The Ambassador's Mission: Book One of th - By Trudi Canavan Page 0,71

her attention to the people walking the street. A few men and women strolled along it, their high status obvious from their clothing, and one magician. The rest were servants. But then she noticed a group of four men leaving a building at the end of the street and entering a carriage. Though they wore the finery of the rich, there was something about their stature and movements that brought to mind the confident brutality of street gangs.

I could just be imagining it, she told herself. Could be making connections only because I’ve heard Regin talking about criminal connections in the Houses so much lately.

Turning away, she walked up to the door of Regin’s house and knocked. A moment later the door opened and a slim, sour-faced servant bowed deeply before her.

“Black Magician Sonea,” he said in an unexpectedly deep voice. “Lord Regin is expecting you. I will take you to him.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

He guided her through a large hall and up a curving staircase. Crossing a hall, they entered a large room filled with cushioned chairs, sunlight streaming in through tall windows on one side. The cloth covering the chairs, the paint on the walls and the paper screens were in bright, clashing colours.

Two people rose from their seats – Regin and a woman Sonea guessed was his wife. The woman approached Sonea with outstretched arms as if she meant to envelop her visitor in them, but at the last moment she clasped her hands together.

“Black Magician Sonea!” she exclaimed. “Such an honour to have you in our home.”

“This is Wynina, my wife,” Regin said.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Sonea told Wynina.

The woman beamed. “I have heard so much about you. It’s not often we have a historical figure in our home.”

Sonea tried to think of something appropriate to say in reply, but couldn’t. The woman flushed, then put a hand to her mouth. “Well,” she said, looking from Regin to Sonea. “You two have serious matters to discuss. I’ll leave you be.”

She moved to the door, turned back to smile at Sonea, then disappeared into the corridor beyond. Regin chuckled.

“She’s quite intimidated by you,” he said in a low voice, gesturing to the chairs in an invitation to sit.

“Really?” Sonea moved to one of the chairs and sat down. “She didn’t seem it.”

“Oh, she’s normally much more verbose.” He smiled thinly. “But I imagine there is something more important you have come to discuss?”

“Yes.” Sonea paused to take a deep breath. “I have been questioning Healers and helpers at the hospices, and it has led me to agree with you: it would be harmful to abolish the rule against associating with criminals.”

She had decided not to mention her suspicions about roet’s potential to permanently affect magicians’ bodies. When she had mentioned her suspicion to Lady Vinara the woman had been politely disbelieving. It would take a lot more than one stoneworker’s claims to convince magicians that they couldn’t Heal away the drug’s effects. Until Sonea had the time to test her theory, she would have to keep the idea to herself. And even if she did prove it, there were some in the Guild who would blame the lower classes for the problem, and that would only worsen the situation the rule had put the “lowies” in.

Regin straightened, his eyebrows rising slightly. “I see.”

“But I still believe the rule is unfair to novices and magicians from the lower classes,” Sonea continued, “and that we must do something to resolve that, or we are going to lose talented and powerful novices – or worse, invite rebellion.”

Regin nodded. “I have come to agree with you on this. And for quite opposite reasons I feel we must ensure that those magicians charged with ensuring the rule is obeyed and punishing those who break it do so fairly and without favour.”

“The rule must be changed, not abolished,” Sonea concluded.

“I agree.”

They regarded each other in expectant silence, then Sonea found herself smiling. “Well, that was easier than I thought.”

He chuckled. “Yes. Now we face the hard part. How should the rule be changed and how are we going to convince the Higher Magicians – or the rest of the Guild – to vote the way we want them to vote?”

“Hmm.” Sonea frowned. “It might be easier to plan our approach if we knew who was going to be voting.”

Regin steepled his fingers together. “Osen will be more likely to decide the way we want him to swing if we both suggest the