Magic Study

When I finished shopping, I surveyed my entourage. Six grubby children smiled at me despite the heat and searing sun. I suspected that one boy was Fisk’s younger brother; they had the same light brown eyes. The other two boys may have been his cousins. Greasy strands of hair hid most of the two girls’ faces so it was impossible to tell if they were related to Fisk.

I realized then that I was reluctant to return to the Keep.

Sensing my mood, Fisk asked, “Lovely Yelena, would you like a tour of the Citadel?”

I nodded. The midday heat had emptied the market, but as I followed the children through the deserted streets, a feeling of unease settled over me. What if they were leading me into a trap? My hand sought the handle of my switchblade. Concentrating, I pulled a thread of power and projected my awareness.

My mind touched life all around me. Most of the Citadel’s citizens resided inside, their thoughts focused on finding a cool spot or a quiet activity while they waited for the sun to set. No threats. No ambushes.

I heard the sound of water before I saw the fountain. With squeals of delight, the children put down my packages and ran to the spray. Fisk stayed by my side, though, taking his role as tour guide seriously.

“That’s the Unity Fountain,” he said.

A circle of waterspouts surrounded a huge stone sphere with large holes spaced evenly across its surface. Nestled inside the sphere, I could see another smaller sphere with holes of its own. The deep green color of the fountain wasn’t veined like the marble of the Citadel’s walls, yet the stone hinted that it held something else within.

“Marble?” I asked Fisk.

“Jade mined from the Emerald Mountains. This is the largest piece of pure jade ever found. It took a year to get it here and, because jade is so hard, it took over five years to carve it with diamond-tipped chisels. There are eleven spheres and all of them were carved inside that one stone.”

Amazing. I moved closer to the fountain so I could see the other spheres. The cool mist felt good against my hot skin.

“Why eleven?” I asked.

Fisk stood next to me. “One sphere for each clan. And one waterspout for each clan. Water represents life,” he explained. “See the carvings on the outer circle?”

I risked getting soaked to examine the intricate lines on the fountain.

“Mythical creatures. Each represents one Master Magician. Ying Lung, a sky dragon for First Magician; Fei Lian, a wind leopard for Second; Kioh Twan, a unicorn for Third; and Pyong, a hawk for Fourth.”

“Why those creatures?” I asked, remembering that Irys had worn a hawk mask when she had visited Ixia as part of the Sitian delegation.

“When magicians reach the Master level, they endure a series of tests.” Fisk sounded as if he quoted a schoolbook. “During that time, they travel through the underworld and meet their guide. This creature not only shows them through the underworld, but guides them throughout life.”

“Do you believe that?” It sounded like a fairy tale to me. When the Commander had taken power in Ixia, superstitions and religious beliefs had been discouraged. If anyone still believed, they kept quiet and worshipped in secret.

Fisk shrugged. “I know something happens to the Magicians during the test because my father’s seen it. He used to work at the Keep.”

A hardness settled on Fisk’s face, so I didn’t ask any more questions. But I wondered about the creatures. Irys had disguised herself as a hawk mistress in Ixia. She wore the proper uniform to blend in with the Ixian. Perhaps she also worked with the Commander’s hawks.

“It’s good luck to drink from the fountain,” Fisk said. Then he ran to his friends who played in the water, opening their mouths to catch the spray.

After a moment’s hesitation, I joined them. The water tasted fresh as if laced with strong minerals like an elixir of life. I drank deeply. I could use a little good luck.

When the children finished playing, Fisk led me to another fountain. This one was carved from rare white jade. Fifteen horses frozen in motion circled a large spout of water.

Although Fisk didn’t complain, I could see that the heat had finally worn him out. Still, when I offered to carry my purchases back to the Keep, all the children refused, saying they would take them as promised.

On the way back, I sensed Topaz’s worry the moment before I saw Cahil rounding the corner. My parade of children stepped to the side of the road as Cahil advanced, stopping Topaz in front of us.

“Yelena, where have you been?” he demanded.

I glared at him. “Shopping. Why? Do you have another surprise test for me?”

He ignored my question, staring instead at my companions. The children shrank against the wall, trying to make themselves as small as possible.

“The market has been closed for hours. What have you been doing?” he asked.

“None of your business.”

His gaze snapped to me. “Yes, it is. This is your first trip into the Citadel alone. You could have been robbed. You could have gotten lost. When you didn’t come back, I thought the worst.” Cahil’s eyes slid back to the children.

“I can take care of myself.” I glanced at Fisk. “Lead on,” I said.

Fisk nodded and started down the street. The other children and I followed him.

Cahil snorted and dismounted. Taking Topaz’s reins, he walked beside me. But he couldn’t remain quiet.

“Your choice of escorts will lead to trouble,” he said. “Every time you go into the Citadel, they’ll descend on you like parasites, sucking you dry.” Loathing filled his face.