Daja opened her eyes and looked up into his. “I do know,” she said quietly. Was he going to be one of the mages who resented her because she had achieved a status most student mages gained only in their twenties?

He was not. He extended his bony hand. “Camoc Oakborn, wood-and carpentry-mage.”

Daja gave the answer courtesy demanded as she shook hands. “Daja Kisubo, smith-mage. Might I have a moment, Viynain Oakborn? I promise I won’t keep you from your work long.”

“Over here,” he said, and led her to a quiet corner of the shop. Seeing that the other people in the room were staring, he barked, “Isn’t there work to be done?”

Everyone immediately turned back to their tasks. Camoc leaned against the wall in the corner. “How may I be of service, Daja Kisubo?”

Daja took a breath. “At the present time my teacher, Dedicate Frostpine of Winding Circle temple, and I are guests in Bancanor House. I recently discovered that Kolborn and Matazi Bancanor’s twin daughters have ambient magic. Niamara’s is with carpentry. I am talking to the best wood-mages in the city, to see if they are taking on students. If they are agreeable, I would bring Nia another day to choose who she would study with.”

Camoc rubbed his chin. “Well, you can see I’ve students and apprentices both, mage and non-mage. Another won’t disrupt things. Will the chit work?”

Daja frowned, not sure what he meant. “Nia’s loved wood all her life, as I understand it. She wants to learn.”

Camoc sighed. “She wants to learn now,” he said. “If an older mage might give you some advice… ?”

“Of course, sir,” Daja replied, confused.

“Kolborn Bancanor’s oldest daughter, one of them. Lived in luxury all her life, has tutors that come and go with the fashions-young Daja, I’ve seen dozens of these children of the rich. They putter and learn just enough to amuse themselves, but they haven’t the taste for real work, not like you and I know it.” He nodded at her staff. “Now, if she were Trader get, I wouldn’t even question it, not that Traders let their mage-children study with outsiders. But Traders understand the value of time and teaching. I’ll take her on if she likes, but I guarantee she’ll learn a trick or two and then weary of it.”

Daja stiffened. “I don’t believe that of either of the girls,” she told Camoc.

He smiled at her in that understanding, patronizing way some adults had, a smile that said the younger person was entitled to her ideas, however silly. “Well, I’ll be honest with you-if she did study here, chances are she’d study at first under one of my journeymen. This is a big shop-I’ve people working on the second and third floors as well as this one. We do everything from miniature work to what you see down here. All of my journeymen who are mages know the basics, and most of them have taught. So she wouldn’t be learning from me, though I’d keep an eye on things. That’s how the bigger shops do it.”

Daja nodded. The smith who was teaching her the fine points of cast and wrought iron, though he was no mage, worked in much the same way, placing new apprentices with journeymen for their basic instruction. “The final decision would be Nia’s, in any case,” she replied.

“Bring her around, if you like,” he said, pushing himself away from the wall. “If she’s so inclined, I’ll take her on. You can find me here any day but Watersday, unless I’m called out by someone who can afford my time. Do you attend any of the Mages’ Society gatherings?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Daja replied. “Frostpine’s mentioned it once or twice.”

“We only meet in the winter-too much to do the rest of the year. You and your teacher should stop by sometime. We’re always interested in the work that’s being done in the south.” He offered Daja his hand in farewell, and returned her grip with his own firm one. “May I see your list of possible teachers?” he asked.

Daja drew it out of her coat pocket and handed it to him.

He read it over, humming softly. “Forget Ashstaff,” he counseled Daja. “Since that third heart attack she’s barely working magic enough to whittle with. She won’t be taking any more students on in this life. And I’d advise against Beechbranch. He’s a little too liberal with the switch when he’s been drinking, and lately he drinks constantly.” He passed the list back to Daja.

She took it, confused. First he talked down to her and spoke ill of a girl he didn’t know, then he was helpful. Or maybe he was just a gruff person, one with a good heart who didn’t know when his words stung. “Thank you, Master Camoc. I appreciate knowing that.”

“First student?” he asked, walking her to the door.

Daja nodded.

“And you feel like you’re in over your head.”

Daja smiled up at him as he opened the door for her. “Yes, actually, I do.”

Camoc gave her a wintery smile of his own. “We all do. Believe me or not, you grow accustomed. Good day.”

Daja thanked him again and walked out into the icy air. Serg, chatting with a girl who carried a tray of hot buns, immediately came to help Daja into the sleigh. She settled back, still a little dazed by Camoc’s brisk but, in the end, kind treatment. The question was, of course, would he be as kind to Nia, given his prejudice against the rich?

Well, Nia might not even like the man as a teacher.

“Viymese Daja?” asked Serg from the driver’s seat. “Where shall we go next?”