The High Lord

And me, she thought, with a shiver.

She wished again that she could talk to him. He had said he would tell the Guild about the Ichani. Did he intend to admit to learning black magic, too? Did he mean for them to know she had as well?

Or was he going to deny using black magic? Or admit to it himself, but claim she had done nothing wrong?

But she had. An unwanted image of the dead Ichani woman flitted through her mind. With it came intense, but contradictory feelings.

You're a killer, a voice in her mind accused.

I had to, she thought in reply. There was no choice. She would have killed me.

But you would have done it anyway, her conscience replied, even if there had been a choice.

Yes. To protect the Guild. To protect Kyralia. Then she frowned. Since when have I been so concerned about killing, anyway? I would have killed without hesitation, if I'd been attacked in the slums. In fact, I may have killed already. I don't know if that thug who dragged me off the street survived after I stabbed him.

That's different. You didn't have magic then, her conscience pointed out.

She sighed. She could not help thinking that, with all the advantages that having magic abilities gave her, she ought to be able to avoid killing anyone. But the Ichani had wielded magic, too.

She had to be stopped. I happened to be in a position to stop her. I don't regret killing her, only that I had to in the first place.

Her conscience fell silent.

Keep bothering me, she told it. I'd rather that, than kill and not feel bad about it.

Still nothing.

Great. She shook her head. Maybe that old superstition about the Eye is true. Not only am I having conversations with myself, but now I'm refusing to talk to me. This has got to be the first sign of madness.

A sound outside drew her attention back to the room. Sitting up, she saw the Warrior guards step aside as Lord Osen stopped in the doorway. A globe light flared above his head, filling the spherical room with light.

'The Hearing is about to begin, Sonea. I'm here to escort you to the Guildhall.'

Suddenly her heart was racing. She stood up, brushed the sand off her robes, and walked to the door. Osen stepped back and allowed her to pass.

A short set of stairs led to another open door. She paused as she saw the circle of magicians waiting beyond. Her escort was a collection of Healers and Alchemists. The Warriors and the stronger magicians of the Guild would be guarding Akkarin, she guessed.

They watched her intently as she stepped out into the middle of the circle. Seeing the suspicion and disapproval in their expressions, she felt her face grow warm. She turned around to see that her two Warrior guards had completed the circle. Osen stepped through a momentary break in the barrier they held around her.

'Sonea,' he said. 'Your guardian is accused of murder and of practicing black magic. As his novice, you will be questioned about your knowledge of these matters. Do you understand?'

She swallowed to wet her throat. 'Yes, my lord.'

He paused. 'Due to the discovery of books on black magic in your room, you will also be accused of learning about black magic.'

So she, too, was to be judged.

'I understand,' she replied.

Osen nodded. He turned to face the gardens beside the University. 'To the Guildhall, then.'

The escort kept pace as Osen led her to the path alongside the University. The grounds were empty and eerily quiet. Only their footsteps and the occasional chirrup of a bird broke the silence. She thought of the families of magicians, and the servants that populated the grounds. Had they been sent away, in case Akkarin sought to overtake the Guild?

When the escort had nearly reached the front of the University, Osen suddenly stopped. The magicians surrounding them exchanged worried looks. Realizing they were listening to a mental communication, she focused her senses.

- ... says he will not enter until Sonea is here, Lorlen sent.

- What shall we do? Osen asked.

- Wait. We will decide.

Sonea felt her heart lighten a little. Akkarin was refusing to enter the Guildhall without her. He wanted her there.

Osen and the escort were tense with anxiety, however, obviously fearing what Akkarin might do if Lorlen refused. They had no idea how strong Akkarin was.

She sobered. Neither do I.

As they waited, she tried to estimate his strength. He had taken energy from her and Takan for two weeks before the fight with the Ichani. Sonea had no idea how strong he had been before then, but the fight would have diminished his store of magic considerably. He might still be several times the strength of a Guild magician, but she doubted he was powerful enough to fight the entire Guild.

And me?

She was aware of a great increase in her strength since she had taken the Ichani woman's energy, but she could not guess how much more powerful it made her. Not as powerful as Akkarin, she guessed. He had been winning the fight with the Ichani before Sonea had stepped in so the Ichani would have been weaker. The power Sonea had taken from her couldn't have been as much as he had.

Unless the Ichani had been pretending to be weaker for some reason...

- Bring her.

Lorlen did not sound happy. Osen made a small noise of disgust, then began walking again. The escort followed. As they neared the front of the University, Sonea's heart began to race again, but this time in anticipation.

A crowd of magicians milled around the front of the building. They turned to watch as Sonea's escort appeared, then parted as it started up the stairs.

Akkarin stood in the center of the Entrance Hall. She felt a thrill as she saw him. The corner of his mouth curled up in a familiar half-smile as he saw her. She almost smiled in reply, but schooled her expression as she saw the tense faces of the magicians surrounding him.

The Entrance Hall was crowded. Akkarin's escort was made up of over fifty magicians, most of them Warriors. Nearly all of the Higher Magicians were present, looking nervous and angry. Lord Balkan's expression was dark.

Lorlen stepped forward to regard Akkarin.

'You may enter together,' he said, his voice full of warning, 'but you must remain out of each other's reach.'

Akkarin nodded, then turned and beckoned to her. She blinked in surprise as her escort stepped back to allow her through.

Murmuring filled the Entrance Hall as she moved into the circle of magicians surrounding Akkarin. She stopped beside him, but far enough away that they could not have reached out to grasp hands. Akkarin looked at Lorlen and smiled.

'Now, Administrator, let's see if we can sort out this misunderstanding.'

He turned and started down the passage to the Guildhall.

Rothen had never felt so ill. The last day had been one of the longest in his life. He had been dreading the Hearing, yet was also impatient for it to begin. He needed to hear Akkarin's excuses, and to know what had drawn Sonea into breaking a law. He wanted to see Akkarin punished for what he had done to Sonea. Yet he also dreaded the moment Sonea's punishment would be announced.

Two long lines of magicians stood along the length of the Guildhall. Behind them were two lines of novices,