Sonea was the reason. They loved her. She had come from among them, had saved the city, and had returned to the slums to help them.
Dorrien had been by her side from the start. His greater knowledge of Healing was essential, and his experience at earning the trust of farmers and foresters also helped him gain the dwells’ confidence. Other Healers had joined them. It seemed Sonea was not the only magician who believed Healing should not be a service offered only to the rich Houses.
As she reached the hospital and moved inside, Lord Darlen stepped forward to greet her.
“How was the night shift?” she asked.
“Busy.” He smiled ruefully. “When isn’t it? Oh, I found another potential recruit. A girl of about fifteen, named Kalia. She’ll return later with her father, if he agrees to let her join us.”
Sonea nodded. “How are our supplies?”
“Low, as always,” Darlen replied. “I’ll talk to Lady Vinara when I get back.”
“Thank you, Lord Darlen,” Sonea said.
Darlen nodded, then headed to the door. Sonea paused to look around the room. Following her gaze, Rothen took in the crowd of waiting patients, the handful of guards who had been employed to manage them, and the curies who had been hired for their knowledge of medicine to help with minor cases. Sonea suddenly drew in a sharp breath, then turned to a guard standing nearby.
“That woman over there with the child wrapped in a green blanket. Bring her to me in my room.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Rothen started to look for the woman, but Sonea was already walking away. He followed her into a small room furnished with a table, a bed and several chairs. She sat down and drummed her fingers on the table. Rothen pulled up a chair beside her.
“You know this woman?”
She glanced at him. “Yes. It’s—” She paused at a knock on the door. “Come in.”
He recognized the woman instantly. Sonea’s aunt smiled and took the seat on the other side of the table. “Sonea. I was hoping it would be you.”
“Jonna,” Sonea replied, smiling fondly—but tiredly, Rothen noted. “I wanted to come see you, but I’ve been so busy. How is Ranel? How are my cousins?”
Jonna looked down at the baby. “Hania has a terrible fever. I’ve tried everything…”
Sonea placed a hand gently on the baby’s head. She frowned. “Yes. She’s got the beginning of bluespot disease. I can give her a little boost.” She was quiet for a moment. “There. You will have to wait it out, I’m afraid. Give her liquids. A little marin juice mixed in will help, too.” Sonea looked up at her aunt. “Jonna, would you…would you come live with me?”
The woman’s eyes went round. “I’m sorry, Sonea. I just couldn’t.”
Sonea looked down. “I know you don’t feel comfortable being around magicians, but…please consider it. I’d…” She glanced at Rothen. “I guess it’s time you knew too, Rothen.” She looked at Jonna again. “I’d like to have someone familiar and ordinary around.” She nodded at the child. “I’d exchange all the Healers in the Guild just for your practical advice.”
Jonna stared at Sonea, her expression reflecting Rothen’s confusion. Sonea grimaced, then placed a hand on her stomach. Jonna’s eyes widened.
“Oh.”
“Yes.” Sonea nodded. “I’m scared, Jonna. I didn’t plan for this. The Healers will look after me, but they can’t cure my fear. I think maybe you could.”
Jonna frowned. “You told me magicians had their own ways of taking care of things.”
To Rothen’s amazement Sonea blushed a furious scarlet.
“It seems that it’s better if women do…that sort of caretaking. Apparently men aren’t taught the skill unless they request it,” she said. “Girl novices are taken aside as soon as the Healers feel they’re likely to be showing an interest in boys, but I was so unpopular that nobody thought of teaching me. Akkarin,” Sonea paused and swallowed, “must have assumed they had. And I assumed he was taking care of things.”
As understanding dawned, Rothen stared at Sonea. He found himself counting the months since her exile. Three-and-a-half, maybe four. The robes would hide it well…
She looked at him and then grimaced apologetically. “I’m sorry, Rothen. I was going to tell you, at a better moment, but when I saw Jonna I just had to take advantage of—”
They both jumped as Jonna burst into laughter. She was pointing at Rothen. “I haven’t seen that look since I told Ranel I was expecting our first! I think, perhaps, these magicians aren’t as smart as they make themselves out to be.” She grinned at Sonea. “So. You’re to have a baby, then. I can’t imagine the child growing up with his or her head on right surrounded by magicians.”
Sonea smiled crookedly. “Nor I. So, will you reconsider?”
Jonna hesitated, then nodded once. “Yes. We’ll stay a while.”
Lord Dannyl’s Guide to Slum Slang
blood money—payment for assassination
boot—refuse/refusal (don’t boot us)
capper—man who frequents brothels
clicked—occurred
client—person who has an obligation or agreement with a Thief
counter—whore
done—murdered
dull—persuade to keep silent
dunghead—fool
dwells—term used to describe slum dwellers
eye—keep watch
fired—angry (got fired about it)
fish—propose/ask/look for (also someone fleeing the Guard)
gauntlet—guard who is bribeable or in the control of a Thief
goldmine—man who prefers boys
good go—a reasonable try
got—caught
grandmother—pimp
gutter—dealer in stolen goods
hai—a call for attention or expression of surprise or inquiry
heavies—important people
kin—a Thief’s closest and most trusted
knife—assassin/hired killer
messenger—thug who delivers or carries out a threat
mind—hide (minds his business/I’ll mind that for you)
mug—mouth (as in vessel for bol)
out for—looking for
pick—recognize/understand
punt—smuggler
right-sided—trustworthy/heart in the right place
rope—freedom
rub—trouble (got into some rub over it)
shine—attraction (got a shine for him)
show—introduce
space—allowances/permission
squimp—someone who double-crosses the Thieves
style—manner of performing business
tag—recognize (also means a spy, usually undercover)
thief—leader of a criminal group
watcher—posted to observe something or someone
wild—difficult
visitor—burglar
Glossary
Animals
aga moths—pests that eat clothing
anyi—sea mammals with short spines
ceryni—small rodent
enka—horned domestic animal, bred for meat
eyoma—sea leeches
faren—general term for arachnids
gorin—large domestic animal used for food and to haul boats and wagons
harrel—small domestic animal bred for meat
inava—insect believed to bestow good luck
limek—wild predatory dog
mullock—wild nocturnal bird
rassook—domestic bird used for meat and feathers
ravi—rodent, larger than ceryni
reber—domestic animal, bred for wool and meat
sapfly—woodland insect
sevli—poisonous lizard
squimp—squirrel-like creature that steals food
yeel—small domesticated breed of limek used for tracking
zill—small, intelligent mammal sometimes kept as a pet
Plants/Food
anivope vines—plant sensitive to mental projection
bol—(also means “river scum”) strong liquor made from tugors
brasi—green leafy vegetable with small buds
chebol sauce—rich meat sauce made from bol
crots—large, purple beans
curem—smooth, nutty spice
curren—coarse grain with robust flavor
dall—long fruit with tart orange, seedy flesh
gan-gan—flowering bush from Lan
iker—stimulating drug, reputed to have aphrodisiac properties
jerras—long yellow beans
kreppa—foul-smelling medicinal herb
marin—red citrus fruit
monyo—bulb
myk—mind-affecting drug
nalar—pungent root
nemmin—sleep-inducing drug
pachi—crisp, sweet fruit
papea—pepper-like spice
piorres—small, bell-shaped fruit
raka/suka—stimulating drink made from roasted beans, originally from Sachaka
shem—edible reed-like plant
sumi—bitter drink
telk—seed from which an oil is extracted
tenn—grain that can be cooked as is, broken into small pieces, or ground to make a flour
tiro—edible nuts
tugor—parsnip-like root
vare—berries from which most wine is produced
Clothing and Weaponry
incal—square symbol, not unlike a family shield, sewn onto sleeve or cuff
kebin—iron bar with hook for catching attacker’s knife, carried by guards
longcoat—ankle-length coat
Public Houses
bathhouse—establishment selling bathing facilities and other grooming services
bolhouse—establishment selling bol and short-term accommodation
brewhouse—bol manufacturer
hole—building constructed from scavenged materials
stayhouse—rented building, a family to a room
Peoples of the Allied Lands
Elyne—closest to Kyralia in position and culture, enjoys a milder climate
Kyralia—home of the Guild
Lan—a mountainous land peopled by warrior tribes
Lonmar—a desert land home to the strict Mahga religion
Vin—an island nation known for its seamanship
Other Terms
cap—coins threaded on a stick to the value of the next highest denomination
dawnfeast—breakfast
midbreak—lunch
simba mats—mats woven from reeds
Acknowledgments
Many, many people have encouraged and assisted me in writing this trilogy. In addition to those people I acknowledged in The Magicians’ Guild and The Novice, I’d like to give an additional nod to the people who helped me out during the writing of this book:
Once again, my proofreaders who give me such valuable advice: Mum and Dad, Paul Marshall, Paul Ewins, Jenny Powell, Sara Creasy and Anthony Mauricks.
Fran Bryson, my agent. Thank you for providing the perfect setting for my “working holiday.”
Stephanie Smith and the hard-working HarperCollins team for turning my stories into such polished, attractive books. Justin of Slow Glass Books, Sandy of Wormhole Books, and the booksellers who’ve taken on this trilogy with such enthusiasm.
And thank you to all the people who have emailed me with praise for The Magicians’ Guild and The Novice. Knowing you’ve enjoyed my stories helps keep the fires of inspiration burning high.
About the Author
TRUDI CANAVAN lives in a little house on a hillside, near a forest, in the Melbourne suburb of Ferntree Gully in Australia. She has been making up stories about things that don’t exist for as long as she can remember and was amazed when her first published story received an Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story in 1999. A freelance illustrator and designer, she also works as the designer and Art Director of Aurealis, a magazine of Australian fantasy and science fiction. You can e-mail her at
[email protected] or find out more about Kyralia and the Magicians’ Guild at www.spin.net.au/~trudi.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
Books by
Trudi Canavan
The Black Magician Trilogy
THE MAGICIANS’ GUILD
THE NOVICE
THE HIGH LORD
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
THE HIGH LORD. Copyright © 2003 by Trudi Canavan. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
ePub Edition © NOVEMBER 2006 ISBN: 9780061798191
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Trudi Canavan, Kyralia 01 - [Black Magician 03] - The High Lord
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