Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath.
D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
(They are both university professors as well as Mages.)
Katheri is a student at the university and has Mage potential.
Ellinea was D’Laron’s Questora, now deceased.

Xooshemi is going to get a name change. She’s a member of the Mage Guild (an archivist), and was D’Laron’s Saja. 

A few vocabulary words for now and for future reference.
Qestora is a female apprentice
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female)
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Picking up from last week.

With unspoken accord they returned to D’Laron’s office and D’Laron refilled their brandy tumblers. As he handed one to Trebor he spoke quietly. “You do want Katheri, don’t you?”

“I won’t lie to you, Del. Yes. I would love to have her as a Qestora. But I’m not sure it’s a good idea – for me, for her, or for you. You need her, Del.”

D’Laron looked at him, pale blue eyes pleading.  I don’t know if I can,” he said softly. “I didn’t even sense her Potential.”

Trebor smiled. “Yes you did. Maybe not consciously, but you were aware of it on a deeper level.”

D’Laron studied the amber liquid in his tumbler for a long moment. “Trebor?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think it’s ever been done, or that it’s possible?”

“Do I think what’s ever been done?”

“Two Sajen for one Qestori.”

“Two–?” Trebor stopped, stunned, his mind racing. “Are you out of your mind?”

“It was your idea,” D’Laron pointed out dryly. 

“Well, yes, but…”  Trebor’s voice trailed off as he turned the idea over in his mind.  Had it been just something to say to Xooshemi? Or would it be really be possible? There was no doubt that the idea excited him, that he wanted to do it.  Still he hesitated. “Maybe…”  He looked up, catching and holding D’Laron’s gaze, looking into him, reaching into him to gauge his feelings. At last he nodded, satisfied that D’Laron was not doing this to escape the responsibility of a Qestora, or because he knew that Trebor also wanted her, but out of a genuine desire to do what was best for Katheri. “Do you think we can?” 

“I don’t know why not. And two Sajen looking out for her are better than one, especially given the circumstances.”

A smile spread slowly across Trebor’s face. “Then let’s do it.”

D’Laron nodded, relieved. “I’m glad Xooshemi is going to be away. I don’t want her to know about Katheri yet. Not until we get her properly apprenticed.”

Trebor nodded. “The better to protect her.”

“Yes. I will not let that happen to another one.”

“Nor will I.”

Their gazes locked and the vow was sealed without need for further words.

“Now all we have to do,” Trebor grinned, “is convince Katheri.”

Find more great reading
at the Sunday Snippet group.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath.
D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
(They are both university professors as well as Mages.)
Katheri is a student at the university and has Mage potential.
Ellinea was D’Laron’s Questora, now deceased.

Xooshemi is going to get a name change. She’s a member of the Mage Guild (an archivist), and was D’Laron’s Saja. 

A few vocabulary words for now and for future reference.
Qestora is a female apprentice
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female)
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Picking up from last week.

As they started out of the office they met Xooshemi on her way in. 

“What do you two want?”

She was almost snarling and D’Laron was taken aback for a moment. “Nothing important.” His smile was forced. “Just a minor question for an Archivist.”

“Well, what is it?” she prompted impatiently.

“We were talking about how things have changed since we were Qestori and one thing led to another,” Trebor stepped in smoothly as D’Laron hesitated. “Given that there used to be actual schools just for Mages we got to wondering if there was ever a case where one Qestori had two Sajen.”

Xooshemi frowned, thinking. “I don’t recall ever having come across anything like that,” she replied. “Of course, that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Could just have never been recorded. Or could be that I’ve never come across it. Believe it or not, I don’t have the entire history of all Orders memorized.”

“Any idea how something like that would work if it did exist?” D’Laron asked. 

“If you two are that interested, research it,” Xooshemi snapped. “I don’t have time for fool’s games.” She pushed past them and then stopped, turned, and looked up at the two of them. “Just so you know, I’ll be away for probably most of the rest of the semester. I just got word that there’s a family issue I need to attend to. So look up whatever you want, just don’t make a mess.”

Xooshemi turned and went into her office, firmly closing the door behind her, leaving the two of them standing in the hallway in bewildered silence.

Find more great reading
at the Sunday Snippet group.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath.
D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
(They are both university professors as well as Mages.)
Katheri is a student at the university and has Mage potential.
Ellinea was D’Laron’s Questora, now deceased.

Xooshemi is going to get a name change. She’s a member of the Mage Guild (an archivist), and was D’Laron’s Saja. 

A few vocabulary words for now and for future reference.
Qestora is a female apprentice
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female)
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Picking up from last week.

“Xooshemi?” Trebor’s distress was so obvious that D’Laron couldn’t dismiss the accusation. His mind played back over the preceding years, and a small shudder ran through him. He knew that Xooshemi had been hard on Ellinea, and looking back, in light of what Trebor had said, he began thinking that it wasn’t just trying to teach and mold her. How could he have missed it? “I was too blind to see it,” he whispered, feeling ill. “Why – why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”

“Toward the end, I barely saw Ellinea, and neither did you. Xooshemi saw to it that she was isolated from you, and thus from me. I thought it was unusual, but… Xooshemi was your Saja and Ellinea was your Qestora and I had no place interfering in either end of things.”

D’Laron swallowed hard, suddenly realizing how isolated Trebor must have felt, and how helpless. At last he rose and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “From now on, Treb, we share suspicions.”

Trebor nodded. “You’re right. I should have said something then, and I should never have pulled away.”

“And I shouldn’t have let you.” He gave Trebor’s shoulder a squeeze. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“But –?”

“I just don’t feel up to talking to her right now. Not after what you just told me.”

Trebor nodded and rose. “I’m sorry, Del.”

“So am I, Treb, for a lot of things.” He hesitated for a moment. “Treb, from now on, nothing comes between us. Certainly not Xooshemi.”

Find more great reading
at the Sunday Snippet group.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath.
D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
(They are both university professors as well as Mages.)
Katheri is a student at the university and has Mage potential.
Ellinea was D’Laron’s Questora, now deceased.

Xooshemi is going to get a name change. She’s a member of the Mage Guild (an archivist), and was D’Laron’s Saja. 

A few vocabulary words for now and for future reference.
Qestora is a female apprentice
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female)
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Picking up from last week.

“Del… Ellinea was not your fault.” Trebor took a deep breath and plunged forward suddenly. “And it wasn’t suicide.”

D’Laron looked up, startled. “Treb – “

Trebor rose and started pacing again, clearly agitated. “I didn’t want to say anything then. I didn’t have any proof. I still don’t. But since we’re speaking the unspeakable… and even the unthinkable…”

“Are – are you sure?”

Trebor whirled to face him. “Yes, I’m sure. She was stressed, having trouble coping, but she was not suicidal.”

D’Laron rubbed a hand across his face. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I supposed to say, Del? ‘Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but your Saja murdered your Qestora’?” Trebor sank into a chair, face in his hands, choking back a sob. He had said it, had voiced a suspicion he had sworn he would never voice. The words were out and there was no way to call them back.

Find more great reading
at the Sunday Snippet group.