How Sonea's further fate would go on, if a spy, which she killed was not Ichani, but the mere slave, and therefore the Lord Jolen's family had not been murdered and there would be no suspicions on Akkarin? SoneaxAkkarin
This is an update of the chapter one after a significant lifting :) Thanks to my beta reading Sophia Cooper. I know it was a hard job to do, because I saw number of corrections :D
You are asking me about continuation. I didn't abandon the story, but still it will be some time before I publish a new chapter.
And... Thank you all for reviews - they are always welcome and help writing. :P
Disclaimer: The Black Magician Trilogy and its characters belong to Trudi Canavan.
He quietly opened the door to Sonea's room a crack. The moonlight streaming through the window gave off just enough glow to notice the curve of a girl under a thin quilt. Her face was relaxed; her dreams were peaceful, tonight.
Akkarin smiled at the sight, and immediately felt a strange pain that spread through his body. He grimaced, angry with himself.
He should not feel what he felt. Ever since the night Sonea ad killed the spy - and he had realised just how deep his affection for her was - he had avoided meeting with her. At the same time he could not resist looking into her bedroom every night, if only for a minute.
Akkarin leaned against the door frame and folded his arms on his chest. He didn't know what to do about these uncomfortable thoughts and feelings surrounding Sonea. And there were so many other things to worry about…
Sonea moved, caught up in her dream. He froze, holding his breath and hoping she would not wake. Suddenly a bright light blinded him.
'Akkarin.' Although it wasn't a question, he sensed a note of surprise in her voice. He felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards involuntarily. He had no idea how he would explain his presence in her room in the middle of the night.
The ball of light dimmed, casting a softer light.
'Sonea. I did not want to wake you.'
'What's happened? Have the Thieves caught another spy?' she asked, sitting up. Her eyes were wide and full of questions. I've scared her. He cursed himself mentally - how could he have been so careless?
'No. There shouldn't be any murders for the time being.'
She nodded and relaxed visibly, but soon her eyes shifted back to him, filled with questions once again.
'So why…?'
'Recently there have been many things on my mind,' he interrupted her. 'Including your lessons. Tomorrow we should be able to finish the last lesson and go back to learning Warrior Skills. And now, you must forgive me for waking you up.' He spread his hands, and moved away from the doorframe. 'Goodnight, Sonea.'
'Goodnight, High Lord.'
He kept his face a mask, not allowing himself to reveal his irritation at the use of the formal title. Yes… he should treat her only as his novice. For her, he was only a guardian. He had no right to expect anything more.
He nodded to her, and closed the door. He watched as the light slowly disappeared from beneath the door, then sighed, and returned to his bedroom.
The bell rang, and groups of novices poured out of the University. Sonea however, was not among them.
After lessons Sonea went to the library to do anything that would occupy her mind, but found it difficult to concentrate even on books. She felt a flash of annoyance - she had been distracted all day.
Her thoughts flitted from the High Lord to her evening studies, the start of new lessons on Warrior Skills, and to the unpleasant memories of the dead Sachakan. She felt sick whenever she remembered drawing all the energy from the long gash, and the thick, over powering smell of blood. She knew that if she had not killed the spy, things could have ended very, very badly, yet here she was, unable to concentrate.
With a sigh she rose from the table and returned the book to its place. The sun was just beginning to set outside the window, and she returned to reality with a jolt, only then realising how late it was. She should return to the Residence. It was almost the time Akkarin had arranged for the lesson, and she doubted he would appreciate her being late.
Sonea left the library and headed towards the main doors of the building. Passing near the Administrator's office, she noticed a figure in black robes. Her heart leapt. As if sensing her presence, Akkarin stopped and turned around.
'High Lord.' She bowed respectfully.
'Sonea,' the corners of his mouth twitched upward in an almost undetectable smile.
She couldn't help smiling a little. They were both headed to the High Lord's Residence, but at the same time they were not able to go together, so as not to arouse suspicion. Since Sonea had learned black magic, caution was more desirable. She wondered whether this was the same thought that had amused Akkarin.
He looked around and nodded in the direction of a corridor containing an entry to the underground passages. She followed him, and they slipped into the hidden tunnels in silence.
As they walked, Sonea recalled the last time they had been in the passages together and felt a slight twinge of annoyance that he had treated her so badly. She quickly chased that feeling away. Akkarin was often scary and sometimes cruel, but now that she understood his behaviour, she was less hurt by it. She wondered how he felt, being detested by his best friend, and all those who only knew part of the truth. I don't hate him anymore, she realised. I might even like him, or at least, I enjoy time in his company.
Akkarin stepped aside to let her pass, gesturing. She looked into his eyes. The light smile never faded from his lips, but his eyes were dark and impenetrable. She sighed and moved forward.
They were in the corridor that led to the underground room in the Residence. She was about to begin undoing the protective enchantments, when she realised that Akkarin had stopped, and was staring into the passage behind them. Sonea looked, and was surprised to see that a soft light was spilling into the corridor from one of the other passages. Someone was close, not only to them, but to the protections around the secret room in the High Lord's Residence. She rushed back to Akkarin.
Akkarin looked at her, his eyes evaluating, then glanced quickly at the other passage. There would not be time to get through the protections to the Residence; at any rate, they would have made too much noise go escape undetected. Darkness swallowed them as Akkarin's ball of light disappeared. After a moment she felt a hand clamp onto her arm and pull her into a nearby recess. The niche was shallow, and she had to cling to his body. Stunned, she didn't protest, but raised her head to look at him. His face was difficult to find, let alone read, in the darkness.
- Nobody should be in these parts of the passageways - he sent into her mind. His voice was surprisingly clear.
- Direct contact has advantages for mental communication. No one will be able to hear our conversation - he explained. She sensed amusement behind his words, as well as a slight concern. - I have too… We'll have to wait and see who dared explore this area of tunnels.
The light was still around the bend.
- Maybe he won't come this way - she sent.
- Perhaps. If they do find us…
She tensed, understanding what he meant. She felt his hands move from her forearms to her back, pulling them both closer into the recess. She looked into his face, but still couldn't read anything she saw there. It seemed that he was listening intently. She twisted her head toward the stranger, but she couldn't hear anything.
Oddly, she felt completely safe beside Akkarin. Safe? She considered it more deeply. It was something more. She liked how his arms wrapped around her tightly and held her close to his chest.
Just a month ago she would have been terrified at finding herself in such close proximity with the High Lord. Now, however, there was nothing frightening about this.
She felt warm breath on her forehead. He must be looking at me, she thought, though it's so dark I doubt he'll be able to see anything. We are close enough to kiss, she realised, and a warm thrill spread through her body.
After a moment she snorted softly, surprised that she would have thought of kissing her guardian, the High Lord of the Magicians' Guild. What was wrong with her?
His arms tightened when she snorted, and he pushed them back a little.
- Sonea - he said quietly with disapproval, but then pulled her closer as the mysterious wanderer turned into their corridor. Sonea felt her heart beat faster.
- He is coming in our direction - she sent.
Only a little closer and he would discover them.
She clung to Akkarin tightly, praying that her clothes wouldn't protrude outside the recess by accident.
- Indeed, he is.
Suddenly Sonea was strangely aware of his body. The thin material of their robes was the only thing that separated them. She could feel that Akkarin had tensed, and he straightened more, as if he wanted to push deeper into the recess but had nowhere to move. She felt the warmth of his body, his hard torso, the pleasant weight of his arms entwined at er back, his thighs, and…
She noticed Akkarin's accelerated breathing, his heart beating faster. Blood rushed to her face, and she took comfort in the fact that it was dark, and he would not be able to see the flush that spread across her cheeks.
The stranger's steps sounded closer.
- Akkarin? - She risked a look at his face. In the light coming from the stranger, she could see Akkarin was staring at the opposite wall, his jaw clenched. He moved slightly before she could see his eyes.
- Stay where you are - he ordered in her mind.
A bright flash suddenly lit the corridor. The ball of light was undoubtedly strong enough to blind the unknown magician. Quickly, Akkarin moved Sonea away, slid past her, and pressed her back into the niche.
'Lord Osen,' she heard Akkarin's cool voice. Though he spoke quietly, he put more menace into those words than she would have thought possible.
Sonea released the breath she had been holding quietly. She was relieved that it was only a Guild magician, and not someone more menacing.
'I am very curious as to what brings you to these parts of the underground passages.'
'High Lord!' Sonea smiled in sympathy for the magician. She new firsthand how terrifying the High Lord could be, particularly when he suddenly appeared from thin air. 'I-I decided to investigate the condition of the tunnels.'
'There was no need. You should trust what the Higher magicians tell you, Lord Osen. The underground passageways are not safe for a lone magician,' Sonea could imagine how his mouth would curve into his half-smile when he spoke.
'Of course, High Lord.'
She heard Lord Osen walk away down the corridor in which he had arrived, his footsteps fading. After some time Akkarin's ball of light waned, so that the passage was dim once again. Sonea waited until she lost patience, then looked out from her hiding spot.
Akkarin stood with is arms crossed, staring at the dark tunnel. Hearing movement behind is back, he turned to her, looking very serious, and when he looked at her, she felt his dark eyes penetrate through her.
'Let's go.' He turned to the tunnel leading to the Residence.
'Did Lord Osen tell the truth, High Lord?' she asked quietly.
'I think so.'
Nothing more was said and the silence stretched on until they reached the basement room of the Residence. The room looked just as they had left it the night they had left to deal with the spy. On the table lay the blood-coloured lumps of glass, and Sonea rubbed the burned hole in the table with her finger, remembering how she had dropped the ball of hot glass.
'I think we can continue the lesson on blood gems. You should remember how to get started. If you get stuck, I will guide you.' Akkarin took a chair at the table.
He never took his eyes off her while she melted glass, then mixed it with her own blood. Sonea felt uneasy from all his staring, and she focused on following instructions. When the blood gem was finished, it would be necessary to verify that it worked. Akkarin was the only other person in the room. Would she have to test it on him? She swallowed nervously.
She was not sure whether or not she wanted to know Akkarin's thoughts and feelings. She was only his Novice; he would probably never think of her in any other way. The fierce feelings that rose in her when she thought of her guardian did not help. What if I feel disappointed with his judgement? She didn't want to find out. And what if he wanted to give her a blood gem? She would refuse, she assumed, but she preferred not to think of it.
When Sonea had completed as much as she knew from her previous lesson, she looked at him and waited for his next command, but none came. Akkarin was staring at the ceiling.
'Lorlen…' he hissed so angrily that she withdrew a step. He continued in a more normal voice, 'I am afraid we will have to postpone this lesson again.'
He opened a small box, moving his hand. She dropped her half finished gem into his open palm, and the image of Lorlen flashed through her mind. This picture was filled with annoyance, and he was wondering about calling out to him mentally.
Suddenly the picture changed; Akkarin's eyes had shifted to the bloodstone still lying in his hand. She felt Akkarin's fear she saw an image of herself. Her eyes…
- She cannot find out! - The strange thought flashed through her mind, then suddenly Akkarin's presence vanished.
Sonea took a deep breath, disoriented, realising she had forgotten to breath while reading Akkarin's thoughts. She shook her head slightly.
Akkarin's mouth was clenched in anger. He closed the box lid with a snap, the blood gem inside.
'You already know how blood gems work.' He said coldly. Now she understood that she had been meant to return the gem to the box, instead of his hand.
'I'm sorry,' she said quietly. He fixed her with a sharp gaze. Though recently she had grown less afraid of him, she now caught herself staring at her feet. She no longer had the courage to look him in the eye after the day's events.
'I need to speak with Lorlen. Wait down here until he is in the sitting room.'
He began to climb the stairs, bringing his light with him.
The room drowned in darkness. She moved to the door at the top of the stairs, wanting to hear what was happening.
'Akkarin,' she heard Lorlen's welcome.
'Remember that I know what you think. Do not be ridiculous, Lorlen.' came Akkarin's voice, sounding derisive.
Something was going on, but she couldn't understand what. Sonea waited until the voices faded, then escaped to her room. Her head was splitting with thoughts, all of them centered around Akkarin.