Before meeting with Yolen—the tinkerer recommended by Lord Dakhu—Therelin discussed his options with Kren. As Yolen was not a scholar of the Gallendris House, it seemed likely that the only way forward was to speak with Mazaar Gallendris herself—the Lady of the House and the ruler of Soros. Kren wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but had no other options to suggest.
With little else to do, the duo sought out the workshop of Master Yolen. The outdoor yard was occupied by a large construction of wood and rope. Arched arms braced a horizontal panel. Various metal gears were scattered across the workbenches. Therelin had no clue what it was, though the arms reminded him of a bow. After a moment’s delay, a servant showed them to the craftsman.
Yolen looked up from a diagram he was sketching—he was of Orrene descent, with fair skin and grey-streaked hair. He cleaned his charcoal-smudged hands with a rag and then tidied his beard. “Ah, I hear you two are fellow studiers,” he said, bowing slightly to them.
Therelin mimicked the gesture. “Newly so—we just came from Lord Dakhu’s Archives in Noress-That-Was.”
“Dakhu, right. A splendid source to be sure,” Yolen said. He was a full head shorter than Therelin, but made up for it animated gestures. “And now you are here—may I assume to learn more about my engineering?”
“As interesting as it sounds, unfortunately not,” Therelin told him with a grimace. “We are here on a quest for information regarding Lord Gallendris and the warfront.”
Yolen’s features fell with the first phrase, but he lit up again upon hearing of their grand mission. “He’s had quite the run of it, these last few years, I believe. Is there anything particular you want to know about Lord Farek?”
“What do you mean—what’s happened these last few years?” Therelin countered.
“Well, let’s say five years ago…Lord Farek was known more for his nightly vices than his loyalty to land and leader,” Yolen said, his eloquent words spoken with clear purpose. “Now he’s off questing for the safety of all Var Nordos.”
Therelin blinked. “Do you think his change in mindset was a direct result of Matriarch Haladia’s assassination—or, perhaps more importantly, the explosion at his estate?”
“Oh, certainly,” Yolen said. He looked down, thoughtfully, at one of his workbenches. Then he turned back to Therelin. “But—while he wasn’t on a mission for the Matriarch back then—I think he started cleaning up some of his rubbish habits a while before any of that unfolded.”
“In my research with Lord Dakhu,” Therelin began, “we discovered the name of the sorcerer at the head of the bandit army, and we learned that Lord Gallendris learned some of this very information roughly two years ago. Does that make sense with this change in attitude you’ve described?”
“Two years ago…before all this madness, then.” Yolen scratched his short beard thoughtfully. “I suppose that was before his absence. But I think he stopped carousing the bars before that even—perhaps as long as three years ago?”
“Before his absence?” Therelin asked.
“Yes. His lordship took one of his ships and went on a trip—but I haven’t a clue where,” Yolen explained. “Trust me, there are better gossips in town, but some of them are my patrons, so I hear some of it.”
It sounded very-near actual proof that Lord Gallendris had sailed to the Great Isle upon hearing of the House of Kiaraka which lay there. Therelin looked at Kren, eyebrows raised.
“Do you know what prompted the trip?” Kren asked.
“Sounds like you have a better idea than me, if you’re telling me that he learned something important two years ago.”
Therelin nodded. Then he shifted his weight onto his driftwood staff. “It seems to me that to confirm these suspicions, I’d be best off asking House Gallendris directly,” he explained. “In your experience, is that a good idea? Would you say they are defensive against inquiries like this?”
Yolen frowned and shook his head. “No, House Gallendris is better than Soros deserves, if you ask me. From what I have seen, they are more well-meaning than most of their peers in Noress-That-Was.”
Very good news, indeed, Therelin thought. Even with a friend in Lord Dakhu, he felt most of those he had encountered since leaving Keth were willing to protect their own self-interests with a vengeance. “Well, that’s certainly better than I expected,” he told Yolen with a smile. “I guess I know where my journey leads next.”
“Glad to be of service. Give Dakhu my best,” Yolen said.
Therelin thanked him for his time, took another glance at the massive machine he was building, and then led Kren out into the cobbled streets of Soros once more. Even from here, he could see the vast estates of Coin Hill—and even after Yolen’s praise, the thought of approaching the most powerful family in town seemed truly daunting. But with Tarro out there, wrecking havoc wherever he turns…we must all brave the obstacles laid out for us, he thought. This was, as always, the only way Therelin could see to do his part. He led Kren back toward the inn, ready to make an appointment with the Mazaar of Soros.