another, only to be shushed by the priest.
“It will be news in everyone’s ears soon enough,” replied the first.
Therelin cleared his throat and peeked around the bookshelf where he had stood. The group of scholars looked up at him. Two smiled, so Therelin’s gut calmed. It was always uneasy to be recognized as an eavesdropper. “I have been hearing lots about these bandits on the Great Isle and I could not help but overhear that they are being led by a magician,” Therelin said. “Do you have any more news about what is going on?”
The man who had delivered the news and said “it will be news for everyone,” shrugged as though to say, “What did I just tell you?”
Another looked at his comrades and then offered some news of his own. “Only Tav Rock, Bellasa, and Aloor stand. The rest have fallen to the bandit armies.”
“Indeed. Criminals from all over Radregar are setting out to take part in their golden age!” a third exclaimed. “The great land of anarchy and freedom.”
Therelin shook his head. He could scarce believe it. On Keth, the number of killers in a year could be counted on one hand. The Great Isle dwarfed Therelin’s home, and was now overrun with them? And what magician—what learned man of the mind—would lead such a faction?
The renegade… Therelin realized; he exhaled breathily. Master Nolicrin knew who led the bandit army.
The priest leaned toward Therelin. “The Grey Brethren are considering sending out their own fleet to help support the lawful cities. This horde must be contained before it spills forth.”
Therelin nodded. He looked over his shoulder and spotted Maia at their reading table down the length of the room. Then he turned back to the group of gossipers, trying to consider how to ask about the spy or the Conclave… but could he trust them, more than Maia? She had only been kind and supportive to him so far. And, based on what Therelin had overheard at the Hall of Three Winds, she was most likely to know more.
“Thank you,” he said to the welcoming alcove. “This will effect us all, so thank you for your transparency.”
They smiled and nodded. Therelin turned around and walked back down the library stack from which he had been reading. He calmly replaced the book and wandered toward Maia’s table.
He sat down and thumped the other books he held onto the pile she had started. She smiled at him and opened her mouth to say something, but when she saw the look on his face, she closed it.
“Being fairly new to this mainland world, I have been quite wary of the risks of getting my nose where it doesn’t belong,” Therelin began. He leaned forward. “Because of this, I didn’t tell you everything. In fact, the conversation I overheard actually took place near the Hall of Three Winds and it was about a renegade magician who is conquering left, right, and center; a spy who holds information about this; and whether or not a Conclave is involved.”
Maia stared at him, holding her breath.
“One of the important factors was that the conversation was between a member of the Grey Brethren…” Therelin told her, “… and Master Nolicrin. Now, I don’t want to make assumptions about him, but I don’t know what to think about all of this—this entire situation. Do you?”
The young woman leaned back in her chair and sighed. “That’s a lot.”
For a moment they looked at each other expectantly, waiting for one of them to say something more.
Maia furrowed her eyebrow and asked, “Have you ever been to—no, I suppose not. Listen, Therelin, I can’t talk about this. I am… sorry. I should go.”
Without another word, she stood up. Therelin spread his arms in confusion, but she didn’t say another thing. Her blue linen dress brushed a breeze toward him and then he was alone at the table. He considered going after her, but he didn’t bother standing up. If she was so terrified to depart this suddenly, Therelin needed to give her room. He needed to make her feel safe, and then she would share what she knew.
He looked at the books in front of him dully, doubting they would hold anything more interesting than this turn of events.