The Magicians' Guild

looking for you, for example. Rothen was the only one of us who had seen you. If he'd been able to make pictures of you, we could have carried them with us to show people.'

Sonea nodded slowly. 'What do the pictures look like when they've lost colors?'

'Faded. Blurry. But you can still see what they were, in some cases.'

'Can ... can I see one?'

Dannyl smiled. 'Of course. I'll bring some around.'

Sonea's eyes sparkled with curiosity. If Dannyl set up his experiment here, Rothen mused, she could see it for herself. Looking around, he pictured transferring the clutter of vials and presses from Dannyl's guestroom to his -

'I'm sure Dannyl won't mind if we visit his rooms for a demonstration,' he said.

Dannyl's eyes went round. 'Now?'

Rothen opened his mouth to reassure his friend, then hesitated. Sonea was watching eagerly. He considered them both.

Dannyl obviously did not intimidate her at all. Of the two of them, she seemed the least bothered by the other's presence. Dannyl's rooms were on the lower floor of the Magician's Quarters, so they would not be going far.

'I don't see why not,' he replied.

- Are you sure that's wise? Dannyl sent.

Sonea's eyes flickered toward him. Ignoring the question, Rothen regarded Sonea carefully. 'Would you like that?'

'Yes,' she replied, turning to look at Dannyl. 'If you don't mind.'

'Not at all.' Dannyl glanced at Rothen. 'It's just ... my rooms are a bit untidy.'

'A bit?' Rothen lifted his cup to finish the last of his sumi.

'Don't you have a servant?' Sonea asked.

'Yes,' Dannyl replied. 'But I have warned him not to touch any of my experiments.'

Rothen smiled. 'Why don't you go on ahead and make sure we have somewhere to sit.'

Sighing, Dannyl rose. 'Very well.'

Following his friend to the door, Rothen slipped outside. At once, Dannyl spun about to stare at him.

'Are you mad? What if someone sees you both?' Dannyl whispered. 'If you're seen taking her outside your room, Fergun will say you have no reason to keep him from her.'

'Then I'll let him visit.' Rothen shrugged. 'The only reason I wanted her isolated was to stop him visiting at a time when any unfamiliar magician would have frightened her. But if she is this calm and confident around you, I don't think she'll be worried by Fergun.'

'Thanks,' Dannyl replied dryly.

'Because you look more intimidating than him,' Rothen explained.

'Do I?'

'And he is much more charming,' Rothen added, smiling. He waved toward the stairs. 'Go on. Get downstairs. When you're ready - and the corridor is clear - let me know. Just don't take too long cleaning up, or we'll both think you had to hide something.'

As his friend hurried away, Rothen returned to his room. Sonea was standing before her chair, looking a little flushed. She sat down again as he cleared the table.

'He doesn't sound like he wants visitors,' she said doubtfully.

'He does,' Rothen assured her. 'He just doesn't like surprises.'

Picking up the tray, he carried it to the side table, then took a sheaf of paper out of a drawer and wrote a quick note to Tania, letting the servant know where they were. As he finished, he heard Dannyl call his name.

- There's a bit of space here now. Come down.

Sonea rose and looked at Rothen expectantly. Smiling, he moved to the door and opened it. Her eyes flickered about as she stepped outside, taking in the wide corridor and its numerous doors.

'How many magicians live here?' she asked as they started toward the stairs.

'Over eighty,' he told her, 'and their families.'

'So there are people other than magicians here?'

'Yes, but only the spouses and children of magicians. No other relatives are allowed.'

'Why not?'

He chuckled. 'If we had every relative of every magician living here, we would have to move the entire Inner Circle into the Grounds.'

'Of course,' she said dryly. 'What happens when the children grow up?'

'If they have magical potential, they usually join the Guild. If they don't, they must leave.'

'Where do they go?'

'To live with relations in the city.'

'In the Inner Circle.'

'Yes.'

She considered this, then looked up at him. 'Do any magicians live in the city?'

'A few. It's discouraged.'

'Why?'

He gave her a crooked smile. 'We're supposed to keep an eye on each other, remember, to make sure none of us get too deeply involved in politics, or plot against the King. It's harder to do that if too many of us live outside the Guild.'

'So why are some allowed to?'

They had reached the end of the corridor. Rothen started down the spiral staircase, Sonea following.

'Many reasons, all unique to the individual. Old age, illness.'

'Are there any magicians who decided not to join the Guild - who learned Control but not how to use magic?'

He shook his head. 'No. The young men and women who join us haven't had their powers released yet. After that they learn Control. Remember, you are unique in that your power developed on its own.'

She frowned. 'Has anyone left the Guild before?'

'No.'

She considered this, her expression intent. From below came Dannyl's voice, and another. Rothen slowed, giving Sonea plenty of time to become aware of the other magician.

Then she shied to one side as a magician floated up the stairwell, his feet resting on nothing but air. Recognizing the magician, Rothen smiled.

'Good evening, Lord Garrel.'

'Good evening,' the magician replied, raising his eyebrows as he noticed Sonea.

Sonea stared at the magician, her eyes wide. As Garrel's feet reached the level of the higher floor, the magician stepped onto the solid surface of the corridor. He glanced down at Sonea once, his gaze bright with interest, then strode away.

'Levitation,' Rothen told Sonea. 'Impressive, isn't it? It takes more than a little skill. About half of us can do it.'

'Can you?' she asked.

'I used to all the time,' Rothen told her. 'But I'm out of practice now. Dannyl can.'

'Ah, but I'm not the show-off that Garrel is.'

Looking down, Rothen saw Dannyl waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

'I prefer to use my legs,' Rothen told Sonea. 'My former guardian always said that physical exercise is as necessary as mental exercise. Neglect the body and -'

'- and you neglect the mind,' Dannyl finished with a groan. 'His guardian was a wise and upright man,' he told Sonea as she reached his side. 'Lord Margen even disapproved of wine.'

'Which must be why you never liked him much,' Rothen observed, smiling.

'Guardian?' Sonea echoed.

'A tradition here,' he explained. 'Lord Margen chose to guide my training when I was a novice, as I chose to guide Dannyl's.'