Page 43 of Take No Prisoners
"This is not a trial for either of you," Beatrice said, almost in answer to his thought. He shivered at the coincidence. "I have chores for both of you in the coming weeks, but we will talk about them later. Now, I want to know how many we've lost and how they died. Let's start with how you attacked Vadim's ship."
Efren provided the stark details of the battle as he remembered them. They'd sunk six total fireballs into Vadim's hulking naval vessel. Smoke inhalation had killed all but the fire weaver and Niall, possibly because he'd siphoned the little girl's fire or ice to save himself. "Then we boarded Vadim's ship, and he confirmed three of the newly conscripted weavers had died."
"Did you help them on their way?" Martiz's droll tone had an undercurrent of malice. There was no love lost between former master and student.
"I didn't kill them," Vadim said. "Nor could I save them. Efren had slapped me in irons by then."
"Iron doesn't hold you." Beatrice cupped Vadim's cheek, and an indecipherable look passed between them.
Still, Efren was surprised to hear Beatrice confirm what Vadim had said about iron. "You knew?"
"Vadim himself has shared several secrets he's learned in General Coryn's service over the years," Beatrice said. "Iron only works on fire and ice weavers. Silver works on both healing and death weavers. Wood for water and lightning. Gold for earth and air."
"Where did you get the pair of silver shackles, anyway?" Vadim asked.
They'd been in Niall's pocket when Hannah had cleaned his pants, and Efren had taken a chance that Vadim had told him the truth when he said they worked on death weavers.
"You used them on me," Niall said before Efren could come up with an explanation for finding them. "When I broke free of them, I kept them in my pocket."
"You shouldn't have been able to break free of them," Vadim said. "You're a thief, not a weaver."
"That's where you're wrong," Beatrice said. "We're getting off topic again. You said three weavers died in the hold."
"This thief stole my power and returned a young boy's life. Only two remain dead."
"That's more than most healers can do." Martiz stared at Niall with the first hint of interest. "He stole your power?"
"He's a siphon. A reverse siphon, since he used my power to heal someone already dead."
The elders and Efren's crew started talking amongst themselves. Beatrice banged her wooden water cup on the stone table until everyone quieted. "That's enough commotion. We'll get to Niall in a moment. First, I want to know the ages and types of the perished weavers."
"An earth weaver barely of school age," Vadim said, "and a water weaver around ten years old who could have saved themself if they knew how. They didn't know to sink into the water in the hold to escape the smoke."
Efren bowed his head at the surge of guilt that rushed over him. He hadn't meant to kill children. He hadn't meant to kill anyone.
"You didn't have a healer on board?" Martiz asked.
"Coryn has no need for healers. You know that." Vadim smirked at Martiz. "She murders every one she finds."
"She murders healers?" Niall asked. "Why?"
"Spite," Vadim said. "A healer took liberties from her as payment, before and after he healed her. She's also surmised anyone with the ability to seek, suppress, or siphon has been touched by a healer. They can't make more if they're dead."
"That's not true," Martiz said. "I've healed—"
"Weavers," Elder Beatrice said. "You've healed weavers who already had powers. When was the last time you touched someone who didn't have some kind of magic?"
"I was Coryn's healer!" Martiz exclaimed. "I never touched her inappropriately."
"You weren't her only healer," Elder Beatrice said.
"She claims she will let you live, if she sees you again." There was more Vadim left unsaid, Efren was certain. Vadim himself had reasons to hate Martiz, but Efren doubted he would voice them before the full council.
Martiz shook his head. "I wouldn't harm a child, but our lives would be a little better, had I let that one die."
"I only ask that you not let Klaus die." Vadim didn't hide the animosity in his glare. He had little respect for his former mentor, with good reason.
"I'm not here for healing," Klaus said. "When you promised to release me from your bond, you said nothing about a healer."
