Session 9

Miranda's happy feeling of success lasts only a few days, until she has another strange dream. In this one, she is awoken by the sound of voices. She can't quite make them out, so she gets out of bed and goes to listen at the door, but the voices remain indistinct. She suddenly realizes that she's not in her chambers at home...she's in her dream house. She follows the sound of the voices and winds up in the cellar where she imprisoned Merlin. The voices are coming from the other side of the wall, where he is. One of the voices is his. The other is a woman whose voice she doesn't recognize. She still can't make out most of the words, but she hears Merlin say something about "release," then later says that he agrees. Then the voices stop.

Miranda wakes up and goes in search of her mother, but she's left for the day. She finds her father instead. He tells her that Jasra's left to talk to the Palatine about Merlin. So she told him. Told him what? Oops. About Merlin visiting her, she claims. She's not sure she managed to cover up her slip, but Brand appears to be playing along for now. Yes, Jasra did. She's gone to tell the Palatine so they can be prepared if he comes to her again. What if he already has? What's happened? She tells him how Merlin visited her again and she locked him up in her mind, leaving out Jasra's involvement. Then she mentions her recent dream and asks if Trump might be used to contact Merlin. Yes. Is there any way to stop it? Brand gives her a necklace, with a silvery metal in it that looks familiar. It's the same metal that was in the object that prevented Trump from working in Hell. A piece of the god Comet. He warns her that she won't be able to use Trump as long as she's touching it. Does he think there's any other way the woman could contact Merlin? Sorcery. What if Miranda makes Trump and sorcery not work in her mind? That might work, at least for the Trump. She'd have to ask her mother about the sorcery. She will. If sorcery works, why hasn't Merlin escaped already? Maybe he isn't a sorcerer. He isn't marked. Brand asks why she didn't kill Merlin instead of imprisoning him. Because she wasn't certain what would happen if she did. It might just allow him to wake up. And he'd be mad. Brand comments that she's been getting in a lot of trouble of late. She notes that Merlin called her a nexus. Brand says Dworkin used to say he was one as well, and wishes he'd paid more attention to him at the time. Maybe he should send her east. So bad things can happen there? So she'll be farther away from anyone of power. Miranda doesn't mind that idea too much. It would be warmer, and all of her friends in Thelbane are dead anyway. She'd miss her lessons with Yut-Lung, though. He could go with her. Really? If he wanted to. She says she'll consider the idea.

Jasra is gone for several days. When she returns, Miranda seeks her out and tells her of the recent dream. Jasra frowns. She also isn't sure what will happen if Miranda turns off sorcery in her dream, and suggests Miranda consult her counterpart there. Miranda doesn't remember seeing her the last time. She'll have to look for her. Jasra tells Miranda that she's told the Palatine some of the current situation, namely that Merlin has been incapacitated for now, so that if they can find his body soon they can be rid of him with little trouble.

Miranda attends a small party to which she's been invited, mostly because she realizes that absenting herself from all social events will cause more gossip than attending them. She goes through the motions while there, not particularly enjoying herself, except for a brief conversation with Driscoll, who is also there. He offers his condolences for her loss at the ball, apparently having just heard about that. Miranda thanks him, and notes he's rather popular now. Yes. That's because he's now one of the most eligible bachelors in Thelbane. Lovely. He asks how her lessons with Yut-Lung are going. Quite well. She looks around to make sure that no one is within earshot, then admits that she's rather enjoying them. She'll miss them if they have to stop. Why? Her father may be sending her east, and she's not sure if Yut-Lung will want to go there. Does she mind if he asks why her father wants to send her east? A lot's happened to her recently, and her father thinks the east may be safer for her. Driscoll suggests she may want to consider hiring Yut-Lung as a bodyguard. Miranda says she'll mention it to her father.

That night, Miranda attempts to dream about the house again, and finds this easy to do. She goes looking for Jasra there and locates the redheaded servant girl in the attic, sorting through her things. Miranda explains the situation and asks if turning off sorcery would be bad. Oh yes. It would almost certainly set Merlin free. How can they stop the woman from contacting him again, then? The girl can set a sorcerous ward on the room where he's imprisoned. They go and do this thing. The girl asks who the woman was. Miranda didn't recognize the voice. Well, that certainly limits it. If she was using Trump, though, there aren't many women who can do that, and fewer still whose voice Miranda wouldn't recognize. Miranda realizes that it must be Fiona.

When Miranda wakes, she goes in search of her father and tells him who she thinks the mystery woman is. He agrees with her logic, but doesn't look happy about it. He tells her to find Rinaldo. They'll need to move fast to find Merlin now, and hope they can get past his defenses. He leaves. Miranda looks for Rinaldo, but learns he hasn't been seen for at least a day. He isn't at breakfast either, but Sand is. She tells Miranda that Suhuy was found murdered last night. Miranda is shocked. How did he die? A poisoned dagger of some sort. So what will happen to his position? The church will likely pick someone else.

After breakfast, Miranda tells Sand that Fiona may be loose. How can she be sure? Well, it's complicated, but the short version is that she heard two people talking through a means that must have been Trump, and she didn't recognize the woman's voice. Sand loses her temper, breaks a table, then goes stalking off to her room. Miranda fills in Delwin next. He figures Fiona will go after him and Sand first, since they're the ones who brought her in. She may also go after Miranda and Rinaldo, to get back at Brand. Miranda mentions that Rinaldo hasn't been seen recently. Delwin suggests she Trump him. Miranda says she can't right now. Delwin tries, but says Rinaldo isn't answering. Are there any other women who knew about Trump? Flora and Llewella. Llewella is dead, of course, and Flora seems unlikely. Miranda figures they should have expected that Fiona would Trump out from the ball. After all, Miranda managed it. Yes, but Fiona had been warded to keep her from using Trump. Obviously, she found a way around it. Does that mean she could find a way around a Trump block too? She'll need to ask her father that.

Miranda goes to Brand's study, but when she enters the room, she finds herself elsewhere, in strange room. Then she sees Solange, who says she was wondering if Miranda still remembered her. Miranda says she's unlikely to ever forget her. She's recovered the necklace. True, but Solange is not pleased that she got help. Miranda felt it more expeditious to do so. Who knows where the necklace could have wound up if she'd relied only on her own resources? Maybe even with the Palatine. Solange advances on Miranda, who backs away, to no avail. Solange places a hand on each of Miranda's shoulders and plants an icy kiss on her forehead. Then she says she could never abide an obedient milksop, and comments that Miranda is much like her mother. She gives Miranda a crystal pendant and says she will grant Miranda a boon: one question that she will answer when Miranda calls upon her. She warns Miranda to think carefully as to what she wants to ask. Oh, she intends to. Solange then tells her that yes, Fiona is after her. She'll give Miranda that one as a gift. Then Miranda finds herself back in her rooms.

Miranda's Page | Miranda's Logs

Last modified on November 10, 2001 by Kris Fazzari.