Читать книгу The Chronicles Of Ixia (Books 1-6) - Maria V. Snyder - Страница 52

SOMETHING SHARP SCRATCHED my soul, searching for vulnerable spots. I pushed away the intrusive object and began to build a wall of defense in my mind. This magician would not reach me.

Bricks formed and stacked, but they crumbled at the edges. Holes drilled through as I struggled to stay ahead of First Magician. I poured all my strength into that wall. I patched the holes. I added another wall within the first. But the bricks disintegrated and collapsed.

Damn it! No! I scrambled for a while, but it was just a matter of time. In the end, I let the wall dissolve. But, with a sudden rush of energy, I created a curtain of green-veined marble, cutting her off.

I pressed myself to the smooth stone and held on with all my might. Exhaustion pulled at my mind. In pure desperation, I used the last of my power, calling for help. The marble transformed into a statue of Valek. He looked at me in concern.

“Help,” I said.

He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. “Anything, love.”

With nothing left, I clung to him as darkness descended.

I awoke in a narrow room; my head throbbing. Looking up at the ceiling, I realized that I was on a bed. It had been pushed against a wall under an open window. When I moved to sit up, my stiff legs protested. I felt raw and violated as though someone had scrubbed off my skin. My throat blazed with thirst. A pitcher of water sweated on a night table, an empty glass beside it. I poured a large drink and downed the cool liquid in three gulps. Feeling a little better, I examined the room. An armoire stood along the opposite wall with a full-length mirror on the right and a doorway on the left.

Cahil appeared in the doorway. “I thought I heard you.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“First Magician tried to read your mind,” Cahil said. He looked embarrassed. “She was extremely annoyed by your resistance, but she did say you weren’t a spy.”

“Peachy.” Sarcasm rendered my voice sharp. I crossed my arms over my chest. “How did I get here?”

Splotches of red spread on his cheeks. “I carried you.”

I hugged myself. The thought of being touched by him made my skin crawl. “Why did you stay?”

“I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“Now you’re concerned about me? I find that hard to believe.” I stood on sore legs. They felt as if I had run too many laps, and my lower back ached. “Where am I?”

“In the student’s quarters. Apprentice wing. You’ve been assigned these rooms.”

Cahil retreated into the other room. I followed him into a small sitting area with a large desk, a couch, table and chairs and a marble fireplace. The walls were made of light green marble. My pack rested on the table with my bow.

There was another door. I crossed the room and opened it. Beyond the threshold was a garden courtyard with trees and statues. Through them I could see the setting sun. I stepped outside, glancing around. My rooms were at the end of a long one-story building. No one was in sight.

Cahil joined me outside. “The students will be back at the start of the cooling season.” He pointed to a path. “That leads to the dining hall and classrooms. Want me to give you a tour?”

“No,” I said, going back into the sitting room. I turned around in the doorway. “I want you and your toy soldiers to leave me the hell alone. Now you know I’m not a spy, stay the hell away from me.” I closed the door and locked it, leaving Cahil outside. Just to be safe, I wedged a chair under the doorknob.

I curled up on the bed. The desire to go home racked my body. Home to Valek. To his strength and his love. Just that brief contact with him made me miss him even more. His absence left an emptiness that burned deep inside me.

I wanted to leave Sitia. I had gained enough control of my magic to avoid a flameout. I didn’t need to be here with these horrible people. All I had to do was head north, and I would reach Ixia’s border. I planned the journey in my mind, making a list of provisions, and even considered horse-napping Topaz to make my escape. When the room grew dark, I fell asleep.

When the sun woke me, I rolled onto my other side, weighed my chances of escaping the Keep without anyone knowing, and realized I knew nothing of the layout of the Keep. I could make a reconnaissance of the area, but I had no desire to see anyone or be seen. So, I stayed in bed all day and went back to sleep that night.

Another day passed. Someone rattled the doorknob then knocked, calling out to me. I shouted for them to go away, and was content when they did.

Eventually, I lay in a stupor. My mind floated and reached some creatures in the garden. I flinched away from even that light contact, seeking a peaceful place.

Then I found Topaz. Peppermint Man had come to visit, but the horse wondered where Lavender Lady was. I saw a picture of me in Topaz’s mind. Lavender Lady must be the name he had given me. It was funny that Topaz called me Lavender Lady. Traveling with Cahil left little time for bathing, but I had managed to find some privacy to freshen up and apply a few drops of my mother’s Lavender perfume.

Go smooth and fast, Topaz thought.

Would you take me far away to the north? I asked.

Not without Peppermint Man. Smooth and fast with you both. I am strong.

You are very strong. Perhaps I’ll stay with you.

No, you won’t, Yelena. You’ve sulked enough, Irys’s voice said in my mind. Her contact was like a thick cool salve rubbed on an open wound.

I’m not sulking.

Then what would you call it? Irys demanded with annoyance.

Protecting myself.

She laughed. From what? Roze barely got through.

Roze?

Roze Featherstone, First Magician. And she’s been in a rage ever since. You’ve weathered worse things, Yelena. What’s the real problem?

I felt helpless and alone with no one to watch my back. But I buried that thought deep, unwilling to share it with Irys. Instead, I ignored her question. Knowing my mentor was back, I rallied. She was the only person I could trust in the Keep.

I’m coming with some food. You will let me in and you will eat. Irys ordered.

Food? Topaz thought hopefully. Apple? Peppermints?

I smiled. Later.

My stomach grumbled. As I moved to sit on the edge of the bed, a wave of dizziness overcame me. I had lost track of the days and I was weak from hunger.

Irys came as promised, carrying a tray laden with fruit and cold meats. She also brought a pitcher of pineapple juice and some cakes. As I ate, she told me about her trip to May’s home. May was the last of the kidnapped girls to find her lost family.

“Five sisters just like her,” Irys said, shaking her head.

I grinned, imagining May’s homecoming. Six girls squealing with delight, laughing and crying as they all talked at once.

“Their beleaguered father wanted me to test all the girls for magical potential. May has some, but I want her to wait another year before coming to the school. The others were still too young.” Irys poured two cups of juice. “I had to cut my visit short when I felt your call for help.”

“When Roze was invading?”

“Yes. I was too far away to assist you, but it seems like you managed on your own.”

“Valek helped me,” I said.

“That’s impossible. I couldn’t reach you. Valek’s not a magician.”

“But he was there and I drew on his strength.”

Unwilling to believe me, Irys shook her head.

I thought about how Irys had found me in the north. “You felt my power when I was in Ixia,” I said. “It’s the same distance for Valek to reach me.”

She shook her head again. “Valek is resistant to magic so I think you used his image as a shield against Roze. When I felt you last year, you had no control over your powers. Uncontrolled bursts of magic cause ripples in the power source. All magicians, anywhere in the world can feel that, but only Master Magicians will know from which direction it comes.”

That worried me. “You felt my call for help when you were at May’s home, though. Was I out of control to be able to reach you at that distance?” Loss of control led to flameout, which led to death for the magician and damaged the power source for all magicians.

She looked startled. “No.” She frowned and stared at the wall, considering. “Yelena, what have you been doing with your magic since I left you?”

I told her about the ambush, the escape and the truce with Cahil.

“So you put all of Cahil’s men into a deep sleep?” she asked.

“Well, there were only twelve. Did I do something wrong? Have I broken your Ethical Code?” There was so much I didn’t know about magic.

Irys snorted, reading my mind. And you wanted to run away with a horse.

“Better than staying here with Cahil and Leif,” I said aloud.

“Those two.” Irys frowned again. “The Master Magicians had a discussion with both of them. Roze is furious that they misled her about you. Cahil actually had the audacity to demand a Council session in the middle of the hot season. He’ll just have to wait until the cooling season. Perhaps he’ll get on the agenda, or perhaps not.” Irys shrugged, seeming unconcerned.

“Would the Sitians go to war for Cahil?” I asked.

“We have no quarrel with the north, but no love for them either. The Council has been waiting for Cahil to mature. If he develops the charisma and strong leadership abilities, his plans to take back Ixia may be supported by the Council.” She cocked her head to the side as if considering the prospect of going to war.

“The trade treaty is the first official contact we’ve had with Ixia in fifteen years,” she explained. “It’s a good beginning. We have always been worried that Commander Ambrose would try to take over Sitia as he did in the north, but he seems content.”

“Would a Sitian army prevail against the north?”

“What do you think?”

“Sitia would have a difficult time. The Commander’s men are loyal, dedicated and well trained. To lose a battle, they would either need to be vastly outnumbered or be vastly outsmarted.”

Irys nodded. “A campaign against them would have to be launched with the utmost care, which is why the Council is waiting. But that is not my concern today. My priority is to teach you magic, and discover your specialty. You’re stronger than I thought, Yelena. Putting twelve men to sleep is no easy task. And having a conversation with a horse …” Irys pulled her hair back from her face and held it behind her head. “If I hadn’t been listening in, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Irys rose and began to pile the dishes onto the tray. “What you did to Cahil’s men would normally be considered a breech of the Ethical Code, but you acted in self-defense, so it was acceptable.” She paused for a moment. “What Roze did to you was a clear violation of our ethics, but she thought you were a spy. The Code doesn’t apply to spies. All Sitians are united in their intolerance for espionage. The Commander gained power by infiltrating the monarchy and using assassination, so Sitia worries when a spy is uncovered that the Commander is trying to collect enough information to launch another takeover.”

Picking up the tray of dirty plates, Irys said, “Tomorrow, I will show you the Keep and start your training. There are candles and flint in the armoire if you need a light, and there’s firewood behind the building for when it gets cold. I’ve assigned you to the apprentices’ wing because you’re too old for the first-years’ barracks. And I think by the start of school, you’ll be ready to join the apprentice class.”

“What’s the apprentice class?”

“The Keep has a five-year curriculum. Students start the program about a year after they reach maturity. Usually around the age of fourteen their magic has grown to a point where they can direct it. Each year of the Keep’s curriculum has a title. First year, novice, junior, senior and apprentice. You’ll be at the apprentice level, but your schooling will be different since you need to learn about our history and government.” Irys shook her head. “I’ll figure it out before classes start. You’ll probably be with students from different levels, depending on the subject. But don’t worry about that now. Why don’t you unpack and make yourself at home.”

Her words reminded me that I had something for her in my pack. “Irys, wait a moment,” I said before she could leave. “My mother sent you some perfume.” I dug into my bag. By some stroke of luck, the bottles hadn’t been damaged during the trip to the Citadel. I gave Irys the Apple Berry perfume, and put my bottle of Lavender on the table.

Irys thanked me and left. After she was gone, the room felt empty. Taking everything out of my backpack, I hung my old uniform in the armoire and decorated the table with the valmur statue I had bought for Valek, but the rooms still seemed bare. I would ask Irys to exchange my Ixian money. Perhaps I could purchase a few things to brighten up the place.

I found Esau’s field guide at the bottom of my pack. Taking a candle into the bedroom, I read his book until my eyes grew heavy. From his vast notes, it seemed that almost every plant and tree in the jungle had a reason for existing. I caught myself wishing there was a page in his guide that had my picture on it with the reason for my existence written underneath in Esau’s neat hand.

In the morning, Irys scrunched up her nose when she entered my rooms. “Perhaps I’ll show you the bathhouse first. We’ll send your clothes to the laundry and get you some fresh ones.”

I laughed. “Bad?”

“Yes.”

Irys and I went to another marble building with blue columns all around. The bathhouse had separate pools for men and women. Washing the road grime from my skin felt wonderful. The laundry mistress took my tattered and stained clothes. Nutty’s outfit, my white shirt and black pants all needed mending.

I borrowed a light green cotton tunic and khaki-colored pants. Irys told me the Keep had no particular dress code for classes and everyday events, but special functions required an apprentice robe.

After I combed and plaited my hair, we walked to the dining room for breakfast. Gazing around the Keep, I could see a pattern in the inner layout. Paths and gardens wound their way past marble buildings of various size and shape. Barracks and student housing ringed the main campus. The stables, laundry and kennels lined the back wall of the Keep. Horses grazed in a large fenced pasture next to an oval training yard.

I asked Irys about the four towers.

“The Master Magicians live in them.” She pointed to the one in the northwest corner. “That one is mine. The one in the northeast corner near the stables is Zitora Cowan’s, Third Magician. The southwest one is Roze Featherstone’s, and the southeast one is Bain Bloodgood’s, Second Magician.”

“What if you have more than four Masters?”

“In the history of the Magician’s Keep, we have never had more than four. Less, yes, but never more. It would be a wonderful problem to have. The towers are huge so there would be plenty of room to share.” She smiled.

Three people sat in the dining room. Rows and rows of empty tables lined the long room.

“When school starts, these tables will be filled with students, teachers and magicians. Everyone eats here,” Irys explained.

She introduced me to the two men and one woman eating breakfast. Gardeners on break, they were just a small part of the vast force needed to tend the landscaping.

We ate, I pocketed an apple for Topaz and Irys took me to her chambers. After climbing what seemed like a million steps and passing ten levels of rooms, we emerged at the top. The circular room’s windows stretched from floor to ceiling. Curtains, long and lacy, blew in the hot breeze. Colorful cushions and couches in blues, purples and silver decorated the bright area. The place was ringed with bookshelves, and the air held a fresh citrus scent.

“My meditation room,” Irys said. “The perfect environment to draw power and to learn.”

I walked around, looking outside. She had a magnificent view of the Keep and, through the northeast facing windows, I could see rolling green hills pockmarked with small villages.

“That’s part of the Featherstone Clan’s lands,” Irys said, following my gaze. She gestured to the center of the room. “Sit down. Let’s begin.” Irys sat on a purple cushion, crossing her legs.

I perched on a blue pillow across from her. “But my bow …”

“You won’t need your bow … I’ll teach you how to draw your power without relying on physical contact. The power source surrounds the world like a blanket. You have the ability to take a thread from this cloth, pull it into your body and use it. But don’t take too much or you’ll bunch up the blanket, warping the source and leaving some areas bare and others with too much power. It’s rumored that there are places where there are holes in the blanket, areas of no power, but I haven’t found any.”

I felt her power spread from her like a bubble. She raised her hand and said, “Venettaden.”

The power slammed into me. My muscles froze solid. I stared at her in a growing panic.

“Push it away,” she said.

I considered my brick wall, but knew it was no match for her strength. Once again, I drew down my marble curtain and severed the flow of power. My muscles relaxed.

“Very good,” she said. “I took a line of power and shaped it into a ball. Then, using a word and a gesture, I directed it toward you. We teach the students words and gestures for learning purposes, but really you can use anything you want. It just helps focus the power. And after a while you won’t need to use the words to perform the magic. It becomes instinctive. Now, your turn.”

“But I don’t know how to pull a thread of power. I just concentrate on the feel of my bow’s wood and then my mind somehow detaches and I project it out to other minds. Why does that work?”

“The ability to read thoughts is another thread of power linking two minds, forging a connection. Once the link is made, it remains there and reconnecting is easy. For example, consider the link between us, and between you and Topaz.”

“And Valek,” I said.

“Yes, Valek, too. Although with his immunity to magic, I think your link with him must be on a subconscious level. Have you ever read his thoughts?”

“No. But I haven’t tried. Somehow I always knew what he was feeling.”

“A survival instinct. That makes sense, considering his position in Ixia, and since he decided if you would live or die on a daily basis.”

“That survival instinct saved me a few times,” I said, remembering my troubles in Ixia. “I would find myself in a tight spot, and suddenly it seemed another person had taken control of my body and impossible things would happen.”

“Yes, but now you have control and you can make those things happen.”

“I’m not so sure—”

Irys raised her hand. “Enough of that. Now concentrate. Feel the power. Pull it to you and hold it.”

I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes for good measure. Feeling a little silly, I focused on the air around me, trying to sense the blanket of power. For a while nothing happened. Then, I felt the air thicken and press against my skin. I willed the magic to gather closer. Once the pressure grew intense, I opened my eyes. Irys watched me.

“When you release it toward me, think of what you want the power to do. A word or gesture will help and can be used as a shortcut for the next time.”

I pushed the power, and said, “Over.”

For a moment nothing happened. Then Irys’s eyes widened in shock, and she fell over.

I ran to her. “I’m sorry.”

She peered up at me. “That was odd.”

“Odd how?”

“Instead of pushing me over, your magic invaded my mind, giving me a mental command to fall.” Irys settled herself back on the pillow.

“Try again, but this time think of the power as a physical object like a wall and direct it toward me.”

I followed her directions, but the results were the same.

“It’s an unorthodox method, but it works.” Irys tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Let’s work on your defenses. I want you to deflect my power before it can affect you.”

In a blur of motion she aimed a ball of energy toward me. “Teatottle.”

I jumped back and put my hands up, but I wasn’t fast enough. My world spun. Streaks of color swirled around me before I could position my defenses. I was flat on my back, looking up at the sloped ceiling of the tower. An owl slept on a nest in the rafters.

“You need to keep your defenses up at all times,” Irys said. “You don’t want to be caught unaware. But then again …” Irys smoothed her shirt. “You kept Roze from going deep into your mind.”

I shied away from that subject. “What does Teatottle mean?” I asked.

“It’s a nonsense word,” Irys said. “I made it up. No sense alerting you to what I planned to do. I use those words for attacks and defensive moves. But for practical matters like fire and light, I use real words.”

“I can make fire?”

“If you’re strong enough. But it’s tiring work. Using magic is draining, some types more than others. You seem to be able to connect with other minds without a lot of effort,” Irys said. “Perhaps that is your specialty.”

“What do you mean by specialty?”

“Some magicians can only do certain things. We have magicians who can heal physical injuries and others who can help with mental trauma. Some can move large objects like statues, while others can light fires with minimal effort.” Irys played with the tassels on her cushion. “Sometimes, you’ll find someone who can do two or three things, or a hybrid talent like Leif who can sense a person’s soul. For you, we’ve discovered that not only can you read minds, but you can also influence a person’s or animal’s actions. A rare talent. That’s two abilities.”

“Is that the limit?” I asked.

“No. Master Magicians can do everything.”

“So why is Roze called First Magician and you’re Fourth?”

Irys gave me a tired smile. “Roze is stronger than I am. We can both light fires. While I can only make a campfire, she has the ability to set a two-story structure ablaze.”

I thought about what she had said. “If a magician only has one talent, what do they do when they finish their training?”

“We assign magicians to different towns and cities, depending on what is needed. We try to have a healer in every town at all times. Other magicians cover several towns, traveling from place to place to help with projects.”

“What would I do?” I asked, wondering if a useful place for me existed. But, at the same time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted a useful place in Sitia.

Irys laughed. “It’s too soon to tell. For now you need to practice collecting power and using it. And practice keeping up your defenses.”

“How do I keep my wall up without draining myself?”

“I imagine my defensive wall, which resembles this tower room. I make it solid and strong, and then I make it translucent so I can see out of it, and then I don’t think about it anymore. But when magic is directed toward me, my barrier solidifies and deflects the attack before my consciousness is even fully aware of it.”

I followed her instructions and created an invisible barrier in my mind. Irys tested it at unexpected times throughout the morning and it held. The rest of the time I practiced gathering magic, but, no matter how hard I tried, my magic could only affect two things. Irys and the owl sleeping in the rafters.

Irys’s patience amazed me, and, for the first time since coming to Sitia, I felt hopeful that mastering my powers might be within my abilities.

“That was a good start,” Irys said as lunchtime neared. “Go eat, and then rest this afternoon. We’ll work in the mornings and you can practice and study at night. But tonight you need to see the Stable Master and pick out a horse.”

Did I hear her right? “A horse?”

“Yes. All magicians have horses. Occasionally you’ll be needed somewhere fast. I had to leave my horse, Silk, here during my mission in Ixia. When you called for help, I had to borrow a horse from May’s father. How else do you think I got here so fast?”

I hadn’t even thought about it. I had been so wrapped up in my own misery at the time. Following Irys’s directions, I located the dining hall. I ate lunch then went back to my rooms where I collapsed into bed and fell asleep.

That night after dinner, I sought out the Stable Master. I found him at the end of a row of stalls, cleaning a leather saddle. A small stocky man, his wild brown hair fell past his shoulders like a horse’s mane. When he glared up at me, I suppressed my smile.

“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?” he asked.

“I’m Yelena. Irys sent me.”

“Oh, right, the new student. I don’t know why Fourth Magician couldn’t wait until everyone’s back to start your lessons,” he muttered to himself as he put the saddle down. “This way.”

He led me past the stable. Topaz poked his head out of his stall.

His big brown eyes looked hopeful. Apple? he asked.

Irys had been right. I reconnected with Topaz without any conscious effort. Or had he connected with me? I would have to ask her about that. I gave him the apple in my pocket.

The Stable Master turned around. “You just made a friend for life,” he said, snorting in amusement. “That horse loves food. I never saw a horse take such pleasure in eating before. You can train him to do just about anything for a peppermint.”

We went past the hay barn to the pasture. The Stable Master leaned against the wooden fence. Six horses grazed in the field.

“Pick one out. Makes no difference which one, they’re all good. I’ll go find your instructor.”

“You don’t teach?” I asked before he could go.

“Not in the middle of the hot season when everyone but me is gone,” he said with annoyance. “I’m too busy mucking out stalls and fixing tack. I said to wait, but Fourth Magician wanted it right away. Good thing one of my instructors came back early.” He mumbled some more as he headed toward the stable.

I studied the horses in the field. Three were dark brown like Topaz, two were black, and one was copper with white on the legs from the knees down. Knowing nothing of horses, I guessed it would come down to color. The copper-and-white horse looked over at me.

Like her, Topaz said. She go smooth and fast for Lavender Lady.

How do I get her to come over? I asked.

Peppermints. Topaz looked lovingly at a leather bag hanging near his stall. The Stable Master had disappeared. I went back to the stable. Taking out two mints, I gave one to Topaz, and took the other back to the field.

Show Kiki peppermint.

I held out the mint. Kiki glanced at the other horses, and then moved toward me. When she came closer, I could see she had a white face with a patch of brown around her left eye. Something about her eyes seemed strange. It wasn’t until she sucked the peppermint from my palm that it struck me. Her eyes were blue. I had never seen that before, but that didn’t mean much. I knew next to nothing about horses.

Scratch behind ears, Topaz suggested.

The mare’s long copper ears were cocked forward. I stood on tiptoes and rubbed my fingernails behind them. Kiki lowered her head and pressed it against my chest.

“What do you think, girl?” I asked out loud. I couldn’t hear her like Topaz. While rubbing her ears, I pulled a thread of power and projected my mind to her. Be with me?

She nudged me with her nose. Yes.

I felt Topaz’s pleasure. We go smooth and fast together.

I jumped when I heard the Stable Master behind me.

“Found one already?” he asked.

I nodded without looking at him.

“That one came from the plains,” he said. “Good choice.”

“She must pick another,” said a familiar voice.

I turned. Dread curled in my stomach. Cahil stood next to the Stable Master.

“And why would I listen to you?” I demanded.

He smirked. “Because I’m your instructor.”