The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

Author:Trudi Canavan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
ISBN: 9780316069960
Published: 2009-02-23T05:00:00+00:00

Tessia yawned. For the last week the apprentices’ day had begun early, with a lesson from one or more of the magicians. Usually the lesson began with one teacher, but often the other magicians would emerge from their tents to watch and comment, and this sometimes led to one of them taking over to contribute something that enhanced the original teacher’s lesson, or, in one case, starting an argument.

“. . . some way of continuing after we deal with the invaders,” a voice said. Tessia resisted the temptation to turn and look at the magicians riding behind her in case it alerted them to the fact that she could hear them.

“I doubt it. Nobody co-operated to this extent before and I expect we’ll revert to our old suspicions and secretiveness again after.”

“But it is so much more efficient. I’ve learned new skills. I never realised there were such gaps in my knowledge.”

“Or mine.” There was a wistful sigh. “If there was a way to sustain...”

“We will have to find a way. The healers have their guild. I’ve heard it suggested we should start our own, so...”

As the voices faded Tessia looked at Jayan to see if he’d heard. He was smiling, his eyes bright.

“Do you think one of the apprentices passed on your idea to their master?” she asked.

He looked at her and his shoulders straightened. “Maybe.”

Tessia shrugged. “Perhaps the magicians came to the same conclusion by themselves. They were bound to eventually.”

He frowned at her reproachfully. “Do you think so?”

She smiled. “It would be too much of a coincidence, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “Besides, they haven’t had the time to think it through.”

A few nights before, Jayan had told her of his ideas for a guild of magicians, where knowledge was shared and apprentices were taught by all magicians, not only their masters. They would have badges to identify them as members of the guild in the same way that members of the healers’ guild did, to assure customers that they had been well trained.

His plans had included separating members of the guild into two or three groups and encouraging competition between them in order to spur on invention and the development of skills. She’d pointed out it might also cause division and conflict and suggested a tiered system for the apprentices based on skill and knowledge levels. Perhaps one for each year of learning. Jayan then decided that those on the same level could compete individually or in teams.

She had suggested that magicians might concentrate on one type of skill in order to explore and develop it further. Some might study fighting and defence, others construction techniques for bridges and buildings. She could see potential in the latter for ensuring all constructions in the country were safe, by encouraging magicians to oversee their creation.

Other apprentices had come to join them then, and she’d felt vaguely disappointed. It had been the first extended conversation she’d had with Jayan that she’d truly enjoyed, in which they’d agreed with each other and shared a mutual excitement.

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