Author Notes: These next few chapters have not been beta'd so all the errors are mine. Please let me know if you find any glaring inconsistencies.

I was in the herbarium one spring day preparing my cottage for the summer season when Kendriun paid me what would be his last visit. All of the windows as well as the door were open to let in the bright sunshine and a crisp breeze blew through the place rustling the dried plants hanging from the rafters.

I was sorting pots and taking inventory when my master ducked into the cottage and pulled up the old wooden rocker.

"Good day, Master Kendriun," I greeted him cheerily. The sun was out, the wolves were banished and we had survived the winter without starving. I was feeling quite optimistic about the future.

"Mikal," the old man answered gravely.

"Does something ail you?" I questioned hearing the tone of his voice.

He frowned but said nothing so I continued my task. He would speak when he was ready and not before. I head learned this the hard way.

For several minutes the only sound was his breathing and the creaking of the rocker against the stone floor. Such soothing sounds those were! It is odd how even the most mundane of sounds would be like music to my ears now but then it was just a distraction.

"Mikal, what did your mother say to you before she died?" Kendriun asked a bit bluntly.

I was startled at his question. Normally he would have been much more polite and delicate. Something must be terribly wrong, I realized.

"She told me that she was suspicious of Annatar," I admitted. "Why?"

Kendriun's clear eyes studied me for a moment, probing, questioning. I squirmed uncomfortably. What was he searching for that he could just not ask of me? I wondered.

"Your mother was a very keen woman," he finally said quietly. "I believe that is the reason she died."

My jaw dropped at his revelation. "How do you know this?" I demanded hotly.

He held up a gnarled hand to stay my anger. "It is merely a suspicion. Nothing proven. Only what an old sorcerer sees and hears," he calmed me.

I put my pots down on the table and walked over to sit on the bench near him.

"Tell me everything," I demanded. "Leave nothing out. I need to know what happened to her."

He sighed heavily and began to rock again.

"Your mother told you that she was suspicious of Annatar, yes?" Kendriun confirmed. I nodded.

"She also told me of her suspicions and something more. She was most concerned for you. For whatever reason, she believed that Annatar was trying to ensnare you into . . ." here he paused then shook his head. "Something. She wasn't sure."

I frowned. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would she tell you and not me?"

"She wanted me to protect you from him," Kendriun admitted. "She felt that your power was still too uncontrollable and you too eager to please and she worried that Annatar would try and take advantage of you and your power."

That sounded quite like mother, I had to admit. She knew me well enough to know that I would have scoffed at her idea that I could not control my own power. The truth is most of us never really understand how powerful we actually are although it may be completely obvious to everyone around us.

I grunted in annoyance. I was no longer a child and isn't that the reason I was here to begin with? To learn how to control my power?

Kendriun gave a brief smile reading my thoughts. "There are easier paths than others to take. She worried that in your eagerness to please me that you would use any means necessary to hasten your learning process."

I studied him for several minutes, the ache of mother's absence settling over me like a dark cloud. I missed her terribly and would have given anything to speak to her again.

"Why didn't she tell me?" My voice cracked.

"Mikal, she worried. I believe she was right to worry and that she knew more about Annatar than she ever let on. She saw him more than we did. She watched him as he went about his business in the court and I believe that when she became suspicious of him, he set out to eliminate her," he said forcefully.

"Why? She was no threat to him! I cannot believe it! She died of the coughing sickness!" I was becoming angry. Why did he insist on dragging this up? She was gone and no amount of speculation would bring her back.

Kendriun grew impatient. "Listen to me, my young and foolish apprentice! Your mother was quite powerful in her own right but not nearly as powerful as you. She knew this. She also saw how Annatar was trying to tempt you by various gifts. Now perhaps he is trying to lure you away to his home, I do not know. But I find it troubling that neither of us can see into his heart. If his motive is simply greed then it should be easy enough to see. But it is not."

I considered this for a minute. "Why me?" I finally asked. "If he was going to tempt someone, why not you?" It seemed the natural choice.

Kendriun sighed heavily and shook his head at me. "I am old and grow less powerful with each passing season. You, however, are just starting to reach the heights of your power and you will be much more powerful than I was. I had no teacher," he said softly. "But you, you have the innate power and someone to teach you."

"So she believed that he was trying to lure me away to his kingdom?" I said slowly, the light finally dawning on me. That would make sense but why all of the secrecy? And why would he want to eliminate her for suspecting his motives? That was troubling to me.

"Yes," Confirmed Kendriun. "I believe she may have been correct. Mikal, you are still learning and it will be several more years before you have learned how to properly control your powers but you must learn! Do not take be tempted by promises or gifts. Power can be used for either good or evil and the best intentions can become the worst evil. Your mother understood this and wanted to protect you until you learned control."

I frowned again and scratched my head. "But this doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't he want a sorcerer who could control his power?"

Kendriun shrugged and rose from the rocker. "Perhaps he wants to be the one to teach you," the old man said and laid his hand on my shoulder protectively.

I stood up to look my master in the eye. "But I would never leave you, Master Kendriun. You have been more than kind to me and I am treated with respect and trusted."

The old conjurer smiled broadly. "Thank you, Mikal. I am very proud of you. You have come a long way from that first year,"he said and moved toward the door.

I followed him and watched as he walked toward the tower, my mind still spinning from his revelations. I was flattered that he believed Annatar was trying to lure me away from him but I was also suspicious. Annatar was no sorcerer – he had said so himself! So what did he believe he could teach me? I was a sorcerer's apprentice and I was happy. My place was here, with Kendriun and I vowed that nothing could take me away from him.