blade slid into her, through her heart. The oceans and rivers poured out of her. She crumpled to the Library floor, her eyes fading, and watched his feet walking away, the blade at his side. Darkness closed around it all. She caught a flash of the black crab washing against the shore. Then it was gone.
Chapter
~6~
Eliza fled the Library and went to look for Foss. She knew she was not permitted to enter the Mancers’ chambers but she was frightened. She wanted to tell him how Aysu had looked, that awful glare in her eyes, the way she had been swaying back and forth. The Supreme Mancer was slipping.
She made her way to the warren of torch-lit stone rooms under the Library, where the manipulators of water slept. She had bandaged her ankle and kept ice on it for much of the day but it was still sore and she couldn’t put her full weight on it. There was a crab on the wall marking Foss’s chambers. She knocked and waited. No reply came. She touched her fingers to the black crab and hesitated, then drew the symbol Foss had taught her with her index finger. It was his own private symbol for his door. The door appeared and swung open soundlessly. The Citadel did not protest.
Foss’s chambers were made up of three connected rooms with domed ceilings and high arched doorways between them. In one room cushions were arranged on the floor on either side of a low table. The next room contained only a long, tidy bed and a desk, and the third room was lined with empty bookcases. The lack of books was so uncharacteristic of Foss that she felt a chill run through her.
“Foss?” she called hesitantly, as if he might be hiding somewhere. But there was nowhere to hide; his chambers were empty. Disappointed and increasingly afraid, she crossed the darkening grounds back towards the south wing. As she approached she noticed a number of Mancers entering the south wing, rather more of them than usual at this hour. She hurried after them and headed up the marble staircase. Hearing footsteps behind her she froze, then spun around. It was Ka, Emmisarius of fire. He gave her a polite bow without breaking his stride.
“Hello.” Her voice came out high and nervous. He swept past her and turned down the hallway.
“Where is everybody going?” she asked.
Ka glanced back over his shoulder and there was something sorrowful in the look he gave her.
“Some matters of no great importance to be discussed before nightfall,” he said. “Goodnight, Eliza. Welcome back.”
“Thanks,” she said. “Goodnight.”
She hesitated on the stairs as he disappeared from sight, wondering whether or not to go back and look for Foss to tell him about this new development. But if he was not in his chambers and not in the Library, perhaps he too was attending this unusual evening meeting. In any case, it could wait until morning, she decided, and made her way back to her bedroom.
~~~
Tired though she was, she did not sleep well. Ravens hopped about the room in agitation, occasionally cawing and waking her. For a while she tried to ignore them but at last she rose and went to the window. The grounds were quiet. Still, there could be no doubt something was going on; she ought to be ready. She got dressed and fastened the shoulder strap and scabbard Nell had made across her chest. Her dagger was not in the scabbard and she had a moment of panic before remembering that it was under her pillow. She had taken only a step towards the bed when her bedroom door flew open. There came a blinding flash and a great force threw her back against the far wall, knocking the breath out of her. She stumbled to her feet, gasping. Five Mancers had entered her room. She knew from the emblems on their robes, the black crab, the red bird, the yellow human, the white bear, and the blue serpent, that they were manipulators from each of the five houses: water, fire, earth, metal and wood. Any Magic combining all five of these forces was terribly strong. The room was full of ravens all at once,
Chapter
~6~
Eliza fled the Library and went to look for Foss. She knew she was not permitted to enter the Mancers’ chambers but she was frightened. She wanted to tell him how Aysu had looked, that awful glare in her eyes, the way she had been swaying back and forth. The Supreme Mancer was slipping.
She made her way to the warren of torch-lit stone rooms under the Library, where the manipulators of water slept. She had bandaged her ankle and kept ice on it for much of the day but it was still sore and she couldn’t put her full weight on it. There was a crab on the wall marking Foss’s chambers. She knocked and waited. No reply came. She touched her fingers to the black crab and hesitated, then drew the symbol Foss had taught her with her index finger. It was his own private symbol for his door. The door appeared and swung open soundlessly. The Citadel did not protest.
Foss’s chambers were made up of three connected rooms with domed ceilings and high arched doorways between them. In one room cushions were arranged on the floor on either side of a low table. The next room contained only a long, tidy bed and a desk, and the third room was lined with empty bookcases. The lack of books was so uncharacteristic of Foss that she felt a chill run through her.
“Foss?” she called hesitantly, as if he might be hiding somewhere. But there was nowhere to hide; his chambers were empty. Disappointed and increasingly afraid, she crossed the darkening grounds back towards the south wing. As she approached she noticed a number of Mancers entering the south wing, rather more of them than usual at this hour. She hurried after them and headed up the marble staircase. Hearing footsteps behind her she froze, then spun around. It was Ka, Emmisarius of fire. He gave her a polite bow without breaking his stride.
“Hello.” Her voice came out high and nervous. He swept past her and turned down the hallway.
“Where is everybody going?” she asked.
Ka glanced back over his shoulder and there was something sorrowful in the look he gave her.
“Some matters of no great importance to be discussed before nightfall,” he said. “Goodnight, Eliza. Welcome back.”
“Thanks,” she said. “Goodnight.”
She hesitated on the stairs as he disappeared from sight, wondering whether or not to go back and look for Foss to tell him about this new development. But if he was not in his chambers and not in the Library, perhaps he too was attending this unusual evening meeting. In any case, it could wait until morning, she decided, and made her way back to her bedroom.
~~~
Tired though she was, she did not sleep well. Ravens hopped about the room in agitation, occasionally cawing and waking her. For a while she tried to ignore them but at last she rose and went to the window. The grounds were quiet. Still, there could be no doubt something was going on; she ought to be ready. She got dressed and fastened the shoulder strap and scabbard Nell had made across her chest. Her dagger was not in the scabbard and she had a moment of panic before remembering that it was under her pillow. She had taken only a step towards the bed when her bedroom door flew open. There came a blinding flash and a great force threw her back against the far wall, knocking the breath out of her. She stumbled to her feet, gasping. Five Mancers had entered her room. She knew from the emblems on their robes, the black crab, the red bird, the yellow human, the white bear, and the blue serpent, that they were manipulators from each of the five houses: water, fire, earth, metal and wood. Any Magic combining all five of these forces was terribly strong. The room was full of ravens all at once,
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