Jack Campbell: The Hidden Masters of Marandur

She shuddered but didn’t say anything else, her grief pressed against Alain as she cried silently. He kept his arms around her, trying to offer what comfort he could, wishing that General Flyn had been wrong or given greater reassurance rather than a harsh truth. It is a hard thing. And now Mari bore that burden as well.

He could not recall falling asleep again, but Alain finally woke to morning light and the occasional soft click of metal against metal. Mari sat at the desk once more, her hands much steadier as she worked methodically with her weapon. She did not seem to take any pleasure in the task, but continued as if it were something that must be done.

Alain watched silently until Mari had finished and put away the small bag of tools. She held the weapon in her hand, looking at it, then after a long time Mari holstered the weapon under her jacket.

Mari had not looked at him, but now she spoke. “Good morning.”

“Is it?” Alain asked.

“I…have to deal with it, Alain. Thank you for being there. Thank you…for being you.”

“I can only be me. I wish I could be more when you need it.”

She turned to look at him, smiling sadly. “I couldn’t ask for more. I meant my offer last night, Alain.”

“You did not.”

“All right, I’ll admit I was a bit overstressed and I’d probably be regretting it this morning. But I wouldn’t have blamed you, and I really do want to be with you.”

“I know that. The right time will come.” Alain sat up, watching her. “You can talk with me. I know the feelings you have.”

Mari grimaced. “You’ve lived with them since that ambush on the way to Ringhmon, haven’t you? And I didn’t have any idea. I’m so sorry. Maybe I could handle this better if I knew what to do next. How can it end here, Alain? Trapped inside Marandur because there’s nowhere else to go and nothing else we can do? What I had to do yesterday…if the world falls into chaos, how many more people will die like that or have to kill like that to survive? It can’t end here. I don’t care whether the prophecy or your vision about me is true or not. I have to change things. I have to stop…that storm.” She shivered, wrapping her arms about herself.

Alain, experienced in ignoring physical discomfort, finally realized how cold it was in the room. He stood up and draped the blanket about Mari’s shoulders. “There is something I did not have the chance to speak with you about last night. When we dealt with the masters of this university, I saw some deception in them.”

“Deception?” Mari whispered the word, her eyes going to the door. “Danger?”

“I do not believe so. Each time you spoke of why we had come to Marandur, of the texts from your Guild, I saw deception in the faces of the masters of the university. They know something of these texts, something important which they did not reveal.”

“Really?” Mari pulled the blanket tighter about her, eyes intent with thought. “Why didn’t they say anything? Any guesses?”

“There was fear and worry in them along with the deception.”

“Guilt?”

“I do not think so.”

She shut her eyes tightly. “How do we convince them to tell us whatever they are withholding? It’d be easier to figure out if we know why they’re withholding it.”

“Is this a trust thing?” Alain asked.

“It might be.” Mari gave him a questioning look. “How do we get them to trust us? What can we do?”

Alain shook his head. “I do not think my Mage skills can offer much for the people here.”

“I can tinker with a few things, but these people don’t have lots of Mechanic equipment.” Mari shivered again. “It’s already cold and it’s just going to get colder as Winter hits. I hope you don’t mind if I keep sharing your bed.”

“I have never objected to that.”

Her smile seemed more natural now. “No, you haven’t, and you also haven’t taken advantage of it.” Mari’s gaze went to a metal object under the window. “I’m glad you can keep me warm. These buildings were designed to use steam heat, and that steam plant must not have worked since the last Mechanic left.”

“These buildings are warmed by Mechanic devices?” Alain asked, surprised.

“Yeah. They’re not being heated that way now. We didn’t see it last night, but there’s a steam boiler somewhere that heats water and sends the steam to all the buildings. Or it would if it was working.”

“Could you make that Mechanic thing work? That might cause the masters of the university to trust us more.”

Mari’s eyes widened, then she actually grinned. “My wonderful, wonderful Mage. What a great idea.” She jumped up and came over to hug him tightly. “Thank you.”

He knew she meant much more than the idea he had just given her, and that made Alain feel much better than he had since last night.

Hope was a strange thing. He could give it to Mari even while wondering if it still existed. Perhaps that hope was false like everything else, a mere illusion, or perhaps it was as real as he was now certain Mari was as well.

It wasn’t until Mari left the room that she realized the inhabitants of the university probably knew that she had spent the night with Alain. Her pack had been left resting next to his in the room. She felt a surge of embarrassment, then defiance. Let them think what they will. I’m not going to explain or justify myself to anyone, not when I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m tired of people who think the worst of me.

As they walked toward Professor Wren’s office, she felt the silence more strongly than usual. Normally it felt right just to be with Alain, not necessarily saying anything. But now the lack of words weighed on her. “You know, Alain, I can’t operate a boiler all by myself.”

“I did not know that,” Alain said.

“Well, I could for a little while, but I need to sleep. I’m going to need help. I’m going to need to train people.” Mari looked around. “And the only people here are commons.”

“When you spoke with Mechanic Calu, you said you thought commons might be able to do Mechanic work,” Alain pointed out.

“You remember that? Yeah. Those Dark Mechanics we’ve encountered. Where do they come from, anyway? The Mechanics Guild is supposed to find everyone with Mechanic talents when they’re still kids.” She walked a few steps more, thinking. “Maybe there is a talent, but it’s not all there is. I mean, the Dark Mechanics don’t have the Mechanics Guild’s rules. They could build new stuff if they wanted to, but they don’t seem to have done so. Maybe they can do basic work but lack the talent to design new things.”

“Basic work?” Alain asked.

“Like turning wrenches and tightening screws. Reading gauges.” Mari glanced at Alain. “Commons use simple tools all the time, even though they don’t recognize them as tools. Levers, for example. They operate rifles. They work pump handles. I’ve always been told commons can’t go beyond that, but if there was ever a place to test that rule, it’s here.”

She felt a sardonic laugh coming and let it out, drawing a look from Alain in which both surprise and concern were apparent. He had a right to both, after last night. Please let it get better. If I have to deal with that kind of nightmare every night, I’ll go insane. “It’s all right. I was just thinking that I may be about to break one of the most important rules of my Guild. But what are they going to do to me besides what they are already trying to do? I can’t change the world without running a few risks.”

Alain actually managed to look skeptical. “A few risks?”

Mari laughed again, the sound feeling strange to her still. “You know, like trusting a Mage.”