By the time the students were ready to board, the Absconder had been thoroughly dried and cleaned. With a touch of magick, even the most daunting tasks were easily handled.
In record time, the entire expedition party was aboard, each traveller directed to their assigned quarters. Though the lower deck appeared unassuming from the outside, those who ventured through its halls quickly realised its true nature – endless corridors stretched beyond comprehension, housing far more cabins than seemed possible.
By some arcane design, every participant was granted a private room, undisturbed and entirely their own.
'It's like we're upper-year students already,' Elred remarked as he strolled past Riniock's open door, grinning.
'Don't get too comfortable,' Riniock replied, placing his bag on the bed. 'It's only for a fortnight – just until we reach land.'
'I know, I know. No need to ruin my good mood, you bastard.'
Riniock smirked, shaking his head as he began unpacking.
'All good here?' Siegmun rapped his knuckles against the doorframe, leaning casually against it.
'I'm settled in,' Riniock replied.
'Great. Meet me on the upper deck at first darkness, alright?'
Riniock nodded. 'Sure.'
'Don't keep us waiting – Balidor and Aikan will be there too.'
With that, Siegmun gave the doorframe a solid tap before slipping away into the bustling crowd of students outside. As he disappeared, Riniock's door eased shut on its own, sensing no one in its way.
Alone for the first time in a while, Riniock perched on the edge of his bed, letting the silence settle around him. He took a moment to survey his cabin, appreciating the rare sense of tranquillity it offered.
His thoughts drifted, and with a flick of his fingers, his coffer materialised before him. He hesitated – should he send it to Linry? With her aboard the adjacent ship, surrounded by the delegation, it was a risk.
After a long pause, he exhaled and waved the coffer away. Its form shimmered before dissolving into the ethereal, swallowed by the unseen.
At the first sign of dusk, Riniock left the warmth of his cabin and ascended the stairs to the upper deck.
The night sky stretched overhead, the dim moon casting its ghostly glow upon the still waters. The ship's hull mirrored the moonlight, reflecting the sky's quiet vastness. Distant nocturnal birds screeched, their cries drifting over the rhythmic ebb and flow of the sea.
Only a handful of students lingered above deck, scattered in small groups like drifting embers in the darkness.
'Riniock!' Aikan's voice carried from the aft of the ship. 'Over here, mate.'
Leaning against the railing, Siegmun gazed out at the rippling wake left in the ship's passage. Beside him, Balidor and Aikan were more invested in the row of wine bottles lined up along the banister.
Aikan grabbed one and offered it to Riniock with a smirk. 'You drink, little acolyte?'
Riniock took the bottle, considering it. 'Never have,' he admitted. 'But it'd be rude not to at least try.'
Balidor grinned, and Aikan let out a chuckle.
'Wise answer. Go on, then.'
Pulling the cork free with his teeth, Riniock took a cautious sip. The first swallow burned enough to make him cough, but the second went down smoother.
'Not bad,' he said, wiping his sleeve across his mouth. 'Will you tell me why you called me here at this hour? Surely not just to share drinks.'
Balidor and Aikan exchanged glances before Siegmun straightened, turning to face Riniock with a sharp edge to his voice.
'I'm sure you've noticed the Ikshari runt over there,' he said, his tone laced with disdain. He jerked his head towards the ship's fore, drawing Riniock's attention to a lone figure standing against the breeze.
Riniock recognised him immediately – Arthian, Irgod's peer and ever-loyal lackey.
'I did. What's he doing on our ship?' Riniock asked, narrowing his eyes.
'He's their chosen delegate, meant to accompany us,' Siegmun replied. 'One of ours is on their ship as well.'
'Feels more like a hostage exchange.'
Siegmun's fist slammed against the railing, his jaw tightening. 'My thoughts exactly,' he muttered, teeth clenched.
Balidor took another swig of wine before lowering his voice. 'We shouldn't be telling you this, but something about this whole mission feels off.'
'Oh? What do you mean?' Riniock asked, leaning in slightly, curious.
'For one, I've seen the delegation members using long-distance communication spells – several times,' Balidor murmured, glancing around as if Arthian could hear him from across the deck. 'And on another note, our briefing with the arch-maegi was…strange.'
Riniock's brow arched. Had the arch-maegi confided his suspicions in them?
'Strange how?' he pressed.
'You've said quite enough,' Siegmun interrupted, his sharp glare silencing Balidor. The latter swallowed hard and held his tongue.
Riniock took note of the exchange but chose not to push – yet.
'So this Ikshari,' he said instead, nodding towards Arthian. 'What do you plan on doing with him?'
The three aspirants turned to him in surprise.
'We weren't planning on doing anything,' Aikan said, his tone laced with suspicion. 'What exactly are you implying?'
'Wait, Aikan,' Siegmun interjected, eyeing Riniock. 'Riniock, what's on your mind?'
Riniock smirked internally.
He had their attention – now to test their limits. Balidor's earlier slip had confirmed that the Iksharis were using long-distance communication, providing the perfect foundation for a carefully crafted lie.
'I overheard Arthian earlier,' he lied, carefully weaving his tale. 'He wasn't speaking to anyone on this ship – or even on theirs.'
Siegmun rubbed his chin. 'How so?'
'He was coordinating the ship's position with someone else. And the way he spoke…it was cryptic. Like he didn't want to be overheard.'
Silence hung between them as the three absorbed this.
'This is exactly what the arch-maegi warned us about,' Aikan muttered.
'I know that,' Siegmun replied, 'but he never told us what to do if it came to this.'
Riniock hid his satisfaction. His lie had found fertile ground, and the truth – his truth – was not far from reality. The delegation would try something eventually. He was merely expediting the inevitable.
Siegmun turned to him again, eyes dark with contemplation. 'You were the one who overheard this. What do you think we should do?'
Riniock had been waiting for this. A chance to act. To settle his grudge against Irgod and his ilk. To repay every offense with blood.
He smiled. 'Kill him, of course.'
'K-Kill him?' Aikan stammered, his lips trembling. 'Isn't that a bit excessive?'
'Right now, with the clear weather, their ship can relay our position easily,' Riniock reasoned. 'But in a few days, when we reach rougher waters, the only reliable source of information they'll have is the person they left behind.'
'But that's assuming they're actually plotting something,' Aikan argued. 'We can't just kill their delegate over speculation.'
'Are you certain of this?' Siegmun ignored Aikan's protest, his dislike for the Iksharis clouding his judgment.
'If you want proof, I can find it,' Riniock offered.
'Good. Find a reason, even a small one…and kill the bastard,' Siegmun said, his voice devoid of hesitation. 'Can I count on you?'
Riniock glanced at Balidor and Aikan. Uncertainty was written across their faces, but Siegmun had already made his choice.
He knew where his trust lay: Riniock himself.
Riniock met his gaze and nodded. 'You can count on it.'
'Good. I'll be waiting for good news,' Siegmun said, returning the nod. He grabbed a bottle of wine and downed half of it in one long draught. 'Oh, and Riniock – be discreet.'
Riniock smirked, tilting his head slightly. 'Don't worry. Not even you will know when I decide to do it.'
Conviction without proof was usually reckless – but this was his battlefield. Here, his enemies moved unaware, their fates resting in the hands of someone who could twist the board at will. With the right incentive and backing, he could cast blame where he pleased, mould the truth into something advantageous.
And unknown to Siegmun, the key to the proof he needed was already in place – hidden amongst the Iksharis, aboard their own ship.
If he wanted to incriminate Arthian, to solidify Siegmun's trust, there was one person who could help him.
'I need to contact Linry…'