peoples to the north, south, east, and west were allied; others were far enough away to be of no immediate concern; and some were enemies or potential enemies.
Leo’s spacious room at the Terra Inn was divided into a sleeping area and a salon or dayroom for entertaining guests or working on personal projects. He liked to live well and tended to take the better accommodations while on the road if he was able. One never knew if camping in the outdoors would be needed, so when he could stay at a good inn or lodge, he did.
He organized his belongings, as he would be leaving in the morning. He had one task before he went to sleep: to send a message to the mystic knight Erios.
I’m not sure I can fully trust Darshalla. She is a dawn knight and might have her own agenda, and, like other mystic knights, she has powers of her own, Leo thought. Dawn knights usually had a different way of looking at things. They had split away from the mystic knights and, over time, started a separate organization as a new order. They tended to deal with rogue mystic knights who they called dark knights.
Recalling the memory of the proper spell that supported the spellweave necessary to contact Erios would not be as simple as closing his eyes and thinking toward that goal. Erios had barriers of protection for his mind; his kind of telepath usually did. Leo would have to concentrate strongly and form the details in his mind to strengthen the spellweave he would cast. Fortunately he had mastered that kind of magic already, and only a rigorous effort would be required. Leo wanted to do more than send a message; he wanted a brief commune to find out if Erios would join him in Tosca.
To provide the necessary focus, Leo first drew a temporary chalk circle on the stone tile floor. Because the spell was partly a summoning, he inscribed a protection circle with the blood from a Pegasus mixed with some ground leaves from near Erios’s home. More than one Pegasus lived near Leo’s homeland, and he occasionally obtained small amounts of blood. He sometimes used components to bolster his magic, even another beast such as a chimera or a griffon, as an alternate. Usually only concentration and a short incantation that focused his thoughts for the spellweave was necessary; however, he needed an increase in energy because of who he was contacting. Erios would likely be hesitant to accept a commune from a distance, as he could not be sure who was trying to contact him because of his barriers.
Leo meditated for a time and then felt a tentative contact. He used the additional energy to allow his aura across so that Erios could sense who was attempting to contact him. Sometimes Leo went by variations of his name, so sending that might not allow a commune.
Leo sensed Erios’s powerful mind exploring the link and pushing along the lines to verify intent. He couldn’t see Erios but could sense his intense mystical presence.
Erios thought, Yes, I sense it is you, Leo. It’s been several months. Do you have a project I might be interested in, or do you have a material you are looking for that we might trade for?
Leo sent, It’s a project this time. I have agreed to help a friend discover who attacked his family and removed some valuable things from their estate.
I can join you, Erios sent. However, first I will need to deal with some individuals who have been following me. There have been some recent attacks on mystic knights by some faction. They are not aware that I realize they are following me. My abilities of telepathy and clairsentience have their advantages.
Do you need some help with those who are following you? Leo sent.
Erios thought, Not likely. They have one of the night crawlers with them, but I can handle such things.
Very well. It will take me several days to arrive in Tosca by caravan or coach—although once I am closer, I can use a translocation spell to go the rest of the distance. It would be good if you could meet me near the estate of Lady Seneca. Leo mentally sent information as to its location.
That seems good, Erios sent. I will bring my skyship, as I will be leaving after you and will need to travel from the port city of Vlorence. My crew still needs to complete some trade business in this area before heading north.
Excellent. Until then, my friend. Leo released his spell, opened his eyes, and stood up. He would meet with Lady Darshalla in the morning. It would be a moderate-length journey, and he still had to prepare some things.
***
The next morning, Leo woke later than he wanted. He washed and dressed in traveling clothes. He also wore a pullover sash with a cloak that indicated that he was a master wizard. He was eating his breakfast of grapes and bread with blueberry jam and a three-egg spinach-and-onion omelet that the inn’s kitchen had sent to his room, when a knock came at the door.
The messenger, dressed as a senatorial page, bowed. “This writ is from Senator Barricus to Master Leozanthicus.”
“I am he.” Leo accepted the sealed scroll case and the messenger bowed briefly and exited.
Leo unsealed the scroll case and read the letter within, written by Barricus.
Leo, I arranged this writ of authority as a temporary way for you to gain access to the places in Tosca you might need to visit. Let my cousins and other relatives in Tosca know that you bear this writ for the purpose of investigation. There may be something going on beyond the loss of my sister and some military equipment. I wanted to be sure you would do the task before I granted you authority.
Barricus, Senator of Tosca
The writ, on a separate paper, was sealed with Barricus’s ring signet with the special purple wax only a senator used. “To any it may concern: grant unto Master Leozanthicus full constabulary authority for the duration of his investigation.”
Leo read it and smiled. That would make the process easier; however, sometimes if people knew you were looking, they concealed information. He would use the writ of authority when he needed it, but planned to use his observational skills initially. He had heard about constables in Megalos. It was a fairly new position adopted from the relatively near city state of High Gate and the farther western kingdoms. The quaestionarius were military and worked for a legion’s commander, or even the praetor. The consuls and senators wanted a similar nonmilitary position to gather information and investigate for them.
There was another knock on the door. Leo sensed Lady Darshalla’s presence. He opened the door and smiled, bidding her to enter. Darshalla looked much more professional dressed in the traditional armor and garb of a dawn knight, although she wore only partial leg bracers and a lacquered armor belt with a short dress that did not fully conceal her legs. Her hip-length cloak showed a gold sun rising on a field of blue. A sword was side sheathed in a black-and-silver sheath on her side. Leo’s wizard senses noted separate power radiating from the sheath that did not entirely conceal the energies of the sword. He recalled that mystic knights usually made most of their own armor and weapons, or they were made by other mystic knights.
Darshalla smiled. “Good morning, Master Leozanthicus. Do you need help getting ready?”
Leo replied, “I just need a few more minutes to pack, and then I will be ready. We will need to make a short stop at the Arcane Academy here. I have to restock a few ingredients and potions. You need not worry. I will not need to actually make them myself. I knew I wouldn’t have the necessary time, so I requested one of the potion masters to make what I might need.”
“Good, you thought ahead,” Darshalla said. “I’m sure Barricus told you of the evidence of night crawlers at his late sister’s estate.”
“Yes, he did. I want to discuss that with you. From what he told me, Lady Seneca was likely killed by one.” Leo thought about the undead creatures. Night crawlers looked human, but they drank blood. If he concentrated and used his wizard senses successfully, he could detect the ones hiding under human skin. He had made detections three times before on separate investigation quests. His wizard senses could detect other things beyond basic auras. He could also use them to see another’s spellweaves.
Darshalla said, “Depending on its strength and abilities, there may be more than one involved, so we will need to be cautious.”
Leo said,