***
“No, Sevra. I’m sure you didn’t hear that from me,” Master Bernard said sternly. “Now I want you to focus on what you are doing before the contaminant fades.”
“I’m paying attention, I just don’t see anything,” she said, crawling around on the carpet while she carefully inspected every inch of it. “Well I didn’t just imagine it. Kind of a silly thing to makeup by myself.”
“Don’t sass. Honestly have you even been paying attention all this time to think it works that way? Ridiculous notions,” Master Bernard huffed.
She sighed loudly, then winced and looked back to see Master Bernard raise his eyebrows. Words on a page shouldn’t change; she knew what she read yesterday. It continued to bother her she couldn’t find the passage again. After washing dishes she spent another hour before going to bed, pouring over the texts to no avail. She hoped Master Bernard might have recognized what she read, which turned out to be a mistake.
Today he decided they should take a break from intensive study to give her mind a respite and show her a new technique, one that would allow her to detect poisons or other substances.
“You wouldn’t believe how many people are poisoned at court each year. Not here of course, but each year, in every kingdom, it happens,” Master Bernard emphasized. “Of course if you’re reading through your histories instead of making up your own stories, you would know that.”
“I’m reading them Master Bernard. And I saw what I saw,” she repeated, seeming to home in towards a particular corner. “There’s too many families and places to keep track of. Why does each city have to change its name so many times? Oh, over here I think.”
She began to understand the distinctive signature of the room, and saw that it deviated in one particular spot. “Is it here?” she asked.
Master Bernard crouched down to his knee, slowly running his hand over the area. The necklace he wore dangled freely from his shirt. She was transfixed by the red gem, it was the most beautiful stone she ever saw. Having only glimpsed it before at a distance, it paled in comparison to being this close to it.
“Yes, I believe you found it,” Master Bernard answered, “good work.” He stood, and Sevra held out her hand pitifully with a great longing in her heart.
He took her hand and helped her to her feet. “Excellent, I’ll have another test arranged with a few drinking glasses; practice will make perfect. Often some of the magi are assigned to protect someone for a period of time and testing their consumables will be a daily task. Or Gods forbid one day your drink or food might be contaminated, and this skill could save your life. See you shortly.”
Master Bernard left the room, and Sevra tried to clear the fogginess from her head. She never had such a profound feeling of emptiness, one that could have been filled if she had the necklace.
It should be yours.
She couldn’t help but agree. In time, it will be.
With the next test set, she composed herself and joined Master Bernard in the dining room outside of the library. It was mostly empty this time of morning, and she found him at a table towards the back. The few patrons all had books in their hands, and only one or two looked at her disinterestedly as she passed by.
Three glasses full of clear liquid were on the table.
It’s on the right.
“It’s on the right,” she said, almost as soon as she sat down.
Master Bernard frowned at how quickly she answered. “Are you guessing? You should know better.”
“I’m not guessing,” she answered.
“Then how could you know? Are you confident enough to stake our lives on it?” he asked.
She wasn’t sure how she knew, once she was prompted to reconsider. Her instincts told her it was so, but it was more than that. Someone wanted her to know the answers. More importantly she felt like she knew because she deserved to know.
“I don’t feel so well,” she said. Her head was starting to bother her, and she found it difficult to focus.
Master Bernard continued to frown, “Come here, child,” he said. He placed his hand at her temples. Immediately the headache vanished, but the strange sense of longing in the pit of her stomach returned. She could feel the gem on his necklace reaching out for her, beckoning.
“You may be excused, for now,” he said abruptly. “Tonight after dinner I’ll guide you through meditation exercises for strengthening your mind. Read your texts.”
“Yes, Master Bernard,” she answered, scurrying off before she got stuck with any chores. She turned at the doorway to take a last look back, biting her lower lip. Master Bernard was already busy writing in his journal. Two of the crystals towards the top of his necklace poked out above his collar, catching the light and casting it out with dancing reflections. With a forlorn sigh she returned to her room.
As the afternoon passed, she lay down on her bed for a while, tossing a small doll up in the air and catching it. There was plenty of reading she needed to do, but couldn’t summon the effort to do any more than mindlessly skim over the pages. She couldn’t stop thinking about Master Bernard’s necklace; it was far too fancy for a man to wear.
One day it will be yours, patience.
A stabbing pain shot through her head, and pressure, like someone tore through it with their hand. Briefly she felt a profound sense of worry and resisted against a force pushing in on her, creeping into the small recesses of her mind. She never stood a chance, and it was over so fast she was left wondering if it even really happened.
Take up your book, I will give you proper instruction.
Dutifully she picked up the history tome, opening to where she last left off. The letters morphed and rearranged themselves, transforming into a different set of text, of a more interesting subject matter.
Now learn from a true master, for you have been chosen. In time, the most powerful magi to walk the lands will pale in comparison, and bow in awe before you.
Though her mind was still her own, another influence had taken residence. The poison of Kubathu ran through her thoughts, and His limitless desires would again be satiated.
Now her training would truly begin.
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