Free Sourcethief (Book 3) by J.S. Morin Page B

was the warlock's singing boy.
Others claimed he was Rashan's bedmate. None had credited him with being the
mastermind the warlock saw in him. None would have dared say anything to
Brannis's face about it either. He had Rashan's protection.
    Since Kyrus had taken Brannis's place, that had
changed. The new Brannis, the one with magic, no longer played the jolly
comrade by making up for his inexperience with good nature and humility. Kyrus
might nod to his underlings as he passed by, but rarely spoke with them. Rumors
had spread about some of the things he had done since "discovering"
his magical powers; most of the soldiers preferred being ignored. The talk had
ended about Brannis being sheltered under the protection of his demonic
benefactor. He no longer seemed to need it.
    The upper floor of the headquarters was nearly
deserted. Officers came and went when need arose, but when other places were
available to them, most tried to be elsewhere. Tanner was not the most
sensitive Source when it came to feeling the aether, but he knew that strong
magic was at work. The feeling grew as he approached the office that Kyrus had
converted into his workshop. The door was closed when he reached it, as well as
locked and warded.
    Tanner knocked, knowing that he would have to wait
for Kyrus to let him in. It was just as well, since whatever was going on
inside might kill him if he were to intrude. He had seen the speaking stone
Kyrus was working on. Even with his limited expertise in rune-carving, the
sheer complexity of the thing was worrisome.
    After a moment, Tanner felt the shifting in the
aether as the wards lifted. The door swung inward and allowed him entry.
    "That time already?" Kyrus asked. He was
bent over the incomplete speaking stone, looking up from it as Tanner entered.
Tanner had seen it grow over the course of its construction—layer upon layer of
glass added, runes carved, then back to the glazier to begin another cycle.
    "Yeah," Tanner replied. The door closed
behind him as the wards sealed them in.
    "Just a moment. I was nearly finish—"
    "Can we skip the lesson today?" Tanner
interrupted. Kyrus blinked, his attention turning fully on Tanner as he stood
up.
    "To what end? Surely you are not—"
    "We need to talk."
    "This would be about Denrik Zayne I
assume," Kyrus said. "Is he ready to bargain?"
    "Well, he made an offer. I don't know if I'd
call it bargaining."
    "He may have missed his chance, I fear. At this
point if he gives up the Staff of Gehlen, I might be able to convince Rashan to
stop slaughtering his people. Maybe," Kyrus said. "So what is he
offering?"
    "Boy for the staff."
    "Well about time he started being reasonable.
From what I have gathered though, Anzik Fehr is none too eager to return home.
Still I think it best that the boy be returned, and now we do not have to defy
Rashan to give him back."
    "Well, now that you mention Rashan,"
Tanner said, pausing as he watched for Kyrus’s reaction. He received none.
"Captain Zayne had an idea how you might be able to get rid of
Rashan."
    "Did he now?" Kyrus asked. "I suppose
that his advice is just his contribution to me fulfilling his original
terms."
    "Not quite. He wants peace, his son, and a dead
warlock, but he wants the boy back bad enough that he'll wait on Rashan's head
a while." Tanner watched Kyrus, the sorcerer's eyes twitching about though
his face remained a mask. He saw Kyrus's breath quicken. It was the sort of
thing a swordsman looked for in an opponent, but it seemed the same tricks
worked for sorcerers as well—at least new ones.
    "Will he give up the staff first?" Kyrus
asked.
    "Before he gets the boy back?"
    "Forget the boy. Yes, of course he gets his son
in the bargain. Will he give up the staff without having evidence of Rashan's
death?"
    Tanner swallowed. He did not care to hear how close
Kyrus sounded to actual treason. The soldier in him hard a hard time hearing
someone plot the death of a superior.
    "He wants you to meet someone. A