"Do you think that would be comfortable for you?" she asked, pressing down on the remaining layers.
Sonea hesitated, then pressed on the mattress. The bed was still soft, but she could feel the wooden base underneath. She nodded.
"Wonderful," the servant cooed. "Now, I've brought water for you to wash in, and—Oh! You've slept in your clothes. No matter. I've brought fresh ones. Once you've done, come out into the guest room. We'll have some cakes and sumi to start the day."
Amused, Sonea watched the woman gather up the mattresses and bustle out of the room. When the door had closed, she sat down on the end of the bed and sighed.
I'm still here.
She ran through the previous day in her mind: the conversations with Rothen, her determination to escape, the people she had seen through the window last night. Sighing, she rose and examined the basin of water, soap and towel that the servant had brought. .
With a shrug, she stripped off, washed and changed, then moved to the door. As she reached for the handle she hesitated. No doubt Rothen was waiting beyond the door. She felt a small twinge of anxiety, but no fear.
He was a magician. That ought to scare her more, but he had said he would not harm her, and she had chosen to believe him—for now.
To let him into her mind, however, was not going to be so easy. She had no idea if he could harm her that way. What if he could change the way she thought, and make her love the Guild?
What choice do I have? She was going to have to trust that he couldn't, or wouldn't, mess around with her mind. It was a risk she had to take and worrying about it would not make it any easier.
Straightening her back, she opened the door. The room beyond appeared to be the one Rothen spent most of his time in. A set of chairs was arranged around a low table in the center of the room. Bookshelves and higher tables stood against the walls. Rothen sat in one of the cushioned chairs, his blue eyes darting back and forth over the pages of a book.
He looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Sonea."
The servant woman stood beside one of the side tables. Sonea settled into the chair opposite Rothen. Bringing a tray to the table, the servant placed a cup before Rothen and another in front of Sonea.
Rothen lay the book on the table. "This is Tania," he said, looking up at the woman. "My servant."
Sonea nodded. "Hello, Tania."
"Honored to meet you, Lady," the woman replied, bowing.
Feeling her face warming with embarrassment, Sonea looked away. To her relief, Tania returned to the food table.
Watching the woman arranging cakes on a tray, Sonea wondered if she was supposed to be flattered by the obeisance. Perhaps they hoped she would gain a liking for it, as well as the luxuries, and be more willing to cooperate.
Sensing Sonea's gaze, the woman looked up and smiled nervously.
"Did you sleep well, Sonea?" Rothen asked.
Looking at him, she shrugged. "A little."
"Would you like to continue with your reading lessons today?"
She looked at the book that he had been reading and frowned as she realized that it was familiar.
He followed her gaze. "Ah, Fien's Notes on Magic Usage. I thought I should know what you've been reading. This is an old history book, not a textbook, and the information in it may be outdated. You may—"
A knock on the door interrupted him. Rising, he approached the main door and opened it slightly. Knowing that he could easily stop her from escaping, she realized he was deliberately stopping her from seeing the visitor—or was he preventing the visitor from seeing her?
"Yes? Lord Fergun. What can I do for you?"
"I wish to see the girl."
The voice was smooth and cultured. Sonea started as Tania draped a dining napkin over her lap. The servant frowned at Rothen's back before moving away.
"It is too early for that," Rothen replied. "She is . . ." He hesitated, then stepped through the door and closed it behind him. From behind the door, Sonea could hear the faint murmur of voices as the discussion continued.
She looked up as Tania approached again, this time holding a platter of sweet cakes. Sonea chose one, and took an experimental sip from the cup in front of her.
A bitter taste filled her mouth and she grimaced. Tania's eyebrows rose, and she nodded toward the drink in Sonea's hand.
"I'd wager that means you don't like sumi," she said. "What would you like to drink?"
"Raka," Sonea replied.
The servant looked genuinely apologetic. "We don't stock raka here, I'm sorry. Can I get you some pachi juice instead?"
"No, thanks."
"Water then?"
Sonea gave her an incredulous look.
Tania smiled. "The water here is clean. Here, I'll get you some." She returned to the table at the back of the room, filled a glass from a jug and brought it to Sonea.
"Thank you," Sonea said. Lifting the glass, she was amazed to find the liquid was clear. Not even the tiniest particle floated in it. Taking a sip, she tasted nothing but a faint sweetness.
"See?" Tania said. "I'll tidy your room now. I'll be gone for a few minutes but if you need anything don't hesitate to call."
Sonea nodded and listened to the servant's footsteps as she walked away. She smiled as the bedroom door closed. Taking the glass, Sonea gulped the water down and dried the inside quickly with the dining napkin. Stepping quietly to the door, she placed it against the wood and rested her ear on the base.
"... to keep her in there. It is dangerous."
This voice belonged to the stranger.
"Not until she regains her strength," Rothen replied. "Once that happens I can show her how to spend her power safely, as we did yesterday. There is no danger to the building."
There was a pause. "Nevertheless, there is no reason to keep her isolated."
"As I told you, she is easily frightened, and not a little confused. She doesn't need a crowd of magicians telling her the same thing in a dozen different ways."
"Not a crowd, just myself—and I only wish to make her acquaintance. I'll leave all the teaching to you. Surely there is no harm in that?"
"I understand, but there will be time for that later, when she has gained some confidence."
"There is no Guild law saying that you can keep her from me, Rothen," the stranger replied, a warning tone entering his voice.
"No, but I believe most would understand my reasoning for it."
The stranger sighed. "I have as much concern for her well-being as you, Rothen, and I have searched for her as long and hard as well. I think many would agree that I have earned a voice in the matter."
"You will have your opportunity to meet her, Fergun," Rothen replied.
"When?"
"When she is ready."
"And only you shall decide that."
"For now."
"We'll see about that."
Silence followed, then the door handle began to turn. Sonea darted back to her seat and spread the napkin over her lap again. As Rothen stepped back into the room, his expression changed from annoyance to good humor.
"Who was that?" Sonea asked.
He shrugged. "Just someone who wanted to know how you were doing."
Sonea nodded, then leaned forward to take another sweet cake.
"Why does Tania bow and call me Lady?"
"Oh," Rothen dropped into his chair and reached for the cup of bitter liquid Tania had left for him. "All magicians are addressed as Lord or Lady." He shrugged. "It's always been that way."
"But I'm not a magician," Sonea pointed out.
"Well, she is a bit premature." Rothen chuckled.
"I think . . ." Sonea frowned. "I think she's afraid of me."
He frowned at her over the lip of his cup. "She's just a little nervous of you. Being near a magician who has not learned Control can be dangerous." He smiled crookedly. "It seems she's not the only one who's worried. Knowing the dangers better than most, you can imagine how some magicians feel about having you li
ving in their own Quarters. You're not the only one who slept lightly last night."
Thinking back to her capture, to the broken walls and rubble she had glimpsed before falling unconscious, Sonea shivered. "How long till you can teach me Control?"
His expression became sober. "I don't know," he admitted. "But don't be concerned. If your powers begin to manifest again, we can use them up as we did before."
She nodded, but as she looked at the cake she was holding, she felt her stomach clench. Her mouth suddenly seemed too dry for such a sweet thing. Swallowing, she set it aside.
The morning had been murky and dim and by mid-afternoon, heavy clouds hung low and threatening over the city. Everything was shrouded in shadows, as if night had become too impatient to wait for the end of the day. On days like this, the faint glow from the interior walls of the University was more noticeable.
Rothen sighed as, once they were in the University corridor, Dannyl's stride lengthened. He struggled to keep pace, then gave up.
"How strange," he said to Dannyl's back. "Your limp appears to have disappeared."
Dannyl turned, then blinked in surprise as he saw how far Rothen had fallen behind. As he slowed his pace, the slight hesitation in his stride returned.
"Ah, there it is." Rothen nodded. "Why the hurry, Dannyl?"
"I just want to get it over with."
"We're only handing in our reports," Rothen told him. "I'll probably end up doing most of the talking."
"I was the one the High Lord sent off in search of the Thieves," Dannyl muttered. "I'll have to answer all his questions."
"He's only a few years older than you, Dannyl. So is Lorlen, and he doesn't frighten all sense out of you."
Dannyl opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again and shook his head. They had reached the end of the corridor.
Stepping up to the door of the Administrator's room, Rothen smiled when he heard Dannyl take a deep breath. At Rothen's knock, the door swung inward, revealing a large, sparsely furnished room. A globe light hovered above a desk at the far end, illuminating the dark blue robes of the Administrator.
Lorlen looked up and beckoned to them with his pen.
"Come in, Lord Rothen, Lord Dannyl. Take a seat."
Rothen looked around the room. No black-robed figure reclined in any of the chairs or lurked in the dim corners. Dannyl let out a long sigh of relief.
Lorlen smiled as they settled into the chairs in front of his desk. Leaning forward, he took the leaves of paper that Rothen offered. "I've been looking forward to reading your reports. I'm sure Lord Dannyl's will be fascinating."
Dannyl winced but said nothing.
"The High Lord sends his congratulations." Lorlen's eyes flickered from Rothen's to Dannyl's. "And I offer mine as well."
"Then we offer our thanks in return," Rothen replied.
Lorlen nodded, then smiled crookedly. "Akkarin is particularly pleased that he can sleep uninterrupted now there are no crude attempts at magic waking him through the night."
Seeing Dannyl's eyes widen, Rothen smiled. "I guess there are drawbacks to having such fine senses."
He tried to imagine the High Lord pacing his rooms at night, cursing the elusive slum girl. The image didn't quite suit the solemn Guild leader. He frowned. How much interest was Akkarin going to take in Sonea now that she had been found?
"Administrator, do you think the High Lord will be wanting to meet Sonea?"
Lorlen shook his head. "No. His main concern was that we might not find her before her powers became destructive— and the King had started to question our ability to take care of our own." He smiled at Rothen. "I think I understand why you are asking. Akkarin can be quite intimidating, especially to the younger novices, and Sonea will be easily frightened."
"That brings me to another point," Rothen said, leaning forward. "She is easily frightened, and also very suspicious of us. It will take time for me to overcome her fear. I'd like to keep her isolated until she has gained some confidence, then begin introducing her to people one at a time."
"That sounds sensible."
"Fergun asked to see her this morning."
"Ah." Lorlen nodded and drummed his fingers on the table. "Hmmm. I can see all the arguments he'll use to get his way. I could rule that nobody shall see her until she is ready, but I don't think he'll be satisfied until I specify what 'ready' is, and I've set a date."
He rose and began to pace back and forth behind his desk. "The two guardianship claims have complicated matters, too. People accept that, since you have plenty of experience in teaching Control, you should be the one to teach that to her. But if Fergun is excluded from Sonea's early training, people will support Fergun's claim for guardianship out of sympathy." He paused. "Can Fergun be one of these people you introduce to her?"
Rothen shook his head. "She is observant and quick to pick up people's feelings. Fergun has little fondness for me. If I am to convince her that we're all friendly, well-meaning people, then it won't help if she notices conflict between any of us. Also, she may mistake his determination to see her as an intention to do harm."
Lorlen regarded him for a moment, then crossed his arms.
"Everyone wants Sonea to learn Control as quickly as possible," he said. "I don't think anyone will disagree if I decide that nothing shall distract her from that. How long do you think it will take?"
"I don't know," Rothen confessed. "I've taught uninterested, easily distracted novices, but I've never tried to teach Control to somebody who distrusts magicians as much as she does. It may take several weeks."
Lorlen returned to his chair. "I can't give you that much time. I'll give you two weeks, during which time you can decide who will see her. After that, I will begin visiting every few days to check how close she is to gaining an acceptable level of Control." He paused and tapped the table-top with a fingernail. "If you can, introduce her to at least one other magician by then. I will tell Fergun that he may see her after she has learned Control, but remember, the longer it takes, the more sympathy he will gain."
Rothen nodded. "I understand."
"People will expect the Hearing to occur during the first Meet after she has learned Control."
"If I can convince her to stay," Rothen added.
Lorlen frowned. "Do you think she will refuse to join the Guild?"
"It is too early to say," Rothen replied. "We can't force her to say the vow."
Leaning back in his chair, Lorlen regarded Rothen thoughtfully, his brow creased with concern.
"Is she aware of the alternative?"
"Not yet. Since I'm trying to gain her trust, I felt it better to leave that news until later."
"I understand. Perhaps, if you choose the right moment, it will convince her to stay." He smiled wryly. "If she leaves, Fergun will be convinced you talked her out of staying just to spite him. Either way, you are facing some tough battles, Rothen."
Dannyl frowned. "He has a strong claim, then?"
"It is hard to say. Much may depend on the strength of support each of you gain. But I should not speak about it before the Hearing." Lorlen straightened and looked from Rothen to Dannyl. "I have no more questions. Do either of you have anything else you wish to discuss?"
"No." Rothen rose and inclined his head. "Thank you, Administrator."
Once in the corridor, Rothen considered his companion.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Dannyl shrugged. "He wasn't there."
"No." As another magician stepped out into the corridor Dannyl checked his stride, his steps becoming halting. Rothen shook his head. "You are playing up that limp!"
Dannyl looked hurt. "It was a deep cut, Rothen."
"Not that deep."
"Lady Vinara said that it would be some days before the stiffness disappeared."
"She did, did she?"
Dannyl's brows rose. "And it doesn't do you any harm if I remind people what we went through to catch that girl."
Rothen chuckled. "I am
most grateful for the sacrifice you are making to your dignity."
Dannyl made a small noise of disgust. "Well, if Fergun can walk around for a week with a bandage over that tiny cut on his temple, then I can have my limp."
"I see." Rothen nodded slowly. "Then it's all right then."
They reached the back doors of the University and stopped. The air outside was thick with falling snow. Exchanging mutual looks of dismay, they stepped out into the swirling whiteness and hurried away.
Chapter 19
Lessons Begin
A week of worsening weather had buried the Guild grounds in a thick layer of snow. Lawns, gardens, and roofs had vanished under a sparkling white blanket. Cozy within the protection of his own magical shield, Dannyl could appreciate the spectacle without enduring the discomfort.
Novices hovered around the University entrance. As he entered the building a trio hurried past him, their cloaks wrapped tightly around their shoulders. Part of the midwinter intake, he surmised. It took several weeks of training before the new novices learned how to ward off the cold.
Climbing the stairs, he found a small group of novices waiting outside the Alchemy room where Rothen taught his classes. Waving them through the door, he started to follow.
"Lord Dannyl."
Recognizing the voice, Dannyl suppressed a groan. He turned to find Fergun strolling along the corridor toward him, Lord Kerrin at his side.
Stopping a few paces from Dannyl, Fergun eyed the classroom door. "Is that Rothen's class you're entering?"
"Yes," Dannyl replied.
"You're teaching them?"
"Yes."
"I see." Fergun turned away, Kerrin following. In a quiet voice, pitched loud enough for Dannyl to hear, he added, "I'm surprised they allow it."
"What do you mean?" Kerrin asked, his voice growing fainter as the pair walked away.
"Don't you remember all the trouble he got into as a novice?"
"Oh, that!" Kerrin laughed, the sound echoing in the corridor. "I suppose he might be a bad influence."
Gritting his teeth, Dannyl turned away and found Rothen standing in the doorway.
"Rothen!" Dannyl exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
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