The lioness bolted up. Safar forced to himself not to react in alarm. Then she roared a final time and vanished.
For a moment the only sound was the echo of the lioness roar. Then all became confusion as everyone shouted in relief and ran to Safar to thank him. Then, in the midst of this chaos, the crowd suddenly went silent and parted. Safar, still dazed and weary from his effort, saw Umurhan approach as if in a haze.
'Who is he? he heard the wizard ask.
'Safar Timura, Master. Safar Timura. A new acolyte. He's new.'
Umurhan's eyes swiveled to Safar. They looked him up and down, measuring. Then he asked, Why didn't tell anyone you had the talent, Acolyte Timura?'
'It's nothing, Master, Safar said. My talent is very small.'
'I'll be the judge of that, acolyte, Umurhan answered. He turned to the repetitious priest. Begin Acolyte Timura's education tomorrow, he ordered.
Then, without another word or look at Safar, he stalked away.
All became confusion again as Safar's fellow students crowded around to clap his back and congratulate him for being admitted to the ranks of the university's elite.
Safar hurried down the long main corridor of the first floor. There was no one to be seenmost of the students and priests would be gathered in prayer in the main assembly hall at this hour. The classrooms and offices he went by were empty and he could smell the stale stink of old magic from the practice spells his fellow students had cast the day before.
At the end of the corridor he came to the vast stairwell that joined the various levels. One group of stairs led downward, into the bowels of the university. The other climbed to the second floor where Umurhan and the priests lived. Safar hesitated, torn between his original purpose and the sudden thought the knowledge he sought in Umurhan's library would most likely be unguarded. He'd have about half an hour before the daily assembly ended and Umurhan and the other priests returned to the top floor.
'You can go either way, Gundara whispered from his shoulder. Both are safe.'
'Maybe later, Safar muttered, and then he ran down the stairs before the new idea could delay him from his most important task.
Although Safar met with Umurhan many times after the incident with the lioness, the wizard never thanked him or even raised the subject again. As Safar's education progressed and it soon became clear to all that he was a remarkable student of sorcery, Umurhan not only kept his distance but seemed to become colderand Safar would look up suddenly from his studies and find the wizard watching him. Gubadan had warned Safar about Umurhan before he'd left Kyrania. Although he'd never told the old priest about his abilities, Safar got the impression during that last conversation somehow Gubadan had guessed something was upand that there was magic behind it.
'Lord Umurhan has the reputation of being a jealous man, Gubadan had told him. He doesn't like students or priests who show off their intelligence or powers. So beware, my lad. Every teacher doesn't receive his reward from guiding a young man to heights they could never achieve themselves. Go carefully in Lord Umurhan's presence, is my best advice to you. And never, never show him up.'
Safar took Gubadan's advice to heart. As he progressed through his classes and spell-casting sessions he was always careful not to outshine Umurhanalthough it soon became apparent to him that he could, especially as he learned more and delved on his own into the arcane arts of sorcery. He occasionally made purposeful mistakes when he thought Umurhan was becoming suspicious. Umurhan always took particular pleasure when Safar pretended to bumble, chastising him loudly, calling him a mountain bumpkin and other names intended to humiliate.
Umurhan loved to lord his mastery over the acolytes. He also held back his knowledge. When the classes became more advanced and the students were closing the ground on Umurhan, he protected his self esteem by teaching only so much and no more. When a spell was particularly powerful Umurhan tended to make his explanations so obscure no one could follow them, much less duplicate the spell. He also had a way of excusing himself when a thorny question was asked. He'd nervously plead other business, disappear for a short time, then return and answer the question with a confidence his previous demeanor hadn't shown.
Where he went during that time was no mystery to any of the students. They were at a cynical age, an age when details older people might overlook were easily apparent to them. It was an open secret Umurhan retired to his private library during those moments, cribbing from ancient masters to shore up his own facade. No one but Umurhan was allowed to peruse the books in that library. The excuse given was that there were forbidden books and scrolls on the black arts stored there that were so deadly, so evil, that no one but the High Priest of Walaria should read themand then only in an emergency and only to ward off black spells cast against the city.
Safar's intense curiosity had led him to investigate the library. The library did contain material on black magic. But it was mainly a massive and confused collection of knowledge gathered by Umurhan's predecessorsrare scrolls, books by forgotten masters, volumes in strange languages and hand-written dictionaries of those languages, with magical symbols added by later men as marginalia. Using the books at Foolsmire, Safar had gradually deciphered the languages. His late night studies and secret visits put him on the trail of Asper, the ancient master of all master wizards, who also happenedSafar suspectedto have been a demon. One of the bits of marginalia even gave him strong reason to believe Asper's work was hidden somewhere in the chaos that was Umurhan's private library.
He'd been searching for it when he was discovered.
Safar crouched in the darkest of the library, a candle stub his only aid, as he hurriedly combed through cob- webbed scrolls and books with cracked bindingsearching for the strange, four-headed snake symbol he knew to be Asper's seal.
Then an oil lamp had flared into life behind him and he whirled to find Umurhan hovering over himeyes blazing like spear points fresh from the forge.
'What are you doing here, acolyte? he thundered.
Safar fumbled excuses'Forgive me, Master. I was worried about the exam and, I, uh… uh… I thought I, uh…'
'Are you claiming to be a cheat, Safar Timura? Umurhan roared. Is that your puny reason for violating my privacy?'
'Ye-es, Mas-ttter, ye-ye-yes, Safar stuttered.
'Then why are you among the forbidden books, acolyte? Umurhan shouted. He pointed down the narrow aisle to the front of the library. Why didn't I find your filthy, cheating personage up there? Why weren't you stealing your answers from writings that have not been condemned?'
Safar wanted to shout that no knowledge should be forbidden. And that, as a matter of fact, even the supposed innocent works in this library were denied to all but Umurhan. Instead, Safar pretended to panicwith Umurhan looming over him it wasn't hardbabbling that he was only trying to hide from the light and had come here by accident. He streamed forth such a mad babble of half-confessions and false apologies and pleas for mercy that Umurhan's suspicions were quieted.
'Silence, Umurhan shouted, cutting Safar off in mid babble. You do understand I could have you seized this moment and charged with heresy?'
'Yes, Master, Safar answered, humble as he could.
'The only reason I'm not going to do so is that I believe you are nothing more than a low cheat.'
'Yes, Master. Thank you, Master. I'm sorry, Master. It won't happen again, Master.'
'Oh, I know you won't do it again, Acolyte Timura. I will see to that. I will withhold my punishment just now. I want you to contemplate your sins while I consider your fate.'
'Yes, Master. Thank you, Master.'
