A light had been on when he had first arrived, but it was extinguished soon after. The windows on the left of hers were dark, but those on the right still glowed. He looked nervously at the University building towering to his left. The windows were dark. Since the first night when he had glimpsed Sonea, Cery had seen no sign of the mysterious watcher.
Somewhere in the corner of his eye, a light blinked out. He looked up at the magicians' building. The light in the rooms beside Sonea's had vanished. Cery smiled grimly and massaged his numb legs. Just a little longer ...
When a pale face appeared at the window he thought, for a moment, that he
Then she moved out of sight.
All weariness was gone. Cery's fingers closed around a snowball. His legs protested as he wriggled out of the hedge. He took aim and, as the snowball left his fingers, ducked back into the hedge.
The faintest thud reached his ears as the snowball struck the window. His heart sang with triumph as Sonea's face appeared again. She stared at the splash of frost on the glass, and she looked out at the garden again.
Checking the other windows, Cery saw no other watchers. He wriggled out of the hedge a little, and saw Sonea's eyes widen as she spotted him. Surprise was followed by a wide grin.
He waved, then signalled a question to her. She returned with a 'yes.' No harm had been done to her. He breathed a sigh of relief.
The Thieves' code of signals was limited to simple meanings like 'ready?,' 'now,' 'wait,' 'get out of here,' and the usual 'yes' and 'no.' There was no sign for 'I'm about to rescue you. Is the window locked?' He pointed to himself, then made climbing movements, mimed opening the window, pointed at her, then himself, and finished with the sign for 'get out of here.'
She returned with 'wait,' then pointed at herself, signed 'get out of here,' and shook her head.
He frowned. Though she knew more than most dwells about the Thieves' signals, she had never been as well versed as he was. She could be telling him that she wasn't allowed to leave, or that she didn't want to leave now, or that he should return later in the night. He scratched his head, then signalled 'get out of here' then 'now.'
She shook her head, then something to his left caught her attention and her eyes widened. Moving away from the window a little, she began signalling 'get out of here' over and over. Cery crouched and retreated into the hedge, hoping the wind would hide the rustle of leaves.
No footsteps reached his ears, and he began to wonder what had spooked her, then warm air slid over his skin, and the hairs on the back of his neck rose.
'Come out,' a cultured voice said, uncomfortably close. 'I know you're in there.'
Looking through the hedge, Cery could see the soft folds of robes only an arm's reach away. A hand snaked through the leaves. Cery twisted away, pushing out of the hedge and pressing himself against the building, his heart racing. The magician straightened quickly. Knowing that he was in full sight, Cery bolted along the side of the building toward the forest.
Something slammed into his back and he pitched forward into the snow. A weight held him there, pressing so firmly he could hardly breathe and the chill of the snow burned his face. He heard footsteps approaching and felt panic rising.
The crushing pressure eased. As he pushed himself to his hands and knees, Cery felt a hand grip his arm. It pulled him to his feet and dragged him through the hedge to the path.
Looking up, he turned cold as he recognized the magician.
The magician's eyes narrowed. 'You look familiar ... Ah, now I remember. The filthy dwell that tried to strike me.' He glanced back at Sonea's window and smirked. 'So Sonea has an admirer. How sweet.'
He regarded Cery thoughtfully and a gleam crept into his eyes. 'What am I going to do with you, then? I believe intruders are usually questioned and then escorted out of the Guild. We best get started then.'
Cery struggled as the magician began to pull him along the path toward the University. The magician's thin hand was surprisingly strong.
'Let me go!' Cery demanded.
The magician sighed. 'If you insist on jerking my arm like that, I will be forced to use less physical means to hold you. Please cooperate. I am as anxious to see this business finished as I am sure you are.'
'Where are you taking me?'
'Out of this noisy wind for a start.' They reached the end of the magicians' building, and started toward the University.
'Lord Fergun.'
The magician stopped and looked over his shoulder. Two robed shadows were approaching. Feeling a sudden tension in his captor's grip, Cery was not sure whether to be relieved or worried about the newcomers. Obviously, Fergun didn't welcome their intrusion.
'Administrator,' Fergun said. 'How fortunate. I was just coming to rouse you. I have discovered an intruder. He appears to have been attempting to reach the slum girl.'
'So I have been told,' the taller newcomer glanced at his companion.
'Will you question him?' Fergun sounded hopeful, yet his grip on Cery's arm tightened.
'Yes,' the tall magician replied. He made a lazy gesture, and a ball of light flared into existence above them.
Cery felt warmth slide over him and the wind disappeared. Looking around, he could still see trees twisting about, but the three magicians stood undisturbed.
In the strong light, the magicians' robes were brightly colored. The tall magician wore blue, his companion, an older man, wore purple, and Cery's captor wore red. The tall magician looked down at Cery and smiled faintly.
'Do you want to talk to Sonea, Cery?'
Cery blinked in surprise, then frowned. How did this magician know his name?
Sonea must have told him. If she had wanted to warn Cery, she would have given them another name ... unless they had tricked it out of her, or read it from her mind, or ...
What did it matter? They had caught him. If they intended to do him harm, he was doomed anyway. He may as well see Sonea.
He nodded. The tall magician looked at Fergun. 'Let him go.'
Fergun's grip tightened before his fingers uncurled from Cery's arm. The blue-robed magician gestured for Cery to follow, then started toward the magicians' building.
The doors opened before them. Aware of the two magicians pacing behind like guards, Cery followed the tall magician up a short flight of stairs to the upper floor. They strode down a wide corridor to one of many plain doors. The older magician stepped forward to touch the handle, and the door swung inward.
Inside was a luxurious room with cushioned chairs and fine furniture. In one of the chairs sat Sonea. When she saw Cery, she smiled.
'Go on,' the blue-robed magician said. Heart still racing, Cery stepped into the room. As the door closed, he looked back and wondered if he had just walked into a trap.
'Cery,' Sonea breathed. 'It's so good to see you.' He turned to study her. She smiled again, but it quickly disappeared.
'Sit down, Cery. I asked Rothen to let me talk to you. I told him you would keep trying to rescue me unless I explained why I can't leave.' She pointed to a seat.
He sat down reluctantly. 'Why can't you leave?' She sighed. 'I don't know if I can tell you in a way that makes sense.' She leaned back in the chair. 'Magicians have to be taught how to control magic, and only another magician can teach it, because it has to be taught mind to mind. If they don't learn to control it, the magic works whenever the magician feels something. The magic takes simple, dangerous forms, always stronger as it grows. Eventually ...' She grimaced. 'I... I nearly died the day they found me, Cery. They saved me.'
Cery shivered. 'I saw it, Sonea. The buildings - they're gone.'
