The Magicians' Guild

Looking at them, Sonea felt a surge of affection and longing. A familiar sensation slipped through her mind, and she drew in a sharp breath. Rising, she cast about, but saw nothing out of place.

'What?' Faren asked.

'I did something.' She flushed as she realized that her aunt and uncle were staring at her. 'Well, it felt like I did.'

The Thief looked around the room, then shrugged. 'Perhaps you moved a bit of dirt behind the walls.'

Jonna looked puzzled. 'What do you mean?'

'I used magic,' Sonea explained. 'I didn't intend to. It happens sometimes.'

'And you don't know what you did?' Jonna's hand tightened on her belly.

'No.' Sonea swallowed and looked away. The alarm in her aunt's gaze saddened her, but she understood why Jonna feared. The thought that she might accidentally harm ...

No, she thought. Don't think about it. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

'Faren, I think you should take them away. Just in case.'

He nodded. Jonna rose, her face lined with anxiety. She turned to Sonea and opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head and held out her arms. Sonea gave her aunt a tight hug before drawing away.

'I'll see you again,' she told them. 'When all this has sorted itself out.'

Ranel nodded. 'Take care of yourself.'

'I will,' she promised.

Faren ushered the couple out of the room. Turning away, Sonea listened to their footsteps ascending the stairs. An unfamiliar patch of color on the floor caught her attention. Her aunt's scarf.

Picking it up, she hurried to the door and up the stairs. As she climbed, she saw that her aunt and uncle were standing with Faren in Serin's kitchen, staring at something in the room. Reaching them, she saw what had captured their attention.

The floor had once been covered by large stone slabs. Now it was a jagged jumble of stone and dirt. A heavy wooden table had dominated the room, but all that remained was twisted, splintered wood.

Sonea felt her mouth go dry, then her mind shifted again and the table suddenly burst into flame. Faren turned to her and seemed to struggle with himself for a moment before speaking.

'As I said,' he said. 'She's probably just going through a difficult phase. Sonea, go back downstairs and pack your bag. I'll take your visitors home and get someone to put out the fire. Everything will be fine.'

Nodding, Sonea handed her aunt the scarf and fled back down the stairs to the basement.

Chapter 14 An Unwilling Ally

Pausing to rest in an alley, Rothen closed his eyes and drew up a little power to chase away his weariness.

He opened his eyes and considered the snow piled against the side of the buildings. The milder weather of the previous weeks was a distant memory now that the winter blizzards had reached Imardin. Checking that his robes were well covered by his cloak, he prepared to step out into the street.

He paused as a familiar buzzing began at the back of his head. Closing his eyes, he cursed under his breath as he realized how far away he was from the source. Shaking his head, he stepped out into the street.

- Dannyl?

- I heard her. She's a few streets away from me now.

- Has she moved?

- Yes.

Rothen frowned. If she had fled, why was she still using her powers?

- Who else is near?

- We're closer, Lord Kerrin called. She must be no more than a hundred paces from us.

- Sarle and I are about the same distance away, Lord Kiano sent.

- Move closer, Rothen told them. Don't approach her alone.

Rothen crossed the street and hurried down an alley. An old beggar stared blindly as he passed.

- Rothen ? Dannyl called. Look at this.

An image flashed into Rothen's mind of a house clothed in orange flames, smoke billowing into the sky. A feeling of suspicion and dread came with the image.

- Do you think she's ... ?

- We'd see something more dramatic than this, Rothen replied.

At the end of the alley, Rothen stepped into a wider street. He checked his stride as he saw the burning house. People were already gathering to watch, and as he drew closer he saw the occupants of the neighboring homes emerging, their arms laden with belongings.

A tall shadow detached itself from the darkness of another alley and approached him.

'She'll be close,' Dannyl said. 'If we ...'

They both stiffened as a stronger, shorter buzz hit their senses.

'Behind that building,' Rothen said, pointing.

Dannyl started forward. 'I know this area. There's an alley beside that house that meets with two others.'

They strode into the darkness between two buildings. Rothen checked his stride as he felt another sharp vibration a hundred paces to the left of the previous one.

'She's moving fast,' Dannyl muttered, breaking into a jog.

Rothen hurried after. 'Something's not right,' he panted. 'Silence for weeks, then this week every day - and why is she still using her powers?'

'Perhaps she can't help it.'

'Then Akkarin was right.'

Rothen sent out a mental call.

- Kiano?

- She's moving toward us.

- Kerrin?

- She crossed our path a moment ago, heading south.

- We have her surrounded, Rothen told them. Be careful. She may be losing control of her powers. Kiano and Sarle, move in slowly. Kerrin and Fergun, keep to her right. We'll come in on her -

- I've found her, Fergun sent.

Rothen frowned. - Fergun, where are you?

There was a pause.

- She's in the tunnels beneath me. I can see her through a grille in the wall.

- Stay there, Rothen ordered. Do not approach her alone.

A moment later Rothen felt another vibration, and then several more. He sensed the other magicians' alarm and lengthened his stride.

- Fergun? What's happening?

- She saw me.

- Don't approach her! Rothen warned.