The Royal Sorceress Read Online Free PDF Page A

different talents so far,” he said. “There are persistent rumours of an eleventh talent, but despite careful research we have not been able to isolate it. With only a handful of exceptions, each magician will have just one of the talents. Their precise power level and skill will depend upon training. Some people with magical potential simply never bother to develop their talents.”
    “And a number,” Master Thomas put in, “may never discover that they have a talent.”
    Doctor Norwell nodded. “I shall begin with Blazers,” he said. “Master Thomas, if you would...”
    Master Thomas held up his hand. A flame started to flicker over his skin, eventually becoming a pillar of light that danced over the ceiling before fading back into nothingness. Gwen felt a tingle as she stared at the light, remembering how she’d summoned light and heat herself. Master Thomas had far more skill than she’d ever been allowed to develop.
    “Blazers manipulate energy,” Doctor Norwell said, flatly. “All of their powers revolve around their particular talent.”
    He nodded to Master Thomas. “Infusers push magic into an inanimate object,” he said. “The magic can be keyed to perform certain tasks, such as not permitting anyone to open a particular lock without the correct key. Again, the magician needs extensive training in using his power before he can amount to anything. Changers also push magic into an object, but instead of infusing the object with power they alter it at a molecular level. As you can see...”
    Master Thomas picked up a small block of wood from one of the tables and held it in front of Gwen’s face. Before her eyes, the block of wood slowly transformed into a bar of gold. He put it down in front of her and it started to resume its original shape and colour. Gwen was almost disappointed. A Changer could presumably create enough gold to keep himself in luxury for the rest of his life.
    “Making it stable takes years of practice,” Master Thomas said. Perhaps he’d had the same thought when he’d been trained himself. “Which is lucky; we have too many problems with forged coins already.”
    Doctor Norwell cleared his throat. “Movers, as the name implies, move things,” he said. Master Thomas gestured and the block of wood flew out of Gwen’s hands, circled the room twice and then dropped into the bowl of water with a splash. “A Mover with enough power can literally fly, although only a handful have enough power to do it without losing control and falling to their deaths. Do not try to practice without having someone in place to catch you.”
    Gwen had to smile. She’d often dreamed of riding on an airship and staring down at London below, but her father had never permitted her to fly on one of his craft. Now, if she mastered the talent, she could fly on her own. The thought was tantalising. Whatever it took, she vowed silently, she would learn to fly.
    “A Talker can send messages from his mind to another person’s mind,” Doctor Norwell continued. If he was aware of her thoughts, he showed no sign of it. “The more powerful ones can actually read thoughts, although they can be delayed by someone with the mental discipline to shield their thoughts. Talker Kendrick was the first proper magician and, as you will have heard, he and his fellow Talkers were the key to the great victory in the Americas. There are now Talkers scattered around the globe, linking the British Empire together.”
    As you can hear , Master Thomas said, directly into Gwen’s mind. She jumped as if she had been stuck with a pin. Just for a second, she felt helplessly naked and vulnerable, wondering if he could read her mind. And then she realised that she could form a barrier with her thoughts and keep him out. He tipped his hat to her by way of acknowledgement.
    “Charmers can influence other people through their voices,” Doctor Norwell said. “Master Thomas...”
    “Gwen,” Master Thomas said, “ why don’t you