The Novice

by Trudi Canavan

  “Hello, Sonea. Did you get my message?”

  Turning around, she felt her heart sink. Regin stood at the front of a small crowd of novices, blocking the passage behind. She recognized a few members of her old class, but the rest were only vaguely familiar. These others, she realized, were older novices. They stared at her coldly, and she remembered the comments she had overheard the day classes had resumed. If so many thought she didn’t deserve to have been chosen by the High Lord, it wouldn’t have taken much for Regin to persuade some of them to join him.

  “Poor Sonea,” Regin drawled. “It must be so lonely being the High Lord’s favorite. No friends. No one to play with. We thought you might like some company. Perhaps a little game.” He glanced at one of the older boys. “What shall we play?”

  The boy grinned. “I liked your first idea, Regin.”

  “A game of ‘Purge,’ then?” Regin shrugged. “I guess it will be good practice for the work we might have to do later in life. But I think it’ll take more than flashy lights and barriers to get this sort of vermin out of the University.” He narrowed his eyes at Sonea. “We’ll just have to use more persuasive means.”

  Anger stirred within Sonea at his words, but as his hands rose, it turned to disbelief. Surely he wouldn’t strike her. Not here. Not in the University.

  “You wouldn’t dare…”

  He grinned. “Wouldn’t I?” As light flashed from his hand she threw up a shield. “What are you going to do about it? Tell your guardian? Somehow, I don’t think you will. I think you’re too scared of him.”

  Regin drew closer, and white magic blasted from both palms.

  “How can you be sure?” she retorted. “And what if someone finds us fighting in the corridors? You know the rules.”

  “I don’t think there’s much chance of that.” Regin smirked. “We’ve checked. There’s nobody around. Even Lady Tya has left the library.”

  His strikes were easy to shield. A few blasts of power and she could stop him. But she resisted the temptation, remembering Yikmo’s lecture on the responsibility of magicians to avoid harming others.

  “So call on your guardian, Sonea,” he urged. “Ask him to rescue you.”

  She felt a shiver of cold run down her spine, but ignored it. “From you, Regin? That’s hardly worth bothering the High Lord for.”

  He glanced at the novices around him. “Did you hear that? She thinks we’re not worthy of the High Lord’s attention. The best of the Houses, and she a mere slum girl? So let’s show her who’s worthy. Come on.”

  He attacked her again. Feeling her shield assailed also from behind, she glanced back to see that Kano and Issle had stepped to the front of the novices there. But the older novices were frowning. Looking around at their faces, Sonea saw doubt.

  “I told you,” Regin said between strikes. “She won’t tell him.”

  Still, the older novices hesitated.

  “If she does,” Regin added, “I’ll take responsibility. I’m willing to do that, just to prove it to you. What have you got to lose?”

  Feeling more strikes, Sonea glanced over her shoulder again to see that more novices had joined in. It took much more power to hold her shield now. Growing worried, she glanced to either side, considering what to do. If she could get to the main corridor…She started forward, forcing Regin and his companions back.

  “If you don’t join us now,” Regin all but shouted to the few still-hesitant novices, “she’ll get away. Just like she’s getting away with taking what’s rightfully ours. Are you going to put her in her place, or spend the rest of your lives bowing down to a slum girl!”

  The novices beside him stepped forward, though with some reluctance, and attacked with forcestrike. Trying to move into forcestrike took more of her strength than simply shielding, and though she managed to advance, progress was slow and costly.

  She stopped and reconsidered. Did she have enough strength to reach the corridor? She couldn’t say. Better to conserve her strength. Hopefully they would exhaust themselves, and she would be able to push past easily.

  So long as she didn’t tire first.

  To reduce the size of her shield, she pressed her back to the wall. As the attack continued, she considered what their purpose was. She had assumed Regin had gathered such a large group so he would have a bigger audience—and protection if she fought back. Was he hoping to exhaust her, too? If so, what did he intend to do once they had worn her down? Kill her? Surely a slum girl was not worth going to prison for. No, he probably intended for her to be too tired for her lessons the next day.

  The strikes were weakening but, to her alarm, she felt her own strength starting to falter. It was going to be close. Too close. As her shield began to waver, Regin raised his arms.

  “Stop!”

  The strikes ceased. In the silence, Regin looked at the others one by one and grinned.

  “See? Now let’s put her in her proper place.”

  As he turned back to regard her, she saw the malicious glint in his eyes and realized that exhausting her had just been the first part of his plan. She wished she had continued pushing toward the main corridor. But as she did, she knew she would not have made it that far.

  Regin sent another, cautious strike at her shield. One by one, the others continued this careful onslaught. Most of the strikes were weak, but as she drew more and more on the source of her power to maintain the shield, she realized she was doomed anyway. Even if they all ended up too exhausted to use their powers, ten novices could still happily torment her without using magic at all.

  With growing dread, she felt her power fading. Her shield shimmered away, leaving nothing but air between herself and Regin. He smiled at the others—a tired but triumphant grin.

  Then a streak of red light pulsed from Regin’s palm. Pain blossomed in her chest and flashed outward, shivering down her arms and legs and stabbing up into her head. She felt her muscles spasm, and her back sliding against the wall.

  As the sensation faded she opened her eyes, and found herself curled up on the floor. Heat rushed to her face. Humiliated, she tried to stand up, but another burst of pain took over her senses. She gritted her teeth, determined that she would not cry out.

  “Well, I’ve always wondered what stunstrike did,” she heard Regin say. “Like to try it?”

  Hearing a sound of disgust, Sonea felt a momentary hope as two of the novices exchanged a look of dismay, then turned and walked away. But the others all wore eager expressions and her hope faded as stunstrike after stunstrike sent pain coursing through her again.

  Regin’s taunt ran through her mind. “So call on your guardian, Sonea. Ask him to rescue you.” It would take a brief mental call; an image of Regin and his accomplices…

  No. Nothing Regin did to her could be as awful as having to ask Akkarin for help.

  Rothen then!

  Not allowed to talk to him.

  There’s got to be someone!

  But a call for help would be heard by Akkarin—and other magicians. The whole Guild would soon know that his novice had been found exhausted and defeated in the passages of the University.

  There was nothing she could do.

  Curling into a ball, she waited for the novices to use up the last of their power, or grow bored with their game, and leave her alone.

  It was well past midnight when Lorlen finally finished the last letter. He rose, stretched and walked to the door, barely seeing his surroundings as he automatically set the magical lock. As he turned to walk down the corridor he heard a noise in the University Entrance Hall.

  He paused, considering whether to investigate. It had been a soft sound, perhaps a dead leaf blown in through the doorway. He had just made up his mind to ignore it when the sound came again.

  Frowning, he moved to the Entrance Hall doorway. A movement drew his eye to one of the enormous doors. Something slid along the ancient timber. He took a step forward, then drew in a sharp breath.

  Sonea was leaning against t
he enormous door as if she might fall over without its support. She took a step, then stopped and swayed at the top of the stairs. Hurrying forward, Lorlen grabbed her arm to steady her. She stared at him in surprise and obvious dismay.

  “What has happened to you?” he asked.

  “Nothing, my lord,” she said.

  “Nothing? You’re exhausted.”

  She shrugged, and it was obvious even that took effort. All her strength was gone. As if…as if she had been drained of it…

  “What has he done to you?” Lorlen gasped.

  She frowned, then shook her head. Suddenly her knees buckled and she sank to the stairs. He sat down beside her, releasing her arm.

  “It’s not what you think,” she told him, then folded forward and rested her head on her knees. “Not who you think. Not him.” She sighed and rubbed her face. “I’ve never felt this tired before.”

  “Then what has made you like this?”

  Sonea’s shoulders drooped, but she didn’t answer.

  “Was it something a teacher set you to do?”

  She shook her head.

  “Did you try something that took more power than you expected?”

  She shook her head again.

  Lorlen tried to think of some other way her powers might have been exhausted. He thought of the few times he used all his strength. He had to think back many years, to his time in the University. To fighting Akkarin in Warrior Skills. But she had said it wasn’t Akkarin.

  Then he remembered. Once, the teacher had set several against each class member. It had been one of the few times he had been bested.

  But it was too late for classes. Why would she be fighting other novices? Lorlen scowled as a name sprang to mind. Regin. The boy had probably gathered his supporters together and waylaid her somewhere. It was bold and risky. If Sonea told Akkarin of the harassment…

  But she wouldn’t. Lorlen looked at Sonea and felt his heart twist. At the same time he felt an unexpected pride.

  “It was Regin, wasn’t it?”

  Her eyelids flickered open. Seeing the wariness there, he nodded.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone unless you want me to. I will let Akkarin know what is going on, if you like.” If he’s listening now he’ll already know. He glanced down at the ring, then quickly away.

  She shook her head. “No. Don’t. Please.”

  Of course. She wouldn’t want Akkarin to know.

  “I wasn’t expecting it,” she added. “I’ll keep away from them now.”

  Lorlen nodded slowly. “Well, if you can’t, then know that you can call on me for help.”

  The edge of her mouth lifted in a wry smile, then she drew in a deep breath and started to rise.

  “Wait.” She paused as he took her hand. “Here,” he said. “This will help.”

  He sent a gentle stream of Healing energy out through his palm into her body. Her eyes widened as she sensed it. It would not restore her power, but it did ease the physical weariness. Her shoulders straightened and the pallor left her face.

  “Thank you,” she said. Standing up, she looked toward the High Lord’s Residence and her shoulders drooped again.

  “It won’t be like this forever, Sonea,” he said softly.

  She nodded. “Good night, Administrator.”

  “Good night, Sonea.”

  He watched her as she walked away, hoping that his words would prove true, but wondering how they possibly could.

  27

  Useful Information

  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.