Thank you for your review! And sorry for the long breaks between uploading. But there is much going on at the moment (planing a wedding is so much work!) and this is just a little project.
And secondly I am not very happy with the chapters I've written so far, so I will edit them and than make a more precise plan how this story will develop.
Hope you enjoy nonetheless.
Akkarin gave Sonea a annoyed look. How got this novice always in such trouble?
"I would be pleased if we could end this as fast as possible. I do not have much time", he said. Jerrik nodded his agreement.
"Did you steel this pen, Sonea?", asked the Principal. It seemed he didn't need to ask her this question to make his decision.
"No", answered the Novice, a stubborn look in her eyes. Akkarin concentrated on her mind to read her thoughts. He needed to be sure, also he never thought she would have done such a thing. There was no need for her to steel a golden pen. On the other hand she was a slumdweller and this was enough for the most magicians to judge her.
"Then why did they found it in your case?", asked Jerrik.
"I don't know"
Akkarin felt sorry for his novice. She hadn't stolen this pen and she can't risk to accuse someone of this crime. He folded his arms before his chest and gave her a piercing look. She had to be more attentive. He had enough trouble without a novice who constantly got herself into trouble. The king asked constantly about the testing of the slumdwellers and House Maron never quit asking him about Lord Fergun. Not to forget the assassin which was in town now far to long. The thieve got him two times and to times he managed to escape Akkarins attacks. Lorlen told him, that there were far more victims now and that meant, that the slave got far to mighty for Akkarins liking. He only had Takan to strengthen himself.
Jerrik continued to ask Sonea the same questions over and over again, to which she always gave the same answers. Finally Akkarin had enough of this.
"We will not get anywhere like this. My novice has classes that she should not miss and I have important appointments in the city. I will punish Sonea. Are you satisfied with that, Principal Jerrik?"
The principal nodded and Akkarin motioned his novice to leave with him. He already knew, what her punishment would be. Lorlen told him, that the Librarian asked for help.
"You will Help Lady Tya in the library after your classes for the next three weeks", he told her, when they reached her classroom. She bowed and then looked up to him, just for a moment.
"I wanted to visit my family", she said. He could nearly feel, how much courage she needed for this simple words. He gave her a small smile.
"We will see in three weeks. My Novice doesn't get herself into such trouble and she always protects herself and her belongings", he answered. He didn't need to tell her more. She was clever enough to understand, that his yes to her request depended on herself. She bowed again.
"Thank you, High Lord", she said. "I will go to my class now"
"Don't forget Lady Tya. I await your report tonight"
He left her without making sure she attended her class. She wouldn't disobey in this matter.
The three weeks flew by. Sonea helped Lady Tya in the library every evening and Akkarin was waiting for her in the reception room of the residence every evening afterwards. He assured the king that the guild was working to test the hut people. He had put the matter in Lorlen's hands, who in turn was pursuing Lady Vinara's idea of a hospital in the hut quarters. Akkarin supported this; the guild had thought only of itself and the houses for long enough. A hospital would not only help the hut people, they would also be able to test the children in a relaxed manner. On his next visit to the king's court, he wanted to present Merin with the plans, which had meanwhile become extremely mature.
Only the slave still caused Akkarin headaches and sleepless nights. Although the thieves worked extremely efficiently, Akkarin still hadn't been able to catch him. Nevertheless, the High Lord allowed Sonea to visit her family on the condition that she wore his blood jewel. The stone would allow him to keep an eye on her and, if necessary, he knew exactly where she was.
While Sonea spent time with her family, Akkarin sought out Lorlen, who, as always, could be found in his study and answered letters, as it seemed. When the High Lord entered the room, the administrator seemed to be completely irritated for a short moment, then he slipped one letter under another almost by chance. But the High Lord knew his friend better, Lorlen was nervous and usually the administrator left all the papers as they were.
"What a surprise. What can I do for you," Lorlen asked politely and came out from behind his desk. "Would you like some wine?"
Akkarin sat relaxed on one of the two chairs and pretended not to notice his friend's strange behavior.
"How could I say no to that?" he remarked. "I have the king's permission to build the hospital in the hut quarters."
Lorlen gave him one of the two wine glasses and retired behind his desk where he put the glass down and then sorted his mail.
"So quickly?" he asked in surprise.
"The king seemed quite open to my arguments"
Lorlen laughed softly. "You kept bugging him until he said yes, didn't you?"
Akkarin shook his head in amusement. "Do you really think I need this?"
Lorlen got serious again. "No, I don't think so. Did he say anything about where the hospital would be built?"
"He will have more information on that in the next few days."
After that they chatted about some gossip, like they always had done before the whole Sonea-thing and Akkarin was nearly feeling relaxed, when the blood gem caught his attention. Abruptly he sat up in his chair and would have spilt his wine over his robes if he hadn't emptied it a moment before. Sonea was in really serious trouble, live threatening trouble.
"I need to leave", he told Lorlen and ignored his friend's protest and questions about his sudden departure. This was to bad to lose time with conversation. He needed to reach the slums as fast as possible. Soneas fear, projected into his own mind threw the blood gem connection, was overwhelming. Maybe it also was his own fear, he wasn't able to differ between her feelings and his own anymore. Nevertheless he forced himself to push her into a corner of his mind and to concentrate on helping her, while he ran threw the tunnels under the university. It was impressive how fast Sonea adapted to the situation.
- Sonea, save your power he commanded her actions. She shielded herself but didn't strike herself, also she knew how. He could see in her surface thoughts, that she waited for him to get tired. Don't waste your magic with just shielding, this man is far more powerful than you. He is a black magician
Her panic was overwhelming and Akkarin cursed himself. Panic wasn't helpful at all.
- Sonea! Concentrate! Attack him with low energy stun strikes to find his weakness, he instructed her.
She didn't answer, but calmed herself and followed his instructions. The slave was obviously irritated by her action. Akkarin smiled. Maybe he was inexperienced enough and Sonea had a chance to attack him long enough. To Akkarins satisfaction Sonea used the weak points in the slaves shield to attack him with more powerful strikes, but she couldn't break his defense with it. But she forced him to use more magic than before to protect himself.
- I'm on my way, where are you exactly? Akkarin asked her. She named a shabby tavern she passed just a few moments before she got attacked. Akkarin knew it, he had been there often before he hired someone to find the sachakan spies. He cursed, it was to far.
- How much energy do you have left? She showed him her rapidly dwindling supplies and he cursed again. He wouldn't be there fast enough. He shouldn't have allow her to leave. But he wasn't ready to give up hope. He couldn't let her die this way for so many reasons.
In the meantime he had reached the thieves road and followed his guide to the next exit. Maybe he would be faster, if he stayed in the tunnels until he was near to Soneas place. He stopped and instructed his guide about the new plans. Gladly he had made this deal with soneas friend, on his own he would have been lost. He followed the young boy and concentrated on the battle again.
- Save some energy for healing. If he cuts you, you must heal yourself immediately, he ordered. He could sense her confusion, but in the next moment her shield waved under an unexpected strong strike. The slave smiled an ugly smile and intensified his efforts. Akkarin forced the boy to walk faster. Sonea wouldn't stand this any longer.
They were near the exit, when soneas shield finally collapsed. Akkarin gasped in horror. He had been to slow. Sonea would die, drowned of her magic and everything he had done the last years to protect the guild would go to hell. That was the end of everything he loved. He didn't wanted to see and feel how his novice died, but he had to. It was his responsibility. He owed her to not let her die alone.
He got out of the tunnels two streets away from Soneas location. The slave was at her side now and pressed his hands on her temples. Sonea did everything to irritate him, like she did before, when Akkarin read her thoughts. In the same moment she concentrated on her power and did something very unexpected - she squeezed his heart with her magic until he died. Akkarin didn't knew where she learned this, her healing skills should have been very basically, nor how she protected the plan from being shown in her mind. But he knew he wouldn't be there fast enough to save her from the magical explosion that would come.
- Sonea! he cried to get her attention. She was panicking again, trying to understand that she was now a murderess. Get away there! The same moment he realized she couldn't get away fast enough. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was just one solution and it would destroy everything he had sworn himself before. But letting all this people die wasn't an option. He braced himself.
- Sonea. You need to do exakt what I tell you, do you understand? And you need to do it fast, otherwise many people will die tonight. He could sense her approval. Take his knife and cut him until you can see blood
- No, answered Sonea when she realized what he was going to tell her.
- Do it or otherwise you will die with him. I am not fast enough. She did as he said and he took a deep breath in relief. He was nearly at her side, nevertheless he showed her how to drown energy from another person and to store in her own body. She was incredibly good at it. When she finally let go of the corpse there was no magic left and she nearly got it all into her own source.
"Sonea, get up", he commanded as he finally approached. She was kneeling on the ground besides the corpse, staring at her own hands. "We need to get away from here, everyone can see that we are magicians"
She looked up and he nearly backed away from the terror in her eyes. He held out a hand to her. "We can talk about this later Sonea"
She ignored his helping hand and stood up. He could see her hands shaking, the bloody knife tightly clutched. He took it away from her and then smashed the red stone at the spies Hand with it. Afterwards he led her to the thieves passage. Cery would take care of the corpse like he did since half a year. Sonea wasn't saying a word until they reached the underground room in his residence, there she looked him in the eyes for the very first time.
"You forced me to lern black magic", she accused him in an angry voice.
"Yes, I did. And I am very sorry, but it was the only chance for you to survive", he tried to explain. He hoped it was a good sign that she was mad at him now. He didn't know how to help a traumatized young woman. And her getting mad was the last thing he needed right now.
"Why", she asked. Nothing more, just this word. It surprised him and he wasn't sure what to say.
"Because it was necessary. This man would have destroyed everything around him"
"Why was he attacking me?"
"Thats a very long story, starting with a dumb young magician. But nothing to tell in an underground room with blood on your hands. Takan will bring you some water and then we will meet in the library", he answered. "But first give me your ring"
"Fine", she said and obeyed his orders.
