'I know it is,' they both said, and laughed. Quenten noted that they both had hearty, unforced laughs, the laughter of people who did not fear a joke.
Elspeth made a face, and Skif shrugged. 'We know it's necessary,' Skif replied for both of them. 'But that doesn't mean Elspeth much likes it.' Quenten had not missed the sword calluses on her hands, and the easy way she wore her blade. She had the muscles of a practiced fighter, too, though she didn't have the toughened, hard- eyed look the female mercs had after their first year in the ranks.
He coughed politely. 'Kero did, at least, tell me what brings you here, and I have to be honest with you. I wish I could help you, but I can't. None of my teachers are interested in anything but teaching, and none of the youngsters ready to go out as journeymen are up to trying to cross your borders and dealing with the magical guards of that border.
I assume you know about that; I couldn't pass it when Kero first took the Skybolts north, and I don't know that I could now that I'm a more practiced Master with years in the rank.' Elspeth's face fell; Skif simply looked resigned.
'What about you teaching us?' she asked-almost wistfully. 'I mean, I don't suppose either of us are teachable, are we?' Do I tell her right now? He thought about that quickly; well, it couldn't do any harm to tell her a little about her abilities right off. It might make her a little more cautious. 'I'm afraid Skif isn't-but, young lady-you are potentially a very good mage. Your potential is so high, in fact, that I simply don't feel up to teaching you myself And you have to be taught, there is absolutely no doubt about that.' Her face was a study in contradictory emotions; surprise warred with disappointment, elation with-was it fear? He hoped so; she would do well to fear that kind of power.
'I don't have the time,' he said truthfully. 'You're coming to the teaching late in your life, and as strong as you could be-well, it will require very personal teaching. One to one, in fact, with someone who will be able to deal with your mistakes. And I can't do it; it would take time away from the students I've already promised to teach. That wouldn't be fair to them. And I gather that you're under some time considerations?' Both of them nodded, and Elspeth's 'horse' snorted, as if in agreement.
Dearest gods, it's looking at me the way old Jendar used to when I wasn't up to doing a particular task and said so. Like it's telling me, 'at least you know when not to be stupid.' it It wouldn't be fair to you to give you less attention than you need, especially given that.' Her shoulders sagged, and her expression turned bleak. 'So I've come on a fool's errand, then?'
'Not at all,' he hastened to assure her. 'What I can and will do is send you on to my old master, Kero's uncle, Adept jendar. He's no longer teaching in his school-he will, on occasion take on a very talented pupil like yourself. But without my directions, introduction, and safe-conduct, you'd never find him. He's very reclusive.'
'I don't suppose we could get him to come back with us, could we?
Skif asked hopefully. 'That would solve all our problems.' Quenten shrugged. 'I don't know; he's very old, but on the other hand, magic tends to preserve mages. I haven't seen him in years and he may still be just as active as he always was. He's certainly my superior in ability and knowledge, he's just as canny and hard to predict as Kero, and I won't even attempt to second-guess him. The best I can offer is, ask him yourself.' Skif looked a great deal more cheerful. 'Thanks, Master Quenten, we will.' Quenten felt as if a tremendous burden had just been lifted from his shoulders. there's nothing quite like being able to legitimately pass the responsibility, he thought wryly. And, feeling a good deal more cheerful himself, he told both of them, 'Even if I can't offer you the dubious benefits of my teaching, I can still offer the hospitality of the school.
You will stay for at least the night, won't you? I'd love to hear what Kero's been up to lately. You're right, by the way,' he concluded, turning with a smile for Elspeth, 'She's a terrible correspondent. Her letter about you was less than half a page; the letter I'm going to give you for Jendar is going to be at least five pages long, and I don't even know you that well!' The young woman chuckled, and gave him a wink that was the mirror image of the one Skifs spirit-horse had given him. He racked his brain for the right name for them-Comrades? No, Companions that was it.
I can even offer something in the way of suitable housing for yourahfriends,' he said, bowing a little in their direction. 'Your'Companions,' I believe you call them. I don't know what kind of treatment they're accustomed to at home, but I can at least arrange something civilized.' Elspeth looked surprised at that; but the Companions themselves looked gratified. Like queens in exile, who had discovered that someone, at last, was going to give them their proper due.
'We have two loose-boxes, with their own little paddock, and you can fix the latch-string on the inside, so that they can open and shut it themselves,' he said, hastily, trying to look as if he had visits from Guardian Spirits all the time. 'Kero always had Shin'a'in warsteeds, you know, and they needed that kind of treatment; they aren't Companions, of course, but they're a great deal more intelligent than horses.'
'That's lovely,' Elspeth said as he fell silent, her gratitude quite genuine. 'That really is. I can't tell you how hard it is even in Valdemar to find someone who doesn't think they're just horses.'
'oh, no, my lady,' he replied fervently, convinced by the lurking humor in both sets of blue eyes that the Companions found him and his reactions to them very amusing. 'oh, no-I promise you-I know only too well that they aren't horses.' And you don't know the half of it, friend,' whispered a voice in his mind.
For a moment he wasn't certain he'd actually heard that-then the light of amusement in the nearest one's eyes convinced him that he had.
I think I should ignore that. If they wanted me to treat them like heavenly visitors, they wouldn't look like horses, would they? Or would they? Do the Heralds know what they are? If they don't-no, I don't think I'd better tell them. If the Companions want them to know, they'll know. If not-no, it would not be a good idea to go against the wishes of a Guardian Spirit, in fact, it would be a very stupid idea-He realized that he was babbling to himself now,
