The Magicians' Guild

'Which parts?'

She drew in a deep breath. 'If I become a novice, I'll have to make a vow that I know I'm going to break.'

He frowned. 'And?'

'I'm not... happy about doing that.'

His eyes narrowed slightly. 'You're worried about breaking a vow?' He shook his head. 'I am willing to break the King's law for you, Sonea. Though I'm sure we can make it look as if you escaped on your own, there's a chance my part in it will be discovered. I am willing to take that risk for your sake.' He leaned forward. 'You must decide whether the King has the right to take your power from you. If he doesn't, then what value is there in the vow?'

Sonea nodded slowly. He was right. Faren would agree, and so would Cery. The Houses had kept magic to themselves for too long - and then used it against the poor during the Purge. The dwells would not look down on her for breaking the Novices' Vow. It was their opinion that mattered, not the King's or the magicians'.

If she returned to the slums with her powers unfettered and taught herself magic, she could teach others too. She could start her own secret Guild.

It would mean relying on Faren to hide her from the Guild again. It would mean she could not return to her family. It would mean she might eventually use her powers to help and heal people - which might make the risks worth taking.

She looked at the magician sitting opposite her. Would Fergun be so keen to let her go if he knew what she was thinking? She frowned. If she became his novice, he might need to enter her mind to teach her. He might discover her plans and, not liking the consequences of helping her, change his mind.

Much of his proposal forced her to rely on him. She did not know him, had not seen into his mind.

If only she could leave - escape - without his help.

She felt a sudden thrill. Perhaps she could. She had achieved Control. Rothen didn't know that she knew. He would have to admit it eventually, and once he did, he would be wary of her attempting to escape. But not now. Now was the perfect time to try.

What if she did not get the opportunity, or failed?

Then she would accept Fergun's offer. For now, however, she had to delay him.

Looking at Fergun, she sighed and shook her head. 'I don't know. Even if your plan does work, I'll still have the Guild hunting for me.'

'They won't be able to find you,' he assured her. 'I will teach you how to hide your powers. They'll find no clue to your location, and eventually give up. You're not the only one who got tired of the hunt last time, Sonea. They won't search forever.'

'There are some things you don't know,' she told him. 'If I return to the slums with magic, the Thieves will want me to work for them. I don't want to be their tool.'

He smiled. 'You'll have magic, Sonea. They can't make you do anything you don't want to.'

She looked away and shook her head. 'I have family, Fergun. The Thieves might not be able to hurt me, but they can hurt others. I ...' She rubbed her face, then looked at him apologetically. 'I need more time to think.'

His smile vanished. 'How long?'

She shrugged. 'A few weeks, maybe?'

'I don't have that long,' he told her, his expression darkening. 'You don't have that long.'

Sonea frowned. 'Why not?'

Rising abruptly, he took something from within his robe and dropped it onto the table before her.

She sucked in a breath as she recognized the dagger. So many times, she had watched the blade being carefully and lovingly sharpened. She could remember the day, many years before, when the rough picture of a familiar rodent had been etched into the blade.

'You recognize it, I see.'

Fergun stood over her now, his eyes glittering.

'I have the owner of this knife locked in a dark little room that nobody here knows of.' His lips stretched into a nasty smile. 'Just as well they don't, since they might get a bit worried if they saw how big some of these rodents can grow.' Dropping into a crouch, he placed his hands on the arms of her chair. Sonea shrank back, appalled by his malicious stare.

'Do what I tell you, and I will release your friend. Give me any trouble, and I will leave him there forever.' His eyes narrowed. 'Do you understand me?'

Stunned, unable to speak, Sonea could only nod.

'Listen carefully,' he said. 'I'm going to tell you what you need to do. First, you're going to tell Rothen that you've decided to stay. When you do he'll announce that you've achieved Control, so he can get you into the Guild before you change your mind again. There'll be a Meet in a week, and a Hearing to decide who will be your guardian will be held afterward.

'At this Hearing you're going to tell everyone that, during the Purge, I saw you before Rothen did. You'll tell them I looked at you after the stone flashed through the barrier and before it struck.

'When you tell them this, the Higher Magicians will have no choice but to grant me your guardianship. You'll enter the Guild, but I assure you, it won't be for long. Once you have performed a little task for me, you'll be sent back where you belong. You'll get what you want, and so will I. You have nothing to lose from helping me, but ...' he picked up the dagger and ran a finger along the blade, 'you'll lose that little friend of yours if you don't.'

He held her gaze as he slipped the dagger back into his robes. 'Don't allow Rothen to find out about this. Nobody knows where the little ceryni is but me, and if I can't bring him food he's going to get very, very hungry.'

Rising, he glided to the door and opened it a crack. Looking back at her, he sneered. Sonea's heart lurched as she suddenly remembered where she had seen him before. He was the magician she had knocked out during the Purge.

'I expect to hear Rothen proclaiming his success tomorrow. I'll see you after.' He slipped through the door and pulled it closed behind him.

Sonea listened to his faint footsteps hurrying away, then pressed her hands over her eyes. Magicians. She hissed a curse. I will never, ever trust them again.

Then she thought of Rothen, and her anger faded. Even though he had deceived her into believing she hadn't achieved Control yet, she was sure Rothen's intentions were good. He had probably been delaying things to give her time to decide if she really wanted to leave. If that were true, he had done nothing that she would not have done herself, had she been in his place - and she was certain that he would help her if she asked.

But she couldn't ask him. A smothering helplessness rushed over her. If she didn't do what Fergun told her, Cery would die.

Curling up in the chair, she wrapped her arms about herself. Oh Cery, she thought. Where are you? Didn't I tell you to make sure you didn't get caught?

She sighed. Why was Fergun doing this? She thought of the first time she had seen his sneer, and shivered.

Revenge. Simple, petty revenge for the humiliation of being knocked unconscious by a rebellious dwell. It must infuriate him that, instead of punishment, she was being invited into the Guild. But why bother when she didn't want to stay?

She considered his words. 'Once you have performed a little task for me, you'll be sent back where you belong.' To have joined the Guild, then be sent away ... He was going to make sure she was punished for striking him.

He was going to make sure she would never be able to change her mind and return to the Guild.

Chapter 26