In The Beginning Gail Daley (best books to read all time TXT) 📖

"There is a chamber next to the infirmary we can lock," Catrin offered, having just returned from seeing Lewys and Owen settled.

Andre looked up to see the stable hands peeking around the open barn door. "You there," he called, "Pick up this boy and the girl and carry them to the infirmary. Draya Catrin will show you where."

His measuring glance also spotted Serle and Mort Corkian standing outside the schoolhouse. "How long have they been there?" he asked, jerking his head at them.

"They watched the battle, Drake, as we did," the stablehand carrying Jeribella offered.

Andre and Rebecca exchanged repelled glances.

"Where is Selene?" Rebecca asked, as she and Andre followed the group to the infirmary.

"I left her keeping an eye on Grandpa and Owen," Catrin answered.

As they passed the schoolhouse, Mort Corkian stepped forward. "Are Lewys and the boy going to be alright?" he asked hesitantly.

"I don't know yet," Catrin answered.

"I want to know why Grandpa let them come in as far as the tunnel," Rebecca whispered to Andre. She ignored the scowling Serle and anxious Mort as if they were invisible.

After locking their prisoners into the room Catrin indicated, Rebecca set wards around it to ensure their unwelcome guests used no Magi tricks outside the walls. When she came back into the infirmary, she found her grandfather resisting the potion Catrin was attempting to feed him. Lewys looked exhausted, but healthy.

"This will rid you of any lingering effects from McTavish's spell, so stop squawking and drink it," Catrin told him. "See, Owen has already taken his, and he is resting comfortably."

"It also put him to sleep," her grandfather objected. "I can't sleep until after I know what happened. Put it down on the table there. I promise you, I'll drink it as soon as I talk to Andre and Rebecca."

He looked up as Andre and Rebecca entered the room. "We beat them?"

Andre nodded. "Yes, we have them locked into a warded chamber until we decide what to do with them. Why did you bring them inside Ironlyn, Lewys?"

"They claimed to know Mort. I wasn't sure they were telling the truth, but sometimes Mort talks too much. I thought he might have told them about Ironlyn in casual conversation. Owen couldn't read them, nor could I, so I decided to bring them in here and have them face Mort. I didn't expect to be taken down the minute we came out of the tunnel," he admitted. How did we defeat them? Did Mort help you?"

Selene made a rude noise. "All that pair did was stand around and watch. Dracho Corkian stood there wringing his hands, and I think Serle was even pleased to see us attacked."

Lewys frowned. "Oh, surely not, child. Why would he be pleased we were being harmed?"

"We are getting off the topic here," Andre remarked. "The question I want answered, is if Serle and Dracho Corkian knew the McTavishes, and if they were expecting an attack when McTavish arrived."

"I've met them," Mort announced. After a short argument with Serle, he had followed Catrin to the infirmary. He flinched when Rebecca and Andre turned identical icy stares on him. "They came to several of the informal meetings of the underground. I had no idea they would attack you if they sought refuge here. How could I?"

Andre scowled at him. "I understand you watched the battle. Why didn't you offer to help?"

Mort looked guilty. "I don't know anything about using Magi talents in a battle. I thought I would be in your way. As it happens, you didn't need my help at all."

"No," Catrin agreed, "we didn't. Grandpa is too tired for visitors, Dracho Corkian. You need to leave and come back later. Drink your medicine, Grandpa."

Gently, but firmly, she ushered Corkian out of the infirmary, watching from the doorway until she was sure he had left the building.

Lewys picked up the glass Catrin had set on the table beside his bed and downed it in one gulp before lying back against his pillows. "We'll have to decide what to do with them..." his voice trailed off as he closed his eyes.

"If we let them go, they will probably run back to the Magi Proctor," Andre said, dispassionately continuing the conversation as though Lewys was still awake. "If they do, the Proctor will have confirmation you are Magi. The next logical step would be for him to come here and demand you join the Magi Proctors. When you refuse, we will have to fight him. We aren't ready for that."

"No," Rebecca admitted. "We haven't found the War room yet."

"Well it isn't practical to keep the McTavishes in in there indefinitely," Catrin stated. "We have to do something with them."

Rebecca nodded. "There is another option I read about in the journals. Ironlyn has a Gate. We can send them through it. Once they go through a gate, they won't be able to return to Rulari to make trouble for us."

"Can you open it?" asked Andre, practically.

She nodded. "Yes, I think so. If we are going to do it though, I want it done tonight, and I want it done quietly. Only the four of us should know we can operate the Gate or that it exists."

Catrin's eyebrows rose. "Not even Owen or Grandpa?"

"We can inform them privately, providing they agree not to mention it to any old friends," Andre said.

"Yes," Rebecca agreed. "Uncle Mort and Serle might be innocent of plotting to take over Ironlyn, but I don't want them to know about the Gate. Uncle Mort talks too much, and Serle—"

"What will we say about what we did with those people?" Selene interrupted.

"Just say they are gone, Selene," Andre said, thoughtfully. "It's no one's business what we did with them. In fact, it might buy us some time before the Magi Proctors investigate if their disappearance remains a mystery."

After the household had retired for the night, Rebecca and Selene prepared food and water packs for their unwilling guests. Catrin and Andre saddled their animals, grabbing