The Dragons of Dorcastle (25 page)

An apprentice entered, carrying her cleaned clothes, followed by a male Senior Mechanic who seemed upset. Mari was used to that by now, but instead of focusing on her the Senior Mechanic went to the woman who had been herding Mari along and began speaking in a low voice that sounded unhappy. She recognized him as the Senior Mechanic who had taken her report when she got back from the fire, and who had roused the healer to ensure Mari’s head injury was treated. Now that Senior Mechanic gestured toward Mari more than once, and Mari caught fragments of his sentences as he spoke to the female Senior Mechanic. “No way to treat…rules do not permit…safety of a Mechanic…I protest…”

But the female Senior Mechanic glowered back at him, her own words barely audible to Mari. “The good of the Guild…orders of the Guild Hall Supervisor…”

While the two Senior Mechanics were arguing, the apprentice set down Mari’s bundle of clothing, giving a nervous glance at the Senior Mechanics. “Lady,” he whispered.

Mari finally took a good look at the apprentice. He was the one she had met at the entry to the Guild Hall…yesterday? No, the day before.

“Lady,” the apprentice murmured while pretending to fuss with the bundle of clothes. “You leave on the train this afternoon?” Mari nodded minutely. “Mechanic Pradar asked me to tell you that the Guild Hall Supervisor has canceled a shipment of Guild materials due to go on that train.”

Mari licked her lips nervously, flicking a worried glance at the quarrelling Senior Mechanics. “What does that mean?” she murmured.

“I don’t know. Mechanic Pradar said it would be too dangerous to speak to you himself, but he wanted me to thank you on his behalf again. Take care, Lady.”

As the apprentice backed away, the male Senior Mechanic frowned down at his female counterpart, his last sentence clear to Mari. “This is the breaking point. I will file a formal protest.”

“If you wish to live with the consequences of that,” the female Senior Mechanic replied coldly.

“I’m more concerned about being able to live with myself,” he retorted, then spun on his heel, stopping as he faced Mari. The Senior Mechanic hesitated, then spoke even louder. “Thank you for your service to the Guild, Master Mechanic.”

A ripple of applause broke out from some of the Mechanics as the Senior Mechanic walked quickly from the dining hall, but died out abruptly as the female Senior Mechanic pivoted to see who was clapping. Mari knew the applause wasn't about her, since none of the other Mechanics in this room were likely to know exactly what she had done here for the Guild, but was rather a small mark of support for a Senior Mechanic who had dared to stand up for regular Mechanics.

Mari looked down at the table, thinking about the apprentice who had taken the risk of passing on an admittedly ambiguous warning to her, about the Senior Mechanic who might well just have crippled his own career out of a dedication to doing his job right when it came to how Mechanics were treated, and about the Mechanics who were scared but knew she was on their side. About Mechanic Rindal, Pradar’s uncle, who had disappeared because he was unhappy with Guild policies.
Yes, there’s a lot I have to learn, but how can those things be right? How can those things be in the interests of the Guild? Why not tell me the real reasons? Why not let those who care about the Guild do what they can to help it?

No longer able to stomach food, Mari wrapped up the remains of her meal and added it to her pack.

The female Senior Mechanic led Mari through the Guild Hall again, but not to the front entrance, instead stopping at a side door. “For your security,” the Senior Mechanic advised with obvious insincerity as she waved Mari out.

The door closed behind her, followed by an audible thunk as the heavy bars inside which normally kept it closed were relocked by the Senior Mechanic. Mari stood outside of the Guild Hall, breathing slowly and trying to think.

Get a grip on yourself, Mari. You’ve been under a tremendous amount of stress ever since the attack on the caravan. You’ve taken a nasty blow to the head. Now you’re letting all of that get to you, letting your imagination conjure up ridiculous ideas. Senior Mechanic Stimon is obviously a rotten Guild Hall Supervisor, but it’s a long step from that to the sorts of things you’re afraid of. Commons able to do the work of Mechanics? A Guild Hall supervisor who’s actually a threat to the lives of other Mechanics? It’s all impossible. Tell yourself it’s all impossible. Because it has to be.

Just like making a hole in solid metal or walking through a solid wall.

What’s going on?

Stars above, I’m scared of my own Guild and not sure where to turn. The Guild’s been my entire life since I was taken to the schools as a little girl. The Guild is all I’ve got.

I’m going to get to that train station, I’m going to get to Dorcastle and rest and talk to some other Mechanics and try to forget all of this craziness. I’m sure once I’ve rested and gotten away from Ringhmon all of these fears will seem as ridiculous as they surely are. And if they don’t… I’m going to start looking for more answers.

Mari hefted her pack, thinking of the distance to the train station, and groaned inside. The painkillers the Guild Hall healer had given her had reduced the ache in her head to a mild throb, but after all the exertions of last night she had no desire to lug her pack across half the city. She started across the wide plaza that surrounded the Mechanics Guild Hall.

“Are you well this morning?”

The voice was familiar and totally emotionless, but Mari looked in vain for the robes of a Mage. Then she focused on a young man standing nearby, wearing nondescript clothing like that of common folk. “Mage Alain? Where’s— ?”

“My robes?” He made a dismissive gesture. “I decided it would be wise to be invisible when moving about the city today, but am still too weak from my efforts to be certain of maintaining that spell long enough. Then I realized that there was another way to be invisible, for who looks at commons?”

Mari felt a smile forming, her fears receding into the background to be replaced by relief at seeing him. “Are you all right? Last night you didn’t think you had been hurt by the fall, but I was worried.”

“I was exhausted from my spells and stunned when I hit the ground,” Alain said. “But other than some bruises I took no harm. I know you had much to do with that.”

“Well, yeah,” Mari admitted, feeling self-conscious. “I also had much to do with you getting into that mess in the first place. Did you get in trouble with your elders?”

“Yes,” Mage Alain said without feeling. “I got in trouble. I was asked to explain my actions. I provided various reasons consistent with Mage wisdom, but the elders did not accept them.”

“I guess you couldn’t say that you were my friend,” Mari said.

“No. I eventually admitted that I had followed you to spy upon you.”

“You…what?”

Was there humor showing in the Mage’s eyes? “That is what I told them. There is no truth, so one story was as good as another. The elders were willing to accept that I was motivated by a desire to learn more about a possible threat to the Mage Guild.”

Mari felt herself smiling widely. Being able to lie with a clean conscience probably had its advantages.
I really like the guy hidden inside him. That good person I keep getting glimpses of. I think I’d like him even if he hadn’t saved me at least twice.
“What did you find out while you were spying on me?”

“Not to start fires inside buildings unless I am already near a window.” He waited while Mari winced. “Otherwise I could tell them little, since I explained I often could not understand your words or actions.”

“Yeah,” Mari said. “A lot of people have that problem with me, and to be perfectly honest I’m having a little trouble figuring them out myself right now. Look, I’ve got some issues I need to work out with my Guild. I don’t know exactly what’s going on. Anyway, there’s no sense in you getting in more trouble with your Guild, too. Hanging with me isn’t doing you any good, and might get you in trouble.”

“But you are a friend.” His voice remained impassive, his face unrevealing. “You also saved my life, carrying me to the window. How did you create the strength to do that? It was an impressive manipulation of the illusion.”

Mari shrugged and looked down, feeling the heat of embarrassment in her face. “I have no idea how I did that. I guess I was highly motivated. I wasn’t going to leave you behind, not after you got me out of that cell.”

“You never leave anyone behind,” Alain recited as if it were a lesson.

“No. I don’t.”

The Mage’s mouth worked, then he spoke hesitantly. “Thank…you.”

They had been walking, but now Mari stumbled to a halt, staring at him. What had it taken for a Mage to say those words? She had heard him say them before, but only repeating her own words back to her. He hadn’t actually said thank you to anyone, to her. But now he had.
Say something to him, you fool. Anything.
“You’re thanking me for throwing you out a window?”

“Yes, if you wish to say it that way, using your sarcasm.” Mage Alain twisted his face slightly. “I am uncertain about the right things to say. As an acolyte, the use of those words would bring punishment.”

You poor—
“Well, uh, that’s…I mean…I’m really glad…you’re…all right.”

“A friend wants to help,” Mage Alain said. “Because it is the right thing,” he added, quoting her.

“Uh…yeah…that’s…right.” He had paid that much attention to what she said? And he really liked her? Or whatever Mages used in place of “like,” anyway. He had saved her life, he had gone into a dungeon to get her out, he had listened to her. He had that thread thing between them that wasn’t there but was.

He hadn’t left her when that would have been the easiest, most acceptable thing to do. Instead, he had taken the hardest road he could, because he wanted to help her.

Mari stared at Alain, wondering why she was suddenly having so much trouble talking, why she couldn’t seem to string two words together without fumbling, why she felt so awkward, why she couldn’t take her eyes off of Alain’s expressionless face and his firm jaw and his soulful eyes—

Soulful eyes?

Oh, no, Mari. No no no no no no no. You are not going there. That is so crazy it’s off the scale. He’s a Mage. You’re a Mechanic. Yes, he’s damaged, and yes, it would be oh-so-romantic to try to fix him, but that is not the sort of repair job any rational woman would undertake, and it is certainly not the sort of job you should even be considering. He doesn’t even know what love is. He doesn’t know what
like
is. He has only the vaguest idea what a friend is.

You told him it wasn’t love. You told him not to
think
about love. That was smart. You’re smart, Mari. You won’t get involved with some badly damaged guy who thinks nothing is real just because he’s more real than any other guy you’ve ever met. You will…you will…

I felt safe when he showed up here.

Why is he looking at me? He’s waiting for something. Did he ask me a question? Oh, right.
“Where am I going? Uh…I’m…uh…I…Dorcastle. I…I’m going to…Dorcastle.”
Stars above, help me, I sound like I’m six years old.

But Alain didn’t show any sign that he had noticed her discomfort, even though he must have. “I also must go to Dorcastle. My elders insist that I leave this city.”

“Oh…um…good. Are you…taking…the train?”

“Train?” Alain asked.

“Yes.” She pointed in the direction of the yard. “Train.”

“This is like a caravan?”

“No…yes. I mean, it takes people, but…faster. Much faster.” She took a deep breath, trying to collect herself. “Mages never use trains, but if you are wearing that—those clothes—you could ride it.”

Alain considered that. “How would I do this?”

“It’s easy.”
So easy a Mage could do it. I have to stop using that expression.
“You…you go…there. That way. There’s a…a sign. Train Station. You can read? Sorry. Of course you can read. And there’s another sign. Passengers. I can…get you a ticket. You go to…to that window…and you say, ‘will call ticket for Alain of Ihris.’ Don’t…
please
don’t…say the Mage part. You’re not wearing those robes so…no one will know you’re a Mage.”
Unless they look at your face.
“And…and they’ll give you a ticket. That’s a piece of paper with writing on it. And…you follow the other passengers…and the train takes you to…to Dorcastle.” She wanted to bury her face in her hands out of sheer embarrassment.
Please, please, let this end.

“Is there something wrong?” Alain asked. “You are distressed.”

“No. Nothing. Nothing at all. Do not, do
not
, tell anyone that you’re a Mage. Some of my fellow Mechanics might…do the wrong thing. But I…I have to go. Myself.” What had happened to her? An awful suspicion occurred to Mari as she looked at the Mage. She had never believed the stories about Mage spells, but look what he had done last night. Maybe some of the other stories were true, about the ability of Mages to make people act in strange ways. “Alain…tell me the truth.”

“There is no truth.”

“
Try anyway!
Would you…would you do anything to me…without me knowing?”

The Mage looked at her silently for a while.

Stars above. There’s hurt in his eyes. I can see it way back there, almost completely hidden, but I hurt him with that question. I hurt the feelings of a Mage. They don’t even have feelings, but I hurt them. Way to achieve the impossible, Mari.

Finally, Alain shook his head. “I would not do anything like that.”

Could she believe him?

But as if sensing the question, Alain added more. “There is no truth, but I will not mislead you. A friend would not mislead.”

“Thank you.” Mari tried to gather up the shattered shards of her dignity. “I’m sorry. I really have to go. Um…thank you. Thank you for everything. Goodbye.”
Forever. Absolutely, positively forever, before I make the biggest mistake of my life.
She hoisted her pack and almost ran down the road, away from the Mage Alain.