Curse of the Shadowmage - Mark Anthony [85]
Morhion stared into the deepening night. "Sometimes I think he is wiser than any of us."
She laughed softly. "You may be right."
At last the mage spoke again, his voice oddly wistful. "Do your truly believe what you told him, Mari? That it is never wrong to feel love?"
This seemed an unusual question for the usually reticent mage. Finally she nodded. "Yes, I do believe it."
A rueful smile touched his lips. "You are fortunate then. Would that I could believe in love so strongly as you."
Mari frowned in puzzlement.
"I mean…" The mage began, then shook his head. "But it is foolishness to talk about it. Forgive me." He started to stand.
"Wait," Mari said intently. "Why won't you tell me what you were going to say, Morhion? I thought… I thought we were friends."
His chill blue eyes sent a shiver down her spine. "Are we?" His tone was not mocking; it was as if he were asking a question whose answer he truly did not know. "I am not…I am not certain I know what it is to be close to another person, Mari. It is a mage's lot to dwell in solitude.
Mari stared at the mage. What in Milil's name could he possibly mean? All at once, realization washed over her. How could she have been so blind? "Why Morhion?" she whispered. "Why have you never told me how you feel?"
The mage shook his head sadly. "How could I? You are the partner of my closest friend. How could I tell you that-" A bitter expression twisted his face into a sneer. Quickly, he rose. "I am sorry. I imagine that I must disgust you now."
Before he could move away, Mari stood and gripped his arm.
"You're wrong," she said fiercely. "Yes, I am surprised at your words. Maybe even shocked. The truth is, I really don't know what to think. But there is one thing I do know Morhion, and it is this: There can never be anything wicked in feeling love, whatever the priests in the temple might say. If there is one thing in all this world that is truly good, then it is love. And it is wrong to pretend that love does not exist."
He gazed at her, his blue eyes unreadable. "Perhaps you are right," he said finally. "Or perhaps not. It not matter now." A shadow crossed his handsome visage. "There is… something else I must tell you, Mari."
He spoke for a long time in low, measured words. An icy horror filled Mari's chest as she learned the hideous truth about Morhion's new pact with Serafi. It was spectral knight who had given the mage knowledge of the Shadowstar and Stiletto, but for the price of Morhion's own body.
"But how could you accept Serafi's offer?" Mari in disbelief.
Morhion shook his head somberly. "How could I refuse it?"
Mari clenched a fist. "Damn him, Morhion!" she choked hoarsely. "Damn him to the Abyss! Why must we always sacrifice everything for Caledan? Why?"
"Because we love him," Morhion said quietly.
It was true, and she knew it. As the anger drain of her, she sank back to the cold stone. Morhion joined her once more. For a time they sat in silence, while where in the distance a pair of mourning doves filled the night with their sweet lament.
*****
Kellen crept softly among the scattered heaps of rubble toward a dim shape. Night blanketed the moor, but a faint gray glow hovered on the air, giving just enough light to navigate by. Somewhere behind the thick clouds the moon had risen. Kellen concentrated on moving stealthily, and he was no more than three paces away when the dim form let out a surprised oath.
"Gods, kid-you're pretty good at this moving in shadows stuff," Ferret said in his raspy voice.
Kellen sat down on a rock beside the thief. "I like shadows." he said matter-of-factly.
"Well I think they like you, too," Ferret replied, his crooked teeth gleaming in the darkness. "You'd make a good thief, Kellen."
With a thumb, Kellen traced the puckered scar on the palm of his left hand. "I think I'm supposed to be a mage Ferret. At least, that's what Morhion says." Ferret gave a shrug. "Who says you can't do both?" Kellen considered the possibility. Mages cast powerful spells and used magical wands to conjure lightning and fireballs, but