Chapter 15

A Surprise Attack

As soon as Sonea stepped into the classroom she felt a difference, like a strange current of magic in the air. She hesitated in the doorway, her relief at having evaded Regin's gang evaporating.

Lord Kiano looked up, his attention snapping to her with a peculiar eagerness as if she was a welcome distraction.

"There will be no classes today, Sonea."

She stared at the teacher in surprise.

"No classes, my lord?"

Kiano hesitated. A hiss brought her attention to the center of the room. Only four novices had arrived before her. Benon was holding his head in his hands. Trassia and Narron had moved their chairs beside him. Regin sat quietly behind them, his eyes flat and expressionless for once. Trassia was staring at Sonea with accusing eyes.

"A novice has died," Kiano explained. "Shern."

Sonea frowned, remembering the novice from the summer class whose powers had felt so strange. Died? Questions sprang into her mind. How? When?

"Oh, just go away," Trassia growled. Startled by the girl's outburst, Sonea stared at her.

"He was Benon's cousin," Kiano told her in a low voice.

Trassia glared back. Slowly, understanding came. By asking why the class had been cancelled, Lord Kiano had been forced to speak of Shern's death in front of Benon. Sonea felt her face heating. As Narron looked up at her and scowled, she backed out of the room and fled.

She stopped running after only a few steps as anger and frustration caught up with her. How could she possibly have known that Shern was dead, or that Benon was his cousin? Asking why the class had been cancelled was a perfectly reasonable question.

Wasn't it?

Her thoughts returned to Shern. When she searched her feelings she could find no more than a mild sadness. Shern had never even spoken to her, or anyone. In fact, the entire summer class had ignored him during the few weeks he had attended the University.

As she reached the end of the staircase she saw that Rothen was climbing toward her, and felt a surge of relief.

"There you are," he said. "You've heard?"

"They cancelled classes."

"Yes." He nodded. "They always do when this happens. I went to find you in your room, but you weren't there. Come and have a hot drink with me."

Walking beside him, Sonea remained silent. It seemed remarkable that the Guild would close the University because of the death of a novice who had barely spent more than a few weeks there. But since all of the novices, apart from her, were from the Houses, the boy had probably been related to several novices and magicians.

"Shern was in your first class, wasn't he?" Rothen asked as they entered his guestroom.

"Yes." Sonea hesitated. "Can I ask what happened to him?"

"Of course." Rothen collected a pot and cups from a side table, then brought out two jars from a cupboard. "Do you remember what I told you about Control failing when a magician dies?"

"Any unused magic is let loose, and consumes the body."

Rothen nodded. He set down the crockery and jars. "Shern lost Control of his magic."

Sonea felt a chill run down her spine. "But he passed the Second Level."

"He did, but not well or completely. His mind was never stable enough." Rothen shook his head. "Such a state is rare, but it does sometimes occur. You see, when children are found to have the potential for magic we also test them for problems like this. Sometimes they simply don't have the mental strength or stability to Control magic."

"I see," Sonea said, nodding. Rothen poured water from a jug into the pot, and added sumi leaves from one of the jars. Reaching for the other jar, Sonea mixed raka powder with water and heated the mix with a little magic.

"Unfortunately, some people develop mental instability when they grow older," Rothen continued, "or when their magic is released. By then it is too late. Sooner or later they lose the Control they have been taught—usually in their first few years. Shern started to show signs of instability months ago. The Guild took him away from the city to a place we had built for such novices. We try to keep them calm and happy, and they are treated by Healers who are well versed in the problem. But no one has ever found a cure, and any binding we place on their powers doesn't seem to hold for long."

Sonea shivered. "When I first saw him I thought his presence was strange."

Rothen frowned. "You sensed the instability that early? No one else did. I must tell this to—"

"No!" Sonea's heart lurched. If Rothen told anyone that she had sensed something wrong with Shern, the other novices would have something else to blame her for. "Don't. Please."

Rothen regarded her speculatively. "Nobody is going to look on you badly for not saying anything. You couldn't possibly have understood what you were sensing."

She held his eyes. Rothen sighed. "All right. I suppose it doesn't matter now." He placed his hands around the pot. At once steam began to drift from the funnel. "How do you feel about all of this, Sonea?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know him." She then told him what had happened when she walked into the classroom. "It's as if it was all my fault."

Rothen frowned as he poured himself a cup of the brewed sumi. "They probably snapped at you because you interrupted at a bad time. Don't worry about what they said. By tomorrow they will have forgotten about it."

"So what am I going to do today?" she wondered aloud.

Rothen paused to sip his drink, then smiled. "I thought we might make a few plans for Dorrien's visit."

The captain of the Anyi had been delighted when Dannyl asked if he was headed for the Vin Islands. At first Dannyl had assumed the man was eager to see his homeland, but grew suspicious when the captain insisted that Dannyl and Tayend move into his own cabin. From what he knew of Vindo sailors, it should take more than homesickness or respect for the Guild to motivate a captain to give up his own space.

The evening after they left, Dannyl had discovered the true reason for the captain's enthusiasm.

"Most ships to Kiko Town go to Capia first," the captain told them, over a generous meal. "This way much faster."

"Why don't they sail straight to Kiko Town?" Tayend asked.

"Bad men live on Upper Islands of Vm." The captain scowled. "They rob ships, kill crew. Dangerous people."

"Oh." Tayend looked at Dannyl. "And we're going to sail past these islands?"

"No danger this time." The captain smiled at Dannyl. "We have magician on board. Show Guild flag. They no dare rob us!"

Remembering the conversation, Dannyl smiled to himself. He suspected that merchants occasionally risked this route anyway, protecting themselves by displaying the Guild flag even when they didn't have a magician on board. The pirates might have worked this out, too, and he wouldn't have been surprised if a Guild uniform, real or copied, was kept in a chest somewhere for the days when a flag wasn't enough to keep pirates away.

He had been too relieved to be leaving Lonmar to care. The dispute with the Council of Elders had taken over a month of fussing and arguing to settle. While the duties he would attend to in Vin were minor, he wondered if they, too, would turn out to be more trying than they appeared.

As the distance from Lonmar lengthened and the crew had grown increasingly tense and watchful, Dannyl had realized the threat of pirates was real. From the overheard conversations that Tayend translated, Dannyl guessed that an encounter with pirates was not a risk, but a certainty. It was a little disconcerting to know that these men believed their lives depended on his presence on the ship.

He looked at Tayend, lying on the second narrow bed. The scholar was pale and thin. Bouts of seasickness had taken their toll on his health. Despite weakness and obvious discomfort, Tayend still refused to let Dannyl heal him.

So far, their journey had not been the pleasant adventure Tayend had hoped for. Dannyl knew the scholar had been relieved to leave Lonmar, too. When they reached Kiko Town, he decided, they would spend a week or two resting. The Vindo were known for their warmth and hospitality. Hopefully they would make up for the heat and strangeness of Lonmar, and Tayend would regain his strength and enthusiasm for travelling.

Two small windows offered a glimpse of the sea on either side. The sky was a dusky late-aftemoon blue, clear of clouds. Moving closer, Dannyl saw the distant shadow of islands dotting the horizon on one side—and two large boats.

Hearing a yawn, he glanced at Tayend. The scholar was sitting up, stretching.

"How are you feeling?" Dannyl asked.

"Better. What's it like outside?"

"Quite pleasant, from the looks." The boats were smaller than the Anyi. They skimmed over the waves, coming closer rapidly. "I think we'll have some company before dinner."

Tayend braced himself against the cabin wall and made his way to Dannyl's side. He peered through the window.

"Pirates?"

Hasty footsteps approached the door of the cabin, followed by several rapid knocks.

"I see them," Dannyl called.

Tayend slapped him on the shoulder. "Time to be the hero, my magician friend."

Dannyl gave Tayend a withering look before opening the door and stepping into the corridor beyond. The youngest of the sailors, a boy of perhaps fourteen years, beckoned wildly.

"Come out! Be quick!" he said, his eyes wide.

Following the boy, Dannyl made his way through the common room and stepped out onto the deck. Locating the captain at the stern of the ship, he made his way across ropes and up a short flight of stairs to join the man.

"Bad men," the captain said, pointing.

The boats were less than two hundred paces away. Dannyl glanced up at the Anyi's mast to see the Guild flag snapping in the wind. Looking around the deck, he saw that all of the crew, even the boy, carried knives or short, crudely made swords. A few held bows, all loaded and already aimed at the approaching ships.

Tayend made a small noise of disgust. "The crew doesn't seem to have much confidence in you," he murmured.

"They're not taking any chances," Dannyl replied. "Would you?"

"You're our hero and protector. I know you'll save us."

"Must you keep saying that?"

Tayend chuckled. "I only want you to feel needed and appreciated."

The lead boat did not slow as it neared the Anyi. Concerned that the pirates intended to ram the ship, Dannyl moved to the railing, ready to turn the boat's bow. It swung about at the last moment, sails suddenly turning so that the boat was sailing alongside the Anyi.

Stocky, muscular men crowded these smaller vessels. Large shields were held up toward the ship, ready for a rain of missiles. Between them, Dannyl caught the glint of sunlight on blades. Two men held coiled ropes, weighted at one end with grappling hooks.

The men he could see were darker and taller than the average Vindo, suggesting a mix of Vindo and Lonmar blood. All were staring at him, their expressions guarded. One or two glanced at a man at the prow of the boat. This, Dannyl guessed, must be their leader.

As the second boat drew up next to the ship, the man raised a hand and called out in the Vindo language. Tayend made a small, strangled noise, but the crew of the Anyi remained silent. Dannyl glanced at the captain.

"What did he say?"

The captain cleared his throat. "He ask how much you sell your pretty friend for. Say he make profit selling as slave in the West."

"Really?" Dannyl glanced at Tayend. "What do you think? Fifty gold?"

Tayend turned to glare at Dannyl.

The captain chuckled. "I not know right price for man slaves."

Grinning, Dannyl shook his head. "Neither do I. Tell the pirate my friend is not for sale. Tell him," Dannyl turned to regard the pirate, "that he cannot afford the cargo on this ship."

The captain repeated the words in Vindo. The pirate smiled, then raised a hand to signal to the other boat. Men hurried to ropes and pulleys, and soon the vessels had pulled away from the ship and were moving away rapidly.

The captain took a step toward Dannyl. "You kill now," he said urgently. "Before they get away."

Dannyl shook his head. "No."

"But pirate bad people. Always rob ships. They kill. They take slaves."

"They didn't attack us," Dannyl replied.

"You kill them, you make sea safer."

Dannyl turned to face the captain. "Killing the men on one or two boats won't make any difference. Others will replace them. If the Vindo people want magicians to remove the pirates from these islands, they must arrange it with the Guild. By law, I can only use my powers in defense unless under direct command from my King."

The captain lowered his eyes and moved away. Dannyl heard the man muttering in his own language before ordering the crew back to their duties. Several of the sailors looked displeased, but returned to their work without complaint.

"They're not the only ones disappointed by your performance," Tayend said.

Dannyl regarded his friend speculatively. "You also think I should have killed them?"

Tayend narrowed his eyes at the retreating pirates. "I wouldn't have protested." Then he shrugged. "But mostly I was hoping for a little display of magic. Nothing too fancy. Just some sparks and fire."

"Sparks and fire?"

"Yes. Maybe a little waterspout."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Dannyl replied dryly.

"And what was all that about selling me to slavers—and for only fifty gold! How insulting!"

"I'm sorry. Would a hundred gold have been more appropriate?"

"No! And you don't sound particularly sorry."

"Then I apologize for failing to be convincing in my apology."

Tayend rolled his eyes. "Enough! I'm going inside."

Sonea hugged her box of notes to her chest and sighed. It was growing dark rapidly. The sunlight had streaked the forest with long shadows when she had set out, but only a misty half-light remained now, making it difficult to distinguish the edges of things. She resisted an urge to create a light, knowing that it would make her all too easy to find.

A twig snapped nearby.

She stopped and stared through the trees. In the distance the lights of the Healers' Quarters could be seen flickering through the trunks. She saw no movement, heard no sound.

Releasing the breath she had been holding, she started walking again.

A few weeks earlier, Lord Kiano had taken the class to the fields and glass-roofed houses beyond the Healers' Quarters, where medicinal plants were grown. He had shown them several species, telling them how to identify each plant. Afterward, he had told them that, each week, he would select a novice to accompany him to the fields after the class, where he would test them on their knowledge.

That afternoon had been her turn. After the test, he had dismissed her, leaving her to return to the Novices' Quarters on her own. Knowing that Regin wouldn't miss an opportunity to waylay her out of the sight of the magicians, she had lingered, pretending to be interested in examining the plants, in the hope that she could follow Kiano back. But when the teacher had begun a lazy conversation with a gardener she realized she would be waiting a long time.

So she decided to try her other plan. Guessing that Regin would be waiting for her on the usual path, she had cut through the forest, hoping to circle around the Healers' Quarters to the path that led to the front of the University.

A crunch to her left brought her to a stop again. She felt her blood turn cold as she heard a smothered laugh and knew her plan had failed.

"Good evening, Sonea."

Spinning around, she saw a familiar silhouette among the trees. She willed a globe light into existence, and the darkness shrank back. Regin stopped, a smile spreading across his face as two more figures appeared beside him: Issle and Alend. Hearing sounds all around, Sonea saw Gennyl, Vallon and Kano emerging from the shadows.

"Nice night for a walk in the forest," Regin observed, looking around. "So quiet. Peaceful. No one to interrupt us." He stepped closer. "The teachers aren't giving you special treatment anymore, are they? Such a shame. It really isn't fair that we get extra attention and you don't. So I thought I'd give you some lessons myself."

The sound of snow crunching under boots told Sonea that the novices behind her were drawing close. She strengthened her shield but, to her surprise, they moved around her to stand behind Regin.

"Hmmm," Regin continued. "Perhaps I could teach you some of what Lord Balkan has shown me." He glanced at the others and nodded. "Yes, I think you'd find that interesting."

Sonea's mouth went dry. She had known Regin was taking extra classes in Warrior Skills, but not that he was learning under Balkan, the Head of that discipline. As Regin raised his palms, the other novices moved closer to their leader and placed their hands on his shoulders.

"Defend yourself," Regin said, mimicking Lord Vorel's commanding tone.

Throwing more magic into her shield, she blocked the flow of energy that flashed from each of Regin's palms. The strikes were weak, but rapidly grew in force until they were stronger than anything she had faced in the Arena. Surprised, she poured more and more magic into her shield.

How was this possible? She had fought Regin enough times to know his strength. He had always been much weaker than her. Had he been holding back, just waiting for a moment to surprise her with his real strength?

Regin's face stretched into an ugly grin, and he took a step toward her. Abruptly, the attack weakened, then stopped as he paused to glare at the others. They hurriedly stretched forward to regain their hold on his shoulder.

As they touched Regin again, he resumed his attack. She considered what this meant. Obviously the others were lending him their power. She hadn't heard that it was possible, but there was plenty about the Warrior Skills she didn't know— or might have missed during Vorel's long and boring lectures.

Her senses rang with the magic that filled the air. The snow between them had melted into sizzling puddles. So much power … the thought of what was being directed at her was appalling, and set her heart racing. If she failed to hold her shield, the consequences would be brief—and fatal. He was taking such a risk … or was he?

What if he means to kill me?

Surely not. He would be expelled from the Guild.

Yet when she pictured Regin facing the assembled magicians in the Guildhall, she could easily hear what they'd say. An unfortunate accident. He wasn't to blame for her poor skills. Four weeks' work in the library, and don't let it happen again.

Anger replaced her fear. As she regarded the novices, she saw that they were glancing at each other doubtfully. Regin was no longer grinning, but frowning with concentration. He growled something, and the others 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.