Trial By Fire (Schooled in Magic Book 7) by Christopher Nuttall Read Free Book Online Page A

finished reading them both. Alassa was definitely worried about her wedding; Emily hadn’t objected, but some of the other barons had grumbled about their future Prince Consort being of such low birth. Emily would have thought they’d be relieved - Jade couldn’t rule the country in his own right - yet it seemed snobbery had trumped common sense. Beside it, the notes on other political developments in Zangaria were almost welcome.
    “Fools,” she muttered, as she read through the latest attempt to block the spread of her innovations. “You can’t bottleneck something a person can get from anywhere.”
    She put the letters aside for later contemplation, rose to her feet, undressed rapidly and stepped into the shower. The memory of her stepfather mocked her as water ran down her body, reminding her of the times she’d showered at school or gone without, just to avoid his gaze. She’d felt so helpless back then. And yet, the fear that had gripped her, holding her firmly in place, was gone. He was just another person to leave in the past, someone so far away it was certain she would never see him again. Unless she did find a way to go back to Earth...
    No , she told herself firmly, as she stopped the shower and reached for a towel, slowly wiping the water droplets off her body. I’ll never go back .
    Outside, she dressed rapidly, donning her favorite blue dress. It felt soft and unrestricting against her skin, contrasting neatly with her brown hair without showing off too much of her body. She would need to wear shapeless robes again tomorrow, or something lighter when she didn’t have class, but for the moment she might as well enjoy the dress. The thought made her smile as she checked her appearance in the mirror, pulled her hair back into a long ponytail and turned to pack her trunk. It wasn’t hard to make sure that all of Shadye’s books were stored within a specific compartment, accessible only to her. There would be time to study them later.
    She jumped as she heard someone rap on the door, and opened it without checking the wards. Only one person rapped like that; she smiled broadly as Lady Barb stepped into the room, wearing the black robes of a combat sorcerer and carrying a small sheaf of papers in one hand. Her long blonde hair shimmered in the light as she passed the papers to Emily, then nodded to her.
    “I hear you had a good trip,” she said, briskly.
    “We did,” Emily said. She’d talk about what she’d seen when the Nightmare Hex had gripped her later, when she’d had a chance to think about it properly. “We found quite a few books.”
    “I expect you to be very careful with them,” Lady Barb said. Her blue eyes met Emily’s and held them. “You could be held responsible if they fall into the wrong hands.”
    “Yeah,” Emily said. “I have them sealed in my trunk.”
    “I’ll be trying to break into it later,” Lady Barb warned. “Make sure you have it as secure as possible, or else.”
    Emily nodded and hastily changed the subject, holding up the papers. “What are these?”
    “Background information on potential career choices,” Lady Barb said. “At some point within the first month, Emily, you will sit down with someone from the White Council and discuss your future career. You won’t be expected to follow it slavishly, but they will give you useful advice and perhaps a few contacts. I suggest” - her tone indicated that it was actually an order - “that you go through the papers over the next few days, then make up your mind.”
    “Oh,” Emily said. She wasn’t sure she wanted to discuss her future with strangers. “What if I don’t want to talk to them?”
    “It’s mandatory, unless you have a legitimate reason to refuse,” Lady Barb said. “Alassa has one, Emily, but you don’t.”
    She shrugged. “Pick a handful of possible careers, and talk to them about the prerequisites for apprenticeships or training programs,” she added. “You’ll find them