The impact of Hawk’s statement wasn’t lost on me. It implied that training and leading the mages was awful.

“Why is it so dreadful?”

“Because when I fail. One dies.”

I stared at him, jaw agape. My blue eyes blinking widely. I’d never considered what it must be like for Hawk to train us. Only how insufferable he was to endure the instruction of.

“Come.” He caught my shoulder to turn me. “It’s time we return to the Training Gardens.”

It was the last thing I wanted to do.

No, that’s inaccurate. I don’t want to be alone with Hawk again.

The only thing worse than enduring his cruelty was experiencing his vulnerability.

***

I heard Magus giving bold instructions even before we rounded the last turn, and they came into view.

Mages were back to practicing casting arrows.

In Hawk’s absence, Magus commands were clear and decisive.

Like Hawk. His mentoring has apparently paid off.

We all knew Magus was his favorite. His protegee.

Hawk often shared his spells with him. Having Magus document, them in books for them both.

Building himself a legacy among the mages.

The only one who knew more spells than Hawk was Warlord but even I knew that there was something altogether different about Warlord.

He doesn’t seem to need spells to use his magic. He simply wills something, and it happens.

“There you are!” Magus saw us returning. He lifted a fist for the class to take a break.

They sighed in relief and began milling in the gardens.

Hawk walked from me. Linking his hands behind his back to go inspect the trees, Magus had them using for targeting.

Where the forest began.

There was a scatter of thick trees with wide, gray trunks. The bark was a mess of jutting arrows.

And all this time, I’d never landed one in a tree.

***

I felt like I had all the skills to be a good mage. I’d done all the work, all the studying. Knew everything there was to know. Yet, I’m terrible at everything I try.

Magus’ voice near my shoulder broke into my thoughts.

“He linked you, didn’t he?” Magus queried.

I gave him a sour look over my shoulder.

“No need to tell me.” He gave me a cheerful grin. “I can feel his power on you. Everyone here probably can.”

“Look how those women are looking at you.” He pointed to a cluster of them.

Tonya was in the center, looking somewhere between bitter and relieved.

She did tell me to stop teasing him.

If she feels his magic on me, she has to know.

“They’d love to link with him.” Magus remarked.

“They’re foolish harlots that’d desire to link with any mage of any skill.”

“Yes, but you’ve the one with the most skill.” Magus teased.

“What about you, Magus. You do quite well.”

“They bore me.” He nodded toward the girls. “I don’t want a girl. I want a woman. And when I find her, I’ll know.”

“How do you figure?” I was curious.

“Because I’m not quite like you. I sense things a bit differently.”

“How so?” I asked.

“Just do. And one day. When I’m gone from here, I’ll find the female I’m looking for.”

“You can’t leave!” I said in a hushed voice. Looking around furtively. “No one leaves the Guild without King Detry’s blessing.”

“And he blesses no one.” Magus said under his breath. “That’s why I’m escaping before I become like you. Or Hawk.”

He nodded toward Hawk pulling an arrow from a tree.

“He’s no slave!” I argued. “He’s the Second in Command.”

“And he’s just as much captive as you are.”

“But-”

“Would you be surprised to guess he’s looking for a way out too?” Magus moved behind me to speak near my other shoulder where no one could see him. “What if he’s already found a way. Do you think he’ll take you with him? Or leave you here.”

“What?” I peered at him in shock.

Looking back at Hawk’s back. He’s making a plan to escape the Guild.

“You’re bluffing.” I whispered.

“Am I?” Magus queried. “Have you ever met someone more clever?”

I stared at him astounded. I’m not sure there is anyone more ingenious than Hawk.

I’d seen the spells he came up with, knew the tactics he’d come up with to help Detry and his few knights take entire villages with only Warlord’s magic.

“No…”

“Don’t underestimate him, Mary. He’s far more dangerous than you can imagine. And he’s only beginning to let you see…”

“How will you get away?” I gave him a long look.

He opened his mouth to answer.

“Mary Mage!” Hawk’s voice cut across the clearing before Magus could answer.

***

Magus closed his mouth and gave me a knowing smile instead. Watching as I crossed resignedly toward Hawk at the arrow line.

“Good luck, Mary!” Magus taunted in the distance.

I stepped near Hawk.

He wove behind me, like a predator. Watching my profile. “You two seemed to be having an intimate conversation?”

“He was telling me about-about-”

“About what, Mary Mage?” His tone was husky.

About you wanting to escape the Guild.

Escape King Detry and Warlord. But I didn’t dare say it. Such talk could get any of us killed.

Especially if Magus was bluffing.

I wondered if this was one of Hawk’s test. If he’d set up Magus to tell me such sacrilegious things to see if I’d take the bait. Make hints of wanting to escape only so I’d be persecuted for such things.

If I lied to Hawk, I might fail the test.

If I told him what Magus said it might cost the other mage his life.

But what if it’s true?

He’d never want me to go with him. He’s never mentioned it to me. He had no intention of taking me, if he was planning to.

My brain was awhirl.

Hawk would never do it.

He’d never go.

This is a test.

It has to be.