Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (red queen free ebook txt) 📗

their life, and each wondered whether they had only one foe in the room. Iona was thinking, “If Felis and this Gifted young man know each other well enough for Felis to call him ‘kinsman’, perhaps I’ve been brought into a trap!” So many things now made sense to her all at once: Felis’ unwavering confidence, the fact that he neither moved nor acted like a scholar, and certainly not a researcher… For Cooper’s part, his mind was racing, “If Felis brought her here, he must know about my abilities. If he somehow blames me for the destruction of the Guild, then she’s the perfect person to bring along to seek retribution.” Cooper was first to break the silence, “Felis, if you’ve brought her here, then you know who she is; and you know about me. You must know then that if this comes down to killing, I’ll be the one that lives.” He stepped to the side where he could still see Iona’s outline, to get as much warning as possible if she started to attack. Felis noticed his movement, and smiled as he replied, “This meeting was inevitable. I forced it to happen now so that I could stand between you. No one needs to die.” He turned his back on Cooper, on purpose, to speak with Iona. She spoke first. She almost spat the words, “You’ve lied to me.”

Felis’ voice remained soft. Calming. “I haven't lied to you.” The scent of sandalwood and fresh-baked bread filled the space. Iona waved her arm as if to sweep it away, “Stop that! I used to think that was clever. Thoughtful, even. Now I see it as a cheap, tawdry parlor trick. It’s insulting.” Felis held his palms toward her, but the scents faded immediately as he replied, “It's the truth. I haven’t lied to you, I simply withheld information. You never asked. You simply assumed what you wished.” Iona was not appeased, “Actually, I assumed what I was led to believe. I was told you were a scholar. A researcher.” Felis smiled, but only slightly, “Both of which are true. It is simply not all that I am.” Iona shifted her attention back to Cooper, but still spoke to Felis, “And you’re allied with this… abomination?!?”

Cooper replied, insulted, “Actually, he… No, never mind. This abomination will allow the two of you to sort this out on your own. I’ve cleaned up enough of the University’s messes.” Iona retorted, reflexively, “What could you possibly mean by that?!” Cooper sheathed his blades, confident that there was no threat, “You probably wouldn’t believe me, even if I told you.” Iona looked to Felis for an explanation, and immediately hated herself for it. It indicated a subconscious willingness to forgive him, and she wasn’t prepared to admit that, even to herself.

Felis shrugged, “I can only assume he’s talking about the Ruins.” The realization struck Iona all at once. She’d sensed that magical battle, even investigated the site while Felis came along. She had already connected the dots, but somehow had not seen the complete picture; until now. “I felt it when you fought… something in the Ruins. Just before the raid on the Guild house.” Cooper nodded, “Exactly.” Iona was still trying to piece things together, “How was that cleaning up a University mess?” Cooper sighed, “I fought what remained of the Mad Wizard. Something the University has failed to even attempt since their initial failure.” Cooper waited for that information to sink in for a moment, then continued, “The University hunts people like me. Why?” Iona took a breath to speak but Cooper continued for her, “Because the Mad Wizard was Gifted and they fear that another might arise as he did.” He paused to wait for Iona to affirm his statement. She merely nodded. Cooper added, “Well, I am Gifted. It tried to kill me. Absorb my power, my life, as it had so many others over the years. Now I remain, and it is gone.” He paused for a breath but wasn’t finished speaking, “The University has been sending you out to hunt the only people capable of finishing what they could not… and you call us abomination… You speak of lies, and liars. Just how gullible are you? How many other convenient lies have become comfortable truths in your mind?”

Before Cooper could continue further, Felis interrupted, “I think you'd said enough, Cooper.” Cooper whirled to face Felis with an expression of disbelief and incredulity. Felis shrugged, “She already knows your name. Jarell told her.” Cooper threw his hands into the air, “We speak of liars and behold, his name is spoken!” He turned back to face Iona, “So it was the most accomplished deceiver in a generation who put you on my trail? Of course he did. It suited his purposes. You didn’t even know that you were being used. You believed you were simply being handed what you wanted.”

Iona glared from one to the other, recalling the information she'd received earlier from Yoren, “It's true then... Jarell is known to you.” Cooper snorted before he could stifle it, “Believe what you will, but it was he that caused the Guild to fall. Everyone else was just dancing to his tune. Yes, we know him. He was one of us. Trusted. And he betrayed us.” She turned to Felis, who shrugged, “It’s all true. The Spymaster included. The Spymaster was getting what he wanted but he only learned what Jarell allowed, or what he learned directly from Jarell himself.”

She allowed her voice to be laced with the spite she felt, “So I’ve left the University and still I am merely used to further someone else’s ends.” She glared at Felis. He didn’t shrink away; he merely shook his head, “I used you only so far as to learn what I could for myself. I could have followed along on the hunting parties based purely on my merits as a scholar, and at first