Cold Fire by Tamora Pierce Read Free Book Online

control it later. Remember I told you about my foster-sister Tris, the weather-mage?” Both twins nodded. Daja continued, “Her magic wasn’t recognized for years, and it kept breaking away from her. She actually made it hail indoors once. I know I saw Jory use magic, whatever Anyussa said.” She glanced at Jory, who grinned. “That means you have it, and if you don’t get it under control, it could turn on you.”
    Nia shook her head, but she took the mirror, and looked into it. Faint light, sparkling like opals, raced around the mirror’s rim, making the runes shimmer. Watching over Nia’s shoulder, Daja saw flickering images of tables, a pile of wooden buttons, hands wielding a plane to smooth wood flat, inlaid boxes, a pot of stain, and Nia’s face behind it all, her dark eyes wide in shock.
    Frostpine gripped Daja’s shoulder warmly for a moment and let go. “Carpentry, Niamara,” he said. “Your power moves through shaped wood. Aren’t you glad there’s a reason you like whittling so much?”
    Nia’s face had a look of mingled confusion and pleasure. “Yes,” she whispered, then thrust the mirror into Daja’s hands and clung to her mother. Kol and Matazi exchanged looks.
    “My turn,” Jory said, bouncing up and down.
    Opal fire darted around the rim, just as it had for Nia. Looking over Jory s shoulder, Daja saw what she expected to see: pots on hearth-fires, spices being measured, busy hands working dough, all reflected with Jory’s face in the mirror.
    “Cooking and carpentry,” remarked Kol. “Well. Don’t look so glum, Nia. This could make you girls more sought-after marriage choices.”
    “It’ll make Jory more sought-after,” said Nia. “Families want cook-mages for their sons. What house will want a bride covered in sawdust?”
    “A wise one,” Matazi said, kissing Nia’s head. “I can think of three ship-building clans who will give their eye-teeth for a bride who can sense woodrot.”
    “Ship-builders?” Nia asked, her face brightening a little.
    “Ship-builders,” Kol said firmly. “Including old Domanus Moykep. I don’t believe he’s arranged matches for his youngest son’s boys.”
    Nia blushed and hid her face against her mother’s shoulder. Daja wasn’t surprised that the Bancanors were already looking around for good matches for their twins: northern girls were married at fifteen or sixteen, and negotiations between wealthy families took years to complete. She was surprised to find Nia liked one of the rowdy teenaged boys who lived down the alley-she would have expected Nia to hide the moment a boy so much as addressed her.
    Looking at Daja, Kol asked, “What comes next?”
    “I’ll need to find what mages are here in the twins’ specialties. Each twin will do best with a teacher who has the same magic that she does,” replied Daja. “And Frostpine says I’d best start showing them how to meditate, so they can get to know their magic and control it.”
    “Oh, splendid,” moaned Jory. ”More lessons.” Daja ignored her.
    “I’ll need a regular time for meditation every day,” she told the twins’ parents.
    Matazi thought for a moment, tapping her cheek with a graceful finger. “I’ll change the dancing master to the hour after midday,” she said at last. “You can have his time in the late afternoon to meditate-will that suit?” Daja nodded.
    “These mages,” Kol asked, a wicked glint in his eye, “what kinds of fees will they charge? Will I get a two-for-one discount, since they’re twins?”
    “Papa,” cried the girls, rolling their eyes in exasperation.
    “Just like a banker, always thinking about money,” said Frostpine with a grin. “Just keep in mind how much bigger a bride-price you’ll get for mage-wives. The lessons are an investment.” He drained his tea glass and continued more seriously. “As for fees, if a potential teacher got a credential from Lightsbridge or Winding Circle, he won’t charge a fee. Teaching is what