Taken

“What about Onyx?” Anne asked. “Do you think he’s . . . ?”

“I wish,” I said with a snort. “I’ve seen him survive worse. I’m just glad he hasn’t come back for a rematch yet.”

We sat listening to the sounds of the city. The cold air bit at me and I knew I ought to go in soon, but I was reluctant to break the moment. “It feels strange,” Anne said at last.

“What does?”

“Being away from Jagadev,” Anne said. At some point she’d stopped tacking Lord onto his name. “It’s the first time Vari and I have been all on our own.”

“You’re wondering what you should do,” I said.

Anne nodded. “Well, for the short term you can both stay here,” I said. “I might not have as much status as some, but as long as you’re living under this roof you’ll have some protection at least.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t get too grateful. I’ll probably want you to help out around the place.”

I saw Anne try to hide a smile. “But . . .” I said. “In the long run you and Variam are going to have to decide what to do next.”

Anne seemed about to say something, hesitated.

“I can’t take the two of you on as apprentices,” I said. “I couldn’t take on someone else and teach Luna as well. But even if I didn’t have Luna, I still couldn’t teach you properly. I only understand the basics of elemental and living magic, and you and Variam are way beyond anything I could show you. Both of you have more power right now than I’ll ever have. You need a teacher who can use the same type of magic that you can.”

A chill wind gusted over us, ruffling our hair. “Or you could try and make a go of it as independents,” I said. “But that’s got its own problems. You’re going to be seen as rogues or runaways or both. If you can get enough support and pass the journeyman tests, then the Light Council will have to recognise you as adult mages. But that’s not easy.”

Anne sighed. “None of it is, is it?” She straightened. “Well, we’ve made it this far. We’ll make do.”

“You will,” I said. “And you won’t be on your own this time.”

Anne looked at me and smiled. I got up and held my hand out to her. “Come on. Let’s go help Variam unpack.”

We went down out of the cold and towards the warmth and voices below.

Ace Books by Benedict Jacka

FATED

CURSED

TAKEN