I didn’t mention the gem, though part of me wished I’d given it to them. Anything to avoid this.
“Is it because I haven’t chosen a guild?” That had to be the smallest crime, so I’d confess to it.
“In part,” Ubhan said. “You have been in our city for a full week, yet you have not visited us to claim a guild.”
I’d known it was important, but I hadn’t realized it was the kind of important that would get me hauled in like a criminal.
“You also have no control of your magical signature,” Ubhan said. “You are a danger to yourself and the city as long as you cannot hide your magic.”
“But humans never come here.” The words popped out of me, and I wished I could bite them back. Hesitantly, I added, “Isn't that why we must control our signatures? So that they don’t sense what we are?”
“Precisely.” Ubhan nodded. I could feel the gazes of everyone else in the room, but he was apparently their voice. “It is irrelevant if humans come here. If we don’t control our signatures, Guild City is at risk. It is hidden within London by powerful magic, but only because we control our signatures. If we lose control of them, the shield spell weakens. Everyone in Guild City controls their signatures, and you should be no exception.”
“Of course not.” I shook my head. “I’ll practice more, I promise.”
“You will also join a guild.”
“Which one?” I was sort of like a seer because I could read information from people and objects. But I was a little bit like a mage, too, according to Mac. And there were psychic witches who could do things a bit like I could. My skills were somewhere in the middle of the guilds.
The leader of the Witches’ Guild leaned forward. “We’ll take her.” She looked at me. “I am Cartimandua.”
I smiled gratefully at her and inclined my head. I’d been to a party at the Witches’ Guild. It was like a crazy sorority house full of magic. It would be fun, no doubt, but I still bristled at the idea. I didn’t want to be forced into joining some group. I had a nice life already in the making with my new flat and Mac and Eve and Quinn.
“No,” Ubhan said. “Her magic is different, strange. She needs to be tested.”
Several others in the room nodded in agreement, and a chill went over me.
“A test?” I hated that my voice sounded squeaky.
Was this, like, a magic test? There was no way I could pass a test.
“It is simple.” The sorcerer gestured to the middle of the room. “Approach the star on the ground and stand upon it.”
My gaze followed his gesture, and I spotted a metal seven-pointed star laid into the middle of the stone floor. It was at least four meters across and gleamed a dull bronze.
“What will happen when I do?” I could hear the skepticism in my voice.
“Magic will link you to whichever guild you are meant to join.” Ubhan flicked his hand, clearly wanting me to just get on with it.
I strode toward the metal star, ready to run if things got weird. Where I would run was another thing entirely, since I couldn’t hide from them in Guild City, and I was unwilling to leave. But I’d be ready to move if I had to.
I stopped in the middle of the star, feeling the eyes of the entire Council on me. A low chant began, coming from somewhere else in the church, raising the hair on the back of my neck.
The words were indistinguishable, but magic pulsed in the air. It pressed in on me, heavy as a curse. A noise from above caused a hush of expectation to fill the room. I looked upward as a star-shaped mark at the top of the domed ceiling twisted and opened, sending a shaft of light down upon me.
It slammed into me, throwing me to the ground. Pain and panic flared just before I blacked out.
3
Carrow
Agony seared my skull, and I blinked blearily, trying to clear my vision.
Why was I lying on the floor?
The cold stone was hard beneath me as I tried to sit up gracefully.
Failure.