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The king had just shown me great leniency, and I couldn’t push the matter by declaring myself an outcast and attempting to leave society all together. They had accepted the risk I posed, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be eyes on me for the rest of my life. I couldn’t blame them for that.
“I’m glad you brought up the subject,” Amara said with a respectful nod to Augusta. “I had intended to organize a formal meeting to discuss the matter, but all the relevant people are present now so we might as well be done with it.”
“I realize your apprentice has strong feelings on the subject,” Augusta said, “but we cannot allow emotions to interfere on a matter as important as the status of renegers.”
“I agree,” Amara said calmly. “I had no intention of attempting to overthrow such rules. The matter I wish to discuss is Nikolas’s formal graduation.”
Her words sent a ripple through the group, and from Nik’s reaction, he was just as surprised as me. Amara sent him a quick warning look, however, and he remained silent, his expression smoothing out.
“My apprentice has not returned to me to complete his apprenticeship,” Augusta said coldly. “It doesn’t matter what skills he has acquired on his own. He cannot become a proficient.”
“No, of course skill alone is not enough.” Amara remained unmoved by Augusta’s opposition, her expression unruffled. “However, Nikolas has completed his apprenticeship under my guidance which is why I am now putting him forward for graduation.”
“You are claiming to be his master?” Drake asked, clearly as surprised as I was. “You know that isn’t how it works. Apprentices cannot change masters at will.”
“In general they cannot, no,” Amara said. “The law is clear that an apprentice must complete their apprenticeship under their influencer, except in the case of death or incapacity of the master. However there has always been a formal exception for royals—an exception that has already been put in place for Prince Nikolas.”
“You mean the ruling that allows them to be activated by another royal but complete their apprenticeship under the Guild,” Evermund said in an arrested tone. “It’s true that ruling was used by Nik. He was adamant he be cross-influenced, so I was given permission to activate him, but the Master of Plants then took on his apprenticeship as had been initially intended.”
“Precisely,” Amara said. “In Nikolas’s case, the law does not require his apprenticeship to be completed under his influencer but rather by the Guild. And I am a member of the Guild.”
She slowly gazed across the assembled group, meeting each of their eyes with a challenging look. “Would anyone present like to argue that I lack the necessary strength to take on an apprentice of Nikolas’s level?”
She let silence hang in the air as everyone shifted uncomfortably. Even Augusta wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“I put forward that I am a member of the Guild and a registered master, and that I am therefore qualified to complete the apprenticeship of a royal student who has been activated by a family member.”
“That exception is designed to allow the royal family to pass on their great strength to their children,” Drake grumbled, “not to allow royal apprentices to jump from master to master. You know I acknowledge your strength, Amara, but you’re one of my people. You don’t even have a plants affinity.”
“And my other apprentice is a healer,” she said. “What of it? The prince is cross-influenced after all. His influencer was an elements mage, so it makes sense for his master to be one too.”
“You have all been trapped on that island for the winter,” Augusta said, “so you may well have supervised the prince during that time. But he was only halfway through his apprenticeship when he chose to abandon it. A single season is not sufficient to cover his remaining time.”
“No, the winter would not be enough,” Amara said. “However, I think you will find the prince has been with me far longer than that.”
“What do you mean?” the queen asked, her voice eager.
“Prince Nikolas has been tracking Grey for a long time,” Amara said. “Last spring, Grey abducted a friend of my other apprentice, and since that time, she and I worked together with Nik to find and free Miranda and then stop Grey. If anyone cares to track our movements, you will see our joint progress. After Tarin, we went to Ostaria, and from there to Caltor. Others can attest that Nik was seen with us in all three places. After Caltor, we traveled east across the northern half of the kingdom all the way to Eldrida. Nik traveled alongside us the whole way. And of course, we were all in Eldrida for the crippling storm before going north into the desert and eventually to the island. If anyone cares to count the months since we first connected in Tarin, I think you will find he has completed the necessary time.”
Again, she gazed around the room, silently challenging anyone to deny her words. I was struggling to keep my mouth from dropping open. All her words were true—as a healer I knew no one would hear a lie on them. But she was stretching the truth as far as it could go, and everyone here had to know it. But one glance at the faces of the king and queen showed she was providing a solution they desperately wanted.
“If anyone doubts he has reached a sufficient skill level for a proficient, I invite you to test him,” she said with a trace of humor. “I am confident you will not find him lacking in any way.”
A dangerous smile spread across Nik’s face. “I am more than willing to demonstrate my skill for any doubters.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Drake said dryly. He glanced at Augusta and Colton. “The Triumvirate will need to consult for a moment. If you will excuse us…” He gestured for the other two to step aside with him for a moment.
Hayes started a conversation with those of us who remained, but I wasn’t paying enough attention to follow his words. And from the odd gaps in the replies, I wasn’t the only one.
When the three affinity heads finally walked back from the other side of the cavernous room, Drake was smiling and Augusta looked resigned.
“We are happy to accept the graduation of Prince Nikolas to the official rank of proficient,” Drake announced. “The Guild will publicly announce the successful completion of his apprenticeship and the lifting of his status as reneger as soon as possible.”
Nik met his eyes. “Thank you.” The simple words were full of depth.
Letting go of me, he crossed over to stand in front of Augusta. He towered over her small frame, but everything in his manner was respectful as he addressed her.
“Please accept my apology, Master Augusta. I disrespected you and your teaching by leaving in the manner I did.”
