by J. P. Larson
Eva stared into space for a while then turned to Sytara. "I'd find ways to use her." She turned to me. "You don't need to see her every day. I could send her away for a few days at a time?"
"Two nights, definitely," I said. "After more than that, the cough would come back. I wouldn't want her away for more than a week, and I would prefer briefer partings than that."
Eva turned back to Sytara. "I'd want to talk more, but I am convinced I could use her."
Sytara frowned. "There are difficulties." She turned to me. "Have you discussed this with your patient?"
"No."
"Does she know Eva's true mission?"
"No. Of course not."
"There is one main difficulty," Sytara said. "We need to know she can't expose Eva's cover."
"She wouldn't."
"Things happen," Sytara said. "This is not a problem without a solution, but the solution is magical in nature, and I would insist before approving this." She paused. "And I do not expect you to travel to Livendar with any frequency. She might never see her family again. She may wish to simply go home and spend her last days with them. But before we could talk to her, I would be forced to implement the magical solution to secrecy."
"We could talk to her tentatively without doing so, but present it as if she would be my assistant, not Eva's."
"All right," Sytara said. "Yes, we could do that." She turned to Eva. "Do you want this responsibility?"
"I could use her," Eva said. "She is intelligent and easy to get along with. Our team would be more effective."
Sytara turned back to me. "You and I do not get along," she said. "If I tentatively approve this, are you going to cause trouble for me when I implement my guarantees?"
"Not if we give her a chance to say 'no' to serving as my assistant first."
"All right," said Sytara. "When do you want to meet with her?"
"Immediately," Quartain said. She turned to me. "I believe she should be arriving shortly for her daily therapy session. I also believe you will find your students did not attend today."
"You timed this well," I said with a laugh.
"As I said: there are reasons I am the senior magus and you are the adept. Go get her."
I stepped out of the room and walked down the hall to the healing training room I'd been given. Fremara was already waiting for me. We hugged briefly.
"Fremara," I said, "there are a few people I'd like you to talk to. Would you come with me?"
She offered a puzzled expression, but she followed me back to the other classroom. When we arrived, Sytara was not in sight. I thought perhaps she had stepped out. Fremara greeted Eva and Quartain, then Quartain gestured for Fremara to take Sytara's old seat.
"Kia," said Quartain. "Please explain the situation to your patient."
I turned to her, and a lump formed in my throat. I had to choke out the words, and I felt tears rising in my eyes when I said, "Fremara, I do not believe I can cure you. As long as I can see you every other day, I can keep your lungs clear, although I don't know if whatever is causing this will lead to other difficulties."
"Kia, don't cry," she said. "I already figured that out. You did your best. I couldn't have asked for more."
"If you go home, you'll die," I said. "It won't be pleasant. I can give you herbs that will help you sleep at the end. I believe you'll be dead by spring, perhaps sooner."
She looked away and said, "I know. Are you sending me away? Senior Magus Quartain already explained to me how scarce the sorceresses are. I know you have other duties."
"We're not sending you away just yet," Senior Magus Quartain said. "Kia has an offer."
"You have two choices as I see them," I said. I paused. "Three, perhaps. You could pursue help elsewhere. I do not know where you will find it. You could go home as we just mentioned and spend this time with your family. Or you could stay with us. You would be my assistant. When Eva and I travel, you would travel with us." I explained a little further. "You may not see your family again. I do not know if we'll ever return to Livendar, but if we do, it might not be for years. I do not believe you could travel there and return to us. You would probably be too weak by the end."
"You would do this?" she asked. "You would keep me alive?"
"As long as I am able," I said. "If whatever is causing this grows worse, I do not know how long that may be. Right now, it is a very small amount of my magic to see to you. I also don't know if the rigors of travel will be too much for you."
"I work long, hard days here," she said, "and I feel fine. I do not imagine travel would be worse."
"The days are often damp and cold," I said.
She stared into space for a while then turned to Quartain. "May my family visit me when we're here?"
"Yes," Quartain said. "If there are significant numbers or small children, they may need to find a Nalori inn. Fremara, if you choose to return to your family, I will arrange to help you travel home. Do you need time to think about this?"
"I've thought about it," she said. "Well, I hadn't thought about traveling with Adept Kia and Magus Eva, but I thought about what I would do if you told me you couldn't cure me." She turned to me. "I have two sons; they both moved into the homes of their wives, and they do not need me. My sister-in-law lives with my husband and me, and she and her daughter can see to his needs. My parents are long dead. I would not choose to be away from any of them, but I believe all would rather know I was alive and doing well with you than dying this winter." Still, tears began streaming down her cheeks, mirrored moments later by my own. She reached across the table and clasped my hands.
"I will be your assistant," she said. "I know nothing about the job, but if what you really mean is to act as your servant, then I will be your servant. I will do whatever you ask, and you will never hear me complain."
Eva gave us a short pause before she said gently, "Fremara, there are aspects to Kia's job that must remain secret. You have a choice. You can accept the spells I will cast to ensure secrecy, or you can return to your home."
Fremara turned to Eva. "I accept your spells."
Eva already had one waiting. I hadn't seen it. She settled it over Fremara. Then I watched her build another one. Then from somewhere, one landed, and a moment later Sytara stepped up to the table. She and Eva settled two more spells onto Fremara, who sat silently, not moving.
"Fremara," Sytara said, "I am Sytara. You will never divulge anything we are about to tell you."
"Fremara, you will not be Kia's assistant," Eva said. "You will be mine. Let us explain."
Part Three
Winter
We wintered at Northmere School of Magic. Fremara underwent intense training, a portion of it with me and the remainder with Eva. Her cover story was nearly entirely the truth: she had a disease that required my attention, and so she was our servant.
I hated that word. I hated it far worse than anyone else. But Fremara herself was pragmatic about it. Quartain and Eva quietly told me it was just a word, but one that would reduce attention on Fremara. But I still hated that word.
On the plus side, Sytara was paying her, through me, and fairly well at that. So while this might not have been the path she would have chosen at this stage in her life, we were doing the best we could for her.
I spent my time as a student, although my title of Adept was a significant change from Journeywoman in several notable ways. I was no longer subject to the rules of a student. I couldn’t be assigned demerits, I didn’t have a curfew, I could come and go as I pleased, and I could dress as I preferred. And we were exempt from Sevenday events.
Eva and I, along with our swordswomen, continued to live in the house that Quartain had assigned to us. Framara lived in staff quarters, although the arrangements would be different once away from the school.
And, of course, we were paid, and far better than the stipend of a student.
But Eva and I had both been rushed to Adept, and Eva hadn’t paused a moment to earn her title of Magus. We both had
gaps in our knowledge as well as years and years of study before us. And so we were both students.
But as an adept -- and Eva a magus -- we had an additional duty, to help teach the other students. My path was outlined in a meeting with Quartain and several of the other instructors.
* * * *
“I have a summons.”
“Do you?” I thought there was something coy in the way Eva asked the question.
“I’m not sure I should go.” I grinned. “I’m pretty sure I don’t answer to Quartain anymore.”
“You can believe that if you want,” Eva said.
“The day we arrived, you told Loralai she didn’t report to Quartain anymore.”
“You know you’re going to go,” Eva said. “Is this a real conversation?”
“What if it were?”
“I may have overstated the amount of independence our swordswomen should exercise,” Eva said cautiously.
I put my hand on my hip. “What is the real answer, Eva?”
“If we weren’t living at the school, then it’s murky. She is a senior magus, after all. But we are living at the school, and we’re both still learning. Are you really going to play power games with her?”
“Well, no.” But I waved the paper. “But she didn’t say ‘please’ either.”
“If she returns to her old games, we will discuss it together. Until that time, please play nice.”
“I always play nice.” From the other room, I heard both Loralai and Lunia scoff. “Hey!” I complained. “Be nice.” I sighed. “I’ll play nice, Magus Eva.”
“I wasn’t making any orders, Kia,” she said. “What’s really eating you?”
I turned away and moved to the window, looking out at the grey land. I didn’t like winter. The plants wouldn’t respond to me until spring. Eva gave me a moment then stepped to my side, setting a hand on my shoulder. “Tell me.”
“You know what this is.” I waved the summons. “I think I’m going to get blindsided with something new.”
She took it from me and read it. “I don’t know why it doesn’t say what it’s about. I think you have a legitimate complaint about that.”
“Did you get one, too?”
“I got my own about this time in my education.”
“Uh, huh. You knew I was getting one today.”
“We’ll walk over together. Kia, it’s nothing to be upset about. Can you trust me for one hour?”
“I suppose,” I said. But it made me crabby she wouldn’t tell me what it was about. I was pretty sure Quartain was back to her old tricks.
It was less than an hour later that we made the walk to the top of the journeywoman tower. We were about to step into the room that had become mine over the last few weeks, but I pulled us to a stop.
Now, below the room number, there was an additional sign.
Adept Kia Shortshadow
I had a nameplate just like the instructors here. I stared at it then turned to Eva. “Do you have one?”
She pointed. “Around the corner.”
I grabbed her arm and pulled. Eva laughed and followed after. She pointed, and I came to a stop outside another of the practice rooms.
Magus Eva Truebright
“Has this been here this entire time?”
“No, but it’s not the first time I’ve had a room assigned. Come on, though, or we’ll be late.” She tugged my hand.
I brought us to a stop in front of my door again and ran my fingers over my sign. It was a piece of wood, screwed to the wall beside the door. My name was engraved into the wood and painted: black background, but my name in silver. Eva’s had been in gold. I thought that was ironic, as neither of us could touch either metal. But it was just paint. I ran my gloved fingers over then pulled the glove off to do it again, being careful in case there was actual silver in the paint. No, just paint.
I looked, and Eva was grinning at me.
“This means something.”
“Yes, it does. Come on.” She opened the door and we stepped inside.
We weren’t the first to arrive. Magus Iladarta was already there, standing in the middle of the room. Eva dropped my hand, and I hurried to Iladarta. We hugged tightly, then I asked her, “Did you see my sign?”
“I did, Kia. Congratulations.”
“It’s just a sign.”
“It’s a symbol, and you know it. Don’t belittle it. I can’t tell you how excited I was when I saw mine the first time.”
“What does it mean?”
“I imagine that’s what we’re here to discuss,” she replied. “Will you deny Quartain the joy?”
“Happily,” I said with a grin.
“You better not!” Quartain said, stepping into the room. “I need all the joy I can find.” I turned to see several of the other magi of the school behind her. What surprised me was to see Queen Hallamarie and Magus Larpeen. I hadn’t seen her since my aborted exam for adept.
Eva and I dropped into a curtsey for the queen.
“Get up, for crying out loud,” Marie said, moving forward. She hugged Eva and then me, holding us each tightly. I hadn’t seen her since we returned from Haltorda.
“Everyone knows everyone,” Quartain said. “So let’s sit.” She didn’t wait on ceremony. There were chairs along the side of the room, and she stepped over for one. What surprised me was Marie grabbed her own, and then the rest of us. Quartain set hers down near one edge of the inscribed circle, although well clear. The queen sat beside her, and then Quartain pointed. “You’re there, Kia.” I set my chair down opposite Quartain’s.
Everyone else helped to form a circle, although there remained a clear gap to either side of me.
I was the only adept in the room, and it was clear I was about to be the focus of something.
“Kia, did Eva tell you why we’re here?”
“No.”
“For the purposes of this meeting,” and Quartain gestured. “The others here are considered instructors of the school, including the queen.”
“And Eva?”
“And Eva,” Quartain clarified. “We’re here for a several basic reasons. We have this meeting with every new adept when I feel it likely she will reach higher rank. Excepting in the case where an adept surprises me, it has never been so long after achieving her current rank, but it can often be weeks or months.”
“All right,” I said slowly.
“When you returned, I informally assessed your skills. We are about to do so somewhat more formally. And then we will map out your intended education as well as address the reason why there is a new sign outside the door.”
I grinned at that. “All right,” I repeated.
“We’re going to dispense with the portions everyone knows, but I have a few questions.” She paused, and I nodded. “Kia, since you last produced one of your magic shows, do you believe your power or abilities over raw magic have dramatically changed?”
“No, Senior Magus Quartain. It’s possible I have more power than I did, but I’ve done nothing to measure it, and accepting one healing I performed shortly after leaving, I haven’t had to stretch my abilities.”
“Is there any possibility you are less powerful?” Marie asked. “Or less skilled?”
“Why would I have become less able?”
“I don’t know, which is why I’m asking.”
“If anything has changed, I haven’t noticed it.” And then, without looking, I began one of my shows. I let it run behind me, not paying much attention. The attention of everyone in the room -- barring my own -- shifted to watch what I was doing.
“She does that without even looking?” Larpeen asked.
“She’s such a show off,” said Jeanine, but she smiled as she said it.
“How many pieces are you manipulating, Kia?” Larpeen asked me.
I counted. “Only six.”
“What is your limit?”
“It depends on how complicated they are,” I said, “and how much I work at it. Some things I’ve done
have taken weeks to work out, and timing on the most complicated demonstrations can be tricky.” I split the magic into pieces. I formed a chair facing each of the magi, and then had a string of people walk into the circle and move to the chairs. It was hard to do that many all at the same time, so I tended to animate about half of them while the others stood or sat still. This took concentration, however, and so I focused on it, paying less attention to the room’s occupants.
I did this for a minute or two then let everything freeze. “This is near my limit in complexity. It’s hard to focus on so many details at once. As you can see, I’m not able to animate them all separately at the same time.” And then I waved it away, dispersing the magic. “I haven’t prepared anything special, so that wasn’t as entertaining as some that I’ve done.”
“I believe we can rest comfortable knowing Kia’s abilities haven’t waned,” Marie said.
Quartain nodded. “Jeanine has a list.”
I looked over, and the magus was holding a sheet of paper, outstretched to me. I stood and took it from her then looked at it. It was a list of spells. “We believe this is the list of spells you would have demonstrated during your adept exam,” Quartain explained. “Please review it.”
I looked it over and nodded. “Probably,” I agreed.
“Kia, as an adept, you are responsible for your own education and skills. You do not answer to me on that, although clearly I am more than happy to guide you.” There were a few scoffs around the room, which Quartain ignored. “But we would like to know. If we asked you to perform that list, could you?”
I looked it over again. There were a few minor spells I hadn’t cast in several years, and so I thought about them for a moment or two. But they were minor and easy, and so I built and dispersed them readily. Finally I looked up. “I have been using the healing and botany spells,” I said, “including many not on this list. Yes, I believe I can still build all of these.”
“Please step out of the circle,” Quartain said. “Magus Eva, please step into the circle.”
Eva grinned at me as we walked past each other. Once standing on the stones outside the inscribed circle, I turned around and looked at her. She was continuing to grin.