The Magicians' Guild

Moving from the shadows at the side of the hall, Sonea walked forward to stand a few paces from Fergun. She glanced up at the Higher Magicians, then bowed quickly.

  Rothen felt a pang of sympathy for her. A few weeks before, she had been terrified of him and now she faced a hall of magicians, all watching her intently.

  Osen gave her a quick smile of encouragement. “Sonea,” he said. “Please tell us your version of the events we are discussing.”

  She swallowed and set her gaze on the floor. “I was with the other youths. They were throwing stones. I didn’t usually do that—I usually stayed with my aunt.” She glanced up and blushed, then continued on in a rush.

  “I guess I got dragged into things. I didn’t start throwing stones straightaway. I watched the others and the magicians. I remember I was…I was angry, so when I did go to throw a stone I pushed all that anger at the stone. Later I realized I had done something, but at the time everything was so…confusing.” She stopped and seemed to collect herself.

  “When I threw the stone it went through the barrier. Lord Fergun looked at me, then the stone hit him and Ro—Lord Rothen caught him. The rest of the magicians were looking everywhere, then I saw Lord Rothen looking at me. After that, I ran.”

  A cold rush of disbelief struck Rothen. He stared at Sonea, but her eyes remained fixed on the floor. Glancing at Fergun, he saw that a sly smile curled the man’s lips. As the Warrior realized he was being watched, the smile vanished.

  Helpless, Rothen could only clench his fists as the rest of the Guild voiced their approval.

  The half-seen vision of the Guildhall wavered as anger, disbelief and hurt flowed over Dannyl’s mind. He stopped, alarmed.

  —What’s wrong, Rothen?

  —She lied! She supported Fergun’s lie!

  —Careful, Dannyl cautioned. You’ll be heard.

  —I don’t care. I know he’s lying!

  —Perhaps that’s how she saw it.

  —No. Fergun never looked at her. I was talking to him, remember?

  Dannyl sighed and shook his head. Rothen had finally seen Fergun’s true character. He should have been happy, but how could he be? Fergun had won again.

  Or had he?

  —Have you found anything yet?

  —No, but I’m still looking.

  —We need more time. With Sonea supporting Fergun, they’ll probably make a decision in the next few minutes.

  —Delay them.

  —How?

  Dannyl drummed his fingers on a wall.

  —Ask to talk to her.

  Rothen’s presence vanished as his attention returned to the Hearing. Grimacing, Dannyl regarded the walls around him. Every magician knew that there were entrances to the underground passages inside the University. He had guessed that those entrances must be well hidden or novices would be flouting the rule all the time.

  As he had expected, a simple search of the passages had revealed nothing. Though he was sure that he would eventually find something if he kept examining the walls closely, there wasn’t time for that.

  He needed another clue. Footprints, perhaps. The underground passages were probably dusty. Fergun must have left some evidence. Eyes on the floor, Dannyl started along the corridor again.

  Turning a corner, he collided with a short, plump figure. The woman gave a little yelp of surprise, then stepped back, a hand pressed to her heart.

  “Forgive me, my Lord!” She bowed, the water in the bucket she carried sloshing. “You were walking so quietly, I didn’t hear you coming!”

  He looked at the bucket, then smothered a groan. Evidence of Fergun’s passing would be regularly cleaned away by the servants. The woman moved past him and continued down the corridor. Watching her, it occurred to him that she probably knew more about the inner passages of the University than any magician.

  “Wait!” Dannyl called.

  She stopped. “Yes, my Lord?”

  Dannyl walked toward her. “Do you always clean this part of the University?”

  She nodded.

  “Have you needed to clean up any unusual messes? Muddy footprints, for example?”

  The servant’s lips thinned. “Someone dropped food on the floor. The novices aren’t supposed to bring food in here.”

  “Food, eh? Where was it dropped?”

  The servant gave him an odd look, then led him to a painting farther down the corridor.

  “It was on the painting, too,” she said, pointing. “Like they’d been handling it.”

  “I see.” Dannyl narrowed his eyes at the painting. It was of a view of a beach, with tiny spiral shells carved into the frame. “Thank you,” he said. “You may go.”

  Shrugging, she bowed quickly and hurried away. Dannyl examined the painting carefully, then lifted it off the wall. Behind it was the usual wooden panelling of the inner passages. Running his hand over it, he extended his senses beyond and drew in a breath as he detected metal shapes. Following their contours, he found a section of the panel that gave beneath his probing fingers.

  A soft sliding noise followed, and a section of the wall moved aside. Darkness and cold air confronted him: Flushed with triumph and excitement, he replaced the painting, created a globe light, and stepped through.

  A steep stairway descended to his left. Finding a lever on the inside of the door, Dannyl pressed it and the door closed. He smiled to himself and started down the stairs.

  The passage was narrow and he had to stoop to avoid brushing his head on the ceiling. A few faren webs clung to the corners. As he reached the first side passage, he reached into a pocket and drew out a jar of colored paste. Unstoppering it, he wiped a little of the contents onto the wall beside him.

  The paste would slowly change from white to a clear, hard coating over the next few hours, giving him a marker that would soon be unnoticeable. Even if he was exploring in a few hours, he could still find his way out by looking for the clear coating.

  He looked down and laughed aloud.

  Footprints stood out clearly in a thick layer of dust. Dropping into a crouch, Dannyl identified the familiar imprint of a magician’s boots. From the number of tracks, it was clear that someone had scuffed this passage many times.

  Rising, he followed the footprints for several hundred paces. Reaching another side passage, he was dismayed to find the prints led down both the main passage, and the new one. He dropped to his haunches again and examined them closely. There were only four sets of prints in the side passage, two of magician’s boots, two of smaller shoes. The prints in the main passage were fresher, and numerous.

  A faint sound touched his ears then—a very human-sounding sigh. Dannyl froze, a chill slowly running up his spine. The dark beyond the reach of his globe light seemed thick and full of unpleasant possibilities, and he suddenly felt sure that something was watching him.

  Ridiculous, he told himself. There’s nothing there.

  Taking a deep breath, he stood and forced himself to look only at the tracks. Moving forward, he followed them for another hundred paces, finding more side passages with older tracks.

  Again, he felt a nagging certainty that he was being followed. Behind his footsteps there was the echo of softer treads. The faintest breeze brought a smell of rot and something alive, but filthy…

  He turned a corner and his imaginings fled. Ahead, about twenty paces away, the footprints ended at a door. He took a step forward, then went rigid with terror as a figure moved out of the side passage beside him.

  “Lord Dannyl. Might I inquire as to your reasons for being here?”

  Staring at the man, Dannyl’s mind seemed to divide into two. While one part babbled excuses, the other watched helplessly as the first made an utter fool of itself.

  And at the edge of his mind a familiar presence was projecting both sympathy and smug satisfaction.

  —I told you not to go down there, Rothen sent.

  In the lightless silence, the sound of his stomach grumbling was loud. Cery rubbed his belly and continued t
o pace.

  He was certain now that more than a day had passed since his last meal, which meant that a week had gone by since he had seen Sonea. Leaning against the door, he cursed Fergun with every unsavory ailment he could think of. Between the words he heard the sound of footsteps and froze.

  His stomach growled fiercely in anticipation. The footsteps were slower, taunting him. They drew closer, then stopped. The faint sound of voices reached him. Two voices. Both male.

  He drew in a quick breath and pressed his ear to the door.

  “…tunnels are extensive. It is easy to become disorientated. Magicians have been lost for days and returned starved. I suggest you retrace your steps.” The voice was stern and unfamiliar.

  Another voice replied. Cery caught only a few words, but he understood enough to know that the other magician was apologizing. The voice was also unfamiliar, but he could easily imagine Fergun’s voice becoming faint and high if he was babbling so.

  The stern magician clearly did not approve of Fergun’s presence in the passages. He was unlikely to approve of Fergun keeping prisoners down here either. All Cery had to do was call out, or hammer on the door, and Fergun’s trap would be unsprung.

  He raised his fist, then paused as the voices stopped. Hasty footsteps led away, then another set approached. Biting his lip, Cery backed away from the door. Which magician was it? Fergun or the stern stranger?

  The lock clicked. Cery shied back against the far wall. As the door opened light filled the room and he closed his eyes against the glare.

  “Who are you?” boomed an unfamiliar voice. “What are you doing down here?”

  Opening his eyes, Cery’s relief changed to astonishment as he recognized the man standing in the doorway.

  29

  To Dwell Among Magicians

  “She said he was doing it so that no one will ever think dwells could be magicians,” Cery finished.

  The magician narrowed his eyes. “That does sound like Fergun.” As the dark gaze shifted to Cery again, a small frown creased the magician’s brow. “The Hearing is taking place now. I can reveal Fergun’s crimes, but only if I have proof that he is the man you speak of.”

  Cery sighed and looked around the room. “I’ve got nothing ’cept the things he gave me, but he has my knife and tools. If you found them, would that be enough?”

  The man shook his head slowly. “No. What I need is in your memories. Will you allow me to read your mind?”

  Cery stared at the magician. Read his mind?

  He had secrets. Things his father had told him. Things Faren had told him. Things even Faren would have been surprised to know. What if the magician saw them?

  But if I don’t let him read my mind, I can’t save Sonea.

  He couldn’t let a few musty secrets keep him from saving her—and the magician might not see them, anyway. Swallowing his fear, Cery looked up at the magician.

  “Sure. Do it.”

  The magician regarded Cery soberly. “It will not harm or hurt. Close your eyes.”

  Taking a deep breath, Cery obeyed. He felt fingers touch his temples. At once, he became aware of another mind. It seemed to drift in behind his own, then a voice spoke from…somewhere.

  —Think of the day your friend was captured.

  A memory flashed before his eyes. The other mind seemed to catch and steady it. Cery found himself in a snow-filled alley. It was like a vision, clear and yet lacking fine detail. He saw Sonea running away from him, and felt an echo of the fear and despair he had felt as he had hammered against the invisible barrier that had separated them. Turning, he saw a man wearing a cloak, standing behind him.

  —This is the man who captured you?

  —Yes.

  —Show me how.

  Once again a memory flashed through his mind, was caught and replayed. He stood outside the Magicians’ building, looking up at Sonea. Fergun appeared. Chased him. Caught him. The blue-robed magician and his companion appeared, took Cery to Sonea. His memory sped on. He was leaving Sonea and walking through the Magicians’ building. Fergun was suggesting they go through the University. They entered the building and travelled down passages.

  Then Fergun opened the secret door and forced him through. The blindfold touched his face again, and he heard his own steps as he walked down the underground passage. He faced the cell again, walked inside, heard the door close…

  —When did you see him next?

  Memories of the magician’s visits followed. Cery saw himself searched and robbed of his possessions, then relived his failed attack and was healed. He saw Sonea enter the room and heard their conversation over again.

  After that, the other mind brushed over his, then seemed to fade away. Cery felt the magician’s fingers lift from his temples. He opened his eyes.

  The magician was nodding. “That is more than enough,” he said. “Come with me. We must hurry if we wish to attend the Hearing.”

  He turned on his heel and strode out of the room. Following, Cery felt relief rush over him as he stepped out of the cell. He looked back once, then hurried after his rescuer.

  The man strode quickly down the passage, forcing Cery into a jog to keep up. The passage met another, then several more. None looked familiar.

  They reached a short flight of stairs. The magician climbed these, then bent to stare at the wall. Seeing a small dot of light around the magician’s eye, Cery guessed that there was a spy hole.

  “Thanks for helping me,” he offered. “There’s probably nothing a petty thief could offer in return, but if you need anything just ask.”

  The magician straightened and turned to regard him soberly.

  “Do you know who I am?”

  Cery felt his face warm. “Of course. There’s nothing the likes of you would ever need from me. Seemed right to offer, though.”

  The ghost of a smile touched the magician’s lips. “Do you truly mean what you said?”

  Suddenly uneasy, Cery shifted from foot to foot. “Of course,” he said reluctantly.

  The man’s smile became a little more pronounced. “I’m not going to force you to make a bargain with me. No matter what you say, Fergun’s actions must be revealed and punished. Your friend will be free to go, if that is what she wants.” He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. “But I might contact you some time in the future. I will not ask for anything beyond your abilities, or that will compromise your place with the Thieves. It will be up to you to decide if what I ask is acceptable.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Is that reasonable?”

  Cery looked down. What the man was proposing was more than reasonable. He found himself nodding. “It is.”

  The magician extended his hand. Taking it, Cery felt a strong grip. He looked into the man’s eyes, and was pleased to see that the dark stare was steady.

  “Agreed,” Cery said.

  “Agreed,” the magician repeated. He then turned back to the wall. After checking the spy hole again, he grasped a lever and pulled. A panel slid sideways. The magician stepped through, his light following.

  Cery hurried after and found himself in a large room. A desk stood at one end, with chairs arranged before it.

  “Where am I?”

  “In the University,” the man replied, sliding the panel back into place. “Follow me.”

  The magician strode across the room and opened a door. Following the man through, Cery found himself in a wide corridor. Two green-robed magicians stopped to stare at him, then looked up at his guide. They blinked in surprise, then inclined their heads respectfully.

  Ignoring them, the magician strode to the end of the corridor, Cery following close behind. As they passed through a doorway, Cery looked up and gasped. They had entered a room filled with fantastic spiraling staircases. To one side the doors of the University stood wide open, revealing snow-covered ground and a view of the Inner City. Cery turned full circle, then realized that the magician was already several paces down the corridor.

  “Harrin’s never going to bel
ieve me,” he muttered as he hurried after him.

  “That’s not what happened,” Rothen told her.

  Sonea looked away. “I know what I saw,” she answered. “Do you want me to lie?” The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She swallowed and tried to look puzzled by his statement.

  Rothen stared at her, then shook his head. “No, I do not. If it was discovered that you had lied today, many would question if you should be allowed to join the Guild.”

  “That’s why I had to do it.”

  Rothen sighed. “Then that is truly how you remember it?”

  “I said that, didn’t I?” Sonea sent him a pleading look. “Don’t make it any harder than it already is, Rothen.”

  His expression softened. “All right. Perhaps I missed something that day. It is a shame, but it can’t be helped.” He shook his head. “I will miss our lessons, Sonea. If there’s…”

  “Lord Rothen.”

  They turned to see Osen walking toward them. Rothen sighed, then walked back to his place. As Fergun started toward her, she smothered a groan.

  When Rothen had asked for time to speak with her, Fergun had promptly asked for the same. What did he plan to say? All she wanted now was for the Hearing to be finished and over with.

  Fergun gave her a sickly smile as he reached her side.

  “Everything going as planned?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she nodded.

  “Good,” he crooned. “Very good. Your story was convincing, if a little badly spoken. Still, it had a charming honesty.”

  “I’m glad you liked it,” she said dryly.

  He looked up at the Higher Magicians. “I doubt if they will want to discuss this any longer. They will make their decision soon. After that, I will arrange a room for you in the Novices’ Quarter. You should smile, Sonea. We want people to believe you are filled with delight at the prospect of being my novice.”

  Sighing, she forced the corners of her mouth upward into what she hoped the distant magicians would take as a smile.

  “I’ve had enough of this,” she said between her teeth. “Let’s go back and get it over with.”