The Golden Tower (Magisterium #5)(7)

Call rolled his eyes. “Great.”

Master Rufus went on, ignoring this comment. “As Tamara is well aware, there are awards given to students at the end of their Gold Year, awards that will help you toward getting ahead in the Collegium and in the mage world beyond. No time for dawdling if you’d like to win something.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Call. “Nothing I do in my Gold Year is going to keep people from thinking of me as that guy who used to be the Enemy of Death.”

“Perhaps,” said Master Rufus. “But what about Tamara?”

Call looked over at her guiltily. “She’ll do great,” he said, wanting it to be true. Thinking about Tamara not getting all the awards and prizes she deserved made him feel awful. She’d been the best at the tests in the Iron Trial. She was the best at everything. If she didn’t win, it was because of him. No wonder he needed Aaron to tell him what to say to her.

“I’ll try,” said Tamara, and elbowed Call. “We both will.”

Tell her you’ll work as hard as you can, Aaron said.

“I’ll put my best effort into it,” Call said, and both Tamara and Master Rufus looked at him in surprise.

“Glad to hear it,” Master Rufus said finally, rising to his feet. “Are the two of you ready to go?”

Call was startled — he hadn’t realized the lesson was going to start now. “Guess so,” he said.

It seemed to him that Tamara was looking at him strangely, but once they reached the corridor, she fell into step beside him and even bumped his shoulder with hers, so maybe he’d been imagining it. Master Rufus stalked ahead of them, cutting a swath through the crowds of students heading back from the entry hall.

“What do you think it’s going to be?” Call said under his breath as Master Rufus led them into a less crowded corridor, then down a set of natural stone steps that descended into a cathedral-sized cavern. A blue underground pool glimmered in the center; Call had forgotten how weirdly beautiful the Magisterium could be. “What’ve I missed?”

“Everything,” Tamara said, but without rancor. “Um, finer control of fire magic, storm control, weather magic, metallurgy …”

Call’s leg had started to ache fiercely by the time they reached the pebbled floor of the cavern. He’d shattered it when he was very young and it hadn’t healed right. Several surgeries later, he was sure it never would. Other students had already arrived; Call recognized Gwenda, Celia, Rafe, Kai, and Jasper, looking sullen. Master Milagros was there, too, and quickly explained that they’d be splitting into teams. She assigned Celia and Jasper to be team captains.

“Great,” Call muttered to Tamara. “Now I’m never getting picked.”

Celia had first choice and picked Rafe. Then it was Jasper’s turn. He strode up and down the line of waiting students like a drill sergeant in a war movie inspecting uniforms. He was even squinting one eye shut and chewing an imaginary cigar, which Call felt was overkill.

“A tough choice, a tough choice,” he announced finally, coming to a stop with his hands behind his back. “A lot of fine candidates.”

“Jasper, get on with it,” said Master Rufus. “It’s one exercise, not a lifetime commitment.”

Jasper sighed, as if to say misunderstood again. “Callum Hunt,” he chose.

There was a low buzz of surprise. Even Tamara made a startled noise. Call was too puzzled to move, until Tamara poked him in the back. He went to join Jasper, all eyes on them both.

Celia was pink-cheeked with annoyance. Jasper looked at her sadly. “She doesn’t understand why I picked you,” he said as Call joined him.

“Neither do I,” said Call.

“It’s only fair,” Jasper went on. “Consider it payback for making the right decision on the battlefield. And for all the lives you saved. Now we’re even.”

Call raised his eyebrows. Being picked last was always annoying, but this hardly seemed like a sufficient reward for lifesaving.

“I know,” said Jasper. “I shouldn’t have. Why am I so noble? I fight it but my better spirit always comes out ahead. You wouldn’t understand.”

“No one does,” said Call. Aaron laughed.

It was Jasper’s turn again, and in rapid succession he picked Gwenda, Tamara, and Kai, while Celia got two Gold Years named Malinda and Cindy.

“Well, this is going to suck,” Gwenda said cheerfully once they were all grouped together. “Jasper, what were you thinking?”

“He was being noble,” said Call.

“It’s because he wants someone on his team who’s going to make him look better,” Tamara said.

Jasper flashed her a look of vast hurt, but he didn’t contradict her.

“Teams,” said Master Milagros, drawing all of their attention toward her. She was carrying a basket. “I’d like for each apprentice to take one of these metal rods and enchant it to be able to find another metal. The Magisterium is rich with metal deposits. You decide which metal you want to detect. The team that has found the most metal deposits in the next hour wins.”

Looking over at Master Rufus, it seemed clear that their teacher was waiting for them to raise their hands and ask something, like, say, how to enchant the rods.