standing at the back. One of the king’s advisers sat to one side, and Sonea, not for the first time, wondered if they received training in how to avoid attracting attention – remaining unobserved while observing all.
As always, she and Black Magician Kallen were standing. Kallen had been looming over the others when Sonea arrived, and though she told herself that it would be easier if they could all see her when she reported her findings, she had to admit there was a small, defiant part of her that didn’t want to seem less authoritative than he, sitting down while he towered over everyone.
The door opened and all turned to see Novice Director Narren enter the room. The man was younger than his predecessor, Ahrind, had been when Sonea was a novice, but he was equally strict and humourless. As Osen welcomed him he looked around and nodded politely. When his gaze fell on her and Kallen he frowned.
“Who is guarding Lilia?” he asked, alarmed.
Sonea looked at Kallen and saw a flicker of the same amusement she felt. “Lilia is no stronger than her natural limit,” she reminded him. “The two magicians guarding her will have no more trouble restraining her than myself and Black Magician Kallen would.”
He blinked, then flushed a bright red. “Ah. Forgive me. I forgot.”
“So Lilia hasn’t taken power from anyone?” Vinara asked, looking at Sonea.
“I detected no unnatural level of power within her. She may have taken power, then used it, but she doesn’t recall doing so, except—”
Osen cleared his throat and raised his hands to indicate they should stop talking. “Forgive me for interrupting, but we should begin at the beginning.” He looked to the back of the room. “Lords Roah and Parrie, please tell us when you first learned of Lord Leiden’s murder.”
The Healer and Alchemist moved forward. All turned to observe them, but it was the latter who spoke.
“I was talking with Lord Roah when a message came from Lady Naki that her father had been murdered during the night. We went straight to her house, where she showed us Lord Leiden’s body, and told us that Lilia must have killed him. Lord Roah examined Leiden and found he was drained of power, while I questioned Naki on why she thought her fellow novice was responsible.” He paused and looked troubled.
“She confessed to spending the previous evening with Lilia studying a book on black magic. They had both experimented with the directions, thinking themselves safe from the dangers of success because they had been told it could not be learned from a book. She hadn’t succeeded and Lilia claimed failure as well, but now that her father had been killed with black magic she could not think of anyone else who could be to blame.” He glanced at Kallen. “Black Magician Kallen arrived and we proceeded to the guest room. Lilia was asleep, but woke on our arrival. She appeared surprised, and shocked at the news and Naki’s accusations.”
“But there appeared to be dried blood on her hands,” the Healer added. He looked at Sonea. “Was it blood?”
Sonea nodded. “It was. Was there much blood on and around Lord Leiden?”
“A little. The cut had been wiped clean.” “That is odd,” Lady Vinara said. “Why clean the corpse but not her hands?”
“Perhaps in the excitement and darkness she did not notice they were soiled,” Garrel suggested.
“Lilia does not recall how it got on her hands,” Sonea told them. All attention turned to her. She looked at Lord Parrie, who nodded to say he was finished. “Lilia was still in bed when I arrived,” she explained. “Kallen left to find the book while I examined the blood and read Lilia’s mind.
“She had a nasty headache resulting from a night of roet and wine, and I suspect much of her memory loss is due to those influences. She remembers Naki taking the initiative with the book. They went to the library, where Naki removed the book from its keeping place – as she had done before. Naki opened the page and urged Lilia to read. They then took it in turns to try the steps described. Lilia was first, then Naki.”
Sonea paused and resisted the urge to grimace. “Lilia clearly recalls achieving the state of mind required, and even taking a little power from Naki.” A collective soft intake of breath sounded around the room. “She also recalls Naki taking strength from her. Then they went back to the guest bedroom to drink some wine and talk, and during the conversation Naki expressed a wish for Lilia to get rid of her father, who had been restricting her access to wine, roet and money. Lilia remembers nothing after that until she was woken in the morning.
“However, Naki remembers the same events, but with a very different perspective. She recalls Lilia persuading her to get the book and encouraging her to try the lesson it contained, and Naki complied because she wanted to impress her – and didn’t think she would succeed. She did not make sense of the instructions, however, and when I sought a memory of the sensations or knowledge of using black magic I found nothing. Naki did, however, express a wish for Lilia to get rid of her father, which she now regrets.”
“How can they have such different recollections?” Peakin asked.
“They were making great assumptions about each other,” Sonea told him. “They misunderstood each other’s motives and desires. Each thought the other was pushing them to try black magic, and that if they refused they would be seen as weak and boring.” Once again, Sonea hesitated to reveal the infatu ation Lilia had for Naki. She had learned, as a youngster in the former slums, that bonds could naturally form between women as well as men. She did not see any more harm in it than a love match between a man and a woman. But she knew many didn’t agree, and it was true that not all infatuations, regardless of gender, were good for those involved. Though Lilia’s had been a one-sided thing, Naki had evidently encouraged it. It had clearly been a part of their reckless pleasure- seeking adventures.
Lady Vinara sighed. “Ah, the young can be such fools.”
“We told them that they couldn’t learn black magic from books,” Director Jerrik reminded them. “Though we also forbade them to read about it. That always makes something more attractive, to a certain kind of person. And having told them that they couldn’t learn black magic by reading of it, we suggested it was a safe way of defying rules.”
“We were wrong,” Garrel said, and even looked regretful about it, Sonea noted.
“Yes, we are partly to blame for this,” Osen said. “Which is going to make deciding what to do with Naki and Lilia even harder.”
Sonea saw many nods of agreement.
“I don’t think anyone would think us neglectful if we chose a more lenient punishment than the old standard,” Vinara said.
This time all nodded.
“Naki has not learned black magic,” Peakin said. “She cannot be guilty of her father’s death. She should be given a more lenient punishment.”
More nods of agreement followed. Sonea felt a twinge of discomfort. The two girls were equal in their guilt, as far as she was concerned. There was no proof that Lilia had killed Lord Leiden. The only provable crime was that they had tried to learn black magic. That Lilia had succeeded was an unfortunate result, but not a deliberate one on her part.
Was there some prejudice here? Naki was of the higher class; Lilia from a servant family. Naki was pretty and popular; Lilia was quiet and had few friends.
“The punishment must be strong enough to deter other novices attempting to learn black magic,” Vinara added.
“I suggest we delay Naki’s graduation,” Director Jerrik said. “She has lost a father. That is painful enough. She must also cope with the sudden responsibility that comes with being the sole inheritor of her family fortune. She will likely fall behind in her studies anyway.”
“She should make a public apology,” Garrel added. “And her return to the University be dependent on her not committing any other crime.”
“How long would we delay her graduation?” Osen asked.
“A year?” Jerrik suggested.
“Three,” Vinara said decisively. “The punishment is supposed to be a deterrent, not a holiday.”
