True Magics (11 page)

“I admit no betters,” said Henry as the Matron left. He stayed away from the food, though.

The wait was short. The Headmaster, a thin man with thinner grey hair and brown eyes that missed nothing, stepped into the room with the Masters of Rhetoric and Laws right behind him. “Oh, good,” he said. “You’re here.”

“Yes sir,” said Thomas.

“Excellent,” said the Headmaster. “We are here to discuss whether to have you, Thomas and you, Henry flogged and expelled from the Academy, and whether or not we should have the three of you banned from the grounds and the city.”

Thomas swallowed. “That seems a bit… extreme.”

“You lied to us,” said the Headmaster. “For two months.”

“Lied?” repeated Henry. “What lie, exactly, did we tell?”

“You know very well,” said the Master of Laws, Horus Greyfields. He was a large man with a quiet voice to which one felt compelled to listen. Thomas had watched him in action in the Law Courts, and had seen him almost mesmerize judges as he argued the law to them.

“I don’t,” said Henry. “No one ever asked if Eileen was a girl.”

“A lie of omission,” said the Master of Laws, looking down his nose at Henry. “I would expect one of my students to muster a better defense than that.”

“I would hate to see you thrown out and disgraced,” said the Headmaster, frowning at Thomas. “Imagine what your father would say.”

“I have a pretty good idea,” said Thomas, remembering his visit home the previous summer.

“Then why were you fool enough to bring this girl onto the Academy grounds?” demanded the Headmaster. He looked down at Eileen. “Young lady, what is your real name?”

“Eileen, sir,” she said. “Eileen Gobhann, sister to George Gobhann, the smith.”

“Sir George Gobhann,” corrected Henry. “Knight of the Order of the White Wolf. And also a smith.”

“Miss Gobhann,” said the Headmaster, using the proper title for the young female relative of a knight. “You will forgive me if I do not include you in this conversation.”

“No,” said Eileen. “I won’t.”

The Master of Rhetoric’s lips twitched in what might have been a very well concealed smile. The Headmaster blinked in surprise. “I beg your pardon?”

“You’re deciding my future,” she said. “I should have a say in it.”

“No we aren’t,” said the Master of Laws, his eyebrows drawing down as he frowned at Thomas and Henry. “We’re deciding
their
future right now.”

“But rest assured,” said the Headmaster, “we will be discussing yours very shortly. Thomas, answer the question.”

“Eileen is smart,” said Thomas. “She’s capable, and I truly believe that this place is where she belongs. And the only way to prove it was to have her here and show what she could do.”

“And the fact that you are blinded by love has nothing to do with it?” asked the Master of Laws. “Is her love worth that much to you?”

“Not blinded,” said Thomas. “And yes, it is.”

Eileen blushed and bit her lip, but said nothing.

“And you, Lord Henry?” said the Headmaster. “Unless you’re also madly in love with her?”

Henry smiled. “No.”

“Then why did you do this?”

“All the reasons Thomas gave,” said Henry. “Save the last one.”

“Is that all?”

Henry, for the first time, looked lightly less than completely confident of the situation. “I would rather not say more.”

“I would rather you did,” said the Headmaster. “In fact, I’ll insist on it.”

Henry’s eyes went to Eileen. “It may be taken the wrong way.”

“Right or wrong, you will say it,” said the Master of Laws. “You will say it now, or it will weigh very heavily against you.”

Henry sighed. “She’s damaged.”

“What?” Eileen’s mouth fell open. “I’m what?”

“You’re damaged,” Henry said. “You and Thomas and George.”

“We are not! I am not!” Eileen was furious. “How can you say that?”

“I hear Thomas’s nightmares,” said Henry. “I saw you try to drink yourself insensible on the way back from Frostmire. I see the dark circles around your eyes. And how well is George sleeping?”

Thomas, who had thought the dark circles were from her studying, was staring at Eileen now.

“He’s… fine,” muttered Eileen. “Just fine. You’re too nosy, Henry Antonius.”

“Yes.” Henry squared off with the Headmaster. “They wouldn’t be in this condition if I hadn’t asked Thomas to come north, and I want them better.”

“And you think sneaking her into the Academy was the way to do that?”

“If she were religious, I’d send her to the Sisters. But she isn’t. She’s a scholar at heart, and this is the best place for her. Just like it was the best place for me after fighting the tribes for four years.”

“I’m not damaged,” muttered Eileen, though she was looking at her feet.

“I see.” The Headmaster looked back to the Masters of Rhetoric and Laws, who were looking inquisitive and highly disapproving respectively. “You have put the Academy and me in a very awkward position.”

“There was no other way,” said Thomas. “You wouldn’t have let Eileen in if you’d known she was a girl and we had to let you see what she could do. Eileen belongs here.”

“I
do
belong here,” said Eileen. “I love the Academy.”

“In point of fact,” said the Headmaster, “indeed, in point of law—you do
not
belong here. And all three of you knew that before you began this scheme. You knew women were not allowed to study at the Academy. You knew that bringing a girl onto the grounds was a punishable offence.”

“A flogging offence, I believe,” said the Master of Laws.

“Only if done for licentious purposes,” said Henry. “Which it wasn’t. Unless Thomas has been stealing kisses in the library?”

“Shut up,” said Thomas.

“Or perhaps the fencing hall?”

“Henry!” Eileen hissed at him. “Shut up!”

“I was just asking.”

“Do shut up, Lord Henry,” said the Headmaster. “You both lied, as did the other members of the Student Company. And the only reason the entire group of you aren’t already out in the street is because you risked life and limb to preserve the integrity of our kingdom. Your actions in Frostmire were heroic and earned you some leeway, but they in no way make up for lying to us about Miss Gobhann.”

“What about Eileen’s actions?” asked Thomas. “You said they earned her the right to study here and to sit for the exams.”

“That was when we thought she was a young man, not a young woman,” said the Master of Laws.

“What difference should that make?” demanded Thomas. “She fought beside us!”

“That does not make her a boy!”

“Why are boys so special?” demanded Eileen. “I’m as smart as any of them. Why do they get to be here and not me?”

The Master of Rhetoric looked thoughtful at that, while the Master of Laws looked like he was building up another head of steam. The Headmaster sighed. “Everyone sit down. Thomas, pour us some tea.”

The request caught Thomas completely off guard. “Um… Yes, sir.”

Thomas poured cups for them all. The Headmaster took a seat on the couch, while the masters sat in a pair of chairs near the fireplace. Each of the three gave a polite “thank you” when they received their tea, but didn’t say anything else. The warm smell of the tea made Thomas’s stomach rumble. Without being asked, he took up the tray of sticky-buns and offered them first to the masters, then to Eileen and Henry, before setting it down and taking one himself. The Headmaster looked both resigned and irritated.

Thomas, Eileen and Henry sat on the couch directly opposite and waited.

No one spoke. The Headmaster sipped at his tea and nibbled at his pastry. The silence grew long and, for Thomas and Eileen, very uncomfortable. Henry, on the other hand, looked as relaxed as if he were at home, sitting in front of his own fire.

The Master of Rhetoric was finished his pastry first. The Master of Laws downed a second cup of tea. The Headmaster took his time on both. When he finished, he put his cup and plate on the table and sighed. “A decision has been made.”

Thomas and Eileen leaned forward in spite of themselves. Henry remained unmoved.

“Eileen may continue her time here at the Academy with whichever masters are willing to teach her,” the Headmaster said. “And she may sit for the spring exams.”

Eileen clapped both her hands over her mouth to keep from squealing. Thomas nearly yelled out a cheer as well, but managed to stop himself. Henry nodded and allowed himself a satisfied smile.

“But do not expect to be allowed in,” warned the Master of Laws. “Academy rules forbid it.”

“We know,” said Thomas. “We’ll be delivering a petition to challenge the rules by the end of the week.”

The Headmaster sighed, “Of course you will.” He stood, and the others did the same. “Take yourselves out of here. And let’s not have any more foolishness.”

Henry and Thomas bowed and Eileen sank into a deep curtsey. Then they fled the parlour. Matron Marshall was standing by the door, glaring at them. She opened it and watched them go by. “Not the decision I would have made,” she said as Thomas walked out the door. “Not by a long shot.”

“Then we’ll be thankful it wasn’t your decision,” said Henry as he passed her.

For a reply, Matron Marshall closed the door practically on his heels.

The rest of the company was still standing on the grass in front of the house in the cold, grey rain. “Well?” demanded James. “Well?”

Eileen collapsed against Thomas, her breath
whooshing
out of her. Thomas wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. “I can stay,” said Eileen. “I can’t believe it! I can stay.”

“Yes!” shouted Mark, and the others cheered. “Time to get to class!”

“Mathematics!” said William. “We’ll say we were at the Headmaster and we shouldn’t get in trouble for being late. Come on.”

“One moment,” said Eileen. She turned and kissed Thomas on the lips, catching him by surprise. She smiled wide. “I have been wanting to do that before class for months.”

“Me, too,” said Thomas, grinning back. Around them, the Student Company mimed gagging and choking as he kissed her again.

“And you,” Eileen pointed a finger at Henry. “How could you say that?”

“It was true,” Henry said. “Though not necessary, apparently.”

“What?” Eileen’s voice nearly squeaked on the word.

“They said a decision was made,” said Henry, dropping his voice so it wouldn’t carry. “That means they weren’t the ones making it.”

Eileen frowned. “Then who…?”

The king,” said Thomas, keeping his voice as low as Henry’s. “Why?”

“Well, that is the question,” said Henry.

“Hey!” called William. “Stop muttering! We’re late enough as it is!”

“Right!” said Eileen. She took a deep breath, put on a smile and said, “See you at lunch!”

“Have a great day,” said Thomas.

“I will,” promised Eileen. She smiled at her escorts. “Let’s go!”

Thomas watched them run to class and tried to ignore the worry that had started gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

***

Halfway through Thomas’s morning class on Precedence and Law, someone behind him whispered, “Is it true?”

Thomas ignored whoever it was entirely and tried to pay attention to the lecture.

“Seriously, Thomas. Is it true? What those lords said about witchcraft?”

“Is there something you wish to share with the class, Master David?” demanded Professor Smythe, from his place at the front. “Something so vitally important that it is worth missing how to apply the law when standing before a Ducal Trial?”

“Uhhh… not vital,” said David.

“Oh, but it must be. Please repeat it. Loudly, for all of us.”

By the Four, please no,
thought Thomas
.

“Uhhh…”

“Now!”

“I was asking Thomas if it was true what the young lords were saying about him throwing lightning and being the Duke’s personal witch,” the words came out in a rush with no space for breath between them. There was a moment’s silence. Then the class erupted in sniggers and whispered comments.

“Fascinating,” said Professor Smythe, his cold, hard voice cutting through the noise in the class. “And Thomas, what was your reply?”

“I didn’t reply,” said Thomas.

“Oh, surely there must have been a reply. It takes two to converse.”

“But only one to whisper irritating questions when the other is trying to listen,” said Thomas, glaring at David. “I did not answer him, and had no intention of doing so.”

“You were listening?” Professor Smythe smiled. “Then perhaps you can tell me what precedent was set by Duke Clarence the Third.”

Thomas could and did, in great detail, until the Professor stopped him and resumed his lecture. All was quiet until the Professor gave them their case for the day. “Sir Roland Greensward vs. Pig-keeper Harris, in which Harris’s pigs got into Sir Roland’s garden, and Sir Roland slaughtered them. The Pig-keeper brought Sir Roland to court. Who won, why, and should they have won? Break into groups and discuss, then we’ll find out whether or not you are right.”