Free Ghost in the Maze by Jonathan Moeller Page B

used to receive a letter every two weeks, sometimes every few days,” said Agabyzus. “Nothing. The letters…they would be left at a pre-arranged location. I can understand why the letters stopped after the end of the war. The Emperor assumed the Ghosts of Istarinmul were all dead. But after you arrived…you should have received some instructions by now.”
    “Perhaps the Emperor is waiting for us to establish the circle before he sends instructions,” said Caina.
    Yet part of her wondered if she had been abandoned. She had acquired powerful enemies in the Empire before her banishment, Lord Corbould Maraeus and the First Magus Decius Aberon and others. They had wanted to execute her after New Kyre, but instead the Emperor had made her the new circlemaster of Istarinmul. Perhaps Corbould and his allies had convinced the Emperor to ignore her until she pushed too hard and got herself killed. A more roundabout form of execution, as it were. 
    The thought stung more than she liked. 
    “No,” said Agabyzus, his voice quiet. “I think it is far worse than that. I suspect…I very strongly suspect both the Ghosts and the Emperor have far larger problems than just now.”
    “Why do you say that?” said Caina.
    “The Teskilati wiped out the Ghost circle,” said Agabyzus, “but my informants are still in place. I have been speaking with them, and they tell me of the rumors coming out of the Empire, of the stories the merchants tell.”
    “What is happening?” said Caina.
    Agabyzus shook his head. “The tales are…confused. They say civil war has broken out in the Empire, that the Magisterium has splintered into multiple factions. One merchant claimed the Ashbringers of old have returned to bring fire and ruin upon the Empire. Another merchant claims all the Imperial provinces east of Artifel and Arzaxia have risen in revolt under a renegade faction of the Magisterium, and are waging war against the Emperor.”
    Caina frowned. “Is it true?”
    “I know not,” said Agabyzus. “But I have spoken with the merchants visiting from Malarae and Arzaxia, and they all say the same thing. And I have noticed something else. The rumors say that the rebel magi have seized the city of Rasadda…and no merchant ships have come to Istarinmul from Rasadda since the end of the war.”
    Caina felt a chill. Rumors were one thing, but that was quite another. She thought of Ark and Theodosia and the other friends she had left behind in Malarae. What would a civil war to do them? Would the fighting reach Malarae? If the Magisterium had indeed broken into warring factions…there was no telling how much damage such a war could do. 
    “But we can do nothing for them, can we?” said Caina. “They are on their own.”
    “And so are we, I fear,” said Agabyzus. 
    Caina bowed her head and thought for a moment.
    “One more question,” said Caina. “The poet Sulaman. How well do you know him?”
    Agabyzus shrugged. “Well enough, though I know little about him personally. His verses are well-received by the emirs and the wealthier nobles, and if he wanted to, he could live in comfort and never leave the Emirs’ and Masters’ Quarters. Yet he often came to the House of Agabyzus to recite his poems here. Evidently he tires of the wealthy and prefers a more appreciative audience.” 
    “Is he one of us?” said Caina. “A Ghost?” 
    “No,” said Agabyzus.
    “Is he one of the Teskilati?” said Caina.
    “I do not believe so,” said Agabyzus. “Yet…the Teskilati destroyed us. They knew exactly where to find us. And we used to conduct a great deal of our business out of the coffee house. Why do you ask?”
    “Because,” said Caina, “Nasser mentioned that Sulaman pointed him in my direction.”
    “I see,” said Agabyzus. “Well, you can speak to Sulaman yourself. He is reciting here tonight.”

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    That night Caina sat at one of the tables in the House of Agabyzus, playing dice with a group of merchants and their