Chapter Four

 

 

“I am Professor McClairie, and this is Stealth Magic 401. You will learn how to be silent, invisible, and think on your feet, but to do that, you have to train.” The professor paced in front of the scant dozen students in front of him.

He raised his hand and waved a sheet of paper. “In my hand, I have a list of the contact information of twelve volunteers who are willing to train you with a goal toward your final exam. They know what will be required.”

Imara raised her hand, and he paused.

“Yes?”

“What is the format of the course?”

He gave her a pitying smile. “You will train, you will come back to get your exam information. You will fail, and you will probably cry.”

A loud, braying laugh got her attention from across the small space. Great, another brother.

“Edgar Demiel, you have the first pick of names.” The professor walked over to him and handed him the page. “When you have made your choice, strike it out. Once you have the information, you are dismissed until the next class date where you will get your assignment.”

The professor went through the class in no particular order. What rapidly became apparent was that he was saving her for last.

The last student had scribbled on the page, and the professor passed it to her.

“The pickings are slim, but I am sure you will find something to suit you.”

“We are allowed tutors from off this list, correct?” She smiled brightly and got to her feet.

He blinked in surprise. “Yes, you are.”

She extended the card that Hyl had given her. “He has volunteered to be my tutor.”

He looked at the card and paled. “Why would he... how would you even meet him?”

“Oh, I had to do some work with the XIA last night, and we ended up at Ritual Space where he makes his home. He admired my attitude, and as he had already passed this course, he offered to train me for it.”

The professor made a strangled sound. “What did you do with the XIA?”

“My job. They subcontracted me via the Death Keeper Guild. I was uniquely suited to the situation.”

“Death Keeper?”

“Yes, don’t you have files on your students?” She clued in, “Or do you only bother with the ones from prime families?” She tutted. “Do your homework, Professor. You missed something.”

She took the business card back and nodded politely. “Good day, Professor.”

She left the classroom with Mr. E chuckling madly on her shoulder.

Right, she was in it, and her friends were all on board. It was time to get busy with her portal work. Reegar had gotten clearance via the Chancellor’s office for transports within the Hall, so she was clear, as soon as she could manage the transport. It was not a method of magic she had even considered. This was not going to be pleasant.

 

“Did she actually suggest a mirror portal?” Reegar was shocked.

“She did, but she also said she didn’t do any magic.”

He frowned and paged through the tomes. Mr. E jumped on the table with the small pouch in his teeth.

Imara smiled. “Oh, yeah. She gave me four stones from Ritual Space. Will that help?”

Reegar looked at the pouch as if it held pure gold. “Those are stones from the actual space?”

“Yes.”

“Pure and not enchanted?”

“Yes.”

He sat back and exhaled. “This is easy. You just need a measuring tape and a wall.”

“I don’t need a mirror?”

He waved that away. “It is considered to be necessary by the weak, but I find it tacky. It is more dangerous for the mage to use a mirror than just use energy to formulate a door. You are strong enough to do the job without the prop.”

She blushed and was going to reply, but across the space, Bara’s hand shot into the air. “I have a measuring tape. Three, actually.”

“You need to take her height, width at her widest point and the height of her average stride.”

Mr. E jumped up and onto her shoulder, sitting with his head high.

Imara grinned and waited for Bara to come back and do the measuring. Her grin faded when she took a look at Bara’s fingers. “What the hell is that?”

“Oh, blisters and splinters. The fibre I am working with isn’t very friendly.”

“Damn. I have a recipe for a healing cream.”

She shook her head. “Cream makes my hands softer, and that makes the problem worse. I will toughen up.”

While Imara stood there in shock, Bara quickly got her measurements, paused and cocked her head. “Can I use you as a model for my dressmaking class?”

With all Bara had done for her, Imara nodded. “Of course.”

“Excellent. I am looking into making a utility belt that is actually useful.”

“A utility belt?”

“That fits with a formal gown.” Bara smiled. “Here you go. Metric and imperial measurements. Don’t mix them up.” Bara gave her a fierce look and winked. “Arms out to your sides and hold still.”

Ten minutes of precise—and occasionally tickling—measurements later and Imara was free to study the spell.

It was bizarrely easy. She just needed to place the stones out and power them up then speak the name of her destination. It would only work if someone were waiting for her on the other side.

“You should set up the stones on your wall using glue.”

She nodded at Reegar. “I will tape them up until the glue holds.”

“It isn’t necessary. Go into the lab and find the super stick adhesive. It will bond in two seconds, so be quick.”

She nodded, gathered the book and got the notes that Bara had left. Mr. E followed her into the lab, and he sat quietly on the counter until she found the adhesive.

What followed was a relatively easy procedure. Measure, mark, measure again with a different pen, and when she was sure, she took out the stones and brushed the adhesive on the back. She wore gloves and ended up having to cut one free when they were all in place. The adhesive was sealed to stop a comical moment, and she took it downstairs.

Are you ready?

“No. I am not ready, but the spell is easy. All I have to do is text her, and we can walk through.”

Do it.

She took the number that Adrea had given her, and she entered in the new contact. She sent the first text. Hi, it’s Imara. Can I come through?

She waited for three minutes, and then, her phone chirped. Come on over. Dress to sweat. You have one hour to use your portal.

“Oh, shit. Right.”

Imara quickly got an exercise bag together with bottles of water, put on a set of grubby sneakers, and when Mr. E was on her shoulder, she stood in front of the stones and powered them up the same way she offered energy to a spectre. A moment later, she was looking at Ritual Space, and Adrea was sitting and reading a book in her garden.

The scene was so idyllic, Imara hated to ruin it.

Imara stepped through, and after a short moment of disorientation, she settled on the other side with her familiar on her shoulder.

Adrea waved at her. “You made it!”

Imara nodded, and Mr. E was kneading her shoulder. “Yes, Mr. E, you can go play.”

He was off her shoulder and bolting after some bunnies who waited for him before leading him into the undergrowth at high speed. Imara could hear him giggling via their connection.

“Hyl will be here within the hour, but he said I should start you on a few things.”

There was a stack of books in the centre of the table, and each book had a bookmark hanging through it.

“Each of these has a spell necessary to what you are going to be doing, so he suggested you begin studying until he arrives. Once he does, you are heading to a special section of the space that I have put aside for your training.”

Imara sat and pulled one of the books toward her. “I don’t know how to thank you two.”

“Pass your exam. Hyl says that women are frequently sabotaged in the course, so he wants you to shove it in McClairie’s face.”

“Ah. Well, that does explain the major dicks in the room.” Imara smirked and opened the first book. The spell that he marked was Surface tension and wall climbing. It was a good place to start.

By the time Hyl had arrived, she had made it through Obscuring the scent of magic, and Passing through. She was in the middle of Pulling shadows when Hyl walked in and gave Adrea a kiss that turned her bright red.

Hyl lifted his head and smiled at Imara. “Are you ready to work?”

“I am.”

“Good. There is a pack under the table, bring the books.”

She scrambled to put the books in the pack, and she shifted it to her back, grabbing a bottle of water.

“Where is your familiar?”

“He is off playing with the bunnies.”

“Good. It is better that he is occupied. This is going to take a while.” Hyl nodded, turned, and jogged off toward the nearest stand of trees.

Imara turned back and smiled at Adrea. “See you later!”

Adrea waved her on.

Imara turned her back on her host and ran after her tutor.

 

Hyl was walking briskly, but no matter how fast Imara ran, she could never quite catch up with him.

The books were excessively heavy, but she just hitched the straps tighter until they moved with every step she took.

She chased him for half an hour before she burst out of the forest path and ended up in an open field with a wide tower in the centre of it. Hyl was standing near the bricked tower.

She ran up to him and paused. “What next?”

“Climb it.”

She looked up at the tower and back to him. “Pardon me?”

“I have observed your musculature, you will be able to support yourself, so you have two hours to climb the tower and then, I will help you with your technique.”

She stared at him. “You are kidding.”

“I am not. You can use any method that you can to get to the second story.”

She paused and nodded. “Including the books on my back.”

“Correct. I am here if you have questions, but figuring things out for yourself is more useful. We can tweak the technique from there.”

It was a challenge she wasn’t backing down from. She got the pack settled firmly on her back and stepped forward.