The Zero Blessing

by Christopher Nuttall

  Maybe I could, as an adult, I told myself. It wasn't as if the family wanted an overgrown child - or a cripple. Alana would be glad to see the back of me.

  “Or visit the capital,” Dad said. “The king might grant you audience.”

  “I could be presented to the queen,” Alana said. She smiled, suddenly. “Would you take me there?”

  “When you’re eighteen, if you wish,” Mum said. Her eyes narrowed. “But I would advise against it.”

  Dad spoke before any of us could ask questions. “None of this will be easy,” he admitted, warningly. “But your mother and I survived it. And you three will survive too. Alana, Belladonna, Caitlyn ... you will learn what you need to know. Make us proud.”

  Alana beamed. “Of course, father.”

  Dad checked his watch. “You should be in bed soon,” he added. We groaned. It was only seven in the evening. “You’ll be waking up at six tomorrow, ready to start your first day at school. The first day is always the worst. Just remember ... you were born and raised in Shallot, with magic all around you. Some of your fellows will not have had that honour.”

  “They might be commoners,” Alana said, shocked. “Dad ...”

  “They’re commoners with magic,” Dad said, sharply. “Not just little spells, but real talent. I advise you to remember that, young lady. Or it won’t be pretty.”

  “Particularly as your maternal grandparents were both common-born,” Mum added, crossing her arms. “At Jude’s, talent is all that matters. Your birth isn't that great an advantage if you keep being outdone by commoners. Trust me - when the time comes to decide which of you will join the upperclassmen, you will be judged on your magic, not on your family name.”

  Great, I thought, sarcastically. They’ll kick me out then for sure.

  Alana looked embarrassed. “But ... but they won't know how to comport themselves in society.”

  “They can learn,” Dad said. He gave her a sharp look, then glanced at Bella and I. “And you can teach them.”

  I wondered, suddenly, if Dad had ever faced any problems with his side of the family for marrying Mum. Great Aunt Stregheria had never liked us. Some of his other relatives hadn't been that kind either, although none of them had been more than impolite. But then, Mum had given birth to a zero. My existence suggested there was something tainted about Mum’s magic. I could easily imagine some of my paternal relatives sneering at her behind her back, maybe just out of earshot. They wouldn't have cared to admit that the problem might have come from the other side of the family.

  “Go to bed,” Mum said, gently. She kissed each of us, one by one. I wondered, suddenly, if she thought she wasn't going to see us tomorrow. “And tomorrow ... tomorrow you start your adventure.”

  I swallowed. Tomorrow was going to be the worst day of my life.

  Chapter Five

  “You look nice, Miss Caitlyn,” Sonja said. “Do you want me to brush your hair?”

  I shook my head as I examined my appearance in the mirror. Jude’s uniform looked ... odd, at least to me. A black skirt, reaching all the way down to my ankles; black shoes, shining under the light; a black shirt, a black blazer ... I looked like a professional mourner going to a funeral. I couldn't help thinking that I should be practicing my wailing. A single white band wrapped around my right arm, marking me out as a first-year student. Other than that, everything was black.

  “It could be worse,” Sonja said. “Do you know what the boys at Evesham have to wear?”

  “No,” I said. Evesham was a university for older boys intent on entering the civil service. It probably had an even more absurd uniform. “And I don’t care.”

  Sonja’s face went blank, a clear sign she was annoyed. I felt a pang of guilt, which I swiftly suppressed. There was a good chance I would never see home again, unless I did something so appalling that Jude’s kicked me out within the first week or two. And yet, going by all the horror stories, what was expulsion-worthy? Jude’s seemed to be very tolerant of misbehaviour, bullying and magical accidents. I was dead.

  I hadn't wanted to eat, when I was dragged out of bed. Mum had forced some toast and orange juice down my throat, while lecturing Alana and Bella for chatting too loudly. Mum doesn't like getting up early either, even for us. Dad put in an appearance at breakfast, then vanished again while we were getting dressed. I knew he would be taking us to the school gates, but it still felt as if we were being abandoned. The butterflies in my stomach were breeding. And yet ...

  “I’m sorry,” I said. I meant it. “I just ...”

  “You’ll be fine,” Sonja said. “You’re not as clumsy as me.”

  I sighed. Sonja was clumsy. But she could cast spells, which made up for a lot. She’d never be a great sorceress - she didn't have the time or inclination to train - but still ... she could work magic. She had plenty of opportunities in her life, if she left our service. I had none.

  She checked my uniform one final time, then hurried me down to the lobby. Alana stood there, somehow managing to look regal even in the absurd black outfit. We looked at each other and started giggling, just as Mum pushed Bella into the room. Judging from her sour expression, Bella had tried to go back to sleep instead of getting dressed. I understood precisely how she felt.

  “You remind me of me,” Mum said, briskly. “I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

  I rolled my eyes as she turned away, ordering the servants to have our trunks shipped to the school. Alana looked good in the uniform, but Bella looked sloppy and I felt like a fraud. I was a fraud. I couldn't even sense the protective magic fizzing around the hallway. How many traps had I walked into because I couldn't sense the magic waiting for me? I’d lost count. And here, I was one of the family. I wouldn't have that advantage at Jude’s.

  Mum turned back and launched into another lecture about how she expected us to behave ourselves while living up to the family name. I did my best to pretend to listen, although I’m sure she didn't buy it for a second. My heart was beating so fast I rather suspected my sisters could hear it. By the time Dad emerged from the shadows, decked out in his black robes of office, I was almost relieved to see him. It was time to go.

  Travis and the servants waved goodbye to us as we walked through the main door and headed for the gates. They swung open at Dad’s touch, allowing us to stride onto the streets. The sun was barely in the sky, yet the streets were already crammed with magicians and their families, walking or riding to school. I saw a number of familiar faces - girls and boys I had hoped would be my friends, once upon a time - but none of us spoke. Magic or not, we were all nervous. Jude’s would be the making or breaking of us.

  The breaking, I thought numbly.

  I glanced back at the hall as it vanished into the distance. Would I ever see it again? Dad didn't understand, not really. He didn't want to think that he might have sired a daughter without magic. And yet ... what value was there in having triplets when one of them didn't have magic? Did we really bring him good luck? Could he call upon the promised protections?

  But in the end, it didn't matter. I couldn't cast the simplest spell.

  The streets remained silent, despite the crowds, as we crossed the river into Water Shallot. I glanced down into the river, watching the fishing boats as they headed out to hunt, then looking past them at the giant sailing vessels. Traders went everywhere from Shallot, I’d been told; they visited distant lands, then came back with rare goods to sell. I felt a wistful pang of longing, mingled with the grim realisation that I would probably never be allowed to leave the city. Even if Dad had let me go, I wouldn't be able to get a job on a sailing ship.

  “There,” Alana said. “I see it!”

  I looked forward. The gates of Jude’s Sorcerous Academy loomed up in front of us, guarded by stone statues that moved when no one was looking. I should have been able to sense the complex spells keeping them alive, but I couldn't. The gates were already swinging open, a line of men and women in fancy clothes standing on the far side. They were the tu
tors, I guessed, some of the greatest magicians in the world. Jude’s reputation has spread so far and wide that people have been known to come for thousands of miles, just to find a place within its walls.

  They can have mine, I thought.

  Dad hugged all three of us. “You’ll be fine,” he said. Parents weren't allowed to enter the gates, unless something had gone very wrong. “Don’t forget to write to us.”

  “We could just pop over to see you,” Bella pointed out. “Dad ...”

  “You can’t leave during term,” Dad reminded her. “And you are going to write to us.”

  Alana caught Bella’s hand. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go!”

  I shot Dad one final look, then turned and slowly made my way through the gates. The other students - my classmates - wore the same attire, save for the boys wearing trousers instead of skirts. Their parents, however, wore hundreds of different styles, ranging from the understated elegance of the aristocracy to the blatant display of the nouveau riche or makeshift garments of the peasantry. I wondered why the latter had bothered to come to the city, even though their children had won a scholarship to Jude’s. Merely staying a night in Shallot would cost a month’s wages. And their children would have nothing in common with them when they graduated.

  Alana was already chatting to a couple of friends as they walked down the lane towards the school, Bella clinging to her side like a limpet. I felt a flicker of bitter envy, which I rapidly suppressed. There was no point in moaning any longer. Instead, I looked past her, trying to take in the school. It looked like a giant palace, but with so many different styles blurring together that it was obvious that Jude’s was constantly growing. Merely looking at it made my head hurt. Parts of the building simply didn’t look right.

  A tall girl strode past me, her long blonde hair shining in the sun. An equally tall boy followed her, glancing from face to face as he passed. He caught my eye for a long moment, just long enough for me to recognise him. Akin Rubén, son of Lord Carioca Rubén. The girl had to be his sister, Isabella Rubén. I groaned inwardly as Akin nudged his sister, drawing her attention to me. Lord Rubén might have twins, instead of triplets, but there was no doubt that both of his children had magic. I’d heard stories about Isabella Rubén.

  But those stories came from Alana, I reminded myself, sharply. Alana and Isabella Rubén would be rivals, if they weren't already. They might not be true.

  I looked back at them as evenly as I could. Unlike my sisters and myself, Akin and Isabella Rubén were almost identical. If Akin had grown his blond hair out, it would have been hard to tell the difference between them. Their blue eyes seemed to glitter coldly at me before they turned away, seeking out new faces. I felt cold, despite the warmth, as I followed the others into the building. The last thing I needed was a feud on the first day!

  “Girls over here,” a voice called. I saw a friendly-looking woman standing inside the door, holding a sack. An older man stood on the other side of the room, calling to the boys. “Take a token, then pocket it!”

  Alana reached into the sack. I saw something gold in her hand, but I didn't get a good look before she pocketed it. Shrugging, I reached into the hat myself and touched a number of small objects. I picked one at random and glanced down at it. The badge was a tiny golden raven. It seemed to sparkle in my hand.

  “Move on, into the hall,” the woman ordered. “Don’t delay!”

  I stopped, dead, as I saw the Great Hall for the first time. It was immense, large enough to hold well over a thousand students. The hundred or so first-years rattled around like peas in a pod, forming small clusters based on power and popularity. I did my best to ignore the crowd gathering around Alana and Bella as I looked around the hall. The walls were lined with giant portraits of famous witches and wizards. There were no names, but I recognised half of them from my father’s lessons. They’d all done wonders in their time, from a man who’d saved the kingdom to a woman who’d codified the essentials of alchemy. I’d wanted to be like them, once.

  The doors banged shut. A loud clap echoed through the air. We turned to see a middle-aged man standing on a podium, peering down at us. I recognised him instantly. I’d actually met him when he’d visited the hall, back when I’d been eight or nine. Castellan Wealden had been kind enough, I supposed, but he hadn't had much to say to a little girl. Even now, I couldn't help thinking that he looked too young to run a school.

  “Welcome to Jude’s,” Castellan Wealden said.

  His voice hung in the air, just loud enough for me to hear. It had to be projection magic, of course. I wondered if there were spells included to keep us calm. It wouldn't be difficult, not for the Castellan. And he might see advantage in keeping us attentive while he spoke. Some of us had the attention span of gnats.

  “Jude’s is the finest magical academy in the world,” he continued, after a brief pause. “Kings and princes, sorcerers and alchemists ... many of the most famous men and women in the world have passed through our doors, studied with us and then left to make their mark. I expect each and every one of you to live up to our reputation.”

  He droned on and on for several minutes, listing all the famous sorcerers who’d made an impression on the world. I would have been more impressed if the details hadn't been included in the booklet Mum had forced us to read from cover to cover, then quizzed us mercilessly until we knew it backwards. Jude’s was famous ... big deal. It wasn't as if anyone was going to remember me as anything other than an utter disgrace.

  “There are rules in our school,” he told us. I perked up. This sounded as though it might be a little more interesting. “Most of them you’ll learn over the next week from your teachers and supervisors. But there are some we need to go over right now.

  “First, as long as term is in session, you are forbidden to leave the school grounds without permission. That permission will not be granted unless there is an urgent need - your parents being ill, for example. You are here to learn, not to be distracted. Anyone caught trying to sneak off the grounds will regret it.”

  I kept my face impassive, somehow. Dad had talked about upperclassmen sneaking in and out of the school, trying to smuggle sweets and cakes to their fellows, but he’d admitted that fooling the wards was far from easy. The walls were so heavily charmed that they were almost alive, just waiting for someone foolish enough to try to climb over. Getting caught would be embarrassing. Even now, he’d warned, he wouldn't care to try to break into the school. What hope did I have of circumventing the wards?

  “Second,” the Castellan continued, “you are expected to attend classes as scheduled on your timetable. If you are repeatedly late for class, steps will be taken; if you purposely delay your fellows so they miss class, you will regret it. We will not be amused by your games if they interfere with someone’s education. Do not test us on this.

  “Third, and perhaps most important, left-hand magic is utterly banned at this school. If you - if any of you - are caught experimenting with left-hand magic, you will be expelled and handed over to Magus Court for judgement. There is a very good chance, if you are proven to have used such magic, that you will be executed. There will be no further warnings.”

  I swallowed. I’d heard of left-hand magic, but I knew very little about it. None of the books I’d read, even the forbidden tomes, had talked about it. Dad had flatly refused to talk about it, when I’d asked him. Clearly, there was something sinister about left-hand magic. But what? If I didn't know what to avoid, how could I avoid it?

  But I probably couldn't work left-hand magic either, I thought, bitterly. The warning is pointless.

  The Castellan’s words hung on the air for a long moment. I saw several students exchanging nervous glances, trying to determine if their fellows knew more than themselves. Alana looked nervous - I guessed she’d asked Dad too, only to walk away with a flea in her ear. I looked at Isabella and saw she was just as puzzled as everyone else, although she was trying to hide it. Her father hadn't told her anyth
ing about it either, I guessed. And wasn't that interesting?

  “You’ll pick up the rest over the next week,” the Castellan said, finally. “Now ... does anyone not have a badge?”

  He paused, just long enough to give someone a chance to speak up, then went on. “Every year, students are sorted at random into the dorms. For the next year, each of you will be sharing a dormitory with nine other students and an upperclassman who has been volunteered to serve as your Dorm Head. These dorms are your homes for the next year - keep them clean and tidy or you’ll be living in squalor.”

  His face twisted into a smile. I didn't get the joke.

  “You will not be allowed to transfer without a very good reason,” he added. “I suggest you learn to get on with your fellows, because you don’t have a choice. Next year, you will be sorted into a different dorm with new faces. By the time you join the upperclassmen in fifth year, you will know every young magician of your generation. You’ll have made friends and contacts that will last you a lifetime.”