A Heart made of Glass: A Firethorn Kingdoms novel (Blood Magic Book 1) by Katy Haye

Author:Katy Haye [Haye, Katy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Plumshine Books
Published: 2021-05-26T16:00:00+00:00

21

The afternoon’s lesson was much easier than Torran’s had been. Maestro Glore – an older Muirland woman with lines around her eyes and grey in her hair who Ana had no problem thinking of and addressing by her title – stood at the front and spoke, occasionally writing a date or a name on the black wall behind her desk.

And the topic was interesting. The history of magic in Muirland. For about three centuries it was largely monotonous: you were either a mage, or you were thrown off a cliff (and your sex made one or the other fate vastly more likely). Then the law changed and the mages were banished.

A question burned on Ana’s lips, and when maestro Glore had already stopped to answer another student’s question she ventured to speak it aloud. “Might someone still be thrown from a cliff?”

“That’s an interesting question, Ana.” Her gaze swept the rest of the class, “Thoughts, anyone?”

Several hands were thrust into the air. “That’s been outlawed,” one student piped up.

“It’s not a legal punishment,” another declared with relish. “But it still happens. Why, last year in—”

“Thank you, Brun.” The teacher shut him down with the soft command. “That’s both true and not entirely accurate. People; let us be precise; women are no longer thrown from the cliffs simply for possessing magic.” She gave a tight smile. “I might be in a sorry state, if that were the case.” The class chuckled, which Ana thought was her intent. “But possession of magic does not exempt you from the rest of the kingdom’s laws. If you were to kill someone with your magic, for example, then that would be a capital offence.” Her gaze swept the class once more. “Are you all clear on what a capital offence is?”

“The punishment is death,” Brun piped up, gleefully.

“That’s right,” the maestro continued smoothly. “You would pay for the crime of taking another’s life with your own. It is theoretically possible that your life could be taken by throwing you over a cliff, but hanging is far more likely.”

“Far less messy,” Brun declared. Ana wasn’t sure whether his tone was approval or regret. This side of him had been entirely hidden in Torran’s class.

The maestro moved on with the class.

Ana didn’t need to be worried about death from cliff-falls since she hadn’t killed anyone. She frowned. At least, she didn’t think she had.

~

Rannyl was in her office when Ana made her way there after class. One of the other teachers was inside when she arrived, a tall woman with hair as pale as her own, a clear link to Nordin. She tried to recall the name of the maestro Patience had spoken of. The Nordin one with the stories about the blood King and Queen.

“This is Maestro Tcara.” Rannyl introduced the sorcerer before she’d dragged the name from her memory.

“Good day.” She nodded coolly, pale eyes darting over her face.

Ana’s gaze jumped to Rannyl. “I can come back later.”

“Nonsense. We were discussing academy business. It can wait.

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