Empire of Night (Age of Legends 2)

"Dead?"

Guin wrinkled her nose. "I'd not take over a corpse. That would be like stealing a wagon with two broken wheels and the others about to shatter. When the shadow stalkers possessed the villagers, there was confusion. Some spirits were taken out of the wrong vessels. Like this one."

"And you were one of those spirits?" Moria asked. "Taken from your body?"

Guin laughed. "I have been without a form for a very long time, child."

"What are you?"

Guin smiled up at her. "You are a Keeper, are you not? Tell me what I am."

"A marine ghost, an honorable spirit, a ruined spirit, or the vengeful dead," said Ashyn, appearing behind Moria.

"Ah," Guin said. "The Seeker. They are known to be brighter than their sisters."

"Oh?" Moria said. "Forgive me. I thought I was the one who saw through your ruse and knew you for a possessing spirit."

"True. I'll give you that, then. You are clever. Your sister, however, possesses more conventional intelligence. She is the book-learned one." Guin looked at Ashyn. "Which type am I?"

"You can get free, yet you choose not to," Ashyn said. "Despite the fact you may suffer imprisonment or even torture. You are desperate enough to keep a body that you'd risk that."

"She uses a human name," Moria said. "Guin."

"There are four primary types of human spirits that remain in the first world. First, marine ghosts, those who died at sea and attempt to drown others."

"No sea nearby," Moria said.

"See how clever she is?" Guin said.

Moria ignored her. "There are also honorable spirits, great men who were terribly wronged and cannot control their wrath."

"And ruined spirits," Ashyn said. "Those unable to pass over to the second world. However, if she'd merely failed to pass over, she would appeal to me for help. That leaves . . ."

"The vengeful dead," Moria said. "Which is the same as honorable spirits, only the vengeful are women. It is an insult to our sex. The name ought to be the same."

"I agree," Guin said. "And now that you have solved the mystery, as I said, I will remain in this body, on the understanding you will hold it captive and question me. I only ask that when you have what you need, you will free this body."

"We must speak to the court Seeker," Ashyn said. "If the spirit that belongs in that body can be returned to it--"

"It cannot. But I am confident enough in that to agree. If you can reunite this girl's spirit and her body, you may do so."

"Where are the children?" Moria asked.

Guin blinked up at her.

"We will agree to your terms," Tyrus said. "If you answer the Keeper's question, and we find your response to be truthful."

"I can tell you what I saw, but it does not include where the children were taken. By that time, I was in this body and far more concerned with keeping it alive."

Moria got the sense that even if the situation were not so dire, Guin wouldn't have taken much notice of the children's predicament.

"Prince Tyrus?" It was the minor counselor, calling from the street. "Your highness? We've finished our accounting."

"Then we're done here," Tyrus said. He turned to Guin. "You'll be taken into custody with minim

al explanation to the others. You'll provide no more information unless asked by one of us four here. Understood?"

"Yes, your highness."