Seventeen Stones (22 page)

“You
deserve an explanation why the Professor felt the need to draw you away from
your studies tonight, and to include me in this discussion.”  Mia waited.  The
headmistress was staring into the fire, either collecting her thoughts or
waiting for a response.

“Do you have any idea why the
professor reacted the way he did Amelia?”  She was totally confused.  Professor
Fain sighed.

“There
are times when it’s best not to stand out from the crowd.  Look at this Mia.” 
He pulled down a new set of charts; they were still wrapped in dealer’s tags. 
“I picked these up today from the census office.  I wanted hard facts to point
out something that some of us have tracked in the papers for…well, in my case,
my entire life.”  He spread out the chart, a totally innocent document showing
active wand wielders, births, and deaths.

“This
is what I want to show you.  These are the statistics for wanded families: wand
wielders, their spouses and wanded children only. Take a look at the deaths in
the sixteen to twenty age group.”  She traced the colored lines with her
finger.  The death rate spiked sharply at seventeen, and then dropped
significantly in the early twenties, and then spiked again in the late
twenties.  Mia stared at the undeniable proof that the teens were the most
dangerous period for a young wand wielder.

The
headmistress placed her marble finger on the colored lines.  “We can track some
of these.  Some of them are accidents of course, new wand wielders getting in
above their heads with spells, overextending themselves, or just plain
tom-foolery.  But, I’m afraid that many of the cases of overextension, several
a year, come from third year students working on short-term projects for
various council members.”  Mia’s eyes opened to their full extent. 

Professor
Fain nodded.  “They only ‘borrow’ the best and brightest students.”  Something
changed in the headmistress’ face.  “You’re missing an important factor Ethan. 
They borrow the best and brightest students, but they always bring back the
ones with powerful families in good condition.”  There was a cold sort of anger
in the headmistress’ eyes. 

Professor
Fain sighed.  “The headmistress noted the problems with the system and took her
issue to the council representative for the college, Greatlord Chilton.” 
Headmistress Villanova’s eyes still blazed.  Mia was waiting for the curtains
to catch fire.  “If Chilton filed a few forms, he could have stopped any one of
these council members from having access to the students.  Most of the
Greatlords only borrow them because it’s easier to teach a new wand wielder a
spell than it is to get additional wanded help for a short-term project.  The
waiting list is over a year long right now.  Most Greatlords don’t want to wait
that long to get their pet projects going…”  She shook her head.  “That’s
neither here nor there.  The point is that Chilton has never filed a CA-22 form
to protest: not two years ago when Greatlord Strathorne lost three of my most
promising third years down in the Marshes, and not five years ago when
Greatlord Avery ‘forgot’ that two of the Magus’ apprentices were doing a tracking
spell.  One of those boys recovered, the other didn’t.”  The headmistress
calmed herself.  “At best, those cases were criminal negligence…at worst; well
I’d believe anything of Strathorne and everyone knows that Avery….”  She pushed
her hands away from herself, as if moving that unproductive line of thought
away.

“Having
failed to protect my students through ‘official’ channels, I came up with a new
solution.  I talk to the students I consider to be at risk.  Talented students
with no family to speak of, or new-bloods who whose families wouldn’t have any
influence.  Some of them, like Ethan choose to risk it.” 

He
shrugged.  “When my parents drowned, I was left with enough gold to complete my
education, but I always knew that I was going to have to make my own way in the
world.  Since I didn’t have connections, I needed high grades to move on to an
apprenticeship.”  The headmistress smiled.  “We were lucky.  I was able to
interest the Magus in Ethan’s career, and that offered some protection.”

“I’d
like for you to consider this carefully.  I truly believe you’ll be much safer
if you agree to Professor Fain’s plan, though I don’t doubt that it will be
something of an inconvenience.”  Professor Fain rolled his eyes.

“First
of all, you won’t be the top student in Creation this semester.  You will rank
third, behind James Stubbs and Martin Ainsley.”  He dropped his head and
grinned a little to himself.  “Sorry about that, by the way.  Ella Ward will be
right behind you.  It’s still a high score, but far enough below the boys so
that you won’t be suspicious.  Stubbs and Ainsley are both well-connected.  He
chuckled a little at some mental image Mia probably didn’t want to know about. 
“The next thing we would like to do is begin extra classes in Creation.  That
way you’ll be in a better position to take care of yourself if someone on the
council does find out about you and decides to assign you to a “special”
project.  That’s something that we can prepare for because we know that it’s
happened in the past.  Overexertion is the most persistent problem…extending
your skills will give you another layer of protection.”

The
headmistress smiled a little.  “Normally, I don’t have to worry about my first
years…but, well in your case, and Ella Ward’s for that matter, I’d rather not
take chances.”

The
headmistress added.  “I’ll also arrange lessons with Professor Patrick in personal
defense, just in case.  I think that learning to defend one’s self is important
to any wand wielder.”  Professor Fain looked at the headmistress.  For a moment
he looked like he wanted to object, but then he nodded.  “None better.  James
T. Patrick is one of the finest duelists of the age.”

The
headmistress began to pace.  “We’ll have to find a good location for the extra
lessons…I don’t want to have them in the teacher’s offices.  Other Professors
pop in too frequently…”

Mia
nodded.  “Then I suppose I’ll be doing a lot more music practice.”  The
headmistress gave her a funny look.  She grinned.  “I bet dueling is loud, and
I know Creation can be.  What we need is a place that’s soundproof, like the
music rooms.  Everyone knows that I’m not one of Professor Petrov’s top
students…”

The
headmistress chuckled.  “And no one would ever suspect a young lady who is
spending hours practicing the piano to be interested in anything but finding a
properly pedigreed husband!” 

Mia stared into the fire.  “Professor
Fain, what do you have planned for the holiday?”

In
the end Professor Fain was invited to the house party so that the lessons could
begin as quickly as possible.  Mia was secretly a little pleased.  Headmistress
Villanova accepted an invitation to the ball itself.  “It will be something of
a coup d'état for you my dear.  I almost never attend social gatherings.  I
despise small talk.  But it will be a subtle way to show you are not without
allies, even if you don’t have parents.”

After
a moment’s consideration she added “Actually…I would like to introduce you to
Greatlord and Lady Powers if you don’t mind inviting them.  They are two of the
council elders, a group of Greatlords and Ladies that have the ability to police
the Magus and the regular council members if such a step becomes necessary. 
They might be the two oldest active wand wielders in the City bounds.  They are
a bit odd…I’m not even sure they would come.  They’ve become very reclusive in
the past sixty years, but Lady Powers is my great-aunt, so she might listen to
me.”   Mia agreed to send them invitations and said goodnight.

Mia snagged
a book at the library on her way out, just in case the others noticed that
she’d been gone.  They were eating a light snack of sliced melon and toasted
walnuts when she returned.  As soon as Mia stepped into the room a nervous Ella
asked if she’d found the book she was looking for.  Poor thing, she was a
terrible liar.  Lizzy interrupted.  “Mia, don’t be dense.  Beth and I are
sighted, Vivian’s the nosiest person on campus, and Sarah never misses a single
detail.  We know something’s amiss.”

Mia
was torn for a moment, but couldn’t resist their worried faces.  “I have a bit
of a problem...”  The telling took forever because they kept interrupting.  Sarah
resented their implicating the council as a whole.  “My Grandfather would never
do anything like that.  He was always excited to get a powerful new apprentice
to teach.  He’d never be so careless as to let one overextend themselves.” 

Lizzy
shook her head.  “There are about a hundred council members and Guild Masters. 
I doubt all of them are as nice as your Grandfather, Sarah.” 

Vivian nodded.  “The Merchant
Guild Master isn’t.  My parents have said for years that someone needed to do
something about him.” 

Sarah
pulled out a notepad.  It was her immediate reaction to any stressful
situation.  “We don’t have enough information, but we can get it.  Vivian,
write your parents and ask about the Guild Master.  We need specific instances of
what he’s been up to.  See if they can talk to the other merchant families
about it.  How many major merchant families are there?”  Vivian shrugged. 
“There are only about a hundred, maybe one-fifty if you count the traveling
merchants.  They’ve always got the best information.  How exactly is this going
to do Mia any good?” 

Sarah
sighed.  “I’m not sure.  But there
are
only about a hundred council members. 
It’s a place to start.  If the problem is in the council at least there are procedures. 
The council elders have the power to punish any member of council who oversteps
their power, if we can get them to act.  I’ll talk to my mother, Lizzy and Beth
can have a quiet chat with their grandmother during the house party.” 

“Mia, if you can question Professor Fain for specifics
and your solicitor they might have more information…”  Sarah was scribbling as
she rattled off ideas.  “We’ll see what we can come up with over the break and
discuss this again once we have a place to start.  If we find proof of
negligence we can take it to my grandfather.  He can present it to the Magus. 
He’s more likely to do something about a problem than the elders.”  The girls
discussed plans deep into the night, for once, totally ignoring the study
materials strewn all over the rooms. 

After
the previous evening Mia’s tests in Transfiguration, Elementary Healing, and
Animal Husbandry were fairly simple.  Marshall gave them a written exam and sat
in a huffy silence for the entire period, glaring at the students.  Elementary
Healing was nothing but presenting their charts on childhood disease (Mia
managed to get through the presentation mainly by examining her shoes while she
went over her research).  Animal Husbandry consisted of bridling, saddling, and
riding a horse and bringing him back in under control.  If Mia seemed a bit
distracted during all of this, her friends’ reassuring looks and frequent quick
hugs helped.  How would she have survived the day without them? 

She
couldn’t imagine how to communicate her distress to Emma.  Her guardian had
originally agreed to come to the house party.  Unfortunately, the village was
suffering from a terrible outbreak of warbling weakness, a serious disease that
caused the infected person to sing until they passed out.  Emma had written
that the noise was unbearable. 

Unlike
most diseases, warbling weakness affected mostly teenagers and young adults. 
Emma was frantically sending word to every healer and apothicary she knew to
get enough wren’s hair to concoct an antidote for the entire village.  Mia had
asked Mrs. Bennett to help and she had graciously sent a full pound out of the
college stores.  The antidote used vast quantities of the substance along with
flamingo fins, sparrow slippers, and minced garlic.  Emma always added just a
hint of parsley to the batch as well; it helped with the garlic breath. 

Putting
her worries in a letter didn’t seem wise.  The girls had agreed to use the
utmost caution while gathering the information.  Even Ella was aware that the
Council was dangerous.  Mia finally decided that she would have to wait to
speak to Emma in person before she would be able to have her guardian’s advice
and comfort.  She just had to hope that Emma would be able to attend at least
some of the house party.

***

Even
with the feeling of impending doom hanging over her head, life went on.  The
evening of the Mid-Winter performance was cold and crisp.  Snow blanketed the
campus as the girls made their way to the theater building.  The moon cast a
silvery shimmer where the magelights couldn’t reach.  Mia had convinced Ella to
wear one of her dresses; a pale green frock that Lady Anne had agreed was acceptable
for the performance. 

The
other girls were wearing dresses made for the occasion:  Lizzy and Beth wore
dark blue velvet, more in the style of very young girls than young ladies. 
Their grandmother had sent the dresses especially for the concert.  They each had
a white satin bow at the waist and the girls wore their hair tied with
another.  They wore white fur caplets as well.  Others might think that the
wide dresses were a bit out of fashion, a little too young for the girls, but
Mia thought that they were adorable. 

Vivian
wore one of Madam Reece’s creations, though she was the only one who wasn’t
performing.  She made no pretence of having any talent for music.  She’d
admitted it when the girls met the first night. “I can’t even hum.”  She was
glowing as she encouraged the others, as happy to show off her friend’s talents
as she would have been to be performing herself.  Perhaps happier: Vivian
didn’t like speaking in front of large groups of people unless she knew all of
them.  Mia found this amusing since Vivian did very little besides talk.  Of
course, if Vivian ever did have to speak in front of a large group, there was a
good chance she would know all of them: she had a fantastic memory for names
and
faces (not to mention remembering every bit of gossip she’d ever heard about
anyone anywhere). 

Sarah
was walking along the path, unperturbed by the looming concert.  She’d
preformed on the harp since she was eight.  Her dress was lovely: a flowing
peach overdress on top of white embroidered satin sheath.  She wore a floor
length peach velvet cloak over it.  Mia couldn’t imagine when she would wear
that cloak again, but she had to admit the effect was stunning.

Mia
was wearing a pale blue dress but she’d just thrown her regular school cloak
over it as she left.  After seeing Sarah’s ensemble, she wished she’d taken
more thought to what she was going to wear.  Of course, thoughts like that were
fleeting.  For the most part, she was busy focusing on
not
throwing up. 

Ella
was the first performer, sliding into the most dreaded place in the rotation
with the nonchalance of a seasoned pro.  Like a giant eagle, her voice soared
over the crowd, bathing them in notes so high and pure that hearing was almost
surreal.  Mia doubted that the audience would have cared if she’d sung in a
grain sack.

Mia was
so entranced by Ella’s stellar performance and the resounding applause that she
wasn’t able to work up a proper panic before she stepped on the stage.  Her stomach
did do a nice set of back flips as she looked out into the audience. 
Thankfully, the footlights made it impossible to see anyone clearly, even the
people in the front row.  Mia’s journey across the stage felt like a million
miles, but once she sat down to the piano she found that Beth had been right. 
Her fingers knew the music so well that all she had to do was relax enough to
let them play.  Applause greeted the end of the piece, as Mia looked out
again.  She blinked three times, made a hasty curtsey, and then walked (she
didn’t run!) off the stage. 

The
next performer walked past her as she heard a familiar voice growl.  “At least
you didn’t make a fool out of yourself.”  Professor Petrov’s heavy black brows
were raised.  Mia took the comment as the extravagant praise it was meant to
be.

Sarah
walked out onto the stage and took her seat at the harp.  Her fingers flew over
the strings as she sat with her eyes closed, playing.  It was flawless.  From
behind the curtains, Mia could see Lady Anne and her husband sitting with Vivian
on the front row, applauding wildly.

Mia
stood in the wings breathing in the smell of the theater: the ever-present dust
from curtains and floor, the sharp smell of paint and dye from the backdrops.  Now
that her part was over, the nausea was gone and she could enjoy the rest of the
performances.  Professor Petrov announced the composition students last.  A
complete hush fell over the room when she introduced Lizzy and Beth. 

The
strains of their new composition lilted through the air, playfully teasing the
listener’s ear.  The sharp clear notes fell faster and faster, with complicated
harmonies weaving in and out.  It evoked images of spring and summer, leaving
everyone who heard it smiling.  There was a moment after the music stopped, a
moment of stunned silence.  Then the very straight-laced students of the college
erupted into a frenzied standing ovation while Lizzy and Beth sunk into a deep curtsey.   

The
reception afterward made it difficult to get a word with anyone.  People came up
to congratulate all the girls bringing flowers, chocolates, and bags of candies. 
Mia and Ella stood close to each other, with Vivian happily running
interference.  They didn’t have to say much with Vivian around.  She kept a
sharp eye on Lizzy and Beth as well.  No young man was safe from being sent to
the refreshment table for punch and cake if he wandered too near.  Most of them
didn’t mind.  Lizzy, Beth, and Ella were indisputably the best performers of
the evening, everyone wanted a word with them, and everyone wanted to be seen
having a word with them. 

Sarah
was standing in between her parents, basking in their undivided attention.  Mia
heard them talking softly about other members of the family who weren’t in the
audience: most of them were already on the family estate, getting ready for the
mid-winter celebration.  Sir Kendrick had done a tricky charm to record the
performance on a piece of parchment so that her grandparents and the rest of
the family could see it.  He intended to mail it tomorrow.  He looked drained
from the spell.  Her parents gradually wandered toward the refreshment table,
giving Sarah time to congratulate her friends.      

A
young man with curly black hair and mischievous blue eyes approached with six
bags of candy.  Vivian blushed when she was first to receive a bag.  “Gabriel! 
I didn’t do anything but sit in the front row!”  The handsome young man
laughed.  “I brought candy for the six prettiest girls in school and you made
the list, music notwithstanding.  However I did want to offer my
congratulations to your friends.”  He nodded to the other girls in a pleasant
way as he passed each a bag of sweets.  He winked and said cheerfully “I’m
trying to bribe them.  I think if they liked me I might have a better chance at
getting a date.” 

Vivian
crossed her arms.  “With one of them?”  He shook his black head emphatically.  “No. 
I was hoping that they might take pity on me and tell me what your favorite
flowers are so I can bring them when you finally let me take you out somewhere.” 
Beth snickered.  “I don’t know that we should help anyone who has such a glib
answer.” 

Sarah
opened her bag of taffy and tasted the cinnamon flavored sweet inside.  “She likes
violets, lilies, and yellow roses.”  Beth shot her a disbelieving look and
Sarah quirked a little smile.  “I’m easy to bribe with candy, and Vivian can
take care of herself.”  Gabriel laughed.  “That’s the honest truth!”  Vivian
looked pleased and Mia suspected that it wouldn’t be long before she and
Gabriel enjoyed their first date. 

Mia
was walking away from the others when Professor Fain joined her.  “Will they
believe you need any more practice after tonight?”  Mia looked up at him and
saw he was serious.  “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me all evening. 
Piano takes constant practice.  Lizzy and Beth, the twins that played the duet,
practically live in the music room.”  The professor nodded and looked around. 
He pulled out his wand and created a beautiful bunch of flowers.  “I believe
it’s traditional to give the performers gifts at these things.  It would be a
shame if no one remembered to give you a bouquet.  It was lovely.”  He walked
away without a backward glance.  Mia sniffed her flowers and turned back to the
party.

***

There
were no exams for Sight, so the class was canceled the next day.  Professor Tate’s
History exam consisted of reading three texts copied from actual records and
then writing a list of facts that could be pulled from the information.  The Professor
was busily going over ancient building diagrams while they took the test.  She
had enchanted a pen next to her to write while she mumbled dimensions.  It was
a little distracting, but Mia managed to finish before the class ended.        

Government
was a simple multiple choice test, and most of the answers were ‘B’.  In light
of her new information Mia found the way the subject was taught disturbing.  No
doubt as to why the headmistress (who prided herself on the academic standards
in the college) hated the way the course was being taught per the Council’s
instruction.

Magical
Theory was by far the most difficult test Mia had taken.  It took three hours
to make her way through the complicated questions.  She didn’t know if she was
imagining it, but she thought that Professor Patrick might have been looking at
her more often than usual during the test.  She wondered what the headmistress
told to get him to agree to give her extra lessons.  She was grateful that
those lessons weren’t starting until after the holiday. 

The Astronomy test was held in a nice warm classroom
instead of the freezing ancient theater.  Mia was relieved.  It was very cold
outside and she needed her wits about her to remember all of the planets, their
moons, their orbits, and all the stupid mathematical equations they were
supposed to have learned.  During the test, she’d noticed Lizzy groaning in
frustration, while Beth shook her head slightly.  It must be nice to have two
brains to work on problems like this.  Mia was certain that in the case of
mathematical problems two heads were better than one.