The Ambassador's Mission: Book One of th - By Trudi Canavan Page 0,48
glance, and she found herself the subject of speculative looks from High Lord Balkan, Lady Vinara and Director Jerrik. She resisted the urge to shrug to indicate she had no idea why Osen had chosen that moment to look at her, instead ignoring them and keeping her attention on the novice.
The Administrator approached Norrin, whose shoulders hunched, but he didn’t look up.
“Novice Norrin,” Osen said. “You have been absent from the Guild Grounds and University for two months. You have ignored requests that you return, forcing us to take you into custody. You know the law restricting a novice’s movements and where he or she may reside. Why have you broken it?”
Norrin’s shoulders rose and fell as he took a deep breath and let it out again. He straightened and looked up at the Administrator.
“I don’t want to be a magician,” he said. “I’d want to, if I didn’t want to look after my family more.” He stopped and looked down again. Sonea could not see Osen’s face, but his posture was all patient expectation.
“Your family?” he prompted.
Norrin looked around, then flushed. “My little brothers and sisters. Mother can’t look after them. She’s sick.”
“And nobody else can take on this responsibility?” Osen asked.
“No. My sister – next oldest after me – died last year. The rest are too young. I didn’t use magic once,” he added quickly. “I know I’m not supposed to if I’m not gonna be a magician.”
“If you do not wish to be a magician – if you wish to leave the Guild – you must have your powers blocked,” Osen told him.
The novice blinked, then looked up at the Administrator with such hope that Sonea felt a pain in her chest. “You can do that?” Norrin said in a barely audible voice. “Then I can go look after my family and nobody will mind?” He frowned. “It doesn’t cost a lot, does it?”
Osen said nothing, then shook his head. “It costs nothing, except in lost opportunities for yourself. Can’t you wait a few more years? Wouldn’t it be better for your family if you were a magician?”
Norrin’s face darkened. “No. I can’t see them. I can’t get money to them. I can’t make Mother’s … sickness go away. And the others’re too young to look after themselves.”
Osen then turned to the Higher Magicians. “I suggest we discuss this.”
Sonea nodded her agreement along with the others. The Administrator indicated that the escort should take the boy out of the hall. As soon as the doors closed, Lady Vinara sighed loudly and turned to face them.
“The boy’s mother is a whore. She is not sick, she is addicted to roet.”
“It is true,” University Director Jerrik said. “But he has not picked up the habits of his mother. He is a sensible young man, studious and well mannered, with strong powers. It would be a pity to lose him.”
“He is too young to know what he is giving up,” Lord Garrel added. “He will regret sacrificing magic for the sake of his family.”
“But he would regret it more if he sacrificed his family for magic,” Sonea could not help adding.
Faces turned toward her. She had not made a habit of participating in the debates of the Higher Magicians these last twenty years. At first, because she felt too young and inexperienced in Guild politics to contribute, later because it had become clear to her that her position among them had been bestowed not out of respect but out of a begrudging acknowledgement of her powers and assistance in defending the country.
Yet whenever I speak I seem to attract a lot more attention than is warranted.
“You have much in common with Norrin, Black Magician Sonea,” Osen began. “In having not wanted to join the Guild – though not due to family circumstances, of course,” he added. “What would you suggest we do to persuade him to stay?”
Sonea resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “He wants to visit and help his family. Grant him that and I’m sure he’d be delighted to remain with us.”
The Higher Magicians exchanged glances. She looked at Rothen. He grimaced, communicating in that one look how unlikely it was the Higher Magicians would agree to that.
“But that would result in Guild money going to a whore, and no doubt feed her addiction,” Garrel pointed out.
“Plenty more Guild money goes toward hiring the services of whores each night than would be required to keep Norrin’s family fed and accommodated for the year,” Sonea replied, then winced