say another—”
“Who’s been saying what, about what?”
“Well, my friends think that the Easterner had something to do with Reins’s death, and he says—”
“Rubbish,” said Master Wag, but in a tone that was not unkind. “Your friends know nothing, and the Easterner is not to be believed.
“On the other hand,” Wag continued, “that doesn’t answer your question. The way to tell what is true is simply to keep your eyes and ears open, and to use your head. That’s all there is to it.”
Savn nodded, although he felt as if his question hadn’t really been answered. But then, was Master Wag really the person to answer the question at all? He knew about helping people who were ill, but what need did he have to wonder about what truth was? He could ask Bless, but Bless would only tell him to trust the gods, and Speaker would tell him to trust what Speaker himself said.
But then, he wondered, what need did he, Savn, have to think about any of this, either? To this there was no answer, but it didn’t help. He discovered that he wanted very badly to talk to Vlad again, although he wondered if trusting the Easterner too much would be a mistake.
He said, “Thank you, Master. Is there anything else?”
“No, no. Run on home now. And don’t worry so much.”
“I won’t, Master.”
He stepped out into the warm autumn afternoon and immediately began running back toward town, wishing he could teleport. That would be best, he thought. All this time I spend getting from place to place, I could just be there. He wondered if he could convince Vlad to show him how that was done. Probably not, he decided. Most likely it was too difficult, in any case.
Soon enough he was there, and, almost to his surprise, he found Vlad right away, sitting in Tern’s house drinking wine and watching the door, as if he was waiting for Savn, and the smile he gave seemed to confirm this. There were three or four familiar faces as well, but no one Savn felt the need to speak to.
He sat down with the Easterner and gave him a good day, which Vlad returned, and offered to buy him a glass of ale. Savn accepted. Vlad signaled Tem, and Savn couldn’t help but notice the glance the Housemaster gave him as he set the ale down. He wondered if he should be annoyed, and concluded that he didn’t really care. When Tem had returned to his place behind the counter, Savn said, “I’ve been thinking about our lesson all day. Can you show me some more?”
“Certainly,” said Vlad. “But are you sure you want to be seen with me so much?”
“Why not?”
“Didn’t you notice the looks you’ve been getting?’
“I guess I have,” said Savn. “I noticed it earlier today, too, when I was here with my sister. But why?”
“Because you’re with me.”
“Why do they care about that?”
“Either because I’m an Easterner or because they still think I had something to do with the death of Reins.”
“Oh. But you didn’t, did you?”
“I’ve been wondering about that,” said Vlad.
Savn stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I didn’t kill him,” said Vlad. “But that doesn’t mean I had nothing to do with his death.”
“I don’t understand.”
“As I said before, I doubt it’s coincidence.”
“I wish,” said Savn slowly, “Master Wag could have learned what killed him.”
“Your Master has failed?”
Savn considered the Master’s words about not having given up, and he said, “Yes. He doesn’t know.”
“Then I do.”
Savn felt his eyes growing wide. “What?”
“I know what killed him.”
“How could you?”
“Because Master Wag failed. That is all the information I need.”
“But, well, what was it?”
“Sorcery.”
Savn shook his head. “Master Wag said that sorcery leaves traces.”
“Certainly, if used in a simple, straightforward way, such as causing the heart to stop, or inducing a hemorrhage, or in a way that leaves a visible wound.”
“But, then, what happened to
“Who’s been saying what, about what?”
“Well, my friends think that the Easterner had something to do with Reins’s death, and he says—”
“Rubbish,” said Master Wag, but in a tone that was not unkind. “Your friends know nothing, and the Easterner is not to be believed.
“On the other hand,” Wag continued, “that doesn’t answer your question. The way to tell what is true is simply to keep your eyes and ears open, and to use your head. That’s all there is to it.”
Savn nodded, although he felt as if his question hadn’t really been answered. But then, was Master Wag really the person to answer the question at all? He knew about helping people who were ill, but what need did he have to wonder about what truth was? He could ask Bless, but Bless would only tell him to trust the gods, and Speaker would tell him to trust what Speaker himself said.
But then, he wondered, what need did he, Savn, have to think about any of this, either? To this there was no answer, but it didn’t help. He discovered that he wanted very badly to talk to Vlad again, although he wondered if trusting the Easterner too much would be a mistake.
He said, “Thank you, Master. Is there anything else?”
“No, no. Run on home now. And don’t worry so much.”
“I won’t, Master.”
He stepped out into the warm autumn afternoon and immediately began running back toward town, wishing he could teleport. That would be best, he thought. All this time I spend getting from place to place, I could just be there. He wondered if he could convince Vlad to show him how that was done. Probably not, he decided. Most likely it was too difficult, in any case.
Soon enough he was there, and, almost to his surprise, he found Vlad right away, sitting in Tern’s house drinking wine and watching the door, as if he was waiting for Savn, and the smile he gave seemed to confirm this. There were three or four familiar faces as well, but no one Savn felt the need to speak to.
He sat down with the Easterner and gave him a good day, which Vlad returned, and offered to buy him a glass of ale. Savn accepted. Vlad signaled Tem, and Savn couldn’t help but notice the glance the Housemaster gave him as he set the ale down. He wondered if he should be annoyed, and concluded that he didn’t really care. When Tem had returned to his place behind the counter, Savn said, “I’ve been thinking about our lesson all day. Can you show me some more?”
“Certainly,” said Vlad. “But are you sure you want to be seen with me so much?”
“Why not?”
“Didn’t you notice the looks you’ve been getting?’
“I guess I have,” said Savn. “I noticed it earlier today, too, when I was here with my sister. But why?”
“Because you’re with me.”
“Why do they care about that?”
“Either because I’m an Easterner or because they still think I had something to do with the death of Reins.”
“Oh. But you didn’t, did you?”
“I’ve been wondering about that,” said Vlad.
Savn stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I didn’t kill him,” said Vlad. “But that doesn’t mean I had nothing to do with his death.”
“I don’t understand.”
“As I said before, I doubt it’s coincidence.”
“I wish,” said Savn slowly, “Master Wag could have learned what killed him.”
“Your Master has failed?”
Savn considered the Master’s words about not having given up, and he said, “Yes. He doesn’t know.”
“Then I do.”
Savn felt his eyes growing wide. “What?”
“I know what killed him.”
“How could you?”
“Because Master Wag failed. That is all the information I need.”
“But, well, what was it?”
“Sorcery.”
Savn shook his head. “Master Wag said that sorcery leaves traces.”
“Certainly, if used in a simple, straightforward way, such as causing the heart to stop, or inducing a hemorrhage, or in a way that leaves a visible wound.”
“But, then, what happened to
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