"No, master, I didn't know that.”

"Mmm, well, she was. I received word just a few chimes ago from Primage Keldo. His umagi in Hartslea discovered it." The High Mage sat back in his chair and steepled his hands beneath his chin. "Apparently, young Ellysetta suffered regularly from violent `seizures' in her childhood. The Church determined she was demon possessed and convinced her parents to approve an exorcism. According to Keldo's umagi, the girl's father had a change of heart before the exorcism could be completed, and the family fled Hartslea rather than give her up to the priests.”

"That's very interesting, master." Kolis tried to infuse a tone of appreciation in his voice, even though he didn't see how the information helped them. "The mother is still quite devout and openly hostile to the Fey. I've been playing on her fears, hoping to use her to separate the girl from her guards, but so far she has steadfastly refused my bait.”

"Your man in the north, the priest, he is an exorcist, is he not?”

"Nivane? He is. It was how I first Marked him." Like many of his northern-bred brothers, the young priest had been born with a remnant gift for weaving Azrahn, and when he'd unwittingly woven it while attempting to exorcise one of Kolis's umagi, he'd granted Kolis a foothold in his soul.

"Parts of the Grand Cathedral are extremely ancient," Vadim Maur continued, "built in an age when Demon Princes were a considerable threat. The initial purpose of the Solarus was purification-but not for brides. It was a chamber used almost exclusively for exorcism.”

"I've never heard that before." Now the appreciation in his tone was genuine as Kolis's mind began to race with possibilities.

"The knowledge was lost long ago. I only discovered mention of it in an ancient Merellian text. As part of its initial purpose, the Solarus was built to withstand even five-fold weaves." The High Mage pressed his steepled fingers against his lips and smiled. "The entire room is a cage built to hold demon-possessed magical creatures. There is no better place in all the world to steal a Tairen Soul's mate."

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Greetings, My Lord Feyreisen, Lady Marissya, Lord Dax." Welcome shining in his green Fey-bright eyes, Great Lord Devron Teleos held out an arm and exchanged a warrior's handclasp with Rain and Dax as the Fey entered the spacious entry hall of his city residence shortly after sunset. The Celierian was paler than his pure mortal countrymen and darker than his Fey kin, his skin a golden ivory that glowed with Fey luminescence, his shoulder-length hair black as a raven's wing.

Rain murmured a greeting as he took quick stock of his surroundings. In a few swift glances, he noted the location of every entrance and exit, and the vast array of Fey, Elvish, Celierian, and Daneal weaponry on the walls. His gaze caught on one particular display: a full complement of Fey steel, gleaming with a mirror-bright polish no passage of time would ever dim.

"Ah, I thought you might find those of interest," Teleos said, nodding at the weapons. "They were Shanis's blades.”

"I recognized them." Rain had spent many a year fighting beside his old friend, watching him wield those blades with deadly efficiency. Etched with the symbols of the mighty v'En Celay line, the legendary Fey Lord Shanisorran v'En Celay himself had commissioned the steel as a warrior's gift to his namesake, Shanis Teleos, a descendant of his brother's line. "I am surprised to find them hanging on a wall in Celieria City. Fey steel was meant for war, not decoration.”

Teleos smiled, unoffended. "My father always considered Shanis's steel too valuable a family treasure to risk. He never used them, and a hundred years ago, when the Eld raids along the borders were getting worse, he had them moved here, to keep them safe.”

Conscious of the eyes and ears around them, Rain met Teleos's gaze and said on a thread of Spirit, «When you come to train at the Warrior's Academy in Dharsa, bring them. Shanis's blades deserve the honor of battle. »

Teleos bowed slightly and swept out an arm. "Please, come, all of you. Most of the others are already here." The Great Lord led the way into a large adjoining parlor where some two dozen of the nobles Rain had met the night before were waiting. "My Lord Feyreisen, these are some of my oldest friends and most trusted colleagues in the Council, families with whom the House Teleos shares a long history." Teleos gave a faint smile, green eyes bright with some secret satisfaction. "It is my pleasure to introduce you again to Great Lord Verakis and his wife, Lady Ceiliana. Great Lord Nin and his lovely new bride, Lady Aleen. Great Lord Darramon and his wife, Lady Basha, Lord and Lady Farm, Lord and Lady Barba.”

As Teleos led Rain around the room, introducing him to each of his guests, Rain began to understand the reason for that satisfaction in Teleos's gaze, and his appreciation for his new friend grew exponentially. He'd underestimated the man, thinking his Fey appearance would make the other nobles less likely to trust him. Instead, it was plain the Teleos family had carefully built and maintained a powerful network of allies within their homeland.

This small gathering of lords represented some of the most strategic estates in Celieria as well as half a dozen industries of key military importance: Great Lord Darramon, the fifth most powerful lord guarding the Eld border; Lord Fann, famous for his Swan's Bay shipyards; Lord Nin, a celebrated naval hero, whose mighty Queen's Point fortress guarded the mouth of Great Bay; Lord Clovis, a captain of industry, whose coal-andiron-rich lands supplied more than half of all Celieria's steel and iron; Great Lord Ash, a southern border lord whose handcrafted bows and superior bowmen rivaled even Elvish perfection. Teleos and his wise ancestors had established long-standing ties with all the powers necessary to build and equip an army for the defense of Celieria.