He shouldnt have vaulted on an empty stomach.
You cannot perform at the wedding, he said.
Her ears felt as if theyd been stung by bees. This was what hed come to tell her? I beg your pardon?
Rosie Oakbluff is marrying into a family of collaborators.
The Greymoors of Meadswell were rumored to have turned in more than a hundred rebels during and after the January Uprising. Everyone knew that. Yes, she is.
I did not realize, said Master Haywood. He leaned against a boulder, his face tired and tense. I thought she was marrying a Grey more from the clan of artists. Mrs. Needles corrected my mistake just now, and I cannot let agents of Atlantis see you manipulate the elements. They would take you away.
Her eyes widened. What was he talking about? If Atlantis had a special interest in elemental mages, wouldnt she have heard about it? Not a single elemental mage she knew had ever attracted Atlantiss attention simply by being an elemental mage. Every circus has a dozen mages who can do what I do. Why should Atlantis pay any mind to me?
Because you are younger and have far more potential.
Two thousand years ago she would have not have questioned him. Differences among realms then had been settled by wars of elemental magic. Good elemental mages had been highly prized, and great elemental mages, well, theyd been considered Angels incarnate. But that was two thousand years ago.
Potential for what?
For greatness.
Iolanthe bit the inside of her lower lip. Merixida, in sufficient quantities, caused delusion and paranoia. But shed always secretly adulterated Master Haywoods homemade distillate with sugar syrup. Did he have a stash somewhere she didnt know about? Id love to be a great elemental mage, but there hasnt been a single Great for the last five hundred years anywhere on earth. And you forget that I cant manipulate airno one can be a Great without having control over all four elements.
Master Haywood shook his head. That is not true.
What is not true?
He did not answer her question, but only said, You must listen to me. You will be in great danger if Atlantis becomes aware of your power.
Iolanthe had volunteered to light the path at the wedding. She could only imagine what the brides mother, Mrs. Oakbluff, would think were Iolanthe to suddenly announce, hours before the ceremony, that she had thought better of it.
Her pocket watch throbbed. Excuse me. I need to take the light elixir out of the cauldron.
Shed also volunteered to take care of the wedding illumination. Silver light elixir was the current craze; but a light elixir that emitted a true silver light without any tinge of blue was both difficult and time-consuming to makeand once mature, radiated for precisely seven hours.
The entire enterprise was fraught with the possibility of failure. Iolanthe had started with five batches, and only one had survived the curing process. But the risk was worth it. The Oakbluffs wanted to show their much wealthier in-laws that they were capable of putting on an impressively elegant wedding, and a successful batch of silver light elixir
went a long way toward achieving that goal.
Iolanthe vaulted, hoping Master Haywood wouldnt follow.
It was spring holiday; the schoolroom was empty of pupils and their usual clutter. The equipment for the practicals was located at the far end, underneath a portrait of the prince. She uncovered the biggest cauldron and gave its contents a stir. The elixir stuck to the spatula, thick and opaque like a sky about to rain. Perfect. Three hours of cooling time and it should begin to radiate.
Have you heard anything I said? Master Haywoods voice again came behind her.
He didnt sound angry, only weary. Her heart pinched as she unpacked the sterling ewer Mrs. Oakbluff had given her for the light elixir. She didnt know why, but shed always felt a nagging suspicion that she was somehow responsible for his conditiona suspicion that went deeper than mere guilt at not being able to take care of him as she would like to. You should eat something. Your headaches get worse when you dont eat on time.
I dont need to eat. I need you to listen.
He rarely sounded parental these daysshe couldnt remember the last time. She turned around. Im listening. But please remember, a claim as extraordinary as yoursthat Ill be in danger from Atlantis by doing something as commonplace as lighting a wedding pathneeds extraordinary proof.
He was the one whod introduced her to the concept that extraordinary claims needed extraordinary proofs. Such a sponge shed been, soaking up every one of his words, giddy and proud to be the closest thing to a daughter to this eloquent, erudite man.
That was before his mistakes and lies had cost him position after position, and the brilliant scholar once destined for greatness was now a village schoolmasterone in danger of being sacked, at that.
He shook his head. I dont need proof. All I need is to rescind my permission for you to go to Meadswell for the wedding.
The only reason she was going to Meadswell in the first place was to save his employment. Rumor was that parents whod soured on his inattentiveness to their children were urging Mrs. Oakbluff, the village registrar, to dismiss him. Iolanthe hoped that by providing a spectacular lighting of the path, not to mention the silver light elixir, Mrs. Oakbluff might be persuaded to tilt her decision in Master Haywoods favor.