The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2)(34)

Call swallowed. Aaron and Tamara faced him, blocking the door. “They’re going to kill my dad,” he said.

Aaron’s eyebrows went up. “What?”

“Someone — and I can’t tell you who, you’re just going to have to trust me — said that the Alkahest is missing. And since my dad went on the run, they’re not going to put him in prison or give him a trial —”

“The Alkahest is gone?” Tamara echoed. “Your dad really stole it?”

“There’s a mage prison?” Aaron asked, wide-eyed.

“Sort of. There’s the Panopticon,” Tamara said grimly. “I don’t know that much about it, but it’s a place where you’re always watched. You’re never alone. If your dad really did —”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Call. “They’re going to kill him.”

“How do you know that?” Tamara asked.

Call looked at her for a long moment. “A friend — a real friend — told me what he heard.”

She blanched. “So what are you going to do?”

“I have to find him and get the Alkahest back before that happens.” Call hitched his duffel higher on his shoulder. “If I return it to the Collegium, I can convince the mages that my dad’s no threat to them — or to you. I swear, Aaron, my dad wouldn’t hurt you. I swear he wouldn’t.”

Aaron rubbed a hand over his face. “We don’t want your dad to get hurt, either.”

“Die, not get hurt,” Call insisted. “If I don’t find him, he’s going to be killed.”

“I’m coming with you,” Tamara said. “I can pack in ten minutes.”

I don’t want you to come. Call didn’t say it. He wasn’t even sure it was true. He was sure he was still angry, though. He shook his head. “Why would you want to do that?”

“This is my fault. You’re right. But I can help you evade the mages while you look for your dad, and I can help you convince the Collegium to take back the Alkahest and stop hunting him. My parents are on the Assembly.” She took a step toward her room. “Just give me ten minutes.”

“You guys don’t really think that I’m going to stay here while you both go on a mission, do you?” Aaron said. “Last time, you both saved me. Now I get to help with the saving part.”

“You definitely can’t come,” Call said. “You’re the Makar. You’re too valuable to be running around looking for my dad, especially since everyone’s worried he’s going to hurt you.”

“I’m the Makar,” Aaron said, and Call thought he heard the shadow of all the things Aaron had overheard that summer in his words. “I’m the Makar and it’s my job to protect people, not the other way around.”

Call sighed and sat down on the couch. He pictured the long journey ahead of him, buses and walking and loneliness with no one but Havoc to keep him company. Nothing to distract from the voice in his head that said: Your father is going to die. Your father might want you dead. Then he thought about having Aaron and Tamara with him, Aaron’s steady presence, Tamara’s funny remarks, and felt reluctantly lighter. “Fine,” he said in a rough voice. He didn’t want to let on how relieved he was. “Just don’t take too long. If we’re going to go, we have to get out of here. Now. Before someone notices.”

With a whine, Havoc flopped down on the floor, clearly disappointed by all the talking. Havoc was a wolf of action.

A few minutes later, Aaron and Tamara emerged with bags of their own.

“Good thing we made those rocks to protect Aaron from scrying,” Tamara said, opening her hand and showing a small pile of them. “And good thing I like to practice.”

Call stood up with a heavy sigh. “You’re both sure about this?”

“We’re sure, Call,” Aaron said. Tamara nodded.

Havoc barked once, like he was sure, too.



The one gate of the Magisterium that stayed open all night was the Mission Gate, through which older students left and returned from missions and battles. Call and Aaron and Tamara sauntered along, trying to look as if they were on their way to the Gallery to eat candy or watch a movie. They passed Celia, Rafe, and Jasper deep in conversation, and some of the older students, laughing and chatting about their lessons.

The passageway forked, one path leading toward the Gallery, the other toward the Mission Gate. Aaron paused for a moment, looking around to make sure no one was watching, before ducking into the corridor that led outside. Tamara and Call hurried after him so fast there was a pileup, and they had to disentangle themselves from one another and Havoc. By the time they were done they were giggling, even Tamara and Call. Aaron looked pleased.

His pleased look didn’t last long, though. They tiptoed down the passage. The air slowly became warmer, and Call could smell sun-warmed rock, leaf mold, and fresh air. The passage sloped up and he could see the stars beyond the Mission Gate.

Suddenly, they were blotted out. A slender figure rose up in front of them, smirking.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Jasper said.

“That is such a tired villain line, Jasper, and you know it,” said Call.

“Why are you here?” Aaron demanded. “Were you following us?”