The Study Series Bundle

by Maria V. Snyder

  Goel followed my gaze and smiled. “Bolted and locked. We’re in a forgotten place far away from the Keep.” He picked up a small black leather whip that had metal spikes on the ends.

  The Keep! I pulled some power to me and projected a desperate mental call. Irys.

  “How’re the ribs?” I asked, trying to distract him.

  He frowned and touched the side of his chest. “That horse is gonna make a tasty stew.” He smacked his lips. “But that’s later.” He raised the whip.

  Yelena! Thank fate you’re alive. Where are you? Irys’s worried voice sounded in my mind.

  A shed somewhere.

  Goel stepped closer to strike me with the whip. I kicked him in the stomach. He jumped back more from surprise than pain.

  “Me mistake,” he said, retreating to his table. “Not to worry. I’ll fix.” He picked up a dart, dipping it in a vial of liquid.

  The sleeping potion. I thought fast.

  I need more information. Is Ferde with you? Irys asked.

  Not Ferde. Goel.

  Goel?

  No time. I’ll explain later.

  Goel loaded the dart into a hollow pipe. He aimed. I laughed. The pipe wavered as he squinted at me in confusion.

  “I can’t believe it,” I said.

  “Believe what?” He lowered the weapon.

  “That you’re afraid of me. No, not afraid. Terrified.” I laughed again. “You can’t beat me in a fair fight so you ambush and drug me. And even when I’m chained, you’re still scared.”

  “Am not.” He exchanged the pipe for a pair of manacles then dove for my feet.

  I struggled, but he outweighed me. In the end, my ankles were manacled together. Goel then staked the six-inch chain between the cuffs to the floor. No more kicking, but I remained awake, and I had another trick. Magic. My mind raced through options.

  I could try and freeze the muscles in his body, but I didn’t know how. Goel chose another whip from his table. This one was longer with braided leather and small metal balls tied into the fringes on the end.

  His arm blurred. I projected a confusing array of images into his mind.

  Goel lost his balance and fell to the ground. “Huh?” He seemed confused.

  As he regained his feet, I caught a slight movement behind Goel. The bolt moved and the knob turned. The door burst open with a rush of light. Two figures stood in the doorway. They pointed their swords at Goel’s heart. Ari and Janco.

  “Yelena, are you all right?” Ari asked. His eyes never left Goel’s surprised face.

  Janco came over and inspected the chains. “Keys?” he asked Goel, who pressed his lips together. “Guess I’ll have to do it the hard way.” Janco pulled his lock picks from his pocket.

  My first rush of relief at seeing my friends cooled. This rescue wouldn’t stop Goel from trying again. Even if he was arrested for kidnapping, Goel would harbor his grudge until freed and years from now, I might be in the exact same position. I had to deal with him. He needed to know that he couldn’t win against me.

  I shook my head at Janco. “I’ve got the situation under control. Go back to the Keep, I’ll meet you there.”

  Janco stared at me in astonished silence. Ari, though, trusted me. “Come on, she doesn’t need our help.” Ari sheathed his sword.

  Janco recovered. He flashed me one of his mischievous grins. “I’ll bet you a copper that she’ll be free in five minutes,” he said to Ari.

  Ari grunted in amusement. “A silver on ten minutes,” he countered.

  “I’ll bet you both a gold coin that she kills him,” Valek said from behind them. They moved aside and he entered, still dressed in his Adviser Ilom disguise. “The only way to take care of your problem. Right, love?”

  “No killing,” I said. “I’ll manage.”

  “He’s my man. I’ll handle this,” Cahil said from the doorway.

  Valek spun, but Cahil just stared at him for a moment before coming inside. “Goel, stand down,” Cahil ordered.

  Valek disappeared from sight. The crowded shed seemed to shrink in size and, by this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Irys and the other Masters following Cahil. We could all have a festival.

  During the conversations and arrivals, Goel’s face had transformed from stunned to horrified and finally settled into stubborn determination. “No,” he said to Cahil.

  “Goel, you were right about her. But this isn’t the way to deal with her. Especially not with her two henchmen nearby. Release her.”

  “I don’t take orders from you. Everyone else can pretend you’re in charge. I won’t.”

  “Are you challenging my authority?” Cahil demanded.

  “You don’t have any authority with me,” Goel shot back.

  Cahil’s face turned bright red as he sputtered. “How dare—”

  “Gentlemen!” I shouted. “You can fight it out later. Everyone leave. Now! My arms are killing me.”

  Janco pulled Cahil from the shed. Ari shut the door. Goel stood there blinking in the sudden darkness.

  “Where were we?” I prompted.

  “You can’t expect me…” He gestured toward the door.

  “Forget about them. You have more to worry about in here than outside.”

  He sneered. “You’re not really in the position to be boasting.”

  “And you don’t fully understand what it’s like to go against a magician.”

  The sneer faded from his lips.

  “You think I’m just some girl to be taught a lesson. That I should fear you. You’re the one who needs the lesson.” I gathered power to me and reached my awareness out to Goel’s.

  The word “magician” had only caused a brief feeling of doubt in Goel’s mind. After all, he thought, if she was a good magician, she wouldn’t have been so easy to catch.

  “A momentary lapse,” I said. Since he had no magical power, he couldn’t hear my thoughts, but I might be able to control him. I closed my eyes and projected myself into Goel, taking the chance that if I could do it with Topaz I should be able to do it with a person.

  He jumped as if struck by lightning when I entered his mind. Although glad that my transfer worked, being closer to Goel’s slimy thoughts made me wish for Topaz’s clean mind.

  When I focused Goel’s eyes on me, I understood why he thought so little of me. My hair hung in messy clumps. The combination of closed eyes, dirt-streaked face and mud covered clothes made me seem pathetic. A helpless figure in need of a bath.

  I felt his panic when he realized he had lost control of his body. He could still think, see and feel. I marveled at his physical strength, but I encountered some difficultly moving his body around. The proportions felt strange and balancing his body took a concentrated effort.

  He tried to regain control, but I pushed his weak efforts aside. I searched for the key to the manacles and found them in his pack under the table. Then I unlocked and removed the manacles from my body’s feet. Supporting myself with one of Goel’s arms, I unlocked the wrist cuffs. I grabbed my body before it could fall to the ground and lifted it up.

  It felt light as a pillow. My body breathed and blood pulsed. I carried it and laid it gently on the ground near the door. Using Goel’s thumb, I raised my left eyelid. Although my body lived, the spark of life was gone. Unnerved I stood and backed away.

  When the feeling of utter helplessness overcame Goel, I let him experience that sensation for a long while. Picking up a knife from the table, I cut a shallow line along his arm. I felt his pain from the cut, but it was muted and distant. Resting the tip of the blade on his chest, I wondered if I plunged the knife into his heart, would I kill us both?

  An interesting question that would have to be answered at another time. Kicking off his boots, I snapped the manacles around Goel’s ankles then I shortened the chain hanging from the overhead beam before locking his wrists into the cuffs. I savored the combination of fear, discomfort and chagrin that coursed through his mind before I projected myself back toward
my own body.

  The shed spun for a moment when I opened my eyes. Fatigue coursed through my limbs. I stood in slow motion, but managed a smug smile at Goel’s new predicament. As I headed for the door, I thought I probably wouldn’t have discovered that magical skill working with Irys or the other magicians. And what exactly had I done? Transferred my magic? My will? My soul? I shied away from those disturbing thoughts. Taking control of someone’s body and forcing him to move must be in violation of the Ethical Code. But when Goel kidnapped me he became a criminal. The Ethical Code didn’t apply to him. I almost laughed. I guess I should be grateful Goel attacked me. Now I knew another defensive magical move.

  Ari and Janco waited for me in the overgrown field that surrounded the shed. I saw a dilapidated fence and a collapsed barn and guessed we stood on an abandoned farm outside the Citadel. Valek and Cahil hadn’t waited for me.

  Ari smiled as Janco slapped a silver coin into his huge hand.

  “Your problem?” Ari asked me.

  “I left him hanging.”

  “What took you so long?” Janco complained.

  “I wanted to prove my point. Where’s…ah, Adviser Ilom and Cahil?”

  “Why the sudden concern for Ilom?” Janco asked with mock sincerity. “He’s a grown man with surprising abilities.

  That stuffy old bore appeared out of nowhere, did a dead perfect impression of Valek’s voice and disappeared as if by magic. The man’s a genius! I should have known he would come along. Valek wouldn’t miss all the fun.”

  The smile dropped from Ari’s face. “Valek’s going to get caught. Cahil made a beeline for the Citadel, probably to tell the Council members about Valek.”

  “Great disguise, though,” Janco said. “He had us fooled.”

  “Cahil already suspected Valek was here,” I said, shivering in the cold morning air. Now he knew for certain. “I’m sure Valek can handle it.” My tired mind, though, couldn’t produce a good solution.

  Ari went over to the shed and picked up my backpack from where it leaned against the side. “I thought you might need this.” He handed it to me.

  I found my cloak inside. Wrapping the warm garment around me I moved to sling the pack onto my back, but Ari took it from me.

  “Let’s go,” Ari said.

  He and Janco led me through the fallow fields. We passed an empty farmhouse.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “About two miles east of the Citadel,” Ari said.

  I stumbled just at the thought of walking two miles. “How did you find me?”

  “We followed your guards last night to make sure they knew what they were doing. By the time we realized they had been hit, you had disappeared,” Ari said.

  Janco grinned. “The magicians were frantic. Search parties were sent.” He shook his head as if amazed by the uproar. “We had no idea what they would find in the dark. We just hoped they wouldn’t ruin the trail. Once the sun was up, it took us no time to follow the tracks. Goel used a wagon to wheel you out of the Keep and Citadel.”

  I thought of the burlap sack lying in the wagon. Goel must have hidden me in that sack.

  “I guess Cahil followed us,” Janco said. Scratching his scar, he added, “Of course, you didn’t want our help. Now I have to go beat up some soldier just to keep my ego intact.”

  As we reached the east gate of the Citadel, I spotted a commotion near the guardhouse. A loose horse was giving the guards some trouble. Kiki.

  She stopped when we crossed through the gate. Lavender Lady tired. Need ride.

  How did you find me?

  Follow scent of Strong Man and Rabbit Man.

  She referred to Ari and Janco. I apologized to the gate’s guards about Kiki’s disruption. Ari helped me onto her back and gave me my pack.

  “We’ll catch up with you later,” Ari promised.

  Before Kiki and I headed toward the Keep, I thanked my friends.

  “For what? We didn’t do anything,” Janco grumbled.

  “For caring enough to follow my guards. And the next time, I might need the help.”

  “There better not be a next time,” Ari said, giving me a stern look.

  “How touching,” Janco said, pretending to wipe his eyes. “Get going, Yelena. I don’t want you to see me cry.” He faked a sniffle.

  “I’m sure your ego can handle it,” I said. “Or will you need to beat up some trainees to feel like a man again?”

  “Very funny,” he said.

  I waved and asked Kiki to take me home. On the way, I connected to Irys and updated her on what had happened. She promised to send some guards out to arrest Goel.

  If I don’t make it to my room, I’ll be asleep in the barn, I said, yawning. I felt her hesitate. Now what?

  Your parents arrived this morning.

  Oh, no!

  Oh, yes. Esau is here with me, but when your mother found out you were missing, she climbed a tree and we can’t convince her to come down. She’s hysterical and won’t listen to us. You’ll have to talk to her.

  I sighed. I’m on my way. Where is she?

  Perl was in one of the tall oak trees next to the pasture.

  Kiki took me to the base of the tree. A handful of orange and brown leaves still clung to the branches. I spotted my mother’s green cloak near the top. I called to Perl, telling her I was fine. “You can come down now,” I said.

  “Yelena! Thank fate! Come up here where it’s safe,” she said.

  I resigned myself to the fact that getting Perl down would be difficult, and took off my cloak and backpack, dropping them to the ground. Even standing on Kiki’s back, I still had to stretch to reach the lowest branch. My mother’s climbing ability was impressive.

  As Kiki grazed, I hauled myself higher, climbing until I reached my mother. I settled on a branch below her, but she appeared next to me in an instant, hugging me tight. When her body started shaking with sobs, I had to grab the tree’s trunk to keep us both from falling.

  I waited for her to calm before gently pulling her away. She sat next to me, leaning against my shoulder. Her face was streaked with dirt where her tears had mixed with the dried mud on my clothes. I offered the one clean spot on my shirt, but she shook her head, taking a handkerchief from her pocket. Her dark green cloak had many pockets, and the garment had a slim tailored cut, eliminating the bulky excess of material. It wouldn’t make a good blanket, but it was perfect for keeping warm while traveling through the tree tops.

  “Is this one of Nutty’s designs?” I asked her, fingering the cloth.

  “Yes. Since I hadn’t left the jungle in fourteen years…” She gave me a rueful smile, “I needed something for the cooler weather.”

  “I’m glad you came,” I said.

  Her smile fled. A look of terror touched her eyes before she took a few deep breaths. “Your father gave me some Eladine to keep me calm during the trip, and I was doing so well, until…” She put a hand to her neck, grimacing.

  “Bad timing,” I agreed. “But I’m fine, see?” I held out an arm. My mistake.

  She gasped, staring at the bloody bruises around my wrist. I pulled my sleeve down to cover them.

  “They’re just scratches.”

  “What happened? And don’t sugarcoat it for me,” she ordered.

  I gave her a condensed version with only a slight dusting of sugar. “He won’t be bothering me again.”

  “It won’t happen again. You are coming home with us,” she declared.

  After this morning, I wanted to agree. “What would I do there?”

  “Help your father collect samples or help me make perfumes. The thought of losing you again is too much to bear.”

  “But you have to bear it, Mother. I’m not going to run or hide from difficult or dangerous situations. And I’ve made some promises to myself and others. I have to see things through, because if I ran away, I couldn’t live with myself.”

  A breeze rustled the leaves, and the sweat on my skin felt like ice. My mother
pulled her cloak tight. I could sense her emotions as they twisted into knots around her. She was in a strange place, dealing with the realization that her daughter would willingly put herself in harm’s way for others, and she could lose her again. She struggled with her fear, wanting nothing more than the safety of her family and the familiarity of home.

  I had an idea. “Nutty’s cloak reminds me of the jungle,” I said.

  She glanced down at the garment. “Really?”

  “It’s the same color as the underside of an Ylang-Ylang Leaf. Remember that time when we were caught in a sudden downpour on our way home from the market, and we huddled under a big Ylang-Ylang Leaf?”

  “You remembered.” She beamed.

  I nodded. “My childhood memories have been unlocked. But I wouldn’t have them now, if I hadn’t taken a risk and followed Irys to the Avibian Plains.”

  “You’ve been to the plains.” The horror on her face transformed to awe. “You’re not afraid of anything, are you?”

  “During that trip, I could list at least five things I was afraid of.” Especially getting my head chopped off by Moon Man’s scimitar, but I was smart enough not to tell that to my mother.

  “Then why did you go?”

  “Because we needed information. I couldn’t let my fear stop me from doing what I needed to do.”

  She considered my words in silence.

  “Your cloak can protect you from more than the weather,” I said. “If you fill the pockets with special items from home, you can surround yourself with the jungle whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed or afraid.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “In fact, I have something you can put into your pocket now that will remind you of me. Come on.” Without waiting to see if she followed, I climbed down. I hung from the lowest branch before dropping to the ground.

  As I searched my backpack, I heard a rustling and I looked up in time to see my mother shimming down the tree’s trunk. I found my fire amulet in one of the pack’s pockets. Considering my recent run of troubles, the amulet would be safer with my mother.