Kendall glowered at the woman while she worked their bags free from beneath the table, but waited until they were outside to say anything.
"I’m not some charity case."
"Would you like me to charge you for lessons or something? It’s not going to cost me anything to talk at you, and will pass some time for me since I don’t find it at all easy to read or write while travelling. Though I do warn you that I’m planning to sleep most of the way to Knifecliff."
"That’s where the next breach will be?"
"Just south of it."
The idea of returning to the front row of the drama of Tyrland’s defence was a good deal less attractive after seeing one of the Night Roamers far too close up. Kendall would never forget that crab-thing’s fleshy mouth. But still, to be able to witness one of the battles which would shape the whole kingdom’s future: it was definitely tempting. And she had to admit that the Montj– the Claires at least acted like they knew more about magic than everyone else put together.
"They’ll start to fret if I don’t show up soon," Rennyn said, starting back down the street. "Come if you’re coming."
Kendall went.
The stable yard of the Houses of Magic was full of horses and coaches. After Rennyn found them the right coach to put their bags in, she disappeared into the Sentene’s barracks. Kendall went to collect her dictionaries, which she’d left on her bed with her smock and a snippy little note resigning from the Arkathan.
Sukata Illuma was reading it. She gave Kendall a long look when she came in the door, then handed the note over. "What changed your mind?"
Kendall hesitated. She liked Sukata, so far as it was possible to like someone who kept herself separate and hardly ever spoke. It wasn’t so much explaining that was the problem – it was convenient that someone was around for her to give a message to – it was just that it was Sukata. Not only was her mother probably going to be in danger on this trip, but the offer of personal tutoring from Rennyn Claire was something Kendall suspected most would-be mages would value a good deal more than she did. And that wasn’t even counting how strange the Kellian were about the remnants of the Montjuste-Surclere family.
"Guess I saw the sense of not cutting off my nose to spite my face," Kendall said slowly. She chewed her lip. "Sukata – why do you stay over here if your mother lives in the next building?"
"That is a rule of the Arkathan. Few are granted an exception, though of course many have now been given leave to return to their families for the duration of the Grand Summoning. And while the building is repaired."
"Are you going to go into the Sentene when you’ve finished with the Arkathan?"
"Perhaps. Sentene mages need to learn how to apply their knowledge in trying situations. It’s a good proving ground."
"Proving what?"
With rare physical expression Sukata lifted one shoulder. "Whether I am capable of more."
More. Just as Kendall had guessed, Sukata wanted to be a real mage. "Walk back with me," she said, picking up her uniform. "I don’t think I’ve much time left."
Kellian could be deceptively obliging. Even though Kendall had barely spoken to her before today, Sukata had answered her questions and followed along now quite as if she would do whatever she was told. But that, Kendall would bet, was because she was more than curious about what was going on. Kendall went back to the stable yard, reaching it just before Rennyn, who was carrying a funny-looking crystal and metal thing attached to a chain.
"Wait here a moment," Kendall told Sukata, and followed her would-be teacher around the other side of the coach. "You can lecture two people as easily as one, can’t you?" she hissed.
Rennyn glanced in the direction where Sukata waited, hidden by the coach. For a moment there was the faintest hint of – dismay? – on her face, but then she shrugged. "True enough." She moved so that she could see Sukata, whose wide eyes and frozen stance made clear that Kendall had spoken too loudly. "Though, unlike Kendall, I expect there’s people you’ll want to ask permission of before going on tours of Tyrland."
"I – yes." Sukata recovered rapidly, making a smart little bow. "Thank you, my Lady. I will be quick." She vanished through the increasing tangle of Sentene and Ferumguard getting ready to depart.
"Nice gesture," Rennyn said, when the Kellian girl was out of sight. "I didn’t expect it of you."
"I knew it would really matter to her," Kendall said, ducking her head. "I couldn’t just tell her where I was going, knowing that."
"Troubling to have a conscience, isn’t it?"
That was the sort of comment which made Kendall remember that this woman was a descendant of Black Queen Solace. Rennyn climbed into their coach and sat fiddling with the crystal thing, fixing a thick bracelet around her wrist, but Kendall stayed outside watching the Sentene and Ferumguard organise themselves. Sukata must have run at full Kellian speed, returning clutching a small bag just as Lady Weston showed up flanked by Captain Faille and Captain Illuma.
"Well, child. You do have a talent for attracting would-be teachers." Lady Weston’s wry tone acknowledged that she herself had failed to teach Kendall anything. "It is good of–" She broke off, looking into the coach, then shook her head, smiling. Rennyn Claire was curled up on one of the seats, deeply asleep. "I will save my speeches, then," Lady Weston continued in a lowered tone. "Take care, you two. Follow the orders you are given. I need not warn you of the dangers, since you have already witnessed what you may face. Most of all, listen. Make the most of this opportunity."
Be good and listen hard. Kendall muttered something appropriate and climbed into the coach, deciding that Rennyn Claire was just as good at taking people over as Ma Lippon. Deciding how things should go, and getting her way by pretending not to care whether you did what she wanted. Or, no – more that she knew you’d do it, because her way was the right way. Surclere arrogance.
Not that Kendall hadn’t just done the same thing to Sukata, who was sitting very upright gazing out of the window not because she was interested in the stable yard, but because she’d really rather stare at Rennyn Claire. Her face was perfectly composed and her eyes were totally lit up. Happy beyond words. Maybe this was why they did it, those people who tried to take you over, who thought they knew what was best.
More likely they just wanted to make themselves feel good.
Chapter Seventeen
"Like a mother duck and her ducklings."
This made Sukata’s eyes widen, and Lieutenant Meniar laughed outright, then tried to pretend he hadn’t. It was true though. They’d stopped somewhere south of Knifecliff, on a white road cut through rolling greenery. Rennyn Claire had started walking about, dangling the big round crystal which apparently held the Black Queen’s focus, and a little deputation of Sentene and Hand mages trailed behind her, while everyone else watched. So serious they made Kendall’s teeth ache.
The road, overlooked by a farmhouse and plenty of sheep, ran alongside an abrupt fall from pasture to a sliver of sand edging the endless blackness she was told was the Deridian Sea. It stretched further than Kendall could see, and she was unable to resist standing close to the edge of the proper, solid world, drawn and repelled by the mass of water.
Right now, she was betting the Sentene wished they were anywhere else, as Rennyn Claire walked straight up to the cliff’s edge and, after the briefest pause, right over it.
"Barin," said Lieutenant Meniar. "Go up to that farmhouse and ask them about tides. Everything about tides."
"Yessir," said one of the Ferumguard, sounding just about as pleased as Meniar. Kendall watched her supposed teacher walk from the narrow beach to ten feet out over the water, then stop. She glanced back at the beach and with a gesture brought a man-sized boulder flying toward her. It sank into the dark water beneath her feet.