Oathkeeper (Schooled in Magic Book 20) Read online

  “I still have aches and pains, when I use too much magic,” Imaiqah said. “But otherwise, I’m much better.”

  “And doing three jobs at once,” Alassa said. She cast a pair of privacy wards into the air, then took a seat. “Please, be informal. I don’t need three sonnets and a monologue if you want to ask me to pass the salt.”

  Emily had to smile. “Is that a serious problem?”

  “They’re still feeling their way towards the new protocol,” Alassa said. Her smile grew wider. “The queen is allowed to make laws and behead people on a whim, but setting courtly protocol is beyond her. And everyone seems bent on setting the precedents for themselves.”

  “At least you changed the dress code,” Imaiqah pointed out. “Last year, people were freezing to death.”

  Alassa laughed. “That’s what happens when you wear so little in such a cold country,” she said. “I never saw the point.”

  “Well,” Jade drawled, in a deadpan manner. “I think...”

  “Shut up,” Alassa said, quickly. She turned to Emily. “What’s your apprenticeship like? I heard stories from Dragora...”

  “Intense,” Emily said. A cold weight settled in her chest as she realized she’d have to discuss her plans with Void. He wouldn’t be pleased when he realized what she’d committed herself to do. “He’s been pushing me to the limit and beyond.”

  “It’s done wonders for you,” Alassa said. “You’re much stronger now.”

  “Yeah,” Imaiqah agreed. “I barely recognized you.”

  “Thanks,” Emily said. “I haven’t changed that much, have I?”

  “Well, not physically,” Alassa said. “But your magic feels stronger, more focused.”

  “It’s a challenge,” Emily said. “He really has been pushing me.”

  “As long as he doesn’t push you too far,” Jade said. “I needed a holiday to recuperate after I finished my apprenticeship.”

  “That’s because you were determined to set a record,” Emily said. “I don’t think I’ll be done for years.”

  She took a chair and watched the maids bring in the food. It had been too long since she’d seen her friends, too long since they’d been able to sit and eat without something looming over their shoulders. Too long... she leaned forward, enjoying the conversation as it veered from topic to topic. When the meal was done, she’d have to go back to the tower...

  And she wasn’t looking forward to that discussion at all.

  Chapter Nine

  “LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT,” Void said. “You drew up a plan that requires you to be in two places at once?”

  Emily stood in front of him, feeling uncomfortably like a schoolgirl who’d been called on the carpet. The last time anyone had spoken to her like that had been at Whitehall... Void, for all of his power, had never talked to her as anything other than an apprentice. And yet... she held herself steady, forcing herself to meet his eyes.

  “Yes, sir,” she said. “I couldn’t think of any other way to make it work.”

  “You could leave establishing defenses to General Pollack and his staff, while you sneak into the Blighted Lands,” Void pointed out coldly. “You don’t need to put together an army and invade enemy territory. You certainly don’t need to put your own life at risk to make it work.”

  Emily clasped her hands behind her back to keep them from shaking. It was the first time Void had been genuinely angry with her, the first time... he’d told her, bluntly, that he’d terminate the apprenticeship and kick her out if she disobeyed. She told herself, firmly, there was no choice. She had to be there, to give her blessing to the invasion, and she had to be the one to sneak into the necromancer’s lair. The oath wouldn’t let her stand back and send someone else to do the job. It had to be her.

  “I was committed from the moment I swore the oath,” she said, flatly. “It doesn’t matter if I go with the invasion force or not. I have to sneak into the castle and reignite the nexus point myself. And that isn’t safe.”

  “There’s a difference between a calculated risk and a dangerous mistake,” Void said. He pointed a long finger at her. “Have you managed to bilocate successfully?”

  “No,” Emily said. “But I can make it work.”

  “Yes,” Void agreed. “And do you know the risks?”

  Emily nodded, wordlessly. The books had gone into considerable detail. If the bilocated bodies and minds diverged too far, they’d become two different people... if they had enough magic to sustain them. It was quite possible they’d dissolve into nothingness when they ran out of magic. And... if one of the bodies died, the shock might throw the other body into catatonia. If she’d had problems coping with two sets of memories that lasted only a few seconds, it would be a great deal worse trying to absorb several days or weeks’ worth of memories. Even under controlled conditions, reintegration would be tricky. It might take months to recover from the experience.

  Void took a step back and began to pace the room. “I should forbid it,” he said. “I should tell you not to join the invasion force. I should tell you not to invade at all.”

  “But it might lure the necromancers out of their lairs,” Emily pointed out. “It would make it easier to sneak into the castle and reignite the nexus point.”

  “It would also give them a clear shot at you,” Void snapped. He let out a breath. “When do you have to join the army?”

  “I don’t know,” Emily said. “I sent messages to Master Lucknow and General Pollack...”

  “Before you thought to speak to me?” Void’s voice turned cold. “Did you not think I might have a say in this?”

  “You said I could go,” Emily reminded him. “And they’re already expecting me.”

  Void snorted. “That was before I heard your plan,” he said. “The dangers...”

  His eyes bored into Emily’s. “You and I are going to spend the next week getting the spell down pat,” he said. “You’re not going to be needed at the camp until the invasion force is ready to go, so you can stay here until then. It’ll take at least two weeks to get everything lined up and ready... I want you to be ready. We’re going to practice everything from wardcracking to dueling. You can charge the battery once you’re in the camp.”

  Emily winced at his icy expression but kept her voice calm. “I understand...”

  “Do you?” Void didn’t seem convinced. “Emily, this could go horribly wrong.”

  He turned away for a moment. “Did you have a good time with your friends?”

  “Yes.” Emily scowled at his back. “It was a good dinner.”

  “And yet, you have less in common with them now,” Void said. “Or am I wrong?”

  “It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” Emily said. She was used to Void changing the subject without warning, but she’d noticed there was always a point to it. “Or do you feel otherwise?”

  “They are limited,” Void said. “You shouldn’t be.”

  He cleared his throat as he turned back to her. “Go to bed. Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning, spellchamber one. And be ready to work.”

  Emily dropped a curtsey. “Yes, sir.”

  Void pointed at the door. Emily turned and walked out of the room, despite an overpowering urge to run. She’d known he wouldn’t be pleased, but she hadn’t expected him to be quite so angry.

  She sighed as she reached her chambers. The plan was workable. And yet, she felt as if she’d betrayed Void. Void had put her in danger more than once, as a way to test her development and force her to expand her skills, but there’d been limits. She could have walked away from each and every test, if she’d been prepared to pay the price. Now... she couldn’t abandon the plan. It was hers. General Pollack might veto the whole idea, when he heard of it, but otherwise...

  He won’t, Emily thought, with a certainty that surprised her. He knows, as well as I do, that we have to get the necromancers fighting each other before it’s too late.

  She stepped into the room. Silent was standing b
y the table, unbundling a pile of letters. The maid turned and curtsied as Emily entered, a faint hint of amusement flickering in the air. She’d probably already heard Emily was in trouble. Servants talked amongst themselves, even if they weren’t allowed to gossip outside the household. They had to know what their superiors were doing, particularly if it was something their superiors might take out on them. There were too many horror stories of maids being at the bottom of a chain of abuse...

  “My Lady,” Silent said. She really did seem amused. “There are letters for you...”

  “I’ll deal with them in the morning,” Emily said. The clock insisted it was mid-afternoon, but her body was convinced it was evening. She wondered, absently, if there was a spell to dampen teleport lag. “Wake me up at seven and not a moment before.”

  Silent curtsied again, then withdrew. Emily glowered after her, feeling torn between irritation and guilt. It wasn’t Silent’s fault she was in trouble. It certainly wasn’t fair to take her bad mood out on the maid. And yet... Emily put the thought out of her mind as she checked the pile of letters, then headed to the bedroom. She wasn’t prepared - mentally - to correspond with anyone. The sense of lingering guilt tormented her.

  I should have checked with him before I suggested using a bilocation spell, she thought, sourly. She undressed quickly and clambered into bed. And now the idea has already gotten out of control.

  She frowned at the thought. General Pollack would have his doubts, but - when all was said and done - he didn’t have any magic himself. Master Lucknow, on the other hand, might try to veto the idea. Or... she wondered, idly, why Jade hadn’t tried to veto the idea. Did he think she could pull it off? He’d experimented with the spell, during his apprenticeship. She made a mental note to get the full story, then closed her eyes and chanted a sleep spell. She’d pay for that in the morning...

  Silent shook her awake, what felt like seconds later. Emily sat upright, staring at her in confusion. She hadn’t slept... her head spun in circles as she saw the clock. It was precisely seven in the morning. Silent had done exactly what she’d been told to do. Emily shot her an apologetic look. It wasn’t the maid’s fault she’d used a sleep spell either. She took the mug of Kava, drank it quickly and stumbled into the shower. The hot water jarred her awake.

  “My Lady, your breakfast is waiting for you,” Silent said. “And you have more letters.”

  Emily nodded as she dried and dressed herself, then followed the maid into the living room. A large plate of bacon, eggs and mashed potatoes awaited her... she felt her stomach heave, even though she knew she had to eat as much as possible. She needed the energy.

  She sat down and sorted through the letters. Half of them seemed to be junk - she wondered if anyone would ever forgive her for making junk mail possible - but she put them aside for later attention, just in case. The remainder started with a formal note from General Pollack, thanking her for agreeing to join the army and approving her plan... if, he noted, she could find enough volunteers willing to carry it out. Emily smiled - she’d already taken care of that - and opened the next letter. Sir Roger had rounded up around five hundred men, old hands and new volunteers, and was starting drills. He thought he’d be ready to go in a week. Emily made a mental note to tell him to coordinate with General Pollack, then read the note from Jan. He’d invited her to dinner. She felt a pang as she put the letter aside. She simply didn’t have the time. Void intended to work her to death.

  Nothing from Cat, Emily thought, as she reached the end of the pile. Is that good or bad?

  She honestly wasn’t sure. She was torn between wishing he would say something, even if it was a flat refusal to join her, and being silently grateful he hadn’t said anything at all. Her feelings were a mess... she wondered, idly, how Alassa and Jade had managed to build a proper relationship. They were friends and confidantes as well as husband and wife. Perhaps they were a balanced couple, each one powerful in their realm... she made a face, knowing it couldn’t be easy. It was just a matter of time until their enemies started poking at cracks within their marriage.

  And they know it too, she mused. She stood, feeling uncomfortably full. They’ll be ready for anything.

  Void was waiting for her in the spellchamber, holding a small mirror in one hand. “You’ll be working with this, instead of the big mirror,” he said, brusquely. “By the time you leave, I want you to master the art of casting the spell without a mirror.”

  Emily nodded. She hadn’t considered the issue, but she had to admit it made sense. She couldn’t carry a full-length mirror wherever she went. She’d seen aristocratic commanders travelling with entire cartloads of goods, sometimes throwing out wounded men so they could use the carts to transport their possessions, but she couldn’t do that. General Pollack would never allow it, certainly not on a big scale. And she couldn’t convince him she needed the mirror without explaining precisely what she wanted to do with it.

  “I will,” she said.

  “We’ll also work on teleport spells,” Void added. “It’s time to test your emergency escape route.”

  “Yes, sir.” Emily felt a rush of affection. “I’ll be sure to use it if there’s no other way out.”

  “Just be careful where you use it,” Void said. “If you try to tear through the wards, you might wind up splattered across the world.”

  Emily nodded as she took the mirror and peered into her own face. Her reflection looked as if she hadn’t slept at all. She made a mental note to go to bed earlier, without relying on spells. They were just too dangerous to use regularly. Void motioned her into the center of the chamber, then stepped back until he was leaning against the wall. Emily closed her eyes, centering herself. The spell had to work perfectly.

  Don’t push too hard, she thought, as she prepared the spell. Let the magic flow properly.

  She cast the spell. The magic flickered into existence, then faded into nothingness. She swallowed a curse, then tried again. The world spun, going dark even though she hadn’t closed her eyes. She blinked, hard, and found herself looking into her own face. Her reflection - no, her other body - looked back at her. She looked into her own eyes...

  The world blurred again. Emily staggered, her knees starting to buckle. Her other self was gone... no, they’d reintegrated. This time, it was easier to handle. She guessed the simple fact they didn’t have more than a few seconds of separation ensured they were still the same person, even if they had been in two bodies. She bit her lip as she straightened, readying herself to try again. Void said nothing. He merely watched. She wished she knew what he was thinking.

  She cast the spell again. This time, she held it in place. Her other self looked at her... she gritted her teeth and forced herself to turn away. Something tore inside her mind, something... she wasn’t sure what it was, something she hadn’t even known existed until it was too late. She turned back and saw... herself, looking back at her. They were two separate people... it was hard to comprehend. She wasn’t even sure how best to handle herself.

  She’s me, she thought. She’s not an alternate version of myself.

  “I think...” They spoke together, then broke off. “I think...”

  Void laughed. “You, speak first,” he said, pointing to the other Emily. “How do you feel?”

  Emily stared at herself as the other Emily spoke. “Do I really look like that?”

  “Unless something went spectacularly wrong,” Emily said. Her head started to ache as she looked into her own face. “I suppose...”

  She felt an insane urge to giggle. “I suppose Cat would be happy.”

  “I was just thinking that,” her other self said. “I’m sure he’d be delighted.”

  Void cleared his throat. “Reintegrate. Now.”

  Emily looked at herself, then started to cast the spell. Her other self held out a hand. They touched... and blurred together, every atom of her body touching every atom of the other body. It felt strange, as if she were doing something exciting and yet fundam
entally wrong. The magic field grew stronger, the world flaring white... she found herself on her knees, the floor lurching like a boat caught in a storm. She had to fight to center herself. The two sets of memories were similar, but not identical. How could they be?

  “My head hurts,” she muttered. Her mouth was suddenly very dry. “I...”

  “Here.” Void pushed a mug of water into her hand. “How do you feel?”

  “Very strange,” Emily said. She found herself struggling to explain it. “I feel... as if someone pounded my brain without actually going through my skull.”

  Void nodded. “Common, when you’re doing it for the first time,” he said. “It’ll get harder before it gets easier. Believe me.”

  “I do.” Emily rubbed her forehead. It was damp with sweat. Her stomach growled, even though it had only been an hour - if that - since breakfast. “I just feel... funny.”

  “It’ll get harder before it gets easier,” Void repeated. “Just you wait until one of your selves has a conversation the other self never knew happened until reintegration.”

  “Ouch,” Emily said. She forced herself to stand. “How does it work? Some form of quantum entanglement?”

  “I don’t understand what you mean,” Void said. “The general theory, and I hasten to add that no one has managed to prove it, is that you and your other self are the same person and thus linked together by nature. My father” - his face twisted - “believed that magical twins, if they existed, would be linked together. His theory was that they didn’t exist because they merged together in the womb...”

  “I don’t think that makes sense,” Emily said. Her head was too sore to parse the explanation properly. “What was he trying to do?”

  “He thought he could prevent them from integrating themselves, according to his notes,” Void said. “But we don’t know for sure. There’s a lot of stuff he never wrote down before one of his experiments killed him.”

  “Ouch,” Emily said. She knew what it was like to grow up without a father. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Void said. He shook his head, dismissively. “It was a very long time ago.”