The Magician’s Apprentice

skin. Another gust of artificial wind chased dampness out of his clothes, and he dressed quickly so the next apprentice could use the room.

Part of a mill at the edge of Lord Ardalen’s ley, this room had been a welcome find. Someone had set up an ingenious system which, at the pull of a lever, diverted water from the river through pipes into a large tub. Another lever opened a rather leaky plug and allowed the water to flow out again, probably back into the river.

Without any need for much discussion, the entire group – magicians, apprentices and servants – was taking it in turns to wash themselves and their clothes. Or rather, the servants were washing in the river while the magicians and apprentices enjoyed a much-needed bath.

Jayan picked up his second set of clothes, now also freshly washed and dried, and carried them out of the room. A short corridor led outside, where tents had been erected. Though they could have taken shelter inside the millhouse, both magicians and apprentices preferred to stay together in the open, ever watchful for attackers.

The mill had been deserted when they arrived. A careful inspection had revealed empty cupboards and, to their relief, no corpses. The occupants must have received Ardalen’s message and moved south to safety. There were signs of looting, however. A storeroom had been broken into. A locked trunk had been smashed open, and the contents – mostly clothing, worth nothing to the thieves – had been strewn about. It was impossible to tell if they had been Sachakan or ordinary thieves. Stories of ransacking of abandoned villages by opportunistic locals had reached them.

Inevitable, I suppose, Jayan thought. The fools probably don’t understand or care that if they’re caught by the Sachakans, their deaths will strengthen the enemy.

Jayan paused in the shadows of the corridor and looked out. Tessia was not with the apprentices, he saw. The other four young men were aged from fifteen to twenty-two. Mikken, the next eldest after Jayan, was slim and confident and the best-looking. Leoran was a watchful type who made up for his quietness by always having a witty observation or play on words to offer. Refan was enthusiastic, and always went along with whatever the others said or thought. Aken, the youngest, needed to grow out of a habit of saying what he thought without first thinking about whether it would offend anyone, or make him look a fool.

They tended to ignore Tessia most of the time, though if she spoke they did listen and respond politely. He knew they were unsure how to behave around her. The young women they were used to were easy to categorise: either rich and from powerful families, or servants, or beggars and whores. Those female magicians they had encountered would all have come from the first category, and some of them had quite a reputation for being adventurous, especially in their attitude towards men.

The four laughed, then glanced to one side. Following their gaze, Jayan saw that the magicians were standing in a circle several paces away, probably discussing yet again all the reasons why they hadn’t come face to face with any Sachakans and wishing they could find a risk-free way to lure out the enemy.

Now the apprentices were all looking in the other direction, and Jayan saw where Tessia had got to. She was picking small fruits off a tree and filling a bowl with them.

Probably some cure ingredient, he thought, suppressing a sigh. Does she ever think of anything else? Though her obsession with healing didn’t bother him as much as it used to – not since he’d seen her work on the woman with the growth in her mouth – she was single-minded about it to the point of being predictable and, perhaps, a little bit boring.

As Jayan watched, Mikken rose and sauntered over to her. He held out his hands and she, looking mildly surprised, gave him the bowl. As she continued picking, he talked to her, all smiles.

Jayan’s skin prickled. He didn’t have to know what the apprentice was saying to know what he was up to. Stepping out of the doorway, he strode towards the pair. Mikken looked up and saw Jayan coming, and his expression became both guilty and defiant.

“It’s your turn, Mikken,” Jayan said. He paused, sniffed and smiled. “I wouldn’t put it off much longer if I were you.”

The young man frowned and opened his mouth to retort, then glanced at Tessia and thought better of it. He handed Jayan the bowl.

“I bow to the wisdom of my much, much older peer,” he said mockingly, gave Tessia a parting smile and headed towards the mill.

Tessia raised an eyebrow. “You two still establishing a pecking order?”

“Oh, it’s clear who’s at the top,” Jayan said. “The lesser hordes need to sort out their own hierarchy. Are you enjoying being the prize they’re fighting over?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. I’m afraid female magicians have quite a reputation. My young, naive subordinates are trying to work out if any of them stands a chance with you.”

“A chance?” She turned and began picking fruit again. “Am I to expect a marriage proposal, or something much shallower?”

“Definitely shallower,” he said.

She chuckled. “So how do I make it unarguably clear, without offending their sensitive male pride, that I will never accept such a proposal?”

Jayan paused, considering. “Be clear and unhesitating. Give them no reason to doubt your meaning. But don’t insult them, of course. We do have to travel with them.”

Tessia turned back to him, dropped another handful of the small green fruits in the bowl, then took the bowl from him. “Then I had best be unhesitating and clear up this matter.”

She strode toward the apprentices. Jayan paused, suddenly doubting his own advice. He hadn’t meant her to confront them straight away. The eyes of the three younger apprentices brightened as she approached, though Jayan could not tell if it was from apprehension or hope.

But Tessia did not launch into a speech on her unavailability, or reproach them for even considering it a matter for discussion. She sat down on the blanket they were relaxing on and handed the closest – Refan – the bowl.

“Try them. They’re delicious.”

Refan picked up one of the fruits. “But it’s not ripe.”

“It is. People make that mistake all the time. See the dark spot on the end? That’s how you tell they’re ripe. But they’re only like that for a few weeks. When the fruit starts to change colour it’s too late. They go all pithy and dry inside.”

She began peeling the fruit she had retained. Reluctantly, the others began to copy her. As they bit into the flesh underneath Jayan saw the looks of surprise on their faces. Curious, he took one for himself and discovered she was right. They were tart, but sweet.

Soon, Mikken emerged from the mill, his hair glistening with water.

“What’s this?” he said as he joined them. “What are you eating?”

“Ah, Mikken,” Tessia said. “Good. Now you’re here, there’s something I apparently need to make completely and devastatingly clear to all of you.” She glanced at Jayan. “You, too.”

To his horror, Jayan felt his face warming. He sighed, rolled his eyes and affected boredom, all the while hoping his face wasn’t red.

“I’m not planning to bed anyone during this trip, or after it,” Tessia said. “So get the idea out of your heads now.”

Jayan watched as the four boys bowed their heads and began looking anywhere but at Tessia. Aken sent Jayan a brief glare, though.

“We weren’t—” Mikken began, spreading his hands, using the tone of someone trying to explain something.

She cut him off. “Oh, don’t think I’m fool enough to believe that. You’re all male – and young. I’m the only woman around. I’m not being vain; just not stupid.” She chuckled. “I also know if there was a better-looking girl around, the situation would be different. Anyway... put the thought out of your minds. Not going to happen. After all, I’d hardly want to fall pregnant right now, would I?”

The apprentices didn’t answer, but she caught the looks they exchanged.

“What?” she asked, a small measure of anger slipping into her voice. “That didn’t even occur to you?”

“Of course not,” Aken blurted. “You’ve got magic. You can stop that happening.”