Vael nodded. “Perhaps you will be better able to explain that to them.”
“I will see Flaim first. While I am gone, gather the boys and bring them here.”
Tyen watched the overseer rise and move to the door. A knot had formed in his stomach. He had feared something like this might happen, as the male students reacted to the presence of the females. Plenty of them held the same prejudiced views as the teachers and professors, but unlike the older men, very few had left in protest. Instead they either complained that the women and foreigners were taking up resources they had a better right to, or nursed plans to take advantage of the newcomers at every opportunity. Tyen’s orders that the new students be treated with respect were never going to stop some young men testing how far they could push their luck.
Too far this time. Tyen would have to make an example of them. He grimaced at the inevitability of it, and the unavoidable consequences. When the rest of the school found out, the protests would be loud and angry.
Unless there was another way. He could consult Vella. No, she may be an incredible store of knowledge, but Qall was right: in matters outside her experience she relies on the mind of the reader, and that would be like discussing this with myself. Rielle came to mind. She might have been able to give me a woman’s perspective, but she isn’t here. And she didn’t know the ins and outs of the Academy like…
Vael. Who better to consult than the Student Overseer?
“Wait.”
The overseer paused with his hand on the door and looked over his shoulder.
“How would you punish the three young men?” Tyen asked.
Vael winced as he turned around. “Are you sure we have to?”
“You would let them off? What’s to discourage them doing it again? Or worse?”
“You could threaten them with expulsion instead.”
“Do you think that would deter them?”
“Yes.”
“What about Flaim? And the other women. Why would they believe that we can protect them if we don’t punish the boys?”
“You could insist that the boys apologise to her publicly.”
Tyen nodded, then waved to indicate Vael could go. “I’ll ask her if that would be enough.”
As the door closed behind the overseer, Tyen rose and quickly tidied his desk. How is it that I was expelled for half of a year for keeping an artefact found on an archaeological dig, but these boys assault a young woman and only have to apologise? He considered that question all the way to the women’s quarters.
Flaim answered his questions reluctantly. She did not want to show weakness, knowing that it would be taken advantage of. To his surprise, she also did not want a public apology from the boys. In her mind she was imagining the sniggers from the rest of the Academy as what had been done to her was discussed openly in front of all.
She didn’t want the boys getting away with it either. Since she didn’t expect the Academy to punish them in any meaningful way, she had been thinking about means to get revenge. Tyen realised that if he did not punish the boys, Flaim would seek to by other means.
He returned to his office more troubled than when he’d left.
The boys were waiting in the corridor outside when he arrived. None met his gaze as he passed them and entered the room. He made them wait a while before calling them in.
They filed in, then stood in a line before the desk, gazes lowered. Tyen looked at each in turn. They shifted from confident to fearful. Every time worries about punishment rose, they reminded themselves that they were the sons of important, rich Beltonians. This new, young Director would not dare do anything to anger their fathers, who were graduates of the Academy and did not agree with the changes in the institution. Who thought the return of magic was not worth the corruption of Leratian society.
“Vael Romtolin tells me you assaulted one of our new students,” Tyen began. “Is this true?”
The boys exchanged looks. Normally they’d have denied it, but they were all too aware that Tyen could read their minds.
“If she wants to call it that, then yes,” the one named Alam replied, his eyes flickering up, his expression briefly full of defiance.
“I wouldn’t call it an assault,” Darimon added. “We didn’t touch her. Well, not intentionally.”
“Perhaps you did not,” Tyen told him. “But your companions did.”
Darimon glanced at his friends, his eyes wide. Alam made a noise of protest. “We did nothing to her we don’t do to any new student. If—”
“No, you were not treating her the same as any new boy,” Tyen cut him off. “Even if you were women and she male, the consequence of your actions would not be the same.” Hearing anger creeping into his tone, Tyen paused and drew in a slow breath. “I ordered that all new entrants be treated equally – and with respect. What you did is assault under Leratian law, which applies to everyone be they male or female, rich or poor. That your crime occurred within the Academy does not make it less so. Why should I not punish you as if you’d attacked a member of the Emperor’s household?”
The three turned pale, but Alam was quick to recover. “You won’t. You know what would happen if you did.”
A bluff. A fairly good one, Tyen had to admit. One he wanted to call. One I have to call, though it’s going to lose me more than a few teachers. These boys, and others like them were going to challenge the new rules and changes regardless of whether Tyen was ready or not.
Perhaps if the boys had been repentant, he’d have tried harder to find an alternative. But they expected to be ordered to apologise, and that was all. Tyen knew the punishment had to be more than that, or they would do worse.
“You are expelled,” Tyen told them. “For sixty days. You will not be readmitted to the Academy unless you swear on your family name to uphold the Academy rules.”
Three faces rose, three mouths hanging open. Then two turned to glare at Alam. The friends were blaming him for pushing the new Director into making a stronger decision than he might have if Alam hadn’t spoken.
Behind them, Vael, too, was agape.
“Leave,” Tyen ordered. “Collect your belongings and be gone by evening. And if I hear that any of you have approached Flaim, or any other new student, before you leave, the expulsion will be permanent.”
Alam’s mouth closed with a snap. He straightened and met Tyen’s gaze. “You’ll regret this,” he muttered.
“Nowhere near as much as you think,” Tyen replied, looking the boy up and down with undisguised disgust.
Vael ushered them out. He cast a worried glance at Tyen before he closed the door. Tyen smiled grimly, keeping an expression of confidence in place to reassure the overseer. Vael nodded in respect and closed the door.
CHAPTER 12
“What did you think would happen?” Emperor Omniten asked.
Tyen shrugged. “Objections. Posturing. Maybe a few more teachers leaving in protest.”
“The families of those boys are very powerful. Did you really not anticipate that they would use their influence against you?”
“No, but I didn’t expect they’d act so soon or so extensively.” Tyen ran a thumb down the stem of his glass. “They did not expect their sons to do what they did. Many of the teachers and professors who have left are appalled and think that the boys deserve their punishment, but they are too afraid of the fathers’ influence to express such sentiments.”
“You think they will come back when the fuss dies down?”
“Perhaps. At the moment they want a gesture from me. Something to show I’m backing down.”
“Will they get it?”
“No.”
“Good. You cannot afford to look weak. Giving in will be akin to giving permission for male students to harass female. Perhaps even women in general. We can’t have the sons of our great families behaving so dishonourably.”
To Tyen’s amusement, Omniten was reciting the words his wife had uttered. He nodded, glad that the Emperor understood, than
ks to the Empress.
“What will you do about the deficit of teachers in the meantime?” Omniten asked. “Will you recruit more from outside this world?”
Tyen shook his head. “I won’t risk attracting attention from outside until the Academy is well able to defend this world.”
“It would increase the number of your allies here.”
“Yes, but at the expense of this world’s safety.”
Omniten nodded, pleased. He wondered if this was proof of Tyen’s loyalty, if not to him then to his home world. As always, he was aware that Tyen was probably reading his mind. He’d considered making reading minds a crime – indeed many powerful men and women had requested he do so – but his most trusted sorcerers had told him it was often hard to avoid it.
The easiest way to prove that a mind-read had occurred was to allow the accused’s mind to be read. The Emperor was all too aware that this placed power in the hands of the mind-readers, which meant even more authority given to the strongest sorcerers of the empire, so he had decided not to outlaw mind reading. And so far, having the minds of the empire’s powerful open to him, via his wife and their most trusted sorcerers, had been both amusing and advantageous.
The disadvantage of his own mind being readable hadn’t proven to be as problematic as he’d initially feared. It was refreshing, he mused, to no longer have to pretend that he liked everyone. Or to find subtle ways to convey his respect, whether fond or wary, without appearing weak. When you were the most powerful man in the empire, you had little to hide. It was only those who felt the need to scheme and make unpleasant alliances who had secrets to keep.
Nobody could betray him, he believed, at least not until they found a way to stop their minds being read… which was why he had a few trusted sorcerers searching for one, despite Tyen claiming that it wasn’t possible. Whoever found a way first would gain a great advantage, so he intended to be that person.
The Emperor noted that Tyen was looking amused, as he always did when the subject of blocking a mind-read came up, silently or openly. Omniten brought his thoughts back to the subject.
“So, what will you do about your deficit of teachers?”
Tyen frowned. “I’m thinking a restructure of staff might be needed.”
“The absentees won’t like that.”
“They’re not around to complain, so I may as well take advantage of the situation.”
The Emperor laughed. “I don’t see the fuss dying down for some time then.”
“Of course, it would die down much faster if you order them to return.” Tyen took a sip of wine and looked over his glass at the Emperor. “They’re more afraid of you than of the three fathers.”
Omniten smiled. “It would and they are. But I won’t, and you know why. The Emperor does not involve himself in the petty squabbles of the Academy, only matters of national importance.”
Tyen chuckled. “The same answer you’ve given to those who have objected to me becoming Director. Which told them that favouring me was a matter of national importance.”
“Exactly.”
After taking another sip of wine, Tyen looked into the fire. The relationship that was building between himself and Omniten was unexpectedly pleasant. He was not sure he could call it a friendship. Maintaining his rule and welfare of his empire was the Emperor’s first concern, and Tyen was not fool enough to expect otherwise. Nor did the Emperor expect Tyen’s companionability to be unconditional. But they both silently acknowledged that they liked and respected each other, and that was as close enough to friendship between two people of power as could ever be expected.
The Emperor liked how smart, interesting and seemingly honest Tyen was, and that he was free to be truthful in return, knowing that Tyen would read the truth in his mind anyway. Tyen had found the Emperor to be smart, forthright and practical, and surprisingly open to having his opinions and beliefs challenged. Possibly the latter was because the last century had been full of discoveries that challenged accepted beliefs, forcing the royal family to embrace and support technical and cultural development – though not unwillingly. They were both enthusiastic supporters of progress, be it industrial, academic or social.
“The Empress raised the idea of creating a society or some other structure to support the young women embarking on an academic life,” Omniten said. “It would be a body to take their complaints to outside of the Academy. Currently such matters are handled by men who never anticipated having to accommodate them or who are openly against their presence. Those from humble birth can attend lessons on the etiquette of the social class in which they will no doubt find themselves on graduation.” The Emperor set down his glass. “Do you support such a proposition?”
“I think it is an excellent idea,” Tyen said. “Please pass on my compliments to the Empress. I will offer as much help as I can give, though I fear it won’t be much while we are so short-staffed.”
Omniten chuckled. “Knowing the Empress and the women she will likely recruit, that will not be an issue.” His expression grew more serious. “I have another proposal concerning the Empress.”
He paused. Tyen waited, not reading Omniten’s mind. Something about the way the man was hesitating suggested the matter was more personal than anything he’d raised so far.
“You no doubt know that Elaise has magical ability,” the Emperor began. “It is not a great gift but does give her some advantages at court. I would like her to learn to use magic.”
Tyen nodded. “That would make sense, since she is to mentor the female entrants.”
“Yes. However, she does not seek this tutelage. In fact, she resisted the idea when I first proposed it.” He smiled a little – a rare outward sign of his fondness for her. “She does not want to seem the stronger of us.”
“Magic alone does not make a good leader,” Tyen quoted.
Omniten nodded and sighed. “Unfortunately, plenty of people of influence are not wise or clever enough to have realised this. Still, there are no secrets now, and to some her gift makes her stronger, which makes me appear weaker to them. As so often is the case, I win as I lose, so I may as well choose the most advantageous outcome. I choose for my wife to learn magic.” He picked up his glass of wine and sipped, then smiled wryly at Tyen. “Though I don’t envy you the task.”
Tyen’s heart skipped. “You want me to teach her personally?”
The Emperor inclined his head. “Only the best for the Empress. I should warn you…” He paused, and in the sudden silence a faint bell became audible. Omniten turned to the door and raised his voice. “Come in.”
A man in a plain dark suit slipped inside the room and handed the Emperor a small piece of paper. Omniten read it, then looked up at Tyen.
“A message for you. Visitors have arrived at the Academy requesting an audience with the Director.”
Tyen set down his wine glass reluctantly. “I request permission to leave.”
“Granted. Who do you think these visitors are?”
“Not my missing professors and teachers. More likely a group of foreign sorcerers seeking admission have found that Beltonian hotels have no empty rooms whenever strange-looking people arrive on their doorstep.”
Omniten smiled crookedly. “You can push for change in the Academy, but the world outside it is not in your control.”
“Nor do I wish it to be.” Tyen shrugged and rose. “Maybe prejudice will fade naturally, once foreign graduates find employment in the city and the world doesn’t end.” He bowed. “Goodnight, your Imperial Majesty.”
“Goodnight, Director.”
Following the messenger out of the palace, Tyen tried to imagine the world he had hinted at. It was difficult. Travelling with Sezee and Veroo years before had shown him how ingrained Leratian prejudice was. He suspected that most foreign graduates would return to their countries rather than stay and work in Leratia, as much because they wanted to escape the unfriendliness and suspicion here as to use their skills for the benefit of their homeland
.
That would be a pity. The Academy would lose good sorcerers, who also might have proven how valuable women and foreign sorcerers could be, and helped to allay the general animosity and prejudice between the empire and its colonies. For the rest of the journey back to the Academy he considered how he might persuade graduates to stay and locals to accept them, coming up with regrettably few ideas.
I wish Rielle were here. Maybe she would have some useful suggestions. When the familiar weight of Vella in her bag shifted against his chest as he got out of the carriage, he was reminded of another person he could ask. But later, when I’ve dealt with these visitors. It occurred to him then that Rielle had been the first person he wanted to ask, not Vella. Maybe because she, being a foreigner and woman, has more relevant experience, whereas Vella can only tell me what people who have held her understood.
As he climbed the Academy steps, a familiar weariness dragged at his legs, so he called on a little healing magic to revive himself. He entered the Grand Hall with a straight back, hoping his apparent confidence would reassure the visitors. Two people stood at the far end of the hall facing an Academy staff member. All turned as they heard his footsteps, and his heart lightened with delight and hope.
“Tyen Ironsmelter,” Rielle said. “Do you have a position free for another teacher, and room for a few more students?”
Tyen looked from her to her companion. Tarren grinned in greeting. Tyen felt his heart lift even further, then freeze as he realised something bad must have happened for Tarren to leave his school.
“Of course,” he said, and quickened his stride to reach them sooner. He embraced Tarren, but as he stepped back he found a weary frown had replaced the old man’s smile, and he caught a dark thought. His stomach sank. “Your school?”
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