Trudi Canavan - The Novice

“I’ll come back as soon as I know it’s safe.”

“You’d better.”

As Dannyl slipped through the door, he willed a globe light into existence and sent it ahead. The walls were unadorned. At first he had to brush aside fine cascades of roots and faren webs, but after twenty steps the way was clear. The floor sloped downward slightly, and the air grew rapidly colder.

There were no side passages. The roof was low and soon Dannyl felt a familiar uneasiness stealing over him. Counting his steps, he had passed two hundred when the walls ended. The floor continued, however, as a narrow ledge leading into utter darkness. Cautiously, he stepped out on this ledge, ready to levitate if it should collapse under his feet. From the way his footsteps echoed, the drop on either side was considerable.

The ledge widened to form a circular platform after about ten paces. Willing his globe light to brighten, Dannyl gasped as the light reflected off a glittering dome. The surface sparkled and shimmered as if covered by innumerable gemstones.

“Tayend!” he called. “Come look at this!” Glancing back at the black opening of the passage, Dannyl flexed his will, creating small globe lights along the length of it.

Something shifted in the corner of his eye. He turned to see that a section of the dome was glittering brighter than the rest. Rivulets of light appeared, shivering toward each other. Staring in fascination, he watched as they raced to meet. It looked like the Arena barrier when it had been struck, except in reverse...

Some instinct warned him and he threw up a shield just in time to meet the streak of power from the dome. He exclaimed in surprise at the strength of it—then again in shock as he felt another attack from behind. Turning, he saw a second starburst of power in the stones... and two more rapidly forming.

He took a step toward the passage entrance, then another, and felt the sting of a barrier blocking his way. What is going on! Who is doing this?

But there was nobody else here. Only Tayend. Dannyl looked at the passage, but it was empty. As more attacks came, Dannyl spread his hands before the barrier and sent out a bolt of magic. The barrier held. Perhaps, if he put all his strength into it... but he needed power to shield.

He felt panic rising. Every strike tired him further. He had no idea how long this attack would continue. If he waited, this place—this trap—might kill him.

Think! he told himself. The strikes from the walls were directed at a point above the center of the platform. If he squeezed himself up against the barrier, the strikes might miss him when his shield failed. And if he let his shield drop and put all his power into breaking the barrier it might fall before the next strike hit.

It was all he could think of. He had no time to come up with a better idea. Closing his eyes, he ignored the sting of magic as he pushed up against the barrier. He drew in a breath, then simultaneously dropped his shield and blasted out all his power.

He felt the barrier waver. At the same time, he was conscious of the last of his strength leaving him. He braced himself for pain, but instead felt himself falling. He opened his eyes, but all he could see was darkness... a darkness he continued to fall into long after he ought to have hit the ground...

“Lady Sonea.”

Looking up, Sonea felt her heart skip. “Tania!”

As the servant smiled, fond memories of early morning chats brought an ache of longing. Sonea patted the seat next to her, and Tania sat down.

“How are you?” Tania asked. Something about the way the servant looked at Sonea suggested she didn’t expect a favorable answer.

“Well.” Sonea forced a smile.

“You look tired.”

Sonea shrugged. “Too many late nights. There’s so much to learn now. How are you? Is Rothen keeping you run off your feet?”

Tania chuckled. “He’s no trouble, though he misses you terribly.”

“I miss him, too—and you.”

“I have a letter for you, my lady,” Tania said. She drew it out of her clothes and put it on the table. “Rothen said it was from your aunt and uncle and said you might want to read it straightaway, so I offered to deliver it to you here.”

Sonea picked up the letter eagerly. “Thank you.” She tore it open and began to read. The script was formal and stilted. Since her aunt and uncle could not write, they would hire a scribe whenever they wanted to send her a letter.

“My aunt is going to have another child!” Sonea exclaimed. “Oh, I wish I could see them.”

“Of course you can,” Tania said. “The Guild isn’t a prison, you know.”

Sonea considered the woman. Of course, Tania didn’t know about Akkarin. But Akkarin had never said that he forbade family visits. Nor had he told her she must never leave the Guild. The guards at the gate wouldn’t stop her. She could just walk out into the city and go where she pleased. Akkarin wouldn’t like it, but since he had forced her out of the secret passages and left her at the mercy of Regin’s gang, she hadn’t cared too much about being cooperative.

“You’re right,” Sonea said slowly. “I’ll visit them. I’ll visit them today.”

Tania smiled. “I’m sure they’ll be delighted to see you again.”

“Thank you, Tania,” Sonea said, rising. The servant bowed and, still smiling, walked away toward the library door.

Packing her books back into her box, Sonea felt a growing excitement, but as she considered where she was going, she sobered again. She could move through the city easily. Nobody would think twice about the presence of a magician on the streets, not even a novice. But once in the slums her robes would draw attention, possibly hostile attention. It was a problem she hadn’t needed to consider on her previous visits because she hadn’t been a novice then. While she could protect herself from any missiles or harassment with magic, she did not want to be followed around, or draw that sort of attention to her aunt and uncle.

The law said she must wear the uniform at all times, however. She was not too worried about breaking the law, but where was she going to change into the sort of shabby clothing that would disguise her in the slums, even if she managed to find some?

She could buy a coat or cloak from the Market when she got to the North Quarter. For that, however, she needed money, and she kept her money in her room in the High Lord’s Residence. Looking down at her box, she reconsidered her plan. Was she going to let her fear of Akkarin stop her from visiting her family? No. He was rarely in the residence during the day. She probably wouldn’t encounter him.

Picking up her box, she bowed to Lady Tya and left the library. As she walked through the passages of the University, she smiled. She would buy a present for her aunt and uncle, too—and she might drop by Gollin’s inn to see Harrin and Donia afterward, and ask after Cery.

As she entered the High Lord’s Residence, she felt her heartbeat quicken. To her relief, Akkarin was not inside, and Takan, his servant, appeared only long enough to give her a respectful bow and disappear again. Leaving her box, she tucked a money bag into her robes and left her room. When the door of the residence shut behind her, she straightened her back and headed for the gates.

The gate guards glanced at her with curiosity as she passed between them. They had probably never seen her before, since she had only left the Guild a few times in a carriage with Rothen. Perhaps it was simply odd to see a novice leaving on foot.

Once in the Inner Circle, she felt strangely out of place. Looking up at the grand homes that lined the streets, strong memories returned of her few visits to this part of the city years before, to deliver repaired shoes and clothing to servants of the Houses. During those visits the well-dressed men and women of the Inner Circle had regarded her with suspicion and disdain, and she had been forced to show her token of admission several times.