Part 22 (1/2)

”I see,” he said. ”And you think this thing has affected my apprentice?”

”Yes, I do,” Manrin said. ”a.s.suming that he can, in fact, move things in this fas.h.i.+on. If so, then yes, he's a warlock.”

”Show him,” Abdaran said, turning to Ulpen.

Ulpen swallowed, looked around, and pointed at the bundle of bones he had moved from Abdaran's chair. ”Will that do?”

”Certainly,” Manrin said-and before the word had entirely left his lips the bundle was floating in midair, a foot or so off the floor. It moved tentatively back and forth, then lowered itself back to the planking.

”And have you had bad dreams these past two nights?” Manrin asked. ”Dreams of falling, or burning, or being buried alive?”

”Not last night,” Ulpen said. ”The night before, yes.”

Manrin turned back to Abdaran. ”He's definitely a warlock,” he said. ”This word 'warlock,' ” Abdaran asked, ”where is it from?”

”The witches in Ethshar of the Spices reportedly say that this magic resembles a secret they used during the Great War, centuries ago. The name has caught on, though it appears the resemblance is only superficial.”

”Are there many people affected this way?”

”Lord Ederd's people estimate there could be hundreds, perhaps as many as a thousand, just in Ethshar of the Sands, and reports from Ethshar of the Spices indicate they have a similar number. Ethshar of the Rocks has fewer-perhaps a few hundred at most. We have no word as yet from theSmallKingdoms or thenorthern territories .” He hesitated, then added, ”I haven't told you the worst of it. When this first happened, hundreds of people simply disappeared. Some were seen walking or running or even flying, using their new abilities, to the north-north by northeast, to be precise. Others were just gone when their families awoke the next day. None of them have returned; we have no idea what became of them. Most people a.s.sume the warlocks are responsible, and Ederd is considering ordering them all into exile-or perhaps killing the lot of them, though I doubt anyone would want to bethat drastic. Apparently the other two members of the triumvirate favor this solution, as well.”

”Can't you find out what caused all this?” Abdaran asked.

Manrin turned up an empty palm. ”We're trying,” he said. ”So far we've established that it wasn't the work of a G.o.d, that despite the similarities it's not witchcraft, that it isn't any recognizable form of wizardry that's responsible.” He looked at Ulpen again. ”And wethought that it didn't affect wizards.

You do have a proper athame, don't you, lad?”

Ulpen nodded and patted the sheathed dagger on his belt.

”Well, then we have a puzzle,” Manrin said. ”A part of your soul is in that knife, and we thought that meant that wizards can't do any other kind of magic. That's why we forbid anyone to learn more than one kind of magic-because we thought we couldn't do it, and we didn't want anyone else to have an advantage over us. We know we can't summon G.o.ds or demons, or learn witchcraft, because of our divided souls-but it would appear we can still be warlocks. Interesting!”

Ulpen swallowed hard, then said, ”Guildmaster?”

”Yes? Speak freely, my boy.”

”I'm not sure Iam a wizard anymore.”

Manrin eyed the boy thoughtfully.

”Explain that, if you please,” he said.

Ulpen glanced at his master, took a deep breath, and said, ”I haven't worked a real spell since the night before last-since this thing happened. And I've tried four times. When it didn't work I used the new magic instead.”

Manrin and Abdaran both stared at him for a moment. Then Manrin said, ”Abdaran, would you be so kind as to test the boy's athame?” Abdaran turned, puzzled. ”Test it? How?”

Manrin sighed. How in the World had Abdaran ever qualified as a master wizard without learning these simple tricks? ”Touch the tip of his athame with the tip of yours. We should see a clear reaction.”

Abdaran frowned, but drew his dagger. Ulpen drew his own and held it out, remembering at the last moment to offer it point first, instead of the standard polite hilt first.

Abdaran touched the knives together.

A sudden loud crackle sounded, and a burst of green and blue sparks appeared from the point of contact, spraying in all directions and then vanis.h.i.+ng. Abdaran was so startled he dropped his own athame, but he caught it before it hit the floor.

Manrin frowned. ”That's odd,” he said. ”You never tried that before?”

”No, Guildmaster,” Abdaran said, his tone more respectful than it had been a moment ago.

”It should have been more of abang, and there should have been more colors,” Manrin said unhappily.

”So the boy is a wizard, but there is something notright about his athame. Was he a good student before this?”

”Competent enough,” Abdaran admitted. ”Not brilliant, but he could work a dozen spells reliably.”

”Well, there's definitely something wrong.” He picked up his own athame from the workbench. ”Here, I'll show you.” He held out the knife.

Abdaran rose from his chair and approached cautiously until at last the knife points touched. The air crackled again, and a shower of blue and purple sparks exploded from nowhere and vanished into nothingness.

Manrin stared. ”b.u.t.that's not right!” he said. ”That wasn't any better at all. It must beyour athame that's damaged! Here, boy, come try yours.”

Ulpen obeyed-but when his athame touched Manrin's there was only a fizzing hiss, and a handful of indigo sparks trickled.

”Oh, no,” Manrin said, staring at the daggers.”Oh, please, no!”

The pieces had fallen into place.

”Guildmaster?” Abdaran said, puzzled.

”Get out!” Manrin bellowed, waving his free hand wildly. ”Get out of here, right now! I must talk to the boyalone!”

Baffled and clearly upset, Abdaran retreated to the door. ”I don't...” he began.

”Out!”

”But he'smy apprentice ...” Manrin brandished his athame. ”Get out now, or I'll turn you into a toad, I swear by all the G.o.ds!”

Abdaran got. Manrin closed the door behind him and locked it securely.

Then he turned to Ulpen.

”Now,” he said, ”I want you to tell me how you move things, how you do your warlockry.”

”I don't understand,” Ulpen said. His face was ashen with terror. ”What's going on?”

”What's going on, boy, is that you and I have something in common, though I didn't realize it until I saw thatboth our atha-mes are somehow depleted. I was sosure that wizards would be immune that I missed the obvious!”

”The obviouswhat, Guildmaster?”