He turned left, toward the Twilight.
“We going to Sark Square?” I asked. Benet would be able to buy supplies there, cheaper than anyplace else in the Twilight. As we went along the dirty cobbled streets, I kept my eyes open. Underlord Crowe had a word out on me, which meant his minions would take me off the streets if they could get their hands on me.
But I didn’t see anything that made me jumpy. Maybe it was too early in the morning for minions to be about.
I followed Benet up a twisting side street. Suddenly, he stopped, and I bumped into him. Glaring, he pulled out the string of copper locks Nevery had given him, pulled off a few coins, and held them out to me.
I put my hands behind my back. What was he up to, giving me that much money?
He spoke without looking at me. “Master Nevery says you’re to get some new clothes.” He pointed at a shop door. “Make it fast.”
New clothes! I grabbed the coppers and skiffed into the shop. It was a used clothing place, jammed full of bins of odd socks, stained petticoats, and patched shirts. Blinking in the dim light, I edged up to a rack of coats and pulled one out, holding it up to myself. Too big.
A hand came down on my shoulder. I looked around. The shop lady stood there, scowling. “What d’you want here, boy?”
“Got anything else like this?” I asked, holding up the coat. “But a little smaller?”
“Get out. I know your kind. You’re a gutterboy.” She grabbed my arm, pulled me toward the door.
“No, I have money, see?” I jingled the coins in the palm of my hand.
She paused. I shook the money again. It made a bright sound in the dark shop. She shook her head. “All right, long as you’ve got money.”
Then she found me some warm trousers and socks and a shirt to go with the too-large coat, a woolen scarf, and a cap. And boots, I told her. Good stout boots for walking fast in. So I could keep up with Nevery.
The shopkeeper wanted to haggle, but I didn’t have time—Benet had said to hurry. So I paid her price, took off my old rags, put on the new warm clothes, and laced up the boots. Stowing my knife and lockpick wires in my new coat pocket, I ran out to meet Benet.
He was standing outside the shop looking impatient.
The new clothes made me feel different, and not just less frozen. When I was dressed like a gutterboy, I felt like a gutterboy and sneaked around in the shadows. But wearing new clothes, it seemed like walking around in the daylight wasn’t such a frightening thing. Well, I was the wizard’s apprentice now, after all.
I still had one of the copper locks from the money Benet had given me, so when we got to Sark Square, I stopped at a stall to buy—not steal!—a sausage in a biscuit, then ran to catch up with Benet.
“Want some?” I asked, holding out my breakfast. I was half afraid he’d take the whole thing, but he just ignored me, as usual.
We walked through Sark Square’s market stalls and tents and their meager pickings. A few people, wrapped in rags and shawls, were shopping. At the end of one row of stalls stood an Underlord’s minion holding a club, keeping an eye on things. My feet twitched and wanted to run, but my new apprentice clothes tricked him and his gaze slid right past me. I kept my head down, munching my biscuit, and followed Benet.
Using money Nevery had given him, he bought supplies, loading them into a wheelbarrow he paid a copper lock to rent.
I was curious about the keystone he’d used to unlock the gates in the secret tunnel, so when he was busy arguing with a stallkeeper about the price of eggs, I picked his pocket—quick hands—to have a look at it. The stone was gray and smooth, about the size of a thumbnail, and didn’t seem magic in any way. I wondered how it worked. I wondered if it would open other locks, not just magical ones. I slipped it back into Benet’s pocket as we walked to the next stall.
When the wheelbarrow was full, we headed back toward the Night Bridge. Fleetside Street snaked down to the river, and from the top of the steep hill I could see out across to the east side of Wellmet, the Sunrise, where the duchess ruled, and the streets were clean, and where I’d only been a few times, at night, to pick locks for burglars.
From where I stood I could also see out over the river to the chain of islands where Wellmet’s wizards lived. The largest island, where the academicos was located, was just upstream from the Night Bridge. The academicos was a huge building topped with spires and towers. The next island was where the magisters had their meeting hall, which was fortified with a stone wall just above the waterline. Nevery’s Heartsease was the most northern island in the chain. I pushed the hair out of my eyes to see better. The big hole in the middle of the mansion house’s columns and windows looked like a bite out of a piece of cake.
I ran to catch up with Benet, and followed him back to Heartsease, I helped him drag the wheelbarrow up the stairs to the island; we were both panting with the effort by the time we got it to the top.
Benet unloaded the wheelbarrow, handing me things to carry up to the kitchen. After several loads, we were done and the kitchen was full of bags and boxes and packages. Benet stood looking at it all with his hands on his hips.
“Are we going to have dinner?” I asked.
Benet looked over at me and growled. I edged farther away from him in case he decided to thump me.
“You want to eat?” he said.
I nodded.
He pointed at the supplies. “Then cook.”
Hmmm. I’d never cooked anything before. But I bet I could learn.
* * *
Weather turning colder. Early snow possible; could mean cold winter. River likely to freeze. My cold worse today.
Sent Benet and boy to Twilight for supplies. Heard them return. Had been studying grimoire, relearning embero spell. Went down to kitchen. Boy cooking dinner. Unsliced lump of bacon in a pan and potatoes charred in the coals. Potatoes half cooked, bacon raw in the middle. Tried a bite, then took pan from boy, sliced potatoes and bacon, and cooked them until properly done.
Boy asked how to make biscuits. Told him, but if they’re anything like his potatoes, will be inedible.
Magisters meet tomorrow. Will send servant boy to spy on them, assuming embero spell works properly. Afterward, if he becomes too much trouble, will send boy away.
* * *
CHAPTER 6
The next morning, I mixed some biscuits the way Nevery had told me the night before. Flour, water, riser, a little butter, and salt, all beaten up really well with a wooden spoon and plopped into a pan, which I put down into the fire’s coals. Then I got out the other pan and the bacon and got that started, and checked the kettle for water and swung it on its hook over the fire.
After a while, the biscuits turned browny black, so I took them off the fire. I tried one. It was like an egg. Hard and crusty on the outside, soft and runny on the inside. Not bad! I ate another one, with honey, and then had some bacon and some tea.
Benet came grumbling up the stairs. His hair was sticking up all over his head and he looked ferocious, like a bear. I stayed out of his way while he made himself tea. He put together a tray and took it up to Nevery in the study on the third floor.
When I’d finished my tea and gotten warm enough by the fire, I went up, too, and peeked in the doorway.
Nevery, looking fierce and red-nosed from his cold, was pacing before the hearth. He and Benet had been talking, clear as clear, and Benet, standing by the window, didn’t look happy.
“Come in, boy,” Nevery said.
I went in. He hadn’t eaten the biscuits, I noticed.
“The magisters meet this morning,” he said.
Right. I nodded.
“Are you willing to be my spy at the meeting? It will require risking the embero spell.”
I nodded again. It was time for me to start doing wizardly things.
“I cannot predict what you’ll become, boy,” Nevery said. “The embero will change you into a creature characteristic to your nature.” He looked me up and down. He was, I could
tell, trying to imagine what kind of animal I’d be.
“I’m not afraid, Nevery,” I said.
Benet, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, made a growling sound.
I wondered if the change spell had been tried on him, and if it had, what kind of creature he’d become.
“Hmph,” Nevery grunted. “We’ll try it, then. You may go, Benet.” The muscle left the room, giving me an extra serving of glare before he went.
Nevery went to the table, where he studied a page in his grimoire for a few moments, muttering something under his breath, then slammed the book closed. After wiping his nose with his handkerchief, he reached into his pocket for his locus stone. “Come here, boy,” he said. I went to stand before him. “Do not resist the spell as it effects. It will hurt a little.”
A lot, he meant. But I wasn’t worried.
“Now, keep still.” Nevery took a deep breath. Carefully, he laid the night-black locus magicalicus against my forehead. It felt soft and warm. Everything else in the room fell absolutely silent. Pressure built; my eardrums felt as if they were going to crack.
Then Nevery’s voice rang out, spiraling through my ears and bouncing around in my skull. As he intoned the spell, the locus stone began to glow; he raised it over my head and sparks scattered, dash-flashing, surrounding us with a curtain of glittering light.
His voice grew louder, the words tumbling faster and faster from his mouth. My skin felt like paper lit on fire and my knees grew weak. I fell onto the floor. I saw a flash and heard a brief clap of thunder, and suddenly felt nothing at all.
After a while, I opened my eyes. Then closed them again. The room had gotten very tall; the chairs loomed overhead. Magic, sure as sure. Footsteps approached. Nevery’s. I cracked my eyes open again. The wizard was bending over me, huge, reaching an enormous hand toward my head.
I yowled and leaped away; he, startled, fell backward onto the carpeted floor. I almost laughed, he looked so funny knocked back like that. But why was he so big?
He got to his feet. “Boy,” he said. “Come here and look at this.” He turned and brought a large flat square from the high table and set it on the floor.
I padded over to have a look.
Well. And I’d been afraid that my characteristic creature would be a cockroach or a mangy pip-mouse. Clear as clear, Nevery had thought so, too.
But in the mirror I saw a midnight-black, skinny young cat with sparkling blue eyes and a quirked tail. It looked just like me. But furrier.
“It is you,” Nevery said, lifting the mirror away. He sat in his chair and looked down at me. “The embero spell effected remarkably easily, boy.”
Only half listening, I raised a paw and flexed, and sharp claws sprang out.
“The magisters’ meeting is in an hour,” Nevery said.
I turned my head to examine the tail curving over my back. Amazing.
“Use that time to get acquainted with your new form. I have work to do.” He turned away and busied himself with papers at the table.
I remained still for a few moments. I practiced twitching my tail and swiveling my ears at every ristle-rustle of a turning page. A few dust motes sifted down from overhead and I felt a fierce urge to capture them and bear them squeaking and squirming to my den. I pounced, four-footed. My balance felt so sure; I couldn’t fall if I tried. I leaped around the room, testing. It was the tail! It kept me perfectly balanced at all times. What fun! I practiced prowling, making no sound. My black fur blended easily into the shadows at the edges of the room.
Oh, what a wonderful thief a cat would make!
I made another whirlwind tour of the room.
At the table, Nevery slammed down the book he had been reading. “Perish it, boy, can’t you keep still?”
I crouched down on my haunches and stalked his foot. Pounce!
He pulled away, frowning. “Stop messing about. It’s almost time for the meeting.”
He found his cane, put on his gray robe, and picked me up. As we walked through the dark, damp tunnels, he whispered instructions on what to look for and listen for. When we got to the Magisters Hall island, he opened the gate and set me down, nudging me with his foot to start me on my way. I twitched my tail and scampered off to steal some information.
Keeping to the shadows along the edge of the passages, the stone floor cold against my pawpads, I slunk into Magisters Hall. The meeting room was at the end of a long hallway, just as Nevery had said. But the door was closed. I padded up to it and crouched, listening. Voices, but no words. Drats.
I couldn’t get in.
I slunk away and four-footed it back to the tunnel gate, and waited for Nevery. Soon he was there, wearing his gray robe and pacing. He scooped me up and swept-stepped back to Heartsease and up to his study.
As soon as the door closed behind him, he threw off his robe and wide-brimmed hat, pulled out his locus stone, and clapped his hands. Sparks flew. He grabbed up two handfuls of sparks and dumped them over my head. I felt the tingle, saw the flash of light, and heard the thunder.
Sometime later, when I opened my eyes, Nevery was standing over me. I sat up. I raised my hand. No more fur, no claws; I looked over my shoulder. No lovely quirked tail. I stretched and stood up, almost falling over. I missed the tail already.
“Now, boy, tell me about the meeting.” He sat down at the table and picked up his pen, ready to take notes.
Oh, he was not going to like this. “Well, Nevery,” I began.
“Well, boy?”
I took a deep breath. “I couldn’t get in.”
He threw his pen onto the table; ink spattered. “Curse it, boy. You’ll have to go again after lunch.”
I nodded.
“And I expect you to get in, one way or another.” He pointed toward the door, scowling. “Go tell Benet to give you something to do ’til then.”
As I went out, I heard him mutter, “Useless.”
Hearing him say that gave me a hollow, empty feeling in my stomach.
* * *
Blasted boy. Sent him to listen in at Magisters Hall, came back with nothing.
Embero spell had odd effect, though.
Note to self: must read Sarpent’s historical grimoires to see if he notes this kind of effect. Generally, undergoing embero not a pleasant experience. Last attempted this spell on Benet. Disaster. Boy seemed to enjoy it.
Consider possibility that because boy has touched locus magicalicus, it has developed an affinity to him? Odd sort of adosyncratichi. Warrants further investigation.
Note to self: Do not allow boy to cook; have Benet do it.
* * *
CHAPTER 7
When we finished lunch, I lugged up some water for washing and joined Benet in the kitchen. He’d made tea and a basket of muffins for afters. I sniffed at the basket. “Smells good,” I said.
Benet sat with his chair tipped back against the wall. He held knitting needles and had a pile of black wool next to his chair; the needles went tick-click-tick. He didn’t answer.
Oh, well. “D’you want another?” I took one of the muffins and held the basket out to Benet. He ignored it.
Putting the basket down, I bit into my muffin and washed it down with a gulp of tea.
Benet watched me but didn’t speak. His knitting needles flashed, quick and silver in the black wool.
I ate the last muffin and drank more tea. Then I picked up the crumbs from the bottom of the empty muffin basket and ate those.
“What’s it like, then, you,” Benet said, “being a cat?”
I froze. Benet had spoken to me. I looked at him, but he didn’t seem angry: not a glare to be seen. “Well,” I said slowly, “it’s…hard to explain.” I wasn’t sure I could even explain it to myself. “The tail is amazing.”
“Didn’t hurt?” Benet asked. “The spell?”
No more than changing clothes hurt. “No.”
He gave me a glare, just a little one. “Reckon you’re lying.”
I looke
d at him. So he’d been hurt when Nevery’d tried the spell on him.
“Could use a cat around here,” Benet said. “Storeroom’s full of mice.” He put the snarl of black wool and his knitting needles on the floor and got to his feet. “Master Nevery wants you.”
I jumped up. “I’m ready.” I followed Benet upstairs to the study. The remains of Nevery’s muffins and tea lay on the table and a merry fire burned in the hearth.
Nevery himself sat at the table, his grimoire open before him. When I came in, he narrowed his eyes and frowned. Yes, I knew I had to get the information he needed or I’d be in big trouble.
Nevery got to his feet. “All right, boy,” he said, and held up his locus magicalicus. I stepped forward. He checked the grimoire one last time, placed the stone against my forehead, and did the thing with the sparks and the ringing incantation.
This time I listened more carefully so I could remember the words of the spell. That’s what a wizard’s apprentice is supposed to do: learn spells. But I didn’t get all of it before everything went black and silent.
When I woke up, Nevery was seated at the table, working. I stretched. Then I took a padding tour of the room. When I got around to Nevery, I sat in front of him, curling my tail over my paws. He ignored me.
I sighed and lay down to wait.
Finally, Nevery stood up. “The magisters should be done with their lunch by now.” He picked up his cane and put on his wide-brimmed hat. “And this time, boy, you’d better come away with more than a closed door.”
Yes, all right. He put on his robe, I leaped up into his arms, and we left.
As I had that morning, I padded down the stone passageways to the meeting room. This time the door was opened, and I went in.
In the dim room, the magisters sat around a long table, a fat wizard at its head. None of them noticed me sneak in. I crouched at the base of the fat wizard’s chair, in shadows, and pricked up my ears. They were talking about the weakening flow of magic to the system of werelights that lit the eastern part of the city, the Sunrise.
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