The Magician’s Apprentice

As he moved away, Jayan smiled. Then he remembered the price Refan had paid for their little adventure and all satisfaction at weakening the Sachakans fled.

I should have protected him better. I should never have let him lead us away from the protection of the army in the first place. This is all my fault. He saw Dakon hurrying towards him and felt his heart sink. He’s not going to want to make me a higher magician now. And I won’t blame him.

When the boom shook the air, it seemed like the answer to Tessia’s silent, heartfelt wishes.

Avaria had taken her to meet two other female magicians, Magician Jialia and Lady Viria. Both women had been questioning Tessia closely.

“Have you really been travelling with the magicians in pursuit of the Sachakans right from the start?” Viria asked.

“Yes,” Tessia replied, suppressing a sigh at the question. Did the woman think she’d been making it all up?

“Have the other apprentices been polite to you? Have they made any inappropriate suggestions?” Jialia paused and leaned forward. “None of them have tried to force themselves on you, have they?”

“No, they’ve been very well behaved,” Tessia assured them. “Besides, Lord Dakon would do something about it if they weren’t.”

The two women exchanged glances. Viria frowned and regarded Tessia closely.

“Lord Dakon hasn’t . . . ah . . . made any inappropriate advances, has he?”

Tessia stared at her, appalled. “No!” she replied firmly.

Viria spread her hands. “It’s not unheard of. A master seducing his female apprentice – or the other way around. When I was a girl I knew a young woman who married her master, after she conceived a child by him. We thought she’d been taken advantage of, but it turned out to be the other way around, though I imagine he couldn’t have objected that much. It’s not uncommon for young female apprentices to fall in love with their masters.”

This is worse than talking to my mother! Tessia thought. Then she felt a wrench and a pang of guilt for thinking of her mother that way. Still, she wouldn’t have thought there was anything wrong with me falling in love with and marrying Dakon.

Looking over to where her master was sitting with the other army leaders and advisers, she considered her feelings for him. Many times she’d felt an affection for him. And admiration. But both feelings were for his good nature. There was no deeper feeling. No physical longing.

“Don’t be silly, Viria,” Jialia said. “Young women prefer men closer to their age. If Tessia is infatuated with anyone, it’s more likely to be young Jayan of Drayn.” Her gaze became speculative. “I do hope Lord Dakon has taught you how to avoid conceiving.”

Tessia shook her head and sighed. If you knew Jayan, you’d know how unlikely that is, she thought. Though he has improved. It would be unfair to say he was completely loathsome.

“Jialia,” Avaria cut in. “It’s hardly something a male magician is going to teach a female apprentice.”

Viria nodded, then looked from Avaria to Tessia and back again. “So will you teach Tessia yourself?”

“I...if she wishes me to.”

Tessia decided to say nothing. It was taking all her will to stop herself grinding her teeth. Someone please come and take me away from these insane women, she thought.

And then the sound of an explosion had assaulted their ears, coming from behind Tessia. She and Avaria jumped to their feet and turned around.

“What was that?” Avaria asked.

Magicians began moving towards the noise, their faces hard with fear and determination. Tessia took a step away from the women.

“No! Stay here,” Jialia said, a note of command in her voice despite the fear that made it waver. Tessia turned to find the pair still sitting on their blankets. “Don’t get in the way.”

A surge of rebellion fought common sense and her habit of obedience. Tessia looked at Avaria. If she says I should stay, I will.

Avaria glanced at Tessia, frowned and reluctantly sat down. “Yes, we should wait for orders.” Her eyes narrowed as she watched the magicians disappear behind the storehouses.

Tessia sat down, but turned so that her shoulder was to the women and she could keep watching the magicians. Time dragged by. The women tried to resume the conversation, this time targeting Avaria with their questions.

“Well, they’d have ordered us to fight or flee by now if it was an attack,” one of them said. She turned to Avaria. “So, when are you going to give Everran some boys to indulge?”

Tessia saw Avaria wince and smothered a smile.

“When there isn’t a good chance the Sachakans will eat them before they grow old enough to talk,” Avaria retorted.

“Well,” the woman said, her eyebrows rising.

“I thought that was only a rumour,” the other murmured to her.

Tessia didn’t hear what they said next. Lord Werrin’s servant had rounded the end of a storehouse and was hurrying towards her. Perhaps Avaria would ask for news as he passed. But as he came closer she realised he was looking at her.

“Apprentice Tessia,” he called.

She rose. “Yes?”

“Your services are required.”

Picking up her father’s bag, she hurried forward. He led her back towards the end of the storehouse.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Sachakans attacked,” he said, breathing heavily. “Only three, but gone now. They sneaked up on a group of apprentices exploring the estate.” As she followed him round the corner she nearly stopped in shock. One of the huge buildings had collapsed, and the remains were burning.

“Anyone hurt?” she asked. But of course someone is. Why else summon me? Unless... unless I know them. She felt her insides clench with fear and dread. Jayan? No. Surely not Jayan. He’s too annoying to have been killed. Besides, this one said my “services” were needed. That can only mean healing.

“The apprentices lured them inside,” the servant continued. “The storehouse was filled with whitewater. Apprentice Jayan set it alight.” He glanced back, grinning. “Must’ve cost them a bit of power shielding from that.”

“But they survived.”

The servant nodded. “Ran off into the night. Some magicians have gone off after them.”

She’d meant the apprentices, but was glad he’d told her that bit of news anyway. He was leading her towards a group of magicians and servants standing around something. Recognising the two guild healers, she felt her stomach sink. Someone saw her approaching and all turned to stare at her. Then she saw Lord Dakon and Jayan.

Jayan looks unharmed. The relief she felt was stronger than she’d have thought warranted. So who are they... ah. Refan.

The young man was lying on the ground, face down. He was groaning with pain. As she reached the magicians, Lord Dakon moved to her side.

“It’s his back,” he told her quietly. “Hit by forcestrike. He can’t feel his legs. The healers say the paths to those parts of his body have been broken. He’ll live for a while, in pain, before those parts die and poison the rest of him.”

She nodded. A broken back was a terrible injury. The healers were right, though it depended on where the break was, and whether the patient had constant, specific care. They could live for a few years, if they were lucky.

But even if Refan was so lucky, he couldn’t ride. He probably couldn’t travel in a cart, either. The jostling would worsen the injury. If he stayed, the Sachakans would kill him. She looked at Lord Dakon.