to learn a new alphabet, the runes of power, in order to work those spells.”
Will groaned.
“Yes, I’ll teach you,” finished his grandfather, ignoring Will’s moaning. “But you’ll learn things in the proper order.”
He nodded. “All right. Doesn’t seem like I have much choice.” Then he remembered his earlier question. “So when was your day again?”
The old man yawned. “I’m getting tired.” He stood up, as though to retire to his bedroom.
“You said you’d tell me!” protested Will.
Arrogan sat back down, grinning at Will’s frustration. “Somewhere around four hundred and fifty years ago.”
“You’re four hundred and fifty years old!” yelled Will, jumping up and knocking his chair over.
His grandfather shook his head. “No. That’s when my day was, if by that you mean the period when I was at my peak, before the so-called Terabinian War of Independence.”
“Then how old are you?” demanded Will.
“Still none of your damn business,” replied Arrogan. “If you ever learn to cook something that doesn’t make my stomach churn, I’ll think about telling you.”
***
The next day, after breakfast and his obligatory two hours of reading practice, Arrogan called him over. “Let’s see your candle.”
Will held it up. The flame was brighter today, but it still hadn’t recovered completely from Tailtiu’s kiss.
“You’ve spent plenty of time observing it as you go about your tasks,” said Arrogan. “Since you’re a mage now, it’s time for you to learn to control it. Here’s a question for you. Why is the flame still so small?”
That was easy. “Because I still haven’t regained my normal amount of turyn.”
His grandfather shook his head. “No, the real reason is because you’re ignorant, but I’ll try to correct some of that today.” Then he added, “Try not to scream; this is for your own good.”
“Why would I scr—” Will’s voice cut off as a vivid green line of power shot from Arrogan’s fingers and straight into his chest. He felt it bore into him, and while the sensation wasn’t painful, it was distinctly unpleasant. Then he stopped breathing.
Panic rapidly overtook him as he tried and failed to make his lungs work. Seconds ticked by, and his grandfather watched him with the same sort of faint disinterest an evil child might display while squashing ants. Finally, the old man spoke. “I’m not controlling your muscles. Look at the candle.”
The flame had turned green.
“Trying to make your muscles obey you won’t work,” said Arrogan. “First you have to make the candle return to its normal color.”
Will’s heart was pounding in his ears, and his face first grew red, then purple. He was beginning to see spots when suddenly his grandfather waved his hand and his lungs began working again. The candle was still burning green.
“I suppose you won’t learn anything if I let you suffocate,” said his grandfather. The green line of light still connected his fingers to Will’s chest. “Right now, I have absolute control over your turyn. I can do anything I want with you. Your lungs take in air at my command. Your heart beats because I allow it. I could kill you with a thought.” The old man reached back and began earnestly scratching his backside, seeming to have forgotten his grandson entirely.
When he looked back, there was a vicious intensity in his eyes. “It’s disconcerting, isn’t it? You feel helpless, violated. Those are perfectly normal feelings, but if you want them to stop, you’ll have to learn. Watch the flame.”
The candle flared, and Will felt a surge of energy. He couldn’t remember ever feeling quite so alive. It was as though his body was bursting with vitality. The flame was now twice its normal size.
“That turyn didn’t come from me,” said Arrogan. “Just in case that’s what you were thinking. It came from you. I’m just controlling it. Everything I am about to show you are things you are capable of doing for yourself, once you learn how.
“The turyn in our bodies comes from a limited source. Think of it as the candle. Make it burn faster, and the candle shortens more quickly, while the flame grows brighter. Ordinarily a wizard wouldn’t do this, since I’m essentially causing you to age faster, but in a pinch it’s a handy way to recover your turyn in a hurry.”
Will’s eyes lit with interest.
“It’s also stupid,” added his grandfather. “This is the main reason why wizards these days live such short, stunted lives.”
Will felt a strange sensation, as though he had relaxed a muscle, though it had nothing to do with his physical body.