The Right Side of History (Schooled In Magic Book 22), Christopher Nuttall [books to read romance TXT] 📗

taken several nasty blows when she’d hit the ground. Her scalp hurt... she touched her hair, realizing it was still matted with Master Lucknow’s blood. He wasn’t going to forgive her for using blood magic against him, not in a hurry. She’d crossed a line there... her fingers tingled as she felt the blood, tasting his magic. That trick probably wouldn’t work twice. If she was any judge, he’d have cut the link as soon as he realized it existed.

There was a knock on the door. She looked up, wondering - absurdly - what would happen if she told the newcomer to go away. She was in a prison cell. It was unlikely anyone would give much of a damn about her orders, if she demanded privacy. The door rattled and opened, revealing Mistress Kyla. Whitehall’s Healer nodded to her, then drew a wand from her belt and waved it in the air. The wards faded slightly. Emily smiled in relief.

“Emily,” Kyla said. She looked older than Emily remembered, wispy white hair curled around an ancient face. “It’s been a while.”

Emily nodded. “What are you doing here?”

“They thought you needed a Healer,” Kyla said. “And I was asked to attend upon you.”

“I see.” Emily felt a flicker of suspicion. “What did I ask you about, after the school nearly collapsed in on itself?”

Kyla didn’t hesitate. “You asked for advice on contraceptive charms,” she said, bluntly. “I told you that potions were better, then taught you how to cast the charms.”

Emily flushed, despite her relief. The majority of students learnt such charms from their parents or their older siblings, when they didn’t choose to rely on the potion. She’d had to ask the healer herself, when she’d started her relationship with Caleb... no one else, not even her closest friends, knew. The woman in front of her was the healer, not someone wearing her face. It wasn’t easy to pose as someone else, not when talking to someone who knew them, but it wasn’t impossible. Someone might easily have assumed that Emily didn’t know Kyla that well.

“I have to check up on you,” Kyla said. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” Emily said. She stood and allowed the healer to wave the wand around her. Magic tingled up and down her spine. “What did they tell you?”

“About you?” Kyla shrugged as she started to run through a pair of healing spells. “They just said you needed a healer. That was it.”

Emily took a breath, feeling the aches and pains slowly fading away. She’d have to pay for it, later on, but... hopefully she’d have time to get through the hearing before she collapsed into bed. She wished, grimly, that Master Lucknow had let Void take her back to the tower. It would have been so much easier to trust the food... she glanced at the water jug, practically calling to her. Her throat felt parched. And yet... she didn’t dare touch the drink.

A thought struck her. “Is the water safe to drink?”

“It should be.” Kyla finished casting spells on Emily and turned away, inspecting the jug and its contents. “There’s no magic within the liquid.”

Which doesn’t prove anything, Emily thought. A mundane drug - a simple sleeping draught or something far worse - wouldn’t trip the spells. There could be anything in there.

“You need a shower,” Kyla informed her, curtly. “And then I advise a good night’s sleep.”

Emily had to laugh. “And what will happen to me while I sleep?”

Kyla said nothing, but dug her hand into her pouch and removed a vial. “A basic nutrient potion,” she said. “It won’t keep you going forever, but it should give you a few more hours before you have to eat the food here.”

“I... thank you,” Emily said. She wasn’t blind to the risk the healer was running, just by giving her the potion. Master Lucknow would not approve. Healers were hard to punish, but not impossible. Kyla could lose her post at Whitehall if Master Lucknow made a fuss. “I don’t know how long they’re going to keep me here.”

“They didn’t tell me,” Kyla said. “But I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Emily wasn’t so sure. Master Lucknow had gone too far for a simple misunderstanding and that meant... what? What was he planning to do? Get the council together and ask them to retroactively approve Emily’s arrest? Or find a fig leaf that would allow him to let her go without losing too much face? She was surprised he hadn’t bothered to lay the groundwork properly, which suggested... what? He wasn’t careless, any more than he was stupid. He’d probably had some idea for handling her, once he had her in custody.

Unless his real plan was to lock me up and milk me for ideas, she thought. The thought was alarmingly plausible. If he put me in a cell like this, I might never get free.

“I can remain here for a few moments longer, if you would like to take a shower,” Kyla said, calmly. “I can clean your dress while you wash.”

Emily hesitated. She was certain - very certain - that the cell was under close observation. It was what she would have done, if she was dealing with a very dangerous prisoner. She certainly didn’t want to get undressed and shower in front of unseen eyes and yet... she was grimy and covered in someone else’s blood. Her skin crawled at the thought. There was no point in trying to save the blood. By now, it would be useless. Master Lucknow would have made sure of it.

“I’ll look more impressive if I wash,” Emily said. She opened the vial, put the glass to her lips and drank. The potion tasted ghastly, but she felt a surge of energy rushing through her as she started to undress. The healer looked away, politely. “Thanks.”

She stepped into the washroom, turned on the water and clambered into the shower. The water was hot enough to make her relax, just a little. She was tempted to remain