Read Online Past Tense (Schooled in Magic Book 10) by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
Ads: Link
else, she had a feeling that Master Wolfe was well on his way to understanding how to tap and manipulate the nexus point. How long would it be before he started crafting basic wards? “Just call me when you need me.”
She turned and nodded to the messenger, who looked back at her with a mixture of curiosity and bitter resentment. It puzzled her until she realized that she’d taken one of the handful of apprenticeship slots, even though she’d only been with the commune for less than a day. The other apprentices would have to wait longer for formal training, thanks to her. She’d be unpopular through no fault of her own. And it was hard to blame the apprentices for feeling that she’d gained an unfair advantage.
But there was nothing she could do about it. Shaking her head, she motioned for the messenger to lead the way and followed him out of the room.
Chapter Six
E MILY HADN’T REALIZED JUST HOW FOUL the air inside the castle was until she stepped into the courtyard and took a breath of fresh air. A sweet scent hung on the air, tantalizing her senses as she walked towards where Whitehall and Bernard stood, at the far end of the courtyard. The sky was a brilliant clear blue; she could hear the sounds of birds singing in the trees, not too far away from the castle. And the courtyard itself didn’t look too different, although the carriages and carts she recalled from her time were missing. It made her feel as though she was back home.
“Lady Emily,” Whitehall greeted her. His voice was strictly formal. “I trust Master Wolfe didn’t give you too much of a headache?”
“It was very interesting,” Emily said. She saw Bernard’s eyes open wide with astonishment and smiled. “I enjoyed it.”
“I enjoyed it, My Master ,” Bernard said, although there was no real rebuke in his tone. “You have to be polite.”
Whitehall shot him an amused glance, then looked back at Emily. “Before we begin the task of completing your education,” he said, as he turned towards the gates, “we have to know where you are. Did your tutor give you any idea of how long it would be before your apprenticeship was declared concluded?”
“I’m afraid not, My Master,” Emily said. She still had a year and a half at Whitehall School, but she had a feeling that her experience and his would be incompatible. “He would never be drawn on such matters.”
“Most masters would refuse to answer unless they felt the student was on the verge of being ready,” Whitehall said. He didn’t seem surprised by her response. “How long were you his student?”
Emily frowned. She had no idea what a convincing answer would be.
“Around three years, My Lord,” she hedged. “I was never very good at keeping track of time.”
“It does feel much longer,” Bernard said.
“Disrespectful young man,” Whitehall said. He didn’t sound angry. Indeed, he sounded rather amused. “The average apprenticeship lasts around five to ten years, unless something goes very wrong early on and both parties agree that the bonds should be dissolved. Bernard has been with me for five years.”
Emily glanced at Bernard as they strode through the gate and into the field. The sculptured gardens she recalled were missing; instead, there was a large grassy field that led towards a forest. A handful of horses—smaller than the ones Alassa had taught her to ride—grazed peacefully near the walls, watched by a pair of young boys. She looked back at the castle, feeling her head spin. Whitehall seemed to be what she remembered, but the Arena and the Zoo were also missing. She wondered, vaguely, when they’d been built.
“Don’t worry,” Bernard whispered, as Whitehall motioned for them to stop. “He’s not going to push you too hard.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Emily whispered back. She was nervous, despite herself. “What does he want me to do?”
“ He wants you to copy his spells,” Whitehall said, sternly. Emily flushed. Whitehall’s
She turned and nodded to the messenger, who looked back at her with a mixture of curiosity and bitter resentment. It puzzled her until she realized that she’d taken one of the handful of apprenticeship slots, even though she’d only been with the commune for less than a day. The other apprentices would have to wait longer for formal training, thanks to her. She’d be unpopular through no fault of her own. And it was hard to blame the apprentices for feeling that she’d gained an unfair advantage.
But there was nothing she could do about it. Shaking her head, she motioned for the messenger to lead the way and followed him out of the room.
Chapter Six
E MILY HADN’T REALIZED JUST HOW FOUL the air inside the castle was until she stepped into the courtyard and took a breath of fresh air. A sweet scent hung on the air, tantalizing her senses as she walked towards where Whitehall and Bernard stood, at the far end of the courtyard. The sky was a brilliant clear blue; she could hear the sounds of birds singing in the trees, not too far away from the castle. And the courtyard itself didn’t look too different, although the carriages and carts she recalled from her time were missing. It made her feel as though she was back home.
“Lady Emily,” Whitehall greeted her. His voice was strictly formal. “I trust Master Wolfe didn’t give you too much of a headache?”
“It was very interesting,” Emily said. She saw Bernard’s eyes open wide with astonishment and smiled. “I enjoyed it.”
“I enjoyed it, My Master ,” Bernard said, although there was no real rebuke in his tone. “You have to be polite.”
Whitehall shot him an amused glance, then looked back at Emily. “Before we begin the task of completing your education,” he said, as he turned towards the gates, “we have to know where you are. Did your tutor give you any idea of how long it would be before your apprenticeship was declared concluded?”
“I’m afraid not, My Master,” Emily said. She still had a year and a half at Whitehall School, but she had a feeling that her experience and his would be incompatible. “He would never be drawn on such matters.”
“Most masters would refuse to answer unless they felt the student was on the verge of being ready,” Whitehall said. He didn’t seem surprised by her response. “How long were you his student?”
Emily frowned. She had no idea what a convincing answer would be.
“Around three years, My Lord,” she hedged. “I was never very good at keeping track of time.”
“It does feel much longer,” Bernard said.
“Disrespectful young man,” Whitehall said. He didn’t sound angry. Indeed, he sounded rather amused. “The average apprenticeship lasts around five to ten years, unless something goes very wrong early on and both parties agree that the bonds should be dissolved. Bernard has been with me for five years.”
Emily glanced at Bernard as they strode through the gate and into the field. The sculptured gardens she recalled were missing; instead, there was a large grassy field that led towards a forest. A handful of horses—smaller than the ones Alassa had taught her to ride—grazed peacefully near the walls, watched by a pair of young boys. She looked back at the castle, feeling her head spin. Whitehall seemed to be what she remembered, but the Arena and the Zoo were also missing. She wondered, vaguely, when they’d been built.
“Don’t worry,” Bernard whispered, as Whitehall motioned for them to stop. “He’s not going to push you too hard.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Emily whispered back. She was nervous, despite herself. “What does he want me to do?”
“ He wants you to copy his spells,” Whitehall said, sternly. Emily flushed. Whitehall’s
Similar Books
