skull is your mage kit?asked Keth.

Tris scowled at him, though her touch remained gentle. braids, Kethlun,she replied. She sat back with a sigh; she thought she had got every puncture. The ones she had tended first were already healed. By morning he wouldnt know hed been hurt. Briar, her foster-brother, brewed up good medicines with his plant magic. I store power in my braids for when I need it. They hold it because I pin them in certain patterns.She set the balm aside and pointed to the thickest braid. It ran from the middle of her forehead to the nape of her neck. Earth force here, bled out of a few earthquakes. Tidal force in these braids.She touched two on each side of her head. Im tired, I can draw a little strength off these, or a lot, depending on what I need.

Then you collapse after you run out of it,Niko said. you collapse once you use any of your braids but the little ones.

Tris shrugged and quoted a great-aunts favourite saying: business requires some risk.She looked back at Kethlun and saw that he didnt believe her. she indicated four more braids, two on each side of her head heavy lightning, like the two by my face are just for quick things.

shocking me,Keth said drily.

Chime voiced a shushing sound that Tris thought was probably a hiss of warning. did tell you to stop,she reminded Keth. I d known you were afraid of lightning, I might have used something else, but you rushed me.

Other braids I ought to know about?Keth wanted to know, smiling indulgently.

Theres a few wind ones in there, some heat ones. No rain, sadly. It makes me go all frizzy. Then power starts leaking out through the loose hairs. Its hard enough keeping everything smooth with lightning in my braids as is. Tris spoke in her most matter-of-fact voice. He probably thinks Niko wont ruin the joke about weather in my hair by telling the truth, she thought. Thats all right. If I have to teach him and I do know how few lightning mages there are it wont go well if hes afraid of me.

She glanced at Jumshida and her heart sank.

Their hostess was ashy under her bronze skin. Jumshida said. assumes the Initiate Council of Winding Circle knew -what it was doing.

were unusual circumstances,Niko explained. He had not told Jumshida, or anyone, of the extent of Triss skills. Tris had asked him not to unless it was necessary. She had seen Jumshidas shock or worse, jealousy, dislike, even hate directed at her and her friends over their last year at Winding Circle, never mind that they had not chosen to be what they were.

made Tris combine her power with that of her foster-brother and -sisters,Niko went on. a result, they expanded and structured their original abilities. Later events made them separate their magics again, but they kept certain abilities from each other. The result, and the work they put in afterwards, brought their control over their magics to the lev el of an accredited, adult mage.

Jumshida shook her head. did not receive my credential until I was twenty-eight.

Tris knew what the woman thought, what other mages thought, when they knew what she had achieved. It was too much power, too much accompli shment, for a mere girl of thirteen or fourteen. They saw only the awe of it, the ability to move hurricanes and earthquakes, the ability to do complex workings alone and without sleep, because she could borrow strength from currents in the air, in the gr ound, and in the water. Others dreamed that with Triss power and control they could live in grand palaces, dress in silks and be given all they could wish for by the rulers they served.

They didnt understand that she meditated every day to control her emotions. Without a grip on her temper, Tris didnt just hurt someones feelings or start a fight. When she lost control, she destroyed property; she sank ships.

They didnt understand that she had yet to find a way to earn a living. Rain-making was chancy. S he always had to be sure that if she moved one storm, she would not upset weather patterns for kilometres, creating floods or droughts. She was best suited for battle magic, but her dreams of the floating dead after her first battle still left her screami ng in the night. She wanted to be a healer, but even now her control wasnt tight enough, unless people wanted her to do surgery with a mallet.

And she hated the palaces and courts she and Niko had visited on their way south to Tharios. They all seemed wasteful.

Didnt ask to be singled out,Tris told her, silently begging the woman to think Tris s situation through. Jumshida had been friendly since she and Niko had arrived. Tris wanted that back. didnt ask the Initiate Council for the medallion. She stuffed it back into her dress and jumped down from the table. When she sat on a chair, Chime * curled up in her lap.

Niko told Jumshida, Initiate Council felt Tris, Briar, Sandry and Daja should be sworn to a code of conduct, to the rules of the mage community, in case they were tempted to use their power unwisely. As the council saw it, the choice was to grant the four the medallion and its responsibilities, or bind their magics until the council felt they were old enough to know what they held. Niko smiled. cooler heads prevailed. They were given the medallions.

At the thought that anyone might try to restrict her ability to get at her magic, Tris drew herself up, grey eyes flashing. could try to bind my power, she snapped. This was the first she had heard of that debate.

very like Sandry,Niko teased gently.

Tris looked down. Her foster-sister was a noble who forgot her rank until anyone questioned her right to hold it. do you expect, after living with her four years?she grumbled. She petted Chime. its true all the same, she added stubbornly.

Difficulty of actually binding you was a consideration,Niko admitted, smoothing his moustache. would look very bad if we tried, and failed. Not that a ny of you would have had the bad manners to resist,he added, raising his eyebrows at Tris.