Chapter Four
Thom got to bed late, but thankful. He had gathered all sorts of odds and ends from the supply cabinet to test Audra with. An added benefit was that because he'd organized the supplies, he knew where everything was located and it would be easy to get more necessary items. If what he needed were anything rare that the masters would notice disappearing, Thom could always ask Maude to bring him some. A frown shot across his face. Maude should be coming to see him in another three weeks. 'Do I tell her about Audra or keep quiet? Urggghhh. Life used to be so simple.'
He threw himself across his bed with a groan. A knock came at the door, hesitant at first but growing more and more confident. Thom tried to ignore it, in hopes whoever it was would go away. He really wasn't in the mood to talk. Besides, it had to be after ten at night, and why would anyone come visiting him then? The pounding continued. He muttered several curses under his breath while walking to the door. Thom opened it to reveal a very distressed thirteen-year-old.
Audra practically flew into the room, eyes wide and expression panicked. Thom stared at her as she shoved him out of the way and shut his door. She paced a semicircle around his bed, waiting for Thom to say something. Audra didn't know what to do. Seeing the vision in the mirror had scared her enough, but in a thrilling way. It meant she was a Seer and could use her Gift. The dream, however, was another story entirely. It only made things go from the frying pan into the fire, so to speak.
Thom stayed silent for a few moments other then to send the silencing and locking spells at their appropriate objects. When she didn't volunteer any information, he asked, "How did you find my room?"
She paused her pacing to reply, "Oh, I asked Jerome. He's really observant. I think he knows where everyone's room is. And I needed to talk to you."
Thom's left eyebrow arched up. "I see. If it's about your Gift I was planning on waiting till the weekend or something, but you look—disturbed. Care to share?"
Audra shivered. "I think it may have something to do with my Gift. At least, part of it does. But the second part is just...scary." Thom patiently held back a response as she gathered her thoughts. "I Saw a picture—several pictures, actually—in my mirror last night. I was too worked up to sleep so I looked in the mirror, but I didn't say a spell and it's the first time this has ever happened to me. They were talking about a person named Roger—what?" He had gone dead white, but shook his head and gestured that Audra should continue speaking. "You were in it, and a man with blue eyes and black hair. And Roger too. And would you happen to have a twin?"
Thom thought he might die of shock right then and there. "Ahhh. Yes, I do. Alan. My twin, Alan." He had to clear his throat.
"Alan…or something different?"
'She knows something. Mithros have mercy.' "I don't know what you mean, Audra."
"How about a girl's name?"
'Damn. Of all things for her to See, she had to See this.' "Can I label this as personal information and keep quiet?" Thom asked hopefully.
"For the moment, fine. But I'm not leaving this room until you tell me, and I'll tell you everything I know about her in return, all right?" Audra bargained.
"Done. So you Saw and heard dialogue. That's very hard to do. But keep talking."
"Well, I woke up late this morning, and went to class, and nothing else happened till an hour ago. I was sitting at my window, felt tired and fell asleep."
"And?" Thom was beginning to get a tad impatient. She knew something about Alanna. Something had happened to shake her calm and she wouldn't spit it out.
"And I had a dream. I stood in a dark room and there was this throne in the middle of it…." Audra told him everything, the stained glass picture that hadn't moved but was so detailed you knew what the characters shown were doing, the Black God reaching for her but not succeeding…. and how she had woken up before finding out why. Thom listened silently, wondering why he had to be involved in this girl's life. If she was a chosen of the gods, getting her angry was usually a bad idea. Then again, it made more sense then it didn't. Having her be gods-chosen explained why he had been compelled to teach her. 'But she could be making this fantasy story just to insure I keep my promise. But she knows about Alanna. So some of what she just said is true.'
Thom was at a loss. He had promised to explain about Alanna, and his pride wouldn't let him get away with breaking that promise. Audra wasn't sure what had caused this dream. For that matter, neither was he. It might be coincidence. Who knew? She didn't even know what her Gift could do, but Thom could fix that. He murmured the summoning charms for his stolen supplies while Audra went on about how terrifying the dream had been. Thom didn't understand what was so chilling about it, but just smiled and nodded.
Audra broke off her tirade of words when several miscellaneous objects shot past her nose and landed on Thom's bed. "What in the name of the Great Mother are those for?" she wanted to know; staring as the objects neatly arranged themselves after Thom snapped another incantation.
"If you want to learn to use your Gift, it would be in your best interest to know what type of Gift you have." Thom replied sarcastically.
"What do I have to do?"
"Sit on the edge of the bed—good. Now start taking deep breaths. Clear your mind, Audra. Think of nothing at all…"
Audra listened to Thom's voice intently, letting her body go limp. "Shut your eyes." She obeyed. Then she felt him move to stand in front of her. Audra wasn't sure what he was doing, but soon found out. Thom picked up her left hand.
"Call on your magic."
"I don't know how!"
She heard him sigh. "Fine. Look inside yourself, sort of. Grab a strand of it." Audra tried. Looking with her mind, she found a warm, golden circle in her center. Audra's mind took a thread of it. She tried to tell her Gift to spring up in a ball of light on her palm, and for once it did as she asked.
"Good. I'm going to pass the objects on the bed to you. Try to change them somehow. Like if it were a rock, you would try to put heat in it."
"Okay." Audra wished her thoughts were as calm as her voice. She accepted the first object, which happened to be a bundle of dried herbs. Audra sent her Gift through its veins, trying to feel something. "Nothing. I guess I'm not a plant mage." The same results occurred for a spool of thread, a wood chip, several pieces of metal, a cup of water, and every other item Thom had within reach. Then Audra probed the weather, singing, dancing, fighting magic, and so on. Nothing seemed to take. Finally Thom had had enough.
"We've attempted everything, and we still don't know what you specialize in.
One of those must have worked; you want to make things difficult. I have never met anyone so stubborn in my entire life!"
Her voice soft, Audra responded, "You're lying. I know you're lying." They both reached the conclusion at the same time. "You're a truth-seer!" "I'm a truth-seer!"
"Out of curiosity, who is the most stubborn person you've ever met?" Audra wanted to know.
Thom was quiet, then, "My twin sister Alanna." 'And now I've kept my promise.' "I've never heard of anyone specializing in only truth-seeing and the Sight."
"But I'm not 'anyone' am I?" Audra's voice was mischievous.
"No, you aren't. Go back to your bed straightaway. It's after midnight, we'll get five hours of sleep if we're lucky. Shoo." He checked the halls, and then scooted Audra out.
" 'Night."
" 'Night."
'What if I don't want to sleep? What if I'm afraid of my dreams? What if I finally know two of the abilities I can do? What if, what if,' she yawned widely. Three more staircases to go and she would reach her room. Audra finally climbed into bed and pulled up the covers. She enjoyed a few hours of dreamless sleep.
And the shadow in the corner of her room smiled. The mortal youngling was beginning to understand what she was capable of. But the fun had only begun. She had a long way to go before everything came into place.
A/N: And here's chapter 4! R&R, please! Chapter 5 may take a while; blame my English teacher for assigning a report.