Read Online The Alchemist's Touch by Garrett Robinson - Free Book Online
Authors: Garrett Robinson
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using that name immediately. The same goes for the other four branches. We do not speak with a commoner’s casual indifference in these halls.”
He nodded thoughtfully, finding himself growing curious about her. “And you? What branch are you gifted with?”
She smiled. Then her shape changed before him, and Ebon nearly jumped out of his chair. First her eyes glowed, and then her hair grew grey and stringy as she shrank in her seat. In a moment Mellie sat before him, still regarding him from behind steepled fingers.
Frantically he looked over his shoulder, to the door where Mellie had left him. But the old woman laughed, and swiftly changed back. “I am not Mellie, boy. That was to answer your question.”
At last he understood. “You are a weremage.”
“A therianthrope, but yes. Very good. And I have forgotten my manners entirely, or you have. Either way, my name is Jia.”
He noted carefully that she did not give a family name. Mayhap she was a bastard, but perhaps that was custom here. He hoped so. “I am named Ebon.”
“Ebon. A strong name. Well, Ebon, let us show you to your quarters.”
He scooped his robes back up from where he had thrown them in the other chair, and Jia stood to lead him from the room. Ebon remembered that the dormitories were on the second floor, and he expected her to bring him back out to the main hall to climb the wide main staircase. But Jia led him farther into the citadel instead, where he soon saw another staircase leading up. This one was a spiral, and very narrow, so he could easily touch both sides with his arms stretched out. Jia led him up, passing one landing but stopping at the second. They emerged into the hallway to find a door facing them on the other side. Jia led him within.
They entered a room with many chairs and couches set in small circles all about its edge, with a large open space in the center. Ebon scarcely had time to study it before Jia took him to a door at the back. Through that door was a long, low room with many beds, along with several cabinets and chests of drawers. She led him past these to a bed almost at the back, and waved a hand at the cabinet standing beside it.
“Here you may store your spare robes. This bed is yours now.”
Ebon looked around the room at all the other beds, wondering how many were occupied. “Is this where all the alchemists sleep?”
“No alchemists sleep here at all.”
His cheeks burned. “I am sorry. Is this where all the transmuters sleep?”
She smirked. “A quick student, then. The answer is no. The branches study together, but here in the dormitories you are arranged with the other students according to your ages.”
That was a relief. Ebon had no wish to spend his days sleeping in a room full of children. But Jia must have seen the pleasure on his face as something else, for she fixed him with a stern glare.
“Do not look so excited. You should know that it is strictly forbidden for students to philander upon Academy grounds. This is a place of learning.” Ebon’s face grew beet red as he realized what she thought she had seen in his mind, but Jia pressed on before he could speak. “There are many places upon the Seat where you and the others may see to your needs. This is not one of them. Instructors walk the halls at night and inspect the dormitories often. Keep yourself restrained while you are here, and if you require silphium, you will see to procuring it yourself. Is that clear?”
“Yes,” he said, voice strangled with embarrassment. “I assure you, I understand completely.”
Jia lifted her chin, eyes softening slightly. “Good. Know also that fighting is forbidden, magical or otherwise. That rule extends beyond the Academy’s walls—take some private duel beyond the walls, and we shall hear about it. Rest assured, you will be expelled. Now that you know where you will be sleeping, allow me to show you where you will study.”
She led him downstairs again, and this time took him to
He nodded thoughtfully, finding himself growing curious about her. “And you? What branch are you gifted with?”
She smiled. Then her shape changed before him, and Ebon nearly jumped out of his chair. First her eyes glowed, and then her hair grew grey and stringy as she shrank in her seat. In a moment Mellie sat before him, still regarding him from behind steepled fingers.
Frantically he looked over his shoulder, to the door where Mellie had left him. But the old woman laughed, and swiftly changed back. “I am not Mellie, boy. That was to answer your question.”
At last he understood. “You are a weremage.”
“A therianthrope, but yes. Very good. And I have forgotten my manners entirely, or you have. Either way, my name is Jia.”
He noted carefully that she did not give a family name. Mayhap she was a bastard, but perhaps that was custom here. He hoped so. “I am named Ebon.”
“Ebon. A strong name. Well, Ebon, let us show you to your quarters.”
He scooped his robes back up from where he had thrown them in the other chair, and Jia stood to lead him from the room. Ebon remembered that the dormitories were on the second floor, and he expected her to bring him back out to the main hall to climb the wide main staircase. But Jia led him farther into the citadel instead, where he soon saw another staircase leading up. This one was a spiral, and very narrow, so he could easily touch both sides with his arms stretched out. Jia led him up, passing one landing but stopping at the second. They emerged into the hallway to find a door facing them on the other side. Jia led him within.
They entered a room with many chairs and couches set in small circles all about its edge, with a large open space in the center. Ebon scarcely had time to study it before Jia took him to a door at the back. Through that door was a long, low room with many beds, along with several cabinets and chests of drawers. She led him past these to a bed almost at the back, and waved a hand at the cabinet standing beside it.
“Here you may store your spare robes. This bed is yours now.”
Ebon looked around the room at all the other beds, wondering how many were occupied. “Is this where all the alchemists sleep?”
“No alchemists sleep here at all.”
His cheeks burned. “I am sorry. Is this where all the transmuters sleep?”
She smirked. “A quick student, then. The answer is no. The branches study together, but here in the dormitories you are arranged with the other students according to your ages.”
That was a relief. Ebon had no wish to spend his days sleeping in a room full of children. But Jia must have seen the pleasure on his face as something else, for she fixed him with a stern glare.
“Do not look so excited. You should know that it is strictly forbidden for students to philander upon Academy grounds. This is a place of learning.” Ebon’s face grew beet red as he realized what she thought she had seen in his mind, but Jia pressed on before he could speak. “There are many places upon the Seat where you and the others may see to your needs. This is not one of them. Instructors walk the halls at night and inspect the dormitories often. Keep yourself restrained while you are here, and if you require silphium, you will see to procuring it yourself. Is that clear?”
“Yes,” he said, voice strangled with embarrassment. “I assure you, I understand completely.”
Jia lifted her chin, eyes softening slightly. “Good. Know also that fighting is forbidden, magical or otherwise. That rule extends beyond the Academy’s walls—take some private duel beyond the walls, and we shall hear about it. Rest assured, you will be expelled. Now that you know where you will be sleeping, allow me to show you where you will study.”
She led him downstairs again, and this time took him to
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