Mari slogged through the shallows at the edge of the stream, feeling like a rat someone had beaten and then tried to drown. Her foot slipped in the mud and Alain caught her to steady her.
“I never knew water could feel so hard,” Alain observed.
“It’s softer than dirt or rocks,” Mari grumped.
“Or coal.”
“Or coal,” she agreed. “Just be glad there actually was water to land in.”
Alain gave her a look. “You told me there would be water.”
Maybe it was just her imagination, but his voice sounded accusing. “No, I didn’t! I clearly said I thought there was water.” He paused to think, then nodded. Mari’s defensive irritation vanished under a wave of remorse. Alain had, after all, trusted her enough to jump off a train without being certain what they were jumping into. “I’m sorry.”
Her Mage actually smiled back slightly in response, bringing an answering grin to Mari’s lips. Still smiling, Mari sloshed through the last shallows and up onto the bank of the stream. She more fell than sat, bracing herself on her hands to stare upward and in the direction the train had vanished, leaving a huge cloud of dirty smoke in its wake. “I think I can still see the Roc. It looks like it’s following the train.”
Alain nodded, looking tired. “I am concentrating very hard on hiding myself from the senses of other Mages.”
“Can I help?”
“I do not think so.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m a distraction.” Mari sagged back down to lie full length, closing her eyes and breathing deeply from exertion. “I guess it’s safe to say that your Guild knows you’re alive. They really picked you up because of those two spells you did in Pandin?”
Alain nodded again. “To another Mage, it would be as if I were standing in an open area, shouting my name.”
“We need to be more careful about using your spells, then. You think that Roc might have been after me, too?”
“It tried to seize you,” Alain said.
“Yeah, it did.” Mari gave him a startled look. “It went for me first. Why would it go for me before it went for you?”
He gestured slightly, as if the answer was obvious. “My Guild must suspect who you are. That is a bad thing.”
“If it means giant birds are going to try to kill me, I have to agree,” Mari said, trying to shake the sensation that the whole thing had been some bizarre hallucination. “Do they think I’m going to ensnare more Mages?”
“Yes,” Alain said.
Mari felt her face warming. It was absurd, but for a moment the implications of that upset her more than the recent attempt to kill her.
“They expect you to gather more allies,” Alain explained. “As the prophecy said. Mechanics, Mages, and commons, united to change this world.”
“I’m not—” Mari’s eyes locked on the sky past his shoulder. “Stars above, it’s coming back. Quick! Under the bridge!”
They helped each other up, then both hastily waded back into the stream and under the shelter of the stone bridge which seemed far too small at the moment. Mari and Alain huddled up against the buttress on one end of the bridge.
She started to lean out to look up, then glanced at Alain. “Can you tell where it is?”
Alain was frowning in concentration. Then he raised one hand and pointed, the forefinger slowly traveling as he followed the motion of the Roc.
“It’s going back north,” Mari said, waiting until Alain’s finger was pointing well past the bridge. She finally leaned out then, peering upward and seeing a dark shape in the sky swooping low over the track. “That Mage figured out we jumped, but doesn’t know where.”
Alain gazed to the west. “The sun will set in a while. We can travel then.”
“The Roc won’t see us?”
“They do not see well in the dark at all. It is one of their greatest weaknesses.”
She grinned with relief. “It’s nice to know that your Mage stuff follows its own rules, even if those rules are things that my Mechanic training say are impossible. All we have to do is stand in the water under this bridge until the sun sets.” Mari’s smile faded as she looked down at her boots, submerged in the creek. She sighed heavily, then awkwardly pulled off her boots and socks, piling them onto a projecting rock shelf. Hopefully they would dry a little. “It’s going to be a lot of fun walking long-distance across country in wet boots.”
“It will?” Alain asked. “I know little of fun, but walking far in wet boots does not seem a thing to desire.”
“I was being sarcastic again, Alain.” He was looking upward and north, plainly still trying to track the Roc, so she slumped back against the stone and shivered as the water chilled her feet. “Now I know what a mouse feels like when a hawk is cruising overhead.”
What seemed a very long time later, the sun finally set and light faded enough for Alain to believe it was safe. The Roc had stayed searching in their general area until sunset, crossing over the bridge several more times without spotting them, but when full darkness fell the Roc and its Mage headed south at a good clip.
Mari staggered out of the water, her feet numb, and pulled her pack from the dispatch bag. Even though the waterproof bag might be handy in the future, it was too bulky to carry and also had “Mechanics Guild” printed on the side in big letters. There wasn’t any sense in making it too easy for her Guild to find them. Mari went back into the stream far enough to wedge the bag against a rock as if it had come to rest there. “With any luck the apprentices and the Mechanic in the locomotive will think this bag, and you and I, got knocked out of the cab by accident or by the Roc. Or maybe they’ll think we went back to the passenger cars. Thank goodness that train didn’t back up looking for us.”
“Perhaps the presence of the Roc persuaded your train not to do that.”
“It’s nice to think we got one benefit from that monster.” Mari dug out a pair of dry socks, but then had to tug on her still-wet boots, hoping that any blisters she picked up tonight wouldn’t be too bad.
She shrugged, trying to make herself feel accepting of things she couldn’t change. “Sooner or later one of the people in that locomotive may realize the female Mechanic who joined them looked a bit like that Master Mechanic Mari the Guild is looking for. Maybe not. Things were really hectic in that locomotive cab, and the Guild may be so busy trying to get every Mechanic on that train to forget they saw a Roc that the matter of who the female Mechanic was falls through the cracks. My Guild will surely also be sending blunt signals to your Guild that there better not be any more attacks on trains. Hopefully it’ll be several days before everything is sorted out and somebody guesses it was me. Let’s get moving. We need to get into Severun and then out again before my Guild’s Senior Mechanics put two and two together. I don’t want to follow the tracks. Do you have any idea which direction Severun is in?”
Alain looked upward, studying the stars. “That way,” he said, pointing. “It should take us toward the road. Or do you wish to avoid that as well?”
“No. If we find the road, we can try to hitch a ride.” Mari looked up as well. “My Guild discourages us from ever studying the stars. You can use them to tell your way at night?”
“Yes,” Alain said. “Some stars move, but others stay fixed.”
“I wish I knew more about that.” They started walking, Mari gazing upward and to the south even though she didn’t see how she could spot a Roc at night if the creature returned. “Can Rocs carry just the one Mage?”
“Some can. Others are larger and can carry up to three or four additional people. You may not remember, but I once asked you about riding one with me.”
“Going on a date with you, riding a giant bird,” Mari said. “I admit at the time I didn’t expect that to ever happen. I didn’t see how Rocs could be real.”
“They are not real,” Alain said.
“Right.” Mari tried to laugh. “Nothing is real. Maybe you and Calu should go on that date.”
“Why would I— S
arcasm?”
“Uh-huh.” Mari did laugh briefly this time. “Well, my Mage, someday maybe we will ride a Roc together. If it’s not too dangerous.”
“Dangerous? May I ask you something about these Mechanic trains?”
“Trains? Sure,” Mari agreed. “What?”
“Why does anyone travel on such hazardous things? I have been on two journeys on them, and both have nearly ended in disaster. Travel by Roc seems much safer by comparison.”
It took Mari a moment to think up a reply. “Usually, trains are safe. When you and I aren’t traveling on them, that is. Most of the time they get where they’re going without any disasters taking place.”
“Are you certain?” Alain asked.
“Well, that’s what I’ve heard.”
“I was afraid for a while that you intended making that device explode just like the one in Dorcastle,” Alain added.
“Huh? No, I never planned on that! Not this time. I don’t usually deliberately make steam boilers explode.”
Alain nodded as if relieved to hear that.
“I don’t know why every man I meet thinks I get a kick out of blowing up steam boilers,” Mari grumbled. “Or burning down buildings.”
“As you once told me,” Alain said, “it is important to stay on your good side.”
“Yeah. I guess that’s true. Have you ever forgotten anything that I have said to you?”
Alain paused to think. “Not that I can recall.”
She laughed, wondering if the Mage had intended that as a joke or not, and linked his arm with hers as they walked.
They headed east toward Lake Bellad, since Mari’s map had shown the road ran closer to the lake than the rail line did. The moon was not near full, and the path overland required most of their attention to avoid obstacles. A chill wind was blowing down from the north, bringing with it uncomfortable memories of their narrow escape from the blizzard. But no clouds threatened this time, just the steady march of winter overtaking the more comfortable days of autumn.
Mari was limping when they reached the main road running south to Severun at midnight, but they kept going to put as much distance as they could between them and the site of the train attack. Eventually Mari stumbled to a halt, her feet and one ankle on fire. “I’m totally exhausted. There’s some high grass over there. Let’s get hidden in it and sleep.”
Alain nodded, betraying a great deal of tiredness as well. The grass wasn’t the worst outdoor bed they had endured, but occasional foot or horse traffic on the road made enough noise to rouse them. Neither of them slept well. Dawn was just graying the sky when Mari got up, feeling almost as bad as she had after narrowly surviving the blizzard. “If anything or anyone attacks us today, I’m going to kill them,” she vowed.
“I will help,” Alain croaked in a hoarse voice.
Fortunately they were able to wave down a passing wagon, buying seats amid the bales of cloth in the back and settling down to sleep some more, well concealed by the fabric.
Two long days and a succession of begged and purchased rides later they arrived in Severun, dropping off from their latest wagon in a business area where no one would be looking for passengers arriving. “Better late than never,” Mari sighed. “Let’s find Professor S’san’s home.”
Alain gave her a look in which hesitation was unusually easy to see. “Mari, before we see your elder, I think it would be wise to check to see if Mage Asha is at the Mages Guild Hall here. We must find out, if possible, whether my Guild believes I died on the train, and what my Guild knows of you.”
“Alain.” Mari put one hand to her forehead, trying to rub away a sudden headache. “Don’t you think that’s too dangerous? What if this Asha did betray you later on? What if she is the reason the Roc attacked that train?”
He thought, then frowned slightly. “Establishing contact with Asha is the only way to find out why she did not announce my presence on the road to Umburan. Asha sensed me even when I was concealing my presence as well as I can. If she is indeed hostile to us, she could lead the Mages in this city to the home of your professor in search of me.”
“But—” Mari glowered down at the cobblestones of the street. Showing up at Professor S’san’s home with a bunch of Mages in pursuit, or maybe another dragon on their trail, would be a disaster. “All right. Fine. We’ll go look for your old girlfriend.”
He gave her one of those questioning looks. “I thought I had explained that while Asha is a girl, she was never a friend.”
“You did. Never mind. Let’s just get this over with.”
Mari followed Alain toward the Mage Guild Hall. He’s right. I know he’s right. But why did Alain have to end up being friends with and needing to talk to the only drop-dead gorgeous, blue-eyed, blonde-haired female Mage in the entire history of the world? And he says she’s a few years older than me, which probably makes her seem even more attractive to guys Alain’s age. How can I compete with someone like that? Serves me right for getting involved with a Mage.
Alain gave her a glance. “Did you say something?”
“I hope not,” Mari mumbled. “No,” she added in a louder voice. “How much farther?”
“Not far.” Alain stopped walking, his head slowly turning to gaze down a side street. “Mage Asha is here. She is making no attempt to hide herself at all, as if she wants me to find her.”
Oh, great. “What do we do?”
“Let us wait for a short time here.” Alain turned his head slightly. “Or perhaps we should go wait near the Mage Guild Hall.”
“Alain, no one lingers in front of a Mage Guild Hall,” Mari explained patiently. “They’re afraid some Mage will pop out and turn them into a toad or something.”
“No, that is impossible,” Alain assured her. “No spell can change a person directly.”
“You told me that before, didn’t you? Why not? I thought we were all supposed to be illusions.”
“Shadows,” Alain said. “I was taught that other people are shadows on the surface of the world illusion. But while Mages can change many aspects of the world we see, no spell can directly affect any person. I can make a hole in a wall, but I cannot make a hole appear in someone where their heart should be. This is a matter which the Mage Guild has never resolved, but I was told the elders believe it reflects our inability to fully divorce ourselves from others. If we were able to completely disregard all other humans, then we might be able to use spells on them. I do not know if this is so. It is only what I was told.”
“But why does everybody think that Mages can do those things?” Mari asked. “I mean, if they think Mages can do anything, that is.”
Alain’s small smile came and went. “The Mage Guild sees such beliefs as being to its advantage. They increase the fear with which the commons regard Mages.” He looked down the street again. “Mage Asha has left the Mage Guild Hall.”
Mari watched as Alain’s head slowly pivoted, as if he were a cat following the track of an invisible prey. Then Mari saw the robed shape of a Mage appear around the corner, walking their way. The Mage pulled back her hood, golden hair spilling down her back, but otherwise did nothing but keep walking toward them, her face an emotionless mask.
Alain just stood and waited, so Mari did as well, trying to keep her hand from jerking up to grab hold of her pistol. If Mage Asha really were hostile, there might be very little time to deal with her if she attacked.
The female Mage came even with them, then walked past, giving no sign that she had noticed them. Alain waited until Asha was a few lance-lengths beyond them, then beckoned to Mari and began following, roughly matching Asha’s pace.
As a result, Mari got an unwanted but prolonged look at the female Mage’s long blonde hair falling to her waist and the seductive sway of her hips as she walked. I can’t believe it. She’s even got a great rear end. I am so completely outclassed here.
They followed her along the street until Asha turned off toward the city park. The journey continued until they reach
ed the forested park area, then through ever-diminishing pathways that finally ended in a small bower shaded by low-hanging branches that blocked sight in all directions. There, Asha stopped and turned to await them, her face still betraying no visible emotion.
As they walked toward the expressionless female Mage, Mari could feel herself tensing, fearing an ambush. She had some idea how to handle threats posed by other Mechanics. She had no ideas at all how to deal with a surprise attack by several other Mages with the powers that Alain had demonstrated.
Chapter Twelve
Alain kept walking, his face showing neither worry nor any other emotion, until he stopped just before the female Mage. “Mage Asha.”
He had reverted to full Mage behavior, Mari noted nervously, his voice as impassive as his face. “Don’t lose yourself, Alain,” she muttered.
Asha inclined her head very slightly toward him. “Mage Alain.” If Asha had taken any notice of Mari’s presence, she didn’t show any sign of it.
“This one has been trying to find you,” Alain explained, “to discover why you did not inform the other Mages present when you saw me on the road to Umburan.” He might have been asking about the weather in Kitara, for all the feeling in his voice.
“I knew you,” Asha stated blandly, her face still showing nothing, “from the days of our acolyte training. Your presence was clear to me, though the other Mages did not feel it.”
“Why did you not tell the others?” Alain asked.
“I had no instructions to do so.”
Alain nodded. “Were you among the Mages who assisted the Imperial ambush of the Alexdrian raiders west of Umburan about three weeks ago?”
Asha nodded back. “I was.”
“Did you know the Guild had assigned me to be the Mage for the Alexdrian forces?”
“I did not.”
“I was the only Mage with the Alexdrians.”
The female Mage stayed silent for a moment before replying. “Only you? There were ten of us with the Imperials.” Was it Mari’s imagination that some trace of surprise, of upset, had finally entered Asha’s voice?