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“Water, your element.” The Collector roamed the edges of the bathhouse, just out of sight. “They transform it into your prison. Don’t let them get away with it. Strike now!”
Lio wished Eudias would lash out with his water magic, just to spare himself from what he was about to suffer.
“Imagine your water spells draggingthemdown,” the Collector said. “What must it feel like to listen tothembeg?”
Anger roared through the bathhouse. All of Eudias’s rage, bred and born in this room, trapped here.
“Imagine the way they will writhe astheystruggle for breath,” the Collector went on.
Lio gave his head a shake. “No. We can’t give in, Eudias. He wants to turn you into a monster like himself. You don’t need him in order to be strong.” Lio threw himself down beside the pool and stretched out his arm as far as he could reach. Almost far enough. “Take my hand. I’ll help you free yourself.”
“Can’t you taste their fear?” the Collector asked. “Can’t you taste your power?”
Eudias’s anger shrank and concentrated within him. He was so afraid. He wasn’t powerful enough.
“Don’t you see what you’re doing?” Lio cried. “You’re pushing his anger too far. He’s turning it on himself. Do you want to destroy him?”
“If he isn’t strong enough, he will be destroyed.”
Eudias’s mind could escape, even if his body couldn’t. He seized on theMeditations of a Great Temple Mage.
“Yes,” Lio said, “theMeditationsare powerful words, Eudias. Hold fast to the founding principles we share.”
TheMeditationshad so captured Eudias’s imagination when he had first begun studying magic. They had made him feel part of something greater than himself.
“I’ll recite them with you,” Lio promised.
Eudias focused on the beloved words.A Great Temple is as a deity’s glyph, to which worshipers may turn their eyes with hope.
“A Great Temple is as a deity’s glyph,” Lio said aloud, “to which worshipers may turn their eyes with hope.”
The war circle lined up in threes on either side of Tychon. Chrysanthos’s apprentice lifted his hands.
The words of the second meditation went through Eudias’s mind.A Great Temple mage must be as a deity’s hand, which worshipers can reach for.
Fire billowed across the water. Over the roar, Lio shouted the second meditation.
The war magic stopped short at Eudias’s feet.
Tychon traced his fingers in an intricate spell pattern. “Wouldn’t want to leave a mark where anyone can see it, would I? That might mislead them to think you’ve actually been brave enough to use real war magic in battle—and survive.”
Lio stared at the bottoms of Eudias’s feet. Many old burn scars already marred them.
Tychon’s fire spell inched closer. Eudias shut his eyes and grimaced, hissing through his teeth.
Great magic is not a gift from the gods, but the mark of the gods upon the mage, who is their greatest gift to this world.
“Great magic is not a gift from the gods,” Lio recited with Eudias, “but the mark of the gods upon the mage, who is their greatest gift to this world.”
“I don’t think he properly appreciates your spell, Tychon,” said one apprentice. “Compliment Tychon’s advanced fire spell, Eudias.”
A Great Temple’s mages are worshipers, who must never set themselves above those they serve.
“A Great Temple’s mages are worshipers,” Lio said, “who must never set themselves above those they serve.”
“I’ll teach him some manners for you, Tychon.” The apprentice commenced a set of deliberate casting gestures.
From an opposite corner of the bath, a warming brick rose and sailed toward Eudias.
