Irys laughed. “It’s too soon to tell. For now you need to practice collecting power and using it. And practice keeping up your defenses.”
“How do I keep my wall up without draining myself?”
“I imagine my defensive wall, which resembles this tower room. I make it solid and strong, and then I make it translucent so I can see out of it, and then I don’t think about it anymore. But when magic is directed toward me, my barrier solidifies and deflects the attack before my consciousness is even fully aware of it.”
I followed her instructions and created an invisible barrier in my mind. Irys tested it at unexpected times throughout the morning and it held. The rest of the time I practiced gathering magic, but, no matter how hard I tried, my magic could only affect two things. Irys and the owl sleeping in the rafters.
Irys’s patience amazed me, and, for the first time since coming to Sitia, I felt hopeful that mastering my powers might be within my abilities.
“That was a good start,” Irys said as lunchtime neared. “Go eat, and then rest this afternoon. We’ll work in the mornings and you can practice and study at night. But tonight you need to see the Stable Master and pick out a horse.”
Did I hear her right? “A horse?”
“Yes. All magicians have horses. Occasionally you’ll be needed somewhere fast. I had to leave my horse, Silk, here during my mission in Ixia. When you called for help, I had to borrow a horse from May’s father. How else do you think I got here so fast?”
I hadn’t even thought about it. I had been so wrapped up in my own misery at the time. Following Irys’s directions, I located the dining hall. I ate lunch then went back to my rooms where I collapsed into bed and fell asleep.
That night after dinner, I sought out the Stable Master. I found him at the end of a row of stalls, cleaning a leather saddle. A small stocky man, his wild brown hair fell past his shoulders like a horse’s mane. When he glared up at me, I suppressed my smile.
“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?” he asked.
“I’m Yelena. Irys sent me.”
“Oh, right, the new student. I don’t know why Fourth Magician couldn’t wait until everyone’s back to start your lessons,” he muttered to himself as he put the saddle down. “This way.”
He led me past the stable. Topaz poked his head out of his stall.
His big brown eyes looked hopeful. Apple? he asked.
Irys had been right. I reconnected with Topaz without any conscious effort. Or had he connected with me? I would have to ask her about that. I gave him the apple in my pocket.
The Stable Master turned around. “You just made a friend for life,” he said, snorting in amusement. “That horse loves food. I never saw a horse take such pleasure in eating before. You can train him to do just about anything for a peppermint.”
We went past the hay barn to the pasture. The Stable Master leaned against the wooden fence. Six horses grazed in the field.
“Pick one out. Makes no difference which one, they’re all good. I’ll go find your instructor.”
“You don’t teach?” I asked before he could go.
“Not in the middle of the hot season when everyone but me is gone,” he said with annoyance. “I’m too busy mucking out stalls and fixing tack. I said to wait, but Fourth Magician wanted it right away. Good thing one of my instructors came back early.” He mumbled some more as he headed toward the stable.
I studied the horses in the field. Three were dark brown like Topaz, two were black, and one was copper with white on the legs from the knees down. Knowing nothing of horses, I guessed it would come down to color. The copper-and-white horse looked over at me.
Like her, Topaz said. She go smooth and fast for Lavender Lady.
How do I get her to come over? I asked.
Peppermints. Topaz looked lovingly at a leather bag hanging near his stall. The Stable Master had disappeared. I went back to the stable. Taking out two mints, I gave one to Topaz, and took the other back to the field.
Show Kiki peppermint.
I held out the mint. Kiki glanced at the other horses, and then moved toward me. When she came closer, I could see she had a white face with a patch of brown around her left eye. Something about her eyes seemed strange. It wasn’t until she sucked the peppermint from my palm that it struck me. Her eyes were blue. I had never seen that before, but that didn’t mean much. I knew next to nothing about horses.
Scratch behind ears, Topaz suggested.
The mare’s long copper ears were cocked forward. I stood on tiptoes and rubbed my fingernails behind them. Kiki lowered her head and pressed it against my chest.
“What do you think, girl?” I asked out loud. I couldn’t hear her like Topaz. While rubbing her ears, I pulled a thread of power and projected my mind to her. Be with me?
She nudged me with her nose. Yes.
I felt Topaz’s pleasure. We go smooth and fast together.
I jumped when I heard the Stable Master behind me.
“Found one already?” he asked.
I nodded without looking at him.
“That one came from the plains,” he said. “Good choice.”
“She must pick another,” said a familiar voice.
I turned. Dread curled in my stomach. Cahil stood next to the Stable Master.
“And why would I listen to you?” I demanded.
He smirked. “Because I’m your instructor.”
11
“NO,” I SAID. “YOU WILL not be my instructor.”
“No choice,” said the Stable Master. He glanced at Cahil then me, looking puzzled. “There’s no one else and Fourth Magician insists you start right away.”
“What if I help you muck out the stables and feed the horses? Will you have time to teach me then?” I asked the Stable Master.
“Young lady, you already have plenty to do. You’ll be mucking and caring for your own horse, as well as studying your lessons. Cahil’s been a stable rat since he was six. No one, other than me…” He grinned. “…knows more about horses.”
I planted my hands on my hips. “Fine. As long as he knows more about horses than he does about people.”
Cahil cringed. Good.
> “But I keep this horse,” I said.
“She’s a walleye,” Cahil said.
“A what?” I asked.
“She has blue eyes. That’s bad luck. And she’s been bred by the Sandseed Clan. Their horses are difficult to train.”
Kiki snorted at Cahil. Mean Boy.
“A silly superstition and an unfair reputation. Cahil, you should know better,” the Stable Master said. “She’s a perfectly good horse. Whatever’s going on between you and Yelena, you’ll have to work it out. I’ve no time to babysit.” With that, he stalked away, once more muttering to himself.
Cahil and I glared at each other for a while until Kiki nudged my arm, looking for peppermints.
“Sorry, girl, no more,” I said, holding out my empty hand. She tossed her head, and resumed grazing.
Cahil stared at me. I crossed my arms over my chest, but they seemed an inadequate barrier between us. I would have preferred thick marble walls. He had exchanged his traveling clothes for a plain white shirt and tight-fitting jodhpurs, but he still wore his black riding boots.
“You’ll have to live with your decision about the horse. But if you’re going to fight me every time I try to teach you something, let me know now, and I won’t waste my time.”
“Irys wants me to learn, so I’ll learn.”
He appeared satisfied. “Good. First lesson starts now.” He climbed over the pasture’s fence. “Before you learn how to ride a horse, you must know everything about your horse from the physical to the emotional.” Cahil clicked his tongue at Kiki, and when she ignored him, he approached her. Just as he came up beside her she turned, knocking him over with her rump.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Every time he tried to get near, Kiki either moved away or bumped into him.
His face red with frustration, Cahil finally said, “The hell with this. I’m getting a halter.”
“You hurt her feelings when you said she was bad luck,” I explained. “She’ll cooperate if you apologize.”