“At this Hearing you’re going to tell everyone that, during the Purge, I saw you before Rothen did. You’ll tell them I looked at you after the stone flashed through the barrier and before it struck.
“When you tell them this, the Higher Magicians will have no choice but to grant me your guardianship. You’ll enter the Guild, but I assure you, it won’t be for long. Once you have performed a little task for me, you’ll be sent back where you belong. You’ll get what you want, and so will I. You have nothing to lose from helping me, but ...” he picked up the dagger and ran a finger along the blade, “you’ll lose that little friend of yours if you don’t.”
He held her gaze as he slipped the dagger back into his robes. “Don’t allow Rothen to find out about this. Nobody knows where the little ceryni is but me, and if I can’t bring him food he’s going to get very, very hungry.”
Rising, he glided to the door and opened it a crack. Looking back at her, he sneered. Sonea’s heart lurched as she suddenly remembered where she had seen him before. He was the magician she had knocked out during the Purge.
“I expect to hear Rothen proclaiming his success tomorrow. I’ll see you after.” He slipped through the door and pulled it closed behind him.
Sonea listened to his faint footsteps hurrying away, then pressed her hands over her eyes. Magicians. She hissed a curse. I will never, ever trust them again.
Then she thought of Rothen, and her anger faded. Even though he had deceived her into believing she hadn’t achieved Control yet, she was sure Rothen’s intentions were good. He had probably been delaying things to give her time to decide if she really wanted to leave. If that were true, he had done nothing that she would not have done herself, had she been in his place—and she was certain that he would help her if she asked.
But she couldn’t ask him. A smothering helplessness rushed over her. If she didn’t do what Fergun told her, Cery would die.
Curling up in the chair, she wrapped her arms about herself. Oh Cery, she thought. Where are you? Didn’t I tell you to make sure you didn’t get caught?
She sighed. Why was Fergun doing this? She thought of the first time she had seen his sneer, and shivered.
Revenge. Simple, petty revenge for the humiliation of being knocked unconscious by a rebellious dwell. It must infuriate him that, instead of punishment, she was being invited into the Guild. But why bother when she didn’t want to stay?
She considered his words. “Once you have performed a little task for me, you’ll be sent back where you belong.” To have joined the Guild, then be sent away ... He was going to make sure she was punished for striking him.
He was going to make sure she would never be able to change her mind and return to the Guild.
26
The Deception Begins
In the air between the two palms—one large and aged, the other slim and callused—two specks of colored light danced like tiny insects. The lights spun around each other, dipped and circled in a complex game. The blue light suddenly darted toward the yellow. The yellow turned into a ring of light and, as the blue spark shot through it, Rothen laughed.
“Enough!” he exclaimed.
The shadows around them ceased dancing as the two specks blinked out. Looking around at the dim room, Rothen was surprised to see how late it was. Flexing his will, he created a globe of light and sent the screens sliding over the windows.
“You’re learning fast,” he told her. “Your Control over your power is growing.”
“I mastered Control days ago,” she replied. “You didn’t tell me.”
Surprised, Rothen turned to regard her. She met his gaze steadily. There had been no hint of doubt in her voice. Somehow she had worked it out for herself.
Leaning back in his chair, he considered the situation. If he denied it, she would only grow more resentful when she learned the truth. It would be better to explain his reasons for delaying.
Which meant he had run out of time. He had no reason to keep her here any longer. In a day or two she would be gone. He could ask Lorlen to delay the blocking but he knew, as he considered her now, that he would not be able to change her mind in a few short days.
He nodded. “A few sessions ago I thought you’d reached a point where I’d normally consider a novice’s Control was adequate. I felt, for you, that it was particularly important to test your Control over your power, since we won’t be around to help you if something goes amiss.”
Instead of relief, he saw only apprehension in her gaze. “Not that I think anything will go amiss,” he assured her. “Your control is—”
“I’m going to stay,” she told him.
He stared at her, momentarily too surprised to speak.
“You’re staying?” he exclaimed. “You changed your mind?”
She nodded.
He leapt to his feet. “That’s wonderful!”
Sonea stared up at him with wide eyes. He wanted to pull her to her feet and give her a hug, but he knew he would only frighten her. Instead, he strode to the cabinet at the back of the room.
“We must celebrate!” he told her. Taking out a bottle of pachi wine and some glasses, he brought them back to the chairs. She watched, still and silent, as he pulled the stopper out of the bottle and poured some of the yellow liqueur into the glasses.
Sonea’s hand shook as she accepted a glass. Rothen sobered, realizing that she must be feeling overwhelmed—and a little scared, too.
“What changed your mind?” he asked as he sat down.
She bit her lip gently, then looked away. “I want to save someone’s life.”
“Ah!” He smiled. “So it was the Healers that impressed you most.”
“Yes,” she admitted. Taking a sip, her face lit with delight. “Pachi wine!”
“You’ve had it before?”
She smiled. “A Thief gave me a bottle once.”
“You’ve never told me much about the Thieves. I didn’t want to ask in case you thought I was trying to get information from you.”
“I never found out much about them,” she replied, shrugging. “I spent most of my time alone.”
“I assumed they wanted you to perform magic in exchange for their help?”
She nodded. “But I never really gave the Thief what he wanted.” A crease appeared between her brows. “I wonder ... will he think I’ve broken our agreement by staying here?”
“He didn’t succeed in helping you,” Rothen pointed out. “How can he expect you to fulfil your side of the exchange?”
“He spent a lot of effort and used a lot of favors to hide me.”
Rothen shook his head. “Don’t worry. The Thieves won’t bother you. They told us where to find you.”
Sonea’s eyes widened. “They betrayed me?” she whispered.
He frowned, disturbed by the anger in her eyes. “I’m afraid so. I don’t think they wanted to, but it was clear that your powers were growing dangerous.”
She looked down at her glass and brooded in silence for some time.
“What happens now?” she asked suddenly.
Rothen hesitated as he realized he would have to explain the guardianship claims to her. The thought of being placed in the care of a magician who she did not know or trust might be enough to change her mind again, but he had to warn her of the possibility.
“There are several matters that must be resolved before you are sworn in as a novice,” he told her. “You need to have good reading and writing skills, and be taught basic calculations. You’ll also need to understand the rules and customs of the Guild. Before then, your guardianship must be decided.”