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She could have been offended, instead she gave him a bright smile. “Poor warlord. You really don’t know how to handle someone like me.”
“Call me Kormac.”
“And have your mother fly into an even bigger tizzy?” she teased.
“Yes. Let her bluster. I can handle it.”
“But what of your poor father who has to listen to it?”
“Who says he listens?” Kormac winked at her as they emerged onto the main floor. “Where to?”
“My room.” She waved the parchment. “Time for me to report to Amelia and get the librarians started on the search.”
She headed up the stairs to her quarters, finding them already tidied. The bed had been made and the fireplace stoked with a fire that made the space toasty. A carafe of water had been left on the table with a plate covered by a dome. Removing it showed a selection of nuts, fruit, and cheese. Just the thing to tide her over to the evening repast.
She nibbled as she activated the mirror.
Amelia appeared looking frazzled.
“Is everything okay?” Fionna asked.
“It is now. A roc thought our contemplative tower might make a nice roost. We spent hours convincing it to go elsewhere.”
“Did you succeed?” she asked.
“Let’s just say our larders are full of meat, enough to last the winter. What of you, how goes it?”
“I met the patient.” Fionna launched into a detailed description of everything she’d observed about Lomar, and by the end of it noticed Amelia’s pinched features.
“He’s been possessed by the evil I saw,” Amelia murmured.
“We don’t know that for sure. It could just be a clever spell making him act that way. Perhaps one that splits the personalities.”
Amelia shook her head. “You don’t believe that. From everything you’ve reported, it sounds as if we’re dealing with a powerful, immortal entity that can act by seizing the body of another.”
“Why do you say immortal?”
“By all indications, it’s been hidden in that cave for centuries. No food, no fresh air. Flesh wouldn’t survive in those conditions.We are most likely dealing with a spirit-based entity. Possibly one of the Ifrit.”
“A what?”
“Ifrit, magic based being, hates humans, very violent. A reliable source that passed through a short time ago mentioned them.”
“You think that’s what we’re dealing with?”
“I don’t know, but it is possible. If that’s the case, then we’ll need to act fast as it seems the measures safeguarding this evil are starting to fail.”
“Meaning if we act soon, we might prevent its escape. The warlord spoke of blocking off the cave.”
“A temporary measure. A thing this powerful won’t be deterred by a rock fall. The wards holding its prisoner will eventually fail. Preparations must be made for this thing’s escape.”
The word “preparation” had Fionna holding up the parchment with her drawings. “Have you ever seen this rune before?” She launched into an explanation of the medallion and its effect on Lomar.
Amelia turned quiet. “You say the warlord supposedly has bracers with the same symbol?”
“Yes. I was planning to seek out others, perhaps try my hand at making some.”
“I have a few here, actually, stored in the vault. I’ll have them flown out to you. But I’d hold off attempting to recreate them. Those were made with old magic, using a method long forgotten.”
