"Thank you for coming."

Ram pushed out the chair opposite, taking care to keep his cloak about him. Although there was nothing wrong with the inn he didn't much want to draw attention to himself or his contact. The other man drew his cape close in a vain attempt to hide the robes of the Guild of Wizards.

"Not a problem, my friend."

"You should know: I've been warned off this case. Knight-Captain Richard took the notes I made last time we spoke, even before I had the chance to show them to the Regent Justice."

The visitor nodded knowingly.

"I wondered whether something like that might happen. The information I had last time seemed genuine enough, but it was all very convenient: I've done a little digging since."

Ram shook his head.

"Look, Kein, I've been ordered not to investigate this. Perhaps we should both stay away from it."

"Perhaps. Do you want to hear what I have, or not?"

The knight nodded reluctantly.

"Go on then. I suppose there's no harm in me hearing it."


Jen knocked so gently at the library door that the first time she wasn't even heard. On the second knock she was called in.

"Jen, dear, why are you going around knocking on doors? Come in: take a seat if you'd like."

She put her book aside, marking her page with piece of ribbon as she set it down. Jen tentatively sat opposite her.

"Thank you. My Lady, I intend to ask something that is likely not my concern, for which I apologise in advance. If you would rather I let it alone then say, and I will return to my duties."

"I was wondering when you might come to me; surprised it's taken so long, in fact. You're worried about the visitor I had last week." The maid nodded. "Well, all things considered I think you should know a little more..."


His cape momentarily forgotten, Kein spread his hands wide for emphasis.

"Let me tell you a little story. The Guild of Wizards has relatively few Magisters; I probably shouldn't say exactly how many, but even of the full Wizards relatively few are considered qualified to take on apprentices, and fewer have a will to do so. When you consider that we initiate dozens of hopefuls each year, you have to realise that normally Magisters take half a dozen or more apprentices."

"Doesn't that make the training less effective?"

Kein shook his head.

"Not much. Normally half don't last a year, and having more than one finish their apprenticeship is considered quite an achievement. Each invests seven years of his life to train one or two more Wizards, then provided there's nothing better to do they start all over again with a new intake."

Ram nodded.

"So, what's the story?"

"Well, it's a bit of a legend, I suppose..."


"The latest batch of apprentices consider it something of a myth, an amusing thought considering it was all of twenty years ago. Gerilan of Abbot's Cove was a researcher at heart: he was a magical genius who wanted nothing more than to push the boundaries of the field he loved. It's a common failing, really; he excelled at feats of magic but the Magisters would not take him seriously until he stood among them."


"The Wizard known as Gerilan was widely considered the most skilled of his time, but he preferred his own study and practice to the idea of having to take on blundering apprentices. For a long time he turned down the responsibilities of a Magister, but his elders would not support him while he was a journeyman; the Dean told him that he would have all the resources he needed if only he graduated two apprentices."

"One year, when nobody had seen him in months, he walked into the Low Hall during the great induction meeting..."


"Induction is quite something. Most official functions don't include apprentices so it's the only occasion that the entire guild meets; to be in the Tower for the first time on induction day is at once the most daunting and exhilarating thing you can imagine." She smiled vaguely, lost in nostalgia for a moment. "It's a shame you can't experience it."

"Anyway, I was in the Low Hall on my first day in the Guild - first day in the city, or even away from home at all, in fact - and looking for someone to whom I could talk. I avoided those of less breeding, was a little disdainful of them even; I really didn't understand then the way magic crosses such boundaries. There was only one person to whom my presumption of rank really allowed me to talk; he was from a decent householder family, a squire of the King's Order and apparently a friend of the King's cousin."

Jen followed that back a little and interjected.

"Pardon me, which cousin?"

"The one who has since taken the throne and has it still."


"...he selected two of the prospective apprentices and took them away."

"This mage you fear, this... 'shadowmancer', he was one of them?"


"Gerilan had been on sabbatical abroad and nobody expected him to bother attending the induction. He walked in when the Magisters were already trying to divide the initiates, approached the Dean and requested two apprentices. Everyone thought it was a joke: they'd said he needed two graduates and nobody had ever managed a full class, even a class of two. Certain he'd fail and unconcerned about wasting a pair of the students on it, they let him have his pick. He looked about the room, walked back and forth a little, and beckoned the Grey one and me to him."

She shivered, a painful recollection suddenly surfacing.

"He was powerful, that one. There was something about him, a presence and an energy; I learned not to fear it in the years to come - Master's control was without equal - but at the time I was terrified. If it wasn't for the other apprentice I might not have dared go with him."


"Yes, he took the Shadowmancer and some noble girl. The others thought it was a joke; while he trained his students in seclusion they laughed about him quite openly. The greatest mage of our time poured all of his teachings, all of his wisdom and knowledge and everything else he had to pass on into two vessels. I don't know what happened to the woman - I believe she's a Magister but she isn't around the Tower much - but the other who was taken that day became the monster you hunt."


"It was hard work: apprentices always complain but I've spoken to other Magisters since and none of them would even consider the workload that Gerilan gave us. He didn't believe in using pointless chores to teach discipline or commitment, either, no matter how much I may have needed it. He just made me practice the magic over and over, until it bored me, until it hurt, until it brought me close to madness and finally until it worked. He took an arrogant daughter of a baronet who had no idea how useless she was, and turned her into ... well, me."

Jen nodded thoughtfully, aware that whatever she said next would could be taken as a personal comment.

"How long were you his apprentice?"


"Four years later he presented his apprentices for testing; all reasonable trials found them competent; accomplished, even. His challenge completed he returned to his research with full support from his peers."

"That's four years rather than seven?"

Kein nodded.

"Gerilan was an incredible Wizard, even before he became Magister Magnus. Those two were the best graduates that year, three years early. They were popular and well respected for a while, but eventually the Shadowmancer was all but thrown out..."


"Gerilan was an incredible mentor. I'd like to think that I had better than average potential, but I really have him to thank for unlocking it. I did what I could for my apprentices since, but you just can't fit them in around a noble life, especially not once you're married to the Prince Royal. The only one I took on since I was widowed tried to assassinate me, so the less said about that the better."

"How did the Grey Knight get on?"

The Countess sighed.

"He never took apprentices. He became a journeyman, went back to the Palace and became a Knight. At some point he disappeared, probably working in secret on those things a King needs done quietly. I only saw him once or twice more before he fell out with the Guild."

"What happened?"

She shook her head.

"Oh, I don't know. Politics, probably. I'm sure he had orders from Guild or King, probably both. He ended up in an impossible situation and from what I can tell he hasn't been quite the same since. The Guild exiled him on pain of censure; the King was supportive initially but eventually had to accept and support the exile."


"Censure doesn't sound so bad."

Kein shook his head emphatically.

"No, we're not talking about the kind of reprimand the guild of bakers might give. Censure is the removal of an individual's capacity for magic."

"Removal?"

He nodded.

"Yes. They submit to a ritual that disconnects them from it."

"Oh..."


"However it came about, Grey is not supposed to be here. The King's men are after him, the Guild is after him; it wasn't going to be long before they found him. I'm a little embarrassed that they found him here."

Jen waited. It was almost as though the Countess had paused in order for her to speak. Eventually she said what was on her mind.

"I had the impression that Sir Richard found him here because you tipped him off."

Lady d'Antoli nodded.

"Yes, I did. I meant in more general terms. Knight-Captain Grey was nice enough to begin with, but where Gerilan's training make me more sympathetic to others Grey just became more and more convinced of his power and more detached from his moral responsibilities. In short, I don't like him: he's selfish and irrational, and no magnitude of power is worthy of respect when wielded with so little responsibility. He came here because there's still something of that old connection there. We were the only students the Magister Magnus ever took: a shared experience like that leaves you changed. If only Gerilan could still be here..."

Without warning the Countess began to cry; not sobbing or otherwise risking her dignified air but streaming with tears and clearly in pain nonetheless. After a moment's indecision Jen moved closer, putting her arms around her mistress.


"That's not the worst of it, though. They say the Shadowmancer killed the Magister Magnus."

Ram nodded impassively. People said a lot; his responsibility was to find and present evidence.

"Can it be proved?"

"Look, my friend, just because I can't prove something, doesn't mean it isn't true. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't be taking care dealing with it."

The knight sighed.

"As I said, I'm not on this case. It's not even a matter for Justice, it's considered a threat to the security of the Kingdom itself. You're not the only one who is paranoid about this 'shadow mage'."

"Who says I'm paranoid? Take care, Ram. The Shadowmancer is a master of illusion: he can becomine invisible just by having your mind tell you that he can't be seen. He's an accomplished Scanner; some say his skill at Influence borders on Possession."

Ram nodded.

"Right, I get it, he's dangerous. Thanks for the story, Kein, but I don't think I should have come here." He left a silver coin on the table. "Settle the bill for me; I'll see you later."


"Jen?"

By the door, the maid stopped and turned.

"My Lady?"

"I'm sorry to patronise you by asking this, but I'm not always as secure as I might like: you understand the different roles we have, the complexity of our relationship?"

Jen nodded.

"I do, My Lady. You have been a wise and generous teacher to me but I remain your servant, and others will only ever see that from me."

Lady d'Antoli smiled.

"I should not have asked; I was wrong to doubt you. Thank you for your company; the death of Gerilan is not a happy subject. One thing before you go: it was my intention to keep Knight-Captain Grey from you, and with good reason. Even if one gives him the benefit of doubt in the death of our mentor, he remains powerful and unpredictable, capable of acting without rational motive. I told you the story because I felt that ignorance would be more dangerous, but I want you to stay away from this. He's one of the most dangerous things in the city, secondly only to the Harbinger I suspect."

"The Harbinger?"

The Countess sighed.

"The Harbinger is a story for another time."



Next Chapter: Chapter 72