It was a cool night; cool enough for Jaspa to wrap her cloak a little closer around her and cup her hands over her shrouded lantern where she crouched near the side of the road. Above her in the tree, her familiar, Myertek, ruffled his feathers. She heard his dry voice in her mind: //damn, it's cold. C'mon, Chief, let's call it a night.//
//Nah. I have a feeling a really good one is about to come along. And who am I to turn down a good hunch?//
His gave a chittering laugh, but he was silenced by the sound of a coach coming down the road into town. //Okay, I guess you were right. One horse, black carriage. Looks like one driver, maybe two passengers.//
Jaspa grinned. //Piece of cake.//
Jaspa was a student at the University of Arcane Knowledge in town, studying Sorcery. She'd passed the entrance exams with flying colors, but her parents couldn't quite afford the tuition... so she'd found a way to supplement their regular shipments of funds. The University had scholarships, of course, but charity students were the butts of every joke on campus, and Jaspa had decided there was a long list of things she'd much rather do than put up with that. So, she told her parents not to worry, and hatched a plan.
She'd been careful, and had been working the roads outside town for years now. Things had gotten notably easier when she'd bonded fully with her familiar; Myertek was a griffet, a sort of pint-sized griffin, and had the famed eagle-eyes of his kind. He had an attitude to match his talent, but they got along well, and he'd accepted her rather illegal habits easily. In fact, after all this time, he seemed to enjoy playing lookout for her, and the fact that their sorcerer-familiar bond let them speak mind-to-mind with no eavesdropping from other sorcerers or non-magic-users was a definite plus.
She waited until the trotting hoofbeats were only a few yards away, and leapt out into the road, crossbow cocked, lantern uncovered and held high.
"Stand and deliver!" She had dropped her voice into a fair approximation of a man's, and with the mask over her face and the billowing cloak, she knew she presented an impressive appearance. The horse reared as Myertek set off the spell he and Jaspa had created earlier, making rustling sounds and the muted clicks of crossbows being cocked on both sides of the road.
Jaspa grinned as the driver fought his horse to a standstill and raised his hands. "That's right." She walked around to one side of the carriage and leaned in the window. The curtains were drawn back by a thin, pale hand, and when the hand's owner leaned forward into her lantern light, he was smiling.
"Why, Jaspa," he drawled. "Good evening."
//What is it, Chief? He armed?//
Jaspa tried to force her stomach out of her throat. "M-master Kalishk?" //Worse. It's Kalishk.//
//Uh-oh.//
Kalishk raised an eyebrow at her. "I had no idea you were so able at ... fund-raising. Is your familiar with you?"
Jaspa hung her head and tugged her mask off. "Yes, Master Kalishk."
"Call him, and get in. No need for you to walk back to the College at this time of night."
"Yes, Master Kalishk." //Myertek, get over here.//
The silver-grey griffet sailed out of the tree, landing elegantly on her shoulder, where he dug his claws into her cloak for stability. He nodded at Kalishk, who nodded back. //You are so screwed,// he snickered into Jaspa's mind.
//Hey, you're in this too, remember? Now shut up.//
That sobered him up, and they got into the coach. Jaspa sat down facing the Master Librarian, then lifted Myertek into her lap. Kalishk was alone, his only company in the carriage other than her a large box, probably of books. She sighed faintly, and swore to herself. Damn, damn, damn. What in the name of the twelfth circle of hell was my intuition thinking?
Kalishk leaned back, regarding her calmly from under half-closed eyelids. He was the terror of the Collegium Sorcaeum. Undergraduates had been known to go to the library in groups and draw straws to see who had to ask him for assistance, and the college was rife with rumors of what he did to those who returned books late or didn't follow the library rules. It didn't help that he was undead.
Jaspa knew he wasn't really that bad, as long as you didn't irritate him. He'd helped her research a paper during her first term, and seemed to rather like her, at least, as much as he liked anybody. He'd even smiled at her once. But now, his bony face was inscrutable.
I am so dead.
The coach finally stopped near Jaspa's dormitory. She didn't ask how he knew where she lived; somehow it seemed to be a pointless question. Besides, he hadn't spoken since she'd joined him in the coach, and she didn't want to push her luck. She climbed out with a barely-audible "thank you, Master Kalishk," and he closed the door behind her.
"Oh, Jaspa?"
Damn. She turned to face him. "Yes, sir?"
"Come see me tomorrow evening, after your practicum is finished. We will talk."
Her shoulders slumped, making Myertek flap one wing to keep his balance. "Yes, Master Kalishk."
Jaspa spent the next morning in a haze of vague terror. Her morning classes, thankfully, were lectures, and she was able to take notes automatically while the rest of her brain churned. Master Kalishk was going to kill her. Or, worse, he was going to tell the Board of the College. She could just imagine their pointed stares, their lectures about the respected history of the College, how Sorcerers and other magic users had to be honest, upstanding citizens or risk the destruction of civil society. They'd send her down, send her back to her parents' place. And then she'd have to tell her parents why, and explain everything. Maybe she could talk Kalishk out of reporting her. But what did she have to offer? Not a whole lot, when it came right down to it. He was old, old as the College itself, according to rumor, and probably had everything he needed. And he was a vampire, a walking corpse, which made offering him sexual favors somewhat pointless. She'd had whispered discussions with some of her fellow female students, several of whom found his aloof intelligence attractive. They'd done some research and discovered, to their disappointment, that the closest vampires could get to intercourse was drinking the blood of a living human. That memory brought on a whole new worry: what if he wanted her blood? Did he live on the blood of students who pissed him off? How would it feel to have fangs break her skin, to feel her blood being drained? To-
//Chief. Chief!//
Jaspa's train of thought broke off, and she looked up to see Professor Dysel looking at her with one eyebrow raised. "Um. Sorry, sir?"
"I said, Jaspa, what is the next word in this invocation?" He tipped his head at the blackboard, which had the beginning of the second minor invocation for lower spirits on it. His thin face held an expression that bordered on a sneer, but somehow communicated that undergraduates weren't even quite worth that much effort. Like many professors at the College, he felt teaching was an unfair infringement on his research time.
Jaspa gave silent thanks that she'd done her homework before hitting the rode the night before, and said confidently, "amouert, professor."
"Very good." He gestured, and a piece of chalk rose to write the word on the board. "Now, then," he began, and turned his attention back to the rest of the class.
//Good recovery, Chief. Still thinking about tonight's meeting?//
//No, I'm thinking about breakfast this morning. Of course I'm thinking about Kalishk! What the hell is he going to do to me?//
//How should I know? I'm just a humble griffet.//
//Griffet, yes. Humble, my ass.//
//Hey, leave the wisecracks to me, huh?//
//Whatever.//
The rest of the day went at about the same rate - Jaspa's thoughts chasing each other in ever more horrifying circles, and Myertek yanking her back into the present when she was called on in class.
Her practicum, though, was a virtual disaster - they were practicing a minor summoning, and Jaspa was barely able to hold her part of the circle adequately. Myertek was, as he reminded her several times, the only reason she made it through the class without being sent out early or vaporized.
She couldn't help feeling, though, that being vaporized might have been the pleasant option. As she trudged slowly toward the massive library, it started to feel as though her doom were closing in.
//Cheerful today, aren't we?//
//Shut up, Myertek.//
//Hey, it could be worse.//
//Oh yeah?//
//You could have messed up your quadrant of the circle complete and let the demon out.//
//Yeah, but then I wouldn't be here.//
//No, you'd be writhing in agony on the laboratory floor. Come to think of it, there's a good chance you're about to be writhing in agony on the Library floor in a couple minutes, so never mind.//
//Gee, thanks, Myertek.//
//You know me, I live to serve.//
Jaspa walked up the stairs to the massive library doors and opened one. It creaked dramatically, but she was too unnerved already to take much notice. Inside, the library was much as it always had been - high-ceilinged, full of books, and fairly humming with sorcerous energy. The books gave off heavy auras of power; years of being read, cast from, cursed at, and sometimes prayed to (an undergraduate cramming for an exam will pray to almost anything; there are no atheists during midterms) had given them borderline sentience.
Normally, Jaspa found the feel of their knowledge comforting, even empowering, but today, she tried not to shiver. Myertek settled more firmly on her shoulder as she walked toward Master Kalishk's desk, hidden behind rows and rows of books.
She found him bent over his desk, making fastidious notes about one of a stack of books sent in front of him. Most students expected a Master Librarian to have an office, but Kalishk had simply put his desk in the dead center of the first floor, where he could keep an eye on the students at the reading tables. It was true that it took some time to get used to studying in his presence, but most students eventually managed it.
Jaspa stopped in front of his desk and waited for him to notice her. His thin fingers turned a page delicately, he made a note, and then he looked up at her, his dark eyes calm in his thin, pale face. He smiled briefly, but with a hint of genuine warmth, and Jaspa almost relaxed.
"Jaspa. Please sit down."
She took one of the chairs in front of his desk, and lowered herself into it.
"Sir, I-"
"Wait a moment." Kalisk concentrated briefly, and Jaspa could feel a sound barrier activate around his desk. "There. Now we may speak without eavesdroppers. You were saying?"
"Um. Sir. I... nothing, really. I guess I'd like to know why you asked me here."
"As opposed to going straight to the Board of the College?"
Jaspa nodded silently. Kalishk leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together.
"Jaspa, as you know, I am the Master Librarian of the College."
//Whoa, big revelation there.//
//Shut up, Myertek.//
"As such," Kalishk continued, "it is my duty to acquire and guard books for the use of the faculty and students." He paused, as if choosing his words very carefully. "It is sometimes necessary to use... somewhat unorthodox methods to do this."
"Sir?"
Kalishk ignored her. "My two assistant librarians are, for the most part, quite good at their jobs... but they are not suitable for some of the tasks I occasionally need completed. They are, to be blunt, good only for what they currently do: cataloging books and assisting researchers to find them. I have been looking for some time now for an eligible candidate to assist me in these tasks. You have displayed adequate intelligence in the past, and last night you demonstrated your courage and ability in less academic settings. In short, I believe you have the qualities necessary for what I have in mind."
"Um, sir? May I ask what that is?"
"You will assist me in acquiring and guarding these books when more ... unusual methods are required. In return, I will not only refrain from informing the Board of your
nocturnal activities, but will suggest that the Board give you a working scholarship so that those activities will no longer be necessary."
"But, sir... what kind of tasks do you have in mind?"
"They vary. But I think you will find they are not only within your abilities but are preferable to the actions the Board would take if informed of your past habits."
"I ... see. When do I begin?"
"You will report to me every three days, after supper, beginning tonight. At the moment, I have no task for you, but I may by three days from now. Do not forget."
"I won't forget, sir. Three days from now, after supper."
"Yes. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the tasks I will be giving you should be kept quiet?"
"Of course, sir."
"Excellent. I shall see you in three days' time, then. You may go, Jaspa."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, Master Kalishk."
He nodded, and dissipated the sound barrier with a wave. Jaspa rose slowly, turned away from him, and walked, a trifle unsteadily, to the doors.
//Well, that went better than I expected.//
//You and me both, Chief. Think he means it?//
//This is Kalishk. Of course he means it.//
//Do you think he'll have us hold up coaches for book shipments?//
//You never know.../
As it turned out, Kalishk's assignment was something else entirely. Jaspa strode purposefully out of the library, her mind churning.
Myertek gave up clinging to her shoulder and took to the air as she trotted down the steps. //Hey, Chief - is it me, or is this something he could do himself?//
//I agree. What is this, a test?//
//Gee, ya think? I dunno, maybe he has trust problems because of your former profession?//
Jaspa snorted. //Sheesh. It's not like I have an option here. If I don't do what he wants, I'll get sent down.//
Myertek flapped down to her shoulder again as she reached the flat path. //You're expecting me to understand the motivations of an undead guy? C'mon, Chief. I'm only brilliant, not a bloody genius.//
//Oh, forgive me, brilliant one.// Jaspa turned her head and made a face at him. //Now, then. We have to get ready for this job.//
Jaspa darted up the stairs to her room and slipped in her door. She lifted Myertek from her shoulder to his usual spot at the foot of her bed, hung her cloak on its hook, and started rummaging through her wardrobe. Student robes would make her an object of interest, and Kalishk had said it would be important to blend in. Unfortunately, her options other than robes were limited to her "fund-raising" gear and the one decent outfit she'd brought from home when she first came to the College. The farmer's-daughter outfit would definitely set her apart from everyone else, so she dug out the short tunic and leggings that made up her other non-student set, pleased to note that they weren't too stained.
It was quick work to strip out of the long dark robes she was required to wear and pull on the plainer gear. She hung her pouch and a simple dagger off her belt before buckling it on, then strapped her Sorcerer's Dagger onto her left forearm, checking that the long sleeves of the tunic covered it adequately. The blade would make it obvious to anyone with arcane knowledge that she was a sorcerer, but she wouldn't leave it behind any more than she would run naked through the streets. Strapping it to her arm instead of her waist was her only concession to disguise.
She pulled on her boots, topped the ensemble off with her cloak, and looked down at herself approvingly. //Well, Myertek, what do you think?//
On the bed, Myertek yawned and stretched. //Same as ever, Chief. Just add your mask, and you could be out on the road again.//
//That's not the idea, you know.//
Jaspa took a deep breath, then wrapped her cloak around her to hide her clothing and opened her door. The hallway was empty, and she quickly made her way out of the dormitory and headed for the College walls, keeping to the shadows. It was easy to find the section of wall she had used to climb over when heading out for a night on the roads, but she couldn't help grinning at the incongruity. Myertek flew up to sit atop the weathered stone as Jaspa found hand- and foot-holds and started climbing.
//Never thought I'd be climbing the wall on the orders of a member of the faculty.//
//Oh, yeah, like none of them have ever climbed out themselves.//
//Oh, I can just see Master Kalishk climbing out for a night on the town.//
//Of course! I bet he went drinking with his buddies all the time, Chief.//
//Oh, now that was in poor taste.//
Myertek gave a chirp of laughter, and Jaspa mock-scowled at him as she swung over the wall and started down the other side. She dropped the last few feet, brushed her hands against each other to remove the grit from the wall, and set off for the building Kalishk had named. //Myertek, I want you overhead and out of sight. Keep your eyes open, but I don't want you spotted.//
//Got it, Chief.//
Jaspa walked quickly through the dark streets, trying to look confident. She almost never went into the city; between the College curfew and her classes, she had little time for it. And, of course, she couldn't exactly hold coaches up inside the city walls. Besides, the thieves' Guild got cranky about that sort of thing unless you were a member. Her few friends had gone on the occasional expedition, though, so she did at least know her way around fairly well.
The city was full of winding streets, houses leaning out over the walkways, and the reek of too many humans living close together. It had been almost unlivable, in Jaspa's opinion, when she first arrived, but now she was used to the smell and understood the conveniences of the rather cramped quarters.
A watchman passed her, tipping his helmet politely, and Jaspa tried to look casual.
//Oooh, big scary watchman, eh, Chief?//
//Shut up, Myertek.//
She found the inn almost immediately and entered, her eyes scanning the crowd of people in the common room. Most were clustered in small groups, drinking and laughing loudly. A game of darts was in progress at one end of the room, and a nearby table was making bets and calling out speculations to the players. One man, alone, was seated at a corner table, a satchel over the back of his chair. Longish dark hair, neatly trimmed beard and mustache, and olive skin. One earring. Sailor's clothing and a wary attitude.
//You spot the guy, Chief?//
//Yep. You stay out there and let me know if anybody I should be worried about shows up.//
//You got it.//
Jaspa approached the sailor, stopping a foot or so from his table. "I'm looking for a man named Dalyn. Do you know him?"
The man grinned at her. "Well, I'll be damned. Old Creepy didn't say he was sending a lovely young girl to fetch his things."
//Old Creepy?//
//Lovely young girl?//
//Shut up, Myertek.//
"I take it you're Dalyn, then."
"That I am. Have a seat, miss. Want a drink?"
"Um. No, thank you. I really can't stay long. Do you have what I was sent for?"
"That I do." He dug in the satchel and brought out a large box wrapped in oilskin. He handed it over, taking a swig from the mug on the table as Jaspa opened it.
The box contained a single book with a plain cover. Jaspa mentally compared it to the description Kalishk had given her. It matched perfectly, but she opened it just to be sure. The title was correct, so she closed the book and box, and carefully re-wrapped it. "Everything seems to be in order. Here is what he asked me to give you." She pulled a smaller pouch out of the larger one strapped to her belt and handed it over.
Dalyn looked at the coins inside it before nodding. "Perfect."
Jaspa got up to go, and Dalyn gave her a mock-pitiful look. "You sure you won't stay and have a drink with me?"
She shook her head. "My apologies, Dalyn, but no. I have to get back quickly. He doesn't like to be kept waiting, you know."
"That's the truth. Well, then," he rose as well, and took her hand, "I wish you safe journey, and hope he'll send you again." He kissed her hand with a show of gallantry.
Jaspa flushed, uncertain, and murmured a hasty "thankyou" before all but bolting for the door.
//Oooh, smooth, Chief. Very smooth.//
//Shut up, Myertek. When the Collegium gives classes in etiquette you can razz me about it.//
//Whatever.//
Standing in front of the College wall, it was suddenly clear that there was a problem.
//Dammit, I should've brought a satchel.// Jaspa hefted the box thoughtfully. It was impossible for her to climb the wall while holding onto the box.
Myertek landed on top of the wall and preened one wing. //I was wondering how you planned to handle that, Chief.//
//Sure you were.//
//Yeah, I just didn't want to say anything.//
//Riiiiiight. It doesn't matter, though. I have a plan.// Under Myertek's curious gaze, Jaspa set down the box and pulled off her belt.
//Oh, I see, Chief. You're gonna do a striptease in the hopes that some guy will come over to help.//
//C'mon, Myertek, give me a little credit.// She tucked her pouch and plain dagger inside the box, then re-wrapped its oilskin cover and tied the belt around it tightly.
//You're not gonna do what I think you are, are you?//
//Probably. Come down here.//
//Aw, Chief.../
//Now, Myertek.//
With a series of mental grumbles, the griffet flapped down and landed on the box. //I knew it.//
//Up you go.//
Closing his front claws around the belt, Myertek flapped heavily until he was in the air, headed for the top of the wall. //I'm gonna strain a wing, I know it.//
//Oh, hush.// Jaspa muttered a spell, and he squawked as a minor levitation pushed him over.
//Hey, you're getting better at that, Chief.//
//After all the practice Master Rangstron gives us, I should hope so.//
She followed him over the wall, and headed for her dormitory. There was no way she was going to the library at this time of night in anything other than student robes.
Clad in her student robes, box under her arm and her cloak wrapped tightly around her, Jaspa strolled across campus toward the library. As long as she looked like she was just out for a late walk to clear her mind from studying, she'd probably be left alone.
It didn't take long to reach the library, and the heavy doors were unlocked. Jaspa slipped inside, Myertek clinging to one shoulder, and made her way to Master Kalishk's desk. He was bent over a large book, apparently engrossed in it.
Jaspa took a breath to clear her throat, and he said calmly, "Jaspa. I'm glad you made it back." He closed the book and set it off to one side, then looked at her, almost smiling.
//Hey, Chief, would his face crack if he really smiled?//
//Shut up, Myertek.// "Hhere's the book, Master Kalishk." She stepped forward and placed the box gently on his desk.
Kalishk's thin hands unwrapped the box and opened it to lift the book out. He set it on the desk and opened it gingerly. "Excellent. You may go. I will see you in three days."
"Yes, Master Kalishk. Good night."
He waved absently, without looking up, and Jaspa headed for the door.
The next three days were so busy that Jaspa barely had time to worry about what her next assignment for the Master Librarian would be. Master Dysel, her conjuration teacher, announced the morning after Jaspa's trip to town that there would be "a small quiz" the following day, and she spent the afternoon in the practice rooms and the evening with her textbooks. Dysel's "small quizzes" usually consisted of comprehensive questions and nearly impossible demonstrations.
Myertek woke her early the day of the quiz so she could do some last-minute cramming. //Chief. Hey, Chief!//
"Mrf." Jaspa batted ineffectually at the wings beating around her face.
//Get up.//
"Damnation. Damn Dysel and his damn conjuration quiz, that damned-"
//Chief, you gotta learn some new swear words.//
//Dammit, Myertek, shut up.//
Myertek crept out of the way as Jaspa levered herself out of bed and raked fingers through her hair. Muttering curses against quizzes and the Master Sorcerers who gave them, Jaspa managed to change into her student robes and stagger down to the food hall for tea and toast. One of her friends spotted her and waved a cheerful greeting.
"Jaspa! Hey!"
"Oh, hey, Roarian." Jaspa glared at the wide-awake blond approaching her. Myertek and Joanst, Roarian's fire-lizard familiar traded glares of their own. Although Jaspa and Roarian were both second-level students and good friends, their familiars barely tolerated each other.
Roarian grinned. "You're cheerful this morning."
"I've got a Dysel 'small quiz' this morning." The two made their way towards a table, clutching their breakfast trays.
"Oh, that explains it. Should I be helpful and quiz you, or talk about something else entirely?"
"Talk about something else entirely. If I hear the word "invoke" one more time, I may fall back asleep." Jaspa and Roarian sat down opposite each other, their familiars both hopping down to take up tense positions on their mistresses' sides of the table.
"Right. Okay, how's this: where were you night before last? I stopped by your room, but you weren't in." Roarian buttered her toast and waited for the answer.
Jaspa froze, honeypot in one hand, mind blanking. "Um..."
//Practice rooms?// Myertek prompted.
"I was in the practice rooms." //Good call.//
//That'll be half a piece of toast, Chief.//
Jaspa drizzled honey over her toast, then broke off a piece and held it out so Myertek could take it.
"Wow. Burning the midnight candle, and all that?"
"Yep."
"I wish I had your discipline."
Jaspa snorted and took a bite of her toast. "No, you don't. You get sleep and have a life."
"Yeah, but you have better grades."
"Well... this is true." Jaspa grinned. "I just hope that remains the case after this quiz today."
"Hey, we were going to talk about something else entirely, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. Excellent point, my friend. I'll drink to that."
Jaspa had Dysel's class first, and she reached the classroom early, sitting down outside the door and skimming her notes to make sure she had everything memorized. She'd conjured one demon successfully the night before, but that had been using her notes, and she wasn't going to have that luxury during the quiz. Other students showed up one or two at a time, all looking equally troubled. They exchanged worried looks and re-read their notes. Even the familiars looked nervous.
After all too short a time, Professor Dysel appeared, unlocking the door and leading the students in. He checked to make sure everyone was present before locking the door and activating the buffering spell that kept magics performed in the room from escaping, then handed out the paper section of the quiz. That done, he stood in front of the class and explained the demonstration part of the quiz.
"Now then. I'm sure you all remember the invocation for minor informational demons?" The class stifled groans. "Excellent. After finishing the paper section of the quiz, you will all come down here," he spread his arms to indicate the large empty floor in front of the student seating, "and demonstrate your knowledge of the invocation by summoning a minor demon to tell you exactly what book I read before retiring to bed last night. Your grade will depend upon your ability to conjure the demon correctly and upon your binding the demon well enough to get the correct answer. I will monitor your success in both areas during your castings, and you are to write the answer the demon gives you on the bottom of your quiz before handing it in. Do not, of course, forget to cast a buffering circle around yourselves before beginning the invocation. If you make an error, I don't want your magics wreaking havoc in the classroom. Any questions?"
There were none.
"Very well. You may begin."
Jaspa took a deep breath and looked down at the quiz sheet. The questions were fairly straightforward, and she and Myertek managed to answer most of them with little trouble. When they'd finished, she grabbed her satchel for the required materials and headed for the floor. There were a handful of other students down there already, and she found a clear space.
Casting the buffering spell was no problem - shielding circles were one of the first spells novice sorcerers learned. She set it up quickly with Myertek helping to balance the energy, then turned her attention to the more difficult spell, lighting her portable brazier and setting out the various items necessary for the next spell. She dug out her bag of chalk, found a yellow stick, and used a piece of string held in place by Myertek to draw the smaller circle that would contain the demon. When the circle was drawn, she inscribed appropriate runes around it with great care, drawing the ones to indicate the time period and approximate location she needed information about. Professor Dysel, like the other faculty members, lived on campus in one of the faculty dormitories. She didn't know which one, but didn't need to, as she indicated it was Dysel she needed to know about.
She sat down at the correct end of the chalked circle, nodding to Myertek where he sat by her supplies. He grabbed a vial of herbs and flapped to her shoulder. //Looks ready, Chief.//
//I sure hope so,// she replied silently, and sprinkled the herbs onto the brazier. As they started to smoke, she saw Dysel out of the corner of her eye, watching her and taking notes. //Oh, Gods.../
//No sweat, Chief. You can do it. Hell, after all that cramming last night, you'd better be able to.//
//Right. Here we go.//
Jaspa glared at the small circle surrounded with runes and waved the smoke towards it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began to chant. The harsh words fell into a sort of rhythm after a few moments, and she eventually lost all sense of time. Struggling to pronounce each word correctly each time with just the right amount of psychic emphasis took all of her attention. When she finally felt the boundary between worlds start to thin in the summoning circle, she nodded, and Myertek added his focus to hers, helping to call the appropriate demon into their space.
Suddenly, it was there. Jaspa opened her eyes to see a small demon standing in the middle of her circle. It looked like the one she'd called last night, although it was hard to be sure. Like most minor demons, he was only a few inches tall, humanoid, covered in blue scales, and obviously grumpy.
"Well," he said in a surprisingly deep voice, "what do you want?" He looked around, seeing the other students at work in their own circles, and made a face. "It's another bloody quiz, isn't it? I knew the day this university got set up -"
Jaspa sighed and cut him off. "I didn't conjure you here to chat." She tried to look imposing, and said the words prescribed by her textbook: "'Now, demon, I ask that you tell me that which I wish to know, for I have summoned you here using the old words of power which you must obey.'"
He tapped one small bare foot, and spoke the ritual words irritably. "'What is thy question, O Sorcerer?' Can we get on with this already?"
"C'mon, my professor is watching," Jaspa hissed. "Tell me what book Professor Emilius Dysel of the Collegium Sorcaeum was reading before going to bed last night." You had to be specific, or demons would try to screw you every time.
"Is that all? It was- Oh, sorry. 'Yea, O Sorcerer, it was Advanced Conjuration by Master Evran Smith.' Followed," he added in a conspiratorial voice, "by Pleasure Demons and You, but that's a pamphlet, so I'm sure it doesn't count."
Jaspa and Myertek both stifled snickers, aware that would draw Dysel's attention. "You're kidding!"
"I wish I were."
"Wow. Um... Oh, yeah. 'I thank you, O Demon, for your assistance. Accept this offering," she dropped some resin onto the brazier, "in gratitude and depart swiftly to your own world.'" Jaspa gave the demon a grin and chanted the dispelling phrase to open the way for him to return. Myertek helped her close it properly, then flapped to the ground as she cleaned up the circle. She left the brazier burning until the very last minute, so the demon would get the most out of the resin. The textbooks said that the incense was a way of transferring energy from one world to another, and that the demons sort of fed on that. Kind of like offering a donkey a carrot in exchange for carrying a load. Jaspa wasn't sure if she believed that or not; most of the demons she'd seen seemed more annoyed than pleased at getting conjured.
Jaspa scribbled the answer she'd gotten from the demon on her quiz sheet (only the first part; she was sure that the second half would be unwise to include regardless of its veracity), then handed it in and headed for her room, grateful that she had a couple of hours before her next class. Conjurations seemed simple, but always left her feeling exhausted. She couldn't imagine what summoning a major demon would be like. She sighed. That was for the upper-division students anyway; she wouldn't have to worry about it for a few more years.
Her afternoon lecture, Master Rangstron's Elementary Levitation, went well, but the professor assigned a massive chunk of reading and practice for homework, so Jaspa spent the rest of the evening reading and levitating small objects in the practice rooms
Jaspa woke the next morning from a dream in which Master Kalishk was holding her reponsible for a massive fire in the library to find Myertek attacking her toes. "OW!" //Myertek, I've told you before not to do that.//
He dipped his head and tried to look apologetic. //Sorry, Chief. They were wiggling, and I was bored.../
With a sigh, Jaspa swung herself out of bed. She and Myertek had been together for a long while now, but he was still a comparative youngster.
//Don't forget tonight's appointment with Master Kalishk, Chief.//
Jaspa closed her eyes with a pained look. "Now there's a thought to start off the day."
//Just being helpful.//
//Right.//
It was one of Jaspa's busy days, full of lectures and practicums. She hauled herself up the steps to the library after dinner, trying to summon enough energy to at least be nervous, but she was too tired. //Remind me why I'm doing this?//
//So you don't have to explain to your parents why you didn't?//
//That's it. I knew there was something.//
//And so you won't have to explain to Kalishk why you won't. I'm sure he'd just be thrilled if you backed out now.//
Jaspa shuddered at the thought of the Master Librarian's wrath. There were professors who were afraid of him. Myertek dug his claws into her shoulder, unsettled by her quiver, and Jaspa opened the library doors and entered.
Kalishk was at his desk, as usual, but this time he was almost entirely hidden behind a row of books, stacked a dozen or more high. He peered over the top, birdlike, and said, "ah, Jaspa. Right on time. Do come over here."
Jaspa walked around to the side of his desk, where she could see him. He leaned back in his chair and regarded her thoughtfully. "Jaspa, I need you to deliver a letter for me. Ordinarily, I would meet with the gentleman in question myself, but as you see," he tilted his head to indicate the piles of books, "I am rather busy. I am leaving for a conference in a few days, and have a great deal to do before I can depart." He held up the letter. "This must be delivered to the librarian at Downy's School of Culture and Intellect."
"But... Master Kalishk, that's the Assassin's School!"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Not officially."
"Sir, it's the most heavily guarded private building in the city. And ... they train people to kill there."
"Only in the specialized diplomacy courses. You need only slip on campus, find the library, and give this note to the head librarian. I know you are able to move about more or less unseen; your ability to hide is all you need."
"Sir-"
"Jaspa, this is important. Go. Ask if he has a reply, and if he does, bring it back here. If not, come straight back and tell me."
"Yes, sir." Jaspa took the letter and tucked it into her pouch dejectedly.
"Go."
"Yes, sir." She turned and left the library. //This is not my night, Myertek.//
//What, just because you have to go to the one place in town that teaches people to kill with style?//
Jaspa changed quickly into her plain clothes, knowing that it would help her look like just a servant, and she was over the wall and in the city in no time. She sent Myertek on ahead to keep a lookout, and headed for the School. //Dammit, why now? They'll probably have closed the gates, and I'll have to find a way to sneak in.../
//I guess it shows his faith in your abilities, Chief.//
//Still. This does not bode well.//
Downy's School of Culture and Intellect was the front buisiness for the Assassins' Guild in the city. It was the best place for a young man to get a polite education, but it was also the place to send a younger son if you wanted him trained in the arts of executive diplomacy. Jaspa shivered. Rumors about the school were rife in the College, and everyone she knew thought of it with a sort of horrified fascination.
Jaspa tried to look casual as she walked down the street past its gates, peering between the bars into the courtyard with what she hoped looked like nonchalance. The young man on guard duty smiled at her, so she decided to try the direct approach. "Um. I have a note for the Head Librarian. May I enter?"
The smile vanished. "I can give it to him for you."
"Sorry, I'm supposed to hand it to him directly."
"You'll have to come back later, then."
Jaspa sighed. "Please? My master will kill me."
He shook his head. "Nope, sorry."
"Well, hell." Jaspa tried to look pitiable, but the guard was unmoved. They clearly trained their staff well here. She finally shrugged and walked further down the road. //Myertek... see any sort of a way in?//
//Hm... hang on a moment, Chief.//
Jaspa leaned against a wall, trying to blend in to the shadows. //Hurry up.//
//Wait a sec... Ah, here.// He sent her an image of a wall with loose enough mortar for her to climb. //There's nobody around.//
//Okay, here goes nothing.// Jaspa walked quickly to the place Myertek had indicated, and started up the wall. She was halfway up when what she had thought was a gargoyle turned its head and looked at her.
"Nice night for it."
It was a credit to Jaspa's nerves that she didn't let go and fall to the street below. //Myertek, I'm gonna make a fur cap with silver feathers out of you.//
//He wasn't there, Chief, I swear!//
The not-gargoyle turned out to be a young man in all black, dusted with ash or something similar and clinging to the top of the wall with effortless strength as he regarded her with calm blue eyes. "Any particular reason you're sneaking into the school? You don't have the look of a student."
"I'm on an errand."
"You don't look like a member of the thieves' Guild, either."
"I'm not."
"Then you'll get caught."
"No, I won't." Jaspa grimaced and pulled herself up a few more feet, finally gaining the top of the wall, where she perched next to him.
"Would you care to wager on that?"
"What?" Her mind was beginning to recover from the shock of his sudden appearance, but she couldn't help staring blankly at him.
"I'll bet you a dinner for two at the restaurant of your choice that you get caught."
Jaspa didn't think twice. Sorcerers were notoriously fond of good food - it came from the horrible meals usually served in the cafeteria. "Deal." Then she remembered the fact that she was talking to a complete stranger who was obviously a student of assassination. "Um."
"Don't worry, I won't cheat."
"That wasn't really what I was thinking about."
"No? Oh, you're afraid I'll just stab you? Poison maybe?" He looked mildly annoyed.
"The thought had crossed my mind. No offense, but you're not here practicing your needlepoint."
"True. Look, unless somebody hires me, you don't have to worry."
"Right. Well, it's too late now anyway. What's your name?"
"Maximon de Tenebrae. Call me Max."
"I'm Jaspa, Max."
"Pleased to meet you. I'd shake your hand, but..." he held up one hand, displaying a palm covered in ash.
"No problem. You just have to watch while I win our little bet."
"I'll be watching, all right." He grinned, and vanished. Jaspa blinked, but couldn't see him anywhere.
//Myertek? Where'd he go?//
//No clue, Chief.//
//Well, you're a big help.// She swung over the wall, and headed for what looked like the library, wrapping her cloak around her in the hopes that its black would make her look like a student out for a late stroll.
The building, when she got close enough to read the signs, did turn out to be the library, but the door was locked. Jaspa turned and walked around the side of the building into the dark gap between it and the next building over, looking for windows. //Myertek, you up there somewhere?//
//Right over you, Chief.//
//Is that window up there open by any chance?//
Jaspa watched as Myertek flapped quickly to the windowsill and checked it out. //No, but it looks unlocked.//
//Good.// Jaspa ran her hands over the wall in front of her and swore silently. //Damn, damn, damn. This is too even a surface for me to climb properly...buildings are too far apart to crab my way up...I wish I knew how to rappell or something.// After a moment's thought, she shrugged, and settled down under the window.
//Chief, you're not going to try what I think you are, are you?//
//What, levitation? Yeah.//
//But-//
//Shut up and help me concentrate.//
Myertek settled himself more firmly on the ledge above, and Jaspa could feel his mind focus, leading the way for hers. One of the many reasons Sorcerers worked with familiars was the incredible ability most even slightly magical animals had to concentrate on one thing. Before Jaspa knew it she was ready, and she began murmuring the chant for a mid-level levitation. As her awareness of everything else faded a bit, she felt herself start to lighten and drift off the ground. //Here we go//
//Chief, don't think about that-//
But it was too late, and Jaspa found herself wobbling in the air. She looked down and time froze for a heartbeat as she realised just how high she'd gotten before losing her concentration. She knew a moment of elation at the sight - she was at least fifteen feet off the ground, which was higher than she'd managed in the past.
Then she fell.
//Good one, Chief.//
//Shut up, Myertek.// Jaspa sat up, rubbing her back as she turned to the mouth of the alley to see if anyone had heard.
There were a dozen guards standing there, all with halberds pointed her way.
//Oh, damn.//
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The foremost guard jabbed at her.
Jaspa looked desperately over her shoulder, but the wall at the end of the alleyway was as sheer as the walls on either side of her. No way out there "Um..."
"Well? State your business!"
Jaspa's mind blanked. Holding up carriages was something she knew how to do. This was not. //Myertek? I'm open to suggestions.../
//Don't look at me, Chief. Maybe you could tell 'em you're on call from Akbar's House of Pleasure?//
"I'm ... um...." //No.//
"Come on, then. Out you go."
"But... I have a message for the head librarian!"
"Sure you do. Count yourself lucky we don't kill you here and now."
The guards prodded her away from the door and to the gate out onto the street. "Don't come back," one of them said irritably. "We'll remember you, and you won't like that."
Jaspa nodded, and they opened the gate to shove her through. She managed not to trip, and fought the urge to make a face at them when they closed the gate. Instead, she walked off toward the University.
She turned the first corner, and stopped dead as a dark shape dropped to the ground in front of her. It was Max.
"I told you you'd get caught."
"Okay. I owe you dinner for two." //I must be out of my mind.//
//I've known that for ages, Chief.//
//Shut up, Myertek.//
//Hey, I'm not the one who's making a dinner date with an assassin-in-training.//
"At the restaurant of my choice," Max reminded her.
"Don't get too fancy, I'm a starving student."
"Yeah, at the Collegium Sorcaeum." At Jaspa's look of surprise, he added, "I saw you sneaking out of there a couple nights ago."
"Yeah? I thought you guys had a curfew."
"So do you."
"Touche." Jaspa sighed. "Well, then. When and where?"
"Let me check my schedule. I'll get back to you."
"Right. And how, exactly, will you get in contact with me?"
"Hey, I just learned sneak entry. Give a fellow some credit."
"Right. Well, if you murder me in my sleep, I'll know who it was."
"Please. We never murder. We handle the special needs of a limited clientele. And you don't strike me as the type to be a target."
"Not yet. My Master isn't going to be pleased that I failed."
"Well, good luck. Don't get killed, I'm looking forward to that dinner. Goodnight." He bowed elegantly, and slipped back into the shadows before Jaspa could say anything.
//I am so dead.//
//It looks that way. You've failed the Master Librarian and made a dinner date with an assassin. I am not placing bets on your longevity, Chief.//
//Thanks for your support, Myertek.// Jaspa took a few breaths to steady herself, and set off for the College.
"You what?" Kalishk's voice was icy.
"I was caught. My concentration wavered and I fell. The guards heard me."
"Jaspa, this was not supposed to be a difficult assignment." Kalishk appeared to be relaxing in his chair, but his eyes were even colder than his tone. He was clearly not pleased.
"But sir, I-"
"Jaspa. You were to deliver a simple message. I realize it is late, but surely your ingenuity was up to a little pretense?"
"With all due respect, sir, I don't see what I could have done differently."
"You could have tried the servants' entrance. You could have taken a rope rather than attempting a levitation clearly beyond your ability."
Jaspa studied her boots.
"I'm beginning to wonder if my arrangement with you was such a good idea."
That got her attention. "Sir? No, please - this won't happen again. Really. I'll try again tomorrow night. I'll take it first thing in the morning. I haven't missed class in weeks, I can skip my first lecture and take it over there-"
"No, this information was rather time-sensitive." He regarded her thoughtfully. "I shall have to consider this, Jaspa. I cannot have an assistant who fails at relatively simple tasks."
"No, sir."
"Return as scheduled. I'll tell you then what I decide."
"Yes, sir. I'm very sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
"No, it won't."
Jaspa walked calmly until she was out of his sight, then sprinted for the doors, sending Myertek flapping over her head to get off her bouncing shoulders. She ran all the way back to her room, where she locked herself and Myertek in, pulled on her sleeping clothes and crawled disconsolately into bed.
//Myertek, what am I going to do?//
//I don't know, Chief.// He padded to lie in the crook of her arm, and eventually Jaspa managed to fall asleep.
Jaspa spent the following days in a fog of worry. Myertek helped her remember where she had to be when, and she took notes in lecture automatically, but her mind constantly replayed her conversation with Kalishk. When it finally came time to meet with him again, she was a virtual wreck.
The library was almost entirely deserted when she reached Kalishk's desk. There were fewer books piled on his desk now, but he still looked busy with preparations for leaving.
"Jaspa."
"Master Kalishk." Jaspa looked at his face quickly, trying to gage his expression, but it was inscrutable. She looked down at her shoes.
There was a long pause, and Jaspa tried desperately not to fidget.
Finally, Kalishk spoke.
"Jaspa. As you know, I am leaving tomorrow for a conference. Unfortunately, a matter has arisen which requires immediate action, and my assistant librarians are highly unlikely to succeed. Fortunately, it does not require the sort of ingenuity which you so elaborately proved yourself to lack." He paused again, but Jaspa didn't quite dare look up. "A book has been stolen from the Library."
At that, she did lift her eyes, and she caught the rage burning in Kalishk's own. "Sir?"
"It is not a particularly dangerous one, even in the wrong hands, but this cannot be allowed. I understand that you are in Dysel's summoning course?"
Jaspa nodded.
"Excellent. Then I am sure you will be able to discover who stole the volume. You need not recover it, only find it. I will, however, expect you to know exactly where it is."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't fail me again, Jaspa."
"No, sir."
"Well, then. I will be back in four days' time. You will report to me that evening, with the location of the book." He handed over a sheet of paper. "This is the volume you are looking for."
Jaspa took the description and looked it over. "It's a book of love spells, sir?"
"Essentially. I suspect that a student took it. Do you have any questions?"
"No, sir."
"Good. I will see you in four days. Good night, Jaspa."
"Good night, Master Kalishk. Thank you."
He nodded, already turning his attention back to his books, and Jaspa headed for the doors before he could change his mind.
When Jaspa got back to her room, she found a note on her bed addressed to her in a flowing, elegant script.
//Oooooh, I wonder who that could be from?//
//Shut up, Myertek.// Jaspa lifted him off her shoulder and dropped him unceremoniously on the bed before checking her closet for an intruder. Nothing. Her window was locked, just like when she left. Except for the note, everything was the same.
"Damn, he's good."
//Shouldn't you be a little more worried?//
Jaspa opened the note.
I would be honored if you would join me for dinner tomorrow night at Doury's. I have made reservations for the eighth hour in the hopes that this is a convenient time. If not, you may reach me by sending your familiar with a note, to be left atop the wall where we first met.
Until tomorrow, I remain,
Your servant,
M
//He didn't sign it properly, Chief.//
//Well, he wouldn't want to leave anything that could be used against him, right?//
//Good point.//
//Well. I don't have anything going on tomorrow night, do you?//
//Har-de-har, Chief.//
//Guess we'll go, then. Damn, I'll barely have time to wash my city clothes.//
//Gotta get all spiffed up for our date with the assassin, eh, Chief?//
//Shut up, Myertek.// But still, Jaspa couldn't help wondering why she wasn't more worried. Even the nicest blue eyes shouldn't make up for being a killer-in-training.
The following afternoon, Jaspa found an empty practice room and set up the circle to call another demon. The easiest way to figure out who had taken the book would be to ask. Unsurprisingly, the demon she managed to call up was annoyed.
"Not you again."
"What?"
"You called me up to ask about your professor last time."
"Oh, hello again."
"Well?"
"Right. 'Now, demon, I ask that you tell me that which I wish to know, for I have summoned you here using the old words of power which you must obey.'"
"'What is thy question, O Sorcerer?'"
"A book was stolen from the library of the Collegium Sorcaeum two nights ago." She held up the sheet of paper Kalishk had given her. "This is a description of it. Can you read this?"
"Yes."
"Okay. I need to know everything you can tell me about whoever stole it."
The demon cocked what would have been an eyebrow if he hadn't been covered in scales. "Well, this isn't the sort of question one gets every day. Kalishk let a book get stolen?"
Jaspa tried not to look startled that he knew the Master Librarian, and simply said, "I need the information."
"Right. 'Yea, O Sorcerer, the person to whom you refer is a young man, perhaps two years older than you, of medium height and build and dressed in dark clothing. He moved with assurance, and entered through a skylight. He left the same way, and was silent almost the entire time."
"Can you tell me anything more?"
"No, O Sorcerer, for he was wearing a heavy cloak and kept his face hidden. Can I go now? I was in the middle of something when you popped me up here."
"Yeah. 'I thank you, O Demon, for your assistance. Accept this offering," she dropped a chunk of resin onto the brazier, "in gratitude and depart swiftly to your own world.'"
After the demon had been banished and the circle dismantled, Jaspa and Myertek stared at each other. //thieves' Guild, Chief?//
//With my luck.//
The thieves' Guild was notoriously talented and protective of its members. Not to mention hard to find - the headquarters moved around town regularly, and every thief had his own hideout.
//Too bad this didn't happen next year, when I'd know how to summon more advanced demons.// Jaspa sighed heavily, and Myertek tilted his head to one side.
//Life is never dull, is it?//
//I can only dream, I guess.// With a sigh, she stood up and gathered her things, scooping Myertek up and onto one shoulder before heading for her dorm.
As it turned out, Jaspa was more than able to get her clothing cleaned in time for her dinner with Max, and she reached the restaurant as the clocks of the city began chiming the eighth hour. Doury's was a casual place, and it didn't take her long to find Max sitting in a corner booth facing the wall. He was wearing dark gray trousers with a midnight blue shirt rather than the black she'd met him in, and his hair, now free of the ashy coating of their first encounter proved to be a middling brown.
//Checking him out, eh, Chief? He look good?//
//Shut up, Myertek. You just stay up there and make sure nobody I should be worried about comes in. I don't want a professor catching me out after curfew.//
//I live to serve.//
//Damn straight.//
Jaspa slid into the seat opposite Max, trying to look relaxed.
"Jaspa. It's good to see you again."
"Particularly since I'm buying dinner?"
"Well, that doesn't hurt." He grinned.
"Are ass-... students from your school allowed to grin like that?"
"Only under the right circumstances." He handed her a menu. "I'd say this qualifies. Let's eat, eh? It's been entirely too long since I had any real food."
"I thought they taught you people how to eat at fancy places and all that."
"They do. It doesn't mean we get to eat like that outside of Table Manners 101."
"I see."
They were silent for a moment, admiring the selection. Eventually, when they'd both decided, Max waved the waiter over and they ordered food and wine.
"Now, then," Max leaned back in his seat. "With the important business out of the way, we can move on. Tell me about yourself."
Jaspa stared at him. "Hm... like what? You already know where I go to school, which tells you a lot."
"Yes, but I don't know why you break curfew or what led you to my little corner of the city."
"Let's just say I... owe the Master Librarian. Big-time."
"Really? What did you do?"
Their waiter appeared, set down their wine glasses, and vanished again. Jaspa took a quick sip of hers before answering. "Now, that would be telling, wouldn't it? Let's just say he bailed me out of a rather nasty situation, and now I run errands for him."
"Rather unorthodox ones at that."
"Yep." Jaspa took another sip of her wine. "Now, what about you? I know where you go to school, but what were you doing on the wall that night?"
"Practicing. Those of us who study the more ... executive methods of diplomacy do that a fair amount. After all, if we can elude the guards on campus on a regular basis, we have a much better chance of eluding ones elsewhere."
"I guess that makes sense. But..."
"But what?"
"Doesn't it bother you, learning what you're learning?"
"Doesn't your curriculum bother you?"
"No! We learn things that can be used to help people."
"So do we. Don't forget, we're not common thugs. We don't apply our knowledge indescriminately. Far from it. The innocent have nothing to fear from us. All we do is sell a quick and efficient service. Think of it as using a rapier rather than a club."
"I suppose. But still..."
"Let's talk about something else."
"Okay."
"What's your next errand for the philanthropic Librarian?"
Jaspa laughed hollowly. "I get to redeem myself by hunting down a thief."
"What?"
She explained.
"So, you think it was a thieves' Guild member who took it?"
"Well, he certainly knew how to get in and out of a building quickly."
"So do I."
"Good point."
"Hm..." Max looked thoughtful, and fell silent as the waiter appeared again, this time with their food. They ate in silence for a few moments, savoring the spicy meat and plain rice. "Tell me, do you have any information on what the man looked like?"
"Not much. Youngish. Quick. Dressed in dark colors, maybe black. The problem with information sources like the one I used is that they can only tell you physical things, the kind of things a human would see if they were there. In a couple years, I'll be able to get a hold of the mind-reading version, but for now, I'm limited."
"Hm."
"Why?"
"Well..." Max took a sip of his wine before answering. "There's a fellow who lives down the hall from me who washed out of the Collegium Sorcaeum. He's youngish, and would know by now the basics of breaking-and-entering. And of course, he'd know where to find the book he wanted since he spent time at the Collegium."
"Figures."
"What kind of spells did it contain?"
Jaspa grinned. "Love spells."
Max laughed, a low sound of genuine amusement. "That's him all right. He's been pining over one of the Deans' daughters for weeks. She won't so much as look at him, of course."
Now it was Jaspa's turn to laugh. "Gods, who'd have thought it would be so simple?" An idea struck her, and she fell silent with thought.
"What is it?"
"Max, I know we hardly know each other, but can I ask you a favor?"
"Of course you can ask. I don't promise to grant it, but you're welcome to ask." The smile in his eyes made it rather obvious that the likelihood of his not granting it was slim.
"Will you help me get the book back? I'm still in trouble for not delivering that damn letter, and getting the book back would help me back into Master Kalishk's good graces."
Max gave an impressed whistle. "It's Kalishk that's mad at you? Even our school has heard of him."
"Yeah, I said it was our Master Librarian."
"I know, but I didn't connect that with Kalishk. Sure, I'll help you. Besides, it's more interesting than practicing my edificeering, which is what I'd normally be doing."
"Edifi-what? Nevermind, I don't want to know."
"Climbing buildings."
"Oh."
"Is it true that Kalishk is a vampire?"
"Yep. I have no idea how old he is, though."
"Wow."
Jaspa laughed. "I thought they taught you guys how to be articulate and everything. Polished."
"Yes, but they don't usually have us practice with this sort of discussion."
"I see."
"So. Let's talk strategy."
//Chief. You do realize that you're completely insane, right? As your familiar, I think I should say something.//
//Myertek, this may not be a fool-proof plan, but it's a good one.//
Myertek flapped overhead as Jaspa climbed over the wall into Downy's School of Culture and Intellect yet again. She and Max had gone over everything several times the previous night, and she was set.
Myertek landed on the top of the wall and met Jaspa's eyes as she reached it herself. //Okay. But if something goes wrong, you remember I said that.//
//Your confidence is underwhelming.// Jaspa climbed partway down the inside face of the wall before dropping the last few feet and scampering for the shadows. Myertek flapped down into her arms and she pulled the cloak over him.
One of the shadows nearby stepped forward and said, "glad you made it."
It was to Jaspa's credit that she managed not to gasp. "Max. Do me a favor and don't do that!"
He grinned. "Come on. Let's go."
He led the way around the quad, sticking to the shadows and motioning her to stillness when one of the guards came into view. It seemed like an eternity before he signalled her to follow him and opened a door into one of the dormitories. This one had a sign proclaiming it to be "Viper Hall," and Jaspa suppressed a grin. She pulled her hood over her face and tried to look like she belonged as she follwed him up the narrow stairwell to one of the higher floors. He turned a bewildering series of corners, and she started to wonder if part of the training to be an assassin was to remember where one's room was.
//Maybe they have tests, Chief.//
That made her snort, and Max turned to look at her over his shoulder. "What?" His whispered voice was barely audible, and Jaspa shook her head, not sure she'd be able to match his quietness. She motioned with her free hand to the bulge under her cloak that was Myertek, and Max raised an eyebrow.
"Can he talk to you?"
She gave him a "well, duh" look, and gestured for him to keep going. They finally made it to a room whose door had its own little entryway off the main hall. Jaspa grinned to herself. This would make it a lot easier. Max stepped back to give her some room and she settled into a crosslegged position in front of the door, pushing her cloak out behind her so Myertek could see.
//Well, now. And here I was worried he'd have gotten past Warding 103.//
//Damn, Chief, you could take these wards down in your sleep.//
//Probably. I'm glad I'm awake, though.//
//Hehehe.// Myertek looked up at her, his tail twitching in amusement. //Let's do this.//
Jaspa reached into her satchel and pulled out a bottle of ground hemlock. She scattered it in front of the door and closed her eyes, reaching out with her mind for the spell the washout sorcerer-in-training had cast. Myertek settled onto his haunches in her lap, kneading her ankle as he concentrated with her.
//There it is, Chief.//
She followed the impression he sent her and found the central thread. //Good work, pal.//
It was remarkably simple, really. A few mental pokes here and there, along with the banishing effects of the hemlock, and soon the wards were down entirely. //If only everything could be that simple.//
Jaspa looked up at Max and nodded, then shifted out of the way as he pulled a peculiar looking assortment of wires out of his pouch and probed at the lock on the door. It didn't take him long to get a soft click from it, and she thought she heard him snort. "He left the original locks on here. What a loser."
He held out a hand to motion her to stay put, and opened the door, slipping in and closing it behind him. After a moment, it opened again, and he waved her inside. "He's out, probably practicing. Do you know what the book looks like?"
"Yep..." Jaspa lifted Myertek to her shoulder and looked around the room. It wasn't that different from hers, except in its contents. There were black clothes thrown all over the floor, books with titles like "Eastern Diplomacy During the Republic" and "Etiquette, Vol. XXI" were piled on every available flat surface but one - the desk had been partially cleared off, and Jaspa recognized the collection of herbs and stones arranged around a pair of burning pink candles.
"Jeez, he works fast," she whispered to Max. "And there's the target." The book was lying open next to the spell-in-progress.
"Why did he leave with the candles burning?"
"It's best if you go somewhere else while the spell is working. Lets it proceed undisturbed."
"I see." It was obvious he didn't.
"It's complicated. Anyway, here's what I came for," she grabbed the book and tucked it into her satchel. "But, as long as we're here, I see no reason to let him get away with this." She pulled her Sorcerer's dagger and drew a few simple runes in the air over the candles.
"What did that do?"
"Let's just say things won't turn out the way he planned." She grinned. "Serves him right for stealing. He should be glad we didn't just tell the thieves' Guild."
Max grinned at that as well. "No kidding. Don't they usually frown on theiving by non-members?"
Jaspa nodded. "Yeah, usually with blunt instruments. Now, we should get out of here before he gets back."
Max shooed her outside, locking the door behind them as Jaspa arranged her cloak. They retraced their steps out of the dorm before heading back to the wall. Jaspa opened her cloak so Myertek could fly over the wall on his own, and turned to Max.
"Thanks. I owe you."
"Mm, a Sorceress-in-training who owes me. Now, that's a favor that might be useful."
"Emphasis on the 'in training' there, Max."
"Right."
"Anyway, thanks."
"You're welcome."
There was an awkward pause, which Max swiftly filled.
"You should go."
"Yeah." Jaspa turned to the wall and started up. When she swung over the top and looked back down, Max was still there.
"Good night." Max bowed again, and slid into the darkness.
//Awwwwwww.../
//Shut up, Myertek.//
When Jaspa entered the library the night of Master Kalishk's return, she hesitated briefly just inside the doors, listening. No one else seemed to be around, and even the books seemed quiet. //Maybe they're relieved Kalishk is back?//
//Would you be, Chief?//
//I don't know. I'm not a book.// She walked cautiously to Kalishk's desk to find him hidden behind a new set of stacks. She could hear the skritch of his pen, doubtless cataloging new acquisitions.
"Master Kalishk?"
His pale face came into view over the books. "Ah, Jaspa. I believe you have some information for me?"
"Yes, sir." Jaspa came around the desk and stood stiffly in front of the Master Librarian, who leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers.
"Report."
"Sir, I learned from an informational demon that the book in question was taken by a young man in dark clothing who entered and exited silently and with a great deal of skill, through one of the skylights."
"A thief?"
"No, sir, an assassin-in-training."
"How do you know that?"
She brought the book out from behind her back. "Because I broke into his dorm room, sir, and recovered the book to save you the trouble."
Kalishk actually seemed taken aback for a moment. He took the book with one thin hand and turned it over a few times, looking for damage. He finally set it in his lap, one hand resting on the leather cover. "Jaspa, I must confess to being somewhat confused. How is it that you were unable to deliver a simple note to someone in Downy's school, but managed to steal a book from one of the dorms without being noticed?"
"Well, sir, firstly, I didn't steal it, I merely recovered it. And took the liberty of rearranging the spell the young man had left in progress in his room."
Kalishk's lips twitched faintly.
"Secondly, sir, I'd prefer not to go into how I did it. Let's just say I had a little help."
"I see." Kalishk studied her silently for several long moments. "Well. I am pleased to find my original opinion of your abilities confirmed."
"Thank you sir."
"Particularly since I received word just before you came in that my request for extra funds for a librarian-in-training was granted."
"Sir?"
"I'm hiring you, Jaspa. The stipend will be more than sufficient to take the place of your former fundraising activities. It will, of course, require you to continue working for the library under my direct supervision."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!"
Kalishk smiled thinly. "You appear to deserve it. Now, then. For appearances sake, I'll need you here every other afternoon, after your classes. Don't forget."
"Don't worry, sir, I won't forget."
"You begin tomorrow. Now, then, off with you. I expect you to be awake and attentive when you're here."
"Yes sir."
"Good night, Jaspa."
"Good night, Master Kalishk."
//Well, that went well.//
//Lucky you, Chief.//
//Did you think he looked startled?//
//Yeah. That was fun!//
//Let's hear it for Max. Honestly, though, I'm just glad to be back in Kalishk's good graces.//
//Right, Chief. Spending time with that assassin of yours has nothing to do with it.//
//Shut up, Myertek.//
copyright 2000 Ealasaid A. Haas