for true magery will be given the secret.
'Should any here not be prepared to study what is allotted by the Magemasters, he may declare himself and leave now; for he has evidently neither the patience nor the diligence required of an Acclaimed mage. You will not be given further demonstrations of magic, gentlemen, and I will tolerate no further questioning of Scholasticate policy. You have had your fun, but it is over. I will not hesitate to discipline any Student who seeks a repeat performance. This is not a democracy, gentlemen. Either you accept the rules and strictures placed upon you, or you may consider a vocation outside this establishment.'
Crohn folded his arms and glared at the Students. 'Is there any boy here who will not give of his all, without question and without complaint? If so, you may speak now and save both of us much wasted effort and frustration.'
The boys looked at the floor and made no reply. Crohn allowed uncomfortable silence to hang over the room like a funeral pall.
'That is well,' the Magemaster intoned at last. 'Now, if we have all had our fun, perhaps we may explore the thaumic resonances of runic groups of the Second and Third Families when combined with root tones…'
Chapter 20: The Broken Instrument
Self-control and discipline; these had become the new mantras, the new watchwords for Grimm's class. Again and yet again, the boys practiced writing and chanting of the most obscure and complex spells under all kinds of conditions.
Sometimes Kargan would burst a paper bag behind a boy engaged in a chant. On one occasion, the boys took it in turns to intone chants in which they were proficient, whilst being spun around in a rotating chair and suddenly stopped at irregular intervals. Many boys became nauseous, and several vomited. Only a few, including Grimm, managed to hold on to their senses and the contents of their stomachs long enough to complete the chant with sufficient control and attention to detail. Grimm studied meditation techniques in the Library, so as to allow the divorce of his mind from his body at these times; these exercises proved very useful.
Even the bullies of Grimm's year were pent by this constant discipline, as, where the Magemasters had once overlooked various infringements including the sporting of fight injuries, now they pounced on the least infraction with ruthless severity. Should any boy enter the class bearing inexplicable bruises, the Magemasters used Divination spells to ascertain the reason for this, and they were liberal with their punishments.
Shumal and Ruvin now left Grimm alone, preferring to pick on Students in lower years.
At one point, Argand caught Shumal tormenting a first-year Student and beat the bully without mercy, but he was careful to leave no marks that would be visible to the Magemasters. After pointing out to the prostrate Shumal that, next time, he would be given a black eye and a broken nose despite the risk of punishment, even Shumal took a sabbatical from his unpleasant activities. If the Magemasters had performed a Divination on him in such circumstances and discovered his bullying of smaller boys, he would surely be dismissed from the House, and he seemed aware of this fact. Some of the boys told Grimm that Shumal's father was a more brutal bully than his son, although the charity lad could not bring himself to pity his enemy. Nonetheless, even Shumal's wings seemed to have been clipped.
'Now, Afelnor, you will demonstrate to the class the correct form of the secondary type of Joining spell for a round, inanimate object in no more than five fragments,' Kargan drawled to the twelve-year-old Grimm, who was now almost as tall as the Magemaster.
Grimm composed himself and stood before the class. He knew the exercise well, but he worried that he might have difficulties with the higher notes. For some weeks, he had had to struggle to reach notes that he had sung on previous occasions without the least trouble. He felt sure that this was some passing minor malady, and he began to sing.
'Churaah, aharantai, khohauugh nimaimetooreh… ' Grimm broke off in confusion, as his voice descended to a ludicrous bass, rose to an off-key croak and then sank again on the last three syllables. A peal of laughter burst from the class, and, for once, Kargan did not admonish them.
'Perdition on it!' Kargan sighed, adding: 'I should have had you bloody castrated last year!'
Grimm felt by no means certain that Kargan's words were given in jest.
The Magemaster drew another deep sigh. 'I expected that voice to last you at least for another year. Oh, well; once the instrument is broken, it cannot be mended again. You will just have to learn to cope with the new one, which I hope serves you as well. Gaheela! May I prevail upon you to lead the class in this chant for a little while? I need a private word with our newly disharmonious friend, Afelnor.'
Numb with shock, Grimm allowed Kargan to lead him into the corridor, while Madar ran through the same spell-chant with the other Students, his voice ringing out in its customary, clear treble.
Closing the classroom door behind him, the Magemaster laid an almost paternal hand on Grimm's shoulder, as the boy fought to control hot tears. For once, the Magemaster's usual boisterous manner was absent, and he seemed almost like a normal human being.
'It was a fine instrument, boy,' Kargan said, leaning close to Grimm's ear, 'one of the finest I have ever heard, but it would be a great shame were you to reach my age with the same voice. Imagine if I were to stand before you, stern and forbidding, and then declaim in a dulcet soprano!'
Grimm laughed in a hoarse, scratchy tone. Then he became serious again. 'Lord Mage, will this affect my chances of progressing further? What if I can never sing again?'
Kargan shook his head. 'All men, including the greatest of Acclaimed mages, have been through this, Afelnor. It is part of becoming a man, and even the mightiest mage has had to cope with the change in voice sooner or later.
'In your case, it is sooner, so you will have plenty of time to gain the measure of your new voice before you are shown how to cast spells. For some of the others, it will be far more difficult; indeed, we do not consider advancing a boy to the level of spell-casting until he has attained his adult voice and learned to control it.
'For now, you must practice, practice and practice again with your new voice until it fits you. Most boys are admonished for singing in the halls, but I will allow a special dispensation for you to sing at any time out of class, of which I shall inform the other Magemasters. You will not be punished, except for singing at inappropriate times and places, such as during a study period or an Observance.'
Grimm nodded, not trusting his vocal chords with a spoken response, as a peal of laughter arose from the class.
Kargan said: 'We will go back into class now, for it sounds as if a herd of wild boar has been let loose in there. I suppose it is time for some semblance of order to be imposed once more. Promise you will not give up working with your man's voice, Afelnor. You will be a man soon; do not regret it.'
Still not trusting himself to speak, Grimm nodded again to the Magemaster and followed him back into the classroom, his head bowed.
Kargan seemed to grow in stature, and the familiar, manic grimace came over his face as he flung the door open in his normal, energetic way.
'Right!' he yelled. 'That's enough of that! We will revisit the charm of Mage Light in its third form. Trune, you loathsome toad, be so good as to demonstrate the chant, if you can bear to drag yourself from your slothful reverie…'
The relentless tutoring went on as if nothing had happened.
During the evening meal, Madar and Argand joined Grimm in the refectory.
'What did old Kargan say to you outside the class, Grimm?' Madar asked, his eyes wide and earnest.
Feeling a little less self-conscious talking to his friends, Grimm spoke in a hoarse croak: 'He told me to practice
