Intrigues: Book Two of the Collegium Chronicles (a Valdemar Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Well, that brings me to the reason I brought you up here. I was reminded today that you are in a room that is usually used for the grooms that care for the Companions, and I thought, now our building work was getting closer to completion that you might like one of the newly built rooms that are free. It would get you out of the stables and in with the other trainees.”
    Mags was shocked, and his jaw dropped. “Move away from Dallen?” he asked, aghast.
    Caelen gave a chuckle. “I can see, if you put it like that, that it would be a wrench. But it would stop you from standing out as . . .” he gave a wry smile, “the Trainee that we stuck off in the stable.”
    “How’s that bad?” Mags asked, adding as an afterthought, “Sir? Not like it bothers me.”
    “You’ll recall that bit of an altercation over you being there in the first place,” Caellen said with a grimace. “You know already that there are many of the adults who would be certain any boy out in a room alone far from adult supervision is certainly up to no good, Trainee or not.”
    Well of all the things he’d heard here, that took the prize for making no sense. “But I got ’dult supervision!” Mags protested. “Companions! Bunches on ’em! If I was t’ get t’ jiggerypokery, ye know they’d be callin’ in t’ their Chosen!” He could just imagine it, too. Say, purloining a couple of bottles of wine to try out what being drunk was like. He’d not get two cups into the first bottle before half the Collegium, including all the teachers, would be at his door. And he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if he was up to anything worse than that. And what Dallen would say to him—he’d rather be whipped.
    Caelen shrugged. “You have a very good point about the supervision. Well, if that is how you really feel, I won’t make you move. I thought a boy your age would be a little worried about how the others might think of him. It might be thought a little odd to be down there all alone. People are very likely to wonder why you are there, if there is something, that makes you antisocial, or if—oh, say for example, your Mindspeech is less than controlled, and we are keeping you apart from the others to prevent problems from it. Or as if you are some sort of pariah, and we want to keep you away from the others to keep you from contaminating them.”
    Mags shook his head. “If’n I can stay, I want to,” he stated firmly. “It ain’t like I’m in the way. It’s the warm end o’ the stables, ’n I think the Companions like me being there. If somethin’ was t’ happen, I’d be right there, ’fore even someun’s Chosen could or one’a the grooms, ’cause the Chosen ’d haveta run down from Collegium an’ Dallen’d wake me afore a groom knew there was aught wrong. I dun mind bein’ alone; I’d druther, actually. It’s quiet. Easy t’ study. Easy t’ sleep, ain’t no one larkin’ about an’ makin’ noise. I never had no privacy afore, an’ . . . an’ I like bein’ where no one kin bother me. An’ I definit’ly like being next t’ Dallen.”
    “Well. I suppose if you feel that strongly about it.” Caelen sighed. “I suppose it can’t hurt to have someone in the stable as we come toward foaling season anyway. The Companions usually keep everyone aware of when foaling is likely, but once in a while it’s a surprise.” He cocked his head and looked Mags over. “I reckon you’ll be able to keep a level head in an emergency—and of course, the Companions will help. Even though Dallen is a jokester, he’s solid in a crisis, I understand.”
    Mags grinned with relief—and a little at hearing Dallen described as a “jokester.” Evidently his “tweaking of Rolan’s tail” had gotten around. “Aye, sir. That I reckon ’e is.”
    Caelan blinked. “You know—you are a little young for this, but something just occurred to me. I’ve something I’d like you to consider adding to your lessons.