He enjoyed the sight of her on the warpath, her eyes narrowed with indignationa girl who emanated power with her very presence.
I did not want your views of Wintervale, who is perfectly sane, colored by what you think of his mother.
What would have happened if I were to run into her?
You would not. She does not come to school, and none of us are ever invited to visit her house. Besides, even if you do, she has no idea what you look like.
She was far from mollified. Is this something you would have wanted to know, were you in my place?
Yes, he had to admit.
Then extend me the same courtesy.
He sighed. It was difficult for him, having so long held everything close to the chest, to share all his secrets and hard-won intelligence. But she had a pointand not everything needed to wait until he was dead.
Besides, you give me too little credit if you think I am going to judge a boy by his mother. If I can bring myself to see you in a sympathetic light, Wintervale has nothing to fear.
Warmth crept up the back of his neck. You see me in a sympathetic light?
She drew back and cast him a scornful look. Sometimes. Not now.
He patted the bed. Come here. Let me change your mind.
She made a face. With more fairy tales of your wands powers?
He smiled. Her arrival might have turned over the hourglass on what remained of his life, but before she came, he never smiled. Or laughed.
You are still my subject, so sit down on the command of your sovereign. He will show you his domain.
He taught her how to get in and navigate the Crucible by herselfnot only the practice cantos, but also the teaching cantos, which she hadnt even known existed.
The teaching cantos was a small palace built of pale-pink marble, with clear, wide windows and deeply receded loggias. Inside, a double-return staircase led to a gallery that encircled the soaring reception hall. Along the gallery marched doors of different sizes, colors, and ornateness.
The first one they came to was black and glassy, an entire slab of obsidian that glittered with grape-sized diamonds arranged in constellations.
This is Titus the Thirds classroom.
Titus the Third himself is inside?
Titus III ranked as one of the most remarkable rulers of the House of Elberon, alongside Titus the Great and Hesperia the Magnificent.
A record and a likeness of him. He was the one who constructed the Crucible, so his is the first classroom.
Next to the obsidian door was a plaque that that bore Titus IIIs name. And beneath that, a list of topics that stretched all the way to the floor.
He was an expert on all those subjects?
Most of themhe was a learned man. But his knowledge was for his time. The prince tapped on the list, and a bramble of annotations spread over the original engraved letters.
Iolanthe peered closer. On the subject of Potions, a number of comments had been left.
Archaic recipes. Go to Apollonia II for simpler, more effective recipes.Tiberius.
Do not go to Apollonia II for recipes unless you intend to pluck eyes out of live animals. Titus IVI know, shockinghas a number of very reliable recipes.Aglaia.
Aglaia has adapted Titus IVs recipes to more modern tools and processing methods.Gaius.
So this is how you have been educated in subtle magic, by your ancestors.
Many of whom were capable mages, though only a few are also good teachers.
The gallery turned. And turned again. She stopped paying attention to the individual doors and studied the boy next to her. He looked slightly less ravaged, though he still walked hesitantly, as if worried about his balance.
And everything would only become more difficult.
This was why he wanted her to love him, because love was the only force that could compel him onto this pathand hold him to it.
There came a prickling sensation in her heart, a weight with thorns.
They were approaching the stairs again. The last two doors belonged to Prince Gaius and Prince Titus VII, respectively. Your mother doesnt have a place here?
She was never on the throne. Only a ruling prince or princess is allotted a spot in the teaching cantos.
Prince Gaiuss door, a gigantic block of basalt thickly studded with fist-sized rubies, bore an unmistakable resemblance to that of Titus IIIsexcept everything had been done on a showier scale. On his plaque, he listed one of his areas of expertise as Atlantis. Have you spent much time here?
The prince cast an icy look at his grandfathers door. I do not call on him.
Sometimes he was sixteen years old. And sometimes he was a thousand, as cold and proud as the dynasty that had spawned him.
She tapped on the door of his classroom. And what do you teach?
Next to Prince Gaiuss, his door was almost laughably plainand looked exactly the same as the door to his room in Mrs. Dawlishs house. I teach survivalfor you. When I am gone, this is where you will come if you still have questions.
Suddenly she understood the dread in her heart. If the prophecy of his death had been properly interpreted, it would mean he had very little time left. A year, perhaps. A year and half at best. How would it feel to push open that door, knowing he was gone, to speak with a record and a likeness of him?