Abaddon's Mark

Chapter Twenty-Six

Maeno strode into the main building, fresh from the city. He was headed for the library when Nendan stepped into his way and stopped him.

"Where have you been?"

"Feeding the animal, what do you want, Nendan?" Maeno sighed.

"Wow, and here I thought only Naena could manage that tone," Nendan muttered. "We've been commanded to the war mage's study. Do you know why?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

Maeno swore. "Who said war mage?"

Nendan hesitated. "Naena. Graydon attempted to invite us. Naena said we were commanded to attend the war mage. Does that mean something to you?"

"It's her way of calling in allies," Maeno said as he altered his path, headed for Theon's study. "Something is going on, and she thinks us being there is important to his health or wealth."

"Or ours?"

"Nothing so complex. If it seems complex, it's because he's reaching, and that's not normal for him. If we don't attend, he doesn't reach again, and he dies. Well, in my experience, he dies."

"Uh, what?"

"Death, dead, as in no longer living," Maeno said, stopping just short of the Seven's area to turn on Nendan. "What part are you struggling to understand?"

"The same part that's now making more sense. The one where Graydon came to me and, in a baffled tone, asked me that no one died on the streets. Or, more of, he said that, but it was in a questioning tone. Who died, Maeno?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Like you don't talk about Lenfer?"

"Lenfer was new to our group. In fact, I'm almost certain he got what he deserved. And don't ask about Dor. He's made his decision. We respect that."

"How many people died?"

"It was the streets, Nendan. How many do you think? You think we weren't starving? That we didn't have to make hard choices about who got to eat and who didn't? That when we made those choices, we didn't know we were killing our own so that we could survive? I don't want to talk about it."

"She'll shiv a mage who tries to touch her but doesn't talk about that," Nendan muttered as he walked off, headed for Theon's study.

"She doesn't talk about her past," Maeno protested before he rushed after Nendan. "Ever. Ask her about the start of the year. About anything from last week. You'll get a blank stare, and she'll probably give you vague nonsense."

"She remembers magic just fine."

"Magic isn't life or events," Maeno said as Nendan pulled to a sudden stop and glanced at him, which made him sigh. "I know, it's a problem. I've been working on it with her, or she's been working on it through me. We just. Back there, she was amazing. Unless you started asking her stuff that she should have remembered. She could tell you a guard would rip you off, who not to rob because of last time, but she could never remember conversations or anything you did for her. Here, she's better. I test her, and she remembers."

"It's called survival mode, Maeno. Like the club room. Remember what happened there?"

Maeno just shrugged in response.

"Yeah, survival mod," Nendan said. "The mind shuts off because it can't handle something. You do it so you can get through and survive. But sometimes people get stuck in that mode and can't shut it off."