Walking With You

by Aylatha

"And how have you been, Sonea?", Lorlen asked. "Well." "Well, she says", Akkarin huffed, covering his face with one hand. "I'm still alive, aren't I?" Lorlen's eyebrows rose. Rothen's knees buckled. "What?", he yelped, colour draining from his face.

13. The Decision

A/N:

In this chapter, Jonna gets a surprise or two, Akkarin does not have a fun time at the Meet, Donevin meddles, Savara is concerned, and the Guild decides its future.

---

"Are ya headed for the well?"

Jonna turned to face the speaker – a man around her own age – and held up her bucket, silently asking him if he was daft.

"No, I, that is – ya might wanna go to a different one. There's magicians there."

"Magicians? But it's too early for the Purge!", Jonna exclaimed, alarmed.

"It's only two of them – and a foreign-looking woman. Don't think they're here to purge anything."

"Oh."

"They was wearing funny colours, though."

"Funny how?"

"Well, the men we normally see wear red or purple. Not these two. The man wears black, and the woman brown. Never seen no female magician before, either. Didn't know they had those."

"Brown is for novices", Jonna explained. "Didn't know any of them magicians wore black, though."

I never knew the Guild sent novices into the slums. Unless…

"Did you catch their names?"

"No. High-tailed it outta there as soon as I spotted them. As did everybody else."

"I see. I'll go take a look."

"Are ya mad? Who knows what they'll do to ye if ye get too close!"

"They won't do anything to me if they know what's good for them", Jonna huffed.

She was fairly certain that mentioning Akkarin's name would get any magicians to back off.

"This is a terrible idea", the man whined as he trailed after her.

"You don't have to come."

However, he clearly wasn't listening, and traipsed after her, looking as though he was headed to his own execution.

Jonna peeked around the corner, and saw three people clustered around the well. She let out a huff, and turned to face the man.

"It's fine. That man is the High Lord. And the novice is his favourite."

The man's eyes widened comically.

"What in blazes is the High Lord himself doing here?", he whispered.

"Want me to ask him?"

"You wouldn't!"

"Watch me."

Jonna left her cover, and stepped into the square. She noticed more people hiding in the shadows, or behind barrels and crates.

Jonna had to admit that Akkarin looked imposing in his magicians' robes. She also noticed that Akkarin and Sonea both had the Guild's Incal sown onto their sleeves. They were talking to each other in serious voices, inspecting the well and the surrounding area.

"Sonea!", Jonna called.

Sonea whirled around, looking surprised, before a massive grin split her face.

"Aunt Jonna!", she exulted.

Jonna had only a moment to brace herself before her niece collided with her, and tried to squeeze the life out of her.

"Careful, sweetheart. How are you? You look well."

"I am well, all things considered. What about you? How are the little ones?"

"Everyone is doing great. Nothing abnormal to report."

"Oh, good."

Akkarin slowly made his way over to join them.

"Hello, Jonna", he said softly. "I see you are still quite fearless."

"I don't see why I should be afraid of you", she huffed.

"That's only because you haven't met Savara yet", Sonea said with a grin. "She's scared half the Guild's magicians shitless. At least."

"Sonea! Language!", Jonna scolded.

"Witless."

"Better. Seriously." She glanced over Sonea's shoulder at the stranger, who had to be Savara.

Savara, who had been watching their interaction in silence so far, casually strolled closer, a smile on her face.

"Hello", she said pleasantly. "I am Savara, I was sent here as an ambassador. It is lovely to meet the family of my dear friend."

Jonna was flabbergasted for a moment. "Oh, ah, likewise. Though, I have to ask – why are all them magicians so afraid of you?"

"Oh, that would be because I am more powerful than all of them put together, and they know this. It makes them nervous."

She shrugged.

"Wait, you're a magician, too?"

"I am. I'm not part of the Guild, though."

"Oh. Am I right assuming that the Guild thinks that you might do something bad?"

"Hm, something like that. I could kill them very easily, if I wanted to."

"And that's the crux of the matter", Sonea interjected. "Savara came here as an ambassador."

"Indeed. Killing your friends or allies is usually considered bad form."

"I say", Jonna muttered.

Savara hummed.

"Oh, Sonea, it's good that I ran into you", Jonna said. "Something weird's happened."

"Weird how?"

"A man showed up at our house. Did his best to blend in, but I could tell he was no Dwell before he even opened his mouth. Said that his mistress, a Lady Velan, wanted to hire Ranel as an accountant. I told her that neither of us knew how to write. That didn't faze him. Said he'd be assisting the accountant they already have. And that the rest of us could live at the mansion, too. Told him we'd like to think it over. Seems too good to be true, really. I bet that lady's just having a laugh."

"Did he say which Lady Velan?", Akkarin inquired.

"Chessea, I think it was. Why? Do you know her?"

"She's my sister."

Jonna gaped at him.

"Now I get why she was asking me about my maths skills", Sonea muttered. "She wanted to know who taught me, and must have hatched the plan to recruit Ranel afterwards."

"Wait, you know her, too, Sonea?"

"Mh. We're friends."

Jonna stared at her niece before giving Akkarin a calculating look.

"I had nothing to do with that whatsoever", he assured her, holding up his hands. "They met without my knowledge, and completely by accident. I only found out about it the next day."

"Huh." Jonna turned back to Sonea. "Not in my wildest dreams would I have ever expected you to make friends with a lady from the Houses", she whispered. "Making friends at the Guild is one thing, but this…"

"I got lucky, for once", Sonea replied with a shrug.

"To get back to my sister's offer – I believe it to be genuine", Akkarin said. "Chessea is not one to play such games. She goes straight for the kill, instead, if you catch my meaning."

"But – why would she do this?"

"As a favour to Sonea, I'd imagine. If I heard that relatives of my friend were in some kind of trouble, or suffering from a hardship, I would want to help, too."

"And I mentioned that Ranel has a bad leg to her, once, months ago", Sonea added. "Which might be why she's offered him an administrative job."

"I would suggest meeting with her, hear what she has to say", Akkarin advised. "And don't hesitate to bring the children. Given how often she's foisted hers onto me, it's only fair that she has to deal with someone else's children for once."

"But – won't they turn us away if we show up?", Jonna asked, biting her lip.

"Do you need nicer clothes? I've got money to spare", Sonea replied.

Jonna hesitated before nodding. "Nothing too outrageous, though", she insisted.

"Don't worry. I'll come by your place later, and we can go shopping together?"

"That would be lovely", Jonna replied with a grateful smile.

"Great. Oh, this'll be fun."

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask – why are you here, High Lord? I can't imagine you came to see our old well, it's not terribly spectacular."

"Actually, I did. Though probably not for the reason you'd expect."

"The King asked me to purify the wells", Savara added. "I possess an ability which makes this easy."

"You what? You mean – you can turn that into drinking water?"

"Precisely. According to the analysis, there are some kinds of tiny life-forms in the water, and they make people sick."

"Like faren? Or insects?"

"No, much smaller than that. You can't see them – but magicians can sense them. All I need to do is kill them, and the water would be safe for consumption."

"Oh. Right."

"Would you like to watch? It won't be terribly spectacular or flashy, though."

"That's fine. We get to see enough flashy magic during the Purge every year."

Savara grimaced before beckoning.

Jonna shot Sonea a glance, and got an encouraging smile in return.

She cautiously followed Savara, and Akkarin and Sonea kept pace with her. Savara leapt onto the rim of the well, and stood there for a moment. Jonna crept closer cautiously, and thought that she saw something shimmer in the air. The next moment, Savara took a step forward – and stepped onto something solid, yet invisible. Jonna let out a gasp.

"What is that?"

"A disc made from magic", Sonea explained. "We use those to levitate. Levitation is a skill taught during the third year. I could do it in second year."

Jonna hummed, impressed.

Savara began lowering herself into the well at a high speed. Jonna rushed closer to the well to keep track of her.

Savara halted her descent right above the water level, and crouched down on the disc so that she could stick a hand into the water. She stayed like that for a moment before looking up.

"Stand back, I'm coming back up."

Jonna jerked back, and moments later, Savara rose from the depths of the well, and deposited herself on the rim.

"All done."

"That was quick", Jonna observed.

Savara shrugged. "Killing is easy."

"I'll go test the water", Sonea announced, and vaulted over the rim.

"Sonea!", Jonna gasped.

"Show-off", Akkarin muttered.

Savara let out a giggle.

Jonna leaned over the rim, and spotted Sonea crouched mid-air. She scooped some water from the well, and proceeded to drink it, much to Jonna's alarm.

"What if it isn't safe to drink?", she whispered.

"In that case, Sonea will simply Heal herself", Akkarin replied.

"If I could do that, I'd have tested the water myself", Savara added. "It's better this way."

Sonea waited for a bit before rising out of the well. Jonna stepped back, and gave her niece a questioning look.

"Seems safe to me", Sonea said, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Although it tastes different from the water we have at the Guild."

"The Guild uses spring water", Akkarin explained. "Wells draw on groundwater. Besides, what the water tastes like also depends on the surrounding sediment. Different kinds of rock make for a different taste."

"I have to try it, myself", Savara announced, and dropped herself into the well again. "It tastes different from both the water at home, and the water at the Guild", she concluded once she was back.

Akkarin chuckled. "Well, then, I officially declare this well purified. Jonna, go right ahead."

"Sure."

Jonna attached her bucket to the winch, and lowered it into the well. Sonea immediately went to help her, and together, they pulled the filled bucket up.

"Go on, try it!", Sonea urged. "I promise it's safe."

Jonna hesitated for a split second before scooping some water out of the bucket.

The taste was strange, for sure, but Jonna had never drunk water before, and had, therefore, no idea what it was supposed to taste like. It seemed better for quenching thirst than bol or raka, though.

"Huh", she said, blinking. "So this is what it tastes like. Sonea, if I get the runs because of this, I'll give you an earful when you come by later."

"I'd deserve it, too", Sonea replied with a chuckle.

"Would you like to make the announcement, Jonna?", Akkarin asked.

"Sure. Everyone!", she called. "We've got drinking water now!"

The people hiding around the perimeter, who did a poor job at pretending that they had not been watching them closely, didn't seem too eager to approach, however. Jonna spun in a circle, trying to catch the eye of one or the other, but they all pretended not to see her.

"Come on, it's free drinking water!", Sonea called, clapping her hands like a merchant trying to attract customers. "Get it while it's – uh – still liquid!"

A few people cautiously edged closer, looking ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Jonna shot them an encouraging smile.

"I promise my niece won't bite. I raised her well."

Sonea rolled her eyes.

"That's really your niece?"

"Uh, didn't you hear her call me 'aunt' earlier? I doubt any of those snobbish magicians from the Houses would ever call a random Dwell 'aunt'."

"Fair point, I s'pose."

"So you're Sonea, then?", another person ventured.

"Yes, I am", Sonea replied, sounding confused.

The woman's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she gaped at Sonea, who shifted her weight uneasily.

"You're a bit of a legend in these parts", Akkarin murmured, too low for the people to hear.

"I've heard that", Sonea replied, sounding a bit faint. "I still don't understand what I did to deserve this."

"You hit a magician with a rock, a feat previously never accomplished by anyone before. And you picked quite a worthy target, too."

"I'll agree with you on that."

The news that "the Sonea" was here quickly made the rounds, and more people slowly crept closer to the well. Akkarin pointedly ignored the nervous looks they shot him, and barely moved a muscle.

"Is this water truly safe?", a young mother asked.

"As the High Lord of the Magicians' Guild, I assure you it is", Akkarin replied. "Should any of you fall ill after drinking from a purified well, the Guild will compensate you."

The woman looked doubtful.

"Could you tone down the menacing?", Sonea asked. "You're making people nervous."

"I am not doing it on purpose."

"Have you tried smiling?"

"My smiles tend to frighten people."

Jonna snorted.

"Really? I don't find them frightening at all", Sonea wondered.

"That's because you are not normal."

"Rude."

Akkarin let out a chuckle, his eyes softening.

As more people swarmed around the well, Sonea turned to look at Savara.

"We'll have to leave, or you two won't make it back in time for the Meet", she said.

"Very well."

Akkarin took the lead, and effortlessly cut a path for them through the crowd. Once they reached the fringes, he guided them a bit away from the others before turning around to face Sonea and Jonna.

"Since you're both here, there is something I believe you may want to know. It has not been announced officially yet, so I must ask you to keep quiet about it for now, but – there will be no Purge this year."

Both women stared at him with equal looks of disbelief.

"Are you sure about this?", Jonna gasped.

"I heard it from King Merin himself."

"When?", Sonea asked. "How?"

"The King summoned me to the palace yesterday to discuss some internal matters, most of which concerned Imardin. He asked me what I thought of the Purge, and I told him what you told the Ambassador, while adding that it was a colossal waste of magicians' time – time we could use to do something more productive, instead. The King is quite eager to improve his standing with the common people. He said that he will not order a Purge this year, and then evaluate the situation afterwards."

Sonea let out a squeal, and clasped her hands over her mouth. "Guess I'll have to thank him yet again."

"Wait, you know the King?", Jonna asked in disbelief.

"I've met him a few times", Sonea replied with a shrug.

"Unbelievable. My little niece, knowing so many important people."

"I've certainly made my way up in the world", Sonea quipped.

"Thank you so much for doing this for us, High Lord", Jonna said to Akkarin. "I'd love to hug you."

"I see you and Sonea are similar in this regard, as well", he replied with a wry smile, not moving.

"Do you not like hugs?"

"I don't mind them. But I can't go around hugging people – it would conflict with the image of the aloof, distant persona I have crafted over the years. I do not hug my siblings in public, either."

"Ah, I see."

For a moment, Jonna had suspected that he might not want to be seen hugging a Dwell.

"May I tell my husband? About the Purge?"

"If he can be counted on to be discreet, you may."

"Thank you. Oh, I can't wait to tell him! Well, then, don't let me keep you busy people."

"I'll be seeing you later, Aunt Jonna."

Jonna gave Sonea a grin, the others a nod, and hurried home.

---

The Guildhall was abuzz with voices. Even though none of those present knew why, exactly, Akkarin had called for an unscheduled Meet, they had all guessed that it had something to do with Savara. Lorlen had told him of the rumours flying about, ranging from "plausible" to "downright absurd".

Since the audience with the King, Akkarin and the rest of the Higher Magicians had continued working out the details of the deal with the Traitors, and how they should approach the fact that they had joined the Allied Lands. If they made an official announcement, it might provoke King Amakira to attack either them, or Kyralia.

Savara had reported that the Traitors had already begun assassinating influential Ashaki, and that they had also managed to incite a smouldering feud between two families into an all-out fight. The men of those families were now busy killing each other, while their wives and daughters had fled to join the Traitors.

And the Traitors themselves were preparing for war.

Lorlen had presented the Higher Magicians with a modus for electing the Black Magicians, and it had been approved by the others. The only thing left to do was to convince all the magicians present to go along with this.

A chair had been brought in for Savara, and she was seated at the front of the hall, next to the lowest tier of the Higher Magicians. She sat with her back straight, one leg crossed over the other. Akkarin noticed that she was wearing the ring with the Blood Gem openly today – she either no longer felt the need to conceal it, or had decided that it was time to share this secret.

Savara's efforts to befriend Guild magicians had been made a bit easier thanks to Sonea, Rothen and Vinara, and people were not as fearful of Savara as they used to be.

Akkarin leaned forward and tapped Lorlen's shoulder.

"I think that's the last of them. Let's get this over with."

"Very well."

Lorlen rose to his feet, and waited until the noise had died down.

"We are gathered here to answer a threat the Guild has not faced in seven hundred years", Lorlen began, his voice grave. "There is no way to sugar-coat this. We are facing an imminent threat of invasion by a faction of black magicians from Sachaka. Ambassador Savara's faction learned of this plot, and she was sent here to warn us."

Unfortunately, this caused several magicians to begin shouting, and Lorlen had to call for order. Some people were panicking, others were dismissive or sceptical of the supposed threat.

"Ambassador Savara, I open up the floor to you."

"Thank you, Administrator." Savara rose to her feet, and strolled into the middle of the room. "I would like to make it known that my mind is linked to that of our leader, Queen Zarala – she can see and hear everything I can see or hear. Should she decide to speak, I will give voice to her thoughts. In return, you are free to ask her questions."

Lord Garrel immediately rose to his feet, a thunderous expression on his face.

"Yes, Lord Garrel?", Lorlen asked.

"Have you been spying on us this entire time, Ambassador?", he growled.

"Not at all. It is not a permanent link. I only establish it during meetings such as this one. I am willing to prove this by having my mind read – again – should you deem it necessary."

Garrel scowled, but sat back down.

As Savara began her tale, Akkarin surveyed the room. The gathered magicians were shocked to learn that all Sachakan magicians were capable of using black magic, and horrified by the fact that the majority of the Sachakans kept slaves. Still, there were some who were not willing to take Savara at her word, something Akkarin had expected.

Given the circumstances, the Higher Magicians had agreed that they would have to be a bit more forthcoming with information on black magic to make sure the rest of the Guild would understand the danger. Savara had been given permission to reveal everything short of explaining how to use black magic.

Not that this was easily explained.

"Ambassador Savara allowed me to read her mind", Sarrin said, rising to his feet. "She also gave us a demonstration of her magical prowess. We, the Higher Magicians, have no reason to doubt her claims. We face certain destruction if we do not act."

He sat down again, and an old Warrior rose to his feet.

"What can we do? If these magicians are so much stronger than we are, is there even a way for us to fight back?"

"There is but one way", Savara replied. "In accordance with the will of those who banned higher magic, you will have to lift this ban – at least partially – and allow some magicians to learn higher magic. If you do not, you will die."

A ringing silence followed her words. Then, several people started shouting, voicing their disgust and outrage.

"Order!", Lorlen bellowed, surging to his feet. "Control yourselves, my lords, my ladies, please! We cannot achieve anything if we lose our heads."

Akkarin rose to his feet, and the hall quieted rapidly. Akkarin hardly ever spoke during Meets, leaving the everyday affairs of the Guild in the capable hands of the others while focussing on what was going on outside the Guild. The last time he had taken on a somewhat active role had been during the hunt for Sonea, three years ago.

He still remembered how impressed he had been with Dannyl – not yet an ambassador back then – for seeking out one of the Thieves, and impressing on him the severity of the situation. That Thief, Gorin, had then pressured Faren, the Thief who had been hiding Sonea, to give her up.

Akkarin had made sure to communicate his knowledge – and approval – of Dannyl's actions, and had defended him against Lorlen when Lorlen had complained that Dannyl should have consulted the Higher Magicians first, pointing out that they would have taken too long to debate this before making the wrong choice.

Savara strolled back to her chair, and sat down. Lorlen retook his seat as well.

"We have recently unearthed a secret stash of knowledge, left behind as a safeguard, should the Guild ever come under threat from Sachaka again", he stated calmly, letting his eyes wander over the assembled magicians. "Among those books was a historical record detailing the events that led up to black magic being banned, five hundred years ago. Before that, black magic – then known as higher magic – was commonly used by magicians in all countries. The same way it is still used by the people of Sanctuary. Please understand that this power is not inherently evil – the reason it has been portrayed as such was to prevent the tragedy from five hundred years ago from happening again."

He swiftly outlined the events in the book, emphasising how the Guild had always used this power wisely until Tagin came along. How one man with a thirst for power had almost destroyed the Guild single-handedly.

"If we restrict this knowledge to only two people, and have them keep an eye on each other, we can drastically reduce the risk of this happening again. We would also make certain to thoroughly vet all candidates for this position to further minimise the risk of abuse.
"I have met with King Merin the other day, and he agrees that this change is necessary. The King has not ordered us to make this change – but I must implore you all to think rationally. The future of the Guild – nay, the entire country is at stake. And there is no telling if the Ichani would seek to conquer other lands, once they have taken us out."

Silence followed his words. Akkarin surveyed the hall one last time before sitting down again.

"Ambassador, what do you do to people who abuse this power?", a Healer asked.

"Hypothetically speaking, we would execute them", Savara replied. "This has never happened before, though. We do not harm our own. We are equals, brothers and sisters. Such a thought would never occur to us."

The Healer looked surprised to hear that as she sat back down.

"Ambassador Savara, you claim that this power we have been taught to be evil can be used without harming others", a young Alchemist said, rising to his feet. "I would like to see proof of that, if you don't mind."

"Are you asking for a demonstration?", Savara asked, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward.

"Yes."

"I'll gladly oblige you", Savara replied, rising to her feet. She paused, and turned around to shoot Akkarin a questioning look.

"A demonstration would be fine as long as you skip the explanation, Ambassador", Akkarin decided.

Some of the other Higher Magicians nodded, much to his relief. They had not discussed this in advance, and he was glad to see that they understood that this was necessary.

"Very well. In that case, I would need a volunteer."

Paling slightly, the Alchemist sat back down. There was another moment of utter silence as no-one seemed eager to have black magic performed on them. Then –

"I volunteer."

Akkarin whipped his head around to lock eyes with Rothen, who gave him a terse smile as he rose to his feet.

Akkarin could have kissed the man. In a platonic way. Or perhaps a filial one.

Low mutters could be heard, but most magicians were silent as Rothen approached Savara.

"I thank you for your assistance, Lord Rothen."

"Don't mention it. Um – what do I do?"

"You sit down, for starters", she replied, gesturing to her chair. "People who have some of their magic taken for the first time will sometimes get dizzy, or even fall over. The fact that this room is packed with Healers does not mean we should take any unnecessary risks."

"I see."

Savara unsheathed her knife, and asked Rothen to hold out his arm.

"I must ask you not to Heal yourself until I tell you to, or we'll have to start over again", she told Rothen with a wry smile. "I will make a small cut on your arm. That's all."

"All right."

However, the moment Savara's blade made contact with Rothen's skin, Akkarin found himself back in Sachaka. In Savara's place, he saw Dakova, and in Rothen's –

Akkarin didn't know how he found the strength to push that memory away. There were too many people watching, he couldn't fall apart, not now.

Acutely aware of the fact that this time, someone was seated above him, Akkarin bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough to draw blood. The pain helped ground him, and, as soon as his head was clear, he called upon some Healing magic as he exhaled a gusty sigh.

Savara is not Ichani. She won't kill Rothen. She's our ally. Sonea's friend. She would never harm someone dear to a friend.

Below, Savara instructed Rothen to Heal himself. Akkarin blinked, still feeling somewhat disconnected from the world around himself.

Rothen returned to his seat, and Savara turned back around to face the Alchemist.

"As you can see, Lord Rothen wasn't harmed. I took a small amount of his magic, and am now a little bit stronger than I was before. Ordinarily, I would take more magic than that from a source. However, I felt that that would have been excessive, given the circumstances. I have barely used magic since leaving Sanctuary, and have no need to strengthen myself at present."

Balkan muttered something under his breath.

Savara cleaned her knife before sheathing it.

"Any other questions?", Lorlen asked.

"I have one!", a young Warrior exclaimed.

"Go on", Savara said.

"I heard that you invited Sonea to come live at Sanctuary."

"I have, yes. She declined, sadly."

Akkarin suddenly regretted having destroyed the Blood Gem – he'd love to give Lorlen an earful right now. He had not bared his soul to Lorlen over his fear that Sonea might take her up on the offer only for Lorlen to turn it into gossip.

He settled for giving Lorlen's chair a good kick.

Lorlen winced.

"But, why?", the Warrior asked, confused.

Akkarin refocussed his attention, and started contemplating kicking this man, instead.

"I'm surprised that you have to ask", Savara huffed. "But I shall indulge you.

"First and foremost, you have to understand that, because we are a small, secluded settlement, there is a high risk of inbreeding. To prevent our family trees from becoming circles, some of our women will set out to find men to father their children. If they are lucky, they will come across Kyralian traders. Sometimes, we also send a few women into northern Elyne.
"Bringing outsiders into Sanctuary is risky, and more often than not, they will not be permitted to leave again. Not everyone is willing to risk that, and the people who do join us are former slaves who are severely traumatised, and need time to heal. Some of them never recover.
"Children of mixed blood have always been prized in Sachaka – having foreign blood is considered a blessing. Because of that alone, Sonea would be coveted. Every man in Sanctuary would want to win her favour."

Akkarin couldn't say he liked the thought at all. This was too similar to the Kyralian nobility's obsession with bloodlines, an obsession that had almost destroyed his sister's life.

And Sonea wasn't some kind of broodmare, either.

"Besides all that we have, of course, Sonea's stellar traits – her brilliant mind, her compassionate soul, and her dauntless heart. Besides, she's a Natural – even if she chose not to learn higher magic, she would still be a great asset – and she knows how to Heal. She would be welcomed at Sanctuary with open arms. So. I suggest that you keep that in mind, or she may, one day, decide that she has had enough of you, and come live with us."

Vinara shot Sarrin a glare. Akkarin didn't need to read her mind to know what she was thinking.

Several magicians looked contrite after Savara's speech, and Rothen was glaring at a few of them, although most of his angry looks were aimed at Garrel. Akkarin guessed that Rothen hated the idea of Sonea potentially leaving as much as he did.

Although Savara had just revealed an interesting part of the Traitors' life Akkarin had been unaware of so far.

"Any more questions?", Lorlen asked.

Nobody spoke up. Lorlen nodded.

"Then we will now put the matter to vote. Please create your lights."

Akkarin conjured up a globe-light, and sent it upwards until it hovered just below the ceiling.

Savara watched the whole process curiously.

"Those in favour of changing the Guild's law to allow two magicians, who will be chosen, to learn black magic so that they may defend us in case of an attack, change your lights to white. Those opposed to this, please change your lights to red."

Akkarin immediately changed his light to white, as did the rest of the Higher Magicians. Down below, Rothen was the first one to change his light to white, which caused Yaldin to follow suit. In a cluster of Warriors, Donevin was the first one to change his own light to white.

It took a while, as some magicians were still deliberating, but eventually, all globe lights had changed colour, and the Higher Magicians hurried to count them.

"I count more white ones", Vinara breathed, sounding relieved.

"As do I", Sarrin agreed.

They compared numbers, and agreed that the majority was in favour of the change.

"Adviser, if you would inform the King of the Guild's decision."

"I will, Administrator."

Lorlen rose to his feet again. "As stated previously, we will choose two magicians to become the Guild's defenders. They will be made members of the Higher Magicians, however, they will be faced with some restrictions. They may not teach. They may not hold a position of authority. They may not leave the Guild grounds without permission from one of the Higher Magicians, and have to report back as soon as they return. If they ignore this restriction, they will be exiled from the Allied Lands. They may not strengthen themselves without permission from one of the Higher Magicians, even if the source is willing. Taking magic from an unwilling source is forbidden. The punishment for failing to comply with these rules will be execution. Lenience will be shown if the Black Magician can prove that he or she was unable to obtain permission due to an emergency.
"Every magician may nominate a candidate. Magicians may not nominate themselves. None of the Higher Magicians may be nominated. All nominees have to submit to a truth-read. People deemed unsuited for the task will be removed from the list of candidates. Candidates may withdraw if they have a valid reason.
"Lord Osen will be overseeing the process. Please approach him if you want to nominate someone. We will reconvene in a week to cast our votes. Any more questions?"

"Yes!" A middle-aged Warrior rose to his feet. "What do you get out of this, Ambassador? I can't believe that you are doing this out of charity."

"Believe it or not, it is one of our motives, though not our strongest, I'll admit. But what we will get out of this is Healing magic – and an alliance. Although the ability to Heal is of more worth to us."

"You – you don't know how to Heal?", he asked in disbelief.

"No-one in Sachaka does", Savara replied with a shrug. "It is the only advantage you have over us – although I doubt it would help you much in a fight. Which is why I asked Sonea to showcase this ability."

"Were you hurt?", the Warrior asked with a frown.

"You could say that. Although I did inflict the injury on myself. Sonea Healed me straight away – and proceeded to attempt to take my knife away, as she believed that I shouldn't be allowed access to one."

She seemed to find this rather amusing.

Akkarin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Thankfully, King Merin had not reacted badly to this display.

"I feel tempted to agree with Sonea", Vinara muttered. "The utter recklessness of some young people never ceases to amaze me."

The Warrior didn't seem to know how to respond to that, and sat down again.

"Any more questions?", Lorlen pressed.

No-one spoke up this time, and he declared the Meet ended.

"If you would care for my advice", Savara interjected before the gathered magicians could begin to disperse, "I would recommend that you choose women over men, and powerful magicians over weaker ones. Why? History has shown us that women are less likely to abuse power. And magicians who were born powerful will have learned restraint. On the other hand, if you give a weak magician the ability to strengthen herself or himself indefinitely, all that power might go to their head, and the temptation to surpass all those who supposedly looked down on them for being weak may become too great. That is not to say this will happen. But it is something worth considering."

"Thank you, Ambassador", Lorlen replied.

"Sadly, the list of powerful female magicians here at the Guild is frightfully short", Vinara muttered.

Akkarin didn't hear what was said in response. As soon as the first people rose from their seats, he was out of his chair himself, and hurrying down the stairs. He only wanted to get away.

He had never been so glad for his ability to effortlessly part a crowd. His face gave nothing away as he strode out of the Guildhall. He rounded a corner, and made for the nearest entrance to the secret passages. Once inside, he broke into a run, throwing up a shield so he wouldn't inhale the dust he was kicking up.

He finally made it back home, and burst into the guestroom, startling Sonea, who had been waiting in one of the armchairs. Clearly, she had not expected him to come in from this direction.

The scream that had been building inside would not be contained any longer, and Akkarin let it out as he crumpled to the floor, his whole body shaking. No matter how hard he tried, the shaking wouldn't stop – not knowing what else to do, Akkarin curled in on himself, hating the fact that he couldn't control this.

Sonea got to him before Takan did, dropping to her knees next to him.

"Takan, go fetch Lorlen."

"Yes, my lady."

"Akkarin, what's wrong? What happened?"

"I – almost had a flashback in the Guildhall", he rasped. "I'm not sure how I – I managed to hold myself together, somehow, until now."

"Oh no", she whispered, her voice full of compassion. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Did he? Not really – just because Sonea was unaware of his feelings for her didn't mean he didn't think it weird to tell her about the other woman he'd loved, even if she was long dead. However, all the things inside him wanted out, and he had a feeling that it wouldn't be smart to hold them in until Lorlen got here.

There was a chance that Sonea would refuse to leave his side, too. Knowing how stubborn she was, there was a high possibility that she would stay until she'd heard it all.

Akkarin took a shuddering breath. "An Alchemist asked Savara for a demonstration, and I permitted it – seeing how much information we'd already revealed to the Guild, letting them see her perform black magic wasn't really a big deal any more. However – when – the moments she – she cut him – I saw Dakova in her place, and was back in the Wastes. I knew that I was about to re-live her – her death. I – somehow, I managed to snap out of it – although I hurt myself, again", he admitted, feeling ashamed of himself.

"Oh no! Do you need Healing?"

"No, I took care of that right away. And nobody noticed. I – one of the King's advisers was there, they are seated above me. I had to be careful."

He was still shaking, much to his annoyance, and belatedly noticed that he'd started crying, on top of that. This made him feel a surge of anger – anger at Dakova, for having done this to him, for having hurt so many people, anger at himself, for not being better, for forcing Sonea to deal with the fallout of his own foolish mistakes, again…

"Do you need a hug? Or to be held?"

"Yes", Akkarin croaked.

"All right."

Akkarin had no idea how she intended to proceed – he didn't expect her to be able to lift him, he was both taller and heavier than her. The laws of physics didn't work in her favour.

He had not been prepared for her to lay down on the floor next to him, and to wrap herself around him – well, as much as she could, anyway. He certainly appreciated her trying. She draped her left arm over his middle, and squeezed him as hard as she could.

"I've sealed the door", she whispered. "Nobody's getting in here without my leave."

"Thank you."

"Tell me if anything I do makes you uncomfortable", she urged.

"I will. Just be careful – "

"Lower arms. I know."

Akkarin tried to relax into her embrace, although his body was still being wracked with sobs. Sonea whispered soothing words into his ear, and tried to reach for his hand. Her arm was too short.

"Hand", she demanded.

Akkarin gladly obliged, and soon felt her magic "attacking" his heart, trying to get it under control. However, her efforts proved futile.

"You'd have to get into my mind in order to make it stop", Akkarin rasped in between sobs.

Sonea made an angry sound. "I hate this. I hate not being able to help you. I feel so useless."

"Don't. You've already done more than enough. I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you."

"Oh, hush. We're all hurting, and trying to help each other along."

Akkarin smiled, despite everything.

Oh, sweet, gentle Sonea… what did I ever do to deserve you?

I don't deserve you.

"Lorlen might complain if he finds us like this", Sonea said after a while, making no move to leave his side. "However, I decided a while ago that propriety can go, uh, well, you know, if someone needs comforting. I don't care that I'm not a Healer yet. And he really can't give you his blessing to comfort me when I need it, and expect me to watch you suffer."

"Don't worry, I won't let him say anything mean to you", Akkarin grumbled. "And, if he's smart, he'll keep his mouth shut. I'm already angry with him."

"What did he do this time?"

"It doesn't matter. It's trivial, really. I'll sort it out with him."

"All right."

Akkarin was immensely thankful that Sonea was willing to let the matter rest. He did not want to have to explain to her that he'd been terrified at the thought that she might leave, and that Lorlen had gone and spread that story around. Well, not the part about him being terrified, thankfully.

Despite Sonea's best efforts, Akkarin's condition did not improve. Still, she refused to give up, and held on to him. And Akkarin was certain that he'd feel a lot worse if she'd stopped.

"They're here", Sonea murmured. "Should I let them inside?"

Akkarin gave a jerky nod, and the door opened moments later. Akkarin turned his head to glare at Lorlen, just in case. His friend faltered for a moment before rallying himself, and briskly approaching them. Takan hovered behind him, wringing his hands.

Lorlen proceeded to take Akkarin vitals. He didn't seem to like what he was finding.

Akkarin was barely listening as he instructed Takan to fetch some potion or other from the Healers' Quarters, as his thoughts were already spiralling out of control again.

He got an inkling that Sonea must be feeling just as helpless as he'd felt, that day, when she had fallen apart in this very room.

"If anyone asks, say it's for me", Sonea instructed Takan. "Tell them I've had another panic attack."

"I will, my lady."

Akkarin could have kissed her, too. In a decidedly non-platonic way.

Realising, with no small amount of alarm, that she was still holding his hand, he quickly buried these thoughts, praying that she hadn't sensed them. However, Sonea didn't show any outward reaction at all, and continued her attempts to soothe him.

"Do you mind if I join the cuddle pile?", Lorlen asked politely.

"Hang on, let me seal the door again", Sonea replied.

Akkarin didn't protest as Lorlen settled down on his other side. However, he found that he disliked facing Lorlen, and rolled over to face Sonea instead. She immediately scurried closer, and tucked herself under his chin. Akkarin buried his face in her hair, and inhaled her scent, trying to ground himself.

Lorlen was rubbing soothing circles into his back.

"I'm sorry for not noticing that you were in distress", Lorlen whispered. "This is because of Ambassador Savara, isn't it."

"Don't be. I've been acting like I'm not traumatised for eight years. I'd like to think I'm good at it."

Akkarin hiccuped, and winced. Sonea must have felt that.

"Still. It should have been obvious that this would affect you. I should have seen this coming."

Akkarin huffed, but found that he lacked the strength needed to argue.

Thankfully, Takan soon returned. He let out a chuckle when he spotted their little pile.

"We should get him to bed", Lorlen decided. "We ought to be able to carry him together. Takan, can you take his feet?"

"I can walk", Akkarin groused.

"Certainly, Administrator."

"I do not agree to this!"

"I invoke the Healer's privilege. Don't talk back to the Healer. You're shaking worse than all the faint-hearted magicians in the Night Room the other day. I won't let you try to climb stairs in this state."

"I'll go light the way", Sonea announced as she cautiously extracted herself from his hold.

Akkarin almost protested, but held his tongue. He allowed Takan and Loren to lift him off the ground, although he felt like a bloody invalid. He was the Guild's leader. He should be better than this.

Once they had reached his bedroom, Lorlen and Takan cautiously put him upright, ready to catch him. Then, they simultaneously noticed that Sonea had preceded them into the room, and was busy fluffing up Akkarin's pillows.

They stared at her for a few moments, utterly bewildered.

"Sonea!", Lorlen said sharply.

Sonea, who had been fussing with the bedding, froze, and turned her head to glance up at Lorlen.

"Out!", he ordered sternly.

She flushed a bright crimson, and fled from the room.

Takan gently closed the door.

"Don't be cross with her, she was only trying to help", Akkarin croaked.

"Still. She's not supposed to be in your bedroom until after you're married."

"Shut up! She'll hear you!", he gasped.

"What, do you expect her to listen at the door?"

"No. At a guess, she's either hiding in her room, or pacing outside, depending on if she's feeling more worried, or mortified."

"I see. Do you want me to look away while you get changed?", Lorlen asked softly.

"I – I'd appreciate that."

"All right."

Takan took Akkarin's arm, and guided him over to his wash basin. With Takan's help, he managed to shrug out of his robes, and Takan used a damp cloth to wash Akkarin's face, and remove the worst of the sweat.

Akkarin would need a proper bath, later. At the moment, he was too concerned that he'd fall asleep in the tub.

Takan hummed softly as he removed the tie from Akkarin's hair, and combed it out. Then, he helped Akkarin divest himself of his boots and trousers. Akkarin pulled on his nightclothes, and crawled into his bed, feeling awfully weary and exhausted. Still, he made sure to tug down his sleeves before telling Lorlen that he was done.

Lorlen, who had been staring at the door, turned around, and plucked the potion out of the air. Akkarin belatedly realised that he'd made it float behind himself.

"Tell Sonea about the Meet", Akkarin implored as he took the bottle.

"Don't you want to do that yourself?"

"She was waiting for me to hear the news. Don't keep her in suspense on my account. Oh, and make it clear to her that she's not in trouble. I'll ask her later. And then, we'll talk about you spilling my secrets to the Guild, you traitor."

Lorlen grimaced.

"You need to rest first, though, master", Takan interjected softly.

"Right. To the future, which doesn't look so bleak any more."

He toasted the others, and obediently emptied the bottle. He felt someone take the bottle from his hand, and then Takan bent over him to tuck him in. Akkarin managed one last grateful smile before the potion pulled him under.

---

Spotting a familiar figure clad in red robes in the corridor ahead, Regin lengthened his strides.

"Uncle!"

Garrel turned, surprised, and spotted Regin.

"Nephew. Did you need something?"

"A moment of your time."

"In here."

Garrel ushered him into an empty classroom, and Regin shut the door.

"What can I do for you, Regin?"

"I want you to throw your support behind Sonea in the upcoming vote."

Garrel blinked, opened his mouth, shut it, blinked again, and shook his head.

Regin tried hard not to let his impatience show, as he was aware of the fact that he had just blind-sided his uncle.

"Why?", Garrel managed at last.

"Because I know for a fact that she would never abuse this power."

Garrel considered this. "I can see why you would say that", he replied slowly. "However, I am not certain she should be elevated like this, and not just because of her origins."

"Someone clearly thinks that she would be capable of holding such a position", Regin argued, "or she would not have been nominated. Besides, she has friends in high places. The Administrator and Lady Vinara are both on friendly terms with her. The King appears to like her, as does one of the High Lord's sisters."

"Was the High Lord the one to nominate her?", Garrel asked with a frown.

"I honestly don't know."

"Having friends in high places is hardly a compelling argument."

"No, but those people don't have to be friends with her. And yet, they chose to. Besides, don't you think that you owe it to her to make amends?"

"Make amends?"

"Come now, you must have realised, just as I have, that the things I did to her were cruel, and that she did not deserve that kind of treatment", Regin replied, his tone turning less friendly. "While I had the excuse of having been a stupid, bratty fifteen-year-old who was acting based on values and beliefs instilled in me by my parents, you were already a grown man. You should have known better. You should have told me that what I was doing was wrong, should have stopped me. But you did not. Instead, you encouraged, even enabled my abuse of her. While feuds between novices aren't unheard of, I doubt anyone ever took things as far as I did."

"Your parents – "

"My parents are fools. My mother decided to pick a fight with Sonea – even though I warned her not to – and promptly got eviscerated by her. I've also heard that Chessea of Velan has paid them a visit, and that she's had a few things to say about how they raise their children, and my treatment of her friend. She said that we have disgraced our family name, and shamed our House."

Garrel scowled, but said nothing in response. This situation was not ideal for their House – depending on how much sway Chessea held over her husband or her siblings, this could very easily turn into a feud between their Houses. Regin didn't know Chessea's husband's House terribly well, but he figured that making an enemy of House Velan would not be a smart move.

"I will evaluate the situation", Garrel said at length. "Find out who nominated Sonea, and why. Speak to some other people who know her well. Donevin seems quite taken with her, from what I hear."

"Ah, yes, but he also dislikes you, so you might want to be careful how you approach him", Regin replied with a shrug.

"If I come to the conclusion that she would be suited for this task, I will support her. You were right, she is someone we can count on not to abuse power, in whatever form."

"Thank you, uncle", Regin replied, giving the older man a genuine smile.

Garrel grunted, and turned to leave.

---

Sonea burst into the guestroom in a frenzied run, and stopped to catch her breath. To her surprise, Akkarin wasn't downstairs – but Savara was. Sonea sucked in a big gulp of air, and called upon some Healing magic to get her breathing back under control.

Savara, who had been reading, sat up straight, an alarmed look on her face

"We have a problem", Sonea gasped as soon as she was able to. "Donevin – one of my friends – nominated me as one of the candidates for the position of Black Magician."

Savara blinked, and closed the book. "But – you're still a novice."

"Yes, that was the first thing I told Lord Osen. He told me, in a very apologetic manner, that he had made the same argument – and was told that there was no rule that forbid novices from being nominated."

"I see. I don't quite understand why you seem to think that this is a problem, though – I thought you wanted this?"

"I did. I do. However – all candidates need to have their minds read. I doubt they'd let Lorlen or Akkarin do it, and if any of the others found out how much I know – Akkarin might be in danger. Just because this no longer would mean the end of the Guild doesn't mean I want them to execute him!"

"Hm, I can see how that would be a problem", Savara mused, a deep frown on her face.

"What's this I hear about Donevin?"

Sonea looked up to see Akkarin emerge from the door leading to the right-hand staircase.

"He's nominated me for the position of Black Magician", Sonea croaked.

Akkarin's facial expression changed abruptly. "I'll kill him", he growled as he briskly made his way over to them.

"I'll help you."

"What was he thinking?!"

"Wait, you have the option to withdraw, don't you, Sonea?", Savara interjected.

"I don't have a valid reason for doing so. What's more, I've been avoiding truth reads ever since I joined the university. If I try to bail out now, they might suspect that I have something to hide."

"I see."

"I'll just have to be extremely careful", Sonea sighed. "Maybe I'll be able to keep it all buried."

"Perhaps, but hiding things from others while communicating mind-to-mind is incredibly difficult", Akkarin pointed out. "The more you try to hide certain thoughts, the more likely they are to come to the forefront of your mind."

"I know that!", Sonea snapped. "What else do you want me to do?!"

"I might be able to help you", Savara uttered quietly.

"Come again?"

"For a price", she amended.

"Go on", Sonea urged, feeling a faint hope bloom in her heart.

"Teach me how to Heal – just a simple cut, that's all I'm asking – and I'll show you how to hide your thoughts from searching minds. You would even be able to resist my mind-reading abilities."

"Wait, you can do that?"

"I had been wondering how you were hiding your spies from the Sachakans", Akkarin mused.

"Do we have a deal?", Savara asked, rising to her feet and holding out her hand.

Sonea lifted hers before pausing, and shooting Akkarin a questioning look.

"You must never share that you learned this ability, or where", Akkarin warned.

"I will keep this secret as long as you do", Savara replied.

"Very well. You have my permission to proceed."

Sonea reached out, and they clasped each other's lower arms. Savara's grip was strong, and her gaze sincere.

"I'll need to fetch a few things, but I shouldn't be too long. Don't worry yourselves too much while I'm gone – it'll be fine."

She clapped Sonea on the shoulder, and left the residence.

Sonea collapsed into the nearest armchair – Akkarin's favourite one – and took a shuddering breath.

"Are you all right?", Akkarin asked in a concerned tone, moving closer to her.

"Not really. This is awful. What was he thinking? I mean, he obviously doesn't know that I can't have my mind read, but – ugh."

"Aren't you worried about yourself?"

"I'm not the one who will potentially be executed! You seem awfully relaxed, given the circumstances."

"Despite my best efforts, I always knew that there was a risk that I might be found out. At the very least, I can rest easy now knowing that the Guild no longer depends on me for survival."

"Are you serious?!", Sonea exclaimed, surging to her feet.

"Calm down", Akkarin replied, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I would not let them execute me. Now that the Guild no longer needs me, I could flee."

Sonea took a ragged breath. "Do you think you'd be able to fight your way out of the Guildhall?"

"Yes. It would certainly be exhausting, especially since I'd most likely come under attack from all sides, but I am quite capable when it comes to fighting. If the worst should come to pass, I want you to keep quiet. Do not endanger your future for my sake. It's entirely unnecessary."

Sonea swallowed hard. She couldn't say that she agreed with his view of things.

"Where would you go, though?"

"Cerinyi might be able to hide me. And if he cannot do that, I could go to Sanctuary. Given that I know both higher and Healing magic, I would be a valuable asset in the fighting that is to come."

Sonea was struck by the crazy idea that she could take Savara up on her offer after all, go to Sanctuary with her so that she and Akkarin could still be together.

She mentally whacked herself for such a silly thought, and quickly banished it.

Besides, I can't abandon the Dwells. Or my family.

"I don't like this at all", Sonea whispered. "We were so close to freeing you from this burden, and now there is a chance the Guild might find out about you anyway, despite all our careful planning. I hate this."

"Ambassador Savara seemed quite confident that whatever trick she has up her sleeve should work", Akkarin replied in a soothing tone, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "I am rather certain that you are currently getting worried for nothing. Not that I don't appreciate your worrying for my safety, far from it, but I don't want you to stress yourself out over this."

Sonea let out a shuddering breath. "Can we work out a battle plan for the worst-case scenario?"

"Certainly, if that makes you feel better?"

"It would."

"Very well."

Akkarin released her, and they sat down.

"I'd imagine that Lord Balkan would pose the biggest danger", Sonea mused.

"Indeed. By himself, he wouldn't be a threat, but if he managed to co-ordinate the others, things might become tricky."

"You could grab me, threaten to take my magic or something if they don't let you go."

"I would rather avoid that", he replied with a grimace. "Besides, this probably wouldn't work on whoever had truth-read you. I should go for a different target."

"How about Garrel? I'm fairly certain that people would believe that you would hurt him."

"Hm, yes. Regin would also make for a great hostage, although he won't be there. Then again – I could also use Sarrin."

"What did he do to earn himself your wrath?", Sonea asked, arching a brow.

"He insulted you."

"Oh, my, I'm surprised he's still alive."

"Lorlen has issues with me wanting to kill people who are mean to you."

Sonea let out a startled laugh. "I don't actually need you to kill people for my sake. I can handle myself."

"I know. Which is why I stayed my hand."

Sonea let out a giggle.

"It's almost a pity Fergun isn't here", she mused.

"I have no intentions of letting him return any time soon", Akkarin huffed. "Me refusing the pleas of every single member of House Maron has the sublime side effect that they have not sent me a single proposal for marriage since Fergun was sent away."

Sonea snorted. "I heard that you enjoy burning marriage proposals?"

"Oh, yes. It is usually the highlight of my day."

"Takan will be disappointed to hear that eating his food is not your highlight of the day."

Akkarin let out a giggle.

They sobered quickly when the door was opened, and Sonea was relieved to see that Savara had returned.

"You two are looking better than I had feared", she observed as she shut the door.

"We were coming up with contingency plans to appease my anxieties", Sonea explained.

"Battle plans, taking people hostage, that kind of thing", Akkarin added with a nod.

"Well, I hate to say this, but all of that won't be necessary. Behold."

She uncurled her right hand, and held something out for them to see. It was a pair of earrings made from two gems strung together with thin chain links. The upper crystals were made from a white gem, the lower ones from green ones.

"The white gems are magical, the green ones aren't, they're just faceted glass", Savara explained. "While you wear them, people will be unable to read your mind. Ordinarily, we embed these gems in the skin to conceal them, but I figured that you may not like to do this. And a ring might get in the way once you become a Healer. Besides, I've seen a lot of noble ladies wear earrings, so I figured that this might work best. And look! You can detach the chains with the green gems for safety reasons. I would recommend doing that if you're about to fight. Don't give the enemy anything to grab on to."

"Makes sense. Wait – that shade of green – is that what I think it is?"

"I 'borrowed' some Healer's robes."

"Amazing", Sonea whispered. "But – won't people think it strange if they can't read my thoughts at all?"

"You can show them whatever you want. If the memory they want to view is safe, you can show them. If it isn't, you can lie to them. It takes no small amount of concentration, and you would have to practise if your intent is to fool someone. If you just wanted to protect your mind, just wearing the earrings would do the trick."

"Right. Um – my ears aren't pierced, though."

"That's easily remedied. And I've done this quite often before, you have nothing to worry about."

"Wait", Akkarin said. "May I see one of these gems?"

"Oh, sure", Savara replied, unclipping the green gem and handing the white one to Akkarin.

He studied it closely before handing it back. "I'll be back in a moment."

Savara and Sonea exchanged a mystified look, but Sonea couldn't tell Savara what was going on, and so they waited.

Akkarin was back soon enough, holding a ring with a white gem embedded in it.

"Is this the same gem?", Akkarin asked, offering the ring to Savara.

Savara took it, and examined it closely. "It is. Where did you get this?"

"It was in the chest along with the books, but I couldn't find out what it was, so I held on to it."

"I see. Well, if you wear this, you won't have to worry about anyone reading your mind, either."

"I see", Akkarin replied as he accepted the ring back, his eyes gleaming.

"People might find it strange if both of us start wearing jewellery with white gems all of a sudden, though", Sonea pointed out.

"Indeed. I'll simply fashion it into something I can wear underneath my robes."

Sonea was struck by the mental image of Akkarin wearing a pendant, and had to suppress a grin.

"I can practise with you both", Savara offered. "We train our spies in deception before sending them out."

"Thank you", Akkarin replied.

"Well, then, Sonea, are you ready?"

"Will it hurt a lot?", Sonea asked, biting her bottom lip.

"I cannot say. Different people react differently to stimuli, and pain is no exception. I can promise you that it'll be quick, though. And you can use this Healing magic of yours for anything short of sealing the hole."

"All right."

"Make yourself comfortable, and try to relax."

Sonea tried her utmost, although it wasn't exactly easy. True to her word, Savara was done quickly, and Sonea swiftly called upon some Healing magic to chase away the pain, feeling proud of herself for not having uttered a sound.

Savara handed her the white gems.

"Don't attach the green ones for the time being, wait until your earlobes have adjusted to this. And watch out for infection."

"Got it. Thank you, Savara."

"You picked a good size for the gems, Ambassador", Akkarin observed as he moved closer.

"Sonea is delicate. Giving her any big jewels to wear would make her look awful."

Akkarin hummed in agreement.

"I'm not delicate", Sonea huffed, crossing her arms.

"Allow me to amend my statement", Savara chuckled. "You look delicate, but on the inside, you are all iron."

"Better." Sonea fingered the studs, trying to get used to this new feeling. "And I'm feeling a whole lot less stressed out about everything now."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I still don't understand how anyone could nominate a friend for this position", Akkarin grumbled.

"It beats getting nominated by someone I know hates me", Sonea shot back. "In that case, I'd assume he did it hoping that I would die."

Akkarin's expression darkened.

"That would be a most foolish reason", Savara huffed.

"I hate the very thought of you having to face the Ichani, and Kariko", Akkarin whispered.

"Well, look at it this way: I'm the slum girl – they'd find a way not to pick me even if I were the only candidate, so there's nothing for you to worry about", Sonea told him brightly.

Akkarin gave her an exasperated look.

"They would be fools not to choose you, though", Savara commented. "You're practically perfect for this."

"Yes, well, I have bad news for you."

"When can we get started with learning how to block mind-reading?", Akkarin interjected.

"Whenever you want", Savara replied, catching on to the fact that Akkarin wished to change the topic. "Although I'd suggest that we relocate to a more quiet location."

"The dining room", Akkarin replied. "Chances of people spying on us there are slim."

"Very well."

Savara handed Sonea the green gems, and Sonea decided to ask Viola to find her something she could keep them in whenever she took them off.

She once again fingered the white gems, immensely touched by Savara's offer. She'd use this little training session to teach her how to Heal, too, to pay her debt.

---

Akkarin was not happy with the current state of things.

The next time Lorlen had come by for a visit, Akkarin had vented his frustration on him – had accused him of having voiced the rules in such a vague way on purpose, hoping that someone would nominate Sonea – who perfectly fit Savara's recommendation.

Lorlen had resolutely denied this.

Akkarin felt torn. He knew that Sonea was one of the best people the Guild could pick, but the thought that she might have to face off against Kariko frightened him. He'd had to endure the unimaginable horror of watching the previous woman he loved being raped over and over again until Dakova had killed her.

Akkarin had been helpless to stop him.

The thought that this might happen to Sonea – that he might lose the second woman he had fallen in love with the same way – was unbearable.

Akkarin had cursed, yelled and paced the guestroom like a caged animal.

Lorlen had listened to him spewing vitriol in a calm manner until he was done, until he felt spent, and empty. Then, he'd sat Akkarin down, and offered him a mind-healing session.

Akkarin deserved Lorlen no more than he deserved Sonea.

Unfortunately, Sonea had heard the altercation. Akkarin had, initially, managed to hide just how opposed he was to this from her – for one, he knew that she, herself, wanted this, despite the inherent risks – and besides, it wouldn't do for him to undermine her in public. However, once she'd realised this, it had changed things between them.

Akkarin suspected that she was blaming herself – a ridiculous notion, really, but hardly surprising, given her disposition. While Sonea still took dawnfeast together with him, and attended the usual evening meals, she'd used needing to study as an excuse to avoid him.

Unfortunately, it was a good excuse – the final exams were coming up, and Sonea was genuinely worried that she might fail, as absurd as that thought was.

And Akkarin was aware that an attempt to talk things out made on his side would most likely result in an argument. There was no way for them to resolve this – at least not until the Guild had cast its vote. Akkarin would not change his stance on this, and neither would Sonea. Once the results were in, they would have to live with them – Sonea would have to accept that she would not be able to protect those she cared about, or Akkarin would have to accept that she might face the same horrors he had once faced.

Waiting in this kind of limbo was excruciating, and Akkarin was certain that he would lose his mind before the week was up.

Savara's help had been invaluable. Within a short amount of time, Akkarin and Sonea had been able to tell Savara the wildest lies whenever she attempted to read their minds. The fact that Sonea would be faced with a truth-read was a big advantage – it was easier to respond to questions rather than to construct a fake narrative that hopefully fed into whatever the person reading your mind was looking for.

Akkarin had fashioned the gem from the ring into a tiny pendant that hung from a thin chain, subtle enough it wasn't visible through his robes. He'd made something similar for Takan's Blood Gem, although it had been easier to hide under the layers of clothing he wore.

And finally, Akkarin understood why he had been unable to read Zarala's mind when she had worn his Blood Gem.

The next Freeday couldn't come quickly enough in his opinion, although part of him dreaded it. He was desperate to resolve things with Sonea.

---

Letting out a soft sigh, Sonea curled herself into a ball on one of the window seats at the Magicians' Library. Being the High Lord's favourites had many perks, and one of them was that there were hardly any areas that were off-limits to her any more. Ordinarily, novices needed to be accompanied by a magician if they wanted to go to the Magician's Library. After Akkarin had claimed her guardianship, Sonea hadn't been able to visit, as she couldn't work up the courage to ask him to accompany her. When she'd mentioned this to Lady Tya, she'd said that nobody expected the High Lord to sit around while Sonea studied, and, indeed, Lord Jullen hadn't stopped her the first time she'd shown up by herself. He'd just taken her box into custody, as usual, and told her to ask him if she needed help.

The Magician's Library was much quieter than the Novices' Library, and made a much better place for thinking, especially when one's home wasn't an ideal place to do so. Sonea's mind had provided her with two weird stray thoughts recently, and she needed peace and quiet in order to analyse them.

The first one had been the startling realisation that she didn't want to leave the residence, and not just because she would miss Takan's excellent culinary skills. She would miss Akkarin. His company, his sarcastic wit, the way he treated her like an equal, their discussions of various topics, his immense intellect. After he had told her the truth, all those months ago, there had been so much going on, Sonea had had no time to think about what might happen after graduation now that she no longer had to fear for her safety. However, all it had taken had been for one random remark from Akkarin to make the worries return – albeit in a markedly different form.

However, there was no way around this. Even if, for some reason, he wanted to, Akkarin couldn't justify keeping her in his home once she had graduated – it would inadvertently cause a scandal.

Sonea let out a sigh. She would cross that bridge when she reached it. For now, she had other things to worry about.

The other realisation had been that she considered Akkarin a potential partner. Husband-material. And an excellent father to the children they might have. This had nearly caused her to throw a fit – this was bad. Extremely bad. Nothing in Akkarin's behaviour had ever hinted at the fact that he was interested in her in that way – she was currently setting herself up for heartbreak on top of everything else. To her growing horror, Sonea had realised that she had developed feelings for Akkarin, might have harboured these feelings for a while without realising it. She would have to bury them, keep them hidden. Thankfully, he still hadn't caught on to the fact that she knew that he found her attractive, so she assumed that she should be able to keep this up until graduation.

"Sonea! So this is where you've been hiding!"

"Keep it down, Donevin, this is a library."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake the books."

Sonea gave him a flat look as she uncurled herself. "I should probably warn you that the High Lord has been plotting your demise in five different ways."

Sonea didn't actually know this, but she wouldn't put it past Akkarin.

Donevin blanched. "I take it he's not happy that I nominated you?"

"Not happy at all."

"I see. Well, in that case, I'll be counting on you to protect me", he replied, flashing her his most winning smile.

"I'll take it into consideration."

"Charming."

"Was there a reason you came to see me?"

"Oh, right, I thought you might want an update on how things are progressing."

"With what?"

"Your supporters."

"My what?!"

"A lot of people have declared their support for you", Donevin told her with a big, bright grin, "the Administrator the first and most prominent among them."

Sonea cursed. "Well, I guess Akkarin will kill him, too."

Donevin blinked before shaking his head. "Both Lady Vinara and Lord Rothen have refrained from pledging their support – even though they believe that you are the best candidate – because they are worried for your safety – "

"Rightfully so, from what I've heard", Sonea muttered.

"Lady Tya and Lord Yikmo have also pledged their support, as has Lord Larkin. None of which surprised me, really. However – there is one very unexpected supporter."

He paused for dramatic effect, and Sonea resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Go on, surprise me."

"You won't believe it."

"Probably not, no."

"It is my great-uncle, Garrel."

Sonea's jaw actually dropped, and she gaped at him for a few heartbeats. "But he hates me!"

"He does, which makes this all the better", Donevin replied, gleefully rubbing his hands together. "Apparently, Regin put him up to this – gave him a grand speech about how you would never abuse power, and that he should make amends to you – honestly, I'm so proud of him – anyway, Garrel then showed up at my doorstep to ask me some questions about you, so, being the great friend that I am, I immediately listed all of your good qualities, achievements and so on. Let me tell you, watching that old windbag squirm in his chair was one of the greatest sights I've ever seen."

Sonea was stunned. Floored. Flabbergasted. Gobsmacked. It took her a full minute to process everything Donevin had just told her.

He was watching her with a delighted grin on his face.

"I was not expecting this, from either of them", Sonea admitted once she'd found her voice again. "I mean, Regin said that he wanted to make amends to me, but – well."

"Hm, I was surprised, too. But I am glad to see Regin's growth, truly. Garrel wasn't good for him. Thankfully, Regin seems to have begun to understand this."

"I see. Do you know who else has been nominated?"

"A bunch of Alchemists. No-one I know."

"No warriors?"

"We tend to be a competitive bunch", Donevin replied with a wink. "People probably think it's a bad idea to give one of us access to that kind of power."

"Fair enough."

Sonea had to suppress a smile at the thought that Akkarin had managed to keep himself under good regulation despite being extremely competitive – then again, he had both seen and experienced just how terrible this power could be when abused.

"What were you doing in here, anyway?"

"I needed a quiet place to think."

"About the vote?"

"No, it was more about the situation as a whole", Sonea replied, hoping that he would accept such a vague answer.

"Ah. Not a great time to be alive, is it?"

"It could be better, really."

"I suppose. But don't worry too much – I'm positive that you'll show those Sachakan would-be invaders a thing or two."

"You make it sound as though it's already decided that they'll pick me."

"They'd be stupid not to."

"Have you met them?"

"You have the Administrator himself backing you", Donevin pointed out. "That's a massive show of support."

"I suppose. Still, it's too early to be certain, especially since I don't know who else has been nominated. If Lord Balkan were to throw his support behind someone else, that might make that candidate seem like a better choice."

"True. Oh, well, there's no point fretting over this. I'll try and recruit more supporters."

"Thanks, Donevin. I appreciate it. I'll have to get going now, or I'll be late."

"Right. I'll be off, too. Have a nice evening."

"You, too."

Sonea made her way over to Lord Jullen's desk to fetch her box, and then made the slow trek back home. Home. Such a strange concept. For the longest time, the residence had been a prison, a place she had dreaded returning to every night. And, even though the current situation wasn't ideal, she still looked forward to coming home every evening.

She'd tried her best not to let the situation affect her relationship with Akkarin, but it had been hard. As she left the university building, Sonea decided to offer treating Akkarin scars tonight, as a small peace offering.

Perhaps she could use this as an excuse to continue visiting him once she'd graduated. And, if she got very lucky, Akkarin might even treat her to a meal. She knew that it wasn't unusual for novices to remain in the orbit of their former guardians after graduation – Rothen and Dannyl were a fine example of that – or had been, until Dannyl had been sent to Elyne around the time she had started her education. People wouldn't think it too strange if she visited her former guardian.

---

Savara had spent a good while pacing the southern edge of the gardens, knowing that Sonea would have to come this way once her classes finished. There was a matter she needed to urgently raise with her – and the gardens seemed like the perfect place for a little chat.

Some of the hedges had been planted in a way to create little rooms with benches, perfect for when you needed a little privacy. She'd often seen novices – or even magicians – who wanted to spend some time with their significant other make use of these rooms.

When Sonea finally made an appearance, Savara moved to intercept her.

"Sonea! I was hoping to speak with you."

"Oh, sure. What's up?"

"Come this way."

Savara guided Sonea into one of the rooms, and led her over to the bench. Once they'd sat down, she threw up a barrier to keep people from eavesdropping.

"I get a feeling this is not going to be some idle gossip", Sonea observed.

"I'm afraid not. I took my time to be as certain as I can be, too. What I have to say is closer to fact than gossip."

"If it's not one thing, it's another", Sonea sighed. "Go on, then."

Savara deliberated for a moment before deciding on a blunt approach – from what she'd seen of Sonea, she seemed to prefer that – and besides, Savara wasn't certain how she could possibly sugar-coat what was going on.

"Sonea, have you noticed how the High Lord looks at you whenever he thinks that no-one is watching?"

Sonea's eyes widened. Then, she glanced away.

"I've been pretending not to. I don't want him to know that I know."

Savara's mind reeled. Of all the possible reactions, this was not one she had anticipated.

"You – knew?"

"I found out that he's attracted to me almost half a year ago, the night after the attack", Sonea replied with a shrug.

Savara blinked. "But – then – why do you still spend so much time with him?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I, I mean, he is my guardian."

Savara considered this. She had no idea how the Guild viewed such things, didn't know if there was a way to remove Sonea from the residence – then again, this wouldn't necessarily protect her from Akkarin – he was the Guild's leader. If he wanted to, he would find a way to get to her even if Sonea was removed from his home.

"I could help you", she said slowly. "Help you escape to Sanctuary. He wouldn't be able to stop me. He wouldn't be able to touch you there."

"Wait, what are you – "

"Sonea, every time I saw a Sachakan man look at a woman the way he looks at you, it ended badly for the woman. I know he's not Sachakan, but I assure you, he has the same intent. And, even if they should choose you as one of the Black Magicians, you would still be unable to oppose him. I can help you while I am here. Once I leave, you'll be on your own."

Sonea was staring at Savara, her mouth hanging slightly open. She closed it, and shook her head, as though to dispel a bothersome thought.

"I appreciate the fact that you are worried about me, truly, but I assure you that your worries are entirely unfounded. He would never do anything I was uncomfortable with."

"How can you be so sure?", Savara pressed, worried that Sonea might have fallen prey to some kind of emotional manipulation.

"Because he never has, so far. If he truly was the villain you are currently making him out to be – the villain I believed him to be, for so long – he would have already taken what he wanted. I've been living with him for about two years now, and I spent one-and-a-half as his hostage. I was always aware of the fact that he was much more powerful than I was, that I could never deny him. He could have used force to have his way. Or he could have threatened Rothen. Either way, I would have been unable to resist.
"And then, following the attack, he had the perfect chance to manipulate me into emotionally attaching myself to him, use my vulnerable situation to his advantage. Do you know what he did instead? He suggested that I should speak with Takan, didn't even offer himself as someone to help me deal with all the trauma. It just so happened that I then proceeded to bond with him over this, later. But that had, as far as I can tell, never been his intention. Oh, and, in case you were wondering, he never said or did anything that I would have perceived as him being interested in me, in whatever form."

"Then – how did you find out? Without him noticing, no less?", Savara asked with a frown.

"I think I told you about that nightmare I had the night after the attack?"

"You did, yes, but nothing beyond the fact that this was when they decorated your room with dried lavender."

"Right. Thankfully, I didn't have any bad dreams immediately after the attack itself. I was probably too exhausted, or hadn't processed things properly yet. I don't know. Anyway, the day after the attack, Akkarin and I had a long conversation during which he explained everything to me – minus the involvement of the Traitors – he claimed that an Ichani had taught him higher magic. During that conversation, he told me that he would try his hardest not to do anything that might make me uncomfortable, and urged me to tell him if anything he did did make me uncomfortable. He was also very cautious about touching me, usually securing my consent in some form or other if possible, and whenever he couldn't do that – for example if I was too out of it to respond – he would touch me in a way that would allow me to break free if I wanted to. He was terribly worried about overstepping my boundaries for a long time, I had to urge him to talk to me, ask things of me. I knew that I could always tell him 'no'.
"This was massively reinforced by his behaviour following my nightmare. I didn't go into too much detail the last time because it wasn't necessary, really, and, well, it was kind of an intimate thing, although not in the way you may be thinking. I still can't remember what the nightmare was about, but I woke up disoriented, terrified, and tangled up in my own blanket – not that I realised this. I thought I was trapped, and fell out of bed trying to free myself."

"Oh, my", Savara said, trying hard not to grin.

"Yes, well", Sonea replied with a grimace. "It was kind of funny in hindsight. Anyway, Akkarin must have known that there was no danger, that his wards were still intact, but he must've also heard me fall out of bed, and I think that's what prompted me to come check on me. And, before I knew it, I was crying in his arms. He held me, comforted me as I sobbed, tried his best to soothe me. I'm not entirely sure why he reacted that night – we've been hugging each other without any issues – but it might have been because of the way I was pressed up against him while wearing very little clothing. It was summer. Neither of us was bundled up in thick layers of clothing. Anyway, if it hadn't been for his hand in my hair – his touch against my skin – I may have never noticed. There was an intense, but brief flare of desire, snuffed out almost instantly. It happened so fast, it caused me to believe that this hadn't happened for the first time, that he must have desired me for longer than that." A faint blush was dusting her cheeks at this point. "Akkarin could have easily used this situation to his advantage – I was desperate for comfort, for physical touch – not necessarily in a sexual way, mind you, a hug was more than sufficient – but if he'd taken things farther, I would not have protested. I would not have fought him. Of course, I might have regretted it the next morning – and I would have most certainly felt violated, as he would have made use of the vulnerable state I was in. However – instead of giving in to his own need, he focussed on mine. And, ever since, I could not detect any indication that he felt that way about me. He never did anything I would have considered improper, or anything that made me uncomfortable. What's more – once I'd calmed down, he deposited me on my bed, and wrapped my blanket around me. At that moment, I knew. Knew that I could trust him, that he had meant what he'd promised, earlier."

Savara was silent for a while as she mulled Sonea's words over. Sonea's tale had not been what she had expected at all.

"And – you are absolutely certain that he poses no danger to you whatsoever?", she asked at length, glancing up.

"Yes, absolutely. He even has a checklist for when he's allowed to touch me. I told him that was adorable, and he blushed. I made one of the most powerful men in the Allied Lands blush."

She seemed to find that thought rather overwhelming. Savara let out a chuckle before sobering again.

"You mentioned that you think that he's been yearning for you for longer than half a year", Savara pointed out.

"I believe so. But I can't say for certain. I'd have to ask him – and I'd rather not do that."

Savara bit her lip. This was all highly unusual.

"Suppose he truly was plotting something nefarious", Sonea mused. "Based on your experience with powerful men, what could it be? Because I most certainly have no idea."

"His behaviour is certainly strange. I've never seen a man who was interested in a woman act in such a way. The only thing that comes to mind is that he may plan to make a move after you have graduated. Once he is no longer your guardian."

"That would make sense, however, once I graduate, I'll have to leave the residence, move into the Magicians' Quarters. It'd be much harder for him to get to me there. Besides, wouldn't it make more sense for him to start planting seeds, if you will, while I was still living with him? To lay the groundwork for his further plans? He hasn't done anything of the sort, at least as far as I can tell. Besides – I have regular mind-healing sessions with the Administrator, and I've let him view memories of our interactions. I'm fairly certain that he would have noticed if anything worrisome were going on, and that he wouldn't let his friendship with Akkarin get in the way. He's proven before that his duty is more important to him than that."

Savara considered this. Given the fact that Akkarin had felt the need to use a Blood Gem to keep Lorlen from betraying his secret, she was willing to believe Sonea's assumption that he would act if she were in danger.

I forgot about their Healing abilities. We don't use magic like this, after all. Although mind-healing might be something we could implement even without knowing how to Heal the body.

"All right, you have convinced me", Savara said at length. "Please understand that it was not my intention to meddle – I was genuinely worried about you."

"And I appreciate this very much", Sonea replied, reaching out to give Savara's hand a squeeze. "I haven't been able to talk about this with anyone, either. Being finally able to talk to someone – another woman, no less – means a lot to me."

"Anything for you, nēthā."

"Um – what does that mean?"

"Sister. In a very broad definition – we don't just use it for blood sisters, but for anyone we consider a sister, someone we're close to."

Sonea's eyes widened at hearing that. "So – can I call you nēthā, too?"

"Of course", Savara replied with a smile.

Sonea let out a squeal, and threw her arms around her. "Thank you! I've always wanted a sister."

Savara let out a chuckle as she held Sonea close.

"Would you mind if I walked you back to the residence? I don't want to cause the impression that I want to keep the fact that we spoke a secret."

"Sure, I don't mind."

"Splendid."

Sonea was practically bouncing with excitement as they strolled along the road. Savara gave her an indulgent smile.

She was fairly certain that Akkarin felt more than just desire for Sonea. However, she wasn't foolish enough to meddle in affairs of the heart – that usually went awry, no matter the intentions. Besides, her objective had been to warn Sonea – not to play matchmaker for Akkarin.

---

The Guildhall was packed with people. Sonea tried not to show how nervous she was. She and the other candidates – men of varying ages Sonea had never met, let alone spoken to – were standing in a line with their backs facing the Higher Magicians.

Savara was seated in a chair nearby.

Magicians were speaking with each other in animated voices. Sonea caught Rothen's eye, and he gave her what was probably supposed to be an encouraging smile.

Today was the first time she had attached the green gems to her earrings. It had felt fitting, somehow.

During the course of the last week, many magicians had come to speak with Sonea – often-times stopping her in the corridors, making it hard for her to get to classes on time. The first couple of times this had happened, Sonea had been flustered, and nervous. However, she had got better over time, and soon had been able to answer various questions with tolerable ease. And, while not cordial, all of the magicians seeking her out had been polite.

Still, Sonea could hardly wait for it to be over. The preceding week – well, since the day she had found out that she'd been nominated, at least – had been the longest of her life. With maybe the exception of the week she'd had to prepare for her fight against Regin.

She was looking forward to life going back to normal, for her to be able to mend things with Akkarin. And to only have to worry about mundane things.

She risked a brief glance up at the tiers behind her – two new chairs had been added near the top, and Sonea felt a little strange at the thought that, whoever would be chosen for this position, would be seated next to Akkarin.

It surprised her a bit that the Black Magicians would hold such a high rank.

The sound of rustling robes alerted her to the fact that one of the Higher Magicians had risen to his feet. Moments later, Lorlen's voice rang out. He greeted the gathered magicians before explaining the proceedings, both for Sonea's benefit as well as that of the magicians who had not been able to attend the Meet a week ago. He then said down again, and another one of the Higher Magicians rose.

"Our first candidate is Sonea, the High Lord's favourite", Vinara's voice sounded from above. "As mandated, she has submitted to a truth-read, and answered all of the prepared questions to my satisfaction."

Vinara had used the opportunity to ask Sonea if she wanted this position, adding that she'd find a way to bail her out if she needed her to. Sonea had assured her that she did, in fact, want this.

Vinara had been somewhat dismayed to hear that, but had allowed Sonea to proceed.

Sonea knew that quite a few candidates had not made it past the truth-reading stage. Since the people performing the truth-read never stated a reason for striking candidates from the list, it made Sonea wonder if all of them had been found lacking – or if some of them had been looking for a way to bail out.

Vinara proceeded to list all of Sonea's achievements and stellar character traits – Sonea tried her hardest not to flush – and pointed out that, even though she was still a novice, she would be graduating soon. She spoke of Sonea's earnest desire to help people, to protect, and her determination to do whatever she had to, including laying down her own life if need be.

This caused the gathered magicians to stir, and whisper among themselves.

Rothen looked pained.

Sonea barely paid attention as the Higher Magicians took turns presenting the rest of the candidates. Her nerves were far too frayed at this point.

Once they were done, Lorlen asked the candidates to leave the Guildhall – they would be called back inside once the votes had been cast, and counted.

They waited in tense, awkward silence. Sonea had no idea what she could say, and so she kept quiet.

"Taking quite a while, aren't they", one of the men muttered.

"Maybe there's a tie", another replied. "They'd have to start over, then."

"I can't say that I'm eager to win this vote", a third one admitted. "I'm not exactly keen on doing this."

"Someone has to, though, or we'll all die", Sonea whispered.

The men exchanged uneasy glances.

It was almost a relief when the doors to the Guildhall were opened, and Osen appeared. He gave Sonea a sympathetic smile, but she was too high-strung to bother with analysing what this could mean.

They assembled in the same spot as before, and Lorlen rose to announce the outcome of the vote.

"For the position of Black Magician, the Guild has elected Lord Kallen, and Sonea."

Sonea's knee buckled, and she had to use all of her willpower to keep herself upright, and not let her surprise show. She had not expected this – despite Savara and Donevin's assurances, she had been certain that the Guild would not choose her – would not hand her this kind of power.

Now, she fervently hoped that this wasn't some kind of underhanded ploy to be rid of her.

"Since Sonea is still a novice, both magicians will not be taught black magic until Sonea's graduation – unless we should come under attack. Sonea will then take a modified version of the Magician's Vow, and Lord Kallen will retake his vows in the same fashion. The design for our Black Magicians' robes drafted by Ambassador Savara, and sketched by Sonea herself, has been approved. Both Sonea and Lord Kallen will receive their new robes the day they will officially take over their new duties."

This time, Sonea could not conceal her surprise. She shot Savara an incredulous look, and got a bright grin in response.

I never thought I'd actually get to wear "our" creation…, she mused.

Lorlen then proceeded to wrap things up, and before Sonea knew it, the hall was filled with excited chatter. While the candidates who had not been chosen quickly disappeared into the crowd, Sonea and Kallen soon found themselves swamped with people eager to congratulate them. Sonea tried her best to muster an appropriate response, and used the first opportunity to start winding her way through the crowd, eager to get outside.

She didn't dare look at Akkarin. He must be furious.

She spotted Rothen trying to get to her side, but she was not in the mood to chat. She was almost glad when a tall magician broke his line of sight, and quickly ducked behind some other magicians, for once glad about her diminutive stature.

Once she reached the entrance hall, Sonea breathed a sigh of relief. Worried that someone might still come after her to congratulate her, she quickly made her escape.

Takan was waiting for her, no doubt eager to hear the news. However, Sonea didn't even know what to say, and merely shook her head, indicating that she wanted to be left alone. She briskly made her way upstairs, and retreated to her room, where she curled up inside her reading chair after kicking off her boots.

This was the opposite of life going back to normal. Sonea let out a hysterical laugh as the realisation that she had just dethroned Akkarin (and Lorlen) as the youngest people being elected members of the Higher Magicians hit her.

Letting out a groan, she hid her face in her hands. She had meant to patch things up with Akkarin, had intended to play the role of the graceful loser. Similarly to how Regin had acted after their Formal Battle. How was she supposed to fix things now?

A knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts.

Well, looks like he's come to confront me, she thought wryly.

Not wishing to delay the inevitable, Sonea unlatched the door, but stayed as she was. Akkarin hovered on the threshold, clearly surprised by what he was seeing.

"I'm not getting up", Sonea told him sullenly.

He hesitated for a moment before crossing over to her side – and surprised her by crouching down next to her, something he hadn't done in a while. Blinking owlishly, Sonea gazed down at him.

"How are you feeling?", he asked gently.

"Um. Well, I haven't really thought about that yet, the realisation's only just sunk in."

Akkarin made himself comfortable on the floor.

Sonea took a deep breath. "I don't really know how to feel, to be honest. First off, I honestly didn't think that they'd pick me, and am now suspecting that someone must have messed with their wine or something. It was probably Donevin. And I'm aware that I wasn't chosen for some prestigious position, either – I understand the limitations I'll have to live with, and that I may be sent out to fight the Ichani, should they invade. I'm not gonna lie – the thought of having to potentially face those horrors from your past is frightening. But I refuse to back down. I will see this through, to whatever end." Sonea took another deep breath, and forced herself to meet Akkarin gaze. "I know that this isn't what you wanted for me, I know that the thought of me fighting Kariko frightens you. But I do want this – I want to help you. Take some of the load off your shoulders. Once I know how to use black magic, I'll finally be able to protect all the people I care about, which is all I've wanted these past months."

Akkarin was silent for a while as he mulled her words over. Thankfully, he didn't seem upset or angry, and Sonea was hoping that he would be able to understand her viewpoint.

"You should have never worried about my opinion on this matter – I told you, months ago, that you were allowed to have opinions that disagreed with mine. While I would have certainly preferred it if the Guild had chosen another magician to fight the Ichani in your stead, this is your path to walk – your life to live. I would never superimpose my opinions on you, no matter how much the choice you made upsets me."

"So – you're not angry with me?", she asked tentatively.

He let out a gusty sigh. "I was never angry with you, and I am sorry that I caused you to think that. I tried – but I guess I failed. I was angry with Donevin, and, to some extent, Lorlen. But never with you."

"I see. I – I'm sorry for having avoided you like I did the past week, but I thought – "

"It's fine. I did consider speaking with you, but we wouldn't have been able to make any headway until the Guild had cast its vote. Now that it has, I have to accept it, no matter how much I may dislike it. That being said, I have every intention of making certain that you are as well-prepared as can be before you're actually sent out to fight an Ichani."

"I'm very glad to hear that", Sonea replied, reaching out a hand, "and relieved, too. Your insight will be invaluable."

Akkarin took her hand, and gave it a squeeze.

"That being said, I expect Kariko to dispatch another spy to confirm whether the Guild has actually lifted the ban on black magic after the news reaches him – if he hasn't dispatched someone already. I know I said earlier that I wanted to free you of this burden, but – I'm not opposed to the idea of hunting for that spy together. I'd have to catch him before Kallen does, or he might find out some things he should not – especially once he's taught how to read unwilling minds."

"Already planning to break the restrictions placed on you so soon, are we?", Akkarin asked, arching a brow.

"I wouldn't be breaking any restrictions if I got your permission", she shot back, a challenge in her eyes.

"Crafty. I didn't know you could be so devious."

"Oh, you know, I learned from the best."

He laughed at that, and something within Sonea fluttered.

"Oh, very well, I suppose I am on board for that. However, if we wanted to be efficient with hunting that spy, I suggest that we make Blood Gems for each other so that we can communicate safely."

"I have no objections to that."

Especially not since the gems Savara had given her would prevent Akkarin from accessing her mind, and finding out about her silly infatuation.

"Are you feeling better now?", Akkarin asked softly, giving her hand another squeeze.

"Yes, much. Thank you."

Sonea knew that she should withdraw her hand, that she shouldn't keep holding his hand – but part of her didn't want to. Akkarin didn't seem to mind, and the stupid part of her that was infatuated with him yearned for physical contact.

Well. I guess I'm fucked.

Suddenly, Akkarin's eyes lost focus. Moments later, they focussed on her again.

"Would you like to head downstairs? Takan says that Ambassador Savara is approaching the residence – I guess she wants to check on you. If you'd rather stay here, I can send her upstairs, too."

"No, I'll go. I need to talk to Takan, too – I brushed him off when I arrived. He'll be eager to hear the news, too – assuming you haven't told him yet."

"No, I came to your room straight away."

"I see."

Akkarin rose to his feet – however, instead of withdrawing his hand, he tightened his hold on hers, and pulled her to her feet. Sonea gave him a small smile, and followed him out of her room.

By the time they reached the guestroom, Savara had already arrived. Takan, who was with her, perked up visibly when he spotted Sonea.

"Nēthā!", Savara called by way of greeting. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. I was a bit out of sorts, earlier, but we talked, and it helped."

"Dare I ask how the Guild voted?", Takan asked, looking worried.

"They chose me, against all expectations – and some guy named Kallen."

"I see", Takan replied, his face morphing into a worried frown.

"I told you that you were the best candidate", Savara huffed.

"Yes, but, still."

"The Guild being able to make sensible decisions aside, I wouldn't mind teaching you higher magic before your graduation, if you'd like. Although, if you'd rather learn from your guardian, I'm not opposed to that, either."

"I'll think about it. Today's been a bit much, and I think I'll still need some time to process everything. We'll start by making Blood Gems, first."

"Hm, good idea. A word of advice, though – never let a Blood Gem fall into enemy hands. Some Ichani are known to have used them to torment people."

"Right. I guess I shouldn't be surprised", Sonea replied with a grimace.

"Seeing as how you're already here, Ambassador, would you like to join us for the meal?", Akkarin asked.

"Sure. We have to celebrate, after all."

"I'll go set another place", Takan said with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Takan", Akkarin replied. Then, he turned to Sonea. "You should speak with Rothen as soon as you are able. He's worried about you."

"Of course he is", Sonea sighed. "But you are right – I'll talk to him."

"To think", said Savara, "that you will be wearing the robes I designed!"

"That still feels rather unreal", Sonea muttered.

"You will look magnificent in them, I assure you."

"Why is everyone so obsessed with what I would look like in this or that? I don't care what I look like", Sonea grumbled.

Savara looked surprised for a moment before letting out a chuckle. "Oh, to have that kind of self-confidence…"

"Self-confidence? What are you talking about? I'm just apathetic, really."

Savara let out another chuckle, but didn't argue. Sonea narrowed her eyes at her sister.

"I fear that I must agree with the Ambassador", Akkarin chimed in. "You do not act like someone who does not care. You are just not being vain about it."

Sonea huffed, but decided to let the matter rest.

Takan returned downstairs, and disappeared into the kitchen. Since it would still be a while until the food would be ready, Akkarin fetched three glasses of wine, and he and Savara proceeded to toast Sonea, much to her embarrassment.

"I honestly look forward to working together with you as one of the Higher Magicians", he told her, dark eyes glittering. "This will also massively help you with realising your dream."

"I suppose", Sonea replied, blushing. "And I promise that I will do my best to be worthy of this position."

"I never had any doubts on that front."

"The Guild won't know what hit it", Savara quipped.

Sonea laughed, and toasted Savara.

"To the future, and to stirring things up."

"Hear, hear."

---

A/N:

Akkarin's breakdown at the Meet wasn't part of the original draft, but once I decided that Savara was going to give them a demonstration, it became kinda necessary. Well, I got another excuse to write Sonea (and Lorlen) comforting him, so, eh.

Glossary:
nēthā – sister (primitive elvish)

Jonna: I'm gonna talk to the magicians.
Random guy: You wouldn't.
Jonna: Hold my bol.

Sonea: I am a 400-foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings.
Savara: Okay, you're good.