Chapter Five
Audra woke up early the next morning. In fact, she had well over an hour before anyone else would even consider getting up. After an unsuccessful attempt to fall asleep again, Audra groaned and got dressed. She briefly wondered if she should try to experiment some more with her Gift, but dismissed the idea because she had no idea what she should practice. Nor did Audra know what the results would be if she got it wrong. A grin crossed her face as she pictured an explosion rocking her chambers and all of the masters and priests running to discover the cause.
'Hmmm. Not a bad concept. I haven't pulled any pranks in a long time. While I'm ready for class early, let's see what I can whip together…' Audra let her thought trail off as she glanced about the room. All of her things had been confiscated; drat the First Daughter a hundred times over. Her frown was stopped before it got too deep. Unless memory failed her, there was some paint in a storage cabinet down the hall. She had seen it when she had needed to get some cleaning rags so she could put her miserable excuse for a room in order.
'What to paint, what to paint? Something big that affects everyone, yet subtle enough to keep them from noticing the paint until it's too late.' This time the grin that pasted itself on her face stayed there, reeking of mischief. She slipped along the hallway into the closet, gathered her canisters, and set off for the dining hall. Audra settled down in a shadowed alcove and waited a few moments to be sure none of the servants would catch her. Satisfied that no one would, Audra prowled across the dining hall until she came to Master Rylen's seat.
Within twenty minutes, all of the most annoying masters had been set up. Their seats doused liberally with the white paint and the edge of the table covered in chalk, their robes would be destroyed. Not to mention the public humiliation. Then Audra froze, hearing the worst thing a disobedient student could hear: other people.
She took the only option she had. Audra dove under the table right before a maid came in to mop the floor. The maid was doing a through job. Audra dodged the mop when it came too close and prayed fervently that she didn't get caught. All she needed was to be sent back to the convent.
The maid stopped mopping. "Odds bobs! Wha' on earth 'appened 'ere?" she exclaimed, sounding shocked. 'I'm doomed. I don't have a prayer.' Audra thought glumly. And then, the maid started mopping again. 'Huh?' was as far as Audra's thoughts got before she heard the maid speak. Except, the maid wasn't moving her lips. And Audra's ears didn't pick anything up. Well, I ain't goin' to tell th' mast'rs if'n some youngling's goin' to give 'em wha' they deserve. I mind me own business. It was definitely the maid's voice.
'I guess I know what my other power is.' Audra thought giddily. 'I can read minds. Oh, won't my parents be thrilled?' Somehow she made it back to her room without being noticed.
Later, the room was filled with yells as several masters sat down to the pleasant surprise waiting for them. All of the novices and adepts (and Audra) feigned innocence, whether they were to blame or not.
All siblings argue. This is an undisputable fact. Only when the siblings arguing are gods, things can be slightly messy. Mortals may or may not be affected, but the disagreements can have adverse effects in the mortal realm. Mortal lives hang in the balance.
The Black God usually got along rather well with his brother Gainel. Both were quiet and possessed the ability to generate calmness. They had been arguing for the past thirteen years, however, and rarely talked anymore. Their conversations would rapidly resort to the ongoing conflict. The other gods were sick of it, and if they could, kept the two apart.
The God of Death was normally a pleasant, sensible god that did his duty to the mortals. He was not known for holding grudges. The King of Dreams had prevented him from taking a sickly infant to the realms of the dead, thus interfering with the Black God's job. The Black God did not like being interfered with. The babe should be dead, yet she still lived. This time, he held a grudge. He disliked Gainel's protests that the child was his chosen. Dead was dead, god-chosen or no.
Gainel should leave life and death matters alone. He should stick to the mortals' dreams. At least, so thought the Black God. Gainel had no right to sponsor a child without permission from Father Universe and Mother Flame. The girl was given powers she barely understood, and his parents turned a blind eye. The Black God didn't like this at all. The other gods and goddesses were unaware of this, but Gainel wasn't the only one that could create strange creatures. The God of Death could and had.
Nothing created in the realms of the gods was a slave, but the God of Death persuaded one of his helpers to spy on the girl. Father Universe and Mother Flame might pretend they didn't realize how Gainel was breaking the rules, but the Black God was prepared to get evidence. If the child was shown to be incapable of controlling her Gift, Gainel was in trouble. It was so simple.
All of the novices knew who had pulled the prank. It came to process of elimination, and Audra was the only one left. No one told on her—they were tickled that the masters had started a ruckus. When none of the students admitted to laying the trap, they all received punishment work. Audra took the time to meet everyone. Jerome was assigned to a different task, but she became friends with Frank and Jim, accomplished pranksters themselves.
There was one small problem. Now that she knew how to read minds, Audra couldn't stop. Thoughts from everyone flowed in from all sides. Audra herself thought she would go insane. Thoughts about crushes, the prank, schoolwork, various tasks, the masters, home, bed, sleep, anything in a completely random order. 'I don't like this Gift anymore. Gee, it's a pity I don't like gossip. I could know everything about everyone in no time flat.'
A/N: sorry Thom isn't in this chapter. Thank you all reviewers! I still have my English and Math projects, stupid teachers! This chapter was written when I should have been doing a project—see how much I love you guys? The next one should take awhile.