The woman smiled insincerely. “That is a good attitude for a Mechanic. You would also call in a specialist, correct? Someone who knew more than you did about that particular machine. And you would listen to them, as you must listen to us now. Learn. Grow. With time you’ll come to understand why things must be this way. For the benefit of all.”
The female Senior Mechanic leveled a finger at Mari, her face suddenly as stern as the stone in the walls of Dorcastle. “You’ve got real gifts, girl. Your skills as a Mechanic are obvious, and achieving Master Mechanic status at your age was a remarkable achievement. You could have a great future in the Guild, if you take advantage of the offer you’re about to get.”
The woman leaned back. “Because you’ve done the Guild a service in Dorcastle, and because of your undeniable skills, the Guild is willing to forget any of your recent words and actions which contradict the rules and guidance the Guild expects us all to live by. But only if you vow to remain silent on events here and to abide by every Guild rule and guidance to the letter.”
Mari looked back at the three Senior Mechanics, thinking through her choices, seeing in their faces that her earlier fears had been true. The definition of treason to the Guild was far wider than she had once believed, far wider than had ever been publicly stated. Treason involved anything that the Senior Mechanics and the Guild Master didn’t want to deal with, anything they wanted to ignore, anything that might rock the boat. The leadership of her Guild would silence anyone who threatened the way things were. Possibilities which Mari would never have considered a couple of months ago now seemed all too real. Professor S’san must have known the sort of dangers which Mari would face, but what good was the pistol S’san had given her against threats like these? The weapon had helped save her and Alain in the warehouse, but what use was it against a threat from her own Guild? It is not to be depended upon as a first resort, or a second, or even a third. Your greatest assets will always be your mind and your ability to act on wise decisions. Fail to make proper use of those assets, and the weapon cannot save you.
Listen, learn, and obey. That was what the Senior Mechanics facing her were demanding. Just like when she was an apprentice. Maybe what was needed now wasn’t a weapon or the tools of a Mechanic, but the tools of an apprentice. In the event of emergency, take all necessary actions to minimize damage and loss of life. One of the first basic rules an apprentice learned. It certainly applied now.
Mari nodded to the Senior Mechanics. “I vow to abide by every Guild rule and regulation, and to say nothing about recent events.”
But I’m not saying for how long.
Saco leaned forward again. “Your vow includes the things you said a short while ago. You don’t say them again. To anyone. Not even yourself.”
Mari nodded, knowing her voice was trembling with anger but hoping the Senior Mechanics would read that as fear. “I vow not to speak of those things.” For at least a few minutes.
“What about Mages?” Saco insisted. “Do you have questions about them?”
Mari stared back silently for a moment, images of Alain tumbling through her head. She had spent some hopeful moments last night wondering if perhaps her Guild would be open to learning more about Mages once it had proof the Dark Mechanics existed.–Perhaps—her fantasies had briefly soared—they would even offer a Mage refuge if he were willing to tell other Mechanics the things he had told her. But the proof of Dark Mechanics had been ruthlessly suppressed. That offered no reason to believe proof of Mage abilities would be treated any differently.
And if they knew she loved a Mage?
If these Senior Mechanics were willing to threaten a fellow Mechanic, they would surely treat a Mage with no mercy at all.
If he stays around me, somebody will kill him, either another Mage or a Mechanic. All right. I love him. That means this time I let him go. I can’t let him die because of me. “No,” Mari said out loud. “Why should I question the Guild’s position on Mages?”
“Even though you spent time in a Mage’s company?” Saco pressed.
“After the caravan was destroyed? I already explained at Ringhmon that nothing happened except a shared road. I did what I had to do then to survive,” Mari said. “I know what I have to do now to survive.” She knew how she meant that, but Mari also knew they would interpret the statement as one of surrender.
“Good,” the female Senior Mechanic declared as Saco leaned back again, not hiding his disappointment. “It’s nice to see that you are finally learning. Be aware that the Guild’s mercy is limited. There will be no second chance. You know the penalty for violating such an oath.”
Mari nodded. “I understand.”
“Then I declare this matter closed,” the woman said. “No one here is to speak of anything which we have discussed.”
The woman gave Mari a polite smile, as if Mari had just entered the room. “I have good news for you.” She pushed a sheet of paper toward Mari.
Mari managed to pick it up without revealing her tension. “A contract. On such short notice.”
“Yes. We knew you would be pleased at this opportunity to further serve your Guild. Fair travel, Mechanic Mari.”
“Master Mechanic Mari.”
“Of course. Master Mechanic Mari.” The woman indicated the contract. “You’ll notice that your services are needed on a priority basis, so you will have to leave Dorcastle as soon as we can make travel arrangements.”
Mari looked down at the contract. “Thank you. I look forward to leaving Dorcastle…so I can continue serving my Guild.” If they had noticed her brief pause, they gave no sign. The woman indicated that Mari could leave, and the three Senior Mechanics began talking in low voices.
Mari stood up, opening the heavy door and walking out into the hallways of the Guild Hall. Familiar hallways, following the standard floor plan for every Mechanics Guild Hall. She had walked down essentially identical hallways countless times.
Not since she had been eight years old and newly arrived at the Guild Hall in Caer Lyn had Mari noticed just how restricting those hallways could feel, how instead of giving a sense of security could create a sense of being confined. How the shadows and the alcoves could easily hide someone watching, or someone waiting with a weapon at hand. It was funny how the world around her could alter even when its outward appearance hadn’t seemed to change. Alain would tell her that it was just a matter of how you looked at an illusion.
Mari squared her shoulders and walked steadily down the halls, determined not to show any sign of fear. Who could she talk to? No one here, that was for sure. Any Mechanic possibly sympathetic to her would be watched, and every Mechanic here had doubtless been warned again about associating with Mari.
But if any Senior Mechanics plan on taking down Master Mechanic Mari, they’ll find that I’m not that easy to stop. Everything else I once thought true may now be in doubt, but I still believe that. I still believe in myself.
And I still believe in doing the right thing even when it costs me. Things need to be fixed. I need to fix them if no one else will. But first I need to play nice for a while, get the Senior Mechanics off my back and find more people I can trust.
Someone I can trust.
What am I going to tell Alain when I have to say goodbye?
Mari stood inside a turret on the battlements of one of Dorcastle’s walls, leaning on the edge of a narrow firing slit. She looked down to the sea, where ships were once again leaving harbor, riding low in the water with their holds packed full of cargo. The wind blew hard from along the coast, buffeting flocks of sea gulls screaming over scraps of food. Picking the lock on the gate leading into this bartizan hadn’t been too difficult, and no one could see her in here, concealed by the darkness inside the turret.