Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

Chapter 65: The Promised Support

"My sources tell me that so far, there has been a single breach of the Acrise walls," said Liore, standing at ease in front of Kommora's desk. Kommora tapped her chin, frowning.

"And what kind of breach was it?"

"Kristen Harred's anti-climbing runes were overrun. It appears the Hannans beyond the wall have a means against that magic."

"That would be impossible. Unless..." Unless the Hannans had a counter-magic measure. But it would need to be strong enough to overpower Harred's runes, and they were designed specifically for the new border, although Harred died before Acrise was reclaimed.

Kristen Harred had designed the border magic in her role as the strongest rune mage and a king's mage until the day she died. For the fifteen years she had held the post, her runes had been impenetrable. Nobody could even compromise their effects momentarily.

Judging by the silencing of Loren Rummage when she'd poked around in Finberry and the until-now impossible breach of Acrise with magic, this must mean Kristen Harred was involved. Or at least, her magic was. Which would be impossible, as Kommora had seen the dead body for herself at the funeral six years ago. However, Madeleine Harred's existence was also impossible, and yet there she was within that necklace on Seiren Nithercott, according to Rummage, immortal, invulnerable to disease and ageing, all as a result of Kristen Harred's own creation.

It was just as well Kommora had contingency plans.

Also judging by how Seiren Nithercott had gotten herself into an endless amount of trouble since she'd gotten her graduation certificate and had somehow remained relatively unscathed, Kommora's intuition couldn't help but feel there was more than just a guardian angel or dumb luck hovering over that girl.

"And you put in that rune outside their meeting area as I instructed?"

"Of course, Mage Haigh. We stopped as of today like you asked."

"Hmm. Yes. And it'll be around now the tracks freeze over in Acrise and that place becomes ice-locked..."

"Yes. So unfortunately my contact won't be able to supply me with more information until Acrise thaws."

Halen Ashworth had disappeared after the explosion in the Council of Mages that night. The security might be heightened, but the rune perimeters were still under Kommora's care, unfortunately for the king's mages. And Kommora had other plans of her own. If those people were as smart as she expected them to be -- and seeing how they'd managed to extract one of their own right from the king's mages' clutches, she was probably not wrong -- then the wind would soon blow in her favour. Butterworth would get his comeuppance. The king's mages did not suspect her yet of any meddling, and she intended to keep it that way. With their attentions now drawn over to the rebel mages, it was time for her to make her move.

"Can you look into the rune production accounts for me, Liore?" Kommora said at last. "It shouldn't be a problem to look at the registered inlet and outlet in the production line. Compare it with the productivity of the major cities they supplied -- see if there's been a fall in the past few months. Then trail the missing runes -- I have a suspicion you'll find someone in Keycol."

"Of course." As always, Liore asked no further questions than what she was instructed, and left without a word. Kommora already suspected what Liore would find: that the rune productions have remained the same, although the amount received would have fallen a barely noticeable amount spread across the cities. The port north of Keycol remained the only opening into Hanna, although like the treacherous mountains between the two countries, the rocky seas between the port and Hanna meant it was bordering on foolish to attempt to cross. Nevertheless, it made it the ideal route to smuggle across the border.