protested in reply. Whatever they were doing, it wasn’t having the effect they’d expected.
Was this, then, as strong as they could be when combined? She smiled. She was holding them off easily. He had underestimated her - and if the globe light floating above them was any indication, she still had strength to spare.
How, then, would this end? She was sure striking back would break their attack. But if they could not defend themselves she might be the one facing the Higher Magicians and exile.
And if they did manage to shield, they would still continue to hound her all of the way back to the Novices’ Quarters. How could she get away from them? She glanced up at the globe light. If she extinguished it, it would take a few minutes for their eyes to grow used to the dark. She could slip away. Unfortunately, she would suffer the same night-blindness...
Blindness...?
She smiled. Closing her eyes tightly, she exerted her will. Light flashed brightly behind her eyelids, and she felt the attack falter. When she opened her eyes again the novices were blinking or rubbing their faces.
“I can’t see!” Kano exclaimed.
It worked! She grinned as Alend swore vehemently and spread his arms out, having nearly lost his balance on the uneven ground. Issle groped about until she found a tree, then grasped it as if she was afraid it would run away.
Sonea took a step backward. Hearing the crunch of snow, Regin reached out and took a step toward her. His boot landed in the mud created by the melted snow, then slipped sideways. He landed face first in the mire. An exclamation of disgust and frustration burst from him as he struggled to his feet.
Sonea choked back laughter. A murderous look crossed Regin’s face and he leapt up from the ground. Evading his groping hands, Sonea backed away from the novices.
“Thanks for the lesson, Regin. I never knew you were a man of such vision.”
Chuckling, she turned away and started toward the lights of the University.
16
The Rule About Accusations
Rothen was dismantling a delicate construction of tubes, valves, and glass baubles when a voice spoke his name. He looked up to find a young man in servant’s clothes, wearing the green sash that marked him as a Healer’s messenger, standing in the doorway of the classroom.
“Yes?” Rothen said.
“Lady Vinara requests your presence in the Healers’ Quarters.”
Rothen’s heart skipped. What could Vinara want? Had something happened to Sonea? Had one of Regin’s pranks gone too far? Or was it someone else? His old friend, Yaldin? Or Ezrille, his wife?
“I will be there shortly,” he replied.
The messenger bowed and hurried away. Rothen looked at the novice who had stayed back to assist him. Farind smiled.
“I’ll finish if you want, my lord.”
Rothen nodded. “Very well. Just make sure you dispose of the acid carefully.”
“Of course.”
Hurrying down the corridor, Rothen tried to stop himself from guessing the reason for Vinara’s summons. He would know soon enough. The night air was icy cold outside the University, so he surrounded himself with a shield and warmed the air within. Reaching the Healers’ Quarters he found Lady Vinara waiting for him in the entrance.
“You sent for me?” Rothen asked breathlessly.
Her lips twitched into a faint smile. “There was no need to hurry, Lord Rothen,” Vinara told him. “The novices here who claim to be victims of your favorite are not about to expire. Do you know where Sonea is?”
Victims? What had she done? “Studying in her room, most likely.”
“You haven’t seen her this evening?”
“No.” Rothen frowned. “What is this about?”
“Six novices found their way here an hour ago. They claim that Sonea ambushed them in the forest and blinded them.”
“Blinded them? How?”
“With a bright light.”
“Oh.” Rothen relaxed, but seeing the Healer’s grim expression, he grew worried again. “Not permanently?”
She shook her head. “No. None of their injuries are serious - certainly not bad enough to waste Healers’ time on. They will recover.”
“Any injuries other than blindness?”
“Cuts and bruises from finding their way out of the forest.”
“I see.” Rothen nodded slowly. “Would one of these novices be Garrel’s favorite, Regin?”
“Yes.” Her lips thinned. “I have heard Sonea has a particular dislike for this boy.”
Rothen gave a short, bitter laugh. “The feeling is mutual, I assure you. May I speak to Regin?”
“Of course. I will take you to him.” Vinara turned and began to walk along the main corridor of the building.
As Rothen followed, he considered all that Vinara had told him. He didn’t believe for a minute that Sonea had ambushed Regin and his friends. More likely they had ambushed her. Something had gone wrong, however.
They might have blinded themselves so they could blame her for it, but he doubted that had been the case. If they had intended to do so, they would have arranged for others to find and guide them back to the Healers’ Quarters. That they hadn’t even called for assistance mentally suggested they had hesitated to call attention to their situation.
Vinara stopped by a door and gestured inside. Looking into the room, Rothen saw a familiar young man in mudstained robes sitting on the edge of a bed. Regin’s face was flushed. His fists clenched and unclenched and his eyes burned fiercely at a point far beyond the shoulder of his guardian, Lord Garrel.
The magician turned to regard Rothen and his expression darkened. Ignoring him, Rothen listened instead to Regin, who was just at the end of a long, angry whine.
“I swear, she was trying to kill us! I know the Guild law. She should be expelled!”
Rothen glanced at Vinara, then back at the boy, and felt a smile pulling at his lips. If Regin wanted to raise Guild law, then so be it.
“That’s a very serious accusation, Regin,” he said quietly. “And it would be most inappropriate for your guardian to confirm the truth of it.” He turned to look at the woman beside him. “Perhaps Lady Vinara would suggest someone.”
Vinara blinked, then her eyes twinkled as she realized what Rothen meant.
“I will perform the truth-read,” she said.
Regin drew in a sharp breath. Looking back to the novice, Rothen was gratified to see the boy had turned white. “No, I didn’t mean...” he spluttered. “I’m not—”
“Are you withdrawing your accusation, then?” Rothen said.
“Yes,” Regin gasped. “I withdraw my accusation.”
“So what did happen tonight?”
“Yes,” Vinara said, her voice darkening. “Why did Sonea attack you, as you claim?”
“Clearly she intended to ensure they could not attend classes for a few days,” Garrel replied.
“I see,” Rothen said. “What is going to occur in the next few days that she might want you to be absent from?”
“I don’t know... I guess she just wanted to hurt us.”
“And so she followed six novices into the forest,” Rothen gave Vinara a meaningful look, “certain that she
