The Novice

Sonea shifted the box of books onto her hip as Lady Tya opened the door of the Magicians’ Library and walked inside. Setting her burden next to Tya’s on Lord Jullen’s desk, Sonea looked around the darkened room.

“I haven’t been in here for weeks.”

Tya began removing books from the boxes. “Why not?”

“‘No novices allowed unless accompanied by a magician.’ ”

The librarian chuckled. “I can’t imagine your guardian wanting to wait around while you studied. You don’t have to ask him, though. You can go almost anywhere you want now.”

Sonea blinked in surprise. “Even here?”

“Yes, but you still have to carry these for me.” The librarian’s eyes twinkled as she held out a stack of books. Taking them, Sonea followed her between bookshelves to the far wall, then through a small door into a room she hadn’t seen before. More shelves filled the center of the room, but the walls were lined with cupboards and chests.

“Is this a storeroom?”

“Yes.” Tya began stacking books on shelves. “These are duplicates of popular volumes from the Novices’ Library or classes, ready for when the old ones wear out. The originals are stored in those chests.”

Taking the books from Sonea, Tya continued along the wall toward the back of the room. They passed a large, heavy cabinet filled with books of many sizes and a small mountain of scrolls. The glass doors were backed by a mesh of wire.

“What’s in there?”

The librarian looked back, and a gleam came to her eyes. “Originals of the oldest and most valuable books and maps in the Guild. They’re too fragile to use. I’ve seen copies of some of them.”

Sonea peered through the glass. “Have you ever looked at the originals?”

Moving to Sonea’s side, Tya regarded the books inside. “No, the doors are locked by magic. When Jullen was a young man, his predecessor opened the doors for him, but Jullen has never opened them for me. He told me once that he’d seen a map of the passages under the University in there.”

“Passages?” A memory rose of being blindfolded and taken to see her friend Cery, imprisoned beneath the University by Fergun.

“Yes. The Guild is supposed to be riddled with them. No one uses them these days - though I’d say your guardian does since he’s well known for his habit of appearing and disappearing in unexpected places.”

“And there’s a map in here?”

“So Jullen said, but I suspect he was just teasing me.”

Sonea looked sideways at Tya. “Teasing you?”

The librarian’s face reddened, and she straightened and turned away. “It was many years ago, when we were much younger.”

“It’s hard to imagine Lord Jullen was ever young,” Sonea said, following Tya to the end of the room. “He’s so stern and disapproving.”

Stopping at a chest, Tya took the books Sonea was carrying and stacked them inside. “People change,” she said. “He’s grown much too full of his own importance, as if being a librarian was as important as, say, being the Head of Warriors.”

Sonea chuckled. “Director Jerrik would say that knowledge is more important than anything else, so as caretakers of the Guild’s knowledge, you are more important than the Higher Magicians.”

A smile curled the librarian’s mouth. “I think I know why the High Lord chose you, Sonea. Now go fetch me the rest of those books on Jullen’s desk.”

Sonea returned to the other room. Over the last two weeks she had spent most nights helping Tya. Though her real motivation had been to avoid Regin, she found she was growing to like the eccentric librarian. Once the library closed and they began cleaning up, Tya could be as talkative as the washing women who worked down by the Tarali River.

The librarian was an eager listener when Sonea needed to discuss the projects she had been given. If she didn’t feel like talking, Lady Tya seemed happy to do it all herself. She was also an endless source of information and recent Guild history, full of tales of infighting and political meddling, scandals and secrets. Sonea had been surprised to learn of the rumors that had circulated about Dannyl when he was a novice, which Tya dismissed, and saddened to hear of the slow death of Rothen’s wife from a disease no Healer could cure.

Returning with the books, she passed the cabinet again, and looked at it thoughtfully. No one used the passages under the University. Certainly not Regin. And, as Tya had said, she could go anywhere she wanted to now.

As soon as the door to his rooms had closed, Rothen hurried to a chair and pulled the letter out of his robes. It had been hidden there since a messenger had delivered it to him between classes. Though curiosity had tormented him for most of the day, he dared not open it in the University.

It had been seven weeks since he had written to Dannyl. Seven weeks since Akkarin had taken Sonea away. He’d spoken to her only once in that time. When a novice of an influential family had requested Rothen’s private tutorship, he had been flattered; but when it turned out that the novice was only available during the time Rothen taught Sonea’s class, he began to suspect other reasons behind the arrangement. It would have been rude to refuse, however. And he could not think of a valid reason to explain why, other than the truth.

Rothen looked down at the letter and prepared himself for disappointment. Even if Dannyl had agreed to help him, there was only a slim hope that he would find anything that might lead to Akkarin’s downfall. But the letter was large and surprisingly thick. With trembling hands, Rothen broke the seal. As several sheets of paper slid out and Dannyl’s handwriting appeared, he grabbed the first sheet and began to read.

To Rothen.

It was a pleasant surprise to hear from you, old friend. I have, indeed, been travelling about the lands, meeting people of different races, cultures and religions. The experience has been both educational and enlightening, and I will have plenty of stories to tell you when I return next summer.

Your news about Sonea is remarkable. It is a fortuitous change for her, though I understand your dismay at losing her guardianship. I know that it was your care and hard work that made her into a novice worthy of the High Lord’s notice. Her new position must surely have ended her troubles with a certain novice, too.

I was disappointed, however, to hear that I missed Dorrien’s visit. Please forward my regards to him.

With this letter is a little information I have gathered from the Great Library and a few other sources. I hope it is of use to you. I do greatly appreciate the irony of your new interest. If my next journey is successful, we may have even more to add to our book.

Your friend, Dannyl.

Leafing through the sheets of paper, Rothen muttered in amazement.

“All this? The Splendid Temple? The Tombs of White Tears!” He chuckled. “Just a few other sources, eh Dannyl?”

Turning back to the first page, he began to read. When he had just reached the third page, a knock on the door interrupted him. He stared at the door, then jumped to his feet, heart pounding. He cast about for a place to hide the bulky letter, then rushed to the bookcase and slipped it between the pages of a large volume. The extra thickness caused the book to bulge, but it wouldn’t be noticed unless someone looked closely.

As the knock came again, Rothen hurried to the door. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the worst. Opening the door, he sighed with relief as he saw the old couple standing in the corridor beyond.

“Yaldin and Ezrille. Come in.”

They moved into the guestroom. “How are you, Rothen?” Ezrille asked. “We haven’t seen you in a while.”

Rothen shrugged. “Well. You?”

“Fine,” Ezrille said. She hesitated, then glanced at Yaldin.