Chapter 4

Seaman’s Fancy held the attraction Geoff had feared. With its high-stakes gambling, heavily armed innkeeper, barely covered, tightly-clothed barmaids, and tempers too short already, Marcus stood fascinated beside him. Knowing what the place would offer to a young mage, he sent Marcus to the innkeeper, Sam Goodree. The more the boy saw of these conditions, the more he would understand why Max had to be stopped. That understanding would make it easier for Marcus to accept what the council planned to have him do.

            His eyes stayed glued on his surroundings as Marcus moved away from him. Men from his army had come tonight. Geoff could pick up their voices and power. If his men were here, then the council knew what he had done. Determined not to give away his unease, Geoff took the tankard the bar girl offered and waited for Marcus to make his way back.

            Geoff caught sight of him towards the bar. Sam leaned towards him talking quickly. Marcus nodded several times before stepping into the drunk beside him. The man pushed him off and Marcus staggered towards another man before the innkeeper caught his arm. Marcus saluted staggering backwards as he turned around. Something about the town had changed the boy, and talking to the innkeeper had not helped that change, Geoff could see it as Marcus rejoined him at the table.       

            “What did he say?” Geoff had to lean in close to Marcus to ask his question and get the reply. The table next to them had lost the little bit of sense they had left. Marcus moved to Geoff’s left, away from the table being flipped over. He sat down, glancing around them before answering Geoff’s question.

            “He says if ya’ wants a room, ya haff ta go ta sometine called ta Maiden’s Arm.”

            As he spoke, Marcus leaned into him as if he was drunk. Geoff felt something brush against his hands. As he pushed Marcus back into a sitting position, he grabbed the paper from him and quickly put it into his jacket pocket. Geoff watched slightly amused as Marcus tried to stand up to leave. He staggered backwards, flopping back into the chair. Geoff grabbed Marcus’ arm to keep him upright and guided him slowly out of the inn. The fight had grabbed the attention of everyone else, so leaving unnoticed became no problem. Geoff had to pull Marcus into a dark alleyway far from the inn’s view before he stopped acting.

            “There are people following us. I think they’re from that fight.” Marcus whispered as he leaned against a thick wall.

            “Good. Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Geoff moved into the lighted street waiting for the two men coming up from the inn.

            As they moved closer, Geoff could see slight bruising and cuts. These two had really enjoyed themselves tonight. “George, Andy, it’s good to see you still have a knack for instigating things.”

            “Hey boss.” Andy slurred, “Sorry ‘bout that, but the kid needed a cover to hand ya what Sam needed ta tell ya. He’s a good drunk, but they could still hear and see if ‘tweren’t for us.”

            “No one noticed us leave?”

            “None, ‘cept us two and Sam. He made sure his boys helped us egg tdos idiots.”

            “Good, go clean up and meet me at the Maiden’s Arm. Go through the back as usual. The meeting will be there.”

            “Is that council still tryin’ ta take ya job?”

            “Their trying, but they won’t succeed. I promise you that. I’ll see you in half an hour.”

            “Right boss.”

            “See ya boss.”

            Andy and George walked down the street, whistling and laughing, the alcohol breathing from their lips and clothes. Geoff waited until they were gone before sliding back into the shadows where Marcus still stood. Geoff nodded down the alleyway as Marcus watched him walk by. He felt Marcus fall in step beside him, glancing around as the city lights flickered between open passages. Geoff waited, knowing there would be questions. When none came, Geoff glanced towards him. Marcus studied their surroundings, watching the darkness around them. The pale city lights threw shadows across the boy’s face, making it seem older and more solemn then Geoff had noticed before. He would have to talk to Sam tonight at the meeting and find out what he had said to the boy. Something had caused this change, something about this city had taken the youth from his almost apprentice, and if he didn’t find out what, Geoff realized he would lose this boy for good.

 

            Marcus stared at the city and shuddered. Max had caused this, he just knew it. In the hidden places of darkness, Marcus could see the children. Huge hungry eyes staring with bleak hopeless expressions, their bare feet standing on hard cobbled bricks, their ragged clothes hanging on by thread and hope. He had once been as alone and lost, had nothing to comfort him, nothing to take away the emptiness and dreary existence he had come to. Even his dreams had not been able to comfort him during the mornings when Max stood before him, ordering him to watch the destruction of thousands of lives in streets just like these. He had not wanted to remember, had pushed them off as nightmares. As he looked around the darkened dirty city, Marcus began to wonder if Astra had been right after all. If his every waking nightmare had come to life in this one dingy town, why couldn’t his dreams of being wanted come true as well?

            Angry male voices from one of the shadowed rooms beside him froze Marcus in place. The tones surrounded him, drowning him in the past. He had been followed from his nightmares into this supposed safe haven. Max had found him as he had feared; they had come to take him from everything he had tried to build. He tried blocking it out, but pain began to build in his mind. Marcus slowly turned in a circle, ignoring the man beside him, looking for the most likely spot for an attack. How could he have tuned out Max’s threat so easily? He always waited for Marcus to begin to think he wouldn’t come back before stripping him of all happiness. How could he have not remembered that? A shot from somewhere rang out and Marcus fell to his knees.

            Shaking, Marcus sent out a flare of magick trying to locate the sound.  He had heard it before, long before he had been with the Walker’s. Where was it? What was it? Marcus sent his power farther into the night, searching for that force he knew would be there, waiting.  Just as he felt the wall being erected to keep him out, Marcus tried to pull back before the backlash could snap his concentration. Too late, Marcus cried out as a piercing light passed through his mind followed by the drumming of feet. Orders shouted at him from above, a voice blamed him for a battle gone wrong, rough angry hands pulled him to his feet, shaking him. His nerves screamed as lightening flooded through them cutting off all his senses. Then he dropped, his body colliding with rough stone, his teeth chattering viciously jarring his numbed mind into millions of shards. He curled into a ball, there on the pavement, water leaking from his eyes as his voice scratched out an apology and a plea. He could not move, could not breathe, his body convulsing in waves as power pulsed through him. When it began to eat at him, he felt consciousness slipping into the sweet oblivion of nothingness.

 

            “MARCUS!”

            Geoff’s voice cracked as he watched the boy’s body still. Glancing around the shadows for any predator ready to lurk on the unsuspecting, Geoff knelt beside Marcus feeling for a pulse missing a flash of light from a nearby house. Warm air brushed the back of Geoff’s hand when it passed by Marcus’ face. Breathing deeply, Geoff relaxed knowing the boy had life left in him. From the corner of his eye, Geoff caught a shadow racing on the walls. He recognized the outline of Robert Delaney, the local blacksmith coming to his aid.

            Delaney stopped several inches from him trying to catch his breath. “Heard a boy screaming and came as soon as I could. What happened?”

            “I don’t know. Help me get him off the ground. I’ve got to get to the Maiden’s Arm quickly.”

            Robert nodded, scooped Marcus in his arms and straightened up. “I know a short way no one will notice your entrance.”

            “Let’s go.”

           

            A door creaked open as they melted into the darkness. Two shadows slipped from the light into the small crevice across the way.

            “Is that the boy?”

            “T’would seem so. Seems familiar and that there spell of the boss’ worked like he said t’would. Has ta be the right one.”

            “Should we follaw?”

            “Naw, we know he’s here, wit that guy and where. S’all we need.”

 

            As they made their way to the back of the inn, Marcus groaned once, then lay still. Robert and Geoff exchanged glances wondering what the boy fought. They got to the steps as the innkeeper, Emé Cirano, flung open the door. She caught sight of Marcus’ pale face and ushered them upstairs. Going straight to a back room hidden from the others, she gestured for Robert to lay the boy down, then shooed both men from the room.

            “You two have work to do downstairs. The rest of your men are here milord, ready for your news. I’ll take care of this one. He‘ll be right as rain come morning, I guarantee it.”

            She closed the door behind them with a soft click leaving them no choice, but to join the meeting downstairs. The moment Geoff joined his men, questions flew about the young man with him. Who was he? Where had he come from? Did he know about Max? Was it true he had studied under Max? Did the council really plan on using an untested boy against such a demon? How did Geoff fit into these plans? Were there plans to meet up later and go after Max? Was there to be war at last and would the young man be a part of it?

            Geoff answered as best he could without giving away anything. It would be better for them to judge Marcus on their own without his own thoughts planted in their minds. Right as Sam started to fill the group in on what had been happening, Geoff felt a persistent tug. Someone had tapped into his mind lock, getting past the barriers and demanding to have Geoff’s full attention. This had only happened once before, right before he had been imprisoned in the hole Max called a jail. It had been the reason Max’s guards had been able to take him in the first place.

Quietly, Geoff moved back into the shadows, keeping from the groups view, but still in the conversation. He breathed deeply and sent his inner senses towards the pull. It latched onto him and dragged him through mazes of thought, finally reaching a door Geoff could recognize in his sleep. It swung open allowing Geoff into the darkness. The moment Geoff disappeared inside, the door shut with a thud.

 

            Marcus sat up, struggling to breathe. He heard a woman nearby gasp as he straightened up, but he ignored her. It had happened again. He had called out for help and someone had answered him, had helped him fight the problem, than had left quietly allowing him to fix the barriers by himself. Who was it? Who always helped him fight? Whenever Max attacked, someone else always stood with him protecting him from the worst of what Max offered. But why? Why would anyone protect a nothing like him? Max had made it perfectly clear that no one wanted him. Max had taken him away, had left a trail clear to follow, but no one had ever rescued him, not even his brother.

            Marcus blinked. He was an orphan, had lived on the streets alone his entire life, how could he have a brother? Marcus shook his head trying to clear his mind of these strange ideas. He had no family, had never been in this world, had always been alone, always.

Marcus’ head dropped to his hands, then why did he recognize this area? How was he able to connect to the unhappiness here and know it belonged to Max? How could he possibly know it had once been better here? How could he feel so connected to this land and feel the land inside him? It should not, could not be possible. Maybe he wanted to belong to someone, something so much, that this land craving for a better ruler had tapped into him and made him see things.

How did he know that was even possible?

            The woman in the room stood up, asking if there was anything she could do for him. He heard himself ask for his teacher. The moment she left, Marcus shook his head again. His teacher? Why would he call Geoff his teacher? Had he really started thinking in those terms? He was damning the man by admitting that. Max would consume everyone and everything in search of him now. How could he have been so stupid to admit out loud that he had accepted the offer?

            Marcus? Are you alright?

            He heard Geoff’s voice in his head, but could not answer him. He could not place the man in any more danger than he already had.

            Marcus answer me.

            I’m fine.

            Then why did the innkeeper rush down here saying that you asked for me.

            I don’t know.

            Stop lying to me.  Emé does not go rushing into a meeting and pull anyone away from it without a good reason. What’s wrong?

            Marcus sighed. Geoff would not let him out of this as easy as he had hoped. I don’t know. What happened to me?

            He could feel Geoff’s confusion now as well, whatever had happened to him Geoff was worried. I’m not entirely sure. We’ll talk about it later. If you‘re up to it, come down here. I want you to meet some people.

            Would that be a good idea? I’m an unknown that you can’t afford to misjudge.

            Marcus felt Geoff stiffen, How much of the conversation did you over hear?

            Ummm…not all that much really. I just happened to be walking by when Mr. Dodd said something about not trusting me because I could be working with Max. I left after that.

            Geoff started laughing. Marcus’ eyebrows lifted in confusion. He just admitted he had heard the conversation and left. Why would Geoff laugh?

            Marcus get down here.

            But?

            Now Marcus.

            Fine, I’m coming.

            Geoff’s laughter repeated before his voice cut off. Marcus swung his feet off the bed and stood up. His head started swimming, what the hell had happened to him? He sat back down on the bed, waiting for the dizziness to leave him before trying to stand up again. The last thing he remembered had been walking down that alleyway, listening for anyone coming up behind them. The voices! Marcus straightened, it had been the voices that had set him off. Whom had they belonged to? Why had he feared just the tone of those voices? Why did his head hurt from that?

Marcus sighed, ever since arriving here all he could do was question. He heard footsteps outside the door and tried standing up again. As the door pushed open, he recognized the woman who had been in the room when he had woken up.

            “I’m sorry to inconvenience you like I have. But could you do me a favor?”

            “You’re looking for your teacher correct?”

            Marcus nodded.

            “I thought so. I have come to lead you to our meeting. The men are most curious about you, but Geoffrey Nathaniel is not answering any of their questions, which is a good thing. You need to be accepted for yourself, not by how others perceive you. I suggest you stay by Geoffrey Nathaniel during your time downstairs. Do not get pulled into any conversations that might make things awkward for him to explain. Those men get crazy when they think they have fresh bait.”

            “I’ll try and remember that. Ma’am could I ask you something?”

            “My name is Emé, no ma’am for me. What can I do for you?”

            “Why do you call him Geoffrey Nathaniel?”

            Emé smiled, “That is his name, though he prefers Geoff. I was a close friend of his mother’s and she did not like the truncation. Neither do I.”
            Marcus nodded, realizing if he could get her alone again, he would learn a lot about his teacher. Following Emé out the door, Marcus blended the title with Geoff’s name, but he couldn’t feel Max lifting it from his mind. Would Geoff be safe from Max’s tyranny if Marcus accepted the position Geoff had offered out loud? Should he chance it? As Emé lead him through several corridors, the questions whirled through his mind.

Geoff already promised to teach him and treat him as a student whether or not Marcus accepted it out loud. Just in case Max could feel the pact if Marcus did in fact accept, should he accept the offer in his heart and mind, but never say the words? Would that be fair to Geoff if these counsel members were going to ask him if they really were teacher and student? Would Geoff get into trouble if he admitted he had never officially said yes out loud? Did it really matter what anyone else said as long as Geoff accepted his decision? Did Geoff’s acceptance really matter that much?

            Marcus realized it mattered very much to him that Geoff accepted his decision and the reasons why he made it. How could he in good conscience, accept Geoff in his heart and mind as his teacher and not accept it out loud? How could he get the world to understand that Geoff was his teacher without the official oath and ceremony?

Marcus’ head began pounding just as Emé stopped by a solid oak door. Marcus suddenly felt sick as she knocked once then walked in. Knowing he should follow, Marcus realized his feet and become stuck to the floor.  How was he going to be able to face Geoff’s peers if he could not truthfully claim the title Geoff had given to him?

            Before the thought could fully form and Marcus could try to make his way back to the inn room, Geoff appeared in the doorway. No one in the room seemed to notice when he shut it behind him blocking the inside from seeing Marcus. Without a word, Geoff moved down the hallway away from the meeting. Marcus followed unsure what would happen now. At another door, Geoff pulled a key from one of his pockets and fit it to the lock. Swinging the door open, he gestured Marcus inside then closed it behind them.

            Marcus stood in the center of the dark room unsure of what to do. Without thinking, he rubbed his hands together creating an electrical current and blew on them. A small fire appeared in his hands and as he walked to the table near him, sending the flame dancing to each of the candles bringing light into the room, he heard the lock of the door click. Marcus did not turn back around until the fire died out. When it finally evaporated, Marcus looked to Geoff wondering what his reaction would be to this.

            “Very impressive, can you tell me which spell you used to do that?”

            Marcus shook his head. He had never known what he had done to get the flame to dance to the candles or how he had even created it. He just knew it worked well. “I had seen someone do it before once, and I copied him. I don’t know what was used.”

            “Do you remember who it was?”

            “No, I’ve lost that part of my memory ages ago.”

            “How much of the conversation did you overhear?”

            Marcus blinked; he couldn’t pretend he didn’t understand what Geoff was talking about. He had all but admitted he had listened in on at least part of it.

            “Mr. Dodd was complaining that you were taking me on without really knowing what I was capable of doing. He said that I could be endangering you because I could still be working for Max and sending information to him about the group. I left after that, I couldn’t stay and listen to him say out loud everything I was thinking.”

            “So you agree with him?”

            “Max knows everything. He is always listening to what I do, say or think. I won’t endanger anyone by unknowingly supplying him with that kind of information.”

            “Why?”

            Marcus stared at him. Geoff already knew, the man could read his mind just like Max could. Why did he need clarification? Geoff shook his head proving Marcus’ point until he opened his mouth.

            “Marcus I know you think I can read your mind, but I can’t, not entirely. I won’t deny that we have a link that allows us to communicate via our thoughts, but that link does not enable me to always know what you’re thinking.”

            “How could you not know what I was thinking if you just said you know I think you can read my mind?”

            “Because I can read it on your face and through your eyes; no one, even if they have a mind link with you, can read all your thoughts unless you allow it. I can only talk to you when you have need of my advice or my help. The same is probably true of Max.”

            “But Max can’t talk to me like you can!”

            Marcus closed his mouth, wondering why he’d blurted that out. It was true, Max couldn’t talk to him, but Max could still know what was going on, he had told Marcus that much.

            “Marcus, if he does not have a mind link he can not know what you are thinking, doing or saying. The man has no connection to you unless you allow it.” Geoff shook his head, “I’m surprised you haven’t recognized that yet.”

            “What do you mean yet?”

            “Marcus you admitted Max did not know you healed people until after it was completed and they were out of the way correct?”

            “Yeah, so?”    

            “When you took the blame for other people, did Max punish them as well?”

            Marcus stopped. Geoff had a point. Max had never gone after the other person, ever, but the name had been in his mind the entire time he was dealing with Max. “If that’s true, why had he gone after Astra? I didn’t think he knew who she was except through me.”

            “Who is Astra?”

            Marcus paled. He just spit her name out like it was nothing. How could he betray her like that? Max would find her now and kill her. Marcus saw Geoff move closer, but he couldn’t move. He waited to feel the heat from the locket diminish or the link to her collapse. When neither happened, Marcus closed his eyes. How could he so thoughtlessly do that to her? How could he?

            “Marcus, nothing will happen to her as long as you tell me who she is.”

            Marcus opened his eyes, anger flooding them. He didn‘t have time for Geoff‘s consoling voice, he had just killed the only person in this world he trusted implicitly. “And if I don’t tell you? What will happen then?”

            He hated turning on Geoff like this, but he needed to keep Astra hidden as much as possible. If that madman found her, she would die, and Marcus knew he would lose his sanity if that happened. Breaking Geoff’s trust in him would not help them any, but it would keep Astra safe and that was all that mattered to him. He could withstand any of Geoff’s punishments as long as she stayed secret and safe.

            Geoff said nothing. His eyes moved over Marcus’ face, making Marcus uncomfortable. Marcus hated this. Hated lying to a man who had given him so much in the last two months, but fear of Max finding out the truth had created heat rushing through his body. He knew he could trust Geoff, knew the man wouldn’t lie to him, but Astra’s life would be in danger if Max ever knew she had not died as he had planned.

            Marcus watched as Geoff stilled. He appeared to be listening to something else, turning his attention from the child in front of him and turned, walking to the door. As it opened the candles went out leaving Marcus in the dark. Marcus waited until he could no longer hear Geoff’s footsteps on the floor, before going to the door and slipping out. He could not stay any longer. He had to find Astra and hide her far from this place. He had just lost his protection; he could not lose her as well. As he slipped through a backdoor and out onto the street, Marcus thought he could feel Geoff’s eyes watching him. When he turned to look back, there was nothing in any of the windows. He had been imagining things, just like Geoff’s trust in him.

           

            Emé watched the boy slip into the shadows and disappear from view. “Now what have you gone and done Geoffrey Nathaniel.” She muttered loudly, “That boy has no business being out on these streets any more than you did.”

            “Emé leave the boss alone. The boy needs to learn to trust him and if this is the only way, than this is what we got to do.” Robert growled from another window, watching Marcus pass by a side street.

            Emé snorted, “How can pressuring the boy into giving up a secret this important to him be the only way to learn to be trusting? If you ask me that is the stupidest logic I have ever heard. That boy ain’t going to trust no one now and when he meets up with Geoffrey Nathaniel again, he is going to take even longer to go back to the fragile trust just broken.”

            Sam started laughing, “I don’t think he’s going to have much of a chance.”

            Several people turned to stare at him, Sam pointed towards the street. “Geoff ain’t letting the boy get that far ahead of him. If you ask me, both of them need to work on that fragile trust. It won’t work if its’ all one-sided.”

            Looking into the street, the group saw what Sam had seen. Geoff strode down the middle of the street, following Marcus as he slipped in and out of shadows. Geoff didn’t bother to hide, if Marcus had any sense and turned around; he would have seen Geoff right away. Instead, Marcus kept going, looking from side to side to ensure none of the street thugs Geoff had warned him about actually came after him. His mind was preoccupied, wondering if Geoff already knew who Astra was and if he knew that Marcus was willing to give up his trust in hopes to keep the girl safe.

            He was so lost in thought that when someone grabbed his arm, Marcus tried fighting the person off as Geoff had shown him. When one arm wrapped around his arms pinning them to his side and the other covered his mouth, Marcus tried moving his feet hoping to catch the stranger off guard and knock him into the wall behind them. His eyes widened in surprise when Geoff growled at him to stop fighting and pulled him back into the shadows. The second he stopped, he heard more footsteps. Two men heavily concealed by their capes and the darkness drifted pass them. Marcus could smell the must, beer, and body odor radiating from them. He heard them growling as they walked past and realized they had been following him hoping to use him as bait for a heavy ransom.

Listening to them as they stopped mere inches from where he and Geoff stood, Marcus realized he had done exactly what Geoff had told him not to do. He had set off into this city alone, not hiding the fact that he was a mage’s apprentice or that he carried a masterly crafted weapon. Shame, then anger, swept through him both directed at Geoff for having saved him. If Marcus had not accepted his proposal out loud why did Geoff have to come after him at all? He could have just told the thugs the truth and would have gotten away from Geoff and Max all at once.

But Geoff had done exactly as Marcus had predicted. Geoff had come after him, had saved him from his own stupidity. Which meant that Geoff still wanted him around? But why? Why would this man want a good for nothing like him to be connected to such a well-respected person in any way? Why would Geoff want to go through the introductions of Marcus as his apprentice? Hadn’t Marcus proven he really didn’t trust him? Hadn’t the room been proof enough that Max had too tight a hold, and that nothing would penetrate it?

 

            Geoff knew the moment he let go, Marcus would bolt like a deer. He would have to catch the boy off guard in order to get him back to the inn and away from these streets. The brat had really thought to leave because he had been walked out on. Not that Geoff blamed him any, he had felt the same once and had left just as Marcus had. Only difference being Geoff had no intention of allowing Marcus to leave. Running from the problem would not solve anything and they needed this solved if Marcus was going to learn everything he needed to before the end of the year.

          He waited until he knew no one was around before releasing Marcus from his hold and from the spell he had placed around them. Marcus backed away from him putting as much distance between them as he could. Geoff sighed, waiting to see what Marcus’ reaction would be. Watching Marcus’ face, Geoff knew he fought with himself over what to do now. No matter what he told himself, Marcus had not truly expected anyone to come for him. He also had not expected Geoff to give him the choice.

            “Where did you think you were going?”

            “Away from you.”

            Geoff could see Marcus’ eyes light up as he said it. The boy had begun to relax around him, allowing Geoff to see the real person underneath the shell he had created to fool the lunatic. It still surprised him when he proved to himself and Geoff, just how relaxed he had truly become.

            “May I ask why?”

            “You rejected me.”

            “Really how?”

            “You turned your back on me because I wouldn’t tell you anything.”

            “And that’s rejection?”

            “Well, yes…no…I don’t know, but…”

            “Marcus did I ever tell you that you were no longer allowed to follow me?”

            “No.”  

            “Did it ever occur to you that there might have been another reason I had left you in that room?”

            “No.”

            “Don’t you think it would have been a good idea to ask me before deciding to leave on your own?”

            Marcus’ eyes dropped to the ground. Geoff could see the guilt flooding his face.

            “What do you plan on doing now?” The boy muttered to his feet.

            “What do you think I should do?”    

            Marcus shrugged. Geoff could see the confusion and anger in his face. Something had happened to Marcus upon arriving in this city, he should have concentrated on that first instead of on the girl. Before either one could say anything else, Geoff felt more of Max’s men coming up on them. He grabbed Marcus’ arm and transported the two of them back to Emé’s inn. Without thinking, he pulled Marcus into another back room and set up wards as he shut and locked the door.

 

            Marcus felt the wards go up. He could see the thin lines of magick pulsing around them. They were there for his protection as well as keeping any passers-by or eavesdroppers from hearing their conversation. Marcus watched Geoff spell the door preventing anyone from coming in.

            “Now you are going to tell me what is going on with you. I can not help you to learn to control your power if you fight against me.”

            Marcus glared at him. He had a point, but Astra’s safety meant more than his trust or teachings. No one needed to ever know she existed, at least not until he was sure that he could really trust the person or people he ended up with. Plus, Max heard everything. If he ever found out from Marcus’ own lips that she was here with him, Max would kill her. He would die before he would ever allow that to happen.

            Geoff sat down on one of two chairs remaining intact in the room. It faced into the room allowing the person there to see it in entirety without having to move. He closed his eyes getting comfortable. Marcus read his message clearly; they weren’t leaving until he told Geoff what he wanted to know. Marcus growled, annoyed at himself for staying, and sat down on the floor on the opposite side of the room. He leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

            “There won’t be any answers up there. Talk to me and we’ll leave this room.”

            Marcus looked over at him. Geoff’s eyes remained closed, but his mind stayed alert to his surroundings. How was it possible for anyone to do that? Any time he tried to focus on anything for more than a minute his head hurt. He was constantly struggling against the strange strength within him. It wanted to break free and run and he needed it to stay hidden or he would die. Max would hunt him down if his full potential ever showed up. Marcus knew that somehow he had been able to prevent Max from sensing it all these years. He wished he could continue to do that not only for Max, but from this man as well.

            Come on Marcus, stop fighting me on this. You need to trust me before I can teach you to control that power you’re fighting against.

            Marcus stopped. Obviously, Geoff felt no qualms about connecting to him through their mind link. Screw that.

            I’m not fighting anything, but you.

            Marcus saw Geoff’s eyes pop open. He hadn’t been expecting that answer. He probably hadn’t been expecting Marcus to fight back again. Marcus felt Geoff’s scrutiny as he stared at the ward around them. Whatever Geoff wanted could wait, he needed to find a way to get rid of this web so he could get out of here. Marcus reached out with his senses looking for the center. He pushed too hard and one of the lines snapped. Out of the corner of his eye, Marcus saw Geoff shake his head. Marcus caught himself by surprise as a spurt of anger snapped another line, this one closer to the center of this spell. A feeling of dread swept over him, Marcus looked over at Geoff and saw his eyes widening. Something was about to happen, Geoff could feel it. Marcus’ anger ignited sending his power rushing towards the knot of the spell.

            “Marcus I wouldn’t keep doing that if I were you, the repercussions aren’t that pleasant.”

            Geoff’s words reached him just as his power slammed into the center knot. Marcus meet Geoff’s eyes as the spell tore apart and the backlash hit Marcus head on. The central power now crawling through him did not begin to throb and push against his magic until each connecting spell began to fall after it. Marcus had missed the separate those spells being created. Geoff must have made sure to reinforce his barriers to ensure Max or anyone else couldn’t interfere with their conversation. Marcus remained locked on Geoff, keeping his eyes open as each spell pelted his own flimsy mind shield. The final blow had him curling into a ball and closing his eyes. The lines of the central knot had unraveled, unleashing the rest of Geoff’s power. Marcus had never experienced anyone so strong in his abilities. He had unraveled many of Max’s wards before, but none had ever pounded his mind like this one.

            His nerves crackled with fire, the shield around his mind had broken allowing wave after wave of unharnessed power to slam into his defensive core. With all the wards down, Marcus waited for the pain to subside. Usually, once the wards returned to their owner, their effectiveness would dissipate. When they began to pick up instead, Marcus began to wonder exactly what types of spells Geoff had used to block his power.

            He heard Geoff shift in his chair. Struggling to open his eyes and look out past the pained tears, Marcus saw him resisting the urge to get up. The look in his eyes when he noticed Marcus’ were open clearly said I warned you. He understood then why Geoff hadn’t moved, he was waiting for Marcus to ask him for help. His anger sped to the surface to override the pain. He didn’t ask anyone for anything ever, just because of a small accident didn’t mean he was going to beg for help. Marcus would never beg, being a coward did not fit who he was.

            His breathing, having become shallow with the pain, began to even out. Marcus pulled himself out of the ball and leaned against the wall. His eyes locked on Geoff’s sitting form. Magically, he searched for the ends that would have held some of the ward together. If he could reconnect everything, then the pain would go away and he could keep his secret. After a few minutes, he found two snapped pieces of the same spell. Geoff leaned forward a little as Marcus concentrated on reattaching the two ends. Just when he was a few inches from having them together, the ends slipped from his grasp. Frustration clouded his anger as small waves beat against an already battered mind. He tried again, this time watching Geoff move to the chair directly in front of him. The ends slipped from his grasp. As the pain receded, Marcus moved along the lines. He needed the central knot connected first. Once that was in place, some of the pain would dissipate and he could go back to that first one. The only way to remove the pain would be to create the same magick that had started it.

            Finding the ends, Marcus grabbed each firmly in his minds grasp, pulling the ends close to each other. He watched Geoff lean back in the chair waiting. Marcus refocused on the task. He didn’t need Geoff’s disinterest to make him angry enough to lose focus again.

            Anger makes you lose control of your spells.

            Marcus blinked Geoff had told him that when they had first met. Marcus growled, Geoff had been right; had he not gotten angry at what he thought Geoff had been thinking this would not have happened. Frustrated at himself, Marcus pulled too hard and the lines snapped again. Marcus’ eyes closed as frustrated tears rolled down his face, he had to fit three pieces together to fix the central knot now as he fought against the pain pounding at him.

           

            Geoff closed his eyes trying not to show any reaction. Marcus was harming himself by being so stubborn, but he knew the boy would never learn anything unless he tried to do it for himself first. Geoff leaned back in the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him as far as he could so that if or when Marcus needed him, all he had to do was reach out a hand. Geoff could see the sun rising in the sky as he waited for Marcus to admit defeat. He could hear Emè pacing along the hallway outside along with some of the others. Their meeting had been interrupted by Marcus’ quick departure, yet they all waited to meet him for the first time.

            Marcus’ frustration with the spell began to eat at his own senses. The boy had lived life on his own way to long; Geoff knew he would not willingly accept help of any kind, not until he had no other options available.

             Marcus’ stomach growled. The boy had not eaten anything since before they had arrived in town. Geoff winced as the weak knot the boy had made disintegrated sending the active magic back to his already beaten and bruised mind. More water trickled down his rigid jaw line showing his anger at not being able to fix the problem himself. Geoff could hear the boy’s thoughts, the blame he was placing on himself because his body was not holding out against such triviality when he had sustained much worse under Max’s so-called protection. The greater his frustration became, the harder he had to work to connect the shreds of magic. Marcus had worn himself down worrying about everything, he would never be able to fix this alone. Just as Geoff decided to ignore the rules, Marcus stopped fighting the inevitable and opened his eyes.

            Geoff froze in place. The anger reflected in them as he pleaded to Geoff for help resembled his own feelings not so long ago. Geoff watched as Marcus’ jaw clenched along with his fists. He needed the help, had finally recognized he did not have the right training yet to do it on his own, but Geoff knew he had to say the request out loud. If Marcus did not request Geoff’s assistance and hear himself ask, anything Geoff did would be fought against later.

            Marcus’ eyes flared in anger and resentment the moment the thought was out. His jaw clenched tighter, Geoff knew Marcus would try one last time before doing what he considered to be groveling. Eventually, Geoff would have to teach Marcus the real definitions for the words he had been taught. Right now, he had to convince Marcus to do the right thing and ask for help. Marcus met his eyes as his mind tried one last time to reduce the pain and reconnect the spells. The threads slipped from his grasp, his eyes fluttered closed as a new wave pounded against him. Geoff felt Marcus’ resentment and frustration aimed inward. The boy’s shoulders sagged from fatigue of fighting and the humiliation of not being able to finish the task alone. His tense face held the emotions he carried for not being strong enough to withstand these weaker feelings.

            “Can you help me?” Marcus’ voice broke, making him wince in spite of himself.

            Geoff could see his pride beginning to shrivel up. Max had laid many layers of false viewpoints of self in the boy, not even two years might give him enough time to get the boy ready for what the group needed him to do. Geoff pushed the thought aside he needed to get the boy past this hurdle first. They could deal with the others when it came time.

            “You are going to have to listen to everything I tell you without questioning me.”

            Marcus nodded reluctantly. His shoulder’s relaxed against the wall, but his jaw remained tight. He might have accepted the inevitable, but he would not be willing to trust what Geoff offered him easily. Geoff didn’t care the boy had to learn to rebuild the walls around his mind to work with the rest.

            “Close your eyes and follow everything exactly as I show you.”

            Obediently closing his eyes, Marcus waited for the next directions.

            Geoff opened their link, purposely showing Marcus how if he ever needed it. First let go of your frustration. It will only add to the pain making it less possible to concentrate on them alone.

            It took a few minutes, but Marcus was able to release some of his frustration in order to concentrate. As soon as the emotions were pushed aside, Geoff taught him how to block his mind from the pain and how to rethread the shredded magick around them.

            As you reach for the ends, your essence needs to become sticky.

            Sticky?

            Like a piece of chewed gum or tree sap, it will hold the broken pieces together. As you meld them together, you need to repeat these words: Cuir còmhla.

            Cuir còmhla?

            It means put together.

            And it will work?

            Try it and see what happens.

            Marcus took a deep breath, trying to remember to make himself a light force that would stay sticky as he melded the two pieces together. Under his breath, Marcus muttered the two words, hoping he had the right pronunciation as he said it. Slowly, the chanting and rhythm took him over. He became the pieces instead of looking at them, feeling himself become one entity instead of two. When the glow of the spell faded, Marcus opened his eyes.

            It worked!

            Of course it worked. Now before you try another piece, you should block the pain to help you concentrate more.

            How?

            Balla cuir còmhla mun cuairt uile m’cuimhne.

            Put together a wall around my memories? That’s all I have to say? Why did it seem longer last time?

            You’ve heard it before?

            Marcus nodded. I’ve heard something like it before, I think. But it seemed longer than just that. Maybe it was added with something else.

            Maybe, Geoff watched Marcus eyes. As the boy concentrated on remembering, his guard broke down. He became more open to questions and accepting of help. Yet, the moment he remembered what had happened, Geoff knew Marcus would stiffen up again.

            Marcus repeated the saying several times before he was able to keep the water from pouring down his face. As the pain began to lessen, he turned back to the other endings hoping to get rid of the pain completely. When they were finished, Geoff gave him one more piece of advice.

            With that spell of building the wall to protect your mind, you can also use it to build a wall to ward off people from your power. All you need to do is change the last word to the one you want.

            Marcus’ eyes opened in surprise. Geoff could see that he had not been expecting that. He could feel the spell reshaping in Marcus’ mind, immediately blocking out the other mages and those like Max.

            It’s a very simple spell once learned and can be used for many different purposes. As I showed you, this webbing around us is one spell, the purposes I have for each different knot is what makes it a different spell each time.

            “Are there other spells like that?”

            Geoff nodded. He needed to talk to Marcus about his conduct earlier. Emé had ensured no one disturbed them for this, but he could not guarantee it would last much longer.

            “I can show you the others, but only after you have taken control of what you do now. In order to do that you must trust me. There is no way I can continue if you do not work with me. Do you understand?”      

            Marcus nodded. Geoff watched something click in the boy’s head, saw Marcus hesitate a moment before asking, “About the magick I can already do, can you show me how to use the spells and what they are for?”

            Geoff looked at him closely, was he just asking because Geoff had said to?

            “They come instinctually to you, why would you want to relearn them?”

            Marcus looked at his hands, “Because I don’t really understand them. You said earlier that to truly perform magick well, you have to understand what it is you are doing. If my magick rules by instinct, how am I performing it well? I don’t know what I’m doing half the time.”

            “Does that bother you?”

            “Yes sir it does.”

            Geoff noticed the color of Marcus’ eyes shift from gray to a dark green and realized he no longer saw the fear that had kept Marcus from accepting his rightful position.  However, Geoff’s eyes narrowed. “Asking for help does not lessen people’s opinions of you.”

            Marcus blinked. Geoff could still read his thoughts even though the barrier was still up. “Showing a weakness like that denotes incapacity to lead.”

            “Asking for help is not a weakness Marcus. Refusing to admit you need help is. A fair and just leader knows when he or she cannot do it alone.”

            Marcus’ eyes widened, “Do you ask for help?”

            “When I need it, I ask for it. But I also know when coming upon new situations to ask for the experience and help of someone more knowledgeable in that area before creating a situation that might become dangerous for myself and others.”

            “Do you ask for help from people you don’t trust?”

            “Yes.”

            “Why? If you don‘t trust them wouldn’t you think that they are giving you the wrong information?”

            Marcus’ stomach grumbled giving Geoff an opportunity to have some time to think before answering that question. “I’ll explain after we eat.”
            Marcus nodded, than carefully stood up. His head still hurt and the lack of food had weakened his system. Marcus leaned against the wall waiting for the room to stop spinning. As his head began to throb less, Marcus noticed the balls of light floating about the room.

            “When did these get here?”

            Geoff saw Marcus’ eyes widen again as he took in the room and realized he had no idea what he had done.

            “While you were fighting the wards.”

            “You created them?”

            “No Marcus, you did.”

            “I did?”

            “When I brought us here, you had backed away from me into the corner. I turned to close the door and the lights flared as I turned back.”

            Marcus shook his head, confused. “I thought I had stopped doing that.”

            “Doing what?”

            “Random things I can’t remember doing.”

            “Why would you believe you had stopped?”

            “Max told me I had. He had even congratulated me for it.” Marcus looked at the table, “I’m sorry, I hadn’t meant to do it, I will stop eventually.”

            Geoff growled until Marcus looked at him. “Stop apologizing for using your power.”

            “But, I’m not supposed to be using it!”

            Geoff’s hand dropped from the door. He could feel Marcus’ agitation without having to see the problem. Geoff locked eyes with his reluctant apprentice.

             “I want you to do something for me.”

            Marcus’ eyes paled, but he nodded. Geoff glared at him, “I want you to forget everything you ever learned from Max. Do you understand me?”

            Marcus nodded again, his eyes turning grass green. Geoff could see he didn’t understand. “I want you to ignore anything that fool has ordered you to do regarding your power. The only way you are ever going to understand what you can truly do, you will need to use it all the time. You are going to reach out with it.”

            “But…”

            “No buts. For you to manage all of your power, including the spontaneous spells, you will need to use your power everyday, whenever you can. As long as you stay with me Max and his cronies will not be able to get to you. You have to become comfortable with your power to be able to manage it. You can’t hide from it, you won’t learn anything if you do that.”
            Marcus stared at him. “You want me to use my powers?”

            “Yes, I want you to use them as often as you want. Now that you know the block to protect yourself from outside influences, I see no reason you can’t experiment. Just don’t try to use them on me. I can sense it and I will retaliate.”

            Geoff opened the door, removing the spells as he did so. He could feel Marcus following him, questioning the freedom he would be able to have regarding his powers. While Marcus pondered his new freedom, Geoff’s mind switched to Marcus’ arrival at the meeting. Marcus had looked sick, and something told Geoff that he would have gone into that meeting fully accepting the responsibilities of becoming his apprentice. Marcus had been unable to step foot into the room, doubts lingering from his past experiences with Max, hoping that demon would not rush in and take over his life.

            “Do you trust me?” Marcus asked breaking into his thoughts.

            “Yes.”

            Marcus’ jaw dropped. “Why?”

            Geoff stopped in the hallway and looked at him. Marcus really did not understand. “Marcus, how old are you?”

            “Sixteen, but what has that to do with my question? I’m an orphan, I’ve lived on my own for years and under Max’s influence, I’ve learned to lie. Why would you trust me?”

            “Have you ever lied to me?”

            “Yes.”

            “You have your answer.”

            Marcus stopped at the stairs, “Huh? How did that give me an answer? I just admitted I lied to you and yet you trust me. How does that work?”

            Geoff turned on the stairway. “You just told me you lied to me. It was a truthful answer. Most of the answers you’ve ever given me have been the truth As far as I can tell the only time you lie is when you believe you are protecting someone.”

            “You trust me because I protect people by lying?”

            Geoff sighed, “No, I trust you because you have told me the truth about almost everything I have asked you.  Marcus, most people who have known Max and have been under him do not talk about him. In fact, most people would keep him the last thing they would reveal to a new guide. Whatever you’re keeping from me is important to you, something that I must honor because of the vow I gave you.”

            “But you don’t know me. I could be lying about all of this.”

            “Are you?”

            “No.”

            “Then why are you worrying about it?”

            “It’s not normal!”

            Geoff laughed, “A lot of things I do aren’t normal, Marcus. But that doesn’t stop me.”

            “Why?”

            “I’ve learned to live by a different code than other people.”

            “What code?”

            “I don‘t judge people by their past. I wait until they prove to me that they are untrustworthy. Until then I try and treat them with the same courtesy I want shown to me.”

            “What would break it?”

            “That usually depends on the person and prior experiences. You are nowhere near a breaking point so don’t worry about it.”

            Marcus nodded, his mind wandering from the conversation. Geoff saw it and waited until his stomach started growling again before bringing him back. “Marcus, you need to eat. We have to go talk to Emé before we leave this inn and she will kill me if she knew you were not eating.”

           

            Marcus followed Geoff into a large kitchen area. Emé had a lot of food available, but he only grabbed a piece of bread, his appetite having flown when he had needed to ask Geoff for help. It would take him time to get over that, and over the fact that Geoff trusted him even though he had not been entirely truthful. He saw Geoff’s eyebrows rise in concern, but ignored him.

            Geoff trusted him. He had kept Astra’s presence back, had run off on the man, had embarrassed him in front of his group, but Geoff still trusted him. The decision to give into Geoff’s safety would be entirely up to him, as it had been from the beginning. Sure Geoff had claimed him as his apprentice to ensure no one messed with him, but nothing had happened because of it, at least anything that he might have expected.

            Marcus felt a hum shift the spells. He reached up towards them and felt another presence unable to get in. Fear traveled to the base of Marcus’ spine, Max was looking for him. Once he felt Geoff’ influence he would retaliate on his former student. Racing inward, Marcus checked to see if the barriers he had set up in his mind were still working, Marcus recognized the mind link he had created before Astra had disappeared. As he continued to search, a path he had not noticed before opened up. Curious, he traced it to a door into another mind. He gently pressed it and the door swung open easily.

            Marcus opened his eyes and stared into Geoff’s. He had not been expecting that. Although it answered the question of why he and Geoff could communicate through the mind link, it raised other questions as well. When had it been set up exactly? Why had it been set up? Who had been the one to create it in the first place?

He watched as the cook set down several plates of food. He felt starved, but could not even think of touching the food he did not deserve.

            Geoff sat watching him, “You may not think you’re hungry, but you wasted a lot of energy fighting against that ward. Eat or you will become a permanent resident of that chair.”

            Marcus picked up an apple. How could he ask about it without setting Geoff off? Marcus knew he trusted Geoff, even after being walked out on, but how could he ask about the link? He passed the apple between his hands trying to think of a question Geoff would answer that did not give away any of Marcus’ doubts.

The apple slowed. How could he bring up anything anyway? He had almost agreed to follow Geoff completely and then had walked out without thinking.        

“How can you give me your complete trust after what I did?”

            Geoff leaned back in his chair, “I can because I understand. Now eat, Emé is on her way.”

             The apple stopped moving. Geoff shook his head, “No I will not answer questions now. You need to eat before anything else.”

            Marcus sighed, realizing he had no choice.  Though his throat had problems, his stomach was enjoying the attention it was getting. Realizing Geoff had been right about his strength, Marcus wondered if eating and talking counted against him. He looked up over the plate of food the cook had given to him and asked. “Why do I feel so drained?”

            “You have never completed a spell with as many complications as that one. It drains energy if you are completely unused to it.”

            “Why?”          

            Geoff laughed, but as he fed Marcus’ mind, his own began to turn with questions. He had been unable to discover either reason Marcus had shut down. Now he had to deal with a link that should technically not exist. He had recognized the spell Marcus had followed; it marked one of his early attempts at controlling his uniquely increasing knowledge of his own abilities and he had only used that spell on one person, someone everyone knew to be dead. He could not mention this to Marcus, though the boy could use this omission against him. Geoff did not plan to take chances. Until he was sure, Geoff had no plans on confirming his suspicions one way or the other. He would not risk giving Marcus news, and then have it not be true. It was enough for him to deal with the question of accuracy rather than both of them.

            As they talked, Geoff noticed Marcus began to relax. Compared to their earlier conversations, Marcus focused more on him rather than the table and the food.  He also ate more, clearing the table despite his earlier insistence that he had lost his appetite. Instead of sitting as straight as he could, he was leaning against the chair back, waving his hands around to indicate a point. He seemed more in command of himself, more comfortable.  He had finally caught a glimpse of the young man he had sensed in his apprentice from the beginning.

            Inwardly, Geoff blinked. Apprentice? He had taken on Marcus’ attitude of reserving that title until he could use it freely. Had he become so accustomed to Marcus being at his side that he had accepted the boy without realizing it? Though he constantly assured the boy that he thought of him as an apprentice, Geoff had tried not to allow the title in his own mind. The counsel still lay ahead and if they decided Geoff had gone against them for the last time they could take Marcus from him giving the boy to another more “qualified” person. Geoff closed his mind from the thought, he had time to ensure that Marcus had a choice before the counsel took control of his life, it was the least he could do.