Read Online Study in Slaughter (Schooled in Magic) by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
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either side, both covered with books. Lady Barb motioned for her to take one of the chairs and started to transfer the books on the other to the table. Emily hesitated, then did the same for her chair.
“Be careful with that book,” Lady Barb advised, as Emily reached for the final book. “You cannot open it until you have spoken the Healer’s Oath.”
Emily nodded, feeling her fingertips skittering over the cover. “Why not?”
“There are spells that...that can create obligations between those involved,” Lady Barb said, shortly. “One of the aspects of the Healer’s Oath is to put aside all obligations that might otherwise be assumed. Those who refuse to take the oath are not supposed to know how to cast the spells.”
Her expression darkened. “Which may not have stopped them from leaking out,” she added. “But it’s difficult to know for sure.”
She sat down on the chair and rested her elbows on the desk. “So,” she said. “What sort of favor can I offer you?”
“I need an advisor,” Emily said. She knew that bluntness would get her further with Lady Barb than being coy. “And I need some advice.”
Lady Barb studied her for a long moment. “Do you understand the obligations and rights of an Advisor?”
“I think so,” Emily said, carefully.
“You could come to me at any time, if you needed advice,” Lady Barb said, flatly. “I wouldn’t be able to share whatever you told me with anyone else, unless I believed that you posed a clear threat to others. But you would also have to listen to my advice on any subject...given your rather curious legal position, you might be better off without an advisor.”
Emily considered it. Unlike Alassa and the other aristocrats in the school, she had complete control over her own wealth, rather than drawing a stipend from her parents. In absolute terms, Alassa was far richer than Emily, but she couldn’t control all of that wealth. And there were limits to what she could do, limits that Emily simply didn’t have. If she wanted to spend her entire fortune on ponies, there was no one to say no.
“I was under the impression that it was a requirement,” she said, finally. “Is that actually true?”
“It depends,” Lady Barb said, slowly. “There are some students who come to Whitehall when they’re much older, even though they would probably learn more from private study or an apprenticeship. They don’t really form the same relationships with their advisors. There are certainly no legal obligations there.”
She shrugged. “I’d have to check with the Grandmaster,” she added. “But I would certainly be willing to give you advice .”
Emily nodded. “I have a lot to talk about,” she admitted. “Do you know Jade?”
“I believe you might have mentioned him once or twice,” Lady Barb said. They’d talked quite a bit while they’d been sparring in Zangaria. “What’s wrong with him?”
“He hasn’t sent a letter for months,” Emily confessed. It was bothering her and she wasn’t even sure why. “I don’t know what to make of it.”
Lady Barb stroked her chin, contemplatively. “Do you like him?”
“I don’t know,” Emily said, feeling the old frustration welling up inside of her. She did like Jade as a friend; it had honestly never occurred to her that a man five years older than her would ask her out, let alone propose to her. “I just don’t know.”
“You have become a baroness,” Lady Barb pointed out. “Your social station is much higher than his now, isn’t it?”
Emily flushed. “He isn’t mailing me because he thinks I’m too grand for him?”
“It is a common problem, although you do seem to do things to the extreme,” Lady Barb said, lightly. “Right now, it would be seen as presumptuous of him to court you, no matter how he—or you—felt. If he becomes a qualified sorcerer, he may be able to pick up matters again...”
“Oh,” Emily said. “Men are impossible to understand.”
She
“Be careful with that book,” Lady Barb advised, as Emily reached for the final book. “You cannot open it until you have spoken the Healer’s Oath.”
Emily nodded, feeling her fingertips skittering over the cover. “Why not?”
“There are spells that...that can create obligations between those involved,” Lady Barb said, shortly. “One of the aspects of the Healer’s Oath is to put aside all obligations that might otherwise be assumed. Those who refuse to take the oath are not supposed to know how to cast the spells.”
Her expression darkened. “Which may not have stopped them from leaking out,” she added. “But it’s difficult to know for sure.”
She sat down on the chair and rested her elbows on the desk. “So,” she said. “What sort of favor can I offer you?”
“I need an advisor,” Emily said. She knew that bluntness would get her further with Lady Barb than being coy. “And I need some advice.”
Lady Barb studied her for a long moment. “Do you understand the obligations and rights of an Advisor?”
“I think so,” Emily said, carefully.
“You could come to me at any time, if you needed advice,” Lady Barb said, flatly. “I wouldn’t be able to share whatever you told me with anyone else, unless I believed that you posed a clear threat to others. But you would also have to listen to my advice on any subject...given your rather curious legal position, you might be better off without an advisor.”
Emily considered it. Unlike Alassa and the other aristocrats in the school, she had complete control over her own wealth, rather than drawing a stipend from her parents. In absolute terms, Alassa was far richer than Emily, but she couldn’t control all of that wealth. And there were limits to what she could do, limits that Emily simply didn’t have. If she wanted to spend her entire fortune on ponies, there was no one to say no.
“I was under the impression that it was a requirement,” she said, finally. “Is that actually true?”
“It depends,” Lady Barb said, slowly. “There are some students who come to Whitehall when they’re much older, even though they would probably learn more from private study or an apprenticeship. They don’t really form the same relationships with their advisors. There are certainly no legal obligations there.”
She shrugged. “I’d have to check with the Grandmaster,” she added. “But I would certainly be willing to give you advice .”
Emily nodded. “I have a lot to talk about,” she admitted. “Do you know Jade?”
“I believe you might have mentioned him once or twice,” Lady Barb said. They’d talked quite a bit while they’d been sparring in Zangaria. “What’s wrong with him?”
“He hasn’t sent a letter for months,” Emily confessed. It was bothering her and she wasn’t even sure why. “I don’t know what to make of it.”
Lady Barb stroked her chin, contemplatively. “Do you like him?”
“I don’t know,” Emily said, feeling the old frustration welling up inside of her. She did like Jade as a friend; it had honestly never occurred to her that a man five years older than her would ask her out, let alone propose to her. “I just don’t know.”
“You have become a baroness,” Lady Barb pointed out. “Your social station is much higher than his now, isn’t it?”
Emily flushed. “He isn’t mailing me because he thinks I’m too grand for him?”
“It is a common problem, although you do seem to do things to the extreme,” Lady Barb said, lightly. “Right now, it would be seen as presumptuous of him to court you, no matter how he—or you—felt. If he becomes a qualified sorcerer, he may be able to pick up matters again...”
“Oh,” Emily said. “Men are impossible to understand.”
She
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