The Exile and the Sorcerer (29 page)

Jemeryl’s gaze drifted over the treasured items scattered about the room. They held memories of the many nights she had spent there, reading in front of the fire and making plans.
So much for planning
. Even without Iralin’s intervention, meeting Tevi would have been a life-changing event, a node in the web of fate. But why? Jemeryl’s eyes fixed on the door to Tevi’s room. Was it to do with the quest or the woman herself?

Jemeryl was aware that a soft grin was growing on her face as she thought of the warrior. She recalled the sight of Tevi snuggling down with the squirrel curled at her side
. And if I didn’t know better, I’d swear I was envying that squirrel.
Jemeryl shook her head in self-mockery.
One step at a time, and remember, your career depends on this. You can’t afford to make mistakes
. If she was to achieve her ambitions within the Coven, she was going to have to fit in with Iralin’s schemes.

Klara had been asleep on the back of the chair, tired after her nightlong vigil. At this point, she awoke and hopped onto Jemeryl’s wrist. “Have I missed anything exciting?”

“No.”

“How’s the patient?”

“Sleeping.”

Klara looked towards Tevi’s room. “She doesn’t seem too bad. Far better house-trained than you expect for a woman warrior, and I’m sure I heard her attempt a few polysyllabic words.”

“Oh, I don’t think she’s stupid.”

“Except when it comes to basilisks.”

“We all make mistakes.” Jemeryl groaned. “I know I have.”

“So how do you feel now about going on this quest with her?”

“I’d rather not.”

“But you’re quite happy with Tevi as company?” Klara’s voice was deliberately innocent.

Jemeryl gave her familiar a long, cynical stare. She knew exactly what Klara was implying. “I don’t have a problem with Tevi. It’s Iralin and the rest of the Coven seniors I want to incinerate. They’re playing silly games. If they want me to join in, I wish they’d explain the rules first, rather than treating me like a football.”

“They’re probably making them up as they go along.”

Jemeryl’s frown deepened. “The attack of foresight when I first saw Tevi is the worrying bit. The Coven seniors have been poking about with fate, not just casting oracles. You don’t get a rupture in time like that from merely asking questions.”

“What do you think they were after?”

“I’d say they were trying to affect the outcome of events triggered by my meeting Tevi. As for why...” Jemeryl finished her sentence with a shrug. “They certainly left an ugly patch job behind.”

“I noticed.”

Jemeryl stroked the magpie’s head. “You saw something in there that really upset you.”

Klara said nothing. Jemeryl did not want her to. She was determined to resist the temptation to probe the magpie’s memory. Klara had screamed in terror at something seen when they blundered into the ragged temporal discontinuity. More than just Jemeryl’s dislike of prophecy stopped her from trying to find out what.

There was a fable, probably apocryphal, told to all young sorcerers. It concerned two brothers who went to consult the oracle at Kradja. They had only one question to ask, “Where will we die?”, intending never to visit the place named. The oracle had replied, “In Kradja.” Both brothers immediately attempted to flee the town. In his panic, the brother in the lead slipped and fell on the temple steps, breaking his neck. The other saw the accident and stopped, realising the futility of escape. He settled in Kradja, took a partner, made his life there, and prospered. He died there decades later, after a long and successful life, surrounded by friends and family.

Even if it never happened, the moral was sound. No matter what fate might dictate, the greatest chance of tragedy lay in trying to evade it. Klara had seen something bad. If it was inevitable, it was best not to know. Jemeryl’s expression was grim. Iralin was the one who had told her the fable many years ago, when Jemeryl was a fresh novice. If the senior sorcerers were trying to rewrite destiny, it meant something very important was involved.

“So why not tell me what it is? Do they think I’ll work better if I don’t know what I’m doing?” Jemeryl glared into the fire, feeling like a pawn. “I never did trust oracles. I bet they’ve had some vague prediction and are even more confused than me.”

Klara bobbed her head in agreement and then tilted it to one side. “But it could be worse. As I said, Tevi doesn’t seem to be too bad, does she?”

Jemeryl’s anger faded as a slow smile crossed her face. “No, she doesn’t seem too bad at all.”

It was definitely a day for being lazy. Midafternoon, Jemeryl was still sprawled in her chair, the bears asleep at her feet. Ruff’s ribs were serving as a footstool and Klara was perched on the armrest, adding her contribution as Jemeryl indulged in idle speculation about the quest.

“She might have to kill a monster,” Klara said.

“More likely has to find something.”

“Such as?”

“It would have to be important.”

“Obviously. Iralin’s hardly likely to think Tevi needs you along if she’s just popped out to get a couple of cabbages.”

“It could be a person she’s looking for.”

The sound of a door opening interrupted the debate. Sorcerer and magpie simultaneously turned towards the source. Tevi stood in the entrance to her room. The low winter sun was falling square on the window behind her. Its rays streamed out around Tevi, lighting her in silhouette.

“Madam Jemeryl?” Tevi asked dubiously, as if afraid of what else might answer.

“I’m here.”

Jemeryl studied her guest for a moment longer before rising to guide her to a chair by the fire. The young squirrel bounced onto the warrior’s lap as soon as she was seated, evidently feeling that it had made a true friend. It never seemed to occur to any squirrel that it might not be wanted. Tevi, on the other hand, although looking much better for the sleep, was uneasy.

“I am very grateful for your help, ma’am. I hope I haven’t...” Tevi had obviously taken time to reflect on the status of Coven sorcerers.

Jemeryl stopped her. “There’s no need to thank me. In fact, you could argue that it’s my fault you were hurt in the first place. And forget the ma’am bit. Jemeryl will be fine, or you can call me Jem. My friends do.”

“While her enemies call her much more interesting things,” Klara added.

At the inhuman sound of the magpie’s voice, Tevi’s hands tightened on the arms of the chair. “What’s that?”

“Just an impertinent magpie.”

“It talks?”

“As you just heard.”

“I’m sorry.” Tevi slumped. “It was a silly question.”

“She’s a silly magpie. And, although you can’t see it, she’s giving us a rather indignant look at the moment.”

“I guess even magpies don’t like being called silly.”

“Especially magpies. Her name’s Klara. She’s quite safe, as long as you can cope with sarcasm.”

Klara turned her back on the pair of humans in disgust.

“So you have squirrels, magpies...and bears?”

“Just the one magpie—one is more than enough. The bears are asleep in front of the fire. If you want, I’ll send them away.”

Tevi looked unsure, but in the end, she said, “It would be mean to kick them out in the cold when they’re doing no harm.”

“They aren’t dangerous.” Jemeryl stressed.

“I know. You said. I’m being childish. It’s just...” Tevi hesitated. “I think it’s not being able to see them. Things are always worse in your imagination. Would it be all right if I touched them?”

“They won’t bite.”

Jemeryl mentally roused Tumble from her sleep. The bear rose with a snort, then shuffled around and lay her chin on Tevi’s knees. Tevi patted the furry head with growing confidence, while her expression changed to a grin. Ruff also awoke and went to claim his share of the fuss.

“They’re like a pair of great soppy dogs,” Tevi exclaimed as Tumble licked her hands.

“I know,” Jemeryl agreed. “It wasn’t the effect I was aiming for, but that’s how it goes when you enchant animals. Their own nature skews the magic.”

Jemeryl settled back and rested her chin on one hand. Only Tevi’s head and shoulders were visible above the bears’ shaggy rumps. Light from the fire played over her face, highlighting the line of her jaw and throwing soft shadows at her throat.

One advantage of Tevi’s blindfold was that Jemeryl could study her guest without inhibition. She found it a very pleasant occupation.
Not bad at all
, she repeated to herself, but she could not sit and stare all afternoon. Jemeryl got to her feet. “Now you’re awake, I’ll see about a late lunch. Do you want me to take the bears with me?”

“I’ll be fine. Or do you need them to help?”

“Oh no. Their paws aren’t up to doing anything worthwhile in the kitchen. The squirrels would be more use, but they will insist on putting nuts in everything. It wouldn’t be so bad if they shelled them first.”

Jemeryl left the room to the sound of Tevi’s laughter.

*

Once the meal was over, Jemeryl gave Tevi a tour of the castle. They went slowly, to let Tevi feel her way and build a mental image of the layout. In particular, Jemeryl pointed out the location of stairs and similar hazards. They stayed a while in the stables and made sure Tevi’s pony had everything it needed.

Back in the parlour, the two women reclaimed their seats by the fire. Tevi told the story of the hunt for the basilisk. As the account progressed, Jemeryl’s horror grew. She was appalled at how little Tevi had known of her quarry.

“A small shield was all the protection you had? That was suicidal.”

“I held it in front of my face so the basilisk couldn’t see into my eyes.”

“But the crystal bridge works in the sixth dimension. It can only have been pure luck it worked.” Jemeryl frowned. “How big was it?”

“The shield or the basilisk?”

“The basilisk.”

Tevi indicated with her hands.

“Well, that partly explains it. It was only a juvenile, probably inexperienced.”

“I thought I’d done quite well. Except for the bit at the end, of course.”

“You did. But you should have come to me. I’d have given you proper shields. In fact, I’d have dealt with the beast myself.”

“The villagers were against telling you.”

“Why?”

“Some thought the basilisk was yours, that you’d called it to the valley.”

“They thought...” Jemeryl stared at her guest, lost for words. Small wonder that bad reports had reached Lyremouth.

“Wasn’t that what you meant when you said it was your fault I got hurt?”

“No! I would never do anything to harm the villagers. I’m sworn to defend them, with my life, if need be. They must know that. What’s got into their heads?”

“I’m not sure they think very clearly. They seemed a bit gullible.”

Jemeryl groaned. “And that’s my fault as well. It’s a side effect of the wards.”

“Wards?”

“I put wards around the valley to keep out danger. Someone destroyed them, and that’s what let the basilisk in. When I said it was my fault, all I meant was that I should have talked to the villagers more and not relied on the wards. But I never dreamed someone would deliberately wreck them.”

Tevi looked as if she might have said something but held her peace.

“The thing could have killed someone, but the villagers were more frightened of me than the basilisk.” Jemeryl was speaking mainly to herself.

“Perhaps when the villagers hear that you’ve healed my eyes it will give them some faith in you...if you’re sure I’ll see again...”

“I promise. Your eyes will be fine.”

“I didn’t mean to imply...” Tevi’s words tailed off awkwardly. “I just don’t understand what happened to them and why I wasn’t turned to stone.”

Jemeryl sighed and then shook her head. Cursing yourself for past mistakes was pointless. She redirected her thoughts to finding an explanation for Tevi. “The basilisk feeds directly on energy. It doesn’t really turn its victims to stone. It’s like burning. It takes the energy out and leaves ash behind, fused into place. To extract the energy, it has to create a bridge in the sixth dimension, which is the easiest place to work with elemental forces. Its third eye is a receiver, which also changes the eyes of its prey to transmitters. I’m afraid it’s hard to put it in simpler terms.”

“I have a vague idea of what you mean. Very vague.”

“Vague is probably good enough. The organs that extract the energy are where its stomach would be, if it had one. The receiver was able to transmute your eyes even after you cut its head off, but it couldn’t complete the link to its stomach. Fortunately for you.”

“The head can survive on its own?”

“Only for a very short time, a bit like a headless chicken.”

“So everything is quite safe after a few minutes?”

“Not from the chicken’s point of view,” Klara said.

Tevi laughed and sank back in her chair.