The Ambassador's Mission: Book One of th - By Trudi Canavan Page 0,80

at fault,” Vinara replied.

“I don’t think the lowies will accept a promise we’ll be fairer,” Lord Erayk pointed out. “They need something stronger. A real change.”

“Change sounds like the solution to me,” Lord Peakin said. “Or a clarification. What is an ‘unsavoury character’, after all?” His eyebrows rose and he looked around. “I’d find someone who smells bad unsavoury. That’s hardly justification for punishing a magician.”

There were a few chuckles.

“Black Magician Sonea.”

Sonea felt her heart sink as she recognised Kallen’s voice. She looked past High Lord Balkan at the man.

“Yes, Black Magician Kallen?” she replied.

“You have been meeting with the representatives of both sides. What have you concluded?”

The others were looking at her expectantly now. She paused to consider how to answer.

“I am in favour of the rule being changed. Of removing the reference to ‘unsavoury characters’, which not only eases the restrictions and perceived prejudice against novices and magicians from poorer backgrounds, it strengthens the emphasis on ‘criminals’ as those we don’t want Guild members associating with.”

To her consternation, none of the Higher Magicians looked surprised. Not even Rothen. Clearly they expected me to take this position. I hope that is because it is fairer, not because I grew up in the old slums.

“Even with this change, the weakness of the rule is the ambiguity in what a criminal is, or whether an activity is a crime,” Lord Erayk said.

“The king might not appreciate you calling his laws ‘ambiguous’,” Lord Peakin pointed out, chuckling. “His laws clearly state what is a crime.”

“I agree that certain activities need to be defined,” Lady Vinara said. “As the laws stand, it is difficult for us to prevent criminals taking advantage of magicians when those magicians are in their pleasure houses – whether by luring them into debt through gambling, addling their minds with drink, rewarding them with free whores or poisoning them with roet. If I had my way, roet selling would be a crime.”

“Why roet?” Lord Telano asked. “It is little different to drink, and I’m sure none of us would like wine to be declared illegal.” He glanced around, smiling and getting many nods in reply.

“Roet does far more harm,” Vinara told him.

“How so?”

She opened her mouth, then shook her head as a gong rang out. “Come to the Healer’s Quarters – or Black Magician Sonea’s hospices – and you will see the truth of it.”

Sonea’s heart skipped. Had Vinara investigated the effects of roet since Sonea told her of them? She looked at Vinara, but the woman’s attention was on Telano. He had turned away, scowling. I wonder why he is so bothered by Vinara’s position. And surely, as a Healer, he’s seen the effect of roet on its victims – even if he hasn’t realised it could be permanent. I must have a closer look at our Head of Healing Studies and talk to Lady Vinara again.

Administrator Osen announced the end of discussion time, and all returned to their seats. “Does anybody have anything they wish to say on this subject that has not been raised yet?” he asked.

A few magicians raised their hands. They were called to the floor. The first suggested that magicians should be subject to the same laws as ordinary Kyralians and there be no Guild rules at all. His proposal was met with a rumble of disagreement from all sides. The second magician declared that the rule should be changed, but his suggestion was that the rule should forbid magicians from involvement in or benefiting from criminal activity. This roused a thoughtful murmur. The last magician said only that the decision should be the king’s.

“The king knows and has acknowledged that Guild rules, as opposed to laws, are for the Guild to make,” Osen assured them all. He turned to the front. “Do any of the Higher Magicians have anything further to add?”

Nobody had suggested the simple change of removing “unsavoury characters” from the rule yet. Sonea drew in a deep breath and braced her feet, ready to rise.

“I do,” High Lord Balkan said. Sonea glanced at him, then relaxed. He stood up. “A small change can make a great difference. I propose that we change the wording of the rule, leaving out the reference to unsavoury characters, since it is ambiguous and open to unfair interpretation.”

Osen nodded. “Thank you.” He turned back to the hall. “Unless there is majority disagreement, we have four viable choices: abolish the rule in its entirety, leave it as it is, change it to remove reference to