The Golden Tower (Magisterium #5)(45)

Tell her about the future, Aaron said.

“The Magisterium will pardon Alex,” Call said. “And then we’ll come to you, and we’ll leave the mage world behind. We can spend our lives traveling.” He thought of the similar words Alastair had spoken to him when he’d begged him to leave the Magisterium. “We can be together.”

Anastasia’s cool gray eyes glowed. “Very well,” she said slowly. “You’d better fill me in on exactly how this plan is going to go.”





CALL FELT GUILTY as he walked up the hill. When he saw Tamara at the top, his expression was bleak.

“Did it not work?” she asked him.

“It worked,” he said. “I was just thinking how maybe I understand why people are afraid of chaos mages. Maybe they should be afraid.”

Tamara put his hand on Call’s shoulder. “It’s not fair that because you’re a Makar, you have to deal with all this. It wasn’t fair when it was Aaron, and it’s not fair when it’s you. We’re still kids. Maybe not kids like we were when we came to the Magisterium, but too young to be responsible for the lives of so many other people. I think you’re doing great.”

“If you think so, then I guess it must be true,” Call said.

This is my fault, Aaron said.

No, it’s not, Call thought back. This time it’s not any of our faults.

Tamara took his hand and held it all the way back to the Mission Gate. When they came through, Jasper and Gwenda were waiting for them, looking grave.

“What happened?” Call demanded loudly, cutting through the other voices. Gwenda looked abruptly apologetic and a cold sliver of fear ran through him.

“You better come,” said Jasper. “Now.”

He started moving through the tunnels fast enough that Call had to ask him to slow down twice just to keep up. When they arrived back at their common room, Master Rufus was there, looking very grave.

Beside him was a Devoured of air. He appeared in the form of a grayish mist that moved out from the shape of his body to evaporate in the air. His features became more and less distinct as the cloudlike shape of his body shifted.

Call could see his glasses, the shape of his face, even the translucent outline of gray-and-brown hair. Call knew him. He didn’t want to, but he did.

The Devoured was Alastair, his father.

For a moment, Call’s bad leg almost gave out. He lurched sideways and caught himself on a table. All Call’s thoughts had fled. He didn’t want to believe what he was looking at. He didn’t want to see what was in front of him. He didn’t want to comprehend it.

“Dad,” he said. The word came out broken.

Tamara gasped.

He must really love you, said Aaron, which seemed all wrong to Call at the same time that it was true.

“Dad,” he said again, and the shape flowed toward him, enveloped him in fog and whirling wind. There was nothing comforting in that touch. It was too inhuman, too cold.

“Call,” Alastair’s voice said. “I’m sorry. But this is the only way I could help you.”

“We could have found someone else,” Call pleaded.

“There wasn’t time,” Alastair told him.

“But you hate magic!” Call shouted, angry now. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that Alastair had to sacrifice himself. None of this was fair, none of it had ever been fair, but Alastair shouldn’t have had to give up everything. “How are you going to go to garage sales now? How are you going to tinker with cars? How are you going to even drive cars? What is going to happen to all your antiques?” He choked. “What about our life together? What about our life?”

“I needed to help you, Call,” said Alastair. “There’s no life for me if anything happens to you. You’re my son.”

“And you’re his father!” Tamara said. “You shouldn’t have done this! Call needs you.”

“This wasn’t what I wanted either,” Alastair said. “I will miss going to movies, working on cars together, walking Havoc, being father and son. Being part of his life as he gets older and marries, bouncing a grandchild on my knee.”

Tamara looked stricken.

“Maybe this is the price I have to pay for not having told Call the truth about magic for all those years,” said Alastair. “For every time I didn’t trust him. We have to trust the people we love.”

“Now it’s even more important that the Assembly change its rules on the Devoured,” said Jasper somberly. “So Alastair can be with Call sometimes, and Tamara, so you can see Ravan.”

“Ravan.” She gave a little gasp. “We have to summon her and the others. Aren’t we supposed to be at Alex’s tower at dawn?”

“Alastair.” Master Rufus spoke in a rumbling voice. “It is a noble thing you have done. Noble and painful. Even if the Magisterium does not, I will do all I can to help you after this.”

“Thank you, old teacher,” said Alastair. “I will be waiting for you all outside the Mission Gate at dawn.”

He dissolved into the air and vanished. Call slumped down at the table. He didn’t care about Alex right then. He didn’t care about anything but his father. He couldn’t think about anything but Alastair and how Alastair was both fine and totally not at all never again going to be fine. He felt numb all over. Numb and strange.