Disclaimer !Things haven't change the least since the last chapter, and I still don't own any of Trudi Canavan's work, be it her characters, her world...

13- Of Rumors and Challenges

"I've heard nothing at the Meet this week too. Lord Garrel, once again, had not been attending."

Relief engulfed Sonea. True, Regin had not acted differently from usual during the past week, but then he was too smart to reveal himself so easily. His friends, however, did not possess the same skill in hiding themselves. Their eyes had kept on coming back to her. Sonea had not the ability to read their minds, but she could make out their thoughts without problem.

They were not used to doubting Regin's assumptions or staying out of his plots, but they knew how much he wanted to win the conflict which has been running between him and Sonea since their very first day as Novices. They knew he had already lied to discredit her. But they also knew that, should that new assumption be a lie, it wouldbring him and everyone who had been a party with himto be excluded from the Guild would bring him and everyone who'd been party with him, severe punihsment, which could go as far as exclusion from the Guild. Should it be true, however... it was the whole Guild's harmony and smooth functioning which was at stake. Anyway, they had kept their mouths shut for the time being, and even if she was beginning to find their staring particuliary unnerving, it was a better option than their shouting of Regin's suspicions on the rooftops.

"I think we can assume that they didn't spoke of it to anyone. From what Lorlen showed us, Regin's been having doubts for weeks, now. We may yet have the time to stop whatever scheme he's up to."

"How ?"

"I'll talk to him. Today. After our class, I'll try to talk him out on this."

"You're aware that he's not going to, surely ?" Sonea let out an unexpected chuckle.

"Yes, Rothen, I'm aware of that. Believe it or not, but I've not yet turned totally simple-minded."

"What will you do then?" The corners of Sonea's mouth went up into a fierce smile.

"Improvise."

Sonea was done with the thinking-and-waiting period. She wanted to act, and to act now, even if it meant giving herself up to her enemy. Rothen knew better than try to take her little plan out of her mind. She was too stubborn to listen to him now that she'd made her decision.

Too soon, the midday break was over and both of them had to go back to their respective classrooms. Only when he reached his, Rothen realized that this Regin-business had totally made him forget about the Akkarin-business and his confession to his Novice.

The afternoon couldn't have been over too soon in Sonea's mind. However, at same the time, she wasn't looking forward to what would happen once it was over. She wasn't sure whether she was ready for the talk to come, but she would not – could not - go back now.

So when the bell rang, she turned around and caught Regin's eye, holding his gaze just long enough to be sure he took her point. He smirked, and nodded without a word. None had seen their silent exchange nor looked surprised when the young man told his band to go first. Their teacher did look worried when he left, leaving them alone, even though they pretended not to care about each other's presence. "He must be afraid of finding one of us at the Healer's Quarters at the end of the day", mused Sonea, amused.

When finally there was no one else left to hear or see them, they turned to each other and Regin spoke.

"Missing your dear guardian's warmth, Sonea ? If you're gentle I could think about replacing him."

"Not if you were the last man on the earth." Sonea snorted. "But perhaps we could seek for more privacy, for the things we needto discuss?"

Regin's smile widened while he raised an eyebrow.

"I should most certainly enjoy a little privacy with you, dear, dear Sonea. What do you propose ?"

"The garden near the woods. No one's ever going there, especially not at this hour." She said without answering his innuendo.

"Agreed. You go first, and I'll join you in a few minutes." It took Sonea no more than two seconds to understand. The smirk on her face reflected perfectly the one on Regin's face.

"We surely wouldn't want people to ask questions now." He smiled again and gestured her to the entrance of the room. She left, thinking that as much as she disliked him, she couldn't deny him a quick and clever mind. But then, without that he wouldn't be such a problem.

As she walked in the Hall, she crossed the High Lord. She bowed as he greeted her. When she warned him that she might be late for dinner, the High Lord looked over her shoulder and frowned. Sonea didn't have to turn to know what he saw : Regin heading in the same direction as she, and smirking at them. He looked back at her, raising an eyebrow interrogatively. She lowered her voice and said.

"Trust me on this, please."

"I don't like it, Sonea."

"Neither do I. But I don't think we've got much choice." He nodded reluctantly and took a step apart and answered aloud.

"In this case I'll see you tonight, Sonea."

"High Lord."

She bowed and both of them went a different way. Looking back, Sonea noticed that Regin had taken another path, so that they didn't seem to head toward the same place. He was already there when she arrived at last, and welcomed her with a "You almost made me wait" and the smirk which didn't seem to leave his face recently. She glowered at him.

"I couldn't decently ignore The High Lord, could I?" Regin just chuckled. They stared at each other for a while, until Regin spoke again.

"So, we're here. Will you tell me what you want exactly from me, other than my delightful presence ?"

"I've heard about a strange rumour you want to spread." Sonea didn't want to beat around the bush anymore. Her counterpart sighed.

"Such a boring topic to discuss now... But I suppose it can't be helped." As she didn't react, other than continuing to stare at him, he continued. "Well, what about that ? Are you going to tell me it's not true and that I should not tell others?"

"Would it change anythingif I was ?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear Sonea. I happen to have a quite obstinate mind." He almost looked truly sorry while saying this. Of course, they both knew he wasn't. He was just enjoying the play - much more than Sonea.

"I guessed as much." She stopped speaking and looked at the trees for a while, thoughtful. Then, "Why do you hate me so much ?" The question, asked in a nothing but curious voice startled Regin, and confusionshowed on his face - and faded almost at once.

"Why, Sonea ? Me, hating you ? How could you even think of something so unenjoyable ? Are we not alone in this wood, speaking like two... friends ?" The way he said the word made clear it wasn't the one he was thinking about. Sonea kept on staring unswervingly at him, arms crossed in her chest. Regin sighed, and for once, chosed to tell the truth. The feigned hurt expression changed for a most sincere sneer and his eyes were suddenly filled with disdain and something else, that Sonea didn't recongnize immediately. Then realisation hit her. Jealousy. Interesting.

"Isn't it obvious ? You're here. Your simple presence among us is enough. You shouldn't be here. You should still be in the Slums, where you belong. You shouldn't be so powerful, you shouldn't have magic at all, and even if you did, the Higher Magicians should have destroyed this magic, instead of helping you into developing them and giving you to the High Lord as his... favourite. They should know that your kind could never respect the rules."

"Which rules ? The Guild's, or the ones you put in place among the Novices to assure you the first place ?" Sonea had wanted the question to break a bit of his composure, but it didn't seem to bother the young man at all. Instead, he smiled wider.

"Well, both of course. But does it really matter, when you respect neither ?"

"I respect the Guild's rules, unlike some."

"Do you ? What about your... close relationship with your guardian ?"

"Stop that, we both know you've made it up."

"Do we ?" Sonea didn't like the defiant look on Regin's face, as if he knew she was lying and was daring her to deny it. She dared.

"I, at least do. But just think bout how much your word will weight against the High Lord's. Not much, I think. You'll ruin your own life out of jealousy."

"Who's spoken of jealousy ?" The snarl taught Sonea that she was spot-on. She decided to press her point.

"You did. The problem is not that I'm powerful, or even that I've magic – it's that I'm more powerful and have more magic than you do. What do you call it, if not jealousy ? You're jealous of my power, and you think that you should be the High Lord's Novice, and that you would be if it wasn't for me."

"II think you missed the point. I've no doubt about the fact that the High Lord prefers to have you as his Novice, but I just think it's time the Guild understand that having a lot of power is one thing, but being powerful is another. Skill is what makes someone with power, actually powerful."

"Yes, and it is so very clear to everyone that you're so more skilled that I am !" Sonea's voice couldn't have been more mocking. But as good as it felt to give him a bit of his own medecine, she didn't want Regin to lose control – not yet, not here. And he did seem very close to the break point. So she used a more neutral tone to come to the point she'd been heading toward for a few minutes now. "Okay, since it's obvious we're not coming to an agreement on this point, let's try this;and her voice turned formal,Regin, of the family Winar, House Paren, I challenge you to a formal battle in the Arena. Do you accept?"

Sonea was becoming quite good at startling him. But Regin, being who he was, quickly recovered his composure as well as his smirk.

"I accept, Sonea of no House of consequence."

"Since I'm the one challenging you, you can choose the time."

"Then let's say on Freeday, two weeks from now, so that you can prepare yourself for defeat." He turned to leave, then changed his mind and faced her. "And as I'm not stupid enough to think that the stake of this challenge is really about knowing who's the most powerful of us, and giving that it wouldn't be fair if the said stake were to disappear before we actually win or lose it... I won't say anything, to anyone, about you and your... guardian before I win the duel."

"Very considerate – and so unlike you. Let me tell you this : you're going to shut your mouth for a very, very long time !"

"Or so you say."

And there he really left her.

"High Lord, may I ask you a favor ?"

Surprised by the formal tone, Akkarin gave her a curious look.

"What is it about, Sonea ?" He answered, matching her tone.

"I know that you chose the Warrior way after graduating. And I happen to have a challenge to win." The High Lord remained silent, looking at her and pondering what she just said, then he burst out laughing. When he managed to regain his breath, he said : "You've challenged Regin ? I should have seen that coming !"

"Is there something laughable about it that I'm unaware of ?"

"Just the fact that the both of us are even more alike than I thought. Are you aware that the last two novice's challenge had been between myself and Lorlen some fifteen years ago ?" She thought about it and began laughing softly too.

"But why would you two fight ?" The High Lord wavered his hand dissmisively.

"Oh, boy's thing. We just wanted to know who was the strongest, but fighting between novice – between magicians as well, actually – is forbidden by the Guild's law. So we did it the formal way." Sonea gaped at that, and soon joined her guardian into laughing.

After a while, she asked :

"So, will you help me preparing myself ?"

"Of course I will. I couldn't let my favourite loose against Garrel's, could I ?" A pause. "You didn't ask who won Lorlen's and I's fight." He said, reproacheful.

"I have just assumed that you did. Am I wrong ?" She answered while putting an innocent look on her face. Akkarin smiled ruefully and stroked her cheek.

"No. I won three sets out of the five. But then, I just fell into unconsciousness right after I reached my bed. Never tell Lorlen that, I've always had him believe that it had been easy for me."

They were still laughing when Takan came to announce Lorlen. They both sobered, but were still smiling when the Administrator entered the room.

"What deserves such a joyful atmosphere ?" He asked, noticing their good mood.

"It seems that Sonea has taken quite a bit after me, and decided to challenge Regin to a duel." Akkarin told him, trying to be serious and not really managing it.

"I see. And so you couldn't help but boasting about your past victory, I suppose." The Administrator snorted.

""Me ? Please, Lorlen ! When have you ever seen me boasting ?" Akkarin said, indignifiantly. But he contradicted himself right after with the wink he gave Sonea. Lorlen shooked his head, and looked at the Novice.

"I'd need to speak to the High Lord alone about Guild's business, if you don't mind, Sonea."

She nodded, bidded him a good evening and went to her room, still giggling softly.

After her departure, the men went into the High Lord's office, were Takan brought them Anuren Dark.

"So, what brings you here, Lorlen ?"

Hope you liked it ! I'm truly sorry for making you wait such a long time ! I really should stop making promises of a quick update, see as it take me two months to actually update each time... But I certainly hope that the next one will come out faster than this one, since I'm already working on it.

I want to thank my delightful Beta-reader, HeadlessHedwig, for being so supportive and so helpful.

Tell me what you think about the evolution of the situation =)