A Sorcerer's Diplomacy (Song of Sorcery Book 3) Read online

  Benno left him to head to his next class. Ricky sat in his room, gazing out the window. The vision of his confrontation with Loria was all he saw, now that he had no distractions. He should have never used the ‘vile’ word. That was too far.

  He felt ashamed at his loss of control, but at least Loria knew how he felt about her prevarication. Her actions did make his life at the Home much, much worse. Now that he knew about Duke Bariani’s participation, Ricky might have been pulled out sooner.

  He watched a group of girls walk into the dormitory building across the quad from Bisiccia, his dorm. He had created a scene in the commissary on his first day. He shook his head. Many of the students would have recognized him from last year. He curled his fists with frustration and took a deep breath.

  Life might have been easier when it was Hendrico Valian against the Juvenile Home. He had shut out all the social aspects of his life when imprisoned. Now he had to make his life freer, but doing so would make everything more complex. Ricky would have to watch himself. The academy provided more opportunities to learn, but Ricky didn’t feel at all well-equipped to cope with all the different relationships. Today’s outburst proved it.

  He remembered Saganet’s advice to get to know how to live with other people. His guardian had pushed him out of the cottage and into an environment where he would have to learn a lot about the nuances of life. He had to treat his new role as a student as a challenge to succeed.

  Ricky sighed. Life hadn’t been easy before, and it wasn’t easy at the Home. He didn’t expect this strange new stage to be any easier, but it would be safer.

  ~

  Ricky had to report to Petrolo Garini as his advisor, taking Saganet’s place. They met in the courtyard where Ricky had practiced sorcery with the academy teacher. Ricky shivered a bit, but Petrolo sat in a sheltered alcove, bathed in cool sunlight.

  Petrolo stood when Ricky entered.

  “Young Valian, have a seat.” He lifted up a few pages. “I have your class assignments. I hope you don’t mind me as your advisor. Professor Crabacci thought it would help you integrate into the academy way of doing things.”

  Ricky shook his head. “It’s fine. If I need to talk to my guardian, I know where to find him. What am I to do for the rest of the year?”

  “I’ll be your sorcery instructor. Professor Calasay will join us most of the time. We won’t talk about that until your appointed hour.” He handed a sheet to Ricky. “You can pick up the books you need at the library today and start tomorrow. Most classes start new units after Winter Break, so you won’t be at a disadvantage in all your courses. That doesn’t mean you won’t have to work hard.”

  “I understand. I know how to apply myself,” Ricky said. “I know I’m not the smartest student.”

  “Smart enough, and the best sorcerer at Doubli Academy. I know them all and can say that with confidence. I don’t want to keep you too long. I am happy you made it through a horrible experience at the Juvenile Home. If you ever want to talk about it, feel free to confide. Sometimes, a person needs to work out unpleasant experiences, and talking is the best remedy. You can’t put a bandage on melancholy.”

  Ricky smiled. “I did learn that practicing sorcery can make you sad, especially when flying.”

  Petrolo’s eyebrows rose. “I heard that you did fly. Not many sorcerers can. Flying is especially bad. There was no one around to warn you. How did you find out?” Petrolo asked. “That it happened to you indicates the amount of power that you expended.” He waved his hand. “I have to go, but we can discuss this later.”

  Ricky stood and watched Professor Garini leave him. He sat back down and looked at his schedule. Last year he had most of his afternoons off, but that wasn’t the case for the next term. Someone gave him a session with Saganet for swordsmanship in the morning. He had more history, no arithmetic, but a class called mathematics. Parantian made it to the list. Ricky knew it wouldn’t be remedial, but he smiled when he noticed who taught the class, Mina Doria, Saganet’s daughter. He had Physical Science listed, but Ricky was sure it wasn’t the same subject Nemo Mattia taught at the Home.

  He drifted off to the library and stopped when he spotted Loria standing next to a tall, well-built boy not far from the entrance. They were arguing. It looked like Loria was the mad person this time. The youth stood silently taking whatever Loria gave. Ricky stayed out of earshot.

  She stalked off. The boy looked on, shaking his head, but he didn’t look too affected. Ricky walked behind him as the boy entered the library. Loria’s object of anger headed inside, while Ricky stopped at the front desk. He sighed as he thought of Henni, the Home guard who had become his friend.

  “What can I do for you?” an older woman asked.

  Ricky gave her his schedule. “I need books for these classes.”

  The woman glared at Ricky for a minute. “Hendrico Valian?”

  Ricky nodded.

  “I know who you are. You are an enigma.”

  “What is that?” Ricky said.

  “A big question mark. You’ve made quite a name for yourself at the school.”

  Ricky didn’t quite know if the woman gave him a compliment or a complaint.

  She looked at the list. “Find a book to read while I have a student aide pull the books. You have to rent these, you know.”

  “I should have an account.”

  The woman opened a ledger. “You do.” She seemed to relax a bit when she obviously found that Ricky had his books covered. “It may take a bit.”

  Ricky strolled through the stacks. All the books looked so new compared to the ancient volumes at the Home. He found the sorcery section and pulled out a book on the uses of Sorcery.

  The youth Loria had argued with sat at an otherwise empty table. Ricky took a seat. He opened the book and noticed the youth looking at him.

  “You’re Ricky Valian?” he said.

  Ricky nodded. “I am. And you are?”

  “Jac Griama, the former boyfriend of Loria Mansali. I heard about your little tiff in the commissary. She wasn’t very happy about that.” He chuckled. “I just told her we were through. Loria wasn’t happy about that either. I rekindled an old relationship in Dimani, where I’m from.”

  “The Isle Kingdom?”

  Jac nodded. “Loria can be excessively possessive, and then she can turn it off like that.” Jac snapped his fingers. “You know all about it. Benno is a friend, by the way, so I know the history of her behavior. I was always a bit surprised at how quickly she dumped you.” He smiled and shook his head. “You didn’t even get a letter or anything, did you?”

  Ricky clamped his mouth shut and nodded.

  “Do you play broomball?”

  “Not your version. I used to play it with real brooms in the streets.” Ricky hadn’t played it very much when he spent most of his time in Shantyboat Town where the streets were planks laid from one boat to another.

  “You should come out when we start up in a few weeks. Our team is okay, but we’ve only played amongst each other. In the spring we play other Tossan schools, and maybe our team will be able to travel to another city to compete.”

  Ricky had never thought about playing other schools. There were a few professional teams in Tossa, and he thought they would travel, but not an academy team.

  “Benno plays,” Jac said. “He is nearly as good as I am.”

  Ricky wondered if Jac was boasting or if he had just complimented Benno. If Jac said he was friends with Benno, perhaps Jac would be a friend of his.

  “What year are you?”

  “Third. I’m one year ahead of you. I’m a sorcerer, but not a very good one. My parents sent me to Doubli to wring out what power they could. It’s not very much, but I’ve been happy here. I can fit in at Doubli better than any school in Dimani. There are fewer nobles in my country, and the notoriety gets to be tiresome.”

  “There are plenty of nobles at Doubli,” Ricky said.

  “Right. So I don’t have to worry about it
,” Jac said.

  “What about the girl back home?”

  Jac colored. “I’ve known her for years. She acts like she has noble blood, but doesn’t. Does that matter?”

  “Not to me,” Ricky said.

  “Isn’t that what attracted you to Loria?”

  Ricky looked out a many-paned window. “We became friends first. The attraction came later and left not long after.”

  Jac sighed. “Sorry about that. I didn’t sweep her off her feet on purpose. She liked my broomball play. That’s what she said. It just grew from that. When I went home, I ran into my current girlfriend, and that was that. Loria came in second.”

  Ricky didn’t know where he came in, nor did he care at this point. “It’s alright. I’m over her.”

  “That makes two of us. Benno is finished with her as well.” Jac snapped his book shut and stood. “I’ve got to go. I’m glad to have met you, Ricky. Show up for broomball practice.”

  Jac put out his hand, and Ricky took it.

  Ricky sat back down and opened the sorcery book. As he read, he found that the uses of sorcery revolved around performing sorcery, battle sorcery, and teaching sorcery. He couldn’t find the many occupations mentioned in the old sorcery books.

  He wondered how to approach Petrolo about that and decided that it might be better for him to talk to Mistress Merry about the changes, since she knew about the books.

  He examined the section on battle sorcery and found a few interesting spells that Siria Lonsi hadn’t mentioned. He hadn’t reached the end when an older boy motioned to Ricky.

  After replacing the book, Ricky followed his escort to the front desk. A stack of books stood on the counter.

  “These are in your custody The rent has been charged to your account until term end, young Valian when they must be returned. Do not mark on them, and keep the books clean, or you’ll pay much more,” the librarian said.

  “Yes, Madam,” Ricky said.

  He lifted up the pile and walked off to his room, spilling the books only twice along the way. So much for keeping them clean.

  ~~~

  CHAPTER THREE

  ~

  R ICKY LOOKED FORWARD TO HIS SWORDSMANSHIP CLASS with Saganet. He no longer had to earn his way by sweeping the gym, but he missed the regular exercise already since he’d returned to the academy. The weather wasn’t up to practicing outside when Ricky arrived in relentless rain.

  Saganet sat at a table looking at paperwork. He looked up and motioned Ricky over.

  “I won’t be giving you special lessons during the term,” Saganet said. “I have a few boys who just entered the academy as fourth-years. They will be worthy opponents during practice. They are all nobles and have received advanced training, but don’t let that intimidate you. You’ve had special training through practice and real combat that they haven’t.”

  “Yes, Professor.”

  Saganet grinned. “How is everything going so far?”

  “After two days, I’m not ready to answer.”

  “That bad, eh?” Saganet said.

  Ricky sighed. “I dreaded the Home and made it through. I looked forward to coming back, but I’m not enjoying life, yet. I argued with Loria. One-sided. Me.”

  “I heard. You weren’t very discreet about how you felt.”

  “That’s part of my not liking being back. I lost control, but I don’t feel that bad about it. I called her ‘vile,’ something I shouldn’t have. Her behavior was, though.”

  “Indeed. The girl has some problems. She has Jac Griama to help her through.”

  Ricky shook his head. “Not anymore. He just split up with her. I saw it happen.”

  “Not a good start to the new year for Loria Mansali. If you can, just stop thinking about her,” Saganet said. “It might not be the easiest thing to do, but find new friends. Try out for the broomball team.”

  Ricky smiled. “I’ve already gotten an invitation from Benno and Jac Griama.”

  “Then take them up on it,” Saganet said, grinning. “It’s about time for class to start. Warm up.”

  Ricky began running around the gym, following, and then passing other boys. All the boys seemed older than Ricky. He guessed this was a fourth-year class, but that would just make him work harder. Ricky smiled as he felt his muscles respond. The physical activity felt good when he stopped and proceeded with calisthenics until Saganet called the class over.

  “We have a few students who are new to the class,” Saganet began. He introduced three older boys. Ricky wondered why they entered the academy so late in their schooling. “The student over there,” Saganet pointed to Ricky, “has received private tutoring by me and others, so don’t let his relative youth fool you.”

  The looks of disdain didn’t bother Ricky. The students he recognized from last year’s class just nodded to Ricky. He didn’t know of any that he couldn’t show a good account of his skills.

  “I’ve sparred with every one of you, so we will split into groups. Young Valian will join the new boys.”

  Ricky looked around at a few grumbles just before Saganet gently shoved him towards the older new students.

  “We will work on dueling stances for the rest of the class,” Saganet said, walking back to the table where Ricky had met him earlier. His guardian nodded to him and returned to his paperwork.

  “Professor Crabacci has sparred with you before? You look like someone well beneath him,” one of the new students said.

  “He is my guardian,” Ricky said. “He taught me how to wield a sword.”

  “Does he want special treatment from us?” another of the boys said. They looked like they all knew each other.

  Ricky shook his head. “I’m on my own.” He swung the sword around, getting a feel for the grip and the balance. “Who shall I spar with first?”

  One of the boys gave Ricky an evil grin and nodded to the two others. “All of us at once.”

  “That’s not fair!” Ricky said.

  He jumped back to keep the three of them from surrounding him. He advanced on the closest fighter and clipped him on the wrist as hard as he could. His first opponent’s sword clattered to the floor. Ricky jumped back again as the downed boy clutched his damaged wrist. The fight had to have been pre-arranged between them. Saganet wouldn’t agree to such a match.

  Saganet rose from his table, but Ricky couldn’t take more than a glance before the two others attacked him.

  “Why are you doing this?” Ricky said as he parried off blows from both of the students.

  “Payback. Trash like you can’t be allowed to take down one of your betters unpunished.”

  “Victor?” Ricky asked.

  One of them nodded.

  “Did Lady Taranta put you up to this?”

  The two opponents looked at each other. Ricky would have sighed if he had the time. This pair wasn’t a couple of inmates at the Home. Ricky had to put everything he had to fend off their blows. He could feel his strength begin to ebb. He plunged the tip of this blade into one of the boys’ stomach, doubling the youth over, but the move came at the price of an edged blow across his neck.

  Ricky gasped as he looked at the last of the boy. If they played with real blades, Ricky would be bleeding out on the floor. He backed up, weakly fending off blow after blow until another sword struck out against his last opponent’s sword arm.

  He looked over at a furious Saganet standing with his sword point on the neck of the last boy standing.

  “Were you paid to do this?” Saganet said.

  “I don’t need to be paid to take care of riff-raff like him.”

  “And none of you need to attend Doubli, either. Get out of here and pack your bags. I have expelled all three of you.”

  “We’ll see about that,” one of the boys said. “My father is very close to Duke Noacci.”

  “Who runs Applia, not Tossa. OUT!”

  The three of them slunk away, muttering that Saganet lacked authority. The boys didn’t know Merry Doubli, Rick
y thought.

  “Who let them in?” Ricky said. “Can Mistress Doubli back you up?”

  Saganet nodded. “We both wondered why their parents paid so much to have them join the academy. If they hadn’t ganged up on you on the floor, they would have ambushed you and still might. You’ll have to be careful.”

  Ricky sighed. “Am I back to wearing chain mail?” His neck began to throb. He put his hand on his neck and could feel the welt rising on the skin.

  Saganet looked at the boys who had stopped their sparring. “Get back to your exercises. I’ll finish up with Young Valian,” he said.

  “I’m bruised all over. My opponents didn’t lack for training.” Ricky said.

  Saganet grinned. “Neither do you. I’ll walk you to the cottage after we visit Merry. I’m not sure your chain mail coat fits anymore.”

  Ricky didn’t want to clank around the academy, anyway. “What about a cane? I feel a limp coming on. I just need something to defend myself.”

  “You’ve always got your sorcery,” Saganet said.

  “Even Duke Bariani wouldn’t protect me if I fought them with magic.”

  Saganet shook his head. “Not offensive magic. You can always float away from them.”

  Ricky dreaded the depression that came on when he flew, but Saganet was right. He knew enough sorcery to save his life if needed. Saganet taught him some new defensive moves until class ended.

  “I won’t be doing that every class. I’m here to help all of them,” Saganet said. “Maybe you could stand some more time with Effie.”

  Ricky pressed his lips together with frustration. “Sorcery tutors and swordsmanship tutors. Some way to integrate with the rest of the classmates?”

  “That comment would hurt Effie’s feelings.”

  Ricky was going to say something about Effie having feelings but stopped himself. “Maybe she’ll tell me some stories about Princess Pira.”

  Saganet laughed. “Ask her to do that. There are plenty.” He had some final words to the students about courtesy and then told them all that ganging up on another student would get them expelled, too.