Hi, everyone! Sorry about the wait; had this thing called life. Thank you for being patient! Special thanks to my five reviewers, you are all wonderful and I thank you forever! As for the rest of you, enjoy. Please review!
Disclaimer: Carthak, the university, and anything else frm the Tortall universe belongs to the incredible Tamora Pierce. Mages Athis Termari, Oran Kowiin, and Mina Kerma are mine. Ask if you need them. Now, on with the fic!
–I can never go back.-
Athis let the terrible statement hang in the air, watching Oran go into shock. She was still in shock herself. Never to go back to the university? Never to see her family again? Never to marry, or gain another mage robe, or even get in another fight with her mage friends?
Wait, she could fight with at least one mage.
-Oran, you idiot!- Athis thundered into Oran's mind. –I can't go to the university or go home because I'm a dragon for one of your experiments. I can't change back, there's not one way you or any mage could help, and I don't even know what dragons eat!- She paused for a moment. –What would a dragon eat? Where would one sleep?-
Oran was stock still, very pale despite his tan skin. Dark brown eyes stared blankly at nowhere, full of terror, shock, and a deep-reaching guilt. Athis twitched him lightly with the tip of her long tail, worried that some magic had lashed back at him when she had tried to change back. He didn't respond. She tapped him a second time, harder this time.
The man's eyes snapped into focus. "Athis," he began, "I-am-so-sorry-and-I-promise-we'll-find-an-answer-somehow-Shakith-I-have-no-idea-how-this-could-have-happened-I-had-no-idea-or-I'd-never-have-suggested-that-"
-Oran! Enough.- Athis told him, regaining her usual serenity after her outburst. –We shall deal with this.- Oran stopped his rambling, but didn't respond. –You will be alright?- Athis questioned, still mildly worried about him.
Oran nodded slowly. "Yes, I'm fine," he told her with a crooked smile. "You?"
-Well enough. Is there any chance we could fix this tonight?-
"I don't think so. I don't have the equipment here."
-Very well. You go back to the university and sleep. Tomorrow we shall try-
Oran looked startled. "But Athis, don't you want this fixed tonight? You can't go back to the university like this!"
-I don't plan to.- Athis retorted. –Nor do I plan to let an exhausted mage try experimental magic on me. It would be remarkably silly to allow it.-
"But I-" Oran began, then sighed. "I suppose. But where will you stay tonight?"
Athis glanced gracefully over one wing at the empty desert. –Here, I suppose.-
Oran nodded regretfully, then rummaged through his pack. "I'll set up a beacon then, so I can be here at first light." He worked in silence as Athis watched him finish.
"Athis?" Oran asked. "I'm sorry."
-I know.-
"We'll fix it soon, I promise."
-I know.-
"All right then, as long as you know," Oran joked, his voice falling flat. "'Till tomorrow."
-One thing, Oran.-
"Yes?"
-What do dragons eat?-
Oran stared as if Athis had grown two heads, then cocked his head to the side considering it. "I don't know. Any impulses to eat virgins?" he said with a crooked grin.
Athis snorted smoke at him, but couldn't keep from laughing in his mind.
Oran grinned, a real grin this time. "Right then," he said, far more cheerful. "See you tomorrow." He gathered his things and broke a small twig. Athis felt him streak away back to the university. Sighing, she lay on the ground, curled her slim tail around herself, and settled down to watch the stars.
~*~*~*~
Oran crept though the quiet halls of the university back to his rooms, quietly berating himself.
"You idiot! Athis is stuck a dragon in the middle of the desert because of your stupid experiment. If she's right about the gods, she'll never change back! You'll be lucky if she ever speaks to you again!" he muttered to himself coming up to his door. Then the last thoughts sunk in.
If his experiment resulted in the loss of a mage, not only would Athis hate him, the university would do something. Loss of his robe, expulsion, binding of his magic, maybe even his death… the university could do anything to him. And while he could deal with the loss of his robe, Oran couldn't stand the thought of his magic being bound. He had found his magic since he was two; he couldn't remember life without it. So what to do?
He was still standing outside his door lost in thought when he felt someone shaking him. "Mage Kowiin?" a soft female voice came.
Turning, Oran saw a pretty blond woman wearing a light blue robe. His memories suddenly pulled up the image of this woman in his classes, in the laboratory, a gifted practical mage named…"Hello, Mage Mina Kerma."
The blond woman smiled at him. "Oran, right?" At his nod, she continued, "What are you doing up so late? I didn't think you had signed up for a lab tonight."
Oran froze. Tell her what he was doing, she would tell the Masters, and he would be arrested by sunup. "Uh…"
Mina shook her head at his pack. "Studying late, I guess. You look like you've spent too much time with the books. Trust me, it doesn't help at all."
Oran gave a quiet sigh of relief. "No, it doesn't. In fact, I was turning in right now. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, pushing back into his room.
"Yes, wise. Until tomorrow, then," Mina replied. "Good night!"
Oran shoved his door shut, then slumped against it, breathing far too hard for the easy walk to his room. So close! If Mina hadn't thought he was studying, he would have been too suspicious. She'd have turned him in. If he was caught…
He had better hope he could help Athis, or he was finished.
Question: do you want Oran caught or not? Please let me know! Please review!