DISCLAIMER - Tamora Pierce owns mostly everything but I own Kodi, Captus, and the plot.

CHAPTER 3

Laughing and joking, Tobe and Kodi shoved each other in Kel's room. They had become fast friends in the last week, having worked out their disagreement and been quick to forgive. Right then, they were supposed to be studying their schoolwork but found millions of more interesting things to do. Take the pillows for instance. They had been having a pillow fight, but one of the pillows had torn and there were feathers everywhere.

"Shove this up your nose!" said a rather unladylike Kodi, who thrust a handful of feathers in his face. Tobe choose that exact moment to inhale and choke on feathers. Sneezing and coughing, he gagged as Kiyra rolled around in hysterics. For some reason, Kodi had chosen to loosen up around with Tobe, but was still as stoic around everyone else.

After Tobe had finished extracting twenty feathers, he jumped at Kodi and started to tickle her sides. Squealing and arching her back, Kodi thrashed about on the floor, scattering the feathers even further. Through all the ruckus, they heard footsteps walking up to the door. Trying to gain their composure, Kodi and Tobe stood up and tried to brush the feathers off themselves. They failed, but Kodi did get her stone face on. Kel walked in, raising her eyebrows as she saw the mess.

"Um, well, Tobe was needed in the barn for his lesson with Daine, but maybe you should clean this up first." Kel couldn't keep herself from laughing.

"It's alright. I'll clean it up." Kodi said, with no trace of the laughing girl she had been a minute before.

"That isn't fair!" Tobe protested. "I made just as much of the mess as you did!"

"Why don't you both clean it up," Kel said carefully, "and then both meet Daine in the stables? That way it will be fair for both"

Kodi saw right through Kel's plan. "I don't have wild magic."

"I know." Kel said, even more carefully than before, "It's just that you and Tobe are friends and there's really nothing else for you to do around here."

Kodi quickly glanced towards the unfinished schoolwork and stammered, "Sure. Let's hurry and pick this up." She knew what Kel was doing, but she could hide her magic and she did like animals.

After cleaning up the feathers and leaving them in a pile on Kel's bed, Tobe and Kodi traipsed down to the stables. Tobe entered without hesitation, but Kodi paused for a minute, uncertain. If she stepped over the threshold, there might be no turning back. Tobe made the choice for her.

"Come on, Kodi." His arm reached back and yanked her forward. Kodi smiled ruefully. So much for choosing, she thought.

Daine sat on a stool in the biggest open space of the barn. Four dogs sat around her and two cats twined around her legs. Startled, Daine looked up and her face broke into a smile that was so painfully familiar to Kodi. Throat choked up, Kodi looked away and examined the crossbeams. When she had control of herself, she turned back and was glad to see that Tobe or Daine had not noticed her odd behavior.

"So," Daine said cheerfully, "I'm glad that you decided to join us, Kodi. Today, Tobe, we're learning about healing pulled muscles. Follow me." Daine walked over to a stall where Peachblossom, Kel's huge horse, stood eating hay. "Peachblossom pulled his tendon on his right foreleg. Now come sit down, Tobe, and try to heal it."

Tobe sat down next to Daine and closed his eyes, with his hands on Peachblossom's leg. Daine was also concentrating on what Tobe was doing to make sure that he didn't make a mistake. Kodi watched for a minute, but when there were no visible results she walked away. She had so little patience sometimes. Instead, Kodi sat down next to one of the cats, which was now sleeping in the straw. The cat woke up and came purring to Kodi.

Kodi looked quickly to Daine and Kodi to make sure that they weren't watching, and then built a quick shield around herself and the brown cat. Now no one could see the magic that would seep out of Kodi as soon as she opened the door that led to her magic. She opened it.

Hello, cat-friend. What's your name?

My name is Fisher. Why do you hide your magic? The cat sounded young and curious.

It's complicated. Kodi guessed that the cat would tell Daine her reasons if she asked. Besides, you'll tell Daine. The cat grinned.

I trust her. You should trust her too. She is kind.

I don't trust anyone. Except myself. Kodi said defiantly.

You must be sad.

No. Why should I be?

Trusting no one is a horrible life to lead. You need to trust and love.

I don't love….

Yes, I know, I know. You don't love anyone.

Kodi could hear voices through her conversation. She looked towards Daine and Tobe who were looking at her. She could see their mouths moving.

Goodbye Fisher.

Kodi pulled back in all of her magic and slammed the door shut, barring it a couple of times like always. Then, she let go of the shield and it disappeared. She could hear Tobe and Daine now.

"Kodi? Kodi?" Tobe walked over to her and shook her.

"Hey! Stoppit!" Kodi said indignantly.

"What just happened?" Daine asked. "You just sat there like you couldn't even hear us."

"That's 'cause I didn't. I was, um, daydreaming." Tobe looked at her suspiciously. "It was a really deep daydream. In fact, I think I had almost fallen asleep." Tobe rolled his eyes. Fisher walked to Daine and clawed at her pant leg. Daine looked down at the cat and then at Kodi, eyes wide. "Snitch," muttered Kodi.

"Kodi, I know you have wild magic. Why hide it? There's not anything bad about it." Kodi snorted. "Well, there's not. You know, I think its time to go to Numair for a talk. Come on."

Kodi really would have gone, but pain squeezed her left arm, near her shoulder. "Um, well," It squeezed again, harder. "I have somewhere to go. Maybe later." She started to turn around, but Tobe grabbed her arm. A bruise, unnoticed by anyone but Kodi, appeared on her right cheek. "Let me go!"

"No. I want answers too. You're my friend and I don't want you to get hurt. Numair can help you." Tobe pleaded, still holding on to her arm tightly.

"How touching." Kodi punched Tobe right on the nose, which now spurted blood. Running out the door, she could hear Daine calling her name. Well, she wouldn't come. She tripped over her own feet when pain seized her right leg. Neal happened to walk past the stables at that moment, and he saw her wincing and rubbing her leg.

"Kodi? Are you alright?" Neal said concerned.

"Yah, I'm fine." Neal didn't believe her and advanced towards her, green magic in his hands. Kodi didn't want him to see the bruises that were appearing like wild fire on her arms and legs, so she redirected him. "I told you, I'm fine. Tobe's hurt though. In the stables." Neal walked swiftly into the barn. That wasn't hard, she thought. People should have more sense sometimes. Kodi ran and hid in one of the storerooms to wait out the storm, in more ways than one.

Inside the stables, Tobe winced as Neal healed his broken nose. "I don't understand," he said. "I thought we were friends. Why would she do this?"

Daine gave Tobe a one armed hug, trying not to get in Neal's way. "You have to understand that she may have problems that we don't know about. Does it hurt?"

"It's not my nose!" Tobe said fiercely. "Why doesn't she trust me? I trust her." Daine smiled sadly and Neal left to find Kodi.

"When I first came to Tortall I had a secret that I didn't tell anyone. I did something horrible in Galla and I thought that my new friends would shun me if they knew. I should have known better, but I was too worried. I didn't tell them for a few months, and I had to hide it from them. Whenever I used my magic it would happen, so I couldn't use it anymore. That led to them asking me about it and I got mad at them. The most important thing for you to do is just be a friend to Kodi, but don't expect too much of her." Tobe nodded, trying to understand.

Neal found Kodi faster than she had thought he would. Cursing as she was dragged up to headquarters, inwardly Kodi thanked the gods that it was over. Being pushed up the stairs by Neal, Kodi stumbled a few times. Both of her wrists were broken and she whimpered every time she landed on them. Knocking sharply on Kel's door, Neal opened the door and pushed Kodi in as soon as there was an answer.

Kel saw what Neal had not. Kodi's face was a mass of mottled bruises and small cuts. Her wrists were swollen and her nose bled steadily.

"What did you do to her?" Kel demanded of Neal.

"What do you mean?" Kel raised her eyebrows and Neal spun Kodi around to face him. Gasping when he saw her, he immediately began to heal her.

"What happened?" Kel asked. Kodi didn't answer.

"She punched Tobe in the stables and I went to find her. I didn't even notice that she was beat up until you told me." Neal said, concentrating on a particularly bad cut on Kodi's forehead.

"Neal, keep her here. I'm going to find Numair and Daine and we're going to get some real answers." Kel left, leaving Kodi to gauge the distance between Neal, herself, and the door. Numair must have been closer than Kel thought, because she returned just as Kodi was going to make a break for it.

Neal still wasn't done healing, but he had fixed the most painful wounds. Neal, Numair, Daine, Kel and Kodi sat around the table. Kodi purposely sat close to the door, but the others didn't seem to notice or just didn't care. Numair started the questions first, making sure that his truth spell was intact.

"Why did you hit Tobe?"

"I just felt like it." The truth spell flared grey, indicating a half-truth.

"What was the real reason?" asked Daine. Kodi cursed her soft spot and answered truthfully.

"He wouldn't let go of me and I was mad."

"Why were you hurt so badly?" asked Neal. Numair leaned forward, eagerly awaiting the answer.

"I just was." Kodi said. Numair leaned back and rolled his eyes.

"We don't want to hurt you." Daine said. "Won't you tell us anything?" A flash of pain crossed Kodi's face and disappeared as fast as it had come.

"No. I won't." Kodi spoke softly, though she was firm. Her being so calm caused Numair to lose his temper.

"I am tired of you acting like you are the one in charge!" Numair bellowed. "I want answers! If they are not given, I will get rough!" Kodi almost cowered again, but instead held herself stiff and refused to look at him.

"Now," Numair said, a little guiltily, "Why were you hurt like that?"

"You're the mage, you tell me!" spat Kodi.

"You have one more chance and then I will be forced into a choice that I didn't want to make." Daine watched, her dark eyes worried. Kel and Neal just looked on, faces impossible to read.

"Go screw yourself." Kodi answered in return.

Numair snarled and ordered Kel and Neal to "hold the animal." They did so, asking what he was going to do.

"I will get the answers." Numair said in a voice that made Kodi shudder. Resting a hand on her forehead, black power flowed down his arm as she fought his touch. Images appeared above the table, memories from Kodi's mind.

A woman that looked similar to Daine was being beaten by a tall Scanren man…the same woman lay in a coffin, cold and still…a small child was being beaten by the same man, a child who was Kodi,…A boy was being led away in chains from his nonchalant father and wailing younger sister, who was Kodi…

Daine, Neal, and Kel watched in horror, too bewitched to stop the furious Numair. Kodi couldn't take this torture anymore. She yanked Kel's knife from her belt and slashed at Numair. The magic ended when Kodi cut his arm and blood flowed freely down it. Openly sobbing, Kodi broke free of the restraining arms and ran from the room.

The door had been open and Tobe had been watching. Catching Kodi in his arms, he held her as she wept. Eyes accusatory over her head, Tobe led her away from the man who had caused her so much pain that night.

Daine burst into tears and Neal looked away. Kel's eyes were moist and she glared at Numair, who was also dazed.

"The spell was supposed to show whatever was most in her mind. I didn't know that would happen." Numair said, ashamed of what he had done.

They sat there for a while, thinking about how these memories explained many of Kodi's actions.

Meanwhile, Tobe sat rocking Kodi as she cried for the first time in years. Tobe himself felt tears running down his face. They were in the stables and the smells and sounds reassured her. When she finally had cried herself to sleep, Tobe left her on a pile of soft hay. He left the stables, walking determinedly to headquarters. Tobe quickly found the room where the council had been. He was about to march in and confront them, but he heard them talking. Knowing that Kodi would much rather him eavesdrop than defend her, he dutifully listened.

"Numair, what did you think of those memories?" Tobe recognized Kel's voice.

"I don't know. She obviously had a hard childhood. Her mother looked like Daine and that explains why Kodi used to hate her." Numair sounded upset. He should be, thought Tobe. "Unfortunately," Numair continued, "those particular memories explain little else."

"Unfortunately?" Daine's voice crack as she cried. "She was beaten. Those memories cause her pain." She started to cry harder. Tobe pushed the door open a tad. He could see Numair gathering Daine into his arms and rocking her. Kel saw Tobe at the door.

"Tobe, come in." Unashamedly, Tobe sat down on the chair where Kodi had been sitting.

"What do you think?" Numair asked him. Tobe wasn't going to answer. Why should he? Numair had upset his friend.

"Tobe, if you think it might help her…" Daine said between quieting sobs.

"Well," Tobe said hesitantly, "The bruises and the pain she has, they look like beatings. I should know, from when I was a kid. Her father must be doing it still. Either he's here in New Hope or he's doing it by magic." Tobe stopped worried that he might be saying too much.

"We'll find some way to help Kodi." Kel said with finality. "Then, we'll get answers to our questions."