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  "Kyros." Ailynn bustled out of the pantry with a few dried apples. "Don't just stand there, lend a hand."

  "Yes, ma'am," Kyros said, a genuine smile turning his lips.

  He stepped forward and took the apples from his mother's hands. She pressed a kiss to his cheek before he could turn away.

  "I'm glad you're home, Kyros," Ailynn said, pressing her hand briefly to his arm before stepping back.

  "I'm glad to be home," Kyros said. It was true, even if it was going to cause his mother a lot of misery. She'd be safe though, and hopefully she wouldn't hate him for uprooting her life.

  Raslin was setting out wooden bowls around the table, as well as smooth wooden cups. They looked new, with few scars and chips, and Kyros wondered if his mother had bought them or if Raslin had made them. Raslin had always been good with his hands—he'd wanted to be a scribe, before his mother fell ill—and Kyros didn't doubt he'd only gotten better in the last five years.

  Within a few minutes, Ailynn had served up a thick porridge and Raslin had poured them all a very fruity smelling wine.

  Kyros felt a sudden surge of nostalgia as he sat at the table to eat. It wasn't quite the same as when he'd been young—his father had been around then, for one—but he couldn't count the number of times he and Raslin had piled in from a morning of playing or chores and settled around the table. Even the wine smelled familiar, and Kyros wished for a moment he could go back and make the decision to stay in Ourenville, to not go to Alesdor.

  Kyros picked up the cup and took a sip. The wine was bitter under the sweetness, rough as he swallowed. "Heccat is still making the wine?"

  "No one wants to break his heart by taking it over," Ailynn said as Raslin laughed. She shot Raslin a disapproving look that he blithely ignored, taking a bite of his apple. "He's teaching his daughter and her husband how to do it, so we might see something new in a few years."

  "And give up this masterpiece?" Kyros asked, taking another swallow. It still burned rough and bitter down his throat, but he enjoyed it. It was a nice change from the overly dry wines that were all anyone in Alesdor seemed to serve.

  Raslin snorted and changed the subject. "What's Alesdor like?"

  Kyros stalled for time, taking a bite of the porridge and considering his answer. He couldn't go into detail about the politics … but there was plenty else about city life that he could talk about without endangering anyone.

  "It smells," Kyros said, grinning when that got a laugh out of Raslin. Ailynn rolled her eyes. "It's very loud as well, much louder than anywhere I've ever been. I don't think the city is ever quiet for more than an hour or two at night."

  "What do people do out that late?" Ailynn asked, furrowing her brow. "Surely they need to sleep, too?"

  "Some of the guards' trainings happen at night," Kyros said, shrugging. "The markets also stay open late to accommodate people like the guards and other merchants who can't shop during the day." They also stayed open because most of the goods sold at night weren't suitable for daylight hours.

  "Ah." Ailynn was apparently satisfied with that explanation.

  "Are you renting a room out there? Or are you staying at the school? You never did specify where you were living. Do you need money?"

  "No, I don't need money," Kyros said, smiling despite himself. Ailynn didn't have money to spare him, even if he did need it. "I live in the collegiate buildings and I get a stipend for living expenses from the college."

  He was lucky he'd managed to save a good portion of it, unlike most of his fellow students and instructors. He'd tried most of the city's various forms of entertainment at one point or another—gambling, whores, drugs—but none of it had held his interest. He was more interested in learning, which was yet another thing that set him apart from his so-called peers.

  "What's that like?" Raslin asked. "Is it crowded?"

  "Not so bad," Kyros said, shrugging. "I don't have to share the rooms, but they're nothing special. If I'm there for another five years, I'll get a nicer set of rooms. It's noisy there, too; the markets are right down the road."

  "Have you met the king?" Ailynn asked teasingly, and Kyros managed to not drop his cup of wine. "Or the princess?"

  "I'm a lowly assistant mage," Kyros said lightly, trying to match her teasing tone. "I think I saw the princess' procession once, from the top of the collegiate buildings during a lesson."

  "I suppose that means you won't be marrying into the royal family and becoming a prince," Ailynn said wistfully, quirking a smile at him. "My dreams of being whisked away to the royal palace are crushed."

  Kyros laughed, shaking his head. "No, she's engaged to one of the dukes from the southern province. I never stood a chance."

  "So how is your schooling going?" Ailynn asked, changing the subject. "You weren't very forthcoming in your letters about it."

  "There's not much to tell. I'm into the higher level courses now, and I also help teach the younger students the basic lessons." He was going to screw up soon, Kyros thought, and accidentally say something in past tense rather than speaking like he was actually going back. Glancing at Raslin, Kyros stifled the feeling of unease that swelled up. Raslin was watching him with a pensive look on his face, and though he smiled when Kyros met his eyes, it was a distracted smile.

  Ailynn harrumphed, making Kyros smile at the familiarity of the noise. He turned back to his mother, adding, "I could tell you more, but it would probably bore you."

  "Nonsense," Ailynn said. "I haven't seen you in years, and now you think you're going to get out of telling me what you've been up to?"

  "Fine, fine, but remember you asked for it," Kyros said. He paused to gather his thoughts before deciding a description of the way classes were done was in order, followed by the technical details of how magic was cast. He didn't have to go into detail on what it took to get from one level of schooling to the next, or the politics that clouded the whole process and the way the high-level, fully certified mages treated anyone they deemed unimportant—namely anyone without magic or a noble title.

  It took the better part of an hour to answer all of Ailynn's questions. Kyros was careful to not mention anything that would even hint at the trouble he was running from, though it occasionally took some fast thinking. Raslin was quiet through most of the meal, which was unnerving, but Kyros refused to read anything into it. Raslin could be tired, could be wishing Kyros hadn't come by, could be bored, could be anything.

  Finally, Ailynn was satisfied, though Kyros didn't doubt she'd have more questions for him before the end of the day.

  "Raslin was going to spend the afternoon patching some of the leaks in the roof, Kyros," Ailynn said as she collected the dishes. "If you're not too tired from the trip, you could join him.

  Two hands would make the work go more quickly."

  "I can manage by myself," Raslin said, showing off his dimples briefly. "So don't feel obligated to help. Though, I don't know how much rest you'll get with me banging around on the roof."

  "I can help," Kyros said, shrugging. "I got a good night's rest last night." Untrue, but Kyros didn't want to give up the chance to spend time with Raslin.

  "All right." Raslin stood, giving Ailynn a smile before adding, "I promise I won't fall off the roof this time."

  "You had better not," Ailynn scolded. "I know your head is thick, but you will end up breaking it open if you fall on it too much."

  "I'll be careful," Raslin promised, heading towards the door.

  "The shingles and the ladder are out back. I'll grab those if you want to get the tools?"

  Kyros nodded his agreement, and detoured briefly into the chest by the fireplace. The tools were still kept there, and Kyros collected a hammer and the bag of nails tucked into one of the corners of the chest. Then he headed outside, squinting into the bright afternoon sunlight. It was still cold out, and Kyros debated briefly returning to the house for his jacket, but ultimately decided against it. He and Raslin should be moving enough to offset the cold.


  Raslin came around the side of the house carrying a rickety-looking ladder under one arm and a small stack of shingles under the other. He set the shingles on the ground, then propped the ladder up against the side of the house.

  "I can see why you've fallen before." Kyros eyed the ladder warily. It didn't look like it could hold a person's weight for longer than the three seconds it would take for a rung to break through.

  "The ladder's good. It's the roof that's the problem," Raslin said, looking up at the roof. "It had just started raining when I fell last time."

  "I don't think you'll have to worry about that today," Kyros said, then gave the ladder another assessing look. "You're going up that first."

  Raslin laughed, but obligingly picked up the shingles and started climbing. Kyros watched him closely—entirely so he could see which rungs were the weakest and not at all so he could get a better view of Raslin's ass—then followed him up to the rooftop. The ladder held, as did the roof. The angle of the roof made walking difficult, but Kyros managed to keep his balance as he crossed the roof to where Raslin was inspecting a few rotted shingles.

  "It doesn't look like it's spread very far," Kyros observed, kneeling down near the shingles in question.

  "I just replaced these a few months ago. I think one of the rafters might be rotting," Raslin said, tapping a few shingles above the rotting spot. They were darker in color than the rest, Kyros noted. If the rafter really was the cause of the rot, replacing it would be serious business. It would certainly take more than an afternoon's work, if not assistance from some of the neighbors. Raslin stared at the shingles, not moving, then asked, "Why are you really here, Kyros?"

  "What?" Kyros asked, startled. He sat back, which was a bad idea, as he nearly lost his balance.

  "You haven't visited for five years, and then you show up out of the blue for just a week? Don't think I didn't notice you were avoiding some of Ailynn's questions, either. What's really going on?" Raslin hissed, keeping his voice down.

  "I don't know what you're talking about," Kyros said, setting the hammer and bag of nails down on the rooftop. "How many weak spots are there?"

  "Are you in trouble?" Raslin asked, refusing to be distracted.

  "You're not sick, are you?"

  "No," Kyros said flatly. Raslin was making it easier not to tell him; Kyros' stubborn streak was extra wide when he was pressured. "Can we fix the roof now?"

  Raslin stared at him for a moment, and Kyros nearly caved.

  Raslin wasn't like the men he'd worked with in Alesdor. He wasn't looking for a way to use Kyros' weaknesses against him.

  He was only concerned. "Fine. Check up by the chimney."

  Kyros nodded, pushing himself to his feet too quickly. He barely managed to keep his balance, but Raslin didn't say anything, not even issuing an admonition to be more careful. He was probably worried about Ailynn, Kyros decided, and what Kyros being in trouble or ill would mean for his arrangement with Ailynn. He wished there was a way to reassure Raslin without telling him anything that could put him in danger.

  Maneuvering across the roof, Kyros carefully inspected the shingles. The shingles below his feet were solid, even near the chimney where Raslin had pointed him. Still, Kyros took his time looking them over, paying more attention to his thoughts than the shingles. He should tell Raslin the cover story … or put him off for the moment by saying that he needed to discuss it with Ailynn first. Raslin would respect that, and then hopefully Ailynn could cement the cover story with him.

  Raslin had the rotting shingles out by the time Kyros returned. He was studiously inspecting the opening they'd left, not looking up when Kyros loudly approached. The roof wasn't meant for stealth, but Raslin acted as though he hadn't heard Kyros as he'd clambered across the slope of the roof.

  "The shingles up by the chimney look good," Kyros said, which earned him a curt nod from Raslin. Kyros tamped down on a sudden surge of anger. It wasn't as though he didn't want to tell Raslin—it was just better that Raslin didn't know. It was going to be dangerous enough leaving him there without warning him.

  Raslin picked up a shingle and fitted in into place. He didn't acknowledge Kyros' presence, even when Kyros passed him the hammer and a nail. Kyros rolled his eyes, but continued to pass Raslin materials as he needed them. Raslin didn't say a single word, and Kyros wanted to shake him.

  "Look," Kyros started as Raslin finished nailing the last shingle into place.

  "If you want to keep whatever your problem is to yourself, that's fine," Raslin said sharply, cutting off Kyros without looking at him. "Do me a favor and don't try to ply me with excuses, though. You never were very good at them."

  "I can't tell you," Kyros said icily, in the tone he'd perfected dealing with the mage candidates who had decided they were somehow better than Kyros and the rest of the 'country' boys who ended up in Alesdor for training. "I need to discuss it with my mother before I can tell anyone else."

  "You could have just said that," Raslin said, finally looking at him, and Kyros flinched at the anger on Raslin's face, "Instead of trying to make me think that nothing is going on. I'm not stupid, Kyros."

  "I never thought you were," Kyros said, scowling. He couldn't reach out and shake Raslin—they'd both fall off the roof. "I wasn't … there's nothing wrong with me visiting for a week or two."

  "Except you just admitted that there's more to your visit,"

  Raslin said scathingly. "Which means you're trying to mislead me and make me think that nothing's wrong."

  "Because I can't tell you anything, yet," Kyros said slowly, gritting his teeth.

  "You should have said that," Raslin said, throwing up his hands. He braced himself against the roof, standing carefully.

  "Forget it. I'm going to check the rest of the roof. Go talk to your mother, if it's that important I not be around for it."

  Kyros hesitated, but finally nodded. "All right." He stood, but hesitated, not wanting to leave with Raslin angry at him. "I will tell you."

  "Sure," Raslin said, obviously not believing him. Kyros gave up, making his way to the edge of the roof where the ladder was positioned as Raslin moved in the opposite direction.

  Kyros climbed down the ladder carefully, wondering where he'd managed to foul up that talk. Probably when he'd decided to treat Raslin like he was a possible threat, Kyros thought, scowling at the side of the house. Raslin hadn't tried to work it out, hadn't tried to resolve the argument like he had always done when they were younger. But five years was a long time, and Kyros had no right to expect Raslin to react like he'd done when they were younger. He didn't know anymore how Raslin reacted to anything.

  Putting his feet on the ground, Kyros headed into the house.

  Thanks to Raslin, he had a window of opportunity to talk to his mother without anyone interrupting, much earlier than he'd expected. Inside, Ailynn sat on a stool by the fire in the kitchen, a pile of laundry beside her. She was in the process of darning a sock, squinting down at the needle she was pushing through the fabric.

  "That was quick," Ailynn said, looking up.

  "I was getting in the way more than helping," Kyros said, crossing the room to join her. He pulled up a stool next to the fireplace, wondering how to start.

  "Are you going to tell me why you've really come home now, Kyros?" Ailynn asked calmly, looking back down at the sock.

  "How did you know?" Kyros asked, running a hand through his hair. He was suddenly nervous, which was silly, but then again, it was his mother, and he had to admit to her that he'd screwed up.

  "I'm getting older, not stupider, Kyros," Ailynn said, favoring him with a wry look. "You've come to visit after no word for years, you're only staying a week, and you didn't remember that Solstice is in two weeks. Why are you really here, Kyr? Are you in trouble?"

  "Unfortunately," Kyros said, shrugging awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I should have made time to come sooner, but there was never … that doesn't matter. I need you to leave with me."

  "To go wher
e?" Ailynn asked, pursing her lips in disapproval.

  Kyros stifled a sigh; this wasn't going to be easy.

  "Away from here. Look, it's …" Kyros paused. He'd had two weeks to figure out what to say and how to say it, and now that he was there, his mind was blank. "There are a lot of corrupt men in charge of the mage guild. The ones on the council for magic are the worst. To get anywhere in the mage ranks… well, it's not a pleasant process. It usually involves doing something underhanded or hurting other people."

  Ailynn paused in her darning, looking up at him. It wasn't a damning expression, which Kyros had almost feared. She didn't say anything though, obviously waiting for him to continue, so Kyros did so.

  "I didn't do anything I regret," Kyros said immediately.

  "There were a number of opportunities for me to get ahead at the expense of others, and I refused to take them. That didn't go unnoticed, and I think it made the council that leads the mage guild nervous. That's the only explanation I can think of, because there was no other reason for them to try to force me out of the school."

  "Are you here because you were kicked out of school, Kyr?"

  Ailynn asked. "There will always be a place for you here, even if you have to share the loft with Raslin."

  "I wasn't kicked out," Kyros said. That would have been too easy. "They tried to force me out, but I fought it. There's a provision, an old provision, that I dug out of the law books. If enough higher-level mage students, assistant mages, or full mages sign a petition attesting to the corruption of the mage council, then the Crown has to disband the council to conduct an investigation."

  "I take it the council didn't approve," Ailynn said, her face expressionless.

  Kyros nodded. "I'd collected about half the signatures I needed before they found out. I don't know if one of the mages I was working with informed them or if they were spying on me.

  I returned one night to my rooms to find them gutted and my belongings trashed. When that didn't deter me, they tried to pressure me in other ways. They cut off my stipend. I received threatening letters. A few of the council members even tried to bribe me."