The tracking rune formed a new pattern, recognising yet another new mage's presence.

Kommora frowned. The violet rune glowed, swirling in a pattern she hadn't yet seen. She glanced over her shoulder. Nobody had questioned the presence of a state mage at the scene of a crime involving another state mage. She sketched the response from the tracker, noting the blend of the two patterns. One must belong to Raynott, and the other his attacker.

She fished out the two she'd gotten from Reculver, where Gyan Carla was killed, and Lydden, where Vikani Pober had fallen. Neither of the two older fights corresponded with the pattern this one generated; they were all from different mages.

Six mages involved in these past three attacks. The so-called rebel group comprised at least three separate mages. Their magic patterns were very different to each other. Gyan Carla's fight was the most different; Kommora would guess the attacker was a different kind of mage compared to the ones who killed Raynott and Pober.

She straightened up. The last of her tracker rune disappeared, leaving no trace. Liore and Ash followed her when she stepped outside of the runed barrier surrounding the crime scene. This part of tiny Keycol had become even more deserted since the murder. People were worried, returning home early and moving around in groups. It was a silly notion, to think being partnered would bring them any safety should a mage decide to kill. Not even a whole town was safe; Tahir Portendorfer was living proof of that on multiple occasions. The only reassuring aspect was that no laymen had been killed yet by a rogue mage.

During her journey south to Benover, she pondered over what she'd found. Three state mages, three rogues. Denerin Raynott, 30, a burst mage of Keycol. Gyan Carla, 45, a flash mage of Reculver. Vikani Pober, 28, a rune mage of Lydden. It seemed there wasn't a particular preference in the gender, specialty, age or geographic location of the victim. The only common theme was that they were state mages. With over a hundred state mages employed in Karma, it seemed ridiculous this small band of three rogues would go after each and every one of them with the intention to kill.

Just what did they want?

The scene at Benover was fresher but no more enlightening. The narrow streets were runed off with military personnel guarding the many roads that criss-crossed it, barking at civilians to ward them away and redirecting the carts and trolleys. The remains of a flour mill, possibly the last of its kind as Benover grew larger and focused on transforming to a finance centre, was now reduced to rubble and charred wood with smoke puffing to the sky. The event must have happened a mere few hours ago. She'd overheard the whispers from the people on the streets of Keycol. Another mage had been assassinated, although no names yet.

The military guards took respectful steps away from the scene when Kommora swept in. Liore and Ash stayed on the peripheries as per rules regarding non-magical persons. The smoke made her eyes water. Congealed blood and water stained the cracked stone floor. On the edges were what could once upon a time have been part of a human body. Whoever blew up this place did a good job; the windows were smashed and the wooden skeleton to the mill's main building lay in smithereens.

Kommora knelt at the edge of the pool of blood and sketched a tracker rune, altered so that it would sense the presence of magic rather than the movement of a designated person. She flicked her fingers. It glowed violet, so bright it permeated the paper with ease, and spread from its centre to engulf the ground in its light. It branched within, solidifying and intertwining until it formed yet again another new pattern, but this one had Kommora aghast.

It represented the presence of three mages.

And most intriguing of all, she recognised two of those patterns. One was Domic Butterworth; she remembered the way his pattern swirled like the snake he was in Keycol's tracing. The other was an old student of hers whom she hadn't seen in at least two years: Crina Nighy. Ever since she got sent to Molash on the south coast, she hadn't been in contact with Kommora. Kommora would recognise that magic pattern anywhere. The remains of Nighy's last burst magic lay in chunks of gravel all around as if a meteor had crashed from above.

Kommora's stomach sank and twisted. Was Nighy one of the rebels? Or was she a victim? It was impossible to tell based on this, but from the state of the crime scene, she had put up quite the fight. No doubt she was the one who'd lit the place with fire burst magic with the flour remains, despite fire not being her forte.

Which meant only one thing: Crina Nighy was dead. The headstrong, eager-to-please little burst mage Kommora had taught prior to taking on Loren Rummage was gone. Kommora swallowed, standing up, keeping her face carefully neutral. The news of her death hadn't leaked out yet; not surprising given how recent the event was. Kommora would have been one of the first informed; Nighy had no next of kin and no family, just like Loren Rummage.

Domic Butterworth. What was he doing in this messy scene with Nighy and a third unknown mage's magic intertwined? Was he a rogue? But he couldn't be, not when he served as the king's advisor. If he wanted to kill state mages, there were easier and faster options. That meant he must be the one attacked. So was he on Nighy's side or the other mage's?

Nighy was an honest and earnest student. It was hard to think she would convert to a rogue after a mere two years, but then again a lot of things could change in two years.

Kommora swept round and marched towards the council. When she burst into Woodbead's office, he jumped so hard he sent his askew pile of books tumbling onto the floor. His two guards leapt to their feet, about to draw their weapons when they recognised her.

"Out!" she announced. They scurried out, ushered by Liore and Ash. "Woodbead!"

"Yes, Mage Haigh!" he said, snapping to attention. He got the skirt of his brown uniform caught between his desk and chair and almost broke his back straightening up.

"This issue with the murder right in the capital – what do you know about it?"

He eyed her warily. "Only what I've been told in the announcements."

"Which was...?"

"Three criminals were apprehended in Benover in the early morning hours today and they were charged with the murder of Raynott and the other two. They resisted capture and were put to death on the spot."

"Three, huh?" Kommora's eyebrow raised. "What else was said?"

"Nothing else."

"Oh, don't give me that bullshit, Woodbead. I know you have better connections than that."

"So do you, Mage Haigh."

"You're one of them." She cracked her knuckles. Woodbead shuddered. "Now. Tell me, you little runt."

"Don't call me—!" He bit his tongue. "My sources tell me Domic Butterworth and Karis Bonneville attended the council at the early hours of this morning."

"As early as just after the triple murder?"

"Yes. Apparently."

"Anything else?"

"Tahir Portendorfer returned from Bicknor about two hours ago, but it was after the murders."

"What has that sadistic bastard have to do with this?"

"Nothing that I know. But my sources are instructed to watch out for unusual mage movements because of the recent attacks. Tahir was sent to Hartley a week ago for a two-day mission and he didn't return until today. I don't think he has anything to do with the murders. The scene would be pretty obvious if it were. He just wasn't meant to be coming in from the east, that's all."

"Rummage told you her finding, right?"

"Those are speculations, but, yes, Loren told me about it. What's with the sudden interest, Mage Haigh?"

"That's not your business."

"You interrogated me enough."

He withered a little under her glare.

"Let's just say I've come to a similar independent conclusion."

Woodbead's lips pressed tightly together. "I see."

"If you keep pursing like that, you'll end up looking like that miserable apprentice of yours."

He chuckled at her words, less in mirth and more out of politeness.

"She's been getting into a lot of trouble, Woodbead. I'd be careful about her if I were you. You don't want to mess up with your first student, especially with Kristen Harred's child."

"She's just another student as far as I'm concerned. I don't play favourites. She knows to play like a good girl."

Kommora blinked. He had no idea. So Nithercott hadn't told him about her journey in Danaway.

"You're full of shit, Woodbead, you know that?"

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